but wee doo alwaies make one and the same sacrifice but wee doo rather worke the remembrance of a sacrifice Except our Aduersaries haue vtterly lost the vse of Reason they must needes see that Chrysostomes meaning was to teach that it is not the holy Eucharist but the death and passion of Christ whereof the Eucharist is a remembraunce that is the sacrifice propitiatorie whereby our sinnes are taken away Euen in the iudgement of Chrysostome therefore the Masse which you call blessed is in deede curssed bicause it is derogatory to the office of Christ Iesus whose comming into this worlde was to saue sinners And hee onely it is that hath saued his people from their sinns by making a sacrifice of him selfe once for all By which one sacrifice once made hee hath made perfect as many and bee made holie that is all the Elected and chosen children of God So that now there is no more sacrifice for sinne Hebr 10. As the Apostle hath written to the Hebrews Chapter 10. But what should I make any more to doo about this matter sith the Scripture is plaine on our side Sit Deus verax Psalm 116. omnis autem homo mendax Let GOD the author of the scriptures bée true and euery man a liar Now the last point of doctrine that you charge the Protestants with is the abolishing of Christes sacraments of all the graces and goodnesse by them conferred vnto vs. To this I say that no learned Protestant either hath doth or will abolish or consent to the abolishing of any one sacrament that our sauiour Christ hath instituted or of any grace or goodnes cōferred to vs by them Wée confesse with S. Augustine Ad Ianuarium Epist. 118. August ad Ianuarium 118. that our sauiour Christ hath instituted verie fewe sacraments and that the same are verie effectuall as is Baptisme and the Communion of the bodie and blood of our sauiour Christ These two sacraments wee acknowledge to bee instituted by our sauiour Christ as sacraments that is outward and visible signes representing inward inuisible and spirituall graces In Baptisme the outward and visible signe is water and the inward inuisible and spirituall grace is forgiuenes of sinnes and regeneration or new byrth both which we haue by the death and resurrection of Christ and in that sacrament wee receiue a seale and pledge of the same Yea and where wee are by nature the children of Gods wrath wee are by Baptisme receiued into the church and assured that wee are now the children of God ioyned and graffed into the bodie of Christ and are become his members and that wee doo grow into one bodie with him Yea and being assured that Gods couenant and promise made to faithfull Abraham and to his seede belongeth to vs and to our seede bicause belieuing in Christ wee bee the spirituall posteritie of Abraham wée are bould to baptise our children as fellow members togither with vs of the same mystical bodie of Christ that it hath pleased our heauenly Father to make vs members of And when they bee able to learne wee doo teach them to belieue and acknowledge that they bee so and to endeuour in their life to expresse that duetie both to God and man which was at their baptisme professed and promised In the other sacrament which we doo commonly call the Lords supper the outward and visible signe is breade and wine both which wee doo according to Christes commaundement receiue For hee hath said Take eate this is my bodie and drinke yee all of this for this is the Cup of the new testament in my blood c. And wee are assured by Faith that as wee doo receiue the breade and wine into our mouthes and stomacks euen so wee doo by faith receiue into our soules the very body and blood of Chryst that heauenly foode whereby our soules are refreshed and fed vnto euerlasting life And this bodie blood of Christ are the heauenly parte of this sacrament remooued from all outward senses But wée doo not belieue as you popish Catholiques would haue vs belieue that the substance of the bread and wine in this sacrament is turned into the substance of the bodie and blood of Christ for so it could not bee a sacrament which must haue in it both an outward and visible signe and an inward inuisible grace Wherefore the bread and wine must remaine in their natures and properties Neither doo wée belieue that this sacrament was ordeined to bee a sacrifice to God the father for the remission of sinnes for wee know that onely Christ Iesus hath bin and is able and worthy to offer sacrifice for the deliuerance of mankinde from sinne And that hee hath by that sacrifice that hee made of himselfe once for all fully satisfied for the sinnes of the whole world and hath left nothing for vs to doo but firmely to fixe our faith in him and thankefully to take the vse of this eternall sacrifice which wee chiefly doo when wee come worthely to the Lords table bee partakers of that holy sacrament Now if you thinke that I haue doone that which you required the learned Protestant to doo then shame not to yeelde and recant and bee no longer an obstinate and wilfull blinde popish Catholique which is an Antichristian schismaticke But bee a tractable and an obedient Scholler of Christ Iesus hearkening to and belieuing the gospell of Christ which is the glad tidings of free pardon and full forgiuenes of all our sinnes by the merites and mediation of our onely Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ protesting to hold euerie gospell that is contrary to this Gospell accursed as saint Paule willed the Galathians to doo So shall you bee a right Catholique Christian holding and professing that Catholique faith which Christ himselfe commanded his messengers to teach Catholiquely when hee sayde thus Euntes in mundum vniuersum docete omnes gentes baptizantes eos in nomine patris Math. 28. filij spiritus sancti c. Going into all the world teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost teaching them to obserue all those things that I haue commaunded you This is the Catholique doctrine that wee haue heard and learned and doo belieue it By hearing this woord of the gospell or glad tidings of free pardon and forgiuenesse of sinnes our God hath wrought in vs such an assurance of Saluation that wee doubt nothing thereof And this assuraunce woorketh in vs an vnfayned loue towards him that hath adopted predestinated and called vs to bee meete Images of his sonne and one of vs towards another although not in such perfection as hee hath loued vs and as hée commaundeth vs to loue one another yet in some measure and in such measure as hee in mercie alloweth of Wee protest therefore that wee will hold this faith and still craue the encrease of this faith and that wée may grow ritch in
selues to think any thing but our sufficiencie is of God And agayne to the Philippians Chapter first Philip. 2. Sainte Paule saith thus Deus enim est qui operatur in vobis velle perficere pro bona voluntate It is God that worketh in you both the will and the powre to performe the will And againe to the Romaines Chap. 7. Rom. 7. Velle adiacet mihi perficere autem bonum non inuenio c. I haue a will but to performe that which is good I finde not For I doo not that good thing which I am willing to doo but the euill thing which I am vnwilling to doo that doo I. Now it is not I that doo it but sinne that dwelleth in mée By these plaine places of Scripture it appeereth manifestly that the learned Protestants doo teach nothing concerning free will but that which our Sauiour Christ his Apostle Paule haue taught But now to the fourth pointe of doctrine The fourth point of doctrine is the denyall of the reall presence of Christes body in the holie Eucharist It is very true that all learned Protestants doo deny the reall presence of Christes bodie in the holie Eucharist And there is good cause why they should doo so For touching the reall presence of his body our Sauiour Christ him selfe hath sayd as wée reade in the 11. Cha. of S. Iohns gospeâ—l Lazarus is deade and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there that you may beléeue If you will say that Christes body was not then glorified as nowe it is and therefore could not then as nowe it may bee in moe places at once then one then consider the words of S. Peter Act. 3. Act. 3. Repent and bée conuerted that your sinnes may bée blotted out when the time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord shall come when hée shall send him that hath beene preached vnto you euen Iesus Christ whom heauen must containe euen till the time of the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holie Prophets from the beginning By these woordes of Saint Peter it appeareth that hee knew nothing of this reall presence of Christs body in the holie Eucharist For hee saith that heauen is the place where the Reall bodie of Christ must bee till that tyme wherein hée shall appeere in iudgement which is the time of the Restitution of all thinges as hee hath spoken by the mouth of his holie Prophets which haue bene since the world began According to this dooth Saint Augustine write to Dardanus Tim 2. Epist 57. Cauendum est enim ne ita diuinitatem adstruamus hominis vt veritatem corporis auferamus Wee must take héede that wée doo not so builde vp the diuinity of the manhoode that wee take away the truth of the bodie For it followeth not that whatsoeuer is in God should bée euery where as GOD is By this it appeereth that Saint Augustine knew nothing of our Offerers reall presence of the bodie of our Sauiour Christ in the holie Eucharist All this notwithstanding wee hold that the body and blood of Christ are in the holy Eucharist present to the faythfull receiuers verily and in deede So that as many as doo with a full assurance of the mercies of God promised in Christ receiue the holy Eucharist doo vndoubtedly by faith receiue into their soules the verie body and blood of Christ to their endlesse comfort The learned Protestants doo not teach as you doo slauÌ„derously report of vs that in the holy Eucharist there is nothing but bread and wine for wee know what S. Paule hath written to the Corinth in the 10. Chapter of the first Epistle Vt prudentibus loquor iudicate vos quod dico 1. Cor. 10. Poculum benedictionis cui benedicimus c. I doo speake as vnto wise men doo you iudge that which I doo speake The Cup of blessing which wee doo blesse is it not the common partaking of the blood of Christ And the bread which wée breake is it not the coÌ„mon partaking of the body of Christ The Lord hath made vs able to iudge of the meaning of the Apostle in these woords wée doo know that as many as doo come worthely to the Lords table and be partakers of the holie Eucharist doo not receiue the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ onely but they receiue his verie bodie and blood Although not really substancially and bodily as you imagine yet spiritually sacramentally and verily and in deed And this is according to that which saint Augustine hath written in his Sermon De Sacramentis fidelium De Sacramentis fidelium Hoc est ergo manducare illam escam c. This is therefore to eate that meate and to drinke that drink for a man to dwell in Christ and to haue Christ dwelling in him And hereby hee that dwelleth not in Christ and in whom Christ dwelleth not without doubt hee neither eateth his flesh nor drinketh his blood although hée doo eate and drink the Sacrament of so excellent a thing to his owne condemnation This may suffice to certifie any reasonable man that wee denie not that presence of Christes bodie in the holie Eucharist which is taughte in the Scriptures and in the writings of S. Augustine The fift point that the Offerer dooth charge vs with is that wee denie the Sacrifice of the most blessed Mâ—sse You should haue sayd the most abhominâ—ble Mâ—sse For what thing can bee more abhominable then that thing which is directly contrarie to the scriptures and derogatorie to that one sacrifice that Christ Iesus our high Priest made of himself once for all Saint Paule to the Hebrews Chapter 10. Hebre. 10. speaking of our Sauiour Christ sayth thus Hic vero vna pro peccatis oblata victima c. After this man had offered vp one sacrifice for sinne hee sitteth at the right hand of God for euer waighting from hence forth till his enemies may bee made his foote stoole For with one oblation hee hath made perfect for euer such as are made holie And the holie Ghost dooth certifie vs when hee saith thus This is the Testament that I will make vnto them after those daies saith the Lord giuing my lawes in their hearts and in their mindes I will write them and their sinnes iniquities will I not remember any more And where there is forgiuenes of those sinnes and iniquities there is nowe no Sacrifice for sinne This farre Saint Paule What can bee written or spoken more plainely then this is for the proofe of that which wee holâ—e that is that in the Masse there is no sacrifice for sinne Christ our high Priest hauing offered vp one oblation is set downe on the right hand of God for euer and what other thing can bee ment by this then that which followeth which is that by that one oblation he hath made perfect al such as are made holie that
Images are goodly ceremonies Your taking of Ashes bearing of Palme displinge with white roddes créeping to the crosse sencing and kissing of Images and burning of candles before them are goodly ceremonies Your solemne and pompous processions about your Churches and churchyardes wéekely and about your parishes yéerely are goodly obseruations Your solemne and backanall Feastes that you obserue yerely in the honour of such Angelles and men as you thinke to bée in high fauour with God and able to furder your sutes to him or of themselues to doo you some pleasure are goodly obseruations Your yerely feastes of Lent Ember Saints Vigilles and wéekely Fridayes and Saterdayes are goodly obseruations with many moe which now I doo not remember But it may be that some of your sorte will thinke that I doo vse this Epitheton Goodly by a figure in speach named by the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And is vsed when men speake one thing and meane the contrarie Surely such as doo so take my meaning doo not take it amisse for what reason is there to mooue a man to applie this Epitheton goodly in the right sence thereof to these such other ceremonies and obseruations wherein there is nothing that rightly may be called either good or goodlye We are contented therefore that your Popish Catholique Church doo take to her selfe the whole praise and commendation that the inuention of these goodly ceremonies and obseruations hath or can deserue Yea we would be verie sorie that any of your sorte should bee able to make good proofe that any of our sorte had instituted or ordayned any of those goodly ceremonies or obseruations that you estéeme so highly of As for the feastes of Easter and Whitsontyde we know that God him selfe dyd first institute them the one namely Easter in the remembraunce of the deliueraunce of the people of Israell out of Egipt and the other that is Whitsontyde or Pentecost in the remembraunce of the publishing of the Lawe in the mount Sinaie Whych as they were remembraunces of thinges then past so they were figures or shadowes of thinges then to come and now alreadie fulfilled in the death and resurrection of our Sauiour Christ and in the sending of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles the fifteth day after the resurrection of our Sauiour Christ And we are perswaded that these two feastes were obserued euen by the Apostles themselues in rememberaunce of our deliuerance which we haue by the death and resurrection of our Sauiour Christ and of the comming of the holy Ghost which rested vpon the Apostles in the forme of firie tongues deuided Yea and we doo thinke that the Saboth or the Lordes day commonly called the Sonday was obserued by the Apostles yea and that shortly after the tyme of the Apostles the right catholique Christians began to obserue yéerely certaine dayes in the rememberaunce of holy men which had suffered for the testimonie of Christ and some dayes in the remembraunce of those great and inestimable benifits that God hath bestowed vpon mankinde in the incarnation natiuity Epiphanie and Ascention of our Sauiour Christ But there is no cause to mooue vs to thinke that eyther the Apostles or the fathers dyd iustitute those feastes as obseruations necessarie to bée obserued for euer but as profitable remembraunces wherby the congregations of Christ might be mooued to be thankfull to God and encouraged to followe the good examples of those good men whose remembraunces they dyd solemnise And after this manner and for this purpose wee also doo obserue some of those seastiuall dayes Not hauing any superstition in the holines of the times neither beeing perswaded that we doo deserue any thing at Gods hand by the obseruing of the times or that we should sinne against God if by a common consent we should abrogate the obseruation of those times or by some priuate or vrgent occasion imploy those tymes in our honest and necessarie businesses For our Sauiour Christ hath tolde vs that euen the Saboth in such causes is in mans power Man was no made for the Saboth but the Saboth was made for man Marc. 2. Marc. 2. And as touching fasting we obserue Lent the Ember dayes the Fridayes and Saterdayes in euerie wéeke and the vigilles of saintes but not as you doo superstitiously but for good policie We doo not account one meate holyer then another neither one time better then another But we abstaine from certaine kindes of meates at certayne tymes that thereby the common weale of our countrie may be bettered And would to God al would obserue that policie more precisely then any of vs dooth As touching our own persons we do not thinke our selues to be either the better or the wursse by taking or leauing of the vse of Gods creatures Rom 14 But according to S. Paules rule to the Romans Capit 14. When we take the vse of Gods creatures wée doo giue thanks vnto him for them and when we doo leaue the vse of them we doo thanke hym also Wee doo knowe that that fast is the right fast which is commended by Esay Esay 58. the Prophet Chap. 58. and by saint Peter 1. Peter 2. 1 Peter 2. Breake thy breade to the hungrie That is giue of the sustinaunce of thine owne body to hym that hath no sustinaunce to féed his body withall And abstaine sayth Saint Peter from fleshly lustes that fight against the soule Thus if you wyll you may sée that the right knowne Catholique Church hath instituted and ordayned all such ceremonies and solemne obseruations as may rightly bée called goodly and that your Popishe Catholique Church hath corrupted many of them by superstition and idolatrie and hath also deuised many other such as may by the figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee called goodly ceremonies and solemne obseruations Wherefore I require you to performe your promise that you make when you say Then I wyll recant and not before The sixt Offer Offerer Syxt Let the Protestantes shewe what Church from Christ his tyme hetherto and for the whole space of these fifteene hundred yeeres past hath exercised discipline and due correction vpon offenders of all degrees and for that purpose hath not only prouided and made but continuallie executed lawes Canons and decrees ecclesiasticall by suspension excommunication degradation and such other lyke Let them prooue thys discipline to haue proceeded of the Protestantes congregations or to haue contynued from time to time in any other Church then in the common knowen Catholique Church of Christ And I wyll then recant and not before Crowley Here is much a doo and little helpe The learned protestant must prooue that thing that no Protestant hath dooth or wyll at any time affirme for otherwise the Offerer wyll in no wise yéelde to recant We doo knowe and haue at all times confessed that Christes knowen Catholique Church onely hath the keyes of opening and shutting loosing and binding and that none other congregation but that can
vpon hir the title of Antichrist which was in the dayes of Phocas the Emperor at whose hands Bonifacius obtained the prophane title of vniuersall bishop whereof Gregorie the first surnamed the great writeth thus Grego Epi. 66. Epist 66. ad Mauricium imperatorem Sed absit a cordibus christianorum nomen istud blasphemiae in quo omnium sacerdotum honor adimitur dum ab vno sibi dâ—mâ—nter arrogatur But let this name of blasphemie bee far from christian hearts wherein the honor of all Priests is taken away whils one Priest dooth like a mad man arrogate the same vnto him selfe And againe Episto 68. Grego Epi. 68. Ad Iohn Episc Constantinopol Tu quid Christo vniuersalis scilicet Ecclesiae capiti in extremi iudicij es dicturus examine qui cuncta eius membra tibimet conaris vniuersalis appellatione supponere What wilt thou say vnto Christ that is to the head of the vniuersall Church saith Gregorie to Iohn bishop of Constantinople in the triall of the last iudgement which doost by the name of vniuersall goe about to make subiect vnto thy selfe all his members who can write or speake more plainely in this matter then this Gregorie hath written both to Mauricius the Emperour and to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople I hope therefore you will take this for a stayed certaine tale and bée therewith satisfied Considering that after Constantine the first christened Emperor had endued the Church with some possessions and so poysoned the Church as by a voice that was heard from heauen it was signified which voice vttered this speach Hodie datum est venenum in Ecclesiam This day is the Church poysoned that poyson did not presently worke the effect but by litle and litle So that the change from the Protestants religion to Poperie was not sodaine although meruailous but brought to passe by leysure and yet with as much spéede as the Dragon could by his members and ministers bring it to passe As for gainesayers it lacked none amongst whom I thinke you will allowe Gregorie the first to bee one of the chiefest Now therefore I require your promise which is to recant and yéelde although you haue hitherto refused so to doo The eleuenth Offer Offerer Let the learned Protestant shew me what order of seruice or coÌ„mon prayer what order of ministration of sacraments their Church had before Papistrie as they call it preuailed in the world Let him shew mee one booke or copie of any communion or what els you list that was in English or in any vulgar or coÌ„mon tongue beside the Hebrew Greeke and Latine or that lacked prayer for the foules departed or inuocation to saints or sacrifice for the sinnes both of the quicke and the dead or that charged a number to receiue with the priest or that he could not els consecrate or say Masse receiuing alone or that the people should take the sacrament for bread and wine and not for the reall body blood of Christ or that they should giue no honor to it or not reserue the same for the comfort of the sicke and diseased people or that denied extreme vnction with the rest of the sacraments to bee behoufull or necessarie for them let the learned Protestant bring forth and shew such a communion booke or any leafe line or word of any such doctrine or any Church or congregatition that euer had authenticall seruice or ministration of the sacraments other then that which is yet daily and o-openly practized in the common knowne Catholique church of Christ and I shall then recant and not before Crowley It séemeth by this Offer that this Offerer and his fellowes are perswaded that what soeuer is now openly practized in the popish diuine seruice and ministration of sacraments hath bin so openly practized as now it is euen euer since the Church of Christ was first planted in the City of Rome Which is a wronge persuasion For the greatest number of the ceremonies yea well nigh all that are now vsed in that ministration haue bin diuised since the ende of the first 300. yéeres as by their owne Hystories it dooth most plainly appeere I will therefore answere this offer with another not much vnlike to this and thus I say Let this Offerer shew mée what order of seruice or common praier what order of ministration of sacraments the Church had before the end of the first 300. yéeres Let him shew mée one booke or copy of any communion or what els you list that was in Hebrew Gréeke Latine or in any other language that had in it prayer for the soules departed or inuocation to saints or sacrifice for the quicke and the deade or that did not coÌ„mand a number to receiue with the priest or that did teach the people not to take the sacrament for breade and wine but for the reall body and blood of Christ or that they shoulde giue honor to the outwarde sacrament or that they should reserue it for the sicke diseased people or that taught extreme vnction Confirmation Order Penance and Matrimony to bée Sacraments behooufull or necessarie for Christians let this learned Offerer bringe foorth and shew such a communion booke or any leafe line or word of any such doctrine or any Church or congregation that euer had any such authenticall seruice or ministration of sacraments as is now openly practized in the coÌ„monly knowne popish Catholique church before the ende of the first 300. yeeres And then will I recant and bée a Papist as this Offerer is and not before I thinke I haue offered you faire play If you like the offer take it I will not flée from it If not for shame bragge no more of the antiquitie of your authentike seruice that is now practized in your Antichristian Catholike church But recant as you haue promised The first bishop of Rome that was bolde to diuise any thing to bée added to that which the Apostles vsed in the ministration of the Lords supper was Alexander the first And what did hée Platina saith that this man added Qui pridem quam pateretur vsque ad hanc clausulam hoc est Corpus meum Which is thus in English Which a day before hee suffered euen vnto this clause This is my body And Platina saith that Alexander did this that there might bee a remembrance of the passion of Christ Hée deuised also the making of holy water the vse whereof was to driue diuells out of Temples and chambers He ordained also that water should bée mixed with the wine in the ministration of the Sacrament and that the breade should not bée leauened but vnleauened to take away the occasion that the Ebionits tooke to finde fault in that behalfe Thus much writeth Platina in vita Alexandri primi This Alezander was the sixt bishop of Rome after Peter Plantina in vita Alexandri primi if Platina haue written truly and was made bishop in the yéere 110. after the incarnation of our sauiour
God to giue his Church libertie to make publique profession of fayth and religion as now for the space of 29. yéeres togeather he hath doone in this realme of England such as be members of the true Catholique Church doo and haue doone by the permission and commaundement of our Prince whom God hath appointed to gouerne vs as it becommeth Catholike Christians to doo in open praier preaching and administration of Sacramentes And to the ende that all thinges may bée doon orderly and as it beseemeth we haue bishops al other necessary ministers orderly elected admitted to minister vnto vs the word and to exercise publique prayer necessarie discipline suche as the higher powers vnder whome we liue doo thinke méete to be exercised As for the vniformity of your solemne Ceremonies that had not had so long continuance for the space of fiftéene hundreth yéeres nor yet for the space of fifty yéeres For by the confession of your holy father Pope Pius quintus the difference of ceremonies vsed euen in your holy Masse was such before the tyme of your last generall Councell which began at Trident. Anno. 1545. that it was thought méete by them to take order for the reformation thereof But though it had béene as auncient as you would haue it what great matter is there in it to prooue thereby that your Church is the true Church of Christ sith it is an easie matter for any sorte of men to agrée in outward and solemne Ceremonies although the same bee neuer so superstitious vaine and foolish But here is a matter of greater waight that is the vnity of fayth that your Church hath had these 1500 yéeres last past continually I haue already prooued that your Antichristian Church hath not had continuance so long by 600. yeres almost And it shal be an easie matter to prooue that the fayth of your Church hath in the time that it hath had continuance varied very often in some poyntes of greatest wayght as you doo account of them The generall councell of Basill beléeued that theyr authority was aboue the authority of the Pope and that they might depose hym and therefore they dyd depose Eugenius that then was Pope and choose an other in his place And the same Eugenius bolding a Councell at Farrary beléeued that he had authority to excommucate the generall councell And this article was long doubted of Whether the Pope or the generall counsell should haue the supreme authoritie And about the wordes of consecration I thinke your Church is not yet agréede whether the vertue â—hat turneth the substaunce doo lye in the verbe Est or in the sillable vm And whether the substance of breade and wyne bée turned into the substaunce of the body and bloode of Christ or whether that substaunce departing and giuing place the body and blood of Christ doo occupie the place thereof vnder the qualities of bread and wine And whether the mouse that eateth the consecrated rake doo eate the bodie of Christ or no. In these high poyntes of religion and in dyuers other of lyke sorte the vnitie of your fayth hath béene and styll is sore shaken But I perceyue that which followeth in thys conclusion of thys offer that the fayth whych you speake of is that fayth or beleefe that you haue in that Church of yours which you call Catholique You neuer trouble your selfe with the waighting and examining of matters of beléefe for you confesse that you must of necessitie beléeue the Church So that your determination is to beléeue whatsoeuer that Church hath or shall determine and commaund you to beléeue although you knowe not what that Church either hath or shall determine Thus your late prosilite Frier Iohn Frauncis of Nigeon in Fraunce dyd in his letters that he wrote to his mother instruct her to beléeue But here riseth a doubte whether this Church be the general councell the colledge of Cardinalles or the Popes holines alone If it bee the generall councell what shifte would you haue made when two generall councelles were holden at one tyme and decréede contrarie the one to the other the one holden at Basill and the other at Farrarie If it be the colledge of Cardinalles which way would you haue turned your selfe when there were thrée Popes at one tyme and each Pope had his colledge of Cardinalles If it bée the Pope him selfe then tell mée vpon whome you would haue hanged your fayth when there was no Pope for the space of two yéeres togeather and when there were three Popes at one tyme and when haueing but one Pope the same was an Arrian or Saddusey or had giuen hym selfe to the Deuill that hee myght bée made Pope I leaue this to your discretion or to the discretion of some one of your sorte that shall take in hand to replye to this aunswer that I make to these your offers You saye that your Church hath in her selfe all holie functions of the spirite as workinge of miracles remission of sinnes and the true sence and interpretation of Gods worde A straunge manner of ennumeration of partes All the holie functions of the spyrite are innumerable and therefore they are commonlie sayd to bée seuen by which number béeing a perfecte number an infinite multitude is commonly signified But you set downe thrée for all The working of miracles is one of those holye functions that you speake of You meane I am sure of those miracles that haue béene and are wrought in your places of Pilgrimage and by the rotten reliques of your Sayntes whereof I haue heard great boast and some experience I haue séene in England The holy mayd of Kent with her confederates wrought manie myracles in the dayes of King Henrie the eyght as in our Chronicles is to bée séene but in the ende she was founde to bée an arrante Whore and so was the holie made of Lemster that was nothing inferiour to the other in working of myracles The holy Roode of Bostone the holie Roode of Boxley the holie Roode of Chester the holie Roode of Northamton and the holie Roode at the North doore of Paules Church with the holy Roode in Roode Lane in London were not behinde the rest in working miracles by the helpe of knaues that had the kéeping of them I might speake of the holy blood at Hailes which was sayd to bee a portion of the bloode of Christ Saint Thomas of Canterburie S. Thomas of Hereford S. William of Mawuerne S. Ioseph of Shaftesburie and holy King Henrie of Windsore King Kenelme of Cowbadge S. Hugh of Lincolne and S. Robert of Naseborowe and a number of blessed Ladies to many to bée rehearsed by name The knauerie that was practized in these places is so well knowen in England that your miracles can haue no credite amongst such English men as haue not Roomish hartes Yea and our sauiour Christ hath forewarned vs Math 24. Math 24 That in these latter dayes many false Christs and false prophets shal arise shal
worse bred then before he wold not nor cold not consent therunto in fine suffered death in defence of the christian faith religion by him already professed receiued rather then he would condiscend to the imparing infringing or breaking of any parte thereof And so Genserichus caused this blessed man Sebastian to die a holy Martyr Thus much I haue breefly deducted out of the historye of victor to the intent that so apte and familier an example of so holy blessed a martir might in these perplexities and doubts in these ofte changes and mutations of religion comfort the weaklings of Christ his Church bring them to some more better stay when by this example of Sebastians Loafe certaine and sure we may be that the loafe of the vnitie of Christ his Church the loafe of his Gospell faith and religion being by Schisme and Heresie neuer so oft broken neuer so finely grinded boulted searced and sifted kneaded and baked againe againe they shall neuer be able to better it or to bring it to that perfection which it had before And therefore all theyr attempts to the contrary are most vaine the only remembrance of this Sebastians loafe shold suffise to confirme the faithful to stay the wauering and weakelings and to plucke the disceiued bake againe to cause theÌ„ in leuing of this theâ—r fickle waue ringnes of this their proceedings as they terme it from one sect to an other from one congregation to an other from their scattering abroad with antichrist to stay themselues and to gather themselues with our Sauiour Christ into the vnity of his common knowen catholique Church where they shal be sure to finde vnity of religion vniformity of al ceremonies and obseruation of the same with th'attonment of christian faith throughout in all Sacraments articles of our Creede to the paâ—â—sying of many contentions and sâ—â—â—â—â— amongst vs to the quietation of mens consciences in causing vs all professors of Christ as brethren here to liue together in quietnes peace vnity to the more better assuraunce of the publique estate of this realme and to the great glory and honour of almighty God to whom be al praise honour and glory world without ende Amen Crowley That example that you say you will lay before vs to giue vs occasion to leaue these priuate churches and congregations of sectaries and to returne to the vnity c is a very méete example to be vsed by the learned Protestant that if it be possible he may thereby drawe you backe againe from your apostacy wherein you run a whoring after Roomish Idols and delite your selfe in antichristian breathing out of blasphemy against God and all godlines to embrace that vnity attonement that is in verity professed by that common knowen catholique church of Christ wherin stability and constancy of faith and religion were to be found in that time wherin Sebastian suffered manfully for the testimony of Christ and was made a martir that is a witnes of Christ As for the truth of the historie that you cite out of Victor I wil not impech it although I do find in histories that Sebastian suffered martirdom in the daies of Diocletian which was 100 yeres more before either Theodotius secundus or Genserichus did beare any rule at al. But let the history be as true as you would wish it to be the example is the thing that may serue the learned protestants purpose verie well Sebastian being conuented before the Arian Bishops is by king Genserichus required to become an Arian but for answere he requesteth the king to commaund a fine wheaten loafe to be brought vnto him which being doone hee requesteth the king to commaund the same loafe to bee broken into péeces c. Here the learned Protestant will say that the wheat wherof this loafe was made did not grow in the field of that romish Catholique Church that this Offerer doth brag so much off neither was it thresshed in the threshing flowre ground in that myll sifted with that Siue or boulted with that boulter nor knode in that kneading fatte nor baked in that ouen For at that time which was about the end of the first 300 yéeres after Christ the Church that was in Rome was nothing like that romane Church that now is and hath bene euer since the daies of the Emperour Phocas The learned protestant will say that this loafe was made of that wheate which was sowed by that sower that went foorth to sowe his séede Mat. 13. Ma. 13 and being threshed in his threshing floore with the flaile of bitter persecution was fanned or wynowed by him that hath his fanne in his hand to purge his threshing floore Mat. 3. Ma. 3 and grownd in the Mill of oppression sifted or bowlted with the siue or bowlter of tentation knoden with the water of vnfayned hearty contrition in the end baked in the Ouen of hotte feruent loue zeale to true religion And all this was done in the time that was past when Sebastian required the king to call for a fine wheaten loafe Many had assaied before that time to make this bread better by breaking of this loafe and by working of it againe but they could neuer bring it to passe for the baker that did first bake it is so skilfull in baking such bread that it is not possible for any to amend that bread that he baketh or to bake any of the like goodnes They that attempted this matter before Sebastians time were these whose names doo ensue Symon Magus Alexander the Coppersmyth Hymenaeus and Philetus Nicolas the deacon Cerinthus Menander Ebion Gnostici Basilides Saturninus Valentinus Syrenus Carpocrates Marcellina Montanus Seuerus Tacianus Alogiana secta Hierarchas Berillus Noetus Tertulianistae Origianistae Nouatus Sabellicus Nepos Paulus Samosatenus Martion Manes All these had endeuoured before the daies of Sebastian to make better bread of this loafe then the heauenly baker had made but it would not be And euen so haue a number moe done since the dayes wherein Sebastian suffred martyrdome but all in vaine Yea and none haue at any time done more in this matter theÌ„ this Offerer his fellowes haue done doo still but all their labour is lost so shall it be still let them doo what they can to amend it they shall finde in the end that it is so perfect that no man can be able to amend it or to make the like The learned protestant therefore neither wil nor can consent to leaue that church or congregation which the Offerer calleth priuate which is in déed most publike hath in it that stability constancie of faith religion that none other church either hath or can haue for it hath continued euen from the beginng is rightly figured by that loafe of Sebastian that the Offerer hath spoken of for the heauenly baker alone hath mowlded made baked it hath giuen it vertue to féed vnto euerlasting life al such as doo or shall taste thereof take pleasure therein yea rather then the learned protestaÌ„t would forsake this heaueÌ„ly Bethlehem or house of bread ioyne himselfe to the Romish Bethauen or house of vanity confusion he will yéeld to suffer most painful death in his body for that christian religion faith that he hath already receiued professed Which is in déed the right Catholique faith religion of Christ Iesus to the impairing infringing or breaking of any part wherof he wil in no case condiscend or agrée Thus this Offerer his fellowes may sée how aptly this example of Sebastian serueth for the staying confirming of such protestants in the church of Christ as be weake are by these often chauÌ„ges of religion brought into perplexities doubts For by this example of Sebastians loafe we may be most certaine sure that although the loafe of the vnity of Christs church the loafe of his gospell religion be by schismes heresies neuer so often broken neuer so finely grinded bowlted searced sifted kneaded baked againe and againe yet it is most apparant that no goodnes can be added to the first goodnes that is in this bread which the heauenly baker hath baked Let this Offerer his fellows therefore haue a due consideration of Sebastians loafe for thereby they may be confirmed in the right faith of Christ staied from wauering pluckt back againe from their erroures and caused to procéede from one degrée of perfection to another yea to stay theÌ„selues from scattering abroad with Antichrist to séeke saluation here there and they know not where It may cause them also to gather them selues togither with our sauiour Christ into the vnity of his coÌ„mon knowne Catholike church wherein they shal be sure to finde vnity of true religion Attonement of right Christian faith in al sacraments Articles of our créed no superfluous or dumbe ceremoÌ„ies or superstitious obseruances To the pacifying of all contentions striffs to the quieting of all consciens causing al the professors of Christ to liue here in quietnes peace vnity to the better assurance of the publike estate of this realme to the great glory honor of almighty God to whom be all praise honor and glory world without ende Amen FINIS