1213. and 1220. §. 4. The twelfth Chapter sheweth there were many of the Waldenses Religion in England Matth. Paris in anno 1174. some burnt in anno 1174 saith Math Paris and in King Henry the second his time many were grieuously persecuted in England saith Thomas Waldensis an English man Waldens de Re sacram lib. 6. tit 12. cap. 10. Wiclife taught their very doctrine and greatly spread it in England Also in Saxony and Pomerania and in the Diocesse of Eisten in Germany ib. cap 11. were many Waldenses they had twelue Pastors knowen besides the vnknown Yea as Trithenius reports they were in such numbers and so spread in Germany that they could trauell from Colen to Milan in Italy and euery night lodge with hostes of their owne profession §. 5. The thirteenth Chapter shewes many in Flaunders the fourteenth in Poland Sigonius de Regno Italiae lib. 17. Rainer in summa fol. 18. the fifteenth in Paris it selfe the sixteenth in Italy as writeth Sigonius Rainerius saith in anno 1250. The Waldenses had Churches in Albania Lombardy Millan Romagnia and also in Vicence Florence and Val Spoletine Anno 1280. there were many Waldenses in Sicilia saith Du Haillan Roger Haillan in the life of Philip. 3. Sigonius lib. 17. King of Sicilia made constitutions against them and Pope Gregory the ninth persecuted them in Jtaly especially in Millan as saith Sigonius So did Honorius and Boniface the 8. The seuenteenth Chapter sheweth Rainerius de forma haereticor fol. 10. an 1250. the Waldenses had Churches in Constantinople Philadelphia Slavonia Bolgaria Digonicia by the testimony of Rainerius and they were spred into Livonia and Sarmatia Vignier histor Biblio thec part 3. pag. 130. as Vignier sheweth Sectionis 3. Subsectio 4. § 1. The Waldenses continued aboue 400 yeeres vntill Lutherrs time and after § 2. Jn England by meanes of Wiclife § 3. His doctrine and many followers Oxford Diuines § 4. The story of Iohn Hus Ierom of Prage and Bohemian affaires § 8. and 9. The continuance of the Waldenses after Luthers time Luther wrote a Preface to one of their bookes Letters passed betwixt them and Oecolampadius Bucer Caluin c. Antiquus Enough Sir of their spreading but except you shew also their succession and continuance till Luthers rising you can haue no hope to satisfie Antiquissimus I haue shewed Councels consultations persecutions massacres and mighty warres against them whereby many thousands of them haue beene burnt slain rooted out banished wasted Vsher ib. cap. 10. §. 64. but yet the maruellous hand of God still appeared in preseruing multitudes of them in diuers and many places in the middest of all their grieuous and continuall persecutions their doctrine was still preserued preached beleeued spred continued and deliuered to posterity Your a Thuanus hist sui temporis in praefatione Thuanus writing but the other day saith Supplicia parum profâ—cerunt Persecutions or punishments preuailed little They were slaine banished spoyled of their goods and dignities and scattered into diuers Countries rather then conuicted of errour or brought to repentance Surely as the persecution of the Apostles at Ieruâ—alem quenched not the Gospell but b Acts. occasioned the spreading thereof in Samaria and remoter parts so did the persecutions of the Waldenses in some parts of France occasion their spreading into other parts and other Countries as Germany Bohemia Polonia Livonia c. as c Thuanus ib. Thuanus there sheweth §. 2. In Britany or England the Waldenses doctrine was quickly receiued by many Haply by means of the entercourse of the English people with the great Earle of Tolous his subiects by reason of the d Before subs 3. §. 4. affinity betwixt those Princes for in the yeere 1174 and in Henry the seconds time there was persecution and burning of them as e Subs 2. § 6. Mathy Paris and Thomas Walden haue recorded But that doctrine was more generally receiued and had fuller passage in King Edward 3 raigne when f See Archb. Abbot against D. Hill Reason 1. §. 25 Fox iâ—â—ita Wicl â—â— Iohn Wiclife a learned Doctor of Diuinity g Bailiol Colledâ—â— Master of a Colledge in Oxford and publike Reader of Diuinity in that Vniuersity taught it there with the great liking applause of the hearers and approbation of the whole Vniuersity For the Vicechancellour Proctors diuers Preachers and Batchelors of Diuinity tooke part with him And when Buls came thicke from Rome against him and his Doctrine First from Gregory 11. anno 1378. And afterwards from Gregory the 12 whereby he was to be condemned for an Hereticke The whole Vniversity gaue a testimony in fauour of him vnder their seale in their Congregation house in these words among others h Anno 1406. Octob. 5. God forbid that our Prelats should haue condemned a man of such honesty for an Hereticke c. §. 3. This mans doctrine as the said Bulles of the two Popes did say agreed with the doctrine of Marsilius Patavians and Johannes de Ganduno i Abbot ib. This Marsilius a very learned man in that Age about the yeere 1324 had written a booke entituled Defensor Pacis in defence of the Emperor Lewis of Bauier who was mightily laid at by three Popes successiuely demoÌ„strating the supreme authority of the Emperour and beating down the iniquity of the Popes vsurpations ouer Christian Princes and generall Councels shewing that things are to be decided by the Scriptures that learned men of the Laity are not to be debarred voyces in Councels that the Clergy and pope also are to be subiect to Princes That the Church is the whole company of the faithfull that Christ is the foundation and head of the Church hath not appointed any one to be his Vicar that Priests may be married as well as other Christians that S. Peter was neuer at Rome that the Popish court or Synagogue is a denne of theeues that the doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed because it leadeth to euerlasting destruction The popes being informed that this was also Wiclifes doctrine must needes condemne him or yeeld themselues guilty Many other positions were attributed vnto him also some bad enough and vndoubtedly false as had been before to the Waldenses and the Primitiue Christians but what hee truely held may be seene in his owne workes that remaine and in Mr. Foxe writing his life and in Catalogo testium veritatis lib. 18. Gabr. Powel De Antichristâ— In Prafatione n. 25. The summe whereof Mr. Gabriel Powel a diligent searcher and obseruer deliuereth thus Hee taught that there ought not to be one supreme Bishop in the Church that the pope is not only not Christs Vicar but also that he is Antichrist that his priuiledges bulles dispensations and indulgences are not onely idle and vnprofitable but also wicked and impious that to spirituall men is not to be giuen the politicke Dominion
following the Scotists The Councell of Basil ratified the Franciscans doctrine for the vnspottednesse of the Blessed Virgin The Dominicans excepted against that Councell as not lawfully called The contention continued and grew so great that Pope Sixtus was faine to interpose his authority commanding by a solemne decree that the matter should neuer be disputed afterward Hist of the Councell of Trent Notwithstanding in the Councell of Trent either of the sides contended with great earnestnesse to haue it determined on their side But to auoyde the endlesse offence of both sides the Cardinall de Monte President of the Councell told them The Councell was called to end Controuersies with Heretickes not to meddle with Controuersies of Catholickes And so it continued vndecided Lately Cardinall Bellarmine hath written much hereof on the Dominicans side but yet without resolution And so they stand irreconciliably contentious 5 Cardinall Caietan a deepe learned Diuine Arch. Abbot ib. and much imployed by the pope against Luther wrote many bookes of seuerall matters Sixt. Senensis Bibliotheca sancta libro 4. 6. against which Ambrosius Catharinus Archbishop of Compsa wrote sixe sharp bookes of Annotations and Inuectiues as Sixtus Senensis records and reckons vp the particular points leauing to euery man his free iudgement thereof 6 In the great piont of Iustification Cardinall Contarene agrees with the Protestants in his booke printed anno 1541. some few yeares before the Councell of Trent 7 Albertus Pighius also taught the Protestants doctrine of Iustification in a booke published anno 1549. which he dedicated to Paulus then pope complaining of the Schoole-Diuines who had much obscured the doctrine of Iustification and who he feared would contemne his iudgement 8 The learned Diuines of Colen also taught the Protestants doctrine of Iustification by faith in Christs merits and wrote against the merit of our workes in their Antididagma and Enchiridion Antididagma pag. 30. as Bellarmine confesseth And yet both Pighius and the Doctors of Colen are excused by Bellarmine Bellar. de Iustif lib. 2. cap. 1. § in candem sent § Deinde quod est discrimen they were no heretickes though they erred because they kept community with the Church of Rome and submitted their writings to the censure thereof 9 Their great Doctor Durandus had many errours which Bellarmine meets withall and confutes in many Controuersies And concerning the Eucharist he held that the matter of the bread remained still after the Consecration and that there was onely a transformation Bellar. de Fucharistia libro 3. cap. 13. initio but not a transubstantiation of the matter Whereof Bellarmine saith Sententia Durandi haeretica est licet ipse non sit dicendus haereticus cum paratus fuerit Ecclesiae iudicio acquiescere The opinion of Durand is hereticall though he is not to be called an hereticke seeing he is ready to rest vpon the Churches iudgement Sentent lib. 4. distinct 11. litera a. 10 Peter Lombard Bishop of Paris Master of the Sentences found such variety of opinions concerning the elements in the Sacrament that he knew not what to determine Some held that the substance of the bread remained some that it vanished or was resolued into his first matter some that it was turned into Christs body But for his owne part what kinde of conuersion it should be whether formal or substantiall or of some other kinde he saith Definire non sufficio I am not able to define Ibidem dist 13. b. in sine 11 Lombard also saith that bruit Beasts that eare the consecrated hoste doe not eate the body of Christ What doe they eat then He answereth Deus nouit hoc God knowes that Aquinas Summa 3. part qu. 80 ut 3. ad tertium But Tho. Aquinas teacheth the contrary that Christs body is still vnder the species as long as the species remaine though a Mouse or Dog should eate them For it is no dignity saith he to Christs body to be eaten by Beasts when they touch not the body in its proper species but onely according to the Sacramentall species Lombard ibid. dâ—st 11 lit 12 Lombard also saith that the Eucharist is to bee receiued in both kinds And Gerardus Lorichius a great Papist protesteth that they are false Catholickes Lerich de missa publica proroganda hinderers of the Reformation of the Church and blasphemers who deny the people the Cup in the Eucharist 13 Bellarmine himselfe a great learned Iesuite and Cardinall late Reader of Controuersies at Rome Bellar de Euchar lib. 3. cap. 18. §. Ex his colgimus c. teacheth that the substance of the bread in the Sacrament is not turned into the substance of Christs body productivè as one thing is made of another but that the bread goes away and Christs body comes into the roome of it adductivè as one thing succeeds into the place of another the first be voyded and this saith he is the opinion of the Church of Rome But Suarez another learned Iesuite Suarez tomo 3. in Thom. disp 50 sect 4. §. tertio principaliter pag. 639. who hath written many great volumnes and is Reader of Controuersies at Salamanca in Spaine confutes Bellarmines opinion terming it Translocatio not Transubstantiatio and saith it is not of the Churches opinion Thus these great Master-builders are confounded in their language and thus hard it is to know what the Church of Rome holdeth Her owne dearest and learnedest sonnes know not Either Doctor Bellarmine or Doctor Suarez mistooke it and doubtlesse either of them haue multitudes of followers and all on both sides Catholickes Yea I hope both Suarez and Bellarmine Durand and Lombard the Dominicans and Franciscans Cajetan Catharine Contarene Pighius and the Colen Doctors shall still be counted good Catholicks and all of one Church notwithstanding their differences 14 Beside these See before lib. 1. cap. 4. sect 12 13 â—4 you may remember a number of learned Catholickes with their numberlesse followers which I reckoned before which differed from you in some points and wrote against your doctrine and practises as Saint Bernard Ioannes Salisburiensis Cardinalis Camericensis Cardinalis Cusanus Robert Grosthead B. of Lincolne Ockam Cesenas Clemangis Gerson Valla Bradwardin Ariminiensis Contarene Bonaventure Scotus Clethoveus Rhendius c. Doctor Field reckons aboue 20 Fathers and later Doctors See aboue lib. 1. cap. 4. sect 14. B. Vsher Answer to the Irish Iesuite pag. 500. seq that accounted those bookes onely Canonicall which wee so reckon and the rest Apocryphall Bishop Vsher reckons vp against your doctrine of Merit aboue 50 authors new and old wherof some are manifold as Liber Caroli Magni composed by a great number of Diuines Instructions of the sicke approued by all the Diuines of the Kingdome The Canons and Vniuersity of Colen The Chancellour and Diuines of Paris And both they and all the rest had infinite followers of their
mid-day in the open light come to deceiue the residue that still are in Christ persisting in their simplicity For he hath supped vp the riuers of wise men and torrents of powerfull men Iob 40.23 and hath hope that Jordan will run in his mouth that is The humble and simple that are in the Church For he is Antechrist which counterfetteth himselfe to be not onely the day 2 Thess 2.4 8. but the midday and extols himselfe aboue all that is worshipped as God whom the Lord Iesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and destroy in the appearing of his comming Bern. in Psal 90. vel 91. ser 6. This conclusion also he repeats writing vpon the Psalme Qui habitat Superest vt reueletur homo peccati c. It remaineth that the Man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition Daemonium non modo diurnum sed meridianum quod non solum transfiguratur in Angelum lucis sed extollitur super omne quod dictur Deus aut quod colitur c. Bern. serm 1. in convers Pauli And elsewhere Saint Bernard makes his complaint to God O God thy neere friends come neere to stand against thee The whole Vniueâ—sity of Christian people from the least to the greatest seeme to haue conspired against thee From the sole of the feet to the crowne of the head there is no soundnesse Iniquity is gone out from the elder Iudges thy Vicars Of Bernard see more in D. â—â—eld Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 88 89. which seem to rule thy people and now we cannot say such people such Priest for the people are not so as the Priest Alas alas O Lord God those are the first chiefe in persecution who seeme to loue and beare the first and chiefe place in thy Church c. Johannes Sarisburiensis told Hadrian the fourth Joh Sarisbur in Policratic lib. 6. cap. 24. plainly what the world thought of him and his Prelats that the Roman Church shewed her selfe not a mother but a step mother to all other Churches For in it sit the Scribes and Pharises laying importable burdens vpon mens shoulders which themselues will not touch with one finger They hurt very oft and herein they follow the Deuils which then are thought to doe good when they cease to doe harme except a very few who performe the name and office of Pastors Sed ipse Romanus Pontifex omnibus grauis fere intolerabilis est that is euen the Bishop of Rome himselfe is grieuous to all and almost intollerable Aliacus de Reformatione Ecclesiae Caesarius Heisterbach hist lib. 2. cap. 29. These times were euill the succeeding much worse Of which Petrus de Aliaco Cardinall of Cambray said It was a prouerbe in his time Ad hunc statum venit Romana ecclesia vt non esset digna regi nisi per reprobos The Church of Rome was come to that state that it was not worthy to be gouerned but onely by Reprobates Robert Grosthead Matth. Paris in Henric. 3. See this History abridged in D. Field church appendix part 1. pag. 97. B. Carlton Iurisd cap. 8. §. 111. a very learned and holy Bishop of Lincolne liuing anno 1140. wrote sharpely to the Pope for the euils he did specially in England that he was opposite to Christ a murderer of soules and an Hereticke in these his courses c. Vpon receit of which letters the Pope was exceedingly moued threatning to cast downe this Bishop into the pit of all confusion but was pâ—câ—fied by the more moderate Cardinals telling him of this Bishops holinesse learning reputation and since there must be a departure from their Church the medling with such an excellent man might occasion it the things which he proued being full and manifest Archb. Abboâ— contra Hill reason 1. §. 28. William Ockam an Englishman a great Schooleman liuing anno 1320. for his large reproofe of the Papacy in many points in his bookes he was excommunicated by the pope and dyed willingly vnder that sentence Catalog testium verit lib 18. D. Field ch l. 3. c. 11. He cryed out of peruerting Scriptures Fathers and Canons of the Church with shamelesse and Harlots foreheads and that many that should be pillars of the Church did cast themselues headlong into the pit of Heresies See B. Carlton Iurisdiction cap. 1. §. 11. Michael Cesenas liued anno 1320. he was generall of the Order of the Minorites he wrote against three constitutions of Pope Iohn 22. and was by Iohn depriued and disabled from taking any other dignity but Cesena appealed from the Pope as from the head of faction in the Church to the Roman Catholicke and Apostolicke Church and was fauoured therein by Ockam and many famous learned men and by the two Vniuersities of Oxford and Paris Nicholas Clemangis Archidiaconus Baiocensis liuing anno 1417. in his booke De corupto Ecclesiae statu writes very sharpely against the Popes ambition and couetousnesse preying vpon all Churches and bringing them into miserable slauery and against the stately Cardinals and other vices of the Clergy Gerson lib. de concil o vnius obedientiae and in many other bookes John Gerson Chancellor of Paris anno 1429. writes the like wishing that all things should be reformed and brought backe to their ancient state in or neere the Apostles times Of Gersons doctrine see D. Field Appendix to the fifth booke of the Church part 2. p. 73. seq Petrus de Aliaco Cardinalis Cameracensis liuing about the same time wrote to the Councell of Constance a booke wherin he reprooueth many notable abuses of the Romanists and giueth aduice how to redresse them Arch. Abbot ibid. §. 13. Laurentius Valla a Patricias of Rome and Canon of Saint Iohns of Lateran liuing about the same time wrote against the forged Donation of Constantine and many abuses of the Pope and was by the Pope driuen into exile I might here speake of Leonardus Aretinus Antonius Cornelius Lynnichanus and diuers other writers reprouing the same things §. 13. Antiquus Let them alone for these whom you haue alledged speake not of any false doctrines of the Church of Rome but onely against the wicked liues of the Professors Antiquissimus Yes against both and especially because they laboured by false doctrine to iustifie their doings and therefore they write not onely against the Pope but against the Papacy the very office that challenged a right to doe such things as the Pope and his Clergy did The two Cardinals Cameracensis and Cusanus Camer in his booke to the Councell of Constance Cusanus Concord Cathol lib. 2. wholly condemned the Papacy as we do denying the Popes vniuersality of Iurisdiction vncontroulable power infallible iudgement and right to meddle with Princes states making him nothing but the first Bishop in order and honour amongst the Bishops of the Christian Church And this claimed power of the Pope
Churches and Monasteries Cochleus lib. 5. Petrus Messias in Sigismundo they brake downe the Images there and not long after vnder the conduct of Joannes Zisca a noble and victorious Warriour they grew to be forty thousand strong in one Armie and got into their hands the Castle of Prague the chiefe City of Bohemia Shortly after contemning the Curses and Croysados of Pope Martin they wanne many victories vnder the leading of Procopius and other Captaines but especially vnder Zisca of whom a lib. 5. Cochleus saith scarce any Histories of the Greekes Hebrewes or Latins doth mention such a Generall He built a new City of Refuge for his men named Thabor whereof the best of the Hussites were called Thaborites Vpon a new Croisado of Pope Martin wherein hee promised remission of sinnes to all that would either fight or contribute money against the Hussites forty thousand German Horsemen were gathered to destroy them §. 6. but vpon their approach they turned their backes and fled not without some secret Iudgement of God saith Cochleus b lib. 6. Then was the Councell of Basil called saith c Onuph ib. Onuphrius against the Hussites and in that Councell contrary to the Act of the Councell of Constance d Session 13. the vse of the Cup in the Sacrament was granted to the Bohemians an argument of their great numbers and vnresistable strength at that time For the Bookes of Hus full of wholsome and mouing Doctrine liued though he was dead and through the memory of his constant standing for the Truth against the whole Councell and the Councâ—ls perfidious and outragious burning of a man so learned so painfull so greatly beloued and lamented his bookes were earnestly desired and read and wanne many The like wrought the memory of Ierom his admirable learning eloquence memory and patience in his death e Poggius Epist ad Leonardum Aret. num which Poggius in an Epistle doth very much commend being an eye-witnesse and feelingly describes the same as one much affected with his excellent parts Recorded also by Cochleus f Lib. 3. So that notwithstanding the continuall opposition against them they continually encreased and in short time got a Bishop Suffâ—agan to the Archbishop of Prage g Ib. lib. 4. and after him Conradus the Archbishop himselfe on their side to giue orders to their Clerkes and to helpe for the compiling a confession of their faith anno 1421 h Ib. lib. 5. Which the Archbishop and many Barons afterwards did stiffely maintaine and complained against the Emperour Sigismund for offering wrong to those of their Religion Alexander Duke of Lituania gaue them aid and was reproued by pope Martin 5 for it And Sigismund in fine in a treaty with the Bohemians granted that the Bishops should promote to holy orders the Bohemians euen Hussites which were of the Vniuersity of Prage i Ib. lib. 8. §. 7. Aeneas Sylvius complaineth that about the yeare 1453. the Kingdome of Bohemia was wholly gouerned by Heretickes for that all the Nobility and all the Commonalty were subiect to one George or Gyrzikâ— who then was gouernor vnder K Ladislaus afterwards was King himselfe Who with all his Nobles shewing vndaunted constancy and resolution rather to dye then forsake their Religion caused the pope Pius to tolerate many things in them But his successor Paul the second excommuicated King George publishing a Croisado against him and gaue his Kingdome to Matthias King of Hungary for which they warred for seuen yeares space and in the end concluded a peace But while some Princes mediated to the pope for King George his absolution Abbot ib. §. 18. he dyed anno 1471. not long before Luthers rising §. 8. And your k Cochleus lib. 2. Cochleus who wrote his history in Luthers time sheweth that the Hussites continued to those dayes For saith he Hus hath slaine soules for an hundred yeares together neither doth he yet cease to slay them by the second death And againe l Ibid. Hus did so rend the vnity of the Church that at this day there remaineth a pittifull division in Bohemia And m lib. 8. vnto this day remayneth the sect of the Thaborites in many places of Bohemia and Moravia vnder the name Picards and VValdenses And n lib. 12. in the yeere 1534 he wisheth that he may see the remainders of the Hussites to returne to the Church and the Germans to cast out all new sects And it is certaine that in the very yeare 1517. wherein Luther began to oppose the corruptions of Rome the Councell of Lateran ended vnder pope Leo the tenth and consultation was had there and then of reforming the manners of the Church and of recouering the Bohemians to the vnity thereof o See the booke extant And D. Featlieâ— Replie to Fisher pag. 154. Luther himselfe writeth a Preface to the confession of faith which the Waldenses then odiously called Picards dwelling in Bohemia Moravia did set forâ—h which he greatly approueth coÌ„mendeth to godly men to read with thankes to God for the vnity which he found betwixt them and vs as the sheepe of one fold Besides we find many Waldenses remaining in France §. 9. in and after Luthers time p Vesembeâ— Oration of the Waldenses citat in history Wald. booke 1. cap. 5. See ib. booke 2. cap. 8. Anno 1506 Lewis 12. King of France hearing much euill of the VValdenses in his Realme sent the Lord Adam Fumce Master of Requests and Parvi a Doctor of Sorbon his Confessor to try the truth who visiting all their parishes and Temples in Provence found indeed no Images nor ornaments of Masses or other Ceremonies but they found also no such crimes could be found in them as were reported but that they Religiously obserued the Sabboth dayes baptized their children after the order of the Primitiue Church taught them the articles of the Christian faith and the Commandements of God c. Vpon which report the King said and bound it with an oath that they were better men then he or his people The same King being informed that in the valley of Frassinier in the Diocesse of Ambrun in Dauphiney there were a certaine people that liued like beasts without Religion hauing an euill opinion of the Romish Religion he sent his Confessor with the officiall of Orleance to bring him true information thereof who found them all so truely righteous and religious that the Confessor wished in the presence of many that He were as good a Christian as the worst of the said valley q Ioachim Camerar in his hist pag. 152. King Francis 1. successor to Lewis 12. seeing th Parliament of Provence grieuously afflict the VValdenses of Merindal Cambriers and places adioyning appointed VVilliam de Ballay Lord of Langeay then his Leiutenant in Piedmont to search and informe him more fully of them Vpon whose information of their piety honesty charity peaceablenesse painfulnesse
and dutifulnesse he much pâ—ttied them r Hist Wald. book 2. cap. 8. And one Guerin an aduocate was hanged for falsely informing the King against them But the Ecclesiastickes persecuted and massacred them cruelly Ibid. cap. 4. In this Kings time the VValdenses sent two of their Pastors one George Morell of Frassiniers in Dauphine the other Peter Masson of Burgundy to the Protestant Ministers to wit to Oecolampadius Minister at Basse to Capito and Martin Bucer at Strasburg and to Berthaud Haller at Berne to conferre with them about some points of Religion where they found so great agreement in their faith with equall mislikes of the Romish corruptions that they much reioyced and praised God that had continued them and their fathers in the truth of that doctrine aboue foure hundred yeeres in in the middest of many troubles as they write The letters passing betweene them are to be seene in the History Å¿ Ibid. cap. 8. lib. 1. cap. 6. The like letters passed betwixt Preachers of the VValdenses and Calvin t To be seene among Calvins Epistles Epist 250. I hope I haue satisfied you concerning these VValdenses first that they were fully of our Religion u Sâ—bsection 3. subsect 1. Secondly that they were in great numbers and made great visible Churches x Subsect 2. Thirdly that they were spread in diuers Countries y Subsect 3. Fourthly that they continued from the time of your great Revolt from the purity of Religion vnto the late and more publike Reformation by M. Luther z Subsect 4. Antiquus Indeed you haue said very much both for the Greeke or East Church that it held your faith and so continueth and also for these Separatists the VValdenses in the West But you * Section 2. subsect 2. mentioned a third part that many continuing in outward communion with the Church of Rome were yet truely of your Faith and Religion let me heare what you say of that part and you shall haue my reply against them all Section 4. § 1. The Church of Rome excepting the Papacy and the maintainers thereof continued to be the Church of God vntill Luthers time proued by many Protestant Diuines § 2. Their Reasons § 3. But now then the state of that Church is much altered since the new light in Luthers time and since fully discouering the corruptions thereof § 4. And since the great alteration made by the Councell of Trent Antiquissimus I say first that I haue already alledged a great number liuing in community with Papists in outward Ceremonies which yet in substance of Religion were ours and not yours as the followers of Wiclifes doctrine and other teachers in all Countries which were innumerable as may appeare by my former Relation many of them being persecuted for it and many other knowne among themselues but concealing themselues from theâ—r persecutors §. 1. B. Vsher B. White Mr. Ric. Hocker But now I say further with D. Field Luther Calvin Beza Morney Melanchthon Bucer Mr. Deering Bishop Carlton and many other learned Protestants that setting aside the pope and Cardinals and their Hierarchy with the maintainers thereof which I account no part of the Church but a domineering faction tyrannizing ouer the Church the Church of Rome consisting of the rest which were innumerable continued to be the Church of God and in substance all one with vs vntill Luthers time Thus teacheth Doctor Field Of the Church Booke 3. chapter 6. And in the 8 chapter he addeth although we doe acknowledge Wiclife Hus Jerom of Prage and the like to haue been the worthy seruants of God and holy Martyrs and Confessors suffering for the cause of Christ against Antichrist yea we doe not thinke that the Church was found onely in them or that there were no other appearance or succession of the Church and Ministery as Stapleton and other of that faction falsely impute vnto vs. For we most firmely beleeue all the Churches in the world wherein our Fathers liued and dyed to haue beene the true Churches of God in which vndoubtedly saluation was to be found and that they which taught embraced and beleeued those damnable errours which the Romanists now defend against vs were a faction onely in the Churches as were they that denyed the Resurrection vrged Circumcision and despised the Apostles of Christ in the Churches of Corinth and Galatia This matter D. Field prosecuteth there and also in the Appendix to the fift booke part 3 pag. 7. Luther is also alleadged by Bellarmine De not is Ecclesiae cap. 16. out of his booke against the Anabaptists we confesse saith Luther that vnder the Papacy there was much good yea all Christian good and it came thence vnto vs the true Scriptures two true Sacraments true keyes for remission of sinnes true office of preaching true Catechisme as are the Lords Prayer the tenne Commandements the Articles of Faith Yea I say moreouer that vnder the papacy was true Christianity yea the very kernell of Christianity Calvin in his fourth booke of Jnstitutions chap. 2. § 11. saith That God suffered not his Church to perish in France Italy Germany Spaine and England hauing made his Couenant with them but it continued there through effectuall Baptisme and other remainders though for mens ingratitude he suffered the building to be much wasted rent and torne Beza in his questions saith The Church was vnder the papacy but the papacy was not the Church Master Perkins hath the like in his Exposition of the Creed pag. 405. edit Cambridge 1596. Morney in his Treatise of the Church chapt 9. In the later end deliuereth the same That vnder the papacy was the Church and Flocke of Christ but gouerned partly by hirelings partly by wolues and that Antichrist held it by the throat the people were of the Christian Common-wealth but the pope with his faction a Catiline to set it on fire whom Cicero fitly calleth a plague and not a part of the Common-wealth borne Ex luxu reipublicae as an impostume or disease is no part of the body but a corruption bringing dammage and death Bucer and Melancthon teach the same Mr. Edward Deering in his Lectures preached in Pauls Church in London vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes Lecture 23. pag. 374. hath these words In this was the great goodnesse of God that in time to come his children might assuredly know hee reserued to himselfe a Church euen in the middest of all desolation and that hee called them by his word and confirmed by his Sacraments euen as at this day For seeing there could be no sinne so great but faith in Jesus Christ scattereth it all away it was impossible that the man of sinne doth not so much adulterate either the Word of God but that it should be to the faithfull a Gospell of saluation or else the Sacramenta of God but that they should be pledges of eternall life to those that did beleeue And a little after God of his infinite
Edwards dayes as appeareth both by your Doctor Sanders confession l Sanders de schism lib. 3. pag. 297. And by our publicke Records or Registers m Extracted published in Mr. Masons booke Ridley 1547. Ferrar 1549. Hooper 1550. Poynet 1550. Scory and Couerdale 1551. In whose consecrations good and fit prayers were vsed and all necessary ceremonies as of imposition of hands c. Auoyding onely vnnecessary superfluous superstitions Ceremonies as we call them which your owne men confesse to be accidentall things onely and not touching the essence of orders without which orders may well stand and be prefect enough Of Queene Maries time you make no doubt all was according to your minde all the Bishops and Priests were true and Canonicall and might well deliuer the like to posterity I speake this ex concessis And of Queene Elizabeths time you haue as little reason to doubt Sect. 7. Antiq. Yes for in the very beginning of Queene Elizabeths time some Bishops were depriued See Arnâ—ls of Elizabeth Engglish Darâ—â— pag. 32. and the rest denyed to consecrate new ones So that for the consecration of D. Parker Archbishop of Canterbury there could not be found Bishops to do it D. Sanders saith you had neither 3 nor 2 Bishps to do it D. Kellison saith you could finde none Antiquissimus This is a shameles vntruth For when the Deane and Chapter had elected D. Parker for their Archbishops according to the ancient and inuiolated custome of the Church as the Record n Register Mat. Parker saith the Queene sent her letters Patents to seuen Bishops giuing commission that they or at least foure of them should consecrate him c And foure of them did it accordingly the 17 of December 1559. To wit William Barlow and Iohn Hodgskins both made Bishops in King Henries Dayes and John Scory and Miles Couerdale made Bishops in King Edwards dayes Antiq. There may be some doubt whether these were Bishops or no because they fled and left their Bishoprickes in Queene Maries dayes and other Bishops were placed in their roomes Antiquissimus These prelats did but as Athanasius and many other holy Bishops did in the dangerous times of the domineering Arrians Matth. 10. â—3 who according to Christs precept fled to saue their liues and reserue their gifts to better times But as Athanasius and those otâ—er Bishops were still accounted the true Bishops and those that were set vp in their roomes were accounted vsurpers and put downe when those better times came and the other true Bishops restored to their places so at the comming of Elizabeths happy times these Bishops that fled were recalled returned and restored to their former places or preferred to other Now except you will condemne that most worthy Athanasius and the other for no Bishops in the time of their exile when others had their places you cannot reiect these worthy men as no Bishops their case being the same with those ancient Bishops And of all other you should least quarrell at these things For you know there are many in your Roman Church both Bishops and Priests which haue no particular places Bishoprickes or Benefices and yet you account them true Bishops and Priests Such was Olaus Magnus Archiepiscopus Vpsalensis o Gentil in Examine and blind Robert Archiepiscopus Armachanus p Jdem ib. Who both were sent by the Pope to the Councell of Trent to fill vp the number of Bishops q Sleidan com lib. 17. And Robert King entituled Episcopus Roanensis r Goodwin Catalogo in the Archbishoprick of Athens in Grecia vnder the Turke and many the like And your innumerable Priests without Benefices sent into England and other Countries Your owne Bellarmine saith Å¿ Bellar. De Sacram conf lib. 2. cap. 12. in fine Respondeo Suffraganeos esse verè episcopos quia ordinationem habent iurisdictionem licet careant possessione pro priae ecclesia They are true Bishops which haue ordination and Iurisdiction though they want the possession of their proper Church And this also warranteth our Suffragan Bishops wherof we had some in later times who had both due consecration by three Bishops and also Iurisdiction though not very large as other Bishops had t By the statute of 26. H. 8. c. 14. Antiquus Since you haue so well satisfied mee of Archbishop Parkers consecration when true Bishops willing to put to their hands were so hard to be found I need not doubt of the rest of al the Bishops the in more plentifull reignes of Queene Elizâ—beth or King Iames since D. Sanders u Sanders de schism lib. 3. pag 297. confesseth that the Law of King Henry 8 for consecration by three Bishops was reuiued by Queene Elizabeth and standeth in force and hath been very duely obserued in these later times Antiquissimus If you desire yet fuller satisfaction you may see the Consecrations of the Bishops in both these Princes raignes set downe largely in Master Masons booke together with a deriuation of the Episcopall line from the Bishops of King Henry 8 which you acknowledge to be Canonicall vnto George now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury with the dayes and yeares when euery of them and their Consecrators were consecrated euer more by three former Bishops and sometimes by foure or more I conclude with Bishop Andrewes answere to Bellarmine Eliensis Responsio ad Bellarmini Apologiam contra Praefationem monitoriam Iacobi Regis cap. 7. pag. 168. Our Bishops haue been alwayes ordayned by three true Bishops Bishops not as you sometimes against the CanoÌ„s by abbots Also by true Bishops euen your Bishops except yours be not true This Canon was neuer violated by vs nor that order euer interrupted And in our Bishops there is res Episcopi non nomen solum et opus non opes the office and not onely the benefice Which they performe much more frequently and diligently then yours doe Sect. 8. Antiquus I haue been very much wronged and abused with the contrary opinion which our teacherr hold so confidently and vrge so vehemently with such seeming certaine knowledge of the trueth that I thought it a shame to doubt of it And I confesse it was one principall cause of my alienation from hearing or regarding your Ministers whom otherwise I knew to be very honest and learned men Antiquissimus You may see by this how mens mindes leauened with malice will Imagine euill without cause and how mightily their passions and affections transport them to receiue vayne surmises for truest oracles and vent them for arguments vnanswerable This may occasion you to suspect their dealing in other things And as you do wisely and religiously to yeeld to the manifest truth grâ—euing that you haue been abused by the vnskilfull or deluded by the willfull euill teachers so I hope when others see the same truth they will be stayed from falling and they that haue fallen be restored to the bosome of their naturall
in controuersies of Faith which heretofore was the office of Councels by the word of God but this power and right Bellarmine drawes out of the word Feed Men wonder at the Popes Immunity from error and infallibility in points of Faith but Bellarmine also rayseth it out of the words Feed my sheepe Men wonder at the Popes clayme of power of many ages neuer heard of to make Lawes in the Church to binde conscience yea as some say to make new Articles of Faith but this also Bellarmine findes in the same words Feed my Sheepe They that are practised in reading the Scriptures and Fathers wonder at the superabundant merits of the Saints which the Pope dispenseth at his pleasure but let them cease to wonder the Scripture giues it to the Pope in that word of Christ to Peter Feed my Sheepe For so teacheth Bellarmine in his booke of Indulgence Those that will not be rebels to their Prince the Lords annoynted wonder and that with indignation that the Pope corrupted by his flatterers should assume to himselfe a power to transferre kingdomes absolue subiects from the oath of fidelity and make Kings no Kings but this power of the Pope Bellarmine and others extract out of the word Feed Nay there want not them that gather out of the same word a power in the Pope to chastise with temporall punishments yea with death such Princes as are vndutifull to him So taught Becanus and Suarez famous Iesuites in their most infamous bookes such things writes Casaubon If the word Feed should signifie all these it would be very inconuenient for the Pope for then all Ministers which are bidden feed * Acts 20.28 1 Pet. 5.2 should haue all that power and priuiledges which the Pope by that word challengeth The Fathers tooke the meaning of Christ to be onely feed by doctrine and that they bet vpon and vrged See Tortura Torti p. 52 seq the Pope takes it to gouerne Regio moro impera Indeed the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though most commonly it signifie to feed yet sometimes signifies to gouerne but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes to feed Yet marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is twice in the Text for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once but they catch at gouernment and let goe feeding what Christ meant not nor Peter euer vsed that they lay hold on gouerning the whole Church the feeding that Christ meant and Peter vsed they leaue to others to labour in the Word and Doctrine is too laborious a feeding for them and the Friars or Iesuits to whom they leaue that labour feed vere strangely It is strange feeding to teach men to be Law-breakers vow-breakers Oath-breakers breakers of all Lawes and duties this is not to feed the sheepe but to scatter them to kill their leaders tread downe their pastures muddy their waters stop vp their wells not to feed but either to starue or to poyson them In like manner they make Receiue the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen to bee also exclude from the kingdomes of the earth Christ restraines the keyes to sinnes Iohn 20.23 Whose sinnes ye loose they extend them to Lawes Othes and Vowes Whatsoeuer thou bindest that is whatsoeuer league of wickednesse conspiracy treason rebellion thou tyest shall be ratified in heauen and whatsoeuer thou loosest be it bonds of Lawes duty faith oath obedience or allegiance it shall be loosed in heauen If this be so Christ should rather haue said to Peter Luk. 12.32 When thou art not conuerted but preuerted by such Doctrine strengthen thy brethren strengthen thy brethren in euill in their euils with hope of rewards from God for breaking his Lawes This is most damnable doctrine not onely against Gods word and the analogy of Faith but against common ciuility sence and reason Thus they abuse the Scripture to wrong purposes and peruert it contrary to the meaning to strengthen euill §. 9. Antonim suma mai dist 22 c. 5. Psal 8. ver 7 8. Marta Par. 1. c. 24. Tortura Torti pag. 177. Some haue very ridiculously turned the eighth Psalme to serue the Popes turne Thou hast put all things vnder his feet that is vnder the Popes gouernment all sheepe and Oxen and the beasts of the field that is men on earth the fowles of the ayre that is Angels the fishes of the sea that is soules in purgatory And lately D. Marta out of the same Psalme very seriously brings both Christians and Saracens vnder the Popes power for sheepe saith he signifies Christians and oxen Saracens and so he makes the Pope not onely a sheephard but a Neat-heard much like to that of Lumbard Sent. lib. 3. d 25. Aquin. 2. 2. q. 2. art 6. interpreting a sentence of Iob 1.14 The Oxen were plowing and the Asses feeding in their places the oxen plowing that is saith he the Priests reading the Scriptures Archb. Abbot ag Hill Reason 8. §. 5. the Asses feeding are the people not troubling their heads with such matters but content to beleeue in grosse as the Church beleeues A trim text and finely applied to keepe the people from reading the Scriptures Such lewd childish and ridiculous expounding and alleadging of Scriptures shewes first their want of Scripture proofes for the maintenance of their errors secondly their bad mindes striuing against their owne knowledge and conscience to blind and gull the world with a false shew of Scriptures when in truth the whole Scriptures are rather against them thirdly the base opinion they had of people and Princes too whom they thought they could coozen with any false shadowes The obseruing whereof Bedel letters to Wadsworth pag. 62. 64. 66. Carerius de potestate Pape l. 2 cap. 12 â—x C. Solitae de maior obed Morton Appeal l. 5. cap. 26. sect 1. not onely in their other Authors but euen in their Decretals is able alone to make a man hate Popery For example in the Decretals Deus fecit duo magna luminaria God made two great lights that is the Pope and the Emperor and that the Pope is so much bigger then the Emperor as the Sunne is bigger then the Moone which Clauius saith is 6539. times and one fift A notable text to shew the Popes greatnesse aboue the Emperour and that the Emperour receiues all his power and glory from the Pope as the Moone doth her light from the Sunne and is light onely on that side that is toward the Sunne and darke on the side that is auerse Also Mat 16.18 alleadging that text Tu es Petrus super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam The Lord saith he taking Peter into the fellowship of the vndiuided vnity oh foule blasphemy would haue him to be called that which he was himselfe that the building of the eternall temple might by the maruelous gift of God Cap. FundamentuÌ„ de clect in 6 consist in Peters firmnesse that from Peter as a certain head he should as it were
them and stirre vp the people and then all subiects will forsake their princes and serue the pope against them all Religious persons will be their Trumpâ—ters Captaines and Leaders all Cloysters Abbeyes and Colledges will be as good as Castles vnto them the promise of heauen a sufficient pay and the threatning of death not onely temporall which happily might be contemned or avoyded but eternall which by disobeying the pope is thought to be vnauoydable is terrour enough and all these giue courage enough to doe their bâ—st for the pope against all princes of the world Sir Iohn Hayward of Supremacy pag. 62. By this meanes eight Emperours besides other Kings and princes haue been excommunicate by the pope namely Fredericke the first Fredericke the second Philip Conrade Otho the fourth Lewis of Bauaria Henry the fourth and fift which was occasion enough for their subiects to revolt and for other Princes to inuade The succeeding Emperours partly vnwilling but principally vnable to sustaine so sad and heauy blowes submitted themselues to the papall power and renounced the right which by long custome they claimed and held I omit the troubles of other princes and Nations and of our owne also in formâ—r times of our Kings Henries and Iohn Our late troubles in the times of our most gracious Soueraignes Elizabeth and Iames are fresh in memory to the detestation of the Authors thereof and they are published to the world in their owne bookes See the booke entituled Important Considerations set forth by the Secular Romish Priests in England anno 1601. with Watson the Priests Preface or Epistle before it The secular Priests sticke not to relate to the world what they cannot hide the treasons insurrections inuasions and other troubles which I haue reckoned vp before and more also plotted by the Pope and his Agents to bring Queene Elizabeth and her Kingdomes to confusion Pius Quintus his plot ioyning with the King of Spaine to depose her by his Bull and execute it by the Northerne Rebellion 1569. And after anno 1572. by D. Sanders booke De visibili Monarchia iustifying that course and shewing the world how the pope had sent Morton and Webb Priests to stirre vp the Nobles and Gentlemen to take Armes against the Queene Then how Stukeley was made a great Lord and Marquesse of Ireland by the pope to take Jreland from the English but miscarried by the way After how Doctor Sanders came furnished by the Pope to take Ireland by Inuasion and Rebellion and there dyed miserable and mad After this how Gregory 13 renued the pestilent Bull of Pius 5 cursing and disabling the Queene to raigne and anno 1580. sent into England Campian Parsons and other Iesuites to perswade the subiects to execute it assuring them of a mighty inuasion from Spaine to ioyne with them and how these wicked practises iustly inforced straiter lawes to bee made against such Vipers For what Prince or state of any force or Mettall could endure their owne ruine to be wrought with their eyes open and their hands vnbound Then followed his Holinesse displaying his banner as a temporall Prince in Ireland to dispossesse the Queene and afterwards the Duke of Guises practises to transferre the English Crowne to the Q. of Scotland imploying therin Mendoza the Spanish Leager Ambassadour Throgmorton and others And anno 1583. Arden and Somerviles treason Then Doctor Parries to murder the Queene Againe Babington and his fellowes treason discouered anno 1586. And sir William Stanlies 1567. and the great Spanish Armado 1588. Then the Bull of Sixtus Quintus against the Queene And new Seminaries errected in Spaine by the procurement of Parsons the Iesuite whence issued 13 accomplished Priests to infuse Treasons into Englishmens braines anno 1591. to prepare them for a new Inuasion And anno 1592. Heskot was sent by the Iesuites to stirre the Earle of Darby to Rebellion After this Father Holt a Iesuite perswaded Patricke Colen to murder her Maiestie And anno 1593. Doctor Lopus his poysoning plot was discouered also Holt the Iesuite animated Yorke and Williams to shed her blood and Walpool the Iesuite set on Edward Squire to poyson her saddle Pommell After this for the other intended Inuasion the Spanish Fleet put twice to Sea and both times were sea beaten torne and dispersed Meane-season Father Parsons in printed bookes entituled The Jnfanta of Spaine to the Crowne of England and vsed all possible meanes to make it take place All these vncatholicke vnchristian inhumane courses the secular Priests confesse condemne and lament laying all the fault thereof from themselues and other Roman Catholâ—ckes vpon the Iesuites We doe all acknowledge say they that by our learning Ecclesiasticall persons by vertue of their Calling Important consid pag. 37. are onâ—ly to meddle with Praying Preach ng and administring the Sacraments and such other like spirituall functions and not to study how to murder Princes nor to licitate Kingdomes Jb. pag 38. nor to intrude themselues into matter of state-Priests of what order soeuer ought not by force of Armes to plant or water the Catholicke Faith but In spiritu lenitatis mansuetudinis to propagate and defend it So it was in the Primitiue Church ouer all the world The ancient Christians though they had sufficient forces did not oppose themselues in armes against their Lords Ib. pag. 39. See the Epistle Dedicatory of B. Carlton before his booke of Iurisdiction the Emperors though of another Religion The Catholicke Faith for her stability and continuance hath no need of any treachery or Rebellion it is more dishonoured with treasons and wicked policies of carnall men then any way furthered or aduanced Thus the Priests giuing vs a good hint what to iudge of their Religion that hath euermore beene thus planted and propagated It is not the Catholik Faith and Religion of the Ancients But erroneous superstition is alwayes more violent then true Religion They giue vs an Item also what our English Roman Catholiks may looke for if the Spaniard should preuaile Watson in his Epistle to the Important Considerations saith The old King of Spaine aimed at the Crown of England with the death of her Maiestie and subuersion of the State and the vtter ruine of the whole I le and the ancient Inhabitants thereof and neuer once shewed any care or respect that he had to the restoring of the Catholik Romish Faith amongst the English Nay his direct course was taken quite contrary still to extirpate the name of all Catholikes that were English out from the face of the earth Therefore he would not aid Stukeley to get Ireland for the pope and also charged the Duke of Medina his generall in 88 rather to spare Protestants then Catholikes And the Booke of important Considerations written by themselues pag. 25. saith It is well knowne that the Duke of Medina Sidonia had giuen it out directly that if once he might land in England both Catholikes and Heretiks that came in his way should be all