that there he saith All Heretikes would haue themselues to be called Catholiks which also at this day you see the Protestants doe desire For why are they also desirous of this name but only because that they which indeed haue the name are also indeed euermore true Catholikes and so the name alone sufficient to moue any man to be of that side As likewise all Heretikes desiring to haue it seeme that there maketh for them Scriptures Miracles Fathers Martyrs and such like of which I will speake more hereafter doe euidentlie therby declare that company for whom in deed such thinges doe make to haue with them both truth and saluation Againe in another place the same holy Doctor saith De ver rel c. 7. Tenenda est nobis Christiana religio eius Ecclesiae communicatio quae Catholica est Catholica nominatur non soluÌ„ a suis sed etiaÌ„ ab omnibus inimicis Velint enim nolintue ipsi quoque Haeretici Schismatum alumni quaÌ„do non cum suis sed cum extraneis loquuntur Catholicam nihil aliud quam Catholicam vocant Non enim possunt intelligi nisi hoc eam nomine discernant quo ab vniuerso orbe nuncupatur Wee must hold the Christian religion and the companie of that Church which Catholike is and Catholike is named not only of her own but also of al her enimies For will they nill they the Heretikes also and Schismatikes when not with their owne but with straungers they talke they call the Catholike nothing but the Catholike for they cannot els be vnderstanded vnlesse by that name they discerne her by which of the whole world shee is called This therefore is proued they to be the Catholikes that Catholikes are called Will they now denie that we be called Catholikes The world doth beare vs witnesse For besides the foresaide note of the Cities of Germanie I aske them when as in bookes written now a dayes wee be named Catholikes euerie-where whether that the reader knoweth not straight waies who by that name are meaned In this very booke speak I not plainly enough wheÌ„ I so call our selues Or thinketh any man by that name that I am some Lutheran Protestant or Puritan Why els doe they mocke at the very name of Catholikes and not at vs only nicknaming it Cacolikes Cartholiks Or why els did Luther Luther in Germanie cause the Creed to be turned I beleeue the Christian Church not I beleeue the Catholike Church What els meant Iewell Iewell to entitle his Replie to D. Harding A Replie against the Roman Religion which of late hath bin accounted Cathoâ—ike Finally any indifferent man may see will acknowledge as much to be confessed in the new Legend set out of late by LaureÌ„ce Humphrey HuÌ„phrey the Puritan Iewell a new saint of Pope HuÌ„phries own making How erâ—d he â—o whose History HuÌ„phrey him-â—elfe here vnawares coÌ„firmeth For Catholikess saith hee were present as lookers on earnest defeÌ„ders What then but none such were moderators saue only lay lords vnlearned Heretikes Ergo. although not greatly liked I dare say of his fellow-Puritans for the canonization and please you of Saint Iewell Where hee saieth thus Errauit qui Pontaco suggessit Londini solum praesedisse laicos neque doctos neque Catholicos Hee erred vvhich infourmed Pontacus that at London in the pretensed Disputations at Westminster were moderators only lay men neyther learned nor Catholike An. 1. Eliz. Aderant non solum homines Catholicissimi id est Papisticissimi qui spectatum venerant sed alij eiusdem Catholicissimi acerrimi propugnatores c. Present there were not onely men most Catholike that is to say most Papisticall who came to looke on but other most earnest defenders of the same Catholikedome And againe Primam causam primaeriam fere solam omnium malorum contentionum deformationuÌ„ quasi Equum Troianum intra Ecclesiae muros nobis omnibus insidiantem fuisse hactenus esse hodie Catholicam a Scriptura sancta defectionem praecipue vestrum PapismuÌ„ The first cause and formost and only in a maner of all euils contentions deformations as it were the Troian horse which within the Churches wals lieth in wait for vs all hath beene hither-vnto and is at this day Catholike reuolting from the holie Scripture and specially your Popedome Where what hee meaneth by Catholike reuolting who seeth not Although to helpe his cause he would seeme to distinguish from it the Popedome as he tearmeth it contrary to his own interpretation afore but in deede to his meruailous disaduantage whiles that in the same his distinction whether we be Catholikes or no hee chargeth the Catholikes with reuolting as well as vs whosoeuer they be True it is that in the same place aforegoing hee tearmeth vs Pseudocatholicos falsenamed Catholikes But euen so haue I with myne owne eares heard him which manie moe also may remember in the Diuinitie Schole at Oxford in his fond vnlearned Readings tearme S. Augustine also himselfe and his felowes being not ashamed in his controlling of our worshipping of Saintes to allege this as good authoritie that Faustus the Manichee Heretik for the same did say in his time Pseudocatholicis to the false catholikes Apud Aug. eo Faus li. ca. 4. Idola vertistis in Martyres The Idols you haue turned into Martirs These Pseudocatholici who they were Saint Augustines wordes declare Li. 20. ca. 21. Hinc nobis caluÌ„niatur Faustus quod Martyrum memorias honoramus in hoc dicens nos idola conuertisse With this doth Faustus entwite vs because wee honour the Martyrs memories saying that into this we haue turned the Idols Neither can Humphrey or any other prooue that eyther now or then or euer were or shal be in the world any Pseudocatholici at al any Isay commonly named Catholikes but only true Catholikes Wherefore in calling vs Pseudocatholicos hee graunteth vâ—to be true Catholikes such as were also those Pseudocatholici in Faustus time So theÌ„ both these haue I inuinciblie proued that the generally named Catholikes be Catholikes and that wee be so named catholikes and for that name mocked at by our Aduersaries vvhereof it foloweth that we be catholikes and therefore that we haue the truth A most certaine demonstration which no Aduersarie of ours can with any reason gainsay and sufficient by it selfe alone to satisfie any man that will be satisfied But yet of aboundance will I shew the other waies Name of Heretikes SECONDLY whosoeuer are of them vvhich professe Christ commonlie called Heretikes and plainly knowen by that name they vndoubtedlie are Heretikes and so euer haue in the end proued Or let them giue me out of all Antiquity so much as one example to the contrarie Certaine it is that they can not but for it are all the examples that euer were As the Arrians in theyr time were commonly called Heretikes which we see euery where in the workes of the holy
Fathers then written against them and to this day extant So in their time the Nestorians the Macedonians the Eutichians the Pelagians the Donatistes and in breife all others that Heretikes were called Heretikes are proued Gal. 5. For which cause Saint Paule sayeth Manifesta sunt opera carnis The workes of the flesh are manifest which are fornication Heresies Murder c. For as Fornication Murder the rest straight vpon their naming are abhorred so the very name of Heresies and Heretikes is a manifest word of naughtines will they now say that Heretikes is our name Yea somuch as in their owne Lawes Bookes Sermons and common talke of vs Or vvill they denie that they be knowen themselues by that name But who I praie you in reading the Catholike Bookes of thys time there finding them commonlie so named sticketh at that terme not knowing or doubting who are named Or els why feared they in their Inglish translations of the Bible to set the name of Heresies and Heretikes where Saint Paul so hath it specially in the Greeke out of which they pretend to make their translations putting for it the worde Sectes and a man that is author of Sectes Is it not euident hereby that they know wel that the reader finding in Saint Paul the word Heresies or Heretikes would by and by thinke vpon them Againe why els did they in theyr Apologie of their Inglish Church alledge for their defence that S. Pauls doctrine also was by the Iewes called Heresie Act. 14. As though that bycause the vnbeleeuing and blinded Iewes so tearmed the faith of our Sauiour Christ S. Paul would haue vs not to thinke yll of them that by the Christians should so be called nor to regard what hee wrote to the Galathians that heresies be workes of the flesh keeping a man from the kingdome of God no lesse theÌ„ murder it selfe and fornication and to Titus likewise that an Heretike must be auoided as a most peruerse sinner Finallie vnlesse it had binne to to euident that they are named Heretikes and knowen immediatly by that name Luther their Grandsier would neuer in his booke intituled Notae verae Ecclesiae Markes of the true Church haue giuen vs for the seuenth marke that the people of God are spite of their teeth commonly called Heretikes Coguntur audire Heretici I stand to long vpon things that be plaine Name of Protestantes THirdly therefore who soeuer in respect of the doctrine which they professe haue a newe name made of some mans name or otherwise taken vp whereby they coÌ„monly terme them selues and in the world generally be termed and immediatly knowen thereby they vndoubtedlie are Heretikes And therefore Lutherans Caluinistes Protestants Precisians Vnspotted Brethren and Puritans most certainelie are Heretikes as were the Nicolaites of whom the Scripture it selfe maketh meÌ„tion Or let them giue mee an example to the contrarie Sure I am that they can not It is a rule that the Auncient Fathers in their times with great consent alwayes gaue the people to know Heretikes thereby as out of diuers of them I could shew but that I mynde not here nomore but brieflie to inscinuate vnto such as are desirous to learne or to teach the truth what waies they maie with ease and without error come to their desire Here after if any of the Heretikes more obstinat and venturous then hys felowes shall endeuour to make me answere I will with Gods helpe more largelie proue and declare this other my conclusions Now may Saint Hierome alone suffice Sicubi audierâ— saith he â—os Aduer Lucif Vide Chrisost hom 33. in Acta Iusâ—â—n â—n Tr sâ—â—â—ne Opt. li. 3. con Parm. Ire câ—n Haer. li. 1. ca. 20. Lact. li. 4. de vera sap ca 30 et Aug. de vtil cred cap. 7. qui dicuntur Christi non a Domino Iesu Christo sed a quopiam alio nuncupari vtpuâ—e Marcionitas Valentinianoâ— Monteâ—ses siue Compates scito non Ecclesiam Christi sed Antichristi esse synagogaÌ„ If any where thou he are theÌ„ which are said to be of Christ to be tearmed not of our Lord Iesuâ— Christ but of some other as Marcionites Valentinians Hil-brethren or Field-brethren be thou sure that they are not the church of Christ but the synagogue of antichrist Here I know they are wont to answere that amongst vs also some be called Benedictines Franciscans Dominicans Hieronimians Augustinians and such like But who seeth not that those some are not so called for profession of any special Doctrine brought vp by those holy meÌ„ Saint Benet Saint Francis Saint Dominicke Saint Hierome and S. Augustine but only because they professe to liue after a speciall rule of life deliuered vnto them by those Fathers to the better keeping of Gods commandements so as in the old Testament in figure of these Religious men Iere. 35. did the Rechabites But our Aduersaries haue their names I saie for doctrine and that is it that Saint Ierom and the other Fathers do giue vs as an vndoubted marke of Heretikes Wel but we are called Papistes they will say for doctrine To that I answere wee doe not so call our selues neither be wee so called in the world abrode but Catholikes euerie where as in Italie Spaine Fraunce c. VVhich they that trauaile can beare me witnesse but it is a name put vppon vs by the Heretikes as their vse hath alwaies binne to doe to tearme the Catholikes by certaine odious names So did the Arrians tearme vs Homousians others otherwise For that these be not our names it is most euident by this that wee were manie hundred yeares as they know themselues and confesse before those names were inuented and all that time were wee not without a name Let them name their eldest author or witnes of that name and if I proue not that vvee were then aboue a thousand yeare old let Papistes be our name I say therefore with Saint Augustine Quod quaerentibus satis est vna est Catholica cui haereses aliae diuersa nomina imponunt cum ipsae singulae proprijs vocabulis quae negare non audeant appellentur There is one Church Catholike vppon the which diuerse Heresies put diuerse names whereas they euerie one themselues are called by propre and speciall names which they dare not to denie And this is sufficient for such as seeke of whom to learne the truth If last of all they say that yet by our owne Confession we are called Catholikes which is an other name then Christians and therefore in danger of Saint Hieromes sentence aboue pronounced they trouble me sore I graunt and put me to my shiftes to answere it well But they doe withall ye wot as a man that would refuse to be sticked by mee with my sword and would runne vppon my speare For you know pardie by my first note that the name of Catholikes serueth well my turne quite to dispatch them what soeuer exception they pretend thereby
contemned the right or embraced the wrong We then also at this present standing in like perill and euerlasting daunger of our soules haue we not neede to awake to shake off our slouth and to looke about vs I deale not now with them which say in their foolish heartes that there is no God no Christ no soule no heauen no hell no right way nor no wrong of whome God help the world is too too full Neither with them do I deale which thinke no way at all so wrong but that it may serue well enough to heauen All which sorts of vaine men how vvise soeuer that they seeme in their owne conceits haue most certainely all good reason all true wisedome and which amongst Christian men is most irrefragable all Diuine Scripture cleane against them For wheresoeuer the said Scriptures speake of Nicolaites and such like who is there that findeth left for such any hope of saluation Therefore to leaue these vanishing away in their foolish fansies and to talke with others that beleeue the Scriptures and therefore thinke well that some in those forsaid ages found the way to heauen that other some by walking by-waies are fallen into damnation of these I demaund if at least wise they care for themselues more thē for their pelfe that soone will forsake them whether they would not be glad to know these waies to walke the one and to auoid the other the matter is past with those aforetime it is we that are in daunger that stand of making or els of marring If happely we could light in the steppes of them that are in Heauen wee were made foreuer But if we walke on the same pathes that lead others to hel then are wee marred and vndonne foreuer Here therefore it would be known what way they that now are safe did then take when they were in perill In their seuerall times very many and verie great questions as I haue said vvere mooued by new deuisers and some allwaies there vvere that could and did trie the matters with them by learning but these very few if we compare them with the multitude besides that the said triall is very long and many before it can be made passe out of this world to their certaine damnation if they go vncertaine What other remedy what better way is there than for such Is there any or is there none If there be none let vs eate and drinke and make good cheare for we shall die to morrow But thankes be to God there is good remedie there are also other waies inough and not only for the vnlearned and vnskilfull multitude but also for them that are of greatest learning of deepest knowledge Onely needefull here it is that a mā be willing to be set in the right way and to hold him in it Who better learned than S. Augustine Who more surely now in heauen He then besides learning what other waies had hee to hold him right To the Manichees of whose sect once he was thus he saith Con. Ep. fund Cap. 4. In Catholica Ecclesia vt omittam sincerissimam Sapientiam ad cuius cognitionem pauci spiritales in hac vita perueniunt vt eam ex minima quidem parte quia homines sunt sed tamen sine dubitatione cognoscant caeterā quippe turbam non intelligendi viuacitas sed credendi simplicitas tutissimā facit vt ergo hanc omittam Sapientiam quam in Ecclesia esse Catholica non creditis multa sunt alia quae in eius gremio me iustissime teneant Tenet consensio populorum atque gentium Tenet authoritas miraculis inchoata spe nutrita charitate aucta vetustate firmata Tenet ab ipsa Sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suas post resurrectionem Dominus commendauit vsque ad praesentem Episcopatum Successio Sacerdotum Tenet postremo ipsum Catholicae nomen quod non sine causa inter tam multas Haereses sic ista Ecclesia sola obtinuit c. In the Catholike Church to let passe most pure wisdome and knowledge to the perceauing whereof a few spiritual men in this life doe attaine so that they perceaue it in a very litle peece pardie because they are but men but yet without all doubting for as touching the other multitude it is not quicknesse of vnderstanding but simplicitie of beleeuing that maketh thē most safe that I omit therfore this wisedome which in the Catholike Church to be you Manichees and other Heretikes doe not beleeue many other things there are which in her lap most worthily do keep me There keepeth mee consent of peoples and nations There keepeth me authority by Miracles begonne nourished by hope by Charity increased by Antiquity made firme and sure There keepeth me Succession of Priestes from the very See of Peter the Apostle to whome our Lord after his resurrectiō committed the feeding of his sheepe euen to the Bishop that now is There keepeth me finallie the very name of Catholike which not without cause amongst so many heresies this Church alone hath obteined c. And in an other place to the same he retiks he saith againe Christo esse credēdum credidi famae celebritate consensione vetustate roboratae Vos autem tam pauci tam turbulenti tam noui nemini dubium est quin nihil dignum authoritate praeferatis That Christ must be beleeued I beleued fame or authority fortified with vniuersality consent and antiquity But you Heretikes being both so few and so dissentious and so new risen no man doubteth but that you shew nothing that deserueth authority Here as wee see this most learned most holy most renoumed Father allegeth many most worthy reasons as hee tearmeth them to hold him still a Catholike As indeed vpon that matter he wrote his whole said booke De vtilitate credendi Concerning the vtility of beleuing So did Tertullian of the same mater write his book De praescriptionibus Haereticorum Of exceptions against Heretikes And also Vincentius Lyrinensis his booke Contra prophanas omnium haereseon nouationes Against the prophane innouations of al Heresies These their books they wrote of the most iust and worthy reasons which there are to mooue anie man to forsake al Heresies and to liue die a catholike which bookes I wish all such my deare Countrimen to read as will know the truth and specially the holy Scripture of the actes of the Apostles with Saint Beedes Ecclesiastical Historie of our own Nation What such reasons may to that purpose be gathered out of those Authors and their like grounded all vpon most certaine and diuine authoritie I in this Treatise haue in part declared shewing particularly in euery one of them some vndoubted cause to moue any man to beleeue vs and not the Protestants Puritants nor other Heretikes in all together that nothing there is to be demaunded of a Christian man but vvith vs it maketh plainely and against them plainely no such thing against vs no such thing with
must forgoe whether we will or no not to forgoe them a little sooner for Gods sake who gaue them vnto vs and vvho will restore them againe yea and that so much more and better as wee haue not seene nor heard nor cannot think Blessed be god our most merciful father that daily giueth into the hearts of many for to suffer encrease he and multiplie his gift vnspeakable By that may we hope that al shal be wel that the sooner the moe that he will stir to suffer Which is so litle to be abhored either of the sufferers themselues or of their brethreÌ„ that in respect thereof we rather may 〈◊〉 say with S. Cyprian as hee said of Afrâ— his Countrie in like time of persecution O beatam Ecclesiam nostram quam sic honor diuinae dignationis illuminat quam temporibus nostris glorosus Martyrum sanguis illustrat Erat ante in operibus fratrum candida nunc facta est in Martyrum cruore purpurea floribus eius nec lilia nec rosae de suÌ„t O happie is our Church whome the honor of Gods grace doth so lighteÌ„ whom in our daies the glorious blood of Martyrs doth glorifie She was in the workes of our brethren white before but now she is become in the blood of Martyrs of purple colour Neither lillies nor roses are wanting to her flowers And so vvith his wordes in the same place I conclude this Preface Certent nunc singuli ad vtriusque honoris amplissimam dignitateÌ„ vt accipiant coronas vel de opere candidas vel de passione purpureas In coelestibus castris pax acies habent flores suos quibus miles Christi ob gloriam coronetur Let each man now labour to attaine the most noble dignity of both honours to get Garlandes either white by working or purple by suffering In the heauenly camps both peace the field haue their flowers whereof to make for Christ his souldiars garlands of glory â—he approbation of this Booke according to 〈◊〉 order of the Councell of Trent Sess 4. HIC Tractatus a familiari meo Richardo Bristow S. Theologiae Licentiato vulgari Anglorum idiomate scriptus illustrissimas quasâ—ue notas quibus Ecclesiae Catholicae vera in Religiâ—ne sententia ab Haereticorum falsa vanitate discerni possit magna perspicuitate ordine arte complectens est per omnia Catholicus doctus lectione ac pralo dignus quem solum si dulcissima mihi Patria grauiter attente legat mirabitur se ab omnium Temporum Gentium Doctorum firmata fide a tam paucis tam nouis tam turbulentis tam malis tam indoctis tam inter se pugnantibus hominibus posse dimoueri Ita Censeo Guilielmus Alanus S. Theol. apud Duacum Professor Regius 30. April 1574. Which is thus in English THIS Treatise written in the English tongue by my louing friend Richard Bristow Licentiat in Diuinitie conteyning with great perspicuitie order and arte diuers most excellent markes whereby to discerne in Religion the true iudgement of the Catholike Church from the false vanitie of the Heretikes is in all points Catholike learned worthy to be read and printed Which alone if my countrie most sweet vnto me will earnestly and diligently read it will meruaile that froÌ„ the grounded Faith of all times Nations and Doctors it can be remoued by so few so new risen so busie so euill so vnlearned fellowes and so at variance amongst themselues So doe I giue my censure William Allen the Kinges Professor of Diuinity at Douay 30. April 1574. A TREATISE OF DIVERS PLAINE AND SVRE VVAIES TO FINDE out the truth in this dangerous time of Heresie conteining sundry Motiues vnto the Catholike Faith or Considerations to moue a man to beleeue the Catholikes and not the Heretikes IT is a thing very well knowen to most meÌ„ of vnderstanding plainly perceaued of all that haue made enquirie thereof and by the effect also thankes be to God in the reclaiming of many thousand souls euidently declared that as touching the controuersies of this vnhappie time the Catholikes haue in euery point sufficiently manifestly proued to the world the truth to be of their side by bookes written of the seuerall matters not onlie in the latine tongue but also in the common vulgar tongues of most Nations namely in our English tongue â—onsider whether this alone be not a sufficient motiue so substaÌ„tially that their aduersaries the heretikes knowing they haue nothing to gainsay haue not dared once to goe about the answering of most of the said Catholike bookes but faine to get them forbidden by proclamation although themselues prouoked confidently the Catholikes to write them And for those few that they haue gone about to answere they haue made such numbers heapes of shamelesse and open lies in their answeres that very many of al degrees haue by examining their said answeres bin to the Catholike Faith conuerted which as it is like by the Catholike bookes alone had neuer bin conuerted All this is or may be plaine enough to al that haue desire to know the truth or care to saue their soules Others which will not see the same they are but such as Saint Paule speaketh of when he sayeth That and if our Gospell be yet hidden it is in them which perish hidden in whom the God of this world â—ath blinded their vnfaithfull heartes that there shine not vnto them the light of the Gospell of the glorie of Christ Yet thinke I not all that are not alreadie turned to be such For well I wote that some there are which haue not nor cannot come by the said books some that lacke leysure to peruse them some that thinke it ouer tedious to read so many or any one of them some that thinke many of them either for the matter or for the handling too hard for them and yet these either desirous or at least content to learne if they might see a readier shorter and easier way thereto For such therefore I will by the help of God in this briefe Treatise open and shew very many such waies most sure most plaine and withall most short that whosoeuer would soone dispatch shall in any one of them finde his desire and yet who so that will walke them all ouer shall not finde it long Yea and this I adde moreouer that wheras by the reading of a whole booke of the other sort aboue-named hee shall learne but one truth or not many moe then one nor by reading them al learne but only certaine truthes as of the B. Sacrament of Purgatorie of Confession of the Supremacie and such like and so hauing learned them may remaine notwithstaÌ„ding doubtful in others he shall by reading this treatise yea or any part almost thereof learne all truth and that not only that is this day in question but also that eyther hath bin or may be in question betweene the Christians I speake not this vpon confidence of myne owne wit
haue beene in error but that it needeth not being a thing otherwise well known to all such as heare their Sermons or be in place to heare them talke boldly and familiarly together amongst themselues where they are not afraide plainely to confesse that the Fathers all were Papistes as I haue already sufficiently proued and vvill with the help of GOD more largely proue hereafter if it be required desiring the Reader for this time to holde himselfe content with this one fresh saying of Laurence Humphrey Libel de vita Iewel speaking of Iewels famous chalenging Sermon afore-mentioned vvherein he prouoked the Catholikes to trie vvith him the mater by the Scriptures Councelles Fathers and examples of the first sixe hundred yeares of Christes Church Thereupon thus saith Humphrey Nimium largitus est vocis plus aequo concessit sibi nimium fuit iniurius c. Et seipsum Et Ecclesiam quodammodo spoliauit Siquidem Daemoniacorum quaestio est Quid nobis tibi est Iesu fili Dauid Sed interrogatio Sanctorum est Quid nobis rei cum Patribus cum carne sanguine Too much he gaue to you hee graunted more then vvas meete and to himselfe hee was too iniurious c. Both himselfe and the Church after a sort he spoiled For it is the question of men possessed what haue we thou to doe O Iesus the Sonne of Dauid But the demaunde of Saintes it is what haue wee to doe with the Fathers with flesh and blood Such Saints as you heard a little afore were not S. Ambrose not Saint Augustine nor anie other Saint of Heauen but the Saintes of this Canonizers nevv Calendare such as Saint Paulus Samosatenus Saint Nestorius and other Heretikes of accursed memorie vvho were in their life time Ranae Cyniphes Exod. 8. Muscae moriturae quales sunt Pelagiani Frogges and Gnats Libel aduersus prophanas omnium haeresum innouationes and Flies that shall not last such as be the Pelagians as Vincentius Lirinensis for this theyr croking against the Fathers verie aptlie termeth them in that passing fine book of his written by him aboue a thousand yeares agoe of the same argument that this our treatise Nobis inquiunt authoribus nobis principibus nobis expositoribus damnate quae tenebatis tenete quae damnabatis reijcite antiquam fidem paterna instituta MaioruÌ„ deposita c. Take vs say they to the Catholikes for your Authors vs for your Leaders vs for your Interpreters vpon our word condemne yee the things that you held hold yee the thinges that you condemned cast away the old faith the fathers teachinges the thinges that your Elders left you to keepe c. This I say with him was the croking of those Egyptiacall frogs while they were liuing which now are quackling yalping with the Diuels in Hell froÌ„ whence they came as Saint Iohns Apocalips beareth witnesse Cap. 16. Now therfore let any reasonable maÌ„ anie that would saue his soule yea anie that thinketh himselfe to haue a Soule weigh consider with himselfe what he hath to doe whether to venture his soule with such frogs of Hell men vtterly destitute of all things wherwith preachers of Truth should be commended and found to haue all the marks of false Masters Heretikes or to bestow it in the way of the old Holy Fathers men most learned most gratious most miraculous their way so sure that it hath brought them vnto heauen where they be novv Saints most glorious by the confession of all men most vndoubtedly Certaine it is that none euer haue left their vvay but only Heretikes and therefore Protestantes and Puritans be Heretikes Their followers then can not looke for any other place after this life but that which is prepared for Heretikes which by the witnes of S. Paul himselfe cannot be the Kingdome of HeaueÌ„ Gal. 1. For aduouterers saith he murderers sorcerers heretiks such like regnuÌ„ Dei non consequentur shall not possesse Gods kingdome Martyrs NEXT of all let it be well considered what Church that is which hath in the roll of her owne children so manie which both wee and our Aduersaries acknowledge to be true Martyrs in deede that here I say nothing of other orders of Saints in heauen confessed by vs both consider I say whether all those which by our Church are enrolled in the number of Martyrs in the common Calendare who to Laurence Humphrey now that Iewell hath in learning life and Miracles so farre passed them al are al but Sanctuli hold heauen by any Church but ours Or whether any one of them all were of any other faith then ours Name any one of them all and prooue it by good record that he was of your Church or of your faith and let my name be blotted out of heauen for euer But the contrarie that they were not of your Church vndoubtedly thus I proue most euidently presupposing first that no man will doubt but that they were all of one Church so that it shall be sufficiently proued that none of them all were Protestantes if I proue that some one of them were not a protestaÌ„t which I may easily do by many kindes of strong arguments and will hereafter with Gods help if need be But now may one plaine argument well suffice and that common to all the old vndoubted martyrs but it will I onely in one exemplifie This it is All those holie martyrs were of the same Religion that they were of which prayed vnto them which worshipped their Relikes which went a Pilgrimage to their Churches and that whether it were our Religion or the Protestantes who knoweth not my example shall be S. Steuen himselfe of whose true martyrdome no man can doubt that beleeueth Saint Luke S. Paule the Scriptures Act. 6.7 8. 22. and God himselfe Now that he as all other Holy martyrs was and is of the same Religion that the persons aforesaid it is manifestly and inuincibly prooued by this that hee as all other holie martyrs did with the power of God Almightie heare and helpe those persons that in maner aforesaid sought vnto him to the same purpose also reuealing by visions the place where his Relikes were hidden with the Relikes of Saint Gamaâ—iel Gennad in Catalogo Saint Nicodemus and others to Lucianus a Priest of Ierusalem who wrote in Greeke the Historie of his inuention to the same purpose I say for these are the very wordes of S. Gamaliel appearing the third time vnto Lucian Exurge igitur vade In Ep. Lucia â—i dic illi vt aperiat nobis faciat locum orationis vt intercessione nostra misereatur Dominus populo suo Vp therefore and goe to the Bishop and say vnto him that he open vnto vs and make a place of prayer that by our intercession our LORD may haue mercy vpon his people And all this may be proued by such certaine witnesse of so many
if need be As on the contrarie side for their owne confession of the truth of our Religion not onely in some part as in the two points afore touched of the Sacrament and Supremacie but also in the very whole well nere much may be alleaged out of their writings One place for this time may serue that out of Luthers booke against the Anabaptistes written many yeares after his fall where thus he saith An. 1528. we confesse that vnder the Pope-dome are manie good Christian thinges yea all good Christian thinges and that from thence we had them We confesse pardie that in the Popedome is the true holie Scripture true Baptisme true Sacrament of the Aultar true keyes to remit sinnes true office of preaching true Catechisme as the Lordes prayer and tenne Commaundements and Articles of the Faith c. I say moreouer that vnder the Popedome is true Christianitie yea the true kernell of Christianitie The Catholike Faith in England mightilie planted and lightly chaunged IN this place before I goe anie further to bring more light vnto our matter according to the example of S. Paules question to the Galathians changing their first religion from the faith of Christ to the law of Moyses Qui tribuit vobis Spiritum Gal. 3. operatur virtutes in vobis ex operibus legis an ex auditu fidei God giuing the Holy Ghost vnto you and working Miracles amongest you did hee it by workes of the Law or by preaching of the faith as if wee would say now by preachers of Protestancy or as they call it of Papâ—strie according to this example of S. Paule I say let it be first remembred what Religion that was in which was planted in our Countrey at our first conuersion vnto Christ by our Apostle Saint Augustine the Holie Monke that Saint Gregorie sent vnto vs about a thousand yeares agoe at which tyme wee English-men were first made Christians being before alwayes as other Paynims and Heathens without hope or knowledge of Christ and saluatyon giuen wholly to the seruing of Idols And to be short this matter may be soone knowen out of the Ecclesiasticall History of our owne Countryman Saint Bede a man of great holynes and learning of great credit fame throughout the vniuersall Church of God both in his life and euer since his death who lyued shortly after the time of our first Conuersion and vvrote the Historie of it in 5. bookes a worke very worthy S. Bedes Storie very expedient very profitable and verie necessarie to be read of all English-men that desyre to haue vnderstanding of things belonging much to their saluation There shall you finde it so plainlie that the Religion then brougt in vvas this very same that now the Protestants haue thrust out that no man either can or as I remember doth denie it For example in the first Booke Cap. 25. they came in with Crosse Image of Christ with ProcessioÌ„ cap. 26. in Dover they vsed to say Masse with many other points of our ReligioÌ„ that may there be found Goe on then consider how the said Monke our Apostle with his fellovves perswaded our Nation to that Religion In the first boke Cap. 26 you shall find that the King was brought to beleue to be baptized by their working of many Miracles and namely in the second Boke cap. 2. how that hee chalenged the stubborne Britons who being Christians yet dissented from the rest of the Church in peculiar practise of some certayne pointes of Religion to trie the truth betwene them by restoring a blind man to his sight in such maner as Elias vpon sure confidence in God chalenged the false prophets of Baal The Britons could not doe it 3. Reg. 28. but Saint Augustine did perfourme it as hee wrought also very many mo such wonderfull Miracles In somuch that S. Gregorie in an Epistle that hee sent him which is to be seene Lib. 1. ca. 31. thought good to admonish him of humilitie knowing that S. Paul him-selfe had neede to haue giuen vnto him an Angel of Satan to boxe and buffet him 2. Cor. 12. least that in the greatnes of hys VisioÌ„s he might haue chaunced to take pride Likewise that he had the gift of Prophecie and thereby foretold the destruction of those Britons which euen so came afterward to passe you shal find in the second Boke second Chapter Al this now wel considered whereas the Protestants for that they see this maÌ„ of God to haue byn so euidently on our side speake much horrible Blasphemie of him not fearing God at al who so coÌ„mended him for his true seruant let vs thinke that wee here him say vnto vs in hys ovvne commendation compelled thereunto by these our corrupters and his dispraysers as Saint Paul in the like case and vpon the like necessitie said of himselfe vnto his Corinthians 1. Cor. 9. Si alijs noÌ„ sum Apostolus tamen vobis sum Nam signaculum Apostolatus mei vos estis in Domino If vnto other people I be not an Apostle yet vnto you I am For the seale of my Apostleship you are put as it were to my letters Patentes by our Lorde through whose power I conuerted you to the faith of Christ 2. Cor. 12. And againe Nihil sum signa tamen Apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia in signis prodigijs virtutibus Nothing am I in deed yet the signs of an Apostle were wrought by me among you in all patience in Miracles and wonders deedes of power What wil we answere to this his saying or what can we answere Can wee denie his argument but it is Saint Paules It proued well Saint Paul to haue binne an Apostle whether those false masters of the Corinthians would or no. It proueth therefore Saint Augustine likwise to haue byn an Apostle a man sent of God vnto vs vvhether our false Preachers will or no vvhereunto no doubt they shal neuer be able to answere Let vs then againe consider vvhat causes or reasons haue carried vs awaie from his true Gospell into the false gospel of these men what Miracles what Visions what Scriptures what Catholikes what Traditions what Councels vvhat Bishopps of the See Apostolike vvhat other such thinges as afore I haue shevved to make for hys Gospell If none of all these thinges lead vs into this new Gospell but against them all we went into it say then what els did the deed An odious matter it is to rip all vpp in particular and wise men know all well only in generall doe I appeale to all mens consciences whether anie thing els first lead and now keepeth our vnhappie Countrie in thys false Gospell but only the world the flesh and the Diuell And therefore may our Apostle Saint Augustine say well vnto vs as Saint Paul the Aposte said to his Galathians Gal. 2. Miror quod sic tam cito transferimini ab eo
afterwardes LET this also be considered that no man is able to name any time since the Apostles time wheÌ„ our Church first arose nor any certaine Author and first beginner of the peculiar Articles of our Faith and Religion but CHRIST and the APOSTLES onelie Name the Article the time and person and if I shew not the same Article to haue beene yet more auncient afore that time and afore that person let me then be accouÌ„ted one that promise more then I can performe And theÌ„ let it be farther considered wether that euer there was anie companie other then Schismaticall that can by good record be proued long after that they were christians to haue had their beginning the Author whereof is knowen the time of his rising recorded in Histories the Articles of his Doctrine before vnheard of Consider well with your selues of all such Companies as the Arrians the Sabellians the Eutychians the Pelagians the Donatists and brieflie of all the like that we can tell when they first arose who began them Is it not manifest that they were all Schismaticall and their Articles Hereticall Neither can it euer otherwise be because the holy Scripture can not be false wherein our Sauiour his Apostles doe giue vs this selfe-same marke to know such Masters Multi pseudoprophetae surgent saith our Sauiour Mat. 24. seducent multos Many false Prophets shall arise and shall lead many out of the way S. Paul likewise to the Bishops Priests of Ephesus Ego scio quoniam intrabunt post discessionem meam lupi rapaces in vos non parcentes gregi Et ex vobis ipsis exurgent viri loquentes peruersa vt abducant discipulos post se Propter quod vigilate c. I know that after my departure there will enter in rauening Wolues vnto you not sparing the flocke and out of your selues vvill arise men teaching peruerslie to the end to draw away the Disciples or Christians after themselues Mat. 13. And for the same cause our Sauiour in the Parable likeneth himselfe to a man that sowed good seed in his field homini seminanti bonum semen in agro suo and the Diuell with his Ministers to the enimie that came afterward whiles men were asleepe and sowed cockle amongst it Cum autem dormireÌ„t homines venit inimicus eius superseminauit Zizania in mediotritici where the Latine very aptly expresseth the sense making superseminans to answere vnto Seminans although the Greeke haue not that agnomination Euen so doth Tertullian gather of this Parable Tert. de praescrip Haerot in that fifth book of his written vpon the same matter that this our treatise how to stoppe the mouthes of Heretikes Thus hee saith Principalitatem veritan posteritatem mendacit ali deput andam ex illius quoque Parabolae patrocinio quae bonum sâ—â—en frumenti a Domino seminatum primo constituit auenarum autem sterilis foeni adulteriuÌ„ ab inimico Diabolo postea superducit Former doctrine is truth that which after riseth is lying so we are taught by the Parable which first setteth good seed of wheat to haue bin sowen of our Lord and bringeth after vpon that by the spite of the Diuell the corruption of baren cockle Ita ex ipso ordine manifestatur id esse Dominicum verum quod sit prius traditum id autem extraneum falsum quod sit posterius immissum So by the very order is that declared to be true and of our Lord which was before deliuered that againe to be false of the enimy which was after brought in The Protestantes then and Puritans rising of late vvith Luther Zuinglius Melanchthon Caluine and Sampson are as you see by our Sauiour by Saint Paule by Tertullian marked for Heretikes Let them if they can bring vs one example for exception But no doubt they cannot and therefore Saint Irenee also tooke vpon him boldly to know by the same badge all the Heretikes that were afore his time Lib. 3. cap. 4. Valentinus enim venit Romam sub Hygino increuit vero sub Pio prorogauit tempus vsque ad Anicetum For ValeÌ„tinus saith he came to Rome vnder Hyginus and he encreased vnder Pius and he lasted vnto Anicctus Then of another he saith likewise Cerdon autem qui ante Marcionem hic sub Hygino qui fuit octauus Episcopus c. Cerdon vvho vvas before Marcion came also thither vnder Hyginus that was the eighth Bishop of Rome c. And againe of another Marcion autem illi succedens inualuit sub Aniceto decimuÌ„ locuÌ„ Episcopatus continente MarcioÌ„ that succeeded to Cerdon waxed vnder Anicetus who did hold the tenth place of the Bishoprike Furthermore the like he noteth there of the Heretikes also named Gnostici And then of them all he concludeth together Omnes autem hi multo posterius mediantibus iam Ecclesia temporibus insurrexerunt in suaÌ„ Apostasiam All these much later the Church hauing now bin a certaine time in the meane while did arise into their Apostasie Beginning with wondering and gainesaying of Christians then in vnitie CONSEQVENTLY consider mee this whether at any time the Christian people wondered at our Religion and Doctrine or any point thereof as then first appearing and afore not heard of and whether the Pastors Doctors of the Church then presently controlled the same as new and diuerse from the Doctrine that was before And whether that all Heresies were not so wondred at and so controlled at their first apearing Whether also that which seemed so strange to them that stood in Vnity which was so gainesaid and resisted by them that had the charge of the Church of Christ were not alwaies heresie without exception The Arrians were resisted by Saint Siluester Saint Iulius of Rome Osius of Corduba Saint Athanasius of Alexandria the whole Councel of Nice the Macedonians by the Councell of Constantinople the Nestorians by the Ephesine Councell the Eutychians by that of Chalcedon Finally all others by some others And by the same marke doth S. Irenee point out vnto vs Cerdon for an Heretike saying Liâ— 3. ca. 4. Ab aliquibus traductus in bis quae docebat male abstentus est a religiosorum hominum conuentu Of some he was controlled in the points that he taught amisse and commaunded to absteine froÌ„ the Church or excoÌ„municated As our doctrine therefore which eueÌ„ from Christ his Apostles is come quietly to our hands without such contradiction is sure Catholike so that of the Protestantes and Puritans vvhich vvas streight with the sword of Gods Church sticked in Luther and neuer synce hath ceassed to be by learned Catholike men confuted and hath binne by a Generall Councel also examined accursed nor neuer shal be able to get one day of quiet possessioÌ„ but euer oppugned assaulted vntil it be quite again dispatched as haue al other Heresies byn before it is most certainly without al doubt Heretical
seede and Doctrine of Christ himself euery maÌ„ may easily by that which hath bene said conceaue But to make it yet more sensible eueÌ„ to the blind eyes of our Aduersaries themselues such as it shall please God mercifullie to lighten forgiuing both their ignoraunce and their malice I propose this to their said earnest quiet consideration whether that all these foresaid Nations of Christendome were not before their Christening vvorshippers of Idoles as of Iupiter Mars Saturne Venus Priapus and ten thousand more Whether that vpon their Christening they haue not bene so fully turned from those Idoles that the multitude hath forgotten their very names also such only knowing some-what of them but that very litle as are conuersant in the old writings of Grekes and Romains that were Heathens whether againe that this so generall destruction an obliuion of those Idoles be not that which God by his prophet Zacharie Zac. 18. did foretell in these wordes In die illa erit sons patens Domui Dauid habitantibus Hierusalem in ablutionem peccatoris menstruatae erit in die illa dicit Dominus exercituum disperdam nomina Idolorum de terra noÌ„ memorabuntur vltra In that day there shall be a font standing open for the house of Dauid and the inhabitants of Ierusalem for to wash or baptise him that is a sinner and her that is in flowers And be it shal in that day saieth the Lord of ostes I will destroy the names of Idoles from of the earth and they shall no longer be remembred Being then of God this such conuersion of these Nations their Idoles with their names and memories destroyed by God and the Font of Baptisme opened vnto them by God and they in it washed by God from their sinne and filth and so brought into the howse of Christ our Dauid made free Citizens of his new Ierusalem all this foretold by the Prophet all this euen so fulfilled by God are the Heretikes yet so blind not to see vpon whom they cast theyr blasphemie He that turned them from their Idoles did not the same God turne them at once to our Religion Did hee turne them from seruing of Idoles to serue Idoles againe Was that so worthy a promise to be made so long afore by his prophet Yea or can his Prophets word and his owne promyse be possiblie iustified if the Heretikes saying may be iustified Let them therefore blaspheme if they list and blaspheme againe euen vntill they fall into the pit of euerlasting blasphemie other men whom the Diuell and sinne hath not so blinded do see by this that the conuersion of al Chhristian Nations hath bene none other 1. Thes 1. then as S. Paule sayeth to the Thessalonians of theyr conuersion Conuersi estis ad Deum a simulachris seruire Deo viuo vero Your conuersion was to God from Idoles to serue God the liuing and the true But yet farther vtterly to confound them or the Diuell rather that speaketh those blasphemies out of them and to set open a full window to the blasing light of God and truth you shall consider that euen the very same poyntes of our Religion which they call Idolatrie are so farre from Idolatrie yea so contrarie and so directy opposite to Idolatrye that they haue byn the meanes whereby God hath destroyed all Idolatrie and so fulfilled the foresayed Prophecie The Blessed Sacrament I saie Saintes Relikes Crosse and other Images with such like neuer could the Diuels better abide them vvhen they were within those Idoles then they can doe now within these Heretikes as Saint Hierome straight vpoÌ„ the rising of their Fathers the Vigilantians vvitnessed Lib. 28. in Isaiae c. 65. Vide eundem con Vigil Haeretici nuper in Gallia sub magistro cerebroso pullularunt qui Basilicas Martyrum declinaÌ„tes nos qui ibi orationes ex more celebramus quasi immundos fugiunt Hoc autem non tam illi faciunt quam habitantes in eis Daemones fortitudinem flagella Sancti Cineris non ferentes Heretikes of late in France are buded out vnder a braynsicke Maister vvho shunning the Martyrs Churches doe flee from vs as from vncleane persons that there do celebrate prayers after the maner But this doe not they so much as the Diuelles that dwell in them not being able to abide the might and whips of the holy Ashes Let our men therefore looke vvell to themselues and consider depely of what spirit they are inhabited and suggested Neither bycause Saint Hierome is so plaine let them therefore thinke him a lyer or his admonâ—tion bycause it is so sharpe therefore to be vnwholsome For he is not singular in this point nor for it of any Father controlled yea the same thing of them all likewise most plainlie testified so many examples of Diuels by such things put to silence and tormented and expelled out of Idoles and out of mens bodies being in auncient Histories and other writers as vvould fill whole bookes My purpose and study is here and in all this Treatise rather how to make short then how to make long not to heape togeather so much as may be saied but to take out so much as is sufficient To descend there-fore from Zacharies generall Prophecie of the whole earth vnto one special Country they that read either the diuine Scriptures or also prophane Authors doe know that of al Countries Aegypt passed for Idolatrie And yet of it did Ezechiel leaue this prophecie Ezech. 10. Haec dicit Dominus Deus disperdam simulachra cessare faciam Idola de Memphis c. Thus saith our Lord God I will both destroy abominations and make an end of Idols out of Memphis and other places of Egypt And as much had learned one Hermes Trismegistus a false Aegyptian Prophet of those Idoles there himselfe also after his death an Idol and a false God of theirs and the meanes also had hee learned by which it should be so accomplished which he vttered in a booke of his written to Aesculapius quasi futura praenunciando deplorans August de Ciu. Dei li. 8. ca. 26. as it were bewayling things to come in foretelling them as S. Augustine saith Hermes wordes are these Tunc terra ista sanctissima sedes delubrorum atque templorum sepulchrorum erit mortuorumque plenissima Than shal this most holy land of Aegypt the seat of the Godds of their temples be filled al with sepulchres and dead men His meaning therein doth S. Augustin thus interprete Dolor daemonum per eum loquebatur qui suas futuras poenas apud sanctorum Martyrum Memorias imminere moerebant In multis enim talibus locis torquentur confitentur de possessis corporibus hominum eijciuntur The sorow of Diuels by whose instinct he saied this did speake by hym who lamented for the drawing nigh of their paynes that they should suffer at the Memories or Relikes of the Holy Martyrs For in many such places
to open their eyes they both may and shall then see this most Diuine Sacrament to be that simple loafe of Barley Bread which in the time of Gedeon went rolling about Iud. 7. descended to the camps of the Madianites and when it came to any tabernacle of theirs did strike it ouerturne it and made it euen with the ground to be likewise the Arke of God vvhich in Samuels time being brought into the temple of DagoÌ„ the God of the Philistians 1. Reg. 5. laide him flatte on his face againe and againe groueling on the ground cut off his head and both his handes and left him so but as a blocke without forme and fashion in his place this Sacrament I say to be the suppression and subuersion of all Idols and Diuels in all persons places thinges and Countries In witnes whereof Motiue 5. I alleaged before out of S. Augustine the fact of a Priest of his owne Monasterie who offered in a certaine faâ—me the Sacrifice of Christs body and thereby immediatly deliuered it of wicked spirits that did trouble molest it In witnes of the same many of our owne Countrimen haue on this side the Sea beene present at the mighty casting out of many diuels by vertue of the same Sacrament which who that listeth may read in M. Pointz booke of the Reall Presence The like vnto them you may read in the life of S. Bernard Lib. 2. Cap. 3. written by Bernard the Abbot of Boneuallis who liued at the same time how hee to expell the diuel out of a woman at Milan that had bin very long possessed to the leesing of her sight speach and hearing and shee now more like a monster than a woman at his Masse so often vvith the Signe of the Crosse hee signed the woman as he did the sacred Hoast And after the Pater noster was done the blessed man setteth vpon the enimie with more force vpon the Patin of the Chalice hee putteth the Sacred Body of our Lord and holding it ouer the womans head thus he saith Adest inique spiritus Iudex tuus adest summa potestas iam resiste si potes c. Here present is thou vvicked Spirite thy Iudge Here present is the most Soueraigne power resist now if thou canst here present is hee who being readie to suffer his Passion for our saluation said By and by shall be cast forth the Prince of this world Ioan. 12. This is that body vvhich was stretched on the tree of the Crosse vvhich did lie in the graue vvhich did rise from death which in the sight of his Disciples ascended into heauen Therefore in the terrible power of his Maiestie I commaund thee O wicked spirit that thou goe out of this his handmaide and that thou presume not againe to touch her Which straight after at the giuing of the Paxe was done the Diuell departed the vvoman restored to her senses and reason both of her and of all the Citty God blessed and S. Bernard highly honoured ringing of the Belles showting reioycing vpon all sides and weeping for ioy ouer all the Cittie A little afore you may there see how that at another time in the same Cittie hee powred water vpon his fingers ouer the Patin of the Chalice wherewith hee was ready to say Masse Cap. 2. and with a drop of the same water which he put into the mouth and so into the stomake of a litle wench that was possessed he made therwith the Diuel immediatly to break out of her for feare together with most filthy vomite So that such vvater being of such power it is lesse meruaile that Saint Cyprian writeth of another little wench an Infant to whome had bin giuen a sop of Idolles sacrifices and shee afterward by ignorance brought into the place where Saint Cyprian was sacrificing Ser. 5. de lapsâ—s Sacrificantibus nobis eam secum mater intulit And there was she very much tormented by the holy prayers but specially when the Deacon came to giue her amongest the rest somewhat of the Chalice then turned shee away her face through the instinct of Gods Maiestie saith he held her lips very fast together But the Deacon for all that powred some in Tunc sequitur singultus vomitus In corpore atque ore violato Eucharistia permanere non potuit Sanctificatus in Domini sanguine potus de pollutis visceribus erupit Tanta est potestas Domini tanta maiestas c. Then folowed yokes vomit In the body and mouth defiled with Idolatrie the Eucharist might not abide The drinke Consecrated in our Lords blood breake out of the poluted bowels So great is the power of our Lord so great is his Maiestie c. Which S. Paule himselfe also doth witnes in saying Quae immolant Gentes Daemonijs immolant 2. Cor. 10. non Deo Nolo autem vos socios fieri daemoniorum Non potestis Calicem Domini bibere Calicâ—m daemoniorum non potestis mensae Domini participes esse mensae daemoniorum The things which Heathens doe sacrifice they sacrifice them to Diuels not to God I wil not haue you to be made partakers of diuels You cannot drinke our Lordes Chalice the Chalice of diuels you cannor be partakers of our Lords table the table of diuels And of this who can doubt the Sacrifice I say of our Lordes Table and Chalice to haue abolished all the Sacrifices of the diuels table chalice according to S. Augustines saying De Ciuit. Lib. 10. Cap. 20. Huic summo veroque Sacrificio cuncta Sacrificia falsa cessâ—ruÌ„t To this most high true Sacrifice all false Sacrifices haue giuen place seeing it hath takeÌ„ away the very Sacrifices also of the old Testament by God himselfe ordained which both S. Paul doth witnesse saying Habemus Altare Heb. 13. de quo edere non habent potestatem qui Tabernaculo deseruiunt c. Wee Christians haue an Aultar or Sacrifice whereof they haue not power to eate which serue the Tabernacle of the Iewes c. And the Prophet also did long afore pronounce in it saying Sacrificium oblationem nâ—luisti Psal 39. Heb. 10. corpus autem perfecisti mihi Sacrifice oblation of the Iewes thou haste refused but vnto mee thou haste prepared a body Quia pro omnibus illis sacrifiâ—ijs oblationibus corpus eius offertur participantibus ministratur De Ciuit. Dei li. 17 Cap. 20. Because saith S. Augustine for all those old sacrifices oblations his body is offered and to the receauers ministred Id enim Sacrificium successit omnibus illis Sacrificijs veteris Testamenti For that sacrifice and table according to the order of Melchisedech which our Priest the Mediatour of the new Testament doth exhibite of his owne Bodie and Blood hath succeeded to all those sacrifices of the old Testament To conclude therefore all such as would rather please God then the Diuell
touching the very bokes of Heretiks In indice librorum prohibitorum regula vlt. Quod si quis libros Haereticorum vel cuiusuis authoris scripta ob haeresim vel ob falsi dogmatis suspicionem damnata atque prohibita legerit siue habuerit statim in excommunicationis sententiā incurrat Qui vero libros alio nomine interdictos legerit aut habuerit praeter peccati mortalis reatum quo afficitur iudicio Episcoporum seuere puniatur The bookes of Heretikes or writinges of any Author for Heresie or for suspition of false doctrine cōdemned and prohibited if any man reade them or haue them in his keeping wee ordaine that by and by he incurre the sentence of excommunication As for bookes that are for any other cause forbidden hee that readeth or hath them besides the guilt of mortall sinne wherof he is attainted let him according to the discretion of the Bishops be seuerely punished Now whether is worse I aske them and more daungerous to reade theyr bookes or to heare their Sermons No doubt to heare their Sermons both because the greatest foulest blasphemers of them al do preache who yet for lacke of learning or for other causes doe not nor are not alwaies suffred to write abstaining also in their Sermons from no blasphemy be it neuer so diuelish false because they feare to that no answere as to their bookes they doe And also because that viua vox word of mouth hath incomparably more force then the dead pen whether it be to edifie or to destroy 1. Tim. 2. Sermo eorum vt cancer serpet saieth Saint Paul Their preaching will creepe vpon you like a canker No man is so madd as to let poyson into his body be it neuer so little These then that goe to the places where most soules are poisoned and al in danger to be poisoned vnlesse they thinke themselues more safe and sure than was our mother Eue in paradise it selfe do plainly shevv that they care lesse for theyr soules then for their bodies and therefore lesse for the world to come then for this world lesse finally for God then for thēselues Yea as I said afore of such heretikes as had the true Seruice so although it should chaunce to be nothing els but truth that Heretikes preach yet should vvee not come at them For els why did our Sauiour for the same confession for which he saied to Peter Beatus es Simon Bar-Iona c. Mat. 16. Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iohn say to a Diuel Obmutesce Luc. 4. Be thou dumme and hold thy peace Peters confession was Tues Christus Filius Dei viui Thou art Christ the Sonne of God the liuing And the Diuels was Scio te qui sis Sanctus Dei I know thee vvho thou art the HALOVV of God Moyses likewise in figure of this that I say Deut. 18. rekoned vp many darke Scholemaisters as Southsaiers Inchaunters Witches Wise-men Familiars Coniurers c. and charged the people not to seeke euen Truth it selfe of such And therefore whereas a wench possessed of a Pithon-sprite cried after Saint Paule and his companie isti homines serui Dei Excelsi sunt Act. 16 qui annuntiant vobis viam salutis These men are seruantes of God the Highest who shew to you the way of saluation what saieth the Scripture thereupon Dolens autem Paulus conuersus spiritui dixit praecipio tibi in nomine Iesu Christi exire ab ea Et exijt eadem hora. But Paul being grieued thereat and turning himselfe said to the sprite I commaund thee in the name of Iesus Christ to goe out of her And hee vvent out the same houre Much more might be here said to this purpose in commendation of Catholike and detestation of Hereticall both Seruice and Sermons But for my breuitie thus much shall suffice Proced we therfore to other Motiues Ecclesiasticall Monumentes and liuings CONSIDER moreouer what Church it is that hath furnished and beautified the faithfull Nations of the world vvith Vniuersities vvith Colleges vvith Hospitals vvith Abbies and Monasteryes vvith very Churches Chappels and innumerable other Monumentes of our only Religion Romain and Catholike and for vvhat Church like-wise all such Monumentes in all places by christian Emperours Kinges Queenes Princes and other persons of wealth and Dignitie at al times since theyr first conuersion to Christ haue beene erected for vvhat Church such honorable portions of lands and liuings and other earthly commodities haue by such persons beene sorted out Hath not our Lord God by his Euangelicall Prophet ESAIE told vs that to his Church such benefits and prouisions by such persons should be giuen Esaiae 49. Et erunt Reges nutricij tui Reginae nutrices tuae Kings saith he shal be thy fosterers Quenes shal be thy nurces Were then these magnificent Churches Colleges and Vniuersities builded either by Protestantes or for Protestantes by any one or for any one euer that was of their Religion VVere the Bishopriks Archedeconries Deanries Prebendes Personages and Vicariges instituted for their women and children to make them gentlewomen and gentlemen or to the honour and seruice of any Church but ours Were the tythes and other liuelyhoodes so religiously lotted and limited of euerie mans goodes for any Church but ours Such maintenance of study in Vniuersities and Schooles of Solemne Seruice in Chappell Church College Cloyster and Close did it proceede from their Church Or vvas any of these commodities made or meant towards any Church but ours Doth not the very condition of these fore-sayed thinges poynt ours to be the true and only Church of Christ and Christendome and giue terror and horror to the consciences of our Aduersaries against the fearefull day of Christes general Iudgement either for plucking downe and destroying or for vsurping the foresayed douries of his Catholike Church cleane against the meaning of all the first Founders Looke at the very forme and fashion of euery Church of euerie Chappell of euery Chauncell of euery Chalice of euery Aultar of euery Sepulchre of euery Stone of euery window giue they not euidence for our only Church and Religion Beare they not our cognisance and badges Crie they not out alowd that they be and haue bene alwaies some of them these twelue hundred yeares and vpward our goodes and possessions that the Heretikes be vsurpers theeues sacriligious men and robbers Apes AGAINE consider what Church that is vvhich as it is to it selfe sufficient and able to stand alone lacking in it no good Learning or knowledge no iust Law no necessarie order because it hath in it all things deliuered by Christ comming vnto it by the Apostles hands and their most certaine Successors euer hauing vvith it the Holy Ghost to assist it in all thinges to lead it into all truth to direct it into all good order and there to keepe it so is it of al Schismes and separated Religions imitated and apishly followed as without whose
sancta qua deletum est chirographum quod erat contrarium nobis the holy hoast or sacrifice whereby was striken out of the bill of our hand which was against vs. Ad cuius pretij nostri Sacramentum ligauit animam suam vinculo fidei To the Sacrament of that our raÌ„some she tied her soule with the band of faith worshipping so that blessed Sacrament with Religion and making of it God him selfe For as S. Augustine sayeth in an other place Dever re ca. vlt. et 1. Ret. 13. vvee must tie our soules to God alone and thereof Religion ys thought in latine to be named Deo vni religantes animas nostras vnde Religio dicta creditur And therefore this blessed woman in her life-time serued or worshipped the Altar without omission of any one day cui nullius diei praetermissione seruierat And at her death taâ—tummodo memoriam sui ad Altare tuum fieri desiderauit she desired nothing of her frindes touching her burial but only that she might be remembred at thy Altar CoÌ„fe l. 9. ca. 12. Which also was done Offertur pro ea sacrificium pretij nostri For her was offered the Sacrifice of our ransome saith Saint Augustine and that at her burial Li. 9. ca. 14. but againe when hee wrote his Confessions see what hee saith Inspire O Lord vnto al Priestes that shall chaunce to reade this booke of myne Vt meminerint ad altare tuum Monicae famulae tuae cum Patritio quondam eius coniuge that they remeÌ„ber at thy altar Monica thy seruaÌ„t with Patrike once her housband by whose flesh thou broughtst me into this life Were these folke ProrestaÌ„ts trow you Consider moreouer what doctrine and which of our two sides is commended by the most certaine Visyons that Saint Gregorie writeth him-selfe being a partie in one of them two that I will recite Dial l. 4. ca. 55. in his monasterie a Monke named Iustus at his death told his naturall brother Copiosus a secular man where he should finde and take three Crounes which he had hid against hys Rule forbidding all proprietie that al should liue in common Which Saint Gregory hearing of inuented a most wise deuise whereby both Iustus might be and was in deed brought to repent him of his sinne and the other MONKES vvarned neuer them-selues to doe the like It was that only his brother should be with him at his departure none of the moÌ„ks come at hym and that after his death they should burie hym in a dounghil and hys monie with him crying all together Pecunia tua tecum sit in perditione Act. 3. thy monie be with thee in perdition Thirty dayes after considering the long grieuous paynes of the soule in purgatorie I called saith S. Gregorie vnto me Preciosus the Prior of my Monasterie sayd vnto him Go and from this day offer for him sacrifice 30. dayes together c. But we being busie about other things and not counting the dayes the same our brother that was departed on a night appeared to his brother Copiosus in a Vision who seing him asked how do you brother how is it with you Hee answered vntill now I haue bin yl but euen now presentlie I am well For this daie I am absolued from my excommunication Communionem recepi Which thing the same Copiosus came by and by told our brethren in the Monasterie They then exactly counted the dayes and behold it was the very same daie that the thirtith oblation for him had binne fulfilled And so Copiosus not knowing what the brothers had done for him and the brothers againe not knowing what Copiosus had seene of him by this that at one selfe tyme he knoweth what they had done and they againe know what he had sene Concordante simul visione Sacrificio res aperte claruit by the agreing together of the Vision of the Sacrifice the matter prooued cleare plaine that our brother departed by the Sauing Hoast was escaped his punishment After this immediatly hee telleth an other Vision Cap. 56. which that wee may not mistrust the wordes of the dead confirmeth them by the deedes of the liuing Cassius saith he a man of godly life Bishop of Narnes who vsed to offer vnto God dayly Sacrifice and at the Canon of the Masse Inter ipsa sacrificiorum arcana Sacrificed him-selfe in teares receaued on a time our Lords Commaundement by the Vision of a certaine Priest or Chaplaine of his saying Doe as thou doest worke as thou workest let not cease thy foote let not cease thy hand Natali Apostolorum venies ad me retribuaÌ„ tibi mercedem tuam vpon Saint Peter and Saint Paules day thou shalt come to me and I will pay thee thy wages Qui post annos septem ipso natalitio Apostolorum die cum Missarum solennia peregisset Mysteria sacrae communionis accepisset e corpore exiuit Who seauen yeares after vpon the very day of Saint Peter and S. Paul when hee had done Masse after the manner had receaued the misteries of the Sacred coÌ„munion went out of his body For what Religion make I praie you these Visions Whose doctrine doing do they confirme Or were these men that I haue named some simple soules that could not discerne betweene true Visions and false illusions Or can any but God alone tell thinges afore hand so as here the conuersion of Saint Augustine was fore-tolde so as here the death of Cassius and the very day thereof was likewise fore-told the one nine yeares the other seauen yeares afore they chaunced And therefore as in the last Chapter I vvilled Miracles to be considered and not iugglinges or thinges that may be done by reason so here I propose not illusions but Visions to be considered And by them I say so certainely maie the Truth be tried how sure it is that GOD him-selfe neyther doth nor can deceaue vs. Which anie reasonable man maie vvell enough perceaue by this also that as Miracles so Visions likewise be all with vs alone not one at all that the Protestants can for them aleadge For if they were not sure arguments vndoubted who seeth not that vnto vs both they would be common Therefore being all for vs and none for them it is easie for anie man to see thereby that wil not be blind that truth is on our side not on their side Whosoeuer therefore after this plaine vvarning by so manie argumentes all most certaine euery one alone sufficient sticketh yet still to them and returneth not to vs he plainely declareth himselfe to care no more yea nothing so much to saue his poore soule from euerlasting damnation as he would doe to saue his dog from hanging The Vision of Iudas Machabeus vvhich the canonicall Scripture it selfe recordeth 2. Mac. 15. and calleth fide dignum somniuÌ„ a dreame worthy to be beleeued wherin hee saw Saint Ieremie the Prophet praying for the people maketh
it for the protestants Maketh it not so euidently for Intercession of Saintes that they haue no shift to answere it but by denying the Booke Whereby they doe plainely shew forth to all men which be but indifferent that the cause why they denie not the other Scriptures yea the Gospell it selfe is not for anie reuerence that they beare therto but only because they thinke that they haue inuented stuftes good enough to blind the world and to make shew of answere to the places which out of the same we aleage against them To be briefe the Visions most certaine which might be here brought foorth and that for verie manie other points of our doctrine besides the foresaid are innumerable in euery age since Christs time in great aboundance certaine of our owne time and countrie I may not omit A man there is in England that hauing beene very long a Protestant although much solicited to the contrarie and being on a time about fiue yeares agoe at the point of death ventred in that extremitie to tempt God to aske for a signe that hee would be mercifull vnto him shew him the true vvay that Quanquam sciâ—m somnia ridicula visiones ineptas quibusdam videri sed vtique illis qui malunt contra Sacerdotes credere quam Sacerdoti Sed nihil mirum quando de Ioseph fratres sui dixerint Cyp. lib. 1. Epi. 9. seu Epi. 66. in noua edit Ecce somniator ille venit c. Howbeit I know as Saint Cyprian saith that dreames to certaine seeme ridiculous and Visions foolish but verily to such as had rather to beleeue against Priests then to beleeue the Priest But no meruaile seeing that of Ioseph his brethren said See yonder commeth the dreamer Gen. 27. c. Scriptures VVHOSOEVER at anie time haue taught doctrine so plainlie repugnant to the Holie Scriptures that for the maintenance thereof they were faine to denie bookes of the saide Scriptures and that after such bookes vvere once euidently knowen or by the Church approued for Canonicall most certainely or that for the same cause they vvere faine to say the Scriptures to haue bin falsified corrupted they whatsoeuer they were and how soeuer for a time they deceaued some wretched persons or Countries Heretikes they were vndoubtedly and euermore in the end so prooued Read the ancient writers against Heresies Ireneus Epiphanius Philastrius Saint Augustine vvith all the Ecclesiasticall Histories and see whether that all that so did were not such as I say namely Simon Magus Basilides Carpocrates Valentinus Cerdon Marcion Apelles Seuerus the Manichees the Ebionites the Helchesites the Arrians the Aetians and such others all detestable Heretikes by the iudgement now and many hundred yeares afore of the whole world and all stubborne deniers of certaine approued Canonicall Scriptures such especially as to their wicked doctrine were most plainly contrarie For example the Ebionites Iren. 1. ad hers ca. 26. because they would haue vs to be both Iewes and Christians Eus 3. Ec. hist ca. 27 circumcised baptized togeather denied stiflie and most impudently all S. Paules Epistles as directlie written against that Heresie Epiph. 1. haer 30. plainly testifying that by Christ wee are all deliuered from that law The Manichees likewise because they would that the holy Ghost Aug. de vtil cre Cap. 3. which Christ promised to send vnto his Disciples came to vs by the Author of their Sect named Manicheus they denied the acts of the Apostles for that in them Christes promise is said to haue beene fulfilled ten dayes after his Ascention certaine hundred years before that Manicheus was borne And do not the Heretikes of this time play vs the very same part Doe they not denie the Canonical most certaine Scripture of the Machabees Aug. 2. doct Chr. cap. 5. for none other cause but for that they cannot otherwise auoide the most plaine testimonies thereof that are there against their Heresies As concerning praying for the dead Sancta salubris est cogitatio pro dâ—functis exorare 2. Macc. 12. vt a peccatis soluantur An holy and an wholsome meaning it is to pray for the dead that they may be loosed of their sins Likewise concerning prayer of Saintes for vs Multum orat pro populo vniuersa sansta ciuitate 2. Macc. 15. Ieremias Propheta Dei Ieremie the Prophet of God praieth much for the people for all the holie Citie To whom in defense of this booke we say De praen SaÌ„ct ca. 14. as Saint Augustine said to certaine that denied a testimonie of the booke of wisdome Tanquam non de libro Canonico adhibitum as taken by hym out of a booke that is not Canonicall Thus he saieth Non debuit repudiari senteÌ„tia libri Sapientiae qui meruit in Ecclesia Christi de gradu Lectorum Ecclesiae Christi tam loÌ„ga annositate recitari ab omnibus Christianis ab Episcopis vsque ad extremos laicos fideles poenitentes catechumenos cum veneratione diuinae authoritatis audiri They should not reiect the saying of the boke of wisedom which booke in the Church of Christ hath deserued so long a rew of yeares to be recited out of the steppe whereon the Lectours of the Church of Christ do stand to read the lessons and vvith worship belonging to a booke of diuine authoritie to be heard of all Christyan men from Bishopps euen to the lowest sort of lay-men faithfull penitents and Catechumenes Etiam temporibus proximi Apostolorum egregij tractatores eum testem adhibentes nihil se adhibere nisi diuinum testimonium crediderint Also the notable Interpreters or Fathers that liued next to the Apostles times when they brought foorth that booke for witnesse nothing did they beleeue them-selues to bring foorth but Gods own witnesse Do they not againe deny the Epistle of Saint Iames in Luther their man of God bycause it is against their Heresie of Iustification by faith only and not by workes Iac. 1. saying most plainly Ex operibus iustificatur homo non ex fide tantum By vvorkes a man is iustified and not by faith only Doe they not likewise in Beza Beza in Lac 22. novv their Oracle at Geneua say that Saint Lukes Gospel is falsified where it hath Hic est Calix qui pro vobis fundetur This is the Chalice shed for you bycause it most manifestly vvitnesseth against theÌ„ the Real presence of Christs blood in the Chalice the chalice being therefore of Saint Luke said to be shed for vs bycause that which is in the Chalice is shed for vs and not vvine nor none other thing shed for vs but only Christs most precious blood If in these pointes they like not their Beza nor their Luther why will they seeme to be their folowers why do they not as we doe for the same condemne them Is not one false poynt of the Arrians sufficient to vs to condemne the Arrians