illustrious and most reuerend Lord I haue learned as I thinke by vse and experience that there is no euill so great out of which or by occasion whereof some good may not arise And as it is an vsuall speech that honey breedeth gall so it may bee said not vnfitly that somtimes out of pure gall commeth pure honey Not to seeke any further proofe of this the lewd book of that debosht cauiller which gaue me first occasion by his excellent Maiesties commaund of writing to your illustrious Honour it was pure gall and that most virulent But both your letters which vpon that occasion you sent me seasoned with singular courtesie humanitie and prudence witnessing the faire ingenuitie of the author were sweeter to me then any honey Wherefore I was not afraid to shew them vnto his Maiestie and his Maiestie although he approued not of all that was in them for that could not be yet hee refused not but was willing to reade them both It delighted him very much that yet he knew one Diuine of your side a man of chiefe place of honorable estimation and excellent learning which handling the controuersies of these times appeared to be of a moderate and quiet disposition For with what spirit the most are led which now adaies set out bookes of this argument there needs no more sufficient declaration then out of those writers which hitherto haue oppugned his Maiesties Apologie All of them if you except one or two filling their vnhappie leaues with lies reproches and foule language But especially the words in your last letters did delight his Maiestie whose minde is enflamed with the zeale of sincere pietie whereby you seemed to put him in hope that this friendly communication concerning matters of religion was like not to prooue fruitlesse Which thing as it pleased the King marueilously who is readie vpon this condition to vndergoe any paines so if there remaine no hope hereof neither is there any iust cause why his Maiestie or your Honour should trouble your selues Surely I hope if your Worthinesse will take serious care of it that with the helpeof almightie God you may effect by the authoritie which you haue amongst your owne and the report of learning and wit amongst all that by these mutual writings some good profit may redownd to the Church of Iesus Christ As for his most excellent Maiestie of Great Britaine in whose Court I haue now liued a whole veere and more I dare promise you and with all manner of asseueration confirme that he is so affected and that the course of his whole life hath bin so ordered that all men may easily vnderstand there is nothing dearer to him then the carefull endeuour for religion Neither priuate businesse nor the publike cares of his kingdome doe vsually so affect his Maiestie as a kinde of vnmeasurable desire by all meanes to promote religion and which consideration most beseemes so great a King an exceeding affection by all right and honest meanes to procure peace amongst the dissenting members of the Church And this care so fitting a Christian Prince the most pious King hath not confined within the bounds of his owne kingdome though very large but remembring that he is stiled the Defendour of the faith he hath thought good not out of any curiositie but a vehemencie of zeale to extend it beyond the limites of his owne little world that his Maiesties wisedome and authoritie might be beneficiall also to the Churches of other Countries if occasion were offered and that daily it might be more apparant in the sight of God and men that his chiefe care is the preseruation of Christian religion Of late therefore and about the time when I shewed you his last letters his Maiestie gaue this great experiment of this his deuout minde which as it is most worthilie approued and commended here of all good and godly men so I hope most illustrious Cardinall that the knowledge of it will be delightfull to you When the right Honourable and most reuerend Prelate the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace by letters certified his Maiestie that there came vnto his hands a booke brought out of some part of Germanie or the Low Countries containing doctrine concerning the nature of God which was new peruerse and in some points repugnant to the faith of the Catholike Church and withall desired his Maiestie that for the repressing of this mischiefe which was lately sprung vp hee would shew foorth the zeale of the Defendour of the faith and intercede with the Magistrates of that place where the author liued desiring of them not to suffer so prodigious doctrine to bee brought into their Churches and Vniuersities and that the inuentor of this prophane noueltie might not passe vnpunished the King as he came out of coach after a tedious hunting as soone as hee had receiued the letters and the booke noted and markt in sundrie places by that most vigilant Prelate without any delay thought it a businesse worthie to be taken notice of And although at that time his bodie was faint with exercise and fasting yet what he had begun he went through at once as it were with one continuance and heate of endeuour neither could hee bee entreated by the Nobilitie which stood about him to haue any respect of himselfe vntill after a good long consideration of the whole matter with the right reuerend Bishop of Lichfield and others of the Clergie and a perfect vnderstanding thereof hee most accuratly discharged as much as appertained to him and as piety commanded The booke was condemned and it was determined that all the copies of it should be burnt in London and in both the Vniuersities Which afterwards was performed Letters were immediatly dispatched the King himself dictating vnto his Maiesties Legier there lying to testifie what was the iudgement of the King and the Church of England concerning this new doctrine Withall order was giuen to acquaint the Magistrates with the matter Let them looke to it to whom the care of remouing that euill doth belong what account of their delay they can make vnto the immortall God if which wee hope cannot come to passe neither of their owne accord nor after so notable example they vndergoe the patronage of the truth with lesse zeale and endeuour then they ought His Maiestie at the first receiuing of the newes was so mooued that hee thought hee should commit a grieuous offence if hee gaue any indulgence to his bodie before he had fully performed this office of pietie I doubt not most illustrious Cardinall but you will greatly approue of and praise this deed I haue made relation to you of what was done not to the intent I might commend his Maiestie vnto you but to let you vnderstand how fast he holdeth the ancient faith and how stout and earnest a Defendour he is of the opinions of the true Catholike Church whom notwithstanding most of your Catholikes will not haue to bee accounted and called a
the knowledge of Diuinitie a trade of liuing a helpe or way to get money whom neither the glorie of God doth moue to write nor the loue of truth nor the edification of the Church much lesse the desire of godly and holie peace but reward only and base hire or the tickling of vaine glorie Here it will be good to blaze the impudencie of one amongst many of the scriblers of this garbe of whom I will let you know what is his Maiesties iudgement He whom I meane whom I am ashamed to name such is the basenesse of this new Doctor is a common vagrant Peltmonger an idiot an illiterate fellow that neither hath Greeke nor Latin without science and without conscience borne to trouble honest men and to spend sustenance and nought else good for He because amongst women he is held a petie Master and well tongu'd in his mother language hath taken vpon him of late to censure all the writers of both sides Which he hath vndergone more willingly because two yeeres agoe being deeply indebted hauing got a pension of seuen hundred Crownes that he might wipe off the old debt and haue annuall pay I speake nothing but truth and what he himselfe told me changde sides and fled vnto the aduerse part So he which amongst those whom he forsooke liued in famous for suspition of being an Atheist hatefull to all honest men that knew him neerely now forsooth must needs approoue the feruour of his new Zeale to those to whom hee hath fled that is whom hee hath deceiued Wherefore Pelt being now a Doctor of his owne or eating daily writes or rather vomites out new bookes First two yeeres since hee laid the rudiments of his new profession when hee put foorth a booke against the Preface of his excellent Maiestie that most learned Prince himselfe being the basest of petifoggers an vnlettered book-maker the very dregges of ignorance in which booke if you except a very few things there is nothing but triuiall stuffe vttered a thousand times before nothing but what is drawne out of the lees And as for those few things excepted there is no learned man in Paris but knowes and I am certaine from whom hee stole them For we are not ignorant vnder whose table he gathers those crummes which furnish out his dishes This Pelt hauing some few moneths since assaulted a man of great fame and nobilitie vouchsafed me also the honour to be thought worthie of the censure of this new Aristarch this pillar of wisedome but by the way and as it were passing by lest if hee should haue done otherwaies some honour beleeue it had accrewed vnto my name from the worthinesse of so great an aduersarie I published not long before an Epistle written to Fronto Ducaeus a Diuine of the societie of Iesus wherein was contained a true historicall declaration of some things done in this kingdome by certaine of that Societie This Epistle Pelt in his booke aboue mentioned refuteth not how could he but stabs it with one sharp censure after that conuerting his speech vnto his Maiestie requests him not to beleeue any of those things which he beheld with his owne eyes which the whole kingdome saw which are laid vp in the publike records which the vniuersall world now knoweth to be most true All these things my Pelt dare call false and fained through flatterie yea and saies it to the King as if the most gracious and clement Prince were one whose eares lie open for such information as may destroy the innocent What halter or what gallowes are condigne punishment for this crime When his excellent Maiestie read those things and shewed me them who had not seene them before I saw him heerein detest the strange boldnes and impudence of this Pelt And whereas hee would haue me thought a cunning flatterer herein he wrongs egregiously the King rather then me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for sooner downe Shall the starres fall and the earth clime vp to the skie Then I meete any man with tearmes of flatterie Further Pelt saith that when I wrote that Epistle I was led with a spirit of giddinesse I wondred then what hee called the spirit of giddinesse for he which makes a true relation of things done or rather transcribes them out of publike records who will say that hee is carried with the spirit of giddinesse but such a fellow as himselfe which is possessed with the spirit of errour But afterwards some three daies agoe I light vpon another booke of Pelts written against a very learned man in the end whereof hee hath another blow at me and saies that I am led with the spirit of reformation So the spirit of reformation and the spirit of giddinesse are one and the same as this mischiefe would make them Then all those men of diuers ages past which haue earnestlie desired the reformation of the Church and haue left vs many bookes for witnesses of their desire all were giddie What were the Fathers of the Tridentine Councell led with giddinesse which make so often mention of reformation In the same booke Pelt warnes me to take heed of writing any thing that may displease him otherwaies I shall smart for it he will runne me thorow O zealous man for the house of God! which shootes foorth his zeale as farre as things that are not Happie I if I may fall by the hand of this great Aeneas Only this scruple troubles me sore how will he doe to confute my writings who is not able to vnderstand them for I write not bookes for the women of France to reade Well I will giue Pelt one aduice which will free both me and him from this scruple Let him remember the old precept Quam quisque norit artem in hac se exerceat Let euery man practise that art wherein he is skilfull Therefore which thing only he hath learned wherein only he is able curet cuticulam let him care for his pelt and leaue these learned conflicts vnto those that haue learning Neither let him be so high minded as to thinke that I will euer make any other account of him then of a barking dogge or a wincing asse I am not wont to be so prodigall of good houres that he may hope I will euer turne the point of my stile vpon him You see honourable Sir what kinde of Diuines spring of late which like to Mushroms grow great in one night whom therefore the Greek Diuine wittily tearmeth sowne Diuines and worthilie debarreth from the handling of sacred things But I returne to this Answere which hauing found published corruptly in the parts beyond sea I reutewed it and corrected it And this I send to you for a testimonie of my loue and seruice which I know will be welcome to you London Aprill 10. MDCXII Farewell THE ANSWERE OF Mr. ISAAC CASAVBON TO THE Epistle of the most illustrious and most reuerend Cardinall PERON MOst
man say you desire to haue issue Againe soone after when you declare the necessitie of approbation you reckon the choice of liuing in virginitie or single life which things when his Maiestie read he disallowed them not yet he thought that vnto both examples something might conueniently be added for vpon the former it seemes to follow that there is no other necessarie cause of mariage saue hope of issue But the Apostle S. Paul doth teach vs in expresse tearmes that they also are bound to prouide for mariage which want the gift of continence If they containe not saith he let them marrie This addition is of no small moment For who knoweth not what occasion is daily ministred in the Church of Rome of many and horrible crimes through the contempt of this Apostolike rule through the neglect of this necessarie remedie Wherefore in continent persons his Maiestie exceedingly commenceth the liuing in the estate of virginitie or single life and being by the singular mercie of God more familiarly acquainted with the sacred Scripture then most Princes are bee knoweth S. Pauls sentence of the whole matter and the examples extant in both Testaments and the rewards proposed to them that containe But wheras your Diuices doe commonly teach especially the Doctors of the Canon Law that fornication whoredome and other foule sinnes not to be named are more tollerable in Ministers of the Church then lawfull mariage and the bed vndefiled that his Maiestie accounteth a most detestable crime and most worthie of the hatred of God and men His Maiestie opposeth against all the cauils of Sophisters yea against all humane authoritie whatsoeuer that oracle of the holy Spirit pronounced by the mouth of the Apostle It is better to marrie then to burne For as a wise Captaine ought to be more afraid of receiuing ouerthrow or losse to himself then of weakning his enemie so in the election of a mans life whether he would lead it maried or single his Maiestie thinks that godly men ought in the first place to decline the transgression of Gods law and then on Gods name if any man haue the power let him vse that benefit of nature It is a thredbare cauill that England is not a lawfull Church because here wanteth the practise of such vowes But what can the want of vow hinder as long as wee are not destitute of that which is vowed For here are many Bishops and other Pastors of the Church who without ostentation of vow do abstaine from mariage and yet leade their liues chastly and saintly without any taint of common sinister report Moreouer for the Monasteries themselues his Maiestie as he is most earnestly affected vnto pietie and goodnesse would not haue dissolued them or not all of them as I haue heard him often protest if he had found them vncorrupted and obseruing the Canons of their first institution But his excellent Maiestie often wisheth that the Tridentine Fathers which could not bee drawne by the entreaties of great Kings and Princes to prouide for publike honestie on this behalfe would consider with themselues from what fountaine this doctrine did flow For whereas at the first single life was placed amongst profitable orders and counsels afterwards vowes were annexed at length men came to this absolute necessitie which now raigneth amongst you the law of God being abandoned and most vilely disgraced Now whereas in the end of this obseruation it is added that they which allow of some and reiect other of those things which the ancient Church beleeued as necessarie to saluation although vnder diuers kindes of necessitie haue no reason to affirme that they retaine the same faith and discipline with the ancient Catholike Church his Maiestie well enough perceiueth the drift of that speech He answereth therefore that he wil not extol his own Church by comparing it to a glasse without spot or to a face perfectly faire without wrinkle or blemish he leaueth such Pharasaisme to others Yet that this he knoweth euidently that if question be made concerning the essentiall markes of the Church or if you looke at those things which are plainly necessarie to saluation or respect order and decencie in the Church you shall not finde a Church in the whole world God be praised for it more approching to the faith and fashion of the ancient Catholike His Maiestie excepts none no not the Church of Rome which by new inuentions deuised for increase of superstition and for the establishing of her dominion ouer Princes and people hath manifestly turned and changed the faith and discipline of the ancient Catholike and swarued infinitly in many things from the puritie and simplicitie of the primitiue Church THE FOVRTH OBSERVATION WHen question is made touching the faith of the ancient Church there be same which doe limit antiquitie within one or two ages after the Church was founded but it standeth with equitie for examination of the controuersies of these daies to insist vpon that time wherein al parties grant that the Church was not only a true Church but then also most florishing and possessed of that glory brightnes which the oracles of so many Prophets had promised And that is the time wherein the foure first generall Councels are included from Constantine the Emperour vnto Marcion And there is the more equitie in this because there be so few monuments extant of the former ages but very many of this time wherein the Church florished So that the faith and discipline of the ancient Catholike may easily be knowne out of the writings of the Fathers of that age HIS MAIESTIES ANSVVERE THis condition will seeme vnreasonable to them which would haue the vniuersall historie of the primitiue Church concluded within the Acts of the Apostles which is but one little though most sacred and diuine book The most equall and prudent King is farre from this opinion who in his Monitorie Epistle hath ingenuously declared how highly he esteemeth of the Fathers which liued in the fourth and fifth age Neither doth his Maiestie doubt to pronounce with S. August that look what the Church hath duly obserued from her first originall vnto those times and for any man to offer to reiect that as impious it is a point of most insolent madnes For his Maiestie heretofore hath vnfainedly protested that hee approoueth of those markes of truth giuen by Vincentius Lirinensis à principio vbique semper that is from the beginning euery where and euer Wherefore the King and the Church of England in that they admit of the foure first generall Councels therein they sufficiently declare that they conclude not the time of the true and lawfull Church within the compasse of one or two ages but that they extend it much further comprising the time of Marcion the Emperor vnder whom the Councell of Chalcedon was kept But whereas in this obseruatiō you more esteeme the times after Constantine then the times going before that his Maiestie thinketh somewhat strange and indeed
doth not allow it He granteth that the Church of the fourth age florished aboue the former in externall glorie and splendure in wealth and plentie of learned men but that the Church of the former ages was equal with it or excelled as touching the orthodoxall rightnesse of faith and sinceritie of incorrupt discipline he is perswaded that none can make any doubt We finde euery where in the holy Fathers of the fourth age Basil Nazianzen Ierome Chrysostome Augustine and others most grieuous complaints of the faults and sundrie deprauations of their Churches Neither can it be doubted that the further men liued from the first originall the further also they departed from the originall puritie and sinceritie Wherefore when there is a serious purpose to clense and to sweepe the house of God why should not an especiall regard bee had to the time of the Apostles or the times neere the time of the Apostles It is true indeed that for the greatest part of that time the godly Christians did liue in obscuritie in pouertie and miserie by reason of perpetuall persecution yet consider well if in this sense also it be not better to goe into the house of mourning then into the house of mirth Pouertie and miserie are called the sisters of good minde riches and glorie haue not that honourable report And although many of the writers of those times be lost yet some are extant and those worthie of regard S. Cyprian that holy Martyr of Christ he alone if there were none else can better informe vs in the gouernment and discipline of the primitiue Church then many others which liued in the fourth age Wherefore the summe of his Maiesties answere vnto this obseruation is that he is well content there should be arguments brought out of the writings of the Fathers of the fourth and fifth ages but with this caution and condition that those things be allowed for ancient and necessarie to saluation which had not their beginning then but which may be cleerely proued to haue been continually obserued from the first originall of the Church vntill those times THE FIFTH OBSERVATION WHen there is question made about the vnanimitie and consent of Fathers some will haue it then to bee manifest when the matter controuerted is found in all the Fathers in expresse tearmes whose opinion being manifestly vniust it is more equitie for knowledge of consent of Fathers that these two rules be vsed First that the consent of Fathers should then be thought to be sufficiently proued when the worthiest of euery nation do consent in the auerring of any thing and that no man accounted orthodoxall doth oppose them So S. Augustine when he had praised eleuen of the principall writers of former times and the Fathers of the Ephesine Councell when they had brought out ten against Nestorius they all thought that they had giuen sufficient testimonie concerning the consent of the ancient Church The second rule is this When the Fathers do not speake as Doctors nor say that this or that is thus to be done or thus to bee beleeued but when as witnesses of those things which the vniuersall Church of their times beleeued or practised they affirme this to be the faith or practise of that Catholike Church through the whole world then they are so much to be honoured that such an affirmation must be held sufficient to proue the vnanimitie and consent of the Church HIS MAIESTIES ANSVVERE IT is an equall demaund that the parties which contend in these times should consent and agree how they may vse profitably the authoritie of the ancient Fathers For if the testimonie and authoritie of the primitiue Church bee taken away his Maiestie freely confesseth that on mans part the controuersies of these times can neuer haue an end nor by any disputation be determined Wherefore that it may be agreed vpon what and how much is to bee attributed to the Fathers and how farre their authoritie is to take place it will not be amisse that certaine rules be composed by the mutuall consent of the parties prescribing the manner hereof Amongst many other profitable and necessarie rules for this purpose his Maiestie thinketh that these two which you haue noted may haue their place But because the controuersies of these daies are not about ceremonies and other matters of lighter moment but about some articles of faith and opinions appertaining to saluation therefore his iudgement is that aboue all there be a generall agreement vpon this rule that opinions concerning matters of faith and whatsoeuer should be beleeued as necessarie to saluation ought to bee taken out of the sacred Scripture alone neither must they depend vpon the authoritie of any mortall man but vpon the word of God only wherein hee hath declared his will vnto vs by his holy Spirit Because the Fathers and the ancient Church had authoritie of deducting articles out of the sacred Scriptures and explaning but of coyning new articles of their owne they had no authoritie This foundation being laid both the maiestie of the Scriptures inspired by God shal remaine inuiolated and that reuerence shall be giuen to the holie Fathers which is due That this was the minde of all the Doctors of the ancient Church it may be easily demonstrated out of their owne writings For what words more frequent in their workes then these That the doctrine which is taught in the Church of God ought to bee taken out of the word of God And these For controuersies in matters of religion let the Scripture be iudge Or who knoweth not the golden words of S. Basil the Great in his booke De Fide It is a manifest fall from faith and argument of presumption to reiect any thing of the written word or to bring in any thing which is not written seeing it is the speech of our Lord Iesus Christ My sheepe heare my voyce And thus much be spoken concerning the obseruations proposed Now follow the foure instances For your illustrious honour being come to the hypothesis to the end that you might euince that his excellent Maiestie doth not beleeue those things which the Catholike Church did anciently beleeue you goe about to demonstrate it by foure arguments drawne from such things as concerne the outward worship of God or the liturgie and matters of daily practise in religion and afterwards you giue this reason why especially you bring these instances because if there were agreement concerning these the rest would bee easily agreed vpon His excellent Maiestie most illustrious Cardinall could wish that this might be hoped for but considering with himselfe what it is which at this day is vrged by your writers with chiefe care and eager contention there appeares no great hope of peace no not if there were agreement about these foure heads which you haue proposed For now adaies there is as eager contention about the Empire of the Bishop of Rome as for these or any other points of Christian religion
This alone is now made the article of faith whereon all the rest doe depend Wherefore what hope remaines but in the goodnesse and mercie of God to whom onely it belongeth of right to cure the maladies of his Church in him let vs hope though against hope he will effect it To returne to the purpose the Instances which you bring against the Liturgie of the English Church they be these 1. They beleeue not the reall presence of Christ in the sacred Eucharist 2. They reiect the doctrine of the sacrifice of the Christian Church 3. They pray not for the dead 4. They condemne the inuocation of Saints which are in heauen Vnto these foure his Maiestie answereth in few words To the first Instance concerning reall presence IF in the sacred mysteries of Christian religion the faithfull should bee thought to beleeue nothing but that which they perfitly vnderstand according to the manner then surely they would be found to be vnbeleeuing in many things which now they doubt not but that they do most firmely beleeue That Christ our Lord is the Sonne of God the Father begotten of the Father before all worlds that the same Christ being very God did assume humane flesh in the wombe of the blessed Virgin that hee was borne of her without any violation of the virginitie of this mother that the diuine nature is vnited in the same person with the humane these things I say and the like all Christians doe make profession to beleeue of whom notwithstanding if you demaund the manner how they are done they will answere that faith in matters of Theologie is one thing and humane science is another and they will religiouslie alleage Galen who otherwaies is no good Master of religion whose excellent words in his 15. booke De vsu partium are these How this was done if you enquire you will be taken for one that hath no vnderstanding neither of your owne infirmitie nor of the power of the Creator And as for the Fathers how often they dehort vs from this question of the manner and from curiositie of explaning the manner in diuine mysteries I should be too long if I should goe about to rehearse You know the words of Gregorie Nazianzene in his first oration De Theologia You heare the generation of the Sonne be not curious to know the manner You heare that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father be not busie to enquire how and the same author in another place Let the generation of God be honored with silence it is much for thee to haue learned that hee was begotten as for the manner how wee grant it not to be vnderstood by the Angels much lesse by thee Gregorie had to deale with the Arrians those peruerse heretikes whose impious curiositie he goeth not about to satisfie with subtiltie of disputation but forbiddeth them to search into the manner of so great a mysterie and enioyneth them silence Now if his Maiestie and the Church of England doe vse this godly moderation about the mysterie of the sacred Eucharist I pray you who ought to enuie it We reade in the Gospels that our Lord instituting this Sacrament tooke the bread and said This is my body but that our Lord did so much as by one word explane how it was his bodie we doe not reade The Church of England doth religiously beleeue that which she reades and with the same religion she is not inquisitiue into that which she reades not They acknowledge and teach that this is a great mysterie which cannot be comprehended much lesse declared by the facultie of mans wit but concerning the power and efficacie of it their opinion is with all sacred reuerence They command those which come vnto this holie table diligently to search all the secret corners of their consciences to make confession of their sinnes vnto God and if need be to the Priest also They carefully warne the commers that they compose their mindes vnto all humilitie and deuotion they receiue the Communion of the bodie of Christ vpon their knees and they doe not onely diuide the mysticall bread amongst the faithfull in their publike assemblies but they giue it also to those which be towards death pro viatico that is for victuals in their iourney as the Fathers of the Nicene Councell and all antiquitie doe call it Lastly his Maiestie although he would haue his to abstaine from all manner of curiositie yet alloweth also of whatsoeuer the holie Fathers of the first ages haue spoken in the honour of that vnspeakable mysterie Neither doth he reiect the words of the Fathers as transmutation alteration transelementation and such like if they be vnderstood and expounded agreeably to their intention If this doctrine of his Maiestie and the Church of England doe not giue you satisfaction then what remaines but that hee yeeld vnto the opinion of Transubstantiation if he will be friends with you But that is not piously to beleeue the veritie of the thing but with importunate curiositie to decree the manner thereof which the King and his Church will neuer doe will neuer allow But his excellent Maiestie wondreth that whereas your Honour granteth that you require not primarily the beleeuing of Transubstantiation but that there be no doubt of the truth of the presence yet the Church of England hath not satisfied you in this point which in publike writings hath so often auouched her beleefe hereof Wherefore that you may certainly know what is beleeued and what is taught in this Church concerning that matter I haue heere set downe a whole place out of the right reuerend the Lord Bishop of Ely his booke against Cardinall Bellarmine which some few moneths agoe he published Thus he saith in the first chapter Our Sauiour Christ said this is my bodie not after this manner is my bodie whereof the Cardinall is not ignorant vnlesse willingly and wittingly We agree with you concerning the obiect all the strife is about the manner Concerning this is wee beleeue firmely that it is concerning after this manner it is to wit that the bread is transubstantiate into his bodie after what manner it is done whether by or in or vnder or beyond there is not a word in the Gospell and because there is no word therefore we haue reason to banish it from beleefe We number it per aduenture amongst the decrees of the schoole but not amongst the articles of faith That which Durandus is reported to haue said doth not dislike vs we heare the word we perceiue the sound we know not the manner we beleeue the presence we beleeue I say the true presence aswell as you concerning the manner of the presence we doe not vnaduisedly define Nay more we doe not scrupulouslie enquire No more then we doe in Baptisme how the blood of Christ clenseth vs no more then we doe in the incarnation of Christ how the diuine nature is vnited in one person with the humane We
to Christ but through the mediation of many Saints Moreouer some others haue openly taught that our Sauiour Christ hath reserued the seueritie of iustice vnto himselfe but indulgence and mercie he hath granted to the blessed Virgin Againe how haue they distributed offices and powers of healing amongst the Saints with wonderfull curiositie or rather detestable superstition And heretofore their suffrages only were desired that being gracious with God almightie they would make intercession for men but afterwards the world was filled with bookes concerning the proper seruice of this or that Saint and peculiar formes of prayer to be made vnto them Wherefore in place of that diuine booke of the Psalter which the ancient Christians neuer laid out of their hands which was the solace of men and women yong and old rich and poore learned and vnlearned there haue succeeded the Houres of our Ladie and Legends or rather impious and doting fables I speake not of the true histories of Martyrs and such vile stuffe And yet further as if it were not iniurie enough to robbe Christians of so necessarie and diuine a booke one of your men hath turned all the Psalmes to the honour of the blessed Virgin attributing vnto her as if there were no difference betwixt the creature and the Creator whatsoeuer was prophecied concerning the onely Sonne of God His excellent Maiestie doth extoll the happinesse of the most glorious virgin mother of our Lord affirming that she is eleuated vnto the highest degree of honour which God the Creator could impart to any humane creature he reioyceth also that the Church of England vpon set daies in the yeere doth solemnize the honoured memorie of that most blessed Virgin but the Sophisters of these times can by no cunning euer perswade him to allow or endure that Psalter of our Ladie For as touching Cardinall Bellarmine which hath lately defended it his Maiestie is perswaded that he is distasted of your owne as many as haue but any small sense of pietie Considering then that the Church of Rome is almost deadly sicke of such inward diseases his Maiestie wondred most illustrious Cardinall when hee read in your epistle that the inuocation of Saints as your men doe now practise it is the same which was in vse in the primitiue Church Wherefore his Maiestie answereth in few words First it cannot be proued that in the beginning of the primitiue Church any other but the almightie God was inuoked secondly that there is no precept in the word of God for it no one footstep of any example God onely was adored God onely was implored through the intercession of his onely begotten Sonne the one and only Mediatour betwixt God and man Afterwards was brought in the vse of praying at the sepulchres of Martyrs then began the making of apostrophees vnto Saints besides the worship of God then the making of vowes and prayers not primarily to pray them but that they should pray God Yet if these new examples had gone no further his Maiestie would not greatly haue reprooued the custome of those times at the least not so much condemned it as the abuses which hereupon ensued For his Maiestie doth honour the blessed Martyrs and other Saints which now raigne with Christ the head of both Churches triumphant and militant neither doubteth he of their continuall prayers for the necessities of the Church beleeuing stedfastly the benefit thereof but hee confesseth ingenuously that hee knoweth no reason whereby any man can promise or warrant vs that they heare our prayers and that wee should account them as our household gods and protectors Wherefore hee exceedingly disliketh that which followed in after-ages For by degrees it came to that which I haue shewed which the Church of England affirmeth to be impious in the extreame And if there bee examples extant in the Fathers of the fourth age for this inuocation as no doubt there are neither doth the King denie it yet this is a testimonie of the decay of ancient simplicitie and of an euill then growing but in no respect comparable with that which in the Church of Rome at this day is openly practised tolerated and defended Lastly although the holy Fathers did allow the custom of that time amongst things profitable or lawfull yet they neuer accounted of it as a thing necessarie to saluation which is the present argument of our speech And thus much concerning the foure obiections against the English Liturgie Now his Maiestie commendeth your iudgement that amongst all the things which you dislike in his religion you haue made choice especially of those which concerne matters of Church assemblies and diuine seruice For the communion of the faithfull consisteth much in the publike exercises of pietie and this is the chiefe bond of vnion so much desired by good men Wherefore if Christians could but agree about this why might not all Europe communicate together only granting a libertie to schoole-Diuines with moderation to debate other opinions Which were a thing much to be wished and that foundation once laid by the helpe of God much hope might be conceiued of the rest For this cause his excellent Maiestie greatly commending your iudgement herein hath himselfe likewise heere deliuered what things in your Liturgie he thinketh worthie to bee reprooued But if for the want of these foure things in the English Liturgie you think there is iust cause that they which vse it should neither be accounted nor called Catholikes then consider I pray you what his Maiestie may pronounce of the Church of Rome in whose Liturgie for hee passeth other points of your religion godly men haue obserued so many things manifestly repugnant to the word of God and the ancient Catholike faith Which things neuerthelesse the Pope had rather maintaine then reforme when the truth now shineth so cleerely And here although his Maiesty could easily rehearse many grieuous abuses in the Romane Liturgie yet it pleaseth him to name only foure which he opposeth to the other foure named by you The first is the vse of an vnknowne tongue contrarie to the precept of S. Paul and the practise of the primitiue Church to whom in their assemblies nothing was dearer then the good and edification of the hearers Wherefore the Fathers prouided the translation of Scripture into all languages and as Epiphanius noteth in the end of his third booke they had their Interpreters who if need were did translate one language into another in their readings as hee speaketh that is when the Scriptures were read vnto the people Surely that the things read were generally vnderstood this alone is sufficient proofe that in most of the Homilies of the Greeke and Latin Fathers wee meete with these words vt audistis legi or vt hodie lectum est as you heard it read or as it was read to day Which if your preachers should say were it not ridiculous when the poore people vnderstand nothing that is read out of the Scriptures notwithstanding they haue more
need then the people of old time For the ancient Doctors vrged euery one to reade the Bible diligently in their houses which now vnder paine of excommunication they are forbidden to touch vnlesse they obtaine a dispensation So that the sacred word of God I tremble to speake it hath now the first place in the catalogue of bookes prohibited His Maiestie knoweth that amongst you there may be found some Bibles translated into vulgar languages but the English Priests at Do way which turned the Scripture into English haue taught him thus much that you were constrained against your willes to make those translations importunitate haereticorum by the importunitie of the heretikes as they of Do way speake For it is heresie with these men to be desirous to reade the word of God with sobrietie and reuerence Neither is his Maiestie ignorant when Renatus Benedictus Priest translated the Bible into French how the Popes of Rome troubled him for that fact and how by their letters they commanded the Bishop of Paris to endeuour that all the French translations might be extorted from the people Which without faile they had effected if there had been no Protestants in France His Maiestie hath read of late also in a booke of a certaine English Pontifician Priest that prayers vttered in an vnknowne tongue haue a kinde of greater efficacie in them then if they were vnderstood Which senselesse dotage was an old heathnish conceit and is not the singular follie of this Priest alone So the Valentinian heretikes did vse Hebrew names in their superstitious mysteries that they might amaze the ignorant multitude and as Eusebius speaketh in the fourth part of his Historie the more to astonish those that were initiated in their superstitions The second abuse is the diminishing of the holie Sacrament contrarie to the institution of Christ the example of S. Paul and the practise of the Church for the space of one thousand yeeres at least as Cassander a learned man confesseth In the third place are priuate Masses where are no communicants I haue said before that these things had their beginning from that peruerse doctrine concerning the sacrifice in the Christian Church Restore vs the ancient faith and the ancient practise In the fourth place his Maiestie obiecteth the present vse and adoration of Images The Councell of Trent confesseth an abuse and the Romane Catechisme giueth some profitable admonition on this behalfe But what are we the better the abuse remaineth it is approued maintained and encreaseth daily His Maiestie omitteth the adoration and inuocation of Saints which as it is now practised neither can nor ought to be excused He omitteth also the religious adoration of reliques which at this day is taught and commanded as a thing necessarie or at least very profitable to saluation Beside the intollerable absurditie as when false or ridiculous reliques are obtruded as the teares of Christ and the milke of our Ladie and such like Hee omitteth the licentious boldnes of your preachers when they stray from the word of God who ought to bee restrained from propounding any doctrine to the people as necessarie to saluation which is not drawne out of the diuine oracles and agreeable to the ancient faith For that is the wholesome doctrine which the Apostle so often commendeth If there were such a restraint many things now practised in the Church of Rome would fall downe of their owne accord As the doctrine of Indulgences as that foppish deuice of the intensiue paines in Purgatorie by vertue of which intension many thousand yeeres are contained in one minute as those battologiae or idle repetition of heedlesse prayers vnpleasing to our Sauiour as he himselfe witnesseth Then it would no longer be accounted great merit to repeate the Rosarie or other prayers and Psalmes twentie or fiftie or an hundred times If these and such like impediments were remoued religious men should peraduenture finde no iust cause to abstaine from your communion There is another thing which his Maiestie thought good not to omit which is written in the end of your Epistle that you will be silent concerning the Pope of Rome because it is manifest to those which haue but meane skill in Ecclesiasticall historie that the Fathers of the first ages the Councels and Christian Emperours in all businesse appertaining to religion and the Church gaue him the preheminence and acknowledged him the chiefe That this is all for this point which your Church requireth to be beleeued as an article of faith by those whom you receiue into communion To this his Maiestie maketh answere and appealing to your owne vnpartiall minde he desireth you to consider the actions of Romane Bishops for almost seuen hundred yeeres past He is loth to stirre the remembrance of things noisome yet gladly would hee haue you know that hee is most certaine of this that the late Bishops of that sea are so vnlike vnto the ancient Popes in sinceritie of faith in manner of life and in the whole course and end of their gouernment that it is altogether vniust things being in this state to draw arguments from the former ages and applic them to this present time Let the forme of the ancient Church be restored and many new lawes heretofore not heard of be abolished In briefe let the Bishop of Rome declare euidently by his actions that he seeketh Gods glorie not his owne that he hath a care of the peace and saluation of his people then his Maiestie as he hath protested before in his Monitorie Epistle will acknowledge his primacie and be willing to say with Gregorie Nazianzen that he hath the care of the whole Church But at this time what the Church of God especially Kings and Princes ought to thinke concerning that sea his Maiestie dare referre it to your owne iudgement to determine For you know what a number of books come abroad daily from Rome and almost all the corners of Europe in defence of the Popes temporall power or rather omnipotencie his dominion and monarchie ouer all the Kings and people of the whole earth You know that Cardinall Bellarmine hath of late written concerning that argument and soone after the death of Henry the Great hath been bold to publish that which all honest men of your owne side doe detest I say all honest men for the complices of that conspiracie doe heartily embrace and to their power defend it as an oracle from the mouth of the Pope which cannot erre Wherefore the Iesuits of Ingolstade in a booke lately published against Master Iohn Gordon the Deane of Salisburie a man nobly borne and very learned doe cite testimonies out of this booke of the Cardinals as if it were the constant opinion and consent of all Catholikes But I desire your Honour to consider whether the ancient Church euer did the like to this and what will be the issue of this madnesse Consider into what danger of vtter ruine they bring the Church of Christ which doe