Contentions but had not the Gift of the old Apostolical Preachers to preach the self-same Faith and Doctrin every where but so many men so many Opinions were set abroach every man following his own fancy only they agreed in impugning the Catholic Church Rites Doctrin and Service but among themselves they could not agree 11. Which thing being signified to the Protector both before his departure and while he was in the Scottish Journey it grieved him exceedingly and wrote back to Cranmer Ridley and the rest that they should seek some means of Agreement and Conformity and that they should make hast to end the common-service-Common-Service-Book or Book of Common Prayer Doctrin and Rites which they had begun to treat of before his departure out of London But this was not so easie to do for that new Factions and Divisions were grown now among them especially upon the arrival of the foresaid new Preachers as well English as strangers from beyond the Seas For albeit the strangers could not much help in making this English Communion-Book or rather new Mass-Book yet did they hurt and hinder the same much by the variety of Opinions which they brought with them in matter of Doctrin some of them coming from Saxony and others from Switzerland where there were different new Sects and Doctrins held and taught And forasmuch as in this Book not only the Rites and Ceremonies of Service and Administration of Sacraments but the Doctrin also of their Number and Nature and other Articles of Belief were to be expressed or at leastwise insinuated hereof arose a great War for that Bucer would have one thing Peter Martyr another Ochinus a third and then stepped in John Bale and Milo Coverdale freshly come with their new Doctrin and wanton Women from beyond Seas and would have room amongst the rest 12. But above all others did trouble the Market at this time two heady married Priests come also from beyond the Seas to wit John Hooper and John Rogers the one from Wittenberg with a German Wife the other from Argentine with a Burgundian Sister as Fox testifieth who dissenting wholly from the Course begun by Cranmer and Ridley and bearing special emulation against them as accounting themselves more Learned and zealous and more reformed than they as in their Lives we shall shew when we come to their places in the Calendar they being potent in Speech and Faction and had in estimation of the people in respect of their former Banishment they made this Agreement at the first beginning much more difficult Especially for that one Hugh Latimer more turbulent than any of them all and of more regard with the common people for that he had been Bishop in King Henry's days joyned with Hooper and Rogers against Cranmer and Ridley for that they were not inclined to restore him his Bishoprick of Worcester whereof he had been deprived by King Henry VIII 13. Whereupon the Protector when he returned to London from the Scottish Voyage in the end of the Summer he was greatly troubled to see these Divisions But especially for that he found nothing ready as he had hope for the new Communion-Book but only that the old Religion was impugned and the new not yet framed and infinite strife was raised both about the one and the other Yet a Parliament being called together upon the Fourth of November Anno Domini 1547 and the First of King Edward they thought to give an attempt to see what might be done to have some Alteration established But it would hardly be notwithstanding all Art Power and Persuasion was used by the Protector and his people to obtain the same For that in this Parliament they gat only two things of moment to be determined about Religion The first was that all former penal Statutes made against any Heretic or Sectary whatsoever from King Edward the Third downward to wit for the space almost of 200 years should be revoked But namely the Statutes made against Lollards Wickliffians Hussits Anabaptists and the rest in the 1. Year of King Richard the Second and in the 2. Year of King Henry the Fifth and in the 25.31.33.34 and 35. Years of King Henry the Eighth against what Heresies Heretics or Sectaries soever All these Laws and Statutes I say were recalled annulled and taken away together with their punishments prohibitions or other restraints whatsoever So as now every Man might think say preach or teach what he thought best And this judgeth Fox to be a goodly sweet Liberty of the Gospel where no Man is bound nor forced to any thing And this determined a Child of Nine years old against the Decrees of all his prudent Ancestors for 200 years upward 14. But yet in all this free liberty of Sectaries to say write and teach what they list the punishment of Death was reserved unto Catholics that should speak in defence of the Doctrin of the Pope's Supremacy or in derogation of the Supreme Ecclesiastical Headship of this young King. And this was the first and principal beginning of the Gospel in King Edward's time to give every Man liberty to do and believe what he would so he were not a Catholic Which is much like the opening of Prisons and common Jayls in the beginning of a Rebellion when all Malefactors are made free from fear of Laws so they will joyn in Faction with the Rebellious And upon the opening of this Gate no marvail tho' all Sectaries rushed in and among others divers Arians Anabaptists Trinitarians and like Heretics began to preach presently their Doctrins with such publicity as Cranmer and his Fellows for repressing thereof were enforced to sit in publick Judgment and condemn divers of them to Death albeit I do not see by what Law having now revoked and annulled all former Statutes made against Heretics for their punishment as hath been said And namely he condemned Joan of Kent alias Joan Knell that had been a Handmaid of Anne Askew burned before in the last year of King Henry VIII for denying the Real Presence And Joan had profited so much under Anne's Doctrin as now she denied Christ to have taken Flesh of the Blessed Virgin who was so resolute with her Scriptures against Cranmer and his Assistants sitting upon her and her Fellows in our Lady 's Cappel of S. Paul's Church in London upon the 27th of April when he gave Sentence of Death against her that she reproached him greatly for his inconstancy in Religion telling him that he condemned not long before Anne Askew for a piece of Bread and now condemned her for a piece of Flesh And that as he was come now to believe the first which then he had condemned so would he come in time to believe the second c. 15. And for that O. E. in his Defence of Sir Francis Hastings would not seem to think this matter to be true I do assure the Reader in all sincerity that I have it by relation and asseveration
with great difficulty Whereupon the said Parliament was continued in Disputation and Contention especially about this matter for the space of four Months and a half to wit from the 4. of November unto the 14. of March and in the mean space all was in suspence of what Religion England should be For as on the one side many that knew or suspected the Protectors inclination did think and lay Wagers that Zwinglianism would prevail so others hearing that Archbishop Cranmer and his party stood resolutely on the other side and had punished divers for speaking against the Mass and Real Presence in the Sacrament a little before to wit one Thomas Dobbe a Master of Art in Cambridge as Fox telleth us cast into the Counter by Cranmer and held there till he died and John Hume Imprisoned for the same Cause by the said Archbishop This I say made many to expect and Bett on the other side But especially this doubt and expectation was notorious in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge where Peter Martyr and Bucer had Read now for the space of a year and more and were oftentimes urged and pressed much by their Scholars whereof the far greater parts in those days were Catholics to declare themselves clearly of what Opinion they wear touching the Sacrament of the Altar and the Real Presence To wit whether they were Lutherans or Zwinglians But they kept themselves aloof and indifferent or rather doubtful so far as they could until the determination of the Parliament should come Yet was Peter Martyr put into a great strait thereby For that having taken upon him to Read and Expound to the Scholars of Oxford the first Epistle to the Corinthians wherein the Apostle in the Eleventh Chapter handleth the Institution of the Blessed Sacrament he had thought to have come to that place just at the very time when the Parliament should have determined this Controversie 34. But the Contention enduring longer by some Months than he expected he was come to the Eleventh Chapter long before they could end in London Whereupon many Posts went to and fro between him and Cranmer to require a speedy resolution alleging that he could not detain himself any longer but that being come to the words Hoc est Corpus meum he must needs declare himself a Lutheran or a Zuinglian But he was willed to stay and entertain himself in other matter until the Determination might come and so the poor Frier did with admiration and laughter of all his Scholars standing upon those precedent words Accepit Panem c. Et gratias agens c. Fregit c. Et dixit c. Accipite manducate c. discoursing largely of every one of these Points and bearing off from the other that ensued But when at length the Post came that Zuinglianism must be defended then stepped up Peter Martyr boldly the next day and said Hoc est Corpus meum This is my Body interpreting it This is the Sign of my Body adding moreover that he wondred how any man could be of another Opinion seeing this Exposition was so clear Whereas if the Post had brought other News himself also would have taught the contrary Opinion And this Story was testified whil'st they were alive by Dr. Sanders Dr. Allen Dr. Stapleton and others that were present at this Trifling and Tergiversation of this Apostate-Frier And thus began our Zuinglian Gospel in England under King Edward VI. 35. Now let us hear a word or two out of the Statute it self about this Communion Book and profession of Zuinglianism establish'd in England after two years strife among the Protestants Whereas of long time saith the Act there hath been in this Realm of England divers Forms of Common Prayer commonly called the Service of the Church as well concerning the Mattins and Even-Song as also the holy Communion called the Mass c. And whereas the King's Majesty with the Advice of his most entirely-beloved Vncle the Lord Protector and others of his Highness's Council hath heretofore divers times assayed to stay Innovations or new Rites concerning the premises yet the same hath not had such good success as his Highness required in that behalf Whereupon his Highness by the most prudent Advice aforesaid being pleased to bear with the frailty and weakness of his Subjects in that behalf of his great Clemency hath been not only content to abstain from punishment in that behalf but also to the intent that an uniform quiet and godly Order should be had concerning the premisses hath appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury and certain of the most learned and discreet Bishops to consider and ponder the premises and thereupon having as well an eye and respect to the most sincere and pure Christian Religion taught by the Scriptures as to the Vsages of the Primitive Church should draw and make one convenient and meet Order Rite and Fashion of common-Common-Prayer and Administration of Sacraments to be used in England Wales c. The which at this time by the Aid of the Holy Ghost with uniform Agreement is by them concluded set forth and delivered to his Highness's great comfort and quietness of mind in a Book entituled The Book of common-Common-Prayer and Administration of Sacraments c. 36. This is the Preface to that Act of Parliament whereby you may see that this Communion-Book was devis'd first for bearing with the frailty of them that sought Innovations then that it was perform'd by uniform Consent Aid of the Holy Ghost according to the most sincere and pure Christian Religion taught in the Scriptures and lastly that the young Child-Prince received great comfort and quietness of mind thereby All which is ridiculous if you consider what a multitude of Errors and gross Absurdities the latter Protestants especially the preciser sort of them have gathered out against this Book yea after it was twice more reviewed altered and amended according to the pure Word of God as was pretended once in King Edward's days it self and then again in the beginning of her Majesties Reign whereof tho' I have spoken sufficiently in my Defence of the first Encounter against Sir F. Hastings yet cannot I omit to admonish the Reader in this place to read the ninth Chapter of the second Book entituled Dangerous Positions c. set forth by public Permission and printed in London Anno 1593. In which Chapter you shall see put together the words of divers new Gospellers concerning this Communion-Book affirm'd here in the Statute to be according to the most sincere and pure Christian Religion taught by the Scriptures But they say the contrary to wit that it is full of corruption and that many of the Contents thereof are against the Word of God the Sacraments wickedly mangled and prophaned therein the Lord's Supper not eaten but made a Pageant and Stage play that their public Baptism is full of childish superstitious toys 37. And finally not to stand any longer
in the second Age after Christ there was not the Faith in Rome that now is For that there was no mention or knowledge then either of any universal Authority of the Church or Bishop of Rome or of the name or use of Masses or Sacrifice propitiatory or of Transubstantiation or of Images used in Churches and the like 5. To which vain Arguments of both these poor Men I might answer sufficiently by telling them if they will learn that albeit it were true in some sence that these Doctrins which here they alledge and some other in Controversie between us were not found in the Second Age when Pope Eleutherius lived so expresly set forth as in other Ages afterward when better Occasion was offered and the Times did more permit the same yet is this no good Argument to prove that they were not believed then also in the Catholic Church For if this Consequence should be admitted then as well might it be admitted also against many other principal Points and Articles of our Faith which are acknowledged and believed by Protestants also at this day tho not expresly handled discussed or determined in those first two hundred Years after Christ as for Example the Name and Doctrin of the Blessed Trinity the two distinct Natures and one Person in Christ his two distinct wills the Virginity of our Blessed Lady both before and after her Child-birth the Proceeding of the Holy Ghost as well from the Son as from the Father c. 6. All which Points and some others are not found to be handled so clearly and distinctly by Authors of the first two hundred Years as afterward partly for that they were occupied in other matters against Gentiles and Hereticks that touched not these Points and partly for that General Councils could not yet be gathered together to discuss and declare them distinctly tho no good Christians will or may doubt but that they were believed in the Church before from Christ downward and that the General Councils that determined them afterward for Articles of true Belief against Heretics that had called them in question did not so determine them as if they had made them Articles which were not before for this the Church could not do as is held by all Catholics but only that they being Articles of True and Catholic Belief before the Church did now declare them to be such Wherefore this being so I might answer and I see not how they could reply that John Fox and his Scholar may as well deny and call in question all or any of these foresaid Articles as the other which they recite For that they were as little or perhaps less specified in the first two hundred Years than these which they object 7. But I will deal more liberally with our Minister and Knight and will seek to satisfie them with Reason who do brabble and argue against us without Reason I shall endeavour to do the same by two ways hoping to make their Folly appear to every indifferent Man by them both The first shall be via negativa the negative way by putting them to some proof And the second shall be affirmative shewing them what Proofs may be brought for our side Nothing doubting but that each shall be sufficient to satisfie the equal Reader Let the first kind of Argument then by the way of negative be this 8. We deny that the Faith now held in Rome and namely the Articles here mentioned of the Pope Mass Transubstantiation and use of Images were not believed in Pope Eleutherius's days as now for the substance of the Doctrin And let them prove it if they can and if they say that it is hard to prove a negative we are content that they prove only an affirmative whereby the said negative may be inferred to wit that any one of these Doctrins did begin to enter into the Church after Eleutherius And to this Proof they are bound in all equity and reason as we shall shew by our sequent Discourse For if it be true that the Articles and Points of Doctrin here mentioned by Fox and Sir Francis wherein they differ from us be indeed not things heard of or believed at Rome in the time of Pope Eleutherius which yet they denie not but that in other Ages after they were generally received then followeth it that Fox and his Fellows must shew the Time Place Men and Occasion of their beginning to wit when where and by what Men and upon what Causes and with what Authority or Induction or Violence or by what Deceit or with what Contradiction of others these Doctrins entred first and were continued in the Church All which Points we can shew of every other Error or Heresie that hath risen and was held for such from Christ's Time to ours 9. And if either Fox or his Cub or any of that Kennel can or will shew this and joyn issue with us upon this one Point we do accept thereof and the matter may be quickly dispatch'd But if this cannot be done then must we follow the Rule of St. Augustin held by him for infallible in such Affairs to wit That when any Doctrin is found generally received in the known visible Churh at any Time or in any Age whereof there is no certain Author Time or Beginning found then is it sure that all such Doctrin hath come down from Christ and his Apostles 10. This doth that holy Doctor and great Pillar of Gods Church Saint Augustin affirm and reiterate in every place of his Works against Heretics of his Time which argued as our Men do by denying only and putting Catholics to Proof As for Example against the Donatists denying the custom of baptizing Infants for that it was not in Scripture nor recorded by Fathers of the first Ages Saint Augustin answereth thus Illa consuetudo quam tunc homines sursum versum aspicientes non videbant à posterioribus institutam rectè ab Apostolis tradita creditur That Custom of Baptizing Infants which Men before us in the Church looking upward to Antiquity did not find to have been ordained by them that came after the first Ages is rightly believed to have been delivered by the Apostles 11. And again in another place speaking of Ecclesiastical Customs he saith Quod universa tenet Ecclesia nec Conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi anthoritate Apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur That which the universal Church doth hold and was not instituted by any Council but hath been still retained in the Church this we may most justly believe to have come from no other Authority than from the Apostles And the like Speeches unto this hath St. Augustin in divers other places both of this Book against the Donatists as l. 2. c. 7. and l. 5. c. 23. as also lib. de Vnitat Ecclesiae c. 19. Epistola 118 c. And as for that he speaketh of Institution by Councils he
make this little Boy legitimate and prove his Mother to be no Whore 44. And of this I might give infinit Examples out of John Fox what substantial grounds and motives many of his Martyrs had to run to the Fire or rather how without all ground or probable reason in the world but only wilful Pride and Obstinacy most of them thrust themselves to death no less than in old times did the Massilians Montanists Circumcellians and Martyrians most famous Heretics upon the like madness as after we are to shew more at large in the third Part where I am to treat of these matters more particularly and to give you if I be not deceived large matters of laughter or rather of compassion in this behalf Now this shall be sufficient to shew both the great number and respective quality of domestical Witnesses for the Catholic Faith and continuance thereof in our Countrey during the time of this sharp Persecution under her Majesty and that never more than in this time hath the Catholic Church been perspicuous honorable and eminent in our Realm which is altogether contrary to that which John Fox ascribeth to his Church whose Invisibility Obscurity and lurking from the eyes of men he both granteth and excuseth by the presence of Persecution against her whereas we hold on the other side that the true Church and consequently Ours is ever more visible and notoriously known in time of Affliction and Persecution than in Peace 45. And so we have shewed by Example of our English Church especially in this present Age wherein not only domestical sufferings at home have come by Fame Books and Writings to the knowledge of Foreign Nations and thereby also the notice of so many worthy constant Catholics that are within the Realm but whole Troops also both of English Men and Women in Exile for their Consciences do represent the same daily to their eyes as it were by a lively spectacle to the wonder of the Christian World. But above all the rest they must needs be greatly moved with the sight of whole Companies Families and Communities of English of both Sexes of tender Age and those for the most part of very principal good Birth and Parentage that have come forth of our Countrey for the love of Religion and lived with great Edification in other Nations partly in Colleges and Seminaries partly in Religious Convents and Monasteries yielding great admiration to strangers for their rare Vertues of Piety Patience Contentment and Devotion And as for Colledges and Seminaries those of St. Omers and Doway in Flanders of Rhemes in France of Rome in Italy of Valliadolid Sevill and St. Lucars in Spain and of Lisbon in Portugal do sufficiently testifie And as for Monasteries both of Men and Women they are not unknown as that venerable Company of English Carthusians in Mechlyn the honorable Religious Houses of English Noble and Gentlewomen in Bruxells Lovain and Lisbon whose rare Vertues do singularly edifie all those that know them and greatly illustrate the Name of our Countrey for Religious Piety with Foreign Nations All these I say do bear witness at this day to the whole World and to us also that God be thanked the fire and fervor of Catholic Religion which Christ came to plant upon Earth is not extinguished by so long and grievous Persecution in our Countrey but rather increased at least in Intention as Philosophers do speak tho' not in Extension 46. And truly when I consider the matter more seriously with my self I doubt much whether England if it had continued Catholic had ever enjoy'd such excellent Education for their Youth at home as by occasion of this Tribulation God hath given them abroad in Foreign Nations Certainly the Example is rare and never heard of in former times and at this day the like is seen in few other Nations besides Us but in none of those that have suffered for Catholic Religion is this Blessing found so abundantly as in Ours God make us grateful for it for if our Ingratitude turn not the course of his Mercies hitherto used towards us it seemeth evident that he will not suffer the Seed of Catholic Religion to be extinguished in England having conserved the same so potently and strangely unto this day which is from the first preaching of the Apostles and Apostolic-men to the Britans unto the time of Pope Gregory I. under whom our English Nation was converted as hath been declared and from thence again downward unto Us which is more than a thousand years and so I doubt not but he will to the Worlds end if our sins deserve not the contrary And this shall serve for this first Part containing the Deduction and Continuance of Catholic Religion in England without interruption for more than fifteen hundred years together Now will we pass to the second Part to examin the same Succession in Protestants Religion throughout all these Ages if it may be found making our Conclusion as after you shall see That as our Religion entred first and hath never left England unto this hour so the Religion of John Fox in the form that he would have it was never yet admitted into England publicly by any Prince or Potentate whatsoever until this present day nor ever like to be And this shall serve for the first Part of our Treatise The End of the First Part. The Second PART of this TREATISE CONTAINING The SEARCH after the Protestants Church From the beginning of Christendom to Our Days The ARGUMENT HAving declared in the former Part of this Treatise how the Faith of Christ was first preached to the Britans at two several times and then to the English Nation and all by Roman Preachers and that the same Faith hath continued from Age to Age in a visible conspicuous Church until our days there remaineth now that we examin in this second Part Where the Protestants Church was in all this time and whether they had any at all And if they had of what sort of men it consisted and whether it were the same with the Church before-described or partly the same partly different or whether they could stand together being opposite in any one point of Faith Moreover whether the one did persecute the other or might be reconciled or agreed together And finally what is the state of the one and the other at this day For examination of which points we shall have occasion to run over again with more advice all the former sixteen Ages from Christ downward and therein to see and consider What Church either flourished or prevailed throughout every Age either Ours or that of John Fox and which of them is likeliest to have come down from the Apostles As also Whether that Church which was visibly founded by the Apostles and put on foot by them and theirs could perish or vanish away to give place to another And these are the principal Points of this second Part discussed in the Chapters following
for a time Brentius as appeareth in his Confession of Wittemberg and some others of that Sect. But this Opinion of Luther did not long please his Followers for that Ph. Melancthon his chief Scholar did soon after teach the contrary viz. That the Church was visible to the eyes of men also And the Magdeburgians do hold the same defining every-where the Church to be a visible Company of Men. Which going back of the principal Lutherans in this point it being done by a certain Consultation had thereof among themselves as Fredericus Staphylus the Emperor's Counsellor that had been one of them affirmeth was some Cause perhaps that Calvin coming presently after them took upon him to defend the same Doctrin again saying Nobis invisibilem c. We are forc'd to believe the Church to be invisible and to be seen only by the eyes of God. Lo Calvin putteth necessity in this point of Belief 13. The Causes that moved the chief Lutherans to go back from their first Opinion about the invisibility of the Church were principally the apparent Evidences and Demonstrations which Catholics do alledge both out or Scriptures Fathers common sense and reason for overthrow of that most fond and ridiculous Paradox And first out of holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament these men being not able to alledge any one place where the Name of God's Church is applied to an Invisible Congregation the Catholics on the contrary side pressed them with many most evident Texts of Scripture where it was and is used for a visible Company of Men as that in the Book of Numbers ch 20. Cur eduxisti Ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem Why hast thou brought the Church of God into the Desart And again in 3 Kings ch 8. Convertitque Rex faciem suam benedixit omni Ecclesiae Israel omnis enim Ecclesia Israel stabat c. The King turning his face about did bless all the Church of Israel for that all the Church of Israel was present c. Which places and many the like cannot possibly be understood of an Invisible but of a Visible Company 14. And much more if we consider the speeches of Christ and his Apostles in the New Testament as these words of Christ Dic Ecclesiae si Ecclesiam non audierit c. Tell the Church and if he hear not the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen or Publican But if the Church were invisible neither could a man complain to the Church nor hear the Church Moreover St. Paul exhorteth the chief Pastors of the Ephesians to attend diligently to their charge Acts 20. In quo vos Spiritus Sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Ecclesiam Dei In which the H. Ghost hath placed you as Bishops to govern the Church of God. But how could they being visible men govern a Company that was invisible not to be seen 15. And yet further when St. Paul and St. Barnabas went up from Antioch to Jerusalem the Scripture saith Deducti sunt ab Ecclesia c. They were brought on their way by the Church of Antioch and when they came to Jerusalem suscepti sunt ab Ecclesia they were received by the Church And yet further ascendit Paulus salutavit Ecclesiam Paul went and saluted the Church c. All which places cannot agree possibly to an invisible Church and yet that this was the true Primitive Church of Christ no man can deny 16. And finally when St. Paul doth teach Timothy his Scholar 1 Tim. 3. Quomodo oporteat conversari in Domo Dei quae est Ecclesia c. How he should converse and govern the House of God which is his Church Columna Firmamentum Veritatis the Pillar and Firmament of all Truth Ibid. All this I say had been spoken to no purpose if the true Church of Christ were invisible for how can a man converse in a Congregation which he cannot see or know or how can the Church be a Pillar and sure Firmament of Truth to resolve all Doubts and Questions that may fall out about Scriptures Articles of Belief and Mysteries of Christ's Religion if it be an invisible Congregation that no man seeth discerneth or knoweth where or how to repair unto it nor who are the persons therein contained 17. And lastly not to stand longer upon this matter that is so evident in it self and plain to common sense and reason if the true Church of Christ be a Society not of Angels Spirits or Souls departed but of Men and Women in this life that must be governed or govern therein how can they be invisible And if they must have Communion together in external Sacraments and namely in Baptism and participation of the Body of Christ if they must profess the Name and Doctrin of Christ externally to the World as also to be persecuted and put to death for the same if all men must repair unto them and those that be out of the Church to enter and be received therein and those that be in her to be resolved of their doubts to lay down their complaints to be governed and directed by her and finally to obey her under pain of Damnation how can all this be performed if she be invisible to man's eyes and only seen by the eyes of God 18. To alledge Fathers and Doctors in this behalf were both endless and needless for that all of them every-where almost are occupied in setting forth not only the Visibility but the Splendor also and Greatness yea the multitude and external Majesty of Christ's Church throughout the World in their days and only St. Augustin may serve for all who dilateth himself every-where in this Argument shewing how the little Stone prophesied by Daniel was grown to be a huge Mountain and terrible to the whole World and that the Tabernacle of Christ which is his Church was placed by him in the Sun to be seen of all and that it was a City upon a Mountain which none could be ignorant of and other like Discourses founded on evident Scriptures Whereby is refuted not only the first shift of Luther and Calvin making the true Church of Christ invisible but also the second of these latter Lutherans who tho' overcome with the former proofs do grant the Church to be a visible Company yet do they deny it to be that external conspicuous Succession of Bishops and Councils which have been most eminent in the known Christian Church from the Apostles downward but rather to be some few obscure and contemptible people which they call the Elect that have lived or lurked from time to time in shadows and darkness and known to few or none 19. But this second device is more fond than the former for where shall a man seek out these hidden Fellows to treat with them or to receive Sacraments at their hands how shall they be known how may they be trusted whence have they
their Authority what Succession bring they down by imposition of hands from the Apostles time may not every Sect of Heretics make themselves Christ's Church by this device Wherefore of this second point there need to be said no more 20. There remaineth then a third point to be considered by the Reader before we come to set down the Succession of John Fox's Church who having considered with himself that both Luther and Calvin did hold it to be invisible and on the other side that divers chief Lutherans had changed their Opinions therein and held it to be visible especially Flaccus Illyricus and the rest of the Magdeburgians who were to write a whole Story of their own visible Church in their Centuries and Fox to follow them step by step therein in his English Acts and Monuments the poor man was brought to a very great perplexity forasmuch as on the one side to leave Luther but especially Calvin seemed very hard unto him and on the other side not to stick to the Magdeburgians that are his Masters in his Story seemed hard also But especially and above all was he troubled as it seemeth with the reason and necessity of the matter it self for if the Church of Christ be invisible how can Fox or the Magdeburgians write so great and large stories thereof To which effect Illyricus writing upon the Genealogy set down by St. Matthew's Gospel of the true Church from the beginning saith thus Ostendit ista series Ecclesiam Religionem veram habere certas historias suae originis progressus This Genealogy proveth that the true Church and Religion have assured Histories of their beginning and progress 21. Thus said Illyricus for that he and his Fellows were then in hand as hath been said with their Ecclesiastical Histories named Centuries which they could not well have written holding the Church to be invisible neither yet John Fox could begin so great a Volume with that Opinion Wherefore after much breaking his brains about this matter as it seemeth he cometh forth with a new Opinion never heard of perhaps before affirming that the true Church of Christ is both visible and invisible to wit visible to some and invisible to others visible to them that are in her and invisible to them that are out of her You shall hear his words 22. Altho' saith he the right Church of God be not so invisible in the World that none can see it yet neither is it so visible again that every worldly eye may perceive it for like as is the nature of Truth so is the proper condition of the true Church that commonly none seeth it but such only as be members and partakers thereof and therefore they which require that God's holy Church should be evident and visible to the whole World seem to define the great Synagogue of the World rather than the true spiritual Church of God. 23. Thus saith he wherein you see that he maketh the true Church visible but only to such as are in her and Members thereof A device I think never heard of before and fit for the Brains of John Fox which were known to be out of tune for many years before he died for if he do not trifle and equivocate meaning one-where internal Visibility by Faith and another-where external Visibility to the Eye but doth mean indeed as he should do and as the Controversie is meant of external visibility to man's eye then is it most ridiculous that none can see the true Church in this World but he that is a Member of her for she is to be seen as well to her Enemies and Adversaries as to her Friends and Children the One to impugn and fight against her the Other to acknowledge and obey her And I would for examples sake demand of John Fox Whether Herod and Nero that persecuted the true visible Church of Christ were of that Church or no For if they were not then by his sentence they could not see her and consequently not persecute her 24. His comparison also between Truth and the true Church doth not hold for that Truth is a spiritual thing to be seen only by the eye of our Understanding but the true Church consisting of visible Men and Women may be seen by man's eye tho' the truth thereof to wit whether this or that visible Congregation be the true Church of Christ is a matter of Understanding and Belief confirmed unto us by such Arguments as before we have recited and others So as albeit the aforesaid Persecutors Herod and Nero for Example did not see the Truth of that Church which they persecuted in respect of their Doctrin for then perhaps they would not have done it yet did they both see and know that this was Christ's visible Church to wit a Congregation professing his Name and Doctrin yea they might know further that it was his true Church seeing it was begun visibly and evidently by him and his Apostles in their days and so continued on without interruption and if they had further known and believed as we do that he had promised to maintain and defend this Church unto the worlds end then must they either have doubted of his Fidelity or Power to perform it or must have believed also that this Church could not fail whereof Protestants doubting must needs doubt also of the one or the other to wit of the Fidelity and of the Ability of our Savior to perform his promise And this is the force of Succession even with Enemies and Infidels 25. But now let us pass to the principal matter intended in this Chapter which is the Succession or Deduction of the Protestants Church promised by John Fox in his Acts and Monuments Wherein saith he is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church from the Primitive to these latter times of ours c. Thus he promiseth in the Title but how he doth perform it in his whole Book we shall see afterward in this Declaration Tho' in part we may perceive his drift by that he protesteth to the Church of England before his entrance into his Story in these words I have taken in hand saith he this History that as other Story-Writers heretofore have employ'd their travail to magnifie the Church of Rome so in this History might appear the Image of both Churches but especially of the poor oppressed and persecuted Church of Christ which tho' it hath been so long trodden under foot by Enemies neglected in the World not regarded in Histories and almost scarce visible and known to worldly eyes yet hath it been the true Church only of God wherein he hath mightily wrought hitherto in preserving the same in all extreme distresses continually stirring up from time to time faithful Ministers by whom always hath been kept some sparks of this true Doctrin and Religion And forsomuch as the true Church of God goeth not lightly alone but is accompanied with some
other Church or Chappel of the Devil to deface and malign the same necessary it is that the difference between them both be seen and the descent of the right Church to be described from the Apostles time c. 26. Here we see all John Fox his drift laid down First he meaneth to contradict all former Writers that have magnified the Church of Rome and the Greatness and Glory thereof which he calleth the Devil's Chappel And in this he must contradict all the ancient Fathers and Writers for divers hundred years after Christ as Irenaeus Tertullian Augustin Optatus and other Writers that bring down the descent of the true Church of Christ by the Succession of the Bishops and Church of Rome as before you have heard And secondly Fox meaneth to set out another Christian Church trodden under foot before neglected in the World not regarded in Histories and almost scarce visible or known and yet was and is forsooth the only true Church of Christ keeping some spark of his true Doctrin and Religion he doth not say that all was true which she held nor that all Christ's Doctrin was taught in her but only some sparks or scraps of true Doctrin And further he promiseth that he will describe the descent of this Church from the Apostles time 27. This is John Fox his promise and we accept thereof And tho' it be scarce worth the performance to shew us a hidden obscure and trodden down Church in every Age that keepeth some sparks of true Doctrin and Religion for that every Sect and Heresie not denying Christ and his Doctrin wholly doth so yet shall we accept and exact the same being never so miserable and beggarly as we go over the whole course of Times and Ages from Christ downward following therein the distribution it self that John Fox hath appointed to be observed in his Story to wit from Christ to Constantine 300 years from Constantine to S. Gregory as much from S. Gregory and S. Augustin our Apostles to the Conquest 400 and odd years from the Conquest to Wickliff other 300 years from Wickliff to Luther about 240 from Luther's time to ours somewhat less than a hundred In all which variety of Times we shall examin briefly Whether John Fox his Church were on foot or no What Continuance or Succession it may be said to have had Where when and by what men it was begun continued and acknowledged What Doctrin it held and whence and with what Vnion or Conformity with it self or with the Catholic Roman Church Which Catholic Church being shewed and declared in the first Part of this Book to have been founded by the Apostles and conserved visibly from that time hither by Succession of Bishops and Prelates Governors and Professors thereof will easily also bring in the Notice and Certificate of John Fox his opposite Church whereof now we begin to treat CHAP. II. The particular Examination of the Descent or Succession of John Fox his Church in England or elsewhere for the first Three Hundred years after CHRIST to wit unto the time of Constantine the Emperour And whether any such Church was extant then in the World or no and in Whom HE that will consider the proportion of John Fox his Book of Acts and Monuments in the latter Edition he shall find it the greatest perhaps in Volume that ever was put forth in our English Tongue and the falsest in substance without perhaps that ever was published in any Tongue The Volume consisteth of above a thousand Leaves of the largest Paper that lightly hath been seen and every Leaf containeth four great Columns and yet if you consider how many Leaves of those thousand he hath spent in Deduction of the whole Church either His or Ours and the whole Ecclesiastical Story thereof for the first thousand years after Christ they are by his own account but threescore and four to wit scarce the thirtieth part of that he bestoweth in the last five hundred years 2. And further if this his thousand years Story containing threescore and four leaves be sifted and examined what it containeth not four of them do appertain to that which he should handle which is the visible Deduction of his Church as we shall endeavor briefly to shew dividing the whole thousand and threescore years from Christ to William the Conqueror into four distinct Times or Stations appointed out by John Fox himself in his Book to wit the first from Christ to Constantine containing 300 years the second from Constantine to K. Ethelbert's Conversion by St. Augustin containing other 300 years the third from King Ethelbert and other six Kings of England reigning jointly with him unto King Egbert the first Monarch of the English Nation which space is somewhat more than other 200 years and the fourth from King Egbert to William the Conqueror containing the same or some few more years 3. Let us now follow I say John Fox throughout all these Ages and different stations of times and see out of what Holes or Dens he will draw his little hidden trodden down Church different from the Roman Visible Church and yet endued notwithstanding from time to time with some little sparks of Truth which he promiseth to bring down from the Apostles to our time In the first 300 years then from Christ to Constantine whereas all other Ecclesiastical Writers and St. Luke amongst the rest in his Acts of the Apostles ch 2 3 4 c. do set down the visible beginning of Christ's Church by his Apostles and Disciples their strengthening and confirmation by the coming of the Holy Ghost their preaching and converting of others their great and many Miracles and thereby the establishing and wonderful increase of the said Church throughout the World and continuance of the same downward by Succession of Bishops but namely and specially of the Bishops of Rome as before hath been declared and is to be seen in the Writings of Dionysius Areopagita Josephus Justinus Egesippus Clemens Irenaeus Tertullian Origenes Julius Africanus Cyprian Eusebius and others of these Ages John Fox followeth no such order at all nor ever so much as mentioneth any descent of Bishops of His Church or Ours but only to spend time and fill up Paper taketh upon him to translate out of Eusebius and other Authors the Martyrdoms of such as suffered for Christian Religion in the ten general Persecutions of these first 300 years setting the same forth also in painted Pictures for no other purpose as it seemeth but only to entertain his Reader with some strange and delightful Spectacle and afterward so to joyn his Protestant burned Martyrs with those of the Primitive Church as the Painting being somewhat alike the simple Reader might thereby be induced to think that there was no great difference either in their Persons or Cause of suffering 4. But I would ask John Fox To what purpose of his was the bringing in of all these Martyrs of the Primitive
Church throughout the World Were they His or Our Martyrs think you For to both of us they cannot be Martyrs that is to say Witnesses we being of a different belief for that we of our part do hold resolutely the saying of St. Athanasius in his Creed That whosoever doth not hold all and every point of the Catholic Faith entirely shall perish eternally If therefore he will say they were his Martyrs he must prove that they were in all and every point of His Religion and not of Ours And to examin this point to wit of what Religion they were whether more of Ours or of His divers considerations may be brought in As first Who of us do more honor them We keep their Days and Feasts as all men know we put them in our Ecclesiastical Calendar and Martyrology we keep their Relics we honor their Tombs we call upon them in Heaven to pray for us as reigning in most high Glory with Christ All which Protestants do mislike yea John Fox by name hath put the most of them I mean of the Martyrs of these first 300 years quite out of his Ecclesiastical Calendar to give place to John Wickliff John Husse Martin Luther and other like Companions as may be seen in the very first pages of his Book which is a sign that we esteem and honor them more than they which we would not do if we did not persuade our selves that they were of our Religion and not of Protestants in any point of Controversie between us 5. Moreover the Christian visible Church of that time to wit of those first 300 years wherein these Martyrs suffered and were put to death would never have registred them for Saints nor admitted them into the number of true Martyrs if in all points they had not been of her Faith and Communion no more than she did those of divers Sects namely of the Marcionists and Montanists who were very many and bragged of Martyrdom and of God's assistance therein no less but much more than true Catholics as Apollinaris a most ancient Bishop related by Eusebius in his fifth Book of Ecclesiastical History doth testifie at large Yea these Heretics especially the latter sort were so forward in Martyrdom as they held it was not lawful to flee in time of Persecution as may appear by Tertullian who defended the same also after he was fallen into that Heresie himself St. Cyprian doth inveigh often against the Martyrs of the Novatians and St. Epiphanius against those of the Euphemits sirnamed for the multitude of their false Martyrs Martyrians and St. Augustin no less earnestly doth detest those Martyrs of the Donatists who rather than they would lack Martyrs were ready to murder themselves All which Martyrs notwithstanding were rejected by the Catholic Church tho' in shew they died for Christ for that they agreed not with her in all points of Faith and Belief And consequently we may infer for most certain that seeing the Catholic Church of that time and of all times since hath held these Martyrs before mentioned of the first ten Persecutions for true Saints and Martyrs indeed and have continued their honorable remembrance both by Histories and celebrating their annual Feasts and Memories sure it is that they agreed fully with the said known Catholic Church of those Ages Whereof we infer again That seeing the Faith of those first 300 years was continued as before we have proved in the second 300 years and so consequently downward and delivered to us and forasmuch as the Church of Rome was held still for Head of all this Church it cannot be that these Martyrs were of John Fox's Religion and consequently are to no purpose brought in by him but only for that he had nothing else to talk of or to make a shew of handling some pious matter in his Book 6. Moreover if we would take upon us to reflect upon all that is extant of the sayings and doings of these Martyrs recorded in their Histories we might soon discern of what Religion they were and whether they were John Fox his Martyrs or Ours As for example in that Answer of St. Andrew the Apostle and holy Martyr which he made to Aegeas the Proconsul that exhorted him to sacrifice to Idols Ego saith he Omnipotenti Deo qui unus verus est immolo quotidie c. I do sacrifice daily to Almighty God that is One and True not the flesh of Bulls or blood of Goats but the immaculate Lamb upon the Altar whose flesh after that all the Faithful People have eaten the same Lamb that is sacrificed remaineth whole and alive as before This man as you see spoke not as a Protestant Martyr 7. The Speech also of St. Laurence Martyr that suffered in Rome under the Emperor Valerianus the same year that St. Cyprian did in Carthage his Speech I say to Pope Sixtus Bishop of Rome whose Deacon he was and who was carry'd to Martyrdom three days before him doth not shew that he was a Protestant but rather a plain Papist as both St. Ambrose St. Augustin and other later Authors do relate the same Cùm videret Laurentius saith St. Ambrose Sixtum Episcopum suum ad Martyrium duci flere coepit c. When Laurence the Deacon saw his Bishop Sixtus to be carried away to Martyrdom he began to weep not for the others suffering but for his own remaining behind him wherefore he cried unto him in these words Whither do you go O Father without your Son and whither do you hasten O holy Priest without your Deacon You were never wont to offer Sacrifice without a Minister what then hath displeased you in me that you leave me behind you Have you proved me perhaps to be a Coward Make trial I pray you whether you have chosen unto your self a fit Minister to whom you have committed the dispensing of our Lord's Blood And then seeing you have not denied unto me the Fellowship of administring Sacraments do not deny me the Fellowship of shedding my Blood also with you 8. Thus talked St. Laurence of his Deacon's Office in dispensing the Blood of Christ from the Altar and in ministring to his Bishop while he offered Sacrifice which is a phrase far different from Protestants manner of Speech But if we consider the Speech of the Heathen Emperour to St. Laurence set down by Aurelius Prudentius above 1200 years past objecting to Christian Priests their sacrificing in Gold and dispensing the Blood of our Savior in silver Cups and the like we shall easily see of what Religion this Martyr was Hunc esse vestris Orgiis Mor émque artem proditum est Hanc disciplinam foederis Libent ut auro Antistites Argenteis scyphis ferunt Fumare sacrum sanguinem Auróque nocturnis sacris Astare fixos caereos c. We hear saith the Persecutor this to be the fashion and device of your Feasts and
respect of obscurity and contemptibility John Fox may easily joyn his Church with them as also in having some sparkles of true Doctrin but not the whole body of true Doctrin among them 5. He may joyn also in divers particular Doctrins which these men held as peculiar Heresies to themselves and were condemn'd by the Church for such in those days and are held also in these days by John Fox his Church in the very self-same words sense and meaning as they were held by those Heretics As namely he may joyn with the Donatists who said that thy were the only true Church and called the Succession of Bishops in the Church of Rome as Sectaries do at this day the Chair of Pestilence and moreover that the whole Church besides themselves had erred c. which is the common Song of our modern Protestants And further if you will see how near of Kin these Donatists and our Protestants be both in Manners Conditions Doctrin and Belief read St. Augustin Optatus and other Writers that objected against them these things following to wit That they had cast the blessed Sacrament of the Altar to Dogs overthrew Altars broke Chalices and sold them cast a Bottle of holy Chrism out of the Church-window shaved Priests heads to take away their Unction turned Nuns out of their Monasteries to the World polluted all Church stuff and the like And whether John Fox and his Fellows do not joyn also in these Points let the Reader judge 6. They may joyn in like manner with the Eunomians for their only Faith who affirmed as St. Augustin saith quòd nihil cuiquam obesset guorumlibet perpetratio ac perseverantia peccatorum si hujus quae ab illis docebatur Fidei particeps esset That the committing and perseverance in never so great sins could not hurt him that was partaker of their Faith. They may also joyn with the Novatians of that time in denying the Churches power in forgiving sins They may joyn with the Aerians who taught as St. Angustin saith non oportere orare vel Oblationem offerre pro mortuis that we ought not to pray or offer Oblations for them that be dead and further That solemn Feasts are not to be appointed by the Church but every one to fast when he would lest he should seem to be under the Law c. 7. Thus testifieth St. Augustin of him and of Jovinian that followed him both the said Father and St. Hierom that wrote against him do accuse him to have held That all sins were equal before God that fasting from certain meats was not profitable that chast Marriage was equal in honor and merit to professed Virginity in Nuns and that he had been cause that some Nuns had married in Rome and finally that the reward in Heaven was equal to all men And is not this good currant Protestant Doctrin and Practice at this day But let us go forward They may joyn also with the Helvidians or Antidicomarians in impugning our Blessed Lady and equalling Marriage with Virginity And much more with Vigilantius in impugning the continent sole Life of Clergy-men Worship of Martyrs at their Tombs use of Candles and Torches in the Church by day-time Invocation of Saints Vows of Poverty and the like 8. I will go no further for that this is sufficient to see what Communion John Fox his Church did hold in these three Ages either with the common known Catholic Church of Christ or with these lurking Assemblies of Heretics pursued and persecuted by the said Church and for that John Fox is guilty to himself in this behalf he hath proceeded accordingly in his Acts and Monuments For whereas he promiseth a several Book of these second 300 years under this Title The second Book containing the next 300 years after Christ c. he not finding any sufficient matter for his purpose to patch up this second Book withal as he did the former with recounting the Martyrs of those days what shift deviseth he think you to blear his Readers eyes with all and to seem to say somewhat in the continuation of his Story You shall hear briefly and by this one trick you may learn to know the man and his meaning for the time to come 9. First he writeth but five leaves in all for the continuation of the Story of these second 300 years A short Volume you will say for so great and copious an Argument And yet further you must know that of these five leaves he passeth two in telling tales and matters that fell under Pope Eleutherius and King Lucius more than a hundred years before and consequently it should have been told in his former Book by order of Time and Story and then the other three leaves he spendeth in setting down the entrance of the Saxons into England about the year of Christ 449 and the Succession of their Pagan Kings unto St. Augustin's coming So as of all the foresaid glorious Christian Church for 300 years together to wit from Pope Sylvester and Constantine unto Pope Gregory and Mauritius the Emperour wherein she flourished more than in any other three Ages we find only five Leaves designed but scarce three Lines performed Whereby you may perceive how little part John Fox persuadeth himself to have in these three Ages for his hidden Church You may consider also what an honest Bargainer he is and how well he performeth his promise made in the first page of his whole Work wherein he saith That he will set forth at large the whole Race and Course of the Church from the Primitive Age to these latter times of ours c. whereof you see he hath performed nothing at all hitherto either largely or briefly I mean of this Race or Course of any Church General or Particular Domestical or Foreign Good or Bad True or False His or Ours for of the first 300 years he wrote only the ten Persecutions as you have seen and of the second 300 years he writeth nothing at all 10. Which if you consider well is a strange confession of his own weakness and poverty seeing that these three Ages to wit the fourth fifth and sixth are the most abundant of matter that are to be found in the Church of Christ from the beginning and so might he see by the Centuries of his Masters the Magdeburgians who do enlarge themselves much more in these three Ages than in the former enforced thereunto by the multitude of matter tho' all against themselves as before hath been noted and here will also appear which John Fox well perceiving thought best by slight of silence to avoid that inconvenience of treating a History so apparently against himself Which slight notwithstanding or rather flight every man of mean understanding doth easily see considering that according to the Argument of his Book and particular promise made before he should have declared to us That the Religion of Britanny in these 300
accuse St. Ambrose for using these words Missam facere Offerre Offerre Sacrificium c. To say Mass to offer to offer up Sacrifice c. They reprehend Gregory Nyssen for teaching of Transmutation or Transubstantiation Dei verbo Sanctificatum panem in Dei verbi corpus credimus immutari We do believe that the Bread which is Sanctified by the word of God is by the same word of God changed into the Body of the Son of God. 20. It would be overlong to Treat of all the Points in Controversie for which the Magdeburgians do reprehend and Condemn the Fathers of this Age which so highly they commended a little before For about Justification by Faith only they Condemn by Name Lactantius Nilus Chromacius Ephrem and St. Hierom. And why for that he saith non sufficit murum habere fidei nisi ipsa fides bonis operibus confirmetur It is not enough to have the wall of Faith except Faith be confirmed with good works Which yet you have heard approved by the Sentence of Sir Francis Hastings before 21. They condemn the same Lactantius together with St. Gregory Nyssen St. Hillary St. Nazianzen St. Ambrose St. Ephrem and Theophilus Alexandrinus for Attributing to much to good works but especially to those that are voluntary Inter omnia opera say they Electitiis plurimum haec aetas tribuit Sic enim ait Theophilus hi qui jejunia id est Angelicam conversationem in terris imitantur per continentiam brevi parvo labore magna sibi aeterna conciliant praemia But among all other works say the Magdeburgians this Age doth Attribute most unto voluntary works or such as are chosen by a Mans self for so saith Theophilus Arch-Bishop of Alexandria those that do follow Fasting that is to say an Angelical Conversation upon Earth do gain unto themselves by this short and small labor of abstinence great and eternal rewards 22. About Satisfaction they reprehend greatly and put it for an Error in great Hilarius for that he writeth upon these words of the 118 Psalm My eyes have brought forth fountains of waters c. Haec poenitentiae vox est lachrymis orare lachrymis ingemiscere This is the voice of true Penance to pray with tears and sigh with tears And again Haec venia peccati est fontem fletus stere largo lachrymarum imbre mad fieri This is the forgiveness of sin to weep a whole fountain of tears and to wash our selves with a large shower of weeping c. This did greatly discontent our Good-fellow Germans but St. Hilarius was of another Opinion 23. What should I recite here other Controversies seeing it would but tire the Reader For about Invocation and Prayer to Saints they condemn by name St. Athanasius lib. de Incarnatione for praying to our Lady St. Basil oratione in quadraginta Martyres for praying to the said Forty Martyrs St. Gregory Nazianzen oratione in Basilium for praying to St. Basil after he was dead also for praying to St. Cyprian after he was martyred Orat. in Cyprianum they condemn also St. Ambrose lib. de viduis for praying to St. Peter and St. Andrew and our Lady they condemn Prudentius for praying to St. Laurence and in another place to St. Vincentius and Cassianus Martyrs Hym. in Laur. Vincent Cassian They condemn Epiphanius for saying that Prayers of the Living do help the Dead Haeres 75. They condemn St. Ephrem for saying that the Saints in Paradise did pray for them that are alive lib. 1. de compunctione cordis cap. 13. 24. As for unwritten Tradition they condemn all the Fathers of this Age one by one reciting their Sentences and rejecting them They condemn by name Lactantius Prudentius and Hieronymus for holding Purgatory they condemn St. Epiphanius for affirming that the Church admitteth no man to marry after he is Priest Et haec certe sancta Dei Ecclesia cum sinceritate observat And truly the holy Church of God saith Epiphanius doth observe this Custom with all sincerity And thus much be spoken only about one Chapter to wit of Doctrin having over-skipped many other things for brevity-sake in the same Chapter 25. But if I would pass to other Chapters especially that of Rites and Ceremonies which is their sixth in order there would be no end For first in the very first Paragraph about Rites or Ceremonies belonging to Churches Service and public Meeting which is but one of almost twenty Paragraphs contained in this Chapter they set down these Rites following which do easily shew that Our Religion and not Theirs was in practice in this fourth Age. As for example the Building of Churches in Honor of Saints by Constantine and others at the beginning of this Age and dedicating them to the same Saints out of Eusebius and other Authors pag. 407. nu 50. Dedications also and Consecrations of the same Temples or Churches and the Days of the said Consecration kept Holy and Festival with great solemnity out of Athanasius and others ibid. Service at midnight used in the Churches at that time out of St. Basil and others ibid. Altars builded in Churches for Christian Sacrifice by the testimony of Socrates Zozomenus Theodoretus and others ibid. The Interpretation also what an Altar meaneth set down by Optatus Quid est Altare nisi sedes Corporis Sanguinis Christi What is an Altar but the seat of the Body and Blood of Christ Images also set up and painted in Churches in this Age out of Zozomenus Eusebius Optatus and others pag. 409. Caereas Candelas Lampades Torches Wax-Candles and burning Lamps set up in the Church by Constantine himself out of Eusebius lib. 4. de vita Constant pag. 410. Of Vigils and Watches kept in Church-Feasts out of Basil Theodoret and others ibid. The use of Litanies in those days they shew out of Basil Theodoret and others ibid. 26. I leave many more Rites and Catholic Ceremonies set down by them in this first Paragraph which is of public Meetings Churches c. But if I would pass from this unto many other Heads handled by them as about the use of Baptism and administration of other Sacraments and Sacrifice about Feasts Fasts Marriage Burying Honoring Martyrs Tombs Pilgrimages consecrating of Monks and Nuns and other such points which these Magdeburgians do handle here at large out of the Fathers of this Age and practice of that Church to the number of nineteen or twenty all against themselves it were sufficient to make a several Book apart As for Example about Baptism they teach us That those who are to be baptized must first be confessed of their sins that they must say abrenuntio tibi Sathana omnibus operibus tuis that they must be prepared by Exorcisms and after Baptism be anointed with holy Chrism that they must fast a certain number of days before their Baptism that they must thrice be
dived in the water that they must have Lamps lighted at their Baptism And for the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar they shew us How it was wont to be administred and sent when occasion was offered from one place to another how often it should be received and with what reverence and with what Vigils and Prayers before and how it was wont to be carried to them that lay on their Death-bed and how they were bound to confess it openly to be the true Body and Blood of Christ before they received it and what great Miracles fell out for proof and confirmation of the truth about this Real Presence These and almost infinite other points like unto these the Magdeburgians do prove at length to have been in use throughout this fourth Age by the Testimonies and Writings of the principal Doctors thereof 27. Wherefore I will leave the Reader to consider what manner of people these Lutheran Writers are who do record so many important Testimonies against themselves and having alledged them then they refute all again presently with this bare shift that they are either Jewish or Pagan Ceremonies brought in by the Fathers upon Superstition and so not to be regarded and this they think to be sufficient to refute them all As for Example talking of the Ceremony of Fasting in those days what Meats they did eat and how rigorously they abstained and how long these good fellows do write thus Jejunia observasse religiosiùs quidem seu superstitiosiùs quà m superioribus saeculis hujus aetatis Christianos Historiae testantur Histories do testifie unto us that the Christians of this Age did observe Fasting-days more religiously or rather more superstitiously than any Age before for that Human Traditions began now to be more multiplied and Epiphanius doth say that the Fast of Wednesdays and Fridays was observed at this time as a Tradition of the Apostles but we find no such thing in their Works Thus said these Germans that never perhaps fasted a day in their life nor ever abstained for Devotion-sake from any good morsel of Meat that their Lips could reach unto And so much of these men for they are not worth the spending of time to refute them Well then by these few Examples taken out of two Chapters only of the Magdeburgians about this fourth Age we see what may be gathered if we would go over all the three Centuries for these three Ages from Constantine to St. Gregory and thereby also we see the reason why Fox wrote so little of these three Ages being wholly against them 28. But now perhaps the Reader will ask how it falleth out that John Fox having dedicated a special Book to wit his second of Acts and Monuments unto these three Ages after Constantine for so is his Title how I say he could make up a distinct Book and yet say nothing of the Ecclesiastical Affairs therein contained Whereunto I answer That this is another Foxly fetch of his to promise and not perform and to do one thing for another for that despairing to have matter to his purpose out of the former three Ages as hath been shewed he slideth away slightly to another Argument which he had not promised in his Title to wit of some things fallen out in our English Church in the next 200 years after from the time of St. Augustin and King Ethelbert unto the time of King Egbert first Monarch of the English about the year of Christ 800. But for that these two Ages to wit the seventh and eighth do contain the times of our primitive English Church I think best to treat severally thereof in the next Chapter following this being sufficient to shew that in these second 300 years John Fox had as little room for his Church as in the former CHAP. IV. How matters passed in the Christian Church both abroad and at home in England during the third station of Time from Pope Gregory and Ethelbert King of Kent unto Egbert our first Monarch containing the space of two hundred years THere followeth in order the third distinction or station of Times appointed by John Fox in the beginning of his History and promised by him to be handled distinctly in the prosecution of his Work and so indeed this station ought to have been above the rest for that it containeth the time of our English primitive Church to wit the two first hundred years thereof from St. Augustin downward But as you have heard before he finding scarce any thing in these two Ages which delighted his heretical humor no not our very Conversion it self from Paganism to Christian Religion he shuffleth the same over in the end of his foresaid second Book together with the second 300 years after Christ from Constantine to Pope Gregory as before hath been shewed So as he includeth the Acts of 500 years of the most Famous and Glorious Times that ever were in the Church of God whether we respect the General and Universal Church or the Church of England in particular in a little Book of a dozen Leaves only of which dozen Leaves the least part doth concern this time whereas when he cometh down to handle the Acts and Gests of John Wickliff John Husse Hierom of Prague and other such paltry Heretics not worth the talking of he writeth whole Volumes and many hundred Leaves together but of these 200 years of our first Conversion and primitive Church Fathers Doctors and Saints thereof he writeth both very little and most contemptuously and yet wanted he not Authors to give him matter in this behalf seeing that St. Bede that lived in the first of these 200 years hath left five whole Books of the Acts and Gests thereof besides other that have ensued as Gosselinus Malmsbury Westmonasteriensis and others 2. But the truth is that John Fox seeing these times to be wholly against him and that they lay down more clearly before us if it may be than the rest especially to English-men the Truth and Evidence of the Catholic Roman Faith he had no heart nor courage to deal much therewith but sought to shuffle over in silence so much as he might conveniently and the rest to discredit by scoffs taunts corruption and falsification as after you shall see for I have thought good to make a distinct Chapter of these two Ages and thereby somewhat to let you see and behold what passed therein tho' very briefly and how John Fox doth behave himself in relating the same 3. First then if we consider the Universal Church of Christendom in these 200 years which are the 700 and 800 years of Christ there are recounted to have sitten in the Roman See Thirty-three Popes from Gregory I. to Leo III. and in the East Empire the West being decay'd before some Nineteen or Twenty Emperors reigned one after another from Mauritius to Constantine VI. and Irene his Mother in whose time Charles the Great of France was made Emperor of the
pious Princes and Lords Egfrid King of the Northumbers Anno 10. upon the fifteenth day before the Calends of October the eighth Indiction and Etheldred reigning over the Mercians the sixth year of his Reign and Adulphus being King of the East-Angles the seventeenth year of his Reign and Lodtharius being King of Kent in the seventh year of his Reign and Theodorus by the Grace of God Archbishop of the Isle of Britanny and of the City of Canterbury being President of the Synod together with the rest of the Bishops of the same Island venerable men sitting with him in Council and the holy Sacred Gospel being laid before them in a place called in the Saxon Tongue Hedtfield after treaty had they expounded the right Catholic Faith in this manner 24. Sicut Dominus noster Jesus c. As our Lord Jesus taking our flesh upon him did deliver unto his Disciples that saw him in person and heard his speeches and as the Symbolum or Creed of the holy Fathers have delivered unto us and as generally all whole and universal Synods and all the company of holy Fathers and Doctors of the holy Catholic Church have taught us so do We following their steps both Piously and Catholicly according to their Doctrin inspired to them from Heaven profess and believe and constantly confess according to the said holy Fathers Belief That the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are properly and truly a consubstantial Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity c. We receive also the holy and universal five Synods that have been held before our time by the blessed Christian Fathers our Ancestors to wit those 318 holy Bishops in the first Council of Nice against Arius and his wicked Doctrin and of the 150 other Bishops in the first Council of Constantinople against the Heresie of Macedonius and of the 200 Godly Bishops of the Council of Ephesus against Nestorius and his Errors and of the 230 Bishops in the Council of Calcedon against Eutyches and his Doctrin and of the other 165 Fathers gathered together in the second General Council of Constantinople against divers Heretics and Heresies c. We do receive all these Councils and we do glorifie our Lord Jesus Christ as they glorified him adding nothing nor taking any thing away We do anathematize and accurse also both by heart and mouth all those whom these Fathers did anathematize and accurse and we do receive them whom they received c. 25. Behold here the manner and form of Catholic Councils of old time who laid down first the Gospel in the midst and then after due examination of Scriptures considered that Antiquity of Fathers and Councils had determined in God's Church before them even from Christ and his Apostles downward and therein insisted agreeing all in one and rejecting and accursing all new contrary or different Doctrins and Doctors and by his means and by the assistance of the Holy Ghost promised by Christ unto his Church hath she continued now for 1600 years one and the self-same whereas Sectaries lacking this Humility Wisdom and Subordination but especially God's Grace are divided and consumed among themselves 26. But I will pass no further in this point this which I have said being sufficient to shew that there were more Learned men in England in these times of our primitive Church than fantastical Fox would have men believe which is greatly confirmed by that which Malmsbury writeth and Fox also confesseth the same That a General Council being gathered soon after this which we have mentioned in Constantinople both of the East and West Church against the Monothelites that deny'd two distinct Wills of Christ our Archbishop Theodorus with some other Learned men of our English Clergy was called for by Pope Agatho to be one of his Legats in the said Council where there were 331 Bishops gathered together by order of the said Agatho Bishop of Rome against the Patriarchs of Antioch Alexandria and Constantinople which thing sheweth the great Power and Authority of the Bishop of Rome even in Greece it self at that day the Emperour Constantine IV. being present himself 27. And to this Council as is said was the foresaid Theodorus Archbishop of Canterbury with divers other Bishops called by name by Pope Agatho as we may see in his Letter to the said Council cited by Malmsbury in these words Sperabamus de Britannia Theodorum c. We did hope to have had from Britanny Theodore my Brother and Fellow-Bishop and Archbishop of that great Island and a Philosopher together with others which hitherto do remain there and then to have joined them to our Humility and for this cause we have hitherto deferred the Council Vides quanti eum fecerit saith Malmsbury ut ejus expectatione Universale Concilium differret You see of what account this Archbishop was with Pope Agatho that he would defer a General Council for his expectation Thus writeth he whereby every indifferent man will easily see that this time of our primitive English Church which Fox by contempt so often calleth Ignorant and Monkish was not devoid of rare Learned men and so hath continued until our days frustrà circumlatrantibus haereticis to use St. Augustin's words Heretics in vain barking on every side against it With whom John Fox thought good to bear a barking part also and not being able to find out any one hole or corner for his Church in those Ages except only among the Heretics before named he thought good at least to rail and spit at them as he passeth by and so will he do more and more the lower he goeth until at length he fall to plain Apostasie and forsaking them openly will join with the known condemned Heretics and Enemies of this Church which Church hitherto notwithstanding he will seem in some sort to follow tho' lazily and dragging behind and as it were weary of her Company and looking about him which way he may give the slip and betake himself to his heels as will better appear by that which ensueth CHAP. V. The fourth station or division of Times from King Egbert unto William the Conqueror containing the space of some 260 years and how John Fox his Church passed in these days and whether there were any Pope Joan or no. YOu have heard before how John Fox in his second Book promising to handle but 300 years touched in the Acts of 500 in less than a dozen Leaves shewing the small store of matter he had for his Church in those Ages Now his next Book is entituled thus The third Book containing the next 300 years from the Reign of Egbert unto the time of William the Conqueror So is his Title And yet if you count the years from the beginning of King Egbert his Reign Anno Domini 802 according to Stow or 800 according to others unto the entrance of the Conqueror Anno 1066 you shall find but only 264 years and
from King Egbert his death but 234. So as Fox is in no one thing exact or punctual And these 264 years may be counted the fourth station or parcel of Time from Christ downward which now we are briefly to examin and run over as we have done the former Stations and Limitations appointed 2. First then concerning the general Roman Church it continued in these Ages as in the former by continual Succession of her Bishops and Governors altering nothing in Belief and Doctrin from her Ancestors And briefly to repeat the sum of all there ruled in the See of Rome in these two Ages and an half as supreme known and acknowledged Pastors of this great visible Church some sixty Popes from Leo III. that crowned Charles the Great and thereby restor'd the Western Empire unto the time of Alexander II. under whom Duke William of Normandy conquered England And in the Western Empire there reigned some eighteen Emperours in this space from Charles the Great to Henry IV. and in the Eastern Empire some twenty five from Nicephorus I. to Constantine X. All which Popes Emperours and Princes were of one Religion Faith and Belief in those days And albeit soon after the See of Constantinople and Greek Church by occasion of Emulation against the Roman Empire did begin to withdraw their due Obedience from the Roman Church and thereby fell by little and little into divers errors of Doctrin also and finally were delivered over as all the World seeth into the Subjection and Servitude of the Turks yet in these Ages there was Union and due Subordination between both Churches Which may appear by that one only General Council being held at Constantinople even against Phocius that was Patriarch of the said City being gathered by order of Pope Adrian II. and Basilius the Grecian Emperour concurring therein This Council was of 300 Bishops and confirmed by the said Pope Adrian being the eighth General Council in order and the fourth of those that were held in Constantinople Whereby it cometh also to be noted That all the General Councils held hitherto in the Christian Church for the space of 900 years being eight in number as hath been said from the first Council of Nice unto this and from this to the first General Council of Lateran holden in the year of Christ 1115 under Pope Innocentius III. were all held in Greece but yet by order of the Bishops of Rome sending thither their Legats and confirming the same afterwards by themselves without which confirmation they were never held for Lawful in the Christian World which is no small Argument of the Greatness and Authority of the Church of Rome from time to time 3. It shall not be needful to speak of the particular Heresies of these two or three Ages which in effect were none of any name but only two the Iconoclasts or Image-breakers and the Berengarians or Sacramentaries both of them agreeing in their particular Heresies with the Calvinists of our Times tho' in many other things different as it is wont to be The first of them was begun before these Times by Leo III. Emperour of Constantinople sirnamed Isaurus about the year of Christ 750 as before hath been noted and renewed again by Claudius Taurinensis The second was begun 300 years after by Berengarius about the year of Christ 1050 and abjured by him again as hereafter shall be shewed The chief Doctors and Fathers that defended true Religion in these Ages were Turpinus Eginhardus Haymo Rabanus Frecolphus Hincmarus Jo. Diaconus Remigius Theophylactus and others in the ninth Age and then in the other Odo Ado Rhegino Luitprandus Rhatbodus Abbo Floriacensis and others and the other half of the eleventh Age Bruchardus Petrus Damianus Lanfrancus and many others 4. And this was the state of the Universal Christian Church in these Ages whereunto in all respects was conform the particular Church of England as the Daughter to her Mother which may be demonstrated partly by the continual Descent of Archbishops in England which were to the number of Sixteen from Celnothus that lived with King Egbert unto Stigand that possessed the See of Canterbury when William the Conqueror came in tho' afterward he caused him to be deposed by a Commission from Rome in the year of Christ 1070 as John Stow and others do note 5. I do pretermit the Succession of other Bishoprics in England for Brevities sake the Kings also of England that possessed that Crown from Egbert to William the Conqueror were some Twenty in number if we count Canutus the Dane and his two Children among the rest All which Kings of what Nation or State soever agreed fully in Faith and Belief with the said Archbishops and Bishops of our Land and They again with the whole Universal Roman Church as appeareth by their Acts and Monuments and John Fox also confesseth 6. Which being so it is hard to say or imagin where John Fox in these Ages will pick out a different Christian Church tho' it be never so poor and creeping for Him and His either in England or out of England during this time And much more hard it is to think how he can devise any visible Continuation of the said obscure and trodden-down Church as he promised to do even from the Apostles Time to our Age. His only refuge must be as before we have often noted to run to the condemned Heretics of these times if he find any for his purpose Which yet he dareth not openly to do as you have seen throughout all the former Ages But afterward when he cometh near home to wit after Pope Innocentius III. and John Wickliff he taketh more heart affirming Our Church to have utterly perished and a new visible Off-spring of his Church to have started up to wit all the Sectaries and Heretics cast out and condemned of our Church as you shall see more particularly when we come to that place 7. For the present Ages that we are now in he doth not so much as lay hands upon the Iconoclasts or Berengarians nor doth seem to count them for his Brethren tho' in the principal Points of their Heresies they agree with Him as is notorious And John Fox to have some visible Members of his Church in these Ages ought to have shaken hands with them but the poor Fellow was asham'd to build his Church openly of so ancient Heretics tho' afterward when he beginneth to build indeed and to gather Stones together he calleth for the Berengarians again which now he casteth away as after you shall see 8. But now perhaps you will ask me If John Fox do set down no Succession in these Ages as neither in the former of His Church or Ours what doth the simple Fellow in all this third Book of his Whereto I answer first That albeit he promiseth in the Title That this third Book shall contain the Acts and Monuments of 300 years together with the whole
race and course of the Church c. yet hath the whole Book but seventeen Leaves in all which is little more than one Leaf to every twenty years race and course of the whole Church And surely he that so courseth over an Ecclesiastical History may be called rather a Courser indeed than an Historiographer 9. Nay further he is so envious to the famous Acts of our English Church in these days especially with Foreign Nations as he either concealeth utterly the same or maketh reproachful mention thereof As for Example when he speaketh of the most Famous and Renowned Saint of our English Nation St. Wenfride called afterward Bonifacius and accounted by all Authors the Apostle of Germany for that he began principally their Conversion and was afterward most gloriously Martyred by the Pagans for preaching Christ's Gospel with above Fifty Fellows the most of them English-men Of this man I say how speaketh Fox You shall hear presently But first shall you see the words of a German Writer in his praise Primus omnium saith he qui Australes Germaniae partes c. The first of all that brought the Southern parts of Germany to the knowledge of Christian Religion from Idolatry was Wenfride an English man by Nation a true Philosopher of our Savior and after for his Vertue called Boniface and Archbishop of Moguntia And albeit some Authors do name some others that preached in sundry places before him yet this man as another Paul the Apostle did go before all in Labour of Preaching c. 10. So writeth Adam Bremensis a Saxon a Canon of the First and Head Church that was builded in Saxony after their Conversion by the preaching of English-men for so he sheweth in particular that English-men were their Converters but especially four most famous Learned Preachers and fervent Zeâ—lots in multiplying the Christian Faith to wit Willebrordus Willebaldus Willericus and Willehadus all which were renowned Apostolical Bishops in Germany Willebrord was sent over out of England with eleven Companions towards the Conversion of Germany by the holy Abbot St. Egbert as both St. Bede and other Authors after him do testifie and by Pope Sergius II. was made Bishop of Vltraiectum in Frisia and was the Apostle of that Country as also a principal Converter of the Kingdom of Denmark 11. Willebaldus was Bishop of Ayste in Saxony where he converted many thousands to Christian Faith and was canonized with universal joy of all that Country by Pope Leo VII in the year of Christ 1004 as Authors do recount 12 St. Willehad and St. Willerike were both Bishops of Breme in Saxony Post Passionem Sancti Bonifacii saith our foresaid German Author Willehadus ipse Angligena fervens amore Martyrii properavit in Frisiam c. After the Passion of St. Boniface St. Willehad an English-man also burning with the love of Martyrdom made hast also to come into Frisia where the other was Martyred c. And then sheweth he how this blessed man after the Conversion of many Thousands was sent by the Emperour Charles the Great to preach to the Northern Parts of Saxony which he did with great fervour till Windekind a Pagan Tyrant of that Country moving War against Charles drove him out upon which occasion he retired himself to a contemplative Life for two years together in France until after he was called out again by the said Charles to be Bishop of Breme in which Charge he both lived and died most holily 13. And next to him succeeded one of his Disciples Willericus and led an Apostolical Life in the same Charge for the space of 50 years together as Adam Bremensis Erpoldus Lindenbrughensis and others do testifie These Mens Acts then and other such-like had been fit matter for John Fox to have handled in his Ecclesiastical History of these Ages especially if he could have shewed that any one of these that wrought so infinite Miracles both alive and dead as the former Authors do testifie had been of his Religion But Fox doth pass over all with silence I mean both Them and their Actions but only that he taketh occasion to speak contemptuously of the first and Father of the rest St. Boniface For having spoken of the latter Synod of those two which we mentioned in the former Chapter to have been held in England by Theodorus and S. Cuthbert Archbishops of Canterbury he writeth thus Cuthbert the Archbishop of Canterbury sent the Copy of the Synod to Boniface otherwise named Winfride an English man then Archbishop of Mentz and after made a Martyr as the Popish Stories term him 14. Behold John Fox scarce counteth him a Martyr tho' he were put to death by Pagans for preaching Christian Faith. And a little after meaning to put down a certain Godly Epistle of the said Boniface or Wenfride written to Ethelbald King of the Mercians reprehending him for his licentious Life Fox writeth thus I thought this Epistle not unworthy here to be inserted not so much for the Authors sake as for that some good matter peradventure may be picked thereout for other Princes to behold and consider c. 15. Here now you see the Estimation and Affection of John Fox to Boniface of whom the Christian World of those Times both thought and spoke so reverendly for so many Ages But let us hear what John Bale will say for he being an Apostata will be more contumelious I trow Winifridus Bonifacius saith he claro Anglorum sanguine Londini natus c. Winifrid called also Boniface was born at London of Noble English Blood and afterward went to Rome where Pope Gregory II. having try'd the Man's Faith and seen his Magnificence of Mind or rather his shameless Pride thought him a Fellow fit for his Affairs and so sent him with full Authority into Germany to a wild People as then they were called to force them to his Faith. Neither hath there been any man since the Birth of Christ that hath more properly expressed the second Beast in the Apocalypse with two Horns than he for that the Pope being the great Antichrist he was the second c. He did sign with the Pope's Character a hundred thousand men in Bavaria only adjoyning them to the Kingdom of Antichrist rather by Fear than by pious Doctrin c. He built the Monastery of Fulda where no Woman might enter c. 16. Still you see one quarrel of John Bale against Monks is for shutting out Women from their Monasteries which as it was holily instituted and observed by ancient Monks so if it had been well kept in his Monastery of Norwich it may be he had continued a Monk as he began and never come acquainted with Dorothy that drew him out from thence as himself confesseth But is there any wicked tongue in the world that can speak more impiously than this Fellow doth of so rare an Apostolic Man and of his Actions yea of
to praise God after the imitation of King David hanging up by his Bed-side on a Pin upon the Wall he heard one night a voice of Angels sing in his Church this Verse Gaudent in Coelis animae Sanctorum at which time his said Harp also gave a sound of it self moved either by the said Angels or otherwise by Miracle from God. Whereat John Fox in his Heretical Vein maketh much Pastime tho' as already you have heard and shall do more in the third Part of this Book he esteemeth highly certain devised Miracles of his miserable Martyrs And so much of this 34. But now as touching the principal Point of all this Discourse which ought to have been the visible deduction of his Church from King Egbert to William the Conqueror there is not one word spoken for all that he writeth is of our Church and this in Lyes Fables Scoffs and Taunts as you see but of his own Church nothing no not so much as of any one person that in all agreed with him or his Church in these days concerning Religion Nay let him shew us any one Man Woman or Child Heretic or Catholic in all this time who was fully of the Religion now held in England and that these believed no more nor less than Fox and his Fellows do at this day and we will yield that he hath brought us forth some visible Church and Succession thereof tho' it be but of three or four persons 35. Lo with how little we are content And seeing Fox will not dare nor any man for him in my opinion to take upon him this Enterprize to wit to shew the succession of any three or four persons throughout the space of this first 1000 years after Christ who did in all things believe and profess the Faith and Religion that now is held in England whereunto also John Fox himself agreed fully while he lived as may appear by the Puritanical Points in his Story which he commendeth and defendeth in the Lives of Rogers Hooper and other their first English Parents as after shall be shewed Forsomuch I say as this is so and that never any three persons of what Condition Religion Sex or Sect soever can be shewed to have agreed fully in the Protestants Religion that now in England is professed not only for the time of these first thousand years of Christianity but neither for the other five hundred next following nor that our English Protestants of these days will bind themselves in all and every Point of Doctrin Faith and Belief to stand to any one visible Congregation Church Conventicle Society or number of men whatsoever professing the Name of Christ that have been known to live upon Earth from the Apostles time downward but that they do vary from them in one Article of Belief or other 36. If all this I say be true and most certain and made evident by this our deduction and that we offer to joyn any further Issue that shall be demanded with any Protestant living upon this point that shall have any thing to say or reply in this matter This being so then is it evident what a Succession of the Protestants Church John Fox bringeth or is able to bring down or any man for him notwithstanding his vain brag and flourish in the first Title of his Book That he would set down the whole race and course of the Church c. The Folly and Falshood of which flourish shall better also appear by that which ensueth from the Conquest downward CHAP. VII The fifth station of Time containing other Three hundred years from William the Conquerour unto the time of John Wickliff wherein is examined Whether the Catholic Roman Church did perish in this time as Fox affirmeth Here is treated also of Pope Hildebrand and of the Marriage of Priests YOU have seen good Reader by our former Treatse how brief and barren John Fox hath been hitherto in relating unto us Ecclesiastical matters for more than a thousand years For tho' he promised in the first Title of his Book as before you have heard that he would set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church from the primitive Age unto these latter Times of ours c. And again in another Title that he was to lay before us the Acts and Monuments of Christian Martyrs and matters Ecclesiastical passed in the Church of Christ from the primitive beginning to these our days as well in other Countries as namely in the Realms of England and also of Scotland discoursed at large c. yet this large Discourse for more than a thousand years is concluded by him in less than seventy Leaves of Paper whereof almost fifty are of impertinent matter to wit of certain Differences which he would pick out between the old Roman Church and that which is now and in the relation of the first Ten Persecutions under Heathen Emperours which before we have declared how little they appertain to his Argument or Subject taken in hand which was to set down the race and course of the whole Church And this being so you may consider what store of Ecclesiastical matters he findeth to his purpose in these first thousand years seeing he scarce spendeth thirty whole Leaves therein whereof also the far greater part I mean of that he writeth in these few Leaves is meer temporal or impertinent as in part you have heard And how then doth he tell us of Ecclesiastical matters discoursed at large c. and of the whole race and course of the Church set forth largely by him c. Do you see how these men do face and lye to deceive their Readers 2. But let us not complain I pray you of brevity or barrenness in John Fox nor lack of Volume seeing he hath set forth the greatest perhaps that ever was in our English Tongue And if he have been over-short for the thousand years past unto the time of William the Conqueror he will as much exceed in length now for the other five hundred years that are to ensue from the Conqueror to Queen Elizabeth upon which time he bestoweth above 900 Leaves And the reason of this so notable difference or inequality is that which we have touched before to wit that he finding the whole course of these former Times and Ages of the Christian Church to be against him nor daring openly to reject that Church nor manifestly to joyn with her Enemies adjudg'd by her for Heretics he chose to speak as little of those Times and Affairs as he could But now he hath taken another resolution much more desperate in hand which is to deny Our Church to be any longer a Church and to set up another of His in her place by which means he will come to have matter enough for that this being supposed and he presuming that all the Acts and Monuments of this Church I mean the General Roman Church receiv'd hitherto
throughout the World for Christ's Church are wicked and rebellious unto God and Acts of the Devil's Synagogue from the time that John Fox assigneth of her Fall and Apostacy and that on the contrary side all the Writings Actions and Gests of all sorts of Heretics against this Church from that time are the Acts and Monuments of the true Church of Christ Supposing all this I say as Fox doth there cannot want matter either on the one side or the other to fill up Volumes And the lower he passeth downward the more matter he findeth for that Sects and Sectaries increasing daily whom he registreth for Saints and Pillars of his Church the Volume of his Book must needs grow greatly And so is it seen by this fourth Book wherein from the Conquest to the latter-end of King Edward III's Reign when Wickliff began containing 300 years to wit from Anno Domini 1066 to 1370 there are spent above 100 Leaves of Paper which is much more than was in the former 1066 years But in the fifth Book from John Wickliff's time to King Henry VIII which are but 140 years are contained upon the point of 200 Leaves and then again from the beginning of King Henry's Reign to the entrance of Q. Elizabeth being but fifty years he spendeth above 600 Leaves And by this you may judge both of the Subject and Substance of John Fox's huge Volume tho' we are to look into the same somewhat more particularly also as we pass it over in this and the ensuing Chapters 3. Well then this being his device and resolution for the present to have no longer patience with our Church but wholly to deny the same his greatest difficulty seemeth to be about the Time and Causes to wit where or when or how or upon what occasion she perished or vanished away for seeing she hath continued by his Confession also for so many Years and Ages and come down unto our days under the self-same Succession of Bishops Pastors and Teachers as before and consequently also with the self-same Doctrin and Religion and with the same external Power and Majesty which it was wont it seemeth a very hard thing upon the sudden either to annihilate so Great and Mighty a Kingdom or which is much more difficult to make so strange a Metamorphosis and Mutation in her as that she having been hitherto the Church of Christ his Spouse his Kingdom his dearest Beloved and beautified with his Graces directed by his Spirit enriched with his most precious Gifts and Endowments and so acknowledged also by Fox ' himself in former Ages that now she should become Christ's Enemy and Adversary upon the sudden and the Kingdom of Satan his Eternal Foe and yet to retain still the Name Place Estimation and external Dignity which she had before professing with no less shew of duty her Obedience and Love to Christ than in former times she was wont This Change and Metamorphosis I say is most wonderful and incredible to all those that believe Christ to be God and to have been able to perform his promise that Hell-gates should never prevail against this Church Wherefore we are to examin somewhat more diligently in this Chapter how this matter could fall out and when and by what occasion come to pass for that so great and rare a Mutation as this is never fell out yet in the World before Tho' Temporal States and Kingdoms have had their changes nay all temporal mutations of Empires Kingdoms States and Monarchies have been made principally to shew the contrary stability and immutable continuation of Christ's Church once planted in the World as in part we have declared before shewing how that in all times and seasons in all variety and variations of States People Countries and Dominions as well in England as elsewhere the Christian Catholic Religion remained one and the same among them all To which effect also is that notable Prophesie of Daniel when foretelling first the breaking and overthrow of all four Monarchies by him mentioned he addeth as a notorious opposition to the same the stability and immortality of Christ's Church and Kingdom once set on foot in these words In the days of these Kingdoms God of Heaven shall raise up a Kingdom that shall never be dissipated neither shall this Kingdom be given to another people This Kingdom shall consume and wear out all the other Kingdoms but it self shall stand for ever 4. Thus saith Daniel and the most of these Points we have seen verified and fulfilled already for God of Heaven hath raised this Kingdom and visible Church of Christ which then seemed a strange matter he hath increased and continued the same for a thousand years and more as Fox will confess which is a longer time than any Temporal Monarchy lightly hath continued without change he hath overthrown in this time and consumed the other Kingdoms and Monarchies mentioned by him Now remain the other two Clauses to be fulfilled in like manner to wit That it shall stand for ever or as Christ expoundeth it usque and consummationem saeculi to to the Worlds end and then quod alteri populo non tradetur that this Kingdom shall not be delivered over to another People from that which possessed it from the beginning The quite contrary whereof teacheth here John Fox affirming this Church that hath been accounted the true Church and Kingdom of Christ for a thousand years past is now no more his Church or Kingdom nor these Popes Bishops and Pastors that are found in her to have come down by continual Succession are now no more the true and lawful Guides or Governors thereof but that it appertaineth to others and consequently this Kingdom of Christ is taken from them and delivered to another People to wit to the Berengarians to the Waldenses to the Albanenses to the Wickliffians Lutherans Zuinglians and other like people of latter Ages 5. This is John Fox his mad Assertion wherein you see he should prove two Points First That our Church is lost and fallen and our Men rightly dispossessed of the Interest thereof And then That his Men to wit these new Sectaries have entred into a just possession of that Name and Title of the true Church Both which Points we deny You shall see how he beginneth to prove the first that is to say the Fall and Overthrow of the Universal visible Church sirnamed the Roman And thus hitherto saith he stood the condition of the Church of Christ meaning the next Ages before the Conquest albeit not without some repugnance and difficulty yet in some mean state of the Truth and Verity till the time of Pope Hildebrand called Gregory VII which was near about the year 1080. and of Pope Innocentius III. in the year 1215. by whom all was turned upside down all Order broken true Doctrin defaced Christian Faith extinguished c. 6. Here you see John Fox to assign two Times and two Popes when and
qui perpetuae se devoverit Castitati To him only belongeth to offer Sacrifice who hath vowed himself to perpetual Chastity 20. Behold Sacrifice and vowing of Chastity in Priests of the Greek Church above 700 years before the time that Fox saith it was decreed first of all by Pope Gregory VII that they should not marry And Eusebius in the next Age after being one of them that were of the Council of Nice saith Eos qui sacrati sunt in Dei ministerio cultúque occupati continere deinceps seipsos à commercio Vxoris decet It becometh them that are consecrated and occupied in the Service of God to contain themselves for the time to come from all dealing with Wives There follow in the same Age with Eusebius divers other Fathers as St. Cyrill St. Gregory Nyssen St. Chrysostom St. Epiphany all which writing of this matter are of the same Opinion Qui apud Jesum bene fungitur Sacerdotio abstinet à Muliere saith St. Cyril He that performeth the Office of a Priest well in the sight of Jesus that is to say is a good Christian Priest doth abstain from all Women To like sense do write St. Gregory Nyssen lib. de Virginit cap. ult and St. Chrysostom hom 2. de patien Job And as for St. Epiphanius we have alleged him before as reprehended by the Magdeburgians for affirming this Rule of Priests Continency from Marriage to have been observed in his time throughout the whole Church with great sincerity wheresoever good Clergy-men were 21. It were in vain to allege the Latin Fathers for that our Enemies confess them to be all of the contrary judgment to them But when no other Argument were the very Example of so great a multitude of famous learned and holy Bishops Doctors Teachers and Preachers of those first Ages after Christ that lived Continent and were not married as St. Ignatius St. Polycarp Clemens Alexandrinus St. Athanasius St. Basil St. Gregory Nazianzen St. Chrysostom St. Epiphanius St. Cyril and many others of the Greek Church as also St. Cyprian St. Hillary St. Ambrose St. Hierom St. Augustin and above Fifty Popes of Rome held all for Saints and the most of them Martyrs in the Latin Church These Mens Example I say is a sufficient Argument to shew what was the Spirit of Christ in those days to him that hath any feeling thereof 22. But to say no more of this but to return to make an end of our speech of Pope Gregory VII whom our Protestants for his singular Vertue and Constancy in God's Cause cannot abide Fox concludeth thus of his death Antoninus writeth That Hildebrand as he lay a dying desired one of his Cardinals to go to the Emperour and desire of him forgiveness absolving both Him and his Partners from Excommunication c. And true it is that St. Antoninus Archbishop of Florence relateth some such thing upon other mens speeches saying Quod misit Cardinalem ad Imperatorem ad totam Ecclesiam ut optaret ei Indulgentiam That he sent the Cardinal to the Emperour and to all the Church to wish him Indulgence And what marvel if it had been so that a man lying at Deaths door would gladly be at peace with all the World But why hath not Fox set down the other words of Antoninus presently following Quae tamen vera esse non credo multis de causis Which yet for many causes I do not believe to be true Here you may see that Fox is still a Fox 23. Nauclerus reporteth That his last words lying on his Death-bed in Salerno were those of the Psalm Dilexi Justitiam odivi Iniquitatem propterea morior in exilio c. I have loved Justice and hated Iniquity and for this do I die in banishment being driven away from my See by the violence of the Emperour Thus wrote Nauclerus of him tho' a German adding these words Vir fuit Gregorius times Deum Justitiae Aequitatis amator in adversis constans Pope Gregory was a man that feared God a great lover of Justice and Equity constant in Adversity And Platina that flattereth not Popes as our Protestants do confess writing of him saith Vir certe Deo gratus c. Truly he was a man grateful to God Prudent Just Clement and a Patron of all Poor but especially of Pupils and Widows Cranzius also a German saith Henricus Gregorium septimum virum sanctum insectatus est Henry the Emperour persecuted Pope Gregory VII being a holy Man. 24. But to omit this and to speak no more of Popes Lives or Learning especially of these two Gregory and Innocentius so well known but only to consider their Faith and Belief for That principally indeed concerneth our purpose seeing that albeit they should be Wicked or Unlearned yet might they be true Popes I would ask John Fox What one Article of Belief any one of these two Popes living more than an hundred years the one after the other did they differ in from their Predecessors or were noted by their Successors for the same And if no such Article can be brought forth as most certainly there cannot how then could these two Popes either joyntly or severally overthrow so great a Church dispersed over all the World as was at that time the Roman and much more extinguish the whole Christian Faith as John Fox affirmeth 25. Is not this plain madness to affirm that any one or two Popes could overthrow a whole Church or extinguish Christian Faith especially living an hundred years one from the other as hath been said For if the first had done it then what needed the help of the second or if the same Church persevered in Christian Faith for an hundred years together after the first then did not he overthrow the same And yet doth John Fox delight himself so much in this Fancy that in divers places of his Book he foundeth his whole Discourses thereon as we shall see in the Chapter following CHAP. VIII Here followeth a dreaming Imagination of John Fox contrary to it self about the Fall of the Roman Church and Rising of Antichrist with the rest that remaineth of our Ecclesiastical History from the Conquest to Wickliff JOhn Fox taking upon him in his vein of fancy to distinguish Times and to determin when the Church of Rome fell sick and died when Antichrist was born and other like vain imaginations proving also the same by certain Revelations made unto himself as he lay on his Bed upon a Sunday in the morning he setteth down for a ground this distinction of Times in the very beginning of his Acts and Monuments in these words First saith he I will treat of the suffering time of the Church which continued from the Apostles Age about 300 years Secondly of the flourishing time of the Church which lasted other 300 years Thirdly of the declining time of the Church which comprehendeth also other 300 years until the loosing out
of Sathan which was 1000 years after the ceasing of the Persecution Fourthly followeth the time of Antichrist or the loosing of Sathan or desolation of the Church c. 2. Lo here John Fox maketh a different Account from the former as tho' the time of Antichrist and loosing of Sathan for overthrowing the true Church had begun much sooner than under Pope Gregory and Innocentius to wit from the year of Christ 900 which was almost 200 years before Gregory VII was born And yet doth he also contradict himself in this if you mark him for that he saith this loosing of Sathan was about the thousandth year after the ceasing of Persecution which ceasing being counted by Fox himself from the time of Constantine the Great when he saith Sathan was bound up for 1000 years the ending thereof must fall not upon the year of Christ 900 as in this his Account but rather upon the year of Christ 1300 at which time he was let forth again if we believe John Fox and had power given him not only to impugn but to overthrow the Church contrary to that which Christ had promised Matth. 16. That Hell-gates should not prevail against her 3. But let us see a third place where John Fox handleth this Mystery different from both these now alleged to wit in the beginning of his fifth Book from Wickliff downward where he maketh another Account yet of binding and loosing of Sathan and overthrowing the true Church And this forsooth out of the 20th Chapter of the Apocalypse by a large Text which having recited he saith thus By these words of the Revelation three special things are to be noted First the being abroad of Sathan Secondly his binding up and Thirdly the loosing out of him again after a thousand years consummate c. 4. Thus he hath there And then a little after he maketh his Account thus The binding up of Sathan after peace given to the Church counting from the 30th year of Christ was Anno Domini 294 which lasted for 1000 years until Anno 1294 about which year Pope Boniface VIII was made Pope and made the sixth Decretals confirmed the Order of Friars and privileged them with great freedom So writeth Fox and confirmeth his Sentence by certain old Verses written by a Monk as he saith which affirm that Cùm fuerint anni completi mille ducenti Et decies seni post partum Virginis Almae Tunc Antichristus nascetur Daemone plenus That is When a thousand two hundred and threescore years after the Virgins Child-birth shall be finished then shall Antichrist be born replenished with the spirit of Satan Which Fox will needs have to be meant by the foresaid Bonifacius VIII as tho' He above others had overthrown the Church and had been the first Antichrist among Popes Which if it were true then can it not fall either upon Gregory VII or Innocentius III. no nor upon Boniface himself named by him for that he was not made Pope 34 years after this devised Prophesie did appoint Antichrist to be born to wit 1260 seeing he was made Pope as Fox also confesseth Anno 1294. 5. But the best pastime is to hear what immediately followeth in Fox which are these words These Verses saith he were written as appeareth by the said Author Anno Domini 1285. Well Sir John and what of this doth not this overthrow all the credit of your Prophesie seeing it sheweth that these Verses were written 25 years after the day appointed by the Prophesie was past 6. So we see that this man having toiled so much to draw all that is spoken in the Apocalypse or Book of Revelation concerning Antichrist and the binding and loosing of Sathan to fall upon the Popes and Roman Church he cannot tell where to lay it but playeth notoriously the Fool and is contrary to himself as by the examination of the three places alleged may appear For in the first he affirmeth Christian Faith to have been extinguished either by Pope Gregory VII in the year of Christ 1080 or by Innocentius III. in the year 1215 and here he will have it to have been under Bonifacius VIII which was almost another hundred years after Innocentius 7. In the second place he will have the loosing of Sathan and consequently also the Fall of the Church to have been almost 200 years before Gregory VII that is to say in the year of Christ 900 and all the rest downward to have been under Antichrist which he calleth the time of Desolation and Reign of Sathan over the Church And he confirmeth the same again in the beginning of another Treatise following where repeating the division of his whole Work he saith That his intention is first to declare the suffering time of the Church for 300 years secondly the flourishing time for other 300 thirdly the declining time for other 300 years fourthly the time of Antichrist reigning and raging since the loosing of Sathan for other 400 years fifthly the reforming time of Christ's Church in these latter 300 since John Wickliff begun and after Luther and other like people Thus saith Fox wherein he agreeth somewhat as you see with his last former Account that Sathan was let loose to overthrow the Church about the year of Christ 900 which yet is quite contrary to that which he writeth in his first place before alledged that the foresaid Church was overthrown by Pope Gregory VII and Innocentius III. some hundreds of years after that time But much more contrary it is to that which he writeth lastly out of the Apocalypse in his fourth place alleged to wit That Sathan was bound up for a thousand years which number of years after the first Ten Persecutions he saith must begin from the year of Christ 294 which he endeavoreth tho' fondly to prove out of the 13th Chapter of the Apocalypse where it is said That Power was given by the Dragon to the Beast to wit to Antichrist to speak Blasphemy and to do what listed him for Forty two months which make as all men know three years and a half which is the time allotted by St. John according to all ancient Fathers Interpretations to the Reign of Antichrist in the end of the World. And it is so expounded in other places of this Revelation it self to wit by these words a time times and half a time and in another place by 1260 days and then again by 42 months All which numbers being examined do make up just the foresaid three years and a half prophesied and expressed in like manner by Daniel the Prophet 9. And in this there is no doubt or question among Catholics or ancient Writers but that Antichrist a particular person designed for that end from the beginning of the World shall appear and have power given him from the Devil to turmoil and afflict the Church of Christ for the space of three years and a half before the day of Judgment Only the Heretics of our time
to divert these Prophesies from the true Antichrist and apply them to certain Bishops of Rome do beat their heads how to devise out some new Expositions of these numbers never heard or thought of before And namely John Fox more fondly than the rest will have the number of 42 Months to import 294 years that is every Month to signifie seven years or as fantastically he calleth it a Sabbath of Years For proof whereof having neither Authority nor any one Example of Scripture he confirmeth it by a Revelation of his own as after you shall hear 10. His device therefore is That the 1000 years wherein Sathan is said in the Ayocalypse to be ty'd up must begin as you see after the said 294 years of Heathen Persecution were ended So that the loosing out of Sathan against the Church again must fall in the year of Christ 1294 when Bonifacius VIII was chosen Pope or as the Monks Prophesie was upon the year 1260 when Antichrist was born Which is both contrary to that he said before that he was loosed about the year 900 as also that the Popes Gregory VII and Innocentius III. by Sathan's help no doubt overthrew the Church about the year of Christ 1080 or 1215 For if that Sathan was bound and not loosed until the year of Christ 1294 how could he overthrow the Church before 11. Wherefore all these new Interpretations of the words of the Apocalypse are but fantastical devices of wrangling Heretics seeing the ancient Fathers do interpret all these things far otherwise And first they put the binding up of Sathan for 1000 years there mentioned before the other number of 42 Months given to Antichrist to work his will and do say that the said loosing of Sathan began from the very Death and Passion of Christ when the power of Sathan was bound according to the saying of Christ himself in St. John's Gospel drawing near to his Passion Now the Prince of this World shall be cast forth And secondly they do interpret these 1000 Years not to signifie any certain time but generally to signifie all the whole course of time between the death of Christ and the coming of Antichrist three years and a half before the Day of Judgment according to the ordinary phrase of Scripture As for Example Quod mandavit Deus in mille generationes God hath commanded his Precept to be kept for a thousand Generations that is to say to the Worlds end and not for any certain time And again in Job If a Just man should contend with God he cannot answer him one for a thousand 12. This then is the ancient Interpretation of holy Doctors quite contrary to these new fancies of John Fox whose Expositions are both contrary to himself as in part you have seen and opposite to the words and sense of Scripture it self For whereas first these 42 Months importing by his Account 294 years were given to Sathan to work his will against the Saints of God the Scripture saith they were given to the Beast that is to say to Antichrist by the Dragon and not to the Dragon himself And secondly whereas he would needs have the 42 Months to signifie 294 years the Scriptures do expound them by 1260 days which make just three years and a half as hath been said 13. Thirdly Fox shall never find any place or example in Scripture where the word Month either in Greek or Latin doth signifie seven Days Weeks or Years as in Daniel the Greek word Hebdomada doth and may by its proper signification And yet is John Fox so fond and resolute in his device as all other proofs and probabilities failing him he will needs confirm it by a Revelation from God which he recounteth in these words following 14. Because the matter saith he being of no small importance greatly appertaineth unto the public utility of the Church and lest any should misdoubt me herein to follow any private Interpretations of my own I thought good to communicate to the Reader that which hath been imparted unto me in the opening of these Mystical Numbers in the foresaid Book of Revelation contained by occasion as followeth c. 15. As I was in hand with these Histories c. being vexed and turmoiled in spirit about the reckoning of these Numbers and Years it so happened upon a Sunday in the morning lying in my Bed and musing about these Numbers suddenly it was answered to my mind as with a majesty thus saying inwardly within me Thou Fool count these Months by Sabboths as the Weeks of Daniel are counted by Sabboths The Lord I take to witness thus it was Whereupon thus being admonished I began to reckon the 42 Months by Sabboths first of the Months and that would not serve and then by Sabboths of Years and then I began to feel some probable understanding Yet not satisfied herewith eftsoons I repaired to certain Merchants of my acquaintance of whom one is departed a true and faithful Servant of the Lord the other two yet alive and Witnesses hereof to whom the number of these foresaid Months being propounded and examined by Sabboths of Years the whole Sum was found to surmount to 294 years containing the full and just time of the foresaid Persecutions neither more nor less c. 16. And thus you have the Revelation made to John Fox which he saith that he relateth unto us for that we shall not misdoubt the truth thereof nor think that he followeth any private Interpretation of his own but that it came from God immediately And this is the first Dream of John Fox in his Bed. And the second ridiculous point is that he went to three Merchants to confer this Revelation and that they approved the same The third point is open Folly where he saith that this number of 294 containeth the full and just time of the first Persecution of Christians under Pagan Emperours neither more nor less which before hath been confuted and is evident in it self seeing that from Christ to the Victory of Constantine against Maxentius there are assigned by Eusebius 318 years and yet did not this Persecution of Christians cease then neither but continued under Licinius and other Tyrants for divers years after See then how just these Numbers fall out neither more nor less All which being considered I find no one thing so true or credible in all this Revelation as those words of the Spirit unto him saying Thou Fool for that this maketh him a Fool indeed by Revelation And so much of him and of this whole matter of binding and loosing Sathan and Reign of Antichrist Now let us return to the continuation of our Conference with John Fox about his Church 17. The deduction of the Catholic Roman Church from William the Conqueror downward unto John Wickliff's time is no less easie and clear but rather more than the former deduction from Christ to the Conquest for that the Church was now more spread and
Church which was gathered together of all Nations from the beginning is not now it hath perished or fallen from Christ thus say they which are not in her O impudent Speech Is she no longer a Church for that thou art not in her 24. Here I trow Fox will be ashamed or his Fellows for him seeing this is their ordinary speech That this great visible Church began by Christ and his Apostles held on well for a time but at length fell to Apostacy as St. Augustin saith of his Heretics in the same place Dicunt impletae sunt Scripturae crediderunt omnes gentes sed apostatavit periit Ecclesia These Heretics say that the Scriptures were fulfilled that all Nations believed and entred into this Church but that after a time it fell to Apostacy and perished But what answereth St. Augustin to this impudent Objection He opposeth the words of Christ himself Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem saeculi Behold I am with you to the end of the World. As who would say By this Doctrin they make Christ a Lyar and a Deceiver that promised more than he could perform nay in very deed they deny hereby his whole Deity and do evacuate all the Mysteries of his whole Incarnation Life Passion Resurrection Ascension and sending of the Holy Ghost c. 25. For to what end was all this done but to gather together found establish and to conserve this Church unto the end of the World For what was Christ incarnate and God made Man but to be Head of this Church Why did he preach gather his Apostles and Disciples instruct them pray for them and their continuance leave Sacraments among them but that they should visibly begin this Church Why did Christ send the Holy Ghost but to direct and confirm the same not for one Age or Two but to the Worlds end How did Christ command men under pain of Damnation to enter into this Church and absolutely to hear and obey the same if it were only to endure for certain Ages and then to perish How should Pagans Infidels Jews Turks Moors or other like people if by God's Inspiration they should have a desire to be Christians know what to do or whither to go or where to be truly instructed if they came after the time appointed by Fox when the visible Roman Church had perished to wit after the time of Pope Gregory VII when Fox saith That Christian Faith was now extinguished in the Vniversal visible Church above 500 years agone And yet on the other side this new Church of Wickliffians Hussites and others of that Sect which he putteth to be the true Church was not yet born by two or three hundred years So as then he must needs confess that either there was no Christian Church at all for some Ages or that he must place it in some other obscure Heretics and Sectaries of that time named by me before yet he doth not agree at all in their Articles of Religion 26. Well then this shall be sufficient to shew the absurdity of John Fox his device for overthrow of our Church and setting up of his own patching it up of the Heretics of these latter Ages And yet you must note that for the first three hundred years next after the Conquest to this time of the rising of Wickliff which contain the whole substance of his fourth Book and therein a hundred Leaves of Paper he scarce findeth any Heretics whom he dareth to challenge for Members of his Church fully tho' some liking he sheweth to the foresaid Waldenses and Albigenses So as all the substantial building of his Church beginneth only from Wickliff downward of whom we shall talk more particularly in the Chapter following 27. But perhaps then you will ask me How doth he fill up these hundred Leaves of Paper in this his fourth Book if here also he allege so little for his visible Church I shall tell you briefly He goeth from King to King and from Archbishop to Archbishop shewing what strifes or disagreements suits or controversies fell out between our two Archbishops of Canterbury and York between our Kings Archbishops Religious Orders and Secular Priests Canons and their Bishops and other such quarrels in those times making scornful Notes upon every Point and then he putteth down a Bead-roll of all the particular Orders of Religious Men in England entituling the same The Rabblement of Religious Orders Then cometh he in with a complaint of the Nobles of England against the Exactions and Covetousness of Popes in those days and many Letters and Writings about the same but citeth commonly no Author for any thing Then bringeth he in what variance at divers times there passed between the Popes and the Citizens of Rome what strifes between some Popes and Emperours betwixt Kings of France and Kings of England and such like other matter little to the purpose he took in hand which was to set down the race and course of his Church 28. But the greatest part of this Book doth take up the particular Lying Treatise against Pope Gregory VII against Lanfrank Anselm and Thomas Becket Archbishops of Canterbury the counterfeit devised poysoning of King John by a Monk or Friar the Story or Persecution as he calleth it of the Heretics named Waldenses or poor Men of Lyons and Albigenses of Tholosa and the like We shall say a word or two to each Point 29. As for Pope Gregory called before Hildebrand he so raileth upon him as if he had been the wickedest man that ever lived and the Emperour the best and yet have you heard the grave testimonies before of the principal ancient Authors to the contrary in them both But do you hear Fox himself speak Now let us proceed saith he to the contentions between wicked Hildebrand and the godly Emperour c. Lo how he sanctifieth the Emperour for hatred to the Pope 30. Of Archbishop Lanfrank so highly commended by all Writers for his Vertue and rare Learning whereby he confuted most excellently the new risen Heresie of Berengarius Fox writeth thus I think that unless Lanfrank had brought with him less Superstition and more sincere Science into Christ's Church he might have kept him still is his Country and have confuted Berengarius at home Do you see how wise a confutation this is 31. St. Anselm followed after Lanfrank in the Archbishopric of Canterbury and was banished by William Rufus and died upon the 22 of April in the year 1109 and is held for a Saint by all Posterity and his said day kept Festival throughout Christendom And yet so writeth Fox his Story as tho' King Rufus whose manners yet all English Historiographers both Heretics and Catholics do greatly blame had had the right and Anselmus had offered the wrong insomuch as in one place Fox maketh this Marginal Note against this holy Man The proud stoutness of a Prelate in a
of his Church observe what he writeth presently upon the enumeration of these foresaid Pillars of his Church 6. Wherefore if any be so beguiled in his Opinion saith he as to think that the Doctrin of the Church of Rome as now it standeth is of such Antiquity and that the same was never impugned before the time of Luther and Zuinglius now of late let him read these Histories and peruse the Acts of Parliament passed in this Realm of ancient time as Anno 5 Regis Richardi 2. 1380 c. Did you ever hear a man in his Wits reason in this sort How doth this Catalogue I pray you of condemned Heretics for these last 400 years impugn the Antiquity of the Roman Church or Doctrin before that time And again Who doth deny but that the same Roman Church and Doctrin was impugned by old Heretics long before Luther and Zuinglius yea and before Wickliff Waldenses Albigenses and Berengarius were born as by our former deduction hath appeared that she was impugned by Heretics of every Age And moreover To what purpose doth Fox will us to read these Histories and the Acts of Parliament passed against Wickliffians in the time of King Richard II To what purpose I say doth this simple Fellow talk and write this against himself seeing that by these Histories and Statutes we learn nothing as before we have noted but only that his elder Brethren the Lollards and Wickliffians were condemned for Heretics by public Authority of our Realm above 200 years agone Which we grant unto him without further proof 7. Wherefore to leave this childish babling that is without sense consequence or reason and to return to some more serious Argument We shall handle here two Points for better discussion of this Succession of Sectaries alleged by John Fox First What are the Conditions necessarily required to a good Ecclesiastical Succession for demonstrating a Church And then What manner of men these were indeed which Fox doth here assign for Representation of his Church And all shall be done with as much brevity as may be 8. The first Condition is That this Succession of men that make the Church be Universal both in Place and Time that is to say to use St. Augustin's words Non quae hoc loco est sed quae hoc loco per totum Orbem terrarum nec illa quae hoc tempore sed ab ipso Abel usque in finem c. That it be not in this or that particular place only but in this place and throughout the whole World and that it be not only in this or that time but that it be from Abel to the end of the World. By which words of St. Augustin we see that the visible Succession of the true Church must be Universal first in Place and that it must be a visible Company professing Christ under one Faith and Doctrin not in this or that particular Country Province or Place only but over all the World where Christians are And so we see it verified in the Succession of the Roman Church in our former deductions 9. Secondly It must be Universal in Time for that it must not begin from John Wickliff only Bertramus or Berengarius as John Fox doth appoint the Visibility of his Church but it must come down from the Apostles and endure visibly to the end of the World yea from Abel himself as St. Augustin saith for that even from Him Christ instituted a visible Church and continued the same by Succession under all three Laws both of Naturè of Moyses and of Grace as St. Augustin in his Book de Civitate Dei doth declare at large and in our days Dr. Sanders most Learnedly in his Excellent Work de Visibili Monarchia doth prove the same 10. So as this Collection of Sectaries alleged here by John Fox being neither Universal in place nor agreeing in Faith with the Universal known Church of Christendom but with particular Assemblies one in one place and another in another nor yet having Universality of Time as not coming down from the Apostles Age but only for some 400 years as Fox himself confesseth these men I say cannot make a true Church tho' they have some sparks of true Doctrin among them as Fox braggeth seeing it is true which St. Augustin affirmeth Quicunque credunt quòd Christus Jesus in Carne venerit quòd fit Filius Dei c. Et tamen ab ejus Corpore quod est Ecclesia ita dissentiunt ut eorum communio non sit cum toto quacunque diffunditur sed in aliqua parte separata inveniatur manifestum est eos non esse in Catholica Ecclesia Whosoever doth believe that Christ Jesus came in Flesh and that he is the Son of God c. And that they do so dissent from his Body that is the Church as they do not communicate with the whole spread over all parts but only with some separate part it is manifest that these men are not of the Catholic Church And thus much of the first Condition 11. The second Point to be considered is When the ancient Fathers do stand upon visible Succession of Men as a Note of the true Church they meant it especially by Bishops that come down by continual Succession from the Apostles time to ours Ecclesia saith St. Augustin ab Apostolorum temporibus per Episcoporum Successiones certissimas usque ad nostrum deinceps tempora perseverat The true Church doth persevere from the Apostles time unto ours and after us again to the Worlds end by most certain Succession of Bishops c. St. Irenaeus also Tertullian Optatus and St. Augustin before-alleged do each of them as you have heard deduce the visible Succession of the Church from the Apostles to their days by the visible Succession of the Roman Bishops 12. And finally the Sentence of the said holy Father St. Augustin is notoriously known in many parts of his Works concerning the importance of this Succession Tenet me saith he in Ecclesia Catholica ab ipsa Sede Petri ad praesentem Episcopatum Successio Sacerdotum The Succession of Priests he meaneth Bishops from the Seat of St. Peter unto the present Bishop of Rome holdeth me in the Catholic Church And again against his old Master Faustus the Manichee Vides in hac re quid Ecclesiae Catholicae valeat Authoritas quae ab ipsis fundatissimis Sedibus Apostolorum usque ad hodiernum diem succedentium sibimet Episcoporum serie tot populorum consensione firmatur Dost thou not see of what force the Authority of the Catholic Church is which being established by the most firm foundations of the Apostolic See doth endure unto this day by the Race of Bishops succeeding one another and by the consent of so many Nations under their Government 13. Behold here four things especially required by St. Augustin in Succession of men that must demonstrate a true Church First
That the chief Heads thereof must be Bishops Secondly They must succeed orderly one to another Thirdly They must come down from the very Apostles as before hath been shewed Fourthly Christian Nations must agree in the same Faith under them All which four Points are to be found in the Succession of the Universal Roman Church as you have seen but no one of them and much less all are to be found in this Rabble of Heresies and Sectaries scrap'd together by Fox in his former Catalogue For neither were they Bishops at all but private men as after shall be shewed tho' Fox most falsly doth affirm one of them to have been a Learned Bishop Nor did they succeed in Office Function Charge or Jurisdiction the one to the other or concurred in one Time Country or place but one in one corner and another in another One stept up in Germany another in France another in Italy and another in England the one a Priest another a Friar another a Merchant and the other a Souldier or Crafts-man of different States Professions and Conditions yea of different Faith and Religion also as presently shall be shewed Neither had they any relation one to the other more than Botley to Billingsgate or Canterbury to Constantinople And as for Antiquity and coming down by Succession from the Apostles they are far from it as Fox himself confesseth in that he beginneth his Catalogue only from Pope Innocentius 1200 years after Christ as you have heard So as if Christ had any visible Church before this time it must needs be Ours by Fox's own confession 14. And finally the last Point mentioned here and so highly esteemed by St. Augustin of the consent of People and Nations tot populorum consensione firmatur whereof he maketh such account in another place as he saith Anathema erit quisquis annunciaverit Ecclesiam praeter Communicationem omnium gentium He shall be accursed whosoever shall say the Church to be any other but the Communication of all Nations This quality I say he that shall consider and examin in these poor Fellows alleged by Fox who were but a few Outcasts of every Country where they sprung shall find it so ridiculous and contemptible a thing in respect of the main consent of Nations under the Roman Church as without laughter it cannot be spoken of 15. Finally of this ridiculous Succession of Heretics the same holy Father writeth fitly in these words Videtis certè multos praecisos à radice Christianae Societatis quae per Sedes Apostolorum Successiones Episcoporum certa per Orbem propagatione diffunditur de sola figura Originis sub Christiano nomine quasi arescentia sarmenta gloriari quas Haereses Schismata nominamus Truly you see many cut off from the root of this Christian Society the Church which Society is spread over all the World by the Seats of the Apostles and Succession of Bishops as it were by a most certain Propagation or Generation and these Fellows do brag of a certain figure or similitude of a Beginning or Succession under the name of Christians but are indeed wither'd Branches cut off from the Vine and these we call Heretics and Schismatics Thus saith St. Augustin And could any man describe better the Apish Imitation of John Fox endeavouring to bring in his Succession of a few condemned Heretics de sola figura Originis sub Christiano nomine gloriantes bragging only of a certain similitude of Beginning and Succession under the name of reformed Christians but indeed cast out and condemned by the Universal Church 16. This then is the second Point to be noted about the quality of Ecclesiastical Succession But another there is of no less moment but rather more And this is That those who succeed one another in the self-same Church be also of one Faith and Belief in all Articles of Religion For if they differ tho' it were but in any one substantial Point they cannot be of one Church nor of one Communion nor be saved together for that as there is but one God one Christ one Church and one Baptism as the Apostle testifieth so is there but one only Faith in the same Church to be saved by which all men must hold unitedly wholly and inviolably or else as in the Creed of St. Athanasius is affirmed absque dubio in aeternum peribit without doubt he shall perish eternally that disagreeth or dissenteth 17. It were a long matter to stand here upon the proof of this Point to wit how exact and severe the Catholic Church is and ever hath been in defending this strict Simplicity Union and Conformity of Faith in all those that will be her Children St. Thomas handleth the matter at large and very substantially and so do other School-men after him shewing That whosoever erreth in any one Article of Catholic Faith obstinately loseth his whole Faith in all the rest which he seemeth to believe And yieldeth most evident reasons for the same And of the same severity were the ancient Fathers in this behalf as St. Cyprian who applying to this purpose those words of Christ Qui non est mecum adversum me est He that is not with me is against me saith It was meant by Christ of all sorts of Heretics whatsoever Gregory Nazianzen also writeth Qui uno verbo tanquam veneni gutta inficiunt c. They who by any one word as with a drop of Poyson do infect the simple Faith of Christ are to be cast out of the Church as Heretics c. And St. Hierom Propter unum etiam verbum aut duo c. For one word or two contrary to the Catholic Faith many Heresies have been cast out of the Church And finally St. Augustin having reckon'd up Eighty particular Heresies in his Book to Quod-vult-deus he saith That there may chance to lurk many other petty Heresies unknown to him Quarum aliquam quisquis tenuerit Christianus Catholicus non erit Of which Heresies whosoever shall hold any one he shall not be a Catholic Christian and consequently cannot be saved 18. Mark the severity of this holy Man affirming That whosoever holdeth any the least hidden Heresie whatsoever cannot be saved A dreadful Sentence no doubt for many of our Country-men at this day if well they thought of their own case who think it lawful or at leastwise not much dangerous to hold private Opinions at their own pleasure yea many of them thinking as the old Donatists did which St. Augustin relateth and greatly condemneth Nihil interesse credentes in qua quisque parte Christianus sit believing that it is not of great importance in what part Sect or Faction soever a man be a Christian so he believe in Christ Thus thought the Donatists and are much reprehended by St. Augustin for it And this no doubt is the Opinion of many English-men at this day who being tossed hither and thither with
Pope 6. But what did he from his breach forward Did he spare the new Gospellers any thing more for his breach with the Pope Truly it cannot be denied but that for some years he wink'd at their doings somewhat more than before considering the new difficulties wherein he had cast himself by his new disunion and breach as before we have noted in the end of the former Part. But as soon as he had put his Domestical Affairs in some quiet and security he returned again to his former course and custom of restraining these new unruly Spirits by calling them to account for their Innovations and proceeding juridically against them according to Church Canons and according to his former judgment in matters of Religion Which as I might shew by divers ways of proof as well of Acts of Parliament as Proclamations Injunctions and other Declarations of his Will and Opinion in this behalf so will we allege only two or three Examples in the first kind besides those which we have set down in the former Part. 7. In the 31st year of his Reign which was seven or eight years after his breach with the Pope there was made an Act for abolishing of diversity of Opinions about Christian Faith which beginneth thus Whereas the King 's most Excellent Majesty is by God's Law Supreme Head immediately under him of the whole Church of England c. intending the conservation of the same Church in a true sincere and uniform Doctrin of Christ's Religion c. Thus beginneth his Preface And then he determineth together with the Parliament That whosoever shall deny the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar or affirm that the Communion is necessary under both Kinds or that Priests may by God's Law take Wives after Priesthood or that Vows of Chastity are not to be observed or that private Masses are not to be said or that Sacramental and Auricular Confession is not necessary c. All these he condemneth as Heretics and for such to be Apprehended Arraigned Condemned and Burned as at large is to be seen in the Statute 8. And the very next year after perceiving that notwithstanding his former Statute against Protestant Opinions the same did grow and were spread abroad in England he ordained another Statute which beginneth thus Whereas the King 's Róyal Majesty of his blessed and gracious disposition c. well weighing that out of sundry outward parts and places there have sprung been sown set forth divers heretical erroneous dangerous Opinions Doctrins in the Religion of Christ whereby his Grace's Leige-people may be induced to unfaithfulness misbelief miscreancy and contempt of God to the utter confusion and damnation of Souls c. For this cause his Majesty according to the very Gospel and Law of God meaneth to have matters determined and declared c. Thus he writeth in the Statute remitting himself to his further Declaration which is wholly against Protestants whose Faith and Religion you see here called by the King unfaithfulness misbelief miscreancy contempt of God heretical erroneous and dangerous Doctrin tending to utter confusion and damnation of Souls c. And this proved by the pure Word of God and the very Gospel it self as his Majesty affirmeth 9. And will you have more clear testimony of his settled judgment against Protestants than this But yet hear further For that the same King divers years afters after this again towards the end of his days having had good experience of the falshood of Protestants in corrupting the very Scriptures themselves by their crafty Translations Notes and Commentaries he was forc'd to forbid under grievous punishments the reading of the foresaid Scriptures in English which before he had permitted as appeareth by a peculiar Statute made for that purpose and for inhibiting Protestants Books Sermons and Preachings in the 34th and 35th years of his Reign this Statute being entituled An Act for the Advancement of true Religion saying therein as followeth Whereas the King 's most Royal Majesty Sumpreme Head of the Church of England and also of Ireland perceiveth that notwithstanding such holy Doctrins and Docucuments as his Majesty hath hitherto caused to be set forth besides the great liberty granted unto them in having the New and Old Testament among them which notwithstanding many seditious arrogant and ignorant Parsons pretending to be Learred have the perfect and true knowledg understanding and judgment of sacred Scriptures c. intending to subvert the very true and perfect Exposition thereof after their perverse fantasies have taken upon them not only to preach teach declare c. but also by printed Books Ballads Plays Rhythmes Songs and other fantasies subtilly to beguile his Majesty's Leige-subjects c. 10. Behold King Henry's description of Protestants their Wit Nature Condition and Doctrin But now followeth the Remedy Wherefore to ordain and establish a certain form of pure and sincere Teaching agreeable to God's Word and true Doctrin of the Catholic and Apostolical Church c. Be it enacted That all manner of Books of the Old and New Testament in English being of the crafty false and untrue Translation of William Tyndall and all other Books or Writings in the English Tongue teaching or composing any matter of Christian Religion contrary to that Doctrin which since the year of our Lord 1540 is hath or shall be set forth by his Majesty is clearly and utterly abolished c. Thus ordained King Henry of the Protestants Books and Doctrin and this Censure he gave of William Tyndall's Truth and Honesty in translating the Scriptures whom John Fox calleth not only the true Servant and Martyr of God but the Apostle also of England in this our latter Age. 11. Wherefore I do not see how Fox can with any reason make King Henry to be a Gospeller of his Religion or so earnest a Defender of the same or why he should paint him with the Bible in his hand holden up by Cranmer and Cromwell as before hath been said and seen in his Painting seeing he contemned ever their Doctrin and burned the Professors thereof as notorious Heretics unto his dying-day Which is evident by many Examples but most clear and notorious by that of John Lambert a famous Zuinglian with whom in solemn public Audience he disputed in presence of all his Clergy and Nobility of the Realm and caused Cranmer to do the like and in the end made Cromwell as his Vicar-General to give the Sentence of Death against him and burn him in Smithfield and this not two years before Cromwell's own Condemnation for like Heresie by the King 's own pursuit as may appear by the Act of his Condemnation yet extant And the same no doubt would he have done with Cranmer which was the other Upholder of his Arm to maintain the new Gospel according to Fox his Picture if he had known or suspected him not only for an Upholder of
aloud some in secret some in one form of words and others in an other And after Consecration some did hold up the Host to be Adored after the old fashion and some did not And of those that were present some did kneel down and Adore others did shut their Eyes others turned their Faces aside others ran out of the Church Blaspheming and crying Idolatry 28. And as this Confusion was in Spiritual Matters during these two first years of King Edward's Reign so no less was it in Temporal Affairs especially in tne City of London where a great Mortality and Pestilence was among the People as Stow saith And no less amazement to see three chief Bishops sent to Prison Gardiner of Winchester Bonner of London and Tonstall of Duresme But the greatest banding was betwixt the Protector and his Brother the Admiral and between their Wives Queen Katherine Parre and the Duches of Somerset In which Contention divers Chief Ministers and Apostate Friers were sticklers but especially Hugh Latymer that inveighed in his Sermons against the Admiral in favor of the Protector On the other side Frier Bale was wholly addicted to Queen Catherine and her praises having Printed and set her forth in those very days for a famous Writer and one of the Miracles of Womankind in his Book De scriptoribus Britannicis For so he saith Ingenii viribus literarum peritia verborum elegantia animi generositate foemine as dotes exuperat c. She doth exceed the Gifts of Womankind in the force of her Wit in the skill of her Learning in the elegancy of her Words and generosity of Mind And again Magnarum virtutum ac unicum hoc saeculo pietatis exemplar c. She is the only Example of great Virtues and Piety in this our Age. With which excessive praises the Duches of Somerset that thought her self as Wise and Learned as the other was so offended that Frier Bale could get no Preferment while her Husband was in Authority 29. But now came on the second Parliament which was upon the 4. day of November 1548. and second year of King Edward's Reign The Protector and his Gospellers had made all the preparation possible to get Voice therein for Establishing of that which they desired in Religion As it is no marvel if it were not hard to do seeing the chief Bishops were now restrained terrified or put in Prison some other of the Laity also disgraced as the Earl of Southampton Arundell and others The Lord Protector and Dudley Armed with the remainder of their Forces made for Scotland And the displeasure of the said Protector being held now for so dreadful a matter to any that resisted his Designs as it was expected daily that his own Brother the Admiral should be made away by him upon like displeasure 30. But to speak of this Parliament begun now as we have said two things as you remember were excluded in the last Parliament that could not pass though never so much desired and urged by the Protector and his Friends To wit the new Communion Book and the allowance of Priests and Friers Marriages but now both of them passed albeit the second with a greater limitation as you may see for the Title of the Statute is only this An Act to take away all Positive Laws of Man made against the Marriage of Priests Whereby you see that the Parliament being importuned by Priests and Friers that had gotten them Women to have them allowed by Parliament they only obtained to be free from Temporal Punishment appointed for the same leaving them to God for the rest whether after their Vows made of Chastity they were bound to observe the same or no. Nay in the very Act it self they do highly commend Chastity in Priests saying That it were not only better for Priests and Ministers of the Church to live Chast sole and separate from the company of Women c. But that it were most to be wished that they would willingly and of themselves endeavor to keep a perpetual Chastity and Abstinence from the use of Women Yet forasmuch as the contrary hath been seen c. Be it Enacted that all Laws Positive Canons or Constitutions heretofore made by Authority of Man only which doth Prohibit or forbid Marriage to any Ecclesiastical Person c. Shall be utterly void and of none effect together with the Pains Penalties Crimes Actions thereunto Annexed c. 31. Thus goeth the Statute Wherein you see there is nothing but Impunity given to Incontinent Priests and Friers to use Women without fear of Punishment in this World. And thereby you may consider that the first and chief endeavors of these new Gospellers tended principally to break down Hedges and to dissolve Catholic Discipline and to take away Punishments appointed as well to Heretics and Heresie in general as by the former Parliament you have seen as also to loose and Incontinent Clergy-men for their dissolute life And thus much of the first Point Let us come to the second about the new Communion Book 32. This Book though it were made new again by great diligence both of the Composers which the Protector and his Followers had chosen for that purpose as also by the view of Cranmer Ridley and others of chief Authority in the Clergy yet had it marvellous difficulty to pass as may appear by very Act of Parliament it self For that it was not only contradicted by Catholics but also by many Protestants themselves Misliking not only the Rites and Ceremonies therein appointed but the very Articles of Doctrin also And in this were most vehement the foresaid Faction of Hooper Rogers Latymer and some others being at that time Puritans as before we have noted 33. But the chiefest and hottest Contention of all whereof the principal Point of their new Religion seemed to depend was whether they should be Lutherans or Zwinglians concerning the blessed Sacrament Seeing they longer well could not dissemble the same as they had done in the former Parliament though otherwise as I have said it was somewhat hard to determin For that to the Lutherans enclined not only Cranmer Ridley and other in Ecclesiastical Authority that had lived and born Rule under King Henry VIII before But many of the Noble Men also and Counsellors that were half Catholics and half Protestants Protestants for liberty of eating of Flesh on forbidden days Possessing Church-Livings disobligation of Confession and Restitution and other such Motives But yet for other matters were rather Catholic in judgment and with these concurred such as were come out of Saxony and had Studied under Luther as Bucer Bale Coverdale and others All which seemed to stand for the real Presence at that time But against these were the Sacramentaries whose Profession being of the fresher Frame more pleased the Protector and some other itching Ears and thereby did overbear the other side at length by the number of some few Voices in Parliament but yet
Christian Men have to procure their Salvation tho' all do not use the same to their best benefit and thereby do miscarry For to come to some particulars we say That in this Church and no where else is the truth of Faith and certainty thereof and this by the perpetual assistance of the Holy Ghost promised thereunto by the Founder God himself In this Church is the infallible Judgment both about the Books of Scripture and their Interpretation as all other Doubts and Controversies according to that you have heard before out of S. Augustin In this Church alone and no where else is there true Priesthood by lawful Succession Unction and Imposition of Hands and consequently Remission also of Sins by the Authority they have from Christ to that effect In this Church is the true number use and force of holy Sacraments and Grace given by them In this Church is Unity of Faith and Doctrin Communion of Saints and of Merits and Prayers which no where else is to be found And finally in this Church alone is there warrant and security from Error assurance from overthrow failing or fading which security is established by the promise of Christ himself as our God Creator and Redeemer and to endure unto the worlds end 10. All these utilities and most singular benefits do we believe to be in this Catholic Church above all other Congregations in the world In respect whereof we hold this Church to be our ship our rock our castle our fortress our mistress our mother our skilful pilot throughout all storms of heresies our pillar and firmament of truth against falshood our house of refuge against tribulation our protection our direction our help aid and security in all points and if any man perish in her it is by his own default but out of her none can but perish And this is our estimation of this Affair 11. But now how different an account Protestants do make both of this or their own Church is easily seen by their own words and doings For as they contemn and impugn our Church which we hold for the only true so do they seldom speak of their own For when shall you hear a Minister or Protestant Writer allege the Authority of his Church against us or against his own Fellows when they fall out as often they do or if he should how lightly is it esteemed even by themselves You may read the eager Contentions of the Protestant Churches of Saxony which are Lutherans against those of Heidelberg and other Towns of the Palsgrave's Country that are of a different Sect and of these again against other Consorts of other Provinces both of Switzerland and other parts of Germany yea between the soft and severe Lutherans themselves as between the Calvinian Churches of England and Scotland and in England it self between the Protestants Puritans and Brownists at this day who are nothing else but soft and severe Calvinists In all which sharp Contentions if any part do but name the Authority of their several Church which is very seldom the other presently falleth into laughter holding the Authority thereof so ridiculous as it is not worth the naming so as the Argument taken from the Authority of the Church which with us is of so high esteem as we say with S. Augustin That we would not believe the Gospel if the Authority of the Church did not move us thereunto with these Fellows is most base and contemptible 12. Moreover when they talk of their own Churches tho' every Sect and Sectary for Honors sake would be content to have them accounted Catholic as Lactantius before testified of the Heretics of his time yet do they speak it so coldly and do use the word Catholic so sparingly as they will shew that in their Consciences they do not believe it and a man might answer them as S. Augustin answered Gaudentius the Donatist whose Sect being a particular company of Heretics in Africa presumed by little and little first in jest and then in earnest to call themselves Catholics and their Church the Catholic Church as Protestants do at this day and being reprehended for it by S. Augustin and others would needs prove the same by the Definition of Catholic taken out of S. Cyprian S. Augustin I say after a long refutation thereof out of S. Cyprian's words to the contrary concludeth thus Quid igitur vos ipsos c. Why then do you go about both to deceive your selves and other Men with impudent Lies against S. Cyprian If your Church be the Catholic Church by the testimony of this Martyr shew us that your Church doth stretch her beams and boughs throughout the whole Christian World as ours doth for this S. Cyprian called Catholic c. So as by S. Augustin's Argument if the Protestants cannot shew that their Church hath her beams and boughs spread throughout all the Christian World and that her Faith is the general Faith received amongst all Christians and not only of particular Provinces then cannot they call her or esteem her for Catholic as indeed they do not but for fashion sake and from the teeth outward as hath been shewed 13 For when they come to set her out in her best colours they make her but a very obscure base and contemptible thing first in outward shew calling her the poor oppressed and persecuted Church as Fox's words are troden under foot neglected in the World not regarded in Histories and almost scarce visible c. So as where all the ancient Fathers do triumph and vaunt against both Heretics and Heathens as we do at this day against Protestants that the Catholic Church is more eminent and splendent than the Sun it self and more famously known than any other Temporal Kingdom or Monarchy that ever was in the World Fox of his Church confesseth that she is scarce visible neglected in the World not regarded in Histories c. 14. And then again he playeth fast and loose making her visible and invisible Altho' saith he the right Church be not so invisible in the world as none can see it yet neither is it so visible again that every worldly Eye may perceive it So saith he But how contrary to this was S. Chrysostom who would not yield that the right Catholic Church could be so much as obscured by any force or means whatsoever and thereof vaunting against Infidels saith It may be perhaps that some Heathen here will despise my arrogancy about the Majesty of our Church but let him have patience to expect until I come forth with my Proofs and then shall he learn the force of truth and how it is easier for the Sun it self to be wholly extinguished than for the Church to be so much as darkned or obscured Thus said S. Chrysostom And mark good Reader the difference of Spirits S. Chrysostom vaunteth of the outward splendor and majesty of his Church and John Fox contrariwise doth
brag of the obscurity and contemptibility of their Church And so again whereas we hold and highly esteem that our Church hath all truth of Christ's Doctrin and Religion in it Fox writeth of his Church as before we have recorded That by God's mighty Providence there hath always been kept in her some sparks of Christ's true Doctrin and Religion 15. Again whereas we glory that in our Church there is power to absolve from sins security from error and the like Fox denieth these privileges to be in his Church objecting unto us for an error against the first in a certain Treatise of his before his Acts and Monuments That we in our Church have Confession and Absolution at the Priests hands c. And against the second he bringeth in a large Conference of Ridley and Latimer agreeing together that the greater part of the Universal Catholic Church may err but yet fearfully as you shall see more largely in the Third Part of this Treatise when we shall come to treat of these Foxian Saints and their Festival Days Acts and Monuments The same Patriarchs also do censure S. Augustin's Speech before by me alleged for an excessive vehemency for so are their words where he saith That he would not believe the Gospel if the Authority of the Catholic Church did not move him thereunto signifying thereby as before hath been noted that he could not know Scriptures to be Scriptures nor the Gospel to be Gospel neither their sense and meaning to be such as they were taken for but by the Authority of the Universal Catholic Church that had conserved them from time to time and delivered them to him and to the rest of the World for such to be believed 16. Wherefore to conclude this matter seeing that John Fox doth allow so well this Doctrin of his Patriarchs Ridley and Latimer and thereby doth take from the true Church and consequently in his meaning from his own all this excellent Authority which S. Augustin and other Fathers do ascribe to the Catholic Church to wit the Sovereignty of approving or rejecting true or false Scriptures of discerning between Books and Books and judging of their true interpretations and seeing further he taketh away from his Church both Confession and Absolution of sins and all efficacy of Sacraments leaving them only to bare Signs that do signifie and not work seeing he taketh away from her all infallibility of Doctrin confessing that she may err and contenteth himself that she retain ever some sparkles only of true Doctrin and Religion as before hath been shewed out of his own words and considering moreover that he maketh her so poor a thing as now you have seen and furnisheth her with such rags to wit with such variety of Sectaries as is ridiculous to name they disagreeing among themselves and the one most opposite to the other in Doctrin and Belief she being such a Church I say so poor and miserable so obscure and ragged so doubtful and uncertain no marvail tho' they make little account of her or give small credit unto her which in very deed is no greater than is given to the worst man or most dishonest woman living which is to believe her so far as she can prove by others what she saith to be true to wit by Scriptures without which witness none of her own children or houshold will credit or believe her which is a remarkable Point for that with the same condition they will believe the Devil himself and must do if he allege Scriptures in the true sense and meaning 17. And this is the estimation which Protestants do hold of their new Church Now let us pass to speak a word only about the second Point which concerneth the assigning out or description of this Church Clear it is and cannot be denied that Catholics do assign such a Church as may be seen and known by all men begun visibly by Christ himself in Jury when he gathered his Apostles and Disciples together and continued afterward with infinite increase of Nations and People Countries and Kingdoms that in tract of time adjoyned themselves thereunto and that this most manifest notorious and known Church hath endured ever since under the name of the Christian Catholic Church for the space of sixteen hundred years as we have shewed before both largely and particularly in the former Treatise which is plain dealing clear and manifest whereas on the other side the Protestants of our days following herein the steps of old Heretics their Ancestors do seek to assign such a Church as no man can tell where to find it for that it is rather imaginary mathematical or metaphysical than sensible to man's eyes consisting as they teach of just and predestinate men only whom where or how to find you see how uncertain and difficult a thing it is in this mortal life 18. Wherefore as the ancient Fathers condemned wholly the Heretics of their times for this fond and pernicious device and wrote eagerly against the same as S. Cyprian against the Novatians S. Epiphanius and S. Augustin against the Donatists and Pelagians for that under this cover and colour they would make themselves to be the only true Church to wit every Sect their own Sectaries and Congregation saying that they only are predestinate just holy and God's chosen people and consequently also his only true Church so do we at this day stand in the very same controversie with Protestants that seek the same evasion and refuge 19. And he that hath but so much leisure as to read over the Conference of the Third day had between S. Augustin and other Catholic Bishops on the one side and the Bishops of the Donatists on the other side at Carthage by the Emperor's persmission and appointment even upon this very Question of assigning the Church he shall see the matter most clearly handled and that the Catholics of this time do urge nothing in this Point but that S. Augustin and his fellow Catholic Bishops did urge in that Conference against the Donatists and that the Protestants of our time do take no other course of shifting and defending themselves therein than the Donatists did in those days for that after infinite delays and tergiversations used before they could be brought to this Conference which S. Augustin setteth down in the collation of the first and second day when at length in the third days meeting they came to joyn upon the Controversie in hand they began first about the word Catholic it self which the Catholics urg'd against the Donatists as we do now against the Sectaries of this Age and the Donatists sought to avoid the same by the very same sleights which ours do as appeareth by S. Augustin's words 20. Donatistae saith S. August responderunt Catholicum nomen non ex universitate gentium sed ex plenitudine Sacramentorum institutum petiverunt ut pro barent Catholici c. The Donatists did
enemies Diversity of States worketh diversity of Religion amongst Sectaries * In his humble motives an Domini 1601. Why Sectaries do change so often their Religion under different States Affliction by the Danes from the year 800 downward S. Edmund and S. Elphegus Martyred by Danes Osbertus in vita S. Elph. apud Sur. 21. April Malm. lib. 1. Pontif. Angl. pa. 116. Matth. West monast an Dom. 1011. 1012. The good Acts of King Canutus after his Conversion Malmes de gist Regum Angl. l. 2. c. 11. The building the Abby of Edmundbury and rich endowment thereof by King Canutus King Canutus his Letter from Rome Malm. ibid. fol. 14. How King Canutus performed his good desires when he returned from Rome Ibid. fol. 42. Stow in Chron. pag. 116. Ibidem apud Malm. fol. 41. King Canutus was Catholic 1043. The Succession of Catholic Religion since the conquest Thomas Cranmer Arch-bishop of Canterbury The conclusion of this deduction Iren. l. 3. adversus haeres cap. 3. Aug. in psal contra partem Donati Aug. ep 165. Aug. ibid. * Thomas Cranmer his Apostasie doth not prejudicate the See of Canterbury Anno Domini 600. Anno 1509. Anno Domini 1530. 1 Tim. 3. The Catholic faith groweth by persecution and affliction and heresie is overthrown King Henry zealous in Catholic Religion King Henries Book against Luther Dedicated to Leo 10. An. Dom. 1523. The beginning of the Kings breach with the Pope Stow An. Dom. 1530. King Henry winked for a time at some heretics Heretics burned An. Dom. 1531. Thomas Audley Thomas Cromwell Fa. Elstow contradicteth the Preacher in defence of the Pope before the King. Anno 1533. The beginning of Fox his Gospel in England Anno 1534. The first year of open breach with Rome Hol. pag. 964 The Franciscan Friars put out of their Convents Heretics burned an 1534. Stow an 1534. See the Letter of Tyndal to Frith set down by Fox p. 987. The Statute of six Articles An. 1540. The burning of Friar Barns a Lutheran with Gerard Jerom Zwinglians K. Henry gave Commission for his reconciliation with Rome Catholics increased by Persecution The name of Papist not justly punishable The different punishments upon Catholics and Protestants doth shew what K. Henry thought of them both * In his Epistles The true cause of Catholics suffering under K. Henry The condemnation of Anabaptists and Arians by K. Henry Absurd positions of Anabaptists Arrians in K. Henry's time grounded upon Scriptures pretended The condemnation of Lutherans and Zuinglians by King Henry The opinion of Tyndall and Frith agreeing with neither Lutherans nor Zwinglians Fox pag. 942. The different plea or defence of Catholics from heretics * Tertull. l. de praescript adversus haeres The disagreement of Fox his Calendar Martyrs King Edward the 6th his Reign The attempts of Cranmer and Ridley and others of their crew in King Edwards days The attempts of Seymor the Protector and John Bale in flattery towards him Bal. descript Brit. cent 5. fol. 237. See Stow and other Chroniclers in the year 1549. The general aversion of English-people against the entrance of Heresie Fox p. 1185. Fox ib. 1186. Fox p. 1189. K. Henry's Laws rejected by his Son K. Edward K. Edward's reply to the demand of the people of Devonshire Q. Mary's admonition unto the Protector and Council Heresie in K. Edward's days entred by violence Catholic Religion restored by Q. Mary Bishops and Archdeacons deprived and imprisoned for Cath. Faith An. 1560. The constancy of English Catholics in this time of Persecution The constant resolution of divers Catholic Priests Joan Lashford Fox p. 1547 1517. Agnes Potten Joan Trunchfield Rose Nottingham Fox p. 1547. William Hunter Fox p. 1395. an 1555. Rawling White Fox p. 1414. Heretical hastiness to burn for their Errors * Cap. 2. A great number of English Youths in Exile for Religion The Conclusion of the first Part of this Treatise The principal point to be noted of Succession St. Augustin's estimation of Succession Aug. ep cont Faust Manich. c. 4. tom 6. Aug. quaest 110 in nov vet Test Tert. l. de praescrip advers haeres Tert. ibid. Iren. l. 4. advers haeres c. 4. Ibid. c. 45. The force of Succession with Irenaeus other Fathers Hier. dia. ult cont Lucif Aug. l. de utilitate credent c. 17. Barking of Heretics against Succession as St. Augustin termeth it In descr Cantii A comparison between the durance of the Church temporal States The second principal point to be considered about the visibility of the Church (a) In defens l. de servo arbitr (b) Lib. cont Cathar * Part 1. Aug. in tract in ep Joan. * Cap. de Conciliis * In locis com loco 12. de Eccles (c) Cent. 1. l. 1. c. 4. (d) Apol. 1. part 3. Calv. l. 4. Inst c. 1. § 3. Why Lutherans left the Paradox of the invisibility of the Church Matt. 18. Act. 15.18 Evident Scriptures for the visibility of the Church Evident reasons that the true Church must be visible containing both good and bad (a) Marc. ult Ephes 4. 1. Pet. 3. (b) Rom. 10. Luc. 12. 1 Tim. 6. (c) Mat. 5. Luc. 11. Joan. 15. (d) Mat. 28. 1 Cor. 12. 1 Tim. 3.5 St. Augustin's Discourses about the visibility of the Church See St. Aug. in Psal 44 47. l. 2. cont Petil. c. 32 104. l. 2. cont Cresco c. 36. l. 4. c. 58. tract 1 2. in ep Joan. c. 4. collat 3. diei in Brevie A second fond device of Lutherans about an obscure Church The third point of John Fox's Opinion about the true Church A great perplexity of John Fox Illyr gloss in Matth. c. 1. Fox's new Opinion making the Church both visible and invisible Fox in his protestation to the Church of England p. 2. How Enemies and Persecutors do see the true Church Fox in the Title The purpose of John Fox in his Protest p. 3. What is to be handled about John Fox's Church The substance of John Fox's Book The division of 1060 years into four principal parts The first 300 years from Christ to Constantine Sup. c. 8 9. The impertinent course taken by John Fox Reasons to prove that the old Martyrs were of our Church and not of Fox's * Nisi integram inviolatamque servaverit absque dubio in aeternum peribit Who do more honor the ancient Martyrs See Fox's Calendar in the beginning of his Volume The second Reason Cap. 15. Tert. l. de fuga in persecut Epiph. in panar haeres 80. Aug. cont literas Petiliani l. 2. c. 83. cont 2. ep Gaudentit l. 2. c. 26. alibi Of heretical Martyrs * Supra c. 5 6. (a) The third Reason (b) St. Andrew (c) See the story of his passion written by the Church of Achaia in those days cited by Remigius in Psal 21. by Lanfrank lib. cont Berengar by St. Bernard Serm. de St. Andrea many others St. Laurence Amb. l. 1. Officior c.
41. l. 2. c. 28. Aug. tract 27. in Joan. Serm. de Sanctis St. Laurence speaketh like a flat Papist Prudent in hymn de Sancto Laurentio Pont. Diac. in vi◠Cyprian See also the 28 Epistle of S. Cyp. himself Supra p. 1. c. 6. * Cent. 3. c. 4. Old Martyrs massing Priests The glorious state of the Cath. Church under Constantine Euseb l. 4. de vit Constant Four Churches in Rome built by Constantine * Julius Firmicus l. ad Imp. de abol Idol Optat. l. 2. cont Parmen * Supra c. 4 5. The obscure mathematical Church of John Fox The chief Heretics of the first 300 years How old Heretics were persecuted How old Heretics agree to John Fox's Church Aug. l. 2. quaest Evang. c. 40. A point much to be noted Aug. l. de fide oper c. 14. de unico bap c. 10. Apud Thoed dial 3. Theod. l. 3. haeret fabulat c. 35. Old Heresies held formally again by Protestants Cornel. Papa apud Euseb l. 6. hist c. 35. Cyp. l. 4. ep 2. Hier. in prooem dialog contra Pelag. Chrys hom 43. in Joan. Aug. l. cont Manich. ep 28. Old Heresies fraudulently objected to Catholics The 1 fraud Aug. haeres 39. D. Thom. 2.2 q. 85. art 2. The 2 fraud Cent. 3. c. 4. § de Angelis About honorring and Invocation of Angels Cent. 3. c. 4. Epiph. l. 3. to 2. haeres 78 79. About the Heresie of the Collyridians Mark this discourse of Epiphanius about sacrificing in the New Law. Epiph. ib. Ibid. haeres 79. Christians Sacrifice The visible succession of the Church in the first 300 years The sum of that which hath been said hitherto * Part. 1. c. 5 6. The conclusion of this Chapter with an offer to Fox Part. 1. c. 8. The Fathers Doctors and Councils of the second 300 years after Christ John Fox findeth not a hole for his poor Church in those 300 years The Heretics of the second 300 years after Christ In his protestation to the English Church p. 9. Communication of Doctrin between Protestants and Heretics of the second 300 years after Christ Aug. lib. de haeres haer 69. Optat. l. 2. idem l. 6. Aug. haer 54. Pacian ep 1. 3. ad Simpron Aug. haer 53. Aug. haeres 82. Hier. lib. cont Jovinian Hier. lib. cont Vigilantium The poor shift of John Fox Fox pag. 95. John Fox's shift to fill up this second Book An. 180. Fox in the Title of his Acts and Monuments In his Protestation to the English Church pag. 10. What Fox should have treated in his second Book second 300 years after Christ Sup. part 1. cap. 5. Why Fox writeth nothing of the Church of Britanny in these three Ages Exc. 2. c. 5. sup p. 1. c. 6. The substance and method of the Magdeburgians Centuries Cent. c. 4. p. 159. The praise of the Doctors Fathers of the fourth Age by the Magdeburg About Free-will Cent. 4. p. 211. Ib. pag. 287 291. Cent. 4. p. 231. Cent. 4. c. 4. Cent. 4. p. 294. Ephr. l. 2. de compunctione cordis c. 3. The blessed Sacrament Cent. 4. pag. 242. Ambr. lib. 4. de Sacr. c. 4. Hil. l. 8. de Trinitate Nazianzen orat 1. in Juliam Ambr. lib. 5. ep 33. Nissen Orat. Catechistica Cent. 4. pag. 292. Hier. in cap. 3. ad Galat. Enc. 2. cap. 16. Cent. 4. pag. 293. Theoph. Alex. lib. 3. de Paschate Cent. 4. p. 242. Hil. in Ps 118. The Fathers condemn'd for divers Doctrins held against Protestants Cent. 4. p. 299. Epiph. tom 2. lib. 2. Cent. 4. p. 303. Cent. 4. cap. 6. p. 407. num 50 54. Euseb Athan. S. Basil Socr. l. 5. c. 22. Theod. l. 5. c. 18. Opt. l. 6. Zoz l 6. c. 6. Eus l. 4. de vit Constant Opt. l. 1. cont Parmen Basil Basil ep 63. Zozim l. 4. c. 16. Cent. 4. p. 118 119 120. p. 431 432.433 The ancient observation of Fasts Fox p. 95. How Fox filleth up his second Book with matter not to his purpose The third station of Times from K. Ethelbert an 600 to K. Egbert an 800. Why Jo. Fox shifted over these 200 years so slightly The contemptuous writing of John Fox in this station of 200 years Popes Emperors of these 200 years The chief Doctors from an 600 to 800. Council General Heretics of this time Conversion of England The growth and progress of the English primitive Church in this time Fox's scoffing story of the English primitive Church p. 107 113 c. Bed. l. 1. hist c. 21. Fox p. 113. Mat. 18. Bed. l. 4. hist c. 5. Malm. de gest Pont. Angl. l. 10. Fox p. 112. col 2. n. 63. Decrees of an English Synod an Dom. 680. out of Fox Fox p. 115 col 1. n. 84. The Decrees of a second Synod out of Fox an Dom. 747. Deceitful turnings windings of Fox Bed. l. 4. c. 5. Bed. ibid. Wilful Errors of John Fox Bed. l. 4. c. 5. Cambd. in desc Britan. Com. Hartf p. 302. Fox p. 112. Sup. c. 2 3 4. Bed. l. 4. hist c. 5. The wicked falsifying of S. Bede by Fox Fox is taken in his malicious dealing about the Decree of Observation of Easter Sup. c. 3. Fox 112. About marrying a second Wife the first being alive Bed. l. 4. c. 5. pag. 227. Guileful Omissions of John Fox Bed. l. 4. c. 5. A Synod holden at Herudfrod an 673. Bed. l. 4. c. 17. Leo PP epist 10. ad Flavian Theod. dial 2. Evagr. l. 2. c. 4. A second Council of Archbishop Theodorus The manner of decreeing in old Synods and National Councils according to their Ancestors (a) Anno 315. (b) Anno 380. (c) Anno 428. (d) Anno 457. (e) Anno 532. Fox p. 113. An. Dom. 682. The Council of Constantinople in Trullo Plat. in vit Agath PP Paul. Diac. l. 1. hist Malm. l. 1. de gest Pont. Angl. p. 112. Aug. l. de utilitate credendi c. 17. The fourth station from an Dom. 800 to 1066. Fox p. 121. The eighth General Council An. Dom. 870. The Heresies of these Ages The Fathers and Doctors of these Times The Archbishops of Canterbury in these Ages Kings of England in this Time. Fox in protest ad Eccl. Angl. pag. 10. What Fox handleth in these 300 years Martyrolog Rom. 5. Junii Willeb in ejus vita Vicelius in hagiolog Epitome operum Bed an 754. Adams Bremens hist Ecc. c. 4. St. Boniface an English-man an Apostle of Germany an 750. (a) St. Willebrord an 730. B. of Vtright Bed. l. 3. hist c. 27. l. 5. c. 23. Tritem de viris illust l. 3. c. 137. (b) St. Willebaldus an 760. B. of Ayste Democrit l. 2. de missa in catalog Episc de Ayste Marcell in vit S. Suneberti c. 6 14. (c) S. Willehad B. of Breme an 780. (d) Adam Bremens c. 9 11 12. St. Willericus B. of Breme an 790. Brem in hist c. 12. Erpold Lindenb in hist Archiep. Brem
the universal Church as also of England from the year of Christ 1066. downward The principal Learned Men of this time The Sects Sectaries of this time Aug. l. 1. quaest Evang. q. 38. tract 2. in Epist. Joan. A fit comparison expressing John Fox his Church Psal 47.88 Esay 61. Dan. 2. Mat. 16. 1 Tim. 3. Joan. 16. Mat. 18. St. Augustin impugneth the former absurdities Aug. l. 1. c. 1. contra Epist Parmen Ibid. ep 48. ad Vincent Aug. in Psal 101. conc 2. Aug. ib. Mat. 28. Absurdities Impieties ensuing upon the former Doctrin The patching up of Fox his Church in these Ages The substance of Fox's fourth Book containing 300 years from the Conquest to Wickliff Fox p. 236. Ibid. p. 241. Ibid. p. 255. Pope Gregory VII Fox p. 159. col 2. n. 10. Of Lanfrank Fox p. 167. Of St. Anselm see Edverus in vit S. Ansel apud sur tom 2. Edmund Cantuar. in vit Henr. de viris illust c. 7. Trit de viris illust l. 2. c. 101. l. 3. c. 329. Fox p. 175. Of St. Thomas Becket * Encount 2. c. 10 11 16. Fox p. 209. The state of the Roman Church when Wickliff began Emperours of these Ages The principal Learned Men of this Age. General Council of Florence General Council of Lateran Council of Trent Condemnation of Heretics Aug. de genes ad litteram c. 1. * In his Protest pag. 9. A starting-hole of Fox Fox pag. 390. col 2. n. 33. Fox pag. 400. col 2. Special Judges appointed to examin Wickliff's Doctrin Wickliff's heretical Articles Fox p. 400. Fox's Church made up of our Dunghil clouts Stow Walsing an 1414. Fox from p. 530 to 540. Fox p. 592. Fox maketh adversary Heretics of his Church whether they will or no. Sir John Oldcastle's Protestation at his death Fox p. 520. Fox p. 314. Fox's perfidious dealing Fox p. 529. The Abjuration of Sir John Oldcastle Supra part 1. c. 5. Fox in his Prot. p. 10. Fox's facility in rejecting Parliaments Fox p. 10. in Protest Another Parliament rejected by Fox Fox ib. p. 10. If Wickliffian Preachers were now alive the Protestants would not admit them How Fox hath found out a visible Church and from whence How the Members of Fox's visible Church do hang together Of Lollards their beginning in England Prat. l. 10. haeres p. 157. Trit in chron an Dom. 1315. Fox p. 429. col 1. n. 15. Wickliffians were called Lollards The peculiar Opinions of the Lollards Trit ib. Psal 113. Flagellants or whipping Heretics an Dom. 1350. Trit in chron an 1350. Aeneas Sylv. histor Bohem. cap. 35. The diversity of Sects amongst the Hussites Bon. Decad. 4. lib. 2. Luth. in respons ad Rofensem art 30. Melanct. epist ad Freder Mechonium Anno Dom. 1382. How Fox behaveth himself in defending Wickliffians their Doctrin Fox alloweth taking away of Tythes and Temporalities from the Clergy Fox p. 348. * Supra c. 10. Tertull. l. de Praescript Judic 15. Fox in Protest ad Eccl. Angl. Fox ib. p. 10. * What Learning they were of you shall see afterwards Mark what men Fox doth couple together as of one Faith. A fit similitude comparison Fond reasoning of Fox Two Points to be handled in this Chapter The conditions of Eccles Succession Aug in Psal 90. Conc. 2. ead ferè in Psa 56. True Succession of the Church must be Universal both in place and time Aug. l. de unit Eccles c. 4. Succession is understood principally of Bishops Aug. l. 1. cont advers Leg. Prophet c. 20. Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Tert. de praesc Opt. l. 2. cont Donat. Aug. ep 165. Aug. cont ep fundam c. 4. Aug. l. 2. cont Faust c. 2. Four Points required in true Succession of the Catholic Church The successive Pillars of Fox his Church have no connexion or coherence the one with the other Aug. ep 48. ad Vincent Rogatian Aug. ep 42. ad Mandrens tract 2. in ep Joan. A notable saying of S. Aug. touching Fox's Church The 3 Point required in Succession unity of Faith. Athan. in Symb. * Dom. Thom 22. q. 5. art 3. Caet in cundem Greg. de Valent. ead 4. disp 1. punct 3. Cyp. l. 1. ep 6. ad Magnum Luc. 11. Nazian tract de fide Hier. l. 3. Apol. contra Ruffin Aug. l. de haeres in fine A dreadful Censure of the Fathers against those that be infected with Heresie Aug. ep 48. ad Vincent Enc. 1. The catalogue of John Fox's Church-men Bertramus no Protestant Trit in verbo Bertramus Sand. de visib monarch haer 133. Berengarius no Protestant * De consecrat dist 2. c. Ego Berengarius Fox p. 146. Gerson l. cont Romant Cent. 11. c. 10. p. 527. Abbot Joachim no Protestant Extrav de Trinit Guido Carmel Bern. Luxem in Catalog haereticorum Almaricus was no Bishop nor condemned only for Images Caesar l. dial d. 5. Conc. Nicaen Can. 6. Gagnin l. 6. hist Franc. Gers tract 3. in Matt. Paul Aemil. l. 6. hist Galliae Geneb in chron an 1208. Naucler in hist Tritem in chron Monast Hirsang Geneb in chron an 1215. The Waldenses or poor men of Lyons Aen. Syl. l. 4. de orig Bohem. cap. 35. Vrsper in chron an 1212. Guido Carm. in haeres Waldens Anton. p. 3. sum ti 11. c. 7. Luxemb in haeres paup de Lugduno Absurd positions of the Waldenses Will Fox agree to all this Luc. 22. 1 Cor. 11. The Albigenses and their blasphemous Opinions and Actions Caesar Cistert 5 d. dial Anton. p. 3. tit 19. ca. 1. Vincent in spec l. 3. Caesar 5. dist dialog Luxem haeresi Albig Prateol Sand. ibidem Absurd Articles of the Albigenses and their Heresies The false dealing of J. Fox Marsilius of Padua Alvar. lib. 1. de planct Eccles Castr libr. 6. contra haereses Gulielmus de sancto amore Armachanus Catholic men abused by Fox 1. Cor. 5. The first public tumults of Lollards and Wickliffians in England An. Dom. 1381. Sto. An. Dom. 1414. Sup. c. 9. * Part. 1. cap. 12. The great inconveniences ensuing upon King Henry VIII yielding in one Point only to Heretics Heresies to be stopped at the beginning Sto. an Domini 1377. p. 425. Upon what Cause and Motives Wickliff began his Doctrin The Habit of the first Wickliffians Walsingham an ult Edov. 3. The first Motive of John Wickliff and his favourers Two Apostolical Breves written into England against Wicliffians Walsing in vit Rich. 2. an 1378. The Calamities in England by Wickliff his Doctrin Fox p. 716.717 deinceps The praise of K. Henry VII (a) Stat. an 5. Ricardi 2. an Christi 1390. an 2. Hen. 4. an Christi 1402. (b) Fox in his Protest p. 10. A false flattering Picture set out by Fox of K. Henry VIII Fox p. 732. Fox his Pageants examined See from p. 663. unto 751. That K. Henry's Sword was not for the new Gospel but against it Fox p. 764. See