simplicitate animos hominum traÌ„â— formare To 3 pag. 14. singlenes of hart and simplicity of minde far from al damnable hypocrisie and dissimulation The 10. 11. Obiections MOst blasphemously he affirmed that euerie Creature was God againe that â—od could not choose but obey the Diuel The Answere Bellar. in Praefat Gretser in defens pag. 8. THese obiections are taken from Bellarmine some other Jesuits it was wonder they did escape both our Apologists and Father Parsons but belike they did not thinke them to bee true els doubtles they woulde haue vrged them For answere wherevnto it seemeth vnto mee that the former obiection doth assoile the latter for holding that euerie Creature was God belike he distinguished the tearme God into God absolutely spoken and God cum signo or adiectione g Dei acceptio duplex absolute Dominus Dominorum quando contrahiturvel specifiâ—atur per signum detrahâ—ns sig nificat quodcunque bonum quod quis plus diligit In. Ex. p of Dec. p. 46. with a signe or addition so in truth he doth in this sence it might bee true that such a made God might of its owne nature being as all reasonable Creatures are sinâ—ul should obay the Diuel but I wil not play the Sophister He had a more deepe profound Theologicall or h Omnes veritates leges in essentia diuina sicutomniÌ„a sunt Deus lb. pag. 21. Deus est mandatum quod praecipit lb 4 Omnis res secuÌ„dum esse intelligibile est Deus Meâ—aphysicalspeculatioÌ„ about this matter which was plainly deâ—iuered in his booke de Ideis which book is not yet come vnto my hands and therfore I cannot answere the obiection otherwise then he doth himself by i vt dâ—ctum est in materia de Ideis lb 21. referring you vnto that k Materiae de vniuersalibus suÌ„t taÌ„ necessa riae quod sine earum notitia nemo fit sapiens lb pag. 29. learned book of his The doctrine I am perswaded in his vnderstanding is found true though not fit to be vttered before the people and though I do rather admire then conceiue it do therefore choose rather wholyâ— to omit itâ— for a season then vnperfectly to deliuer it yet I cannot omit to giue him this â—estimony that about the nature persons properties of God about the matter of PredestinatioÌ„ Prescience or Prouidence he is most religiously piouslie affected quo magis miror therfore I caÌ„not but wonder that he should run into so l Asthey charg him with monstrous soule absurdities But to leaue this and to answere that alike monstrous but more blasphemous obiectioÌ„ that God must needes obey the Divell which scarce any Diuel of Hel would dare to vtter I know not whence they haue taken this obiection which hath no colour nor ground in the world in it vnlesse it be out of these words of his which I professe are his and wel they maie be that because hee saith that m Com in Psal pag 155. God is a great king aboue all his Creatures that n lb. pag. 48. all Creatures are made by God to serue him that the o lb pag. 112. Devil is clepid Gods Angel for hee maie doe nothing but at Gods suffering that he serueth God in tormenting of sinfullmen that Ib. pag. 468. Christ is Victor of the Divell q lb. pag. 93. helpeth vs against the â—iend thence belike our Jesuits r Of this inference a man maie saie as Walden did somtimes of an illation of Wickliffes si deductio ista scintillam habet ingenij quid sit ingeniuÌ„ hominis noÌ„ noui To. 3. p. 56. infer that God must needs obay the Divel A good wit I confesse may go far and such haue our Jesuits or els they greatly belie one another but I doubt whether euer they shal be able to infer so foule and irreligious a Conclusion out of so faire and religious premises The Conclusion THus hauing shewed and proued vnto you that this same Iohn VVickliffe a man so much spoken against by al sorts of men is so innocent and free from al there foule heresies and monstrons absurdities that he hath rather declared himselfe to be a CoÌ„formitan vnto the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England or rather that the Church of EnglaÌ„d at this day sincerelie professing the Gospel doth teach preach no new Doctrin as our Apologists would haue you to beleeue but theÌ„ very same doctrine which was many hundred yeares ago retained and maintained here in England by sundrie learned Diuines and embraced gladly by al a Fuerunt eo teÌ„pore plures alij huius nefandae doctrinae sequaces discipuli non in quibuscunque villis aut Ciuitatibus sed in ipsa Vniuersitate Oxoniae Walâ— pag. 305 Hee might haue added and in the Vniuersity not the meanest but the Chancellour and Proctors and sundry others as appeareth by records Longelatque perâ—patrias populum maculando suam prediâ—ationem dilatauit ita ut poenema iores prouinciarum corum sequerentur errorem Wals. pag 281. In fide fideâ— articulis plurimi claudicabant â—b Visus est absorbere â—ordanem omnes Christianos mergere in Abyssum lb. pag. 256 Dixit publice et ptaedicauit Rectoribus Ecclesiarum non valentibus prohibere cum ob fauorem popalarem qui libentissimè cum audiebant le periâ—ulo mallebant exponere antequaâ—â—vel prohiberetur praedicare Wals. pag. 304. of al sorts Noblemen Gentlemen Cleargie men Lay men men and women which though it were then challenged for a new doctrine as was somtimes Christ his Apostles yet both it was the very same doctrine which was from the beginning and shal be vnto the end of the world as he himselfe sometimes b Si in hoe sim Catholicus suÌ„ cerius quod sententia quaÌ„ tenco per organa Dei vel ante aduentuÌ„ Antichristâ— vel postea defendetur quia super omnia vincit veritas verbi Deivt dicitur 3. â—â—drae De Ver. Scrip. p. 200. prophecied the Popish doctrine to bee convicted of plaine nouelty and newnes by almost the very same reasons and arguments which our Protestant writers do now inforce against them and therfore no maruell though the Papists now a daies notwithstanding there preteÌ„ced and vsurped notes of Antiquitie Vniuersality and Iknow not what els do begin to thinke vpon a course how either to abolish all ancient written books out of o ur Libraries or els to banish al ancient truth out of their books by their new inueÌ„ted Purgatory of books which I may be bold to speake it hath done farre more paine to Christendome within these 40. or 50. yeares then their fire of Purgatorie hath done since the time of its first being a verie lewd and damned course and which if it should not please God and that speedely to stirre vp the harts of Godly Princes Religious Clarks and
AN APOLOGIE FOR IOHN WICKLIFFE shewing his conformitie with the now Church of England with answere to such slaunderous obiections as haue beene lately vrged against him by Father Parsons the Apologists and others COLLECTED CHIEFLY OVT OF diuerse works of his in written hand by Gods especiall providence remaining in the Publike Library at Oxford of the Honorable foundation of S r. THOMAS BODLEY Knight BY THOMAS JAMES keeper of the same 3. Esdras Cap. 4. ver 38. Truth doth abide and is strong for ever and liveth and raigneth for ever and ever At Oxford Printed by Ioseph Barnes printer to the Vniversitie 1608. TO THE HONORABLE S r EDWARD COOKE Knight Lord Chiefe Iustice of his Maiesties Court of Common Pleas. My very good Lord it is not loÌ„g since It was my happe to see a Booke published quo iure quáue potius miuria against your Lordships Fift booke of Reportes Intituled de Iure Regis Ecclesiastico by one that if he had not tearmed himselfe a Catholik Deuine I should haue takeÌ„ him for any thing els So far is he in this lying Libel froÌ„ being a Deuine much lesse Catholik vnlesse it â—â—e in the sence vniuersal being indeed nothing els but an vniuersal HistoriaÌ„ I haue also read an other book wherin your Lordship is most vniustly produced or rather traduced for an egregious falsarie a crime which that Libeller hath made common to others of your ranck and of higher mark by imputing the same most scandalously vnto one of the most Honorable and religious Peeres of this land Farthermore I haue hard of diuerse others whose fingers doe itch to be dealing with your Lordship according to the grounds of your Honorable profession By al which I perceaue that your Lordship hath so mortally wounded the hayrie scalp of that man of Rome which would faine bee accepted for head of this Church that our aduersaries doe striue with noe smale adoe whoe shal be most forwarde to salue this sore though it be neuer so incurable But amongst all others who so aduenturous as our pretended Catholike surnaming himselfe the Deuine which hath spared no cost no labour for the effecting thereof in his late aunswere Seely disputer that where the question is de Iure produceth testimonies de facto and being by profession a Deuine the questioÌ„ of law bringeth his proofs out of Hisstorie Doubtles the Deuine is much beholding vnto your Lordship though hee doe craftily dissemble it for giuing him so good an occasioÌ„ both to shew his great reading and withal to purg so much choller being of liklyhood of that cholericke bilious disposition Quod si non aliquà nocuisset mortuus esset I gather so much by his writings for I am verily perswaded that this is not the first book that hath come out of thâ—s mans forge â—here bee diuerse books I should haue said Pamphletts cast abroad which sauour of the same stile and file so finely smothed and framed for the nonce that a man maie knowe him to bee his crafts Master in this black Art though he transfigure himselfe into an Angel of light professe al manner of Candour and Chariâ—ie in hiâ— writings but the contrary is too too manifest in his lyeing Pamphlets To saie nothing of his slaunderous reports against the late religious Queene of blessed memorie against the reuerend Sages and Iudges of the Common law in general and your Lordship in particular because he takes vpon him to be so great a Clearke in the question about the Kings Crowne and dignitie I haue endeauoured in this Apologie which I haue framed in defence of that famous writer and preacher of Gods word Iohn VVickliff to oppose against his slaunderous Libel his answere as the answere of a most ancieÌ„t Catholike and learned Deuine Ancient for hee liued in the time of K Edward the 3. Catholike for he maintained the same doctrine then which the Church of Eng 1 and now being guided by the Holy Ghost and sacred writings of Scripture Fathers doth professe learned in al kind of good knowledge needfull for a Divine for the maine question touching the kings Regaltie the Popes Supremacie hee delivereth in other termes the very same argumeÌ„ts reasons which I finde written in that your said fift Booke of Reports proving the truth of your assertioÌ„s by the Iawes Civill Canon Common Wherein because I professe little knowledge it being not my element and as your Lordship hath well obserued Perito in sua arte credendumest I haue presumed to submit the whole Apologie vnto your iudicious learned censure quatenus de Iure If your Lordship finde him not in this Apologie where I haue as neare as I could truly related his words most iudicious religious temperate learned altogether conformable vnto the doctrine and discipline of this preseÌ„t Church which this libeller so much impugneth and agreeing with the laws of God and of this Realme let me beare the fault of presumption and vndergoe your heauiest Censure whom I professe I doe honour and reuerence as farr as anie of my profession and as it becometh me to doe in al Christian dutie knowing your Lordship to be a zealous professor of the truth a worthy maintainer of the Cleargie a louing Patron of both our Vniuersities and lastly a great furtherer of al good learning which that you may liue for to doe maugre the opposition of our aduersaries I shal neuer cease to pray vnto the Almighty long to continue your Lordship in health wealth and prosperitie with encrease of spiritual gifts for the benefit of both Church and Common wealth From the Library in Oxford Feb. 10. 1608. Your Lordships in al Christian dutie to be commanded THO IAMES Faults escaped in the printing of this Apologie Pag. 1. l. 15. but read butte p. 7. in the marg 1.6 for Auctorziatio read Auctorizatio p. 9. l. 12. impious read pious p. 19. marg l. 36. discipui read discipuli p. 25. l. 18. ohfarlanot read of an harlot p. 34. l. 2. awere read werep 37. l. 7. tâ—e read the p. 39. marg l. 34. lucrationes read lucratiuas p. 40. l. 21. secundaÌ„ read secundum p. 42. marg l. 33. habeâ— read habent p. 44. mar l. 33. formicator read fornicator p. 48. l. II. excommunication read excommunications p. 53 l 20. fitest read fittest p. 56. l. 12 rained read raigned pag. 69. l. 10 ia read in pag. 71. l 5 should obay read obay lb. marg l. 16. leges read legis in his life for many read maine for to pray macks read their stomacks THE PREFACE VNTO ALL TRVE Catholicks and Christian Readers WHeras among al the writers which haue since the daies of Antichrist sharpened there pens in defence of the Gospel and maintained the cause of Christ against Antichrist and his Supposts by opposing themselues as Arch-pillers against the Arch-hereticks and Caterpillers of there times there is none that hath behaued himselfe more religiously valiantlie learnedlie and constantlie then
this stout Champion reverend Doctor worthie preacher of Gods word Iohn VVickliffe whose very a Vetus Hypocrita Angeius Sathanae Antichristi prae aÌ„bulus non nominandus Io. Wickliâ— vel potius Wickebeleefe haereticus Wals. p. 256. OrganuÌ„ diabolicuÌ„ hostis Ecclesiae confusio vulgi haereticorum Idolum Hypocritatum speculum Schismatis inceÌ„tor odij seminator incendij fabriÌ„cator lb. Pag. 266. o linguaÌ„â—emper mendacem male dicam blasphemaÌ„ Wald. To. I. pag. 177. ¶ Ps. 64. 5. name is therfore become hateful vnto the Adversarie his parson conteÌ„ptible and his doctrine the only marke or but at which those ¶ Ps. 64. 5. qui sagittaÌ„t in occulto which lie priuily lurkiâ—â—g in coâ—ners do especially aime shooting there arrowes bitter words eueÌ„ lewd lying Pamphlets some challeÌ„ging him of Blasphemie towards God some of Treason towards the king others of monstrous b Of Manicheisme Donatisme Pelagianisme c. see Walden Act. Cap. 25. lb. Verl 7. heresies in Religion all of sondry errours and grosse absurdities knowing therefore that howsoeuer iure soli the Court of Rome maie yet iure poli Gods law doth not condemne any man before his cause be heard I haue thought it most conuenient and sit to bring him forth before you Christian Readers as before so many * Festusses Agrippaes to the end that you maie know the truth of those things wherof he is accused And albeit our Romanists haue as euilly intreated him as euer the Jewes did * Paul laying many and grievous complaints against him yet I doubt not but you when you shall as it becommeth men of profouÌ„d iudgment good discretion permitte him to answere for him selfe as Act. 26. 1. Act. 25. 7. Agrippa did Paul wil either finde there complaints with Festus such as they shâ—l Act. 25. 8. never bee able to proue viz that hee hath nether offended against the law of God neither against the Temple nor against Cesar and finallie pronounce this sentence of absolution with K. Agrippa Act. 26. 31. This maÌ„ hath done nothing worthy of death nor of bondes The order and method which I wil God willing obserue shal bee first to shew his conformitie with the now Church of England in the chiefest points coÌ„troversed thence to descend vnto questioÌ„s not altogether so material and last of al to answere al such obiections as haue beene mooued by our late Popish writers Whose proofes because they are of two sorts drawn either froÌ„ c From Foxe Stow Osiander Melancthon Luâ—her c. Protestantes which for want of due information or from d The Apologists Father Parsons Papists which of ill wil ' which never spake good of anie man ' haue vttered anie thing preiudicial either vnto his doctrine or to his person I wil indeuour as much as in me lieth the truth wil permit to informe the one and reforme the other The proofes which I shal alleadge shal be cleere euident apparent authentical for they shal be produced out of his own words and works as they are extant in sundry good Manuscripts in our so renowned publike Librarie as theÌ„selues may see or cause to bee seene by others for therefore to iustifie my proceedings against them knowing there sundrie malignant e See the Treatise tending to mitigation writteÌ„ by P. R. with the answere thereto oppositions against vs I haue quoted in the margent the very wordes of the Auctor either in f As the Author himselfe wrot them Latin or in English noting both Bookes and Pages And for a final Conclusion I make this protestation his writings shal not be defended by mee farther then they are agreeable with the Articles of our Religion and I exhort you as manie as shal happen to read this Apologie as S. Paul did the I. Thesâ— Cap. 5. vers 21. The ssalonâ—ans onâ—nia probate quod bonuÌ„ est tenete Examine all things hold fast that which is good AN APOLOGIE FOR IOHN VVickliffe shewing his conformity with the now church of England both in Doctrine Discipline TO proceed theÌ„ according vnto the first part of our general diuisioÌ„ J doubt not but it wil easily be acknowledged of al hands that the greatest Controuersies betweene the Papists and vs maie be reduced into these fewe heads They concerne 1 The Scripture 2 Traditions 3 The Pope 4 The Church 5 Iustification 6 Merits 7 The blessed Sacrament of the Lords supper For the rest which concerne the other Sacraments or other pointes of doctrine that are collateral they shal be handled with the principal questions or else in the second place apart by themselues according to our former diuision The I. Chap. Of the Scripture THe questions to be moued about the Scripture are no lesse infinite then the Scripture it selfe but the greatest points controuersed betweene vs and the Papists resteth in these 4. About the number Sufficiencie Interpretation or Communication of the Scripture or bookes Canonical Sect. 1. The first questioÌ„ about the number of the bookes Canonical Article 6. TO the 1. point Io. VVickliffe fully agreeing with the 6. Article of the Church of England and S. HieroÌ„s doctrine maketh but f Satis est pro sua militia habere 22. libros de veteri Testamento-AutheÌ„ticos Wiekliffâ— de ver Scrip. Pag. 110. 22. books Canonical excluding the rest which are as he rightly tearmeth them bookes Apocrypha so called as he writeth g Non quia oportet illis discredere tanquam fa sis sed quia non oportet Ecclesiam militantem illis libris credere explicatè tanquam authenticis ld lb. not because they are to be discredited of falshood but because the Church militant should not beleeue them explicatè as if they were authenticall h Stultum et vanum circa veritatem aut passiones Scripturae Apocryphae nimis contendere cum habemus plenè Scripturas sensibilitèr nobis authenticas ld lb. he thinketh it to saâ—or of folly vaine curiositie for a man to striue about the truth or proper passions of these bookes Apocrypha where there are so manie books besides which are verie sensibly and plainly authentical Now if you happen to aâ—ke VVickliffe how he knoweth these bookes to be losse authentical then the former The differences betwixt the books Canonical Apocrypha he wil informe shew you that the best meanes of discerning books Canonical from the Apocrypha bookes are 1. i Auctoâ—izatio corum in Nouo testamento Wickleff de Veâ—r Scrip. pag 95. pag. 109 To looke into the newe Testament and to see what books of the old Testament are therein cited authenticated by the holy Ghost 2. If that wil not serue for k Credo quod Ecclesia discre tè examinanâ— quemcunque librum quoad totam suam sententiam dicià Spiritu Sancto in alia Scriptura lo. pag. 96. the Church of God discreetly examining any booke to consider whether the like
of Reports against the truth of which doctrine no Parson nor Parsons I suppose shal euer be able to preuaile raile they may and brag they do which are the two ordinary meanes of late daies found out to answere al obiections as that vpstart Goliah or Rabsache of Rome Iames Gretser which is newlie come forth to reuile the whole host of Protestant writers hath abundantly testified declared in his late voluminous book written in a supposed defence of Bellarmine but to giue the Divell his right hee hath farre exceeded not only his Equals Jesuits but surpassed all other writers whatsoeuer in this supereminent art of railing or scolding rather so that to vse r Similes sunt-authori discipui omnes equorum libris si iactationes mendacia scoÌ„mata maledicta conuitia tollerentur ex maximis voluminibus vix libelli perexigui effici possent Bell cont 4. To 1. pag 328. in 8 o. iustly to be retorted vpon the Iesuits He railes against D. Rainolds D. Whitaker D. Moâ—ton Iunius Polanus Hunnius Lubbert c al which he doth befoole depresse both lewdly and foolishly as because D. Rainolds was sicke of theâ— gout therefore forsooth nihil â—olidum nihil neâ—uosum ab isto sperandum his head was not sound enough to deliuer anie solide matter against them and that he did forbeare to inuaie more sharply against him Ne sorte exasparatis articulorum doloribus acrius discrutietur ad rabiâ—Ì„ vel desperationem adigatur The paine of the gout and of reading his books withal might driue him into despaire Gretser defens Bell. pag. 1058 1070. his M. Bellarmines words if a man should take out al his braggings scoffings reproches raylings reuilings and lewd speeches vttered against the cheifest writers of our age ex maximo volumine minimus libellus efficeretur it would proue not only a poore booke but a lewd and lying booke In this booke hee hath taken vpon himself such libertie of giueing euerie man the lie that he cannot keepe from putting a lie vpon his Master Cardinal Bellarmiue where he writeth thus speaking of the Jesuits s Bellarmine the Iesuits the meekest men aliue non est nostrum reddere maluÌ„ promalâ— it is not the manner of the Iesuits to render euil for euill Though I cannot saie of him as t Vide Praefationem ante Biblia Interlinearia Arias Montanus doth of his Erostratus that nostrum pro alijs but nostrum cum alijs nomenproscindendum suscepit that he hath traduced me for others yet because he hath traduced my name with others I thought good to meÌ„ tion him only at this present because I intend ere long be to u In two books of his the one in quarto de Iuâ—e â—m odo libros prohibendi abolendi expurgaÌ„ diâ—the other in folio writte in defense of the 1 part of of Bellarmins Controuersie he hath gone about to reuerse two PositioÌ„s of mine the 1. That the workes of the â—AncieÌ„t Fathers are verie much corrupted by the Papists the 2. that their Bibles authorized are diuerse coÌ„trarious coÌ„tradictorious the one vnto the other Both these God willing shal be proued mâ—st cleerely in my Apologie God opeÌ„ the â—ies of our hetherto blinded and hoodwinct Papists that they maie see and seeing maie knowe and knoweinge maie abhorre their soule corruptions and open contradictions salute him in his owne language to send him to schoole vnto the Jesuits 'to learne better manners then being but a young Jesuit in comparison not only to abuse al Lutherans Calvinists and Protestants but to write professedly and purposely I may say malitiouslie and spitefully against the most aged and uu An t Posseuine wouÌ„ded thorowgh my sides For my Collation of Cyprian which Grerser cheifly impugneth iâ— translated verbatim into Possevins Apparatus Changing the word Protestant into Catholike and by affirming the booke that was printed at Geneua to be printed at Paris that men might thinke it was his worke sic nos non nobis mellificamus apes hereby you maie note his exceeding great iudgment and yet he taketh vpon him to be Censor censorum and Criticus Criticorum iudicious Jesuit at this day in al Christendome but leaving him vnto his Superiours to be punished for a notable wrangler VVickliffe in this point a sound Protestant we are now by Gods grace come to examine the most material point of al others Sect. 3. IF it be doubted whether the Pope maie erre or no according vnto VVickliffes doctrine The 3 questioÌ„ whether the Pope may err it is shewed openly and plainly thoroughout all his works where he proueth that the Pope is x Papa est pec cabilis sicur caput Ecclesiae De Verit. Script pag. 456. est naturae peccabilis habens supra se capitaleÌ„ Dominum in Expos Decal pag 123. natura peccabilis of that nature that he may erre y De blaspheÌ„ pag. 40. That one that men callen Pope may erre not only in manner and z Non dubiuÌ„ quin error posset in â—lectione contingere magis in conuersatione sequenti De Ver Script pag. 457. conuersation of life but also in doctrine and a Hee maie erre in seeding of his Churches or Articles of the faith De blasp pag. 40. Multi papae deprauâ—ti haeretica depâ—auitate De. Ver. Scrip. pag. 181. hodie inualescit opinio Legistarum dicentium quod si quis sit Papa est impeccabilis per conâ—equens si quid arbitratur vel ordinat tune est iustum â—um Epistolae suae vel parificantur vei superant auctoritatem Scripturae lb. pag. 47. Non habet a Deo Chartas talis officij lb pag. 92. VtinaÌ„ talis Antichristus non destruat Regna Borealia occidentalia orâ—entalia sâ—cut infecit Afâ—am Apâ—iricaÌ„ Europam lb. pag 589. Articles of the Creed b Lib. De 7. Pecc Mort. pag. 16. He may sin c De blasphem pag. 40. and no man in the world lightlier or grievouslier and de facto erraverunt in deed they haue â—rred and been infected with foule heresies Yea he thinketh it to be d De blasphem pag. 55. likely that all the Bishops of Rome for 300. yeares and more before his time were fullie hereticks therefore I nothing doubt but he shal be accounted of them an Arch hereticke of vs as the truth is a sound Catholike and an Arch Protestant Sect. 4. The 4. questioÌ„ whether the Pope be Antichrist THe lâ—st point controuersed is whether the Pope be Antichrist Which point he proueth verie largely by comparing his doctrine manners with Christs in sundrie places of his works but chiefly in his Lib. de 7. Peâ—catiâ— Mortal pag. 16. Booke of the 7. deadly sinnes telling vs that forasmuch as thorough his Decrees * Contra Frat. Mend. pag. 26 Gods Hests by his maundements Christs commandements by his Decretals Paules Epistles by his e Nihil est CanonicuÌ„ quod Regula 1. non
469. lawes that are and by the example of the wisest king that euer rained Now because there caÌ„ be no smoke without some fire I wil in a word or two informe you of the grouÌ„d of this their accusation how they were misled or VVickliffe mistaken in this point and so dismisse our aged Father Parsons with his threefolde or rather manifold peruersions VVickliffe in all his bookes and treatises doth euerie where commend a kind of x Ad hoc vadit tota mea â—enteÌ„tia quaÌ„ impugnant vt viz. Cleâ—ici sint pauperes in facto vâ—lin animo vel vtrinqueâ— omnino quod caueaâ— ab auaritia fastu seculi cum alijs malitijs quae sequuÌ„tur De Ver. Scrip pag. 570. Qui perfecte linquunt omnia iudicabunt mundum lb. pag. 512. De. mundi conteÌ„ptu pauper tate Euangelica lb. p 196. Evangelicall pouertie perswading Cleargie men to renounce the vaine pompe and glorie of the world and to lead if it were possible an Apostolical or Evangelical life to be coÌ„tent or y CoÌ„tra frat mend pag. paide if we han lif elode to be hiled with that is with food and raiment this estate to Priest in those daies vnmarried he z Status pauperiei â—st status perfectissimus viatori InExpos Decal pagâ— 50. Creuit Eccle sia magis secundum pauperem statum De Verit. Script pag. 465. commeÌ„deth as the better yet he approued wel enough of vsing the things of this world and he himselfe enioied Tythes went a De Verit. Scrip. p 192. Inter alia peccata de quibus timeâ— hoc est vnum praeâ—puum quod consumendo in excessiuo victu vestitu bona pauperum deficio dandum exemplum alijs lb. Quod aut coÌ„ munem vitam viuendo frequenter auide lauâ—e manduco dolenter profiteor cum si illud hypocâ—itice simulate volueâ—e testarentur contra me socij commensales lb. well apparelled and kept a good table of that which was his owne For I read not of anie great gifts that he had giuen him of anie man Temporal Lord State or Potentate Perhaps being so wel acquainted with the Common Lawyers he was the likelier to keepe his own So that to conclude this point he did not b Amor temporalium remouendus De Ver Scr. p. 462. Omnia mala introductâ— in Ecclesiam per affectionem inordinatam temporalium â—n Expos. Decal pag. 150. Omnes homines debent praecise secundum mensuram illam vti bonis temporalibus secundum quam promouent ad aeterna De Ver Scrip. pag. 450. actually debar Ministers from hauing but from ouer much affecting the things of this world which were to be renounced per cogitationem affectum in minde and affection and so forsooth for vrging this doctrine and taxing there abuses he was c Accusantes pseudo Sacerdotes statim censenâ—ur hostes EcclesiaeDe Verit. Scrip. pag. 460. thought to bee a sore enemie to all the Cleargie and a sharpe inuaier against Tithes And thus much shall suffice for an answere vnto all indifferent Parsons concerning Father Parsons lewd and frivolous obiections it remaineth that we proceede to discusse and examine our Apologists reasons vvhich may seeme to some men more forcible because there proofes are fetched from our own writers for the most part for that which is alleadged as out of VVickliffes works I do shrewdly suspect to be verbatim taken out of VValdeÌ„ d See both their Prefaces and Protestations you shal finde theÌ„ alike true which is as true in his reports of VVickliffe as Nicephâ—rus Callistus is in his Ecclesiasticall stories both of them professe great sinceritie in words yet in deed haue neither truth nor honestie in their words The 1. Obiection of the Apologists Apol. Tr. 2. Cap. 2. p. 106. HE seemed to contemne all Temporal goods for the loue of eternal riches adioined himselfe to the Begging Fryars approuing their pouertie and extolling their perfection The Answere HE did not only seeme but in effect as farre forth aâ— became a sanctified and regenerate man did e Certus suÌ„ si vixero in confessione â—oruÌ„ vsque ad morteÌ„ habeam coÌ„ summataÌ„ con uersationem correspondeÌ„tem quod relinquam mun dum vel temporalia per carnis muÌ„ di crucifixionem De Ver. Scrip. p. 188. coÌ„temne all Temporall goods and that for the only loue of eternal riches This is a grieuous imputation or rather commendation if you consider the duty of f Nemo excusatur ab hac paupertate De Ver. Scrip. pag. 516. everie good Christian and the holy profession which he makes in Baptisme For saie VVickliffe perswaded al other men to be as himselfe was that did neither g He is most to praise that least setteth by this worlde and perfectliest loueth heauen De. Ver. Scrip. pag. 346. set nor settle his affections vpoÌ„ ' the world which preached against Couetousnes because he had heard S. Paul call it Idolatrie against an inordinate and preposterous affection of the temporal things of this life because the Fathers and Scripture are against it what of al this How many Sermons Epistles ' and Postels of Jesuites and Friars are extant which doe commend the same doctrine vnto vsâ— with exquisite and emphaticall perswasions allusions and amplifications So that hitherto we see there is no harme done That which follows out of Stow the old that he adioined himselfe to the Begging Fryars is taken out of WalsinghaÌ„ which was Stowes Auctour and VVickliffes too great enemie to be beleeued Master Stow not to defraud him of his iust praise was a paineful Citizen by trade a Taylour by his industrie a Chronicler so well minded to the publike good that for fault of better writers he tooke vpoÌ„ him at the first to record such things as happened in that Metropolis and chiefe Cittie and being somewhat encouraged in his labour hee tooke vpon him to deduce the Historie of the whole Island from the first beginning and to contract al our stories into one smal volume But here his learning failed him for being not able h M. Io. Stow a paineful writer but not so iudicious for want of the knowledge of the Latine tong wherof he was vtterly ignorant as himselfe ingenuously professed vntome and therfore was compeled to haue his latine bookes translated for him to his exceeding great cost and charges the greater was his coÌ„mendations to vnderstand his Auctors how should he iudge them And not iudging them how could he write or cite anie thing out of them iudicioussie pertinentlie and as became an Historian I spare to speake what I know concerning his books his reuerend old age and incredible zeale to the common good shal be to me insteed of so many garments to couer his historicall imperfections But to come to the point thus our Apologists do reason Master Stow out of his traÌ„slated WalsinghaÌ„ saies that VVickliffe was of the order of the Begging Friars
rich Seculars to emploie some learned and paineful students in discouerie the misteries of this their daÌ„nable art of corrupting al manner of good writers either profane or diuine vnder colour of correcting theÌ„â— in processe of time the Jesuits sole Actors of al lewde parts by printing and reprinting the Fathers workes so oft as they are like to doe in goodly paper faire letters and glorious annotations whereby they haue bewitched the whole world wil in al likelihoods by their more theÌ„ Syrenical enchantments Circean sorceries and Diabolical charmes make al writers both new and old to speake whollie for them and when they haue so filed and framed them vnto their purposes and made them speake nothing but the language of Ashdad theÌ„ be assured â—ura â—eriura secretuÌ„ prodere noli that they wil sweare and forsweare their Index Expurgatoriusses deny there Colledge of Censors and make the world beleeue there was neuer any such thing for feare least they should rise vp in iudgement against them to convince them of so many wilful forgeries treacheries foule corruptions by waie of addition detraction opposition and that you may know them to bee cunning Arithmetitians by their so often vâ—ed Rule of falshood But my hope and trust is in the good grace of the Almightie that the learned iudicious Cleargie of this land which are most interested in this business will amidst their sondry and waighty affaires of the Church in that there Reuerend assembly in Convocation take some speedy course against this damned crew and execrable Colledge of Censors for preuenting of farther mischiefes which are likely to ensue There is no country in al Christendome where the Gospell is sincerelie professed which hath the like opportunity of effecting this busines such and so manie are our written copies commended as God would haue it by the mouthes of our aduersaries so great the number of iudicious and paineful students that would account themselues happy if they might be imploied in transcribing or comparing the bookes of the ancient writers In fine God hath put the occasion into our hands the daies are hitherto peaceable and quiet and long may they so continue the king Religious and learned the c Noble meÌ„ Diuerse gentlemeÌ„ of good marke haue offered large summes to the effecting hereof Nobility gentrie willing and forward our enemies audacious bold the d The charges would not coÌ„â— to 200â— per annum charges not great scarce to be spokeÌ„ of the time not loÌ„g within the which it might be e It may be fully finished within 4. or 5â— yeares if this were once done our con trouersies would haue an easier end fully finished the Glorie Gods the benefit his Church both which I haue doe and wil for euer seeke vnfainedly according vnto my place dutie and profession Deo soli sit gloria Iohn VVickliffe life collected out of diuerse Auctors THis Iohn Wickliffe was borne in the North where vnto this day some of his name and family as I vnderstand by others doe yet remaine brought vp in Oxford in that a Merton Coll. Colledge which hath iustly had the preheminence aboue all the Colledges most of the Vniversities in Christendome for the nomber and excellency of men learned in all faculties qualified with extraordinary gifts both for Church and Common-wealth such as were to omit other Faculties in Divinitie Bacon Burley Scotus Occham Peccham Bradwardine with diuerse othersâ— and by example of these aswel as by the strict Discipline of that House this Io. Wickliffe nothing inferiour vnto any of the former either in quicknes of apprehension sharpnes of wit shortnes of deliuery greatnes of industrie stoutnes of courage and variety of all kinde of good learning and aboue them all in a full knowledge of the truth of the Gospel and constant defense of the same vnto the ende amidst so many troubles vexations accusations imputations and câ—lumniations so many denunciations excoÌ„munications Anathemaes and Curses solemnly pronouÌ„nced against him at London and at Oxford by Archbishops Bishops and Popes so that he was neuer free from their curses which God evermore blessed be his name turned into blessings as may appeare by the sequeale of his life and doctrine He was beloued of all good men for his good life and greatly admired of his greatest aduersaries for his learning and knowledge both in Diuinity humanity He writ so many large volumes in both as it is almost incredible He seemed to follow in the whole course of his studies the methode of the Schoole men and amongst them hee was a professed follower of Occham by reading of whose learned bookes and sundry others which liued about the same time or not long before such as were Bradwardine Marsilius Guide S. Amore Abelardus Armachanus and that true great Clearke Rob. Grosthead God gaue him grace to see the trueth of his Gospel and by seeing of it to loth all superstition and Poperie Of Occham Marsilius he was informed of the Popes intrusions vsurpations vpon kings their Crownes dignities of Gu. de S. Amore and Armachanus hee learned the sundry abuses of Moonkes and Friars in vpholding this vsurped power by Abelard and others he was grounded in the right faith of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper by Bradwardine in the nature of a true sole-iustifying faith against merit-mongers and Pardoners Pelagians and Papists Finally by reading Grostheads workes in whoÌ„ he seemed to be most conversant he descried the Pope to be open Antichrist by letting the Gospell to be preached and by placing vnable vnfit men in the Church of God He passed thorough al degrees in this famous Vniversity very commendably writing and speaking many things against the then corrupted doctrine of the Church of Rome His many Positions were chiefly directed against the Orders of the Begging Friars which were his professed enemies and all forraine and vâ—urped Iurisdiction of the Pope By which meanes he purchased vnto himselfe the favour of all good men The reason was this he liâ—ed in a time when the Friars orders by their manifold disorders were become exceeding odious and the Popes Iurisdiction by Provisions Reservations and Collations very intolerable This made way vnto those excellent Statutes Lawes and Acts of Parliament of Praemunire against Prâ—visors and the Abuses of Begging Friars which so bridled and restrained the Popes auctority that he could but litle prevaile here in England during the raigne of K. Edw. the 3. Rich. the 2. In making of these lawes Wickliffe had a great stroke maintaining verie learnedly and stoutly the Kings Iurisdiction Crowne and dignitie by the lawes Ciuil Canon and Common And for this reasoÌ„ he was by one King sent Embassadour into forraine parts by an other consulted here at home He vrged the Common law most of al other lawes for maintenance of his opinion wherein hee tooke great delight and had good directions from time to time from the reuerend Iudges and Sages of the law He was not so much hated of the Clergie but hee was as much fauoured by the State Temporal He was openly defended by King Edward and that noble Duke of Lane aster and secretly abetted and maintained by King Richard whose Chaplaine he appeared to haue beene notwithstanding hee shewed him but little countenance outwardly during his minoritie Twise was he conueÌ„ted before the By shops and thrise summoned to appeare The first time hee escaped by the Duke the second time by meanes of a messenger that came from the Queene The third time he voluntarily abseâ—ted himselfe because he knewe the Byshops had plotted his death by the waie deuising the meanes and encouraging men thervnto Notwithstanding al their deuises and plotts he liued a longe time without death bonds banishment or imprisonment both writing teaching and preaching opeÌ„ly in their Schooles Synagogues drawing both Prince and people Schollers others and al the world almost after him He begun to defend his opinions when hee was verie yong and continued tel he was verie old constantly retaining and maintaining the same some few excepted which he reformed and refined more and more as he grew in yeares and knowledge He was Doctor of Diuinitie almost 30. yeares and for some fewe yeares Parson of Lutterworth in Lâ—cester-sheâ—re He had sometimes before beene fellow of Marton and Master of Ballioll Colledge as some write beneficed in Oxford He began to be famous about the yeare of our Lord 1360. died in the yeare of grace 1387. in high fauour both with God men In his life time â— finde but of one or two that wrot against him which also demeaned themselues very respectfully as became Diuines But after his death manie I may saie the whole host and â—ost of Moonks and Friars beganne to praie most cowardly vpon his dead corps disgoâ—ging to praie macks and the verie gaule of bitternes agaînst his parson doctrine But amongst al others Frear Walden hath both shaÌ„fully and wrongfully belied him in sundry passages of his workes as partly doth appeare by my Apologie and farther God willing shal be manifested against all such as shall avouch the conrarie FINIS