their Churches Let them vnroll the Succession of their Bisshopps Finallie it is without contradiction by the witnesse of Scriptures Doctors and Historyes a most vndoubted way to know at al times vvho be Heretikes and who be Catholikes and therefore of such as wil not desperatly cast them-selues into Hell deeply and earnestly to be considered Apostolike Church VPON this poynt of Succession is inferred another very vvorthie consideration that whereas not only we in the holy Masse but also the Heretikes in theyr communion professe both to beleeue Vnam Sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam One Holy Catholike and Apostolike Church according to the Crede of the first Constantinopolitan Councel it is our Church that is Apostolike bycause it agreeth in the faith with the Church of Rome in which is the See of an Apostle holding on to this day by Succession and to which was written an Epistle by an Apostle What caÌ„ they here deny doth not our Church the Catholikes I meane of England agree in faith with the Romain Church It is both confessed by the Heretykes who for that cause do call vs Papists and knowen to all men bysides Doth not the Bishop of that Church succeede an Apostle in his See S. Peter was an Apostle and Prince of the Apostles and the first Bishop of Rome which is as euident in it selfe and as certainely may be proued by vndoubted witnesse and as sensibly is sene vvith our very eies as that there hath bene so long and is at this present such a citie in the world named Rome Had not the Church an Epistle writteÌ„ to it by an Apostle S. Paules Epistle to the Romains is extant Are not these the causes why a Church is called Apostolike Heare Tertulâ—ians definition De Pres Haeret. Age tam qui voles â—uâ—iâ—sitatem melius exercere in negotio salutis tuae peâ—â—urre Ecclisias Apostolicas apud quas ipsae adâ—uc Cathedrae Apostolorum suis lâ—cis praesidentur â—pud quas ipsae authenticae literae corum recitantur sonantes vocem repraesentantes facieÌ„ well now thou that wouldest vse yet more curiosiâ—ie in the matter of thy saluation runne ouer the Apostolike Churches at whom the very Chairs of Apostles are yet in their places sitten in at whom the very authentical letters of them are recited sounding their voice representing their face Examples there hee putteth of the Churches of the Corinthians of the Philippians of the Ephesians and specially of the Romains saying of the same Videamus quid dixerit quid docuerit CuÌ„ Aphricanis quoque Ecclesiis contestatur Let vs consider what it the Romain Church hath said what it hath taught Mary with our Aphrican Churches also it holdeth Which he there declareth in al points by the Heretikes of that time denied by himselfe with other Catholikes of that countrie beleeued Wheâ—eupon he will haue it to follow that their African Churches are Apostolike although not so as the Romaine Church other like yet in another right good sense bâ—cause they agree with those Apostolikes And in this hee putteth so strong an argument of the truth that hee â—gâ—ine againe prouoketh Heretikes to shew the like Edant origines Ecclesiarum suarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporum suorum ita per successiones ab initio decurrentem ut primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis vâ—l Apostâ—â—icis viris qui tamen cum Apâ—stolis perseuerauerit habuerit authorem antecessâ—rem Hoc enim modo Ecclesiae Apostolicae census suos deferunt Sicut Smyrnaeorum Ecclesia Polycarpum ab Iohanne collocatum refert Sicut Romanorum Clementem a Petro ordinatuÌ„ id proinde vtique caeterae exhibent quos ab Apostâ—lis in EpiscopatuÌ„ constitutos Apostolici seminis traduces habeant Let the Heretikes bring sorth the origines of their Churches let them vnfold the rew of their Bishops so from the beginning running downe by successions as that first Bishoppe of theirs haue had for his author and predecessor some one of the Apostles or Apostolike men which also with the Apostles perseuered For after this manner doe the Apostolike Churches bring down their substance to our time As the Church of the Smyrnians sheweth Polycarpus placed by S. Iohn as the Church of the Romains sheweth Clement ordered by Saint Peter And so verily doe the rest also shew whom by the Apostles ordained Bishops they haue for the drawers vnto them of the seed or doctrine Apostolike So as our naturall progenitors haue deriued or passed vnto vs the naturall seede of Adam Confingant tale aliquid Haeretici Let the Heretikes faine any such thing if they can saith hee But no doubt they cannot and therefore be they not Apostolike and ours most certainely which manifestly so doth is Apostolike God graunt them therefore once in heart also to beleeue with vs that which with vs in mouth they professe to beleeue I say One Holy Catholike and Apostolike Church Neither it is the Motiue only of Tertullian Saint Augustine also in the greatest matter that can be touching the very Canon of the Scriptures sendeth vs to those Churches speciallie aboue all others Quae Apostolicas Sedes De doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 8. Epistolas accipere meruâ—runt which to haue Sees Apostolike and to receaue Epistles Apostolike found the fauour Finallie many others of the holy Fathers teach vs the same vvay vnto the Truth and no one of them all did euer disproue it In whome this is yet further to be coÌ„sidered that whereas there were in their time standing yet manie other Churches Apostolike besides the Romaine they for all that did euer principallie and singulaly direct men alwaies to the Romane so also calling it by prerogatiue the Church Apostolike or See Apostolike that by that name it was no lesse knowen from all others as all can beare me witnesse that read antiquity then I say when there were also many other Churches or Sees Apostolike than now at this time it is when we haue none other Apostolicke See remaining After which manner also we know Virgil from all Poetes by the name of Poeta and Aristotle from all other Philosophers by the name of Philosophus S. Paule from all the other Apostles by the name of Apostolus Which thing well considered of anie indifferent man may giue him easily to vnderstand that the holy Fathers of the Constantinopolitan Councell in their Creede bidding vs to belieue the Church Apostolike did not only meane the RomaÌ„ Church but also none other but the RomaÌ„ well that I leaue to the consideratioÌ„ of such as be indiffereÌ„t But that which afore I saide is certaine as it is also most worthy to be considered that the Fathers in their times hauing manie Sees Apostolike yet chieflie looked themselues and directed others to the Apostolike See of Rome And now at this time when as there is none other of that sorte remayning in the worlde but onely the Roman and yet neuer none of them all more
contemned the right or embraced the wrong We then also at this present standing in like perill and euerlasting daunger of our soules haue we not neede to awake to shake off our slouth and to looke about vs I deale not now with them which say in their foolish heartes that there is no God no Christ no soule no heauen no hell no right way nor no wrong of whome God help the world is too too full Neither with them do I deale which thinke no way at all so wrong but that it may serue well enough to heauen All which sorts of vaine men how vvise soeuer that they seeme in their owne conceits haue most certainely all good reason all true wisedome and which amongst Christian men is most irrefragable all Diuine Scripture cleane against them For wheresoeuer the said Scriptures speake of Nicolaites and such like who is there that findeth left for such any hope of saluation Therefore to leaue these vanishing away in their foolish fansies and to talke with others that beleeue the Scriptures and therefore thinke well that some in those forsaid ages found the way to heauen that other some by walking by-waies are fallen into damnation of these I demaund if at least wise they care for themselues more thē for their pelfe that soone will forsake them whether they would not be glad to know these waies to walke the one and to auoid the other the matter is past with those aforetime it is we that are in daunger that stand of making or els of marring If happely we could light in the steppes of them that are in Heauen wee were made foreuer But if we walke on the same pathes that lead others to hel then are wee marred and vndonne foreuer Here therefore it would be known what way they that now are safe did then take when they were in perill In their seuerall times very many and verie great questions as I haue said vvere mooued by new deuisers and some allwaies there vvere that could and did trie the matters with them by learning but these very few if we compare them with the multitude besides that the said triall is very long and many before it can be made passe out of this world to their certaine damnation if they go vncertaine What other remedy what better way is there than for such Is there any or is there none If there be none let vs eate and drinke and make good cheare for we shall die to morrow But thankes be to God there is good remedie there are also other waies inough and not only for the vnlearned and vnskilfull multitude but also for them that are of greatest learning of deepest knowledge Onely needefull here it is that a mā be willing to be set in the right way and to hold him in it Who better learned than S. Augustine Who more surely now in heauen He then besides learning what other waies had hee to hold him right To the Manichees of whose sect once he was thus he saith Con. Ep. fund Cap. 4. In Catholica Ecclesia vt omittam sincerissimam Sapientiam ad cuius cognitionem pauci spiritales in hac vita perueniunt vt eam ex minima quidem parte quia homines sunt sed tamen sine dubitatione cognoscant caeterā quippe turbam non intelligendi viuacitas sed credendi simplicitas tutissimā facit vt ergo hanc omittam Sapientiam quam in Ecclesia esse Catholica non creditis multa sunt alia quae in eius gremio me iustissime teneant Tenet consensio populorum atque gentium Tenet authoritas miraculis inchoata spe nutrita charitate aucta vetustate firmata Tenet ab ipsa Sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suas post resurrectionem Dominus commendauit vsque ad praesentem Episcopatum Successio Sacerdotum Tenet postremo ipsum Catholicae nomen quod non sine causa inter tam multas Haereses sic ista Ecclesia sola obtinuit c. In the Catholike Church to let passe most pure wisdome and knowledge to the perceauing whereof a few spiritual men in this life doe attaine so that they perceaue it in a very litle peece pardie because they are but men but yet without all doubting for as touching the other multitude it is not quicknesse of vnderstanding but simplicitie of beleeuing that maketh thē most safe that I omit therfore this wisedome which in the Catholike Church to be you Manichees and other Heretikes doe not beleeue many other things there are which in her lap most worthily do keep me There keepeth mee consent of peoples and nations There keepeth me authority by Miracles begonne nourished by hope by Charity increased by Antiquity made firme and sure There keepeth me Succession of Priestes from the very See of Peter the Apostle to whome our Lord after his resurrectiō committed the feeding of his sheepe euen to the Bishop that now is There keepeth me finallie the very name of Catholike which not without cause amongst so many heresies this Church alone hath obteined c. And in an other place to the same he retiks he saith againe Christo esse credēdum credidi famae celebritate consensione vetustate roboratae Vos autem tam pauci tam turbulenti tam noui nemini dubium est quin nihil dignum authoritate praeferatis That Christ must be beleeued I beleued fame or authority fortified with vniuersality consent and antiquity But you Heretikes being both so few and so dissentious and so new risen no man doubteth but that you shew nothing that deserueth authority Here as wee see this most learned most holy most renoumed Father allegeth many most worthy reasons as hee tearmeth them to hold him still a Catholike As indeed vpon that matter he wrote his whole said booke De vtilitate credendi Concerning the vtility of beleuing So did Tertullian of the same mater write his book De praescriptionibus Haereticorum Of exceptions against Heretikes And also Vincentius Lyrinensis his booke Contra prophanas omnium haereseon nouationes Against the prophane innouations of al Heresies These their books they wrote of the most iust and worthy reasons which there are to mooue anie man to forsake al Heresies and to liue die a catholike which bookes I wish all such my deare Countrimen to read as will know the truth and specially the holy Scripture of the actes of the Apostles with Saint Beedes Ecclesiastical Historie of our own Nation What such reasons may to that purpose be gathered out of those Authors and their like grounded all vpon most certaine and diuine authoritie I in this Treatise haue in part declared shewing particularly in euery one of them some vndoubted cause to moue any man to beleeue vs and not the Protestants Puritants nor other Heretikes in all together that nothing there is to be demaunded of a Christian man but vvith vs it maketh plainely and against them plainely no such thing against vs no such thing with
inflamed with zeale of godlines but let them not be heades of the Church because vnto them is not due this Primacie If now against these Magdeburgians our Protestantes vvill make exception that they are Lutherans they must be put in minde of their owne wordes in their Apologie Apol. Ecc. Anglic. Illi say they quos isti contumeliae causa appellant Zuinglianos Lutheranos re ver a sunt utrique Christiani inter se amici ac fratres Non de principijs aut fundamentis religionis non de Deo non de Christo non de sancto Spiritu non de ratione iustificationis non de aeterna vita tantum de vna nec ea ita graui aut magna quaestione inter se dissentiunt nec desperamus vel potius non dubitamus breui fore concordiam They whome in reproch these men the Catholikes doe call Zuinglians and Lutherans are in very deed both christian men friendes together and brethren They doe not disagree about the principles grounds of religion not about God not about Christ not about the Holy Ghost not about the manner of Iustification not about life euerlasting This prophecy is now fulfilled in the accord of the Protestantes Puritans but onely about one and it no weightie nor great question Neither doe wee despaire or rather we doubt not but there will shortly be agreement By that one small trifling question they meane no lesse a matter then the Blessed Sacrament of the weight wherof and hope to be agreed about it you haue heard what Luther not long before his death did write As also to this daie the cōtinual fighting with pen sword of the Lutherans and Zuinglians about the same doth beare plaine record But to our matter of the Head Ecclesiastical if that be not a Principle or ground of Religion why was it so obtruded to the Prince as though neyther God nor Christ nor the holy Ghost nor Iustification nor life euerlasting nor at al religiō could stand without it Why hath it bin so straightly exacted of men and that with oath to be professed vpon paine of perpetuall imprisonment forfaiting of lands and goods and losse of life Being then so weightie a matter such a Principle ground of Religion it is denied notwithstanding condemned you see by such as themselues confesse to be christians to be their friends to be their brethren And will not men yet looke to themselues Psal 4. open their eyes see the truth Filij hominum vsquequo graui corde vt quid diligitis vanitatem quaeritis mendacium O ye children of men how long will you be so heauie harted why be yee in loue with vanitie and sticke to that which will deceaue you At least wise if Gransier Luther and the Lutherans be no body with them yet their Sire himselfe of whome they are immediatly descended Caluine I trust shall beare with them some more authoritie For so I pray God that with themselues his witnesse may doe good euen with the farthest gone of them all our greatest enimies desiring nothing more then their Conuersion and saluation But if that may not be 2. Thes 1. because that non omnium est fides they be not of the nūber which must beleue yet may it please God of his mercy to open others eyes and harts to see take the truth others I say that are not so obstinate that haue a good will for to be saued Such I trust when they shall see that with most certaine danger yea losse of their soules they beleeue the Protestants euen by Caluins owne iudgement and sentence they will be better aduised either for the loue of God or feare of Hell This then is the saying of Caluin forced thereunto by the very text of Scripture as in the Prophet may be seene Qui initio tantopere extulerunt Henricum Regem Angliae Cal. in Amos 7. certe fuerunt inconsiderati homines dederunt illi summā rerum omnium petestatem hoc me semper grauiter vulnerauit Erant enim blasphemi cum vocarent ipsum sum mum Caput Ecclesiae sub Christo. Hoc certe fuit nimium Sed tamen sepultum hoc maneat quia peccarunt inconsiderato zelo c. They that in the beginning did so much extoll Henry king of England certainely they were vnwary men they gaue him power ouer all And this hath alwaies wounded me full sore For they were blasphemous mē to cal him chiefe head of the Church vnder Christ this certainely was too much But yet let this abide buried because they sinned by vnwarie zeale c. In his words following he laieth more freely at the Kings Commissioners sent by him after his Schisme to the Diet of Ratispone for their talke that there they had vppon the ground of the King his Headship Now what would Caluin say thinke you of our Protestantes since that time in England for taking vp againe the Corps carrying it all about the Realme to be adored and that vvith solemne oath vpon paine also aforesaid How would hee trounce them for theyr Blasphemie Are not Princes trow you well serued by such flatterers haue they not good Pastors of them worthy preachers to cōmit vnto them their soules saluation that carry thē into such brakes of perdition and damnation and vvith them the whole people by the very witnesse of their owne confederates I am not ignorant that going about in Parliament to giue the Queene this Title hauing obiected by Catholikes vnto them this place of Caluin to saue them-selues from his blow which they were ashamed of although they feared neyther it nor God nor man they deuised to call her not Head but Supreme Gouernour in all causes Ecclesiasticall But sone after being againe charged by Catholikes that that was much more absurd as by which she might take vnto her the verie administration of Sacraments and what soeuer els that is in the gouernement of any Priest or Bishop then were they faine in an Iniunction to interprete that that was neuer her meaning but onely to haue such authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes as the king her father had before her and so compelled for a mollification of their new inuented Title to runne backe againe to that very same frō which afore they fled for feare of Caluin Let any man now that thinketh to be saued aduise wel with himselfe whether he doe discreetly to receaue into the groundes of his saluation with oath to be confessed such sandie Articles so vnsure for footing and to take for the sure builders of his soule such light headed vnsure and ignorant Masters God giue his grace to all estates both high low Vt resipiscant a Diaboli laqueis 2. Tim. 2. to rid themselues by repentance from the snares of the Diuell that all this while hath held them captiues And so for this Motiue these few examples may suffice manie more of like sort shal be brought
the same euer since that time no exaÌ„ple being able to be brought vnto the contrary Wherefore the Protestants and Puritans bycause they are not sent but come of their owne heades are but as all other Heretikes they are not of Christes Church they are as hee of whom Saint Paul in a brief description of a false-apostle said 2. Cor. 11. Si is qui venit If he that commeth They are as Christ hath said Ioan. 10. Qui non intrat per ostium in ouile ouium sâ—d ascendit aliunde ille fur est latro vvho so entreth not by the dore into the shep fold but getteth himself vp another way he is a stealer and a robber And therefore must the shepe beware of them not heare them flee from them remeÌ„bring that fur non venit nisi vt furetur mactet perdat The theefe commeth not but to steale and to murder and to destroy Vnto this they neuer were nor neuer shal be able for to answere no exaÌ„ple being to be giuen in al this time of Christes Church but that the Preachers stil were sent in such order and by such persons as I haue saied no exâ—mple of any sent our of order al this while finally no exaÌ„ple also of any aforetime that vvas sent out of order that had not withall giuen vnto him the grace of Miracles or Prophecie or of both as Moyses and some others in the old Testament our Heretykes being of those graces altogeather destitute therefore by no meanes to be accompted Gods ministers namly in this time of the nevv Testament where neither they worke Miracles neyther any haue bin euer sent but only by order Succession COnsider moreouer vvhat Church is that which can giue you in plaine authenticall vvriting the lavvfull orderly intiere without any breach and sound notorious Succession of Bishopes Pastors and Priestes with theyr whole and seueral flockes euer synce the Apostles tyme. Can not ours thus doe Or can the Protestants thus doe Or was it euer the true Church that could not so doe Or was it not euer the true Church that could so doe What one of al these things can be denied or with any exception be disproued Who readeth in the new Testament the Actes the Epistles and other writings of the Apostles with the Ecclesiastical Histories of the tymes that folowed which can be ignorant of this that the Church once begonne by and in the Apostles did afterward grow on and spread it selfe ouer al places and through al ages by this Succession So that whosoeuer will say at this day them-selues to be the true Church it is as necessarie for them to be come of the Apostles by a certaine Order of Bisshoppes continually succeding one another from that time to this time as it is necessarie for vs that now are Adames children to be come of Adam by a continual petigrew of our Fathers GraÌ„dfathers and other progenitors euen till his time So likewise as it is necessarie for the feete to be referred to the head by certaine articles ioyntes one after another ouer al the whole body and not enough to say that they hang and hold with the head bycause they come of the neck vnlesse they also haue their depeÌ„daunce by the shoulders and so douneward ouer al the body eueÌ„ by the knees legges and ancles And in this doth S. Hierome note all Heretikes to faile where he saith In Mic. â— Haeretici non habent diuitias de paterna hareditate venientes Heretikes haue not such riches as come to men by plaine inheritance from their Fathers And namely to the Donatists vpon the same saith Optatus De dotibus Ecclesiae Cathedra est prima Lib. 2. quam probauimus per Petrum nostram esse Vestrae Cathedrae vos originem reddite quivobis vultis sanctam Ecclesiam vindicare Missus est victor ex Africa Romanâ— Erat ibi filius sine patre sequens sine antecedente Of the Churches dowries the Chaire or See of Rome is the first which we haue proued by Peter to be ours now the origine of your chair giue you that will challenge to you the holy Church Sent in deed by you out of Afrike was Victor to Rome that you might say you had also on your syde a B. of Rome but he was there as a sonne without a Father a Successor without a Predecessor vvherby he gathereth that the Church of Rome was not for the Donatistes bycause this Victor whom they sent thither to lurke in a corner as their B. of Rome vvas there the first of that sort came not from S Peter by succession For so did only Syricius the true B. of Rome at that time and bycause hee so orderly succeeding to S. Peter vvas with Optatus and the other Catholikes in Afrik not with the Donatists thervpon concludeth Optatus that theyrs was the holy Church not the Donatists for al their fatherlesse apish Bisshopp Victor by them sent thither So sure an argument of the true Church was it euer to haue the B. of Rome Saint Peters Successors societie and so sure an argument of a false Hereticall Church was it euer to sitte without succeding And therefore doth S. Augustine amogest other most certaine Motiues that most iustly kept him in the lap of the Catholike Church giue this for one Con. ep Maenâ— ca. 6. Tenet ab ipsa Sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suâ—â— post resurrectionem Dominus comendauit vsque ad praesentem Episcopatum Successio SacerdotuÌ„ There kepeth me in the said Church the Succession of Priestes from the very sitting of Saint Peter to whom our Lord after his resurrection coÌ„mitted the feeding of his shepe euen to this present Bishop And the same cause so mouing him he proposeth to the consideratioÌ„ of the people of the Donatists as a cause most certaine why they should forsake those heretikes and returne vnto the Catholikes Thus he saith Venite fratres si vultis vt inseramini in vite Dolor est In ps con parteÌ„ Den. cum vos videmus praecisos ita iacere Numerate Sacerdotes vel ab ipsa Petri Sede in ordine illo Patrum quis cui successit videte Ipsa est Petra quam non vincunt superbae inferorum portae Come Brethren if you will that you may be grafted in the vine It is a greife to see you so lie cut of Number the Priestes eueÌ„ from the very sitting of Peter and in that order of Fathers see who suceeded whom That is the rocke which the proud gats of Hel doe not ouercome The verie same likwise giueth TertulliaÌ„ for a most vndoubted prescription agaynst such Heresies as dare vaunt them-selues to haue bene in the Apostles time Quae audent interserere se aetati Apostolicae This is his saying De praescri haer Edant ergo origines Ecclesiarum suarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporum suorum Let them then shew forth the origines of
touching the very bokes of Heretiks In indice librorum prohibitorum regula vlt. Quod si quis libros Haereticorum vel cuiusuis authoris scripta ob haeresim vel ob falsi dogmatis suspicionem damnata atque prohibita legerit siue habuerit statim in excommunicationis sententiā incurrat Qui vero libros alio nomine interdictos legerit aut habuerit praeter peccati mortalis reatum quo afficitur iudicio Episcoporum seuere puniatur The bookes of Heretikes or writinges of any Author for Heresie or for suspition of false doctrine cōdemned and prohibited if any man reade them or haue them in his keeping wee ordaine that by and by he incurre the sentence of excommunication As for bookes that are for any other cause forbidden hee that readeth or hath them besides the guilt of mortall sinne wherof he is attainted let him according to the discretion of the Bishops be seuerely punished Now whether is worse I aske them and more daungerous to reade theyr bookes or to heare their Sermons No doubt to heare their Sermons both because the greatest foulest blasphemers of them al do preache who yet for lacke of learning or for other causes doe not nor are not alwaies suffred to write abstaining also in their Sermons from no blasphemy be it neuer so diuelish false because they feare to that no answere as to their bookes they doe And also because that viua vox word of mouth hath incomparably more force then the dead pen whether it be to edifie or to destroy 1. Tim. 2. Sermo eorum vt cancer serpet saieth Saint Paul Their preaching will creepe vpon you like a canker No man is so madd as to let poyson into his body be it neuer so little These then that goe to the places where most soules are poisoned and al in danger to be poisoned vnlesse they thinke themselues more safe and sure than was our mother Eue in paradise it selfe do plainly shevv that they care lesse for theyr soules then for their bodies and therefore lesse for the world to come then for this world lesse finally for God then for thēselues Yea as I said afore of such heretikes as had the true Seruice so although it should chaunce to be nothing els but truth that Heretikes preach yet should vvee not come at them For els why did our Sauiour for the same confession for which he saied to Peter Beatus es Simon Bar-Iona c. Mat. 16. Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iohn say to a Diuel Obmutesce Luc. 4. Be thou dumme and hold thy peace Peters confession was Tues Christus Filius Dei viui Thou art Christ the Sonne of God the liuing And the Diuels was Scio te qui sis Sanctus Dei I know thee vvho thou art the HALOVV of God Moyses likewise in figure of this that I say Deut. 18. rekoned vp many darke Scholemaisters as Southsaiers Inchaunters Witches Wise-men Familiars Coniurers c. and charged the people not to seeke euen Truth it selfe of such And therefore whereas a wench possessed of a Pithon-sprite cried after Saint Paule and his companie isti homines serui Dei Excelsi sunt Act. 16 qui annuntiant vobis viam salutis These men are seruantes of God the Highest who shew to you the way of saluation what saieth the Scripture thereupon Dolens autem Paulus conuersus spiritui dixit praecipio tibi in nomine Iesu Christi exire ab ea Et exijt eadem hora. But Paul being grieued thereat and turning himselfe said to the sprite I commaund thee in the name of Iesus Christ to goe out of her And hee vvent out the same houre Much more might be here said to this purpose in commendation of Catholike and detestation of Hereticall both Seruice and Sermons But for my breuitie thus much shall suffice Proced we therfore to other Motiues Ecclesiasticall Monumentes and liuings CONSIDER moreouer what Church it is that hath furnished and beautified the faithfull Nations of the world vvith Vniuersities vvith Colleges vvith Hospitals vvith Abbies and Monasteryes vvith very Churches Chappels and innumerable other Monumentes of our only Religion Romain and Catholike and for vvhat Church like-wise all such Monumentes in all places by christian Emperours Kinges Queenes Princes and other persons of wealth and Dignitie at al times since theyr first conuersion to Christ haue beene erected for vvhat Church such honorable portions of lands and liuings and other earthly commodities haue by such persons beene sorted out Hath not our Lord God by his Euangelicall Prophet ESAIE told vs that to his Church such benefits and prouisions by such persons should be giuen Esaiae 49. Et erunt Reges nutricij tui Reginae nutrices tuae Kings saith he shal be thy fosterers Quenes shal be thy nurces Were then these magnificent Churches Colleges and Vniuersities builded either by Protestantes or for Protestantes by any one or for any one euer that was of their Religion VVere the Bishopriks Archedeconries Deanries Prebendes Personages and Vicariges instituted for their women and children to make them gentlewomen and gentlemen or to the honour and seruice of any Church but ours Were the tythes and other liuelyhoodes so religiously lotted and limited of euerie mans goodes for any Church but ours Such maintenance of study in Vniuersities and Schooles of Solemne Seruice in Chappell Church College Cloyster and Close did it proceede from their Church Or vvas any of these commodities made or meant towards any Church but ours Doth not the very condition of these fore-sayed thinges poynt ours to be the true and only Church of Christ and Christendome and giue terror and horror to the consciences of our Aduersaries against the fearefull day of Christes general Iudgement either for plucking downe and destroying or for vsurping the foresayed douries of his Catholike Church cleane against the meaning of all the first Founders Looke at the very forme and fashion of euery Church of euerie Chappell of euery Chauncell of euery Chalice of euery Aultar of euery Sepulchre of euery Stone of euery window giue they not euidence for our only Church and Religion Beare they not our cognisance and badges Crie they not out alowd that they be and haue bene alwaies some of them these twelue hundred yeares and vpward our goodes and possessions that the Heretikes be vsurpers theeues sacriligious men and robbers Apes AGAINE consider what Church that is vvhich as it is to it selfe sufficient and able to stand alone lacking in it no good Learning or knowledge no iust Law no necessarie order because it hath in it all things deliuered by Christ comming vnto it by the Apostles hands and their most certaine Successors euer hauing vvith it the Holy Ghost to assist it in all thinges to lead it into all truth to direct it into all good order and there to keepe it so is it of al Schismes and separated Religions imitated and apishly followed as without whose