tawght the people that it was iniurious to Christ and his mediation to aske for helpe at any others handes then his Or that they should vse the signe of the crosse in baptisme only and not at the coÌ„secrating of Christ his body Or that they were not heretikes which threw downe altars erected vnto Christ Or that any Bisshopp then was maryed vpon Asshewensday Or that any goodman then did write that the gouernement of women was monstruous Or that 〈◊〉 in these wordes hoc est corpus meâ—Ì„ yâ— to be taken for significat Or that the lay people communicatyng did take the cup one at an others handes and â—ot at the priests handes or the deacons Or that there was any controuersie then in religionâ— which being decided by the Bishop of Rome the contrarie part was not taken for heresie and the mainteiners of it accompted heretikes Or that any then was put in the Calender for a Maâ—â—â—r which was hanged by iust iudgement not for any cause and matter of faith but for euident and wicked feloâ—â—e Or that any ecclesiasticall persons were depriued then of their benefices or excoÌ„municâ—ted owt of church and liuyng for that they refused to sweare against the authoritie of thâ— Bishope of Rome Or that any suche othe was vsed to be put vnto any man at that tyme Or that any fâ—yer of threescore yeares obteinyng afterwardes the Româ— of a Bishop maried a young woman of .xix. yeares Or that any Bishopp then preached to be all one to praye on a dunghyll and in a churche Or that any but heretikes refused to subscribe to a general and lawful couÌ„cell gathered and confirmed by the Bishop of Rome his authoritie These be the highest misteries and greatest keies of their religioÌ„ and without these their doctrine can neuer be mainteyned and staÌ„d vpright Yf any one therefor of all owr aduersaries be able to auouch any one of all these articles by any such sufficient authoritie of Scriptures doctors or Councels as I haue required as I sayd before so saie I now againe I am content to yeld vnto hym and to subscribe in that poynt which I wold neuer do nor might do vnto an heretike knowing that my faith must not hang vpon the euent of disputation yet seing I haue begon to playe the foole with a â—oole therefor I vse this terme of subscribing as I do lerne it of master Iuell But I am well assured they shal neuer be able trulye to alleage one sentence And because I know u therefor I speake it least any happelie should be deceaued And thus far furth to the imitation of master Iuell Factus sum insipiens vos me coëgistis But what now might any protestant think of this challenge will he not mislike with me that emong so manye articles as I reherse with great solemnitie so few are of weight and substance will he not be moued at the very hart that for indiffereÌ„t matters and reasonable ceremonies I shall require yet to haue their proufe out of the first six hundred yeares after Christ and owt of generall councells or auncient doctours or els make an exclamation agaynst the keeping of them will it not greiue hym that I stick vpon termes which can neuer be fownd in the cumpasse of the primitiue church which if their principles were true woulde folowe yet well inowgh of them And that leauyng the principle I presse hym with the particular word of some conclusion will it not anger hym Can he take it for indifferent dealing that I rekon vp some ones priuate opinion and make as thowgh it were the generall determination of all the protestantes in the world And when I haue gathered vp a number of articles of which the greater part conteineth indifferent or simple matters to coÌ„clude of theÌ„ all in one sum without order or distinction and boldlie to saye These be the highest misteries and greatest keies of their religioÌ„ and without these their doctrine can neuer be mainteined and stand vpright can the protestant hearing or reading this if he haue any spirite of trueth or honestie think that I were to be trusted in any point with the teaching or guyding of the ignorant yet I assure you marke it who will M. Iuells most gloriouse challenge hath no better reason or substaÌ„ce in it for of so manye his ors and interrogatories to make a shew and colour of great copie and store of matter I 〈…〉 of them which be not either of 〈◊〉 poyntes and quidditiesâ— without â—â—â—cussing and examinyng of which the Catholike faith continueth 〈◊〉 â—nowgh or els about orders and 〈◊〉 of which the gouernours of 〈◊〉 church haue the making or remouing in their discretion Now therefor if this maner of owr challenge be mislyked I am gladd that in aunswering a foole accordyng to his foolishnes I haue geauen warnyng to the Reader not to make of euerie rare thing and much praised a Iuell and to be ware euer of great faces sett vpon small and simple matters As on the other syde if for M. Iuells sake and honor this my challenge framed after the example of his shall stand for a reasonable one and tolerable lett me be answered then in the particulars and except I doe replie againe and that speedelie I with others will yeld vnto hym Yet now because the wyseman hath sayed not onlie aunswer a foole according to his foolishnes but rather and before this warned vs with doe not answer a foole according to his folisshnes lest thow be made lyke vnto hym I will not therfor rest and staye vpon the forsaid challenge but come furth with an other full of great and principall matters neither will I be lyke the protestant and troble the reader with questions of small importauÌ„ce but of substanciall and necessarie articles concerning the orders of this present lyfe or the hope of the lyfe euerlasting I make for the Catholikes honor this challenge and prouoke him that can to encouÌ„ter me I except none thowgh I lyke not all for who would be matched with the bold and blind brothers willinglie but I trust who so euer replyeth he shall be superintended so wiselye that his aunswer shall not come against me but with good authoritie and priuileage I saye therefor If any single one of owr aduersaries or they all conmunicating togeather can proue by any suficient testimonie out of Scriptures Doctors or CouÌ„cells That for the space of six hundred yeares after Christ hys ascension by which hundreds onlie they would be tryed in examining of veritie It was vnlawfull to make a vowe to God of chastitie obedience or pouertye or that breakers of such vowes were estemed aboue others as singular witnesses of the libertye of Christ his true Ghospell Or that it was abhominable then to make to hym any speciall sacrifice besides the sacrifice of owr thankes in wordes and figures for his benefites with remembrance of Christ his passion for vs and besides the offering of owr sowles and bodies to
to be cast owt of the church which was instituted by S. Alexander Bishop of Rome and Martir of Christ fowrtene hundred yeares agoe Then also in the matters of weight if that Ecce duo glagij hicâ— â–ª behold here are two swordes Doth not proue the Bishopp of Rome his both spirituall and temporall power yet must yow not make hym an Antichrist or the temporal princes page and seruant And if owr Sauyour would not vse in his humilitye the temporall sword and iurisdiction yow will not therfore I trust denie that he was Lord of Lordes and kyng of kynges And so likewise he makyng his Apostle S. Peter his leuetenant and ruler of all Christians both sheepe and lambes althowgh he put vpp his sword in to his sheath yet doth it not folow that he hath no such sword at all For as concernyng the spirituall sword no wyse heretike denyeth that vnto the Bishop the Scripture saying most plainely whose synnes you forgeue they are forgeuen whose synnes yow retaine they be retained But the temporall if he will not vse it alwaies yow may not therefor in all cases take it from hym Whereas for the coÌ„moditie of the whole church if cause so requyre he may as swell forbead concernyng the Emperors owne person that no man salute hym or regarde hym as he may excoÌ„municate the basest man in a whole citie for a fault which deserueth it which is true in a Christian Emperor that hath submitted hym selfe by promyse vnto God and the church For of them which are withowt what doth it apparteine vnto me to iudge doe not yow iudge of these which are within Therefore the temporall power ys so included in the spirituall as a lesse figure Mathematicall of neuer so manie corners ys compassed within a circle It ys fynche sayed of Sainct Bernard Lib. 4. de consideratione where he speaketh of the temporall sword which the Pope hath in his sheath Ys this sword sayeth he dyd perteine vnto the by no right when the Apostles sayde behold here are two swordes owr Lord would not haue answered it is inowgh but it ys to much And therefor both are the churches I meane the spirituall sword and the materiall But the one ys to be exercised for the church the other of the church the one with the priestes handes the other with the souldiars But yet trulie at the beck of the priest and bydding of the Emperor A see now master Iuel Low much Sainct Bernard made of that argument which yow think worth the lawghing at And this is that Bernard his testimonie whom yow in pulpites doe much bring furth agaynst the pompe and vyce of Rome which as he was in deed no flatterer at all of the Bisshop of Rome so much the more yow should alowe his testimonye which he hath browght furth for the supremicie But why should Behold here are two swordes more offend Christian eares when one goeth abowt by all meanes for to proue and declare a veritie then the argument of Sainct Paule doth where he vnto the Galathians in disputing of the old law and prouing it to be voyde telleth vs that Abraham had two sounes the one by his mayde seruant the other by his wyfe which sayeth he are the two testamentes Agaynst which argument if master Iuell should vse one of his deepe and wittie confutations and bydd the people marke with see I pray yow what a worshipfull argumeÌ„t this ys Abraham had two sounes and the elder plaied the boye with the younger and the good wyfe Sara awaye quod she with this old lubber he shall not be heire with my child ergo the old law must be thrust owt of dores no doubt but this would sound so vntuneablie in the rude worldlie or fyne courtlie eares of manie that sone they might be brought vnto irreligion and contempt of the Apostles writinges But let vs come nearer sayth M. Iuel see the argumeÌ„ts vpoÌ„ which the masse is luylded Yow say well of cummyng nearer for hytherto you haue gone verie farr of and verie farr wide Yet what bring yow against the fundation of the masse I woÌ„der at the libertie of the man he maketh as thowgh he would ouerturne the masse he talketh of nothing but of the Latin tongue the corporall of lynen the altar of stone the rouÌ„dnes of the bread the mettle of the chalice and such like thinges which apperteine onlie to the comlynes and worship and signification of some good thing about the ministring and consecrating of the sacrament Are these the thinges which yow number emong owr high misteries and secret lernyng And which you were lothe to speake of as thowgh there had ben some shamefull dishonestie in the matter Or do yow call these thinges the fundacions of the masse vpon which it was builded Are these the poyntes by vttering of which you haue gone abowte to procure vs shame Grawnt vnto the Catholikes or papistes that which thei do bring in by their high misteries secret lernyng and streÌ„gth of their reasons grawnt it I beseech you good master Iuell for a while to see what will folowe Trulie no dishonor vnto God no diminisshing of Christ his passion no occation of lewdnes no breach of commaundement no thing which a quiet man shold mislike But these thinges will folow which you were lothe to ripp vpp and open that in the celebration the chalice be of siluer or gold that priestes wassh their handes in the masse that the clothes be of fyne lynen that the priest lift vp the paten and loke in to the chalice as the angell did in to the graue that the priest fetch a sigth in a certaine place of the Canon of the masse and knock his breast with remembrance of the theife which repented hym selfe of his wicked lyfe with such lyke moe which may and doe bring manye meanely disposed in to the remembrance of sundrie poyntes of Christ his passion O heauen and earth what faultes be these How much ys master Iuell to be estemed for rippyng and opening of such priuie misteries which once being knowen no man woulde euer loue the masse any more I trowe It ys wonder that Sainct Pawles church and steple were not stroken with lightning from heauen when the fierst masse was sayed within it in which masse such absurdities as the preacher telleth vs of were permitted O excellent Iuell thow hast not thy name for nawght This daye thow hast confounded all papistes this daye thow hast so ripped theire copes and opened their bosomes and Englisshed vnto vs their obseruations and rubrikes that they must nedes be ashamed for euer O the lyuing Lorde will the folissh saye how haue we ben seduced of the papistes how much were they them selues heauie loden with mennes traditions and how litle vertue was in all their doinges if a man should take awaie the number of popisâ—h ceremonies But alas for pitie and phy for shame A lerned man and browght vp
heade of the vniuersall church I would to God that this question of the heade of the church of Christ were throughlie knowen it would stop a great sorte of hastye preachers and ignorant which think them selues able to do much by cause they can speak in a matter indifferent probablye as communion vnder bothe kyndes seruice in the vulgare tong and such like But to this question of M. Iuells I answer askyng him first whether any prince of that tyme of which he speaketh did beare the title of defendor of the faith and if neither Constantinus neither Theodosius neither any Christian good Emperor were precisely then so called shall it folow that one may take that title from the kinges of England Many thinges may trulye be verifyed of certen persons which yet they doe refuse not as vnagreyng with their dignitie but as vnapt for keepyng their humilitie As S. Peter S. Paule S. Iames and Iohn with all the rest of the blessed Apostles were the lightes of the world and rulers of the earth and coÌ„querors of all power which would sett it selfe against Christ and they dyd not obserue that stile in their writynges neither any of their disciples after them which also were lightes and gouernors of the world Further it ys to be considered how this worde vniuersall Bisshopp is to be taken For yf yow meane vniuersall Bisshopp that besydes hym there is no other in all the world but that he is one for all as the word importeth then also at these daâ—es there is no vniuersall Bishop But yf he be called vniuersall which among all Bishoppes is the chiefest and one ouer all so ys there and must be one vniuersall Bisshopp in the church of Christ. First then I answer that yf none were called vniuersal Bishop vjC yeares after Christ yet the lack or not geauyng of that title doth not proue that there was no such thyng or no supreame heade ouer the church And further I saye that also in these dayes there is no vniuersall Bishop yf we take the worde after som one fasshyon For in S. Gregorye his tyme of which place M. Iuel in his sermons doth oft triumph the Bishop of Constantinople forgetting the humilitie of Christ owr Sauyor did much couet to be called vniuersall Bishop presuming that sith he was Bishopp of the same citie where the Emperour then dwelt which was onlye Emperour of all that hys name for that place might lykewise with this gloriouse title of vniuersall Bishop be right well adorned against whom S. Gregorie did write and speake ernestlye coÌ„dempning the desyre of that gloriouse title grownding his argument vpon the signification of this worde vniuersall Bicause saith he in the epistle vnto Ihon Bishopp of Constantinople one should seeme to take away the glory of Bisshoprickâ—s froÌ„ all the rest of his brothers which would challenge vnto hym selfe to be called the vniuersall Bishop Trew it is therfor that there is no Bishop vniuersall in that forte as who should say he were onelie a Bishopp but lyke as 〈◊〉 the tyme of the old lawe not onlye Moyses had the grace of gouerning and prophecyeing but seuentie elders of the people of Israel had imparted vnto them of his spirite and dignitie and lyke as Moyses lost nothing of his perfection for all the dispensing of some of his graces emongâ—â— certen of the elder and worthier so the Pope ys not so singular but that he hath felow Bishoppes to take part of his functioÌ„ and for all the multitude of his felowes in office he continueth in his supremacie as a Moysâ—s aboue the septuagintes And so onlye he hath not al the spirite of God which for the profit of the body is distributed in to sundrie membres and none yet ys equall vnto hym in superioritie of gouernement bycause in euerye seemelie bodie one part ys higher then all the rest Agayne S. Gregorie which was a most blessed Bishopp myghte and did iustely fynd fault with Iohn of Constantinople bicause of his prowd enterprise although it were grauÌ„ted that the title vniuersal myght haue been verified in any one Bishop So in one sense which I haue spoken of I grawnte that there was neuer and that now there is none which is an vniuersall Bishopp But yet yf we vnderstand an vniuersal Bishop so that emong Bisshoppes there must be one senior vnto all the rest and eldest brother of all vnder whose correction they shall eche one enioye their priuileges which the â—heife father and ruler hath appointed in this sense I will proue that there was an vniuersall Bishopp euer in the church of Christ. S. Anacletus in his second epistle This holye and Apostolike church of Rome sayeth he hath the primacie and preemiineÌ„ciâ— ouer all other churches and ouer the whole stock of Christ not by the Aposteâ—s but from owr Lorde owr Sauior hym selfe as he saide hym selfe vnto S. Peter thow art Peter and vpon this rocke this Peter I will buyld my churche Also S. Cipryan declaring the returne of certen schismatikes vnto the faith prayseth much those wordes of theirs where they sayde VVe knowe that Cornelius is sett vp by almyghtye God and Christ owr Lorde Bishop of the most holye Catholike church And after a litle space VVe are not ignorâ—nt saye they that there must be one God one Christ owr Lorde whom we haue confessed and one Bishop in the catholike church The same blessed doctor also in an epistle vnto S. Cornelius sayth that heresies haue rysen of no other cause but that the priest of God is not obeyed and one priest in the church to iudge as vicar of Christ is not râ—garded or thowght vpon Then Sainct Ambrose wheras the whole world is godes sayth he yet the church is called his house of the which Damasus is at this day rector and gouernour Further yet S. Augustine in diuers places epist. 106. epist. 93. lib. de vtilitate credendi calleth Rome Sedem Apostolicam and what is a seat Apostolike but that place which may plant and pull vp and sett and lett and hath his power ouer the whole world S. Ciâ—â—ll also As Christ sayeth he hath receiued of his father the scepter and rule of the church of gentiles which came owt of Israell a capitayne and duke ouer all principates and powers ouer all that which so euer is so that all thinges doe bowe downe vnto hym so Christ hath committed most fullye vnto Peter and to no other then Peter that which fullye is his and to hym alone he hath geuen it And to make an end S. Gregory hym selfe euen in that epistle where he speaketh agaynst the pryde of hym which would be called after a new fashion vniuersall Bishopp It is clere sayth he vnto all them which know the Ghospell that the charge of the whole church was committed by the voyce of owr Lordâ— vnto holie S. Peter and chief Apostle emong all the Aposteles and yet
beginning it was necessarye to open my eares that the worde of God might entre by that way into my hart so the worde ones by faith conceiued and the hart being now throwgh the goodnes of the holy ghost made as it were great with childe there with all I shall more euidently behold the veritie of God in those mysteries of which it is sayed This is my body if eares and eyes and all sense were stopped then if I should entend the proper actions of those senses But S. Austen saieth in the praiers which we make vnto God we must not chirpe like birdes but sing like men ergo we must not vse an vnknowen tongue Yea with a further ergo we must lerne to vnderstand the English which we read in the congregation which bicause thousandes doe not receaue therfor they be chirpers and not speakers Yet the Englishe seruice doth remaine although euery one doth not vnderstand it Iustinian also a Christian Emperor made a strait constitution that the wordes of the ministration should be pronounced with open voice that the people might say Amen ergo the seruice must be in English yet for al that we say Amen vpon those wordes which we vnderstand not when ther is no mistrust in the faith and honesty of the person which pronounceth them And also if the people saied Amen to the wordes of the ministration which I think to speake more plainly are the wordes of consecration then doth it appeare that they confessed the wordes which the priest did speake to be most true in them selues so that when the priest pronounced these wordes This is my bodye the answering of Amen by the people did confirm it to be so in deed and excludeth quite all siguration and signification of his bodye Touching the second abuse of the coÌ„munion he findeth fault that the Sacrament is not receaued in both kindes of which afterward we shall speke seperatly And in the meane tyme this I say that this obiection maketh no more against the masse then if I should disproue a good dish of meate not for any vnsaâ—orines therin but bicause the good wife of the house for diuers causes doth kepe it away from the seruantes For what is this against the masse that both kindes be not ministred in the which masse both kindes are consecrated and both kindes may be receaued if the masters of the house doe thinke it good Were the law of Mâ—â—â—â—s or the. Ghospell of Christ worthely to be reproued bicause a few onely were suffred to read the law and Ghospell doth the Sonne lese any of his light bicause the cloudes com betwixt our sight and him and kepe his beames away from vs Suppose then that it were most true which is most false that the Bishopes and heades of the church did robbe the people of one part of the sacrameÌ„t shall this robbery be obiected against the masse it self in which both kindes are consecrated I graunt vnto yow M. Iuell that the sacrament hath been receaued and may be receaued hereafter in both kindes what doe you conclude thervpon ergo there is an abuse in the masse Why Sir doth the order of the masse forbed the receauing oâ—der both kindes are not both kindes consecrated in the masse doe not the priestes receaue both Yea but the Bishopes and priestes deliuer vnto the lay people one kind onely They doe it in deede and for iust cawses But a Bishopp or priest is not a masse and the fault of men is not the fault of the seruice Reproue then the Bishopes and speake not against the masse and confesse that the masse is autentike and godly but that the ministers do not folow their boke which I say not as thowgh the Bishoppes and priestes were in deed giltie theyr doinges being grownded vppon most iust causes but to shew that if there were any fault it is yet more rhetorike then reason to obiect that agaynst the masse which apperteyneth onlye vnto the men The third point that I promised to speake of is the Canon a thing for many causes very vain in it selfe and so vncertain that no man can redely tell on whom to father it Loe what a fault here is no man can tell who made the Canon of the masse ergo it is not to be credited As who might doubt whethere the third and fowerth bokes of the kinges were to be credited the proper author of them being vnknowen or as thowgh they were fautles which haue denied S. Ihons reuelations and S. Paule to the Hebrewes bycause it hath been a question whether they were the true authors of those thinges After like maÌ„ner of folly it is saied no man can redely tell what yere of Nero his raigne S. Peter did come to Rome ergo he was neuer at Rome which liberty of babling ones graunted there may be found which shall make this quareling argument and say the histories doe not agree what yeare of his age Christ suffered ergo his passion is not to be beleued wel yet among all them which are named authors of the Canon take him which was farthest of from Christ and see what a foule blank M. Iuells cause must haue Innocentius tertius saieth that it cam from the Apostles that is to high thinketh M. Iuell Goe to then take him which cometh lower that is S. Gregory the first who lyuing within six hundred yeares after Christ it foloweth well that the Canon of the masse is of great antiquitie And now bicause you glory that for six hundred yeares after Christ there can be found nothing against your communion and religion it is easy to nombre that the very Canon of the Masse which you speake most against was in those dayes vsed in the church of Christ. Wherfor if the Apostles made not the Canon them selues yet are you coÌ„founded bicause they made it which liued within six hundred yere after Christ by which yeres you are contented to be iudged But you wil say that some write how Gregorius the third made the Canon and that you beleue that to be most true In deed it is the property of your side to take all thinges at the worst â–ª for otherwise why should you not beleue rather that one Scholasticus made it before S. Gregoâ—â—e his tyme as you vnderstand hym and other also before you no euill men or protestantes Althowgh in deede it is worth the coÌ„sidering whether he meaned some one certaine lerned man whose name should be Scholasticus or els some of the Apostles and scholars of Christ. for his wordes be these in his epistle and answer made in the defence of the order of the masse of his church where coÌ„cerning owr Lordes prayer why it is readen after the Canon It seemeth vnto me an vnseemelie thing sayth he that we shold saie ouer the oblation the praier which Scholasticus or â—ls as I wold translate it which the scholar made and should not saye ouer the bodye and bloud of
ys an inuincible immortall â–ª and coaeternall God with the father and the soune which geueth seuenfold graces and emong those seuen one especially of fortitude would he suffer all his church to be beaten downe and would geue strength not so much as to one agaynst whom all his aduersaries should not be able to preuaile In the tyme of the synagoge and in that night when a generall Idolatric was committed our mercifull God euer dyd vse to raise vpp some one Prophete or other whom he would not only to speake but whom he would also maintein both to speake and to be hard if not to the peoples profiting bicause of their infidelitie yet to their coÌ„demnation bicause of his iustice and equitie and that posteritie of them might know how to feare God and hym alone to honor And although Esaie Ieremie and other Prophetes haue ben slain yet haue theyr wordes still continued in memorie and writing â–ª for who can resist God almightie and lett that his will goe not forward And now in the tyme of grace when Christ liueth neuer any more to die when the sonn of Iustice shineth and men walke honestlie as it were in the day is it not besides not onlie all faith but all reason also that an vniuersall Idolatrie should be coÌ„mitted and authorized in the church and that by no prophete or preacher it should be presentlie controlled Behold when Nicolaus one of the seauen first Deacons when Arrius Eunomius Martion Donatus or any other heretike did begin to spring straitwaies the church hath noted hym althowgh bicause of the violence of princes she hath not been able straytewayes to oppresse it And were the paine neuer so greate and the power and number for maintenaunce of the heresie neuer so outragious yet God neuer left hym selfe withowt testimonie and valiaÌ„t Catholykes were found which would not shrink in the cause of trueth not for the Emperour and all his souldyars Athanasius the great is alone â—xample strong inowgh for all Yea there is so great strength in a spirite that when a verie true cause is sett vpon and inuaded by falsehode the person whom the dyuel doth possesse for that purpose will vtter hym self and be knowen if all the worlde fay nay and come against hym Example in Luther whom neither Pope neither Emperour could make to hold his peace And when he is dead yet will his scholars althowgh they can not maynteyne his doctrine preserue yet his name that it may be sayde Doctor Martin Luther began to setâ— vpp the Ghospell in the yeare of owr Lord M. D. XVII a worthie man and greiuouse agaynst the pope All be it in the greatest matter his scholar was better lerned then he and fowght against the master How then standeth owr case Vrbanus a blessed pope appointed an holyday in the honor of the bodie of Christ and it was ioyfullie receaued thorowgh the whole church without any open contradiction and could it be Idolatrie No if it had been against the glorie of God not onlie it should not haue been vniuersallie receaued but not so much as particularlye suffered without some euident resistance And there would haue ben fownd in a thowsand religious howses and in vniuersities and in wel ordered cyties and I beleue in verie meane howseholdes some which rather would haue dyed then haue committed idolatrie Especiallie whereas it hath ben promised vnto Iacob his seede which is performed in the church Non est idolum in Iacob Nu. 23. there is no Idole in Iacob and whereas God so expresselie sayeth to vs by Ezechiel ca. 36. I will clense you from all yowr Idolls Then loe what a shamefull pride is this a weake head not agreeing with other not knowing hym selfe behind so many in yeares aboue so few in lerning to make so light of the concord of Christ his church and of her maiestie that with a light worde he dareth to coÌ„demne two blessed gouernours of her Honorius and Vrbanus with all Bishoppes Doctors diuines religious orders secular priestes such which lyued in good order al the tyme sence and to coÌ„demne Emperour Kynges Princes counselars with all the deuoute laytie of those times and after But what doth he say Honorius quod he was abowt three hundred yeares past why Sir is not three hundred yeares a faire age This argument soundeth as consequentlie as if one stryuing with an other vpon a question of lerning would answer hym with tussh man I know this better then thou for I am thirtie yeares youÌ„ger then thow Wel Honorius was three hundred yeares past or there about and he was deceaued say you or he is not at the least much to be regarded as I can tell you for soth by that I haue lyued these fortie yeares or there abowt and am now Bishop not of Rome but of Sarum in much wisedome and authoritie But may we so safelie â—lude the answer of God and reiect his blessed will vttered by the mowth of holie men that the cause it selfe shall be accompted childeysh bycause they which promoted it were not fifteen hundred yeares old but men of three hundred yeares onlie as it were childerie of three yeares in respect and comparison of the reuerend Iohn of Salisburie It is not the age which maketh verities but the word of God and the consent of the church whose voyce especiallie ys much to be considered Vrhanus saye yow was after Honorius What of that be these later yeares so accursed that there can be fownd no good men in them I fynd no fault with Luther bycause he is of no antiquitie but bycause he addeth thereunto the breach of good order and vnitie And in Sainct Vrbanus I doe not so much obserue that he made a new holy daye but this is much to be marked that all Christendome did keepe it withâ—owt any murmur and rebellion And agayne his decree dyd not make that which was before prophane to be holye but the holines of the Sacrament and the enemye Berengarius whom the dyuel stirred agaynst it did cause hym to apoynt the tyme wherein it might bâ— celebrated and honored with especiall memorie Christ his birth was to be worshipped before the holidaye was thereunto appoynted and the consubstantialitie of the father and the soun was before the concell of Nice and when orders begin to decay new statutes are made for the rapayring of them not as who should saye they were never vsed before but that it should not come to passe that they might be quite forgatten hereafter And therefor it is false that the adoration of the Sacrament was neuer before Honorius decree and S. Vrbanus holidaye of whom by the protestantes iudgmentes it is to late to say God haue mercie on their sowles bicause they are allreadie coÌ„dempned for their idolatrie as the heretykes can terme it O S. Thomas Aquinas whose labors in the makyng of the seruice for Corpus Christi daye I can not but remembrâ— the octaues of that feast now being
as S. Augustine when he came from Rome in to this countrie of owrs he made not a new Englisshe seruice or Kentish rather after the nature of those quarters at which he arriued but ratheâ— vsed the Romane fasshion and language neither hath it euer ben writen or testifyed that according to the diuersitâ—â—s of speaches here in England proper seruice for euerye quarter therof was prouided But the coÌ„trarie rather doth appere that one tong was generally vsed in their masse and mattins â—uen as at these dayes there is no fault fownde or ells it is no dawngerous fault for the Welsche men Cornyschemen Northerne and Irysh to vse one order of the English church and the longer it is suffered the farther of it is still from amendyng So what cause is there why that laten seruice beyng browght into this realme by the Pope his goodnes and owr Apostle S. Augustine the same myght not coÌ„tinew throwgh the realme as it was by litle and litle subdewed vnto the ghospell of Christ. Especiallie where as in these dayes fault is fownd with the vnknowen tong which people can not vnderstand and yet the welshemen haue no welshe communyon and at those blessed and quyet tymes there was no lack fownd at all when the priest and the clergye should syng and pray by them selues and the people by them selues entend their priuate deuotion S. Paule writing to the Romaynes not a forme of seruice but a verie sermon as it were wherin he entreateth of most high and agayne most familiar matters yet he write in Greik and not Latin Which thing did he trow yow for the lack of the Latin tong no that is not trew in him which had the gift of all tonges Did he think that all the Romanes had the knowledge of Griek as well as of Latin Trulye that was for any simple man more meeter to think then for the wisedome of S. Paule Had he forgotten him self beyng allwayes of that mynde that in the coÌ„gregation he would rather speke fiue wordes that other myght be the better for them then fiue thowsande in a sâ—rawnge tong No he thowght to earnestly of the cause of Christ to forgettsuch a principall matter as this is according to the heretykes declamations And then in an epistle by twentie partes there is more cause to wryte in the vulgare tong then in a coÌ„mon prayer bycause in the seruice the quyer occupyeth the place of the people and answereth in their steede but in his epistle none were excepted but vnto all you which be at Rome welbeloued of God and faythfull grace be to yow sayth he â–ª and peace In to the quyer all dyd not come in a clompe togeather to here what the priest did reade but abowte the pulpet or other where all myght stand well inowgh to here the epistle readen And so after this sort I myght fynd twentie differencyes betwixt an order of seruice and an epistle Wherfore I wonder much that they make such a brablyng abowte the strauÌ„ge tong and requyre what aucthoritie example or reason we haue for it owt of Doctor Councell or Antiquitye It is reason auctoritye and proufe abundant for a Christian man that this or that thing hath ben done or vsed vniuersallie in the church of Christ were it vsed but for one yeare onlye bycause the church is the pyllar of truth and hath the holy ghost her teacher and gouernor for euer and neuer hath ben suffered vtterly to haue erred in all her members at one tyme. And then wheras the latin seruice in the Latin church hath been so long vsed in these contreys which vnderstode not the latin tong and also they confesse a very long vse of it yt is well inowgh proued that there is no dampnable error in the matter for what tong fownd yow M. Iuell in the English church when yow were borne or how long before had the english seruice been left vnsayed and the latin entertayned a strawnger before a cuntreye man of owr owne yf yow can bryng forth the bokes where the english common prayers were euer in the common vulgare tong and tell vs the name but of one Bishop which vsed it in his diocese yow shall make all men wonder at your inuention and yf neuer any other but latin hath ben vsed yt is authorytie and reason sufficient for all English men that the first coÌ„uertors of this land vnto the sayth did leaue the latin seruice in it nothing fearing or caring what a few fyne felowes would persuade to the contrarie after .viij. or .ix. hundred yeares continuance Then also must all prayers of necessitie be in the common tong or may a few be excepted yf yow except any one why should not the people here all and answer Amen vnto all and especiallie in the most secrete matters which haue most weight in them and in which the cause of the people is most expressed yf all of necessitie must be audiblye expressed how then doth your doctrine agree with S. Basill and S. Chrysostomes masses in the which the chief priest prayeth secretelye at the altar at certen places whiles the quyer in the meane time syngeth Or how could S. Ambrosâ— O worthy Byshop how could he standing at the alter commaund the Emperor by his archedeacon to stand without the Chauncell doores Rather he shuld haue sayd to the Emperor in his own person in owr most huÌ„ble request maye it please your most excellent wysedome and maiestye to com more nere to the altar to here the word of God which doth saue our sowles or els to coÌ„maunde the altar to be pulled downe and that a table maye com downe to your highnes the more commodiouslye to answer Amen vnto my blessing euen as it shall please your maiestie so shall it be But not so S. Ambrose not so he which moved not one â—oote from the altar but sent his archeadeacon not with supplication but with reprehension not as to an Emperor of the world but as to a common Christian saying O Emperour the inward places are appoynted for priestes onelye which others are not permitted neither to entre into neither to touche Goe furth therfore and â—arye for the receiuyng of the mysteries as others doe for purple maketh Emperours and not priestes Vnto which the Emperor answered so mekely and Christianlike that he is more to be wondered at for the ouercummyng of his passions then conquerying of barbarous nations But to my purpose it appeareth by this distinction of places in the church that the people were not suffered to here al thinges And therfor I conclud that wheras it is no necessite that all thinges be vnderstode which the priest in the church sayeth yea rather yf thys be agaynst all good order and discipline there is no necessitie that the tong should be common all to geather where the hering of the same tong must be kept secrète Or that the Bisshopp of Rome was then called an vniuersall Bisshopp or the
sacrifice is one Now he is one Bishop which offered vp the sacrifice which did make vs cleane the same we also now doe offer which at that tyme beyng offered could not be consumed Yet this which we doe is done in remembrance of that which was done For sayth Christ doe this in remembrance of me we make not an other sacrifice as the Bishopp did but allwayes the same or rather we make the remembrance of that sacrifice Therfor I conclude that not onelye it is readen emong auncyent fathers that Christ his body may be and ys in diuers places offered but that the cause therof is for that Christ is but one in all dayes and places And note here the diuersitie of reasonyng betwixt heretikes and catholikes They say there be many churches ergo by all reason ther must be many bodyes yf Christes verye bodye be on the altar in euery church The catholikes saye with Chrisostome there is but one Christ ergo no absurditie there is yf he be offered vp this daye and to morrow and euery day in euery place in the whole world They by the grosse numbring vp of diuers places would conclude agaynst vs that there must be many bodyes The Catholikes by the beleuing and confessing of one bodye doe grawnt that he is in many places withowt diuision bycause the bodye is but one They begyn at their senses and according to the reason of them they conclude matters of fayth The Catholikes begyn with fayth and afterwardes coÌ„maunde silence and quyetnes to their senses 1 Or that the priest did then hold vp the Sacrament ouer his heade 2 Or that the people did then fall downe and worshipp is with godlye honor 3 Or that the Sacrament was then or now owght to be hanged vp vnder a canopie 4 Or that in the Sacrament after the wordes of coÌ„secration there remayneth onlye the accidentes and shewes withowt the substance of bread and wyne 5 Or that the priest then diuided the Sacrament in three partes and afterward receiued hym selfe alone 6 Or that who so euer had sayed the Sacrament is a figure a pledge a token or a remembrance of Christ his bodie had therfor been iudged for an heretike 7 Or that it was lawful then to haue 30. 20. 15. 10. or 5. masses sayed in one church in one daye 8 Or that images were set vp in the churches to thentent that the people might worship them 9 Or that the laye people were then forbedden to read the word of God in their owne tong Here be .9 questions as it were .9 worthyes not all worth one good poynt For it is vnskilfullie required that of particular thinges any accompt should be geuen which are deducted and may be more deducted herafter owt of the principall conclusion As to shew in other examples how vnlearned peltyng a kind of reasoning this is which he vseth I aske hym where he did euer read in scripture that Christ did crye for his mothers breast or that euer he lawghed or euer dyd were peticote hosen or showes or euer did goe in his mothers errant or by his handy labor helpe forward towardes her finding Which all are credible inowgh bicause he toke vpon hym owr very nature and all yet are not necessary to be wryten Then to come to the Apostles where did he euer read that in their externall behauior they did weare frockes or gownes or fower corned cappes or rochetes or that they did euer cate sodd roste or bake meates or that a company of laye men seruaÌ„tes did folow them all in one lyuerye or that at their prayers they satt in sydes or laye in the grownd or fall prostrate or sang Te Deum or loked towardes the sowth or did weare copes of tissue or veluett with a thowsand more such questions which be verie many and not necessarye bycause they liued and fared vndoubtedlie as occasion and cause serued and they dyd honor God with the best that they had And yf they were not so ryche to bye tissue I think not therfor that they were naked in their seruice and yf the church now hath golden copes they must not be taken away from her bicause of the Apostles pouertie In whose dayes as I neede not to tell what deckyng of the place they vsed where God should be honored so reason geueth that they thoâ—ght nothing to good for him Lett all thinges be done emong you sayeth S. Paule honestlie and according vnto order This is a generall principle with which principle in the Apostles tyme it did agree that all should come in to one place of prayer as in to som vpper chamber lofte or parlar and the same conclusion agreed with Sainct Syluester Sainct Ambrose S. Chrisostomes and other tymes folowing wheÌ„ the quyer was appoynted for the clergye and the bodye of the churche for the layetie In the primitiue church when persequutioÌ„s of Christians dyd so much encrease all blacke apparell did becom the clergie well inowgh but afterwardes when all nations of the world were conuerted vnto Christ and Emperours browght their glory into the church what deadly fault is there yf a Cardinall weare a skarlet robe and a Bisshopp a whyte rochett Not yf perchaunse S Paule did trauell in his iorneys for the most part on fote therfor yow must sett all bisshoppes besydes their saddelles And yf he did pray by the waters syde and in priuate chambers yow must not therefor ouerthrow all churches For the principle is allwayes one that we must doe thinges according vnto order And so the verytye is that Christ hath left vnto vs hys verye bodye in the Sacrament and this is playne by scriptures councells and fathers Which veritye standyng what harme is done in the shewyng of that hygh mysterye vnto the people what difference and matter is it whether it be holden in one hand or two lyfted vp ouer the head or by the turnyng of the priestes face froÌ„ the altar shewed vnto the people which the Grecians doe vse Againe the veritye of his bodye beyng present what beast is he which beleiueth it and doth not worship 〈◊〉 And why myght it not be reserued for sick persons and why not then closed in a golden or syluer box and either be sett vnder a canopye or placed otherwise withall reuerence Or how can he be but an heretike which sayeth not that it is a figure or pledge but onelye a figure or onelye a pledge of hys bodye Then put the case that for lack of lerning or for lack of proufe one could not shew yow examples for those particular questioÌ„s in which yow require to be answered the coÌ„clusion and veritie most playnly beyng proued those other thinges may well folow afterwardes As otherwise yf the matter of a canopye or lyfting it ouer the head or namyng of the heretike which sayde it was a figure onelie if these thinges and such like either were not then or should not be alowed now yet it remayneth