crownes Priests haue shauen crovvnes Beda lib. 5. cap. 22. It behoueth them which being either made by vow Monkes or by profession of the Clergie to binde them selues more strictly with the bridle of continencie for Christs sak to bear in their head by clipping the forme of a crovvne Ibid. All Priests and Religious men had their heads shauen round after the true shape of a crowne But as Bale saith Cent. 14. pag. 194. Tonsura est Romanae Bestiae character Ninthly they erected many Altars in one Church with Martyrs reliques Manie altar Sinono Church vsed lights and other ornaments as Catholicks doe Beda lib. 5. cap. 21. Acca imployed his diligence to gather together out of all places the holy Apostles and Martyrs reliques to the end he might in honor of them build certain Altars aparte by them selues in little Chappell 's made for the same purpose within the precinct and walls of the same Church Morouer he prepared holy vessels lights and other necessaries to the better adorning of the Church of God And lib. 3. cap. 6. They worshiped Reliques Tenthly to omit many more certain Markes of Roman Religion S. Peters supremacie beleued They accounted S. Peter Primat and head of the Apostles Beda lib. 5. c. 22. I desire with all my hart to follow the stepps of Blessed S. Peter head of the Apostles Ibid. They were reduced to the order of S. Peter Primat and head of the Apostles and committed as it were to his Patronage and protection The Pope high B. ouer the vvhole vvorld They accounted the Pope high Bishop ouer the whole world So in plaine termes S. Beda calleth S. Greg. Pope l. 2. c. 1. Accounted the Church of Rome the Catholick and Apostolick Church lib. 3. c. 25. And l. 4. cap. 23. Going to Rome counted a thing of great vertue and deuotion And l. 3. c. 25. Held without all controuersie that these vvords vpon this Rock I vvill build my Church vvere principally spoken vnto Peter and that vnto him the keies of the Kingdome of heauen were giuen And the Bishops being depriued of their Bishopricks both by the King and by other Bishops appealed to Rome Beda lib. 5. cap. 20. Appeal◠from the Bishop◠and king to the Pope VVilfrid the vertuous Bishop of York appealing to the See Apostolick for his cause and by that ful authoritie absolued c. Item Fiue yeares after he was accused of King Alfrid and many other Bishops and depriued of his Bishoprick wherin vpon repairing again to Rome and obtayning licence to plead his owne defence before his accusers Pope Iohn and many Bishops sitting in Iugdment It was by their Definitiue Sentence concluded that in some parte his accusers had falsly forged surmises The Pope wrote to the Kings of England requiring them to see him restored Protestāts confesse the Rom. faith of our primitiue Church Fox And thus much out of Catholick writers now let vs see what Protestants write of the faith of our Primitiue church 2. Fox in his protestation before his Acts. After the coming of Austin and his fellowes from Rome Christian faith began to enter and spring among the Saxons after a certain Romish sorte Acts. pag. 154. Good vvorks done for clensing from sin The causes why solenm Monasteries were first founded in England by Kinges Queenes and Kings daughters and rich Consuls are these pro remedio animae meae c. For remedy of my soule for remission of my sinnes Foundation of Protestancie vnknovvne to our primitiue Church for the safty of my Kingdoms and people which are vnder my gouernment In honor of the most glorious Virgin Whervpon afterward pag. 170. he concludeth that the doctrine of Iustification by onely faith which pag. 840. he calleth the foundation of their Church was then vnknown Bale Bale Cent. 1. cap. 72. saith English men after Austin did dedicat their Churches to dead Saints Our first Christian K. a perfect Papist And cap. 73. King Ethelbert receaued the Roman Rites and doctrine with all the imposture and Cent. 14. cap. 54. saith that the two Hewalds who were the first English martyrs passi sunt pro Papismo papistici Martyres Our first Martyrs suffer for Papistrie Bilson Papistical Martyrs suffered for Papistrie Bilson of Obed pag. 321. The Saxons were soone entreated to receaue the Bishop of Rome for their Patriarch Stovv Stow pag. 77. citeth this Charter of King Ethelbert King Ethelbert by inspiration of God gaue to Bishop Mellit for remedie of his soule the Land which is called Tillingham for the Monastery of S. Paul which kind of giuing goods is quite opposit to Protestancie Honor of S. Peter counted signe of Christianitie Reinolds as yow may see more hereafter And pag. 78. saith King Sebert to shew him selfe a Christian built a Church in honor of S. Peter Reinolds Confer pag. 12. This imagination of the key and Porter and opinion of power to shut and open committed to Peter onely ouer all the Church as it includeth also the Apostles King Oswie conceaued Keys giuen onely to Peter and all his Clergie did agree vnto it And of S. Beda the principal Doctor of our Primitiue Church Osiander Osiander Epit. Cent. 7. pag. 331. saith thus He was wrapped in all the Popish errors and articles in which we disagree this day from the Pope S. Beda a perfect Papist Wherby we may see how perfect a Papist S. Austin was Fulk in Hebr. 10. Fulk Beda liued in a superstitious time yet liued he 80. yeares after S. Austin long after Antichrist did shew him self Beda sayd that men vnderstod that the helthful sacrifice of masse auailed to the redemption of the body and soule euerlasting And in 1. Pet. 3. Beda was caryed away with the errors and corruptions of his tyme. And thus I hope I haue sufficiently proued the Roman Catholick faith of our first Apostle S. Austin by the faith of his maister S. Greg. by his owne deedes and doctrine by Confession of Protestants and finally by the doctrine of our Primitiue Church which he founded and how it was that Christian Religion which was first founded in our Nation and our English Ancestors imbraced when they forsooke Paganisme Now it remaineth to shew that the same Religion hath continewed also constantly vnto this late lamentable reuolt to Protestancy in all our Nation both in the Clergie and Laitie which I will declare in all the Archbishops of Canterburie who were the cheefe of the one order and in the Kings who were heads of the other And by the way I will name in euery Kings time some of the notable men who successiuely haue confirmed it by their holy life and miracles CHAP. XVIII That all the Archbishops of Canterburie from S. Austin to our tyme were Roman Catholicks proued by generall reasons 1. FIrst because there is no mention or memorie in any Chronicle of England No record that anie Archb
now we finde too true Queene Marie LIII AFter K. Henrie the eight succeeded in the yeare 1546. King Edward the sixt his sonne a child of nine yeares olde which childe wanting the vse of perfect reason and vnfit to gouern him self was the first Protestant Prince that euer was in England and turned the Roman religion which his Father had left though maimed in one principall point to open Protestancie Not for the miracles or rare vertues of the Preachers therof or their conuincing their aduersaries in disputation as King Ethelbert changed his Paganisme into the Roman religion as is before shewed but because the Lord Protector and his complices thought it most sutable to their humors and most fit for their aspiring pretences But how vnfortunat this exchange was not onely to the soules of this King and principall Actors therin but also to their liues and bodies yow may reade in Stow The ill end of the kringets in of Probestancie where yow shall see that the very same yeare 1548. that Proclamation was made for receauing in both Kindes the Lord Admirall a cheefe agent in the change of religion though brother to the Protector and Vnkle to the King was beheaded for a Traitor And the next yeare 1549. VVhen Proclamation was made against Masse sone after also was Proclamation made against the Protector him selfe the principall author of the change and he cast into the Tower And in the yeare 1552. when the newe seruice booke of Common prayer begun in Pauls the said Protector was beheaded And the next yeare the King died and the Duke of Northumberland an other principall actor in the change of religion though against his own conscience as he openly declared at his death was beheaded for treason and Cranmer and Ridley and other fauorers of that change were depriued of their Dignities and sone after burnt This was the rufull end of the first setters vp of Protestancie For maintenance wherof albeit a new Queene was proclaimed Nobles sworne and the strength of England gathered yet in short time almightie God ouerthrew it again without any bloodshed by one vertuous woman Q. Marie Protestancie ouerthrone by a vvoman vvithout any bloodshed Vertue of Q. Marie Author of danger positions l 2 cap. 14. Her Rom. Religion In the arraignment of F Garnat D Doue lib. of Recusancie vvil haue Bellarm. to be a Protest or at lest no perfect Papist who all the time of her life liued so chastly and religiously that all her enemies could not to this day fasten the least suspicion of vice vpon her And whome euen Protestants write to haue Bene of nature and disposition verie milde and pittifull VVhich argueth that they wel deserued the seueritie which shee shewed towards them And so earnest a Roman Catholick shee was as the Protestants write of her that there was Not these thousand yeares a more obedient daughter to the Church of Rome than she was VVherby yow may iugde of the impudencie of Doctor Reinolds who in his Confer pag. 583. denieth not onely all the former Princes but euen Queene Marie euer to haue alowed the Popes absolute spirituall supremacie or as he speaketh the Popes Monarchie but onely to haue granted him such a preheminence as the Duke of Venice hath in that state But with her in the yeare 1558. ended all the glorie of Catholick Princes of England Who except King Henrie 8. for a few yeares and King Edward 6. had continewed from the yeare 598. till the forsaid yeare 1558. the space almost of a thousand yeares And after rose a new kind of Protestancie differing from that of King Edward the childs time Not as I said before through any miracles or strange vertue of the Preachers therof or their ouercomming their aduersaries in Disputation but against the will of all the Bishops and a great parte of the Nobilitie by the counsel of meere Lay men and the authoritie of a woman who was induced to make this change not for zeale of religion which shee little regarded but to assure her state the more because shee feared if she acknowledged the authoritie of the Church of Rome her birth might be called in question But of the cause maner and meanes of erecting Protestancie we shall speake more in the second booke Epilogue HItherto gentle Reader thou hast heard 53. Princes of England successiuly beleeuing and professing the Rom. Catholick faith besides 70. and more others who reigned ouer certain partes of England whiles it was deuided into diuers Kingdoms whose names onely I will here set downe Kings of Kent 13. Ethelbert Edbald Ercombert Egbert Lotharius Edricus VVithâ—ed Edbert Edilbert Alriâ—us Edilbert-pren Cuthred and Baldred Kings of the East Saxons 9. Sebert Sigebert Sigher S. Sebba Sighard Senfred Offa Sclred Swithed Kings of Eastengland 13. to wit Redwald Carpwald S. Sigebert Egris Anna Ethelere Ethelwald Adulph Elwald Beorna Ethelred Saint Ethelbright S Edmund kings of middle England 17. Namely Peda Vulpher Ethelred Coenred Ceolred Ethelbald Bernred Offa Egfert Kenulph Saint Kenelm Ceolwulph Bernulph Ludecan VVithlof Bertulph Burdred Kings of the Northpart of England 18. Edwin Saint Oswald Oswin Oswi Egfrid Alfrid Ostred Kenred Ostrie Ceolwulph Egbert Ostwuld Mollo Alred Ethelbert Alswald Ostred Athelred and some kings also of the South Saxons Consider I pray thee now the number of these kings which is aboue 120 far aboue the smallest number of two Protestant Princes Consider their sex and age who almost all were men and of mature yeares VVheras of the Protestant Princes one was a childe the other a woman Consider their wisdome and valour in which they were inferior to no Princes in Christendome Consider their vertue which was so great as there are more Kings of Ingland Saints than of all Christendome besides Consider the end for which they first embraced the faith which was nether to enioy their lust nor to get any Church goods nor to assure their temporall state but to gaine heauen Consider the Counsellors whose aduise they followed herein were not ignorant and laye men but vertuous and learned Diuines Consider the motiues which drew them to the Catholick religion to witt rare vertue great learning admirable miracles of their first preachers Finally consider how long they continewed in their faith to wit almost a thousand yeares and how almost in euery Kings time here liued some notable men who with rare vertue and miracles haue confirmed their faith Consider I say all this and then iudge whither the Catholick religion of so many and so worthie Kings or the Protestant faith of one Child and one woman be more likely to be good and to come from God Can we thinke that so many Princes of mature yeares and iudgment should be blinde rather then one child a woman that these could see that in so few yeares which all they could not perceaue in a thousand That these two should hit vpoÌ„ Gods truth for temporall endes rather thaÌ„ they for spirituall That that should be
King Ethelbert also Pro animae suae remedio c for the good of his soule gaue to Mellit Bishop the land called Tillingham out of Stow Chron. pag. 77. And so of the rest Our first Christian K. gaue land to Churches for help of his soule Again Fox pag. 154. The causes why solemn Monasteries were first founded by Kings Queenes Kings daughters and rich Consuls are these Pro remedio animae meae pro remissione peccatorum meorum pro redemptione peccatorum meorum pro salute Regnorum meorum quique subiacent regimini populorum in honorem gloriosae virginis For the redemption of my soul for the redeeming of my sinnes and for the saftie of my Kingdoms and people subiect to my gouernment to the honor of the glorious Virgin And therfor by D. Abbots his verdict and by euident inference our auncient Princes wanted the sunne of Protestants righteousnes 10 10. And lastly I proue it by the plain confession of Protest For Fox Acts. pag. 132. saith our first Christian Kings were deuout to Church men espetially to the Church of Rome Which was in the opinion of Protestāts Our Kings deuour to the P. vvhen he vvas in opinion of Protestants Antichrist when the Pope was known Antichrist That is in Boniface 3. time and since Bale Cent. 1. cap 73 saith of king Ethelbert our first Christian king that He receaued the doctrin of the Roman Religion with all the imposture therof and died the 21. yeare of his receaued Papistrie Could he speake more plainly And Cent. 13. cap. 5 Felix saith he conuerted the East parte of England to Papistrie A Plaine confessiō of Protestants that our nation vvas first conuerted to papistrie And Ibid cap. 4. he saith that Birin vnder colour of the Gospel taught the VVest saxons Papisticam fidem Papistical faith The same confesse diuers other Protestants as hath bene shewed before when we proued that S. Greg. and S. Austin were by the confession of Protestants plain Rom. Catholicks 4. To all these particuler proofes I ad a general one vz the English names which our ancient Kings and people gaue to their seruice and their Pastors See in Ingulph hovv antient Knights vvere vvont to goe to confession before they vvere knighted also their Churches Tombs and Epitaphes and finally all their ancient Monuments do testifie and proclame their Catholick Roman religion For their seruice of God they called Masse Nether can it be shewed that euer they called it other wise and of it haue they tearmed the cheefe feasts of the yeare as Christmasse Candlemasse Michelmas Name of Masse Martin masse As likwise they haue tearmed Shreuetide of their Shreiuing and confessing them selues before they began their lent Fast Palmesonday of the Palmes which they caried on that day as Catholicks at this day doe Ember dayes of the Catholick fast of Quator tēpora corruptly pronouncing the last word of Priests Their cheefe Doers of their seruice they termed Priestes That is as Protest confesse Sacrificers and therfor their ministers abhor the name Reinold conf pag. 466 467. Their cheefe Churches they built in forme of a Crosse The cheefe Altar therin on high and toward the East Forme of Churches and diuers Altars in little Chappell 's about erected therin a Roodloft with the Roode or Crosse of Christ vppon it adorned their Chappell 's euen the very glasse windowes with Pictures In like sort they buried their dead with Crosses as was seene on the tombe of King Arthur Buriall of dead and their Bishops with Chalices as in the Tombe of S. Birin and vsually on the Epitaphs desire men to pray for the soule of the dead Epitaphs And where I pray yow was the Protestant Communion when our first Christian Ancestors termed their cheefe seruice of God Masse and therof named their principall feasts in the yeare where were their Ministers when they termed their Pastors Priests and sacrificers Wher were their Churches when all the Cathedrall Churches were built in forme of a Crosse with one high Altar and diuers little Altars in the Church about where were they them selues when our Ancestors euen dead did by Crosses wher with they were buried and the Epitaphs of their Tombes professe the Roman Catholick religion CHAP. XXII Certayne obiections of Ministers that our auncient Kings were not Romane Catholiques disproued 1. ALbeit euery one of iudgment will easely see that what can be obiected against this so cleare D. Doue of Recusancie vvil haue Bellarm to be a Protest or no perfect Catholik and by the Aduersaries confessed truth is but cauils which want not against almost the euidenst truth that is yet for satisfaction of all sorts of people we wil propose what D. Abbots in his Answer to D. Bishops epistle pag. 199. lately hath collected for proofe that our ancient Kings were Protestants or at least not perfect obiec ∣ tion 1 Roman Catholicks First he saith that our antient Kings had the supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall Ansvver This is euidently false by what hath bene said in the 5. 6. and 7. proofe of the former Chapter To which I add that as it shal be shewed herafter King Edward 3. whome Protestants account to make most for them professed it to be a sauor of heresie to deny the Popes supremacie in causes ecclesiasticall 2. Abbots saith that the kings founded Bishopricks and inuested them at their obiec ∣ tion 2 pleasur as did Edward Confessor the Bishoprick of Exester Ansvver That in S. Austins time or long after the King founded Bishopricks and inuested Bishops is apparantly false For it is euident in Beda lib. 1. cap. 29. That S. Greg. at his owne pleasure apointed two Archbishopricks vnder each of them twelue Bishopricks to be erected in England And lib. 2. cap. 4. That S. Austin by his authoritie founded the Archbishoprick of Canterburie and the Bishopricks of London and Rochester Our ancient Kings tooke not vpon them to erect Bishopriks and that the King then did onely build them Churches indow the Bishopricks with lands and giue them saith Beda lib. 1. cap. 28. Possessions necessarie for their maintenance And aboue 800. yeares agoe when King Offa would alter the Bishoprik of Lichfeild in to an Archbishoprick K Ethelbert he took not vpon him to doe it by his owne authoritie or of the Bishops of his realm K. Offa. but procured Pope Adrian to send two legats for that purpose Malmsb. lib. 1. Reg. cap. 4. K Edvvard Sen. And 700. yeares agoe mhen King Edward Senior erected fiue Bishopricks in the West Contrie it was done by the expresse commandement of Pope Formosus Malmsb. 2. Reg. cap. 5. K VVilli◠Conq. And about 500. yeares agoe when King William Conqueror would haue some English Bishops deposed and Bishopricks translated from litle Tounes to greater Citties he procured Pope Alexander 2. to send a Legat hither to doe it Malmsb. 1. Pont. But yet we grāt
doctissimi most learned men as Saint Beda saith lib. 2. c. 2. Yet Saint Austin feared not twise to challeng them all to publick disputations S. Austin confuted most learned Hereticks and at the first ouercame them and at the second they durst not as it seemeth encounter with him The like disputations had after S. Laurence and other of S. Austins fellowes in the I le of Man with Scottish and Irish Deuines and wrote also to the Britons as saint Beda lib. 2. c. 4. speaketh worthy letters and fit for their Degree Protestāts confesse S. Austin and his fellovves learning Cooper Yea the Protestants them selues when they are voide of passion confesse saint Austin and his fellowes to haue bene great scollers For B. Cooper Chron. an 599. saith that Austin Iohn Mellit and others were godly and wel learned men Holinshed Holinshead an 596. calleth saint Austin and his fellowes learned men And Godwin in vita Honorij saith Godvvin Honorius a fellow and successor of saint Austin was very learned and some tymes disciple of Saint Gregory And in vita Laurentij that S. Laurence his immediat successor was a wel learned man That Deusdedit who was an English man scoller to saint Austin was very famous for his learning and other vertues And if the scoller were very famous what may we think of the Maister Bale Yea Bale him selfe cent 13. c. 2. saith that saint Laurence successor and fellow of saint Austin was very skilfull in logick and other Philosophie 3. But how think yow doth Bale proue that saint Austin was ignorant of scripture or his questions voide of all knowledg of the Gospel Surely not at all But it must suffice that this Aristarchus hath so iudged But perhaps it displeased Bale that saint Austin should in them enquire aboute the ceremonies of Masse VVhy S. Austins questions vvere vnsauorie to Bale and about the offering vpon the Altar of saying Masse after pollution in the night or of receauing the blessed Sacrament after a man hath carnally known his wife which questions no maruell if they seeme vnsauorie to Bale and voide of all knowledg of his new Gospel Indeed the questions are not of any profound diuinitie but of practical matters about the gouernment of the Church and holy ceremonies and administration of Sacraments in which matters the greatest Deuines vnles they haue bene practised therin as S. Austin had not bene in his monasterie are not alwaies the most skilful Besides that Saint Austin proposed those questions to saint Gregory not vpon ignorance but vpon humilitie and desire to be directed by him euen in smallest matters This saint Gregory him self testifieth in these words in Beda lib. 2. c. 23. I doubt not but yow haue required Counsell in these matters and I think also I haue alredy made yow answer herein S. Austin could haue ansvvered his ovvne questions Yet that which your selfe could say and think herein I think yow would haue it confirmed with my answer The like account made the French Ministers of Caluin as appeareth by the Surueie of the holy discipline c. 3. p. 43. in these words As any doubtes did arise amongst them concerning Church causes though they were but very simple and such as any student of meane capacity and iudgment might very easely haue satisfyed yet no man but M. Caluin for his tyme and M. Beza afterward was accounted of sufficiency or able to dissolue them Yow heare what simple questions the French Ministers sent to Caluin and Beza and yet without any preiudice of their opinion in learning And why should not S. Austin do the like And surely I here admire the goodnes of God towards our Nation that he would Saint Austin should enquire such small matters of S. Gregory and that his questions should remaine to our dayes both to shew vs by our first Apostle what account we should make of the resolution of the Sea Apostolick VVhat account S. Austin made of the resolutions of the See Apostol and as S. Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 3. wrote aboue 1400. yeares ago in all difficulties recur to her and also to assure vs that S. Austin who in so small matters would do nothing of himselfe but by the direction of S. Gregory would much lesse vary from him in matters of faith or religion And consequently that the faith which he taught our Ancestors was the faith of the greatest Doctor that euer since S. Peter sate in the Church of Rome Belt VVoful cry p. 3. and by the confession of Protestants was as famous and as learned a man as euer was Bishop of Rome yea omnium Pontificum Of all the Bishops of Rome the most excellent for life and learning Bale cent 1. c. 68. Which thing wel cōsidered can not but breed great comfort in them who had the faith of their Forfathers deliuered to them by S. Austin and as great discomfort in them who haue forsaken it And thus much of S. Austins learning now let vs see his vertue CHAP. V. That Saint Austin was a great Saint and holy man IF Ministers were before vnwilling to grant that S. Austin was our first Preacher or a learned man much more loth they are to confesse that he was a holy man And not without cause because therby they perceaue it will follow that his faith was the true faith of Christ For as S. Paul saith Rom. 10. The iust man liueth by faith Heb. 11. without faith it is impossible to please God By hovv manie kinds of testimonies S. Austins great holines is proued But I will prooue not onely by the testimonie of them that saw and knew S. Austin but also by the testimony of his Maister his own life and death by publick and priuat testimony of them that liued with him by all kind of writers following by the vertuous life of the Church which he founded and finally by the confession of diuers Protestants that S. Austin was a saint and vertuous holy man 2. As for S. Austins Maister Ambros lib. 2. de Virginibus saith Hovv vertuous S. Austins Maister vvas The first spur to learning is the excellēcy of the Maister And no doubt but the example of an excellent Maister is a great spur to vertue And what Maister ether in that age or long before or after could S. Austin haue had comparable to S. Gregory who for his great vertue and noble acts is surnamed the great whome S. Isidor lib. de viris illustrib c. 7. who knew him saith S. Isidor was by compunction ful of the feare of God in humilitie cheefest and endued with such light of knowledg as the like was not then nor before 8. Councel Tolet. And the 8. Councel of Toledo doubteth not to prefer him in morall doctrine before all other Doctors S. Ildefonsus S. Ildefonsus also lib. de vir illustrib c. 2. writeth that he excelled so high in perfection of all vertues as setting
ether an 614. as Malmesbury saith in Hist and in Fastis or an 605. as Sigebert saith in Chron. or 608. as Bale hath cent 13. cap. 1. or an 604. as Baron gathereth out of Beda and Florent in Chron. and Stow pag. 62. affirmeth How then could Saint Austin cause this slaughter which was so long after his death and much les goe in the army to the slaughter as Sutclif citeth out of an ould Chronicle if he do not lye himselfe 3. For this Bilson in his Booke of Obedience pag. 114. saith that the King Ethelbert King of Kent whome Saint Austin conuerted mooued King Ethelfrid to commit this massacre and citeth therto Galfrid of Munmouth lib. 8. cap. 4. and so indirectly deriueth the faulte to Saint Austin his teacher That K. Ethelbert caused not the British Mōkes to be slaine But first if this slaughter were done as we haue seene out of Bale in the yeare 615. certain it is that Saint Austin liued not till that tyme but dyed before as is alredy shewed and therfore he could not be the author of this fact Secondly in defence of King Ethelbert I oppose against Bilson what Fox saith p. 119. Fox defēdeth King Ethelbert that it seemeth rather suspicious than true that Ethelbert being a Christian King ether could so much preuaile with a Pagan Idolater or els would attempt so far as to commit such a cruell deede And in truth who so considereth the disposition of that Pagan King in Beda lib. 1. cap. 33. where he is compared to a rauening wolfe will easely see that he needed no stirrer vp to make war against the Britōs And therfor Fox loco cit rightly ascribeth it to the fierse furie of Ethelfrid which was so great as he is sirnamed Ferus Besides that K. Ethelbert was more potent than King Ethelfrid for he had all the South part of England at command as testifyeth Saint Beda lib. 1. cap. 25. and Ethelfrid onely the North. And therfor if he would haue reuenged Saint Austin by war and bloodshed he would rather haue done it him selfe than stirred an other Heathen King against them But this good King was so far from causing the Britons to be murdered because they would not receaue S. Austins doctrine as that as writeth Saint Beda lib. 1. c. 26. he would not force his owne subiects to receaue it As for Galfrid ther is no such thing in the place cited by Bilson which argueth that he cited it out of Iuell without seeing the booke But indeed lib. 11. c. 13. Galfrid saith that Ethelbert excited Ethelfrid to goe to Bangor and destroy Abbot Dimoth other Monkes who had resisted S. Austin But Galfrid is a very fabulous Author the first broacher of Merlins Prophecies Cambd. in Brit. p. 8. calleth his history inepties fooleries and his book is forbidē by the Councell of Trent and of other incredible fables and liued many hundred yeares after Saint Beda who testifyeth lib. 2. cap. 2. that King Ethelfrid came not of purpose to kill the Monkes but to get Chester as he loco cit and Malmesbury lib. 1. Reg. c. 3. do insinuat and being to ioyne battell with the Britons espying the Monkes at prayer and vnderstanding that they came to pray against him set first vpon them and slew them 4. The second fault which Ministers impute to S. Austin That S. Austins not rising to the Britons proceded not of pride is pryde because he sat stil in his chaire when the British Bishops and Deuins came to confer with him True it is that S. Austin did so but that it proceeded not of pryde appeareth because nether S. Beda nor any English or foraine writer vnto our times besides the Britons who were hereticks then consequētly most proude themselues imputed it to pryde Secondly because Saint Austin and his fellowes as them selues write in Beda lib. 2. cap. 4. Honored the Britōs with great reuerēce while they thought they were Catholicks Therfor Saint Austins not rising to them proceeded not of pride but of some other iust cause Thirdly because the British Priests were such then as they deserued no honor yea much dishonor and therfore it could be no pride in S. Austin to giue them none VVhat kind of men they vvere to vvhome S. Austin did not also For besides that they were hereticks S. Beda lib. 2. cap. 2. calleth them vnfaithfull naughty and detestable people And Gildas their owne Contry man saith that they were wolues enemies of truth and friends to lyes enemyes of God and not Priests merchants of mischeef and not Bishops Impugners of Christ and not his Ministers more worthy to be drawn to prison or to the cage than to Priesthood And much more of the like sorte And Fox addeth out of an ould Chronicle Acts lib. 2. pag. 114. that all things whether they pleased or displeased God they regarded alike and not onely seculer men did this but their Bishops teachers without distinction Which being so I appeale to the iudgement of any indifferent man whether these men deserued any honor at S. Austins hands especially he being lawfully apointed their Archbishop and Superior by Saint Gregory Great humilitie in S. Austin to confer vvith those to vvhome he did not rise And whether it were not great humility in him to seeke conference with this kind of people now the second tyme after he had once before confuted them both by disputation and euident miracle which made them to confesse that he taught the truth The cause therefor why he arose not to them vvhy S. Austin arose not to the Britons was ether because he followed the aduise of his Maister Saint Gregory who albeit he were one of the humblest men that euer was yet lib. 4. Epist 36. giueth this counsell to Bishops Let vs kepe humility in minde and yet maintain the dignity of our order in honor Or els perceauing the Britons to be obstinat which well appeared when for so small occasion they would forsake the doctrine which them selues had seene confirmed by miracle and confessed to be truth he followed the aduise of Saint Iohn Epist 2. Protest cōdemne that in S. Austin vvhich they commend in Cranmer If any come to yow and bring not this doctrine receaue him not into your house nor say to him God speede But whether S. Austin would not arise to the Britons for these or other iust causes to him known Protestants can no way cōdemn his fact who commend a far les excusable fact of Cranmer Fox Acts edit 1596. p. 1599. 1699. Latimer and Ridley For Cooper Chron. an 1555. sayth that because the Bishops of Lincoln Gloster Bristow declared themselues to be in the Popes Commission nether Ridley nor Latimer would shew any reuerence to them nor put of their capps The same he writeth of Cranmer pag. 373. And if this behauiour be commēded in protestant Prelats towards their superiors and Iudges why should the like
from his Clergie but followed that trade and forme of liuing which was vsed in the primitiue Church among the Fathers among whome there was none that said that to be his owne which he possessed but all things were comon 2 And as for worldly pleasur what should moue Saint Austin think we to leaue his natiue Contry Nor pleasure and to seeke pleasure in a strange Contry where he knoweth nether place person nor language What pleasure should moue an Italian to chāge Italy for England Rome for Canterbury especially when our Contry as then it was was sauage and barbarous What pleasure can we imagin can moue a Christian to goe to preach Christs faith among barbarous infidells Or what pleasure did Saint Austin seeke here who with his fellowes liued here so Angel like that as Saint Beda writteth lib. 1. cap. 26. our Nation maruailed much at their simplicity of their innocent liuing and our King was then much delighted with the puritie of their life and the example of their godly conuersation And being Archbishop yet left not his religious life and as is before shewed tooke exceeding paines in teaching and baptizing our Nation and wonderfully labored to conuert the Britons also Who as is before said went still on foote and for the most part barefoote and had his knees hard like the knees of a camell by continuall prayer Motiues of S. Austins preaching Wherfore no human motiue but the diuine motiues of obedience to his Maister and lawfull Bishop the great Saint and glorious Doctor of Gods Church Saint Gregory Obediēce who sent him and commanded him to come hither to preach And of Charitie Charitie to saue our Nations soules by bringing them out of heathenish infidelitie to the faith of Christ Gods glorie And glorie of God were the incitements motiues and causes of Saint Austins comming hither and preaching that religion which he did And this is manifest both by the testimonies of Catholick Writers and confessions of Protestants which we cited before touching Saint Austins holines and shall alleadge in this next Chapter where we shall prooue that this great Clerck and holy man Saint Austin moued by these saintly motiues to preach to our Nation was also lawfully sent therto with sufficient authoritie and commission CHAPT VIII That Saint Austin was lawfully sent hither to preach prooued by diuers authorities and confession of Protestants TWO things ther are required to euery lawfull Pastor to wit both right Orders and lawfull Commission to administer the Sacraments and Word of God And albeit by order of doctrine wee should speake first of Saint Austins orders yet because his Commission being cleared his orders will easely appeare to be good I will speake first of his Cōmission where with he was sent to preach And that he was sent of Saint Gregory wee need not prooue For as Sutclif saith in his Subuersion cap. 3. It is not denied that Gregory sent Austin The onely difficulty can be whether he were lawfully sent and by sufficient authoritie or no. Hovv manie vvayes S Austins mission is prooued But that he was lawfully sent to preach I will prooue first by sacred testimony from Heauen Secondly by authority of Catholicks Thirdly by confession of Protestants Fourthly by examples and lastly by reason The testimony from Heauen is of Saint Peter By S Peters testimonie from heauen who appearing in a vision to Saint Laurence successor of Saint Austin when he vpon the reuolt of our Contrie to Paganisme intended to abandon the Land scourged him saith Saint Beda lib. 2. cap. 6. with sharp stripes a great while in the close night and asked why he would forsake the flock which he him self had committed vnto him Behould Saint Peter from Heauen testifieth that he had cōmitted English men to the teaching of Saint Laurence one of Saint Austins fellow labourers whome Saint Austin him self appointed consecrated for his successor And when Saint Laurence awaked saith Godwin he found it more than a dreame for all his body was gore blood VVherfore going immediatly to the King Edbald he shewed him his woundes and together related to him the occasion of them which strook such a terror into the King as by and by he renounced his Idolls and caused him self to be baptized The apparition of S Peter to be true Now that this apparition to S. Laurence was no dreame or illusion appeareth many wayes First by the reall wounds which both Saint Laurence felt and the King sawe Secondly by the authority of Saint Laurēce who being so holy a man would neuer auouch an idle dreame or illusion for a certain vision Thirdly by the beleefe giuen therto by King Edbald and his people who doubtles examined it throughly before they would vpon the credit therof forsake their Idolls Fourthly by the heauenly effect which it wrought which was the recalling of our Contry from Paganisme to Christianity to which ende the Diuell would neuer cooperat any way Fifthly by the authority of S. Beda and our best Chroniclers Malmesbury lib. 1. Reg lib. 2. Pont. Huntington lib. 3. Marianus an 617. Westmon anno 616. ibidem Florent and others who haue credited and recorded it as a true vision Protestāts confesse S. Peters apparition Lastly by the confession of diuers Protestants as Godwin in the life of Saint Laurence and Holinshed in the life of King Edbald And surly who well considereth it can not but account it a singuler fauor of God and honor to our Contrie that first in the Britons tyme it should receaue the faith of Christ by the preaching of S. Peter S. Peters care of this Coūtrie by whose month as he saith Acts 15. From ancient tyme God hath made choice that Gentils should heare the VVord of God and beleeue And afterward in our English Ancestors tyme should recouer the same faith againe by the meanes of Saint Gregory one of the gloriousest successors of Saint Peter that euer was and mooued therto by him from Heauen Which amongst other things declareth that to be true which the same Saint Peter said to Saint Brithwald Ealred in vit S. Edvvardi Sur. tom 1. Regnum Anglorum regnum Dei est The Kingdom of England is the Kingdom of God 2. As for the authoritie of Catholicks S. Austins mission proued by authoritie of Catholicks S. Gregorie the first place is due to Saint Gregory who writing to Eulogius Patriarch of Alexandria lib. 7. epist 30. saith VVhiles the English Nation abiding in a corner of the world remained hitherto in infidelity in the worship of wood and stones by the help of your prayers it seemed good to me God being the Author to send a Monke of my Monastery thither to preach Loe he ascribeth the sending of S. Austin to God as Author and to holy mens prayers as helpes therunto And againe writing to Saint Austins company in Beda lib. 1. c. 23. saith Let nether the trauaill
Church where he addeth that this is cleare and out of all controuersie And p. 368. Christ said of his whole Church that the gates of hell c. Therfore the whole Church was founded on Peter The same he repeateth Conclus 1. p. 615. and Conclus 2. p. 625. and generally all Protestāts graunt the same For out of this place they proue that the Elect can not fall from God because Christ here sayd that Hell gates should not preuaile against his Church That is say they against his Elect. In like sort the said Reinolds Conf. p. 386. saith that these words My Sheepe Iohn 10 where it is sayd my sheepe heare my voice included all the Elect. Therfore Ioan. 21. the very same words include all the Elect beside Peter who is excepted because he is apointed to feede them vnles we will not vpon any different occasion ministred by scripture but vpon our own preconceited opinion expound the same word now one way now an other Finally the sayd Reinolds Conf. pag. 103. confesseth that by Thy Bethren Luc. 22. Christ ment all the faithfull Then surely he included all the Apostles Thirdly by authoritie of Fathers 6. Thirdly I proue that S. Peter was head of the whole Church by the authoritie of holy Fathers whome because Whitaker cōfesseth as yow heard before to teach most clearly that the Church i◠founded vpon Peter I wil omit their words and remit those that list read them to Bellarm. l. 1. de Pont. c. 10. Onely I will shew that they teach that the Church as it includeth the rest of the Apostles is founded vpon Peter onely Cyprian epist ad Iulian. Ecclesia quae vna est super vnum The Church which is one is founded vpon one who by the commaundemēt of our Lord receaued the key therof In which words we see that as the Church is sayd to be one onely so it is said to be founded vpon one onely And lib. 1. epist 8. Ecclesia vna Cathedra vna c. One Church and one Chaire was by our Lords word founded vpon Peter And Saint Hierom. in 2. Isaiae after he had said that the Apostles were Montes mountains addeth Super vnum montium Christus fundat Ecclesiam loquens ad eum Tu es Petrus c. Vpon one of the Montains Christ foundeth his Church and speaking to him thou art Peter c. S. Leo serm 2. de Anniuers saith Saint Peter was plus ceteris ordinatus c. ordained more than the rest whiles he is called a Rock a Foundation and apointed porter of the kingdome of heauen And for this cause the Fathers when they speak of Peter in respect of the rest of the Apostles they manifestly prefer him in authority before them ceteris praelatus discipulis Preferred before the rest of the disciples saith S. Basil homil de Iudicio Eccles And this is so euident as D. Reinolds Confer pag. 179. confesseth that the Fathers call Peter the mouth the Top the highest the President the head of the Apostles and. pag. 562. The Prince the Top the Cheefest of the Apostolick company the Teacher of the whole world and a Father of the houshould And graunteth also that some of these Titles touch gouernment and signifie a preheminence in gouernment Reinolds deuiseth an authoritie in S. Peter to auoid his supremacie Whervpon he is inforced pag. 180. to acknowledg that Saint Peter was superiour among the Apostles as a President of a Parliament in France or as a Consull among the Romans But who wel considereth shall easely perceaue that this is but an authoritie deuised of purpose to delude the words of the Fathers who speaking of Saint Peters authoritie ouer the Apostles vse the very words which we do to declare his supremacy And therfor if they be vnderstood by their own words and not as Reinolds pleaseth to expound them they vsing the same words as we do must be vnderstood as we are But because this question is some what beside my present purpose I will vrge it no farther Onely I would know of Reinolds how Peter did come by his Consulship ouer the Apostles which he graunteth to him Did the Apostles giue it him But where readeth he that Did Christ bestow it on him But where if not Math. 16. and Iohn 21. In which places if Christ gaue him any authoritie ouer the Apostles he gaue him as full power ouer them as ouer other Christians For ther is no limitation of his power towards some more than towards others but they are as well to be foūded on him as others are he was to feede them as wel as others Nether doth this his authoritie ouer the rest of the Church and the Apostles too preiudice the supreme authority of Christ ouer all any more than the lyke authority which the Protestāts graunt euery Apostle had ouer the rest of the Church Secōdly I would know of Reinolds why he doth not graunt this Consulship ouer the whole Church to the Pope or at least to some one Bishop or other but wil make euery Prince head of the Church in his Kingdome That S. Peters authority remaineth in some Bishop of the Church 7. Now that this authority of Saint Peter remaineth still in the Church and descended from him to some Bishop I proue because all the ends for which ether Christ declared or the Fathers affirme that Christ instituted this authoritie to remaine as well after his death as before The first was that the gates of hell should not preuaile against the Church Math. 16. Secondly that what is loosed in earth may be loosed in heauen ibi Thirdly that Peter might cōfirme his Brethren Luc. 22. Fourthly that he might feede Christs sheepe Io. 21. Fiftly that one being made head occasion of Schisme might be taken away Hierom. lib. 1. cont Iouinianum Sixtly that the origine of the vnitie of the Church might appeare Cyprian de simpl Praelat because as he saith lib. 1. epist 3. Priestly vnity rose from Peters chaire And epist ad Fulcian Our Lord began the origine of vnitie from Peter This cause alleadgeth also Leo. epi. 84. and Anast and Optat. l. 2. contra Parmen But all these ends remaine after Saint Peters death Therfore the authoritie also remaineth Besides S. Austin saith l. de Pastor c. 1. Christiani sumus propter nos Praepositi non nisi propter vos Therfore Saint Peter being made Cheefe of Gods Church for the good of it left his authoritie in the Church Whervpon S. Austin tract 50. in Ioannem saith that when Peter receaued the keyes Ecclesiam sanctam significauit he represented the holy Church because he receaued them as her Gouernour vnder Christ and for her good And therfore as long as she remaineth the authority which Saint Peter receaued for her good must remaine Aarons authoritie remained in his Successors Therfore Peters Secondly I proue it because God in the ould law instituted one high Priest who vnder him in
Prosper lib. De ingratis Bernard epist 237. And in like sort they call it sedes Apostolica as Caluin confesseth and is euident ex Concil Calcedon Act. 16. And Rein. Confer pag. 369. The Fathers in speaking of the Church of Rome mention often the Chair and seat of Peter Hierom honoreth the Bishop of that See with the name of Peters Chaire Fiftly they call the Bishop of Rome successor to S. Peter S. Hier. ep ad Damas Concil Ephes 1. Tom. 2. S. Eulog apud Greg. lib. 6. ep 37. And that they meane of a proper successor appeareth by that they attribute that peculierly to the Pope Sixtly lastly they say that Peter sate in the Bishops Chaire of Rome as they saye his successors did Cathedra saith S. Austin lib. 2. cont Petil. quid tibi fecit Romana in qua Petrus sedit in qua nunc Anastasius sedet VVhat hath the Chair of Rome done to thee in which Peter sate and in which now sitteth Anastasius Therfore either Peter was a proper Bishop or Anastasius was none To conclude Reinolds sayth P. Damas succeded Peter in his chaire Reinolds him self though vnawares confesseth it pag. 376. where he sayth that Damasus succeded Peter as in Chair so in doctrine 10. As for the first of Reinolds cauils It is no more against Peters Apostleship to be Bishop of one Citty than it was to take a particuler care of the Iewes as he did nor more than it is for the Bishop of Winster to be Parson of Eastmean And for the second Irenaeus doth not call Linus first Bishop of Rome but onely saith that Peter and Paul gaue him the Bishoprick to gouern the Church to wit vnder Peter and in his absence Euseb indeed calleth Euodius first Bishop of Antioch but that he meaneth of pure Bishops which were not also Apostles For before he had sayd Petrus Ecclesiam Antiochenam fundauit òbique Cathedram adeptus sedit And Rein. loco cit confesseth and both he and all graunt that Linus was Peters successor And as for Ruffin his words proue no more but that Peter instituted Linus to help him especially in his absence as Valerius did institute S. Aug. in his life tyme who after his death succeeded him and so did Linus to Peter Thus haue I prooued that S. Gregorie was successor to S. Peter in his Episcopall See and that he succeded him also in faith I neede not proue because protestants although they find some fault with Greg. doctrine yet they confesse as is shewed before that he taught as much as is needfull to saluation and consequently he wanted no thing to true succession to S. Peter 11. Fourthly I proue that the Pope was most likely to succede Saint Peter Proued out of Fathers that the P. succedeth peter in his authority by that which the Fathers attribute to him Saint Hierom epist ad Damasum de nomine hypostasis Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tuae id est Cathedrae Petri communione consocior super illam Petram aedificatam Ecclesiam scio Quicunque extra hanc domum agnum comederit prophanus est I following none formost but Christ communicate with thy Holines that is with the Chaire of Peter Vpon that Rock do I know the Church was built who soeuer shall eate the lambe out of this house is prophane Note how he saith that he followeth first Christ and next the Pope and that the reason which he giueth herof after was not why he followed Christ first for that were needles to proue amongst Christians And if he would haue giuen any it would haue bene Hierom follovveth the P. next after christ because Christ made the P. the rock of his Church because Christ is God But the reason which he giueth was why he followed the Pope next to Christ to wit because he knew him to be the Rock on which the Church was built Wherby it is euident that by the Rock he meant not Christ as Bilson lib. de Obed. pag 87. and others would but Pope Damasus as Reinolds cōfesseth p. 370. 376. But yet he meant not saith Reinolds the succession of the Popes because Hierom writeth that Pope Liberius had before subscribed to Arianisme But if Hieroms words be well pōdered he will be found to haue said both that Pope Damasus was the Rock and that his succession to Saint Peter in his Chaire of Rome was the cause why he was the Rock For if a subiect writing to the King should say Nullum primum nisi Deum sequens maiestati tuae id est Throno Conquestoris in temporalibus consocior Super illam petram aedificatum Angliae Regnum scio Quicumque extra hanc domum aliquid egerit rebellis est He should confesse that both the King were head of the Realme and with all tell how he came by that authority to witt by succession to the conqueror So Saint Hierome in the forsaid words both sayd that Pope Damasus person which he meant by Beatitudini tuae was the Rock on which in his tyme the Church was built and sayd with all that his person had that authoriry by his succession to Saint Peter in his Roman Chaire and therfore added these words id est Cathedrae Petri as a further explication of the former And consequently he meant that the Church is built vpon all Popes that lawfully succeed in the Chaire of Peter Which is so euident as Doct. Feild lib. 1. de Ecclesia D. Feild cap. 41. confesseth plainly that Saint Hierome loc cit said that Peters Chaire is the Rock the Church is builded vpon As for Reinolds reasons were it truth that S. Hierome wrote as Reinolds saith of Liberius which yet diuers deny and Reinolds must deny if he will speak agreably to him self For pag. 570. he saith that the words of Austin ep cont Donat. and Hierome ep cit do import a sincerity of faith in the Roman Bishops to their tyme which would not be true if Liberius had fallen But admit I say it were true that Liberius had denyed his faith that maketh no more against his Rock ship than the like fault in S. Peter did against his For as S. Peter though he denyed his faith yet taught not infidelitie as he was Apostle and Pastor of the Church so nether Liberius though he committed a personall crime yet taught he no heresie as successor to S. Peter in which sorte onely he is the Rock of the Church 12. Secondly S. Austin ep contra Donat. saith S. Austin Numerate Sacerdotes vel ab ipsa Petri Sede Ipsa est enim Petra quam non vincunt superbae inferorum portae Number the Priests euen from the very Seat of Peter Successiō of Popes by S. Austin the Rock of the Church It is the Rock which the proud gates of hell do not ouercom Behould how the very succession of Popes from Peter is called the Rock of the Church as the Chair of Peter
better shift than impudently to say that either Greg. vvrote not so or he vvrote an vntruth to cheere vp his subiects Caluin lib. 4. cap. 7. § 12. saith that There is no vvord in all Greg. vvritings vvherein he more proudly boasteth of the largenes of his Primacie than this Furthermore S. Greg. lib. 7. epist 69. VVithout the authoritie and consent of the See Apostolick vvhat so euer is done in Councells hath no force And contrariwise lib. 7. epist 115. That reuerence is caried of the faithfull tovvarde the See Apostolick that vvhat is apointed by her decree shall not after be disturbed And the Archbishop of Rauema writing to him lib. 10. epist 36. saith The See of Rome sendeth her lavves to the Vniuersal Church And him selfe lib. 12. cap. vlt. The See of Rome doth looke ouer the vvhole vvorld and sendeth nevve constitutions vnto all And lib. 11. epist 56. writeth that the cause of a Bishop who had no Patriarch or Metrapolitan ouer him vvas to be iudged immediatly of the See Apostolick vvhich saith he is omnium Ecclesiarum caput head of all Churches Which proofe sheweth that he meaneth not head ship in excellency of gifts as Reinolds would Confer pag. 548. but in gouernment In like sort in psal 4. poenit he calleth Rome the head of all Churches and Lady of Nations which Title of the head of all Churches because Pope Boniface 3. who succeded S. Greg. within one yeare or two procured the Emperour Phocas to declare to appertaine to the Bishops of Rome he is accounted of all Protestants generally to be the first true Pope and Antichrist of Rome But if S. Greg. authoritie were not so great in the Church as Ministers are ashamed to account him an Antichrist they would as soone call him Pope and Antichrist as they do Pope Boniface because he auoucheth the same Title which Boniface did 3. Nether did S. Greg. onely claime this Supremacie but also practized it often tymes S. Greg. practizeth the supremacie For. lib. 2. Epist 14. He excommunicated the Archbishop of Salona in Dalmatia lib. 4. Epist 50. He deposed Anastasius Archb. of Corinth in Greece And Epist 15. made the Bishop of Prima Iustiniana his Legat and likwise the Bishop of Arles in France Epist 51. And. lib. 5. Epist 24. When there arose a controuersie betweene a Priest of Calcedon and the Patriarch of CoÌ„stantinople according to the Canons saith he it fel to the See Apostolick and was ended by our iudgement And lib. 10. Epist 30. He maketh a Bishop sweare that he will In all things abide in the Communion of the Bishop of Rome And in Bed lib. 1. cap. 27. Taketh vpon him to commit all the Bishops and Priests of Britany to S. Austins charge and without asking the Prince his leaue apointed him to erect two Archbishoppriks and 24. Bishopricks Finally he tooke vpon him to depose kings and princes For lib. 11. Epist 10. He saith Siquis c. If any king Priest Iudge or seculer person knowing this constitution of ours shall attempt to break it Let him want al Dignitie of his povver and honor And lib. 12. cap. vlt. If any king Prelat Iudg or seculer person of vvhat Degree or highnes soeuer doe violat the priuiledgee of S. Medards Monasterie Let him be deposed And as Baron An. 600 writeth out of the Chronicles of Millan gaue the Bishop of that Cittie authoritie to chuse what king he woulde after the race of Lomburdian kings was ended ProtestaÌ„ts opinion of S. Gregorie about the supremacie For these speeches and acts of Greg. Doct. Reinolds Confer pag. 549 saith of him and of all the Popes for 300. yeares before him that they auouch more of their See than is true and right But now the question is not about right Reinolds but about S. Gregâ— opinion of Supremacie And pag 545. saith that S. Greg. is somewhat large that waye pag. 550. The primacie which Greg Leo and others giue to the See of Rome doth so exceed the truth that c. And pag 17. he saith that Leo the great who was Pope 130. yeares before Greg. cherished the egge of the Popes Supremacie And pag. 16. saith Leo made Peter a fellow head a partie Rock and half foundation with Christ Which saith he pag. 10. Leo did that he might rise vp with S. Peter And Doct. Whitak VVhitaker Fulke lib. de consil pag. 37. Leo was a great builder of the See of Antichrist Fulkin 2. Thessal 2. Leo and Greg. were great workers and futherers of the See of Antichrist and of the mystery of iniquity And ibid. he doubteth not to say that the mysterie of iniquitie did vvorke in the See of Rome in Peters tyme and did shew it self in Anicetus Victor Cornelius Sozimus Bonifacius Celâ—stinus By which confesâ—ion of Protestantâ— a man of mean eyesight will easely see what S. Greg. and his Predecessors thought of the supremacie For if they were not of greater authoritie for their learning holines and antiquity they would haue bene as wel accounted Popes and Antichrists as their successors are In vvhat sense S. Gregorie impugned the Title of vniuersal Bishop 4. If any obiect that S. Greg. vehemently impugneth the Title of the vniuersal Bishop which the Patriarch of Constantinople in his time vsurped calling it proude sacrilegious and such like which he would neuer haue done if he had thought him selfe to haue bene head of all the Churches in the world I answer that S. Greg. could not doubt but that the Title of vniuersal Bishop might in some sense agree to the Pope Because the Councel of Calcedon which lib. 1. Epist 24. he professeth to reuerence as one of the fower Ghospells offered it to his Predecessors as him self testifieth lib. 4. Epist 32. Whervnto he addeth Epist 37. That his adduersarie the Patriarch of Constant knew wel that per Calcedonense Concilium huius Apostolica Sedis Antistites Vniuersales oblato honore voâ—ati sunt And lib. 4. epist 36. saith that the Patriarch of Alexandria knew it also to be so Which he would neuer haue said vnles it had bene both certain and euident so as his Aduersaries could not deny it Wherto lib. 7. epist 30. he addeth that it was giuen to his Predecessors by Fathers after the Councel And in the said Councel VVhich as Reinolds saith Confer pag. 563. was a Company of 630. Bishops sound in Religion and zealous of the glorie of God although it hath bene falsified by the Grâ—cians as witnesseth S. Greg. lib. 5. epist 14. yet thrise is Pope Leo called Vniuersal Patriarch without the gain saying of any one Which so many and so zealous would neuer haue permitted if it had bene altogether vnlawful And the same Reinolds confer pag. 562. professeth that the said Councel named Pope Leo their head And pag. 561. That he was President of the Councel S. Beda calleth S. Gregorie ouer the vvhole vvorld And of Bed lib. 2. cap. 1. S.
vvas Protest befor this time in any writer domestical or forrein no record or monument of antiquitie that til Cranmer any of the Archbishops varied from the faith of his Predecessors Therfor to affirme the contrary is ether to professe to know things past by reuelation or to affirm that which nether him self knoweth nor any man euer tould him Secondly because all the Archbishops vnto S. Odo his tyme which was An. 958. had bene Monks as S. Austin was which Odo himselfe testifieth in Malmesb. lib. 1. Pontif. pag. 200. And Fox lib. 3. pag. 151. where he saith All the Archb. of Cant. Monks til S. Odo This Odo was the first from the coming of the Saxons til his tyme which was Archbishop of Canterburie being no Monke all the other before his tyme were of the profession of monkes And therfor he could not be perswaded to accept the Archbishoprick vntil he had professed him selfe a Monke In a maner all monks til An. 1184. And after that vnto Archbishop Baldwin an 1184. in a manner all the Archbishops were Monks as Godwin a Protestant yet liuing which shall suffice to aduertise the Reader of now because herafter I shall often allegd him testifieth in the life of Archbishop Hubert And what kind of Monkes these were and what vndoubted Catholicks hath bene shewed before Thirdly Archb vvere chosen by Monks they were elected by the Monks of Christ-church in Canterburie where were Monks saith Malmsburie lib. 1. Pont. p. 203 euer since the tyme of S. Laurence successor to S. Austin as is euident by the epistle of Pope Boniface to King Ethelbert Ibid. pag. 208. and appeareth both by their liues in Godwin and by the iudgment of Pope Innocent 3. in Paris pag. 287. Who when the Bishops of England challenged right in the election of the Archbishop the Pope hearing both parties gaue sentence that Monachi legittimè probauerunt c. That the Monks had lawfully proued that the â—â—or and Couent of the Church of Canterbury haue for long times past elected Bishops in their Chapter without the Bishops euen vnto this time and haue obtained their election to be confirmed of the See Apostolick And Fox Acts pag. 232. writeth that the practice of the Monks was first to keepe the election in their own hands as much as they could and secondly either to giue the election to some Prior or Monke of their owne house or to some Abbot or Bishop which some tyme had bene of their company And Ibid. he addeth that the Archbishop of Canterburie was commonly set vp by the Pope especially since the Conquest And pag. 349. that it hath bene alwaies the practice of the Church of Rome euer to haue the Archbishops of their owne setting vp or such a one as they might be sure of on their side And this election of Archbishops by Monkes continewed till Cranmers time For as Godwin writeth Archbishop Deane who was the last but one before him was elected by them And the same he intimateth of Bishop Warham who was the very last befor Cranmer Now of what religion they were whome Monkes did chuse euery one knoweth All the Archb. confirmed by the Pope Fourthly they were all confirmed by the Pope this is manifest by Godwin in their liues And no maruel for before S. Austins tyme Pope Pelagius Predecessor to S. Greg. made a law Vt quisquis Metropolitanus vltra tres Menses consecrationis suae ad fidem suam exponendam Pallium suscipiendum ad Apostolicam sedem non miserit commissa sibi careat dignitate Whervpon Reinolds Confer 458. saith that Pelagius lest he should rashly giue consent to the allowing of any Metropolitan that were not sound in faith required them to make profession of their faith and so to send for the Pal that is to say to send for his consent wherof the Pall was a token Yea pag. 543. speaking generally of the Popes of the last 200. yeares after Christ saith they required the confirmation of the Metropolitans by their consent And besides this profession of faith it was after decreed by Pope Alexander 3. saith Fox pag. 229. An. 1179. in the Councel of Lateran that no Archbishop should receaue the Pal vnles he did sweare this oath I. N. Bishop of N. from this houre forward wil be faithful and obedient to blessed S. Peter the holy Apostolick Roman Church and my Lord Pope N. and his successors Canonically entring The oath of Bishops to the Pope I will neuer by Counsel consent or deed be in cause that they loose life member or be wrongfully imprisoned And what so euer they shall commit to me ether by them selues or their messengers I will neuer wittingly reueale to their preiudice to any person VVith due respect to my vocation I will aide them in the houlding and defence of the Roman Papacie and S. Peters regalities against all men I wil giue honorable entertainment to the Legat of the See Apostolick in his going and returne and assist him in his need Being called to a Synod I will come vnles I be stayed by some Canonical let I will yearly visit the Court of Rome if it be on this side the Alpes or euery second yeare when it is beyond the mounts vnles I be dispensed withal by the See Apostolick I wil nether sel giue nor pawn nor farm out a new nor any way alien the Lands and liuings belonging to my Bishoply maintenance without the priuitie of the Pope of Rome So God me help c. And the like Oath did S. Boniface the Apostle of Germanie in his Consecration sweare to Pope Gregorie in the yeare 723. and the Pal was deliuered to him with these wordes Speech at the deliuerie of the Pall. To the honor of Almightie God the blessed Virgin Mary and the blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and my Lord Pope N. and the holy Church of Rome as also the holy Church of N. committed to yow VVe deliuer a Pal taken from the body of blessed S. Peter that is the fulnes of Pontifical function to the intent yow vse the same on certain dayes expressed in the Priuiledges granted to it by the See Apostolick c. Now that our Archbishops did receaue their Pal from the Pope is manifest and confessed by Godwin almost in euery one of their liues and shal be more plainly shewed hereafter and is acknowledged by Fox lib. 3. pag. 152. and lib. 4. pag. 172. Therfor there can be no more doubt that our Archbishops were perfect Papists than the Popes were Popes Our Archb. vvere the Popes legats Fiftly our Archbishops were euer the Popes Legats in England The Archbishops of Canterbury were saith Camb. Brit. pag. 296. Legats of the Bishop of Rome and as Vrban 2. sayd as it were Popes of an other world And Pope Iohn 12. in his letter to S. Dunstan We fully confirm thy Primacie in which thou oughtest according to the custom of thy Predecessors to be Legat
termed his adoptiue child as is before said instructed of him in maners religiō Moreouer as Caius saith In reparandis ornandis c. In repairing beutifying enriching Monasteries he labored earnestly amongst which he builded two of great renoun But Fox reckoneth three one at Shasburie one at Ethling S. Cutbert encourageth the K. to recouer England the third at Winchester The cause of the building his Monasterie at Ethling was because he being almost quite vāquisht of the Danes and lying there hid for a time S. Cutbert appeared to him badd him be of good corage assuring him both of the present vision and future victorie ouer the Danes by a present miracle Profes of the truth of S. Cutberts vision to K. Alfred This vision was as is said confirmed then by a present miracle and by the perfect conquest of the Danes after following beleeued of this notable prudent King and testifyed as Fox p. 142. cōfesseth by Malmsb. Polichron Houed Iornalasensis others and yet is termed of him without any reason or testimony a dreaming fable onely as we may imagin because it is sayd to come from S. Cutbert For soone after p. 149. he crediteth a Vision of Egwin a Herlot albeit it haue nothing so good testimonie because therin is no mentiō of any Saint Finally this excellēt King in his preface before the Pastorall of Saint Gregory calleth him Christs Vicar sent almes to Rome Westmon An. 889. also to India to performe saith Fox p. 142. His vovv to S. Thomas vvhich he made during the tyme of his distresse against the Danes In this Kings time Burdred King of Merceland forsaking his Kingdom went to Rome A King goeth to Rome and Anno. 889. his Queene Ethelswitha followed him Hollemen in time of K. Alfred In this kings time also liued S. Grimbald whome king Alfred called out of France to teach in Oxford and S. Neotus Scientia saith Bale Cent. 2. cap. 1. In knowledg and manners excelling in counsel good in speeche wise by whose counsel Alfred founded a schoole at Oxford King Edward the elder XIX 8. IN the yeare 901. succeeded King Edward the Elder sonne to king Alfred The vvorthines of K. Edvvard son and reigned saith Malmsb. lib. 2. cap. 3 23. yeares others say 24. He gouerned the land saith Fox lib. 3. pag. 146. right valiantly in Princely gouernment and such like martial prowes he was nothing inferior to his Father but rather exceeded him subdued VVales Scotlād recouered all out of the Danes hāds The same saith Cooper An. 901. Stow p. 107. A great victorie Malmsb. l. cit Florent and Westmon An. 924 Houed p. 122. And Ingulph and Hunting lib. 5. say that in one battel he slew two kinges and 10. Earles of the Danes And Ethelwerd lib. 4. cap. 4. writeth that in all he slew 4. kings of them His Rom. Religion The Roman religion of this valiant and victorious Prince is euident First because as king Edgar his grandchild in an oration which Fox hath lib. 3. pag. 170. testifieth he accounted S. Dustan his Father helper and fellow worker in all things chose him as Bishop and Shepherd of his soule and keeper of his maners obeyed him in all things and preferred his counsel before all treasure Secondly because he obeyed the commandement of the Pope who threatned him excommunication if he procured diuers Bishopricks to be erected ex Malmsb. l. cit Cambden in Brit. p. 198. Thirdly because two of his daughters Edfled and Edburga became nōnes the third Ethelhild vowed virginitie ex Malm. l. cit Houed p. 421. Tvvo daughters of King Edvvard Nonnes and the third vovved virginitie And as Bale saith Cent. 13. c. 77. Gregorie a sonne of his became an hermit in Swiseland Fourthly because he toke awaye his brothers or his brothers sonnes wife from him because she had bene a Nonne Hunt lib. 5. Westmon An. 801. In his time liued the said S. Edburg his daughter Saints and S. Fristan Bishop of Winchester a man saith Godwin in his life highly esteemed of for his learning but much more for his great vertue and holines King Athelstan XX. The VVorthines of K. Ethelstan 9. IN the yeare 924. succeeded king Athelstan sonne to king Edward and held the Crowne 16. yeares ex Malm. lib. 2. cap. 6. He was saith Fox p. 147. Cooper An. 925. and Stow p. 107. a Prince of worthie memorie valiant and wise in all his acts and brought this Lād to one Monarchy For he expelled the Danes subdued the Scotts quieted the VVelchmen The like saith Bale Cent. 2. cap. 22. and also Catholick writers as yow may see in Malmsb. l. cit Hunt lib. 5. Houed pag. 422. His religion His Roman religion is most euidēt For going to the Battel of Brumford against many kings and innumerable enemies Ingulpg Florent An. 938. Hunt lib. 5. pag. 422. he visited saith Ingulph S. Iohn of Beuerley by the waye with great deuotion and God so blessed his deuotiō as in the battel he slew saith Malmsb the king of Scotts fiue kings more A vvonderfull victorie 12. Earles innumerable multitude of his enemies and got one of the greatest victories that euer Englishe wonne And in his return gaue great gifts and priuiledges to S. Iohn of Beutrley and made it a sanctuary for all Debters and Malifactors Ex Ingulph and Cambd. in Brit. pag. 636. Besides he was saith Ingulph and Malmsb greatly delited with a peece of the holy Crosse Hovv K. Ethelstad estemed reliques and Crowne of thorns which Hugh king of France sent vnto him Made S. Aldhelm his Patron Cambd. p. 210. Builded saith Fox pag. 149 the two Monasteries of Midleton and Mithelney for his brothers soule VVhy Kings builded monasteries VVherby saith Fox it may appeare that the espetiall cause of building Monasteries in those dayes was for the releasing sinnes bothe of them departed and of them aliue which cause saith he how it stādeth with Christs Luthers Gospel let the Christian Reader try with him self Thus Fox which confession of his may suffice to shew how all that kings tyme all the Realme was Roman Catholick All Christendom of the same faith vvith K. Ethelston And how all Christendome abroad agreed with him in religiō appeareth by the marriage of his sisters to the Emperor king of Frāce other Christiā Princes In this kings time befel a miracle in Duke Elfred whome the king sent to Rome to purge him selfe of treason by his oath before S. Peters sepulcher Miracle by S Peter But saith the K. in his charter which Fox pag. 148. Malmsb and others haue hauing taken his oath he fel before the Altar and was caried by the hands of his seruants to the English schole and the next night after he ended his life Then also liued Saint Birnstan Bishop of VVinchester Qui c. saith Florēt An. 932. Malm. Polichron
sent for two Cardinals to make peace betwene him and the Scotts pag. 336. Had a tenth of spirituall goods granted him by the Pope pag. 339. Had a Carmelit for his Confessor Bale Cent. 4. cap. 96. And as he saith cap. 82. In this Kings tyme came in the Friers De paenitentia into England to whome the King gaue the Synagogue of the Iewes Item the Friers of the order of Martyrs the Sarabitae the Paulins and the Trinitaries Bale Centur. 5. cap. 13. calleth these times the middle darknes of Roman superstition In this kings time liued that famous subtil doctor Iohannes Scotus The Cath. religion hitherto in EnglaÌ„d vvithout anie opposition And hitherto haue we proued the Catholicke Roman religion through all our Christian Kings not only cleare and manifest but also without any opposition or contradiction sauing of a few who in Saint Odo his time doubted of the reall presence but were soone conuerted Hereafter in our Country the Catholicke religion hath found some opposition though small by reason of VVick life who arose in the next Kings time and his fellowes CHAP. XXVI That the Kings of England from Edvvard 3. to Henry 8. vvere all Roman Catholick proued in particuler King Edward 3. XLIII 1. THe 43. Christian King of England was Edward 3. sonne to Edward 2. VVorthines of K. Edvvard 3. Began his reigne Anno. 1326. reigned 51. yeares He was saith Walsingahm Hist Anno 1376. amongst all the Kings of the world renowned benign gentle Poâ—d l. 19. and magnificent coragious of hart humble milde and very deuout to God This man saith Cooper Anno 1327. And Stow p. 438. Besids all other gifts of nature was indued with passing comly hewty fauor of vvit prouideÌ„t circumspect gentil doing nothing without great wisdome consideratioÌ„ Of excellent modesty temperance and aduanced such persons to high dignity as did most passe others in integrity innocency of life in feats of Armes verie expert Of his liberality clemencie he shewed very many great examples Breefly in all Princely vertue he was so excellent that few noble men before his time can be compared to him The like praise to him giue Fox Acts pag. 374. Bale Cent. 6. cap. 57. others His victories He wonne the great battell at Cressie where he vanquished the King of France with two other Kings tooke Calis and at the same time ouercame the King of Scotts and tooke him prisoner And his sonne Edward sirnamed the black Prince with a very small army got the battell of Poitiers Wherin he tooke the French king and after that entred into Spaine ouercame the king and draue him out of the Contrie So that this king by him selfe and his company tooke two kings slewe one and vanquished three others Of all our English kings to Henrie 8. Fox of most all challengeth this King and saith pag. 428. That aboue all other Kings to Henrie 8. he was the greatest bridler of the Popes vsurped power During all his time Iohn VVicklef was maintained with fauor and ayde sufficient Indeed King Edward 3. Anno 1374. made a lawe to forbid all procurement of English Benefices from the Pope But the cause therof was not that the King thought amisse of rhe Popes Authority but because he thought that the execution thereof in this point was incommodious and inconuenient to his Realme For other wise none of all our Kings haue auouched the Popes supremacie in which Protestants account the essence of a Papist to consist so cleare as he For in his letters to the Pope extant in Walsingham Anno 1336 and others he writeth thus Otterborne in Edvvard 3. Therfore let not the enuious or sinister interpretation of detractors made of your sonne finde place in the bowels of your mercie and sanctitie who will after the ancient custome of our predecessours persist in yours and the See Apostolickes fauour vntouched But if any such sugestion made against your sonne shall fortune to come vnto your holines eares Let not credit be giuen of your holy deuotion by your holines therunto before your sonne be heard who trusteth and euer intendeth to speak the truth and to iustifie euery one of his causes before your holines iudgement King Edvvard 3 accounteth it heresie to denie the Popes supremacie whose authority is aboue all earthly creatures which to deny is to approue an heresy Behould the King confessing first that it was hereditarie to him from his Anceistors to abide firmely in fauour of the See Apostolicke Secondly that he purposed euer to do soe Thirdly that it was heresie to denie the Popes iudgement praesidere omni humanae creaturae To beare rule ouer all human Creatures Oh when would this famous King haue thought that any of his Posteritie should make that treason which him selfe professeth all his Ancestors to haue held and accounteth it heresie to denie The same saith Pope Greg. 11. in VValsing p. 104. Kings of England especiall children of the Rom. Church And Pope Benedict in his answer of this letter in VValsingham pag. 124. saith thus Your Progenitors Kings of England haue excelled in greatnes of faith and deuotion towards God and the holy Roman Church as her peculier foster-children and deuoted sonnes and haue preserued the splendor of their progeny from any darkesome cloud Betwene the state of your Kingdome and also of the Kingdome of France we greatly desire to make a happy successe of peace and concotd And against you my sonne I cannot shut vp the bowels of my Fatherly affection To which the King returned this answer in Walsingham pag. 130. We haue reuerently and humbly accepted the letters of your Holines Also with a cheerfull hart we do beseech your clemency that if it please you you will duely ponder our iustice and intentioÌ„ founded vpon the truth And that we as occasion serued haue fauored the holy Roman Church in all fulnes of deuotion sound loue and gratious fauor K. Edvv. 3 Professeth to haue euer fauored the Pope as you may coniecture of a most deuout sonne For God is the witnesse of our coÌ„science that we haue desired to exalt defend the honors and liberties of the Church And againe the king Anno. 1343 writing to Pope Clement in VValsing pag. 150. saith thus Professeth the P. is Bishop of the vniuersal Church To his most holy Lord Clement by the diuine prouidence cheefe Bishop of the sacred Roman and vniuersall Church Edward by the same grace of God King of France and England and Lord of Ireland deuout kisses of your blessed feete c. And then calleth him successor of the Prince of the Apostles Infra VVe and ours do desire and ought to reuerence your most sacred person and the holy Roman Church And pag. 15. Clement answereth him thus My deerly beloued sonne yow haue knowne how to exhibit your sincere deuotion to our Lord and to your Mother the holy Roman Church as of famous memorie your
our speciall Letters Patents in the zeale of our faith haue giuen authoritie and licence vnto the forsaid Archbishops and all and euery of his Suffragans to arest all and euery one of them that will preach or mantain any such Conclusions repugnant vnto the determination of our holy Mother the Church And in other letâ—ers chargeth all not to hinder the Bishops of hereford in suppressing the Lolards Yea pag. 406. Edit 1596. Fox citeth a lawe made Anno 2. Richard 2. for burning of VVicklefists Thus saith Fox pag. 505. King Richard taking parte with the Pope and the Româ—sh Prelats waxed somwhat strait and hard to the poore Christians of the contrary side of VVicklef and saith that though none were burnt vnder him yet some were condemned diuers abiured and did pennance And pag. 513. saith King Richard those to serue the humor of the Pope K. Richard gathereth a Councel against VViclef VViclef condemned by 10 Bishopâ— 44. deuines 20 lavviers To this Bale Cent. 6. cap. 1. addeth that Wicklef was banisht for â—ome yeares And cap. 77. that Anno 1382. Wicklef was condemned by ten Bishops and fourty four Diuines and twenty Lawyers And cap. 82. saith that King Richard at the commandement of Boniface 9. Cent. 7. cap. 11. gathered a great Councell Anno 1392 against the Wicklefists And Fox pag. 507. K. Richard leaueth all to suppresse vviclefists and Walsingham An. 1395. others write that King Richard being in Ireland left all as sone as he heard increase of Lollards and calling the cheefe of them vnto him threatned them greatly if they followed Lollards any more and making one of them sweare therto the K. swore to him that if he broke his oath he should die a foul death So earnest was that King against those whome Protestants account now their brethren And albeit he consented to the Law made Anno 1391. against those that procured or brought any excoÌ„munication of the Pope against any yet that Law was not made to deny any point of the Popes authority but because as Polidor saith l. 20 many were vexed dayly for causes which they thought could not be known at Rome easely The King and Lords Temporal and Commons for the Lords spirituall recâ—amed as Fox witnesseth pag. 512. thought it expedient that in this point the Pope should not vse his authoritie Besides that when Pope Boniface 9. sent to haue these Lawes recalled the King saith VValsingham in Ypodâ—gmate Anno 1391. Vt silius obediens As an obedient child determined to fulfill the Popes demaundes but the Knights of the Parliament would not abrogate the Statute against Prouisors because they would not haue English Benefices at any time giuen to strangers And the times of King Richard were so manifestly Roman Catholick as the Kings Attorney in the araignment of Garnet calleth theÌ„ the midniâ—ht of Poperie Bale Cent. 6. cap 96. Saints saith that Almost all that were in those darck times did erre through ignorance of Gods lawe In this kings time dyed Saint Iohn of Bridlington whose life is written in Capgraue who saith Bale Centur. 6. c. 63. Caelesti Theologiae assiduus cultor adhaesit And VVilliam Fleet an Austin Frier who was canonized as Bale Cent. 6. c. 41. reporteth out of Sabellicus Henrie 4. XLV IN the yeare 1399. succeded king Henrie 4. granchild to king Edward 3. by Iohn Duke of Lancaster VVorthines of K. Henrie 4. and dyed Anno 1413. hauing reigned 14. yeares He was saith Polider lib. 21. of a great corage after the ende of ciuill warrs entertained all most gently His Rom. Religion The same hath Cooper Anno 1399. and Stow Chron. pag. 424. His Roman Catholick religion is most notorious For as Fox Acts pag. 523. and others write he made the Statute ex officio Where is apointed That who so euer is conuicted of Wicklefs heresie before his Ordinarie or Commissioners that then the Shriefes Maiers and Bay lifs of the Cittie Contrie or Towne shall take the persons after sentence is pronounced cause them openly to be burned in sight of the people And pag. 517. Fox setteth down the Kings Decree in parliament wherin he professeth to be zelous in religion and reuerent louer of the Catholick faith And minding to roote out all heresies out of his Kingdom And ther commandeth one VVilliam Santrey a conuict heretick to be burnt which perhaps is he whome Bale Cent. 6. cap. 75. saith was burnt in Smithfield An. 1401. In this tyme was burnt saith Bale Cent. 8. c. 5. that relaps William Swinderby a smith in London for denying the reall presence a Tayler the same yeare 1410. for the same cause Fox pag. 481. nameth his brother Iohn Badby burnt then who as VValsingham ypodig pag 174 who then liued writeth said that the Eucharist is not the body of Christ but worse than a toade or a spider And perhaps he is that VViclesist of whome that graue Author Thomas VValden who was ther present reporteth Tom. 2. c. 63. That standing befor the Archbishop Bishops in presence of the Duke of yorke many nobles Miracle fâ—â—â— not of the Bâ— sacrament he said that a Spider was more to be worshipped thaÌ„ the Eucharist and sodainly from the top of the Church came a great spider sought to enter into his mouth would scarce be kept out by any mans helpe Moreouer Fox Acts 5. 8. saith that this King was the first of all English Kings that began the burning of Christs VViclef Saints for standing against the Pope That K. Henrie burnt VViclefs Saints is euident But he was not the first which burnt such as stood against the Pope as appeareth by what hath bene sayd of Edward 3. K Henrie 4. vvholie bent to the Pope And finally he concludeth that this king was bent altogether to vphould the Popes Prelacie And therfore in his Considerations Considerat 10. saith Protestants rather dyed than liued in the dayes of King Henrie 4. And when the Lollards or Wicklefists requested him as saith Walsingham An. 1410. either to alter or mitigate the forsaid Statute he answered them that he would rather inforce it And when they proposing to him the same bait VVhat baite the VViclefists Proposed to K. Henrie 4. to ouerthrovv religion The like offer made Protestants vvhich Syr Thom more confuted as Protestants did to King Henrie 8. desired him to take away the Church liuings because with them he might maintain 15. Earles 1550. Knights 6200. Squirs and 100. Hospitals he detesting their malice commanded them to silence King Henrie 5. XLVI IN the yeare 1413. succeded K. Henrie 5. sonne to King Henrie 4. and died An. 1422. hauing reigned 9. yeares The rare vertues of K Henrie 5. He was saith Polidor lib. 22. the onely glorie of that time then whome none borne ether for greatnes of courage or for vertue was more famous or excellent whose loue euen yet remaineth amongst men The like commendations giue to
founder of their Church and consequently that their religion and Church is a deuise and inuention of man Wherupon what will follow euery one seeth And as Luther was the Author of Protestancy in Germany so also from him it spred into England and other Countries not only by means of his books but also by his and his scholers Melancthon Pomeran others particuler letters written to English men and by the example of the German ProtestaÌ„ts which as Stow saith King Henry 8. followed in reiecting the Pope And finally because Tindal who is termed the Apostle of England went as Fox saith pag. 983. Tindal the Protest Apostle of England taught by Luther into Germany and there had conference with Luther Wherupon the said Fox saith pag. 1013. that from Germany Luthers Gospell began to spread his beames here in England And so wee may iustly account Luther the Author or founder of ProtestaÌ„t religion in our English Nation Protestancie came out of Germanie into Engl. And howsoeuer some will obstinatly deny against all the forsaid profes that Luther was the Author of their religion but it was forsooth before Luther though they know nether where nor in whom nor can produce any witnes yet neither doth any nor can any deny K Henrie â— in Sledan lib. 8. fol. 1â—2 saith Protestant came into England out of Germaniâ— but that this late reuolt of our English Nation from the See of Rome came originally from Luther as the vnion ther of to the said See aboue one thousand years agoe proceded from Saint Austin which sufficeth me to compare the vnion in faith of our English Nation with the See of Rome with the disunion therof VVhat is shevved of luther the like may be prooued of Calvin or anie other Sectmaister of our time Besides our ministers say Luther differeth from theÌ„ in no substantiall point Iuel Apol Feild of Church Reinolds Confer VViclef no Protestant in their two principall Authors S. Austin and Martin Luther And thus hauing shewed that there was no Protestant liuing ether in England or other wher when Luther began let vs see whether ther had bene any in England in times past CHAP. II. That VVicklefe and his followers were no Protestants 1. ALbeit Protestants challeng some few others who liued about Wicklefs time yet because their greatest hope is in him and his followers in so much that Doctor Fulke answere to a Counterf Catholick pag. 24. saith that he weeneth that we will not deny VVicklef to haue bene of their Church I will for breuity sake omit the rest 1 VViclef knevv not so much as the foundatioÌ„ of Protestancie and shew that euen Wicklife and his companie were far from being Protestants First because to hold iustification by only faith is as is before shewed lib. 1. cap. 21. by generall consent of Protestants the head the soule the foundation of their Church and religion And as Luther saith Praefat Epist ad Galat. As many as hold not this doctrine are either Iewes Turkes Popish or Hereticks But Wicklef and his mates held not iustification by only faith VViclef held not iustification by onely faith For as Melancthon cheefest scholler to Luther writeth Epist ad Fred. Micon inter Epist Zuinglij pag. 622. He nether vnderstood nor held the iustice of faith Besides nether Wicklef nor any of his followers were euer accused by any of the Catholick Inquisitors of those times of that point albeit as Fox saith pag. 750. their inquisition was so strait that no article could be mentioned amongst them but it was discouered Moreouer many of Wicklefes bookes are yet extant and neuertheles no Protestant hath yet found this their fundamentall Article of iustification by only faith in any of his bookes How then could Wicklefe be a Protestant who knew not so much as the head soul and foundation of Protestancie 2 VViclef holdeth diuers things condemned by ProtestaÌ„ts 2. Secondly Wicklef held diuers things which Protestantes condemne as that if any Bishop or Priest be in deadly sin he doth neyther order consecrat nor baptize which Fox pag. 400. sayth can hardly be defended See more of his Articles in Concil Constanâ—â—â—n And that so long as a man is in deadly sin he is no Bishop ot Prelat in the Church of God That temporall Lords may according to their ovvne vvill and discretion take avvay the temporall goods from the Church men vvhensoeuer they do offend which articles Fox pag. cit defendeth no otherwise then by saying that preaduenture they vvere not so strictly ment of him as they were gathered Moreouer Fox pag. 414. amongst other articles of Wiclefe citeth these To enrich the Clergie is against the rule of Christ There is no greater Heretick or Antichrist than the Clerke who teacheth that it is lawfull for Priests and Leuits of the lavv of grace to be endued vvith teÌ„porall possessions To which Stow Anno. 1376. addeth this other That neither King nor any seculer person could giue any thing perpetually to any person of the Church Further more as Fox hath pag. 392. he extolled the perfection of pouerty of the begging Friers and as Stow saith l. cit adioyned himselfe to them And the cause why he inueighed against the Church was as there Stow saith because he had bene depriued by the Archbishop of Canterb. of a benefice that he vniustly as was said was incumbent vpon VVhy VViclef impugned the Cath. faith Lastly Fox pag. 410. setteth downe a letter which he wrote to Pope Vrban 6. Anno 1382. which was about three yeares before he died wherin he confesseth the Pope to be Christs Vicar on earth and addeth thus If I haue erred in any of thes points I will submit my selfe to correction euen by death if necessitie so require Diuers other points which Protestants detest are collected out of his books by the Author of the Protestants Apologie for the Roman Church pag. 106. And more of Wicklefs wicked life and doctrine you may see in walsingham histor pag. 188 206. 302 ypadig pag. 139 142. 3. 3 ProtestaÌ„ts refuse VViclef PaÌ„taleon Melancthon Thirdly diuers Protestants refuse VVicklife for one of theirs and account him an Heretik As Pantaleon Chronall pag. 119. placing VViclife amongst Hereticks saith thus of him VViclife vvith the Lollard preacheth his heresie in England And the foresaid Melancthon epist cit I haue looked saith he into VVicklefe vvho maketh a great adoe about this controuersy of the Eucharist but I haue found many other errors in him by vvhich vve may iudge of his spirit Surely he neither vnderstood nor held the iustice of saith He foolishly confoundeth the Gospell and ciuill affairs nor perceaueth that the Gospell giueth vs leaue to vse the pollicie of all nations He laboreth to proue that Priests shold haue no proprietie He vvill haue no tithes paid but to those that teach He sophistically and very seditiously cauilleth of ciuill dominion In like manner he sophistically cauilleth
at the common receaued opinion of the Eucharist And in loc Com. titul de potest Eccles he plainly saith that VVicklefe plaied the made man Doctor Caius also lib. 2. dt Antiquit. pag. 268. obiecteth Wicklife to the oxonians as a disgrace to their vniuersity Caius And Stow in his Chronicles describeth Bale Oldcastell and others his followers as notorious malefacors and rebells to their Prince Stovv Luther yea Luther himselfe explicat Art 30. speaking of Hussits who were Wicklefists in Bohemia so termed of Hus Wicklefs principall scholler saith So D. Doue of Recusancie vvill haue Bellarmin a Protestant or no perfect Papist They do not well who make me a Hussit for he held not with me And in disput Anno 40. tom 1. pag. 493. Hus saith he tought horrible and diuelish blasphemie So far was Luther from accounting Wicklefs followers for Protestants 4. Finally the Sheriffes in England euer since Wicklefs time do take on oath to persecute Lollards 4 The Sheriffs svvear to pesecute VViclefists which was the vulger name of Wiclefs followers Which King Edward 6. Queene Elizabeth and his present maiestie and Ministers would not suffer nor the Protestant Sheriffs would take such an oath if they accounted Wiclefists Protestants And it being thus manifest that Wicklef and his companie were no Protestants much more manifest it is that no other English man before King Henrie 8. his time was Protestant Cranmer Which thing Cramner neuer doubted of when as Bale reporteth Cent. 8. cap. 90. he offered to defend Protestancie not vsed in Engl for one thousand years befor K Edvv. 6. that the religion apointed by King Edward 6. was more pure and agreable to Gods word than what said he had bene vsed in England this thousand years So clear it was in Cramners iudgment that Protestancie had not bene vsed in England for one thousand years before him But because some Protestants do hope to find some foating of their religion in the ancient Britons before that time let vs see of what religion they were that therby it may appear that nether English nor British were euer Protestants before Luthers time CHAP. III. That the ancient Britons were neuer Protestants VVhy Protestants chaleng the Britons 1. THe reason why Fox Bale Fulke othert calleng the ancient Britons for ProtestaÌ„ts is not because that they can proue that thy held their fundamental point of Iustification by faith or any other substanciall point of Protestancy but only because for a whil they disagreed from our S. Austin in some things to wit about the time of keeping Easter and manner of baptizing and such rites as S. Austin speaketh in Beda lib. 2. cap. 2. and cerimonies And also because they thinck that by reason of scarsitie of Records we cannot proue that Britons held these points of our faith which Protestants do deny Which reasons will serue as wel to proue that the Ancient Britons were Brownists or Anabastis as that they were Protestants But God willing we will shew by irrefragable testimonies of Antiquity that albeit the ancient Britons were some time infected with some ancient heresy lib. 1. c. 1. as hath bene shewed before yet they euer held so many points of Catholicke religioÌ„ as they neuer could be Protestants but quite opposit to them 2. And as for the religion of the Britons for the first 300. yeares after Christ which was the time in the persecution of the primitiue Church that may be easily gathered by the religion which they professed streight after the persecution was ended vnder their glorious Contriman the first Christian Emperour Constantine the great Both because there is no mention of any alteration made by them in religion all that time and also because Gildas cap. 9. and Saint Beda lib. 1. cap. 4. and 8. write that till the time of Arian heresy or as Bale cent 1. cap. 70. Fox in his Protestat Fulke annotat in 2. Cor. 12. testify till the time of S. Austins comming there was no change of their religion Let vs see therefore what religion they professed in Constantins time 3. First they builded saith S. Beda lib. 1. Antient Britons Catholiks Miracles beleued in places of Martyrdoms Temple of holie Martyrs cap. 7. a Temple of a meruailous rich vvorke in the place vvhere S. Alban vvas martired and belieued in that place sick persons to be cured many miracles to be wrought SecoÌ„dly they builded saith he l. 1 c. 8. Temples of holy Martirs And the like did Constantin himselfe Euseb lib. 3. de vit cap. 47. To this D. Abbots against D. Bishop p. 173. answereth That Constantin by building Churches in the honor of Martyrs ment not to honor their persons but to celebrat their names ObiectioÌ„ This glosse destroieth the Text. Ansvver For if the word matyrs do signifie their persons he in building Churches in honor of Martyrs ment ObiectioÌ„ therby to honor their persons Ansvver And as to To honor Martyrs by building Churches is to honor them by a religious act build Churches is no ciuil or prophane act as is to built Trophes or such monuments but a religious act so to honor Martyrs by building of Churches is to giue theÌ„ religious honor And if Christians by building of Churches in honor of Saints had ment no more than an honorable memory of their names whie did they neuer build Churches in honor of Princes or of any persons aliue or dead whose names they might honorablie remember besids that to celebrat ones name not to honor his person is to implie coÌ„tradiction For by celebrating a name we intend not to make such a sound or such letters famous but cheefly and principally the person signified therby And to make a person famous is it no honor to him And if we make him famous by a religious act as Constantin made the Martyrs famous by building of Churches wee giue him a religious honor Collins Wherfore Collins in his sermon at Paules Crosse 1607. dedicated to the Archb. of Canterb. and allowed of him saith pag. 52. that building of Churches to Saints was one cause of Protestants for forsaking our Church 3 Pariers for dead and in honor of Saints 4. Moreouer Constantin as Euseb saith lib. 4. de Constant â—60 caused himselfe to be buried in the Church of the Apostles Ita vt post obitum etiam precibus illis quae eo loci ad honorem Apostolorum futurae essent dignus haberetur Behould CoÌ„stantin hoping after his death to be holpen by prayers See his maiesties allovvance of Constantins religion in all points in Confer at Hampton Court pag. 69. ObiectioÌ„ and those made in honor of the Apostles which are two especiall points of Papistrie To this D. Abbots l. cit pag. 177. answereth that Eusebius mistooke Constantins meaning for he desired no prayers to be made for his soule Because he said lib 4. cap. 63 Now indeed I know that I am a
Luther was sent ordinarily by man some say that he was sent by his Magistrat and Prince the Elector of Saxonie 5 Sleid. Engl. lib. 1. fol. 10 saith the D. vvas at first displeased vvith Luther and fol. 22. the D. professeth not to montaine Luhers doctrin See fol 26 But this can not be First because Frederick then Elector at the first nether encouraged saith Fox pag. 771. nor supported Luther but often represented heauines and sorrow for his procedings Secondly because the Elector was a Romā Catholick when Luther begā a whil after How then cold he first send Luther to preach that doctrine which before Luther he nether beleued nor knew of Thirdly because power to preach is supernaturall and mere spirituall because it pertaineth to care of soules and their direction to a supernaturall end But the power of Magistrates is naturall ciuil and pertaineth to direction of men to their natural end as common to Heathen as to Christian Princes And who will say that Heathen can send men to preach and giue them care of soules Againe who can giue power to preach and administer the Sacraments may also himselfe preach and administer Sacraments for none can giue what he hath not himselfe But woemen may be Princes who yet can not preach Therfor Magistrats can giue no power to preach And this diuers learned Protest do grant For Bilson l. of obed approued by publik authority p. 296. plainly saith that their Bishops haue not their authority frō the Prince and that the Prince giueth then not Commission to preach but only liberty and permission Bilson And 303. The charge saith he which the Preachers and Bishops of England haue ouer their flock procedeth not from the Prince And p. 322. Princes haue no right to call or confirme preachers which he repeateth p. 323. And Fulke in 1. Cor. 14. Fulk The authority saith he of ciuil Magistrates doth giue Bihops nothing that is peculier to Ecclesiastical Ministers Finally howsoeuer soueraigne Princes cold send men to preach yet subiects as that Prince Elector was to the Emperor cold not against their soueraignes will send any And therefore Luther nether was nor cold be sent first to preach of Duke Frederik Luther not sent by anie Protestant Church 3. For this cause other say that Luther was sēt by his Church So Fulk in Ioan 10. But this is easily disproued by what hath bene shewed before cap. 1. by the Protestants confession of the nullity or at least inuisibility of their Church befor Luthers preaching For howsoeuer he might be confirmed of a Church which himselfe founded Ther must be a Protestant preacher befor ther be a Protest Church and no Church can send her first preacher yet cold he not be first sent to preach of a Church which before he preached was not at all or at least was not visible Wherfore I demand whē the people sent Luther to preach Protestancy whiles they were Rom. Catholick But that can not be for no man will send one to preach opposit doctrine to his Or after that Luther by his preaching had made them Protestants But then had he preached before he could be sent of them and they could not be his first senders 4. Others finding no Protestant people or persō who could send Luther to preach Protestancy before he preached it are faine to flie to their vtter enemies to wit the Roman Church and say that she first sent Luther So D. VVhitak cont Dur. pag. 820. Sutclif Answere to Except pag. 88. Feild l. 3. of the Church c. 6. 39. Fulk in Rome 10. and English Potestants commonly thought some of them be ashamed to affirme it in plaine termes Luther not sent of the Rom. Church Their only reason is because no other can be found to send Luther But if they meane of sending to preach Protestancie it is most false and incredible False because both P. Leo 10 and Emper. Charles 5. then spirituall temporall heads of the Rom. Catholicks forbad Luther to preach Protestancy and the one condemned him as an heretik for so doing the other outlaueth him And incredible it is that the Rome Church shold send a man to preach a religion so opposit to hers as Protestācy is this were for her to set one to cut her own threate And if they meane of sending to preach Papistrie that auaileth them nothing For I hope they wil not say that authority or Commission to preach one religiō is authority to preach the contrary or that the Roman Church when she gaue Luther authority to preach Papistry ment to giue him authority to preach Protestancy any more than Protest Bishops when they giue their Minister authority to preach Protestancy meane to giue thē authority to preach Brownisme or Anabaptisme Besids that the purer sort as our Ministers teach that Popish Priests haue no calling as you may see in Penry against some pag. 31. And in truth al Protestāts shold teach so if they would speak cōsequētly to their own doctrine VVhat Church can send men to preach Gods vvore is Gods Church For if she haue authority power to send men to preach the word of God then is she the Church of God for sure it is that God gaue this authority to no other cōpany but to his own Church only And Protest in going out of this Church impugning her wēt out of Gods Church impugne her Moreouer if the Ro. Church gaue Luther his authority to preach she also could take it away For as willet saith wel Synopsis p. 203. authority of preaching in Ministers may be restrained or suspēded by Church gouerners we see the practise herof towards the silēced Ministers By what authority then preached Luther after he was fordidden by the Rom Church Finally if Luther had his authority to preach frō the Rom. VVhat confusion vvill fall vpon Protest if they saie their first preachers vvere sent by the Rom. Church Church which in the opiniō of Protestāts is the whoare of Babilō the Church of Antich the Sinagog of Sathā Luther his Ministers must needs be miniōs of the Babiloniā whore officers of Antich Ministers of Sathan in their preaching execute the function which he whore Antichrist Sathan bestowed vpon them 5. Herupō others vtterly despairing to find out any cōpany or person to whome they might hansomly attribute the sendind of Luther fly to extraordinary sending by God alone saying that Luther their first preachers were sent only of God thervpon call thē Apostles or Euangelists So Cal. 4. instit c. 3. § 4. the sinod at Rochel An. 1607. art 32. others yea the Declaratiō of disciplin printed at Geneua 1580. pag. 139. saith plainly that in our dayes there was no place of ordinary calling therfore the Lord extraordinarily stirred vp as it were certain new Apostles to lightē the world again with the light of the Gospel Luther not sent extraordinarily
Langhorn is euident in Stow Chron. Anno 1376. Finally Luther before he published his new doctrine was noted of enuie against the dominicaÌ„ Friers as is before shewed singularity In so much as Fox pag. 770. writeth that his freinds did thinck euen before he fell from the Church Luthers singularitie that he would alter and abolish that manner of teaching which then was vsed Thus all Archereticks are branded with some notorious vice or other And perhaps these Archereticks are the false Prophets whome our Sauiour gaue a marke to know by their life For which cause also both the scriptures and Fathers haue recorded the notorious vices of diuers Archereticks as a sure token that such men were not they whome God first sendeth as preachers of a new doctrine or Apostles to conuert a Nation to him Wherfor let vs compare the qualities of S. Austin Luth. that therby we may see whether was the more likly maÌ„ to be choseÌ„ of God to be he that was first sent by him to conuert our Country to his faith religion All this vvas proued befor l. 1. c. 5. l. 2. c â— 3. S. Austin forsooke the world from his youth and entred into religious life Luther not before he was 20. yeares ould then vpon feare that his companion with whome he walked was slayne with a thunderboult S. Austin was brought vp vnder S. Gregorie who as S. Beda saith lib. 1. cap. 23. was a man of greatest vertue and learning of his time Luther vnder no man of fame S. austin profited so in vertue as he was made by S. Gregory Praepositus Monasterij of Luthers like profit no such proof S. Augustin kept his religious life Luther soone shooke it of S. Austin came a thousand miles to preach to Barbarous people Luther neuer went out of his Contrie â—t such purpose and liued alwaieâ—â—er sure protection of the Prince Feâ—â—câ—â—r of Saxony S. Austin liued in continuâ—ll praier saith Beda lib. 1. cap. 26. VVatcâ—iâ—â—â—ng preaching despising the commodities 〈◊〉 wâ—â—ld and single liâ—e 〈◊〉 â—hâ—t al◠〈◊〉 â—aâ—e a Protesâ—aâ—t Wiued feaâ—◠〈◊〉 his â—ase and enioyed the pleâ—sures of the w rld S. Austin went commonly bâ—â—â—foot about England preaching and had hard knees like a Camell by frequent â—â—eling in prayer No such matter of Luther S. Austin made English men incoÌ„parable more vertuous thaâ— they were before Luther made them much worse S. Austin God approued by many miracles both aliue dead no such newes of Luther S. Austin is highly commended for his vertue by S. Greg Beda other writers to our age Contrariewise Luther greatly discommeÌ„ded eueÌ„ of his owne brethren Finally no great vice can be proued against S. Austin Many and heinous vice are proued against Luth. Iudg therfore gentle Readee God being determined to reduce our NatioÌ„ to Christs faith whether of these two meÌ„ it is most likely he would make choise of for to effect so notable and so pious a worke CHAP. III. S. Austin Luther weighed according to their motiues of preaching 1. MVch it auaileth to trie the sincerity of any mans couâ—seâ— or actioÌ„ to examine whether the Couâ—seller or Actor be like to reape any pleasure oâ— coÌ„modity therby For if he can not most likly it is that he giueth such aduice vpon sincerity iudgmeÌ„t otherwise the contrary may be suâ—pected iâ— it be not euideÌ„t Wherupon â—assius gaue that prudeÌ„t note which al wâ—se meÌ„ in that case do obserue that we shall mark Cui bonum To whome was the aduise good To whom was ther any commodity pleasure or preferment like to râ—dound And if this course he obserued in trial of S. Austin Luthers religioÌ„ we shal clearly perceaue that S. Austin is to be prefered befor Luthers For S. Austin left his CoÌ„try forsooke his freinds acquaintance left his headship of a Monasterie left his quiet aboad at home for to come to preach his religion to our NatioÌ„ Luther left none of all these to preach his S. Augustin came a thousand miles and aduentured his life her amongst a people of a different religion Luther neuer went out of his Contrie to preach his doctrine nor euer came amongst his owne Contry men of contrary religion These points proued befor l 1. c. 7 l. 2 c. 9. without a safe conduct S. August got nothing but the title of an Archbishop wherof he had little or no hope at all when he came hither Luth. got liberty wife riches preferment of the world Whetfore euident it is that S. Austin was more likly to preach his doctrine vpon sincerity iudgment and for the good of them to whome he preached because he lost much got litle hoped for lesse than Luther who by his preaching lost nothing and got much CHAP. IIII. S. Austin and Luther weighed according to their mission or sending to preach SO sure a mark it is of false Prophets to preach without sending as God almightie gaue it as a certain note of them in the ould lawe Hierem. 23. I sent them not and they did runne And our Sauiour in the new law Ioan 10. VVho entreth not by the dore into the sheepfould but climbeth vp otherwaies he is a theefe and a robber ib. All who so euer haue comeÌ„ without sendâ—ng are theeues robbers And he Apostles likwise Act. 15. Some going out of vs haue trobled yow with words whome we commaÌ„ded not And so absurd withal as nothing can be more For if none dare take vpoÌ„ him to be the messeÌ„ger or Ambassador of a Prince vnles he be sent nor to gouern his people vnles he be apointed how absurd is it for any to take vpon him to be Ambassador Messenger of the Prince of Princes be disposer of his misteries and Stuard of his houshould and guider of his flock vnles he be lawfully sent Wherfor let vs compare the missions of S. Austin Luther together that therby we may see whether was the true whether the false Prophet S. Austin was sent to preach of S. Greg. successor to S. Peter All these differences proued befor l 1. c 8 9 l. 2. c. 10. and first Patriarch of Christendome Luther when he first preached Protestancie was sent nether of Patriarch nor Bishop nor any man els S. Austin was sent by the sayd authoritie by the which the first preachers of the most part in Christendome were sent Luther by no authoritie at all S. Austin came to preach vpoÌ„ obedience Luther vpon disobedience S. Austin came of purpose to preach that faith which he did preach Luther at first meÌ„t onely to spite others for a time not to found any newe faith S. Austin neuer ment to suppresse the faith which he begaÌ„ to preach Luther ofteÌ„times offered to suppresse his if he had not bene bound to recant it S. Austins sending was coÌ„tested by S. Peters miraculous testimonie from heauen Luther had no such Finally S. Austins sending was by