put a stole about his necke such as Priests use to weare and having his head feete and shoulders bare he led him by the sayd stole and made him goe nine times about the grave of the deceased Fryer scourging him with rods which the Legat had in his hand as long as he went about the sayd Sepulcher the Earle to get himselfe out of the Legats hand went to Rome and was there absolved by the Pope upon his returne the Legat refused to restore him but renewed the excommunication against him not as being guilty of the death of the sayd Monke but because he had not driven the Albigenses out of his Country as he was bound by promise The Earle seeing the Legats dealing strengthneth himselfe with his Allies and Confederates and so they fell to open hostility Lewis the sonne of Philippus Augustus was signed with the crosse on his military Cassocke and strongly beseiged Avignion one of the Earles chiefe Citties swearing that he would not depart thence till hee had taken the Towne but he was glad to goe aside to anâ— Abby not farre distant to avoyde the Pestilence whereon hee shortly after dyed the Legat the more easily to winne the Cittie kept secret the Kings death and despairing to prevaile by force attempted to doe it by fraud He cunningly perswaded the Citty to send unto him twelve of their Cittizens to conferre upon some good conditions giving them his oath for their safe returne protesting and swearing that he prolonged the seige for no other end but for the good of their soules but whâ—n the gates were opened to receive them so returning his army rushed in and tâ—oke the gate and finally the Citty contrary to his oath given Thus the Cittie of Avignion which could not be taken in three monethes seige and assault by the power of the King of France was easily taken by the fraud and perjury of the Popes Legat. Mathew Paris the Monke of Saint Albanes tells us what others thought of these proceedings it seemed unto many a great wrong saith he to trouble a faithfull Christian thus who earnestly entreated the Legat to examine the faith of his people and if any Citty held out against the Catholike faith he would make them give satisfaction and be punished as the Church should thinke fit and for himselfe he offered to give an account of his faith but as Mathew Paris saith the Legat nothing at all regarded these offers but sleigted them nothing would satisfie him unlesse the Earle would reâ—igne and quit claime his lands and his territories pro se haeredibus suis for himselfe and his Heyres for ever and accordingly they were given to Simon Montfort for service done and to be done to the Church PAP You must shew the continuance of your Waldenses as well as their numbers and multitude but that I thinke you cannot doe for now it seemeth they were rooted out PROT. Indeed that was strongly attempted Saint Dominick spent ten yeeres amongst the Tholousians and he and Didacus a Spanish B. marched against the Land of the Albigenses the Fryers Preached the Inquisitours ploted the Princes warred against them and the Popes they accursed their persons and interdicted their lands tolli tamen non poterant saith Paulus Aemylius and yet for all that the Pope could doe they could not be suppressed and yet the Pope condemned both the Humiliati and the poore men of Lyons for so they nicknamed them Iohn de Serres in his Inventory of the Historie of France tells us out of a Manuscript that as the Pope would have continued his persecution against them and that the Marshall de la Foy so called for that he was as it were the cheefe champion of the immortall warre decreed against the Albingenses prepared for a new sâ—arch to roote out the remainders Lewis would not allow of it saying that they must perswade them by reason and not constraine them by force whereby many families were preserved in these provinces By this wee see some reason given of their preservation and continuanceâ— and Thuanus a noble and unpartiall historian sometime president of the Court of Parliament in France directs us to the place of their aboade and habitation Though the Waldenses saith Thuanus were tossed from post to pillar as they say yet there were ever some found who in their severall courses have revived and renewed their doctrine buried as it were for a season and such were Iohn Wickliffe in England Iohn Hus in Bohemia Ierome of Prague and in our dayes Martin Luther so that reliquiae eorum the remnant and remainder of their doctrine and profession began to be kindly entertained and countenanced by many at Martin Luthers comming specially towards the Alpes and the provinces thereunto adjoyning The same Authour saith that after the Waldenses were overcome by force of armes they retired into Provence and towards the Alpes and in those plaâ—s they sought out some shelter for their life and profession of doctrine some of them went into Calabria where they continewed a long time even unto the dayes of Pope Pius the fourth anno 1560 some of them went into Germany and Bohemia and there set up their rest others of them came Westward into Brittaine and there tooke Sanctuary and harbour and â—here I leave them and come to Saint Bernard In this age â—lourished that devout Father Saint Bernard who in divers maine points of Religion held with us He beleeved Iustification by faith alone saying Let him beleeve in thee who justifiest the ungodly â—eiâ—g justified â—y faith only he shall haue peâ—ce with God He disclaimed Iustification by workes for he accounted no better of mens best actions as they proceed from man than of a menstruous cloath according to that of the Prophet All our righteousnesse is as filthy clouts Indeed he held good workes to bee the meanes by but not the causes why to be the Kings Highâ—way to eternall life but not to be any proper cause of salvation Now the high way is not the cause that makes a man come to his journeyes end the way is but the meanes the motion is the cause He left his owne Inherent and layd hold on Christs righteousnesse imputed to us saying What shall I sing of mine owne righteousnesse No Lord I will remember thy righteousnesse alone for that is mine too thou art made unto me of God righteousnesse should I feare that it will not serve us both It is not a short Cloake such as cannot cover two thy large everlasting mercie shall fully cover both thee and me in me it covers a multitude of sinnes in thee Lord what can it cover but the treasures of pietie and riches of bounty Concerning free will Saint Bernard reporteth that whiles he commended Gods free grace which prevented promoted and as he hoped would perfect the good worke begun in him some that stood by râ—plyed what is it
Moone The Church sometimes shines in the cleare dayes of peace and is by and by over-cast with a cloud of persecution as the same Austin saith The Moone is not alwayes in the Full nor the Church ever in her glorious aspect PA. If your Church were alwayes visible where then was it before Luthers time PRO. I might also aske you Where was a great part of your Religion before the Trent Councell which was but holden about the yeere 1534. Now for our Religion it was for substance and in the affirmative parts and positive grounds thereof the question being not of every accessory and secondary poynt it was I say contained in the Canonicall Scriptures wheras you are driven to seeke yours in the Apocryphall in the Trent Creed the Trent Councell Now ours it was contained in the Apostles Creed explayned in the Nicene and Athanasian confirmed by the first foure generall Councels taught in the undoubted writings of the true ancient and orthodox Fathers of the primative Church justiâ—ied from the tongue and penne of our adversaries witnessed by the confessions of our Martyrs which have suffered for truth and not for treason This is the Evidence of our Religion whereas for proofe of yours in divers poynts you are driven to flie to the bastard Treatises of false Fathers going under the name of Abdias Linus Clemens S. Denys and the like as sometime Perkin Warbek a base fellow feigned himselfe to be King Edward the fourths sonne and for a time went under his name and yet these Knights of the poste must be brought in to depose on your behalfe though others of your side have cashiered them as counterfeits PA. If your Professors were so visible name them PRO. This is no reasonable demaund you have rased our Records conveied our Evidence clapt up our Witnesses and suborned your owne you have for your owne advantage as is already showen by that learned Antiquary of Oxford D. Iames and others and shall God willing appeare in the Centuries following you have I say corrupted Councells Fathers and Scriptures by purging and prohibiting what Authors and in what places you would and now you call us to a tryall of Names PA. Particular men may mis-coat the Fathers but our Church hath not PRO. You have witnesse your expurgatory and prohibitory Indices or Tables whereof since my selfe have of late bin an eye-witnesse and seene divers of them both in the publike and private Libraries in Oxford I will therefore acquaint the Reader with the mysterie thereof When that politike Councel of Trent perceived that howsoever men might bee silenced yet bookes would be blabs and tell truth they devised this course They directed a Commission to a company of Inquisitors residing in severall places and therby gave them power to purge and prohibit all manner of Bookes Humanitie and Divinitie ancient late in such sort as they should think fit Vpon this CoÌ„mission renued as occasion served the Inquisitors set forth their severall expurgatory and prohibitory Indices printed at Rome in Spaine in the Low-countries and elsewhere and in these Tables yet to be seen they set down what books were by theÌ„ forbidden and which to be purged and in what places ought were to bee left out whensoever the Workes should be printed anew for according to their Tables or Corrections books were to be printed afresh Now to make sure worke they got as many of the former Editions of the Fathers workes as they could into their hands and suffered no new Copie to come foorth but through their fingers purged according to their Receit neither feared they that their adversaries would set foorth the large volumes of the Fathers Workes or others having not the meanes to vent their Impressions being forbidden to be sold in Catholike countries By this meanes the Romane Censurers thought to stop all tongues and pennes that none should hereafter speake or write otherwise than the Trent Councell had dictatedâ— and so in time all Evidence should have made for the Romane cause Hereby the Reader may perceive that had their device gone on they would in time by their chopping and changing the writings of the Ancient at their pleasure have rased and defaced whatsoever Evidence had made for us and against themselves But so it pleased God that howsoever they had carried the matter cunningly in secret yet at length all comes out their plot was discovered and their Indices came into the Protestants hands The Index of Antwerpe was discovered by Iunius the Spanish and Portugall was never knowne till the taking of Cales and then it was found by the English PA. Might wee not purge what was naught PRO. Indeed if you had purged or prohibited the lewd writings of wanton Aretine railing Rablais or the like you had done well but under-hand to goe and purge out the wholesome sentences of the Fathers such as were agreeable to the Scriptures thus to purge those good old men till you wrung the very blood and life out of them bewrayeth that you have an ill cause in hand that betakes it selfe to such desperate shifts Neither can you justly say that you have corrected what others marred for it was your side that first kept a tampering with the Fathers Works and corrupted them Francis Iunius reports that hee comming in the yeare 1559 to a familiar friend of his named Lewis Savarius Corrector of a Print at Lâ—yden found him over-looking Saint Ambrose Workes wâ—ich Frâ—llonius was printing whereof when Iunius commended the elegancie of the Letter and Edition the Corrector told him secretly it was of all Editions the worst and drawing out many sheets of now waste paper from under the table told him they had printed those sheetes according to the ancient and authenticke Copies but two Franciscan Fryers had by their authoritie cancelled and rejected them and caused other to bee printed and put in their roomes differing from the truth of all their owne books to the great losse of the Printer and wonder of the Corrector so that had yoâ— prevailed neither olde nor new Greeke nor Latin Fathers nor later Writers had been suffered to speake the truth but eiâ—her like Parraâ—s been taâ—ght to lispe Popery or for ever beeâ— put to silâ—nce The best is the Manuscripts which by Gods providence are still preserved amongst us they mâ—ke for us as D. Iames excellently vers'd in Antiquitie hath showen at large PA. Have â—ee purged ought in the Fathers or Scriptures that was not to bee purged PRO. You have as appeares by these instances following St. Chrysostome in his third Sermon uâ—on Lazarus and elsewhere maintaineth thâ— peâ—spicuitie and plainnesse of the Scripâ—ures saying That in divine Scriptures all necessary things are plaine Hee likewise holdeth that faith onely sufficeth in stead of all saying This one thing I will affirme That faith onely by it seâ—fe saâ—eth In like sort Saint Hierome holds That faith only justifieth that workes doe not justifie that
Ancients used the word Merit and so also they used the termes Indulgences Satisfaction Sacrifice aâ—d Penance but quite in another sense then the later Romanists doe the Fathers who use it tooke up the word as they found it in ordinary use and custome with men in those times not for to deserve which in our language implyeth Merit of condignity but to incurre to attaine impetrate obtaine and procure without any relation at all to the dignity either of the person or the worke thus Saint Bernard concerning children promoted to the Prelacie saith They were more glad they had escaped the rod than that they had merited that is obtayned the prâ—ferment Saint Augustine saith that hee and his fellowes for their good doings at the hands of the Dâ—natists In steed of thankes merited that is incurred the flames of hatred on the other side the same Fatheâ— affirmeth That Saint Paul for his persecutions and blasphemies merited that is found grace to bee named a vessell of election Saint Gregory hath a straine concerning the sinne of Adam which is sung in the Church of Rome at the blessing of the Taper O happy sinne that merited that is Found the favour to have such and so great a Redeemer In like sort by merits they did ordinarily signifie workes as appeares by that of Saint Bernard saying The merits of men are not such that for them eternall life should bee due of right for all merits are Gods gifts Neither did the ancient Church hold merit of Condignitie but resolved according to that of Leo The measure of celestiall gifts depends not upon the qualitie of works they were not of the Rhemists opinion That good works are meritorious and the very cause of salvation so farre that God should be unjust if he rendred not heaven for the same They were not so farre Iesuited as with Vasquez to hold that The good works of just persons are of themselves without any covenant and acceptation worthy of the reward of eternall life and have an equall value of condignitie to the obtaining of eternall glorie PA. You cannot denie but that prayer for the dead is ancient PRO. The manner now used is not ancient for they that of old prayed for the dead had not any reference to Purgatorie as Popish prayers are now adayes made It is true indeed that anciently they used Commemorations of the defunct neither mislike wee their manner of naming the deceased at the holy table in this sort they used a Commemoration of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Evangelists Martyrs and Confessours yea of Mary the mother of our Lord to whom it cannot be conceived that by prayer they did wish their deliverance out of Purgatorie sith no man ever thought tâ—em to be there but if they wished any thing it was the deliverance from the power of death which as yet tyrannized over one part of them the hastning of their resurâ—ection as also a joyful publike acquitall of them in that great day wherein they shall stand to bee judged before the judge of the quicke and dead that so having fully escaped from all the consequences of sin the last enemie being then destroyed and death swallowed up in victorie they might obtaine a perfect consummation and blisse both in body and soule according to the forme of our Churches Liturgie In the Commemoration of the faithfull departed retained as yet in the Romane missall there is used this Orizon O Lord grant unto them eternall rest and let everlasting light shine unto them and againe This oblation which we humbly offer unto thee for the Commemoration of the soules that sleepe in peace we beseech thee O Lord receive graciouslie and it is usuall in the Ambrosian and Gregorian Office and in the Romane missall to put in their Memento the names of such as sleepe in the sleepe of Peace omnium pausantium and to entreate for the spirits of those that are at rest Remember O Lord thy servants and hand maides which have gone before us with the Ensigne of Faith and sleepe in the sleepe of Peace now by Pausantium Pamelius understands such as sleepe and rest in the Lord. Where we may observe that the soules unto which Everlasting blisse was wished for were yet acknowledged to rest in Peace and consequently not to be disquieted with any Purgatorie torment So that the thing which the Church anciently aymed at in her supplications for the dead was not to ease or release the soules out of Purgatorie but that the whole man not the soule separated onely might find mercie of the Lord in that day as sometime Saint Paul prayed for Onesiphorus even whiles Onesiphorus was yet alive Besides they desired a joyfull Resurrection as appeares by severall passages and Liturgies by the Aegyptian Liturgie attributed to Cyril Bishop of Alexandria where we find this Orizon Raise up their bodies in the day which thou hast appointed according to thy promises which are true and cannot lye And that of Saint Ambrose for Gratian and Valentinian the Emperours I doe beseech thee most high God that thou wouldst raise up againe those deere young men with a speedie resurrection that thou mayst recompence this untimely course of this present life with a timely resurrection As also in Grimoldus his Sacramentarie Almighty and everlasting God vouchsafe to place the body and the soule and the spirit of thy servant N. in the bosomes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob that when the day of thine acknowledgement shall come thou mayst command them to be raised up among thy Saints and thine Elect. The like is found in the Agend of the dead already mentioned PA. Invocation of Saints was anciently used PRO. I answer that though in respect of later times Prayer to Saints and some other of our adversaries Tenets may seeme ancient and gray-headed yet in respect of the first three or foure hundred yeares next after Christ they are not of that ancient standing now the true triall of antiquitie is to be takâ—n from the first and purest agâ—s for as Tertullian telleth us That is most true which is most ancient that most ancient which was from the beginning that from the beginning which froÌ„ the Apostles so that which at fiâ—st was delivered to the Saints is truest and the good seed was first sowne and after that came the tares Besides what though some poynts in Poperie were of a thousand yeareâ— standing it is not time that can make a lye to be truth antiquitie without truth is but antiquitas erroris an ancient errour and there is no pâ—aescripâ—ion of time can hold plea against God and his truth Neither yet can you prescribe for divers Tenetâ—â— Scotus that was termed the Subtile Doctor telleth us that before the Councel of Lateran which was not till the yeare 1215 Transubstantiation was not believed as a poynt of Faith This did Bellarmine observe as
renowned among the Northerne English and one that was well acquainted with Bishop Tonstall his kinsman and Diocesan saith I remember that Bishop Tonstall often tolâ—e me that Pope Innocent the third had done very unadvâ—sedly in that hee had made the opinion of Transubstantiation an Article of Faith seeing in former times it was free to holde or refusâ— that opinion The same Bishop tolde me and many time ingenuously confessed that Scotus was of opinion that the Church might better and with more ease make use of some more commodious exposition of those words in the holy Supper and the Bishop was of the minde that we ought to speake reverently of the holy Supper but that the opinion of Transubstantiation might well be let alone This thing also the same Bishop Tonstall was wont to affirme both in words and writings that Innocent the third knew not what he did when hee put Transubstantiation among the Articles of Faith and he said that Innocentius wanted learned men about him and indeed saith the Bishop if I had beene of his councell I make no doubt but I might have beene able to have disswaded him from that resolution By this that hath beene sayd it appeares that Transubstantiation was neither holden nor knowne universally in the Church before the Lateran Councell twelve hundred yeares after Christ and that when it began to be received as a matter of Faith it was but beleeved upon the Churches authoritie and this Church virtually and in effect was Pope Innocent in the Lateran Councell twelve hundred yeeres and more after Christ before which time there was no certaintie nor necessity of beleeving it and the Councell might have chosen another sence of Christs words more easie and in all appearance more true there being no scripture sufficient to convince it Of Images and Prayer to Saints HOnorius of Authun in France saith There is none that is godly wise who will worship and adore the Crosse but Christ crucified on the crosse Roger Hoveden our native historian who lived in the beginning of this age condemned the adoration of Images for speaking of the Synodall Epistle written by the Fathers of the second Nicen councell wherein Image worship was established he tells us that Charles the King of France sent into this Isle a Synodall booke directed unto him from Constantinople wherein there were divers offensive passages but especially this one that by the joynt consent of all the Doctors of the East and no fewer than 300 Bâ—shops it was decreed that Images should be worshipped quod ecclesia Dei execratur saith he which the Church of God abhorres Guilielmus Altissiodorensis saith that for such and such reasons many doe say that neither we pray unto the Saints nor they pray for us but improperly in râ—spect we pray unto God that the merits of the Saints may hâ—lpe us Of Faith and Merit THomas Aquinas saith that workes be not the cause why a man is just before God but rather they are the execution and manifestation of his justice for no man is justâ—fied by workes but by the Habit of Faith infused yea justâ—fication is done by Faith onely And Aquinas in his commentary on the Galatians in the place alleadged tho at the first he mention such workes as are performed by the power of nature yet afterwards he speakes also of workes wrought by the power of grace and of such as Saint Iames mentions Chap. 2. saying Was not Abraham justified by workes but these were workes of grace and yet Thomas excludes from justification workes done in the state of Grace and saith Iustification is done by Faith onely Bonaventure saith that by onely Faith in Christs passion all the fault is remitted and without the faith of hâ—m no man is justified Velosillus in his animadversions upon the writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church observeth that Scotus held not merit of Condigâ—ity And Vega saith that Thomas Aquinas the flower of the Schoole-Divines constantly affirmeth that a sinner can not merit his owne justâ—fication either of congruity or of condignity and thus have these men given in their verdict but now let us heare themselves speake There is no action of ours saith Scotus that without the speciall ordinance of God and his divine acceptation is worthy of the reward with which God rewardeth them that serve him in respect of the inward goodnesse that it hath from the causes of it because alwayes the reward is greater than the merit and strict Iustice doth not give a better thing for a thing of lesse value And againe hee saith That speaking of strict Iustice God is bound to none of us to bestow rewards of so high perfection as hee doth the rewards being so much greater in worth than any merits of ours The Prophet David saith the learned Archbishop of Armagh hath fully cleared this case in that one sentence Psalm 62.12 With thee Oh Lord is mercy for thou râ—wardâ—st every man according to his workes Originally therefore and in it selfe this reward proceedeth meerely from Gods free bounty and mercy but accidentally in regard that God hath tyed himselfe by his word and promise to conferre such a reward it now provâ—th in a sort to be an act of Iustice in regard of the faithfull performance of his promâ—se For promise amongst honest men is counted a due debt but the thing promised being free and on our part altogether undeserved if the promiser did not performe and proved not to be so good as his word hee could not properly be sayd to doe us wrong but rather to wrong himselfe by impayring his owne credit And therefore Aquinas confesseth That God is not hereby simply made a debtor to us but to himselfe in as much as it is requisite that his owne ordinâ—nce should be fullfilled William Bishop of Paris treating of prayer giveth us this Caveat Not to leane on the weake and fraile foundation of our owne merits but wholly denying our selves and distrusting our owne strength to relye on the sole favour and mercy of God and in so doing sayth hee the Lord will never faile us Cassander saith That both ancient aâ—d moderne with full consent professe to reposâ— themselves wholly upon the meere mercy of God and merit of Christ with an humble renunciation of all worthinesse in their owne workes and this doctrine Cassander derives through the lower ages of the Schoole-men and later writers Thomas of Aquine Durand Adrian de Trajecto afterwards Pope Adrian the sixth Clictoveus and delivers it for the voyce of the then present Church THE FOVRTEENTH CENTVRIE From the yeere of Grace 1300. to 1400. PAP WHat say you of this fourteenth Age PROT. In this Age learning began to revive for so it came to passe that divers learned men among the Greekes abhorring such cruelty as the Turkes used against their Countrey-men the Grecians left those parts and fled into Italy Now by their meanes the
comparison of God for as Iob saith he charged his Angels with folly Iob 4.18 Yea the heavens are not cleane in his sight Iob 15.15 So that Wickliffes comparison was very fit when he said the Saints were but like troubled waters and them remote and a farre off in respect of God who is the pure well-spring and at hand for as the Psalmist saith The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him yea all such as call upon him faithfully Of Iustification and Merits Chemninitius hath collected a number of sayings out of the Fathers and Schoolemen for proofe of Iustification by faith onely and amongst the rest for this fourteenth Century he produceth the testimonie of Nicholas Lyra. Wickliffe also taught that Salvationâ— that the merit of Christ is able by it selfe to redeeme all mankind from Hell and that this sufficiencie is to be understood without any other cause concurring PAP Master Brereley saith that the Doctrine of Iustification by onely faith was unknowne to Wickliffe Prot. Apol. Tract 2. cap. 2. sect 4. subdivision 2. PROT. By that which hath beene alleadged it appeares it was knowne to him but what if it were not so fully knowne to him Wickliffe was a long time kept in the mist of popery so that he could not by and by discerne the truth in all points we blame him not for that he saw no more we blesse God for it that he saw so much as he did specially in this darke time of the papacie PAP Walden saith that Wickliffe defended Humane Merits PROT. The same Friar saith that the Wiclevists overthrew the point of freewill if they tooke away freewill how held they humane merits D. Iames shewes out of Wickliffes workes that he refuted the doctrine of merit specially in his Commentaries upon the Psalmes where hee beareth downe those proud Pharisees which said that God did not all for them but thinke that their merits helpeth He taught that we are all sinners not onely from our mothers wombe but in our mothers wombe so that we cannot so much as thinke a good thought unlesse Iesu the Angel of the great Councell send it nor performe a good worke unlesse it be properly his good workes His mercie comes before us that wee receive grace and followeth us helping and keeping us in grace he concludes that it is good onely to trust in God was this man a Pelagian Frier Walden would make men beleeve he was one Howsoever there be other of our Countriemen Bradwardine Occham and Holcot men of speciall note in this age who speake excellently in this point Bradwardine in his defence of the cause of God against the Pelagians of his time disputeth this point at large shewing that Merit is not the cause of everlasting reward and that when the Scriptures and Doctors doe affirme that God will reward the good for their good merits or workes Propter did not signifie the cause properly but improperly either the cause of knowing it or the order or the disposition of the subject thereunto Occham saith No act done in puris naturalibus or proceeding from any created cause whatsoever can be meritorious but by the free promise and acceptation of God Holcot saith that our workes have this worth or value in them not naturally as if there were so great goodnesse in the nature or substance of the merit that everlasting life should be due unto itâ— but legallie in regard of Gods ordinance and appointment even as a little peece of copper of it owne nature or naturall value is not worth so much as a loafe of bread but by the ordinance and institution of the Prince it is worth so much Richard Fitzraufe afterward Archbishop oâ— Armagh in Ireland saith that the reward is rendred not for the condignitie of the worke but for the promise and so for the justice of the rewarder Gregorius Ariminensis concludeth peremptorily that no Act of man though issuing from never so great charitie meriteth of condignitie from God either eternall life or yet any other reward whether eternall or temporall and he giveth his reason out of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.7 quoniam quilibet talis actus est donum dei juxta illud Apostoli 1 Cor. 4. because every such act is Gods gift every such worke is the gift of God and what hast thou that thou hast not received and if thou hast recâ—ived it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Durand also is most resolute in this point that which is conferred rather out of the liberalitie of the giver than out of the due of the worke doth not fall within the compasse of merit of Condignitie strictly and properly taken But whatsoever we receive of God whether it be grace or glory whether temporall or spirituall good whatsoever good worke we have before done for it yet we râ—ceive the same rather out of Gods liberalitie than out of â—he debt or due of tâ—e worke Therefore nothing at all falleth within the compasse of Merit of Condignitie so taken And the cause hereof is saith he because both that which we are and that which we have whether they bee good acts or good habits or the use of them is wholy in us by Gods liberalitie freely giving and preserving the same Now because none is bound by his owne free gift to give more but the receiver rather is more bound to him that giveth therefore by the good habits and by the good acts or uses which God hath given us God is not bound to us by any debt of Iustice to give any thing more so as if he did not give it he should be unjust but we are rather bound to God And to thinke or say the contrary is rashnesse or blasphemie and yet the Rhemists in their Annotations upon the sixth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes and the tenth verse goe very farre in the contrary THE FIFTEENTH CENTVRIE From the yeare of Grace 1400. to 1500. The Benefit of Printing PAPIST WWhat say you of this fifteenth Age PROT. In this Age knowledge increased by the meanes of Printing which was found out at Strasburg in Germany by one Iohn Guttenburg And indeed the benefit of Printing was great for hereby the languages were divâ—lged bookes were farre easilier now dispersed than formerly the Manuscripts could be and learning and good letters were generally communicated Besides that in this Age God raised up divers Worthies who by their confessions writings and martyrdome witnessed the truth of the Gospell as namely Iohn Husse and Hierome of Prague PA. Were Hus and Hierome men of learning and a godly life and withall were they Martyrs as you would seeme to make them PRO. Indeed they bitterly inveighed against the ambition pride covetousnesse and negligence of the Clergie they urged the necessitie of oftner preaching then was usuall in those times and desired to have the Communion in both kinds according
acts of pietie and devotion without these frivolous Additions Gabriel Biel in his Lectures upon the Canon of the Masse saith That the Saints in Heaven by their naturall knowledge which is the knowledge of things in their proper kinde know no Prayers of ours that are here upon earth neither mentall nor vocall by reason of the immoderate distance that is betwixt us and them Secondly That it is no part of their essentiall beatitude that they should see our prayers or our other actions in the eternall word and thirdly That it is not altogether certaine whether it doe appertaine to their accidentall felicity to see our Prayers At length he concludeth That it may seeme Probable that although it doe not follow necessarily upon the Saints beatitude that they should heare our Prayers of congruitie yet it may seeme probable that God revealeth unto them all those suits which men present unto them By this we see that for the maine Gabriel concludeth that the Saints with God doe not by any power of their owne by any naturall or evening knowledge whatsoever understand our prayers mentall or vocall they and we are dâ—sparted so farre asunder as there can not bee that relation betweene us so that wee might haply call and they not bee Idonei auditores not at hand to heare us Now as learned Master Mountague now Lord Bishop of Chichester saith The Saints their naturall or evening knowledge onely is that which wee must trust unto as being a lonely in their power to use and to dispose and of ordinary dispensation In a word Peter Lombard saith It is not incredible that the soules of Saints heare the prayers of the suppliants Biel saith as we have heard That it is not certaine but it may seeme probable that God reveleth unto Saints all those suits which men present unto them here is nothing but probability and uncertainâ—y nothing whereon to ground our praying to Saints Of Iustification and Merits Trithemius the Abbot who lived in this age complaines that Aristotle and the heathen Philosophers were oftner alleadged in the Pulpit than Saint Peter and Saint Paul and therefore hee disswades his friend Kymolanus from too much study of profane sciences Let us saith hee seeke after true and heavenly wisedome which consisteth in faith onely in our Lord Iesus Christ working by love Cardinall Cusanus in a treatise of his De pace fidei brings in Dialogue-wise Saint Peter and Saint Paul instructing the severall nations of the world Greekes and Arabians the French and the Almanies Tartarians and Armenians and there in that conference hee laboureth to bring them to an agreement In pace fidei in the unity of faith and amongst other things he proves at large That wee are justified only by faith in Christ and not by any merit of our owne workes The doctriâ—e of free Iustification is excellently handled by Savonarola in his meditations upon the fiftieth Psalme which Possevine acknowledgeth to be composed by him whiles hee was in durance the day before hee was led to the stake Vpon occasion of those woâ—ds of the Psalmist They gat not the land in possâ—ssion through their owne sword neither was it their oâ—ne arme that helped them but thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them Psalm 4â— ver 3.4 â—e sweetly commâ—nteth on this sort Thou â—avâ—uredst them that iâ— they were not saved by their owne merits or workes lâ—st they should glory thâ—â—ein but even because of thy goâ—d will and pleâ—sure Vpon occasion of that Petition of the Lords prayer Forgive as our trespasses hee renounceth all merit of his owne workes and professeth in the words of the Pâ—ophet Esay That all our righteousnesse is as the rags of a menstruous woman Picus Mirandula treating on the same Petition saith it is certaine that wee are not saved for our owne merits but by the onely meâ—cy of our God Gerson taught that wee are not justified by the perfection of any inherent qualitie that all our inherent righteousnesse is imperfect yea that it is like the polluted rags of a menstruous woman that it cannot endure the triall of Gods severe judgement even Esay himselfe with the rest became vile in his owne eyes and pronounceth this lowly confession all our righteousnesse is as filthy rags The Cardinall of Cambray proveth by many reasons and authorities of Scripâ—uâ—e That no act of ours from how great charity soever it proceed can merit eternall life of condignity And whereas God is said to give the kingdome of hâ—aven for good merits or good workes the Cardinall for clearing hereof delivereth us this distinction That the word Propter or for is not to be taken Causally as if good workes were the efficient cause of the reward as fire is the cause of heate but improperly and by way of consequence noting thâ— order of oâ—e thing following oâ— another signifying that the reward is given after the good worke and not but after it yet noâ— for it so that a meritorious act is said to be a cause in respect of the rewâ—rd as Causa sine quâ— non also is said to be a caâ—se though it be no cause properly Thomas Walden professeth plainely his dislike of that saying That a man by his merits is worthy of the kingdome of heaven of this grace or that glory hoâ—sâ—ever certaine schoole-men that they might so spâ—ake had invented the termes of Condignity and Congruity But I repute him saith he the sounder Divine the more faithfull Catholike and more consonant with the holy Scriptures who doth simply deny such merit and with the qualification of the Apostle and of the Scriptures confesseth that simply no man meriteth the kingdome of heaven but by the grace of God or will of the Giver as all the former Saints untill the late Schoole-men and the Vniversall Church hath written Out of which words of Waldens wee may further observe saith the learned and Right Reverend Doctor Vsher Arch-bishop of Armagâ— both the time when and the persons by whom this innovation was made in these later dayes of the Church namely that the late Schoole-men were they that corrupted the ancient doctrine of the Church and to that end devised their new termes of the merit of Congruity and Condignity Paulus Burgensis expounding those words of David Psal. 36.5 Thy mercy O Lord is in heaven or reacheth unto the heavens writeth thus No man according to the common Law can merit by condignity the glory of heaven Whence the Apostle saith in the 8. to the Romans that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory which shall be revealed in us And so it is manifest that in heaven most of all the mercy of God shineth forth in the blessed I will close up this point as also this age with that memorable
find it to bee bread but the body of Christ insomuch as Bellarmine upon this testimonie saith Quid clariùs dici potest What can be said more plainely Answer Cyril saith The bread which is seene of us is not bread and the same Cyril saith of the Water in Baptisme it is not simple water let the one satisfie the other Cyril saith of the bread as hee doth of the oyle that it is no bare simple or common oyle but Charisma the type and symboll of a spirituall gift and so hee meant of the bread the Consecrated bread that it is no ordinary or common bread but of different use and servâ—ce and yet theâ—ein not any change of substance at all Neither doth Cyril say as Bellarmine corrupâ—ly traâ—slateth it or at leâ—st mâ—kes use of a corrupt trâ—nslation That the body of Câ—rist is given Sub spâ—cie panâ—s Vnder the forme of bread but as it â—s in the Greeke Vnder the type of bread even as hee saith afterwards Thinke not tâ—at you taste bread but tâ—e Antitype of Christs body so that hee calleth the consâ—crated bread and wine â—ypes and Antitypes that is signes of the body and blooâ— of Christ. Now whereâ—s Cyril would not have us judge of thâ—s Sacrament by our taste or sense it iâ— true that as the Bread and Wine are â—ound and whiâ—e aâ—d sweet in taste our bodily senses mâ—y indeed perceive thâ—m but as they are types and Aâ—titypes that is signâ—s Of the body and blood â—f Christ so â—hey aâ—e spiâ—itually to bee discernâ—d with our understanding onely as the Reverend and learned Dâ—ctor Morton Lo. Bishop of Coventry and Lichfiâ—ld and now Lord Bishop of Durâ—sme hath observed Lastly the same Cyril saith That wee have râ—pentance and remission of sinnes confined onely to the terme of thâ—s prâ—sâ—nt life More might be alleadged out of the same â—yâ—il but these may suâ—fice to shew what hee in his Caâ—echismes taught his schollers touching the Scripturâ—s sâ—fficâ—encie aâ—d Caâ—on Communion in both kinds the Euchaâ—ist and Purgatory Before I cloâ—e up this Centurie I must needs speake of Constantinâ— the Great and the two generall Councelâ— held in this Age. In â—his age flourished the honour of our nation that Christian Pâ—ince Constantine the Great borne of our coâ—nâ—rey woman Hâ—lâ—na both of them Britaines by biâ—thâ— Royâ—ll by descent Saints by estiâ—ation and true Catholikes by profession PA. Doâ—tor 〈◊〉 and Master Brerely show them to have bâ—â—nâ— o◠〈…〉 PRO. Our reverend and learned Doctor Doctor Abbot late Bishâ—p of Salisbury hath sufficiently confuted your Bishop and acquitted them from being Papists since they held not the grounds of Popery as at this day they are maintayned PA. If constantine were no Papist of what faith tâ—en was hee PRO. Hee was of the true ancient Christian Faith as may appeare by these instances following Hee held the Scriptures sufficient for deciding matteâ—s of Faith and accordingly prescribed this rule to the Nicene Councell saying Because the Apostles Bookes doe plainely instruct us in divine matters therefore we ought to make our Determinations upon Questions from words which are so divinely inspired he saith not that the Scriptures plainely teach us what to thinke of the nature and substance of God as Bellarmine would wrest it but also of the holy Law and things concerning Religion for so doe the words sound in the originall and herein saith Theodoret the greater part of the Councell obeyed the voyce of Constantine Constantine held it not the Popâ—s peculiar to summon generall Counâ—â—lls for hee called the Councell of Nice himselfe and therein sate as President and mâ—deratour receiving every mans opinion helping sometimes one part sometimes another reconciling them when they were at ods untill hee brought them to an agreement in the Faith The same Eâ—perour by his royâ—ll Letters Prescribed to the Bishops such things as belonged to thâ— good of Gods Church yea hee held himselfe to bee a Iuâ—ge and supreme Governour in Causes Ecclesiasticall for hee professeth speaking generally of all soâ—tâ— of men if any shall rashly or undadvisedly maintaine these pestilent assertions meaning the Arrians His saucinesse shall beâ— instantly curbed by the Emperours exâ—cution who is Gods Ministers Moreover Constantine never sought to the Pope for pardon hee never worshipped an Image never served Saint nor Shrine never knew the Masse Transubstantiation nor the halfe Communion hee prayed not for his Fathers soule at the performance of his Funeralls used no Requiems nor Diriges at his Exequies he wished not any prayers to bee made after his death for his owne soule but having received Baptisme newly before his death professed a stedfast hope that needed no such after-prayers saying Now I know indeed that I am a blessed man that God hath accounted mee worthy of immortall life and that I am now made partaker of the light of God And when they that stood about him wished him longer life hee answeâ—ed That hee had now attayned the true life and that none but himselfe did understand of what happinesse he was made partaker and that he therfore hastned his going to his God Thus Constantine dyed outright a Protestanâ— hee craved no after-prayers for his soule hee dreaded no Purgatory but dyed in full assurance of going immediately to his God Was this Prince now a Trent papist Now to proceed the fiâ—st Generall Councell in Christianitie after the Synod of the Apostles was that famous fiâ—st Councell of Nice consistiâ—g of 318. Bishops the greatest lights that the Christian world then had it was called about 325 yeares after Christ against Arrius that denyed Christ to bee veâ—y God from this Councell wee had oâ—r Nicen Creed it was summoned not by the thâ—n Bishop of Rome but by the Emperour Constantine Gathering thâ—m together out of divers Cities and Provinces as themsâ—lves have lâ—fâ—â—ccorded Wee produce the sixth Canon of this Councell against the Popes monarchicall Iurisdiction the â—enour thereof is this Let ancient customes hold that the Bishops of Alexandria should have the government over Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis because also the Bishop of Rome hath the same custome as also let Antioch and other Provinces hold their ancient priviledges Now these words of the Canon thus limiting and distinguishing the severall Provinces and grounding on the custome of the Bishop of Rome that as hee had preheminence of all the Bishops about him so Alexandria and Antioch should have alL about them as likewise every Metropolitane within his owne Province these words I say doe cleerely shâ—w that before the Nicene Councell the Pope neither had preheminence of all through the world as now hee claymeth to bee an universall Bishop nor ought to have greater preheminence by their judgement than he had before time this being the effect of the Canon to wit That the Bishop of Alexandria shall have authority over his Diocesses as the Bishop of Rome
sonne to doe him the uttermost of his service My good deeds saith Austin are thy ordinances and thy gifts my evill onesâ— are my sinnes and thy judgements Theodoret saith The Crownes doe excell the Fights the rewards are not to be comparâ—d with the labours for the labour is small and the gaine great that is hoped for and therefore tâ—e Apostle called those things that are looked for not wages but glory Rom. 8.18 not wages but grace Rom. 6.23 The same Theodoret saith That things eternall doe not answer temporâ—ll labours in equall poyze Saint Hierome saith If wee consider our owne merits we must despaire And againe When the day of judgement or death shall come all hands shall faile because no worke shall bee found worthy of the justice of God Saint Chrysostome speakes very pathetically Etsi millies moriamur Although saith hee wee die a thousand deaths although wee did performe all vertuous actions yet should wee come short by farre of rendring any thing worthy of those honours which are conferred upon us by God Indeed the Lord rewards good workes but this is out of his bounty free favour and grace and not as of desert Rom. 4.4 In giving the Crowne of Immortality as our reward God crowneth not our merits but his owne gifts and when God crowneth our merits that is good deeds hee crowneth nothing else but his own gifts saith Saint Augustine So that God indeed is become our debtour not by our deservingâ— but by his owne gracious promise God is faithfull who hath made himselfe our debtour saith Austin not by receiving any thing from us but by promising so great things to us whatsoever he promised hee promised to them that were unworthy In a word though hee give heaven propter promissum for his promise sake and because hee will bee as good as his word yet it is not propter commissum for any performance of ours This was the doctrine of old but the Rhemists have taken out a new lesson saying That good works are meritorious and the very cause of salvation so farre that God should be unjust if hee rendred not heaven for the same Now by this that hath beene alleadged the Reader may perceive that besides diverse other worthies of these times S. Augustine the honor of this Age agreeth with us in diverse weighty poynts of religion as also in the matter of Gods free grace and justification insomuch as Sixtus Senensis saith Whil'st Saint Austin doth contend earnestly against the Pelagians for the defence of divine grace he doth seeme to fall into another pit and sometimes attributeth too little to Free-will And Stapleton saith tâ—at Austin haply in his disputation against the Pelagians went beyond all goâ—d measure PA. Saint Austin prayed for the dead to wit for his mother Monica desiring God not to enter into judgement with her PRO. What though hee did so the Examples of Christians which sometimes slip into superstition are no rule for to ordâ—r our life or devotion thereby Besides if hee prayed for eternall rest and remission of sinnes to his deceased mother this was not for that hee doubted shee injoyed them not or that he feared shee indured any Purgatory paines but hee sued for the continuation accomplishment and manifestation thereof at the generall resurrection Yea even then when he prayed so hee saith hee believes that the Lord had granted his request to wit that his mother was out of paine and that God had forgiven her her sinnes Which argueth that it was rather a wish than a Prayer proceeding more out of affection to her than any necessity to helpe her by his Prayers who was then as he perswaded himselfe in a blessed estate so that howsoever Saint Austin at first made a kind of prayer for his mother yet a little after as it were repressing himselfe he saith he believeth that shee is in a blessed state The Letters of Charles the great unto our Off a King of Mercia are yet extant wherein he wisheth That intercessions should be made for Pope Adrian then lately deceased not having any doubt at all saith he but that his blessed soule is at rest but that wee may shew our faithfulnesse and love to our most deare friend In a word Saint Austin's prayer was not as Popish prayers now a dayes are made with reference to Purgatory and therefore it makes nothing against us PAP Did not Saint Austine hold Purgatory PRO. That some such thing should be after this life it is not saith he incredâ—ble and whether it be so it may be iâ—quired and either be found or remaine hidden In another place he leaveth it uncertaine Whether onely in this life men suffer or whether there follow some such temporall judgements after this life so that Saint Austine saith it is not incredible and it may be disputed whether it bee so and perhaps it is so words of doubting and not of asleveration but in other places he gives such reasons as overthrow it The Catholike Faith saith he resting upon divine authority believes the first place the kingdome of heaven and the second hell a third wee are wholly ignorant of yea wee shall finde in the Scriptures that it is not Neither speakes he onely of places eternall that are to continue for ever besides he there purposely disputes against Limbus Pucrorum and rejects all temporary places not acknowledging any other third place and elsewhere he saith There is no middle place hee must needes bee with the devill that is not with Christ and againe Where every man 's owne last day finds him therein the world's last day wâ—ll hold him Thus farre Saint Austine according to the Scriptures which acknowledges but two sorts of people Children of the kingdome and children of the wicked faithfull and unfaithfull Mâ—th 13.38 And accordingly two places after this life Heaven and Hell Luke 16.23 Mark 16.16 Neither doth the Scripâ—ure any where mention any temporary fire after this life the fire it speakes of is everlasting and unquenchable and so doth Austine take it and as for that fiâ—e which Saint Paul mentions It is not a Purgatory but a Probatorie fire PA. Master Brerely hath set forth Saint Austines Religion agreeble to ours PRO. The Learned on our side have confuted him and have prooved out of Saint Austines undoubted writings that he agreed with the Church of England in the maine poynts of Faith and Doctrine And so I come from Fathers to Councels and first to the sixth African Councel held at Carthage and another at Milevis both which denied Appeales to Rome Now the case was this Apiarius a Priest of Africa was for his scandalous life excommunicated by Vrban his Diocâ—san and by an African Synod Apiarius thus censured fled to Pope Zozimus who restored him to his place absolved him this he did pretending that some Canon of the Nicen Councell had established Appeales
from other places to Rome the Bishops of Africa not yielding too hastie credit to this allegation debated the matter with Pope Zozimus and his successors Boniface and Celestine for the space of foure or five yeares together at length when the true and authentical copies of the Nicen Councell were searched by Cyril Patriarke of Alexandria and Atticus Bishop of Constantinople and that neither in the Greeke nor Latine copies this Canon touching Appeales to Rome could be found then the African Bishops told the Pope that he should not meddle with the causes of men in their Province nor receive any such to Communion as they had excommunicated For the Councel of Nice say they Did consider wisely and uprightly that all matters ought to be determined in the places in which they began Chiefly sith it is lawfull for any if he like not the sentence of his Iudges to appeale to the Synods of his owne province yea or farther also to a generall Synod to wit of the Dioces Vnlesse there be any perhaps who will imagine that God would inspire the triall of right into one man and denie it to a great number of Bishops assembled in a Synod and so going forward with proofe that the Pope ought not to judge their causes either at Rome himselfe or by his Legates sent from Rome they touched his attempt in modest sort but at the quicke Condemning it of pride and smoakie statelinesse of the world Reply It may be saith Master Brerely that the Arrian Heretikes had corrupted the Nicen Councel and therefore this Canon which the Pope alleadged could not bee found there Answer Had this prâ—tâ—nded Canon made ought against Christ's Divinâ—tie we might have suspected the Arrians to have corrupted it if they could but this concerned the Popâ—s juâ—isdâ—ction in matter of Appeale and trench'd not upon the Arâ—ians tenet Reply Perhaps the Pope when hee alleadged the Nicen Councel meant the Sardican Councel wherein it was decreed That they in Afâ—icke might appeale to Rome Answer The African Fathers say They could not meet with this prâ—tendâ—d Canon in any Synodall of the Fathers and therefore neither in the Niceâ— nor Sardican Councell nor any other that could binde the whole Church Besides Saint Austin who was a principall actour in these African Councells and subscribed to them hee was not ignorant of the Catholicke Sardican Councell for as Binius observes S Austin in his 162 Epistle calls it a plenary or full Councell of the whole Church neither indeed cou'd S. Austin be ignorant therof inasmch as he reaâ— diligently the acts and decrees of every Councell and searchâ—d all Registries by reason of the many conflicts hee had with Heretickes saith Baronius Neither could tâ—e Africâ—n Bishops bâ—e possibly ignorant of this Sardican Councell inasmuch as some thirty sixe of them were present at it and subscribed to it together with Gratus Primate of Carthage Besides it was yet within their memory being held little above fourscore yeares before this African Councell neither could they be ignorant of the Decrees of that Councell inasmuch as they were wont to bring a Copie of such Decrees as were agreed upon in generall Councells as themselves say that Caecillianus brought with him the Decrees enacted at Nice at which hee was present Now if they knew this Sardican Councell and the Decrees thereof and yet knew no such Decree therein for Appealing from Africke to Rome it followeth that the Popâ—s pretenâ—ed Canon for Appeales was no Canon of the holy Sardican Councell and is therefore justly suspected to be forged by some of the Popes Factours who would gladly have brought all the Gâ—iest to his Mill and the maine Sutes of Christendome unto his Court and Consistory Reply Bellarmine saith that the Decree forbad onely the Priests and inferiour sort of the Cleargie to appeale to Rome but not the Bishops Answer This is an idle allegation for the African Bishops provided for the conveniencie of their Priests and Cleargie to hinder them from vexatious couâ—seâ— and wastfull expences in the poynt of Appeale by saving them from unnecessary travailes beyond the Sea and therefore they intended much more that they themselves should bâ—e freed Besides the Decree runs generally and forbids all sorts of Apellants from Africke to Rome as well Bishops as others the tenour of the decree is this It was thought good that Priests Deacons or other inferior Clerks if in their causes they complaine of the judgements of their Bishops and if they Appeale from them they shall not Appeale but to the African Councels or to the Primates of their Povinces but if any shall thinke that he ought to Apâ—peale beyond the Sea meaning to Rome let him not be received any longer into the Communion of the Church of Africke Binnius tells us that the question was not about the right of Appealing to the See of Rome but de modo touching the manner of the Popes admitting Appeales of prosecuting and deciding complaints by his Legates â latere but the decree forbids Appeales from Africke to Rome and condemnes not onely the manner but the matter it selfe Objection You say Saint Austine opposed the Pope but he was in good savour with Zozimus Boniface and Celestine Answer Saint Austine kept good termes with the Bishops of Rome and he had reason for it because they were great Patriarkes and he had occasion to use their helpe and countenance for quelling the Pelagian Heretikes and others and yet notwithstanding when their factors began to usurpe jurisdiction over other Churches then hee might stand for the right of his African Churches and give his vote freely in the Councel And thus we have found opposition made to the See of Rome by a whole nationall Councel in the weighty poynt of Appeales for so Bellarmine makes appealing to Rome and not Appealing from thence a maine proofe of the Popes supremacie Now to proceede about the yeare foure hundred thirtie and one was the third generall Councell held at Ephesus against the Nestorian heresie which divided Christ into two persons it was summoned not by the Pope but by the Emperour Theodosius the younger At his becke and by his command In the yeare foure hundred fiftie and one the fourth generall Councel was held at Chalcedon against Eutyches who in opposition to Nestorius confounded the natures of Christ making of two distinct natures his humane and divine but one nature whereas Nestorius rent is â—under his person making two of one this Councel was called not by the Pope but by the Emperours Edict it was first called at Nice and then recalled from thence and removed to Chalcedon wholly by the disposing of the Emperour yea Leo Bishop of Rome wrote to the Emperour instantly beseeching him to call it in Italie all the Priests saith he doe beseech your clemencie with sighes and teares that you would command a generall
Waldenses from such foule imputations The first Article Objected Parsons saith they held that when the flesh doth burne that all conjunction with man or woman is lawfull without destinction The three Conversions the 3 part chap. 3 nu 12. Answere Indeed many have borne false witnesse against them but their witnesse doe not agree together I know this is objected by Parsons and others and yet Reinerius who was one of their Inquisitors said of them as is already alleaged that they made a great shew of Godlines and lived righteously before men and beleeved all things rightly touching God and concerning all other Articles of the Creed Againe Casti sunt Leonistae the Leonist's liue chastly and againe Quae libet naturâ turpia devitant They avoyd whatsoever is naturally dishonest Claudius Seisselius Archbishop of Turin a man in great credit under Lewes the twelfth King of France although he had written a booke expresly against the Waldenses yet he thus farre cleereth them saying that it makes much for the confirmation and toleration of that profâ—ssion that setting aside differences in point of Faith in other things they welnigh leade a more godly life than other Christians for they sweare not unlesse they he constrayned they seldome take the name of the Lord in vaine and they are very carefull to keepe their promise When some of the Cardinalls and Prelates accused the remainders of the Waldenses in Merindol and Cabriers that they were Heretickes sorcerers and incestuous persons and thereupon mooved that good King Lewis the twelfth to roote them out the Waldenses having notice hereof sent their Deputies to his Majesty to declare unto him their innocencie whereupon the Prelates were instant upon the King not to give such Heretikes any accesse or audience but the King answered that if he were to make warre against the Turke he would first of all heare him whereupon the King sent master Adam Fume his Master of Requests and one Doctor Parvi his confessor to search and inquire both into their life and religion the Commissioners accordingly visited those places and upon their returne related to the King what they had found namely that Infants were baptized the Articles of faith were taught the Lords Prayer the ten Commandements the Lords day observed the Word of God Preached and no shew of wickednesse or fornication to be perceived amongst them onely they found not any Images in their Churches nor any ornaments belonging to the Masse The King hearing this report of the Commissioners sayd and he bound it with an oath that they were better men than he or his people better than himselfe and the rest of his subjects And thus we have cleared the Waldenses from Parsons his first imputation a foule slander indeed but yet such as we finde was cast upon the auncient Christians as well as upon them and most unjustly and untruely upon both of them Object They held that it was not lawfull for Christians to sweare at all for any cause whatsoever because it is written Doe not sweare Matthew 5. Iames 5. They held also that the magistrate ought not to condemne any to death because it is written Iudge not Matthew chap. 7. Luke chap. 6. Parsons loco citato Answere Claudius Seissel as before is alleadged saith indeed that they doe not sweare unlesse they be constrained belike then being lawfully called they refuse not to sweare in Iudgement in triviall matters they would not sweare rashly according whereunto they alleadged our Saviours precept besides they affirme that there are lawfull oathes tending to the honour of God and their Neighbours good and they alleadge that place in the sixth to the Hebrewes 16. that an oath for confirmation to them is an end of all strife The other cavill arose upon their complaining that the magistrates delivered them to death without any other knowledge of the cause than the bare report of their Inquisitors Priests and Friers who were parties and their professed enemies otherwise the Waldensian doctrine was that they were not to suffer the Malefactour to live Object They hold that the Apostles Creed is to be contemned and no account at all to be made of it and that no other prayer is to be used but onely the Pater Noster set downe in Scripturâ— Parsons quò suprà Answere This is an idle cavill for Reinerius hath already told us that they beleeve all the Articles contained in the Creed besides in their bookes they have very good and Catholike expositions of the Creed Doe these men then slight the Creed They doe not indeed hold the Creede to be a prayer no more doe they that of the Angels Haile to Mary they hold it to be a salutation and no direct invocation as Claudius Seissel saith it followes not hence because they hold not the Creede nor the Angelicall Salutation to be any direct prayer that therefore they neglect the Creede The other allegation is as idle for their owne writers Reyner and others record divers other of their prayers as for grace before meate this He that blessed the five Barly loaves and two Fishes in the Desert to his Disciples blesse this table unto us and after meate thus God which hath given us corporall food give us also spirituall life Object They held that the power of consecrating the body of Christ and of hearing confessions was left by Christ not onely to priests but also to lay-men if they be just Parsons ibid. Answere The first part of this Article they held not but rather the contrary that neither Priests nor Laikes could consecrate the body of Christ for Reinerius saith They doe not beleeve the Sacrament to be the true body and blood of Christ but the bread consecrated is called in a certaine figure the body of Christ as it is sayd the Rocke was Christ and the like For the second they sayd truely and we hold that we are to confesse our faults one to another Iames 5 16. yea though they be Lay-people so they be godly and discreet and able to counsaile and comfort us but especially to the discreet and learned Minister of Gods Word to receive from him Ghostly comfort counsaile and upon our hearty repentance absolution Object They held that no Priests must have any living at all but must live on almes and that no Bishops or other dignity is to be admitted in the Clergie but that all must be equall Parsons ibid. Answere That their Ministers may not lawfully take and enjoy livings or that it was sinne so to doe they taught not but were sorry they had not sufficient stayed livings for them whereby they might have more time to their studies and greater opportunity to instruct them with necessary doctrine and knowledgeâ— but they were not ashamed of their Ministers that were content to worke with their hands to get their living as the Apostles had done before them So that if they spoke ought that looked that way
to the ancient custome of the Primitive Church and could not bee induced simply and absolutely to condemne the Articles of Wickliffe but thought many of them might carry a good sense and that the Author of them was a man that carried a good mind howsoever hee might faile in some things and for these and the like tenets and reproofes they were burnt at Constance contrary to the publike faith and safe conduct given by the Emperour yea Aeneas Sylvius afterwards Pope Pius the second saith expresly It was thought good by the perswasion of Sigismund the Emperour that Iohn and Hierome should bee called to the Councell of Constance so that they came not of their owne accord nor yet without their warrantie and safe conduct but the Fathers of the Counsell dealt ill with them breaking the faith of the Emperour and dispencing with the breach of his safe-conduct as being of no force without theirs because forsooth faith was not to bee kept with Heretikes as thâ—y vainely alleadged therefore these poore men must have no priviledge of their Passe-port the Emperour saith Campian in a flourish of his Sealed their Passe but the Christian world to wit the Councell of Constance greater than Caesar brake up the seale and voided the Imperiall warranâ— notwithstanding the Emperour had both called the Councell and in a Citie of his ownâ— where hee onely had authority and Wenceslaus King of Bohemia at the request of the Councell sent thither Iohn Hus under the safe-conduct of the Emperour Now what Master Hus his learning was his workes yet remaining doe testiâ—ie Besides hee translated the Scriptures into the Bohâ—mian tongue which occasioned as Cochleus saith Artisans and Tradesmen to reade them insomuch as they could dispute with the Priests yea their women were so skilled as one oâ— them made a booke and the Priests of the Thabâ—rites were so skilled in arguing out of the Scripture that one of them named Rokyzana who had beene present at the Counsell at Basil undertooke to dispute with Capistranus a great and learned Papist touching Communion in both kinds and that out of the holy Scriptures the ancient Doctors and the Churches Canons and Constitutions as also from the force of naturall reason Aenâ—as Sylvius saith That Hus was an eloquent man and that in the worlds estimation hee had gained a great opinion of holinesse Hierome was a man of that admirable eloquence learning and memory that Poghius the Florentine Historian and Oratour admired his good parts and the same Poghius being an eye-witnesse of his triall at the Councell of Constance saith He was a man worthy of eternall memory that there was no just cause of death in him that hee spake nothing in all his triall unworthy of a good man yea hee doubteth whether the things objected against him were true or no. Besides he was so resolute at his death that when the Tormentor kindled the fire behind his backe he bid him make it in his sight For if I had feared the fire said he I had never come hither and so whiles the fire was a making hee sung Psalmes and went cheerefully to his death The like resolution was in Iohn Husse at his death for whereas his enemies made a crowne of paper with three ugly devils painted therein and this title Arch-heretike set over when Iohn Husse saw it he said My Lord Iesus Christ for my sake were a Crowne of thornes why should not I then for his sake weare this light Crowne bee it never so shamefull I will doe it and that willingly and so hee died constantly and so indeed the storie reports that they went to the stake as cheerefully as it had beene to a banquet Iohn Husse may seeme to have had some propheticall inspiration for at his death hee prophesied saying You roast the Goose now but a Swan shall câ—me after mee and hee shall escape your fire Now Husse in the Bohemian tongue signifieth a Goose and Luther a Swan and this Swâ—n succeeded him just an hundred yeares after foâ— so these two blessed servants of God prophesied saying Wee cite you all to make answer aâ—d after an hundred yeares to give an account of this your doing unâ—o God and accoâ—diâ—gly as they foretold it came to passe for they suffered martyrdome in the yeare 1416. and just an hundred yeares afâ—er to wit in the yeaâ—e 1516. the Lord raysed up Luther who indâ—ed called the Pope and his doctrine to a reckoning Vpon this propheticall speech of Iohn Husse there was money coined iâ— Bohemia with this inscripâ—ion in Latine on the one side Cintum revolutis annis Deo respondebitis et mihi anno 1416 Hie onymus condemnatus that is After an hundred yeares you shall answer to God and to me and on the oâ—her side of the plate was engraven Credo unam â—ssâ— sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam anno 1415. Io. Husse I beleeve one holy Catholike Church PA Did Husse and his followers teach as you doe PRO For substance of doctrine they taught as wee doe their enemies indeed misreported their doctrine and charged them with that they never held insomuch as Husse solemnely protested even at the point of death That hee never held those Articles which the false witnesses deposed against him but held and taught and wrote the contraâ—y taking it upon his death that hee taught nothing but the truth of the Gospell which hee would then seale with his blood Now touching their doctrine we are driven to takâ— the scaâ—tling of their opinions from the pens of tâ—eir advâ—rsaries by whom wee perceive that it is very pâ—obâ—ble 〈◊〉 Hussiâ—es were instructed and much helped by Wicklâ—â—ss bookes and accordingly wee find that both Aenâ—â—s Sylvius and Cochleus report that the meanes wheâ—â—by â—he Bohemiâ—ns came to know the doctrine of Wicklâ—ffe was for that a certaine noble man studying in Oxford carried thence with hiâ— into Bohemia Wiâ—klifs bookes de Realibus universalibus As if it had beene some rare jewell and Cochleus saith That as a Bohemian brought first into Bohemia Wickliffes bookes de Realibus uniâ—erâ—alibus So there was afterwards one Peter Paineâ— a Scholler of Wickliffes who after the death of his Master came â—lso into Bohemia and brought with him Wâ—â—kliffes bookes which were in quantity as great as Saint Auâ—â—ines Workes many of which bookes Husse did aftâ—rwards translate into their mother tongue Bellarmine jâ—ynes the Hussitesâ— and Waldenses together as holding the same points of doctrine and reproving the same abuses of Rome And Platina saith that Hâ—sse and Hierome were condemned in the Councell of Constance as being followers of Wickliffe Aeneas Silvius saith the Hussites embraced the pâ—ofession of the Waldenses Now wee have already showne the tenets of the Waldenses and Wickliffe But to come to particulars bâ—sides the Hussites there were others also of his disciples which were called Thaborites of the place Thabor
were held as you say not by the best members of the Church but by a domineering faction therein how came it that the prevailing faction suffered others to dissent from them in judgement Answer So long as men yeelded outward obedience to the Church-ceremonies without scandall in other things they were suffered to abound in their owne sense so that they submitted themsâ—lves to the obedience of the Church of Rome Besides the Church of Râ—me had not so strictly defined those Tenets in any Councel before as afterwards they did in the Councel of Tâ—ent PA. Our name Catholicke is ancient your Protestant name came not in till after Luther Besides it is a scandalous thing for your Church to derive authoritie from Wickliffâ— Husse Luther and Calvin PRO. Indeed the name Protestant began upon the protâ—sting of the Elector and Laâ—d grave against the Edict howsoever the Faith is ancient though the name bee not and yet if you stand upon names wee are called Christians and into that name were wee Baptized and that is anciâ—nter than your Roman catholicke Now you are called Catholickes but it is with an aliâs or addition Roman-Caâ—holickes as much as to say Particular Vniversall the part is the whole one Citty the woâ—ld and it is your selves that terme you Catholickes Now if one Papist call another so it is but as if one Mule should claw another The Hagarens boldly usurped the name of Sarazens although they were only the brood that sprang from the wombe of Hagar the hand-maid of Sara The Papists by this terme Catholicke worke upon simple people arguing from the one to the other as if all the priviledges of the Catholicke Church belonged to the Romane but we tell them as Optatus did the Donatists who pinned up the Church in a corner of Africke as the Romanists now conâ—ine her to their See that Their Church is Quasi Ecclesia in some sort a Church but not the Catholicke Church but an unsound member thereof We doe not derive our Church from any other than the Primitive Catholicke and Apoâ—tolickâ— Chuâ—ch The Lord is not farre from every â—â—e of us for we are also his off spring Christ Iesus is the top of our kiâ—ne and Religion the stocke Your Pedegre mâ—y be drawne in part from some of the ancient Hereâ—iâ—kes in â—espect of your Invocaâ—ion of Sainâ—s and Angelsâ— you are a kinne at least by the halfe bloud to the Angelici Who as Saint Austâ—ne saith were inclined to the worship of Angels and were from thence as Isidore noteth Called Angelici because they did worship Angelâ— By your Hyperdalâ—a and wâ—â—ship given to the blessed Virgin you shew your selves allied to the Collyridian Hereâ—ikes whom Epiphanius termes Idolaters now thâ—y were called Collyridians from the Collyrides or Cakes which at a certaine time of the yeare they used to offer unto the blessed Virgin sacrificing to her as to the Qâ—eene of heavâ—n By your doctrine of merit and workes of supererogâ—tion you resemble the Pelagians or Catharists Isidore notes it for a propertie of the Catharists or ancient Puritans To glory of their merits Thomas Waldâ—n saith It was a branch of the Pelagian heresie to â—old that according to the measure of meritorious workes God will reward a man so meriâ—ing Now the Rhemists a sprig of this branch mainâ—aine That they doe woâ—ke by their owne freewill and thereby deserve their salvation as also that Good workes are meritorious and the very cause of salvatâ—on so farre that God should be unjust if he rendred not hâ—aven for the same Now concerning the names of Wicklâ—ffe and Husse Luther and Calvin wherewith you pressâ—uâ— you shâ—ll not hereby drive us from holding that with them which thâ—y held of God for though wee rejoyce not in names drawnâ— from men but in the name of Christians into the which we are bapâ—ized yet wee know no great harme by them nor you we thinke set slaunders apaâ—t why we shâ—uld bee ashamed of them more than oâ—r Fathers were of Caecilian of whom the Dâ—natists câ—lled thâ—m Caeciâ—ianists but had they beene as evill almost as their enemies report them from which impâ—tations they are alrâ—aâ—y cleared anâ— theiâ— doctâ—ine â—ixâ— with lâ—â—ven as was the Phâ—risees yet Saint Paul hath tauâ—ht us to acknowledge our selves even Pâ—â—â—iseâ—s iâ— need be not onely Lutherans or Waldensâ—s in that the Pharisees taught a truth of Christian faith to wit the Resurrection of the dead In a word we esteeme of Calvin and Luther and the rest of the first Reformers as worthy men but wee make them not Lords over our faith PA. What thinke you of our fore-fathers that lived and died in the time of Poperie as you call it they were of our Religion PRO. I thinke charitably of them that they might bee saved for many of them were well meaning men and wanting meanes of better instruction they were carried with the sway of the times and as Saint Paul saith 1. Tim. 1.13 Did it ignorantly like those two hundred 2. Sam. 15.11 who in simplicity of heart followed Absalon knowing nothing of his treason and rebellion intended they knew not the depth and mysterie of poperie not their Merit of condignity nor their severall sorts of adoration their Latria Dulia and Hyperdulia Indeed the Scriptures and Church-service were lockt up in an unknowne tongue and yet even in the depth of Poperie as appeares by a Councell held at Clyffe and also by a Provinciall Constitution of Iohn Peckam Arch-bishop of Canterbury The Priests were enjoyned to teach the people the heads of Christian faith and Religion and namely to expound unto them the Creed the ten Commandements and the Sacraments and that vulgariter that is as the Glosse there saith in the vulgar and mother tongue to wit in English to the native English and in French to the French-borne so that even in those daâ—ker times there was a measure of explicite faith required at the hands of Lay-people and they were to be trained up in the knowledge of those Credendorum so farre as the Letter of the Creed might leade them and Faciendorum such as the Decalogue appointed them and Petendorum comprised in the Lords prayer and Recipiendorum tendred in the Sacraments It is Lyrae's conceit that when Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 14.19 Hee had ratâ—er in the Church speake five words with his undeâ—standing then ten thousand in a strange tongue that those five words were those Agenda and Credenda which concerne our faith and manners as also those Vitanda Timenda and Speranda which the Pastors were to declare unto the people Besides there were divers parcels of the Creed concerning Christ and namely touching his Incarnation Passion his Resurrection and Ascension that were wont to be represented to their memories and meditations in the severall Festivities and Holy-dayes which the Church solemnized Besides wee hope the better for that they erred in points of
by the Romists such as indeede could not in truth with any possibilitie fall into the imagination or fancie of any man much lesse bee doctrinally or dogmatically delivered Besides many of the books and writings of Wickliffe and Husse are extant wherein are found no such doctrines as Papists have charged them with but rather the contrary So that we hope there is no indifferent person will regard their slanders for even at this day when things are in present view and action they calumniate the persons and falsifie the doctrine of our professours as grossely as ever Pagans traduced the Primitive Christians for instance sake they give it out that we hold that God regardeth not our good works whereas we beleeve that Good works are necessary to salvation and Works are said to be necessary for us unto salvation to wit not as a cause of our salvation but as a meane or way without which wee come not unto it as a Consequent following Iustification wherewith Regeneration is unseparably joyned In like sort they gave out that Beza recanted his Religion before his death whereas he lived to confute this shamelesse lye and with his owne hand wrote a tract which he called Beza Redivivus Beza Revived Thus also of late have they dealt with that Reverend zealous and learned Prelate Doctor King late Bishop of London giving it out in their idle Pamphlets that hee was reconciled to the Church of Rome which is unanswerably proved to bee a grosse lye for towards his death hee received the holy Sacrament at the hands of his Chapleine Doctor Cluet Arch-deacon of Middle-sex he received it together with his wife children and family whom he had invited to accompany him to that Feast whereof hee protested in the presence and hearing of divers personages of good note that his soule had greatly longed to eate that last Supper and to performe that last Christian duty before he left them and having received the Sacrament he gave thanks to God in all their hearing that he had lived to finish that blessed worke for so himselfe did call it And then drawing neerer to his end â—e expresly caused his Chapleine then his Ghostly Father to reade the Confession and absolution according to the ordinarie forme of Common prayer appointed in our Liâ—urgie Did this worthy Prelate now dye a Papist who to his last breath communicated with the Church of Eâ—gland Besides whereas Preston the Priest was given out to be the man that reconciled the Bishop to the See of Rome Preston as appeareth by his Examination and Answer taken before divers honourable Commissioners protested before God and upon his conscience as he should answer at the dreadfull day of Iudgement that the said Bishop of London did never confesse himselfe unto him nor ever received Sacramentall absolution at his hands nor was ever by him reconciled to the Church of Rome neither did renounce before him the Religion professed and established in the Church of England Yea he added farther that as he hoped to be saved by Christ Iesus he to his knowledge was never in company where the said Doctor King late Lord Bishop of London was neither did he ever receive letter from him nor did write letter unto him neither did he ever to his knowledge see the said Bishop in any place whatsoever nor could have knowne him from another man Object You have singled out some testimonies of Fathers Schoole-men and others and alleadged them on your owne behalfe as if they had thereby beene of your Religion whereas they be our witnesses and speake more fully for us than for your side Answer According to the Rule in law Testem queâ— quis inducit pro se teâ—etur recipere contra se you have produced them for your owne ends and now in reason you cannot disallow them when they are alleadged by us so that you must give us leave to examine your men upon crosse Interrogatories Besides one may be a materiall witnesse who speaks home to two or three Interrogatories although he cannot depose to all the rest It is no part of our meaning to take the scantling of our ancestors Religion from some single testimonies wherein they either agree with or dissent from us but fâ—om the maine body of the substantiall points of doctrine which are controverted betwixt us at this day Neither make wee any such simple collection Such a man held such a point with us therefore he was a Protestant no more then we allow them to frame the like Such a man in such or such a particular agreed with the nâ—w Church of Rome therefore he was a Papist For it followeth no more than this an Aethiopian or Tauny-moore is white in part namely in his teeth therefore he is white all over But our care hath beene that since In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is established Deut. 19.15 and thaâ— as Hieâ—ome saith One single witnesse were it Cato himsâ—lfe is not so much to bee credited to joyne together the severall testimonieâ— oâ— such worthies as lived in the same age presuming that what some of note delivered and the same not opposed by their contemporaries that that is to bee supposed to have beene the doctrine commonly received in those countries and at that time Vpon these and the like considerations the Reader may bee pleased to rest satisfied with such passages as have beene produced on our behalfe though not so thronged and full in every age inasmuch as divers of our Ancestors have not left unto us sufficient evidence whereby it might appeare what they held in divers particulars Besides that there bee divers testimonies suppressed so as we can hardly come by them as namely in Faber Stapulensis his Preface to the Evangelists there is a notable place touching the Scriptures Suficiencie the words are these The Scripture sufficeth and is the onely Rule of eternall life whatsoever agâ—eeth not to it is not so necessary as superfluous The Primitive Church knew no other Rule but the Gospel no other Scope but Christ no other Worship than was due to the Individuall Trinity I would to God the forme of beleeving were fetched from the Primitive Church Thus saith Stapulâ—nsis Now this whole passagâ— is appointed by the Expurgatory Index of Spaine to be lâ—fâ— ouâ— in their later editions and yet by good hap I met with this passage in an edition aâ— Basâ—lâ— as also in anothâ—r at Colen An. 1541. In like sort I â—â—nd alleadged out of Luâ—ovicus Vives his Commentaries upon Saint Augustine dâ— Civitate Dei these passages following touching the Canon of the Scripture and the practised Adoration of Images in his time namely the same Vives saith that The storie of Susanna of Bel and the Dragon are not Canonicall Scripture he saith also that Saints are esteemed and worshipped by many as were the Gods among the Gentiles These places I carefully sought for in the severall editions of S. Austin