more able somewhat to help the poore as they did to the vttermost of their power Greg. Basset prisoned at Bristowe Amongst all other priestes and Friers Gregory Basset was most busie with him This Gregorie Basset as is partly touched before was learned and had a pleasant tongue Greg. Basset compelled by the Friers to recant and not long before was faln from the truth for the which hee was prisoned in Bristowe long time at whose examinatiō was ordeined a great pan of fire where his holy brethren as report went abroad menaced him to burne his hands of whereupon he there before them recāted and became afterward a mortall enemie to the truth al his life This Gregorie as it is sayde was feruent wyth the poore man to please the Canons o◠that Churche and marueilously tormented his braines howe to turne hym from his opinions yea and he was so diligent and feruent with him that he wold not depart the prison but lay there night and day Greg. Basset busie agaynst Tho. Benet who notwythstanding loste his labour for good Benet was at a poynt not to deny Christ before men So Gregory as wel as y e other holy fathers lost his spurres in so much that hee sayde in open audience that there was neuer so obstinate an heretike The principal poynt betweene Basset hym was touching the supremacie of the B. of Rome whom in his bils he named Antichriste The matter betweene Basset and Tho. Benet the thiefe the mercenary the murtherer of Christes flocke and these disputations lasted about 8. daies where at sundry times repaired to hym both the blacke and gray Friers with priestes and Monkes of that Citie They that had some learning perswaded hym to beleue the Church and shewed by what tokens shee is knowen The other vnlearned railed said that the deuil tēpted him and spit vpon him calling him hereticke who praied God to geue them a better mind to forgeue them For saide he I will rather die then worship such a beast the very whoore of Babylon Rayling agaynst Benet and a false vsurper as manifestly it doeth appeare by his doings They asked what he did that he had not power and authority to do being gods vicar He doth quoth he sell the sacraments of the Church for mony he selleth remissiō of sinnes daily for mony and so doe you likewise for there is no day but yee say diuers Masses for soules in fained Purgatorie The abuses of the pope noted yea and yee spare not to make lying sermons to y e people to maintaine your false traditions and foule gaines The whole worlde doth begin now to note your doings to your vtter confusion shame Selling of soules The shame saide they shal be to thee and to such as thou art thou foule heretike Wilt thou allowe nothyng done in holy Church What a peruerse heretike art thou I am sayde he no heretike but a Christian man I thanke Christ and with all my heart will allow all things done vsed in the church to the glory of God and edifying of my soule but I see nothing in your church but that maintaineth the deuil What is our church sayd they It is not my church quoth Benet God geue me grace to be of a better church The popes Churche paynted in her colours for verily your church is the plaine church of Antichrist the malignant church the second church a denne of theeues an awmry of poyson and as farre wide from the true vniuersall Apostolike churche as heauen is distant from the earth Dost not thou thinke sayde they that we pertaine to the vniuersal church Yes quoth he but as dead mēbers vnto whom the church is not beneficial for your workes are the deuises of man and your Church a weake foundation for ye say preach The keyes not onely geuen to Peter but to all the Apostles y t the popes word is equall with Gods word in euery degree Why sayd they did not Christ say to Peter To thee I will geue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen He said that quoth he to al as wel as to Peter and Peter had no more authority geuen him then they or els y e churches planted in euery kingdom by theyr preaching are no churches The church builded vpon man is the deuils Churche Doth not S. Paul say Vpon the foundations of the apostles and prophets Therefore I say plainly that the church that is built vpon a mā is the deuils church or congregation not Gods And as euery Church this day is appoynted to be ruled by a bishop or pastor ordeined by y e word of God in preaching ministration of the sacramēts vnder the prince the supreme gouernor vnder God so to say y t all the churches with their princes gouernours be subiect to one bishop is detestable heresie the pope your God chalenging this power to him selfe is the greatest schismatike that euer was in the church most foul whore of whom Iohn in the Reuelation speaketh The Whore of Babilon O thou blinde vnlearned foole said they is not y e confession consent of all the world as we confesse consent Consent of the worlde y t the popes holines is the supreme head vicar of Christ That is saide Benet because they are blinded know not the scriptures but if God wold of his mercy open the eyes of princes to know their office his false supremacie would sone decay We thinke said they thou art so malitious that thou wilt cōfesse no church Loke saide he where they are that confesse the true name of Iesu Christe Where the true Church is where onely Christ is y e head vnder him the prince of the realm to order al bishops ministers preachers and to see them doe their dueties in setting forth the only glory of God by preaching the worde of God where it is preached that Christ is our only aduocate mediator patrone before God hys father making intercession for vs and where the true faith and confidence in Christes death and passion and his only merits and deseruings are extolled our owne depressed where the sacrament is duly w tout superstition or idolatry administred in remembrance of his blessed passion and only sacrifice vpon the crosse once for all and where no superstition raigneth of that Church wil I be Doth not the Pope sayd they confesse the true Gospel do not we all the same Yes sayde he but ye denie the frutes thereof in euery poynt Yee builde vpon the sands not vppon the rocke And wilt thou not beleeue in deede sayd they that the pope is Gods vicare No sayd he in deede The Pope not Gods Vicar and why And why sayde they Because quoth hee hee vsurpeth a power not geuen him of Christ no more then to other Apostles and also because he doeth by force of that vsurped supremacie blinde the
the Sacramentes to a worldly authority we ought to reiect him as S. Paule willeth vs Gala. 1. To open therfore the true sense of the Scripture in the places aforesayd and first to begin with the 16. Chapiter of Mathew here is to be obserued that the question being put in generall of Christ to all his Apostles what they thought or iudged of him Peter aunswering for them all as he was alwayes ready to answere sayd Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God The place of Math. 16. expounded To whom Iesus aunswered agayne Blessed be thou Symon the Sonne of Iona for fleshe and bloud hath not reueled this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen And I say to thee thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will builde my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuayle against it That is to say vpon this rocke of thy confession of mee to be the Sonne of GOD Rom. 10. I will builde my Churche for this fayth conteineth the whole summarye of our fayth and saluatioÌ„ as it is written Rom. 10. The word of fayth that we do preach is at hande Faith the mother of saluatioÌ„ Peter the first confessor of Christ. in thy mouth and in thine hart For if thou confesse with thy mouth our Lord Iesus Christ with thy hart do beleue that God raised him froÌ„ death to life thou shalt be saued c. And this confession being first vttered by the mouth of Peter vpon the same confession of his not vpon the person of Peter Christ buildeth his Church as Chrisostome expoundeth that place in the 26. Sermon of y e feast of Pentecost saying Not vpoÌ„ the person of Peter The church builded vppon the confession of Peter not vppon the Person of Peter but vpoÌ„ the fayth Christ hath builded his church And what is the fayth This Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God What is to say vpon this rocke That is vpon this confessioÌ„ of Peter c. And with this saying of Chrisostome all auÌ„cient expositors sayth Tonstal treating that place do agree For if we should expouÌ„d that place that the church is builded vpoÌ„ the person of Peter we should put an other fouÌ„dation of the Church then Christ which is directly agaynst S Paule saying No man may put any other foundation 1. Cor. 3. but that which is put already which is Christ Iesus c. And because Peter was the first of all the Apostles What is the primacye of Peter and how it commeth that confessed this that Christ is the sonne of God by y e which fayth all men must be saued thereof commeth the primacy that is the first place or standing of Peter in the nuÌ„ber of all the Apostles And as Peter was the firste of them that confessed Christ to be the sonne of God so was he most ardent in his fayth most bolde and hardy in Christ as appeared by his comming out of the shippe in the great tempest and also most vehemeÌ„t in his maysters cause as appeared by drawing out his sword and after the Lords resurrection is declared in the 2.3.4 chapiter of the Actes where as the Iewes withstanding the Apostles preaching the fayth of Christ Peter as most ardent in fayth The honoâ—able names of Peter in the olde Doctors how wherfore they be geuen was euer most ready to defend the fayth against the impugners therof speaking for them all vnto the people c. and therfore hath these honorable names geuen him by the auncient interpreters y t some times he is called the mouth of the Apostles y e chiefe of the Apostles some time the Prince of the Apostles some time the President of the whole Church some time hath the name of primacy or priority attributed to him And yet the sayd Peter notwithstanding these honourable names geueÌ„ vnto him that he should not haue a rule or a iudicial power aboue all the other Apostles it is plain by S. Paule and many other Gala. 2. First S. Paule Gal. 2. playnly declareth the same saying That as the Apostleship of the Circumcision that is of the Iewes was geuen by Christ to Peter so was the Apostleship of the Gentiles geuen to me among the Gentiles The authority of the Apostles all a like Hereby it appeareth that Paule knew no primacy of Peter concerning people places but amoÌ„g the Iewes And therof S. Ambrose expounding that place sayth thus The primacy of the Iewes was geuen chiefely to Peter Ambrosius albeit Iames and Iohn were ioyned with him as the primacy of the GeÌ„tiles was geuen to Paule albeit Barnabas was ioyned with hym So that Peter had no rule ouer all Act. 10. Also in the Actes 10. when Peter was sent for to Cornelius a Gentile he durst not go to him without a speciall vision geuen him from heauen by the Lord. Item that all the Apostles had like dignity and authority Ephes. 2. it appeareth by S. Paule Ephes. 2. Where he sayth Now ye are not straungers nor foreners but ye be Citizens wyth the Sayntes and of the household of almighty God builded saith he vpon the foundation of the Apostles The Church founded not of Peter onely but of the Apostles and the Prophets Christ being the corner stone vpon whom euery edifice being builded groweth vp to an holy teÌ„ple in our Lord. c. Here he sayth that they be builded not vpon the foundation of Peter onely but vpon the foundation of the Apostles so that al they be in the foundation set vpon Christ the very rocke wherupoÌ„ standeth the whole Church In the 21. chap. also of the Apoca. the new City and the heauenly Hierusalem of almighty God is described of the holy ghost Apoc. 21. not with one fouÌ„dation onely of Peter but with 12. foundations after the number of the Apostles S. Cyprian Lib. De simplic prael geueth record likewise to the same Cypria lib. De simplic Prelato that the Apostles had equall power dignitye geuen to them by Christ. And because al should preach one thing therfore y e beginning therof first came by one which was Peter who confessed for them all That Christ was the Sonne of the liuing God Euery byshop hath his parte wholy to himselfe saying further that in the Church there is one office of all the Bishops whereof euery man hath a part allowed wholy vnto him Now if the Bishop of Rome may meddle ouer all where hee will then euery man hath not wholy his part for the bishop of Rome may also meddle in his part ioyntly with him so that now he hath it not wholy which is agaynst Cyprian S. Austen likewise expounding the Gospell of Iohn in the 50. treaty Aug. in Ioan. tractat 50. speaketh there of the keyes of Peter Whiche he sayth were geuen of Christ to Peter not for himselfe alonely but for the whole Church Cyrillus expounding the last
chapter of Iohn there speaking of the wordes of Christ spoken vnto Peter Cyrillus in vlt. cap. Ioannis Feed my sheepe c. thus vnderstandeth the same That because Peter had thrise denyed Christ whereby he thought himselfe he had lost his Apostleship Christ to comforte him agayne and to restore him to his office that he had lost asked him thrise Pasce oues meas maketh nothing for the Popes vniuersall pastoralitye whether he loued him and so restored hym agayne to his office which els he durst not haue presumed vnto saying vnto him Feed my sheep c. With which exposition the auncient holy expositors of that place do likewise agree So that by these wordes of feeding Christes sheep the Bishop of Rome can take no aduauntage to maintein his vniuersall pastoralty ouer all Christian dominions Act. 20. Agayne where as the Bishoppe of Rome sayth that Peter by these wordes of Christ spoken to him hath a preheminence aboue the other S. Paule Actes 20. proueth the contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he speaking to the Bishops assembled at Milete sayth to them Take heed to your selues and to all your flocke in which the holy Ghost hath put you to gouerne c. And Peter himselfe likewise 1. Pet. 5. sayth Ye that be Priestes feed the flocke of God amongest you c. So that by these Scriptures conferred together it may appeare that neither the 16. Chapiter of Mathew nor the 21. of Iohn do proue that Peter had power Scriptures wrongfully alleaged for the Popes supremacye authority or dignity geuen him of Christ ouer all the other that they should be vnder him and yet notwithstāding his primacy in that he first of all the Apostles confessed Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God with the which confession all the other Apostles did consent and also preached the same standeth still· Which confession first by Peter made al other that will be saued must follow also and be taught to confesse the same And thus the Bishop of Romes power ouer all which he would proue by those places wrongfully alledged for his purpose vtterly quayleth and is not proued And thus much for the Scriptures and Doctors Now farther proceding in this matter the sayd Tonstall commeth to Councels and examples of the primitiue Church as foloweth Faustinus Example◠of the primitiue Church against the Popes supremacy Legate to the Byshop of Rome in the v◠Councell of Carthage alledged that the Bishop of Rome ought to haue the ordering o◠all great matters in all places by his supreme authority bringing no Scripture for him for at that time no Scripture was thought to make for it but alledgeth for him and that vntruely the fyrst Councell of Nice to make for his purpose After this whē the booke was brought forth The supremacye of of Rome reproued by the Councell of Nice and no such article found in it but the contrary yet the Counsell at that time sent to Constantinople Alexandria and Antioche where the Patriarchall seas were to haue the true copy of the Councell of Nice which was sent vnto them And an other copy also was sent from Rome whether also they sent for y e same purpose After that the copy was brought to them and no such Article found in it but in the fift chapter therof the contrary that all causes Ecclesiasticall should either be determined within the Dioces or els if any were greued then to appeale to the Counsell Prouinciall and there the matter to take full end The 〈◊〉 of Nice falsified by Faustinus the Popes Legate so that for no such causes men should goe out of theyr Prouinces the whole Counsell of Carthage wrote to Celestine at that time beyng Byshop of Rome that since the Counsell of Nice had no such article in it as was vntruly alledged by Faustinus but the cōtrary they desired him to abstein after to make any more such demaūd denouncing vnto him that they would not suffer any cause great or small to be brought by appeale out of theyr country and thereupon made a law that no man shall appeale out of the country of Aphrike vpon payne to be denoūced accursed Wherewith the Bishop of Rome euer after held him content and made no more busines with them seeyng he had nought to say for himselfe to the contrary And at this Counsell S. Austen was present and subscribed the same Read more herof pag 10. It was determined also in the sixte Article of the sayde Counsell of Nice The 6. article of Nicene coūcell The 4. chiefe Patriarches equall in power that in the Orient the Bishop of Antioche should be chiefe in Egypt the Bishop of Alexandria about Rome the Bishop of Rome and like Wise in other countryes the Metropolitanes should haue theyr preheminence so that the bishop of Rome neuer had medling in those countryes And in the next Article following the Byshop of Hierusalem which City before had bene destroyed and almost desolate was restored to his old prerogatiue to be y e chiefe in Palestine and in the countrey of Iury. By this ye see howe the Patriarch of Rome duryng al thys tyme of the primitiue Churche Pope Agatho subiected to the Emperour had no such primacye preeminēt aboue other Patriaches much lesse ouer kinges and Emperors as may appeare by Agatho Byshoppe of Rome long after that in whose tyme was the sixt Councell generall Whiche Agatho after his election sent to the Emperor thē beyng at Constantinople to haue his electiō allowed before he would be consecrate after y e old custome at that time vsed In like sort Pope Vitalianus subiecte to the Emperour 63. Dist. Agatho 63. Dist. cum longè an other Bishop of Rome called Uitalianus did the same as it is written in the Decrees in the 63. Distinct. cap. Agatho The like did S. Ambrose and S. Gregory before thē as it is written in the chap. Cum longè in the same Distinct. During al which time the byshops of Rome folowed wel the doctrine of S. Peter and S. Paule left vnto them to be subiectes and to obey theyr Princes Thus after that Byshop Tonstall playing the earnest Lutheran both by scriptures and auncient Doctours Byshop Tōstall a righte Lutheran◠also by examples sufficient of the primitiue church hath proued and declared how the Byshops of Rome ought to submit thēselues to theyr higher powers vnder whom God hath appoynted euery creature in this world to obey now let vs likewise see how the sayd Byshop Tonstall describeth vnto vs his disobedience intollerable his pride incomparable and his malignant malice most execrable And first speaking of the disobedience of Adam Eue then of the pride of Nabugodonosor of Lucifer The disobedience the pride the malice of the Pope described at length he compareth the Bishops of Rome to them all Who fyrst for disobedience refuse to obey Gods commaūdement but contrary to
therefore the Pope hath no such primacy geuen him eyther by the wordes of Scripture or by any generall Councell nor by commoÌ„ conseÌ„t of the holy catholicke Church by the holy Fathers of the Catholique church asseÌ„bled in the first general councelles And finally they doe transgresse theyr own profession made in theyr creation For all the Bishops of Rome alwayes when they be consecrated and made Bishops of that See doe make a solemne profession and vowe that they shall inuiolably obserue and keepe al the ordinances made in the eight first generall Councels among the whiche it is specially prouided enacted that al causes shal be finished and determined with in the prouince where the same begun and that by the byshops of the same prouince and that no Byshop shall exercise any iurisdiction out of his owne dioces or prouince And diuers such other Canons were then made and confirmed by the sayd councels to represse and take away out of the Church all such primacy and iurisdiction ouer kinges and Byshops as the Byshops of Rome pretend nowe to haue ouer the same Concilium tertium Carthaginense cap. 26 Gregorius lib. 4. epistolarum indictione 13. epist 13. And we finde that diuers good fathers Byshops of Rome did greatly reproue yea and abhorre as a thing cleane contrary to the Gospel and the decrees of the church that anye Byshop of Rome or els where shoulde presume vsurpe or take vpon him the title and name of y e vniuersal byshop or of the head of all priestes or of y e highest priest or any such lyke title For confirmation whereof it is out of all doubt y t there is no mention made neyther in Scripture nor in the writinges of any Autenticall doctor or author of the Church being within the tyme of the apostles that Christ did euer make or institute any distinction or difference to be in the preeminence of power order or iurisdiction betweene the Apostles theÌ„selues or betweene y e bishops themselues but y t they were all equall in power order authoritie iurisdiction And that there is now and sith y e time of the Apostles any such diuersitie or difference among the Bishops it was deuised by the ancient fathers of the primitiue Church for the conseruation of good order and vnitie of the Catholicke church and that eyther by the consent and authoritie or els at the least by the permission and sufferaunce of the princes and ciuill powers for the tyme ruling c. And shortly after followeth And for the better confirtion of this part we thinke it also conuenient that all Byshops and preachers shal instruct and teach the people coÌ„mitted vnto theyr spirituall charge that Christ did by expresse words prohibit that none of his Apostles nor any of theyr successors should vnder the pretence of the authority geuen vnto them by Christ take vpon them y e authoritie of y e sword y t is to say the authoritie of kings or of any ciuill power in this world yea or any authoritie to make lawes or ordinances in cauâ—â—s appertayning vnto ciuil powers Truth it is the priestes and byshops may execute all suche temporall power iurisdiction as is coÌ„mitted vnto them by y e ordinance authoritie of kings or other ciuil powers by the consent of the people as officers and ministers vnder the sayd kinges and powers so long as it shall please the sayd kinges and people to permit and suffer them so to vse and execute the same Notwithstanding if anye bishop of what estate or dignitie so euer he be be he bish of Rome or of any other citie prouince or dioces do presume or take vppon him authoritie or iurisdiction in causes or matters which appertayne vnto kinges and the ciuill powers and their Courtes and will mayntayne or thinke that he may so do by y e authoritie of Christ and his Gospell although y e kings and princes would not permit and suffer hym so to doe No doubt that Byshop is not worthy to be called a Byshop The Bishop of Rome iudged to be a tyrant and vsurper but rather a tyranne an vsurper of other mens rightes contrary to the lawes of god and is worthy to be reputed none otherwise then hee that goeth about to subuert the kingdome of Christ. For the kingdome of Christ in his Church is a spirituall and not a carnall kingdome of the world that is to say the very kingdome that Christ by himself or by his Apostles and disciples sought here in this worlde was to bring all nations from the carnall kingdome of the prince of darkenes vnto the light of hys spirituall kingdome so to raygne himselfe in the harts of the people by grace fayth hope and charitie And therefore sith Christ did neuer seeke nor exercise anye worldly kyngdome or dominion in this worlde but rather refusing and fleeing from y e same did leaue the said worldly gouernance of kingdomes realmes and nations to be gouerned by Princes potentates in like maner as he did finde them commaunded also his Apostles and Disciples to doe the seÌ„blable as it was sayd before what soeuer priest or bishop will arrogate or presume vpoÌ„ him any such authoritie and will pretend e the authoritie of the Gospell for his defence therin he doth nothing els but in a maner as you would say crowneth Christ agayne with a crowne of thorne and traduceth bringeth him foorth agayne with his mantle of purpure vppon his backe to be mocked and scorned of the world as the Iewes did to their owne damnation This doctrine was subscribed and allowed by the witnes and testimony of these byshops and other learned meÌ„ whose names hereunder follow as appeareth in the Byshops booke aforenamed * Testes Thomas Cantarien Edouardus Ebor. Iohannes London Cuthbertus Dunel .. Stephanus Winton Robertus Carliolen Iohannes Exon. Iohannes Lincoln Iohannes Bathonien Rolandus Couen Lich. Thomas Elien Nicolaus Sarum Ioannes Bangor Edouardus Herefor Hugo Wigornien Ioannes Roffen Richardus Cicestren Guliel Norwicen Gulielmus Meneuen Robertus Asâ—auen Robertus Landauen Richardus Wolman Archdiaco Sudbur Gulielmus Knight Arch. Richmond Ioannes Bel. Arch. Gloucester Testimonies of Bishops of England against the Pope Edmundus Boner Archdia Leicester Gulielmus Skippe Archdiaco Doset Nicholaus Heth. Archdiaco Stafford Cuthbertus Mashall Arch. Notingham Ricardus Curten Archdia Oxon. Gulielmus Glife Galfridus Dovnes Robertus Oking Radulphus Bradford Richardus Smith Simon Mathew Ioannes Prin. Guliel Buckmaster Gulielmus May. Nicolaus Wotton Ricardus Coxe Ioannes Edmundes Thomas Robertson Ioannes Baker Thomas Barret Iohannes Hase Ioannes Tyson These were Doctours of Diuinitie and of both Lawes Iudge now thy selfe louing reader per confessata allegata that is by these thinges heretofore confessed alledged allowed prooued and confirmed by penne set forth by wordes defended and by othe subscribed by these Bishops and Doctours if eyther Martine Luther himselfe or anye Lutherane els could or did euer say more
Iacobum qui dicebatur Iustus apostolorum Episcopum statuunt Peter Iames Iohn after Christes ascention into heauen although they were by him preferred almost before all other yet they chalenged not that glory to themselues but decreed that Iames Iames the iuste made the bishop of the Apostles who was called Iustus should be chiefe bishop of the Apostles By these wordes it is cleare that Iames was the bish of the apostles not because as some men do glose he was elected by the Apostles but because he had thereby the primacy and honor of a bishop in Ierusalem aboue the rest of the Apostles And one thing is especially to be noted and also maruelled at that the bishops of Rome do challenge this primacy alonely by Peter and yet S. Paule which was his equal or rather superior by scripture Seing Paul was cheâ—f primate of the Gentiles it is agaynst reason that the RomaÌ„s should chalenge the primacye by Peter Lib. 3. Cap. 21. in his Apostleship amongst the Gentiles wherof Rome was the principall suffered at Rome where Peter did and is commonly in all the Romane Church ioyned with Peter in all appellations and titles of preeminence and both be called Principes Apostolorum The chiefe of the Apostles Vpon both is equally founded the Church of Rome The accounting of the Bishops of Rome many yeares agreeth thereunto For Eusebius sayth that Clemens tertius post Paulum Petrum pontificatum tenebat Clement was the third Bishop after S. Paule and Peter reckoning them both as Bishops of Rome and yet therin preferring S. Paule with like words saying of Alexander bishop of Rome that Quinta successione post Petrum atque Paulum plebis gubernacula sortitus est Alexander obteined the gouernance of the people by succession the fift Bishop after Peter and Paule Irenaeus also saith as Eusebius reciteth Lib. 5. Cap. 6. that Fundata aedificata Ecclesia beati apostoli Lino officium Episcopatus iniungunt After the Churche was once founded and builded the holy Apostles charged Linus with the Bishopricke Whereby appeareth that they both ioyntly constituted him bishop of Rome and receiued onely theyr Apostleship enioyned vnto them by Christ. And therfore if the bishops of Rome chalenge any preheminence of authority by Peter they should as well or rather challenge the same by Paul because they both founded it and both there preached and both there suffered resigning first that Bishopricke to Linus and all at once And if you will peraduenture leaue to the former preaching there by Peter which by Scripture can not be prooued yet then at least S. Paule and his successours in Ephesus should haue lyke primacy because he founded first that Church though S Iohn after that did builde it as witnesseth Eusebius saying Ecclesia quae est apud Ephesum Euseb. Lib. 3 Cap. 23. a Paulo quidem fundata est à Iohanne verâ— aedificata The Church which is at Ephesus was founded of Paule but it was builded of Saynt Iohn And so Peter should haue no other primacy in Rome The first foundation of a church maketh no primacye but as Paule had in Ephesus that is to say to be counted as the first Preacher and conuerter of the people there to the fayth of Christ. And aswell might all the Bishoppes of Ephesus challenge the primacy of all nations both Gentiles Iewes by Saynt Paule the Apostle of the Gentiles theyr founder as the Byshoppe of Rome by S. Peter the Apostle onely of the circumcision in case he were the fyrst founder challenging primacy ouer all But vndoubtedly this primacy ouer all that the Byshoppes of Rome of late doe challenge was not allowed nor yet knowne nor heard of amongest the auncient Fathers though they had theyr church of Rome in high estimation aswell for the notable vertuous deedes that the Clergy did there shew and exercise aboundantly to theyr neighbors as witnesseth the sayd Eusebius alledging there the Epistle that Dionisius Alexandrinus wrote to Soter Bishop of Rome Lib. 4. Cap. 23. Cipri Lib. â— ad Cornelâ—â— testefying the same as for that the Citty of Rome was the most ample and chiefe Citty of the world witnessing Saynt Cyprian saying Planè quoniam pro magnitudine sua debeat Carthaginem Roma praecedere illic maiora grauiora commisit Certaynely because that Rome ought for the greatnesse therof to excell Carthage there Nouatus committed the greater and more greuous offences Which Saynt Cyprian also when he had ordeyned and appoynted certayne decrees and statutes vnto the Bishop of Rome he did not submitte them to his reformation or iudgement but onely signified his owne sentence to like him also and yet adding thereunto that if any Byshops meaning aswell of Rome as of others which were of the contrary opinions to him would otherwise thinke or doe he would not then that his sentence should be to them preiudiciall neither woulde he thereby compell them to any thing but would that they should follow theyr owne mynds and customes partly for that euery one of the Byshops hath liberty of his owne will and partly for that euery gouernor shall make an accompt to God of his owne deede Cipri Lib. â— epist ad Cornelium as it appeareth playnely in his Epistle to Stephanus and Iulianus And in the 3. Epistle to Cornelius towardes the end speaking of the appeale that one Felicissimus a Nouatian after his condemnation in Affrica made to Rome he impugneth such appeales saying Quia singulis pastoribus portio gregis est asscripta quam regat vnusquisque gubernet rationeÌ„ sui actus Domino redditurus c. Forasmuch as euery pastor hath his owne flocke committed to him whiche euery one ought to rule and gouerne and must geue account to the Lord of his administration it is decreed of vs all and we thinke it both meet iust that euery mans cause and plee should there be heard where the crime is committed This holy and excellent Clerke Martir S. Cyprian would neuer haue eyther impugned theyr appeale to Rome from theyr owne primacies Appeale to Rome forbidden or so earnestly haue mainteined his determinations in the Councels of Affrike contrary to the opinion of the Bishops of Rome and to theyr customes without any submission by word or writing if the primacy ouer all which the Byshops of Rome doe challenge and vsurpe had bene grounded vpon the playne scripures as you with some others do think it is to be supposed also that he would in all his Epistles haue called them Patres or Dominos fathers or Lords as Superiors and not alwayes Fratres collegas brothers and felowes in office as but onely his equalles Which thing yet more playnely doth appeare by the actes of the Counsels of Affrike in S. Augustines time Concil Aphricas Aug. epist 16. by the which it is euident that though the fayth of Christ was by the Romaynes first brought into Affrike as S. Augustine
quemquam cunctis prodesse fauorem Et populare lucrum pellere mente manu Cui vestis textura rudis cui non fuit vnquam Ante sitim potus nec cibus ante famem Quem pudor hospitium statuit sibi quamque libido Incestos superat tam superauit eam Quem natura parens cum mundo contulit inquit Degenerant alij nascitur iste mihi Quaeque vagabatur penè reliquerat orbem Inclusit sacro pectore iustitiam Vir sacer à puero qui quantum praeminet orbi Fama adeò famae praeminet ipse suae Fama minor meritis cùm totum peruo let orbem Cùm semper crescat non erit aequa tamen Vir pius atque grauis vir sic in vtroque modestus Vt liuor neutro rodere possit eum Liuor enim destet quem carpserat antea nec tam Carpsit odit eum quam modo laudat amat Quà m prius ex vita tam nunc ex morte gemiscit Et queritur celeres huius abisse dies Vir verè sapiens parte beatus ab omni Qui coelos anima corpore ditat humum Post obitum secum viâ—ram precor ac requiescam Nec fiat melior sors mea sorte sua Althoughe in this time of Berengarus whyche was about the yeare of oure Lorde 1060. as ye haue heard this errour of transubstantiation began to growe in force and strength by the supporting of certaine popishe monkes aboue rehearsed as Lancfrancus Guimundus Algerius Hugo Bishop of Lincolne Fulbertus of whom it is said in stories that our Ladie gaue him sucke being sicke wyth her owne brestes and such other yet notwythstanding all this while the sayd TransubstantiatioÌ„ was decreed for no publicke law Transubstantiation first decreed for a general law by pope Innocent 3. The general Councell of Laterane nor doctrine to be holden by any general coÌ„sent either of the Church of Rome or any other Councell before the Councel of Laterane vnder Pope Innocent the 3. who in the yeare of our Lorde 1215. celebrating in the church of Laterane a generall councel of 1300. bishops enacted there diuers constitutions as of yerely coÌ„fession and the communion to be vsed of the whole multitude once a yeare through euery parish church Item for the recouery of the holy land with a subsidie also to be leauied for the same Item for the abolishing of the bookes and wrytinges of Ioachim Abbas and also the opinions of Almaricus afore mentioned notwithstanding that y e said Ioachim did subscribe with his owne hand that he held the same doctrine Ex Antonin part 3. tit 19. c. 1. which was in the church of Rome and also submitted hys bookes to be presented to the Sea of Rome there to bee corrected or approoued And yet was he iudged though not an heretike yet to be erroneous especially in those bokes which he wrote against Peter Lombard calide afterward the master of Sentence In the sayde Counsel besides diuers other constitutions and the Articles of the Creede there in order repeated Extrau De Sum. trin cap. 1. sirmit credimus as appeareth Extr. De summa trinit fide Catholica cap. 1. firmiter there was also enacted decreed and establyshed the fayth and beliefe of Transubstantiation in these woordes following There is one vniuersall Church of the faithful without which none can be saued in the which Church the self same Iesus Christ is both Priest and also the sacrifice The wordes of the Councell whereby transubstantiation was first established whose body and bloude are truly contained in the Sacrament of the aulter vnder the formes of breade and wine the breade being transubstantiated into the body and the wine into the bloud by the power and workinge of God so that to the accomplishing of thys mysterie of vnitie wee might take of his the same which he hath taken of ours And thys sacrament none can make or consecrate but hee that is a prieste lawfully ordained according to the keyes of the Church whych Iesus Christ hath left to his Apostles and to their successours c. And thus was the foundation layd for the building of transubstantiatioÌ„ vpon the consent of these foresayd 1300. Byshops in the yeare of our Lorde aboue specified vnder pope Innocentius and the doctrine therof intruded for an article of fayth into the church necessarily to be beleeued of all men vnder payne of heresie But yet all this while notwithstanding that the substaunte of bread and wine was nowe banished out of the sacrament Eleuation and adoration brought in by Pope Honorius the 3. ¶ Anno. 1220. and vtterly transcorporated into the substaunce ot Christes very body and bloud yet was not this body eleuated ouer the priestes head nor adored of the people till the dayes af pope Honorius the 3. succeeding after Innocentius who by his counsaile likewise commaunded adoration and eleuation to be ioyned with transubstantiation as one idolatry commonly bringeth forth an other Agayne the sayd sacramedt of the Lordes supper being now consecrated transubstantiated eleuated and adored yet it was not offered vp for a sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead nor for a remedye of the soules in Purgatory nor for a merite operis operati sine bono motu vtentis c. before that other popes comming after added still new aditions to the former inuentions of theyr predecessours And thus haue you the whol order and origine of these Idolatrous partes of the masse described by theyr times ages Consecration Transubstantiation Eleuation Adoration Oblation whiche first began with consecration and the forme therof which were wordes of the Canon Then came traÌ„substantiation by Innocentius and after eleleuation adoration by Honorius and last of all came the oblation meretorious and propitiatory for the quicke and dead in remission of sinnes Ex opere operato Which thinges being thus constituted by the to muche vsurped authority of the church of Rome Persecution first beginning in these latter dayes shortly after followed persecution tyranny and burning among the christians first beginning with the Albingenses and the fayth full congregation of Tholouse neare about the tyme of the sayd Innocentius as is afore remembred pag. 271. And thus much for the first article of transubstantiatioÌ„ which as ye haue heard was not admitted into y e Church for any generall doctrine of fayth before the yeare and time aboue assigned of pope Innocent the third and therefore if any haue bene otherwise perswaded or yet doe remayne in the same perswasion still of this doctrine as though it had bene of a longer coÌ„tinuance then froÌ„ the time aboue expressed let him vnderstand that by ignoraunce of hystories he is deceiued and for the more satisfyinge of his mynde if he credite not me Read before pag 271. Read before pag 257. Ioh. Duns in Ii 4. lib. Sentent let him beleeue the wordes of one of hys owne catholike sort Iohn Duns I meane
adherents do pursue therefore the Pope Byshops and Cardinals and their adherents are Antichrists I weene our Sillogismus be well made fol. 9. The place annexed The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuela is this I will shew thee an euident reason that thou mayst know without doubting which is the very Antichrist and this argument may be grounded of their furious persecution which Paul doth confirme writing to the GalathiaÌ„s We deare brethren are the children oâ— promise as Isaac was not the sonnes of the bond woman as Ismaell but as he that was borne aâ—ter the flesh did persecute him that was borne after y e spirite euen so is it now Mark Paules reason By Isaac are signified the elect and by Ismaell the reprobate Isaac did not persecute Ismaell but contrarye Ismaell did persecute Isaac Now let vs make our reasoÌ„ Bar All they that do persecute are Ismaell be reprobates and Antichristes ba But all the popes Cardinals bishops Maior and theyr adherentes do persecute ra Therefore all the popes cardinals bishops Minor their adherents be Ismaell reprobates and Antichristes I weene our Sillogismus is well made and in the first figure Read the place and see how he proueth the partes of this argument more at large Conclusio 13 I thinke verily that so long as the successours of the Apostles were persecuted and martyred 13. article there were good Christen men and no longer fol. 10. The Bishops of Rome in the primitiue Churche were vnder persecution the space welneare of 300. yeares vnder y e which persecution as good as 30. of them and moe dyed martyrs Since that time haue succeeded 204. popes whiche haue liued in great wealth and aboundance amongest whom if the booke of Reuelation thinke that there is not 4. to be found good christen men I thinke no lesse but that he may so thinke without any heresie 14 It is impossible that the worde of the Crosse shoulde be without affliction and persecution fol. 10. 14. article S. Paule sayth 2. Tim. 3. who soeuer will liue vertuously in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution And how then caÌ„ this be true in Paule and in this man heresie 15 That the Apostles did curse euer anye man 15. article truely we can not read in scripture for Christ commaunded them to blesse those that cursed them fol. 11. Upon what good ground of the ReuelatioÌ„ this heresie is wroung out let the place be conferred The place annexed which is written in these wordes following They are as mercifull as the Woolfe is on his pray They were ordeyned to blesse men but they curse as the deuill were in them Paule sayth that he hath power to edifie and not to destroy 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 13. But I wot not of whom these bloudy beastes haue their authority which do so much reioyce in cursing destruction We reade how Paule did excoÌ„municate the Corinthian and y t for a great transgressioÌ„ to the entent that he might be ashamed of his iniquity 1. Cor. 5. and desired agayne the Corinthians to receaue hym with all charitie 2. Cor. 2. but that the Apostles did curse anye man truely we can not read in scripture for Christ commaunded them to blesse those that cursed them and to pray for those that persecuted them c. 16 By workes superstitions and ceremonies we decay from the faith which alone doth truely iustifie and make holy fol. 15. 16. article Note here good reader how peruersly corruply this article is drawne For where the place of this book which is written fol. 15. expresly speaketh of trusting to workes meaning that we should put no confidence in workes but onely in fayth in Christ Iesus False wrasting this article to make it appeare more infamous and hereticall leaueth out the false trust and speaketh simply as though workes should decay fayth Read the place which is written in these wordes folowing Daniell calleth not this word Peschaim any maner of sinne but those speciall and chiefe sinnes whiche resist and fight agaynst the truth and the fayth as at the trusting in workes superstitions and ceremonies by y e which we decay from the fayth c. 17 The abusion of the Masse with all his solemnityes with vigils yeare mindes foundations burials 17. article and all the busines that is done for the dead is but a face and a cloke of godlynes and deceiuing of the people as they were good workes rather for the dead then for the quicke fol. 24. True godlines consisteth in fayth that is in the true knowledge of the sonne of God whom he hath sent and in y e obseruation of Gods coÌ„maundements All their rites additions instituted by man are no part of true godlines And who so putteth trust and confidence therein as being thinges meritorious for the dead is deceiued Suche funerals S. Austen calleth rather refreshinges of the liuing then releuinges and helpes of the dead 18 To keep and obserue one day to fast an other to abstaine to forbeare such a meate vpon the fasting day to deserue heauen therby is a wicked face and cloke agaynst Paul fol. 29. 18. Article The trueth of this article is manifest enough to be voyd of all errour and heresie vnlesse it be heresie to beleue and hold w t the scripture s. Paule sayth Galat. 2. if heauen our righteousnes come by the law then Christ died in vayne Gal. 2. 19. article 19 The multiplication of holydayes of feastes of Corpus Christi of the visitation of our Lady c. is a wicked face and colour and in deede foolish vnprofitable and vayne fol 30. This Article likewise nedeth no declaration conteining in it a true and necessary complaint of suche superfluous holydayes of the Popes making Which as they bring with them much occasion of wickednes idlenes dronkennesse and vanitie so hauing also ioined vnto them opinion of religion and meritorious deuotion and Gods seruice they gender superstition nourish the people in the same 20 Keeping of virginitie and chastitie of religion is a diuelishe thing 20 article fol. 30. The place cited in the booke of the Reuelation of Antichrist A other place falsly depraued by the Papistes doth sufficiently open it selfe speaking and meaning onely of those Monkishe vowes whiche by the canonicall constitution of the Pope are violeÌ„tly forced vpon Priests and Monkes the coaction whereof S. Paule doth rightly call the doctrine of deuils And here note by y e way another tricke of a Popishe cauiller For where the wordes of the booke speake plainely of the chastitie of the religious fraudulently turning it to an vniuersalitie sayeth the chastitie of Religion whereby it might seeme to the simple reader more odious hereticall The words of the place be these Keeping of virginitie chastitie of the religious semeth to be a godly and a heauenly thing but it is a
as theyr hed and superior and in that he doth obey them taketh vpon him the office or ministery committed vnto him he confesseth thereby that he hath a societie and fellowship w t them but no rule nor impery ouer them as he writeth in his epistle Peter hath 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 apostles 〈◊〉 no rule 〈◊〉 the â—â—â—stles But if none of these examples were euident or manifest the onely epistle to the Galathians were sufficieÌ„t to put vs out of all doubt where as S. Paule almost thoroughout two whole chapters doth nothing els but declare and affirme himselfe to be equall vnto Peter in the honour or dignitie of the Apostleship For first of all he reherseth how he went vp to Ierusalem vnto Peter not to the intent to professe any homage and subiection vnto him but onely to witnesse with a common consent and agreement vnto all men the doctrine which they taught that Peter did require no such things at his hand but gaue vnto him the right side or vpper hand of the fellowship that they might iointly together labour in the vineyard of the Lord. 〈◊〉 equal 〈◊〉 Peter Moreouer that he had no lesse fauour and grace amongst the Gentils then Peter had amongst the Iewes and finally when as Peter did not faithfully execute hys office and ministerie he was by him rebuked Peter became obedient vnto his correction All these things do euidently proue that there was equalitie betweene Paule and Peter and also that Peter had no more power ouer the residue of the Apostles then he had ouer Paule The which thing S. Paule euen of purpose doth intreat of lest that any man should preferre Peter or Iohn before hym in the office of Apostleship which were but his companions not Lordes ouer one a other WherupoÌ„ theâ—â— places of scripture work this effect y t I cannot acknowledge Peter to be superior or hed ouer other Apostles neyther y e Pope over other bishops But I acknowledge confesse Christ to be the only head of the church the foundation and high priest therof the which with one only oblation hath made perfect for euermore all those which are sanctified Christ the onely â—ead of the Church And I boldly doe affirme and say with S. Gregory that whosoeuer calleth himselfe or desireth to be named or called the head or vniuersal priest or bishop in that his pride he is the forerider or predecessor of Antichrist for so much as thorough his pride he doth exalt himselfe aboue all others Furthermore where as they alledge out of the olde law the high priesthood and the supreme iudgemeÌ„t which God did institute and ordaine at Ierusalem I aunswer therunto that Christ was that high bishop Vniuersall Byshop spoken agaynst by Gregory vnto whome the right and title of priesthood is now transported and referred Neither is there any man so impudent which will take vpon hym to succeed in the place or degree of hys honour For so much as this priesthood doth not consist only in learnyng but in the propitiation and mercy of God The highe priesthood in the olde lawe 〈◊〉 not proue Peter or the Popes supremacye which Christ hath fulfilled by his death and in the intercession by the which he doth nâ—w intreat for vs vnto hys father Whereas also they do alledge out of the 16. chapter of Mathew thou art Peter and vpon this rocke c. If they do thinke that this was perticularly spoken vnto Peter S. Cyprian and S. Augustine shall sufficiently aunswere them that Christ did it not for this purpose to preferre one man aboue all the residue but that thereby he might commend and set forth the vnitie of the church for so â—ayth S. Cyprian in the person of one man The place of Mathew thou aâ—te Peter and vpon this rocke Math. 16. expounded God gaue vnto him al the kayes that he might therby signify the vnity of theÌ„ all For euen as Peter was euen the very same were all the residue beyng endued with like fellowship of honour and dignity But it was conuenient that it should take his originall of one that the church of God might be manifested to be one only Saint Augustines wordes are these Cypriane if the mistery of the church were not in Peter the Lorde would not haue sayde vnto hym I wyll geue vnto thee y e kaies of the kingdome of heauen If this were spoken vnto Peter the church hath them not If the Church haue them Then Peter when he receyued the kayes did figurate the whole church Agayne when as they were all demaunded and asked only Peter answered Thou art Christ. Then was it sayd vnto him I will geue vnto thee the kaies as though that he alone had receyued the power of bindyng and loosing for like as he alone spake that for them all Augustine so he as it were bearing the person of that vnity receiued the same with them all Therfore one for them all because he is vnited vnto them all Another argument they doe gather vppon the wordes which Christ spake vnto Peter Thou art Peter and vppon this rocke will I builde my church The which wordes are not found to be spoken vnto any other of the apostles The which argument shal easily be dissolued if we did vnderstand know why Christ did geue Peter that name which otherwise was called Simon In the first chapter of Iohn Christ speaketh thus vnto hym Thou shalt be called Cephas the which by interpretation signifieth Peter in that point hauing respect vnto the constant confession of Christ which he had made lyke as God changed the name of Abraham who at the first was called Abram because he should be a father of many nations then euen as Abraham took his name of y e multitude which should come forth of his seede so likewyse Peter tooke his name of the constaunt confession of Christ which in deed is the true rocke wherupon y e church is builded and not Peter himselfe No otherwise then Abraham which was not the multitude it selfe whereof he tooke his name Besides this the church should be stayed or builded vpon ouer weak a foundation if it should haue Peter for the ground or foundation thereof who beyng amased and ouercome with the words of a little wench did so constantly deny Christ. Nowe therfore I thinke there is no man but that doth vnderstand how these Romishe builders do wrest the scriptures hether and thether like vnto the rule or squire do apply them accordyng to their wils to what end and vse they theÌ„selues thinke good Furthermore in that they doe alledge out of the xx chapiter of Iohn feede my sheepe it is ouer childish and argument for to sheepe is not to beare rule and dominion ouer the whole Church besides all this as Peter had receiued coÌ„maundement of the Lord An other obiection papisticall resolued so doth he exhort all other Bishops to feed their flocke in
thinke perchaunce that God will shew mercy Brad. Yea the children whose parentes do contemne baptisme will not I condemne because the childe shall not beare the fathers offence Harpsfield Well we agree that by Baptisme then wee are brought The Church is our mother and as a man would say begotten to Christ. For Christ is our father and the churche his spouse is our mother As all men naturally haue Adam for their father and and Eua for their mother so all spirituall men haue christ for their father and the Church for their mother And as Eua was taken out of Adams side so was the Church taken out of Christes side whereout flowed bloud for the satisfaction and purgation of our sinnes Brad. All this is truely spoken Harps Descent of the Church The Chuâ—ch of Christ is visible euen as Christ was that is not by exteriour pompe or shew but by the inwarde eye Now then tell me whether this Churche of Christ hath not bene alwayes Brad. Yea sithens the creatioÌ„ of man and shall be for euer Harps Uery good But yet tel me whether this Church is a visible Church or no Bradford It is no otherwise visible then Christ was here on earth that is by no exteriour pompe or shewe that setteth her forth commonly and therefore to see her wee must put on such eyes as good men put on to see know christ when hee walked here on earth for as Eue was of y e same substaunce that Adam was of so was the Churche of the same substaunce that Christ was of flesh of his flesh bone of his bones as Paule sayth Ephes 5. Looke therfore how Christ was visibly knowne to be Christ when he was on earth that is by considering hym after the word of GOD so is the Church knowne Harps I do not come to reason at this present thereforâ— I will goe on forwarde Multitude not alwaâ—â— the 〈◊〉 marke to 〈…〉 Church D. 〈…〉 Preaâ—â—â—ng the 〈◊〉 goeth 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 Church it be 〈…〉 sometyâ—◠〈…〉 Ad. 〈…〉 is one 〈◊〉 but not bâ—â—cause of 〈◊〉 true 〈◊〉 And yet 〈◊〉 such a 〈◊〉 but that 〈◊〉 may often letteâ— by 〈◊〉 secution yet the 〈◊〉 Church râ—â—mayne The Popes Church 〈◊〉 Baptisme 〈…〉 the Popes Church 〈…〉 A Popish â—â—â—stinction 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 be a 〈◊〉 hauing 〈◊〉 of Gospell 〈…〉 power 〈…〉 successio◠〈◊〉 Byshopâ— Is not this Churche a multitude Brad Yes that it is Howbeit latâ—t anguis in herba as the Prouerbe is For in your question is a subtiltie What visible multitude was there in Heâ—ias tyme or wheÌ„ Moses was on the Mount Aaron and all Israell worshipping the Calâ—e Harps Ye diuert from the matter Brad. No nothing at all For I doe preuent you knowing well where about you go And therfore fâ—wer wordes might well serue if that you so would Harpsfield Well I perceaue you haue knowledge and by a litle perceiue I the more Tel me yet more whether this multiude haue not the Ministery or preachyng of Gods worde Bradford Syr ye goe about the bushe If ye vnderstande Preaching for confessing the Gospel I will go with you for els if you will you may knowe that persecution often letteth preaching Harps Well I meane it so Tell mee yet more hath it not the Sacramentes administred Brad. It hath the sacramentes howbeit the administratioÌ„ of them is often letted But I wil put you from your purpose because I see where about you goe If heretickes haue Baptisme and doe Baptise as they did in S. Ciprians tyme you knowe this Baptisme is Baptisme not to be reiterate This Bradford did speake that the staÌ„ders by might see that though the Papistes Church haue baptisme which we haue receiued of them yet therfore it is not the true Church neither neede we to be baptised againe Harps You goe farre from the matter and I perceiue you haue more errours then one Brad. So you say but that is not enough til you proue theÌ„ Harps Well this Churche is a multitude Hath it not the preaching of the Gospell the ministraâ—ion of the Sacraments yet more hath it not the power of Iurisdiction Bradford What iurisdiction is exercised in persecution and affliction Harps I meane by iurisdiction admonishing one an other and so forth Brad. Well go to what then Harps It hath also succession of Byshoppes And here he made such a doe to proue y t this was an essentiall poynt Bradford You say as you woulde haue it for if this parte fayle you all the Church y t you go about to set vp will fall down Successâ—â—â— of Byshâ—â— is no esseâ—â—tial parâ— the 〈◊〉 but rathâ—â— accidenâ— commuâ—â—â— which bâ—â—ing inteâ—â—rupted 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 may stanâ— as it did both be Christe◠〈◊〉 after 〈◊〉 commiâ—â— Antichâ—â—â—â— Apostlâ— Bishopâ— sundry 〈◊〉 the minâ—â—â—ry of 〈◊〉 word aâ—â—ministeâ— an 〈◊〉 poynt oâ— true 〈…〉 locall sâ—â—cession â—â—â—ministeâ— one certayne 〈◊〉 You shall not finde in all y e scripture this your esseÌ„tiall parte of succession of Byshops In Christes Churche Antichrist will sit And Peter telleth vs as it went in the old Church afore Christes coÌ„ming so will it be in the new church sithen Christes coÌ„ming that is as there were false Prophets such as bare rule were aduersaries to the true Prophets so shall there be sayth he false teachers euen of such as are Byshops and beare rule amongest the people Harps You go alwayes out of the matter but I will proue further the succession of Byshops Bradford Do so Harps Tell me were not the Apostles Byshops Brad. No except you will make a new definition of a Byshop that is geue him no certayne place Harps In deede the Apostles office was not the Byshops office for it was vniuersall but yet Christ instituted Byshops in his church as Paule saith he hath geueÌ„ Pastors Prophetes c. so that I trow it be proued by the Scriptures the succession of Byshops to be an essentiall poynt Brad. The Ministerie of Gods worde and Ministers be an essentiall poynt But to translate this to the Byshops and their succession is a plaine subtiltie And therfore that it may be playne I will aske you a question Tel me whether that the Scripture knew any difference betwene Byshops and Ministers which ye call Priestes Harps No. Brad. Well then go on forewardes and let vs see what ye shal get now by the succession of Byshops that is of Ministers which can not be vnderstand of such Byshops as Minister not but Lord it Harps I perceiue that you are farre out of the way By your doctrine you can neuer shew in your Church a multitude which ministreth Gods word his Sacramentes which hath iurisdiction and succession of Byshops which hath from tyme to tyme beleued as you beleue beginning now and so going vpwardes as I will do of our doctrine and therefore are ye out of the church so cannot be saued Perchaunce you will bring me downwardes a shewe to bleare
hould me c. Lo quoth he how say you to this of Saint Augustine paynt me out your Church thus Bradford My Lord these wordes of S. Augustine make as muche for me as for you although I might aunswere that all this if they had bene so firme as you make them might haue bene alledged against Christ and his apostles For there was the lawe and the ceremonies consented on by the whole people confirmed with myracles antiquitie and continuall succession of Byshops from Aarons tyme vntill that present Chich. In good fayth M. Bradford you make to much of the state of the Church before Christes comming All this might be obiected agaynst Christe his Apostles by the Scribes Phariseys Brad. Therein I doe but as Peter teacheth 2. Pet. 2. and Paule very often You would gladly haue your Churche here very glorious and as a most pleasant Lady But as Christ sayde Beatus est quicunque non fuerit offensus per me So may his Churche say Blessed are they that are not offended at me Yorke Yea you thinke that none is of the Churche but such as suffer persecution Brad. What I thinke God knoweth I pray your Grace iudge mee by my woordes and speaking The Church commonly not glorious in this world but poore and persecuted and marke that Paule sayth Omnes qui. c. All that will liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecution Sometimes Christes Churche hath rest here but commonly it is not so and specially towardes the end her forme will be more vnseemely Yorke But what say you to Saint Augustine where is your Church that hath the consent of people and nations Bradford Euen all people and nations that be Gods people haue consented with me Consent of the Godly and I with them in y e docrine of fayth Yorke Lo ye go about to shift off all thinges Bradford No my Lorde I meane simply and so speake God knoweth Yorke Sainct Austen doth here talke of succession euen froÌ„ Peters seate Succession from Peter Brad. Yea that seate then was nothing so muche corrupte as it is now Yorke Well you alwayes iudge the church Bradford Christes people may discerne the Church though they iudge not the Church The Church of of Rome swarueth from the voyce of Christ and wherein No my Lord Christes sheepe discerne Christes voyce but they iudge it not so they discerne the Churche but iudge her not Yorke Yes that you do Bradford No and it like your grace and yet full well may one not onely doubt but iudge also of the Romish church for she obeyeth not christes voyce as Christes true church doth Yorke Wherein Brad. In latin seruice and robbing the Laitie of Christes cup in the sacrament and in many other thinges in which it committeth most horrible sacrilege Chic Why Latin seruice was in England when the pope was gone Brad. True the tyme was in England wheÌ„ the pope was away but not all popery as in king Henries dayes Yorke Latin seruice was appointed to be song and had in the Queere where onely were Clerici that is Latin sâ—â—â—uice deâ—â—â—ded such as vnderstode latin the people sitting in the body of the Church praying theyr owne priuate prayers and this may wel be yet seene by making of the Chauncell and Queere so as y e people could not come in or heare them Brad. Yea but in Chrisostomes time and also in the latin church in Saint Ieromes tyme Agaynâ—â— Latin seâ—â—uice all the Church sayth he reboat Amen That is aunswereth agayn mightely Amen Whereby we may see that the prayers were made so that both the people heard them and vnderstoode them Chic Ye are to blame to say that the Churche robbeth the people of the cup. Bradford Well my Lorde terme it as it please you all men knowe that laytie hath none of it Chic In deede I would wish the Church would define agayne that they might haue it for my part Brad. If God make it free who caÌ„ define to make it bond Yorke Well mayster Bradford we leese our labour The peoâ—â—â— robbed 〈◊〉 the cupâ—â— for ye seeke to put away all thinges which are tolde you to your good your Church no man can know Brad. Yes that ye may well Yorke I pray you whereby Brad. Forsooth Chrisostome sayth The 〈◊〉 knowen 〈◊〉 by the Scripturâ—â— Chrisostâ—â—â— oper impâ—â—â—fect Lyra sup Math. Tantummodo per Scripturas alonely by the Scriptures and this speaketh he very oftentimes as ye well know Yorke In deede that is of Chrysostome â—â— in opere imperfecto whiche may be doubted of The thing whereby the Church may be knowne best is succession of Byshops Bradford No my Lorde Lyra full well writeth vppon Mathew that Ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis secularis aut Ecclesiasticae sed in hominibus in quibus est notitia vera confessio fidei veritatis That is Hilarius Auâ—entâ—â—â— The church consisteth not in men by reason either of secular or temporall power but in men indued with true knowledge and confession of fayth and of veritie And in Hylarius tyme you knowe he wryteth to Aurentius that the Church did rather delitescere in cauerâ—â—s then eminere in primarijs sedibus That is was hidden rather in caues and holes then did glister and shyne in thrones of preeminence Then came one of the seruauntes and tolde them that my Lord of Duresme taryed for them at Mayster Yorkes house and this was after that they had taryed three houres with Bradford And after that their man was come they put vp theyr writtten bookes of common places and sayde that they lamented his case they willed him to read ouer a booke which did Doct. Crome good so wishyng hym good in woordes they went their waye and poore Bradford to his prison After this communication with the Bishops ended The comming of 2. Spanish frâ—â—erâ— to M. Bradford within two dayes following came into the Counter two Spanish Friers to talke with maister Bradford sent as they sayd by the Earle of Darby Of whome the one was y e kinges Confessor y e other was Alphonsus who had before written a popish booke agaynst heresies the effecte of which their reasoning here likewise followeth Talke betweene mayster Bradford and two Spanishe Fryers VPpon the 25. day of February The talke betweene certayne â—riers and M. Bradfoâ—â— about 8. of the clock in the morning two Spanish Fryers came to the CouÌ„ter where Bradford was prisoner to whoÌ„ Bradford was called Then the one Fryer which was the kinges Confessor asked in Latin for all their talke was in Latin of Bradford whether he had not seene nor heard of one Alphonsus that had written agaynst heresies Brad. I do not know him Confes. Well this man poynting to Alphonsus is he This Alphonsus had write a booke 〈…〉 Latin agaynâ—â— heresies Wee are come to you of loue and charitie by the meanes of the
doubtfull By grace sayth the scripture through promise to all and vpon all y t beleue and not by the law vpon them that do deserue For if it come by deseruing theÌ„ is it not of grace If it be not of grace Rom. 3. theÌ„ is it not of promise And contrariwise if it be of grace and promise then is it not of works sayth S. Paul Upon this foundatioÌ„ of Gods free promise and grace first builded the Patriarckes Rom. 11. kinges and prophets Upon the same foundation also Christ the Lord builded his church Upon the which foundation the Apostles likewise builded the Church Apostolicall or Catholicall This Apostolicall and Catholicke foundation so long as the Church did retayn so long it continued sincere and sound which endured a long seasoÌ„ after the apostles time But after in proces of yeares through wealth and negligence crept into the Church so soone as this foundation began to be lost came in newe builders which would build vpon a new foundation a new Churche more glorious which we call now the Church of Rome Who beyng not contented with the olde foundation and the head corner stone whiche the Lord by his word had layd in place therof they layde the ground worke vppon the condition and strength or the lawe and workes Although it is not to be denyed but that the doctrine of gods holy law and of good workes according to the same is a thing most necessary to be learned and followed of all men yet is not that y e foundation wherupon our saluation consisteth neither is that foundation able to beare vp the weight of the kingdome of heauen but is rather the thing which is builded vppon the foundatioÌ„ which foundatioÌ„ is Iesus Christ according as we are taught of Saint Paul saying 1. Cor. 3. No man can lay any other foundation beside that whiche is layde Christ Iesus c. But this auncient foundation with the olde auncient Church of Christ as I sayd hath bene now of long tyme forsaken in stead therof a new Church The doctrine of the church corrupted with a new foundation hath bene erected and framed not vpon gods promise his free grace in Christ Iesus nor vpon free iustification by fayth but vpon merits desertes of mens working And hereof haue they planted al these their new deuises so infinite that they cannot wel be numbred as masses trecenares diriges obsequies mattens and houres singing seruice vigiles midnightrising barefootgoing fishtasting lentfast imberfast stations rogations iubiles aduocatioÌ„ of saints praying to images pilgrimage walking workes of supererogation application of merites orders rules sectes of religion vowes of chastitie wilful pouerty pardons relations indulgences penaunce and satisfaction with auricular confession sounding of Abbaies building of Chappels geuing to Churches And who is able to recite all their laborious buildinges falsly framed vpon a wrong ground and all for ignoraunce of the true foundation whiche is the free iustification by fayth in Christ Iesus the sonne of God Moreouer to note The life and maners of the church corrupted that as this new founde Church of Rome was thus deformed in doctrine so no lesse was it corrupted in order of life deepe hipocrisie doing al thinges onely vnder pretenses and dissembled titles So vnder y e pretence of Peters chayre they exercised a maiestie aboue Emperours and kinges Under the visour of their vowed chastitie reigned adultery vnder the cloke of professed pouerty they possessed the goodes of the temporalty Habentes speciem pietatis sed vim eius abnâ—gantes 2. Tim. 3· Under the tytle of being dead vnto the world they not only reigned in y e world but also ruled the world vnder the colour of y e keyes of heaueÌ„ to hang vnder theyr girdle they brought all the states of the worldes vnder theyr girdle crept not onely into the purses of men but also into theyr consciences they heard theyr confessions they knew their secrets they dispensed as they were disposed loosed what them listed And finally when they had brought the whole world vnder theyr subiection yet dyd theyr pryde neyther cease to ascend neyther could their auarice be euer satisfied And if the example of Cardinall Wolsey and other Cardinalles and popes cannot satisfie thee I beseech the gentle Reader turne ouer the foresayd booke of the ploughmans tale in Chaucer aboue mencioned wher thou shalt vnderderstaÌ„d much more of theyr demeanour then I haue here described In these so blynd and miserable corrupt dayes of darcknes and ignoraunce The reformation of the Church necessary thou seest good Reader I doubt not howe necessary it was and high time that reformation of the Church should come which now most happily graciously began to worke through the mercifull and no lesse needfull prouidence of almightye God Who although he suffered hys Church to wander and start aside through the seduction of pride and prosperitie a long time yet at length it pleased his goodnes to respect hys people and to reduce hys church into the prestine foundation and frame againe from whence it was pitiously before decayed Whereof I haue now consequently to intreat intending by the grace of Christ to declare how and by what meanes first this reformation of the church began and howe it proceeded increasing by little and little into this perfection which now we see and more I trust shall see And herein we haue first to behold the admirable work of Gods wisedome The first beginning of reformatioÌ„ how and by what means For as the first decay and ruine of the church before began of rude ignoraunce lacke of knowledge in teachers so to restore y e church agayne by doctrine and learning it pleased God to open to man y e arte of printing the time wherof was shortly after y e burning of Hus and Hierome Printing being opened incontinent ministred to the Churche the instrumentes and tooles of learning knowledge which were good bookes and authors which before lay hid and vnknowne Printing the fountain of reformation The science of Printing being found immediately followed the grace of God whiche styrred vp good wittes aptly to conceiue the light of knowledge and of iudgement by which light darcknes began to be espied and ignoraunce to be detected trueth from errour religion from superstition to be discerned as is aboue more largely discoursed where was touched the inuenting of printing pag. 707. Vid. supra pag. 707. Furthermore after these wittes styrred vp of God folowed other more increasing dayly more and more in science in tongues and perfection of knowledge who now were able not onely to discerne in matters of iudgement but also were so armed and furnished with y e helpe of good letters that they did encounter also with the aduersary sustayning the cause defence of learning against barbaritie of veritie against errour of true religion against superstition In number of whom amongest many other here vnnamed
contrary according as Christ doth tell vs of the scribes phariseis admonishing vs to followe theyr doctrine not their liues Mat. 23. but there is great difference Math. 23. whether they y t take the gouernance of the church do sit in Moses chayre which is the seate of truth or els doe sit in the chayre of abhomination spoken of by Daniell also by S. Paule where he sayth 2. Thes. 2. That the man of perdition shal sit in the temple of God vaunting hymselfe insolently aboue all that is called God 2. Thes. 2. And as touching the keyes of binding loosing geuen to Peter Christ therein assigned to Peter The keyes of binding loosing other apostles the office of preaching the word of the gospell whiche they did also well obserue in preaching nothing els but onely the word in the whiche word is al the power conteyned of binding loosing Neither is it to be granted the Church to haue two heades one in heauen an other in earth The head whereof is but one whiche is Iesus Christ whome the father hath appoynted to be head alone both in heauen and earth Ephes. 1. Colos. 1. as S. Paul in many places of his Epistles doth teach Ephes. 1. Colos. 1 c. The Fryer You haue no vnderstanding how to expound the Scriptures But the olde doctors haue expounded the scriptures holy Councels Auricular confession whose iudgements are to be followed But what say you to auricular confession The Martyr I know no other confession but that which is to be made to God and reconciliation towardes our neighbour which Christ and his Apostles haue commended to vs. The Fryer Haue you not read in the Gospell howe Christ doth bid vs to confesse to the priest where hee commaunded the leper being made whole to shew hym selfe to the priest The Martyr The true church of the Lord Iesus Christ neuer obserued this straunge kinde of confession to carrye our sinnes to the priestes eare And though the churche of Rome haue intruded this maner of confessing it followeth not thereby that is to be receiued And as touching the leper whome the Lorde sent to the priest he was not sent therefore to whisper his sins in the Priestes care but onely for a testimony of hys health receiued according to the law Of the other confession whiche is to be made to God we haue both the examples and testimonyes of the prophet Dauid full in the psalmes 32.51.106 where he sayth Psal. 32.51.106 That he confessed his sinnes vnto the Lord and receiued forgeuenes of the same The Fryer After this the fryer proceeding further to make comparison betweene the churche of Rome The Church of Rome and of Geneua compared and the churche of Geneua would proue that the pope hath power to set lawes in the Church without anye expresse worde of God For so it is written sayd hee That there were many other thinges besides which are not written in this booke Ioan. 21. Also where Christ promiseth to his Disciples to send vnto them the holye ghost which shuld induce them into al truth Moreouer such decres ordinances which are in y e church were decided sayd he and appoynted by the doctors of y e church by al the Councels directed no doubt by the holy Ghost Furthermore he inferred that y e church also of Geneua had theyr ordinaunces and constitutions made without any word of God And for example he brought forth the order of the psalms and seruice publiquely obserued and appoynted vpon wednesday in the churche of Geneua as though that day were holyer then an other The Martyr To this the martyr answered agayne declaring that the ordinaunce of those publicke prayers and psalmes vppon wednesday in the churche of Geneua was not to bynde conscience or for anye superstitious obseruation or for any necessitie whiche eythere should bind conscience or could not be altered at their arbitrement but onely for an order or commoditie for publike resort to heare the word of god according as ancient kings temporall Magistrates haue vsed in old time to doe in congregating the people together not to put any holines in the daye or to bind conscience to any obseruation as the pope maketh his lawes but onely for orders sake seruing vnto commoditie And as touching that any thing should be left for doctors and counsels to be decided without the expresse word of God that is not so for that al things be expressed and prescribed by the word whatsoeuer is necessary eyther for gouernment of the Church or for the saluation of men so that there is no neede for doctours of the Church or Councels to decide anye thing more then is decided already Rom. 15. 2. Iohn Paule sayth that he durst vtter nothing but that the Lord had wrought by him Rom. 15. S. Iohn speaking of the doctrine of Christ Iesu willeth vs to receaue no man vnles he bring with him the same doctrine 2. Ioan. S. Paule warneth the Gallat not to beleeue an angell from heauen The Church ought to be gouerned only by the voyce of the Lords word 1. Pet. 5. bringing an other doctrine thē that which they had already receiued Gal. 2. Christ callyng himselfe the good shepheard noteth them to be his sheep which heare his voyce and not the voyce of others Ioh. 11 And S. Peter admonishing the pastors of y e churche forewarneth them to teache onely the woorde of God without any seeking of Lordship or dominion ouer the flocke From the which moderation how far y e forme of the popes church doth differ the tyranny whiche they vse doth well declare The Fryer In the old churche priestes and ministers of the church were wont to assemble together for deciding of such thinges as pertained to the gouernment and direction of the church whereas in Geneua no such thing is vsed as I can proue by this your owne testament here in my handes that you the better may vnderstand what was then the true vse and manner of the Churche The Martyr Churches may be instituted without the Pope What was the true order and manner that the Apostles did institute the church of Christ I would gladly heare and also would desire you to consider the same and when you haue well considered it yet shall you finde the institution and regiment of the Church of Geneua not to be without the publicke counsell and aduisement of the magistrates elders ministrs of that church with such care and diligence as Paule and Silas took in ordering the church of Thessalonica Birrhea c. wherin nothing was don without the authoritie of Gods word as appeareth Act. 17. As likewise also in stablishing the Church of Antioch when the Apostles were together in counsell for y e same there was no other law nor doctrine folowed but onely the word of God as may appere by the wordes of the Councell Quid tentatis Deum
them how to aunswere to euery poynt of christian doctrine so well as if he had done no other thing in all his life but onely studyed diuinity and yet was he but very simply learned Then was he sent from them apart vnto an other Prison full of filthy stinche and vermine where notwithstāding he ceased not to sing Psalmes that the other might well heare him He had a young nephew in an other prison by being but a childe of whom he asked what he had sayd to the Iudges He sayde that he was constrayned to do reuerence to a crucifixe painted O thou noughty boy said he haue not I taught thee y e commandements of God Images forbidden Knowest thou not how it is written Thou shalt not make to thy selfe no grauen Image c. and so beganne to expound to hym the Commaundementes whereunto hee gaue good attention In their examinations many questiōs were propounded by the Doctors and Friers touching matters both of religion and also to know of them what Gentlemen and Gentlewomen were there present at the ministration of the Sacrament Whereunto they aunswered in such sort as was both sufficient for defence of theyr owne cause and also to saue theyr other brethren from blame saying that they woulde liue and dye in that they had sayd and maynteyned When the time of theyr execution was come they perceiued that the Iudges had intended that if they would relent they shoulde be strangled if not they should burne aliue and theyr tongues be cutte from them Which tormentes they being content to suffer for our Sauiour Iesus Christ offered their tongues willingly to the hangman to be cut Gabart began a little to sigh Their tounges cut for that he might no more prayse the Lord with his tongue Whome then Cene did comfort Then were they drawne out of prison in the dōg cart to the suburbes of S. Germane Whom the people in rage and madnes folowed with cruell iniuries and blasphemies as though they would haue done the execution themselues vpon them Maugre the hangman The cruelty of theyr death was suche as hath not lightly bene sene Crueltie for they were holden long in the ayre ouer a small fire and theyr lower partes burnt of before that the higher partes were much harmed with the fire Neuerthelesse these blessed sayntes ceased not in all these tormentes to turne vp theyr eyes to heauen and to shewe forth infinite testimonyes of theyr fayth constancy In the same fire many Testamentes and Bibles the same time also were burnt Upon the sight of this cruelty See heere howe the whole power of the world was confederate together against the poore saints of God according to the prophecie of the 2. Psalme Astiterunt Reges terrae principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus Dominum c. the frendes of the other prisoners which remayned behinde fearyng the tyranny of these iudges presented certaine causes of refusall agaynst the sayd iudges requiring other Commissioners to be placed But the king beyng hereof aduertised by his Sollicitour sent out hys letters patentes commaunding the sayd causes of refusall to be frustrate and willed the former iudges to proceed all other letters and obstacles to the contrary notwithstanding and that the Presidentes should haue power to chuse to them other counsellers according to theyr owne arbitrement to supply the place of such as were absent amongest whome also the sayd Sollicitour was receyued in stead of the kinges Procurator to pursue the proces By the which letters patents it was decreed that these stubberne Sacramentaries as they were called should be iudged accordingly saue only that they should not proceed to the executiō before the king were aduertised These letters aforesaid stirred vp the fire of this persecution not a litle for that the Iudges at this refusall tooke great indignation and were mightily offended for that reproch Notwithstanding so it pleased God Albert Hartung deliuered that a yong man a Germane called Albert Hartung borne in the country of Brandeburge and godsonne to Albert Marques of Brandeburge by the kinges commaundement was deliuered through the importune sute of the sayde Marques Ex Ioan. Crisp lib. 6. 2. Presidentes 25. Counsellers The Lieuetenant ciuil Doctors Friers Sorbonistes Benedictus Iacobin Demochares Maillard Fridericke Danuile Frances Rebezies At Paris An. 1558. Mentiō was made aboue of certaine yong scholers and studentes which were in the litle castle with Peter Gabart Of the which nūber of Scholers were these two Fridericke Danuile and Frances Rebezies neyther of them being past twēty yeres of age Fridericke Danuile Fraunces Rebezies martyrs How valiauntly they behaued thēselues in those tender yeares susteining the quarel of our Lord Iesus Christ what cōfession they made what conflictes they had disputing with the Doctors of Sorbone theyr own letters left in writing do make record y e effect wherof briefly to touch is this And first touchinge Fridericke Danuile The Lieuetenant criminall who before was halfe suspected but nowe thinking to proue himselfe a right catholick and to recouer his estimation agayne came to him beginninge with these wordes of Scripture Who so euer denyeth me before men him will I denye before my father c Math. 10. That done hee asked him what he thought of the Sacrament To whom Friderick aunswered that if he should thinke Christ Iesus to be betweene the Priestes handes after the Sacramentall wordes as they call them then should he beleue a thing contrary to the holy Scripture and to the Creed which saith Act. 2. that he sitteth on the right hād of the Father Also to the testimonye of the Aungelles whiche speake both of the ascending of Christ and of his commyng downe agayn Act. 1. After these questions with him touching Inuocation of Sayntes Purgatorye c. Wherunto he aunswered so that he rather did astonish the enemies then satisfy them Furthermore the 12. of September the sayd Fridericke agayne was brought before Benedictus Iacobin and his companion a Sorbonist called Noster Magister who thus began to argue with him The Doctor Which thinke you to bee the true Churche the Churche of the Protestantes or the Churche of Paris The Martyr I recognise that to be the true Church where the Gospell is truely preached and the Sacramentes rightly administred so as they bee lefte by Iesus Christ and his Apostles The Doctor And is the Church thinke you of Geneua such a one as you speake of The Martyr I so iudge it to be The Doctor And what if I doe prooue the contrary will you beleue me The Martyr Yea it you shall proue it by the Scripture The Doctor Or will you beleue S. Austen and other holy doctors innumerable The Martyr Yea so they dissent not from the scripture and the word of God The Doctor By the authority of S. Austen The Church the Church is there where is the succession of Byshops whereupon I frame this argument There is the Church
you and all such as are of your company simply name the Lord without putting to y e pronoune our So may the deuils well call the Lord and tremble before his face The Martyr The deuils call the Lord in such sort as the phariseis did when they brought the adoulteresse before him and called him Mayster yet neither attended they to his doctrine nor intended to be his disciples Whose case I trust is nothing like to ours whiche know and confesse as we speake him to be the true Lord with all our hart so as true Christians ought to do The Doctor I know you hold well the church to be where y e word is truely preached The church and the Sacramentes syncerely ministred according as they are lefte of Christ and his Apostles The Martyr That do I beleue and in that will I liue and dye The Doctor Doe not you beleue that whosoeuer is wythout that church cannot obteine remission of his sinnes The Martyr Who soeuer doth separate himself froÌ„ that church to make either sect part or deuision cannot obteyne as you say The Doctor Now let vs coÌ„sider two churches the one wherin the word is rightly preached and Sacraments administred accordingly as they be left vnto vs 2. Churches The other wherin the word Sacramentes be vsed contraryly Which of these two ought we to beleue The Martyr The first The Doctor Well sayd Next is now to speake of the gifts geuen to the sayd Church as the power of the keyes confession for remission of sinnes after we be confessed to a Priest Also we must beleue the vij Sacramentes in the same Church truely administred as they be here in the Churches of Paris where the Sacrament of the aultar is ministred and the Gospell truely preached The Martyr Syr now you begin to halt As for my part I do not receiue in the Church moe then 2. Sacramentes which be instituted in the same for the whole coÌ„munalty of Christians Power of the keyes And as concerning the power of the keyes and your confessioÌ„ I beleue that for remission of our sinnes we ought to go to none other but onely to God as we read 1. Iohn 1. Confession If we confesse our sinnes God is faythfull and iust to pardon our offences and he will purge vs from all our iniquityes c. Also in the Prophet Dauid Psal. 19. and 32. I haue opened my sinne vnto thee c. The Doctor Should I not beleue that Christ in the time of his Apostles gaue to them power to remit sinnes The Martyr The power that Christ gaue to his Apostles if it be well considered is nothing disagreyng to my saying And therefore I beganne to say whiche here I confesse that the Lord gaue to his Apostles to preach the woord and so to remitte sinnes by the same woord The Doctor Do you then deny auriculer confession The Martyr Yea verily I do The Doctor Ought we to pray to Sayntes The Martyr I beleue no. The Doctor Tell me that I shall aske Iesus Christ beinge here vpon the earth was he not then as well sufficient to heare the whole world to be intercessour for all as he is now The Martyr Yes The Doctor But we finde that when he was here on earth Intercession of Saintes his Apostles made intercession for the people why may they not do the same as well now also The Martyr So long as they were in the world they exercised theyr ministery and prayed one for an other as needing humayne succours together but now they beyng in Paradise all theyr prayer that they make is this that they wish that they which be yet on earth may attayne to theyr felicitie but to obtein any thing at the fathers hand we must haue our recourse onely to his sonne The Doctor If one man haue such charge to pray for another may not he then be called an intercessor The Martyr I graunt The Doctor Well then you say there is but one intercessour Wherupon I inferre that I being bound to pray for an other neede not nowe to goe to Iesus Christe to haue him an intercessor but to God alone setting Iesus Christ apart and so ought we verily to beleue The Martyr You vnderstand not sir that if God doe not behold vs in the face of his owne welbeloued sonne then shall we neuer be able to stand in his sight For if he shall looke vpon vs he can see nothing but sin And if the heaueÌ„s be not pure in his eyes what shal be thought then of man so abhominable and vnprofitable which drinketh iniquitie like water as Iob doth say Then the other Fryer seeing hys fellowe to haue nothing to aunswere to this inferred as followeth The Doctor Nay my friend as touching the great mercy of God Note this blasphemous doctrine which maketh saints equall intercessours with Christ let that stand and now to speake of our selues this we know that god is not displeased with them which haue their recourse vnto hys sayntes The Martyr Syr we must do not aâ—â—er our owne willes but according to that which God willeth and commandeth For this is the trust that we haue in him that if wee demaund any thing after his will he will heare vs. 1. Ioh. 5. The Doctor As no man commeth to the presence of an earthly king or prince without meanes made by some about him so or rather much more to the heauenly king aboue c. The Martyr To this earthly example I will aunswere wyth an other heauenly example of the prodigall son who sought no other meanes to obtayn his fathers grace but came to the father himselfe Then they came to speake of adoration which the sayd Rebezies disproued by the scriptures Worshipping of saintes Act. 10.13.14 Apoc. 19 22. Heb. 10.14.12 Where is to be noted that where the martyr alledged the 12. to the Heb. the Doctors aunswered that it was the 11. chap. when the place in deed is neither in the 11. nor in the 12. But in the 14. chap. of of the Actes So well seene were these Doctors in their diuinitie The Doctor Touching the masse what say you Beleeue you not that when the priest hath consecrated the hoste The presence of Christ in the hoste our Lord is there as well and in as ample sorte as he was hanging vpon the crosse The Martyr No verily But I beleeue that Iesus Christ is sitting at the right hand of his father as appeareth Heb. 10.1 Cor. 15. Colos. 3. and therefore to make short with you I holde your masse for none other Masse but for a false and a counterfeyted seruice set vp by sathan and retayned by his ministers by the which you do anhilate the precious bloud of Christ hys oblation once made of his owne body you know right well that the same is sufficient and ought not to be reiterated The Doctor You deceiue your selues in the word reiteration for we do
the church My grief most bitter is turned to peace c. But the malignant church sayth Peace peace and there is no peace but onely that wherof it is written When the mighty armed man kepeth his gates he possesseth all thinges in quiet But when he seeth that he shal be vanquished of a stronger then he him selfe is he spoyleth and destroyeth all thinges What now a dayes beginneth agayne to be attempted I dare not say God graunt vs grace that we doe not refuse and reiect if it bee Christ him that commeth vnto vs 2. Thess. 2. least that we doe feele that terrible iudgement agaynst vs because sayth he they haue not receiued the loue of trueth that they might be saued therefore God will send vpon them the blindnesse of errour that they shall geue credite vnto lyes O terrible sentence whiche God knoweth whether a great number haue not alreadye incurred that all they might bee iudged which haue not geuen credite vnto the trueth Notes and argumentes prouing that it is not the true word of God which hath bene preached in the Popes Church but consented vnto iniquity The tyme shall come sayth he when that they will not suffer the true doctrine to be preached And what shall we theÌ„ say of that learning which hath now so loÌ„g time raigned and triumphed so that no man hath once opened his mouth agaynst it Shall we think it sound doctrine Truely iniquity did neuer more abound nor charity was neuer so cold And what should we say to be the cause therof hath the cause bene for lacke of preaching agaynst the vices of men and exhorting to charity That cannot be for many learned and greate Clearkes sufficiently can witnesse to the contrary And yet all these notwithstanding we see the life and maners of meÌ„ do greatly degenerate from true Christianity and seme to cry out in deede that it is fulfilled in vs which God in times past threatned by his Prophet Amos Amos 8. saying Beholde the day shall come sayth the Lord that I will send hunger vpon the earth not hunger of bread neither thirst of water but of hearing the word of God and the people shall be moued from sea to sea and from the West vnto East and shall runne about seekinge for the word of God but shall not finde it In those dayes the fayre Virgines and young men shall perish for thirst c. But now to passe ouer many thinges This letter may well answere to the note of D. Saunders booke intituled The rocke of the Church fol. 14. nota 5. whereby I am mooued to feare that the word of God hath not bene purely preached thys is not the leaste argument that they whiche come and are sent and endeuour themselues to preach Christ truely are euyll spoken of for his name which is the rocke of offence and stumbling blocke vnto them which stumble vpon hys woorde and doe not beleue on hym on whome they are builded But you will aske who are those men what is theyr doctrine Truely I say whosoeuer entreth in by the doore Christ into the sheepfolde which thing all such shall do as seeke nothing els but the glory of God and saluation of soules Of all such it may be truely said that whom y e Lord sendâ—th he speaketh the woord of God And why so Because he representeth the Aungel of the church of Philadelphia vnto whom Saynt Iohn writeth saying This sayth he Apoc. 3. which is holy and true which hath the keyes of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth behold saith he speaking in the name of Christ which is the dore and dorekeper I haue set before thee an open dore that is to say of the Scriptures opening thy senses that thou shouldest vnderstand the Scriptures and that because thou hast entred in by me which am the dore Iohn 3â— For whosoeuer entreth in by me which am the dore shal be saued he shall goe in and come out and find pasture for the dorekeeper openeth the dore vnto him and the sheepe heare his voyce But contrariwise they whiche haue not entred in by the doore Who 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 but haue clymed in some other way by ambition auarice or desire of rule they shall euen in a moment goe downe into hell except they repent And of them is the saying of Ieremy verefied All beautye is gone away from the daughter of Syon because her princes are become lyke rammes Lameâ—â— 1. not finding pasture And why so Because like theeues robbers they haue clymed an other way not being called nor sent And what meruaile is it if they doe not preach when as they are not sent but runne for lucre seeking theyr owne glory and not the glory of God and saluation of soules Outward callyng by kynges and princes in Christes ministry auayleth nothing without the inward calling of God And this is y e roote of all mischeife in the Church that they are not sent inwardly of God For without this inward calling it helpeth nothing before God to be a hundreth times electe and consecrate by a thousande Bulles eyther by Pope King or Emperour God beholdeth the harte whose iudgementes are according to truth howsoeuer we deceyue the iudgement of men for a tyme which also at the last shall see theyr abhomination This I say is the originall of all mischiefe in the Church that we thrust in our selues into the charge of soules whose saluation and the glory of God which is to enter in by the doore we doe not thirst nor seeke for but altogether our owne lucre profit Hereupon it commeth that wee knowe not howe to preach Christ purely For how should they preach Christ saith the Apostle except they be sent for otherwise many theeues and robbers do preach him but with theyr lippes onely for theyr hart is farre from him The roote of all mischiefe in the Church Ex Prudentio Neither yet do we suffer those which do know how to preach but persecute them and go about to oppresse the Scriptures now springing vnder the pretence of godlinesse fearing as I suppose least the Romaines should come take our place Ah thou wicked enemy Herode why art thou afrayd that Christe shoulde come he taketh not away mortall and earthly kingdomes Lay thys letter against Doct. Saunders booke aforesayd Exod. 5. which geueth heauenly kingdomes O blindnesse O our great blindnesse yea more then that of Egypt of the which if there be any that would admonish the people by and by sayth Pharao Moyses and Aaron why do ye cause the people to cease from theyr labours and truely called theyr labours Get you to your burdens Lay more worke vpon them and cause them to do it that they harken not vnto lyes The persecuters of our time compared to Pharao Thus the people was dispersed throughout all y e land of Egypt to gather vp chaffe I say to gather
say his mind plainely of his answeres aboue declared demauÌ„ded what he thought therof whether they were true or no. To this Bainham sayd that it was to high for him to iudge And then being asked of the Bishop whether there was any Purgatory he aunswered and sayd he could not beleue that there was any Purgatory after this life Upon other Articles being examined and demaunded he grauÌ„ted as foloweth That he could not iudge whether Bayfild dyed in the true fayth of Christ or no. That a man making a vowe can not breake it without deadly sinne That a Prieste promising to liue chaste may not mary a wife That he thinketh the Apostles to be in heauen That Luther did nought in marying a Nunne That a childe is the better for confyrmation That it is an offence to God if any man keepe bookes prohibited by the Church the pope the Bishop or the King and sayde that he pondered those poyntes more now then he did before c. Upon these aunsweres the Bishop thinking to keepe him in safe custody to further triall committed him to one of the Counters The time thus passing on which bringeth all thinges to theyr end in the month of Febr. next folowing in y e yere of our Lord 1532. the foresayd I. Bainham was called for again to the bishops CoÌ„sistory before his Uicar general other his assistance Anno. 1532. to whoÌ„ Foxford the bishops ChauÌ„cellor recited again his articles answeres aboue meÌ„tioned protesting that he inteÌ„ded not to receiue him to y e vnity of y e holy mother church Baynham agayne brought before the Byshops ChauÌ„cellor vnlesse he knew the said BainhaÌ„ to be returned again purely vnfaynedly to the catholick faith and to submit himselfe penitently to the iudgement of the Church To whom Bainham spake in this effect saying that he hath and doth beleue the holy Church and holdeth the fayth of the holy mother the Catholicke Church Wherunto the ChauÌ„cellor offring to him a Bill of hys abiuratioÌ„ after y e forme of y e Popes church coÌ„ceiued required him to read it Who was coÌ„tented read to y e clause of y e abiuratioÌ„ coÌ„teining these words I voluntarily as a true peniteÌ„t persoÌ„ returned froÌ„ my heresies vtterly abiure c. there he staid would read no farther saying y t he knew not y e articles coÌ„teined in his abiuratioÌ„ to be heresy therefore he could not see why he should refuse theÌ„ Which done y e ChauÌ„cellor proceded to the reading of this seÌ„teÌ„ce definitiue coÌ„ming to y e place of this senteÌ„ce y e doctrine determinatioÌ„ of the church c. there paused saying he would reserue y e rest till he saw his time WhoÌ„ then BainhaÌ„ desired to be good vnto him affirming that he did acknowledge y t there was a Purgatory that y e soules of the apostles were in heauen c. Then began he agayne to read the sentence but Bainham agayne desired him to be good vnto him Whereupon he ceased the sentence sayd that he would accept this his confession for that time as sufficient So BainhaÌ„ for that present was returned to his prison agayne Who then the 5. day after Baynham agayne brought to the Consistorye Baynham loth to abiure which was the 8. day of February appeared as before in the consistory Whom the foresayd Chauncellor repeating agayne his articles answeres asked if he would abiure and submit himself who aunswered that he would submitte himselfe and as a good Christian man should Agayne the Chauncellor the second time asked if he woulde abiure I will sayd he forsake all my Articles and will meddle no more with them so being commaunded to lay his handes vpon the booke read his abiuration opeÌ„ly After y e reading wherof he burst out into these wordes saying that because there were many wordes in the sayd abiuration which he thought obscure difficile he protested that by his oth he intended not to go from such defence which he might haue had before his oth Which done y e ChauÌ„cellor asked him why he made that protestation BainhaÌ„ said for feare least any man of ill will do accuse me hereafter TheÌ„ y e ChauÌ„cellor taking y e definitiue senteÌ„ce in his hand disposing himself as appeared to read the same Well M. Baynham sayd he take your othe and kille the booke or els I will do mine office agaynst you so immadiatly he tooke the booke in his hand and kissed it and subscribed the same with his hand * Iames Baynham enioyned Penaunce ¶ The proces agaynst Iames Baynham in case of relapse THe 19. day of Aprill 1532. M. Rich. Foxford Uicar general to the bishop of London accoÌ„panied with certein Diuines Mathew Grefton the Register sitting iudicially An other processe agaynst â—ames Baynham Ex Regist. Lond. Iames BainhaÌ„ was brought before him by the Lieutenant of the tower before whoÌ„ y e vicar general rehearsed y e articles coÌ„teined in his abiuration before made shewed him a bound booke which the sayd BainhaÌ„ acknowledged to be his owne writing saying that it was good Then he shewed him more of a certain letter sent vnto the bishop of LondoÌ„ y t which also he acknowledged to be his obiecting also to the sayd BainhaÌ„ that he had made read the abiuration which he had before recited Anno 1532. shewing him moreouer certain letters which he had written vnto his brother the which he confessed to be his owne writing saying moreouer that though he wrote it yet there is no thinge in the same that is nought if it be as my Lord Chauncellor sayth Then he asked of Bainham how he vnderstood this which foloweth which was in his letters yet coulde they not see nor know him for God when in deed he was both God man yea he was three persons in one the father the sonne the holy ghost Bainham sayd it was nought Whych thinges thus done there was further obiected vnto hym these words that he had as leue pray to Ioane his wife as to our Lady The which article BainhaÌ„ denied The sayd BainhaÌ„ amongst other talke as touching the sacrameÌ„t of y e alter sayd Christes body is not chewed w t teeth but receiued by fayth Further it was obiected agaynst him that notw tstanding his abiuration he had sayd that the Sacrament of the altar was but a misticall or memoriall body y t which article Bainham denied Articles falslye depraued by the aduersaryes It was further layd vnto him that he should say that S. Thomas of Caunterbury was a thiefe and murtherer and a deuil in hel Whereunto he answered thus that S. Thomas of Canterbury was a murtherer and if he did not repent him of his murther Thomas Becket he was rather a deuill in hell then a saynt in heauen The 20. day of April in the yere aforesaid y e said Iames BainhaÌ„ was brought before the vicar generall in y e church
power ouer them be called gracious Lords but so it shal not be amongst you But whosoeuer amongst you is the greater shal be as the yonger And whosoeuer amongst you shall be chiefe shal be as a seruaunt and a minister c. And againe Christ speaking to Pilate of his kingdome declareth that his kingdome is not of this world therefore sayth Tonstall those that go about to make of Christs spirituall kingdome 〈◊〉 22. a worldly kingdome do fall into the error of some heretickes that looke that Christ after the day of iudgement shall raign with all his sayntes here in earth carnally in Hierusalem as the Iewes do beleue that Messias is yet to come and when he shall come he shall raigne worldly in Hierusalem By these and such other places it may well appere that Christ neither before his incarnation Iohn 18. as Tonstall sayth nor after his incarnation did euer alter the authoritye of worldly kinges and Princes but by his owne woorde commaunded them still to be obeyed of theyr subiectes as they had bene in the auncient time before c. And for examples of the same Math. 22. Examples of Christes humble subiection he alledgeth first y e example of Christ himselfe Mathew 22. who being asked of the Iewes whether they should geue tribute to Caesar or no he bad theÌ„ geue to Caesar those thinges that be his and to God those thinges that be his signifying that tribute was due to Caesar and that theyr soules were due to God c. Also in the 17. of Mathew it appeareth that Christ bad Peter pay tribute for him and his Disciples Math. 17. when it was demaunded of him And why Because he woulde not chaunge the order of obeysaunce to worldly Princes due by theyr subiectes c. An other example of Christe he citeth out of the 6. of Iohn Iohn 6. where after Christ had fed fiue thousand and moe with a few loaues and fewer fishes and that the Iewes would haue takeÌ„ him and made him theyr king he fled from them and woulde not consent vnto them For the kingdome sayth he that he came to set hâ—re in earth was not a worldly and temporall kingdome but an heauenly and spirituall kingdome that is to raigne spiritually by grace and fayth in the hartes of all Christen and faythfull people of what degree or of what nation soeuer they be and to turne al people and nations which at his comming were carnall liued after the lustes of the flesh to be spirituall and to liue after the lustes of the spirite that Christ with his father of heauen might reigne in the hartes of all men c. And here in these examples of Christes humility farther is to be noted how Christ the sonne of God did submit himselfe not only to the rulers and powers of this world but also deiected himselfe and in a maner became seruaunt to his owne Apostles so far of was he from all ambitious and pompous seeking of worldly honor For so appeared in him not onely by washing the feet of his Apostles but also the same time a litle before his passion when the Apostles fell at contention among themselues who among theÌ„ should be superiour he setting before them the example of his owne subiection asketh this question Who is superiour he that sitteth at the Table Luke 22. or he that serueth at the Table Is not he superior that sitteth but I am amongest you as he that ministreth and serueth c. The like examples Tonstall also inferreth of Peters humility Examples of Peters subiection Act. 10. For where we read in the Actes how the Centurion a noble man of great age did prostrate himselfe vpon the ground at the feete of Peter then Peter not suffering that eftsoones tooke him vp and bad him rise saying I am also a man as thou art So likewise did the Aungell Apocalips 19. and 22. to whom when Iohn would haue fallen downe to haue adored him which shewed him those visions Apoc. 19.22 the Aungell sayd vnto him See thou do not so for I am the seruaunt of God as thou art c. Agayne in the foresaid Peter what an example of reuerent humility is to be sene in this that notwithstaÌ„ding he with other Apostles hauing his commission to go ouer all yet neuerthelesse he being at Ioppa and sent for by Cornelius durst not go to him without the vision of a sheete let downe from heauen by the which vision he was admonished not to refuse the Gentiles or els he knew in himselfe no such primacy ouer all people and places geueÌ„ vnto him nor no such commission so large aboue the other c. Furthermore the sayd Peter being rebuked of Paule his felow brother tooke no scorne therof but was content submitting himselfe to due correction But here sayth Tonstall steppeth in the B. of Rome and sayth that Peter had authority geuen aboue all the residue of the Apostles The Popes obiections alledgeth the wordes of Christ spoken to him Math. 16. Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I wil build my Church will geue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth Math. 16. shall be bound in heauen This sayd Christ sayth the Pope and S. Peter is buryed at Rome whose succour I am and ought to rule the Church as Peter did and to be porter of heaueÌ„ gates as Peter was c. And Christ sayd also to Peter after his resurrection Feede my sheepe which he spake to him onely Iohn 21. so that thereby he had authority ouer all that be of Christes flocke and I as his successour haue the same And therefore who so will not obey me King or Prince I wyll curse hym The ambitious pride of the Pope and depriue him of his kingdome or seigniory For al power is geuen to me that Christ hath and I am his Uicare generall as Peter was here in earth ouer all none but I as Christ is in heauen This ambitious and pompous obiection sayth Tonstall of the Pope and his adherentes The scriptures falsely perueted by the pope hath of late yeares much troubled the world and made dissention bebate and open warre in all partes of ChristeÌ„dome all by a wrong interpretatioÌ„ of the Scripture Who if he would take those places after the right sense of them as both the Apostles themselues taught vs and all the auncient best learned interpretours do expound them the matter were soone at a poynt But otherwise sith they peruert the Scripture and preach an other Gospell in that poynt to vs then euer the apostles preached we haue therin a general rule to folow That though an Aungell came from heauen Gal. 1. and woulde tell vs such new expositions of those places as are now made to turne the wordes which were spoken for spirituall authoritye of preaching the word of God and ministring of
of late to set forth hys pestilent malice the more Cardinal Poole traytor to England hath allured to his purpose a subiect of this Realme Reginald Poole comeÌ„ of a noble blood and therby the more errant traytor to go about froÌ„ Prince to Prince and from country to countrey to styrre them to warre agaynst this Realme and to destroy the same being his natiue countrey whose pestilent purpose the Princes that he breaketh it vnto haue in much abhomination both for that the Bishop of Rome who being a Bishop should procure peace is a styrrer of warre and because this most errant and vnkind traytour is his minister to so deuilish a purpose to destroy the couÌ„try that he was borne in which any heathen man would abhorre to do And so continuing in his discourse agaynst Cardinall Poole and the Bishop of Rome for styrring the people to warre and mischiefe he further sayth sayth truely The popes name and memory abolished that for these many yeares past little warre hath bene in these partes of Christendome but the Bishop of Rome eyther hath bene a styrrer of it or a nourisher of it and seldome any coÌ„pounder of it vnlesse it were for his ambition or profite Wherfore since as S. Paule sayth 1. Cor. 14. that God is not the God of dissention but of peace who commaundeth by hys word peace alway to be kept we are sure that all those that go about to breake peace betwene Realmes and to bring them to warre are the childreÌ„ of the deuill what holy names soeuer they pretend to cloke their pestilent malice withall which cloking vnder hipocrisy is double deuilishnes and of Christ most detested because vnder his blessed name they do play the deuils part Ezech. 39. And in the latter end of his Sermon concluding wyth the 39. Chapiter of Ezechiell where the Prophet speaketh against Gog and Magog going about to destroy the people of God and prophecyeth agaynst them that the people of God shall vanquish and ouerthrow them on the mountaynes of Israell that none of them shall escape but theyr carcases shal there be deuoured of kytes and crowes and byrds of the ayre so likewise sayth he of these our enemies wishing that if they shall persist in theyr pestilent malice to make inuasion into this Realme then theyr great Captayne Gog the bishop of Rome he meaneth may come w t them to drinke with them of the same cup The Pope compared to Gog. which he maliciously goeth about to prepare for vs that y e people of God might after quietly liue in peace We haue heard hetherto the othes censures and iudgementes of certayne particulare Byshoppes of Yorke Testimonies out of the byshops booke against the Popes supremacye of Winchester of London of Duresme and also of Edmund Bonor Archdeacon then of Leycester agaynst the Popes vnlawfull vsurpatioÌ„ Now for the more fortification of the matter and satisfying of the Reader it shall not be much out of purpose besides the consent and approbatioÌ„ of these aforesayd to inferre also the publicke and generall agreement of the whole Clergy of EnglaÌ„d as in a totall summe together confirmed and ratified in theyr owne publicke booke made and set forth by them about the same tyme called then the Bishops booke In the which booke although many thinges were very slender vnperfect yet as touching this cause of the Bishop of Romes regalty we wyll heare God willing what theyr whole opinion prouinciall determinatioÌ„ did conclude according as by their own words in the same book is to be sene word for word as foloweth subscribed also with theyr owne names the Catologue of whom vnder theyr owne confession shall appere WE thinke it conuenient that all Bishops and Preachers shal instruct and teach the people coÌ„mitted vnto theyr spirituall charge y t where as certayne men doe imagine and affirme that Christ should geue vnto the Byshop of Rome power and authority not only to be head gouernor of all Priestes Bishops in Christes Church but also to haue and occupye the whole Monarchy of the world in his handes and that he may therby lawfully depose kinges and Princes from theyr realmes dominions and seignories and so transferre and geue the same to such persons as him liketh that is vtterly false and vntrue For Christ neuer gaue vnto S. Peter or vnto any of the Apostles or their successâ—rs any such authoritie And the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paule do teach and commauÌ„d that all Christen people as well Priestes and Bishops as others should be obedieÌ„t and subiect vnto the Princes and Potentates of the world although they were infidels And as for the Bishop of Rome it was many huÌ„dreth yeares after Christ before he could acquire or get any primacy or gouernance aboue any other Bishops out of hys prouince in Italy sith the which time he hath euer vsurpeâ— more and more And though some part of his power was geuen vnto him by the consent of the Emperours Kinges and Princes and by the consent also of the Clergy in generall Counsels assembled yet surely he atteyned the most part therof by maruellous subtlety and craft and specially by colluding with great kings and princes sometime trayning them into his deuotion by pretence and colour of holynesse and sanctimony and sometime constraining them by force and tyranny Whereby the sayde Byshops of Rome aspired and roâ—e at length vnto such greatnes in strength and authority How the Bishop of Rome roâ—e by Ambition that they presumed and took vpon theÌ„ to be heads to put lawes by thyr own authority not onely vnto al other Bishops within ChristeÌ„dome but also vnto the Emperours Kings other the Princes and Lordes of the worlde and that vnder the pretence of the authority committed vnto them by the Gospell Wherin the sayd Bishops of Rome do not onely abuse and peruert the true sense and meaning of Christes word but they do also cleane contrarye to the vse and custome of the priprimitiue Church and so do manifestly violate as wel the holy Canons made in the Churche immediately after the time of the Apostles as also the degrees and constitutions made in that behalfe Fyrst the generall CouÌ„cell of Nice decreed that the Patriarkes of Alexandria Antiochia should haue like power ouer the countreis about those cities as the Byshops of Rome had ouer the countreis about Rome In the Councell of Mileuitane it was decreed that if a clerke of Aphrick would appeale out of Aphrick vnto any Byshop beyonde the sea he should be takeÌ„ as a person excommunicate In the generall Councel of Constantinople the firste it was likewise decreed that euery cause betwene any persons should be determined within the prouynces where the maâ—ters did 〈◊〉 And that no Bishop shoulde exercise any power out of his owne dioces or prouinc And this was also the minde of holy S. Cyprian of other holy men of â—phrica To conclude
agaynst y e proud vsurpation of the Bishop of Rome The Byshops of England then good Lutherans then these men haue done If they dissembled otherwise then they meant who coulde euer dissemble so deepely speaking so pithily If they meant as they spake who coulde euer turne head to tayle so sodenly so shortly as these men did But because these thinges we write for edification of other rather then for commendation of them let vs marke therefore theyr reasons and let the persons goe And although the sayd proufes and argumentes heretofore alledged might suffice to the full discussion of this matter agaynst y e Popes vsurped primacy yet because many do yet remayne which wil not be satisfied to refel therfore confute this popishe article of the popes vayne and proud primacie with as much matter and furniture of reasons allegations as the writinges and testimonies of these Bishops and others do minister vnto vs we mynde the Lord willing to annexe to thâ—se former confirmatioÌ„s of the bishops aforesayd The epistle of Tonstall Stokesly to Cardinal Poole an other supplement also of a certayne Epistle sent by Bishop Tonstall and by Iohn Stokesley byshop of London to Cardinall Poole for a more ample confutation of the vsurped power Concerning the argument of whiche Epistle here is first to be vnderstanded that about thys time or not much ouer Cardinall Poole brother to the Lord Montagew was attaynted of high treasoÌ„ and fled away vnto Rome where within a short time after he was made Cardinall of S. Mary Cosmeden of whoÌ„ more is to be spoken hereafter the Lord so permitting when we come to the tyme of Queene Mary In the meane tyme hee remayning at Rome there was directed vnto hym a certayne Epistle exhortatory by Stokesley Byshop of London and Tonstal Byshop of Duresme perswading hym to relinquishe and abandon the supremacy of the Pope and to conforme himselfe to the religion of his king The copy of which his Epistle for the reasons and argumentes therein conteined about the same matter we thought here not vnworthely to be put in or vnprofitable to be read The tenour wherof here followeth * The true copy of a certayne letter written by Cutbert Tonstall Byshop of Duresme and Iohn Stokesley Byshop of London to Cardinall Poole prouing the Byshop of Rome to haue no speciall superioritie aboue other Byshoppes This letter was testified by Cutbert Tonstall to Mathew Archb. of Canterbury and others to be his owne about 14. dayes before his death Read his trayterous Oration to 〈◊〉 Emperour in his booke intituled De Ecclesiae Concordia mouing him to seeke the destruction of king HeÌ„ry and the whole realme of England FOr the good will that we haue borne vnto you in times past as long as you continued the kinges true subiect we cannot a little lament mourne that you neyther regarding the inestimable kindnes of the kings highnes heretofore shewed vnto you in your bringing vp nor the honor of the house that you be come of nor the wealth of the countrey that you were borne in should so decline from your duety to your prince that you shuld be seduced by fayre words and vaine promises of the Bishop of Rome to winde with him going about by all meanes to him possible to pull downe and put vnder foote your naturall Prince Maister to the destruction of the countrey that hath brought you vp and for a vayne glory of a red Hat to make your selfe an instrument to set forth his malice who hath styrred by all meanes that he could all such ChristiaÌ„ Princes as would geue eares vnto him to depose the kinges hignes from his Kingdome and to offer it as a pray for them that should execute his malice and to styrre if hee could his subiectes agaynst him in styrring and nourishing rebellions in his realme where the office duety of all good ChristiaÌ„ men and namely of vs that be priestes should be to bring all commotion to tranquillity all trouble to quietnes all discord to concord and in doing contrary we do shew our selues to be but the ministers of Satan and not of Christ who ordeined all vs that bee priestes to vse in all places the legatioÌ„ of peace not of discord But since that can not be vndone that is done second it is to make amendes and to followe the doing of the prodigall sonne spoken of in the Gospell who returned home to his father was well accepted as no doubt you might be if you will say as he said in knowledging your folly Luke 15. and doe as he did in returning home agayne from your wandring abroad in seruice of him who little careth what come of you so that their purpose by you bee serued And if you be moued by your conscience that you can not take the king your mayster as supreme head of the Church of England because the Bishop of Rome hath heretofore many yeares vsurped that name vniuersally ouer all the Church Math. 18. vnder pretence of the Gospell of S Mathew The place of Mathew 〈◊〉 Petrus expounded saying Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church Surely the text many of the most holy auncient expositors wholy doe take to be ment of the fayth then first confessed by the mouth of Peter vppon whiche fayth confessing Christ to be the sonne of God 1. Cor. 3. the church is builded Christe being the very lowest foundation stone whereupon both the Apostles themselues Luke 22. The place of Luke expounded and also the whole fayth of the Churche of Christ by them preached through the world is founded and builded and other foundation none can be but that onely as S. Paule sayth No other foundation can any man lay besides that which is layd which is Christ Iesus And where you thinke that the Gospell of Luke proueth the same authority of the Bishoppe of Rome saying Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy fayth shoulde not fayle and thou beynge once conuerted confirme thy brethren Surely that speaketh onely of the fall of Peter knowne to Christ by his godly prescience whereof he gaue an inkling that after the time of his fal he should not despayre but returne agayne and confirme his brethren as he euer being most feruent of them was wont to do The place doth playnely open it selfe that it can not be otherwise taken but thys to be the very meaning of it and not to be spoken but to Peter The place of Iohn 21. expouÌ„ded For els his successours must first fayle in the fayth and then conuert and so confirme theyr brethren And where as you thinke that this place of the Gospell of Iohn Feede my sheepe was spokeÌ„ onely to Peter and that those woordes make him shepheard ouer all and aboue all 1. Pet. 5. S. Peter himselfe testifieth the contrary in his canonicall Epistle where he sayth to all priestes Feede the flocke
of Christ which is among you which he bade them do by the authority that Christ had put them in as foloweth And when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare ye shall receiue the incorruptible crowne of eternall glory The same likewise Saynt Paule in the Actes testifieth sayinge Geue heed to your selues and to the whole flocke Actes 20. wherin the holy ghost hath set you to gouerne the church of God Where in the originall text the word signifiyng Regere to gouerne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same that was spoken to Peter Pasce Feede for it signifieth both in the Scripture And that by these wordes he was not constitue a shepheard ouer all it is very playne by the facte of Saynct Peter which durst not enterprise much conuersation among the Gentiles but eschewed it as a thing vnlawfull and muche rather prohibited then commaunded by Gods law vntill he was admonished by the reuelation of the sheete full of diuers viandes mentioned in the Actes of the Apostles where if Christ by these wordes Feede my sheepe had geuen such an vniuersall gouernaunce to Peter then Peter being more ferueÌ„t then other of the Apostles to execute Christes commaundement Actes 10 woulde of his owne courage haue gone without any such new admonition to Cornelius except peraduenture you would say that Peter did not vnderstaÌ„d the sayd wordes of Christ for lacke of the light which the latter men haue obteined to perceiue and thereby vnderstand the wordes of Christ to Peter better then Peter himselfe did And straunge also it were to condemne Peter as an high Traytour to his mayster after his ascention as he in deede were worthy if hys mayster had signified vnto him that the Byshops of Rome by hys dying there shoulde be heades of all the church and he knowyng the same by these wordes Feede my sheepe yet notwithstandyng his maysters high legacy and commaundement woulde flee as he did from Rome vntill his mayster encountring him by the waye Of this flying away of Peter froÌ„ Rome reade before pag. 34. with terrible woordes caused him to returne And because thys history peraduenture can not weigh agaynst an obstinate mynde to the contrary What shall we saye to the woordes of Saynt Ambrose declaring and affirming that as great and as ample primacy was geuen to Paule as to Peter Vppon these woordes of Paule He that wrought by Peter c. thus he writeth Petrum solum nominat sibi comparat As great primacy geuen to S. Paule as to Peter quia primatum ipse acceperat ad fundandam Ecclesiam se quoque pari modo electum vt primatuÌ„ habeat in fundandis Ecclesijs Gentium c. That is to say He nameth Peter onely and compareth him to himselfe because he receiued a primacy to builde a church and that he in like sort was chosen himselfe to haue a primacye in building the churches of the Gentiles And shortly after it foloweth Of those that is to say of the Apostles which were the chiefest his gift he sayth was allowed whither he had receiued of God so that hee was founde worthy to haue the primacy in preaching to the Gentiles as Peter had in preaching to the Iewes And as he assigned to Peter for his companions those whiche were of the chiefest men amongst the Apostles euen so also did he take to him selfe Barnabas who was ioyned vnto him by Gods iudgement and yet did hee challenge to himselfe alone the prerogatiue or primacy which God had geuen him as to Peter alone it was graunted among the other Apostles So that the Apostles of the Circumcision gaue theyr handes to the Apostles of the Gentyles to declare theyr concorde in fellowshippe that eyther of them should know that they had receiued the perfection of the spirite in the preaching of the Gospell and so shoulde not neede eyther other in any matter Equalitye of degree among the Apostles And shortelye after sayth Saynt Ambrose who durste resiste Peter the chiefe Apostle but an other suche a one whiche by the confidence of his election might knowe himselfe to be no lesse and so might reproue boldly that thing which he inconsiderately had done This equallity of dignity whiche Saynt Ambrose affirmeth by scripture to be equally geuen to Peter and Paule Ciprian De simplicitate clericorum S. Cyprian and S. Hierome do extend to all the Apostles Cyprian â—aying thus Hoc eraÌ„t vtique caeteri apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis All the rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was being endued with like equality of honor and power Contra Iouinianum And S. Hierome thus Cuncti Apostoli claues regni coelorum accipiunt ex aequo super eos Ecclesiae fortitudo fundatur All the Apostles receiued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen vpon them as indifferently equally is the streÌ„gth of the Church grounded and established Which S Hierome also as well in hys Commentaries vpon the Epistle to Tite as in hys epistle to Euagrius sheweth that these primacies long after Christes ascention were made by the deuise of men which before by the common agreement and consent of the Clergye euery of the Churches were gouerned yea the patriarchall Churches The wordes of S· Ierome be these Sciant ergo episcopi se magis ex consuetudine Cap. 1. super Tiâ—um quam dispeÌ„sationis dominicae veritate presbitteris esse maiores Let the Bishopps vnderstand that they bee greater then other Priestes Difference betwixt Bishops Priestes how it is come rather of custome then by the vertue and verity of the Lordes ordinaunce And in his sayd epistle to Euagrius he hath the like sentence and addeth thereto Vbicunque fuerit Episcopus siue Romae siue Eugubij siue Constantinopoli c. Whersoeuer a Bishop be either at Rome or at Eugubium or at Constantinople he is of all one worthynes of all one priesthood that one was elected which should be preferred before other it was deuised for the redresse of schismes least any one chalenging to much to himself should reÌ„t the church of Christ. These wordes onely of S. Ierome be sufficient to prooue that Christ by none of these 3. textes which be all that you others do alledge for your opinion gaue to Peter any such superiority as the B. of Rome by them vsurpeth and that Peter nor no other of the chiefe Apostles did vendicate such primacy or superiority but vtterlye refused it and therfore gaue preeminence aboue theÌ„selues to one that though he be sometimes called an Apostle yet he was none of the 12. as Eusebius in the beginning of his second book called Historia ecclesiastica doth testify alledging for him the great and auncient clerke Clemens Alexandrinus saying thus Petrus Iacobus ac Ioannes post assumptionem Saluatoris quamuis ab ipso fuerant omnibus penè praelati tamen non sibi vindecaruÌ„t gloriam sed
commaunding Leo then Bishop of Rome to come vnto the same And albeit Leo neither liked the tyme which he would for a season shoulde haue bene deferred nor yet the place for he wold haue had it in Italy wheras the Emperour by hys owne commaundement had called it to Calchis in Asia yet he answered the Emperor that he would gladly obey his commaundement and sent thither his agentes to appeare there for him as doth appeare in the Epistles of Leo to Martiane then Emperoure xli.xlvii.xvliij and in the xlix Epistle to Pulcheria the Empres. And likewise desireth Theodosius the Emperour to commaund a Councell of Bishops to be called in Italy for taking away such contentions and troubles as at that tyme troubled the quietnes of the Churches And in many moe Epistles of the same Leo it doth manifestly appeare that the Emperoures alwayes assembled generall Councels by theyr commaundementes And in the sixt generall Councel it appeareth very playnly that at that time the Byshoppes of Rome made no clayme nor vsed anye title to call themselues heades vniuersall ouer all the Catholicke Churche as there doth appeare in the superscription or salutation of the foresayd Synodicall preamble which is this word for word To the most godly Lordes and most noble victors and conquerours the welbeloued Children of God and our Lord Iesu Christ Constantine the great Emperour and to Heraclius and Tiberius Cesars Byshop Agatho the seruaunt of the seruaunts of God with all the cōuocations subiecte to the Councell of the See apostolicke sendeth greeting And he expresseth what Countryes he reckoned and comprehended in that superscription or salutation For it followeth that those were vnder hys assembly whiche were in the North and East partes so that at that time the byshop of Rome made no such pretence to be ouer and aboue all as he nowe doth by vsurpation vendicating to hymselfe the spirituall kingdom of Christ by which he raigneth in the heartes of all faythfull people and then chaungeth it to a temporall kingdome ouer and aboue all kinges to depose them for hys pleasure preaching thereby the flesh for the spirite and an earthly kingdome for an heauenly to hys owne damnation if he repent not Pet. 2. Where hee ought to obey hys prince by the doctrine of S. Peter in his first Epistle saying Be ye subiect to euery ordinaunce of man Rom. 14. for the Lordes sake whether it be to the king as to the chiefe or vnto gouernours as sent of hym to the punishment of the euill doers and to the prayse of the good Agayne S. Paule Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers With other thinges before alledged So that this his pretensed vsurpation to be aboue all kings is directly agaynst the scriptures geuen to the Churche by the Apostles whose doctrine whosoeuer ouerturneth can be neyther the head nor yet the least member of the Church Wherfore albeit ye haue hetherto sticked to the sayd wrongfully vsurped power moued thereto as ye write by your conscience yet sithence now ye see further if ye lust to regarde the meere truth and such auncient authours as haue bene written to you of in tymes past we would exhorte you for the wealth of your soule to surrender into the Byshoppe of Romes handes your redde hatte by whiche he seduced you trustyng so to make you beyng come of a noble bloud an instrument to aduaunce his vayne glory whereof by the sayd hat hee made you participant to allure you thereby the more to his purpose In whiche doyng yee shall returne to the truth from whiche yee haue erred doe your duetye to your soueraigne Lord from whom ye haue declined and please thereby almightie God whose lawes ye haue transgressed and in not so doyng ye shall remayne in errour offendyng both almightie God and your naturall soueraigne Lord whome chiefly yee ought to seeke to please Which thyng for the good mynde that we heretofore haue borne you we pray almightie God of his infinite mercy that you do not Amen When all other kynges subiectes Anno 1535. and the learned of the Realme had taken and accepted the othe of the kynges supremacie onely Fisher the Byshop of Rochester Syr Thomas More refused as is aforesaid to be sworne who therfore fallyng into the daūger of the law were committed into the Tower and executed for the same an 1535. This Iohn Fisher aforesayd had written before agaynst Oecolampadius whose booke is yet extant and afterward agaynst Luther Iohn Fysher Bishop of Rochester enemye to Christes Gospell Also amongest other his actes he had bene a great enemy and persecuter of Iohn Frith the godly learned Martyr of Iesus Christ whom hee and Syr Thomas Moore caused to be burned a yeare and a halfe before and shortly after the said fisher to his confusion was charged with Elizabeth Barton called the holy maid of Kent and founde guilty by act of Parleament as is aboue recorded For his learning and other vertues of life this Bishop was well reputed and reported of many and also much lamented of some But whatsoeuer his learning was pitie it was that he being indued with that knowledge should be so farre drowned in such superstition more pitie that he was so obstinate in his ignoraunce but most pitie of all that he so abused the learning he had to such crueltie as hee dyd But thus commonly we see come to passe as the Lorde saith That who so striketh with the sworde shall perishe with the sworde 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉 and they that staine their handes with blood seldome do bring their bodies drie to the graue as cōmonly appeareth by the end of bloudy tyrantes and especially such as be persecuters of Christes poore members Byshop Fysher and Sir Tho. More persecutors In the number of whom was this Bishop and sir Thom. More by whom good Iohn Frith Teukesbery Thomas Hytten Bayfild with diuers other good saintes of God were brought to their death It was sayde that the Pope to recompence Byshop Fisher for his faithfull seruice had elected him Cardinal and sent him a Cardinals hat as far as Calice but the head it should stand vpon was as hie as London bridge ere euer y e Popes hat could come to him Thus Bishop Fisher and Syr Thomas More which a litle before had put Iohn Frith to death for heresy against the Pope Byshop Fysher Syr Tho. More beheaded were themselues executed and beheaded for treason against the king the one the xxij of Iune the other the vi of Iuly ann 1535. Of sir Tho. More some thing hath bene touched before who was also recounted a man both wittie learned but whatsoeuer he was beside a bitter persecuter he was of good men The lying bookes of Syr Tho. More and a wretched enemie against the truth of the Gospel as by his bookes leaft behind him maye appeare wherein most slanderously and contumeliously he writeth against Luther Zwinglius Tindal Frith Barnes
of heresy and so prohibited by Bishops for to preach the worde of God Wrongfull prohibytion oughte not to stoppe the preaching of Gods worde that they ought for no mans commaundement to leaue or stop though they do neuer purge themselues afore them for such will admitte no iust purgation many times but iudge in theyr own causes and that as they lust which me thinketh is not all comely Therfore in the old law the priestes and other Iudges do sit together hearing of matters that were in controuersy Yet this I thinke reasonable that a man iustly and not causelesse suspect Popish prelates iudges in their owne causes and namely if he be so found faultye of heresy ought to cease from preaching after he is inhibited vntill he haue made his purgation before some Iudge But in my rude opinion it were necessary and conuenient that our heades should not be ouer ready of suspition Swiftnes of suspition reproued and so inhibiting men approued from preaching specially in this Session when the people doth suspect them to doe it more for loue of themselues and mainteining of their priuate lucre or honor then to do it for loue of God and maintenance of his honor In the xxij where you demaund whether I beleue that it is lawfull for all Pristes freely to preache the woorde of God or no Answere to the 22. article and that in all places at all seasons to al persons to whom they shall please although they be not sent I say that priestes are called in Scripture by two distinct wordes that is to wit Praesbiteri Sacerdotes The fyrst is to say auncient men Seniors or elders and by that word or vocable Priestes whether they ought to preach though they be not sent are the seculer iudges or such like head officers sometime also signified as we reade in Daniel that they were called which defamed and wrongfully accused Susanna that this is seldome and nothing so customably as those to be called Praesbiteri which are set to be Prelates in the Church to guide the same by the word of God and his blessed doctrine Episcopi and Praesbyteri all one that is the roode of direction and the foundation of Christes fayth And Priestes thus called Praesbiteri in the Primitiue Church what time were but few traditions and ordinaunces to let vs from the strayt trade or institution made by Christ and his Apostles were the very same and none other but Bishops as I shewed you in the first part of mine aunswere by authoritye of Saynt Hierome Paul also recordeth the same right euidently in the first to Titus in this fourme I left thee Titus quoth blessed Paule behinde me in Crete that thou shouldest set in a due order such thinges as lacke or be not els perfectly framed and that thou shouldest set priestes in euery towne Priestes haue two names in Scripture Presbyteri Sacerdotes like as I did appoynt thee if any be without reproche or blamelesse the husbande of one wife hauing faythfull children not geuen to ryote or that be not vnruely for so ought a Bishop to be c. These are not my words but S. Paules in the Epistle to Titus Tit. 1. Where you may see that a priest called Praesbiter shuld be the same that we call a byshop whom he requireth a litle after to be able by wholesome doctrine of Gods Scripture Descripâ—â—â—â— of a 〈◊〉 Priest Gainesayâ—â—â— of truth 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 by scriptures 〈◊〉 by authority only oâ— traditions of men made in generall Councels What miâ—â—sters be 〈◊〉 to exhort the good to â—olow the same doctrine if any shall speake agaynst it to reproue them thereby And marke you how he would haue a bishop otherwise called an auncient man or a priest to make exhortation by holy scripture therby to reproue them that shall speake agaynst the trueth not to condemne them by might or authority onely or els by traditions of men made in generall Councels And as many as are in this wise Priestes whiche are called commonlye Praesbiteri otherwise Bishops such as in the church are set to take cure of soule and to be spirituall pastors ought to preach freely the word of God in all places and times conuenient and to whom soeuer it shall please theÌ„ if they suppose and see that theyr preaching should edify and profite And where as you adde this particle Though they were not sent I say that all suche are chosen to be preachers and therfore sent for of this speaketh S. Gregorye in his Pastorals in this wise Grigor in Pastoral Praedicationis quippe officium suscipit quisquis ad sacerdotium accedit Whosoeuer taketh priesthood vpoÌ„ him taketh also vpon him the office of preaching Yea your lawe reporteth in like maner Distinct. 43. where it is thus sayd A Priest ought to be honest that he may shew honesty both in wordes and conditions Dist. 43. Wherfore it is sayd in the Canticles The Cheekes of the spouse that is to wit of preachers are to be compared to a Turtle doue Where is moreouer added He must also haue the gift of teaching because as sayth S. Hierome innocent coÌ„uersation without speach or preaching how much it is auaylable by example geuing so much doth it hurt agayn by sileÌ„ce keping for wolues must be driueÌ„ away by barking of dogs by the shepheards staffe which as y e glose sheweth signifieth preaching sharpe words of the priest And this I vnderstaÌ„d of such as should be priestes elect both by god and men in Gods church whose office is to preach And though many of them which now doe minister in the church and are elect by bishops otherwise theÌ„ after the maner of Christes institution and the forme of the primitiue Church neither do ne can preach Multitude serueth for authority yet ought not the multitude of such to be layd for an authority agaynst me or other that are compelled to shew the truth and right ordinance of the apostles that was vsed afore time in the Primitiue church God bring it in agayn Neither ought we for the negligence of bishops which haue chosen such an ignorant multitude wherby the principal duty of priestes is growen out of knowledge when we do shew you therof to be so enforced by a booke othe and therfore noted as heretickes imprisoned and burned Sacerdotes Other be called priestes in the new Testament by thys word Sacerdotes that is to say I thinke sacrificers And thus as Christ was called Rex Sacerdos Kyng Prieste so be all true Christen men in the newe Testament as is testified Apocal. 1. by Christ made Kinges and Priestes The wordes in the Apocal. be thus Apoc. 1. To Iesu Christ whyche hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes through his bloud and made vs kinges and priestes vnto God euen his father vnto him be glory and rule for euer and euer Amen
shal giue respite vntil a certaine day appointed So that in the meane while the suters may take deliberation thereof what is best to be done If after this they wil not thus rest at the day appointed shal they come forth into a common place and the great Bel of the Citie caused to be roÌ„g whereby the people shal be warned what they are about to do and the people assembled the Iudges shal in full chargeable lamentable wise charge the parties vnder vertue of their othe to make true relation of y e shal be demaunded So y t by reason of soberly fatherly exhortations made of the Iudges or Peeres of the Towne and perswasion of neighbours and for auoyding of Gods displeasure Iury and swearing well excluded out of Germanye and shame of men there is litle sute in courts if at any time any be made they be lightly stopped So that Iurie and swearing is well excluded and neede not much to be required This haue I shewed because it pitieth me to heare and see the contrary vsed in some of our nation The rash lenity in spirituall men causing men strayght wayes for euery light matter to sweare such also as name themselues spiritual men and should be head Ministers of the Church who incoÌ„tinent as any man commeth before them anone they cal for a book and do mone him to sweare without any longer respite yea they wil charge him by vertue of the contentes in the Euangely to make true relation of all that they shall demaunde him he not knowing what they will demaunde neither whether it be lawfull to shew them the truth of their demaundes or no For such things there be that are not lawful to be shewed As if I were accused of fornication none could be found in me or if they shold require me to sweare to bewray any other that I haue known to offend in that vice A man is not bound 〈◊〉 detect an other mans 〈◊〉 before â—â—dge in 〈◊〉 I suppose it were expedient to holde me stil not to folow their wil for it should be contrary to charitie if I should so assent to bewray them that I neede not and to whom perhappes though I haue known them to offend yet trusting of their amendment I haue promised afore to keepe their fault secret without any disclosing of the same Yea moreouer if suche Iudges somtime not knowing by anye due proofe that such as haue to do afore them â—â—we compâ—â—leth no man to bewray himselfe are culpable wil enforce them by an othe to detecte themselues in opening before them their harts in this so doing I can not see that men neede to condescende in their requestes For it is in the law but I wotte not certainly the place thus â—â—w punisheth no maÌ„ for thought Nemo tenetur prodere semetipsum that is to say No man is bound to bewray himselfe Also in another place of y e law it is written Cogitationis poenam nemo patiatur No man should suffer punishment of men for his thought To this agreeth the common Prouerbe that is thus Cogitationes liberae sunt à vectigalibus Tâ—oughtes 〈◊〉 free and 〈◊〉 to pay â—â—tole That is to say thoughtes be free and neede to pay no tole So that to conclude I thinke it lawfull at the commandement of a Iudge to make an othe to say the truth specially if a Iudge requireth an othe duely and in lawful wise or to make an oth in any other case conuenieÌ„t and that also for purgation of infamie No man is 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 himselfe by the lawe To the 42. article when any infamie is lawfully layd against a man ¶ In the xlij where you aske whether a Christen person despising the receite of the Sacramentes of confirmation extreame vnction or solemnising of Matrimony do sinne deadly I say like of the recite of them as I haue sayd before of the selfe thinges and none otherwise ¶ In the xliij where you aske whether I beleeue that S. Peter was Christes Uicare hauing power vpon earth to binde lose I say that I do not perceiue clearely what you meane by this terme Uicare To the 43. article For Christ neuer called Peter ne none other so in Scripture If you meane thereby that after the departing hence of Christ when he was risen from death in his immortall body and so styed into heauen whereas he remayneth sitting vpon y e right hand of his Father â—ear of â—â—rist that he so being away from hence S. Peter occupied his roume then I say it is not vntrue but Peter in a manner which I shal shew here vnder was his Uicar and like as Peter was his Uicar euen so was Paule and the other Apostles and the one no lesse then the other if it be true â—â—ter no â—â—re vicar of Christ â—â—n Paule 〈◊〉 other Apostles Math. 16. that S. Cyprian doth write whiche is also consenting to Scripture he sayth thus That Christe spake vnto Peter saying I say quoth our Sauiour that thou art Peter and vppon this rocke of stone shall I builde my congregation and the gates of hel shal not ouercome it To thee will I giue the keies of heauen what thinges thou shalt binde vpon earth the same shal be bounde also in heauen and what so euer thou shalt lose vpon earth shal be losed also in heauen And to him after his resurrection doth Christ say feed my sheepe And albeit that hee gaue equall power vnto all his Apostles after his resurrection and saith Cypria de simplicitate Prelatorum like as my Father sent me do I also send you Take you the holy ghost If you shal retayne to any man his sinnes they shal be retayned If you shal remitte to any man his sinne to him they shal be remitteâ— Neuerthelesse because he woulde declare vnitie Iohn 20. he ordayned by his authoritie the originall of the same vnitie beginning of one The other Apostles truely were the same that Peter was induced with equall partaking both of honor and authoritie or power Vnitye but the beginning commeth of one that the congregation shoulde be shewed to be one These are the wordes of Cyprian in a treatise that is called De simplicitate Praelatorum wherein you may see that Christ made all the Apostles of equal honour and like authoritie Notwithstanding because he would testifie the vnitie of his Church or Congregation he spake The only person of Peter declareth the vnity of the Church as it were alonely vnto Peter when he sayd feede my sheepe And I shall geue thee Peter the keyes of heauen but in so saying though the wordes seeme spoken to Peter onely yet they were spoken vnto him Peter heareth the person of the whole Church in that hee sustayned the generall person of all the Church being as it were a common speaker for the same So that in speaking to him Christ
so were they baptised Vicar of Christ. Thus may you see that if Peter were the Uicare of Christ euen so likewise was Paule and all the other Apostles And I do not thinke contrary but that Peter and all other of the Apostles were Christes Uicares if you meane by this word Uicar a deputie or such like for to preach his Euangelie which is an office of al other most soueraigne to minister Sacramentes and to do other such diuine seruice in Gods Church And thus were they worthy to be called as the Scripture nameth them Christs true Apostles Bishops Priestes Legates or any such like Which authority was giuen theÌ„ by Christ after his resurrection when he sayd vnto them these wordes Luke 24. Peace be amongest you Like as my father hath sent me so do I sende you Take you the holy Ghost whose sinnes soeuer you shall forgiue are forgiuen them and whose sinnes you shall retayne are retayned And the same authoritie did they receiue when Christe spake vnto all the Church Ioh. 21. after the mind of Saint Augugustine and other in Peter saying Peter feede my sheepe ¶ In the xliiij where you aske whether I beleeue that the Pope ordinaâ—ly chosen for a time his proper name being expressed To the 44. artycle be the successour of Peter I say that it seemeth to me a thing of no great valew whether a man beleue so or no I can not see y t it should be numbred amongst the Articles of our faith Succession of Peter How the Pope may be a successour of Peter Notwithstanding I will shewe my rude thought in it which is this The Pope may succeede in S. Peters steade or office and do the same duly diligently feeding Christes flocke and shewing vertuous ensample of liuing to the same so doing he may and ought to be thoght and named a true successour of S. Peter Euery good Bishop may be successour of Peter And thus is your Lordship S. Peters successour performing the conditions aforesaid with otherlike properties requisite to your order and duety yea and as many other as do truly their duty and duely the office of a Byshop And otherwise may not the Pope be called the successour of Peter for because he is entred into S. Peters office not regarding to do that is requisite for the same not folowing y e trace of vertue but the coÌ„trary And then is he wrongfully named if at any time such be which is not vnpossible For what should men cal those Peters successors that play the pageants and folow with the conditions of Caiphas Symon Magus or Iudas Such verely if any be cannot rightwilly claime to be Peters successors The Pope rather 〈◊〉 be Peters aduersary then his â—â—â—cessouâ— no more then the night may claime to be successour of the day for Peter was neuer so minded ne taught them so Yea they ought rather to be called Peters aduersaries for so much as they do not his will that is shewed by his owne actes and writing but worke against the same Of such may be saide Non Sanctorum filij sunt qurtenent loca Sanctorum sed qui exercent opera eorum That is to say Hierome As the 〈◊〉 is succesâ—â—â— of the day â—o is the Pope successor of Peter except he follow the steppeâ— of Peter they are not all Saintes children that occupy the rowms of Saintes but they are their children that exercise their works Yea of such may be said that is written of S. Hierome Al Byshops quoth he are not Byshoppes marke you well Peter but marke also Iudas Behold Stephen but behold Nicholas Ecclesiastical dignitie maketh not a Christen man Cornelius the Centurion being yet a pagan was made clean through the benefit of the holy ghost Contrariwise Daniel being a child condemneth Priestes or auncient men It is no easy thing saith he to stande in the rowme of Peter and Paul to kepe the seate of them now reigning with Christe For vnsauery salt is nought els worth but to be throwen out of the doores August and troden downe of hogges This sayth S. Hierome Wherunto agreeth wel S. Augustine Euery one quoth he that saith vnto you Pax vobis ought not to be heard or to be beleeued as a doue Crows be fedde of dead carion so is not a doue but liueth by the fruites of the earth Let vs marke not how the byrde speaketh but how he feedeth The Crow feedeth vpoÌ„ carion the Doue not so Her liuing is pure innocent and hurtlesse Whereby you may see that ill Bishops are no Byshops and that they which folow no Saints in vertuous liuing are not the successors of Saints but vnsauery salt that is neither of the church ne shal come in heauen to reigne there with Peter Paul but be thrown out with great conteÌ„pt For God knoweth a doue from a crow and an innocent liuer from a deuourer of carion But such as declare and shew good deeds as the Saints did be their childreÌ„ and successours and shal with them reigne in heauen So that to conclude I say How the Pope is sucsessour of Peter and how not Zach. 11. that the Pope ordinatly chosen is the successour of S. Peter folowing S. Peters godly liuing And els except he study to do diligently that he may be so called worthily it shal be but a vaine name For rather may he els be reputed an Image of a Pope or of a Bishop according as such be called of the Prophet O Pastor Idolum O Idoll shepheards ¶ In the xlv where you aske To the last article whether euer I haue promised as any time by an othe or made any confederacie or league with any person or persons that I would alway hold and defend certain conclusions or articles seeming to me and to my complices right consonant vnto the faith Ioh. Lambert required to detect his fellowes and will that I should certifie you of the course and forme of the said opinions and conclusions by row of y e names and surnames of them that were to me adherent promised to be adhereÌ„t in this behalf I say that I doe not remeÌ„ber that euer I made pact or confederacie w t any person or persons ne made any promise by oth that I would alway hold and defend any conclusions or articles seming to me and other right and consonant to the faith vnlesse it hath chanced me to say in this forme that I would neuer with the ayde of God forsake ne decline from the truth neither for feare nor yet for loue of man or men Thus I haue perhaps sayd in some time or some place because I haue in deed so intended and doe entend Gods grace assisting me But I can not yet tell you whether I haue so said or no nor to what persoÌ„s ne at what time neither in what place Neither I do reckeÌ„ me to haue any coÌ„plices but such as
man head not in many places at once and after was borne into this world and put in a maunger and so he growyng in age did abide in diuerse places but in one after an other sometime in Galile sometime in Samaria sometime in Iury sometyme beyond sometyme on this side of Iordan consequently he was crucified at Hierusalem there beyng enclosed buried in a graue frō whēce he did arise so that the aungels testified of him He is risen and is not here Mathew 28. and as at the tyme appointed Math. 28. after his resurrectiō he was assumpt or lifted vp into heauen from the top of the Moūt of Oliuet in the sight of his Disciples a cloude compassing him about Euen so shall he come from the same celestiall place corporally as they did see him to depart out of the one place corporally accordyng to the testimony of the aūgels Actes 1. Actes 1. So that in this we may vndoubtedly finde that Christ as touchyng his manhead can not be corporally in many diuers places at once and so to be corporally in his naturall body in heauen and also in the earth and that it is moreouer in so many partes of the world as men haue affirmed Neither doth the Scripture require that we should spoyle Christ of the propertie of mans nature The property of mans nature not to be sequestred frō Christ. which is to be in one place whō the same Scripture doth perpetually witnesse and teach to be man so to counfound the condition of his bodily nature with the nature Diuine Paul doth teach that Christ in māhead was made in all pointes lyke vnto his brethren sinne excepted how then can his body be in more places at once vnlike vnto the naturall propertie of the bodies of vs his brethren But heere doo some wittie Philosophers yea rather Sophisters then Diuines bring in to the anulling of Christes humanitie a similitude of mans soule whiche beeing one is yet so all whole in all our whole body that it is said to be all whole in euery part of the body But such should remēber that it is no conuenient similitude which is made of things different and diuerse in nature such as be the soule and body of man to proue them to haue like properties This is as if they woulde proue Christes body to be of one nature and propertie with his soule that things naturally corporal were not most diuers from creatures naturally spirituall Furthermore if so it might be that the body or fleshe of Christ Thinges corporall and thinges spirituall not to be compared were meerely spirituall and full like vnto the substance of Angels yet could it not in this wise follow that his body could be euery where or in diuers places at once Wherefore such subtilties are to be omitted and the trade of Scripture should well like vs by whiche the olde Doctors do define that the body of Iesu exalted or assumpt into heauen must be locall circumscript and in one place notwithstanding that the veritie spirituall grace fruite that commeth of it is diffused and spread abroade in all places or euery where How coulde Christ corporally depart out of this world The body of Christ is locall and in one place Iohn 13. and leaue the earth if he in y e kinds of bread and wine be not onely corporally conteined and receiued but also there reserued kept and enclosed What other thing else do these words testifie Iohn xiij But Iesus knowing that his houre was come that he should passe out of this world to his father Luke 24. c. And in like forme Luke 24. And it came to passe that as he blessed them he departed from them and was caried vp into heauen What doe they signifie if Christ went not verely out of this worlde his naturall body being surely assumpt into heauen They do therefore vndoubtedly declare that Christ being very God and very man did verely depart out of this world in his naturall body his humanitie being assumpt into heauen where it remaineth sitting in glory wyth the father Where as yet his Deitie did not leaue the world ne depart out from the earth Paule doth say Philippians 2. that of ij things he wist not which he might rather choose Phil. 2. that is to witte to abide in the flesh for preaching the Gospell or els to be dissolued from the flesh seing that to abide with Christ is much and farre better By the which Paule doth manifestly proue that they bee not presentlye with Christ which yet do abide mortall in the flesh Yet they bee with Christ in suche wise as the Scripture doth saye that the beleeuing be the Temple of Christ. And as Paule doth say 2. Cor. 13. Do you not know your selues that Iesus Christ is in you 2. Cor. 13. In which sense he also promised to be with vs vnto the end of the world Christ therefore must be otherwise in that place in which the Apostle desired to be with him being dissolued and departed from his body then he doth abide either in the supper or else in any other places of the Churches He therefore doth vndoubtedly meane heauen which is the paradise of perfect blisse and glory Where as Christ being a victour triumpher and conquerour ouer death sinne and hell and ouer all creatures doth reigne remaine corporally Thus do I trust that your grace doth see my sentence this farforth to be right Catholicke Christen and faithfull according to holy scripture to holy Fathers and to the Articles of our Christen beliefe Whiche sentence is thus Christes naturall body is so assumpt into heauen where it sitteth or remaineth in glory of the father that it can no more come from thence that is to wit from heauen returne vntill the end of the world and therefore can not the same naturall body naturally be heere in the world or in the Sacrament For then should it be departed or gone out of the world The naturall body of Christ cannot be both in heauen and in earth locally and yet be still remaining in the world It should then be both to come and alreadye come which is a contradiction and variaunt from the nature of his manhead The second part of this matter Now my sentence in the second part of thys matter is this if so be your grace shall please to knowe it The secōd part how the naturall body of Christ is in the Sacrament as I your poore and vnworthy but full true subiect woulde with all submission and instance beseech you to know it I graunt the holy sacrament to be the very and naturall body of our Sauiour and his very naturall bloud and that the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour is in the Sacrament after a certaine wise as after shall appeare For so doe the words of the supper testifie Take eate this is my body which is geuen for you And againe Drinke
stone then from which the water ran bodily Christe but it signified Christe that calleth thus to all beleuing and faithful men Who soeuer thirsteth let hym come to mee and drinke and from his bowelles shall flowe liuely water This he sayd of the holy Ghost whych they receiued who beleeued on him The Apostle Paul sayth that the Israelites did eate the same ghostly meat dranke the same ghostly drinke because that heauenly meate that fed them 40. yeares and that water which from the stone did flowe had signification of Christes body and hys bloud that now be offred daily in Gods Church It was the same which we now offer not bodely but ghostly We said vnto you ere while that Christ halowed bread and wine to housell before his suffering Math. 26. Luke 22. Marke 14. and sayde Thys is my body and my bloud Yet he had not then suffered but so notwithstanding he * * Now we eate that body which was eaten before he was borne by faith turned through inuisible mighte the bread to his owne bodye and that wine to his bloud as he before did in the wildernes before that he was borne to be a man when he * * Here is no transubstantiation turned y e heauenly meate to his flesh and the flowing water from that stone to his owne bloud Uery many did eate of that * * Mantua heauenly meat in the wildernes and drinke the ghostly drinke and were neuerthelesse dead as Christ sayd And Christ meant not y e death whych none can escape but that euerlasting death which some of that folke deserued for theyr vnbelief Moyses and Aaron and many other of that people which pleased God did eate that heauenly bread and they died not y ◠euerlasting death though they died the common death They sawe that the heauenly meate was visible and corruptible they ghostly vnderstood by that visible thing and ghostly receiued it The Sauiour sayeth Iohn 6. Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting life And he bad them not eate that body wherewith hee was enclosed nor to drinke that bloude which he shed for vs * * What body the faithful do now eate but he meant with those wordes that holy housell which ghostly is his body and his bloud and hee that tasteth it with beleeuing heart hathe that eternall life In the olde lawe faithfull men offred to God diuers Sacrifices that had * * A signification before Christ. foresignification of Christes bodye which for our sinnes he himselfe to his heauēly father hath since * * A sacrifice in Christes tyme. offered to sacrifice Certainly this housell which we do now halow at Gods alter is a * * A remēbraūce of Christ. Math. 26. Hebr. 10. remembrance of Christes body which he offered for vs and of hys bloud whych he shed for vs So he himselfe commaunded Doe thys in my remembraunce Once suffered Christe by hym selfe but yet neuerthelesse hys suffering is daily renued at thys supper through mysterie of the holy housell Therefore we ought to consider diligently howe that this holy housell is both Christes bodye and the bodye of all * * The housell is also the body of al faithfull men faithfull menne after ghostly mysterie As wise Augustine sayeth of it If ye wil vnderstand of Christes body here the Apostle Paule thus speaking Yee truely be Christes body and his members Nowe is your mysterie sette on Gods table and ye receiue youre mysterie which mysterie ye your selues be Be that which ye see on the altare and receiue that which yee your selues be Againe the Apostle Paule sayeth by it We manye be one bread and one bodye Understande nowe and reioyce many be one bread and one body in Christ. He is our heade and we be his limmes and the bread is not of one corne but of many nor the wine of one grape but of many So also we all shoulde haue one vnitie in our Lorde as it is wrytten of the faithfull armie how that they were in so great an vnitie as though al of them were one soule and one heart Christe hallowed on hys table the mysterie of oure peace and of our vnitie He which receiueth that mysterie of vnitie keepeth not the bonde of true peace receiueth no mysterie for himselfe but a witnesse against himselfe It is very good for Christen men that they goe often to howsell if they bring with them to the alter vngiltines and innocēcy of hart if they be not oppressed with sinne To an euil man it turneth to no good but to destruction if hee receyue vnworthely that holy housell Holy * * No scripture inforceth the mixture of water with the wine bookes commaund that water be mingled to that wine which shall be for housell because the water signifieth the people the * * The wine signifieth Christes bloud wine Christes bloud and therefore shall neither the one wythout the other be offered at the holy masse that Christ may be wyth vs and we with Christ the head with the limmes and the limmes with the head Wee woulde before haue intreated of the Lambe whyche the olde Israelites offered at theyr Easter time but that we desired first to declare vnto you of this mysterie and after how we should receiue it That signifying lambe was offered at the Easter And the Apostle Paule sayeth in the Epistle of this present day that Christ is our Easter who was offred for vs and on this day rose from death The Israelites did eate the Lambes fleshe as God commaunded with vnleauened bread and wilde lettisse * * How we should come to the holy communion so wee shoulde receiue that holy housell of Christes body and bloud without the leauen of sinne and iniquitie As leauen turneth the creatures from their nature so doth sinne also chaunge the nature of manne from innocencie to vncleannesse The Apostle hath taught howe we shoulde feast not in the leauen of the euilnesse but in the sweete doughe of puritie and truth The herbe which they should eate with the vnleauened bread is called lettisse and is bitter in taste So we should with bitternesse of vnfained repentaunce purifie oure minde Exod. 12. if wee will eate Christes bodye Those Israelites were not woonte to eate rawe fleshe and therefore God badde them to eate it neyther raw nor sodden in water but rosted with fire He shal receiue the body of God rawe that shal thinke without reason that Christ was onely manlike vnto vs and was not God And he that will after mans wisedome search y e mystery of Christs incarnation doth like vnto him that doth seeth lambes fleshe in water because that water in this same place signifieth mans vnderstanding but we should vnderstand that all the mistery of Christes humanitie was ordered by the power of the holy Ghost and then eate we his body rosted with fire because the holy
who in hys 4. booke wryting of Transubstatiation in what time and by whose authority it was first establieshd hath these words which also are before mentioned pag. 257. These woordes of the Scripture might be expounded more easily and more plainly wythout transubstantiatioÌ„ but the Church did chuse thys sence whych is harder being thereto mooued as seemeth chiefly because men shoulde holde of the Sacraments the same whyche the Churche of Rome doth holde c. And further in the same place the sayde Duns expounding himselfe what hee meaneth by the churche of Rome maketh there expresse mention of the sayde Innocentius the 3. and of thys Councell of Laterane c. And furthermore to the entent that such as be indifferent seekers of the trueth may be more amplie satisfied in this behalfe that this transubstantion is of no antiquitie but of a late inuention I wil also adioyne to this testimonie of Iohan. Scotus Erasm. lib. Annot in 1. Cor. cap. 7. the iudgement and verdite of Erasm. lib. Annot. where he wryteth in these wordes In Synaxi transubstantiationeÌ„ serò definiuit Ecclesia Diu satis erat credere siue sub pane consecrato siue quocunque modo adesse verum corpus Christi Serò c. That is In the sacrament of the communion the church coÌ„cluded transubstantiatioÌ„ but of late dayes Long before that it was sufficient to beleue the true body of Christ to be present eyther vnder bread or els by some maner c. The second Article As touching the seconde Article which debarreth from the lay people the one halfe of the Sacramente The second article of both kindes vnderstanding that vnder one kind both partes are fully contained for so much as the world wel knoweth that thys Article is but young inuented decreed and coÌ„cluded no longer since then at the Councel of Constance not past 200. yeres agoe I shal not nede to make any long standing vpon that matter Read afore pag. 611. especially for that sufficient hath bene â—aid thâ—rof before in our long discourse of the Bohemians story pag. 611. First lette vs see the reasons and obiections of the aduersaries in restraining the Laitie from the one kynde of this Sacrament The reasons and obiections of the Papistes against both kindes The vse say they hath bene so of longe continuaunce in the Churche Whereunto we aunsweare that they haue no euident nor authentike example of anye auncient custome in the church which they can produce in that behalfe Item where they alledge the place of S. Luke where Christ was known in breaking of bread Luke 24. c. citing moreouer many other places of Scripture wherein mention is made of breaking of bread to aunswer therunto although wee doe not vtterly repugne but that some of those places may be vnderstanded of the Sacrament yet that beynge graunted it followeth not therefore that one parte of the Sacrament was only ministred to the people without the other when as by the common vse of speach vnder the naming of one part the whole action is meant Neither doth it followe because that breade was broken among the brethren therefore the cuppe was not distributed vnto them For so we finde by the words of S. Paule that y e vse of the Corrinthians was to communicate not onely in breaking of bread but in participating the cuppe also The cup sayeth he which we participate 1. Cor. 10. c. Also after the Apostles in the tyme of Cyprian of Hierome of Gelasius and other successiuely after them it is euident y t both the kindes were frequented in the Churche First Cyprian in diuers places declareth that the sacrameÌ„t of the bloud was also distributed Cypria lib. 1. Epist. 2. De laicis Martyribus Scriberis How do we sayth he prouoke them to stand in the confession of Christ to the sheding of their bloud if we deny vnto them the bloud of Christ when they prepare themselues to the conflict The wordes of Hierome are plaine Priestes sayth he whiche minister the Eucharist Hieronimus in Sophon cap. 3. and deuide the bloude vnro the people In historia tripartita it was sayde to y e Emperour Theodosius In Histor tripart lib. 9. how will you reciue the body of the Lord with such bloudy handes or the cup of hys precious bloud with that mouth which haue spilled so much innocent bloud In the Canon of Gelasius and in the Popes own decrees De consecrat these words we read We vnderstand that there be some whych receauing onely the portion of the Lordes bodye doe abstaine from the cuppe of hys sacrate bloud to whom we enioyne that either they receaue the whole Sacrament in both the kinds or els that they receaue neither The Councell of Constance a sacrilegious Councell for the diuiding of that whole one Sacrament cannot be done without great sacriledge c. So that thys decree of Pope Gelasius being contradictorie to the councell of Constance it must follow that either y e pope did erre or els the councell of Constance must needes be a sacrilegious Councel as no doubt it was The like testimonie also appeareth in the Councell of Toletane The forbidding of both kindes of the SacrameÌ„t hath no ground of auncient custome No custome may derogate from the Lordes expresse commauÌ„dement The Lordes testament ought not to be altered â—or any respecte that the laitie did then communicate in bothe kindes besides diuers other olde presideÌ„ts remaining yet in the churches both of Germanie and also of Fraunce declaring likewise the same And thus it standeth certain and demonstrable by manifolde probations how farre this newfound custome differeth from all antiquitie and prescription of vse and time Againe although the custome therof were neuer so auncient yet no custome may be of that strength to gainstand or countermaunde the open and expresse commaundement of God which sayeth to all men Bibite ex hoc omnes Drincke yee all of this c. Againe seeing the cup is called the bloude of the newe testament who is hee that dare or can alter the Testament of the Lorde when none may be so hardy to alter the Testament of a man being once approoued or ratified Further as concerning those places of Scripture before alledged De fractione panis that is of breaking of bread wherupon they thinke themselues so sure that the Sacrament was then ministred but in one kinde To aunswere thereunto first we say it may be doubted whether all those places in Scripture De fractione panis In fractione panis are to be referred to the Sacrament Secondly the same beyng geuen vnto them yet can they not inferre thereby because one parte is mentioned that the full Sacrament therefore was not ministred The common maner of the Hebrue phrase is vnder breaking of bread to signifye generally the whole feaste or supper as in the Prophete Esay these woordes Frange esurienti panem tuum doe signifie as
well geuyng drinke as bread c. And thirdly howsoeuer those places De fractione panis be taken yet it maketh little for them but rather against them For if the Sacrament were administred amongst them in fractione panis i. in breakinge of breade then must they nedes grauÌ„t that if bread was there broken Ergo there was breade Exod. 12. forasmuche as neither the accidences of bread without breade can be broken neither can the naturall body of Christ be subiect to any fraction or breakyng by the Scripture which sayeth The natural body of Chryst may not be broken Accidences no man can breake No bread is there to be brokeÌ„ Ergo there is nothing in the Sacrament broken And yee shall breake no bone of him c. Wherfore take away the substance of breade and there can be no fraction And take away fraction how then do they make a Sacrament of this breaking whereas neither the substance of Christes body neither yet the accidences wythout their substance can be broken neither agayne will they admit any bread there remaining to be broken And what then was it in thys their Fractione panis that they did breake if it were not Panis that is Substantia panis quae frangebatur To conclude if they say that this fraction of bread was a Sacramentall breaking of Christes bodye so by the like figure let them saye that the being of Christes naturall body in the Sacrament is a Sacramental being and we are agreed Item they obiecte further and say An other obiection agaynst both kindes that the churche vpon due consideration may alter as they see cause in rites ceremonies and Sacraments Aunswer The institution of this sacrament standeth vpon the order example commandement of Christ. Aunswere This order he tooke First he deuided the breade seuerally froÌ„ the cuppe and afterward the cuppe seuerally from the breade 1. Order 2. Example 3. commauÌ„dement Secondly this he did not for any neede on his behalfe but onely to geue vs example how to do the same after him in remembraunce of his death to the worldes ende Thirdly beside this order taken and example left hee added also an expresse commaundement Hoc facite Doe thys Bibite ex hoc omnes Drinke ye all of this c. Against this order example and commaundement of the Gospel no Church nor councell of men nor aungell in heauen hath any power or authoritie to change or alter according as we are warned If any bring to you any other Gospell beside that ye haue receiued holde him accursed c. Item an other Obiection Galat. â— An other obiection agaynst both kindes Act. â— And why maye not the Churche say they as well alter the fourme of thys Sacramente as the Apostles did the fourme of Baptisme where in the Actes S. Peter sayth Let euery one be baptised in the name of Iesu Christ. c. Aunswere Thys text sayeth not that the Apostles vsed thys fourme of baptising I baptise thee in the name of Christ. Aunswere c. but they vsed many times this manner of speache to be baptised in the name of Christe not as expressing thereby the formable words of baptising but as meaning this that they would haue them to become members of Christe The Apostles changeâ—â— the 〈◊〉 Baptiâ—â—â— and to be baptised as Christians entring into his baptism and not only to the Baptisme of Iohn and therfore althoughe the apostles thus spake to the people yet notwithstanding when they baptised any themselues they vsed no doubte the forme of Christ prescribed and no other Item among many other obiections they alledge certaine perils and causes of waight and importance as spilling sheding or shaking the bloud out of the cuppe or souring or els sticking vpon mens beardes c. for the which they say it is wel prouided the halfe communion to suffice Wherunto it is soone aunswered that as these causes were no let to Christ to the Apostles to the Corinthians and to the brethren of the Primitiue Churche but that in theyr publike assemblies they receiued al the whole Communion as well in the one part as in the other Mans 〈◊〉 sin in 〈…〉 owne 〈…〉 God so neither be the sayd causes so important nowe to adnull and euacuate the necessarye commaundement of the Gospell if we were as carefull to obey the Lorde as wee are curious to magnifie oure owne deuises to strayne gnattes to stumble at strawes and to seeke knottes in rushes whych rather are in oure owne phantasies growing then there where they are sought 〈…〉 Eccle. 〈…〉 Cap. 5. In summa diuers other obiections and cauillations are in Popish bookes to be found as in Gabriell the difference made betwene the laitie and Priests also the distinction vsed to be made betweene the Priestes communion and the laicall communion Where is to be vnderstand that when Priests were bidde to vse the laicall communion thereby was ment not receauing vnder one kinde as lay men doe nowe but to absteyne from consecrating and onely to receaue as the lay men then did Some also alledge certeyne speciall or particular examples as of the cuppe onely seruing for the bread or of the bread only sent to certeine sicke folke for the cuppe And heere they inferre the story of Sozomenus touching the woman in whose mouth the Sacrament of bread whiche she onely receaued without the cuppe was turned to a stone c. other alledge other priuate examples likewise of infants aged meÌ„ sicke persons men excommunicate phrentickes and madde men or men dwelling farre off from Churches All respects 〈◊〉 geue 〈◊〉 to the â—â—â—dience of the worde in mountaynes or wildernes c. All which priuate examples neither make any instance against the auncient custome of publicke congregations frequented from the Apostles time and much lesse ought they to derogate from the expresse and necessarye precept of the Gospell which saith to all men without exception Hoc facite c. Bibite ex hoc omnes c. The third Article Priuate Masses trentall Masses and dirige Masses as they were neuer vsed before the time of Gregory The 3. article vi C. yeares after Christ so the same do fight directly agaynste our christian doctrine as by the definition therof may wel appeare The Masse is a worke or action of the priest applied vnto men for meriting of grace Ex opere operato in the which Action the Sacrament is first worshipped Definition of the Masse and then offered vp for a sacrifice for remission of sinnes à poena culpa for the quicke and the dead Of this definition as there is no part but it agreeth with their owne teaching so there is no part thereof which disagreeth not from the rules of christian doctrine especially these as follow The first rule of Christian doctrine 1. The first rule is Sacramentes be instituted for some principall end and vse out of the which vse they are no sacraments
any man thinke that it is vncomely for his virgin to remayne ouer long vnmaried and if neede so require let him doe what he thinketh good he sinneth not let them mary And agayne both be good he saith but yet the one to be better he concludeth saying Therefore he that ioyneth in Matrimony his virgin doth wel but he that doth not doth better Which agreeth wel with the text aboue speaking of both kindes as well the man as the woman where he sayth If thou take a wife thou sinnest not and if the virgin take a husband she sinneth not If therfore it be no sinne for the man to take a wife nor for the virgine to take a husband after the apostles mynd neither doth diminish theyr felicity but rather encrease it for as much as both do well so both be blessed we then which take wiues for our infirmity what doe we sinne in hauing them Or if the apostle do suffer permit to euery man for the auoyding of fornication to haue his wife we then which come of the same lumpe or masse taking our sinnefull flesh of the sinnefull flesh of Adam are not able otherwise to conteine why are we not permitted for y e same cause by the same permissioÌ„ to haue likewise our wiues but are enforced to forsake them being maryed Wherfore either do you permit vs folowing the apostle to haue our wiues or els teach vs that we come not of the same masse 〈◊〉 is perâ—â—tted to 〈◊〉 infirmity 〈…〉 are 〈◊〉 as other men be Ergo 〈◊〉 ought to be permitted to Priests also either els shew vs that the same sufferauÌ„ce permission is not grauÌ„ted to vs by the Apostle which is graunted to other Which cause peradueÌ„ture you wil thus pretend that this sufferance was graunted of the Apostle not to the clergy or to any of our order but only to lay meÌ„ Which cannot well be defended neyther by the wordes of the Apostle nor by any circumstaunce of his Epistle for as much as there is no certayne distinction or denomination either of persoÌ„s or degrees or professions there meÌ„tioned neither doth he make any difference either in names or offices of men either of them which wrote vnto him either of those persons of whom he wrote or els of those to whoÌ„ he answereth but onely in general to the whole church of the Corinthians as he himself in the beginning of his Epistle purporteth in these wordes Paule called the Apostle of Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 1. by the will of God Sosthenes his brother to the church which is at Corinth such as be sanctified in Christ Iesus called sayntes with all that inuocate the name of the Lord. c. And after a few other wordes which here for breuityes sake we omit as not being greatly to the purpose pertinent thus he inferreth These premisses being then wel considered we besech you to haue regard compassioÌ„ of our infirmity most humbly desiring you not to oppresse vs with this violence For as we haue sufficiently before proued no man ought to be coÌ„strayned vnto continency agaynst his wil neither is thys kindâ— of vertue commaunded of God to any man of necessity 〈◊〉 continencye is no vertue but onely of voluntary deuotion to be offred vnto the Lord as he himselfe speaketh in the Gospell All men can not receiue this saying but to whom it is geuen Whereunto he gently exhorteth them that can take it saying He that is able to receiue this let him receiue it c. Wherefore for distinctions sake Moyses is not himselfe commauÌ„ded to cloth Aaron and his sonnes with breeches as in these wordes going before Math. 15. Thou shalt cloth with these Aaron thy brother and his sonnes with him c. But he thus sayth Thou shalt make linnen breches that they theÌ„selues may couer the filth of theyr flesh That they themselues sayth he may couer the filth of theyr flesh Thou sayth he shalt make the breches for the bishop and his sonnes thou shalt teach the rule of chastity thou shalt exhort them to absteine from the company of theyr wiues which shall do the priestes office Yet laying vpon none violently the sayd yoake of continency but whosoeuer shal be priests and shal serue the aulter shall of their owne accord surcease from the vse of matrimony which when they shall do of theyr owne voluntary consent shall take vpon them the purpose of coÌ„tinency to serue the aulter then shall the grace of God be present which as it did apparell those other priestes aforesayd with attyre for theÌ„ conuenient so shall it instruct these aboundantly how they ought to liue and to teach And this sence well agreeth with the text that foloweth saying And when thou shalt wash the father and his sonnes with water â—â—od 29. thou shalt take the garmentes that is the strayt coat the tunicle the brestlappe and put them vpon Aaron gird them to him with a brodered girdle of the Ephod Then thou shalt put the myter vpon his head and shalt put the holy crowne vpon the miter and thus shall he be consecrated Also thou shalt bring his sonnes and put coates vpon them and shalt gird them with girdles both Aaron his sonnes and shalt put bonettes on them and the Priestes office shal be theirs for a perpetuall law Thus then you see a commaundement of receiuing the linnen breches of Moyses Wherby it playnely appeareth The place of Moyses Exod. â—9 applyed that Aaron and his sonnes first did apparrell themselues with this kind of apparell and so entred in to be washed inducted annointed coÌ„secrated by the hands of Moyses By the which we are playnely taught that the yoke of continency is not to be inforced vpon any man against his will but is to be receiued of God with a proÌ„pt a deuout will Which thing also Dyonisius Areopagita that godly wise man the Disciple of S. Paule and ordeined of hym B. of Athenes in a certayne Epistle of his sent to Pymtus B. of the Gnasians in which he toucheth many things of mariage and chastity as is in y e Ecclesiastical history rehearsed doth admonish the sayd Pymtus and prayth him that he will lay no grieuous burthens vpon the neckes of the Disciples neither inferre any necessity of compelled chastity vpon the brethren whereby the infirmity of some of theÌ„ might be in daunger Ex histor Tripartita And Pymtus answering to Dyonisius agayn sheweth himself willing to embrace the senteÌ„ce of his wholesome couÌ„cell The same also did Paphnutius the diuine chaste bishop who in y e couÌ„cell of Nice as the Tripertite history doth shew vs when the fathers which there were present went about to restrayne Priestes from mariage he rising vp amongst theÌ„ moued with the zeale of mans infirmity desired theÌ„ that they would not so doe but rather to leaue it vnto the voluntary discretioÌ„ of euery man least
Praâ—biter cum vxorâ— quia de iure ipsius Ecclesiae antiquitus fuerunt in Suthrege Mutelac LoÌ„doniae monasterium Sanctae Mariae cum terris domibus quas Liuingus Praesbyter vxorillius Londoniae habuerunt To this also may be adioyned an other like antiquitie out of an olde wrytten history belonging to the church off Assaph after the time of Lanfranke as foloweth Anno Domini 1261. ex antiq libro Assaphensi manu scripto DE Clerico vxorato receptante publicè ¶ Forbonizatum is a SaxoÌ„ terme and signifieth as much as a man outlawed forbonizatum scienter possit contra ipsum probari nobis videtur quòd tenetur respondere in foâ—o Ecclesiastico Si verò facit residentiam in terra principis coÌ„tingat ipsum mulctari tota mulcta sua principi debetur Si verò residentiam in terra Episcopi facit mulcta diuidatur inter Episcopum Principem Si verò vxor alicuius talis scienter vel nolenter in eiusabsentia receptauerit Mulier in foro Ecclesiastico respondeat Clericus ratione sui facti noÌ„ puniatur nec pro ea nisi velit respondere cogatur Neither is the testimonie of Mantuanus vnworthye also hereeunto to be added wryting in the life of Hilarius Bishop of Pictauium as followeth Ex Mantuano INtegras vitae legum prudentia cultus Coelicolûm tutela inopum diadema pedumque Pictauiense tibi dum nil mortalia curas Dum viuis tibi sorte tua contentus ab omni Ambitione procul populo applaudente tulerunt Non nocuit tibi progenies non obstitit vxor Legitimo coniuncta toro non horruit illa Tempestate Deus thalamos cunabula taedas Sola erat in pretio quae nunc incognita virtus Sordet attrito viuit cum plebe cucullo Propterea leges quae sunt conubia contra Esse malas quidam per hibent Prudentia patrum Non satis aduertit dicunt quid ferre recuset Quid valeat natura pati Ceruic bus aiunt Hoc insuaue ingum nostris imponere Christus Noluit istud onus quod adhuc quà m plurima monstra Fecit ab audaci dicunt pietate repertum Tutius esse volunt qua lex diuina sinebat Isse via veterumque sequi vestigia patrum Quorum vita fuit melior cum coniuge quà m nunc Nostra sit exclusis thalamis coniugis vsu. The sixt Article touching Auricular confession OF confession three kindes we find in the scriptures expressed and approued The first is our confession priuately or publikely made vnto God alone Three kindes of confession Confession to God 1. Iohn 1. and thys confession is necessary for all men at all times Wherefore S. Iohn speaketh If we confesse our sinnes he is faythfull to forgeue vs. c. The second is the confession which is openly made in the face of the congregation And this confession also hath place when any such thing is committed whereof riseth a publicke offence and sclaunder to the Church of God As amples of penitentiaries in the primâ—tiue Church Melciades and other c. The thirde kinde of confession is that which we make priuately to our brother Priuate confession to our brother Math. 5. And thys confession is requisite wheÌ„ either we haue iniuried or by any way damnified our neighbor whether he be rich or poore Wherof speaketh the Gospel Go and reconcile thy selfe first vnto thy neighbour c. Also S. Iames Confesse your selues one to another c. Or els this confession may also haue place wheÌ„ any such thing lieth in our conscience in the opening whereof we stande in neede of the counsell comfort of some faithfull brother But herein must we vse discretioÌ„ in auoiding these poyntes of blinde superstition First that we put therein no necessitye for remission of our sinnes Iacob 5. but to vse therein oure owne voluntarye discretion according as we see it expedient for the better satisfying of our troubled minde The second is Câ—â—taine pointes of superstition to be auoyded in priuate confession that we be not bound to any ennumeration of our sinnes The thirde that we tie not our selues to any one persone more then to an other but to vse therein our free choyse whome we thinke can geue vs the best spirituall counsell in the Lord. But as there is nothyng in the Churche so good and so ghostly which through peuishe superstitioÌ„ either hath not or may not be peruerted so thys confession also hath not lacked his abuses First the secret confession to God alone as it hath ben counted insufficient so hath it ben but lightly esteemed of many The publike confession to the congregation hathe bene turned to a standinge in a sheete or else hath bene bought out for money Furthermore the secreat breaking of a mans minde to some faithful or spiritual brother in disclosing hys infirmitie or temptatioÌ„s for counsel and godly comfort hath bene turned into auricular confession in a Priestes eare for assoyling of his sinnes In the which auriculare coÌ„fession 4. or 5. abuses in auricular confession first of the free libertie of the penitent in vttering his griefs they haue made a mere necessitye and that vnto saluation and remission of sinnes Secondly they require withal ennumeration and a full recitall of all sinnes whatsoeuer 1. necessity 2 Enumeration of sinnes 3. Prescription of tyme 4. Confession made a Sacrament 5. To a Priest onely both great and small also besids y e necessity of this eare confessioÌ„ they adde therto a prescription of time at leaste once in the yeare for all men whether they repent or no to be confessed making moreouer of the same a sacrament And lastly where as before it stoode in the voluntary choyse of a man to open his hart to what spirituall brother he thought best for an easement of his griefe ghostly consolation they binde him to a Priest vnlesse some Frier come by the waye to be his ghostly father to whome he must needes confesse all whatsoeuer he hath done and though he lacke the key of knowledge and peradueÌ„ture of good discretion yet none must haue power to assoyle him but he through the authority of hys keyes And this manner of confession say they was instituted by Christe and hys Apostles and hathe bene vsed in the Church euer since to this present day Which is a most manifest vntruth and easie by storyes to be conuinced Socrat. Lib. 5. cap. 19. SoZo Lib. 7. cap. 16. Beat. Rhenanus in argum libel Tertulliani de penitentia For Socrates lib. 5. cap. 19. Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 16. in y e booke of Ecclesiasticall history do geue vs plainly to vnderstand that thys Auricular confession neuer came of Christe but onely of men Item in the time of Tertullian Beat. Rhenanus testifieth that there was no mention made of thys Auriculare confession Which may well be gathered thereof for that Tertullian wryting vpon repentaunce maketh no mention at all
outward ceremony And so Paule by that saying confuteth this opinion Ex opere operato that the Sacramentes should make men righteous iust before God for y e very outward work without faith of them that receiue them And after this manner doth Paule speake vnto the Ephesians Eph. 5. that Christ doth sanctify his church through the bath of water in the word of life And for as much as he ioyneth the word vnto the ceremony and declareth the vertue and power of the word of God Sacramentes onely to be gathered out of the word of God that it bringeth with it life he doth manifestly teach that the word of God is the principall thing and euen as it were the very substaunce body of the Sacrament and the outward ceremony to be nothing els then a token of that liuely inflamation whych we receiue through fayth in the word and promise Saint Paule also in ministring the sacrament of the Lordes supper doth manifestly adde the woordes of Christ He tooke bread sayth he and when he had geuen thankes he brake it and sayd take ye this and eate ye this for it is my body Item Do ye this in my remembrance The institution of Christ ought not to be altered 1. Cor. 11. Beside this he teacheth euidently y e onely Christ and none but he had power to institute a sacrament that neither the Apostles nor the Church hath any authority to alter or to adde any thing vnto his ordynaunce whereas he saith For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you c. To what purpose shoulde he go about to mooue the people to beleue him and to winne theyr hartes with this protestation if it had bene lawefull for him to haue made any sacramentes or to haue altered the forme and maner of ministring this sacrameÌ„t as some men both wickedly and shamelesly do affirme that the Apostles did alter the forme of Baptisme When he had spoken thus much The aunswere of the Bishop of London agaynst Alesius the B. of LondoÌ„ dyd interrupt him and sayd Let vs grauÌ„t that the sacraments may be gathered out of the word of God yet are you farre deceiued if ye think that there is none other word of God but that which euery sowter and cobler doe reade in theyr mother tongue And if ye thinke that nothing pertayneth vnto the Christian fayth but that onely that is written in the Bible then erre ye playnely with the Lutherans Iohn 21. 2. Thess. 2. For S. Iohn sayth that Iesus did many thinges which be not written And S. Paul commaundeth the Thess. to obserue and keep certeine vnwritten traditions ceremonies Actes 16. Vnwritten verities and traditions of fathers in equall force with Gods written word 2. Thes. 2. Moreouer he himselfe did preach not the scripture onely but euen also the traditions of the Elders Act. xvj Finally we haue receiued many things of the Doctors Councels by times which although they be not written in the Bible yet for as much as the olde Doctors of the Churche do make mention of them we ought to graunt that we receiued them of the Apostles and that they be of like authority with the Scripture and finally that they may worthily be called the word of God vnwritten Now when the right noble Lord Cromwell The vnwritten word of God Stokesly laughed to scorne the Archbishop with the other Bishops which did defend the pure doctrine of the gospel heard this they smiled a litle one vpoÌ„ another forasmuch as they saw him flee euen in y e very beginning of the disputation vnto his old rusty sophistry and vnwritten verities Then Alesius would haue proceded further with the Bishop to haue confuted this blasphemous lye but the Lord Cromwell bade him be coÌ„tent for the time began to go away and it was xij of the clock and thus he made an end w t his protestation Right reuerend mayster Bishop you deny that our christen fayth and religion doth leane only vpoÌ„ the word of God which is written in the Bible which thing if I can proue and declare then you will graunt me that there be no sacramentes but those that haue the manifest word of God to confirme theÌ„ Unto this he did consent and then immediatly that assemble was dissolued for that day The next day when the Bishops were set agayne the Archbishop of Canterbury sending his Archdeacon commaunded Alesius to abstayne from disputation wherupon he wrote his minde and deliuered it vnto Cromwell who afterward shewed the same vnto the Bishops Thus through the industry of Cromwell the colloquies were brought to this end that albeit religioÌ„ could not wholy be reformed yet at that time there was some reformation had throughout all England How desirous and studious this good Cromwel was in y e cause of Christs religioÌ„ The publicke care of Cromwell for the commoÌ„ wealth exaÌ„ples need not to be broght His whole life was nothing els but a continuall care and trauell how to aduaunce and further the right knowledge of the Gospell and reforme the house of God As by so many Proclamations aboue specified by his meanes set forth may well appeare wherein first he caused the people to be instructed in the Lordes Prayer and Creede in English then procured the Scripture also to be read and set forth in the same language for euery English man to vnderstand after that to rescue the vulgar people from damnable Idolatry caused certaine of the most grossest pilgrimages to be destroyed And further for the more commodity of the poore sort which get their liuing with their dayly labor worke of their handes he prouided that diuers idle holidayes were diminished Item he procured for theÌ„ liberty to eate egges and whitmeat in Lent Furthermore by him it was also prouided for y e better instruction of the people that beneficedâ—meÌ„ should be resident in their Cures and parishes there to teach and to keepe Hospitality with many other thinges els most fruitfully redressed for the reformation of Religion and behoofe of Christes Church as by the ProclamatioÌ„s Read afore pag. 1069.1070.1071.1072 c. Iniunctions and necessary articles of Christian doctrine aboue specified set forth in the kings name by his meanes may more aboundauntly appeare pag. 1069.1070 c. Now to adioyne withall his priuate benefites in helping diuers good men and women at sundry times out of troubles and great distresses it would require a long discourse Briefly his whole life was ful of such examples being a man to that intent ordeined of God as his deedes well proued to do many men good and especially such as were in daunger of persecutioÌ„ for religions sake Amongst other infinite stories one or two examples shall suffice for a testimony of his worthy doinges ¶ How Cromwell holpe a poore woman with childe out of great trouble longing for a piece of meat in time of Lent Persecuters Persecuted The
called Captayn Borthwike Who being accused of heresy as the papistes call it and cited therefore an 1540. and not appearing and escaping out into other countryes was condemned for the same being absent by the sentence of Dauid Beaton Archbishop of S. Andrewes and other Prelates of Scotland and all his goodes confiscate and his picture at last burned in the open market place Whose story with his articles obiected agaynst him and his confutations of the same here ensueth in processe vnder expressed as followeth * The Act or Processe or certayne Articles agaynst Syr Iohn Borthwike Knight in Scotland with the aunswere and confutation of the sayd Borthwike whose preface to the reader here foloweth BY the helpe of a certayne frend of mine there came certayne articles vnto my hand for the which the Scottish Cardinal and such other like of his sect and affinity did cōdemne me as an hereticke Captaine Borthwick◠And for so much as this condēnation should not lacke his cloke or defence they gathered together a great number of witnesses where as besides the bare names of the witnesses they alledged none other profe at all Wherefore I thought good to bestow some labour in refelling these articles which they could not proue partly that I might take awaye from all true Christians the occasion of all euill suspition as though that I beyng vanquished or ouerthrowne by theyr threatnings would deny Christ and partly that theyr errours being thereby made manifest they should euen for very shame repent or els hereafter y e lesse abuse y e furor or madnesse of such wytnesses to shed bloud Therefore I will first confirme by euident testimonyes of the Scriptures those things whiche in times past I haue taught and afterwarde I will refell theyr vayne Sophistication wherby they go about to subuert the trueth of God SYr Iohn Borthwike knight commonly called Captain Borthwike being accused suspected slaundered and convicte by witnesse without all doubt of greater estimation then he himselfe in the yeare of our Lord. 1540. the 28. day of May in the cloister of S. Andrewes in the presence of the most reuerēt Fathers Gawine Archbishop of Glasquene Chauncellour of Scotland William Bishop of Aburdin Henry of Candicatia Iohn Bishop of Brecknock and William of Dumbar Byshoppes Andrew of Mellrowes George of Dunerueling Iohn of Paslet Iohn of Lōdorse Rob. of Rillos Wil. of Rulrose Abbots Mācolalyne of Quiterne and Iohn of Pettin vaim Pryors Mayster Alexander Kalfour Uicar of Kitman Rector of Lawe officiall of Sayncte Andrewes Iohn Winton Suppriour Iohn Anand and Thomas Eminghame Chanons of Saynt Andrewes Iohn Tompson with vniuersity of Saynt Andrewes and Mayster Iohn Maior and Peter Capelland Batchelers of Diuinity and doctours Martine Ballfour Batcheller of Diuinitye and of his fellow Pryour of the Fryers Augustynes of the same Cittye Iohn Tulidaffe Warden of the Fryers Mynors and Iohn Paterson of the same Couent and also in the presence of the most noble mighty and honourable Lords George of Huntelo Iames of Arrain William Marshal William of Monnetros Erles Malcolme Lord of Flemming Chamberlaine of Scotland Iohn Lord of Linsey Iohn L. of Erskine George L. of Seton Iames Hamelton of Finwart Water L. of S. Iohn M. Iames of Colinton Clarke to the Kings Register with diuers other Lordes Barons and honest persons beyng called desired together for witnes that he did hold publish and openly teach these errors followyng The first Article That our holy father the Pope as Christes vicar hath not neither can exercise greater autoritie ouer Christians here on earth then any other bishop or prelate Borthwike These holy ones do magnify their Lord by like title as common theeues and robbers are accustomed to preferre the captaines and ringleaders of their robberies and mischiefs calling them in euery place the most honest good men where as likewise it is euidēt y t in the whole world there is no man more geuen to riot which more greedily doth seeke after all kynde of delicatenes and wantonnesse and finally aboundeth with all kynde of vice as treason murder rapine and all kynd of such euils Furthermore where as they affirme him to be the vicar of Christ here in earth it shall be easily conuinced when as it shall be made manifest that he hath not nor cannot exercise more power or autoritie ouer christians then any other bishop or prelate For vnto that office of beyng vicar they referre that great autoritie the which they do so greatly boast and brag of which beyng taken away the office of vicar doth also fall and decay But now to attempt the matter I wil first demand of the mainteiners of this preheminence and autority whereupon they wil ground the same I know that they will aunswer vnto me that Peter had power autority ouer the other Apostles and consequently ouer the vniuersall church the which power by succession is translated vnto the bishops of Rome But how vnshamefastly they do lye herein any may easily perceiue which hath but any small sparke of iudgement in him When as he shal heare the testimonies of the scriptures which we will alleage to confirme this our opinion For Peter in the xv of the Actes In the counsell doth declare what is to be done and admonisheth vs what of necessitie we ought to doe And he there did also heare other speake and did not onely geue them place to say theyr myndes but also permit and receiue their iudgement and where as they decreed hee followed and obeyed the same Is this then to haue power ouer others Furthermore where as in his first epistle he writeth vnto bishops and pastors he doth not commād them as a superior or head ouer them by power and authoritie but maketh them his fellowe companions and gently exhorteth thē as is accustomed to be done betweene equals of degree for these are his wordes I beseech and desire the bishops and pastors which are amongst you for so much as I my selfe am also a bishop and a witnesse of the afflictions of Christ and also a partaker of the glorye which shall be reuealed that they do diligently feede the flocke of Christ which is committed vnto them Why then do they so chalenge vnto them the autority of Peter which he neuer acknowledged in himselfe Truly I do not dout but if that Peter were here present he would with like seueritie rebuke their folly and madnes as Moses in times past did vnto Iosua which burned with too earnest a zeale towards hym I doubt not but that many in this fayned authoritie of Peter do seeke out more vayne helps to maintaine and vpholde the tiranny of Popes rather then to make him ruler and gouernour ouer all other For where as in the 8. chapiter of the Acts he is commaunded by hys fellowes to go with Iohn into Samaria he did not refuse so to do In so much then as the apostles do send him they declare thereby that they doe not count him
his first Epistle and v. chapter Hereby a man may gather by these wordes of Christ y e either there was no autoritie geuen vnto Peter more then vnto others or els that Peter did equally communicate that right and autority which he had receiued vnto others and did not reserue it vnto himselfe after his death to bee transported vnto the Bishops of Rome As for such reasons as they doe alledge which are not gathered or taken out of holy scriptures I passe them ouer least I myght seeme to contend with shadowes The second Article That Indulgences and pardons graunted by our supreme head the pope are of no force strength or effect but tend onely to the abuse of the people and the deceiuyng of their soules Borthwike Indulgences to be of no effect It shal be euidently declared that indulgences and pardons are of none effect after that I haue first of all taught what they do call Indulgences or pardons They say they are the treasure of the church that is to say the merites of Christ of the Saints Apostles and Martyrs which they impudently affirme to haue performed and merited more at Gods hand at the tyme of their death then was necessary or needfull for them that of the aboundance of their merites there did so much superabound which was not onely sufficient for themselues The treasure of the church as popeholders taâ—e it but also might redound to the helpe of others And because so great a goodnes should not be superfluous or in vayne they affirme and teach that their bloud was mixed and ioyned with y e bloud of Christ and of them both the treasure of the church was compouÌ„d and made for the remission and satisfactioÌ„ of sinnes How cunning and notable cookes these are which can make a confection of so many sundry herbes Furthermore they do fayne the custody and keping of this treasure to be coÌ„mitted wholy vnto the bishop of Rome Lord treasurer of the church Papists hold to be the Pope in whose power consisteth the dispensation of so great treasures that he eyther by himselfe may geue or graunt or otherwyse geue power vnto other to geue the same And hereupon riseth the plenary Indulgences and pardons graunted by the Pope for certaine yeares by cardinals for 100. dayes by bishops for 40. dayes This is the iudgement and opinion which they hold of the Indulgences But I pray you who taught those saints to worke or deserue for other but only Sathan who would vtterly haue y e merits of Christ extinguished and blotted out which he knoweth to be the onely remedy of saluation For if the Scripture do teache vs that no man of himselfe can deserue or worke their saluation No man of himsâ—lfe can worke his owne saluation how did the saints then worke or merit for others It is manifest that Christ saith in the xvij of Luke when we haue done all that which is commanded you for to do yet sayth he we are vnprofitable seruaunts Besides this all that which may be deserued or merited in the righteousnes of man in the 64. chapter of Esay they are compared vnto the garment menstruous defiled to be cast out There are almost infinite places in y e scripture wherein mans power is so extenuate and the corruption frowardnes of our nature so made manifest that euen in the best and most perfect workes there lacketh not imperfection Notwithstanding the parable of the x. virgins written in the 25. chapter of Mathew The parable of the 10. virgines expounded ought to put vs out of all controuersie and doubt There Christ describeth two kindes of men the one kynde of holy men which obserue and keepe the inward righteousnesse of the heart as the oyle of fayth the other sorte is of suche which hauyng no mynde of theyr oyle are aunswered by them whiche are wyse no least that there be not sufficient for you and for vs but go you rather to them which doe sell and buy for your selues in the whiche place it is manifestlye declared how vainely the second sorte of men doth flye to the patronage of the elect by whose merites they thinke to be saued Now let vs waie and consider vpon what places of scripture they build or establish their fayned inuention of pardons they alledge the saying of S. Paule to the Colossians I supply or fulfill the afflictions of Christ which were wanting in my flesh for his body which is y e church But Paul in this place doth not referre that defect or supplement to any worke of redemption expiation or satisfaction but to those afflictions by the which the members of Christ that is to say all faithfull should be afflicted so long as they liue in the flesh wherefore he sayth that this doth yet remaine of the passions of Christ that those afflictions which once he suffered in his owne body he nowe daily suffereth in his members For Christ hath vouchsaued to honour vs with this honour that he doth impute and call our afflictions to be his And where as S. Paule doth adde this word for the church he doth not vnderstaÌ„d thereby for the redemption reconciliation satisfaction or expiation of the church But for the ediâ—â—eng and profitâ—ng of the same as in the ij epistle to Timothie he saith That for the elect sake he suffered all these things y t they myght obtaine saluation but to the intent no man should thinke that saluation to depend vpon those things which he himselfe had suffered he added further The 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 a profiteth the which is in Christ Iesu. As touching the reason that the bloud of the Martyrs is not shed in vayne without fruit or profit therefore ought to be conferred to the common vtilitie and profite of the church I answer that the profit and fruit therof is aboundant to glorify God by their death to subscribe and beare witnesse vnto the truth by their bloud and by the contempt of this present lyfe to witnesse that he doth seeke after a better lyfe by his constancie and stedfastnesse to confirme and establish the fayth of the church and subdue and vanquish the enemy The third Article That the Pope is an open vser of Simony daily selling the gifts of the spiritualties and that it is lawfull for all bishops to be coupled and ioyned in matrimony Borthwike This article hath his seuerall partes for those things which we haue spoken or answered vnto the article before written doth sufficiently declare that the Pope is not only a vser of Simony but also a notable deceiuer which selleth such kynd of merchandise as can in no place helpe or preuaile For so much as his pardons are nothyng lesse then such as he faineth them to be Doth he not then shew himselfe a manifest deceiuer when as he maketh faires and markets of them but to the intent I will not seeme in this behalfe vainly to labour or trauaile Pristes mâ—â—riage
thereof Peter and Paul wherof the one of thē dareth not freely vtter or speake of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by hymselfe for the obedience of the Gentiles The other exhorteth that if any man speake he should speake the praises of God but I condemne those lawes which the bishops of Rome haue made accordyng to their owne will and mynde and say that they are spirituall pertainyng vnto the soule and necessarie vnto euerlastyng lyfe For so much as the writyngs of the Apostles doe euidently declare that there was no authoritie knowen amongest them to make or ordayne any ordinaunces or lawes Furthermore the Scriptures do manifestly shewe the same how oftentimes euen by the Lordes owne mouth this foresayd authoritie is taken from the Ministers of the Church so that no excuse for them remayneth but that they be playne rebelles agaynst the worde of GOD how many so euer doe presume or take vppon them to appoint or set any new lawes vpon the people of GOD whiche thyng is more manifest and euident then the lyght it selfe in many places of the Scripture For in the 23. chapter of Iosue it is written you shall obserue and doe all that is written in the lawe of Moyses neyther shall you swarue from that eyther to the ryght hande eyther to the lefte hand But that which is written in the twelfth chapter of Deuteronomium ought to mooue them somewhat the more Whatsoeuer I commaund sayth the Lorde that you shall obserue and doe thereunto you shall adde nothing neyther shall you take any thyng from it The lyke he had sayd before in the fourth chapter of the same booke And agayne Moyses in the xxx chapiter of the same booke doth witnesse that he dyd put foorth lyfe and blessing vnto Israell when as he gaue them that lawe which he had receiued of the Lord. How can they then excuse themselues of periury which ordaine new lawes to liue by But let vs proceede further and see what authoritie the Priestes of Leuies stocke had to make lawes I doe not denye but that God in the xvij chapter of Deuteronomie ordayned vnder a great penaltie that the authoritie of the Priestes should not be contemned but had in reuerence But in the ij of Malachie He also declareth vnder what condition they are to be heard where as he sayth he hath made a couenaunt with Leuy that the law of truth should be in hys mouth and by and by after he added the lips of the Priest shall keepe and maintayne wisedome and the law they shall require at hys mouth which is the messenger of the Lord of hostes Therefore it is fitte and necessary that if a Priest will be heard that he doe shew himselfe the messenger of God that is to say faythfully to report and declare the commaundements which he hath receiued of the Lorde For where as Malachie speaketh of hearyng of them he putteth this specially that they doe aunswere accordyng to the lawe of the Lorde Therefore lyke as the Leuiticall Priestes did breake theyr couenaunt made with GOD if they do teache any other lawe then that which they had receyued of hym So likewyse these men muste eyther acknowledge themselues to be couenant breakers or els they may not bynde the consciences of men with no new lawe Furthermore what power the Prophetes had vniuersally it is very liuely described in Ezechiel in his xxxiij chapter Thou sonne of man sayth the Lord I haue made thee a guide vnto the house of Israel thou shalt heare the word out of myne owne mouth Ezechiel cap. 55. and declare it vnto them from me He then which is commaunded to heare of the mouth of the Lord is he not forbidden to rehearse or speake any thing of hymselfe For what other thyng is it to speake from the Lord but so to speake that he may boldly affirme and say that it is not his word but the word of the Lorde which he speaketh Further God by his Prophet Ieremy calleth it chaffe what so euer doth not proceede from hymselfe Wherefore none of the Prophetes haue opened theyr mouthes at any tyme to speake but beyng premonished before by the worde of GOD. Whereupon it happeneth that these wordes are so often pronounced by them The worde of the Lord The charge or burden of the Lord The vision of the Lord Thus sayth the Lord The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Now that we may also confirme that which is before spoken by the examples of the Apostles that they haue taught nothyng but that whiche they haue learned of the Lorde the law which Christ prescribed vnto them when as he endowed them with the dignitie and honour of the Apostleship is somewhat more profoundly to be repeated In the last chapiter of Mathew he commandeth them to go foorth and teach not such thyngs as they themselues did rashly inuent or deuise but those things which he had commaunded them Furthermore Paule in the second to the Collossians denieth that he hath any dominion or rule ouer the fayth of the Corinthians albeit he was ordayned by the Lorde to be their Apostle If you require and desire a further reason of the moderation of Saint Paule read the tenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romaines where as he teacheth That fayth commeth by hearyng it commeth not by the dreames of the Bishop of Rome or by any other Bishop but onely by the worde of God neyther ought any man to thinke it straunge that neyther Christ restrayned hys Apostles by the lawe that they should not teache any thyng but that which they had learned of the mouthe of the Lord. He set the same law vppon himselfe because it should not be lawfull for any man to refuse it My doctrine sayth Christ is not myne but hys which sent me my fathers he which hath bene the onely and eternall counseller of the father which also is ordayned by the Father the Lord and Maister ouer all for so much yet as he doth the office and part of a Minister he doth by hys example prescribe vnto all Ministers what rule and order they ought to followe in teachyng wherfore the power of the Church is not such that it may at hys owne wyll and discretion teach new doctrines eyther as they terme it frame new Articles of fayth either establish new laws but is subiect vnto the worde of the Lorde and as it were included in the same But now let vs beholde what defence they do bryng for their constitutions The Apostles say they and the Elders of the Primitiue Church established a decree besides the commandement of Christ wherby they did commaunde all people to abstayne from all things offered vnto Idols suffocation and bloud The Church subiect to the word of God Reasons wherewith they defēd their constitutions If that were lawfull for them so to doe why is it not lawfull for their successour as often as necessitie shall require to imitate
Pope Leo with what heape of tragicall wordes and exclamations doth he fare and rage agaynst y e true seruant of God poore Luther for disturbing y e church of God when it is the Pope onely his fathers house that troubleth and long hath troubled the true Church of the Lord as by his doings all the world may see enough to much In the meane time read I besech thee with iudgement this impudent false slaunderous Bull of the Pope with the appeale also of Luther agayn from the sayd pope The copy wherof because they be rare to be gotten hath not bene hetherto commonly sene being before omitted I thought to coÌ„mit here to history as I had it out of certayn Registers the maner tenor wherof is this as foloweth A copy of the Bull of Pope Leo x. no lesse sclaunderous then barbarous agaynst Martin Luther and his doctrine Leo Papa .x. LEo Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam Exurge Domine iudica causam tuam The Bul of pope Leo agaynst M. Luther Memor esto impropriorum eorum quae ab insipientibus fiunt tota die Inclina aurem tuam ad preces nostras quoniam surrexerunt vulpes querentes demoliri veneam cuius tu torcular solus calcasti ascensurus ad patrem eius curam regimeÌ„ Que sequntur vide superiore aeditione Pag. 1459. administrationem Petro tanquam capiti tuo vicario eiusque successoribus instar triumphantis Ecclesiae commisisti c. ¶ The sayd sclaunderous and barbarous Bull of Pope Leo the x. agaynst Luther in English with the aunswere of Luther ioyned to the same LEo Byshop seruaunt of the seruauntes of God for a perpetual memory hereof Rise vp O Lord iudge thy cause Remember the rebukes wherewith we are scorned all the day loÌ„g of foolish rebukers Encline thy eare to our prayers The Popes Bull in Engliâ—he for Foxes are risen vp seeking to destroy thy vineyarde the vinepresse wherof thou onely hast trodeÌ„ and ascending vp to thy Father hast committed the charge and regiment therof vnto Peter as chiefe head and to thy Uicare and his successors The wilde Bore out of the woode seeketh to exterminate and roote vp thy Uineyard Rise vp Peter and for this thy pastorall charge committed to thee from aboue enteÌ„d to the cause of the holy Church of Rome the mother of all churches Note here and marke good reader how the Church of Rome holdeth by the bloud of S. Peter not by the bloud of Christ. and of our fayth which thou by the commaundement of God didst consecrate wyth thine owne bloud agaynst which as thou hast foretold vs false lyers haue risen vp bringing in sects of perdition to their owne spedy destruction Whose touÌ„g is like fire full of vnquietnes and replenished with deadly poysoÌ„ who hauing a wicked zeale and nourishing contentions in theyr harts do bragge and lye agaynst the verity Rise vp Paul also we pray thee which hast illuminate the same Church with thy doctrine and like martyrdome For now is sprong vp a new Porphecy who as they said Porphyry then vniustly did sclaunder the holy Apostles so semblably doth this man now sclaunder reuile rebuke byte and barcke agaynst the holy Byshops our predecessors not in beseeching them but in rebuking them And where he distrusteth his cause there he falleth to opprobrious checkes rebukes after the wonted vse of heretickes whose vttermost refuge is this as Hierome sayth y t wheÌ„ they see theyr cause go to wracke then like Serpentes they cast out theyr venime with theyr toung and when they see themselues neare to be ouercome they fall to rayling For though heresies as thou sayest must needes be for the exercise of the faythfull yet least these heresies should further encrease and these Foxes gather strength agaynst vs it is needfull that by thy meanes and helpe they be suppressed and extinguished at the beginning Finally let all the whole vniuersall Churche of Gods Saynts and Doctours rise vp whose true expounding of holy Scripture being reiected certayne persons whose hartes the father of lyes hath blinded and wise in theyr owne conceites as the maner of heretickes is do expouÌ„d the scriptures otherwise then the holy Ghost doth require folowing onely theyr owne sense of ambition and vayne-glory yea rather do wrast and adulterate the Scriptures so that as Hierome sayth now they make it not the gospel of Christ but of man or which is worse of the deuill Let all the holy church I say rise vp wiâ—h the blessed Apostles together make intercessioÌ„ to almighty God that the errors of all schismatickes being rooted stocked vp his holy Church may be conserued in peace and vnity For of late which for sorrow we can not expresse by credible information and also by publick fame it hath come to our eares yea we haue seene also read with our eyes diuers and sundry errors of which some haue bene condemned by counsels and constitutions of our predecessors containing expresly y e heresies of the Greekes of the Bohemians Respectiuely some agayn respectiuely either heretical or false or sclaunderous or offensiue to good eares or such as may seduce simple myndes newly to be raysed vp by certayne false pretensed Gospellers who by curious pride seeking worldly glory against the doctrine of the apostle would be more wise then becommeth them whose babling as S. Hierome calleth it without authority of the Scriptures should finde no credit vnlesse they should seme to coÌ„firme theyr false doctrine euen with testimonies of the scripture but yet falsely interpreted Which worketh vs so much the more grief for y t those heresies be sprong in y e noble nation of the Germaines vnto the which natioÌ„ we with our predecessors haue alwayes borne speciall fauor and affection For after the Empyre was first translated by the Church of Rome from the Greekes vnto the Germaines the said our predecessors and we haue alwayes had them as speciall fautors defenders of this our Church and they haue alwaies shewed themselues as most earnest suppressors of heresies as witnes wherof remaine yet those laudable coÌ„stitutions of the Germane Emperors set forth and confirmed by our predecessors for the liberty of the Church and for expulsing heretickes out of all Germany and that vnder greuous penalty and losse of al theyr goods and lands Which constitutioÌ„s if they were obserued this present day both we and they should now be free from thys disturbaunce The Germaines in olde tyme most addicted to popery aboue al other nations Furthermore the heresy of the Hussites Wicleuistes of Hierome of Prage being condeÌ„ned and punished in the CouÌ„cel of Constance doth witnes y e same Moreouer doth witnes the same so much bloud of y e Germanes spilt fighting agaynst the Bohemians To coÌ„clude the same also is confirmed witnessed by the learned true confutatioÌ„ reprobation and condeÌ„nation
all other things be obstacles although they put not the same obstacles which the Sophisters vnderstande meaning onely of the actuall purpose of externall sinne I confesse therefore this article not only to be mine but also to be the article of the Catholike and Christian veritie and the Bull whych confesseth the same to be twise heretical impious and blasphemous with all them which folow the same Who litle regarding the sinne of incredulitie foolishly and madly doe holde that the obstacle is taken away if a man cease from suming although the vnbeleuer can thinke no good thyng But these things I haue discussed more at large in my bookes and wil more discusse if those prating Romanists dare at any time prooue their opinion and confute mine The 2. Article To denie that sinne remaineth in a childe after his Baptisme is as much as to tread downe Christ Paul together vnder fote The Answere I wold also require of them to shew the cause why this article is condemned if they were not so blinded in theyr fantasticall respects that they are not able to perceiue why they would haue this article condemned And yet I caÌ„not tell whether it be hereticall or erroneous And no maruel when as the condemners themselues cannot tell mee I hold therfore this article also by the Apostle Rom. 7. I my selfe in my minde do serue the law of God and in my flesh the lawe of sinne Heere the Apostle confesseth plainely of himselfe that in his flesh he serueth sinne And also 1. Cor. 1. Christ is made to vs of God our righteousnesse our wisedome sanctification and redemption And how then doeth he sanctified them that be sanctified already vnlesse it be as the Apoc. sayeth He that is holy let him be holy stil To be sanctified Rom. 7. is as much as to be purged froÌ„ sinne But what haue these our Respectiuists to do with the apostle Paule seeing they are the whole vniuersall Church â— Cor. 1. by whose authoritie Paule either standeth or falleth being but a member onely and a parte of the church â—poc 12. The Lorde rebuke thee Sathan and these thy Sathanicall papists The 3. Article The originall roote of sinne although no actuall sinne do followe stoppeth the soule departing out of the body from entrance into heauen 〈◊〉 answer 〈◊〉 M. 〈◊〉 the â— article The Answere As touching this matter I neuer defined any thing hetherto but largely probably I haue disputed hereof neither yet to this day am I fully certain what is done w t such a â—oule But our papists more blind then bussardes when they are nothing able to perceiue what cause thys Article hath worthely to be condeÌ„ned yet dare they take vpon theÌ„ to pronounce that which the whole vniuersal church is ignorant of I yet notw tstanding contemning this folish and fond condemnation aforsaid doe holde this article probably to be true For seing this original roote which I speake of is truly sin as I haue proued Rom. 7. Gal. 5. and seing that sin letteth a man from entring into heauen as it is written No polluted thing shal enter I suppose therefore that originall sinne wythholdeth a man from entring into heauen Nether do I any thing at al esteme the fantastical dreames of them whereby they extenuating original sinne doe call it only the paine of sinne and imperfections plainly against the manifest scriptures whiche call it sin and teach the same to be cured by grace which is the medicine of true and not of fained sinne The 4. Article Aunswere of M. Luther to the 4 article The imperfect charity of a man departing necessarily carieth with it great feare which of it selfe is enough to make the pain of Purgatorie and letteth the entrance into the kingdome of heauen The Answere This foloweth of the other going before which in lyke maner I did not determinately affirm although very probably I do yet holde the same asking before a dispensation after mine owne arbitrement euen in defiance of the Bul which is not able to bringe foorth any other probation but this We are the hiest powers in the Church yea we are the church it selfe Ergo we are the best learned most holiest ful of the holy Ghost which cannot erre although we stink like a filthy puddle to the whole worlde polluted with all kind of sinnes and drowned in ignoraÌ„ce But all these reasons preuaile nothing with me peraduenture they may w t them which feare least if my sentence should preuaile then purgatory should be taken out of the Popes hands then priests and religious men hauing lost their gainful offices of vexing of releasing I wold haue said of the dead The popes doctrine gaynfull to the purse shuld be pinched by the bellies and brought to penurye It was time therefore for their greedy auarice here to wake looke about and not to suffer these their friuolous opinions but yet very gainefull to be ouercome with truth and so to be ouerthrowen The 5. article Aunswere of M. Luther to to the 5. article Where they say penaunce standeth of three partes to wit contrition confession and satisfaction it is not founded in holy scripture nor in ancient holy and christian Doctours The aunswere This article in what respect it is condemed I do right well perceaue For the respect thereof is to greedye couetousnesse and therefore I know that the probation therof hath the like respecte which is this if this article wer true then men would geue nothing for satisfactioÌ„ and indulgences neither should we haue any more wherewith to vexe them with confessioÌ„s cases reserued restricted or ampliated for our gayne and so should we become beggers and gods seruice shoulde be minished in Uigils and Masses But it is wicked that Gods seruice shoulde be minished therfore Luther is an hereticke This consequent holdeth a respectu Bullae ad Papistas 1. From the Bull to the papists and contrariwise I beseech thee by the Lord Iesus whatsoeuer graue learned reader shalt read these thinges that thou wilt pardon this my leuitie and as it may seeme my childishnes For thou seest how I haue to do with such meÌ„ as be twise children and yet do brag themselues to be peeres and principall pillers of all men I assure you I know it most certaynly to be true that there be many and great gouernors of people whiche this so ridiculous and foolishe reason aboue recited hath moued to y e condemnation of my books Unlesse I perceiued with teares I speake it the anger of God sharpe and fierce agaynst vs in bringing vs vnder subiection of such effeminate children and such dregs of the earth and vile refuse of al other people of the whole world it would make â—e to burst for very griefe and sorrow My sentence is and hath bene this that that satisfaction whiche the keyes are able to dispence withall standeth not by the law of God For if it did then could
vnity concord in al things and especially in the true fayth and religion of God and therewithal also duely wayed the great daunger that his louing Subiects were in for confessing the gospell of Christ through many and diuers cruell statuts made by sondry his predecessors against the same which being stil left in force mought both cause the obstinate to conteÌ„n his graces godly procedings and also the weak to be fearefull of theyr christianlike profession he therfore caused it among other things by the authority of the same parliament to be enacted Statut. an 1. Reg. Edwardi 6. Cap. 12. that all Actes of Parliament Statutes touching mentioning or in any wise concerning religion or opinions that is to say as well y e statute made in the first yeare of the reigne of king Rich. the second The statute made An· 1. Reg. Rich. 2. An. Reg Hen 5. An. 25. Reg. HeÌ„ 8. Item An. 31. Henr. â— An. 34. Henr. 8. An. 35. Henr. 8. repealed Item note for the statute An. 2. Reg. HeÌ„ 4. cp 15. because that statute was repealed by an estatute made 25. an Henr. 8. therefore the same is here omitted The bloudy statute of the 6. articles repealed and the statute made in the second yeare of the reigne of King Henry the fift and the statute made in the 25. yeare of the raigne of K. Henry .8 coÌ„cerning punishment and reformation of hereticks and Lollards and euery prouision therein conteined and the Statutes made for the abolishment of diuersity of opinions in certain Articles concerning Christian religion commoÌ„ly called the 6. Articles made in the 31. yeare of the raigne of K. Henry 8. also the statute made in the ParliameÌ„t begon the 16. day of Ianuary in the 33. yeare of the reigne of the sayd K. HeÌ„ry the 8. and after proroged vnto the 21. day of Ianuary in the 24. yeare of his sayd raigne touching mentioning or in any wise concerning bookes of the olde and new Testament in English the printing vttering selling geuing or deliuering of bookes or writings and reteining of english bookes or writinges and reading preaching teaching or expounding the scriptures or in any wise touching meÌ„tioning or coÌ„cerning any of the sayd matters And also one other statute made in the 35 yeare of the Raigne of the sayd K. Henry 8. concerning the qualification of the Statute of the sixe Articles and all and euery other act or acts of parliament concerning doctrine or matters of religion and al and euery braunch article sentence matter paines or forfaytures conteined meÌ„tioned or in any wise declared many of the same Actes or Statutes should from thenceforth be vtterly repealed made voyd and of none effect By occasion wherof as wel al such his godly subiects as were then still abiding within this Realme had free liberty publickely to professe the Gospel as also many learned zealous preachers before banished were now both licensed freely to returne home agayne also encouraged boldly and faythfully to trauel in theyr fuÌ„ction and calling so that God was much glorified and the people in many places greatly edified Moreouer in the same Session his Maiestye with the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in the same Parliament assembled throughly vnderstanding by the iudgement of the best learned that it was more agreable vnto y â— first institution of the sacrament of the most precious body and bloud of our Sauior Christ and also more conformable to the common vse and practise both of the Apostles and of the primatiue Churche by the space of fyue hundreth yeares and more after Christes Ascension that the sayde holye Sacrament shoulde bee ministred vnto all Christen people vnder both the kindes of bread and wine then vnder the forme of bread onely and also that it was more agreable vnto the sayd first institution of Christ and the vsage of the Apostles and primatiue Churche that the people being preseÌ„t should receiue the same with the priest then that the priest should receiue it alone dyd by theyr authority moreouer enacte that the sayde holy Sacrament should be from theÌ„ceforth commonly deliuered and ministred vnto the people throughout the churches of Englâ—d and Ireland and other the kinges dominioÌ„s vnder both y e kindes of bread and of wine The asseâ—â—bly oâ— Byâ—shop◠〈◊〉 others at Windsore except necessity otherwise required and also that the Priest that should minister the same should at the least one day before exhort all persons which should be present likewise to resort prepare themselues to receiue the same And at y e day prefixed after some godly exhortation made by the minister wherin should be further expressed the benefit and comfort promised to them which worthely receiue this holy Sacrament the daunger and indignation of God threatned to them which presume to receiue the same vnworthely to the end that euery man might try and examine his owne conscience before he should come thereunto the sayd Minister shoulde not without a lawfull cause denye the same to any person that would deuoutly and humbly desire it any Law Statute The assemâ—bly of Byshops and others 〈◊〉 Windsore ordinaunce or custome contrary therunto in any wise notwithstanding After which most godly consent of the parliament the king being no lesse desirous to haue the forme of administration of the Sacrament truely reduced to the ryght rule of the scriptures and first vse of the primatiue church then he was to establish the same by the authority of his owne regall lawes appoynted certain of the most graue and best learned Bishops and others of his Realme to assemble together at his Castle of Windsor there to argue and entreat vpon this matter and conclude vpon and set forth one perfect and vniforme order according to the rule and vse aforesayd And in the meane while that the learned were thus occupyed about theyr conferences the Lord Protectour and the rest of the kinges Councell farther remembring that that time of the yere did then approch wherin were practised many superstitious abuses and blasphemous ceremonies agaynst the glory of God and trueth of his word determining the vtter abolishing thereof directed theyr letters vnto the godly and reuerend father Thomas Cranmer then Archbishop of Caunterbury Metropolitane of England requiring him that vpon the receit thereof he should will euery Bishop within his Prouince forthwith to geue in charge vnto all the Curates of theyr Diocesses that neither candles should be any more borne vpoÌ„ Candlemas day neither yet ashes vsed in Lent Candleâ—â—â— to be 〈◊〉 on Candâ—â—â—mas day nor Palmes vpon palme Sonday Whereupon the Archbishop zealously fauouring thee good and Christianlike purpose of the king and his CouÌ„sell Ashes for bidden on Ashwednesday 〈◊〉 Edm. Boâ—â—â— did immediately in that behalfe write bnto all the rest of the Bishops of that prouince and amongest them vnto Edmund Boner then Bishop of London Of whose rebellious and obstinate contumacy for that we
offend and be thereof in forme aforesayd lawfully coÌ„uicted then he shuld for the same 3. offence suffer imprisonment during his life If any such person or persons aforesaid so offending had not any benefice or spiritual promotion y t then he shoulde for his first offence suffer imprisonment by the space of vi monthes without bayle or maynprise and for his second offence imprisonment during hys life Which request or rather actuall agreement of y e lordes and commons of the Parliament beyng once vnderstoode of the kyng was also soone ratified and confirmed by hys regall consent and authoritie and therupon the sayd booke of common prayer was presently imprinted and commaÌ„ded to be exercised throughout the whole Realme and dominions thereof accordyng to the tenure and effect of the sayd Statute Moreouer in the same Session of the sayd ParliameÌ„t it was enacted and established by the authoritie thereof that for as much as great horrible and not to be rehearsed inconueniences had from tyme to tyme risen amongst the priests ministers and other officers of the clergy through their compelled chastitie Lawes and 〈…〉 againâ—t 〈…〉 and by such lawes as prohibited them the godly and lawfull vse of mariage that therefore all and euery law and lawes positiue canons constitutions and ordinances theretofore made by the authoritie of man onely which did prohibite or forbid mariage to any ecclesiasticall or spirituall person or persones of what estate condition or degree so euer they were or by what name or names they were called which by gods law may lawfully marry in all and euery article braunche and sentence concernyng onely the prohibition for the mariage of the persons aforesayd should be vtterly voyd and of none effect And that all maner of forfaitures paynes penalties crimes or actions Mariage of Priestes â—et â—ree which were in the sayd lawes conteyned and of the same dyd follow concernyng the prohibition for the mariage of the sayd Ecclesiastical persons shuld be thencefoorth also clearely and vtterly voyde frustrate and of none effect By occasion whereof it was thenceafter ryght lawfull for any Ecclesiasticall person not hauyng the gift of chastitie most godly to liue in the pure and holy estate of matrimony according to the lawes worde of God But if the first Iniunctions statutes and decrees of the Prince were of many but slenderly regarded with muche lesse good affection were these especially the booke of common praier of diuers now receiued yea and that of some of them Edmund Boner B. of London which had alwayes before in outward shew willingly allowed the former doings as appereth most plainly amongst others by Boner the B. of London Who although by his former letters other mandates he seemed hitherto to fauour all the kings proceedings yet did he at that present notwithstanding both the first statute for the stablishing of the Communion and the abolishyng of all priuate masses and also this Statute of the ratifieng and confirming of the booke of Common prayer still suffer suÌ„dry idolatrous priuate masses of peculiar names as the Apostles masse the Lady masse and such lyke to be dailye solemnly sung within certaine perticular chappels of hys cathedral church of Paules cloking them with the names of the apostles communion and our Ladies communion not once findyng any fault therewith vntill such tyme as the Lordes of the Counsaile hauyng intelligence thereof were fayne by their letters to commaund hym to looke better thereunto And then beyng therewith somewhat pricked forwards perhaps by feare he was content to direct hys letters vnto the Deane and Chapter of his cathedrall church of Paules thereby requesting them forthwith to take such order therein as the tenure of the Counsailes sayd letters therwithall sent vnto them did import Which both two letters I haue for the more credite here followyng inserted ¶ A Letter directed from the Kings Counsaile to Edmund Boner B. of London for abrogating of priuate Masses namely the Apostles Masse within the church of S. Paule vsed vnder the name of the Apostles Communion 〈◊〉 other 〈…〉 progating priuate Masses AFter harty commendations Hauing very credible notice that within that your cathedral church there be as yet the Apostles masse and our Ladies masse and other masses of such peculiar name vnder the defence nomination of our Ladies communion and the Apostles communion vsed in priuate chappels and other remote places of the same and not in the Chauncell The Apoâ—â—les 〈…〉 Paul contrary vnto the kings maiesties proceedings the same beyng for the misuse displeasing to God for the place of Paules in example not tollerable for the fondnes of the name a scorne to the reuerence of the communion of the Lords body and bloud we for the augmentation of gods glory and honour and the consonance of his maiesties lawes and the auoyding of murmure haue thought good to will command you that from henceforth no such masses in this manner be in your church any longer vsed but that the holy blessed communion according to the acte of Parliament be ministred at the high aultar of the church and in no other places of the same only at such tyme as your high masses were wont to be vsed except some number of people desire for their necessary businesse to haue a communion in the mornyng and yet the same to bee executed in the Chauncell at the high aulter as it is appoynted in the booke of the publike seruice without cautele or digression from the common order And herein you shal not onlye satisfie our expectation of your conformitie in all lawfull things but also auoyd the murmure of sundry that be therwith iustly offended And so we bid your Lordship hartely farewell From Richmond the 24. of Iune an 1549. Your louing friendes E. Somerset W. Saint Iohn Ed. Montague R. Rich. Chan. Fra. Shrewsbury W. Cecill ¶ To my right worshipfull friendes and most louyng good brethren M. Deane of Paules with all the Canons Residentaries Prebendaries Subdeanes and Ministers of the same and euery of them with speede RIght worshipfull with most harty commendations So it is this Wensday the xxvi of Iune goyng to dynner Boners letter to the Deane and Chapter of Paules I receaued letters from the kynges Counsell by a Pursiuaunt and the same I doe send now herewith vnto you to the intent you may peruse them well and proceede accordyngly praying you in case all be not present yet those that be now resident and supplying the places may in their absence call the company together of the Church and make declaratioÌ„ hereof vnto them Thus committyng you to God right well to fare Written with speede this xxvi of Iune at one of the clocke Your louyng brother Ed. London Ouer and besides all this the Lord Protectour wyth the residue of the kings priuie and learned Counsel assemblyng together in the Starre chamber about the same mater that is for the aduancement and setting forward of the kings so godly
as it appeareth manifestly by the three Euangelistes And Saint Paule calleth the comming to the holy Communion the comminge vnto the Lordes Supper And also it is not read that any of the Apostles or the Primitiue Church did euer vse any altare in the ministration of the holy Communion Wherefore seeing the forme of a Table is more agreeable with Christes institution and with the vsage of the Apostles and of the Primitiue Churche then the forme of an Aultar therefore the forme of a Table is rather to be vsed then the forme of an Aultare in the administration of the holy Communion The sixt reason Finally The six reason it is said in the preface of the booke of common prayer that if any doubt doe arise in the vse and practising of the same booke to appease all suche diuersitie the matter shall be referred vnto the Bishop of the dioces who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasinge of the same so that the same order be not contrarye vnto any thing contained in that booke After these letters and reasones receyued the forenamed Nicholas Ridley Byshop of London consequently vppon the same did hold his visitation wherein amongst other his Iniunctions the sayde Bishoppe exhorted those Churches in his Diocesse where the Aultars then did remaine to confourme them selues vnto those other Churches whych had taken them downe and had sette vp in the steade of the multitude of their Aultares one decent Table in euery Church Uppon the occasion whereof there arose a greate diuersitie aboute the fourme of the Lordes boorde some vsing it after the fourme of a Table and some of an aultare Wherein when the saide Bishop was required to saye and determine what was moste meete Anno 1550. he declared he could doe no lesse of his bounden duetie for the appeasing of such diuersitie to procure one godly vniformitie but to exhorte all his Diocesse vnto that which he thought did best agree with Scripture with the vsage of the Apostles and wyth the Primitiue Churche and to that which is not onely not contrary vnto any thinge contained in the booke of Common prayer as is before prooued but also mighte highly further the kings most godly procedings in abolishing of diuers vaine superstitious opinions of the popish masse out of the hearts of the simple and to bring them to y e right vse taught by holy Scripture 〈◊〉 wall 〈◊〉 the high 〈◊〉 side in 〈…〉 Nicholas 〈◊〉 of the Lordes Supper and so appoynted he the fourme of a right Table to be vsed in his Dioces and in the Church of Paules brake down the wall standing then by the high Aultars side Now we will enter God willing into those matters which happened betweene kinge Edwarde and hys sister Mary as by their letters here folowing are to be seene To my Lorde Protectour and the rest of the kings Maiesties Counsaile MY Lorde I perceiue by the letters whyche I late receiued from you and other of the kinges Maiesties Counsaile that yee be all sorie to finde so litle conformitie in me touching the obseruation of his Maiesties lawes 〈…〉 letters 〈◊〉 the Lords 〈◊〉 the CouÌ„â—â—yle who am well assured I haue offended no law vnles it be a late lawe of your owne making for the altering of matters of Religion whiche in my conscience is not worthy to haue the name of a Lawe both for the kings honors sake the wealth of the Realme and geuing an occasion of an euill brâ—ite through all Christendome besides the parcialitie vsed in the same and as my sayde conscience is very well perswaded the offending of God which passeth al the rest but I am well assured that the king hys fathers Lawes were allowed and consented to with out compulsion by the whole Realme both Spirituall and Temporall and all ye executours sworne vppon a Booke to fulfil the same so that it was an authorised Lawe and that I haue obeyed and will doe with the grace of God till the Kinges Maiestie my brother shall haue sufficient yeares to bee a Iudge in these matters hym selfe Wherein my Lorde I was plaine wyth you at my laste beynge in the Courte declaringe vnto you at that time whereunto I woulde stande and nowe doe assure you all that the only occasion of my stay from altering mine opinion is for two causes One principally for my conscience sake the other that the king my brother shal not hereafter charge me to be one of those that were agreeable to suche alterations in hys tender yeares And what fruites dailye growe by suche chaunges since the death of the King my Father to euery indifferent person it wel appeareth both to the displeasure of God and vnquietnesse of the realme Notwythstanding I assure you all I woulde be as â—othe to see his highnesse take hurt or that any euill should come to this his Realme as the best of you all and none of you haue the like cause considering howe I am compelled by nature beinge his Maiesties poore and humble Sister moste tenderly to loue and pray for him and vnto this his realme being borne within the same wishe all wealth and prosperitie to Gods honour And if any iudge mee the contrarye for mine opinions sake as I truste none doth I doubte not in the ende wyth Gods helpe to prooue my selfe as true a natural and humble sister as they of the contrary opinion with all their deuises and altering of lawes shall prooue them selues true subiectes praying you my Lorde and the rest of the Counsail no more to vnquier and trouble me with matters touching my conscience wherein I am at a full poynte wyth Gods helpe what soeuer shall happen to mee intendinge with his grace to trouble you litle with any worldly sutes but to bestowe the short time I thinke to liue in quietnes and pray for the kinges Maiestie and all you heartily wishing that your proceedings may be to Gods honour the safegard of the kings persone and quietnesse to the whole Realme Moreouer where your desire is that I woulde sende my Controller and Doctour Hopton vnto you by whom you woulde signifie your mindes more amplie to my contentation honour it is not vnknowen to you al that the chiefe charge of my house â—eâ—teth onely vppon the trauails of my sayde Controller Who hath not bene absent from my 〈◊〉 three whoâ—e dayes since the settinge vp of the same vnlesse it were for my letters Patentes so that if it wer◠〈◊〉 for his continual diligence I thinke my litle portion would not haue stretched so farre And my Chaplaine by occasion of sickenesse hath bene long absent and yet not able to ride Therefore like as I can not forbeare my Controller and my Prieste is not able to iourney So shall I desire you my Lorde and the rest of the Counsaile that hauinge any thing to be declared vnto me except matters of Religion yee will either wryte your mindes or sende some
more pity it is but that we permit them we would be so sory to haue it proued The other is that we haue suffred brutes to be spoken of you that also must be aunswered as the other It is pity to see men so euill as whome they may touch with tales infamies they care not so they misse not the best Suche is the boldnes of people that neither we can fully bridle them to raise tales of you nor of oure selues And yet wheÌ„soeuer any certaine person may be gotteÌ„ to be charged w t any such we neuer leaue theÌ„ vnpunished In deede the best way is both for your grace also vs y t when we can not find and punish the offender let vs say as he said that was euil spoken of yet will I so liue as no credite shal be geuen to my backbiters Certainely if we had credited any euill tale of your grace we would frendly haue admonished you therof so also proceded as either the taletellers should haue ben punished or else haue proued their tales And therfore we pray your grace to thinke no vnkindnes in vs y t anye euil brutes haue bene spred by euill men but thinke rather wel of vs y t howsoeuer they were spred we beleeued them not Hitherto your grace seeth we haue writteÌ„ somwhat at length of y e promise made to you and our meanings in our former writings And now for the latter part of our letter we will as briefly as we can remember to you two speciall matters wherof the one might suffice to reforme your procedings both together well considered we trust shall do your grace much good The one is the truth of that you be desired to follow the other is y e commodity y t thereby shall ensue They both make a iust coÌ„mandement and because of the first the latter followeth that first shal be intreated We heere say your grace refuseth to heare any thing reasoned coÌ„trary to your old determinatioÌ„ wherein you make your opinion suspitious as that you are afeard to be dissuaded If your faith in things be of God it may abide any storme or water if it be but of sand you do best to eschew the weather That which we professe hath y e foundation in Scriptures vpon plaine textes and no gloses the confirmation therof by the vse in the primatiue Church not in this later corrupted and in deede our greatest chaunge is not in the substaÌ„ce of our faith no not in any one article of our crede Only the difference is that we vse the ceremonies obseruations and Sacraments of our religion as the Apostles and first fathers in the primatiue Church did You vse the same that corruption of time brought in and very barbary and ignorance nourished and seeme to be bold for custome against truth we for truth against custome Your grace in one or two places of your letter seemeth to speake earnestly in y e maintenance of your faith therin so that your faith be according to the Scriptures we must haue the like opinion The saying is very good if the faith be sound But if euery opinion your grace hath we cannot tell how conceiued shall be your faith you may be much better instructed S. Paule teacheth you that faith is by the worde of God And it was a true saying of him that saide Non qui cuiuis credit fidelis est sed qui Deo For where hathe youre grace ground for such a faith to thinke coÌ„mon praier in the English Church should not be in english that Images of God shuld be set vp in y e church or y t the sacrameÌ„t of Christes body blood shuld be offred by the priests for the dead yea or y t it should be otherwise vsed then by y e scripture it was instituted Though you haue no scripture to mayneteine theÌ„ we haue euident scriptures to forbid theÌ„ And although fault might be found that of late baptisme hath bin vsed in your graces house coÌ„trary to law vtterly w tout licence yet is it y e worse y t contrary to y e primatiue Church it hath bin in a tong vnknown by y t which the best part of y e Sacrament is vnused as it were a blind bargain made by the Godfathers in a matter of illuminatioÌ„ and thus in the rest of the things in which your grace differeth froÌ„ the common order of the realme where haue you grounde or reason but some custome which oftentimes is mother of many errours And although in ciuill things she may bee followed where she causeth quiet yet not in religions where she excuseth no errour as in Leuiticus it is sayd Ye shall not do after the custome of Egypt wherein ye dwelled nor after the custome of Chanaan no you shall not walke in theyr lawes for I am your Lord God keepe you my lawes and coÌ„mandements The points wherein your grace differeth in your faith as you call it may be shewed where when how by whom they begaÌ„ since the Gospell was preached y e church was planted the Apostles martired At which time your faith depended vpon the Scripture otherwise there was no necessitie to beleeue For as Hierome sayth Quod de scripturis non habet authoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur And because your grace as we heare say readeth sometime the Doctors we may alledge vnto you the 2. or 3. places of other principall Doctors August sayth Cum dominus tacuerit quis nostrûm dicat illa vel illa sunt aut si dicere audeat vnde probat And Chrisostomes saying is not vnlike Multi inquit iactant spiritum sanctum sed qui propria loquuntur falso illum praetendunt And if you wiâ—l haue their meaning plaine read the 5. Chapter of the first booke of Ecclesiastica historia and where Constantine had these wordes in the Councell In disputationibus inquit rerum diuinarum habetur praescripta spiritus sancti doctrina Euangâ—lici Apostolici libri cum prophetarum oraculis plene nobis ostendunt sensum numinis proinde discordia posita sumamus ex verbis spiritus questionum explicationes What playner sayings may be then these to answere your fault Agayne to infinite it were to remember your grace the great number of particular erroures crept into the church whereupon you make your foundation The fables of false miracles and lewde pilgrimages may somewhat teach you Onely this we pray your grace to remember w t your selfe the two wordes that the father said of his sonne Iesus Christ. Ipsum audite To the second point of the coÌ„moditie that may follow your obedience we hauing by the kinges authoritie in this behalfe the gouernaunce of thys realme must herein be playne with your grace And if our speache offende the same then must your grace thinke it is our charge and office to finde fault where it is and our dutie to amend it as we may Most sory truely we be y
is my body Wherefore if at y e day of iudgemeÌ„t Christ should say vnto me why hast y u beleued y t this is my body I would aunswere him because thou hast so called it I beleued it not to be a figure because thou saydst not that it was a figure Other reasons to auouch I know not Of the worde it self I contend not but the thing it selfe I defend for we must speake regularly Thus Christ thus the Apostles thus all the ancient fathers haue spoke our fathers hadde but onely figures and shadowes but the Churche of God hath the truth itselfe with the signes Tertullian sayth one figure conteyneth not another but Melthizedech was a figure ergo this is the body The Sacramentes of the Iewes weare signes and tokens but ours be both the signes and the thing signed also Luther himselfe confessed that the body was present with the bread and could not denye it Oecolampadius tooke it for a figure onely Chrisostome demaunding wherefore Christ gaue his body before his passion rather then at any other time aunswereth that hee might tye the trueth to the figure saying tâ—ke eate this is my body not a figure of my body And the same Chrisostome sayth agayne if it were but bare bread or but a figure wherefore should his Disciples haue bene offended in eating a fygure Agayne in his 83. Homely vpon Mathew They are not any humayne workes which he did worke at his last supper he it is that worketh he maketh perfect we are his ministers but it is he that sanctifieth and chauÌ„geth the elementes of breade and wine into his bodye and bloud Agayne doest thou see bread and wine doe they passe into the priuy like other meates God forbid c. Theophilus Alexandrinus vpon these wordes of Marke the Euangelist this is my body sayth This whiche I geue and which you receiue â—s not onely bread or a figure of Christâ—s body but the trueth it selfe for if it should appeare as it is in forme of flesh bloud we should loth it and therefore the Lord condescendyng to our weakenesse reteyneth the formes of bread and wine and yet conuerteth the same into the trueth of his body and bloud Theophilactus sayeth the bread and the wine is the very body bloud of Christ and not a figure onely If you stand in suspeÌ„se of the author or approue him not yet know you that he is counted and taken amongest all the learned for a most faythfull interpreter of Chrisostome the bread sayth he is transelementate and transmitted into an other substaunce then it was before Augustine sayth there was great heede taken in the primitiue Church least any part of the Sacrament should fall downe to the grounde c. Cyrillus sayth leaste wee shoulde abhorre fleshe and bloud in the Sacrament of the Aultar God humbleth himselfe to our weakenesse pouring and infusing the force of life into it and making it the very trueth of his owne blessed body and bloud Damasceâ—e calleth it a diuine body or a body deifyed Origene Ireneus Eusebius Hieronimus with al the rest of the auncient Catholicke Fathers are of the same opinion with me all which to produce it were too long ¶ The Declaration of Doctor Glin vpon his second conclusion THe sacrifice and offering vppe of Christes body in the Sacrament of the Aulter right honourable and worshipfull I will defend euen to the effusion of bloud as a thing consonant to scripture whereof Paule speaketh to y e Hebrues But perchaunce some will obiect Christ offered vp himselfe ergo you ought not to offer him I aunswere yea because he offered himselfe therfore I offer him for except he had offered himselfe I could not haue offered hym But you will say Christes death is sufficient and therfore you ought not to offer him agayne I aunswere So may we say we neede neyther to fast nor pray for Christe hath done both sufficiently for vs. Agayne you will obiect if you offer him vppe agayne you crucify him anew I answere not so for many haue offered him that haue not crucified him as Abraham Isaac Moyses the Leuites Anna Samuel We offer Christ but not to the death but incoÌ„memoration of his death there being not onely commemoration thereof but also the very presence of Christes body and bloud Ireneus sayth Christ counselled his Disciples to offer the first fruites of all theyr goodes to God not that he needed any of them but for that they shoulde not shewe themselues fruitless or vngratefull and therefore Christ tooke the creature of bread gaue thankes and sayde this is my body and likewise the creature of the cuppe and confessed saying this is my bloud of the new Testament Thus Christe hath taught a newe kinde of oblation whiche the Church receiuing from the Apostles offereth to God thorow out all the whole world who onely geueth vnto vs all kynd of foode and the first fruites of his gracious giftes in the newe Testament whereof Malachye thus sayth I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of Hostes I will not receiue any sacrifices at your handes because my name is glorified amongest the Nations from the East to the West sayth the Lord and in euery place is incense and pure sacrifice offered to my name But here may be obiected Christe is the onely sacrifice for sinne and wythout hym there is no moe I aunswere Christ is the only true sacrifice for sinne and without him there are no moe notwithstanding wee haue this commaundement doe this in rememberaunce of me besides that I denye not that it is a commemoration but I denye that it is an onely commemoration I denye his absence and I affirme his presence Here endeth the declaration of Doctor Glin. Mayster Perne WHere as you say most reuerend mayster Doctor in your proposition I beleued and therefore I spake and we beleue and therefore doe speake our consciences suggesting the same vnto vs and agayne that misteryes are not to be searched and the like it semeth you go about to restrayne the searching of holye Scriptures whereas Christe sayth scrutamini scripturas searche the Scriptures The Papistes refrayne the vse of Scriptures Moreouer you haue cited the Fathers confusedly without order you left transubstantiation and endeuour your selfe to proue the reall prâ—sence in the Sacrament wheras we denye nothing lesse then his corporall presence or the absence of his substaunce in the bread Glin. You inueigh wonderfully you knowe not agaynste what for neyther I nor yet August doe denie the searching of the scriptures but I sayd out of Augustine misteries are not to be searched it is an other thing to search misteryes then it is to searche the Scriptures whereas you requyre of me a regulate order of citing the Doctours I had not as all men know the liberty of tyme so to do but if you desire me so earnestly to performe that if time may be grauÌ„ted me I will easely fulfill your request Perne
wee say that there is a great difference and separation betwixt the body in the which Christe suffered and the bloud which he shed vpon the Crosse thys body which euery day is celebrated in the mysterie of the Passion of Christe For this body is a pledge and a similitude but the other is the very truthe it selfe Ergo it appeareth that these two are seperated a sunder by no lesse difference then is betweene a pledge and the thing whereof y ◠pledge is geuen or then is betweene an Image of a thing and the thing it selfe whereof the Image is or then is betwene the forme of a thing and the veritie it selfe This wrote Bertramus Druthmarus manye other Bertramus Ioan. Scotus Druthmarus and yet were neuer in all their time once reprooued of heresie Thys wrote Ioannes Scotus also in whose life time men had not eies to espie his heresies But about 200. yeare after his death he was iudged and condemned for an hereticke his bookes burned in a Councell holden at Vercellae in Lombardie in the yeare of our Lorde God .1015 Bertramus condemned for an hereticke 200. yeares after his death Since which time euen vntill this day although Idolatrye had great encrease yet there neuer wanted some good men whiche boldly woulde professe and sette foorth the truth although they were well assured that theyr worldly reward shoulde be spite malice imprisonning sworde fire and all kindes of tormentes Thus so shortly and in so few woordes as I could I haue declared to you what Christe meant by these woordes This is my bodye what the Apostles thought therein in what sorte they deliuered them to theyr successors in what sense and meaning the holy Fathers and olde wryters and the Uniuersall and Catholicke Churche hath euermore taken them The ende and deceasse of king Edward the sixt THus hauing discoursed thinges done and past vnder the raigne of king Edwarde The decease of king Edward .6 suche as seemed not vnfruitfull to be knowen we will now draw to the ende and death of this blessed king our young Iosias Who about a yeare and a halfe after the death of the Duke of Somerset hys Uncle Anno 1553. in the yeare of our Lorde 1553. entring into the 17. yeare of his age and the 7. yeare of his raigne in the month of Iune was takē from vs for our sinnes no dout Whome if it had so pleased the good wil of the Lord to haue spared with longer life not vnlike it was by all cōiectures probably to be esteemed by those his towarde and blessed beginnings but proceeding so as he began he would haue reformed suche a Common wealth heere in the Realme of England as by good cause it might haue bene sayd of hym y t was sayd in y e olde time of the noble Emperour Augustus in reforming and aduauncing the Empire of Rome Quam quum ille lateritiam vt aiebat accepit Ex Suetonio marmoream reliquit Which Empire he receiued he sayd of bricke but he left it of fine Marble But the condition of this Realme and the customable behauiour of English people whose propertie is commonly to abuse the lighte of the Gospell when it is offered deserued no suche benefite of so blessed a reformation but rather a contrarye plague of deformation suche as hapned after his raigne as ye shall heare the Lord graunting in the nexte Queenes dayes that followed Thus then this godly and vertuous Impe in the time and moneth aboue mentioned was cut from vs of whose worthy life and vertues haue bene partly afore declared Neuerthelesse to haue some monument of him remaining to testifie of the good nature and gentle disposition of that Prince we will adde heere for a remembraunce thys little Epistle of his own hand wryting to the Archb. of Canterbury his Godfather as followeth An Epistle of yong Prince Edward to the Archb. of Canterbury his Godfather Prince Edward when he wrote this epistle seemed to be very younge not aboue seauen yeares of age lying then at Antile IMpertio te plurima salute colendissime Praesul charissime Susceptor Quia abes longè a me vellem libenter audire te esse incolumem Precor autem vt viuas diu promoueas verbum Dei Vale. Antilae decimo octauo Iunij Tuus in Christo filius Edwardus Princeps An other Epistle of the young Prince Edward to the Archb. his Godfather ETsi puer sum colendissime Susceptor non tamen immemor sum vel officij erga te mei An other Epistle of Prince Edward to his godfather vel humanitatis tuae quam indies mihi exhibere studes Nō exciderūt mihi humanissimae tuae litterae pridie diui Petri ad me datae Quibus ante hac respondere nolui non quòd illas neglexerim aut non minerim sed vt illarum diuturna meditatione fruerer fideliue memoria reponerem atque demum bene ruminatis pro mea virili responderem Proinde affectum erga me tuum verè paternum quem in illis expressisti amplector veneror optoque vt multos viuas annos tuoque pio ac salubri consilio pergas esse mihi venerandus pater Nam pietatem ante omnia mihi amplectendam exosculandam esse duco quoniam diuus Paulus dicit 1. Tit. 4. Pietas ad omnia vtilis est Optimè valeat tua paternitas in plurimos annos Hartefordioe tertio decimo Ianuarij Tui studiosissimus EDOVARDVS Princeps The aunswere of the Archbishop to Prince Edwardes Epistle Alludit ad verba Terentijin Comoedia NOn magis poterit ipsa me seruare salus fili in Christo charissime quam salus tua Mea vita non dicenda est vita absque tua salute valitudine Quapropter cum te incolumem ac saluum intelligo vitam etiam mihi integram esse incolumem sentio The aunswere of Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Cant. to the epistle of Prince Edward Neque certè absentia mea tam est iniucunda tibi quà m sunt litterae tuae periucundae mihi Quae arguunt tibi iuxta adesse ingenium dignum tanto principe praeceptorem dignum tanto ingenio Ex quibus tuis litteris te sic litteras video colere vt interim doctrinae coelestis tua nequaquam minima sit cura quae cuicunque sit curae non potest illum quaeuis cura frangere Perge igitur qua via incoepisti Princeps illustrissime Spartam quam nactus es hanc orna vt quam ego per literas video in te virtutis lucem eadem olim illuminet vniuersam tuam Angliam Nō scribam prolixius tum quidem vt me intelligas breuitate non nihil affici tum etiam quod credam te aetate quidem adhuc paruulum paruo gaudere similem simili tum etiam praeterea ne impolita mea oratio in causa sit quò generosa illa tua indoles
prayers of thankes gyuing As we now in our Communion vse like prayers and these prayers make not the Communion to be a Masse And like is to be sayde of Sainct Peter who though he dyd celebrate the Communion at Rome yet it followeth not that he sayde Masse at Rome as some report him to do Neither is it hard to fetch out the origine how this errour first came vp among the people Ex Eusebio lib. 2. How it commeth that S. Iames is thought to be the first setter vp of the masse that Sainct Iames sayd Masse at Ierusalem if a man consider well histories and authors which haue written For in the history of Eusebius Egesippus thus writeth of Sainct Iames Eum ab Apostolis primum constitutum fuisse Episcopum liturgum c. vpon the which word liturgus it is not vnlike and diuers suppose this errour to come that Sainct Iames dyd first set and institute the order of Masse For so lightly the old translators wheresoeuer they synde liturgia or collecta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they translated it Missa whereupon the greatest occasion of this errour riseth to make the people beleeue the Masse to be so auncient to proceede from the Apostles and from Sainct Iames. Notwithstanding that errour as it lightly came vp so it may be as lightly exploded For how could Sainct Iames say Masse then at Ierusalem or Sainct Peter at Rome when as yet neyther the name of Masse was heard nor the partes thereof inuented And although Sigibertus in his Chronicles reporte that in the Citie of Uasath being delyuered from the siege of the Hâ—â—es the pastor of that Churche dyd celebrate Masse with thankes geuing aboute the yeare 453. yet Sigibert in so saying is to be taken as speaking rather after the vse and maner of his time Siâ—â—bertus in Chronico when he wrote it then of that time when it was done For in all the workes of Saint Augustine and of Chrisostome and in all that age the name of Masse is not founde but is called eyther the Supper of the Lord or the Lords boord or communion Synaxis sacrifice oblation mistery celebration of the Sacrament Eucharistia the misticall table Mistagogia coena mystica or with some other like tearme they nominate it The name of Masse was not yet deuised nor the patches thereof compiled Platina Platina testifieth that before Celestinus Pope only the Epistle and Gospell were read at the Communion which being done the Communion ended And Gregory sayeth Gregor in Regist. lib. 7. cap. 63. that the Apostles afore the ministration of the Sacrament did vse only the Lords prayer that is the Pater noster Let vs heare what Walafridus Strabo writeth of that matter lib. de rebus Ecclesiastic Capitu. 22. Quod nunc agimus multiplici orationum lectionum cantilenarum consecrationum officio totum hoc Apostoli post ipsos proximi vt creditur orationibus commemoratione passionis dominicae sicut ipse praecepit agebant simpliciter c. i. That which nowe is done in the Church with such a long circumstance of so manie orisons lessons or readings songs and consecrations all that the Apostles and they that nexte succeeded the Apostles as it is thought dyd accomplishe simply with prayer onely and wyth the commemoration of the Lords passion c. it followeth in the same Authour And as the report is like as it is in the Romane Church vpon Good Friday where the Communion is wont to be taken without any Masse so it was in the old time with them c. Now how this Masse hath growne vp and increased since let vs search out by the Lords helpe out of Authors so much as may be found The Introitâ— Coelestinus Pope gaue the first Introite as Platina and Sigibertus writeth The Psalme Iudica me deus c. And before the Priest do prepare himselfe to his Masse Platina Sigibertus in vita Serâ—gij Sigibertus first with the Psalme Iudica me deus decerne causam meam c. that was ordeined by the sayd Coelestinus ☞ And where they ascribe to Sainct Ambrose the two prayers which be vsed in the preparation to the Masse and be added to the bookes of Ambrose Erasmus iudgeth the same to be none of his and that rightly as it seemeth for therein is conteined errors not else to be found in the bookes of Ambrose both in geuing adoration to the bread in the Sacrament and making inuocation to Sainctes namely to blessed Mary as in the second prayer where he sayth Vt efficax haec mea sit deprecatio beatae Mariae virginis suffragia peto c. i. And that this my prayer may be of efficacie I desire the suffrage and intercession of blessed Mary the virgine c. Whereby it may appeare learned Ambrose not to be the authour of such an errour Chrysostome in the xj homely vpon the Gospell of Math. sayth Chrisost. â—om 11. in Mat. that in his time and afore his time the vse was to sing whole psalmes till they were entred and assembled together And so belike Coelestinus borowed thys custome of the Greekes Rupertus Tuitiensis i. â— de diui â—ffic ca. 21. and brought it into the Laten Church as Rupertus writeth Gregory the great as some write called a Sinode at Rome about the yeare of our Lord 594. In which Synode he appointed Chro. chro â—asci temp that the introite of the Masse should be taken out of some psalme The Confiteor The Confiteor Pope Damasus brought into the Masse as it is written Confiteor brought in by Pope Damasus albeit peraduenture not this popish confiteor which in the latter Church hath bin vsed stuft full of Idolatry inuocation of Saints against y e word of God The Kyrie eleyson The Kyrie eleyson ix times to be repeated in such a tong Gregorius â—oanni episâ—opo Siraâ—â—sa lib. 7. Epist. 63. as few priests either vnderstand or do rightly pronounce Gregory did institute about 600. yeares after Christ taking it out of the Greekes Church and yet transposing it otherwise then there was vsed For among the Greekes this Kyrie eleyson which they called their Letany was song of all the people The which Gregory ordeined to be song only of the Quere adding thereto also Christe eleyson which the Grecians vsed not Valafridus cap. 22. as Gregory himselfe writing to the Byshop of Siracuse doth testifie Gloria in excelsis Next followeth Gloria in excelsis c. Which words were song of the Angels at the birth of our sauiour Albeit these words also were corrupted as many other things were in the Church For where the words of the Angels himne were hominibus bona voluntas i. to men good wil y e Masse sayd hominibus bonae voluntatis i. to men of good will c. This himne was brought into the Masse by Pope Symmachus and not by Telesphorus as some not truely write that he ordeined
ordeined the paxe to be geuen to the people 〈◊〉 decretis Inâ—â—â—entij PP 〈◊〉 â— Pacis ait osculum dandum post confecta mysteria vt constet populum ad omnia quae in mysterijs aguntur praebuisse consensum c. ☞ Peter Martyr in his commeÌ„taryes in Iud. saith that it it was brought in by Pope Leo .2 as it is said and yet supposeth the same not to be so saying that this was an auncient custome in the Apostles time for Christians to salute one an other with the kisse of peace c. To this of Peter Martyr agreeth also Gabriell Biel. writing in these wordes 〈◊〉 Biel. 〈◊〉 â—ect 81. Porrexit in primitiua ecclesia sacerdos osculum pacis ministro caeteris impartiednum vt per hoc significaret c. i. In the primitiue Church the priest gaue a kisse of peace to the minister to be geuen by him to the people The distribution and communion After this foloweth the comunion where in our popish Masse and Ministers therof do much alter and degenerate from auncient antiquity two maner of wayes First in that they make no communion thereof receyuing onely to theÌ„selues coÌ„trary both to theyr own words where they say after theyr receiuing Sacramenta que sumpsimus c. and also to the auncient examples and decrees of the Apostles and others And where it is decreed in the Epistle of Anacletus Paracta auteÌ„ consecratione omnes communicent qui noluerint Ecclesiasticis carere liminibus Sic enim Apostoli statuerunt S. Romana tenet ecclesia c. i. The consecration being done let all communicate together vnles they will be thrust out of the church dores c. ☞ Here note by the way gentle Reader how Gratianus the writer of the Popes decrees is ouersene Anacletâ—â— Epist 1. De consâ—â—crat 〈…〉 Cocleuâ— coÌ„tra Mâ—â—â—culum 〈◊〉 officio misse Gratianâ—â— Cochlâ—â— taken in vntruth Cano. 〈◊〉 Cap. 9. Cano. 〈◊〉 Cap. 8. Microloâ—â—â— de ecclesiâ—astica obseruat which in hys booke De consecrat dist 2. referreth this saying of Anacletus to Pope Calixtus And likewise also Chocleus writing agaynst Musculus followeth Gracianus in the same error Likewise in the Canons of the Apostles if the CanoÌ„s were theyrs we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. All the faithfull which resort to the Church and tary not out the end of the seruice and receiue not the holy communion suche as bringing in disorder to the Church ought to be disseuered c. And agayne Si quis episcopus praesbiter aut diaconus aut quicunue ex sacerdotali consortio oblatione factaâ— non coÌ„municauerint causam dicito c. For how can that be a communion called which is not common but priuate to one As Micrologus writeth Nec enim proprie communio dici potest nisi plures de eodem sacrificio participent i. It can not be called a communion except mo then one do participate of one sacrifice c. And Durandus In primitiua ecclesia omnes qui celebrationi Missarum intererant singulis diebus communicare solebaÌ„t Guliel Durand Ration 〈◊〉 4 cap. 53. eo uod Apostoli omnes de calice biberunt c. i. In the primitiue time all that were present at the ministration were wont euery day to communicate because that the apostles did altogether drinke of the cup. c. Secondly they alter and degenerate therein from auÌ„cient antiquity in that when they communicate also wyth the people yet they depriue them of the holy cup which deprauation was not in the church before the counsel oâ— CoÌ„stance about the yere of our Lord .1414 For before it was so autentikly receiued that it was counted a sacriledge to receiue the one without the other Gelasius Ioan. 〈◊〉 Maioricoâ— episc as appeareth by the wordes of Pope Gelasius CoÌ„perimus quod quidam sumpta tantum modo corporis sacri portione c. the whole in english is thus we vnderstand that there be some which receiuing the one part onely of the holy body De consâ—crat Dist. 1. 〈◊〉 coÌ„perimuâ— absteine from the cup of the sacrate bloud who because they be taught so to do by what superstition I cannot tell eyther let theÌ„ receiue the sacrament whole together or let them absteine from the whole sacrament altogether because the diuision of that one and whole sacrament cannot be without great sacriledge c. Hytherto also perteineth the testimony of S. Austen in these wordes Et ibi vos estis in mensa August sermone ferie 2. pasche in calice nobiscum vos estis Simul enim hoc sumimus simul bibimus quia simul viuimus c. i. There be you at the table and at the cup there also be you with vs for together we receiue and together we drinke because we liue together As also out of the booke of Gregory it is manifest that not onely the people receiued then in both kindes Ex libro sacramentorum Grâ—â—gorij but also the words were prescribed to the minister what he should say in geuing the cup Item sacerdos calicem dando dicat Sanguis Domini nostri Iesu Christi custodiat te ad vitam aeternam i. Let the priest say in geuing the cup The bloud of our lord Iesus Christ keepe thee to euerlasting life Amen Further in reÌ„dering the cause why it should so be done Thomas Aquine writeth Thomas parte que 76. Aâ—t Nam hoc valet ad repraesentandâ—m passionem Christi in qua seorsum fuit sanguis a corpore separatus c. Secundo hoc est conueniens vsui huius sacramenti vt seorsum exhibeatur corpus Christi fidelibus in cibum sanguis in potum i. For that serueth to represent the passion of Christ wherein his bloud was parted seuerally from the body c Secondly for that is conuenient to the vse of the sacrameÌ„t that the body shoulde seuerally be geuen to the faythfull to meat and the bloud to drinke And therfore serued the office of the deacoÌ„s as we read vt oblata a populo super altare consecranda disponant Amb. 〈◊〉 de omni Diuiniâ— officijs perfectis mysterijs calicem sacrosancti sanguinis Domini fidelibus propinent i. To lay the offeringes of the people vpon the altar to be halowed and when the misteries be consecrated to distribute the cup of the sacrate bloud of the Lord to the faythfull c. But among all other testimonies to proue that the sacrament ought to be common to all people in both kinds there is none more euident then the place of Hierome Hieronimus in epist 1. 〈◊〉 cap. 11. Conuenâ—â—entibus Caeterum dominica caena omnibus debet esse communis quia ille omnibus discipulis suis qui aderant aequaliter tradidit sacramenta i. The supper of the Lord ought to be indifferently commen to all his disciples there present c. And thus haue ye heard the Canon
the deuill and defendeth meÌ„ from deceptions of phantasy c. Thus ye haue heard the author and father of holly water which some also ascribe to Pope Sixtus which succeeded Alexander But as y e Papists do not agree in the fyrst authour or institutor of this hallowing of Elementes so I thinke the same vntruely to be ascribed to either but leauing the probation of this to farther leasure let vs nowe heare in our owne tongue theyr owne words which y e vse in this theyr coniuration The forme and wordes vsed of the Priest in coniuring Salt I coniure thee thou creature of Salte by the ✚ liuyng God Salt coniured by the ✚ true God by the holy God c. That thou mayest be made a coniured Salte to the saluation of them that beleue And that vnto all suche as receiue thee thou mayest be health of soule and body and that from out of y e place wherein thou shalt be sprinckled may flie away and depart all phantasy wickednes or craftines of the deuils subtlety and euery foule spirit c. The forme of coniuring water Water coniured I coniure thee thou creature of water in the name of ✚ God the father almighty and in the name of Iesu Christ his sonne our Lord and in the vertue ✚ of the holy Ghost that thou become a coniured water to expell all power of the enemy c. Who seeth not in these wordes blasphemye intollerable how that which only is due to the bloud of Christ and promised to fayth onely in him the same is transferred to earthly and insensate creatures to be saluation both to bodye and spirite inwardlye to geue remission of sinnes to geue health and remedy agaynst euils and deuils against all phantasies wickednesse and all foule spirites and to expell the power of the enemy c. If this be true whereto serueth the bloud of Christ and the vertue of Christian fayth Therfore iudge thy selfe gentle Reader whether thou thinke this trompery rightly to be fathered vpon those ancient fathers aforenamed or els whether it may seme more like trueth that Iohn Sleydan writeth whose woordes in his second booke de Monarchijs are these Ioan 〈◊〉 danu◠〈◊〉 de 4. â—â—â—narch Horum decreta sunt in libris inserta conciliorum sed ex his plaeraque tam sunt leuicula tam nugatoria tam aliena prorsus a sacris literis vt credibile sit ab alijs longo post teÌ„pore fuisse conficta c. That is The decrees of these foresaid Bishops and Martyrs be inserted in the booke of Counsels but of these decrees many therof be so childish so trifling and so farre disagreeing from the holy scripture Many 〈…〉 imputeâ— the oldâ— theâ—â— which 〈◊〉 none oâ— theirs that it is very like that the same were fayned and counterfayted of others long after theyr time c. Thus muche sayth Sleydane with moe woordes in that place Unto whose testimony if I might be so bolde also to adde my coniecture I would suppose the coniuration of this foresayd water and Salte to spring out of the same fountayne from whence proceeded the coniuring of flowers and braunches because I see the order and manner of them both to be so like and vniforme as may appeare The maner of halowing flowers and braunches I coniure thee thou creature of flowers and brauÌ„ches in the name of ✚ God the father almighty Floures braunch hallowâ— and in the name ✚ of Iesu Christ his sonne our Lord and in the vertue of the holy ✚ Ghost Therfore be thou rooted out and displaÌ„ted from this creature of flowers and braunches all thou strength of the aduersary all thou host of the deuill and all the power of the enemy eueÌ„ euery assault of the deuils c. And thus much concerning the antiquity of holy bread and holy water wherby thou mayst partly coniecture the same not to be so olde as Steuen Gardiner in hys Letter agaynst mayster Ridley aboue mentioned woulde haue Pag. 753. being both deceiued himselfe and also goyng about to seduce other Furthermore as touching the reseruing of reliques the memoriall of sayntes brought into the masse Ex Actiâ— Rom. 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Gregoriâ—â— Gregory the thyrd is the author therof who also added to the canon therof this clause Quorum solennitates hodie in coÌ„spectu diuinae maiestatis tuae celebrantur c. Finally it were to long to recite euery thing in order deuised and brought in particularly to the masse and to y e Church For after that mans brayne was once set on deuising it neuer coulde make an end of heaping rite vppon rite and ceremony vpon ceremonye till all religion was turned well nighe to superstition Thereof commeth oyle and creame brought in by Pope Siluester not wont to be hallowed but by a byshop Oyle 〈◊〉 creame The 〈◊〉 onelâ— linnen That the corporas shuld not be of silcke but onely of fine linnen cloth That the Psalmes should be song on sides the one side of the quier singing one verse the other an other with gloria patri c. That baptisme should be ministred at no other time in the yere but onely at Easter and at whitsontide saue onely to infantes and such as were in extreame infirmity and that it should be requyred 40. dayes before Autor 〈◊〉 Conciliâ—â— Tomo 〈◊〉 Hallow of the 〈◊〉 at Easteâ—â— Whitsoâ—â—tide Christ iâ— of bellâ— Ex ponâ— cali 〈…〉 No beaâ—â— so determined by Pope Siricius and therfore was it that fontes were halowed onely at these two seasons the which hallowing they keep yet still but the ordinaunce they haue reiecte Item that belles also were Christened Item no Prieste shoulde weare a beard or haue long hayre so appoynted by Pope Martine the first Item that auriculare confession shoulde be made that the booke of decrees and decretals should be stablished and transubstauntiation confirmed in whiche three Actes Pope Innocentius the thyrd was the chiefest doer Transuâ—â—stantiatâ—â— about the yeare of our Lord. 1215. And thus haue ye in sum the gatheringes of the masse with the Chanon and all the appurtenaunce of the same which not much vnlike to the Crow of Esope being patched with the feathers of so manye byrdes was so long a gethering that the temple of Salomon was not so long in building as the Popes Masse was in making Whereby iudge now thy selfe good Reader whether this Masse did proceede from Iames and other Apostles or no. And yet this was one of the principall causes for which so much turmoyle was made in the Church with the bloudshed of so many Godly men suffering in so many quarters of this realme some consumed by fire some pined away with huÌ„ger some hanged some slayne some racked some tormented one way some another and that onely or chiefelye for the cause of this aforesayd popish Masse as by the reading of this story folowing by the grace of Christ our Lord shall appeare more
the which Philpot answered doe you recken heauen to be a prisone God graunt vs all to come to that prisone After this Harpsfield inferred that this word Oportet in S. Peter If Weston charge them for prisoning christ in heauen how may they charge the papistes for prisoning Christ in a boxe which signifieth in Englishe must did not import so much as I woulde inferre of necessitie as by other places of Scripture it may appeare as in the first to Tim. where Paule sayeth Oportet Episcopum esse vnius vxoris virum A bishop must be the husband of one wife Here quoth he Oportet doeth not import suche a necessitie but that hee that neuer was maried may be a Bishop To this Philpot saide againe that the places were not like whych he went about to compare and that in comparing of the Scriptures wee muste not consider the naked wordes M. Philpot. but the meaning rather of the Scriptures for y t in the place by him alleaged Oportet how it is taken diuersly in Scripture S. Paule doeth declare of what qualitie a Bishop ought to be But in the other S. Peter teacheth vs the place where Christ must necessarily be vntil the ende of the worlde which we ought to beleeue to be true And this comparison of this worde Oportet doeth no more aunswer mine argument then if I should say of you now being here Oportet te hic esse you must nedes be heere which importeth such necessity for the time that you can no otherwise be but here yet you would go about in words to auoide this necessitye with another Oportet in an other sense as this Oportet te esse viruÌ„ bonum you must be a good man where Oportet doeth not in very deede conclude any such necessity but that you may be an euill man Thus you may see that your answere is not sufficient as it were no answere to mine argument Then the Prolocutour brought in another Oportet to helpe this matter if it mighte be sayinge Weston what say you to this Oportet haereses esse must heresies needes be therefore because of thys word Oportet Philpot. Yea truely quoth Philpotte it cannot otherwise be if you will adde that which followeth immediatly vpon these woordes of Paul that is Vt qui electi sunt manifestentur that is That suche as be y e elect of God may be manifested and knowen Why quoth the Prolocutor the time hath bene that no heresies were Weston I knowe no suche time quoth Philpot. For since the time of Abell and Caine heresies haue bene and then began they Philpot. Then sayd the Prolocutor wil you nowe answer Morgan an argument or two I wil quoth Philpot if I may first be answered to my argument any thyng according to truth and learning Weston What quoth the Prolocutor you will neuer be answeared Howe I am answeared quoth Philpot Philpot. let all men that are here present iudge and specially such as be learned with what cauillations you haue dallied with me First to the auncient authority of Vigilius you haue answered nothing at all but only denying it to be scripture y t he sayth Secondly to the saying of S. Peter in the actes yee haue aunsweared thus demaunding of me whether I would keepe Christ in prison or no let men nowe iudge if this be a sufficient answere or no. Then stoode Morgane vp againe and asked Philpotte whether he would be ruled by the vniuersal church Morgan or no. Yes quoth he if it be the true Catholicke Church And sith you speake so much of the Churche Philpot. I would faine that you would declare what the church is The church quoth Morgan is diffused and dispearsed throughout the whole worlde Morgan That is a diffuse definition quod Philpot for I am yet as vncertaine as I was before what you meane by y e church Philpot. but I knowledge no church but that which is grounded and founded on Gods woord as S. Paul sayth Moreman Whether the Church was before the Scripture vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophets and vpon the scriptures of God What quoth Moreman was the Scripture before the church yea quoth Philpot. But I will prooue nay quoth Moreman and I wil begin at Christes time The Church of Christ was before any scripture wrytten For Mathewe was the first that wrote the Gospell about a dosen yeares after Christ Ergo the church was before the scripture To whom Philpot answering denied this argument Which when Moreman could not prooue Philpot shewed that his argument was Elenchus or a fallace that is a deceiueable argument For he tooke the Scripture only to be that whych is wrytten by men in letters wheras in very deede Scripture consisteth not onely in letters but is that which is inspired in the hartes of good men by the holy Ghost all Prophecie vttered by the spirite of God was counted to be Scripture before it was wrytten in paper inke for that it was wrytten in the heartes and grauen in the mindes yea and inspired in the mouthes of good men and of Christes Apostles by the spirite of Christ As the salutation of the Angel was the scripture of Christe and the word of God before it was written At that Moreman cried fie fie wondring that the Scripture of God shoulde be counted scripture before it was wrytten and affirmed that he had no knowledge that said so Philpot. To whom Philpot answered that concerning knowledge in this behalfe for the triall of the truth about y e questions in controuersie he woulde wish hymselfe no worse matched then with Moreman At the which saying the Prolocutor was greuously offended saying that it was arrogantly spoken of hym Weston that woulde compare with suche a worshipfull learned man as Moreman was being himselfe a manne vnlearned Weston rayâ—eth against Phâ—â—â—pot to be madde 〈◊〉 yea a madde man meter to be sent to Bedlem then to be among such a sorte of learned and graue men as there were and a man that neuer woulde be answeared and one that troubled the whole house and therefore he did commaund him that he shoulde come no more into the house demaunding of the house whether they would agree thereuppon or no. To whome a great number aunsweraed yea Then sayde Philpot againe that he might thinke himselfe happye that was out of that companie After this Morgan rose vp and rounded the Prolocutor in the eare Philpot commauâ—â—ded to 〈◊〉 in a long gowne and a â—ippet or els to 〈◊〉 no more to the conuoâ—cation And then againe the Prolocutor spake to Philpot and said least you should slaunder the house say that we will not suffer you to declare youre minde we are content you shal come into the house as you haue done before so that you be apparelled wyth a long gowne a tippette as we be and that
father that speaketh within you Euen the very heaâ—es of your head are all numbred Lay vp treasure for your selues sayth he where no theefe commeth nor moth corrupteth Feare not them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but feare hym that hath power to destroy both soule and body If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne Iohn 15. but because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Let these and suche like consolations taken out of the Scriptures strengthen you to godward Let not the examples of holy men and women go out of your minde as Daniel and the rest of the prophets of the three children of Eleazarus that constaÌ„t father of the vij of the Machabies children of Peter Paule Steuen and other Apostles and holy Martyrs in the beginning of the Church As of good Symeon Archbishop of Seloma and Zetrophone with infinite other vnder Sapores the King of the Persians and Indians who contemned all torments deuised by the tyraunts for their sauiours sake Returne returne agayne into Christes warre Ephes. 6. and as becommeth a faithfull warriour put on that armour that S. Paule teacheth to be most necessary for a Christian man And aboue all things take to you the shield of fayth and be you prouoked by Christes own example to withstand the diuell to forsake the world and to become a true and faythfull member of his mysticall body who spared not his owne body for our sinnes Throw downe your selfe with the feare of his threatned vengeaunce for this so great and haynous an offence of Apostasie and comfort your selfe on the other part wyth the mercy bloud and promise of him that is ready to turne vnto you whensoeuer you turne vnto him Disdayne not to come agayne with the lost sonne seing you haue so waÌ„dred with him Be not ashamed to turne againe with hym from the swill of straungers to the delicates of your most benigne and louing father acknowledging that you haue sinned against heauen and earth Against heauen by stayning the glorious name of God and causing his most sincere and pure word to be euill spoken of through you Against earth by offending so many of your weake brethren to whom you haue bene a stumbling blocke through your sodaine sliding Be not abashed to come home againe with Mary and weepe bitterly with Peter not only with sheding the teares of your bodily eyes but also powring out the streames of your hart to wash away out of the sight of God the filth and mire of your offensiue fall Be not abashed to say with the Publicane Luke 1â— Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner Remember the horrible hystory of Iulian of olde and the lamentable case of Spyra of late whose case me thinke should be yet so greene in your remembrance that being a thing of our time you should feare the like inconuenience seeing you are falne into the like offence Last of all let the liuely remembrance of the last day be alwayes afore your eyes remembring the terrour that suche shall bee in at that time with the runnagates and fugitiues from Christ which setting more by the worlde then by heauen more by theyr lyfe then by him that gaue them lyfe dyd shrinke yea did cleane fall away from him that forsooke not them and contrarywise the inestimable ioyes prepared for them that fearing no perill nor dreading death haue manfully fought and victoriously triumphed ouer all power of darkenesse ouer hell deathe and damnation thorough theyr most redoubted Captaine Christ who nowe stretcheth out his armes to receaue you ready to fall vppon your necke and kysse you and last of all to feast you with the deynties and delicates of his owne precious bloud which vndoubtedly if it might stand with his determinate purpose he woulde not set to shed againe rather then you should be lost To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour prayse and glory euerlasting Amen Be constant be constant feare not for no payne Christ hath redeemed thee and heauen is thy gayne ¶ A Letter written by the Lady Iane in the ende of the new Testament in Greeke the which she sent vnto her sister Lady Katherine the night before she suffered I Haue heere sent you good Sister Katherine a booke which although it be not outwardly trimmed with gold 〈…〉 of the â—â—dy Iane the â—ady 〈…〉 yet inwardly it is more worth then precious stones It is the booke deare Sister of the law of the Lord. It is his Testament and last will which he bequeathed vnto vs wretches which shall leade you to the path of eternall ioy and if you with a good minde reade it and with an earnest mind do purpose to follow it it shall bring you to an immortall and euerlasting life It shall teache you to liue and learne you to die It shall winne you more then you should haue gained by the possession of your wofull fathers landes For as if God had prospered him you should haue inherited his landes so if you apply diligently this booke seeking to direct your lyfe after it you shall be an inheritour of such riches as neither the couetous shall withdrawe from you neither theefe shall steale neyther yet the mothes corrupt Desire with Dauid good Sister to vnderstande the lawe of the Lorde your God Liue still to dye that you by death may purchase eternall life 〈◊〉 liue to 〈◊〉 that by 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 liue And trust not that the tendernesse of your age shall lengthen your life For as soone if God call goeth the yong as the olde and labour alwayes to learne to dye Defye the world denie the deuill and despise the fleshe and delite your selfe onely in the Lorde Be penitent for your sinnes and yet despayre not be strong in fayth and yet presume not and desire with S. Paule to be dissolued and to be wyth Christ with whome euen in death there is lyfe Be like the good seruaunt and euen at midnight be waking least when death commeth and stealeth vpon you like a theefe in the night you be wyth the euill seruaunt found sleeping and least for lacke of oyle you be found like the fyue foolish women and lyke hym that had not on the wedding garment and then yee be cast out from the marriage Reioyce in Christ as I do Follow the steps of your mayster Christ and take vp your Crosse lay your sinnes on hys backe and alwayes embrace hym And as touching my death reioyce as I do good Sister that I shall be deliuered of this corruption and put on incorruption For I am assured that I shall for losing of a mortall life winne an immortall life the which I pray God graunt you and send you of his grace to liue in hys feare and to dye in the true Christian fayth from the which in Gods name I exhort you that you neuer swarue
body of our Lord Iesu Christ in the Eucharist Christ is true which sayde the wordes The wordes are true whyche he spake yea truth it selfe that cannot faile Lette vs therefore pray vnto God to sende downe vnto vs his holye spirite which is the true interpreater of his woorde whiche maye purge away errours and geue light that veritye may appeare Let vs also aske leaue and libertie of the Churche to permit the truth receiued to be called this day in question wythout any preiudice to the same Your partes therefore shal be to implore the assistaunce of almighty God to pray for the prosperitie of the Queenes maiestie and to geue vs quiet and attentiue eares Now go to your questions Doct Smith This day right learned M. Doctor 3. questions are propounded whereof no controuersy among christians ought to be mooued to wit 1. Whether the naturall bodye of Christ our Sauiour conceiued of the Virgine Marie The quesâ—â—â—ons and offred for mans redemption vppon the crosse is verilye and really in the sacrament by vertue of Gods worde spoken by the Priest c. 2. Whether in the sacrament after the words of consecration be any other substance c. 3. Whether in the Masse be a sacrifice propiciatorie c. Touching the which questioÌ„s although you haue publikely and partly professed your iudgemeÌ„t and opinion on Saterday last yet being not satisfied with that your aunswere I wil assay againe to demaund your sentence in the first question Whether the true body of Christe after the woords pronounced be really in the Eucharist or els only the figure In which matter I stande heere nowe to heare your aunsweare The Preface or protestation of D. Ridley before his disputation I Receiued of you the other day right worshipful M. prolocutor and yee my reuerend Maisters The proteâ—station of B. Ridley Commissioners from the Queenes maiestie and her honorable Counsell three propositions whereunto ye commaunded me to prepare against this day what I thought good to aunsweare concerning the same Now whilest I weied w t my selfe how great a charge of the Lords flocke was of late committed vnto me for the which I am certaine I must once render an accompte to my Lord God and that howe soone he knoweth and that moreouer by the commaundement of the Apostle Peter I ought to be redy alway to geue a reason of the hope y t is in me with mekenes and reuerence vnto euery one that shall demaund the same besides this coÌ„sidering my duty to the Church of Christ What mâ—â—ued Doct. Ridley to alter his iudgemeâ—â— from the Church of Rome and to your worships being commissioners by publicke authority I determined with my selfe to obey your commaundement and so opeÌ„ly to declare vnto you my minde touching the foresayd propositions And albeit plainely to confesse vnto you the trueth in these things which ye now demaund of me I haue thought otherwyse in times past then I now do yet God I call to record vnto my soule I lie not I haue not altered my iudgemeÌ„t as now it is either by constraint of any man or lawes either for the dread of any daungers of thys world either for any hope of commodity but onely for the loue of the truthe reuealed vnto me by the grace of God as I am vndoubtedly perswaded in his holy woorde and in the reading of the auncient Fathers These things I do the rather recite at this present because it may happen to some of you hereafter as in times past it hath done to me I meane if ye thinke otherwyse of the matters propouÌ„ded in these propositions then I now doe God may open vnto you in time to come But how so euer it shall be I will in fewe woordes do that which I thinke yee all looke I shoulde doe that is as plainely as I can I will declare my iudgement heerein Howbeit of this I would yee were not ignoraunt that I will not in deede wittingly and willingly speake in any poynt against Gods worde â— Ridley submitteth himselfe to the Church of Christ. or dissent in any one iote from the same or from the rules of faith and Christian religion which rules that same most sacred word of god prescribeth to the Churche of Christe whereunto I nowe and for euer submit my selfe and all my doinges And because the matter I haue now taken in hand is waightie and yee all wel know how vnready I am to handle it accordingly aswell for lacke of time as also lacke of bookes therefore heere I protest that I will publickly this daye require of you that it may be lawfull for me concerning all mine aunsweares explications and confirmations to adde or diminish what soeuer shall seeme hereafter more conuenient and mete for the purpose through more sound iudgement better deliberation and more exact triall of euery particular thing Hauing nowe by the way of Preface and protestation spoken these fewe woordes I will come to the answearinge of the propositions propounded vnto me and so to the most brief explication and confirmation of mine answeres West Reuerend maister Doctour concerning the lacke of bookes there is no cause why you should complaine What bookes soeuer you will name The promise was not â—ept ye shall haue them as concerning the iudgement of your answeres to be had of your selfe wyth farther deliberation it shall I say be lawfull for you vntill Sonday next to adde vnto them what you shall thinke good your selfe My minde is that we shoulde vse short arguments least we shuld make an infinite processe of the thing Rid. There is an other thyng besides whyche I woulde gladly obtaine at your handes I perceiue that you haue wryters and Notaries here present By all likelihoode our disputations shal be published I beseech you for gods sake let me haue libertie to speake my minde freely wythout interruption not because I haue determined to protract y e time with a solemne Preface but least it maye appeare that some be not satisfied God wotte I am no Oratour nor I haue not learned Rhetoricke to set colours on the matter West Two Notaries permitted to Doct. Ridly These 2. Notaries were M. Iâ—ell sometime bishop of Salisbury 〈◊〉 M. Gilbert Mounson Among this whole company it shall be permitted you to take two for your part Rid. I would chuse two if there were any here w t whome I were acquainted West Here are two whych M. Cranmer had yesterdaye Take them if it please you Rid. I am contente wyth them I truste they are honest men The first proposition In the Sacrament of the aultare by the vertue of Gods word spoken of the Priest the naturall body of Christ borne of the virgine Marie The first proposition and his naturall bloude is really present vnder the formes of bread and wine The aunswere of N. Ridley In matters appertaining to God we may not speake according to the sence of man D. Ridleys aunswere
foundation do hold that the same body is offered vnto God by the Priest in his daily massings to put away the sinnes of the quicke and the dead But one sacrifice in the scripture Whereas by the Apostle to the Hebrewes it is euident that there is but one oblation and one true and liuely sacrifice of the Church offered vpon the aultar of the crosse which was is and shall be for euer the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world and where there is remission of the same there is sayth the Apostle no more offering for sinne ¶ Arguments confirming his aunswere Ce No sacrifice ought to be done but where the Priest is meete to offer the same The first argument Heb. 5. la All other Priests be vnmeete to offer sacrifice propitiatory for sinne saue only Christ rent Ergo no other Priests ought to sacrifice for sinne but Christ alone The second part of my argument is thus proued Fe No honour in Gods Church ought to be takeÌ„ whervnto a man is not called as Aaron ri It is a great honor in Gods Church to sacrifice for sin Argument son Ergo No man ought to sacrifice for sinne but onely they which are called But onely Christ is called to that honour Ergo no other priest but Christ ought to sacrifice for sin That no man is called to this degree of honour but Christ alone Heb. 7 it is euident For there are but two onely orders of Priesthood allowed in the word of God namely the order of Aaron and the order of Melchisedech But now the order of Aaron is come to an ende by reason that it was vnprofitable and weake and of the order of Melchisedech there is but one Priest alone euen Christ the Lord which hath a priesthoode that can not passe to any other Another Argument Ba That thing is in vaine and to no effect where no necessitie is wherefore it is done ro To offer vp any more sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead there is no necessitie for Christ our sauiour did that fully and perfectly once for all co Ergo to do the same in the Masse it is in vayne Heb. 9. Another Argument Fe After that eternall redemption is found and obtained there needeth no more dayly offering for the same Ab vna causa veritatis ad propositionem habentem illam causam valet consequentia ri But Christ comming an high Bishop c. found and obteined for vs eternall redemption o. Ergo there needeth now no more daily oblation for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead Another Argument Ca All remission of sinnes commeth only by shedding of bloud mes In the Masse there is no shedding of bloud tres Ergo in the Masse there is no remission of sinnes and so it foloweth also that ther is no propitiatory sacrifice Another Argument In the Masse the passion of Christ is not in verity but in a mistery representing the same yea euen there where the Lords supper is duly ministred But where Christ suffereth not there is he not offered in verity Heb â— for the Apostle sayeth Not that he might offer vp himselfe often times for then must he haue suffered often times sith the beginning of the world now where Christ is not offered there is no propitiatory sacrifice Ergo in the Masse there is no propitiatory sacrifice For Christ appeared once in the latter end of the world to put sin to flight by the offering vp of himselfe And as it is appoynted to all men that they shall once dye and then commeth the iudgement euen so Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many And vnto them that looke for him shall he appeare agayne without sinne vnto saluation Another Argument Da Where there is any sacrifice that can make the commers thereunto perfect there ought men to cease from offering any mo expiatory and propitiatory sacrifices ri But in the new testament there is one onely sacrifice now already long since offered which is able to make the commers thereto perfect for euer j. Ergo in the new testament they ought to cease from offering any more propitiatory sacrifice Sentences of the Scripture tending to the same ende and purpose out of which also may be gathered other manifest arguments for more confirmation thereof BY the which will sayth the Apostle we are sanctified by the offering vp of the body of Iesus Christ once for all Heb. 10. And in the same place But this man after that he had offered one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for euer at the right hand of God c. For with one offering hath he made perfect for euer them that are sanctifyed and by himselfe hath he purged our sinnes By â—â—mselfâ— I beseech you to marke these wordes by himselfe the whiche well wayed will without doubt cease all controuersie The Apostle playnely denieth any other sacrifice to remaine for him that treadeth vnder his feete the bloud of â—e testament by the which he was made holy Christ wil not be crucified againe he will not his death to be 〈◊〉 derision He hath reconcyled vs in the body of his flesh Coloss. 1â— Make I beseech you he sayth not in the mistery of his body But in the body of his flesh If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father 1. Ioan. â— Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiaâ—ion for our sinnes not for ours only but for the sinnes of the â—â—ole world I know that all these places of the Scripture are auoyded by two maner of subtile shiftes The popisâ— distinction betweene bloudy and vnbloudy sacrifice the one is by the distinction of the bloudy and vnbloudy sacrifice as though our vnbloudy sacrifice of the Church were any other then the sacrifice of praise and thankesgeuing then a commemoration a shewing foorth and a sacrameÌ„tall representation of that one only bloudy sacrifice offred vp once for all The other is by deprauing and wrasting the sayings of the auncient Fathers vnto such a straunge kinde of sense The papistâ— maintayne their sacrifice propitiâ—atory by thâ— old Doctoâ— falsly wrasted as the Fathers themselues in deede neuer ment For what the meaning of the Fathers was it is euidente by that which S. Augustine writeth in his Epistle to Boniface in the 83. chapter of his 9. booke against Faustus the Manichee besides many other places likewise by Eusebius Emisene Cyprian Chrysostome Fulgentius Bertram and others Doctors making against the propitiatorâ— sacrifice of the masse which do wholy concord and agree together in this vnity in the Lord that the redemption once made in verity for the saluation of man continueth in full effect for euer and worketh without ceassing vnto the end of the world that the sacrifice once offered can not be consumed that the Lords death and passion is as effectuall the vertue of that bloud once shead as freshe at this day
well remember not except it be against the Epistles of Petilian Who so euer saith he teacheth any thyng necessarily to be beleued which is not contayned in the olde or new Testament the same is accursed Oh beware of this curse if you be wise I am much deceyued if Basilius haue not such like words 〈◊〉 What so euer saith he is besides the holy scripture if the same be taught as necessarily to be beleeued that is sinne Oh therefore take heede of this sinne There be some that speake many false things more probable and more like to the truth then to the truth it selfe Therefore Paule geueth a watch word Let no man saith he deceiue you with probabilitie and perswasions of woordes But what meane you saith one by this talke so far from the matter Well I hope good maisters you will suffer an old man a little to play the child and to speake one thyng twise Oh Lord God you haue chaunged the most holy Communion into a priuate action and you deny to the Laitie the Lordes cup contrary to Christes commaundement The 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 the â—ords Supâ—er and you do blemish the annuntiation of the Lordes death till he come for you haue chaunged the Common prayer called the diuine seruice with the administration of the sacramentes from the vulgar and knowen language into a strange tongue contrary to the wyll of the Lord reuealed in his word God open the dore of your hart to see the things you should see herein I would as fayne obey my soueraigne as any in this realme but in these things I can neuer do it with an vpright conscieÌ„ce God be mercifull vnto vs. Amen Weston Then refuse you to dispute Will you here then subscribe Lat. No good maister I pray you be good to an olde man You may if it please God be once old as I am ye may come to this age and to this debilitie West But God saw it good that WestoÌ„ 〈◊〉 câ—me to his age Ye said vpon saterday last that ye could not find the masse nor the marybones thereof in your booke but wee will finde a masse in that booke Lat. No good M. Doctor ye cannot West What find you then there Lat. Forsooth a Communion I find there West Which Communion * By this first and second coâ—â—union he â—eaneth the two 〈◊〉 of â—â—blicke 〈◊〉 set forth in 〈◊〉 Edwards daies 〈◊〉 one in 〈◊〉 beginâ—â—ng the 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 end of 〈◊〉 reigne 〈◊〉 Weston 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of the â—ords Supper 〈…〉 Doâ—â—nica â—hrisost in Cor. cap. the first or the last Lat. I find no great diuersitie in them they are one supper of the Lord but I like the last very well West Then the first was nought belike Lat. I do not wel remember wherin they differ West Then cake bread loafe bread are all one with you Ye call it the Supper of the Lord but you are deceyued in that for they had done the supper before and therfore the Scripture sayth Postquam coenatum est that is After they had supped For ye know that S. Paul findeth fault wyth the Corrinthians for that some of them were drunken at this supper and ye know no man can be dronken at your Communion Lat. The first was called Coena Iudaica that is The Iewish Supper when they did eate the Paschall Lambe together the other was called Coena dominica that is The Lordes supper West That is false for Chrysostome denieth that And S. Ambrose in cap. 19. prioris ad Corinthios saith that Mysterium Eucharistiae inter coenandum datum non est coena dominica that is The mysterie of the sacrament geuen as they were at supper is not the supper of the Lord. And Gregory Nazianzene sayth the same Rursus Pasche sacra cum discipulis in coenaculo ac post coenam dieque vnica ante passionem celebrat Nos verò ea in orationis domibus ante coenam post resurrectionem peragimus that is Agayne he kept he holy feast of Passeouer with his Disciples in the dinyng chamber after the supper â—reg Naâ—â—â—zenus and one day before his passion But we keepe it both in the Churches and houses of prayer both before the supper and also after the resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈…〉 â—eastes 〈◊〉 wont 〈◊〉 be geuen the 〈…〉 in his 〈◊〉 And that first Supper was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can you tell what that is Lat. I vnderstande no Greeke Yet I thinke it meaneth charitie West Will you haue all thing done that Christ did then Why then must the Priest be hanged on the morrow And where find you I pray you that a woman should receyue the sacrament Lat. Will you geue me leaue to turne my booke I finde it in the xi chapter to the Corinthians I trow these be hys wordes Probetautem seipsum homo c. I pray you good maister what Gender is homo West Marrie the common gender Cole It is in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 11. Har. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vir Lat. It is in my booke of Erasmus translation Probet seipsum homo Feck It is Probet seipsum in deed and therfore it importeth the Masculine gender Latimer What then I trowe when the woman touched Christ he said Quis tetigit me Scio quod aliquis me tetigit that is Who touched me I know that some man touched me Weston I will be at host with you anone When Christ was at his supper none were with hym Argument but his Apostles onely Ergo he ment no woman if you will haue this institution kept Lati. In the twelue Apostles was represented the whole Church The Apostles represented the whole Church in which you will graunt both men and women to bee West So thorough the whole hereticall translated Bible ye neuer make mention of Priest Weston scorneth the name of Minister tyll ye come to the putting of Christ to death Where find you then that a priest or minster a minstrel I may cal him wel enough should do it of necessitie Lat. A minister is a more fit name for that office The name of Minister more fit theÌ„ the name of Priest for y e name of a priest importeth a sacrifice West Well remember that ye cannot finde that a woman may receiue by scripture M. Opponent fall to it Smith Because I perceiue that this charge is layd vppon my necke to dispute with you to the ende that the same may go forward after a right maner and order I wil propose three questions so as they are put forth vnto me And first I aske this question of you although the same in deed ought not to be called in question but such is the condition of the Church that it is alwayes vexed of the wycked sort I aske I say whether Christes body be really in the sacrament Lat.
Weston cited the place of Chrysostome of Iudas treason O Iudae dementia Ille cum Iudaeis triginta denarijs paciscebatur vt Christum venderet Christus ei sanguinem quem vendidit offerebat That is O the madnesse of Iudas He made bargayne with the Iewes for thirtie pence to sell Christ and Christ offred him his bloud which he sold. Lat. I graunt he offred to Iudas his bloud which he sold but in a sacrament Weston Because ye can defend your Doctors no better ye shall see how worshipfull men ye hang vpon and one that hath bene of your mynd â— Cartâ—ryght â—rged to 〈◊〉 Cartwright returning to 〈◊〉 olde 〈◊〉 agayne shall dispute with you M. Cartwright I pray you dispute Cart. Reuerend father because it is geuen me in commandement to dispute with you I will do it gladly But first vnderstand ere we go any further that I was in the same errour that you are in but I am sory for it and do confesse my selfe to haue erred I acknowledge myne offence and I wyshe and desire God that you also may repente wyth me Latimer Argumenâ—â—m a poena â—â—gis DuruÌ„ 〈…〉 Wyll you geue me leaue to tell what hath caused M. Doctour here to recant It is poena legis the payne of the law which hath brought you backe and conuerted you and many moe the which letteth many to confesse God And this is a great argument there are few here can dissolue it Cartwright That is not my cause but I wil make you this short Argument by which I was conuerted from myne erroures Argum. a 〈…〉 ad â—fficile If the true bodye of Christ bee not really in the Sacrament all the whole Church hath erred from the Apostles tyme. But Christ would not suffer his church to erre Ergo it is the true body of Christ. Lat. The popish Church hath erred doth erre I thinke for the space of sixe or seuen hundred yeares 〈◊〉 mentioÌ„ 〈…〉 eating 〈◊〉 spiritually in the Church for 〈◊〉 space of 〈◊〉 yeares there was no mentioÌ„ made of any eating but spiritually for before these fiue hundred yeares the Church did euer confesse a spirituall manducation But the Romish church begate the errour of transubstantiation My Lord of Caunterburies booke handleth that very well and by him I could answer you if I had hym Cart. Linus and all the rest do confesse the body of Christ to be in the Sacrament and S. Augustine also vpon the 98. Psalme vpon this place Adorate scabellum pedum c. graÌ„teth it to be worshipped Lat. We doe worship Christ in the heauens we do worship him in the Sacrament but the massing worship is not to be vsed Smyth Doe you thinke that Cyrill was of the auncient Church Lat. I do thinke so Smyth He sayth that Christ dwelleth in vs corporally These be Cyrils words of the mysticall benediction Lat. That â—yrillus in 〈◊〉 Lib. cap. 13. corporally hath another vnderstanding then you do grossely take it ¶ Cyrill sayth that Christ dwelleth corporally in vs but he sayth not that Christ dwelleth corporally in y e bread Which dwelling of Christ in vs is as our dwelling is also in Christ not locall or corporall but spiritual heauenly corporally therfore it is to be takeÌ„ here in the same sense as S. Paul saith the fulnes of diuinitie to dwell in Christ corporally that is not lightly nor accidentally but perfectly and substantially with all his vertue and power c. And so dwelleth Christ corporally in vs also Smyth Here Smyth repeateth these words of Cyrill Per communionem corporis Christi habitat in nobis Christus corporaliter That is By the communicating of the bodye of Christ Christ dwelleth in vs corporally Latimer The solution of this is in my Lord of Canterburies booke Smyth Cyrill was no papist and yet these be his wordes Christ dwelleth in vs corporally The immodest behauiour of this Iacke scoâ—ner to be noted but you say he dwelleth in vs spiritually Latimer I say both that he dwelleth in vs both corporally and spiritually accordyng to his meanyng Spiritually by fayth and corporally by taking our flesh vpon hym For I remember I haue read this in my Lord of Canterburies booke Weston For because your learnyng is let out to Ferme and shut vp in my Lord of Caunterburies booke I wyll recite vnto you a place of S. Ambrose De apparatione ad Missam where he sayth Videmus principem sacerdotem ad nos venientem offerentem sanguinem c. That is Wee see the chiefe Prieste commyng vnto vs and offeryng bloud c. Likewise both Augustine in the 38. Psal. and Chrysostome concerning the incomprehensible nature of God August in Psal. 31. Chrisost De incomprehensibili Dei natâ—â—a Tom. 3. say Non solum homines c. Lat. I am not ashamed to acknowledge myne ignoraunce and these testimonies are more then I can beare away West Then must you leaue some behynde you for lacke of cariage Latimer But for Chrysostome hee hath many figuratiue speaches and Emphaticall loquutions in many places Chrisost. full of figuratiue speaches and Emphaticall loquutions Chrisost. in Act. cap. 9 as in that which you haue now recited but he sayeth not For the quicke and the dead he taketh the celebration for the sacrifice West You shall heare Chrysostome againe vpon the ninth chap. of the Acts Quid dicis Hostia in manibus sacerdotis c. He doth not call it a cup of wyne Lat. Ye haue myne answer there with you in a paper and yet he calleth it not Propitiatorium sacrificium i. A propitiatorie sacrifice West You shal heare it to be so and I bring another place of Chrysostome out of the same treatise Non temerè ab Apostolis est institutum c. Weston He is too precious a thing for vs to offer he offereth hymselfe Weston Here in an other place of Chrysostome to the people of Antioche Chrisost. ad populum Antioch Hom. 69 Homil. 69. and also to the Philippians he sayeth There should bee a memorye and sacrifice for the dead Lat. I doe say that the holy communion beareth the name of a sacrifice because it is a sacrifice memoratiue West How say you to the sacrifice for the dead Lat. I say that it needeth not or it booteth not West Augustine in his Enchiridion the 110. chap. sayeth Non est negandum defunctorum animos pietate suorum viuentium releuari quum pro illis sacrificium Mediatoris offertur August Encherid cap. 110. That is We must not deny that the soules of the dead are relieued by the deuotion of their friends which are liuing August falsly belyed to say Masse for his Mother when the sacrifice of the Mediatour is offered for them Where he prooueth the veritie of Christes body praying for the dead And it is sayd that the same Augustine sayd masse for his mother Lat. But that masse was not
like yours which thing doth manifestly appeare in his writings which are agaynst it in euery place And Augustine is a reasonable man he requireth to be beleued no further then he bringeth scripture for his proofe and agreeth with Gods word West In the same place he proueth a propiciatorie sacrifice and that vpon an aulter and no Oyster boord The blasphemous mouth of D. Weston calling the Lordes table an Oyster bord Lat. It is the Lords table and no Oyster boord It may be called an aultar and so the doctors call it in many places but there is no propiciatorie sacrifice but only Christ. The doctors might be deceiued in some points though not in all things * I beleeue them when they say well Cole Is it not a shame for an old man to lye You say Doctores legenâ—i sunt cum venia you are of the old fathers fayth where they say well and yet ye are not Lat. I am of their faith when they say well I referre my selfe to my L. of Caunterburies booke wholy herein Smyth Then are you not of Chrysostomes faith nor of S. Augustines fayth Lat. I haue said when they said well and bring scripture for them I am of their faith and further Augustine requireth not to be beleeued West Origen Hom. 13. vpon Leuiticus Latimer I haue but one worde to say Panis Sacramentalis the Sacramentall bread is called a Propitiation because it is a Sacrament of the Propitiation What is your vocation West My vocation is at this tyme to dispute otherwise I am a Priest and my vocation is to offer Lat. Where haue you that authorttie geuen you to offer West Hoc facite Do this for facite in that place is taken for offerte that is offer you Lat. Facere for sacrificare with D. Weston Is Facere nothing but sacrificare to sacrifice Why then no man must receiue the sacrament but priestes onely for there may none offer but priests Ergo there may none receiue but priests West Your argument is to be denied Lat. If Christ offered himselfe at the Supper and the next day vpon the Crosse then was Christ twise offered Did Christ then offer himselfe at his supper Pye Yea he offred himselfe for the whole world Latimer Then if this worde Facite Do ye signifie Sacrificate Sacrifice ye it followeth as I sayd that none but Priestes onely ought to receiue the Sacrament to whom it is onely lawfull to sacrifice and where find you that I pray you West Fourty yeare agone whether could you haue gone to haue found your doctrine Lat. The more cause we haue to thanke God that hath now sent the light into the world West WestoÌ„s rayling The light Nay lite and lewd Preachers for you could not tell what you might haue Ye altered changed so often your communions and altars and all for this one end to spoile and rob the Church Latimer These things pertayne nothyng to mee I must not aunswere for other mens deedes but onely for myne owne West Well M. Latimer this is our entent to wyll you well and to exhort you to come to your selfe and remember that without Noes Arke there is no health Remember what they haue bene that were the beginners of your doctrine none but a few flying Apostataes runnyng out of Germany for feare of the fagot Remember what they haue bene which haue set forth the same in this Realme A sort of flyngbraines and light heads which were neuer constant in any one thyng as it was to be seene in the turnyng of the Table where lyke a sort of Apes they coulde not tell which way to turne their tailes D. Westons Apes haue tayles looking one day West and another day East one that way and an other this way They will be lyke they say to the Apostles they wyll haue no Churches A houell is good enough for them They come to the Communion with no reuerence They get them a Tankard and one sayth I drinke and I am thankfull Blasphemous lyes of D. WestoÌ„ sitting in Cathedra pestilentiae the more ioy of thee sayth another And in them was it true that Hyllary sayth Annuas meÌ„struas de deo fides facimus id est We make euery yere and euery month a fayth A runnagate Scot did take away the adoration or worshipping of Christ in the Sacrament by whose procurement that heresie was put into the last CoÌ„munion booke Who be these or where be they M. Oblocutor that will be lyke the Apoâ—tles that will haue no Churches that be runnagates out of Germany that get them tancardes that make monthly faythes that worship not Christ in all his Sacramentes Speake truth maÌ„ and shame the deuill so much preuayled that one mans authoritie at that tyme. You neuer agreed with the Tygurines or Germaines or with the Churche or with your selfe Your stubbornnesse commeth of a vayne glory which is to no purpose for it will do you no good when a fagot is in your beard And we see all by your owne confession how little cause you haue to be stubborn for your learning is in scoffers hold The Queenes grace is mercifull if ye will turne Lat. You shall haue no hope in me to turne I pray for the Queene daily euen from the bottome of my hart that she may turne from this religion West Here you all see the weakenes of heresie against the truth he denieth all truth and all the old fathers HEre all good Readers maye see how this glorious Prolocutor triumpheth but whether he hath the victorye or no that I suppose they haue not yet neyther heard nor seene And geue that he had the victory yet what great meruayle was it disputyng as hee dyd Non sine suo Theseo that is not without his tipplyng cuppe standing at his elbow all the time of his disputation notwithout a priuy notyng and smilyng of them that beheld the matter but specially at that tyme when Doctour Ridley disputyng with one of the Opponentes the sayd Prolocutor tooke the cuppe and holding it in hys hand sayd to the Opponent Vrge hoc vrge hoc Nam hoc facit pro nobis In which wordes as he mooued no little matter of laughter to the beholders thereof Vrge hoc quoth Weston with his berepot so I thought here also not to leaue the same vnmentioned somwhat also to delight the Reader withal after his tedious wearines in reading the story therof ¶ To the Reader And thus hast thou louyng Reader the whole action and stage of this Doctourly disputation shewed foorth vnto thee against these three woorthy Confessours and Martyrs of the Lorde wherein thou mayest behold the disordered vsage of the Uniuersitie men the vnmannerly manner of the Schoole the rude tumult of the multitude the fiercenes and interruption of the Doctors the full pith and ground of all their argumeÌ„ts the censures of the Iudges the railyng language of the Oblocutor with his blast of
Guynes Boner set at libertie whych before had beene sente to the French king by his cosin the Duke of Northumberlande after the dispatch of his ambassage with the French kinge returned to Guines so was taken and this day brought to the Tower Uppon mondaye the seuenth day of August Dirige in Latine was songe wythin the Tower by all the Kynges Chappel and the bishop of Winchester was chief minister wherat was present the Queene and the most parte of the Counsaile Uppon Tuesday the viij day of August the kings body was brought to Westminster and there buryed where D. Day Bishop of Chichester preached The same daye a Masse of Requiem was songe within the tower by the Byshop of Winchester who had on his Miter did al things as in times past was done at whyche Masse the Queene was present Upon thursday the Duke of Northfolke came foorth of the Tower King Edwardes body buryed with whom the Duches of Somerset was also deliuered this thursday Uppon sonday the 11. of August Doctor Bourne preached at Paules Crosse of the whych sermone reade before pag. 1339. In the weeke folowing commaundement was geuen throughout the citie that no Prentises should come to the sermon nor weare any knife or dagger Uppon the wednesday being the xvi daye of August M. Bradford M. Beacon and M. Ueron were committed to the Tower with whom also M. Sampson shoulde haue bene committed M Bradford with others committed to the Tower and was sought for the same time in M. Elsinges house in Fleetestreete where M. Bradforde was taken and because he was not founde the Byshop of Winchester fumed like a prelate with the messenger Upon the Fridaye being the 18. of August the Duke of Northumberland the marques of Northampton and the Earle of Warwicke were arrayned at Westminster and there y e same day condemned the Duke of Northfolke that day being the high Iudge Upon saterday the 19. of August sir Andrew Dudley sir Iohn Gates sir Henrye Gates and sir Thomas Palmer were araigned at Westminster condemned the same day the L. Marques of Winchester being hie Iudge UpoÌ„ which day a letter was sent vnto sir Henry Tirrel Anthony Browne and Edmonde Browne Esquiers praying them to committe to warde all suche as shall contemne the Queenes order of religion or shall keepe them selues from church there to remaine vntill they be conformable and to signifie their names to the counsaile Upon Sonday the 20. of August D. Watsâ—â— preache◠〈◊〉 Paules Crosse. Doctour Watson the Byshoppe of Winchesters Chaplaine Preached at Paules Crosse at whose Sermone was presente the Marques of Winchester the Earle of Bedford the Earle of Penbroke the Lord Rich and two hundreth of the Garde wyth their Halbardes lest the people would haue made any sturre against the Preacher Uppon Monday the 21. of August the Duke of Northumberlande the Marques of Northampton Syr Andrewe Dudley Syr Iohn Gates and Syr Thomas Palmer hearde a Masse wythin the Tower and after Masse they all fiue receaued the Sacramente in one kinde onely as in the Popishe time was vsed On the whiche day also Queene Mary set forth a Proclamation signifying to the people that she could not hide any longer the religioÌ„ which she from her infancy had professed c. inhibiting in the said Proclamation Printing Preaching the tenour wherof read before pag. 1334. Uppon the Tuesday being the 22. of August the Duke of Northumberlande Syr Iohn Gates and Syr Thomas Palmer were beheaded at the Tower hil as before is sayd pag. 1338. Execution at the Towâ—er hill The same day certaine noble personnages heard Masse wythin the Tower and likewise after masse receaued the Sacrament in one kinde Uppon Sonday the 27. day of August Doctour Chedsey Preached at Paules Crosse and the same daye the Byshop of Canterbury Syr Thomas Smith and the deane of Paules were cited to appeare the weeke following before the Queenes Commissioners in the Bishops Consistorie within Paules In this meane time it was noysed abroade by running rumours falsely and craftely deuised eyther to stablish the credite of the Masse or els to brynge Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury out of credite that he to currye fauour with Queene Mary should promise to say Dirige Masse after the old custome for king Edward and that he had already sayd Masse at Caunterburie c. Wherefore to stoppe the noyse and slaunder of those rumours the sayde Thomas Archb. of Caunter the 7. day of September sette foorth a letter which was also printed in purgation of him selfe the copie of which letter heere ensueth A purgation of Thomas Archbishoppe of Caunterburie against certaine sclaunders falsely raised vpon him AS the deuill Christes auncient aduersarie is a lier and the father of lies The archbishop of Canterbury purgeth himselfe agaynst false rumours euen so hath he stirred vp his seruaunts and members to persecute Christ and his true worde and religion with lying which hee ceasseth not to doe most earnestly at this present time For where as the Prince of famous memorie kinge Henrie the eighte seeing the greate abuses of the Latine Masse reformed some things therein in his life time and after our late soueraigne Lord king Edward the 6. tooke the same whole away for the manifolde and great errours and abuses of the same and restored in the place therof Christes holy Supper according to Christes own institution and as the Apostles vsed the same in the primatiue Church the deuill goeth about nowe by lying to ouerthrow the Lordes holy Supper againe and to restore his Latine satisfactorie Masse a thing of his owne inuention and deuise And to bringe the same more easilye to passe some haue abused the name of mee Thomas Archb. of Canterburie bruting abroad that I haue set vp the Masse again at Canterburie that I offred to say Masse at the buriall of our late soueraign prince K. Ed. 6. that I offred also to say Masse before the Queenes highnesse and at Paules Churche and I wot not where And although I haue bene well exercised these xx yeres to suffer and beare euill reports and lyes and haue not bene much greued thereat but haue borne all things quietly yet when vntrue reports lyes turne to the hinderance of Gods truth they are in no wise to be suffered Wherefore these bee to signifie vnto the world that it was not I that dyd set vp the Masse at Caunterbury but it was a false flatteryng lying and dissembling monke Ann. 1454. Aprill which caused Masse to be set vp there without mine aduise or Counsell Reddat illi Dominus in die illo And as for offering my selfe to say Masse before the Queenes highnesse or in any other place I neuer did it as her grace well knoweth But if her grace will geue me leaue 〈…〉 murtherer of Gods people Of whose horâ—ible and ye shal 〈…〉 also the life of Cranmer I shal be ready to prooue against all
that will saye the contrary that all that is contained in the holy Communion set out by the most innocent and godly Prince king Edward the 6. in his high court of Parliament is conformable to that order which our Sauiour Christ did both obserue and commaund to be obserued which his Apostles primatiue church vsed many yeares whereas the Masse in many things not onely hath no foundation of Christe his Apostles nor the primatiue Church but is manifestly contrary to the same and coÌ„taineth many horrible abuses in it And although many either vnlearned or malitious do report that M. Peter Martyr is vnlearned yet if the Queeneâ— highnes wil graunt thereunto I with the sayde M. Peter Martyr and other 4. or 5. whiche I shall chuse will by Gods grace take vppon vs to defende not onely the common praiers of the Church the ministration of the Sacraments and other rites ceremonies but also al the doctrine and religion set out by our said soueraigne Lord king Edward the 6. to be more pure and according to Gods worde then any other that hath bene vsed in England these 1000. yeares so that Gods word may be iudge that the reasons and proufes of both parties may be sette out in wryting to the intent as well that all the worlde maye examine and iudge thereon as that no man shall start backe from his wrytinge And where they boast of the faith that hath bene in the Churche these 1500. yeres we will ioyne with them in this poynt and that the same doctrine and vsage is to be followed whiche was in the Church .1500 yeres past and we shall prooue that the order of the Churche let out at this present in this Realme by Acte of Parlament is the same that was vsed in the Church .1500 yeres past so shall they be neuer able to prooue theirs The same Thursday beinge the 7. of Septemb. Lorde Mountacute chiefe Iustice and Lorde chiefe Baron were deliuered out of the Tower The 13. of September the reuerende father M. Hughe Latimer was committed to the Tower The 14. of Septemb. the bishop of Caunterburye was committed to the Tower The 26. of September one Maister Graye of Cambridge called before hym one M. Garth for that he would not suffer a boy of Peter house to helpe hym saye Masse in Penbroke hal which was before any law was established for that behalfe The Queene came to the Tower of London vpon the Thursday being the 28. of September Amongest these Pageantes stood a certaine man vpon the top of the Eagle vpon Paules steeple with a flagge in his hand and vpon the Saterday following shee rode from the Tower thorough the Citie of London where were made many Pageants to receiue her and so was triumphantly brought to Westminster to White hall Uppon the Sonday being the first day of October the Queenes highnesse went from White hall to Westminster Abbey accompanied wyth the most part of the Nobility of this Realme namelye these The Duke of Norfolke the Earle of Arundell the Earle of Shrewsburie the Marques of Winchester the Earls of Darby Bedford Worcester Cumberland Westmerland Oxford Sussex Deuonshire Penbroke the Lord Dacres of the North Lord Ferris Lorde Cobham Lord Aburgeiny Lord Wentwoorth Lord Scroupe Lord Rich Lord Uaus Lorde Hawarde Lord Conias Lord Morley Lorde Paget and the Lorde Willowbye with many other Nobles and all the Embassadours of diuers countreys the Maior of London wyth all the Aldermen Also out of the Abbey to receiue her comming came three siluer Crosses and to the number of four score or neare vppon Q. Mary crowned Doctor sayes Sermon Generall pardon at the Queens CoronatioÌ„ â—xempted 〈◊〉 of the Pardon of singing men all in very rich gorgeous coapes Amongest whom were the Deane of Westminster and diuers of her Chaplaines which bare euerye one some ensigne in their handes and after them followed 10. Byshops mytred all and their Croyser staues in theyr handes and rich Copes vpon them euery one And in this order they returned froÌ„ Westminster hal before the Quene to the Abbey where she was crowned by Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and Lorde Chancellor of England At the time of the Coronation Doctour Day Bishop of Chichester made a sermon to the Queenes maiestie and to the rest of the nobilitie Also there was a generall Pardon proclaimed wythin the Abbey at the sayd time of her Coronation out of which Proclamation all the prisonners of the Tower and of the Flete were excepted and 62. more Wherof M. Whitchurch and M. Grafton were two The thirde of October the Uicechauncellour of Cambridge did chalenge one M. Pierson for that hee ministred still the Communion in his owne Parish and did receyue straungers of other Parishes to the same and woulde not say masse Whereupon within 2. dayes after he was cleane discharged from farther ministring in his Cure Uppon the Wedensday following Q. Mary rideth to the Parliament house Sergeant Pollard speaker in the Parliament The Earle of Huntington deliuered out of the Tower M. Saunders for preaching agaynst the Masse committed to the Marshalsey the Archb. of Yorke was committed to the Tower Uppon Thursdaye being the 5. of October 1553. the Queene road to the Parliament in her roabes and all the nobilitie with her and when they were set in the Parliament house the Bishop of Winchester made to them a solemne Oration and Sergeant Pollarde was chosen speaker of the Parliament The same day the Bishops of Lincolne Harford and Westchester were discharged from the Parliament and Conuocation Also the 10. daye of October the Earle of Huntington was deliuered out of the Tower Upon the Sonday after being the 15. of Oct. M. Laurence Saunders preached at Alhallowes in Breadstreete in y e morning where he declared the abhomination of the masse with diuers other matters very notably and godly Wherof more shal be heard by the Lordes leaue heereafter when we come to his story In which his doing as he shewed himselfe to be Gods faithful minister so is he sure not to be defrauded of gods faithful promise who sayth Omnis qui confitebitur me coram hominibus confitebor ego illum coram patre meo qui est in coelis Math. 10. But about noone of the same day he was sent for by the bishop of London and from thence committed to the Marshalsee Upon the Sonday folowing being the 20. of October Doctor Weston preached at Paules Crosse. D. Westons popish Sermon at Paules Who in the beginning of his Sermone willed the people to praye for the soules departed on this wise You shall pray for all them y t be departed that be neither in heaueÌ„ nor hell but in a place not yet sufficiently purged to come to heaueÌ„ that they may be releued by your deuout prayers He named the Lordes table an oyster board He saide that the Catechisme in Latin lately sette out was abhominable heresie likened the setters
within the Dioces of London as were married were diuorced from theyr liuings and commaunded to bring in their wiues within a fortnight that they might likewise be diuorced from them This the Byshop did of his owne power Upon the Tuesday in the same weeke being the 27. of February Gentlemen sent into Kent to be executed M. Rudston with certain others pardoned certayne Gentlemen of Kent were sente into Kent to be executed there Their names were these the two Mantels two Kneuets and Bret with these Maister Rudston also and certayne other were condemned and should haue bene executed but they had their pardon As touching the foresayde Maister Mantell the elder heere by the way is to be noted that as he was lead to execution and at his first casting vnder the Gallowes the rope brake Then they woulde haue had him recanted the trueth and receiued the sacrament of the aultar as they tearme it and then they sayd he should haue the Queenes pardon but Maister Mantell like a worthy Gentleman refused their serpentine counsell and chose rather to dye then to haue lyfe for dishonouring of God Moreouer as touching the sayid M. Mantell for that he was reported falsely to haue fallen from the constancie of his profession to cleare himselfe thereof and to reproue the sinister surmise of his recantation he wrote this briefe Apologie in purgation of himselfe the copie whereof you shall heare ¶ The Apologie of M. Mantell the elder PErceiuing that already certayne false reports are raysed of me concerning my aunsweres in the behalfe of my beliefe Math. 20. whiles I was prisoner in the Tower of London and considering how sore a matter it is to be an occasion of offence to any of those little ones that beleeue in Christ The beliefe of M. Mantell the elder â— haue thought it the duty of a Christian man as neare as I can with the truth to take away thys offence It pleased the Queenes Maiesty to send vnto me M. Doct. Bourne D. Bourne sent to M. Mantell vnto whome at the first meeting I acknowledged my fayth in all points to agree with the foure Creedes that is the common Creede the Creede of Nicene Quicunque vult and Te Deum laudamus Further as concerning confession and penaunce I declared that I could be contente to shewe vnto anye learned Minister of Christes Church any thing that troubled my conscience and of such a maÌ„ I would most willingly heare absolution pronounced Touching the Sacrament of the aulter as he termed it I sayd that I beleeued Christ to be there present as the holy Ghost ment when these words were written M. Mantell opposed in the Sacrament Hoc est corpus meum Further when this would not satisfye I desired him to consider that I was a condemned man to dye by a law and that it was more meeâ—e for me to seeke a readines and preparation to death And in so much as I dissented not from him in any article of the Christian fayth necessary to saluation I desired him for Gods sake no more to trouble me with such matters as whiche to beleeue is neyther saluation nor not to beleeue damnation He aunswered that if I dissented but in the least matter froÌ„ the catholick Church my soule was in great daunger therefore much more in thys great matter alleadging this text Qui offenderit in minimo factus est reus omnium He that offendeth in the least of these is gilty of them all Yea quoth I Verum est Math. 5. Iacob 2. ex hisce mandatis i. It is true of these commaundementes of God To this I desired him to consider that it was not my matter neither was I able in these matters to keepe disputation nor minded so to doe and therefore to take these few wordes for a full aunswere that I not onely in the matter of the sacrament but also in all other matters of Religion The Church Beleeue as the holy Catholicke Church of Christ grounded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles beleeueth But vppon this worde Church we agreed not for I tooke exceptionat the Antichristian Popish Church Then fell we in talke of the Masse wherein wee agreed not D. Bourne and M. Mantell disagree in the Masse for I both for the occasion of Idolatry and also the cleare subuersion of Christes institution thought it nought and he è coÌ„tra vppon certaine considerations supposed it good I founde fault that it was accounted a Sacrifice propiciatory for sinne and at certaine other applications of it But he sayde that it was not a propiciatory sacrifice for sinne for the death of Christ onely was the Sacrifice and this but a commemoration of the same Then I if ye thinke so certaine blasphemous collectes left out I could be content were it not for offending my poore brethren that beleeue in Christ which know not so muche to heare your Masse See quoth he howe vayne glory toucheth you Not so sir quoth I I am not now I thanke God in case to be vayne glorious Then I found further faulte with it that it was not a communion Yes sayth he one Priest saying Masse here Bourne maketh the Masse a communion and an other there and the third in an other place c. is a communion This agreeth scarcely with these words of Paule sayd I Non in melius sed in deterius conuenitis i. Ye come not after a better maner but after a worse Yea 1. Cor. 11. and it is a communion to said he when they come together Now draweth on the time quoth hee that I must depart from you to the Court to saye Masse before the Queene and must signifie vnto her in what case I finde you and me thinke I finde you sore seduced Then I sayd I pray you report the best for I trust you finde me not obstinate What shall I say are ye content to heare Masse Mantell neither obstinate nor stubborne and to receaue the sacrament in the Masse I beseeche you sayd I signifie vnto her Maiestie that I am neither obstinate nor stubburne for time and perswasion may altar me but as yet my coÌ„science is such that I can neither heare Masse nor receaue the sacrament after that sort Thus after certaine requestes made to the Queenes Maiestie concerning other matters he departed The next daye hee came to me agayne and brought with him S. Cyprians woorkes for so I had required him to doe the day before because I woulde see his sermon De mortalitate He had in thys booke turned in and interlyned certaine places both concerning the Church and the sacrament which he willed me to read I read as much as my time would serue and at his next coÌ„ming I sayd that I was wholy of Cypâ—ians mynd in the matter of the Sacrament Doctour Weston and Doctour Mallet came after to me whome I aunswered muche after that sorte as I did the other Doctour Weston brought in the place
the Christian Preachers Vnorderly proceeding of the aduersaryes aâ—gainst Goâ—â— people their goodes and bookes taken from them and they slandered to be most hainous heretikes their enemies themselues being both witnesses accusers and Iudges belying slandering and misreportyng your said subiectes at their pleasure whereas your sayd subiectes beyng straightly kept in prison cannot yet be suffred to come forth and make aunswer accordingly In consideration whereof it may please your most excellent Maiesties and this your high court of Parliament graciously to tender the present calamitie of your sayd poore subiects and to call them before your presence graunting them liberty either by mouth or writing in the playne English tong to aunswer before you or before indifferent Arbiters to be appointed by your Maiesties vnto such articles of controuersie in religion as their sayd aduersaries haue already condemned them of Request of the Preachers to stand to thâ— triall of their doctrine befoâ—â— indifferenâ— Iudges as of hainous heresies Prouided that all things may be done with such moderation quiet behauior as becommeth subiectes and children of peace that your said subiects may haue the free vse of all their owne bookes and conference together among themselues Which thing beyng granted your said subiects doubt not but it shall plainly appeare that your sayd subiects are true and faithful christians neither heretikes neither teachers of heresie nor cut of from the true catholike vniuersal church of Christ Yea that rather their aduersaries themselues be vnto your Maiesties as were the charmers of Egypt vnto Pharao Sedechias his adherents vnto the king of Israel Actes 1â— and Bariesu to the Proconsul Sergius Paulus And if your said subiects be not able by the testimonie of Christ his prophets Apostles godly fathers of his church to prooue that the doctrine of the church homilies and seruice taught and set forth in the tyme of our late most godly prince and king Edward the 6. is the true doctrine of Christes Catholicke church and most agreeable to the articles of the christian fayth your sayd subiects offer themselues then to the most heauy punishment that it shall please your maiesties to appoynt Wherfore for the tender mercy of God in Christ which you looke for at the day of iudgement your sayd poore subiectes in bonds most humbly beseech your most excellent maiesties and this your high court of Parliament beningly and graciously to heare and graunt this their petition tendyng so greatly to the glory of God to the edifiyng of his church to the honor of your maiesties to the commendation and maintenaÌ„ce of iustice right and equitie both before God and man And your sayd subiectes according to their bounden duety shall not cease to pray vnto almighty God for the gracious preseruation of your most excellent maiesties long to endure ⧠The ende of the tenth Booke Anâ—â— 1554. â—â—bruaâ—◠¶ Here beginneth the eleuenth Booke wherein is discoursed the bloudy murthering of Gods Saintes with the particular Processes and Names of such good Martyrs both Men and Women as in this tyme of Queene Mary were put to death ⧠The Story Life and Martyrdome of Maister IOHN ROGERS THE fourth daye of February suffered the constant Martyr of God M. Iohn Rogers concernynge whose life examinations and suffring here followeth in order set forth And first touching his lyfe and bringing vp Iohn Rogers brought vp in the Uniuersitie of Cambridge where hee profitably trauelled in good learning â— Rogers â—haplayne 〈◊〉 the â—archaunt 〈…〉 Rogers brought to the03 Goâ—pell 〈◊〉 M. W. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 at the length was chosen and called by the Merchants Aduenturers to be their Chaplaine at Antwerpe in Brabant whome he serued to their good contentation many yeares It chaunced him there to fal in company with that worthy seruant and Martyr of God William Tindall and with Miles Couerdale which both for the hatred they bare to popish superstition and idolatry and loue to true religion had forsaken their natiue country In conferring with them the scriptures he came to great knowledge in the Gospell of God in so much that he cast of the heauy yoke of Popery perceiuyng it to be impure and filthy Idolatry and ioyned himselfe with them two in that paynefull most profitable labour of translating the Bible into the Englishe tongue which is intituled The Translation of Thomas Mathew He knowing by the scriptures that vnlawful vows may lawfully be broken and that Matrimony is both honest and honourable amongest all men ioyned hymselfe in lawfull matrimonye and so went to Wittemberge in Saxony where he with much sobernes of liuyng did not onely greatly encrease in all good and godly learnyng but also so much profited in the knowledge of the Dutch tong that the charge of a congregation was orderly committed to his cure In which ministery he diligently and faithfully serued many yeares vntil such tyme as it pleased God by y e faithfull trauell of his chosen and deare seruant king Edward the sixt vtterly to banish all Popery forth of England to receiue in true Religion settyng Gods Gospell at liberty He then beyng orderly called hauyng both a conscience and a ready good will to helpe forward the worke of the Lord in his natiue country left such honest and certaine conditions as he had in Saxony and came into England to preach the Gospel without certaintie of any condition In which office after he had a space diligently and faithfully trauailed Nicholas Ridley then bishop of London gaue him a Prebende in the Cathedrall Churche of Paules and the Deane and the Chapter chose hym to be the Reader of the Diuinitie lesson there wherein he diligently trauailed vntill such tyme as Queene Mary obtaining the crowne banished the Gospell and true religion and brought in the Antichrist of Rome with his Idolatry and superstition After the Queene was come to the Tower of LondoÌ„ he beyng orderly called thereunto made a godly and vehement Sermon at Paules Crosse confirmyng such true doctrine as he and other had there taught in K. Edwards dayes exhortyng the people constantly to remayne in the same and to beware of all pestilent Popery Idolatry and superstition The Councel beyng then ouermatched with popish and bloudy bishops M. Rogers called to accompt for his Sermon at Paules Crosse. called hym to accompt for his Sermon To whom he made a stout wittie godly answer and yet in such sort handled himself that at that time he was clearely dismissed But after that Proclamation was set foorth by the Queene to prohibite true preachyng he was called agayne before the Counsel for the bishops thirsted after his bloud The Counsell quarelled wyth hym concerning his doctrine and in conclusion commanded hym as prisoner to keepe his owne house and so hee did although by flying he might easily haue escaped their cruell hands and many thyngs there were M. Rogers agaâ—ne called before the Counsell and commaunded
vs notwythstanding when they were charged therewithall they aunsweared Obedire oportet Deo magis quam hominibus that is we ought more to obey God then man euen so we may and doe answere you God is more to be obeyed then maÌ„ your wicked lawes can not so tongue tie vs but we will speake the truthe The Apostles were beaten for theyr boldnesse and they reioyced that they suffered for Christes cause Yee haue also prouided roddes for vs and bloudy whippes yet when ye haue done that whiche Goddes hande and Counsell hathe determined that yee shall doe be it life or deathe I truste that God wil so assist vs by his holy spirite and grace that wee shall paciently suffer it praise God for it and whatsoeuer become of mee and others whiche nowe suffer for speaking and professing of the truthe yet be yee sure that Goddes woorde will preuaile and haue the ouer hande when youre bloudy lawes and wicked decrees for want of sure foundation shall fal in the dust and that which I haue spoken of your Actes of Parliament the same may be sayd of the generall Councels of these latter dayes whych haue bene wythin these fiue hundreth yeares where as the Antichrist of Rome by reason of hys vsurped authority ruled the roaste and decreed suche things as made for his gaine not regarding Goddes glorye and therefore are they to be spoken wrytten and cried against of all such as fear God and loue hys truthe And thus muche I purposed to haue sayde concerning the first poynte Nowe touching the second poynte That where as my Lorde Chauncellour hadde the daye before sayde hys pleasure of them that ruled the Realme while hee was in prysone and also reioyced as though God hadde make this alteration euen for his sake and his Catholike Churche as hee calleth it and to declare as it were by myracle that we were before in a Schisme and Heresie and the Realme was nowe brought to an vnitie and to a trueth and I can not tell whereto Thereto was I fully purposed to haue sayde Secondlye my Lorde where as yee yesterdaye so highly dispraised the gouernment of them that ruled in innocent King Edwardes dayes it maye please your Lordshippe to vnderstande that wee poore Preachers whome yee so euill allowe did moste boldly and plainely rebuke theyr euill gouernaunce in manye things speciallye theyr couetousnesse and neglecte and small regarde to liue after the Gospell as also theyr negligence to occasion other to liue thereafter wyth mo things then I can now rehearse Thys can all London testifie wyth vs I would also haue tolde hym what I my selfe for my parte did once at Pauls Crosse concerning the misuse of Abbeys and other church goodes and I am assured right well that neuer a Papiste of them all did euer so much therein as I did I thanke the Lorde therefore I was also as it is well knowen faine to aunsweare therefore before all the Counsell and manye of my brethren did the like so that wee for the not rebuking of theyr faultes shall not aunsweare before God nor be blame worthy before menne Therefore lette the Gentlemen and the Courtiers them selues and all the Citizens of London testifie what we did But my Lord you could not abide them for that which they did vnto you and for that they were of a contrary Religion vnto you Whereâ—ore in that you seeme so infest against them it is neither any iust or publique cause but it is your owne priuate hate that maketh you to reporte so euill of their gouernaunce And yee may now say what yee list of them when they be partely dead and gone and partly by you put out of office But what shal be sayde of you when your fall shall folowe yee shall then heare And I muste say my conscience to you I feare me ye haue and wil with your gouernance bring England out of Gods blessing into a warme sunne I pray God you doe not I am an Englishe manne borne and God knoweth doe naturally wishe well to my Countrey And my Lorde I haue often prooued that the thyngs which I haue much feared afore hande shoulde come to passe haue in deede followed I praye God I may faile of my gessing in thys behalfe but truely that will not be wyth expellyng the true woorde of God out of the Realme and wyth sheading of innocent bloude And as touching your reioycing as thoughe God had sette you alofte to punishe vs by myracle for so you reporte and bragge openly of yourselfe and to minister Iustice if wee will not receaue youre holye fathers mercye and thereby to declare youre churche to be true and oures false to that I aunsweare thus Goddes workes be wonderful are not to be compreheÌ„ded and perceiued by maÌ„s wisedome not by the witte of the moste wise and prudent Yea they are soonest deceiued and doe moste easely iudge amisse of Goddes wonderfull woorkes that are moste worldly wise God hathe made all the wisedome of thys worlde foolishnesse first Corrinthians the firste and the seconde Chapter Dedit dilectam animam suam in manus inimicorum eius Hierem. xij That is Hee doeth putte his beloued and deare heart into the handes of the ennemies thereof Thys thing doeth God whiche thing all wise menne accompte to be the moste foolish and vnwise parte that can be Will the wise of the worlde trowe ye putte their most deare frendes and tenderly beloued children into their enmies handes to kill slaye burne c. that is vnto them a madnesse aboue all madnesse And yet doeth God vse thys order and thys is an highe and singular wisedome in his syght which the world taketh to be most extreme madnes Canne the worlde shewe a cause whye hee suffered the greate multitude of innocente children to be murthered of Herode of Ascalon or why he putte that moste holy man Iohn Baptiste into the handes of Herode hys sonne to be headed and that in prisone secreatly wythout open iudgement moste tyrannously Whye he suffered hys beloued Apostle Iames to be beheaded of another Herode Acts 12 Whye he suffered his beloued seede of Abraham Isaac and Iacob to be foure hundred yeares in thraldome and bondage and vnder Pharao And all the stocke of Iuda and Beniamin hys beloued children and Churche to come vnder the power sweard and tyrannie of Nabuchodonosor No verely but hys true Catholicke Churche knoweth diuers causes heereof whyche are nowe too long to reherse and whych I would right gladly shew if I had time But this I am righte sure off that it was not because that the aforesayd Godly menne were in heresies and subiecte to false gods seruices and Idolatrie and that theyr aduersaries were men of God and beloued of God The contrarye was true Ihon Baptist was beloued of God and Herode hated and so foorth of the rest and Iohn Baptist the innocent children Iames the Children of Israel in Egypte and in Babylon were the catholike members and
people of God and theyr aduersaries into whose handes they were putte and deliuered and that of GOD and by hys good will and pleasure were Idolatrers and the people of the Deuill but they woulde be called the chiefe members of God and reioyced that they hadde the true God and that it was nowe declared by myracle that the Israelites hadde but a false God and a false religion seeing they were deliuered into the Babylonians handes And all the other the Herodes and Pharao I meane plainely determined that if the menne whiche they killed and handled euil hadde bene Goddes people God would neuer haue suffered them to come into their hands but rather haue done the contrarye and haue lette Iohn Baptist kill Herode and the Israelites Pharao and Nabuchodonosor Euen the like is nowe to be seene in vs and in our most cruell aduersaries They are not therfore the catholike Church because our merciful God hath at this present geueÌ„ our liues into their handes neyther are wee therefore heretickes because wee suffer punishment at theyr handes as the Lord Chauncellour by hys reioycing seemeth to gather the contrarye is hereby to be gathered that we be the members of the true Catholike church because wee suffer for the same Doctrine which Iohn Baptiste Iames the Israelites yea Christe the Apostles did teache of which none taught any thing of oure aduersaries doctrine namely that the rotten Antichristian heade of Rome shoulde be the heade of Christes church But they haue manifestly taught the contrary specially Paule 2. to the Thessalonians the 2. chapter Iohn in the Apocalipse Dan. 11. which thing if I might haue life and Bookes I would so by Gods grace set foorth that all the world should see it and that our aduersaries with their Antichristian head are the members of the Deuils church as they vndoubtedly are And in like case as the aboue meÌ„tioned holy men though they in their dayes were counted to be heretickes seditious and disturbers of the whole worlde for vnto Iohn Baptiste it was sayde Iohn 1. Wherefore baptisest thou if thou be not Helias nor that Prophet c. As who saye thou haste no such authoritie to beginne a newe Ceremonie in the Churche For we be in ordinarie possession of the churche and of vs thou haste receiued no such power We abide by our circumcision and the like coulde I declare of Iames and of all the Apostles and Prophetes and of our Sauiour Christe him selfe that were all condemned as heretickes blasphemers of God and disturbers of the whole world Paule and Silas Act. 16. heard like woordes of the Philippians these men trouble our Citie seeing they are Iewes and preache institutions whych are not lawful for vs to receiue seeing we be Romaines And in 17. In Athens the wise menne of this world suche as gaue their endeuour to wisedom said by S. Paule Quid vult spermologus hic dicere That is What will this prater as my Lord Chancelour sayd to me shall we suffer this felow to prate wheÌ„ I would faine haue sayd that thyng that I haue heere wrytten trifler newes caryer or â—ringer that telleth what so euer men will haue him for gaine and aduauntage that will for a piece of bread say what yee will haue hym c. And an other sayd in the same place hee seemeth to be a preacher of newe Deuelles c. And Actes 21. The Iewes say by Paule laying handes on hym helpe O yee Israelites saye they this is the manne that teacheth all men euery where against the people meaning the Iewes and the law and this place meaning Ierusalem and yet was neuer a woorde of these true And Actes 22. the same Iewes sayde of Paule out of the earthe wyth that man or away wyth him For it is not lawfull for him to liue or he is not woorthy to liue And howe many moe of these examples are to be found in the Bible Although I say these men were in their dayes taken for heretickes of them that were then in authoritye and of the great multitude of the worlde yet it is nowe wel knowen yea and very shortly after their deathes this was known yea and euen in theyr liues also vnto the true Catholicke Churche that they were not onely the chiefe and speciall members of the true Catholicke Churche but also the founders and builders thereof notwithstanding the sinister iudgement that the wise and mighty menne and the great multitude of the worlde hadde of them and in theyr consciences they were alwayes assuredlye certified of the same Euen the same shall the world find true in vs shortlye after oure deathes as also there be at thys houre the Lorde be thanked therefore not a fewe that already know it as we our selues also are by Gods grace assuredly certified in our consciences that we are no heretikes but members of the true catholike church and that our aduersaries the bishops and popish cleargie which wil haue that title are the members of Sathans churche and theyr Antichristian head of Rome wyth them But here they wil crie out loe these men wil be stil like Iohn Baptist the Apostles and the Prophets c. I answere we make not our selues like vnto them in the singular vertues and giftes of God geuen vnto them as of miracles doing and of many other things The similitude and likenesse of them and vs consisteth not in all things but only in this that is that we be like them in doctrine and in the sufferinge of persecution and infamie for the same We haue preached theyr very doctrine and none other thing that we are able sufficiently to declare by theyr wrytings by wryting for my part I haue profered to prooue the same as is now often sayd And for this cause we suffer the like reproche shame and rebuke of the worlde the like persecution leesing of our liues and goodes forsaking as our maister Christ commandeth father mother sister brethren wiues children and all that there is being assured of a ioyfull resurrection and to be crowned in glorye wyth them according to the vnfallible promises made vnto vs in Christ our onely and sufficient mediatour reconciler priest and sacrifice which hath pleased the father and quieted and pacified his wrath against our sinnes made vs wythout spot or wrinkle in his sight by imputation although wee off and in our selues are bespotted be blotted w t many filthy sinnes which if the great mercy graunted in Christ did not put away by not imputing them vnto vs of his measurelesse vnspeakeable mercye and loue to saue vs they woulde haue brought vs to euerlasting damnation and death perpetuall Heerein and in no other doe we affirme our selues to be like vnto our head Christe and all his Apostles Prophetes Martyrs and Saintes And heerein oughte all Christian menne to be like them and heerein are all true Christen men and women lyke them euery one according to the measure of y e faith that
it were to let them plainely see the difference that is betweene the order of the Church seruice set forth by king Edward in the Englishe tongue comparing it with the popish seruice then vsed in the Latine tongue The first he sayd was good because it was accordyng to the worde of God Corinth 14. and the order of the primatiue Church The other he sayd was euill and though in that euill hee intermingled some good Latine wordes yet was it but as a little hony or milke mingled with a great deale of poyson to make them to drinke vp al. This was the summe of hys sermon In the after noone hee was ready in his Churche to haue geuen an other exhortation to his people M. Saunders apprehended by B. Boner at his sermon Sir Iohn Mordant accuser of L. Saunders Preaching of Gods word made treason with Bishop Boner But the B. of London interrupted him by sending an officer for hym This officer charged him vpon the payne of disobedience and contumacie forthwith to come to the Bishop his maister Thus as the Apostles were brought out of the Temple where they were teaching vnto the rulers of y e priests so was Laurence Saunders brought before this Byshop in his Pallace of London who had in his company the aforenamed Sir Iohn Mordant some of his Chapleins The bishop layd no more to Laurence Saunders charge but treason for breaking the Queenes proclamation heresie and sedition for his Sermon The treason and sedition his charitie was content to let slip vntill an other time But an hereticke hee woulde now proue him and all those he sayd which did teach and beleue that the administration of the Sacramentes and al orders of the Church are most pure which doe come most nigh to the order of the primitiue Church For the Church was then but in her infancie and could not abide that perfection whiche was afterward to be furnished with ceremonies And for this cause Christ himselfe after hym the Apostles did in many thinges beare with the rudenes of y e Church Ceremonies inuented onely for weake infirmitie To this Laurence SauÌ„ders answered w t the authoritie of S. Augustine that ceremonies were euen from the beginning inuented and ordayned for the rude infancy weake infirmitie of man and therefore it was a token of the more perfection of the primitiue Church y t it had fewe ceremonies and of the rudenes of the Church Papisticall because it had so many ceremonies partly blasphemous partly vnsauery and vnprofitable After much talke had concerning this matter the Byshop willed him to write what he beleeued of transubstantiation B. Boner sekâ—th the bloud of M. Saunders Laurence Saunders did so saying My Lorde ye do seeke my bloud and ye shall haue it I pray God that ye may be so baptised in it that ye may therafter loath bloud-sucking and become a better man This writing the Byshop kept for his purpose euen to cut the writers throate as shall appeare heereafter The Byshop when he had his will sent Laurence Saunders to the Lord Chauncellour as Annas sent Christ to Cayphas M. Saunders senâ— from Annas to Cayphas and lyke fauour found Saunders as Christ his Mayster did before him But the Chauncellour beeing not at home Saunders was constrayned to tary for him by the space of foure houres in the vtter chamber where he found a Chaplein of the Bishops very merily disposed with certeine Gentlemen playing at the Tables with diuers other of the same family or house occupied there in the same exercise All this time Saunders stood very modestly and soberly at the screene or Cupbord bareheaded Syr Iohn Mordant his guide or leader walking vp and downe by hym who as I sayd before was then one of the Counsell At the last the Byshop returned from the Court whome as soone as he was entred a great many suters met and receiued so that before he could get out of one house into another halfe an hour was passed At the last he came into the chamber where Saunders was and went through into another chamber where in the meane way Saunders leader gaue him a writing containing the cause or rather the accusation of the sayd Saunders which when he had pervsed where is the man sayd the Byshop Then Saunders being brought forth to the place of examination first most lowly and meekely kneeled downe and made curtesie before the table where the Byshop did sit Unto whom the Byshop spake on this wise How hapneth it sayd he that notwithstandyng the Queenes Proclamation to the contrary Wichesters talk with M. Saunders you haue enterprised to preach Saunders denyed that he dyd preache Saying that for so much as he saw the perilious tymes now at hande he did but according as he was admonished M. Saunders answere to M. Winchester and warned by Ezechiel the Prophet exhort his flocke and Parishioners to perseuer and stand stedfastly in the doctrine which they had learned saying also that he was moued and pricked forward thereunto by that place of the Apostle wherein he was commaunded rather to obey God then man and moreouer that nothing more moued or stirred hym thereunto then his owne conscience A goodly conscience surely sayd the Byshop This your conscience could make our Queene a Bastard or misbegotten Winchester Would it not I pray you Then sayd Saunders we sayd he do not declare or say that the Queene is base or misbegotten neither go aboute any such matter M. Saunders But for that let them care whose writings are yet in the hands of men witnessing the same not without the great reproch and shame of the Authour A priuy nippe to Winchester priuely taunting the Byshop hymselfe which had before to get the fauour of Henry 8. written and set foorth in print a booke of true obedience wherein he had openly declared Queene Mary to be a Bastard Winchesters booke de vera obedientia Now M. Saunders going forwards in his purpose sayd We do only professe and teach the sinceritie and puritie of the word the which albeit it be now forbidden vs to preache with our mouthes yet notwithstanding I do not doubt but that our bloud hereafter shall manifest the same The Byshop being in thys sort pretily nipped and touched said Cary away this frensie foole to prison Note how Winchester confuteth M. Saunders Unto whome M. Saunders aunswered that he did geue God thankes which had geuen hym at the last a place of rest and quietnesse where as he might pray for the Byshops conuersion Furthermore he that did lye with him afterwardes in prison in the same bed A notable example of the Lord comforting his seruauntes in their troubles reported that he heard him say that euen in the time of his examination he was wonderfully comforted in so much as not only in spirite but also in body he receaued a certayne taste of that holy communion of
Gospell of Iesus Christ my fellow Elder and most deare brother in England THe heauenly father graunt vnto you and to all those which are in bands and captiuitie for his name sake grace and peace through Iesus Christ our Lord A letter of M. Bullenâ—er to M. Hooper 〈…〉 of latin 〈◊〉 Engâ—â—â—h with wisedome patience and fortitude of the holy Ghost I haue receiued from you two letters my most deare brother the former in the moneth of September of the yeare past the latter in the moneth of May of this present yeare both written out of prison But I doubting least I should make aunswere to you in vayne whilest I feared that my letters should neuer come vnto your handes or else increase and double your sorrow did refrayne from the duety of writing In the which thing I doubt not but you will haue me excused especially seeing you did not vouchsafe no not once in a whole yeare to aunswere to my whole libels rather then letters whereas I continued still notwithstanding in writing vnto you as also at this present after I heard that you were cast in prison I did not refraine from continuall prayer beseeching our heauenly Father through our onely mediatour Iesus Christ to graunt vnto you and to your fellowe prisoners faith and constancie vnto the ende Now is that thyng happened vnto you my brother the which we did oftentimes prophecie vnto our selues at your being with vs should come to passe especially when we did talke of the power of Antichrist and of his felicitie and victories For you know the saying of Daniell The power of Antichrist described in Daniell chapt 8. Math. 10. Iohn 15.16 â— Tim. 2.3 His power shall be mighty but not in his strength and he shall wonderfully destroy and make hauocke of all things and shall prosper and practise and he shall destroy the mighty and the holy people after his owne will You knowe what the Lord warned vs of before hand by Mathew in the tenth chapter by Iohn in the 15. chapter and the 16. and also what that chosen vessell Saint Paule hath written in the second to Timothy and the third chapter Wherefore I do nothing doubt by Gods grace of your faith and patience whilest you knowe that those things which you suffer are not looked for or come by chaunce The doctrine of the Protestants what it is wherefore they are persecuted but that you suffer them in the best truest and most holy quarell for what can be more true and holy then our doctrine which the Papistes those worshippers of Antichrist do persecute All things touching saluation we attribute vnto Christ alone and to his holy institutions as we haue bene taught of him and of his disciples but they would haue euen the same things to be communicated as well to their Antichrist and to his institutions Ephes. 1. Such we ought no lesse to withstand then we reade that Helias withstoode the Baalites For if Iesus be Christ then let them knowe that he is the fulnes of his Church and that perfectly but and if Antichrist be King and Priest then let them exhibite vnto him that honor How long do they halt on both sides 2. Thes. 2. Christ is sufficient and not be patched with the Pope Can they geue vnto vs any one that is better then Christ Or who shall be equall with Christ that may be compared with him except it be he whome the Apostle calleth the Aduersarie But if Christ be sufficient for his Church what needeth this patching and peecing But I know well enough I neede not to vse these disputations with you which are sincerely taught and haue taken roote in Christ being perswaded that you haue all things in him and that we in hym are made perfect Go forwardes therefore constauntly to confesse Christ and to defye Antichrist Apoc. 21 being mindfull of this most holy and most true saying of our Lorde Iesus Christ He that ouercommeth shall possesse all things and I will be his God and he shall be my sonne but the fearefull and the vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and the murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue theyr part in the lake which burneth with fyre and brimstone whych is the second death The fyrst death is soone ouercome although a man must burne for the Lordes sake for they say well that do affyrme thys our fyre to be scarcely a shadowe of that which is prepared for the vnbeleeuers and them that fall from the trueth Moreouer the Lorde graunteth vnto vs that wee may easily ouercome by his power the fyrst death the which he hymselfe dyd taste and ouercome promising withall such ioyes as neuer shall haue ende vnspeakeable and passing all vnderstanding the which we shall possesse so soone as euer we departe hence For so agayne sayeth the Angell of the Lord If any man woorship the beast and his Image and receyue hys marke in hys forehead or on his hande the same shall drinke of the wrath of God Apoc. 14. Gods wrath vpon the beast and them that taâ—e his 〈◊〉 yea of the wyne which is poured into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lamb and the smoke of their tormeÌ„ts shal ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the beast his Image and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name Here is the patieÌ„ce of Saintes here are they that keep the commandements of God In this time of Antichrist is the pacience and fayth of Gods children tryed whereby they shall ouercome all his tyranny read Math. 24. and the fayth of Iesus To this he addeth by and by I heard a voyce saying to me write blessed be the dead that dye in the Lord froÌ„ henceforth or speedely they be blessed Io. 5 euen so sayth the spirite for they rest froÌ„ their labours but their works follow theÌ„ for our labour shall not be frustrate or in vayne Therefore seeing you haue such a large promise be strong in the Lorde fight a good fight be faythfull to the Lorde vnto the ende consider that Christ the sonne of God is your Captaine and fighteth for you and for that all the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs are your fellow souldiours They that persecute and trouble vs are men sinfull and mortall whose fauour a wise man would not buy with the value of a farthing besides that our life is frayle short brickle and transitory Happy are we if we depart in the Lorde who graunt vnto you and to all your fellow prisoners fayth and constancy Commend me to the most reuerend fathers and holy Confessours of Christ Doctor Cranmer Bishop of Canterbury D. Ridley Bishop of London and the good old father D. Latimer Them and all the rest of the prisoners with you for the Lordes cause salute in my name and in the name of all my fellow
contrary to your own othe writing With what countenaunce wil ye appeare before the Iudgement seate of Christ and aunswere to your othe made first vnto that blessed king Henry 8. of famous memorye and afterward vnto that blessed king Edward the 6. his sonne The bishop answered Tush tush Herodes othe Here the bishop confesseth vnlawfull othes ought not to be kept that was Herodes othe vnlawfull and therfore worthy to be broken I haue done well in breaking it and I thanke God I am come home agayne to our mother to the Catholicke Churche of Rome and so I would thou shouldest doe Doctor Taylor answered Should I forsake y e Church of Christ which is founded vppon the true foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes to approue those lyes erroures superstitions and Idolatries that the Popes and their company at this day so blasphemously do approoue Nay God forbid The true church of Christ wherunto all men ought to turne Let the pope and his returne to our sauioure Christ and his word and thrust out of the Churches such abhominable Idolatries as he maintayneth and then wil christen men turne vnto him You wrote truely agaynst hym and were sworne agaynst him I tell thee quoth the Bishop of Winchester it was Herodes oth vnlawfull and therfore ought to be broken and not kept and our holy father the Pope hath discharged me of it Then sayd D. Taylor Christ will require lawfull othes and promises but you shall not so be discharged before Christ who doubtles will require it at youre handes as a lawfull othe made to your liege soueraigne Lorde the king from whose obedience no man can assoyle you neither the Pope nor none of his I see quoth the Bishop thou art an arrogant knaue Gardiner agayne rayling Rayling wordes become not a magistrate Math. 5. and a very foole My Lord quoth Doctor Taylor leaue your vnseemly rayling at me which is not seemely for such a one in authoritie as you are For I am a Christian man and you know that He that sayeth to his brother Racha is in daunger of a Counsell and he that sayth thou foole is in daunger of hel fire The Bishop answered ye are all false and lyars all the sort of you Nay quoth D. Taylor we are true men and know that is written Os quod mentitur occidit animam agayne Perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacium i. The mouth that lyeth slayeth the soule And agayne Lord God thou shalt destroy all that speake lyes And therefore we abide by the truth of gods word which ye contrary to your own conscience deny and forsake Thou art maryed quoth the B. Yea quoth Doctour Taylor that I thank God I am Maryage obiected to D. Taylour Mariage defended and haue had nine children and all in lawfull matrimony and blessed be God y t ordayned matrimony and commaunded that euerye man that hath not the gift of continency shoulde mary a wife of his owne and not liue in adultery or whoredome Then sayd the bishop thou hast resisted the Queenes Proceedinges One Idolater holdeth with an other and wouldest not suffer the Parson of Aldam a very vertuous and deuout Priest to say Masse in Hadley Doctor Taylor answered My Lorde I am Parson of Hadley and it is agaynst all right conscience and lawes that any man shall come into my charge presume to infect the flock committed vnto me The Masse with venome of the Popish Idolatrous Masse With that the Bishop waxed very angry said Thou art a blasphemous hereticke in deede that blasphemest the blessed sacrament and put of his cap and speakest agaynst the holy Masse which is made a sacrifice for the quick and the dead D. Taylor answered Nay I blaspheeme not the blessed sacrament which Christ instituted but I reuerence it as a true christian ought to doe The communiō and confesse that Christ ordayned the holy communion in the remembrance of his death and passion The true sacrifice for the quicke and dead what it is which◠when we keepe according to his ordinaunce we through fayth eat the body of Chryst and drinke his bloud geuing thanks for our redemption and this is our sacrifice for the quicke the dead to geue God thankes for his mercifull goodnes shewed to vs in that he gaue his sonne Christ vnto the death for vs. Propitiatory sacrifice offered neuer more then once Thou sayst well quoth the Bishop It is all y t thou hast sayd and more to for it is a propitiatory sacrifice for y e quick dead Thē answered D. Taylor Christ gaue hymselfe to die for our redemption vpon the Crosse whose body there offered was the propitiatory Sacrifice full perfect and sufficient vnto saluation for all them that beleeue in him And this sacrifice did our Sauiour Christ offer in his owne person himselfe once for all Our sacrifice is onely memoratiue Winchesters strong argument cary him to prison neither can any Priest any more offer him nor we neede no more propitiatory sacrifice and therefore I say with Chrysostome and all the Doctours Our Sacrifice is only memoratiue in the remembrance of Christes death and passion a sacrifice of thankesgeuing and therefore Fathers called it Eucharistia And other sacrifice hath the Church of God none It is true quoth the Byshop the Sacrament is called Eucharistia a thankesgeuing because we there geue thanks for our redemption and it is also a sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead which thou shalt confesse ere thou and I haue done Then called the Bishop his men and sayde haue this fellow hence and carry him to the Kings bench and charge the keeper he be straitly kept Then kneeled Doctor Taylour down and held vp both his hands and said Good Lord I thanke thee and from the tiranny of the Byshop of Rome D. Taylours prayer agaynst the pope and his detestable enormities and all his detestable errours Idolatries and abhominations good Lord deliuer vs And God be praysed for good King Edwarde So they caried him to prison to the Kings Bench where he lay prisoner almost two yeares ☞ This is the summe of that first talke as I sawe it mentioned in a Letter that Doctour Taylour wrote to a frend of his thanking God for his grace that he had confessed his truth and was founde worthy for truth to suffer prison and bands beseeching his frendes to pray for him that he might perseuere constaunt vnto the ende Being in prison Doctour Taylour spent all hys tyme in prayer reading the holy Scriptures and writing and preaching The godly behauiour and cōuersation of D. Taylour in the prison and exhorting the prisoners and such as resorted to him to repentance and amendement of life Within a fewe dayes after were diuerse other learned and godly men in sondry countreys of England committed to prison for Religion so that almost all the prisons in England were become right
M. Fecknam still busie with matter of the sacrament I do not beleeue that Christ is in the sacrament as ye will haue him which is of mans making Both their answeres thus seuerally made they were again commanded to depart for that time to appeare the next day in the consistory at Paules betweene the houres of one and three of the clocke at after noone The last appearaunce of M. Causton and M. Higbed before Boner AT which day and houre being the ninth day of march they were both brought thether M. Causton and M. Higbed appeare agayne before the bishop Where the Bishoppe caused M. Thomas Caustons articles and answeres first to be read openly and after perswaded with him to recant and abiure his heretical opinions and to come home now at the last to their mother the catholicke Church and saue hymselfe But M. Thomas Causton answered agayn and said No I wil not abiure For I came not hither for that purpose M. Causton and M. Higbed do exhibite a confession of their fayth and therwithall did exhibite in writing vnto the Bishop as well in his owne name as also in Thom. Higbeds name a confession of theyr fayth to the whiche they would stand and required leaue to read the same whiche after great suite was obteined and so he read it openlye in the hearing of the people as followeth ☞ The confession and fayth of Thomas Causton and Thomas Hygbed which they deliuered to the Bishop of London before the Mayor and Sheriffes and in the presence of all the people their assembled Anno. 1555. the 9. of March were condemned for the same in the sayde Consistory in Paules Church the yeare and day abouesayd 1 FIrst we beleue and professe in Baptisme to forsake the Deuill and his workes and pompes The confession of M. Causton and the vanities of the wicked world with all the sinfull lustes of the fleshe 2. We beleue all the articles of our Christian fayth 3. We beleue that wee are bound to keepe Gods holye will and commaundementes Abrenouncing of the world The Articles of the Creede The commaundementes The Lordes prayer The Catholick Church and to walke in the same all the dayes of our lyfe 4. We beleue that there is contayned in the Lords praier all thinges necessary both for bodye and soule and that we are taught thereby to pray to our heauenly father and to none other saint or angell 5. We beleue that there is a catholicke Church euen the Communion of Saintes Built vppon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles as S. Paule sayth Christ being the head corner stone For the which Church Christ gaue himselfe to make it to himselfe a glorious congregation without faulte in his sight 6. We beleue that this churche of her selfe and by her owne merites is sinfull The Church of it selfe is sinfull by imputation righteous and must needes say Father forgeue vs our sinnes but through Christe and his merites shee is freely forgeuen For he in his owne person sayth saint Paule hath purged her sinnes and made her faultles in hys sight Anno 1555. February Besides whome there is no Saueour sayeth the Prophete neyther is there saluation sayth Sainct Peter in any other name 7 We beleeue as he is our onely Sauiour so is he our onely Mediatour Christ onely our mediatour For the holy Apostle S. Paule sayeth There is one God one Mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Iesus Christ. Wherefore seeing none hath this name God and man but Iesus Christ therefore there is no mediator but Iesus Christ. 8 We beleeue that this Church of Christ is and hath bene persecuted by the wordes of Christe saying As they haue persecuted me The condition of the Church to be persecuted so shall they persecute you For the disciple is not aboue his maister For it is not onely geuen vnto you to beleeue in Christ sayeth Sainct Paule but also to suffer for his sake For all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 9 Wee beleeue that the Churche of Christe teacheth the worde of God truely and sincerely putting nothing to nor taking any thing fro The Churche onely is directed by Gods worde neither adding nor taking fro and also doth minister the Sacraments according to the Primitiue Church 10 We beleeue that this Churche of Christ suffereth all men to reade the Scriptures according to Christes commaundement saying Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me We reade also out of the Actes that when Sainct Paule preached the audience dayly searched the Scriptures The true church forbiddeth none to read the scriptures whether he preached truely or no. Also the Prophet Dauid teacheth all men to pray with vnderstanding For how shall the vnlearned saith S. Paule say Amen at the geuing of thankes when they vnderstand not what is sayde And what is more allowed then true faith which S. Paule saith commeth by hearing of the word of God 11 Wee beleeue that the Churche of Christe teacheth that God ought to be worshipped according to his word God onely to be worshipped after his word and not after the doctrine of men For in vayne sayth Christ ye worship me teaching nothing but the doctrine of men Also we are commaunded of God by hys Prophet saying Gods preceptes to be followed and not the constitutions of men Walke not in the traditions and preceptes of your Elders but walke sayth he in my precepts do that I commaund you put nothing thereunto neyther take any thing from it Likewise saith Christ you shall forsake father and mother and folow me Whereby we learne that if our Elders teach otherwise then God commaunded in that point we must forsake them The Lordes supper is not to be chaunged from the institution of Christ. 12 We beleeue that the Supper of the Lord ought not to be altered and chaunged for as much as Christ himselfe being the wisedome of the father did institute it For it is written Cursed is he that chaungeth my ordinaunces and departeth from my Commaundements or taketh any thing from them Now we finde by the scriptures that this holy supper is sore abused The Lordes supper how many wayes it is abused The second abuse First in that it is geuen in one kind where Christ gaue it in both Secondly in that it is made a priuate Masse where Christ made it a Communion for he gaue it not to one alone but to all the Apostles in the name of the whole Church The third abuse Thirdly in that it is made a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead wheras Christ ordeined it for a remembraunce of the euerlasting sacrifice which was his owne body offered vpon the aultar of the Crosse once for all as the holy Apostle sayth Euen the full and perfect price of our redemption and where there is remission of sinne saith he there is no more sacrifice for sinne
corner stone not vpon the Romishe lawes and decrees the Bishop of Rome being the supreme head And where they sayd the Church did stand in ordinary succession of bishops The nature condition and notes of the false Church being ruled by generall Councels holy fathers and the lawes of holy Churche and so had continued by the space of fiftene hundreth yeares more he made aunswere that the holy church which is the body of Christ and therfore most worthy to be called holy was before any succession of Bishoppes generall Councels or Romish decrees neither yet was bound to anye time or place ordinary succession generall councels or traditions of Fathers ConfutatioÌ„ of the false church falsly defined eyther had any supremacy ouer Empyres and kingdomes but y t it was a little poore sely flock dispersed and scattered abroad as sheep without a shepheard in the middest of wolues or as a flocke of Orphanes or fatherles children and that this Churche was led and ruled by the onely lawes councels and word of christ he being the supreme head of this church and assisting succoring and defending her from all assaultes errours troubles and persecutions wherewith she is euer compassed about He shewed and prooued vnto them also by the floud of Noah the destruction of Sodome the Israelites departing out of Egypt by the parables of the sower Examples declaring the true Church of y e kings sonnes mariage of the great supper and by other playne sentences of scripture that this Church was of none estimation little in comparison of the church of hipocrites and wicked worldlinges He was thrust at withall violence of craft and subtilty but yet the Lord vpheld him and deliuered him The false Church eâ—er greater 〈◊〉 number Euerlasting thanks be to that mercifull and faythful Lord which suffereth vs not to be tempted aboue our might but in the middest of our troubles strengthneth vs with hys holye spirit of comfort and pacience geueth vs a mouth wisedome how and what to speake where agaynst all his aduersaryes were not able to resist * An other appearaunce of George Marsh before the Byshop NOw G. Marsh agayne â—â—ought â—â—fore the â—â—shop and 〈◊〉 Colâ—â—agues after that the sayd bishop had taken his pleasure in punishing this his prisoner and often reuilyng him geuing tauntes odious names of hereticke c. hee caused him to be brought forth into a Chappell in the Cathedrall church of Chester called our Ladye Chappell before him the sayd B. at two of the clocke in the after noone who was there placed in a Chayre for that purpose and Fulke Dutton Maior of the sayd Cittye Doctour Walle and other priestes assisting him placed not farre from the said Bishop but somewhat lower George Wenslow chaÌ„cellour and one Iohn Chetham Register sat directly ouer agaynst the sayd Bishop â—he Bishop 〈◊〉 his â—olleagues 〈◊〉 vpon G. Marsh. â— Marsh 〈…〉 Then they caused the sayd George Marshe to take an othe vpon a booke to answere truely vnto suche articles as should be obiected agaynst him Upon whiche othe taken the Chauncellour layde vnto his charge that hee had preachâ—d and openly published most heretically and blasphemously within the Parishe of Deane Eccles Bolton Berry and many other parishes within the Byshoppes Dioces in the monthes of Ianuary February or some other time of y e yeare last proceding directly against y e popes authoritie and Catholicke Churche of Rome the blessed Masse the sacrament of the aultar and many other Articles Unto all which in summe he aunswered that he neither heretically nor blasphemously preached or spake agaynst any of the sayd articles but simply and truely as occasion serued and as it were thereunto forced in conscience mayntayned the truth touching the same articles as sayd he all you now present did acknowledge the same in the time of the late king Edward the vi Then they examined him seuerally of euery Article bad him aunswere directly yea or nay without circumstance for they were come to examine and not to dispute at that present Then he aunswered them vnto euery article very modestly according to the doctrine by publicke authoritie receiued and taught in this Realme at the death of the sayd king Edward whose aunsweres were euerye one noted and written by the Register to the vttermost that coulde make against him which cannot at this present be gotten After this the company for that time brake vpp and hee was returned to his prison agayne ¶ The last and finall appearaunce of George Marsh before the Bishop The last appearance of G. Marsh before the Byshop The ChauÌ„cellours oration WIthin three weekes after this or thereaboutes in y e sayd Chappell and in like sort as before the said Bishop and others before named there being assembled the sayd George Marshe was brought by the keeper and others with bils and diuers weapons before them where first the sayd Chauncellour by way of an Oration declared vnto the people present the sayde Byshoppes charge and burning charitie who euen like as a good shepheard doth see to his flocke that none of his sheepe hath the scabbe or â—ther disease for infecting other cleane sheepe but wyll saue cure the said scabbed sheep so his Lordship had sent for the sayd George Marshe there present as a scabbed sheep and had weeded him out for corrupting others and had done what he could in shewing his charitable disposition towards y e sayd Marsh to reduce him froÌ„ his naughty heresies but all that he could do would not help so that he was now determined if the sayd Marsh would not relent abiure to pronounce and geue sentence definitiue agaynst him Wherfore he bad the sayd George Marshe to be now well aduised what he would do for it stode vpon his life and if he would not at that present forsake his heretical opinions it would be after the Sentence geuen to late though he would neuer so gladly desire it Then the sayd Chauncellour first asked him whether he were not one of the Bishoppes Dioces 〈…〉 George Marsh. To the whiche he aunswered that he knewe not how large his Diocesse was for his continuaunce was at Cambridge But then they replyed and asked whether he had not lately bene at Deane Parish in Lancashyre and there abode And he answered yea Then the Chauncellour read all his former answeres that he made in that place at his former examination at euery one he asked him whether he would sticke to y e same or no To the which he answered agayne yea yea How say you then to this quoth the Chauncellor In your last examinatioÌ„ amoÌ„gst many other daÌ„nable schismaticall heresies you sayd that the Church and doctrine taugh and set forth in king Edwardes time was the true Church the doctrine the doctrine of the true Churche that the Church of Rome is not y e true catholick church I so sayd in deede quoth Marshe and
as ye haue ministred vnto the Saintes so shall ye receiue y e reward which I am fully persuaded assured shal be plenteously poured vppon you all for y e great goodnes shewed vnto the seruants of the liuing God And I most hartely beseeche almighty God to poure forth a plenteous reward vpon you for y e same that he wil assist you wyth his holy spirite in al your doings that ye may growe as you haue begon vnto such a perfection as may be to gods honour your owne saluation and the strengthning of the weake members of christ Gods elect alwayes beare the sclaunder in this worlde For though the world rage and blaspheme the elect of God ye knowe that it did so vnto Christ his Apostles and to all that were in the primitiue Church and shal be vnto the worldes end Therefore beleue in the light while ye haue it least it be taken away from you If you shall seeme to neglect the great mercy of God that hath bene opened vnto you and your harts coÌ„sented vnto it y t it is the very and onely truth pronouÌ„ced by Gods onely sonne Iesus Christ by the good will of our heauenly father Therfore I say in the bowels of my Lord Iesus Christ sticke fast vnto it let it neuer departe out of your harts and couersation that you with vs and we with you at the great day being one flocke as we haue one shepheard may rise to the life immortall through Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour Amen ¶ Yours in him that liueth for euer Thomas Haukes Here followeth an other letter of Tho. Haukes sent to his wife after his condemnation being prisoner in Newgate the copy wherof is this ¶ The copy of Thomas Haukes letter to his wife GRace be with you and peace from God the father A letter of Tho. Haukâ—â— vnto his wyfe and from our Lord Iesus Christ which gaue himselfe for our sinnes to deliuer vs from this present euill worlde through the good will of God our father to whoÌ„ be praise for euer and euer Amen My deare Yokefellow in the Lord for as much as the Lord hath not onely called me to worke in his vineyarde but hath also fulfilled his good worke in me I trust to his glory to the comfort of al those y t looke for his comming I thought it my duety deare yokefellowe to write vnto you some lessons out of Gods booke and if you will direct your selfe therafter doubt not of it but God who refuseth none that will come to him with theyr whole hart will assist you with his holy spirit and direct you in al his wayes to his honour and glory who grauÌ„t it for his mercies sake Amen First I exhort you to feare God Lessons 〈◊〉 instruction to his wyâ—â— to serue and honor his holye name loue hym with all your hart soule and minde to beleue faithfully al his promises to lay sure hold vpon them that in al your troubles what so euer they are ye may runne straight to the great mercye of God and hee will bring you forth of them keepe you within hys wings then shall ye be sure that neither deuill flesh nor hell shall be able to hurt you But take heede If ye wil not keepe his holy preceptes and lawes and to the vttermost of your power cal for the help of God to walke in the same but will leaue them and runne to all abhominations with the wicked world doe as they do then be sure to haue your part with the wicked world in the burning lake that neuer shall bee quenched He exhorteth her to beware of Idolatry Therefore beware of Idolatrye whiche doth most of all stincke before the face of almighty God and was of al good men most detested from the beginning of the worlde For the which what kingdomes nations and realmes God hath punished with most terrible plagues w t fire Idolatry punished 〈◊〉 God brymstone hunger sword and pestilence c. to the vtter subuersion of them it is manifestly to be seene through the whole Byble Yea his owne peculiar people whome he had done so muche for when they fell from him and went serued other Gods contrary to his commaundement he vtterly destroyed and rooted them out from of the earth and as many as dyed in that damnable state not repenting their abhominable euill he threw them into y e pit of hell Again how he hath preserued those that abhorre superstition and Idolatry and that haue onely taken hold vpon God with their whole hart to serue him to loue him to feare him c. it is most manifestly to be seene euen froÌ„ the beginning out of what great daungers he hath euer deliuered them yea wheÌ„ al hope of deliueraÌ„ce was past as touchyng their expectation euen then in y e sight of all his enemies would he work his godly will and purpose to the vtter amazing and destructioÌ„ of all those that were his manifest enemies Further I exhort you in the bowels of Christ Exhortaâ—â—â—â— to prayer that you will exercise and be steadfast in prayer for prayer is y e onely meane to pearce the heauens to obtayne at the hand of God what soeuer we desire so y t it be asked in fayth Oh what notable thinges do we read in Scriptures that hath bene obtayned through feruent praier Praying to God not to creature We are commaunded to call vpon him for helpe ayde and succour in necessities troubles he hath promised to help vs. Again they that will not cal vpon him with thesr whole hart but vpon other dead creatures in whoÌ„ there is no help for there was none found worthy to open the booke but onely the Lambe Christ whiche was killed for our sinnes I saye who that wil refuse his help must euen by y e terrible iudgment of God come vtterly to confusion as it hath and is dayly manifest to be seene And whatsoeuer you desire of God in your prayer aske it for Iesus Christes sake To continue in prayer 〈◊〉 to pray in the name onely of Christ. for whom in whoÌ„ God hath promised to geue vs all things necessary And though that which ye aske come not by and by at y e first and second calling yet continue still knocking and hee will at the length open his trasures of mercye so that ye shal be sure to obtaine for he hath so promised if ye continue in faith hoping surely in him These former lessons w t all such instructioÌ„s as I haue told you by mouth I do wish that ye would most earnestly learne and then I doubt not but God who is the geuer of all grace wyll assist you in all your doings that ye may be found worthy of his kingdome which is prepared through Christ. 〈◊〉 for his 〈…〉 meaneth â— Clement 〈◊〉 who 〈…〉 his child Further where it hath pleased God to send vs childreÌ„ my desire is that they may
garland of our Lady compiled by the said S. Bonauenture wherein these words are to be red as followeth O Mediatrix betweene God and man the Lorde hath worthily magnified thee Blasphemye The Rosary or Garland of our Lady called Corenâ— beatae Mariae Mary made a commaunder of Christ. that thou onely shouldst conceyue hys sonne c. Wherefore O good Mary our mediatrix mother of Grace and mother of Mercy c. And moreouer within fewe lynes it followeth in these woordes Therefore O our Empresse and Lady most bountifull by the authoritie of a Mother commaund commaund I say thy welbeloued sonne that he wil stirre vp our myndes from the loue of worldly thyngs to heuenly desires c. Item O the Aduocate of the miserable the eyes of thy seruants be directed to thee c. To these premisses I might also adioyne the horrible and most blasphemous wordes of the said Bonauenture in the said booke Fol. 100. pag. 2. col 1. which I besech thee to read and note Quae maior bonitas quam quod Christus i. What greater goodnes can be then that Christ is content to be captiue vpon the aultar Whereupon he speaketh in the person of Ieremy saying Behold I am in your hands do with me as you see good c. Where note sayth he that when any Duke or prince â—s taken prisoner for hys subiectes he is not let goe before he paye some great summe of mony for hys ransome Christ made a captiue and a prisoner in the Popes Church Euen so neither we ought to let Christ go out of our hands beyng our prisoner and captiue except he graunt vnto vs remission of our sinnes and his heauenly kingdome The priest therfore lifteth vp the body of Christ vpon the aultar as though he sayd thus behold hym whome the whole world is not able to comprehend he is holden here our captiue wherfore let vs hold hym fast and not let hym go before we obtayne of hym our requests c. Notes The Church of Rome examined Is not here good Catholike stuffe christen Readers trow you Conferre I beseech you this doctrine wyth the doctrine of the Apostles which teach vs that we are fullye complet in Christ and I wil referre me to no better iudge then to your own conscience And now therfore if any maÌ„ haue bene in doubt in tymes past of the doctrine and proceedings of the church of Rome The Church of Rome connâ—ct of manifest idolatry whether it be rightly charged with blynd errors with blasphemy intollerable Idolatry abominable or not here now may he be fully certified resolued For where was euer idolatry or blasphemy to be found if it be not here in this Mattins Psalter of our Lady Our Lady made equall with God in the Church Rome If Idolatry be to make an idoll to bee worshipped as God which is no God what doe we here but make an idoll of our Lady as we call her to be worshipped with no lesse dignity glory authority reuerence and seruice then is the Lord God himselfe As he is called our Lord so she is called our lady And if he be kyng yet she is the queene of heaueÌ„ The doctrine of the Romish Church directly against the first commaundemeÌ„t of God And though he haue the name of god yet she bereth so the title of the mother of God that as mothers haue authority ouer their children so she is willed to shew her selfe to be his mother to cause him to graÌ„t our petitions Finally if he be our patron yet is she our patronesse The commandement saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and hym only shalt thou serue And what worship or seruice can we geue to God more then we doe ascribe vnto her Or what benefit is to be asked at y e hands of Christ our Sauiour which is not equally asked of her To saue our soules to geue vs peace to graunt grace to comfort the desperate to loose our captiuity to release our sinnes To trust and beleeue in our Lady to deliuer from the fiend to bryng to heauen c. to her we pray we cry we creepe we sigh we grone wee knock and kneele to her we trust and if we beleue not also in our Lady Our Lady hath her Church as well as Christ. we be heretikes ipso facto Furthermore as Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour hath his Church and Congregation which professeth hys name of whom we are called Christians so neither is she likewise without her chapels her cloisters her Chapters fraternities and brotherhoods which professing her name in like sort are called our Ladies brethren or white friers besides an innumerable sort of other patrons of churches of whom euery one hath his peculiar church and religion by himselfe yet all these together be included vnder the generall deuotion of our Lady their supreme patronesse and gouernesse Now to proceed further to the other prrt of the commaundement which sayeth Him onely shalt thou serue What seruice hath the Lord in all the church but our Lady also iointly with him hath the lyke Her Masse her Mattins her Euensong her Houres and Complin her Rosaries her Anthems her Collects her Primer her Psalter her holydaies likewyse yea fiue to one Finally as y e Lord hath his prayer called the Lordes prayer so hath shee her Aue Maries yea x. Aues to one Pater noster yea read further in the said Bonauenture 10. 〈◊〉 to one Pâ—â—ter nosteâ— and ye shal see her also to haue her Te Deum her Benedictus her Magnificat and also her Quicunque vult If the Lorde our God had not expressed vnto vs hys own will by playne worde limiting vnto vs by expresse iniunction what to beleue what to folow how to worship and serue him how to receiue from him our saluation but had left vs to the imagination of our owne inueÌ„tions euery man to shift for himself after his own pollicy then peraduenture this way taken by the Popes Church to make frends mediators betwene God and vs for reconciliation remission saluation might haue some ryme or reason but now gods word doth bynde vs doth prescribe and limite vs precisely in euery point touching saluation what to beleue what to do shewing vs plainly that we cannot be saued but by the bloud of hys sonne only neither caÌ„ be iustified but by faith only in y e same Christ his sonne Wherfore not to beleue that which he hath promised is infidelitie and to follow any other beliefe then he hath set vs is plaine idolatry Infidelity Idolatrye The which ij special errors most commonly doe followe the doctrine of the Romish church as not only in this primer and psalter of our Lady aforesaid but also in all their proceedings teachings and preachings besides may well appeare The 〈◊〉 of Rome charged with Infidelitye 〈◊〉 Idolatryâ— The church of Rome neyther taketh 〈◊〉
peoples eyes but to go vpwardes that you can neuer do and this is the true tryall Brad. Anno 1555. â—â—ly Yee must and will I am assured geue me leaue to follow the scriptures and examples of good men Harps Yea. Brad. Well theÌ„ Stephen was accused and condemned as I am that he had taught new and false doctrine before the fathers of the Church then as they were taken Stephen for his purgation improoueth their accusation But how doth he it by going vpwardes no but by coÌ„ming downwardes beginning at AbrahaÌ„ and continuing still till Esayas tyme and the peoples captiuitie From whence he maketh a great leape vntill y t time he was in whiche was I thinke vpon a 400. yeares called them by their right names helhoundes rather then heauen hounds On this sort will I proue my fayth that can you neuer do yours Harpsfield Yea sir if we did knowe that you had the holye Ghost then could we beleue you Here Bradford woulde haue answered that Steuens enemies would not beleue he had the holy Ghost and therefore they did as they dyd but as he was in speaking M. Harps arose vp the keeper and others that stode by began to talk gently praying Bradford to take heede to that maister Archdeacon spake who still sayd that Bradford was out of the church Bradford Syr I am most certaine that I am in Christes Church and I can shew a demonstration of my Religion from time to time continually God our father for the name and bloud of his Christ be merciful vnto vs and vnto al his people and deliuer them from false teachers and blinde guydes through whome alas I feare mee much hurt will come to this realme of England God our Father blesse vs and keepe vs in hys truth and poore Churche for euer Amen Then the Archdeacon departed saying that he would come againe the next morning ¶ The next dayes talke betweene Doctour Harpsfield and Maister Bradford VPon the xvi of February in the morning the Archdeacon and the other two with him came again â—rchdeacon â—arpsfield â—â—meth 〈◊〉 to M. â—â—adford and after a few by wordes spoken they sate downe Harps Maister Archdeacon began a very long Oration first repeting what they had said and how farre they had gone ouer night and therw t did begin to proue vpwards succession of Bishops here in England for 800. yeares in Fraunce at Lyons for 1200. yeares M. Harpsâ—â—eld agayne 〈◊〉 his â—hurch by 〈…〉 in Spayne at Hispalen for 800. yeares In Italy at Milan for 1200. yeares labouring by this to proue his Church He vsed also succession of Bishops in the East Church for the more confirmation of his wordes and so concluded with an exhortation and an interrogation the exhortation that Bradford would obey this church the interrogatioÌ„ whether Brad-could shew any such succession for the demonstratioÌ„ of his Church for so he called it which followed â—radfordes 〈…〉 M. Harpsâ—â—â—â—des 〈◊〉 Bradford Unto this his long Oration Bradford made this short answere my memory is euill so that I cannot aunswere particularly your Oration Therfore I wil generally do it thinking because your Oration is rather to perswade then to proue that a small aunswere will serue If Christ or his Apostles being here on earth had bene required by the Prelates of the churche then to haue made a demonstration of that churche by succession of such high Priestes as had approued the doctrine which he taught I think that Christ would haue done as I do that is haue alledged y t which vpholdeth the church euen the veritie y e word of God taught beleeued not by the high Priests which of long time had persecuted it but by the Prophetes and other good simple men which perchaunce were counted for heretickes of the Church which Church was not tied to succession but to the word of god And this to thinke S. Peter geueth me occasion when he sayth that as it went in the Churche before Christes comming so shall it go in the Church after his comming but then the pillers of the church were persecutors of the true Church therfore the like we must looke for now Harps I can gather and proue succession in Ierusalem of the high Priestes from Aarons tyme. Bradford I graunt but not such succession as allowed the trueth Harps Why did they not allow Moses law Bradford Yes and keepe it as touchyng the bookes therof as you doe the Bible and holye Scriptures But the true interpretation and meaning of it they did corrupt as you haue done doe and therefore the persecution which they sturred vpp against the Prophetes and Christ was not for the lawe but for the interpretation of it For they taught as you do now The Iewes corrupt the law as the Papists doe the Scriptures A comparison betweene thâ— old Phariseys our new Papistes that we must fetch the interpretation of the scriptures at your handes But to make an end death I looke dayly for yea hourely and I think my time be but very short Therfore I had need to spend as much tyme with God as I can whilest I haue it for his helpe comfort and therfore I pray you beare with me that I do not now particularly and in moe wordes aunswere your loÌ„g talk If I saw death not so neare me as it is I would then weigh euerye peece of your Oration if you woulde geue me the summe of it and I would answere accordingly but because I dare not nor I will not leaue of looking preparing for that which is at hand I shal desire you to hold me excused because I do as I do and hartely thanke you for youre gentle good will I shall hartily praye God our father to geue you the same light and life I do wish to my selfe so Bradford began to arise vp Harps But then began Maister Archdeacon to tell hym that he was in very perilous case Bolde confideÌ„ce and hope of Gods word and promise semeth strange among them which are not exercised in mortification and that he was sory to see him so setled As for death whether it be nigh or farre of I know not neither forceth it so that you did die well Brad. I doubt not in this case but y t I shall dye well for as I hope and am certaine my death shall please the Lord so I trust I shall dye chearfully to y e comfort of his childreÌ„ Harps But what if you be deceiued Bradford What if you shoulde say the sunne did not shyne now and the Sunne did shine through the windowe where they sat Harps Well I am sory to see you so secure and carlesse Bradford In deed I am more carnally secure and carelesse then I shuld be God make me more vigilant But in this case I cannot be so secure for I am most assured I am in y e trueth Harpsfield That are ye not for you are out of the
talke they departed ¶ The talke of Doctor Heth Archbishop of Yorke and day Byshop of Chichester with Maister Bradford THe xxiii of the same moneth the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Chichester came to the Counter to speake with Bradford When hee was come before them Talke bâ—â—tweene Byshopâ— Bradford they both and especially the Bishop of York vsed him very gently they would haue him to sit downe and because he would not they also would not sit So they all stode whether he woulde or not they would needes he shoulde put on not only his night cap but his vpper cap also saying vnto him that obedience was better then sacrifice Now thus standing together my Lord of Yorke began to tell Bradford howe that they were not sent to him but of loue charitie they came to him and he for that acquayntance also whiche he had with Bradford more then the Bishoppe of Chichester had then after commending Bradfordes godly life he concluded w t this question how he was certaine of saluation and of his Religion Brad After thankes for theyr good will Bradford aunswered by the word of God euen by the Scriptures I am certayne of saluation and Religion Yorke Uery well sayd but how do ye know the worde of God and the scriptures but by the Church Bradford In deede my Lorde the Churche was and is a meane to bring a man more speedely to knowe the Scriptures and the worde of God as was the woman of Samaria a meane that the Samaritans knewe Christ but ⧠Certayne Bishops talking with Maister Bradford in prison as when they had heard him speake they sayde nowe we know that he is Christ not because of thy wordes but because wee our selues haue heard him so after we came to the hearing and reading of the Scriptures shewed vnto vs and discerned by the Church we doe beleue them and knowe them as Christes sheepe not because y e Church saith they are the Scriptures but because they be so being thereof assured by the same spirite whiche wrote and spake them Yorke You knowe in the Apostles time at the first the word was not written Bradford True if you meane it for some books of the new Testament but els for the old Testament Peter telleth vs Firmâ—orem sermonem propheticum habemus We haue a more sure worde of prophecie not that it is simply so but in respect of the Apostles which being aliue and compassed w t infirmitiâ— attributed to the worde written mâ—re firmitie as wherewith no fault coulde be found where as for the infirmitie of their persons men perchaunce might haue found some faulte at their preaching albeit in very deede no lesse obedience and fayth ought to haue bene geuen to the one then to the other for all proceedeth foorth of one spirite of truth Yorke That place of Peter is not so to be vnderstand of the word written Brad. Yea syr that it is and of none other Chic Yea in deede Maister Bradford doth tell you truely in that poynt Yorke Well you know that Irenaeus and others doe magnifie much and alleage the Church agaynst the heretickes and not the scripture Bradford True for they had to do with such heretickes as did deny the scriptures and yet did magnifie the Apostles so that they were inforced to vse the authoritie of those Churches wherein the Apostles had taught and whiche had still retayned the same doctrine Chic You speake the very truth for the heretickes dyd refuse all scriptures except it were a peece of Lukes Gospel Brad. Then the alledgyng of the Church cannot be princially vsed agaynst me whiche am so farre from denying of the Scriptures that I appeale vnto them vtterly as to the onely iudge Yorke A pretty matter that you will take vppon you to iudge the Churche I pray you where hath your Churche bene hetherto For the church of Christ is Catholicke and visible hetherto Brad. My Lord I doe not iudge the Church when I discerne it from that congregation those whiche be not the Church I neuer denyed the Church to be Catholicke visible althought at some times it is more visible then at some Chic I pray you tell me where the Church which allowed your doctrine was these foure hundreth yeares Brad. I will tell you my Lord or rather you shal tell your selfe if you will tell me this one thing where the Churche was in Helias his time when Helias sayde that hee was left alone Chic That is no aunswere Bradford I am sory that you say so but this will I tell your Lordship that if you had the same eyes wherwith a man might haue espied the Churche then you woulde not say it were no answere The true 〈…〉 euery man hath not eyes to see it The fault why the Church is not seene of you is not because the Churche is not visible but because your eyes are not cleare inough to see it Chic You are much deceaued in making this collation betwixt the Church then and now Yorke Uery well spoken my Lord for Christ sayde aedificabo Ecclesiam I will build my Church and not I doe or haue built it but I will build it Bradford The â—ishops 〈◊〉 to an 〈…〉 My Lordes Peter teacheth me to make thys collation saying as in y e people there were false Prophetes which were most in estimation afore Christes comming so shall there be false teachers amongest the people after Christes comming and very many shall follow them And as for your future tense I hope your grace will not therby conclude christes Church not to haue bene before but rather that there is no building in the Church but by Christes worke onely for Paule and Apollo be but watterers Chichester In good fayth I am sory to see you so light in iudging the Church Yorke He taketh vpon him as they all doe to iudge the Church A man shall neuer come to certaintie that doth as they do Brad. My Lordes I speake simply what I thinke desire reason to aunswere my obiections Your affections sorrowes can not be my rules If that you consider y e order and case of my condemnation I can not thinke but y t it should somethyng moâ—e your honours You knowe it well enough for you heard it no matter was layd against me but what was gathered vpon mine owne confession Because I did denye Transubstantiation and the wicked to receaue Christes body in the Sacrament therefore I was condemned and excoÌ„municate but not of the churche although the pillers of the church as they be taken did it Chichester No. I heard say the cause of your imprisonmeÌ„t was for that you exhorted the people to take the sword in the one hand and the mattocke in the other Brad. My Lord I neuer ment any such thing nor spake any thing in that sort False surmâ—â—e agaynst Bradford Yorke Yea and you behaued your selfe before the Counsel so stoutly at the
do teach vs for they witnes that Christ sayd that he would drinke no more of the fruit of the vine which was not bloud but wine and therfore it foloweth that there is no transubstantiation Chrysostome vpoÌ„ Mathew and S. Cyprian do affirme this reason 5. As the bread in the Lordes Supper is Christes naturall bodye so is it his mysticall body for the same spirit that spake of it This is my body The same spirit which sayeth This is my body sayth also We many are one bread and one body c. The words doe not transubstaÌ„tiate the cup into the new testament Ergo neyther the bread into the body did say also for we many are one bread one body c. but now it is not the mysticall body by transubstantiation and therfore it is not his naturall body by transubstantiation 6. The wordes spoken ouer the cup in S. Luke and Paule are not so mighty and effectuall as to transubstantiate it For then it or that which is in it should be transubstantiate into the new Testament therfore the wordes spoken ouer the bread are not so mighty as to make transubstantiation 7. All that doctrine which agreeth with those Churches whiche be Apostolicke mother Churches or originall churches is to be counted for truth in that it holdeth that which these Churches receiued of the Apostles the Apostles of Christ Christ of GOD. But it is manifest that the doctrine taughte at this present of the church of Rome concerning transubstantiation doth not agree with the Apostolicke and mother Churches in Grece of Corinthus The doctrine of the Church of Rome for transubstantiatioÌ„ agreeth not with the Apostles Church nor with the Greke Churches nor with the olde Romain church of Phillppos Colossia Thessalonica Ephesus which neuer taught transubstantiation yea it agreeth not with the doctrine of the Churche of Rome taught in times past For Gelasius the Pope setting forth the doctrine which that sea did theÌ„ hold doth manifestly confute the error of transubstantiation and reproueth them of the sacriledge which deuide the mistery and keepe from the Laity the cup Therefore the doctrine of transubstantiation agreeth not with the truth This was the writing which Weston pulled out of his bosome yet before he began to read it he shewed Bradford that he asked of his conuersatioÌ„ at CaÌ„bridge sithen his last being with him and quoth he Mayster Bradford because you are a man not geuen to the glory of the world I will speake it before your face Your life I haue learned was such there alwayes as all men euen the greatest enemyes you haue can not but prayse it and therefore I loue you much better then euer I did but now I will reade ouer your argumentes and so we will conferre them Such they are that a man may well perceiue you stand on coÌ„science therfore I am the more redy glad to pity you So he began to read the first to the which he sayd that though the word transubstantiatioÌ„ began but lately yet the thyng alwayes was and hath bene sithen Christes institution Brad. I do not contend or hang vpon the worde onely but vpon the thing which is as new as the word West Then went he to the seconde and there brought out S. Augustine The wordes of Austen guilefully wrasted by Weston how that if an euill man goyng to the deuill did make his will his sonne heyre would not say his father did lye in it or speak tropically much more Christ going to God did neuer lye or vse any figuratiue spech in his last wil and testament Do you not remember this place of S. Augustine sayd he Brad. Yes Syr but I remember not that S. Augustine hath those wordes tropicè or figuratiue as you rehearse theÌ„ for any man may speak a thing figuratiuely and lye not so Christ did in his last Supper West After this he went to the thyrd and brought foorth Cyprian howe that the nature of the bread is turned into flesh Here sayth he my Lord of Caunterbury expoundeth nature for quality by Gelasius the which interpretatioÌ„ serueth for the answere of your third argument y t Christ called bread his body that is the quality forme apperance of bread And further the Scripture is wont to call things by the same names whiche they had before Simon though he were called the leper yet he was seene to be no leper But bread is seene still to be bread and therfore hath his name not of that it was but of that it is Cyprian expounded by Gelasius as Symon the Leaper he was not so preseÌ„tly but because he had bene so Brad. Cyprian wrote before Gelasius therefore Cyprian must not expouÌ„d Gelasius but Gelasius Cyprian and so they both teach that bread remaineth stil. As for things hauing still the names they had is no aunsweare except you could shew that this nowe were not breade as easily as a man might haue known sene then Symon to haue bene healed and cleare from his Leprosye West After this he went to the fourth of the cup the which he did not fully read but digressed into a long talke of Cyprians Epistle De Aquarijs also of S. Augustine expounding the breaking of breade by Christ to his two Disciples going to Emaus to be the Sacrament with such other talk to no certaine purpose and therfore Bradford prayed him that in as much as he had written the reasons that stablished his fayth agaynst Transubstantiation Weston â—â—â—quired 〈◊〉 write 〈◊〉 reasonâ— so hee woulde likewise doe to him that is aunswere him by writing and shew him moe reasons in writing to confirme Transubstantiation Which Doctor Weston promised to do sayde that he would send or bring it to Bradford agayne within three dayes Thus when he had ouer read the argumentes here and there spokeÌ„ litle to the purpose for the auoiding of theÌ„ and Bradford had prayed him to geue him in writing hys aunsweres then he began to tell Bradford how and what he had done for Grimoald and how that Bradford neded not to feare any reproch or sclaunder he should suffer Grimoalâ— subscribeâ—â— meaning belike to haue Bradford secretly come to theÌ„ as Grimoald did for he subscribed Brad. Maister Deane I would not gladly that you should conceiue of me that I passe of shame of men simply in thys matter I rather would haue you to think of me M. 〈◊〉 playne aâ—â—firme in confessiâ—â— the truth as the very truth is that hitherto as I haue not sene nor heard any thing to infirme my fayth agaynst Transubstantiation so I am no lesse setled in it then I was at my coÌ„ming hither I loue to be playne with you and to tell you at the first as you shall finde at the last West In good fayth maister Bradford I loue you the better for your playnnes do not think otherwise of me but that you shall finde me playne in all my talke
I haue preached before him It is Gods truth I haue taught It is that same infallible word whereof he sayd Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe The masse and such baggage as the false worshippers of God and enemies of Christes Crosse the Papistes I say haue brought in agayne The Masse is a poyson to the Church to poyson the Church of God withall displeaseth God highly and is abhominable in his sight Happy may he be whiche of conscience suffereth losse of life or goodes in dissalowing it Come not at it If God be God follow him If y e Masse be God let them that will see it heare or be present at it ComparisoÌ„ betweene the Lordes supper and the Masse go to the deuill with it What is there as God ordayned His supper was ordayned to be receiued of vs in the memoriall of his death for the confirmation of our fayth that his body was broken for vs his bloud shed for pardon of our sinnes but in the masse there is no receiuing but the pâ—iest keepeth all to himselfe alone Christ sayth Take eate No sayth the Priest gape peepe There is a sacrificing yea killing of Christ agayne as much as they may There is Idolatry in worshipping the outward signe of bread wyne there is all in Latine you cannot tell what he saith To conclude there is nothing as God ordeyned Wherefore my good mother come not at it Oh will some say it will hinder you Doubtes obiections aunswered Math. 19. if you refuse to come to masse and to do as other do But God wil further you be you assured as you shall one day find who hath promised to them that suffer hinderaunce or losse of anye thing in this world his great blessing here and in y e world to come life euerlasting You shall bee counted an hereticke but not of others then of heretickes whose prayse is a disprayse You are not able to reason agaynst the Priestes but God wil that all they shall not be able to withstand you No body wil do so but you onely In deede no matter for â—ewe enter into the narrow gate which bringeth to saluation Howbeit you shall haue with you I doubt not Father Traues and other my brothers and sisters to go with you therein but if they will not I your sonne in God I trust shall not leaue you an inche but go before you pray that I may geue thankes for me Reioyce in my suffering for it is for your sakes to confirme the truth I haue taught How soeuer you do beware this letter come not abroad but into father Traues his handes For all this caueat yet this letter came to the Earle of Darbyes knowledge for if it should be knowne that I haue pen and inke in the prison then would it be worse with me Therfore to your selues keep this letter commending me to God his mercy in Christ Iesus who make me worthy for his names sake to geue my life for his Gospel and Church sake Out of the Tower of London the sixt day of October 1553. My name I write not for causes you know it well enough Like the letter neuer the worse Commend me to all our good brethren and sisters in the Lord. Howsoeuer you do be obedient to the higher powers that is no point either in hand or tongue rebell but rather if they coÌ„maund that which with good conscience you caÌ„not obey lay your head on the blocke and suffer what soeuer they shall do or say By pacience possesse your soules After the time that M. Bradford was condemned and sent to the Counter it was purposed of his aduersaryes as ye heard before that hee shoulde be had to Manchester where he was borne and there be burned Whereupon he writeth to the Cittye of London thinking to take his last Vale of them in this letter ¶ To the Citie of London TO all that professe the Gospell and true doctrine of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the Cittie of London A fruitefull letter of M. Bradford 〈◊〉 the citye oâ— London Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of y e Lord now not onely in prison but also excommunicated condemned to be burned for the same true doctrine wisheth mercy grace peace with increase of al godly knowledge and pietie from God the father of mercy through the merites of oure alone and omnisufficient Redeemer Iesus Christ by the operation of the holy spirite for euer Amen My dearely beloued brethren in our Sauiour Christ although the tyme I haue to liue is very little for hourly I looke when I shoulde be had hence to be conueyed into Lankeshyre there to be burned and to render my lyfe by the prouidence of God where I first receaued it by y e same prouidence and although the charge is great to keepe me from all things wherby I might signifie any thing to the world of my state yet hauing as now I haue pen inke through Gods working maugre the head of Satan and his souldiours I thought good to write a shorte confession of my fayth and thereto ioyne a little exhortation vnto you all to liue according to your profession First for my fayth I do confesse and pray all the whole Congregation of Christ to beare witnesse with me of the same that I do beleue constantly through the gift goodnes of God for fayth is Gods onely gifte all the 12. articles of the Symbole or Creede commonly attributed to the collection of the Apostles This my faythe I woulde gladly particularly declare and expound to the confirmation and comfort of the simple but alas by starts stealth I write in maner that I write and therfore I shall desire you all to take this breuitie in good part And this fayth I holde not because of the Creede it selfe but because of the word of God the which teacheth and confirmeth euery Article accordingly This worde of God written by the Prophetes and Apostles left and contayned in the Canonicall bookes of the whole Bible I do beleue to containe plentifully all thinges necessary to saluation so that nothing as necessary to saluation ought to be added thereto and therfore the Church of Christ nor none of his congregation ought to be burdened with any other doctrine theÌ„ which hereout hath his foundation and ground In testimony of this fayth I render and geue my life being condemned as well for not acknowledging the Antichrist of Rome to be Christes vicar generall and supreme head of his Catholicke and vniuersall Church here or els wherevppon earth as for denying the horrible and idolatrous doctrine of Transubstantiation and Christes reall corporall and carnall presence in his supper vnder the formes and accidences of bread and wine To beleeue Christ our Sauiour to be the head of hys Churche and kinges in their Realmes to be the supreme powers to whom euery soule oweth obedience and to beleue that
substaunce of bread and wine and is receiued of the wicked The 〈◊〉 of his coâ—â—demnaâ—ioâ— declared yea of dogges mise Also I am excommunicated and counted as a dead menber of Christes Church as a rotten braunche and therefore shall be cast into the fire Therefore ye ought hartily to reioyce with me and to geue thankes for me that God the eternall father hath vouched safe our mother to bring vp any childe in whom it would please him to magnifie his holy name as hee doth A great mercy of God to turne the death of â— saintes 〈◊〉 deseruâ—â— to serue a confirmâ—â—tion of his owne glorâ— and I hope for his mercye and truthes sake will do in me and by me Oh what such benefite vppon earth can it be as that that which deserued deathe by reason of my sinnes should be deliuered to a demonstration a testification and confirmation of Gods veritie and trueth Thou my mother the Vniuersitie hast not onely had the truth of gods word playnely manifested vnto thee by reading disputinge and preaching publickely and priuately but now to make thee altogether excuselesse and as it were almost to sinne agaynst the holy Ghost if thou put to thy helpyng hand with the romysh route to suppresse the veritie and set out the contrary thou hast my lyfe and bloud as a zeale to confirme thee if thou wilt be confirmed or els to confound thee and beare witnes agaynst thee if thou wilt take part with the prelates and Clergye Cantabriâ—â—ense◠〈…〉 moniti which nowe fill vp the measure of their fathers which slew the Prophetes and Apostles that all righteous bloud from Abell to Bradforde sued vpon the earth may be required at theyr handes Of this therefore I thought good before my death as tyme and libertie woulde suffer me for loue and duetye I beare vnto thee to admonishe thee good mother and my sister the Towne that you would call to minde from whence you are fallen and study to do the first workes You know if you wil these matters of the Read before the letter Cambridâ—â— to K. Henâ—â— 8. pag. 1104. Romish supremacy and the Antichristian transubstantiation whâ—â—â—by Christes supper is ouerthrowne his priesthoode euacuatâ— his sacrifice frustrate the ministery of his word vnplaced repentaunce repelled fayth faynted godlines extinguished the Masse mayntayned idolatry supported and all impietie cherished you know I say if you will that these opinions are not onely besides Gods word but euen directly agaynst it and therfore to take part with them is to take part agaynst God agaynst whome you cannot preuayle Therefore for the tender mercy of Christ in his bowels and bloud I beseeche you to take Christes collyrium and eye salue to annoynt your eyes that you may see what you doe and haue done in admitting as I heare you haue admitted yea alas authorised and by consent confirmed the Romish rotten rags whiche once you vtterly expelled Oh be not canis reuersus ad vomitum be not * The 〈◊〉 returned to his owne â—omitte Sus lota reuersa ad volutabrum coeni Beware least Satan enter in with seuen other spirites and then postrema shal be worse then the first It had bene better yee had neuer knowne the truth then after knowledge to runne from it Ah woe to this world and the thinges therein * The soâ—â— that was washed returned to 〈…〉 in the â—ite 2. Pet. 1. which hath nowe so wrought with you Oh that euer this dirt of the deuill shoulde daube vpp the eye of the Realme For thou oh mother art as it were the eye of the Realme If thou be light and geue shyne all the body shall fare the better But if thou the light be darcknes alas how great will the darckenes be What is man whose breath is in his nostrels that thou shouldest thus be afrayde of him Oh what is honour and life here Bubbles What is glorye in this worlde but shame Why art thou afrayde to carrye Christes Crosse Wilt thou come into hys kingdome and not drynke of his cup Doest thou not know Rome to be BabiloÌ„ The glory of this world is a vaine thing Babylon hath Iuda in captiuity doest thou not know that as the olde Babilon had the children of Iuda in captiuitie so hath this Rome the true Iuda that is the confessours of Christ Doest thou not know that as destruction happened vnto it so shall it do vnto this And trowest thou that God will not deliuer his people now when the time is come as hee did theâ— Hath not God commaunded hys people to come out from her and wilt thou geue ensample to the whole Realme to runne vnto her Hast thou forgotten the woe that Christ threatneh to offence geuers Wilt thou not remember that it were better that a Mylstone were hanged about thy necke and thou throwe into the sea then that thou shouldest offend the little ones And alas how hast thou offended yea and howe doest thou still offend The church â—â—ndeth 〈◊〉 in the outward shew Wilt thou consider thinges according to the outward shew Was not the Synagogue more seemely and like to be the true Church then the simple flocke of Christes Disciples Hath not the whore of Babilon more costly aray and rich apparell externally to set forth her selfe then the homely housewyfe of Christ Where is the beautie of the kinges daughter the Churche of Christ without or within Doth not Dauid saye wythin Oh remeÌ„ber that as they are happy which are not offended at christ so are they happy whiche are not offended at hys poore church Can the Pope and his prelates meane honestly whiche make so much of the wife and so little of the husband The Churche they magnifie but Christ they contemne If this Church were an honest woman that is Christes wife except they woulde make much of her husband Christ and his worde shee woulde not be made much of them When Christ and hys Apostles were vppon earth who was more like to be the true Church they or the Prelates Byshops Synagogue If a man should haue followed custome vnitie antiquitie or the more part shoulde not Christ and his companye haue bene cast out of the dores Therfore bade Christ Search the scriptures And good mother shall the seruaunt be aboue his master shall we looke for other entertaynment at the handes of the world then Christ and his deare Disciples found who was taken in Noes tyme for the Church Poore Noe and his familie or others Who was taken for Gods Churche in Sodom Lot or others And doth not Christ say As it was than so shall it goe now towardes the comming of the sonne of man What meaneth Christ when he sayth Iniquitie shall haue the vpper hand doth not he tell that charitie shall waxe colde And who seeth not a wonderfull great lacke of charitie in those whiche woulde nowe be taken for Christes Church All that feare GOD in thys Realme truely can
ye are goyng I meane heauen then ye nowe finde and are like to doe Foule 〈◊〉 and foulâ— weather the kingdome of heauen excepte ye wyll with the worldlinges which haue theyr portion in this life 〈◊〉 still by the way til the stormes be ouerpast and then eyther night will so approch that ye can not trauell eyther the doores will be sparred before ye come and so ye shall lodge without in wonderfull euill lodginges Read Apocal. 22. Begin at Abel come from him to Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph the Patriarches Moses Dauid Daniell and all the Sayntes in the olde testament and tell me whether euer any of them found any fayrer way then ye now finde If the olde Testament will not serue The 〈◊〉 of all 〈◊〉 Saincteâ— both in olde and new tesâ—â—â—ment 〈◊〉 bene thoâ—rough aâ—â—fliction I praye you come to the new and beginne with Mary and Ioseph and come from them to Zachary Elizabeth Iohn Baptist and euery one of the Apostles and Euangelistes and search whether they all founde anye other way into the Citty we trauayle towardes then by many tribulations Besides these if ye shoulde call to remembraunce the primatiue Churche Lord GOD ye shoulde see many to haue geuen chearefully theyr bodyes to most greuous tormentes rather then they woulde be stopped in theyr iourney that there is no day in the yeare but I dare say a thowsand was the fewest that with great ioy lost theyr homes here Read thâ— story of primitiâ—â— Church â—â—boue 〈◊〉 but in the Cittye they went vnto haue found other maner of homes then mans minde is able to conceiue But if none of all these were if ye had no company now to go with you as ye haue me your poore brother and bondman of the Lord with many other I trust in GOD if ye had none other of the Fathers Patriarches Kynges Prophettes Apostles Euangelistes Martyrs and other holy saincts and children of God that in their iourney to heauenward found as ye now finde and are lyke to finde if ye go on forwarde as I trust ye will yet ye haue your Mayster and your Captayne Iesus Chryst the deare dearlyng and onely begotten and beloued sonne of God Christ Ieâ—â—s the 〈◊〉 leader â—f all Gods 〈…〉 in whome was all the fathers pleasure ioy delectation ye haue him to goe before you no fayrer waye but muche fouler into this our Cittye of Ierusalem I neede not I trust to rehearse what manner of waye he found Beginne at his birth and till ye come at his buriall yee shall finde that euery foote and stryde of his iourney was no better but much worse then yours is now Wherfore my dearely beloued in the Lorde be not so deintie as to looke for that at Gods handes your deare father which the Fathers Patriarckes Prophetes Apostles Euangelistes Martyrs Sainctes and his owne sonne Iesus Christ dyd not finde Hetherto we haue had fayre way I trow and fayre weather also now because we haue loytered by the waye and not made the speede we shoulde haue done our louing Lorde and sweete father hath ouercast the weather and styrred vp stormes and tempestes that we might with more hast runne out our race before night come and the doores be sparred The Deuill standeth now at euery Inne doore in his Citie and Countrey of this world crying vnto vs to tary and lodge in this or that place tyll the stormes be ouerpast not that he woulde not haue vs wet to the skinne but that the tyme might ouer passe vs to oure vtter destruction Therfore beware of his entisementes Cast not your eyes on thinges that be present how this man doth and howe that man doth But cast your eyes on the gleue ye runne at or els ye will lose the game Ye know that he which runneth at the gleue doth not looke on other that stande by and go this waye or that way but altogether hee looketh on the gleue and on them that runne with him that those which be behynde ouertake hym not and that he may ouertake them which be before euen so shoulde we doe leaue of lookyng on those which will not runne the race to heauen blisse by the pathe of persecution with vs and cast our eyes on the ende of our race and on them that goe before vs that wee may ouertake them and on them which come after vs that we may prouoke them to come the faster after Hee that shooteth will not cast his eyes in his shootyng on them that stand by To looke to the marke or ryde by the wayes I trowe but rather at the marke he shooteth at for els he were lyke to wynne the wrong way Euen so my dearely beloued let your eyes be set on the marke ye shoote at euen Christ Iesus who for the ioye set before hym did ioyfully cary his Crosse contemning the shame and therefore he now sitteth on the right hande of the throne of God Let vs follow him for this did he that wee shoulde not be fayntharted For we may be most assured that if we suffer wyth him we shall vndoubtedly raygne with hym but if wee denye him surely he will deny vs for he that is ashamed of me saythe Christ and of my Gospell in this faythles generation I wyll be ashamed of him before the Angels of God in heaven Oh howe heauy a sentence is this to all suche as knowe the Masse to bee an abhominable idoll 〈…〉 to the 〈…〉 masse full of idolatrye blasphemye and sacriledge agaynst God and his Christ as vndoubtedly it is and yet for feare of men for losse of lyfe or goodes yea some for aduauÌ„tage and gayne will honest it with theyr presence dissemblyng both with God and manne as their owne harte and conscience doth accuse them Better it were that such had neuer known the truth then thus wittingly and for the feare or fauoure of man whose breath is in his nosethrels to dissemble it or rather as in deeede it is to deny it The end of such is like to be worse then their beginning Such had neede to take heed of the two terrible places to the Hebrewes in the sixt and tenth Chapiters 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 2. â—eb 6 10. least by so doyng they fall therein Let them beware they playe not wily begile themselues as some doe I feare me whiche go to Masse and because they worship not nor kneele not nor knocke not as others doe but sit still in theyr pues therefore they think they rather do good to others then hurte But alas if these men woulde loooke into their owne consciences there shoulde they see they are very dissemblers and in seeking to deceiue others for by this meanes the Magistrates thinke them of theyr sorte they deceiue themselues They think at the eleuation tyme all mennes eyes are set vppon them to marke howe they doe They thinke others hearyng of suche men goyng to Masse do see oâ— enquire of theyr
behauiour there Oh if there were in those men that are so present at the Masse eyther loue to God or to theyr brethren then woulde they for the one or bothe openly take Gods part and admonish theyr people of their idolatry They feare man more then hym which hath power to cast both soule and bodye to hell fire they halte on bothe knees they serue two maysters God haue mercy vppon suche and open theyr eyes with his eye salue that they may see that they which take no part with God are agaynst God and that they whiche gather not wyth Christ doe scatter abroade Oh that they woulde read what S. Iohn sayth will be done to the fearefull The counsayle geuen to the Churche of Laodicea is good counsaile for suche But to returne to you agayne dearely beloued be not yee ashamed of Gods Gospell It is the power of God to saluation to all those that doe beleue it 2. Timothy 1. Romans 1. Be therefore partakers of the afflictions as God shal make you able knowyng for certayne that he will neuer tempt you farther then hee will make you able to beare 1. Corinth 10. Philip. 1. 1. Peter 3. Math. 5. and thinke it no small grace of God to suffer persecution for Gods truth for the spirite of God resteth vpon you and ye are happie as one day yee shall see Read 2. Thess. 1. Heb. 12. As the fire hurteth not gold but maketh it finer so shall yee be more pure by suffering with Christ. 1. Pet 1. The flayle and wind hurteth not the wheat but clenseth it froÌ„ the chaffe And ye dearly beloued are Gods wheate feare not therefore the flayle feare not the fanning winde feare not the milstone feare not the ouen Persecution compared to the flayle which hurteth not but clenseth the wheat for all these make you more meete for the Lordes owne toothe Sope though it be blacke soyleth not the clothe but rather at the length maketh it more cleane so doth the blacke Crosse helpe vs to more whitenes if God strike with his battledore Because ye are Gods sheepe prepare your selues to the slaughter alwayes knoing that in the sight of the Lord our death shall be precious The soules vnder the aulter looke for vs to fill vp their number Romans 8. 1. Peter 5. Mathew 10. happy are we if God haue so appoynted vs. How soeuer it be dearely beloued cast your selues wholly vpon the Lord with whome all the heares of your heades are numbred so that not one of them shall perish Will we nill we we must drinke Gods cuppe if he haue appoynted it for vs. Drinke it willingly then Psalme 75. 1. Pet. 4. and at the first when it is full least peraduenture if we linger we shall drinke at the length of the dregges with the wicked if at the beginning we drinke not with his children for with theÌ„ his iudgement beginneth and when he hath wrought his will on mount Syon then will he visite the nations round about Submit your selues therefore vnder the mighty hande of the Lorde 1. Peter 5. Romans 8. No man shall touche you without his knowledge When they touch you therfore know it is your weale God therby will worke to make you like vnto Christ here that yee may be also like vnto him els where Acknowledge your vnthankfulnes and sinne and blesse God that correcteth you in the world 1. Cor. 11. because ye shall not be damned with the world Otherwise might he correct vs then in making vs to suffer for righteousnes sake but this he doth because we are not of the world Call vppon his name through Christ for his helpe as hee commaundeth vs. Beleeue that he is mercifull to you heareth you and helpeth you Psalme 50. Psalme 22. I am with him in trouble and will deliuer him sayth hee Knowe that God hath appoynted boundes ouer the whiche the Deuill and all the worlde shall not passe If all thinges seeme to be agaynst you yet say with Iob If he will kill me I will hope in hym Read the 91. Psalme and pray for me your poore brother and fellow sufferer for Gods Gospelles sake his name therefore be praysed and of his mercy he make me you worthy to suffer with good conscience for his names sake Die once we must and when we knowe not Happy is that death which seeing once it must needes be payd is bestowed vpon the Lord. happy are they whome God geueth to pay Natures debte I meane to dye for his sake Here is not our home therefore let vs accordingly consider thinges alwayes hauing before our eyes the heauenly Ierusalem Heb. 12. Apoc. 21 22 the way thether to be by persecutions the deare frendes of God howe they haue gone it after the example of our Sauioure Iesus Christ whose footesteppes let vs followe euen to the gallowes if God so will not doubting but that as he within three dayes rose agayne immortall euen so wee shall doe in our tyme that is when the trumpe shall blow and the Angell shall shoote and the sonne of man shall appeare in the cloudes with innumerable sainctes and Aungels in maiestie and greate glory then shall the dead arise and we shall be caught vp into the cloudes to meete the Lorde and so be alwayes with hym Comfort your selues with these wordes and praye for me for Gods sake E carcere 19. Nouemb. 1553. Iohn Bradford * To sir Iames Hales Knight then prisoner in the Counter in Bredstreate THe God of mercy and father of all comfort plentifully poure out vpon you and in you his mercye Another letter of M. Bradford to Syr Iames Hales Knight and wyth his consolations comforte and strengthen you to the end for his and our Christes sake Amen Although right worshipfull sir many causes myght moue me to be content with crying for you to your God and my God that he woulde geue you grace to perseuâ—re well as he hath right notably begunne to the great glory of his name and comfort of all suche as feare him as lacke of learning of familiaritie yea acquayntance for I think I am vnknown to you both by face and name and other such like thinges yet I cannot content my selfe but presuming something to scrible vnto you not that I thynke my scribling can do you good but that I might declare my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and compassion loue and effection I beare towardes your maistership which is contented yea desirous with vs poore misers and to confesse Christes Gospell in these perilous times and dayes of tryall Oh Lord God how good art thou which doest thus gleane out grapes I meane children for thy self and brethren for Christ Looke good M. Hales on your vocation not many Iudges How God gleaneth out his people not many knightes not myny landed men not many riche men and wealthye to â—iue as you are hath God chosen to suffer for his sake as hee hath nowe
this realme of England is not good but contrary to Gods word Sixtly that the sayd N. hath beleued Popish absolution and doth so beleue that absolution giuen by the priest hearing confessiō is not good nor allowable by Gods word but contrary to the same Seuenthly that the sayd N. hath beleued Mattens Euensong Eneling with other rites of the Popes Church 2. Sacramentes and doth so beleue that christenyng of childrēn as it is vsed in y e church of England is not good nor allowable by Gods worde but against it likewise confirming of children geuyng of orders saying of Mattens Euensong annoyntyng or enelyng of sicke persons makyng of holy bread and holy water with the rest of the Church Eightly that the sayd N. hath beleued and doth so beleue that there are but two Sacraments in Christes Catholike church that is to say the sacrament of Baptisme the Sacrament of the aultar Ninthly that the sayd N. hath beleeued doth so beleue that for as much as Christ is ascended vp into heauē therefore the very body of Christ is not in the Sacrament of the aultar Tenthly This article was onely obiected agaynst Patrick Pachingham that thou Patrike Pachingham now beyng of the age of 21. at the least beyng within the house of the B. of London at Paules and by him brought to the great Chappell to heare Masse there the sayd 23. day of Iune the yeare of our Lord 1555. diddest vnreuerently stande in the sayd Chappell hauyng thy cap on thy head all the Masse whyle and diddest also refuse to receyue holy water and holy bread at the Priestes handes there contemnyng and despising both the Masse and the said holy water and holy bread ¶ The aunswer of Iohn Denley and the rest to the Articles obiected TO the first Article I answer it is very true Their answeres To the second Article I answer that it is not true for I beleeue the holy Catholike Church which is builded vpon the foundation of the Prophetes Apostles The true Catholicke Church not denyed Christ beyng the head which holy Church is the Congregation of the faythfull people dispersed through the whole world the which Church doth preach Gods worde truely A notice of the true Church and doth also minister the two Sacramentes that is to saye Baptisme and the supper of the Lord accordyng to hys blessed word To the third Article I aunswer that I do beleue that this Church of England The Church of England now vsed is no member of the true Catholicke Church and the reason why vsing the fayth religion which is now vsed is no part or member of the foresaid holy Catholike church but is the church of Antichrist the Bish. of Rome beyng the head thereof for it is playne that they haue altered the testament of God set vp a testament of their own deuising full of blasphemy lies for Christes testament is that he would haue all things done to the edifieng of the people as it appeareth when hee taught thē to pray Math. 6. also it appeareth by S. Paul 1. Cor. 14. for he sayth That hee that prophesieth speaketh vnto men for their edifieng for their exhortation and for their comfort hee that speaketh with the tong profiteth hymselfe he that prophesieth edifieth the congregation Also he sayth Euen so likewyse when ye speak with tongs except ye speake words that haue signification 1. Corinth 14. how shall it bee vnderstand what is spoken for ye shall but speake in the aire that is as much to say in vayne Also he sayth Thou verely geuest thanks well but the other is not edified I thanke my God I speake with tongs more then ye all yet had I rather in the congregation to speake fiue words with vnderstandyng to the information of other then ten thousand words with the tong Also he sayth Let all thyngs be done to edification The Popes seruice in the tongue which edifieth not the people Also it is written in the Psalme 46. For God is kyng of all the earth O sing praises vnto hym with vnderstandyng c. So it doth appeare that this Church of England now vsed is not builded vppon Christ if S. Paules wordes be true and also the Psalmes therefore this Church is not builded vpon the prophets apostles nor Christ as I haue declared before The Masse abominable and Idolatrous To this 4. Article I answer and I do beleeue as I haue aforesayd that the masse now vsed in this realme of England is naught and abhominable idolatry and blasphemy against Gods word for Christ in his holy supper instituted the Sacramentes of bread and wine to be eaten together in remembraunce of his death till he come not to haue them worshipped and make an Idoll of them for GOD will not be worshipped in his creatures but wee ought to geue him prayses for his cretures which he hath created for vs. For he sayth in the second commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image The Masse agaynst Gods commaundement nor the lykenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneth thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them So it appeareth by this commaundement that wee ought not to worship the Sacrament of bread and wyne for it is playn idolatry for he sayth No similitude therfore Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them I pray you what doe you call kneelyng downe holdyng vp the handes knockyng of the brest puttyng of the cap and makyng curtesie with other like superstition You would make men to be so blynd that this is no worshippyng Obiection of the Papistes remoued Peraduenture you will obiect and say you do not worship the bread the wyne but Christes body whiche was borne of the Uirgin Mary conteyned vnder the forme of bread and wyne But that is a very lye for Christes body that was borne of the Uirgin Mary is in heauen if saint Paules words be true as vndoubtedly they are for hee sayth in the x. of the Hebrues Heb. 10. But this man after hee hath offered one sacrifice for sinnes is set down for euer on the right hand of God and from henceforth tarieth till hys foes bee made hys footestoole Heb. 9. Also in the 9. chap. he sayth For Christ is not entered into holy places that are made with hands which are similitudes of true thyngs but is entred into very heauen for to appeare nowe in the sight of God for vs Philip. 3. c. Also Phil. 3. But our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ 1. Thess. 1. c. Thes. 1. For they themselues shew of you what maner of entring in we had vnto you and how ye turned to God from Images for to serue the liuyng God and for to look for his sonne from heauen Scriptures prouing Christ
iugum imponere c. And albeit the ministers of the church of Rome and the pope were not called to the institution of the foresayd churche of Geneua yet it followeth not therfore that there was no lawful order obserued eyther in stablishing that Churche or any other The Fryer Baptisme in the popes church no necessary cause to folow all the Popes errours You were first baptised in the Church of y e Pope were ye not The Martyr I graunt I was but yet that nothing hindereth the grace of God but hee may renouate and call to further knowledge whom he pleaseth A Counseller I would wishe you not to sticke to your owne wisedome and opinion Ye see the Churches in Germany how they dissent one from an other So that if you should not submit your iudgement to the authoritie of the Generall Councels Agreement in the principall pointes of doctrine in the churches reformed euery day you should haue a new Christianitie The Martyr To mine owne wisedome I do not sticke nor euer will but onely to that wisedome whiche is in Christ Iesu although the world doth accompt it foolishnes And where ye say that the churches of Germanie dissent among themselues one from an other that is not so for they accorde in one agreement altogether touching the foundation and principall groundes of Christian fayth Neyther is there anye such feare that euery day should ryse vp a new christianitie vnles the church be ballanced with authoritie of the councels as you pretend For so we read in the profite Dauid psal 33. and in other places of scripture moe Psal. 33. that the Counsels of the nations and people shal be ouerthrowne and subuerted of the Lorde c. Wherefore the best is that we follow the councell of God and hys word and preferre the authoritie therof before all other counsels and iudgementes of meÌ„ And thus doyng Paruus Christianismus potior populoso Papatu I for my part had rather dwel and settle my selfe in this litle Christianitie be it neuer so small then in that populous Papalitie be it neuer so great in multitude And thus was this godly Feurus commaunded agayne by the Deputye to the Bishops prison and from thence shortly after remoued to Lions not by the open and beaten waye but by secret and priuy iournyes least perhaps he should be taken from theÌ„ agayne as he was before The martyrdome of Richard Feurus An Inquisitour monk Nicholas du Chesne At Gry by Bezanson Ann. 1554 The cause and occasion why this Nicolas came in trouble Nicholas Chesne martyr was for that he goyng from LausaÌ„na where he abode for hys conscience to fette hys sister her husband certayne other of hys friendes as hee went from Bezanson toward the towne of Gry did not homage to a certayne crosse in the way where a certayne monke which was an inquisitour False dealing in a papist ouertook him and therby suspected him He was guyded by the same monk craftily disseÌ„bling hys religion to a lodgyng in Gry where the Iustice of the place comming in incontinent took him Nicholas seing how hee was by y e monke his conductor betrayed O false traytor sayd he hast thou thus betrayed me Then after examination he was condeÌ„ned Being caryed to the place of martyrdome by y e way he was promised that if he would knele down and heare a masse he should be let go as a passenger But Nicolas armed with perseuerance sayde hee would rather dye then commit such an act Who calling vpon the name of the Lord tooke his death paciently Ex Crisp. Lib 6. The seniors or Lords of Estnay and of Ciguongnes dwelling by the towne of Machenoir Denys Barbes Counsellour of Bloys Iohn Bertrand a foâ—â—er or keeper of the forest of Marchenoir At Bloys Ann. 1556. Iohn Bertrand martyr For the religion gospell of Christ thys Iohn was apprehended by these persecuters here specified and led bounde to Bloys where he was examined by Denys y e counseller of diuers points as whether he had spokeÌ„ at any time against God agaynst y e church the he sayntes the she saynts of Paradise Wherunto he sayd no. Item whether at any time hee had called the masse abhominable whiche hee graunted for that hee finding no masse in all the Stripture was commanded by S. Paule That if an angell from heaueÌ„ would bring anye other gospell beside that whiche was already receiued he shuld account it accursed After his condemnation they woulde haue hym to be confessed and presented to him a crosse to kisse But he bad the Fryers with theyr crosse depart That is not the crosse sayd he that I must cary Entring into y e cart before the multitude he gaue thanks to God that he was not there for murther theft or blasphemye but onely for the quarrell of our sauiour Being tyed to the post he sang the 25. psalme Of age he was yong his countenaunce was exceeding chearfull amiable his eyes looking vp to heauen O the happy iourny sayd he seeing the place where he should suffer the fayre place that is prepared for me When the fire was kindled about them O Lord cryed he geue thy hand to thy seruaunt I recommend my soule vnto thee and so meekly yelded vp his spirite Whose pacient and ioyfull constancye so astonyed the people that of long tyme before nothing did seeme to them so admirable Ex Gallic hist. per. Crisp. Lib. 6. A brother in lawe of this Peter Peter Rouseau An. 1556. Peter Rousseau martir Peter Rousseau comming from Geneua and Lausanna to hys countrey partlye to communicate wyth certayne of hys acquayntaunce in the word of God partlye for other certayn affayres because hee required hys inheritaunce of hys brother in law was by him betrayed Then being constant in his confession which he offered vp he was put to the racke three tymes which he suffered constantly with great tormentes Afterward he had hys tongue cut of and a balle of yron put in hys mouth He was draweÌ„ vpon a hurdle Crueltie al broken and maymed to the fire where he was lifted vp into the ayre and let downe three tymes And when he was halfe burned the balle fell from hys mouth and he with a loud voyce called on the name of GOD saying Iesus Christ assiste me And so thys blessed Martyr gaue vp hys life to God Ex Ioan Crisp. Antony de Lescure the kinges attourney Arnauld Moniere Iohn de Cazes At Bordeaux An. 1556. After that Arnald Moniere was taken and examined of the Iustice and so was layde in prison Iohn de Cazes resorting to the same town of Burdeaux Arnauld Moniere Iohn de Cazes martyrs and hearing of hym and beyng admonished moreouer that if he went to him hee shoulde be appeached of heresie notwithstanding went to comforte him and so was also imprisoned After many examinations sentence was geuen vpon them to be burned When the tyme came of
Lancaster the sayde George Marshe reporteth himselfe as followeth * How the Bishop came to Lancaster and of his doynges there D. Cotes bishop of Chester THe bishop being at Lancaster there set vp and confirmed all blasphemous Idolatry as holy water casting procession gadding Mattins mumbling children confirming The Bishops comming to Lancaster and setting vp Idolatry Masse hearyng Idols vp setting with such hetheâ—ishe rites forbidden by God but no Gospell preachyng which Christ Gods sonne so earnestly coÌ„manded He was informed of mee and willed to send for me examine me Which thinge he refused to doe saying he woulde haue nothing to do w t heretickes so hastely So hasty in iudgement and calling men heretickes are our bishops in their Lordly dignities The B. iudgeth Marsh to be an hereticke before he heareth him afore y e heare or see what is to be amended or condeÌ„ned contrary to the expresse commandemeÌ„t of gods word which sayth Condemne no man before thou hast tryed out the truth of the matter and when thou hast made inquisition then reforme righteouslye Hasty iudgemeÌ„t of Byshops reproued by Gods word The vnmercifull straitenes of the Byshop toward G. Marsh in prison Geue no sentence before thou hast heard the cause but first let men tell out their tale and hee that geueth sentence in a matter before he heare it is a foole worthy to be confounded And in stead of his liberalitie towardes me poore prisoner he seÌ„t for the Iaylor and rebuked him because he suffered mee to fare so well willing to haue me more straitly kept and dieted but if his Lordship were tabled but one weeke with me I do thinke he would iudge our fare but slender enough The schoolemaster of Lancaster rebuked for comming to George Marsh in prison Popish Byshops declare themselues by their fruites to be very enemies to Gods worde Also he and his Chapleines and Chancellour did finde fault with the Scholemaister and others for speaking to one as to a most heinous hereticke and also with y e Iaylor for suffering them Such is the mercy that these religious fathers shewe to the friendles and comfortles in their aduersities If we may knowe the tree by the fruites as Christ saith no man can iudge such for any other but for very enemies to Christ and his true religion God laye it neuer to their charges but forgeue them and turne their hard hartes if it be his will But it is no new thing for the bishops to persecute the truth and the Prophetes of the Lorde for their constancie in preaching of the true fayth No new thing for Byshops to be persecutors Examples of persecuting Bishops in the old tyme. for so did their Pharisaicall forefathers if ye marke well the histories of the holye Bible Phasher was the head Bishop of the Temple the ringleader of false Prophetes the chiefe hereticke taker that is as much to saye the outthruster of true godlinesse After that the dignitie of Priesthood was geuen vnto hym he abused it For he taught not neither reprooued by the word but feared the godly with crueltie Hee not onely strocke but also imprisoned the holye Prophet Ieremye though he withstoode him not but presently looked for the helpe of God Byshop Iasan steadfastly preaching the truth of God What mischiefe the vngracious bishop IasoÌ„ wrought among the Iewes B. Annas and Cayphas destroying all godlines and setting vp abhominable Idolatrous lawes ye may reade in the iiij chapter of the 2. of Machabees How the execrable blind Byshops Annas and Caiphas which neuer spake y e truth of God themselues vnlesse it were agaynst their willes vnwittingly to their vtter destruction howe I say they pressed the truth in Christe and his Apostles is so well knowne that I neede not to rehearse it And thus much hitherto concerning the prisonment of George Marsh his examinatioÌ„s before the Erle of Darby his deputies aboue named Now proceeding further in the troublesome persecution of this blessed man let vs likewise consider the latter part of his troubles and examinations which followed vnder the bishop of that same Dioces which was Doctor Cotes the effect whereof being drawne out of his own writing here brieflye is to be seene as followeth ¶ The troubles and examination of G. Marshe vnder Doct. Cotes Bishop of Chester G. Marsh appeareth before the Bishop YE heard before how G. Marsh being first imprysoned at Lathum and afterward translated vnto Lancaster was troubled by the Earle Agayne within few dayes after the said Marsh was remoued from Lancaster comming to Chester was sent for Doct. Cotes then B. to appeare before him in his Hal no body being preseÌ„t but they twayne and then he asked hym certayn questions concerning y e sacrament who made such aunsweres as the Bish. seemed therwith to be content sauing y t he vtterly denyed transubstantiation and allowed not the abuse of y e Masse nor that the lay people shuld receiue vnder one kind onely contrary to Christes institution in which poynt the bysh went about to perswade him howbeit God be thanked all in vayne Much other talke he had with hym to moue him to submit himselfe to the vniuersall church of Rome and when he saw he could not preuayle he sent him to prison again and after being there came to him diuers times one Massy a fatherly old man one Wrench the Schoolemaister one Hensham the Byshops Chaplayne Great labour to make G. Marsh to recant and the Archdeacon with many moe who with all probabilitie of words and Philosophy or worldly wisedom and deceitfull vanity after the tradition of men and the beggarly ordinaunces and lawes of the world but not after Christ as it were all singing one song went about to perswade him to submit himselfe to the church of Rome and to acknowledge the pope to be head thereof and to interprete y e scriptures none otherwise then that churche did with manye such like argumentes perswasions of fleshly wisedome To whom the sayd George Marsh answered that he did acknowledge and beleue though much euill be withall annexed one holy catholicke and apostolicke Churche The church Apostolick without which there is no saluation and that this church is but one because it euer hath doth and shall confesse and beleeue one onely god and him onely worship and one onely Messiah and in him onely trust for saluation which church also is ruled and led by one spirite one worde The church how it is one and one fayth and that this church is vniuersal and catholicke because it euer hath bene since y e worlds beginning is and shall endure to the worldes end The nature condition and notes of the true Church and comprehending with in it all natioÌ„s kinreds and languages degrees states conditions of men and that this church is builded onelye vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head