the people of Israel once the people of God in Dauids and Salomons dayes and many hundred yeeres before when Idolatrie vnder pretence to worship no false but the true God was set vp and they not suffered then to do their office vnto the Lord as their office required If they were not no more are we For why doe we forsake the Romish Church Is it not because she hath set vp a new manner of seruice vnto God new kinds of Priests new Holy-dayes new Sacraments new Orders and will not permit the Lords Seruants and Ministers to do their Offices vnto the Lord as he hath by his written Word prescribed Therefore seeing we are not guiltie of Schisme we are not as Schismatikes out of the Church into which by Baptisme wee are receiued III. Not as excommunicate persons For if we be neither Heretikes nor Schismatikes vpon what other ground will they iudge vs to be proceeded against There are other causes for which men are excommunicate but in this question our aduersaries cannot pleade any such Againe I aske if wee bee excommunicate who hath pronounced the sentence Is it the Romish Church By what authoritie Their Church is not the Catholike Church but only a particular as ours is and it is by vs questioned and therefore in reason it cannot bee both a Partie accused and also a Iudge against vs in her owne cause Thirdly we doe appeale from her vnrighteous iudgement to a lawfull generall Councell where vpon earth our cause is onely to bee heard and decided lawfully Till which time wee for any censure of this Church of Rome doe remaine in the true Church into which by Baptisme wee are admitted out of which as yet we are not lawfully iudged to bee by any lawfull and supreme authoritie as either Heretikes Schismatikes or as excommunicate persons Therefore Christian-harted Reader thou that art a member of the Church of England though thou beest no Romanist assure thy soule that thou art of that Church which is vndoubtedly a member of the True Ancient Catholike and Apostolike Church in which abiding thou maist through the merits of thy blessed Sauiour obtaine eternall life if thou so beleeuing doest demeane thy selfe as it becommeth a good Christian and a Protestant in earnest And for thine owne more certaine assurance and stable abiding let me aduise thee to a few things Haue a care to keepe thy Couenant in thy Baptisme that thou mayst be better perswaded that God keepes his with thee and so to be one of his in the true Church Labour to feare God for it is the beginning of wisdome and the secrets of the Lord are with such as feare him and he will shew them his couenant Psal 25.14 Haue euer a loue of the truth and God will not giue thee ouer to beleeue lyes for this is a iudgement befalling such as loue not the truth beleeue it not but take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Be a doer of the Word and thou shalt know the doctrine whether it bee of God or no. Beware of affected ignorance and carelesse neglect of knowledge but vse the meanes appointed to attaine vnto it Exercise thy selfe much in prayer beg of God wisdome and hee will giue it thee his Spirit and he will vouchsafe it thee pray against sedition and God will keepe thee frequent the company of such as haue knowledge the feare of God before them the loue of the truth in them and make conscience of their wayes Aske aduice of faithfull Teachers listen not to false Teachers feare to be seduced And further that thou mayst both defend the truth and also be able according to thy measure receiued to resist the aduersaries I. Learne carefully the truthes of God necessarie to saluation set downe in holy Scriptures Such truths are very manifestly and plainely deliuered either in expresse termes or by an vndoubted consequent drawne from thence and all such necessarie points as concerne all are written in the Scriptures as their Bellarmine confesseth With these Scriptures acquaint thy selfe and being an ordinarie Christian doe not trouble thy selfe about obscure places for plaine and easie places will bee sufficient to confirme thy faith in any thing necessarie for thee to beleeue and practize in the way of saluation II. Be well grounded in the Catechisme the parts whereof are the Creed the Lords Prayer the Decalogue and the doctrine of the Sacraments for these are the compendium or short summe of all Christianitie These well vnderstood will furnish thee with reasons to withstand seducers There is not any thing of which they shall speake but the same may be brought to some head in Catechisme as either concerning Faith and so referred to the Creed or concerning Prayer and so referred to the Lords Prayer or concerning obedience and so referred to the Decalogue or ten Commandements or else touching the Sacraments the Seales of our Faith III. Adde to these certaine considerations by which thou mayest defend the truth and ouerthrow falshood as the common law of Nature common reason right vse of senses common experience common equitie common charitie common honestie the witnesse of knowne Martyrs whereto adde the corruption of our nature allowing or disliking of any thing By the plaine euidence of Scripture by the Catechisme and by these considerations mayst thou trie all things which be necessarie for thee to stand vpon If a seducer come to thee and that he will needs deale with thee obserue two things first not to regard what he saith if it be not about necessarie points Secondly see that his confirmation or confutation bee onely by either some or all these three aforenamed to wit plaine Scriptures the parts of the Catechisme and those considerations from whence if hee cannot proue his assertions beleeue him not If he begin to tell thee of Councels ancient Fathers and the Churches custome in all Ages answere him first that the three former are knowne to thee the Bible common at hand the Catechisme in thy remembrance and the consideration of such as are without difficultie but as for these three last great reading and learning and knowledge in Historie are required to vnderstand them well and to cite them truly They are for the best learned of the world and not for any of the common sort ordinarie men cannot iudge aright by them neither will any such presume to thinke such abilitie to be in them if they would take notice of diuers things concerning Councels Fathers and the Churches custome I. Touching Councels they must know that they are not only subiect to errour but also haue erred that they haue contradicted one another that some of them haue been carried by a strong faction that ancient Fathers would not rest euer vpon the sole authoritie of Councels that Papists themselues though they pretend them yet doe not wholly resigne their iudgement vnto them that there are some counterfeite and forged Councels and counterfeite Canons added
lawfull and free generall Councell which the Conuenticle of Trent was not till then we are not to be condemned of obstinacy and so as yet no Heretikes Thirdly we neither haue neglected nor yet doe neglect the true Catholike Churches authority into which wee are receiued by Baptisme For we very willingly desire to heare her sentence but where can that bee except in a generall Councels determination therein to heare the Catholike Church speaking to vs from the Scriptures we greatly long for we readily submit vnto Let her thus speak that we may know her Iudgement and we will hearken thereunto As for the Church of Romes authoritie we doe not acknowledge it ouer vs because it is not nor euer was in her best estate the Catholike Church but onely a particular Church which now also is a party questioned And therfore her authoritie for her selfe against vs is no more of vs to be regarded then by them our Churches authority for her selfe against them Seeing then that by their definition wee are not conuinced of heresie wee are not out of the Church as Heretikes II. Not as Schismatikes For albeit we haue no departed from this Romish Church yet are we no Schismatikes First for that we keepe communion with the Catholike Church into which we by Baptisme were admitted which is the body of Christ and wee truly members thereof in faith and loue through the worke of Gods Spirit being built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the Corner-stone Secondly because this Church of Rome hath falne from the faith and obedience commended by S. Paul to be in the Church at Rome in his time as appeareth in many particulars before named which the Church first planted at Rome neuer taught neuer beleeued nor practised Therefore are we no Schismatikes for leauing her in those things wherein she hath left the true and Apostolike Church at the beginning Thirdly for that wee doe not breake off from her simply but in some respect that is as farre foorth as she hath forsaken her former selfe so that if shee would returne to the Catholike Faith and Religion and forsake her Trentisme Iesuitisme and Popery the inuentions of her owne added to that which first she did professe wee want not charitie towards her to vnite our selues vnto her againe For otherwise neither our true loue to God nor true loue to his Church will suffer vs to liue with her so defiled as she is in the spirituall bond of sacred loue which knits the true members of Christ one to another Heauenly charity which maketh this vnitie admitteth not of such things into the vnitie of faith as bee taught and practised in that Church both sinfull against God and pernicious to mens soules yea vtter destruction to them without hearty repentance Fourthly wee haue a warrant yea a commandement from God to separate our selues from her for that she is become the great Whore and spirituall Babylon Reuel 18.4 This charge of God freeth vs from Schisme for there is no sin no Schisme in that which God commandeth to be done Fifthly we by leauing this Romish Church doe not deuide our selues from the true Catholike and Apostolike Church but by this separation doe we indeed returne to the vnitie of it and to our first blessed estate therein when first the Gospell was here planted in this Iland by Apostles or Apostolicall men which came hither not from Rome but from Ierusalem our Mother Church where the Lord and his blessed Apostles first began to teach and erect a Church which is the Church we returne vnto in doctrine and worship of God from which Holy Catholike and Apostolike Church wee were drawne by the vsurping and tyrannical power and iurisdiction of the Pope and his faction and the generall backsliding of this his Church So as this which they call Schisme is no Schisme in vs but a forsaking of schisme in them and is only a returning vnto and a recouerie of our selues againe to our former vnion with Christs true Church beginning at Ierusalem and planted here many hundred yeeres before the Monke Austin euer came into England Sixthly They are properly called Schismatikes saith Aquinas which of their owne accord and will separate themselues from the vnitie of the Church If this be true in the iudgement of this their owne so greatly honoured Doctor then certainely wee are no Schismatikes First of our owne accord and will we make not a separation but are inforced therto by the power of Gods commandement to come out of this Babylon to auoyde her sinnes to escape thereby her punishments She her selfe hath caused deuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which shee once receiued as the Epistles of S. Paul and S. Peter do in many particulars witnesse against her The Apostle S. Paul therefore wils vs to auoyde her and such as cause deuision and offences contrary to the Apostles doctrine Rom. 16.17 It may seeme from hence that a faction begun euen then among you Secondly we doe not separate from the Church that is from the vniuersall Catholike Church but from a Church that is the particular Church of Rome for Thomas doth not say He is a Schismatike which separateth from a Church but from the vnitie of the Church to wit the Church vniuersall which is but one For indeed no reason can bee giuen why any should deuide themselues from the true Catholike Church but good reasons may be giuen why a particular Church may be and ought to bee forsaken as wee doe giue for our departing from the Church of Rome for we are commanded to forsake Idolaters 1. Cor. 5.11 Heretikes Tit. 3.10 such as bring not the doctrine of Christ and doe not abide therein 2. Ioh. 10. and her that is called Babylon Reuel 18.4 Thirdly before we can be Schismatikes we must forsake the vnitie of the Church Now wherein stands this vnitie Standeth it only in affection of loue or also in the faith of the truth For both these graces the Apostle commendeth the Churches Ephes 1.15 2. Thes 1.3 and faith is preferred to the first place in both Scriptures We haue not forsaken the vnitie of the Faith of which S. Paul speakes Eph 4.13 For we teach the doctrine of the Apostles and no other in any thing when we differ from this present Church of Rome which hath lost her first faith of truth in many things Now can true diuine loue be there kept where faith is lost or can there be charitie to vnite where doctrine doth deuide Can light and darkenesse truth and falsehood cohabite in loue Truth and loue onely dwell together and for truths sake loue separateth from falshood wheresoeuer she finds it And therefore except they can proue that we haue lost the vnitie of faith wee haue not forsaken the vnitie of the Church in loue as the former reasons shew To conclude were the Priests and Leuites Schismatikes which left
Looke beyond Luther OR AN ANSWERE TO THAT QVESTION SO OFTEN AND SO INSVLTINGLY PROPOSED BY our Aduersaries asking vs Where this our Religion was before Luthers time WHERETO ARE ADDED SOVND PROPS TO BEARE vp honest-hearted Protestants that they fall not from their sauing-faith BY RICHARD BERNARD OF Batcombe in Sommersetshire LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston and are to be sold by Edmund Weauer at his shop at the great North-doore of Pauls 1623. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir WALTER ERLE Sir CLEMENT COTTEREL KNIGHTS And to their vertuous Ladies euersoundnesse of Faith with the power of Religion and constancie in both most heartie wished Right Worshipfull I Should maruell to see any once professing the truth to turne from the light vnto darkenes from the true Worship and Religion of Christ to the superstition and idolatrie of Antichrist but that I read that our first Parents beleeued Satan before God that men loue darkenesse more then the light and that fornot louing the truth and delighting in vnrighteousnesse God giueth such ouer to beleeue lyes that they may bee damned Could it else otherwise be that so many in this so cleare light of Gods Gospel should fall away What haue our aduersaries now more to pleade for their cause then heretofore they haue had What can they now say which is not alreadie fully answered by our learned men They put out indeed new bookes new in regard of the writing and printing but the reasons one and the same in older written and printed bookes this is in shew a putting of more strength to vphold their ruinous building but not in substance yet thus they beguile the simple and vnstable-minded By many waies they seeke to deceiue and beguile people but especially by accusing our Religion of falshood and nouelty and affirming theirs to bee the true and most ancient faith in both which they speake very vntruely For touching this their present Religion as it differeth from ours and as it is Popery it is but a new vpstart Religion a patcherie of Iudaisme Paganisme and Heresie a Religion deuised by men and not hauing God for the Author How farre our Religion is from falshood and noueltie I haue here indeuoured to shew answering to that question so often propounded Where it was before Luthers time If any of our aduersaries or all of them together dare to goe plainely to worke for hitherto they haue not and first set downe ours and their accord wherein and how farre we and they in euery thing doe agree to cut off hereby all needlesse strife and contentions Secondly then truely and faithfully without equiuocall termes to deliuer their distinct differences from vs that so euery one may rightly discerne whereabout we do contend and what indeede their now present Religion is which we call Popery bing seuered from our common agreement Thirdly to bring these their differences to the due triall of Scriptures the common principles of Christianitie and the true writings of the ancient Fathers in the first Ages then will it clearely appeare to euery one of indifferent iudgement whether ours or theirs be the true Religion and whether ours or theirs be the false Church In the meane space till they proceede thus vprightly and sincerely I hope no Protestant in earnest will be insnared and catched by their deceites Let such as in the plentifull meanes of knowledge wilfully liue in ignorance or hauing knowledge liue lewdly without feare of God loue of truth and power of Religion be the prey for craftie Foxes for these be the fittest subiects for them to worke vpon and these only preuaile they with receiuing a iust punishment for their contempt of sauing knowledge or for their consciencelesse liuing contrary to their knowledge For there is no man of right vnderstanding and that makes conscience of his waies louing the truth walking humbly before his God being acquainted with Gods Word and praying for Gods direction that God either will giue ouer or that can in reason submit vnto this false Antichristian Church if he doe but seriously consider of such things as will worke if not an absolute condemnation yet a most iust suspition of her to be naught as first the vilifying of holy Scriptures locking them vp from the common people as if Gods Word were infectious Secondly her thrusting vpon the people her feigned traditions all besides and many of them against Scripture Thirdly the absurd and vnreasonablenesse of their Latine Seruice which the people vnderstand not Fourthly their idolatrous praying to Saints worshipping stockes and stones and reliques of the dead Fifthly their grosse conceit of Christs corporall presence in the Sacrament Sixthly the feigned miracles and notable coozenages therin found out here and in other Countries the boasting of them a farre off but not able to worke the like among vs. Seuenthly the shamelesse grosse belying of our doctrine and slandring the liues of our learned men as Luther Caluin Beza and others Eighthly the citing in defence of their Religion counterfeit Authors so knowne to be and so condemned to be by the learned on their owne side Ninthly the not permitting freely our bookes among them as wee doe theirs among vs. Tenthly the tying of the people to the Priests lippes and not permitting them to trie their doctrine as we doe The vniust curses dissembling practices and mercilesse cruelties vsed to vphold their Religion swearing for swearing by equiuocations ment all reseruations and Popes dispensations massacres and powder-plots and bloodie persecutions Twelfthly The auoyding of a free generall Councell to heare and determine our differences Who is he that shall consider of these things with iudgement but will suspect this Romish Church to be none of Christs Church if withal he adde hereto the consideration of the differences betweene the wisedome below by which that seate is guided which is earthly naturall sensuall deuilish and the wisdom from aboue by which Christs Church is guided which is pure peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie as Saint Iames writeth I doubt not but that you haue already considered of these premisses and that you are resolued that this is the true Religion and the good way wherein you walke euen the ancient Catholike and Apostolike veritie grounded vpon Scripture and the principles of Christianitie taught by the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church and confirmed by the blood of blessed Martyrs My desire is that God would continue your loue with encrease of zeale towards the same more and more To this purpose are these my endeuors which I present vnto you praying your fauourable acceptance of my good meaning and hearty wel-wishes and worthie respect vnto your selues and to all that wish well to Sion and pray for the peace of Ierusalem God let them and you with yours to prosper which loue it Amen Your Worships in all Christian seruices to be commanded Richard Bernard Batcombe Sept. 26. Looke beyond Luther OR AN ANSWERE
Romish Bishops Yea the Centurists and other Protestants haue obserued out of Galfridus that before Austines comming there was here amongst the Britaines the profession of more pure Christianity then that which Austine brought from Rome Its babbled out by our aduersaries that this Austin conuerted this Iland but this is most vntrue for Saint Aidan and Saint Finan were the Lords instruments to gaine many here to Christ Saint Aidan recouered from Paganisme the Kingdome of Northumberland whereunto belonged besides Northumberland it selfe the Lands beyond it vnto Edenborow Frith these Countries Cumberland Westmerland Lancashire Yorkeshire and the Bishopricke of Durham Saint Finan regained not onely Essex and Middlesex but also the large Kingdome of Mercia conuerted first vnto Christianitie which Kingdome did comprehend vnder it these Countries Glostershire Herefordshire Worcestershire Warwickshire Leicestershire Rutlandshire Northamptonshire Lincolneshire Huntingtonshire Bedfordshire Buckingamshire Oxfordshire Staffordshire Darbyshire Shropshire Nottingamshire Cheshire and halfe Hertfordshire These holy men are they which vnder God are to haue the prayse and not Austin who brought some but few in comparison of these to the profession of Christ but withall besmeared them with Romish superstitions And such others as were already Christians hee endeuoured to loade with humane inuentions and vnnecessary ceremonies and was if not the cause yet the occasion of the destruction of many and of the miserable and mercilesse slaughter of the godly Monkes at Bangor to the number of 1200. for that these poore Monkes would not submit to him whom they saw to be too proud and not so humble a man as a man of God ought to haue been V. That this our Religion was here before Austin it may appeare by that publike doctrine of the Church which was taught about the time of Gregory who sent in hither this Austin concerning the blessed Sacrament altogether agreeing with our present doctrine and plainely opposite to the doctrine of the now Church of Rome For in an Homily of the Saxon Tongue appointed to be preached on Easter day throughout euery Church the bread is acknowledged to be naturally corruptible bread and corruptible wine truly Christs body and blood yet not so bodily but spiritually and nothing therein to be vnderstood bodily but all spiritually If this was the publike doctrine so fully herein agreeing with vs so contrary now to the Romish beliefe in their transubstantiated bread for deniall whereof they haue murthered so many and now hold it still so maine an article of their Romane beliefe how can it be otherwise imagined all things also before considered withall but that the Religion then was our religion now and not this of the Church of Rome VI. It cannot be denied if our Religion bee the same which was planted by the Apostles in the Easterne Churches from which our Religion was brought hither as is afore deliuered but that then this our Religion was before Austines time But that ours is the same the Apostles writings written to the Churches shew Secondly an Apostle or some Apostolicall men here taught it Thirdly the writings of the Greeke Fathers for 600. yeres space after Christ which is all the space from Christ to this Austin giue testimonie to our Religion in the maine points thereof as is prooued before in the third argument Fourthly it is euident euen by those things which yet the Churches at this day in those parts doe hold with vs and wherein wee and they agree against the now Romish Religion For the Greekes denie the Popes Supremacie Purgatorie and Prayer for the deliuerance of soules out of it the necessitie of Auricular Confession Meritorious satisfaction of the iustice of God Transubstantiation carued Images and Statues They deny that Saints departed heare our Prayers They administer the Sacraments in both kinds and allow Ministers marriage They mixe not water with wine they vse not vnleauened bread They admit not priuate Masses nor the Circumgestation or Adoration of the Sacrament nor the publike seruice in an vnknowne tongue They teach the assurance of saluation in Christ and renounce the merit of workes All which are opposite to the now Romish Religion and are the truths of our Religion taught by the Apostles and holy ancient Fathers from the beginning in the Easterne Churches wherein they are not falne from that which at first they receiued as they be in some other things which they teach and practise VII The Religion which we professe is the same which was at Rome at the time of the three conuersions of England as they call them and therefore was this our Religion before Austines comming and here professed when hee came in The first conuersion was in the Apostles dayes but in their daies was our religion at Rome as Saint Pauls Epistle written to the Saints there and other of his Epistles declare as also the Epistles of Saint Peter whom they would faine haue to haue been at Rome to which our Religion agreeth wholy and fully wherein soeuer wee now differ from the present doctrine of the Church of Rome Let their writings be Iudge from which our aduersaries haue greatly erred as is euidently prooued in all the maine poynts of the Christian Faith And therefore was it our Religion then professed at Rome and not this new Romish Faith The second Conuersion they make to bee in Eleutherius dayes who wrote as they acknowledge vnto our King here called Lucius If here was any conuersion wrought it was to our Religion and not to the present Romish Trentisme as may be clearely gathered out of that Epistle of Eleutherius and which they doe approue of as written to the same Lucius First Eleutherius there telleth the King that he had receiued the Law and Faith of Christ Secondly as hereby shewing him where this Law and Faith was to bee found he telleth him againe immediatly vpon these former words that he had receiued both the parts of the scriptures Thirdly he so commendeth the Scriptures to the King and his Councell that thence by Gods grace they themselues might take a Law to rule the Kingdome This Bishop did not take vpon him to prescribe them Lawes hee alloweth them being Lay persons as they now speake to meddle with the holy Scriptures and from thence and not from him nor from his Lawes nor from the Lawes of the Romanes to take a Law to liue by This Bishop therefore held the Scripture sufficient for a direction and guide to a whole Kingdome hee held them not so obscure but that the King and his Councell by Gods grace though but young Christians might learne out of them the wil of God how hee would haue a Christian Kingdome gouerned Fourthly this godly Bishop calleth Lucius Gods Vicar in his owne Kingdome and alleageth Scripture to prooue it hee was not then swolne vp with the pride of Antichristian Supremacy nor conceited any temporall power ouer kings as now the Popes doe Lastly hee puts wholly the care of
the people vpon the King as a Father to looke to his children to call them to the Faith and Law of Christ and to the holy Church hereby acknowledging the King to bee the supreme Head and Gouernour in all causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and to be Gods Vicar in his owne Realme which title that Bishop twice nameth in that Epistle Thus we see out of this short Epistle what we may thinke of the Religion then at Rome and how agreeing to ours now and differing from theirs at this present The third conuersion for which they magnifie so much this Austin but very falsely was in Gregorie the Great his dayes In which time though many corruptions were crept into the Church of Rome yet the maine points of our differences wherein we differ from this present Romish superstition were then taught in that Church as may appeare out of the writings of Gregorie as he did then teach concerning holy Scriptures the grace of God of Freewill of the Law of iustification of Faith of good Workes also concerning the not worshipping of Images likewise of the acknowledging of the two Sacraments also his iudgement of the Church of the head of the Church of Antichrist of an vniuersall Bishop of secular power ouer Bishops of Marriage of soules departed and whither they went Gregorie was no Patrone of the Romish Masse nor of the corporall and transubstantiated bread nor of merit nor of Papall supremacy nor of temporall iurisdiction ouer Kings and Emperours nor of the necessitie of Ceremonies alike in euery Church Gregorie held not the Machabees canonicall but taught the perfection of Canonicall Scripture he exhorted Lay men to the studie of them and in his time the Scriptures were allowed and prayers were said in a knowne and vulgar tongue he held the Catholike Church to be the elect and the reprobate out of it and was against marriages within degrees forbidden Leuit. 18. Thus we see that at the three conuersions our Religion now and that at Rome then was one and the same Neither can our aduersaries shew the contrary from Scripture from the vniforme consent of ancient Fathers either Greeke or Latine or from generall Councels within those times no nor from the Bishops of Rome themselues for that space if they will make conscience to deale squarely plainly and honestly in their proofes And that they may so doe I would entreate to lay aside first all counterfeite Decretall Epistles such as those be which are ascribed to the Bishops of Rome in the first 300 yeeres as our learned men haue prooued both by reasons and from the testimonie of the learned among them Secondly those partly corrupted and partly also counterfeit Decretall Epistles in the next 300. yeeres Thirdly all the counterfeite and corrupt Canons of Councels Fourthly all the bastard writings put vpon the ancient Fathers Fifthly the places corrupted in any of their writings If they will cast off this great and wicked deceite in alleaging these for themselues the truth of my assertion That this our Religion was then at Rome and not this their present Romish faith will manifestly appeare to all men not wilfully blinded for by and worldly respects Lastly the Christian Religion first planted in Ireland was before Austins comming in hither For as is afore spoken Scottish and Irish Christian Bishops withstood him at his comming But that which was then receiued and professed by the ancient Irish was for substance the very same which is now here in England by publike authoritie maintained as is substantially proued by a godly learned Father in all Antiquities of the Church the Lord Bishop of Meeth to which I referre euery Reader which desireth to bee satisfied in theirs and our agreement about Scripture translations predestination freewill the Law sinne free remission of sins iustification by faith onely imperfection of sanctification merit purgatory and soules departed about Gods worship Images the Masse communicating in both kinds and the mysticall receiuing of the Sacrament That Learned man doth shew how wee and they doe agree in all these things which are the most maine points of faith betwixt our aduersaties and vs. And therefore I conclude from this and all that formerly hath been produced in this fifth Argument that this our present Religion was heere in this Iland before Austines time VI. Argument From God the Author and continuall Preseruer of our Religion against all oppositions THat Religion which is of God was before Luthers time for that which is of God cannot bee ascribed to man nor so new as the late dayes of Luther For the true Religion is the most ancient and this is the good way to be found in the old wayes and not in new inuentions and new by-paths But our Religion is of God which I thus prooue It was taught by the Prophets and Apostles messengers of God the Prophets were sent by him 2. Chron. 36.16 2. King 17.13 Ier. 25.4 by whom God spake Heb. 1.1 and they taught and wrote as the holy Ghost directed them 2. Pet. 1.21 2. Tim. 3.25 The Apostles were sent of God Matth. 10.5 Mark 16.16 Gal. 1.1 12. and spake as God by his Spirit directed them Matth. 10.20 Ioh. 14.26 These were the publishers of our Religion both in the common truthes of our Christianitie as also in the differences from our aduersaries And for proofe wee appeale to the Apostles and Prophets extant writings Our Religion is written in those holy Scriptures the Booke of God as before is prooued It is propagated and preserued by such meanes as be ordained of God of which also before It is receiued beleeued conscience made of it onely by the operation of the Spirit of God It bringeth men to the true knowledge of God to beleeue onely in God to worship onely God onely to honour God and to be ruled onely after the will of God It s onely vpheld and preserued by Gods and not by mans power This will easily bee granted if men consider what weake meanes in mans iudgement hath spred it abroad and brought it into esteeme with such as professe it truly to wit onely preaching praying and constantly suffering in the defence thereof Also the small number and meanenesse of the persons for the most part which haue from the dayes of Iesus Christ made profession thereof and withall the little worldly policy vsed for helpe to support it But on the other side if the enemies thereof be well considered who haue continued from the beginning of the Gospell perpetually endeuouring to vndermine our Religion euery one will yeeld it to be the very hand of God that maintaineth it The multitude of them out of the Church are infinite as Iewes Gentiles Saracens Turkes and a world of other Infidels The Heretikes which haue risen vp and gone out from the true Church and haue laboured to shake the very foundation of our Christian Faith very many The Hypocrites and prophane are too many which professing the same
To hold seuen Sacraments that Baptisme is to bee administred with hallowed Water with Chrysme Salt Spittle Coniuring and other deuices IV. To beleeue that the Priest may receiue the Sacrament alone and yet many other Christians to be there present looking on that the Bread without the Cup is to bee giuen to the people that after the words of consecration the Bread is turned into the very naturall body of Christ the accidents of Bread and Wine onely remaining but not the substance that it is to be adored and prayed vnto and to be carried about in Procession that it is to bee administred with such varietie of garments alterations of gestures and change of voyce that it is a propitiatorie sacrifice for the quicke and the dead V. To make prayer to administer the Sacraments and to say all diuine Seruice in an vnknowne Tongue to say the Creed amongst Prayers the Aue Marie as a prayer with the Pater noster vpon Beades with Crosses and that to a certaine number repeating the Aue Marie fortie times and the Pater noster foure times with a Creed at the end that many thus praying though they vnderstand not the words which they vtter yet hauing a good intent they do a work pleasing to God VI. To hold the Church of Rome to bee the Mother Church the onely One Holy Catholike and Apostolike Church that it could not erre and that all which should not beleeue euer as it beleeueth should not bee held for sound Christians and such as should not submit to her authoritie to be held Heretikes VII To hold the Pope of Rome to bee Christs Vicar and Peters successor that all should depend vpon him as vpon their Head that he as Pope cannot erre è Cathedrâ that to him as of right belongeth the spirituall and temporall iurisdiction and so hath authoritie to make Lawes to bind conscience to depose Kings and to dispose of their Kingdomes that he and his Clergy are exempt from the authoritie of Secular power VIII To hold seuen degrees of Priesthood that there are sacrifizing Priests in the time of the Gospell that all the Clergie are to liue a single life IX To set vp high and worldly dignities in the Church as Kingly Cardinals Prince-like vnpreaching Prelates and Pastors ouer Congregations not able to teach them to allow infinite Orders of Monkes Friers and Nunnes X. To beleeue that there is a Limbus Patrum a Limbus Infantium and a place called Purgatorie In their Catalogue they are to bring Christ his Apostles and all the rest therein named for teachers and professours of these things and the like else are they not to be reputed of this their present Religion Vrge them friendly Reader vnto the proofe of these particular differences till then keepe thy right standing and be not mooued with a shew of names In the meane space that thou mayest be well assured that thou art a true member of the Catholike Church of Christ though no Romane Catholike haue recourse vnto thy baptisme and the Couenant which God made with thee and thou with him therein Aske them when any of them goeth about to seduce thee whether they thinke that thou hast receiued true baptisme If they say Yea as they cannot answere truly otherwise though wee were baptized of very condemned Heretikes as the Trent Councel decreeth then demand of them againe Whether true baptisme doth admit the baptized into the true Church of God or no If it doe know of them that then being thereby receiued into the true Church why thou and wee so baptized should not still be of it in their account Will them to shew what we teach and beleeue differing from them that hath disannulled our Couenant with God and how we come to bee out of the Church The Romane Catechisme which with them is of great authority telleth vs that men are out of the Church as Infidels which neuer were in it as Heretikes Schismatiks and Excommunicated persons once of it whereto may be added such as be Apostates wholly renouncing Christ Taking this for granted that these be all and then that we be none of these it must needs follow that we are through Baptisme yet in the true Church I hope our aduersaries will not say that wee be either of the first or last sort let them cleare vs of that and wee will well enough acquit our selues of the rest I. We are not though they so call vs commonly Heretikes If they please let the Catholike Moderator pleade for vs or let them beleeue their owne moderate Answerer to whom my L. of Couentry and Lichfield maketh reply who saith that he supposeth that no one particular learned Catholike in this Kingdome doth or will defend this opinion That Protestants are Heretikes and excommunicate If these on their side will not be sufficient to cleare vs let vs learne from them what an Heretike is and so cleare our selues thereby An Heretike saith the Romane Catechisme is he which neglecting the Churches authority doth maintaine impious opinions obstinately By this wee cannot be proued to bee Heretikes this cannot agree to vs. For first we may demand What impious opinions either affirmatiue or negatiue doe we hold which they can iustly task vs of Let them instance what pleaseth them and then prooue the same to be heresie first by plaine and pregnant places of holy Scripture which may conuince the conscience of indifferēt men Secondly by general Councels or by any one generall Councell within 600. yeres after Christ in which space were most famous renowned Councels that hath condemned any maine doctrine of our Faith for heresie Thirdly by the vnanimous consent and generall voyce of the Greeke and Latine Fathers for that space condemning the same for heresie and for an impious opinion Let them if they be able shew first in our faith that wee hold any thing against any Article of our Creed which is the summe of our beliefe Secondly in our prayers any thing against the patterne of all true prayers commonly called The Lords Prayer Thirdly in our deeds which we teach to be done or bid to be left vndone any thing against any of the Commandements in the Decalogue the rule of our obedience If they can thus fairely and euidently proceede they should doe well so to conuince vs. Secondly if any impious opinions could be found among vs it must be considered whether they be broched by priuate persons or tenents held of the Church in her publike Records If the former then are they not the Churches if the Church should hold any such how can they proue that she maintaineth them obstinately For obstinacy is not to be imputed vnto vs till all lawfull good and sufficient meanes haue been vsed to conuince our iudgement and the same also by such as haue lawfull and full authority to iudge and determine thereof But hitherto this hath not been done neither can it be but by a