such Miracles fol 251. 43 Our Aduersaries opposing Fathers against Fathers answeared fol. 255. 44 Our Aduersaries generall abiuring the fathers and condemning their Doctrine fol. 257. 45 The continuall Puritie of the Roman church acknowledged by our Aduersaries fol. 261. 46 The Catho of Rom. faith now taught is acknowledged by 47 Protestantes for sufficient vnto saluation 264. 48 A Testimonie from the enemye is of greatest accompt fol. 165. 49 Of the Puritie or rather arrogancie of the church of England fol. 266. 40 Of Heretickes impudencie fol. 268. 51 Heretiques Raylinges one against an other fol. 274. The Deathes of Luther Zuinglius and Caluin 181. To confirme these articles I will vse this triple probation Scripture the fathers or Doctors of the primitiue Church and Confession of the Aduersarie himself And to the end it may be the more euident that the Protestant religion is no other then a brainsicke inuention composed of old condemned heresies and also that you may see how repugnant your new reformers Luther and Caluin are in Doctrine to the primitiue church I haue vnder euery chiefe article adioyned their doctrine with the old condemned heresie from whence they deriue it Also for your better satisfaction I haue heere next following placed a true Catologue of the Pops of Rome and Doctours of the Catholicke church which may certifie you the age and tyme when thinges were done soe that to Say the Doctours of the church or church did erre is friuolous for choose your tyme wherin you would haue it to be most pure yea euen whilst the Apostles themselues liued you shall heere find it proued both by the Doctours and whole church of that age and likewyse by the confession of the chief and most learned ministers you haue had that the Romane faith now taught was the same with that then generally held in Gods church for the true Apostolike faith But that my oyle be not all in waste read with humility and prayer that God would assist you for S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 3.6 Iac. 1.6 Matt. 7.7 I planted Apollo vvatered but God gaue the increase And S. Iames saith God giueth aboundantly to all yea our Sauiour himself bideth you aske and if shal be giuen you wherfore there only resteth on your part that you aske with all sinceritie and puritie of hart not drawen away or led with any preiudicate opinion or Sinister respect This S Iames craueth of you where he bideth you aske in saith nothing doubting That is with a feruent desire and true zeal of the knowledge of God and his seruice ready to imbrace and preferre it before all the world A true catalogue of the Pops of Rome Matth. 16.18 c. And I say vnto thee because thou art Peter and vpon this roke will I buyld my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuail against her and I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and what soeuer thou shalt bind one earth shalhe bound in heauen and what soeuer thou shalt loose one earth shal be loosed in heauen order yeeres of Christ gouerned yeeres montes days 1 44 S. Peter Apostle and Martyr 24 5 2 2 57 S. Linus Martyr Peter yet liueing 11 2 12 3 68 S. Clement Mart. the first after the 9 3 26   Death of saint Peter  4  4 77 S. Cletus Martyr 6 5  5 84 S. Anacletus Martyr 12 2 17 6 97 S. Euaristus Martyr 13 3 7 106 S. Alexander Martyr 7 5 19 8 117 S. Sixtus Martyr 9 10 9 9 127 S. Telesphorus Martyr 11 8 8 10 139 S Higinius Martyr 4 11 143 S. Pius I. Martyr 11 5 15 12 154 S. Anicetus Martyr 8 8 14 13 161 S. Soter Martyr 7 11 18 14 173 S. Eleutherius Mart. England 2. conuerted 15 13 15 186. S. Victor I Martyr 12 1 28 16 198. S. Zepherinus Martyr 10 17 17 218. S. Calixtus I Martyr 6 1 13 18 224. S. Vrban Martyr 7 7 5 19 232. S. Pontianus Martyr 5 5 2 20 236. S. Antherus Martyr 1 14 21 2â—7 S. Fabian Martyr 14 4 22 251 S. Cornelius Martyr 2 5 29 23 253. S. Lucius Martyr 1 4 14 24 255. S Stephan I. Martyr 3 3 24 25 258. S. Sixtus II. Martyr 1 11 3 26 260. S Dionysius I. Martyr 9 4 5 27 270 S. Foelix Martyr 4 5 28 274 S. Eutichian Martyr 9 6 9 29 283. S. Caius Martyr 12 4 6 30 295 S. Marcellinus Martyr 7 11 19 31 304. S. Marcellus I. Martyr 4 6 21 32 308. S. Eusebius Martyr 2 7 27 33 310. S. Melchiades Martyr 3 2 34 314. S. Syluester I. 21 4 35 336. S. Marke 8 22 36 336. S. Iulius 14 -5 19 37 351. S Liberius 15 10 18 38 373. S. Damasus 16 2 10 39 38â— S. Siticius 15 1 10 40 398. S. Anastasius 4 1 13 41 402. S. Innocent 15 2 10 42 417. S. Zozumus 2 4 7 43 420. S. Boniface I. 3 9 28 44 423. S. Caelestinus I. 8 5 3 45 432. S. Sixtus 3. 7 11 46 440. S. Leo the Great 20 11 2 47 461 S. Hilarie 6 3 9 48 467. S. Simplicius 14 6 14 49 482 S. Faelix II. 11 11 18 50 494 S. Gelasius 2 8 26 51 496 S. Anastasius II. 1 11 12 52 498 S. Simmachus 15 7 16 53 514 S. Hormisda 9 11 54 523 S. Iohn I. 2 9 14 55 526 S. Faelix III. 4 2 18 56 530 Boniface II. 1 2 57 532 Iohn II. 2 4 6 58 534 S. Agapetus 1 1 59 535 S. Siluerius 1 5 12 60 537 Vigilius 17 16 26 61 555 S. Pelagius 9 10 28 62 566 S. Iohn III. 10 15 63 577 S. Benedict I. 3 2 15 64 580 S. Pelagius II. 9 2 20 65 590 S. Gregorie the Great 1 6 8 66 604 Sabinian 13 5 9 67 60â— S. Boniface III. 1 2 28 68 608 S. Boniface IV. 6 8 13 69 614 S. Deusdedit 3 23 70 6â—8 S. Bonifice V. 3 9 19 71 622 Honorius I. 1 3 17 72 635 Seuerinus 1 4 73 638 Iohn IV. 1 9 16 74 640 S. Theodorus 6 5 18 75 647 S. Martine I. Martyr 6 1 26 76 653 Eugenius 2 9 â—4 77 657 Vitilianus 14 5 18 78 672 Adeodatus 4 2 5 79 676 Domino I. 2 5 10 80 679 Agatho 3 9 4 81 682 S. Leo. II. 10 17 72 684 S. Benedict II. 10 17 83 685 Iohn V. 1 9 84 686 Cuno 11 3 85 607 Sergius I. 13 8 3 86 701 Iohn VI. 3 2 13 87 703 Iohn VII 2 3 17 88 703 Sisinnius 20 89 717 Constantine 7 1 21 90 735 Gregorie II. 15 10 21 91 741 Gregorie III. 10 8 10 92 751 Zacharie I. 10 3 9 93 752 Stephen II. 3 94 752 Stephen III. 5 29 95 767 Paul I. 10 1 96 778 Stephen IV. 3 5 27 97 76â— Adrian I. 13 10 17 98 716 Leo. III. 20 5 18 99 716 Stephen V. 6 24 100 817 Paschal 7 3 17 101 824 Eugenius II. 3 6 â—4 10â— 827
Hierusalem what then the word of God is cleare and playne eat yee and drinke yee this wee must heere this wee ought to preferre before all Iacobs and all words of the church no otherwyse then God is preferred before the church These he Brentius also a Chief protestant in Germanie most euidently affirmeth the same according to the sentence and decree of the whole church of wirtem saying Both S. Peter saith he prince of the Apostles and S. Barnabas after they had receaued the holy ghost did erre together with the whole church of Hierusalem Luther saith yf the Councell should in any case decree this the communion to be receaued vnder both kindes of bread and wine least of all then would wee vse both kinds yea rather in the despite of the Councell and that decree wee would vse either but one kind only or neither and in no case both in parua con â—essione Also he saith concerning the eleuation of the Sacrament I did know saith he the eleuation of the Sacrament to be Idolatricall as making for sacrifice yet neuerthelesse I did reteyne it in the church at wittemberg to the end I might despite that Diuell Carolostadius sc a chief protestant in Syllogâ—thes Theolog pag. 464. A saying and practise so grosse that Amandius Polanus professor at Basil specially mentioneth and reproueth the same saying further I will not recyte more of Luthers absurde sayinges which are many May this man then besaid to be holy S. Martin Luther as g in his consid of the Papistes supplic p. 70. M. Iewell Apolog part 4. ca. 4 5.2 and in defens 4.15.11 pag. 428. M Fox act mon. p. 400. and pag. 416. M. Powell termeth him And as M. Ievvell saith of him a man sent from God to lighten the whole world Also M. Fox saith it pleased the lord to reforme and reedify the desolate ruins of his religion by the industrie of this Martyr Luther sent and set vp by the mighty sperit of God and that he is the Helias conductor and chariote of Israell infinit might besaid of him in this kind but I spare my labor in so Idle a busines THE 35. ARTICLE Of Confession THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE Christ did so committ the keyes of the kingdome of heauen vnto his Church that whatsoeuer her ministers the priestes of the new testament doe binde or loose in earth is bound or loosed in heauen saying whose sins soeuer yee shall remitt they are remitted theÌ„ whosoeuer you shall reteyn they are reteyned therfore they haue power which they exercise in the place of Christ to absolue coÌ„trite sinners such as coÌ„fesse SCRIPTVRE a Matt. â— ANd they were Baptized by him in Iordane Confessing their sins S. Luke hath the same b Ioan. 20. v. 22.23 Receaue yee the holy ghost whose sins yee shall forgoue they are forgiuen and whose you shall reteyne they are reteyned c Act. 19.18 And many of them that belieued came confessing their sins and declaring their deeds d Iames 5.16 Confesse theirfore your sins on to and other FATHERS Serm. 5. de lapsis S. Cyprian anno 240. saith Finally how much more great is their faith and feare of God more commendable who although not giultie of any haynous crime or fact where of they need by Sacrifice to be purged yet because they haue thought of som such thing they confessed the same with great sorrow vnto the priestes of God and simply confessing do cleare their conscience by expressing the burden of their soule and seek for a wholesome medicine though their wounds be little and smale Et infra let euery one I pray you brethren confesse his sin whilst the sinner yet liueth whilst his confession may be admitted whilst the satisfaction and absolution giuen by the priest is acceptable to God Homil 17. in Lucam Origen anno 230. expounding the words That the cogitations of many harts may be reuealed saith Wher vpon wee also if wee haue sinned must say I haue made my sin knowne vnto thee and I haue not hidd myne iniquitie I haue said I will declare myne vnrighteousnes vnto our lord against my self For if wee shall do this and reueal our sins not only vnto God but to those also that can heal our wounds and sins our sins shal be blotted out by him that saith behold I driue away thyne iniquities as a cloud and thy sins as darknes lib. 4. ca 17. de diuinaâ—um instit Lactantius anno 320. shewing the reason why God commaunded circumcision in the old testament saith for this cause God commaunded that flesh to to be made naked that heerby he might admonish vs not to haue a secret hart that is not to keepe hidden any fowle sin within the priuitie of the conscience this is the Circumcision of the hart where of the Prophets spake which God hath translated from the mortall flesh to the soule which Circumcision only shall continue for he being desirous to prouide for our life and saluation according to his eternall loue towards vs hath in that Circumcision propounded or set before vs penaunce that if wee will make cleane our hart that is if wee will by confessing our sins so satisfie God wee may obteyne pardon which is denied to the stubborne and such as hide their sins for he beholdeth not the outward face as man doth but the inward secreats of the hart Againe lib. 4. cap. 30 contra Nouationos he opposeth confession vsed in the Catholicke Church against the Nouations as a true note or marke wherby to know the true Catholicke Church saying Because euery company of heretiques saith he think them selues the best Christian and their owne Church to be the Catholicke Church wee must know that to be the true Church wherim is confession and penaunce which with wholesome medicines cure those sins and wounds where vnto the weaknes of the flessh is subiect S. Athanasius anno 340. vpon those words In Sermone ad finem goe vnto the villadge ouer against you and you shall find a coult bound saith thus Let vs examine our selues whether our bonds be loosed that wee may profitt the more and if thy bonds be not yet loosed goe vnto the disciples of Iesus for they be at hand whoe by that authority which they haue receaued from our Sauiour can absolue thee for he saith what soeuer you shall bind on earth shal be bound also in heauen and whose sins you shall remitt they are remitted vnto them S. Hilarie anno 350. saith Can. 18. in Matth. But for the terrour of that greatest feare whereby all men for the present ought to be kept in awe he hath appoynted the vnmoueable iudgment of Apostolicall seuerity that whomesoeuer they shall bind vpon earth as is whosoeuer they shall leaue wrapped in the fetters of their sins and whomesoeuer they shall absolue that is receaue by confession into the blessed state of Pardon or vnto saluation these men
shall fall there it will a bide you haue serued the world hitherto in sin and heresie to leaue it novv is not so much to leaue it as to preuent it for shortlie it vvill leaue you for the vnexpected coming of death you vvant not of your neerest knired whose suddayne departure may be sufficient examples yea the only death of our father nosmale griefe to me may suffice vs in this To haue erred hitherto is humane to perseuere as I may tearme it is beastly you haue giuen your life past to heresie and her accomplices giue at least the remnant and surplus to God and his Church you haue giuen as one saith the maine croppe io the enimie of mankind the redeemer let at least glean the reproofe of your haruest and he will requite you as he promiseth a hundreth fold and with life euer lasting O Mother Pardon yet once more I earnestly beseech you my bouldnes and rough manner of writing 2. Cor. 116. I confesse with S. Paul I am rude in speach yet tolerable in opening to you the meane how to escape so great a daunger as the eternall perdition both of body and soule in which perill as I said you dayly sleepe in your tyme therefore is but short and you haue a great account to render your conscience vpon the vnderstanding of these cannot but vrge you your sinnes call vpon you the iudge expecteth you imbrace then the Roman Catholicke church for your mother and God will euer be your father accuse your self and God will excuse you be sorrie for your sinnes and they shall not be imputed vnto you permitt the priestes sentence to passe on you and Gods wrathfull sentence shall not touch you If you will mount the hills of Armenia enter the arke of Christes Church if you will ascend the higher heauen enter this lower yea this is the way and only meane To haue liued hitherto in sin and heresie is daunger to dye in this estate as our Sauiour and his Apostles witnes is certayne damnation But I haue beene to longe and therfor must rather abruptly conclude then any way finish this my present discourse wherfor as my last greeting and farewell I humbly beseech you for the tender good of your owne soule and so many which depend vpon you a great account to answere for to wouchsafe the reading or at least relating by some other these my paynes and trauells taken in your be halfe that so at length all poyntes and doubtes clearly proued you may with the people in Esdras say â— Esdras 4. â—2 truth is great and preuaileth and that I as S. Ambrose at the conuersion of S. Austine may sing Wee prayse thee God c you assuming the part of S. Austine with a cheerefull countenance and heauenly responsorie answere wee confesse thee our Lord c. and finally be incorporate a member of Christes mysticall body heere on earth his church in which an obedient child concluding your last daye as the soule of poore Lazarus was by his good Angel conueighed into Abrahams bosome so your guarden or good Angel with a triumphant victorie from that roaring Lyon enemye to man kind the Diuell may present your glorious soule a sweet smelling odor to our Lord Iesus Christ and there with the whole court of heauen his fellow Angels Luc. 15.7.10 as our Sauiour saith reioyce at so glorious a conquest which that it may sort according to my desire and that I may as Iob saith Iob 19.27 see you with these my eyes in that eternall glorie I most earnestly and humbly beseech our Sauiour who hath so long expected you to mercy that you may make your chiefe commoditie of this exhortation and some vse also of this my no lesse painfull then long admonition that in this life you may so purchase is grace as in the next eternall glorie Amen Your obedient sonne to the vtter most that he may I. P. AN INDEX Of the common places treated off 1 IMprimis the English were conuerted aboue a 1000. yeares since to the Catholicke faith fol 1. 2 The same faith was vniuersally professed for sundry ages before and was also agreable to that first faith where vnto the Brittans of wales were conuerted in the Apostles tymes fol 3. 3 Our aduersaries good opinion of the fathers fol. 6. 4 Our aduersaries appeale vnto the fathers fol. 8. 5 Scripture is not easie to vnderstand fol. 10. 6 Scripture is not for euery one to read and interpret fol. 16. 7 Scripture neuer doubted off amongst Catholickes fol. 21. 8 Scripture some tyme in Question fol Ibid. 9 Scripture neuer admitted by the Catholicke church fol. 22. 10 The Protestantes pretence of only scripture is friuolous and Idle fol. 10. 11 Protestantes disagreeing translations and Acknowledg c. fol. 27. 12 The church cannot nor ought not to haue erred fol. 31. 13 The church doth consist of good and bad fol. 33. 14 The church is ought to haue beene alwayes visible Ibid. 34. 15 Of this churches visible head c. fol. 46. 16 Of Free will fol 58. 17 Of the cooperation of Freewill with grace fol. 66. 18 Faith alone doth not iustifie fol 72. 19 Of good workes fol. 78. 20 Of Fastinges fol 87. 21 The lawes and precepts of Christ are not impossible 95. 22 To beseech the prayers of the righteous heere on earth is no derogation to our Sauiour fol 100. 67. 23 The Saintes and Angels in heauen know our doinges and wantes better then men fol. 101. 24 Of Saintes Reliques fol. 112. 25 Of the holy crosse and Images fol. 118. 26 Of Purgatorie and Lymbus Patrum fol. 125. 27 Prayer for the Dead fol. 131. 28 Of Ecclesiasticall tradition fol. 140. 29 Of the Seuen Sacraments fol. 149. 30 Of the efficacle of Sacraments fol. 16. 31 Of Baptisme and the necessitie thereof fol 166. 32 Of the venerable Sacra of the Eucharist as the form Consecration Real presence great care obserued had more thereof then of the water of Baptisme lest any part therof should fall to the ground mixture of water with wine in the Chalice and the receauing therof Fasting and Chast fol. 172. 33 Of the Sacrifice of the Masse fol. 102. 34 Of Communion vnder both kindes fol. 210. 35 Of Confession fol 215. 36 Of Satisfaction 225. 37 Of the single life of Priestes and Clergie men fol. 235. 38 Vowes of perpetuall chastitie were allowed by the Fathers affirming them to be obligatory fol. 245. 39 Of Antichrist and the Aulters and Sacrifice which he is fore told to take a way Daniel 12.11 fol. 247. 40 The Roman faith proued to be the true Catholicke faith by Dionysius Areopagita and Hermes most auncient and Apostolicke fol. 248. 41 To shew no beginning of a Doctrine is an infallible token that it is and proceedeth from the Apostles 249. 42 True Miracles make a stronge argument for the true faith and that the foresaid faith wherevnto the English were conuerted was confirmed by
Caluin and M. Whitaker say q Cal. inst pr. at Geneua 1450. c. 8. de fide f. 37 â—8 M â—â—hit de Eccl. coâ—â— Bellar p â—81 285 M â—uike agâ—â—nst Heâ—â— Sand c. p. 5 9 5 6 560. The Church can neuer want Pastours and Doctours And certainly there can be no Pastour with out some knowne flocke M Fuike saith That Christ will suffer no particuler Church to continue with out a seruant to ouer see it that Pastours and Doctors must be in the Church till the end of the world euen from Christes tyme to Luthers age M. Sparke saith r in his answere to M. Iohn Albines pag. 11. The Church of Christ hath alwayes had and shall haue to the end successiuely in all ages in one place or other such as haue shewed the truth fully vnto others and haue shined as lightes in their dayes set vpon a Candlesticke M Fuike saith againe Å¿ in his answer to a counterfait Catholike p. 100. truth cannot be continued in the world but by ministery Also in t pag. 845. Certayne propositions and principles disputed in the vniuersitie of Geneua it is concluded that the ministerie is an assentiall marke of the true Church M. Deering saith v vpon the epist to the Hebrewes ca. 3 lectur 15. and 16. Salvation springeth in preaching of the Ghospell and is shutt vp a gaine with ceassing of it And a little further he saith Take away preaching you take away faith for which he citeth many scriptures And M. Fulk saith yet x vbi supra pag 11 92 That these Church Pastours at least some of them shall alwayes resist all false opinions Euen with open reprehension Also M. Dâ—ering saith y vbi sâ—pra c. 2. v. 12. lect 10 3. lect 12. The Religion being of God no feare of man shall keepe them backe because as M. Deering saith that were to keepe the honour of God for Cornets and solitary places for as the Apostle prescribeth y Rom. 19.10 z with the hart aman belieueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth confesseth to saluation a See Beza in his sermons vpoÌ„ the Cantiâ—les Englished p. 79. 80. Our Puritan Aduersaries acknowledge and teach that there must be Pastours and Doctors to the end of the world for the administration of the word and Sacramentes b 1 Cor. 11.29 For wee are thereby to shew the Lordes death till hee come M. Whitaker saith speaking to this end of the administration of the word and Sacramentes c contra Dureum l. 3. pag. 249. and That being present they constitute a Church and being abseÌ„t do subuert it d 260. And that they are essentiall notes of the true Church e in his synopsis p. 75 69. whit gift in his defeÌ„ce c. p. 81. M. Couell in his exam c. p. 21. say ye same Hip. in Method Theolog. p. 548 557. Pol. in part Theolog p â—04 Keck insistem Theolog p 408. M. Willet saith likewise of them These markes a cannot be absent from the Church and it is no longer a true Church then it hath these markes for saith he the only absence of them doth make a nullity of the Church Hiperius and Amandus Polandus affirme that these notes are needfull to distinguish the true Church froÌ„ the false that meÌ„ carefull of their saluation may know where the true Church is and to which company chiefly they ought to adioyne themselues Bartholomaus Keckermannus saith the Church of the new testament ought alwayes to be sensible and manifest by notes and externall forme that the other Gentiles which are yet without the Church may know vnto what Church to adioyne themselues which Esâ—y foretold of the Church of the new testament in most excellent wordes saying f Esay c. 61. v. 9. They shall know their seed in the Gentiles and their budd in the middes of peoples all that shall see them shall know them that these are the seed which the Lord hath blessed M. Henoth Clapham after many proofes alledged by himself from the scriptures and otherwise concludeth saying g in his soueraigne remedy against schisme pag 18. and 17. Not only all auncients euer held the Churches euer visibility but also all learned men of our age And againe Contrary to all scriptures they affirme that there hath bene no vibisility of the Church for former hundreth yeares which position is against psalm 72.3.17 and Esay 59.21 And againe h Matth. c. 24. v. 23.24.26 Our Sauiour for bides saith he all going out vnto such desert and Corner Ghospellers Caluin sayth i Instit l. 4 c. 2. sect That saluation or entrie into life is in or by this visible church And againe k q. 22. This benefit so wit of remission of sinnes is so proper vnto the church that wee cannot other wise enioy it but by remaining in the communion of it therfore let euery of vs thinke this to be his dutie not to seeke for remissioÌ„ of his sins elswhere but where the Lord hath appointed it to wit in the visible church These Caluin yet further he saith l â— 10. So great accompt doth the Lord make of the communion of his church that he shall be held a traiterous turne coate and forsaker of religion whosoeuer disobediently alienates himself from the Christian society whence it followeth that the departing from the church is the denying of God and Christ and therefore so much the more must wee be ware of such kind of disagreement or breach of faith neither can there be a more heinous crime imagined then which sacrilegiously to violate that wedlocke which the only be gotten sonne of God vouchsafed to contract with vs. These hee Melanchthon saith m in Concil Theolog Part. 2. pag. 293. and 344. It must needes be that wee confesse a visible church And againe what meaneth this monstrous assertion which denieth there is any visible church M D. Hamfrey saith n in Iesuitismi part â— rat 3. pag 140 It is made manifest wee doe not place the church in the aire but one the earth that wee coÌ„fesse the church to be a towne seated vp a o Matt. 5. hill which cannot be hidd p Esay 2. The high mountayne of the howse of God higher then all hils vnto which all nations shall fly c. therfore why doe they so earnestly labour to proue what was neuer denied by vs c. And againe q pag. 141. The church is visible by the exercises of pietie which are seene of all in the church for whilst the ministers teach others do learne they administer the Sacramentes these laity communicate c he which seeth not this is more blind then a mole she is visible because her signes are excellent and manifest c r pag. 242. secret a boades are not the Christian conuocation c because this communion of Saintes is an open testification of Christianitie M.
his reply pag. 110. 106. Melanchthon and M. Iuell The Second that all ciuil dominioÌ„ was forbidden to the clergie The third that the preaching of the worde is free for all meÌ„ in all places The fourth that open crimes are in no wyse to be suffered for auoiding of greater euill So evidently also did the Bohemians in all other poyntes of saith imbrace the Catholicke Doctrine Heere it is manifest that these were first no Protestantes wherin our Aduersaire could place his euer visible church besides being thus as they afferme called to the preaching of the worde extraordinarily they were as learned Protestantes write to confirme their new doctrine by signes and Miracles And for this cause M. Henoch r Soueraigne remedye gainst Scisme pa. 25. Clanpham reprehended Broune in that he took vpon him an extraordinary calling and wanted miracles Luther did Admonish to this end sayng Å¿ in loc coÌ„ class 4. c. 20. Pag. â—8 search whither they can proue their vocation for God hath not any tyme sent any man vnlesse called by man or declared by signes no not his only sonne And againe he saith t tom 5. Ion. Germ. fol. 498. from whence comest thou who sent thee c where are the signes that thou arâ— sent by men where are the miracles that should testifie that thou art sent from God v Adu Anabpt l. 3. c. 7. Bullinger saith to the Anabaptistes yf you say you haue like the Apostles a peculiare vocation proue it by signes and miracles as they did c. but this you will neuer do therfore your vocation is of no whorth yea it is pernicious to the church of Christ See also this saying alleadged to this end by M. Tho Bell in his x Regiment of the church z pag. 137. Neither can Luther or any of our aduersaries proue their owne vocation by this lawfull and absolute testimonie of signes and miracles wherfore this so confessed probation may fitly serue a gainst themselues as for any ordinary mission certenly they can shew none at least to preach false Doctrine or contrary to that which gaue them authoritie But perceauing their weake groundes for their visible church they fly with tooth and nayle to an inuisible church though quite contrary to all scripture and what they hadd formerly taught The Protestantes inuisible Church M. Parkins saith a vpon the crede pag. 400. in his reformed Caholick pa. 1229 and pag â—07 wee say that before the dayes of Luther for many hundreth yeares an vniuersall Apostasie ouer spread the whole face of the earth and that our church was not then visible to the world And he giueth the reason saying During the space of Nine hundreth yeares the Papish heresie spread it selfe ouer the whole earth M. Fulke saith b In his answere to a counterfaite Cath. pag. 16. M. Nappe vpon the Reuelations pag. 145. col 5. pag 191. 161 col â— pag. 106 2 7 2 â—ebast in epist de abrogaÌ„dis in vniuersum omnibus statutis Ecclesiasticis The church remained inuisible a longe season after Anno Domini 607. M. Iohn Napper saith That the Pope and his clergie hath possessed the outward visible Church of Christians 1260. yeares Gods true Church most certainly abiding so long tyme latent and inuisible Sebastianus FraÌ„cus affirmeth that for certen through the worke of Antichrist the externall church together with the faith and Sacramentes vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and that for these thousand fower hundreth yeeres the church hath bene no where externall and visible M. Bround saith c Vpon ye Reue. fol. 110. That the church was trodden downe and oppressed by the Papacy euen from Siluesters tyme vnto these tymes which he collecteth to be 1260. yeares M Iewell saith The truth was vnknowne at that tyme and vnheard of when Martyn Luther and Zuinglius first came vnto the knowledge and preaching of the Ghospell Bucer saith c Vpon ye Reue. fol. 110. c Luther is the first Apostle to vs of the reformed Doctrine Conradus Schlusselburge saith d fol. 12â— M. Iewell Apol. part 4. c. 4. diuis 2 and in his defence An. 1572 pag. 426. Bucer in ep An. â—6 ad Episcopum Iter. Ferd. Schluss in Theolog. Cal. l 2. fol. 1 0. Mil. in Aug confess explicat art 7. de Eccl. pag. 1. 7. 138. It is impudencie to say that many learned men in Germanie before Luther did hold the Doctrine of the Ghospell Georgius Milius saith if there had bene right belieuers that went before Luther in his office c there had bene no neede of a Lutheran reformation therfore saith he wee say that Luther was tayled vp by Gods speciall appointment and extraordinarily Benedict Margonstern saith f tract de Ecclesia pag 145 Luther in Epist ad Argentinenses An. 1525 It is ridiculous to thinke that in the tyme before Luther any man had the purity of Doctrine that Luther should receaue it from theÌ„ and not they from Luther Considering saith he it is manifest to the whole Christian world that before Luthers tyme all churches were ouerwhelmed with more then Chymerian darknes and that Luther was diuinely raysed vp to discouer the same and to restore the light of true doctrine in so much that Luther saith wee dare boast that Christ was first published by vs. The examples of Elias maketh wholy for vs and against our Aduersaries and is therfore by them either ignorantly mistaken g 3. Kinges c. 19. or wilfully misapplyed for it is euident that feering the face h v. 2.3 of Iezabell wife to A-Aâ—â—ab who sought his Life he lay there vpoÌ„ secret in a caue vpon mount i Horeb in the wildernes at the tyme of his forsaid complayning that he was lest a lone the which he then vttered not generally but in regard only of that countrey of Israel which was the kingdome of Achab wherin he then astraunger lay secret as appeareth most plainly in that God himself accordingly answeared his complaint with like respect to that only countrey saying as is obiected I haue left to me in Israel seuen thousand c. k 3. Kinges 18.13 one hundreth whereof Elias himself had then before speciall notice giuen as also that in those verie tymes the church did greatly florish in the other next adioyning Kingdome of Iuda and was as then to him there both knowne and visible vnder twoe good kinges l 3. Reg. 22.41.44 Asa and Iosaphat whoe raigned euen in the tyme of Achab. At which tyme the number of the faithfull was there so exceeding great that the m 2. ChroÌ„ 14 8.9 17.14 c. souldiours only were numbred to many hundreth thousandes examine this well and I doubt not but the obiection is solued Vpon due consideration of the foresaid premisses how iustly may wee thence take occasion to forewarne seuen in the very wordes of that auncient and holy father Vincentius Lyrinensis whoe liued in