the heresie of the Eunomians Aug. ad quod wlt Deum heres 54. that by faith only man may obtaine life euerlasting 54. Of the Pelagians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Pelagians Aug. ad quod vult heres 11. teaching that infaÌ„ts may be saued without Baptisme 55. Of the Iouinians Why haue yee renewed the heresies of Iouinianus Aug. ad quod vult haer 81. teaching mariage to be as acceptable to God as virginitie that it is lawfull for Monkes Nunnes to marrie 56. Of the Vigilantians Why haue yee renewed the heresies of Vigilantius denying the inuocatioÌ„ of Saints the honoring of the relicks of the Martyrs Hier. con Vigil 57. Of the Eustichians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Eustachians affirming that it is not lawful to go in Pilgrimage vnto holy places 58. Of the Iconomachians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Iconomachians Concil Gang. breaking downe the Images of our Lord Iesus Christ of his Saints 59. Of the Beringarians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of Beringarius denying the body and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ to be reallie present in the Sacrament of the Altar 60. Of many other heresies Why haue yee reneued maÌ„y other heresies of the Albigenses Waldenses Wickliffits Hussits of Abailhardus of Almaricus of other more detestable heretiques condemned many years since by the church of God 61. Following heretiques only in some pointes Why haue yee followed the aforsaid heretiks in these pointsoÌ„ly in which they haue dissented froÌ„ the whole church of God and reiected the rest of their doctrine 62. Scottish Reformation Whether your Reformation which yee haue made in the realme of Scatland in pulling downe of the Churches be not rather like to the Reformatign of Turkes and Pagans then to a Reformation made by Christians 63. Churches made Stables Whither in making Stables of the Churches in Scotland so that horses were stabled on your Kinges graues and in diging vp the bones of Christian men resemble yee rather to be Christians or Infidels and Pagans 64. Burning Reliques What moued you to burne the holy Reliques of Saints who were Temples and Tabernacles of the holy Ghost when they liued which among all ChristiaÌ„s since the Apostles dayes vnto this present haue bene holden in honor and veneration 65. Burning the Doct. writinges Why burnt yee the writinges of the Doctors holy fathers as of S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Hierome and others and yet shame not to say that yee professe one faith with them 66. Depossing magistrates Where is the veritie and effect of your solemne protestations promising that your ReformatioÌ„ was not to disposses any magistrat when yee haue not only raised vproares in the contrie and expelled thence the chiefe magistrates but in your preachinges would plainly thrall all kinges and kingdomes and haue them subiect to the election and punishmeÌ„t of the people setting forth your sundry bookes therupon 67. Libertie of Conscience Why in the begining of your new gospell preached yee liberty of conscience now constraine all men to subscribe to your new doctrine yee them whome yee know to beleeue the contrarie 68. Profession of pouertie Why preached yee when yee first vsurped authoritie to preache that the Ministers of the word ought to profes and obserue pouertie as the Apostles did and presently none in the whole realme are so couetous as yee are not only to giue mony vpoÌ„ land but also vpon planie vsurie 69. Churches patrimonie Why pretend yee to haue the benefices and patrimonie of the Church seeing yee cannot shew your selues to be lawfull heires and successours to them who were the true and right posessors therof before you And why haue yee reiected as Idolatrie all that which appertayneth to them whom yee cal papistes excepting only the patrimonie liuing of the Church Or if there were no Churchin the contry before your coming why pretend yee as patrimony any other thing theÌ„ hath already bene giuen to your congregation by those of your owne coate 70. Building Churches Seeing one spirit could not moue so many of our Kinges to build so many Churches Colledges Abbies and you to destroy the same which of you two may be iustly esteemed to be moued by the good spirit and which by the euil 71. Finally whether these your doinges tend not to the abolition of all memorie of our Lord Iesus Christ yea or no Seing already some of you doe dout in what time of the yeare he was borne as whether in winter or in summer so that apparently your next dout will be whether he was borne or not which appeares to be the end and conclusion of your new gospell THE TITLES OF THE DEMANDES Contayned in this booke of D. BRISTOVV 1 COLLATIO CarthagineÌ„sis pag. 6 2 Building of the Church 11 3 Going out 16 4 After-rising 18 5 VVondred at 20 6 Name of Catholikes 22 7 Name of Heretikes 26 8 Name of Protestants 27 9 Conuersion of Heathen Nationss 31 10 Miracles 34 11 England 38 12 Visions 41 13 Hoâ—or of Crosses 42 14 Vertue of Crosse 45 15 Honor of Saintes 46 16 Vertue of Saints 47 17 Casting out of Diuells 48 18 Destroying of Idolatry 52 19 Kinges 54 20 In all persecutions 57 21 Churches 60 22 Seruice 63 23 Apish imitation 66 24 Priesthood 67 25 Monkes 72 26 Fathers 73 27 Councells 75 28 Sea Apostolicke 77 29 Traditions Apostolike 78 30 Their owne Doctors 79 31 Vniuersality 80 32 Antiquity 82 33 Consent 83 34 Authority 84 35 Vnity 89 36 Keepers of the Scriptures 91 37 Store-house of all Truth 92 38 Old Heresyes 95 39 Where grew their dostrine 96 40 They neuer afore now 98 41 Studying of all Truth 99 42 Vnsent 101 43 Succession 102 44 Apostolike Church 103 45 Changing 105 46 Our Auncestors saued 108 47 Communion of Saints 109 48 VVhere Christ worketh 112 49 All enemyes 118 50 Sure to continue 119 51 Apostacy 119 THE TITLES OF THE DEMANDES Contayned in this other booke 1 PReachers 131 2 VVhence their doctrin 131 3 VVhence their vocation 132 4 If conforme to predecessors 132 5 VVho their Doctours 133 6 Their admission of Tinkers 134 7 If the oÌ„ly writteÌ„ word be Iudg 135 8. S. Thomas Ghospell 136 9. VVhy Iewes credited 137 10. Churches authoritie 137 11. Citing only the writteÌ„ word 138 12. If Scripture be easy 139 13. Conference of places 139 14. No meanes to be resolued 140 15. Traditions 141 16. Thinges vnwritten ordered 142 16. Church not inuisible 142 17. Their Church how long 143 18. The Sinagogue visible 144 19. Time of decaying 145 20. Sucession of theirs 145 21. Condemning heresies 146 22. Imitation of heretiques 146 23. Sacraments seales 147 24. Faith assures not grace 147 25. Value of Sacraments 148 26. Necessitie of Baptisme 148 27. Preachetiue Baptisme 148 28. Baptisme of Infidels infants 149 29. Ceremonies of Baptisme 150 30. Confirmation 150 31. Reall presence 151 32.
of themselues of their folowers The 51. Demaund Apostasie LAST of all to be short to cut off many other questions of like weight that I could demaund whether as in euery one of these Demaundes it is euident that they be Heretickes and Seducers so in many of them and much more in all of them it bee not likewise euidēt that they be litle better thē plaine Apostataes as First in changing the Priesthoode Heb. 7. c. 12. wherupon the change of al the Lawe ensueth as we see they also thereupon haue chānged wel neare all which no olde Heretikes euer durst to do except it were the Manichees Orat. de 5. Haer. c. 7.10.6 whom S. Augustine for that cause did note to be somthing els then Heretiks in saying that there were fiue sorts of people in the world Iewes Paganes Manichees Heretikes and Catholickes Secondly in reuiuing not one or two but so many olde Heresies besides as I am bould to say at leaste a thousand more of their owne inuention Thirdly for taking from Christian men so many arguments of Christs God head and Diuinitie as the inuisible Continuance and Authoritie of his Church the Honour of Crosses the vertue of Crosses the Honor of Relikes the vertue of Relikes Miracles Exorcismes Vnitie Sacrifice c. Fourthly for leauing nothing vndenied not Fathers not Councels not Traditions not Scriptures nor the only witnesse of all Canonical Scripture the Churches authoritie departing from the Faith of al ages since Christs time agreeing with no Christian time nor none with them Fifthly in place of al Religion and goodnes which they haue remoued deuising a new gospel of their foresaid onely vaine Faith which teacheth all Sinnes and all Heresyes to presume of saluation Besides much more that I need not to repeate And whether therefore people now a daies be not to to carelesse and negligēt of their soules that whereas they shoulde not vnder paine of euerlasting damnation yeald to any one Heresie haue so fowly yelded to so fowle Apostasie How beit as S. Peter saide to the Iewes Act. 3. Et nunc fratres scio quia per ignorantiam fecistis sicut principes vestri so I doubte not but that in our Countrey likewise many of all sortes may be somewhat excused by ignorance and therefore the more hope there is for such as wil repent But otherwise if any for all this list wilfully to folow on most fowly and most miserably deceauing them selues by cause afore God they can not possibly haue any excuse of their so doing no more then if they should consent to folow the proceedinges or to frequent the churches of the Arrians or of any other olde Heretikes yea or of the Turkes them selues if perhappes they liued vnder the raigne of such And therefore I say if any liste to contemne stil all holsome counsell and desperatelye to followe on not to returne to the Truth so manifoldly and so plainely opened some also to perfecute it moste malicioussy their blood at leaste wise Ezecb. 3 shal not bee required at our handes hereafter when they shall repente to late CERTAINE OTHER DEMANDS ANNEXED TO THE FORMER VERY FIT Also to be proposed to our En-English Protestants but principally vnto our Puritans EXTRACTED Out of a learned booke made by the Reu. Fa. Iohn Hay Priest of the Society of Iesus proposed vnto the Ministers of Scotland With licence Anno 1623. Stand yee vpon the wayes and see and aske of the old pathes which is the good way and walke yee in it and you shall find refreshing for your soules Ieremy 6.16 There must be heresyes that they who are approued may be knowne among you Cor. And I desire you brethrē to mark them that make dissentions and scandals contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoyd them for such do not serue Christ our Lord but their owne belly and by sweet speaches and benedictions seduce the harts of innocents Rom. 16.17 I know that after my departure there will rauening wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke and out of your owne selues shall arise men speaking peruerse thinges to draw away disciples after themselues Acts 20.29 THE PREFACE GENTLE Reader by the little experience that I haue in matter of disputation against Protestants I find the Prouerb to be verifyed which sayth That Aristotles Asse is able to deny more then Aristotle himself is able to proue For the most ignorant companion that euer handled a cudgell in schoole makes a shew to be some tale and iollie fellow all the while the skilfull Fencer suffers and wills his young schollar to lay at his Master he in the meane tyme lying only at his locke and defending himselfe and not offending his vnskillfull schollar But when this Maister begins to let flye at this ignorant fellow and to teach him the Art as well to defend himselfe as to offend others alas how doe the standers by laugh at this poore apprentice To see him who seemed some-body a little before to be now no-body and to be knockt and rapt how and where his Master listes The very like is to be sayd of the combate or Controuersy in Religion where let Protestantes alone still to stricke obiect and lay loade at Catholikes one would thinke I wosse that there were some matter in them For in opposing the Reall presence Purgatory Images Prayers to Saints Rayling at the Pope and the like you would thinke them to be some iollie fellowes but alas turne the offenciue weapon towardes him lay at him a little and do but teach this bould offender of others to defend himself all the beholders burst out in laughter and the poore schollar proues so vnskillfull that the blowes he should receaue vpon his buckler he beareth them off with his head and shoulders and is knockt and rapt euery where where the Fencer listes For euen so Protestantes seeme to shew some small skill in offending vs and our Religion but being put to defend their owne alas what poore Fencers doe they proue Let the Reader be but an indifferent behoulder of this ensuing combate and I assure him he cannot looke on but he shall laugh for his labour The 1. Demaund Their first Preachers VVHETHER the gospel of Christ was at any time preached in Scotland before Paul Methuen sir Iohn Knox yea or no 2. VVhence their Doctrine Seing no man ought to preach any doctrine but that which he hath learned in the Church of God because as witneseth S. Paul saith cometh by hearing Rom. 10 I demand from what Doctors or Pastors Iohn Caluin sir Iohn Knox and their like first learned their new doctrine now preached in the realme of Scotland 3. VVhence their vocation And sith it is written that no man may preach vnles he be sent Rom. 10 I demād by what power Syr Iohn Knox with other Apostataes Priests Monkes and Friars tooke vpon them this vocation 4. If Conforme to predecessors
Seeing you acknowledge in your Confession of faith that the Sacraments ought only to be ministred by such as are called therunto by ordinary vocation I demand if your vocation vnto the ministrie be like vnto the calling of all others who haue gone before you in the Church of Christ since the time of the Apostles whom both yee and wee repute and hould to haue been Iawfull pastors and teachers of his flock as S. Cyprian S. Augustin S. Ambrose and diuers others wishing you to shewin al points the conformitie of your vocation with that of theirs 5. who their Doctors Seing after the discours of the election of your Ministers Elders and Deacons yee acknowledge that the Scriptures make mention of a fourth kind of Ministers lest vnto the Church of Christ which also are very necessarie profitable Ephes 4. 1. Cor. 12. and are called by the name of teachers and doctors whose office it is to teach and instruct the faithfull in sound doctrine prouiding with all diligence that the puritie of the gospel be not corrupted ether throgh ignorance or false opinion I pray you to shew at what time any Doctors of such calling haue bene in your Church before Iohn Caluin because the places of Scripture noted by you teach and declare that God hath appointed such meanes in his church that it should neuer be left desolate nor yet his Doctrine to decay for wāt of Doctors other teachers 6. Their admission of Tinkers c. And seeing yee confes in the same place that men cannot profit so well in the knowledge aforesayd vnles they be first instructed in the learned tongues humane sciences for now God doth not commonly worke by miracles and that therefore it is necessary that seed be sowen for the tyme to come to the end that the Church be not left barren wast vnto posterity and also that for this effect schooles be erected wherin youth may be trayned vp in the knowledge and feare of God I demand why yee admitted at the first entry of your doctrine into Scotland and yet doe Taylors Skinars and other Artificers who were neuer instructed but in their owne craft and occupation which they left and abiured and out of their owne heades without any further calling vnto the ministery began to teach the people hauing for all their learning and forme of preaching some English books only which yet themselues very hardly vnderstood 7. If the only written word be Iudge Seeing that among other heads of your alleadged fayth this is one principall that nothing is to be beleeued Cal. l. 4. Inst c. 8. sect 8. but what is found in the written word I demaund what testimony yee haue in the same for assurance of your faith in this point And whether the fayth of the Apostles was groūded on the written word or not 8. S. Thomas Ghospell Where is it written that there is only foure Ghospels and that the Ghospell of S. Matthew with the other three ought to be recea ued and not the Ghospell of S. Thomas Or what authority hath moued you to receaue som books or chapters for canonical scriptur and to refuse or reiect others Or if any man deny any booke of the new Testament as Martin Luther doth the epistle of S. Iames what argumentes haue yee from the Scripture to condemne him Praef. in nou Test 9. VVhy Iewes credited Seeing yee giue so great authority to the Synagogue of the Iewes that according to their canon yee admit reiect sundry bookes of holy Scripture why giue yee not the like authority to the Christian church which hath gone before you in receauing such bookes as are approued by her for canonicall Scripture And if the only cause which moues you to reiect such bookes be because they were not approued by the Synagogue of the Iewes why by the same reason reiect yee not Christ himselfe seeing that Synagogue would not admit him for their Messias 10. Churches authoritie If it be the office of the church to discerne betwixt canonicall Scripture and not canoniall as a De capt Bab Luther b In prologo cont Pet. à Soto Brentius and other of your owne masters doe confes why should not the same church be heard of you in giuing her interpretation vpon any doubtfull place therof called in question Or why call yee more in dout the interpretation of the Scripture giuen by the Church then the very bookes themselues Or why prefer yee the priuat opiniō of Iohn Caluin and your selues before the vniuersall and vniforme consent of all Christian people before you 11. Citing only the written word Why esteeme yee Calu. l. 4 Inst c. 8. num 13. that yee haue an infallible marke of the true religion because yee cite only the written word seeing this hath beene common to all heretiques from the beginning Or what haue you more to say for your felues then they had for themselues in this point 12. If Scripture be easy If the Scripture be so easy as yee teach it to be c Luth de ser arbit what hath moued your owne writers to make so many cōmentaryes therupon Or what is the cause that ther is so great controuersy in religiō as we see at this day Yea euē vpon the expresse wordes of the last Testament of our Lord which according to the nature of a Testament should be most cleere 13. Conference of places If the priuate iudgment of euery one conferring Scripture with Scripture be a certaine and infallible rule of right interpretatiō as yee say how is it that so many grosse contradictions are foūd in your writinges gayn-saying not only one another but your selues also as is euident in your owne bookes 14. No meanes to be resolued Seeing that the Lutherans the Zuinglians and the Caluinists besides an infinite number of other sectes doe euery one alleage the written word for cōfirmation of their contrarie opinions how shall it be knowen to any man that would resolue himselfe in matters of religion which of them haue the true word sith it is the true vnderstanding that maketh the word and not the outward sounding of the voice as Christ himselfe saith who obiected to the Saduces Mat. 12. that they mistooke the Scriptures because they vnderstood not the meaning of them 15. Traditions Why deny yee any credit to be giuen to Traditions contrary to a Cal. l. 4. iust c. 10. the expres commandment of the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians in this maner b 2. Thes 2. Stand and keepe the Traditions which yee haue receiued whither by word or by our epistle And also contrary to the doctrne of all the auncient doctors of the church Or how haue yee the Scripture it selfe but by Tradition And seeing yee will giue no place vnto Traditions what assurance haue yee that since the Natiuitie of Christ there is only 1623. yeares Or whither it be lawfull for Christian men to call this point in
DEMANDS TO BE PROPOVNDED OF CATHOLICKES TO THE HERETIKES By Richard Bristow Priest and Doctour of Diuinity Taken partly out of his late English booke of Motiues to the Catholicke faith partely out of his printed Latin booke of the same matter For Iohn Heigham With permission Anno 1623. Mat. 16. Aedificabo Ecclesiam meam portae inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam I will build vp my Church and hell gates shall not preuaile against it Marc. 1.3 Caelum terra transibunt verba autem mea non transibunt Heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shall not passe Hic libellus est Catholicus elegans apprimè vtilis praelo dignus Ita testor Gulielmus Alanus S. Theol. Duaci Professor Regius DEMANDES TO BE Propounded vnto all Heretikes VNDERSTANDING gentle Reader that many are desirous of my late booke of Motiues to the Catholike faith who notwithstandinge cannot come therby partly because there were but few printed partely because a great parte of those few fell into the Heretickes handes God so ordaining it in testimonium ills for a witnesse vnto them and not minded to repaire the Printe although of som desired I thought good for some satisfaction of the saide and for further propagatiō of the truth to the saluation of my deare deceaued countrimen to set out this litle Pāflet which albeit to some may for the quantity seme but a trifle yet whosoeuer will voutsafe to peruse it shal finde it I trust full of most iust weightie considerations to beleeue the Catholikes of this time also and not the Heretikes The maner of it I haue conceaued by way of Demaundes to be made by Catholickes vnto Heretickes to confound therwith the obstinate and to conuert thē that be more tractable And although in these Demandes I wil be very briefe as only to put the learned in minde of that they haue read or may read and to shew them how to vse it to profite both thē selues others yet shall I touch the matter in euery one of them by the grace of God sufficiently for all sortes But if any man desire a larger declaration of them he shall in my late booke of Motiues for most of thē find enough and for all of them much more in my latine book which work thē only promised he hath since most learnedly performed of the same mater and that somewhat of an other sort in another order thē I did before in English which by these Demaundes may partly be coniectured Beseeching moste hūbly the deceuers if they shall clearely see in their consciences that they can not replie to these Demaundes that then they will for Christes sake vouchsafe to be good to their owne soules and to spare the seely people The 1. Demaund Touching the disputation made at Carthage FIRST then in the name of God let it be demanded of the sayd deceauers or of any other Heretike and especially of them that will seeme to be learned whether they haue not read or heard of Collatio Carthaginensis The conference or disputation made a Carthage in Africke almost twelue hundred years ago betweene Saint Augustine on the one side and his fellowes the other Catholike Bishopes of that Countrey and on the other side the Bishoppes of the Donatistes who were Heretiks likewise of that Countrey Which disputation being then presently taken word for word of diuers swift Notaries was afterwarde more breifly written by S. Augustine himselfe and is at this day to be seene in the seuenth Tome of his workes in his booke called Breuiculus Callationis An abridgment of the Conference If they knowe of the said conference let them then be asked whether the Question there betweene the Catholickes and the Donatists were not the same that is now betweene the Catholicks and the Protestants with al other Heretickes of this time to wit VVhich of vs haue the Church of Christ wherher we or they And because these Hereticks call earnestly for plaine Scripture and make as though they would yeeld most gladly therunto Let them say whether those Catholickes did not bring for their church very many most plaine testimonies of holy Scripture as is more orderly to be seene there in another booke of S. Augustins named De vnitate Ecclesiae Of the Churches vnitie Whether S. Augustine I say and those other Catholickes did not there most manifestly and most mightily out of the Scriptures proue a visible Church begining visibly at Hierusalem lasting visibly not only vnto their time but also vnto our time and euen so continually to the worlds end And whether such a Church make not as much against the Protestantes and all other Heretickes as against the Donatistes and as much for vs that be Catholickes now and for such as shall be Catholickes at any time to the worldes end as for S. Augustine and the other Catholikes of that time because neither the Protestantes nor no other Heretickes no more thā the Donatists haue so lasted or euer shal so laste cōtinually nor no other company of Christians but onely ours Finally if they will say that S. Augustine and his felowes there did not nor coulde not out of the Scripture proue sufficiently such a Church let them be demaunded whether they dare take parte with the Donatistes against those Catholickes and whether they will or be able to answere their Scriptures for and in behalfe of those Heretiks At leastwise because they talke so much of scripture and of onely Scripture whether they be able all the packe of thē as S. Augustine also there requireth of the Donatistes to alleage for their owne Church or Churches so much as one plaine text of Scripture as he there alleageth for our church in maner aforesaide very many and very plaine shewing also there that it cannot erre whether they can bring vs I say in so weightie a matter as wherupon dependeth al our cōtrouersie any one plaine saying of holy Scripture to proue that Christes Church beginning visibly at Hierusalem shoulde so continue but a time and then afterward should vtterly either perish or vanish away that many hundred yeeres after one Luther in Saxonie or one Caluine at Geneua or any other in any other countrey should bring it to life or to light againe The 2. Demaund Building of the Church VVHEREAS Christ his Christians haue besides Schismatikes and Heretikes two other kindes of enemies to wit Panimes Iewes wheras the aunciēt writers haue made many goodly books against those enemies either to confound them or to perswade them that Christ is God as it was then in the first beginning of Christians very necessary for them so to doe Let the learned Protestantes be likewise demaunded whether those christian writers in those books haue not made amongst others this argument to proue that christ is God namely Saint Chrysostome both against the Panimes in his booke named Contra Gentiles demonstratio quod Christus sit Deus A plaine demonstracion against the Gentiles
tha Christ is God and also against the Iewes in the second of his fiue Orations that he made against them That Christ I say is God because his church although it had but a small poore beinning euē then very many very mightie and very fierce enimies yet could not nor cannot euer possibly be suppressed but contrariwise being in the beginning as it were but one litle sparkle of fire whole floudes yea seas of persecutions being poured out vpon it yet could it not be extinguished but contrariwise I say partely hath and partly shall set all the world on fire first or last bringing all to christ according to christs owne prediction which he also doth there alleage Aedifieabe Ecclesiam meam Mat. 16. Portae inferi non praeualebūt aduersus eam I will builde vp my church and Hel-gates shal not preuaile against it Now let it be considered whether this argumente doe holde if it be true which they say to wit that the church of Christ was not inuincible but that it hathe bene these many hundred yeares quite suppressed yea in Chrysostomes own time no church of Christ at all For they knowe if they graunt that thē to haue bene the true church that they must grāt also ours now to be the true church as being all one with that If then they will say that this is not a good argument lett thē be further demaunded whether they dare take parte also with the very Iewes Paynims againste the Christians yea and against the Godhead of CHRIST himselfe and whether they will go about or whether they be able which the Iewes and Paynimes were neuer able nor neuer shal be able to answere this argument And thē againe How they can for shame say theirs to be the Church of Christ not rather a plaine Apostasie from Christ that must needes labour to answer the arguments of CHRISTIAN men which they haue made against such infidels to proue that Christ is God And therfore againe whether it be not a sufficient Motiue for any Christiā man to be of our Church which he so plainely seeth anon more plainly shall see to stand vpon the very same argumentes against these Heretickes whereupon the Diuinitie of Christ himselfe doth stande against the Iewes and Painymes Finally let thē consider whether it be not euidēt by this that when they talke so much of Persecution to bring vs thereby into enuie and thēselues into fauour they do not geue wise mē occasion to marke that they cannot be the Church of Christ For Persecution is not a Motiue of it selfe alone to beleeue any Otherwise not onely one sorte but all sortes should be beleeued because all are persecuted Iulij 22. Stow. as themselues of late did burne certaine in Smithfielde But persecution is a Motiue after this sorte as S. Chrysostome here doth handle it to wit that Christ must be beleued to be God because according to his owne saying no persecution coulde or can ouerthrow his Church which being once granted that the Church of Christ I say alwaies standeth contineweth let the Heretickes say whether they had any cause to rise and therfore if they be wise let them lye down againe returne to the Church and saue their soules The 3. Demaunde Going out VVHEREAS it is manifestly writtē in the holy Scripture of the Apostles actes Act. 2.4.5 28. Act. 15. that the Church of Christ a began visibly a Hierusalem and visibly growing on b came at lengthe also visibly to Rome Whether the Protestantes can shew vs out of Scripture or storie that the Romanes with whom as it is manifest we agree in all pointes who then were in the church went againe out of the Church forsaking at any time the communion or company of other christians then liuing and making a new seueral church or companie by themselues asunder So as it is knowen themselues haue done being first of our company and their Captaines for the most parte also of our Mōkes Fryars as Luther Oecolampadius Hooper Bale with many others and afterward breaking from our company by disobedience and contempt of their ordinarie Superiours and so seditiousely setting vp these factions of theirs which now we see Whether also they can name vs any company that euer since the Apostles time so did and obstinatelie stood in it that was not Schismatical As it is plaine that they are Gono out so it is plaine I say that we neuer went out wherof it foloweth sensibly that as they be notwithin so we be stil within And therefore let them be vrged what they can say to this either for themselues or against vs. Or rather let them if they be wise geue ouer and quickely without more a doe come in againe The 4. Demaunde After rysing WHETHER they be able to name any time since the Apostles time when our Church first Arose Or because they refuse not onely our company as Schismatiks but also our Faith as Heretikes and also almost all our Religion as plaine Apostatats whether they can name any certaine Author and first beginner of the peculiar Articles of our Faith and Religion but Christ and his Apostles onely Let them be vrged to name the Article the time and person Sure it is that they can name no such But on the other side it is euident that their companie or companies beganne of late the Author therof is knowē the time of his rising not onely recorded in Histories but also fresh in the elders memories and very manie Articles of his Doctrine before vnheard of Many such cōpanies are noted in Histories rising so with new Articles after the begining of the church as Nouatians Sabellians Arrians Pellagians and very many moe Now for defense of their owne doing let thē looke amongst them all and name vs some one of them that notwithstanding this their rising afterward was not Schismatical nor their Articles Hereticall Sure it is againe that they can name no such and therefore is it euident both that we bee still the true and Primitiue or first christians and also that they be of a new false makinge and not true christians The 5. Demaund VVondred at ALso whether at any time the christian people wōdered at our Religion Doctrine or any point therof as then first appearing and afore not heard of and whether the Pastors and Doctors of the church then presently controled the same as new diuerrs from the Doctrine that was before And whether that all Heresies were not so wōdred at and so controlled at their first appearing WHETHER also that which seemed so strange to them that stoode in vnitie which was so gainesaid resisted in bookes Disputations and councels by them that had the charge of the Church of Christ were not alwayes Heresie the Professors of it if they were obstinate alwaies Heretickes without exception As our doctrine therfore which euen from Christ his Apostles is come quietlye to our handes
Father for thē nor for any one thing that they hold against vs The 34. Demaund Authoritie VVHETHER the Church of Christ did not euermore take her selfe to be of Authoritie irrefragable and so beare her selfe as necessarie worthie to be beleeued vpon her onelyword and therfore no man to controll her a Aug. ep 105. Sentence or Iudgement no man to misdoubt her b Aug ep 118 c. 3. ep 105. Practise And whether S. Augustine haue not written a booke therupon which he calleth De vtilitate credendi Of the vtilitie of beleeuing the Church in all thinges shewing how profitable how necessary how sure a way that is for the finding out of true Religion And whether the Maniches then as the Protestantes now founde not fault with that way And whether the true Christians notwithstanding did not for all that hold thē against those all other Heretickes vpon the Churches Authoritie Chris con gent. de S. Ba◠coll 882. 884. Et con Iud. ar 2. col 928. Eus Hist l. 1. c. 3. Devt or c. 14. yea and alleage it also vnto the Iewes and Painimes to proue that Christ is God and that the holy Scriptures with the Miracles and all other things in them contained be true because I say the Church or company of the Christians so saith and so beleeueth And whether Saint Augustine and that by true reason doth not infer therupon that seeing we beleeue Christ and the Scriptures because of the church we must therfore beleeue the Church in all other thinges also whatsoeuer it saieth against the Heretickes And whether this Authoritie do not therefore argue that the Church can neuer erre And whether neuer erring doe not argue that it can neuer perish And therfore again whether it do not now also well worthely claime the same authoritie Yea whether the Protestants themselues haue not receaued many thinges as Christ himselfe and the Scriptures themselues c. vpon our churches credite the church I say that now is Aske them then howe they can possiblye bee the church who willingly doe renounce the claime of such Authoritie and doe by their doings confesse it to be in the companie of their aduersaries Finally bydde the deceaued consider this well that they haue no forte or nūber of men amōgst them whom they may truste in all thinges with whom and in whose steppes they may venture to walke the way of Faith and Religion towardes saluation None of all the Sectes in our countrey nor in all the world so happie none so secure and therfore no Church amongest them because I say they openly renounce the claime of Authoritie confessing therby that it is not of them that the Creed saith I beleue the Church in so much that they haue suffered of late an vnlearned Christian as he is called to set out in Print a vaine libell againste the Aucthoritie of the Church of God comparing and opposing vnto it the Authority of the word of God as though the word of God and the Church of God were one against the other it being yet so plainely written that as the Father saied of his Sonne Mat. 17. Mat. 18. Ipsum audite Heare him So the Sonne said of his church Si Ecclesiam non audierit sit tibi ficut Ethnicus Publicanus If he will not heare the Church do thou vse him as the Iewes did as an Heathen and a Publican And yet this felow trusteth so much in his owne folie Prou. 17 that he is bold to prouoke all catholiks to answere his childishnes or els they must be accounted saith he no lesse then very Murderers It were good for him poore man that he had in him no more pride then learning My best counsaile to him for his saluation is that he reade humblye these Demaundes and looke whether any of his greate Masters will answere them And if after this his stomacke serue him still let him set out his Libel more orderly with his name with approbation of their Rabbins and with priuiledge that we labour not in vaine with the grace of God he shall quickly see it answered as vnworthy as it is The 35. Demand Vnity THEN whether vnity proced not of the sayd Authority And our Church therefore one for euer and not possibly by any questiō or controuersy to be desperatly deuided within it selfe They on the other side for lacke thereof running euery day into more and more diuision amongst thēselues multiplying Sectes as all men do see without hold or measure not being able to aleage herein any excuse for thēselues which the Arians Donatistes other olde Hereticks might not as well aleage for excuse of their diuisions yea euen their owne Doctrine being the very cause therof and they therfore guiltie of all these sectes that doctrine I say wherin they teach that the Scriptures are so easye and that therefore euerie one may folow his owne sese yea and vant also that it is the sence of the Spirite himselfe And whether the Churches inseparable vnitie be not so sure an argument of Truth that it is a moste iuste Motiue by Christes owne saying for the world to beleeue in Christ that no man meruaile seeing the infinite Sects that be now in Englād that there be also so many incredulous that beleeue not in Christ The 36. Demaund Kepers of Scriptures VVHether it were not our Church that notified to the worlde the Canon of the holye Bookes of the new Testament Whether it were not our Church that hath had the custodie construing both of the foresaid and of the other Bookes of the holy Bible euer since the Apostles time Or else whether before this time the Expositors thereof were Protestants And whether the Protestants had not the saide Books of vs And whether they can charge our Church all this longe while of her possesion with adding or minishinge any iote thereof Or whether they can not bee charged this short while of their vsurpation with robbing vs of many wholle Bookes thereof Bookes I say canonized in aproued Concels and of many a particulare portion more or whether euer any coulde be so charged but only Heritikes Finally whether our Church therefore be not the ōly true possessor or keper of this treasure as to whom only the Apostels cōmited it and therefore againe ours the only true Church The 37. Demaund Storehouse of all Truthe VVHETHER not onely all Canonicall Scripture as I haue saide but also all other truthes agreed vpon at any time by the Church of God and as it were laide vp for euer are not at this tym to be foūd in our church as that which was agreed vpon against the Arians that which was concluded against the Donatistes briefly that which was defined aganst all other Heretikes Aske them whether it haue not bene hither vnto and whether it be not still safelye keapt in our Church And how them selues came by the saide Truthes whether otherwise then at our
Churches handes Aske them againe Whereas some auncient writers haue bene iustly noted for certaine errors whether our Church may be taxed with any of those errors yea whether our Churches Faith be not the Rule whereby both Protestants and all others safely may and do now read those writers and so most easilye auoide those errors being nothinge moued with the authoritie nor antiquitie of those writers nor with the greate showe of many Scriptures which either those writers or also sundrye olde Heretikes made for their errors knowing vndoubtedly by the Rule of our Churches faith that those Scriptures haue not that meaning being otherwise like to thinke as any indifferent man will beare me recorde that the Scriptures make for those olde errors heresies no lesse yea much more then for Luther or Caluine or any other Heretikes of our time And whether it be not plaine by this that our Church is that Depositorium diues Iren. l. 3. cap. 4. that Riche Storehouse wherein all Truth either by the Apostles or by any other 2. Tim. 1. d 14. hath bene laide vp and wherein euery man that will may without danger and without labour finde what soeuer Truth he seeketh The 38. Demaund Old Heresies VVHETHER on the contrarie side amongst the Protestantes any other Truth be to be found but only such as they receued of vs yea further whereas very many Falsehoodes Errors Heresies haue bene from time to time by the Church noted and condemned whether a greate number of the same Heresies be not now to bee founde amongest the Protestantes So many olde Heresies I saye whereas one were enough to proue theÌ„ heretiks as be enough to proue them almost Apostatates As Against a Epip haer 75. Aug. haer 53. Praying for the dead Against prescripte Fasting daies Against b Aug to 6. de fide con Manich. c. 9.10 Aug. haer 82. Ret l. 2. c. 22. Free wil Against c Merite of Single life Against c the Vow of the same at least tweÌ„ty more And therefore whether as our Church is the storehouse of Truth so their Sinagogue bee not the Sinke of false hood and of Heresie The 29. Demaund VVhere grew their doctrine AGAINE whether the Persons that of olde professed the said pointes of these mens doctrine and were of the Church therfore noted for Heretiks were not also otherwise most notorious Heretickes for certaine other pointes I say confessed also by the Protestants to be heresy As whether a Epip haer 75. Aug. haer 52. Aerius who held with them against praying and offeÌ„ring for the dead and against all the prescript fasting dayes were not besides that also an Arian the like of all their other Parteners Aske them now what it meaneth that their doctrine alwayes hath been found in such naughty ground and with such stinking weedes And contrarywise our doctrine touching the same pointes found also at the same tyme in such as they confesse themselues to haue beene good ground as in S. Augustine in S. Epiphanius and others who did so hold our sayed doctrine that they with the whole Church coÌ„demned Aerius of heresy for denying the same The 40. Demand They neuer afore new VVHETHER of this it follow not that they must needes coÌ„fesse that their church was neuer in the world neuer I say at no tyme before this our tyme Or else let them say whether one that is an Arrian denying Godes Sonne to be Consubstantiall that is to say Of the same substance with his Father may be of their Church Yea also of VViclef and Husse themselues do you aske theÌ„ how they could be of this their Church holding with Pelagius Iustification a Tho. wald to 3. cap. 7. Melanct. hom ad Friden Micon by mans owne merits and also b Heu Syl. in hist Bohe c. 35. that a King or Queene committing any mortall sinne leeseth streight his office and is no longer to be obied The 41. Demaund Studying all Truth VVETHER our Church to keepe safely all Truth in manner aforesayd doe not diligently studdy all Truth her Masters therefore in their Bookes and Schooles teaching all Truth her scholers therfore learning all Truth to defend I say all Truth of Christ against all enemyes against Painyms against Iewes and against all Heresyes And whether Protestantes on the contrary side but a few of theÌ„ God wot do study any more then a few questions of this tyme onely and that so lightly that they be afrayd to reason with common Catholickes Being all rather occupyed about wyuing and thriuing in the world then sincerely and learnedly to defend Religion Or let them tell vs why else our Countrey is so ful of Atheists Achristes and all kinds of most detestable heretikes Aske them whether in their vniuersityes they haue the whole course of Diuinity within a certaine tearme of yeares yea or in Anno Platonis proceding as they do all read ouer Yea whether their Students or Doctours also and Readers can tel you almost what the course of diuinity meaneth And againe aske them who for christian study and increase of godly knowledg fouÌ„ded those vniuersityes builded those Colleges and instituted those degrees of learning whether our Church or theirs and who hath authority to make Doctours of Diuinity whether Kinges and Queens or only Bishops And therefore if our Church haue againe taken from them her graunt and annullated their degrees as it a Bulla Pij 5. Anno 1564. hath done aske them by what title they will clayme the same The 42. Demaunde Vnsent VVHETHER the Preachers euer of the Church of Christ did take vpon them to preach and teach without a IoaÌ„ 20. c. 21 Act. 15. cap. 24. Rom. 10 cap. 15. sending And whether euer any all this while had authority to send forth Teachers but only the Apostles and their Successors and such as receaued it of them And if they say their sending to be extraordinary aske theÌ„ why all this tyme God did so send non other but only to barre such as they be from so saying Aske theÌ„ likewise where then be their Miracles Or whether any also afore Christes Church beganne were sent out of order without the gift of Miracles or of prophecy or of both Finally you may aske them what warrant they haue to hold such an office of a Lay Prince Or how without that office they can pretend to be the true Church of Christ The 43. Demaund Succession VVHETHER it be not euident in the a Act. 1. d 21. 14. d 22. Actes and b Tit. 1. b. 5. Epistles of the Apostles with the c Eus l. 2. cap. 13.15.23 l. 3. c. 2.4.10 Ecclesiasticall historyes of the tymes that followed that the Church once begunne by and in the Apostles did afterward grow on as Christ d Mat 13. c. 14. f. 4. â—6 c. 18. did promise that it should and spread it selfe ouer all places and through all ages by