Apocryphall Baptista Mantuan was a famous Poet and Historian and Prior of the Carmelite Friers he is commended by Trithemius for a great Divine and an excellent Philosopher he is very sharpe against the Romanists as may appeare by these few instances following Tyrij vestes venalia nobis Templa Sacerdotes Altaria Sacra Coronae Ignis â— hura Preces Coelum est venale Deusqueâ— That is Temples and Priests Altars and Crownes they sell for pelfe Fire Frankincence Prayers Heaven and God himselfe Whereby he haply meant their breaden God in the Masse Mantuan saith as followeth of Hilarie a married Bishop and Bishop of Poictiers in France Non nocuit â—ibi progenies non obstitit uxor Legitimo conjuncta thoro non herruit illâ Tempestate Deus thalamos connubia taedâ—s That is Thy off-spring was no prejudice to thee Nor could thy lawfull wife an hindrance be In those dayes God allow'd the Marriage bed To Priests their cradles and the lamps which led To Hymens rites Of the Woman Pope he saith as followeth Hic pendebat adhuc sexum mentita virilem Foemina cui triplici Phrygiam diademate mitram Extollebat apex Pontificalis adulter That is Here yet her statue hung who faign'd Her selfe to bee a man who 's fam'd The Purple-triple Crowne t' have bore And last was prov'd a Popish Whore Where it may bee the Poet meant thâ—t at that time there remainâ—d the Statue or Picture in Rome resembling the Woman Pope travailing with Child or the statue or seate whereon the new Pope sate to try that he was a man and no woman according to that of Henry Stephens in his Apologie for Herodotus Cur etiam nostro jam hic mos tempore cessat Ante probet quod se quilibet esse marâ—m The same Mantuan glanceth at their manner of such frequent repetitions as they used in their Prayers as if God were served by reckoning up their Muttering upon a payâ—e of Beades for so he termeth it Qui filo insertis numerant sua murmura baccis Now also lived Iohn of Vesalia a Doctor and Preacher at Wormes he held That the best Interpreters oâ— the Scriptures expound one place by another because men obtaine not the spirit of Christ but by the spirit of Christ. That the Doctors be they never so holy are not to be beleeved for themselves and the Glosse as little That the Elect are saved onely by the mercie of God That Popes Indulgeâ—ces auricular Confession and Pilgrimages to Rome aâ—e vaine For holding these and the like propositions he was sharply handled by the Inquisitours he is charged by Parsons but unjustly to have held the old errour of the Greâ—kes Who deny the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Sonne as well as the Father There lived at the same time but somewhat younger Doctor Wesellus of Gronning in Frizâ—land hee was called Lux Mundi the light of that Age. He wrote a set treatise of Papall Pardons and Indulgences and therein he saith grounding his speech on Gersons testimonie that Papall Indulgences and Pardons are not so sure a token of the remissâ—on oâ— a mans sinne as is the true contrition of heart He saith that The ancient Doctors wrote nothing expressely of Popes Pardons because this abuse was not crept into the Church in the dayes of Saint Austine Ambrose Hierome and Gregorieâ— And having consulted both with Civilians and Canonists he cannot find them to make Iubilees and Pardons ancienter than Pope Boniface the eight who lived about the yeare 1300. It is now time to looke homeward and to acquaint the Reader with our home-bred Confessours and Martyrs I will begin with the raigne of King Henry the fourth who was I take it the first English King that put any to death for denying the Romish doctrine for after that Richard the second was deposed and that this Henry came violently to the Crowne he was willing to keepe in with the Clergie who in those times baâ—e great sway In this Kings raigne William Sawtree a Priest was burnt for denying the reall presence and so also was Iohn Badby burnt for being a Wicklevist or Lollard as they termed iâ— William Thorpe Priest and Iohn Purvey were persecuted for the doctrine of the Sacrament Waldensis callâ—d this Purvey The Lollards Library and a Glosse upon Wickliffe Now these men were not voyd of Learning and knowledge for Sawtree was an Oxford Divine Thorpe was Fellow of our Queenes Colledge in Oxford Purvey was Master of Arts in Canterbury Colledge and wrote a Commentarie on the Apocalypse whiles he was in Prison In the time of King Henry the fifthâ— Sir Iohn Old Castle was a chiefe Favourer of the Wickliffians This Sir Iohn by his Marriage contracted with a Kinswoman of the Lord Cobhams of Câ—uling in Kent obtained the title thereof Hee was as Frier Walsingham a peevish enemy of his saith A very valorous Gentleman and in speciaâ—â— favour with his Prince for his honest Conversation though held in some jealousie in point of Religion He wrote his beliefe which was very Christian-like but the Prelates accepted not of it so that divers crimes were devised against him and at last he was pronounced an Hereticke in the poynt of the Sacrament and was executed by the Statute of Lollardie Walsingham saith That this Sir Iohn being brought before the Arch-bishop of Canteâ—bury he tooke out of his bosome A copie of the Coâ—fession of his Faith and delivered it to him to reade which the Arch-bishop having read said That it contained in it much good and Catholicke matter but yet hee must satisfie him touching other poynts the same Walsingham saithâ— that It was alleadged against him that he held and taught touching the Sacrament of the Altar and Penance Pilgrimages Adoration of Images and the Power of the Keyes otherwise than the Church of Rome taught saith They constantly endured their death Whiles Savonarola was in durance hee wrote excellent meditations upon the Psalmes and therein in the matter of free Iusâ—ification he is very sound and clâ—are on our side The Eâ—le of Mirandula accounted him an holy Prophet and dâ—sâ—nded him and his Writings the like also did that rare Scholler Marsilius Ficinus Philip de Commiâ—â—es that â—xcellent States-man and Histoâ—ian was well acqâ—ainted with him and had often conference with hâ—m For my part saith hee I hold him to bee an honest man and a good hee coâ—nted him also to have had the spirit of pâ—ophecie inasmuch as hee foretold many things which in event â—roved true yea such thiâ—gs as no mortall man could naturally have knowne For hee foretold the French King my Master saith Comminees that after his sons death the King himselfe should not long survive him and these his Letters to the King my selfe have read PA. Parsons saith That Savonarola was put to death for moving and maintaining of sedition in the Common-wealth of Florence though
over his PA. Bellarmine saith the meaning of the Canon is that the Bishop of Alexandria should have the Provinces there mentioned because the Bishop of Rome was accustomed to permit it so to bee PRO. The words of the Canon are Because the Church of Rome hath the like custome here is not one word of permission They bee indeed as learned Bishop Morton saith words of comparison that the Bishop of Alexandria should injoy his priviledges accordingly as the Bishop of Rome held ancienâ—ly his as if one should say I will give this man a crowne bâ—cause also I gave a crown to his fellow Besides Cardinal Cusanus understandeth the Canon as we doe in this sort As the Bishop of Rome had power and authority over all his Bishops so the Bishop of Alexandria according to custome should have thorowout Lybia and the rest Here by the way the reader may observe that though the Pope should have a large circuit for his Diocesse yet was nâ—t this Iurisdiction given him by the Law of Goâ— but by the custome of men Let old custâ—mes bâ— kâ—pt sâ—ith the Councel heâ—e was no ordinance of Christ acknowledged no Text of Scripture alleadged for it as now a dayâ—s Tu es Petrus and pasce oves and tibi daâ—o claves Thou art Peter fâ—ed my sheepe and unto thee will I give the Keyes of the Church The Pâ—pâ— held it not then as it is now preâ—ended Divinoâ— by divine ordinance but onely by use and custome which may be altered and was upon occasion for when Constantinople became the Imperiall City then was the Bishop thereof equalled with Rome as appearetâ— by the Chalcedon Councel About the yeare 381 the second Generall Councel was held at Constantinople against Macedomus who denyed the Divinity of the Holy Ghost â—t consisted of an hundred and fifty Bishops it was called not by the Pope but by the Emperour Theodosius the elder This Councel confirmed the foresaid sixt Canon of the Nicen which bounded the Bishop of Rome as well as other Bishops within the precincts of his owne Province The third Canon of this Councel of Constantinople speakes in this tenour That the Bishop of Constantines City that is Constantinople hath Pâ—erogatives of honour next after the Bishop of Rome because it is new Rome THE FIFTH CENTVRIE From the yeare of Grace 400. to 500. PAPIST WHat say you of this fifth Age PROTESTANT We are yet within the compasse of the first 500 yeeres next after Christ and so neerer to the time and truth of the Primâ—tive Chuâ—ch now for this present Age it may for choice of Learned men be compared to the Golden Age for now flourished the Golden mouthed Chrysostome the Well languaged Hierome and Saint Austin the very Mall and Hammer of Heretikes Chrisostome was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most copious writer of any of the Greeke Fathers now extant he was an eloquent Preacher full of Rhetoricall figures and amplifications so that his veine and gift lay rather in the Ethique and Moral part of divinity working upon the affections than in the doctrinal and exegetical part for information of judgement By his liberty of speech in Pulpit he drew the hatred of thâ— great ones of the 〈◊〉 and of the Emperour himsâ—lfe but above all of the Empresse Eudoxia upon his head so that she and Theophilus Patriaâ—ke of Alexandria procuâ—ed his deposition and banishment with commandment to â—â—â—â—ney his weakâ— body with excessive Travels from place to place untill he concluded his life about the yeare foure hundred and eleven Hierome was borne in Dalmatia and instructed at Rome He travailed abroad into France and other places of puâ—pose to increase his knowledge at Rome hee acquainted himselfe with Honourable women such as Marcella Sophronia Principia Paula and Eustochium to whom he expounded places of holy Scripture for hee was admitted Presbiter he served Damasus Bishop of Rome in sorting his Papers his gifts were envied at Rome therefore he lâ—ft Rome and tooke his voyage towards Palestina by the way he acquainted himselfe with Epiphanius Nazianzen and Didymus Doctor in the Schoole of Alexandria and sundry other men of note and marke In the end he came to Iudea and made choice of Bethlem the place of the Lords Nativity to bee the place of his death At Bethlem Paula a noblewoman who accompanied Hierome and his brother Paulinianus from Rome upon her owne charges builded foure Monasteries whereof her selfe guided one and Hiâ—rome another Hierome was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well skilled in the tongues but he waâ— a man of a Chollericke and sterne disposition more inclinable to a solitary and Monkish liâ—e then to fâ—llowship and societie neither Heliodorus in the wildernes nor Ruffinus out of the wildernes could keep inviolable friendship with him hee flourished about the yeare 390. but he lived unto the yeare 422 therfore we place him in this fifth Age and so doth Bellarmine Augustine in his younger yeares was infected with the errour of the Manichees his mother Monica prayed to God for his convâ—rsion and God heard her praâ—ers foâ— by the pâ—eacâ—ing of Ambrose bishâ—p of Millaine anâ— by reading the life of Antonius the Heremite hee was wonderfâ—lly moved and beganne to dislâ—ke his former conversation He went into a quiet Garden accoâ—panied with Alipius and there as he was with teares bewayling his former course and desiâ—ing Gods grace for working his câ—nversion hee heard a voice saâ—iâ—g unto him Tolle lege and againe Tolle lege that is to say Take up and reade Take up and reade at the first hearing hee thought it to bee the voyce of boyes or maydes speaking in their play such words one to another but when hee looked about and could see nobody he knew it to bee some heavenly admonition warning him to take up the booke of holy Scripture which he had in the Garden with him and read Now the first place that fell in his hands after the opening of the booke was this Not in gluttony and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and envyingâ— but put yee on tâ—e Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it At the reading whereof hee was so fully resolved to forsake the vanities of the world and to become a Christian that immediately thereafter hee was babtized by Saint Ambrose with his companion Alipius and his sonne Adeodatus Hee was afterwards made bishop of Hippo in Africa Hee defended the truth against the Manichees Pelagians Donatists and whatsoever errour else prevailâ—d in this age Hee is to bee commended in that hee revised his owne Writings and wrote his retractations or râ—cognitions When he had lived 76 yeares hee reâ—â—ed from his labours before the Vandales had taken the towne of Hippo which in the time of Augustines sickenesse they had besieged and thus was hee translated and taken away before hee
Ancients used the word Merit and so also they used the termes Indulgences Satisfaction Sacrifice aâ—d Penance but quite in another sense then the later Romanists doe the Fathers who use it tooke up the word as they found it in ordinary use and custome with men in those times not for to deserve which in our language implyeth Merit of condignity but to incurre to attaine impetrate obtaine and procure without any relation at all to the dignity either of the person or the worke thus Saint Bernard concerning children promoted to the Prelacie saith They were more glad they had escaped the rod than that they had merited that is obtayned the prâ—ferment Saint Augustine saith that hee and his fellowes for their good doings at the hands of the Dâ—natists In steed of thankes merited that is incurred the flames of hatred on the other side the same Fatheâ— affirmeth That Saint Paul for his persecutions and blasphemies merited that is found grace to bee named a vessell of election Saint Gregory hath a straine concerning the sinne of Adam which is sung in the Church of Rome at the blessing of the Taper O happy sinne that merited that is Found the favour to have such and so great a Redeemer In like sort by merits they did ordinarily signifie workes as appeares by that of Saint Bernard saying The merits of men are not such that for them eternall life should bee due of right for all merits are Gods gifts Neither did the ancient Church hold merit of Condignitie but resolved according to that of Leo The measure of celestiall gifts depends not upon the qualitie of works they were not of the Rhemists opinion That good works are meritorious and the very cause of salvation so farre that God should be unjust if he rendred not heaven for the same They were not so farre Iesuited as with Vasquez to hold that The good works of just persons are of themselves without any covenant and acceptation worthy of the reward of eternall life and have an equall value of condignitie to the obtaining of eternall glorie PA. You cannot denie but that prayer for the dead is ancient PRO. The manner now used is not ancient for they that of old prayed for the dead had not any reference to Purgatorie as Popish prayers are now adayes made It is true indeed that anciently they used Commemorations of the defunct neither mislike wee their manner of naming the deceased at the holy table in this sort they used a Commemoration of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Evangelists Martyrs and Confessours yea of Mary the mother of our Lord to whom it cannot be conceived that by prayer they did wish their deliverance out of Purgatorie sith no man ever thought tâ—em to be there but if they wished any thing it was the deliverance from the power of death which as yet tyrannized over one part of them the hastning of their resurâ—ection as also a joyful publike acquitall of them in that great day wherein they shall stand to bee judged before the judge of the quicke and dead that so having fully escaped from all the consequences of sin the last enemie being then destroyed and death swallowed up in victorie they might obtaine a perfect consummation and blisse both in body and soule according to the forme of our Churches Liturgie In the Commemoration of the faithfull departed retained as yet in the Romane missall there is used this Orizon O Lord grant unto them eternall rest and let everlasting light shine unto them and againe This oblation which we humbly offer unto thee for the Commemoration of the soules that sleepe in peace we beseech thee O Lord receive graciouslie and it is usuall in the Ambrosian and Gregorian Office and in the Romane missall to put in their Memento the names of such as sleepe in the sleepe of Peace omnium pausantium and to entreate for the spirits of those that are at rest Remember O Lord thy servants and hand maides which have gone before us with the Ensigne of Faith and sleepe in the sleepe of Peace now by Pausantium Pamelius understands such as sleepe and rest in the Lord. Where we may observe that the soules unto which Everlasting blisse was wished for were yet acknowledged to rest in Peace and consequently not to be disquieted with any Purgatorie torment So that the thing which the Church anciently aymed at in her supplications for the dead was not to ease or release the soules out of Purgatorie but that the whole man not the soule separated onely might find mercie of the Lord in that day as sometime Saint Paul prayed for Onesiphorus even whiles Onesiphorus was yet alive Besides they desired a joyfull Resurrection as appeares by severall passages and Liturgies by the Aegyptian Liturgie attributed to Cyril Bishop of Alexandria where we find this Orizon Raise up their bodies in the day which thou hast appointed according to thy promises which are true and cannot lye And that of Saint Ambrose for Gratian and Valentinian the Emperours I doe beseech thee most high God that thou wouldst raise up againe those deere young men with a speedie resurrection that thou mayst recompence this untimely course of this present life with a timely resurrection As also in Grimoldus his Sacramentarie Almighty and everlasting God vouchsafe to place the body and the soule and the spirit of thy servant N. in the bosomes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob that when the day of thine acknowledgement shall come thou mayst command them to be raised up among thy Saints and thine Elect. The like is found in the Agend of the dead already mentioned PA. Invocation of Saints was anciently used PRO. I answer that though in respect of later times Prayer to Saints and some other of our adversaries Tenets may seeme ancient and gray-headed yet in respect of the first three or foure hundred yeares next after Christ they are not of that ancient standing now the true triall of antiquitie is to be takâ—n from the first and purest agâ—s for as Tertullian telleth us That is most true which is most ancient that most ancient which was from the beginning that from the beginning which froÌ„ the Apostles so that which at fiâ—st was delivered to the Saints is truest and the good seed was first sowne and after that came the tares Besides what though some poynts in Poperie were of a thousand yeareâ— standing it is not time that can make a lye to be truth antiquitie without truth is but antiquitas erroris an ancient errour and there is no pâ—aescripâ—ion of time can hold plea against God and his truth Neither yet can you prescribe for divers Tenetâ—â— Scotus that was termed the Subtile Doctor telleth us that before the Councel of Lateran which was not till the yeare 1215 Transubstantiation was not believed as a poynt of Faith This did Bellarmine observe as
were so powerfull that they brought an hundred thousand fighting men into the field and were then very likely to have utterly overthrowne Simon Montfort Generall of the Papall armie had not the unexpected death of the King of Arragon intercepted by ambush quite discouraged and dissolued the Albigenses army Besides if the Waldenses had not had any visible assemblies what needed such councels consultations conferences disputations inquisitions and examinations bans and excommunications against them They set up the order of Dominican and Franciscan Friers to preach against them they leavied forces of Pilgrimes Cruciferi or crossed souldiers to fight against them they published their Croysadoes promised their pardon of sinnes and remission of pennance enjoyned to as many as would take up the badge of the crosse and weare it on their coate-armour and goe against the Waldenses as against Sarracens and Infidels Now sure had the Waldenses beene but some few dispersed and meane persons they needed no such stirre to suppresse them But we finde that they used all possible meanes for to quell them Pope Inncent the third about the yeere 1180 called a a solemne Councell at Lateran against them Caelestine the third in the yeare 1197 confirmed the order of the Cruciferi or crossed souldiers and they were to warre against them The Monke of Auxerre in France saith That the Pope sent his Bulls farre and neere and granted them pardon of sinnes and absolution of pennance to such as should serve in his warres against the Waldenses About this time was the holyhouse of Inquisition set up by Pope Innocent the third and the mastership thereof committed first to Frier Reiner and Guido and afterwards to Saint Dominicke and his order Eymericus hath given certaine directions to the Inquisitors and Commissioners and Francis Pegna hath glossed upon them and there were lately to be seene the severall consultations of the Bishops and Lawyers of France in what sort they were to proceed against the Waldenses And the Monk of Newborrow tels us that when the Waldenses came into England under the name of Catharist's or Publicans there was strict charge given under paine of excommunication that none should receive harbour or keepe them within their houses liberties or territories nor to have any commerce or manner of dealing with them and if any of that sect dyed in that state that upon no termes they should have any prayer or Christian buriall but they saved them a labour of buriall for Caesarius saith that at the taking of La-vail there were foure hundred of them burnt and the rest hanged and the like execution done in divers other places and namely at Vaurcastle where after they had strangled the Governour Aimerius they stoned to death the Lady Girard the Popes Legats not sparing as Thuanus saith any Sexe at all Now all this they patiently endured so that as Altissidore saith the beholders were astonied to see them goe so cherefully to their death and withall to exhort one another to abide the fierie tryall PAP There might be great numbers of the Waldenses and them of the meaner sort PROT. That is not so for Du Haillan saith that many Noble and worthy men tooke part with them even to the hazzarding of their lives and estates namely the Earles of Tholouse of Cominges of Bigorre of Carmain of Foix as also the King of Arragon for Remond had marryed Ioane once Queene of Sicilie sister to Iohn King of England by whom he had a sonne called also Remond after the decease of Ioane he married Elenor sister of Peter King of Arragon so that he was strong in affinity and confederacy besides that he had as one saith as many citties and castles and townes as the yeere hath dayes By the way we may observe that considering the neere alliance which was betweene the Earle of Tholouse and his brother in law the King of England as also the Earles lands lying so neere to Guienne then in the possession of the Englâ—sh hence I say we may observe that this made the way more easie to communicate the doctrine and profession of the Waldenses unto their neighbouâ—s of the English Nation PAP You tell us of great troupes of the Waldenses and yet they had but bad successe PROT. We must not measure the lawfulnesse of warre by the issue nor judge the cause by the event The eleven Tribes of Israel were appointed by God himselfe to goe and fight against the Benjamites the Israelites were moe in number than the Benjamites and had the better cause and yet the Israelites were twice overcome by the Benjamites so King Lewis of France fighting against the Turke his army was scattered and himselfe dyed of the Plague â—esides you have little reason to stand on the successe of this warre It is true indeed that their chiefe Cittties Tholouse and Avignion were taken and the King of Arragon was slaine in the Waldensian warre but so also was Simon Montfort Generall of the Popes army he was slaine like Abimelech Iudges 9 with a stone cast out of a sling or engine and the same supposed to be â—lung or darted by a woman And as for King Lewis he dyed at the siege of Avignion and as Mathâ—w Paris saith sustained great losses by a terrible plague strong and venemous flyes and great waters devouring and drowning his army so that there were two and twenty thousand French slaine and drowned during that seige Lastly the Waldenses had no such ill successe for though themselves were persecuted yet their doctrine was thereby communicated to others and spread abroad throughout the world PAP You make as if the Pope had dealt ill with the Albingenses but they dealt ill with him for the Earle of Tholouse or some of his subjects killed the Popes Legat Frier Peter de Casteaneuff and this was it that stirred up the Pope PROT. This was but a colour of the warre and an untruth when the Popes Legat charged the Earle with this fact his answere was that he was no way culpable of the Fryers death that there were many witnesses of the death of the sayd Monke slaine at S. Giles by a certaine Gentleman whom the said Monke pursued who presently retired himself to his friends at Beâ—caire that this murther was very displeasing to him and therefore he had done what lay in his power to apprehend him and to chastise him but that he escaped his hands that had it beene true which they layd to his charge and that he had beene guilty of the fact yet the ordinary courses of justice were to be taken against him and not to have wracked their anger upon his subjects that were innocent in this case In the end he was forced to confesse that he was guilty of the murder onely because it was committed within his territories so that he was glad to doe pennance and that in a strange sort for the Legat
to the ancient custome of the Primitive Church and could not bee induced simply and absolutely to condemne the Articles of Wickliffe but thought many of them might carry a good sense and that the Author of them was a man that carried a good mind howsoever hee might faile in some things and for these and the like tenets and reproofes they were burnt at Constance contrary to the publike faith and safe conduct given by the Emperour yea Aeneas Sylvius afterwards Pope Pius the second saith expresly It was thought good by the perswasion of Sigismund the Emperour that Iohn and Hierome should bee called to the Councell of Constance so that they came not of their owne accord nor yet without their warrantie and safe conduct but the Fathers of the Counsell dealt ill with them breaking the faith of the Emperour and dispencing with the breach of his safe-conduct as being of no force without theirs because forsooth faith was not to bee kept with Heretikes as thâ—y vainely alleadged therefore these poore men must have no priviledge of their Passe-port the Emperour saith Campian in a flourish of his Sealed their Passe but the Christian world to wit the Councell of Constance greater than Caesar brake up the seale and voided the Imperiall warranâ— notwithstanding the Emperour had both called the Councell and in a Citie of his ownâ— where hee onely had authority and Wenceslaus King of Bohemia at the request of the Councell sent thither Iohn Hus under the safe-conduct of the Emperour Now what Master Hus his learning was his workes yet remaining doe testiâ—ie Besides hee translated the Scriptures into the Bohâ—mian tongue which occasioned as Cochleus saith Artisans and Tradesmen to reade them insomuch as they could dispute with the Priests yea their women were so skilled as one oâ— them made a booke and the Priests of the Thabâ—rites were so skilled in arguing out of the Scripture that one of them named Rokyzana who had beene present at the Counsell at Basil undertooke to dispute with Capistranus a great and learned Papist touching Communion in both kinds and that out of the holy Scriptures the ancient Doctors and the Churches Canons and Constitutions as also from the force of naturall reason Aenâ—as Sylvius saith That Hus was an eloquent man and that in the worlds estimation hee had gained a great opinion of holinesse Hierome was a man of that admirable eloquence learning and memory that Poghius the Florentine Historian and Oratour admired his good parts and the same Poghius being an eye-witnesse of his triall at the Councell of Constance saith He was a man worthy of eternall memory that there was no just cause of death in him that hee spake nothing in all his triall unworthy of a good man yea hee doubteth whether the things objected against him were true or no. Besides he was so resolute at his death that when the Tormentor kindled the fire behind his backe he bid him make it in his sight For if I had feared the fire said he I had never come hither and so whiles the fire was a making hee sung Psalmes and went cheerefully to his death The like resolution was in Iohn Husse at his death for whereas his enemies made a crowne of paper with three ugly devils painted therein and this title Arch-heretike set over when Iohn Husse saw it he said My Lord Iesus Christ for my sake were a Crowne of thornes why should not I then for his sake weare this light Crowne bee it never so shamefull I will doe it and that willingly and so hee died constantly and so indeed the storie reports that they went to the stake as cheerefully as it had beene to a banquet Iohn Husse may seeme to have had some propheticall inspiration for at his death hee prophesied saying You roast the Goose now but a Swan shall câ—me after mee and hee shall escape your fire Now Husse in the Bohemian tongue signifieth a Goose and Luther a Swan and this Swâ—n succeeded him just an hundred yeares after foâ— so these two blessed servants of God prophesied saying Wee cite you all to make answer aâ—d after an hundred yeares to give an account of this your doing unâ—o God and accoâ—diâ—gly as they foretold it came to passe for they suffered martyrdome in the yeare 1416. and just an hundred yeares afâ—er to wit in the yeaâ—e 1516. the Lord raysed up Luther who indâ—ed called the Pope and his doctrine to a reckoning Vpon this propheticall speech of Iohn Husse there was money coined iâ— Bohemia with this inscripâ—ion in Latine on the one side Cintum revolutis annis Deo respondebitis et mihi anno 1416 Hie onymus condemnatus that is After an hundred yeares you shall answer to God and to me and on the oâ—her side of the plate was engraven Credo unam â—ssâ— sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam anno 1415. Io. Husse I beleeve one holy Catholike Church PA Did Husse and his followers teach as you doe PRO For substance of doctrine they taught as wee doe their enemies indeed misreported their doctrine and charged them with that they never held insomuch as Husse solemnely protested even at the point of death That hee never held those Articles which the false witnesses deposed against him but held and taught and wrote the contraâ—y taking it upon his death that hee taught nothing but the truth of the Gospell which hee would then seale with his blood Now touching their doctrine we are driven to takâ— the scaâ—tling of their opinions from the pens of tâ—eir advâ—rsaries by whom wee perceive that it is very pâ—obâ—ble 〈◊〉 Hussiâ—es were instructed and much helped by Wicklâ—â—ss bookes and accordingly wee find that both Aenâ—â—s Sylvius and Cochleus report that the meanes wheâ—â—by â—he Bohemiâ—ns came to know the doctrine of Wicklâ—ffe was for that a certaine noble man studying in Oxford carried thence with hiâ— into Bohemia Wiâ—klifs bookes de Realibus universalibus As if it had beene some rare jewell and Cochleus saith That as a Bohemian brought first into Bohemia Wickliffes bookes de Realibus uniâ—erâ—alibus So there was afterwards one Peter Paineâ— a Scholler of Wickliffes who after the death of his Master came â—lso into Bohemia and brought with him Wâ—â—kliffes bookes which were in quantity as great as Saint Auâ—â—ines Workes many of which bookes Husse did aftâ—rwards translate into their mother tongue Bellarmine jâ—ynes the Hussitesâ— and Waldenses together as holding the same points of doctrine and reproving the same abuses of Rome And Platina saith that Hâ—sse and Hierome were condemned in the Councell of Constance as being followers of Wickliffe Aeneas Silvius saith the Hussites embraced the pâ—ofession of the Waldenses Now wee have already showne the tenets of the Waldenses and Wickliffe But to come to particulars bâ—sides the Hussites there were others also of his disciples which were called Thaborites of the place Thabor
amisse and not to prosecute Luther but this Councel was not followed wherupon divers parts according to Gersons Councel began this worke of Reformation so much desired by all good men howsoever opposed by the pope and his adherents PA. A Reformation presupposeth that things were amisse will you charge the Catholicke Church with errour PRO. Wee say that particular Churches and such is that of Rome may erre and divers have erred Sixtus Senensis reckons up many Fathers that held the Millenary errour mistaking that place in the Revelation 20.5 They said that there should be two Resurrections the first of the godly to live with Christ a thousand yeares on earth in all wordly happinesse before the wicked should awake out of the sleepe of death and after that thousand yeares the second Resurrection of the wicked should bee to eternall death and the godly should ascend to eternall life this errour continued almost two hundred yeares after it began before it was condemned for an heresie and was held by so many Church-men of great account and Martyrs that Saint Augustine and Ierome did very modestly dissent saith the same Senensis The opinion of the necessity of Infants receiving the Sacrament of the Lords body and blood as well as Baptisme did possesse the minds of many in the Church for certaine hundreds of yeares as appeareth by that which Saint Austine writeth of it in his time and Hugo de Sancto victoâ—e many hundred of yeares after him Were there not also superstition and abuses in the primitive Churches did not a Councell forbid those night vigils which some Christians then used at the graves of the Martyrs in honour of the deceased Saints and are not these Vigils now abolished Doth not Saint Aâ—stine confesse there were certaine Adoratores sepulchrâ—rum â—t picturarum worshippers of tombes and pictures in the Church in his time and doth not the same Father taxe them for it To come to later times Thomas Bradwardine complayned That the whole world almoâ—t was gone after Pelagius into errour arise therefore O Lord saith hee and judge thine owne cause Gregorius Ariminensis saith That to affirme that man by his naturall strength without the speciall helpe of God can doe any vertuous action or morally good is one of the damned heresies of Pelagius or if in any thing it differ from his heresie it is further from truth The same Gregory saith The heresies of Pelagius were taught in the Church and that not by a few or them meane men but so many and of so great place that hee almost feared to follow the doctrine of the Fathers and oppose himselfe against them therein Cardinall Contaren saith That there were some who pretended to be Catholikes and opposite to Luther who whiles they laboured to advance free-will too high they detracted too much from the free-grace of God and so became adversaries to the greatest lights of the Church and friends to Pelagius It is not strange then that weâ— say there hath beene a defection not onely of Heretikes from the Câ—urch and faithâ— but also in the Church of her owne children from the sincerity of faiâ—h dâ—livered by Christ and his Apostles not for that all or the whole Church at any time did forsake the true faith but for that many fell from it according to that of Saint Paul 1. Tim. 4.1 In the last times some shall depart from the faith attâ—nding to spirits of errour Besides such a famine of the word as fell out in these later times must needs have brought in corruption in doctrine and this was it that called for Reformation For in sundry ages last past the Roman Church hath behaved her selfe more like a step-dame then a naturall mother insomuch as shee hath deprived her children of a principall portion of the food of life the word of God her publike readings and service were in an unknowne tongue the holy Scriptures were closed up that people might not cast their eyes upon them fabulous Legends were read and preached insteed of Gods word but as Claudius Espencaeus a Doctor of Paris a bitter enemy to Bâ—za and therefore more worthy of credit in this bâ—halfe saith Our Ancestors as devoutly affâ—cted to the Saints as we thought is not fit that the rehearsall of the Saints lives should shoulder out the bookes of the old and new Testament and the reading thereof And hereby it came to passe as one of their owne Authors saiâ—h That the greater number of people understood no more concerning God and things divine in particular and distinct notions then Infidels or heathen people And here in England there was such a dearth of the word in these later times of popeâ—y that some gave five markes some more some lesse for an English booke some gave a load of hay for a few Chapters of Saint Iames or of Saint Paul in English Was it not now high time to reforme these things but Rome would neither acknowledge her errours nor reâ—orme them but rather sought to defend them persecuting such as by authority established laboured this reformation How easie and safe had it beene for Rome had shee tendered the peace of Christendome to have according as the truth required permitted the uâ—e of the Cup as sometime the Councell of Basil allowed it to the Bohemians and the publike service of God in a knowne language as was sometimes granted to the Slavons as also to have abolished the worship of Imâ—ges and the like without which the Church wâ—s and that very well for a long time But Rome would not yeeld in one point lest shee should bee suspected to have erred in the rest and therely the Infallibility of the Roman Oracle the Pope bee called in question PA. That which is reformed remaines the same in substance that it was before And therefore the Catholike Religion and the substantiall exercise thereof should have remayned in England upon the Reformation but you have set up another Religion PRO. We doe not say that the Catholike Religion is reformed for that cannot bee amended but that wee have reformed Religion in that we have purged it from certaine devises and corruptions which had crept into it Before this reformation Religion was like to a certaine lumpâ— or masâ—e consisting partly of gold aâ—d partly of other refuse mettall and drosse to a sicke body wherein besides the flesh blood and bones and vitall spirits there were also divers naughty humours that had surprised the body our reformation tooke not away your gold to wit those fundamentall truths wherein you agree with us but purged it from the drosse it drew not the good blood from the body but onely purged out the pestilent humour so that we have retained whatsoever was sound Catholike and primitively ancient onely those things that were patched to the ground-soles of Religion that wee have pared away as superfluous wee have not removed the ancient land-markes
it was onely pro hic nunc as their case then stood they were now both pastours and people thrust out of their owne Country and goods and glad to live upon others benevolence and collections which haply made them call them The poore men of Lions Howsoever they were so farre from liking the course of the begging Friers or vowing of voluntary poverty as that they held the order of begging Friersâ— to be the Divels invention and Monkish vowes to bee vaine as occasioning foule and fearefull lusts If they sayd that all Ministers must be equall they meant in Orders but not in Iurisdiction for they allowed Deacons Presbyters and Bishops as Guido Carmelita observes Object They held that Masse is to be sayd once onely every yeare to wit upon Maundy Thursday when the Sacrament was instituted and the Apostles made Priests For that Christ sayd Doe this in remembrance of me to wit say they that which he did at the time Luke 22. 1 Cor. 11. Parsons ibid. Answere Parsons pretâ—nds to bring no Articles but such as all Authours charge the Waldenses withall and yet brings this which no Authour imputes to them but onely Guido Carmelita and Alphonsus de Castro wonders where Guido found it Aeneas Sylius mentions it not but contrarily saith they hold that the Priest may consecrate in any place and at any time and minister to them that require it Object They held that the words of Consecration must be no other but onely the Pater Noster seaven times said over the bread Parsons ibid. Answer Alponsus de Castro saith It is possible that the Waldenses might have had this fancie but not probable for onely Guido Carmelita saith it but Aeneas Sylvius a farre more diligent man and of better judâ—ement mentions it not neither Antoninus nor Bernard of Lutzenburg though they all proâ—essedly reckon up their errors but rather they say the contrary that the Waldenses held that the Priest might consecrate in every place and time and minister to them that desire it and suâ—ficere ut verba Sacramentalia tantùm dicat that it was sufficient to speake the Sacramentall words onely Object Prateolus saith that the Albingenses held with the Manichees that there were two prime beginnings or Authors of things that is one good God the Creator of good and one bad that is the Divel the creator of evill and that they denyed the resurrection and thought there was no Hell Answere Fryer Reyner their inquisitour saith they beleeved all the Articles contained in the Creede And for the other imputation he that shall but reade the confession of their faith tendred to Ladislaus King of Hungary and extant in Orthinus Gratius will easily cleare them thereof This cavil is thought to be grounded upon that assertion of the Waldenses that the Pope had no authoritie over the Kings and Princes of the earth who depend immediately upon God alone and from hence they tooke occasion to call them Manichees as appointing two prime or cheef originalls Iurisdictions and it may seeme to be taken out of the extravagants of Pope Boniface the eight who subjecting the authority of Emperours saith of his owne Whosoever resists this power resists the ordinance of God unlesse with the Manichee he devise duâ— principia two prime originalls of things Now against this imputation the Waldenses professe that they beleeve that the holy Trinity hath created all things visible and invisible and that he is Lord of things celestiall terrestriall and infernall as it is sayd it Saint Iohn All things were made by him and without him nothing is made Besides it might bee that the Manichees some of them living amongst the Waldenses such as spited the Waldenses by one common terme nick-named them and called them Manichâ—eâ—s and Catharists as sometimes the Donatists and called the Christians and Catholikes Caecilianists By this that hath beene sayd it appeares that there is not any such oddes betweene the Waldenses and us as Parsons and Prateolus have given out but that for substance of Religion they agree with us and accordingly Orthuinus Gratius saith of the confession of the Waldensian faith presented to the King of Hungary that in some points it little differeth from that which is delivered by others he meaneth our Protestant proâ—essours so as they may see me to have received it from them and Le Sieur la Popeli nere in his history of France speakes more fully namely that the Waldenses and Albigenses about the yeare 1100 and the succeeding times spread their doctrine parum differentem litle differing from that which the Protestants now embrace Object It seemeth you sticke close to the Waldenses and yet your Iewell casts them off saying they are none of ours Answere The passage in B. Iewell is this Master Harding saith that Hus Hierome of Prage Wickleffe Almarick Abailard the Apostolikes Petrobrussians Berengarians Waldenses Albingenses Image-breakes and such like ever found fault with the Church in their time Whereunto B. Iewell replyeth in these termes of Abailard and Almarick and certaine other your strange names if they have taught any thing contrary to the truth of God we have no skill they are none of ours of Iohn Hus Hierome of Prague and Berengarus and other like vertuous learned men we have no cause to be ashamed their doctrine standeth still and increaseth dayly because it is of God And elsewhere he saith As for Iohn Wickleffe Iohn Husse Valdo and the rest for ought we know and I beleeve setting malice aside for ought you know they were godly men their greatest heresie was this that they complained of the dissolute lives of the Clergie of worshipping of Images of the tyrannicall pride of the Pope of Pardons pilgrimages and purgatory and that they wished a reformation of the Church we succeede not them nor beare their names we succeede him whose word we professe By this it appeares what Bishop Iewell thought of Waldâ— and others and if he had cast off the Waldenses as none of ours it might be imputed to this that he beheld them as their persecutors painted them out with spots of Manicheisme and other vile errours PAP If the Waldenses were free from such errours as Parsons and others have taxed them withall how came it to passe that such grosse opinions were fathered on them PROT. You say well they be fathered on them even as sometime a light housewife layes her burthen at an honest mans doore but themselves never begat such strange opinions for the Waldenses in their confessions say That they were nothing at all guilty of those things that were layd to their charge That worthy Historian Thuanus reckons up their opinions and then addeth To these certaine and chiefe heads of their doctrine alia afficta others others were fained and devised concerning marriage Resurrection the state of soules after death and of meates Bernard de Girard Lord of Haillan
saith Although they had some ill opinions yet they did not so much stirre up the hatred of the Pope and great Princes against them as their freedome in speech which they used in blaming and reproving the vices dissolute manners life and actions of Princes Ecclesiasticall persons and the Pope himselfe this was the chiefe thing which drew the hatred of all upon them this caused many wicked opinions to be devised and fathered on them from which they were very free and guiltlesse PAP You say divers opinions were fained of them what then were their owne Tenets PROT. What they taught in particular may be gathered by that which the Hussites in Bohemia their â—chollers held for as Aâ—neas Sylvius afterwards Pope recordeth the Hussites embraced the opinions of the Waldenses now their opinions are thus set downe by Anâ—as Sylvius one of their backe friends They held other Bishops to be equall with the Bishop of Rome That prayers for the dead and Purgatory were devised by the Priests for their owne gaine That the Images of God and Saints were to be defaced That Confirmation and extreame unction were no Sacraments That it is in vaine to pray to the Saints in heaven since they cannot helpe us That Auricular confession was a trifling thing That it was not meritorious to keepe the set fasts of the Church and that such a set number of Canonicall houres in praying were vaine That Oyle and Chrisme was not to be used in Baptisme These with divers other were the Tenets of the Waldenses PAP Suppose the Waldenses had fully agreed with you in matter of Religionâ— yet Waldo was a Lay-man and so wanted calling and could not confere it on others PROT. Why might not a Lay-man by private exhortation perswade others to the Christian faith We finde in the Church-story that a Tyrian Philosopher arriving in India was slaine by the Barbarians with all his company except two children which were gone out of the ship and were learning their lessons under a tree these children were brought up by the King and advanced by him the one to be his Steward and the other called Frumentius became his Secretary Afterward the King dying and leaving his sonne in in his non-age Frumentius aâ—â—isted the Queene in the government of the Kingdome whiles Frumentius was in authority he enquired among the Roman Merchants for Christians he shewed the Christians all favour and procured them assemblies for prayer and the service of God When the King came to age they delivered him the Kingdome and Frumentius went to Alexandria to Athanasius and told him what was done desiring him to send some worthy Bishop to those multitudes of Christians Athanasius thinking Frumentius a fit person ordained him Bishop and sent him into India to convert more soules Hereby we see that this Lay-secretary was the first meanes of converting the Barbarians and why might not Waldus of France doe the like Besides though Waldus himselfe were a Lay-man yet the Waldenses might have Bishops and Pastors Mathew Paris saith the Albingenses were so powerfull in the parts of Bulgaria Croatia and Dalmatia that they also drew Bishops besides many others of those regions to their parties yea the Popes Legat that was sent in commission against the Albigenses complaines that they had a Bishop of their owne called Bartholmew who consâ—crated Churches and ordained Bishops and Ministers PAP Waldus and his followers were but simple and unlearned men Valdenses fuerunt homines Idiotae prorsus ignorantes Castreul tit miraculum PROT. What then God hath chosen the foolish and weake things of the World to confound the wise 1 Cor. 1.27 And we reade in the Church history of a Philosopher that could not bee overcome by any Arguments but troubled the councell of Nice and yet was converted by a simple Bishop Ruffin eccles Hist. li. 1. cap. 3. Againe it is untrue that Waldus was utterly unlearned for Reiner the Inquisitour saith that Waldus being tollerably learned taught those that resorted to him the Text of the New Testament in their mother tongue and the same Reiner who was often present at their examinations witnesseth that they had above forty schooles and divers Churches all within one diocesse so that they had the ordinary meanes of knowledge Yea they were of that abilitie that they had divers conferences and disputations with the Romists and one famous one at Mount-royall in France where they encountered Saint Dominick and others and maintained these positions that the Church of Rome was not the holy Church nor spouse of Christ but Babylon the mother of abhomination that the Masse was not ordained by Christ nor his Apostles but was an Invention of men This disputation held for divers dayes and the Waldenses had the better had not Saint Dominicks sword proved sharper than his sillogisme cutting off more men than arguments for now as Platina saith the matter was not carried by force of argument but by force of armes PAP Though you shew us the Waldensians agreement with you their calling succession and ordination yet you are never a whit the neerer because their number might bee few and them few scattered and dispersed so that they had not any visible congregations PROT. Concerning the Waldenses and the visibility of their assemblies both in France and elsewhere the matter is cleere even by your owne witnesse Rainerius saith as is already alleadged that of all Sects which either are or have beene none hath beene moâ—â— pernicious to the Church he meaneth the Church of Rome than that of the Leonists First for the long continuance thereof for some say it hath continued from the time of Silvester who was Bishop of Rome about the yeare of Christ three hundred and sixteene others say from the time of the Apostles Secondly for the generality for there is almost no Country into which this Sect hath not entred the French historian saith that the Waldenses about the yeare 1100 and in the succeeding times spread abroad their doctrine little differing from that which at this day the Protestants embrace not onely through all France but almost through all the Countries of Europe also For the French Spanish English Scots Italians Germans Bohemians Saxons Polonians and Lituanians and other Nations have obstinately defended it to this day Mathew Paris the Monke of Saint Albans hath already told us that they were growne so powerfull in Bulgaria Croatia and Dalmatia that among many others they drew some Bishops to their partie And there were such multitudes of them apprehended in France that the Archbishops of Aix Arles and Narbonne assembled at Avignion anno Dom. 1228 about the difficulties of the executions of those which the Dominican Fryers had accused said plainely there were so many apprehended that it was not possible to defray the charge of their feeding nor to finde enough lime and stone to build prisons for them when they came to wage warre with their enemies they