to witte That the Church is a multitude of people such as is bounde to obey the Pope of Rome seuered from other Nations by certeine Ceremonies which the Popes haue ordeyned fast tyed to the ordinary cōtinued course of Succession of Byshops and to that onely interpretation of Scriptures which the Byshops and Councels doe deliuer And this is the true proportion and full Definitiō of your Church if I be not deceaued But this Definitiō the learned in Logicke will deny to be good sounde where the thyng defined is not of all partes equiualēt with the Definitiō Which rule is not obserued here For to admitte this vnto you that in the true Church of Christ must be Popes Byshops who must be obeyed who also must haue an ordinary outward succession and who may challenge vnto them selues a speciall prerogatiue in the interpretation of the holy Scripture yet is not this by and by true that all Popes Byshops which are entituled by the name of Popes and Byshops which do pretende a continuall succession which do carry the countenaunce of consentes which do challenge a right in the interpretatiō of Scriptures are the true sheapherds of the Lordes flocke And why so forsooth bycause that thyng wāteth which makyng specially for the purpose you haue specially left out namely the truth of sounde doctrine which may be able to treade downe and crushe in peéces errour and hypocrisie That is to say That Byshops do truly and vnfaynedly become the same in the sight of God which in vtter shew they would fayne seéme in the sight of men Agayne that Succession be not of persons onely but a speciall Succession of Fayth vertuous lyfe that the obedience of the people may not proceéde so much of feare of punishment as of harty affection and willyngnesse of mynde that the interpretation of scriptures be not wrested to the maintenaunce of errour and mens sensualitie but be directed and aunswerable to the meanyng of the holy Ghost and the true naturall sense of the Scripture For these be the true markes Osor. whereby a true Church is discernable from a false not the title and name of a Church not the authoritie and Succession of Byshops not the opinion of a multitude besides the truth of Gods word But the very Rule of the word must be kept which will so describe vnto vs a true Church by true markes tokēs boundes and foundations That it be a Congregation dispersed abroad euery where ouer the face of the whole earth vnited agreéyng together in soūd◠doctrine of Fayth and the true worshyppyng of God which beyng sanctified by the holy Ghost and admitted by partaking the Sacramentes do truly beleéue in God through the Sonne of God Iesu Christ accordyng to the doctrine of the Gospell although some be enlightened with more spiritual graces gifts and some with lesse By this standard and Rule let vs measure now the Argumentes of Osorius Luther and Melancthon are fallen away from the Pope of Rome and his Cardinalles Ergo Luther and Melancthon haue rent in sunder the vnitie of the Church The onely Church of Rome hath an ordinary succession from Peter Ergo The onely Church of Rome is the true Church The great part of Christendome doth acknowledge the Church of Rome Ergo The Churche of Rome is the Mother Churche and Queene of all Churches The Churche of God hath a promise that it shall neuer erre Ergo He that doth interprete the Scriptures otherwise then after the meaning of the Church of Rome or that doth not acknowledge him selfe obedient to the Romish Decrees in all thynges is an heretique and doth sequester him selfe from the boundes and communiō of the Church To this aunswere shal be made briefly and logically These be meére fallacyes and deceites of the Equiuocation deriued from a false description of the Church and the succession thereof and from false markes For as touching the names and Tytles as touching the long pedigreés of neuer interrupted course of Succession as touching the consent of the multitude and the promises made by God if the other tagges were tyed to these poyntes and made suteable namely sound doctrine true godlynesse surely it would seéme somewhat to the purpose that Osorius mayntayneth But now whatsoeuer they bragge and vaunt of tytles and other reliques without the especiall coupling and cōioyning of the Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine is altogether nought els but smoake and winde nothing auayleable to establish the true vnity of the Church First as concerning the name of the Church we do heare Christ himselfe speaking Many shall come in my name Touching Successiō we heare out of Ierome Not they that sitte in the places of Sainctes c. Touching the multitude Augustine doth teach vs. That the consentes of voyces must be weyed and measured not numbred Touching Gods promise made for perseuerance in the trueth harken what Iohn Baptist speaketh Do not say we haue Abrahā to our Father For God is of power to rayse vppe sonnes to Abraham out of these stoanes If Osorius will argue after this maner why should not these arguments be of as great force The high Priest of the old law in the Iewish Regiment did beare the face and name of the Church with full allowaunce and cōmon consent of all the multitude yea euen in the tyme of Esay Ieremy Amos Elias and Christ. The same also did conuey theyr Succession from the priesthood of Aaron And did vouch also theyr authority seat lawe and the promise agaynst Ieremy agaynst the Prophettes and agaynst Christ. The Law say they shall not perish from the Priestes Ergo Those high priestes did enioy a true Church nor coulde possibly erre at any tyme. But if Osorius shall thinke with him selfe that these Argumentes were not forcible enough in the olde Church why should they be more effectuall in the new Churche In the olde lawe it was lawfull to examine the very prophettes themselues if they spake the word of the Lord yea certayne infallible tokens were set downe whereby they might be discerned In like maner euen in the new testament we are commaunded to proue the Spirites if obey be of God being forewarned by the spirite of God that we beleue not euery spirite And what kinde of people then be these Popes and Cardinals of Rome which of a more then Imperious Lordlynesse doe commaund and require all men to receaue and reuerence their Satutes Ordinaunces Ceremonies opinions and all theyr wordes and deédes ingenerall without exception and contradictiō vpon greéuous paynes and Penalties that shall ensue agaynst him whosoeuer dare presume to make a question of the right of their authoritye or to make any doubt of any theyr deuises and imaginations And so geuing the slippe to all those he commeth downe againe to our Church with a maruailous blaff of windy words but with no reason at all imagining to proue
of Epicharmus Seuen SacrameÌ„ts ordeined by the pope but by Christ two onely were Instituted There is no cause to the coÌ„trary but that the Churche may be gouerned in the best maner though we be neuer acquainted with the popes supremacy Haddon a Babe in the Latine touÌ„g but Osor. a Gyaunt in Eloquence Osor pag. 193. Cyprian in his 4. booke and 2. Epistle The Papistes doe wrongfully define the Church of Christ. Cipria in his 4. booke and 2. Epist. Apoc. 18. Esay 52. 2. Cor. 6. The peace and the vnitye of the Church according to Cypriane The definition of the Church after the meaning of the Romishe Church The Popish definition is confuted What is required to the true definition of a Church The description of a true church according to the rule of the scripture Osorius Reasons The fallacy in the AequiuocatioÌ„ that is to say in the word of diuers significatioÌ„ A necessary coniunction of souÌ„d doctrine with vnitye Vnitye of the Church Succession Multitude Gods promise made vnto the Church Popes and Cardinalles will not admitte examinatioÌ„s of their cause Osori pag. 195. Papane Redeeming of Sinnes Markett of Purgatory Worthy ppyng of images Pilgrimage goyng Masses Sacrificatory for the quicke and the dead Osori pag. 196. Osori doth deale with wordes and no matter Apocal. 14 17. 18. Of Fayres and markets of Pardons Pag. 196. Out of Chris. Masseus Iohn Sleidonne M. Luther What darnell groweth in the Popes fieldes Putt in putt in putt in Masseus Iohn SleidoÌ„ M. Luther The horrible impudencye of the Romanistes Out of the Decretalles Gregory 5. in the title of Repentaunce and RemissioÌ„ of Sinnes Cum ex co Chrisosto Homel 38. vpon Math. Tridentine Councell The pardoÌ„s of the popish church Nicene Canon 11. Antycira Canon 21. Antycira Canon 22. Agathe Councell Canon 37. Eusebius 6. booke Cap. 35. Cyprian 3. booke Epistle 15. 16. 18. Antyciran Canon 5. Nicene couÌ„cell Cannon 5. New satisfactioÌ„s crept into the Romishe Church vnknowen to the Antiquitye Burchard How much the order of the old discipline doth varry from the Romish Nouelty The errours of the Popish discipline The ordinaunces of the Pope are contrary to Christ his Scriptures Act. 20. Collos. 1. Iohn 1.2 Iohn 1. Heb. 10. Rom. 3 4. The absurditie of the Romishe doctrine Eccius interpretation vppon the Popes decretalls Out of the Commentary of M. Luther to the Galath cap. 2. The Papisticall absolutions How great an absurditie is in the popes pardons Math. 16. The Keyes and Chayre of Peter Lucian 2. part pag. 525. Orpheus Harpe maketh not a Harper not doth Peters Chayre make an Apostle The succession of Peter the Apostle The circuÌ„stauÌ„ces must he considered wherefore the keyes were deliuered vnto Peter Math. 16. The foundatioÌ„ of the Churche is fayth the knowledge of the Sonne of God What Circumstaunces do goe before the true keyes of Christ what doe come after Peter receiued the keyes first but not onely Out of Eusebius third book cap. 7. The Succession Apostolique is not to be measured by place or tyme. The nature of the Gospell is altogether spirituall nor regardeth earthly and carnall thinges The spirite of Christe The succession of Peter doth consist in spirite not in externall thinges Pardons Succession The Keyes The 5. Canon of the councell of Ancyra Ex titulo de penitent Remiss cap. cuÌ„ ex eo The fulnes of power first brought in by Innocent .3 first Authour therof The fulnes of power Esay 55.12 Out of a decree in the Lateran Councell Anno. 1215. A decree of Boniface 8. Extraua A shamelesse abuse of the keyes The Byshops of Rome can challenge to themselues fulnes of power by no Argument of proofe Apoc. 3. An obiection The state of the Question is mistourned by-the Romanistes The wordes of August vnto Peter haue no playne application vnlesse they be referred to the churche Thomas Aqui. lib. 4. distinct 18. Extrauade Re. paen Cap. Cum ex eo nostro Thomas Aqui lib. 4. dist 18. Extrau de Re poeni ca. Cum ex eo nostro The Keyes were geuen for the necessary benefite of the Church nor to meÌ„s lust nor yet to Reuenge The Iudiciall vse of Keyes Tho. lib. 4. dist 18. Actes 2â— The power of the keyes how great and to whom are geuen Whether no RemissioÌ„ of sins is in the Church without the vse of the keyes How much the publike keye and how much euery mans fayth is effectuall to the Remission of Sinnes Rom. 5. Luke 8. Math. 9. When the vse of the Keies ought to be ministred Thomas lib 4. dist 18. The error of Thomas Aquinas The discoÌ„modities of the Shauelinges confession Iohn Scotus The Rom. See doth sell nothing forsooth Mantuan in his booke of Lamentation The matter doth agree if you reade the verses backward CanoÌ„s penitentiall described by Burchard and Gratian. When began fayres and markettes of Pardons first Ex CoÌ„cillo Latera Extran de poena Remi Cap. Cum ex co The Councell of Vienna 1311. Ex ClemeÌ„t 5. Lib. 6. Deâ—creta Cap. Abusionibus Ex ClemeÌ„t Cap. Abusionibus in Glossa The first 〈◊〉 of â—uâ—â—â—â— instituâ—â—â— Extrauag de Pâ—nit Remi Ca. AntiquoruÌ„ Out of the GreuauÌ„ces of Germany Out of Polydore Virgill The pardoÌ„s of Boston A History of Flaunders The Papists flee to denyals Osori pag. 196. It is one thyng to prayse Martyrs and an other thing to worshyp Images The Oration of Gregory Nissenus in the prayse of Theodorus Martyr Osorius Argument pag. 197. Osorius ill-fauoured Argument deriued froÌ„ Resemblaunce to worshipping Who be called Saintes Saintes not to be worshypped Apocal. 22. Of Purgatory the Popes Kater Why the Papistes doe striue so earnestly for Purgatorye Osorius great sturre about Purgatory The popes Pnrgatory Mores folly The new IlaÌ„d of Purgatory newly found by the Deuines What day Purgatory was made Gregory Alcuinus At what tyme the flame of Purgatory was kyndled at the first Whether God be author of Purgatory or the Pope Other questions of Purgatory Thomas Aquinas opinion of Purgatory Luther is vouched to defend Purgatory Osor. pag. 197. Roffensis agaynst Luther in praefatione veritatis Luther in the 15 Conclus Osor. pag. 198. Osor. subtill Sophisme Ex Thoma secunda secunduÌ„ dist quest 110. cap. 1. Diâ—ers kindes of lyes Abraham Iacob Rebecca The Midwiues of Egipt Dauid Luther is not cleared from all error Iohn 1. Osor. pag. 198. Truth is alwayes one Errour ought to be refuted by Scripture doctrine not with tauntey and reproches Faultes layd Luthers charge Osor. mainteineth his cause with slauÌ„ders nor with Argumentes Osori pag. 199. Luther doth deny that Purgatory can be proued by the scriptures in the declaration of his 37. Articl Mar. 9. Osori pag. 200. Lynceus was a man that could eâ—ery a ship at the Sea xxx myle of Osorius reason of Salt very fresh and vnsauery Osorius pag. 200. The words of Osorius pag. 200. Wordes of Blasphemy
bolster out uphold this sowsie ragged rabble with stout countenauÌ„ce But it will not be you come all to late And your labour is all lost It was not without reason that I noted haw this huge heapes of Pictures were the offcombe of that vnsauory schoolekitchen Neither did I erre in notyng the certeine limitation of their whelpyng no more can you cease from your old cankred custome of cauilling scarse one minute of an houre You flée ouer to your Councell of Nice as to an inuincible bulwarke as though what soeuer a Councell doth thrust vpon vs ought to be holden of vs for inuiolable In déede your filthy vnmaryed life crawled first into the Churche after this maner So also your friuolous and Sophisticall Transubstantiation was commaunded in the begynnyng But let vs scanne this Deuine Decrée of the Councell touchyng Images which was vttered in that second Nicene CouÌ„cell vnder these wordes Images ought to be worshipped as reuereÌ„tly as God is worshipped But you will not admit this to be true I trow when as els where you are of opinion that Images and Pictures remaine to be viewed onely all worship set apart wherein neuertheles you disagrée in your selfe also For in the same place you tell vs a tale of Robinhoode alledgyng miracles withall to witte that bloud hath bene séene to gush out of Images perdy and certeine uertue of healyng hath issued froÌ„ theÌ„ And that for this cause they ought to be worshypped Hereby meanyng to proue both of the whiche a litle earst you admitted neither What grossenesse is this Osorius what ouersight what forgetfulnesse of your selfe and your owne wordes you reporte that Eusychius did behold the Images of the Apostles exquisitely paynted What hereof This was but a commendation of Paynters my good Osorius and not a prayse of Pictures Yet you notwithstaÌ„dyng as though you had made a fayre speake do affirme that it is without all coÌ„trouersie that Images were in the Apostles tyme. How or from whence doe you persuade this Osorius is this a good Argument to proue that Images were uisited in the Apostles tyme bycause without comptrollement you tell vs a smoath tale of Thomas of Inde of Eusebius and of Pope Siluester Do ye so conclude my Lord beyng an old man a Priest and a Byshop Semblable and lyke drousinesse is in you where you charge me that I did accuse your Scholemen to be the first founders of Images This is false I doe not charge them withall but I will abyde by this that this uenemous doctrine was wonderfull encreased with the corruption of this poysoned Schoole â—y wordes are as followeth When true Religion began to decay Images crept into the Churche by title and litle and that former earnest desire of pure doctrine waxed cold in mens hartes and that bastard and deformed superstitious Schoole Diuinitie vaunted it selfe at the length and immediatly all places were patched vppe with Images c. Now speake Parrotte of Portingall I pray you Did I not orderly enough distinguish the seasons of tymes By litle and litle crept Images in yea long before the péepyng of Schoolemen abroad but beyng settled in their stalles all places were stuffed with Pictures You sée their Originall before Schoolemen but the increasinges thereof in the chief reigne and sway of that brotherhoode And yet ye dare impudently affirme that I named Schoolemen to bee the very wellsprynges of Pictures And at length ye crye out What dulnesse what negligeÌ„ce when as I might more iustly haue exclaimed O forgetfull dottard O rayling scolde After that you haue long turmoyled your selfe in this gulfe sometymes treatyng of Pictures sometymes inducyng them as representations of holy personages you packe vp your trunckes and returne to your former course of exhortation wherein you persuade that bycause Images be sauory Instrumentes to enforme the vnlettered people therefore they ought bee reserued to that vse But learned and godly men will rather say that Images are daungerous Rockes of manifest Idolatry And as I will not much gaynesay that discréete men and well exercized in the Scriptures may haue in their Closettes without any perill the Image of the Crucifixe so doe I boldly pronounce that without great daunger of Idolatry Images can not be placed in Churches to the uiewe of the rude people beyng naturally incliuable to all superstition And therefore it is most necessary to abandone Images out of Churches and to instruct the people in the holy Scriptures the often hearyng and readyng wherof will make the diligent and uertuous followers to finde no want of any such paynted bables Sathan carying our Lord and Sauiour Iesus into the wildernesse willed him to fall downe and worshyp him Our Lord Iesu despising and rebukyng him sayd It is written Thou shalt worshippe the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Ueryly when I ponder the Maiestie of these wordes throughly in my mynde and the dayly practizes of your Churches wherein so perillous and euident tokens of Image worshyp and knéelyng to Pictures is frequented my very hart panteth and trembleth within me to thinke how this expresse commaundement of God the Father and of our Lord Iesus Christ séemeth vtterly buried in obliuion with you But runne on sith it so pleaseth you and scorche your soules in the flames of Idolatry we beyng terrified with the Deuine Oracles of the sacred Scriptures haue vtterly subuerted Images and Pictures and exiled them from our Churches In like maner we passe ouer the Saintes in our prayers make intercession onely vnto God the Father and our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ and vpon them do we call onely for succour Unto whom with the holy Ghost we do confesse and professe all glory all honour all power euerlastyng eternitie to be due And to confirme this our confession to bee most pure and true the testimonies of eche Testament are plentyfull wherein we doe also follow the manifold examples of the Patriarches Apostles and Martyrs As for you there is nothyng vttered of your part sauoryng of the auncient pure founteine of the primitiue Church either in coÌ„uersation of life or profession in Religion We haue heard the voyce of our Lord Iesu Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Certes if the onely Maiestie of God must be worshipped alone the worshipping of saintes ought in no case to be admitted theÌ„ The Euangelist Iohn begaÌ„ to worship the Angell but the Angell withstood him yelded the reason I am quoth he thy fellow seruant If we haue Angels our fellow seruaunts Osor. surely we haue no Saints to be our Aduocates There is but one Aduocate betwixt God and man The God and man Christ Iesu. If Saintes make no intercession for vs then to worship them is but vayne Semblably take worshyp away to what purpose serue Images For to gaze vpoÌ„ them auayleth litle Let the people heare the Scriptures Let them be busied therein There is Christ
doctrine And in the meane time to passe ouer that whereat I cannot choose but laugh I meane this addicion not ioyned with any rashe or vayne confidence As though any one thing vnder the heauens can be more arrogant vayne thē that perswasion of yours whereby you are wont to bring poore simple soules in beliefe that such as are buryed in the cowle weéde of a Francifcane Fryer are forthwith defensible enough agaynst all the Deuilles and furies of hell Againe in buing your pardōs who soeuer shall make best stake with you as soone as theyr coyne shall cry chink in your boxes shall haue as many soules as they will deliuered out of purgatory and send them vp presently fleéing rype to heauen To passe ouer in the meane tyme other gamboldes toyes not a few in nūber much more foolish apishe then these being desirous to make an end once not for lack of such good matter more then sufficient Euen as fruiolous and vayne may I say is all the rest that followeth concerning your Church vpon the which when yeé haue bestowed neuer so many delicate colours and besmeaared her with neuer so freshe and oryent oyles berduers yet shall you seeme to doe nothing but bedawbe olde rotten putrified walles with new morter Let no man sinisterly interprete of these wordes as spoken agaynst the true church of Christ. I do knowe and confesse that Christ neuer wanted neyther shall euer want his Church which shall continue one vniforme holy Apostolicke and truely Catholicke which being builded vpon the rock of the Apostles shall enioy generall participation in one body and within one bowells as it were with the whole cōmunion of all the saynetes and godly faythfull throughout all the whole world And I cannot wonder enough truely with what face you dare so hedge vp within the boundes of the Romish particuler Church onely this vniuersall Church which is not restrayned within any limittes of place nor tytles of persōs by the publique authoritie of the christian Fayth but is dispersed abroad generally and without compasse farre and wide vpon the face of the whole earth wheresoeuer the Apostolique Fayth is of any force in so much that to your seéming may beé no Catholique Church now but that Romishe at Rome from which your Church and Synagogue ye banish and expell all such as professe Christ after any other maner then after the Romish Fashion none otherwise then as if they professe no Fayth nor followed any order of any Church at all And hereof aryseth that your crabbed and snappish accusation agaynst Luther Melanchton Zuinglius Caluine Haddon and others not because they are not Christianes but because they are not Romanistes not because they haue swarued an heare breadth from the doctrine of the Apostles and Euangelistes but because they will not become treacherous traytours agaynst the Apostles and the expresse worde of God as your high Bishop is O singuler cause O profound and Catholique accusation But how wisely should you haue done in this if you hadde brought to passe that it might haue bene notified to the Christian people that your Romish Church were and is a sound member of the true Church of Christ rather then that the vniuersalitie of Christes Church should be forced to so narrow a hoale of subiection as Rome is For this sufficeth not Osorius though you cry out a thousād times wider the you do that your church was foūded by Christ established by the Apostles defēded with the army of Martirs amplified beautified with the traditions of godly men and made strong and for euer inuincible agaynst all the battery and countermoyles of Heretiques by power of the holy ghost without the whiche no hope of Saluation may be hoped for c. If besides vayne crakes of smoky speeches ye shewe no demonstration of sounde proofe why these bragges of yours should be true let vs graunt your saying Or els if onely speeches shall be credited and if to babble and prate whatsoeuer a man listeth may like you to allow of for an vndoughted Oracle Why may not I as well with the like lauishnes of tongue gene lill for loll and saye that thys Church of Rome whereupon you bragge so much was neuer erected by Christ but hath degēdered frō Christ vnto Antichrist from the auncient primer paterne of the primitiue Church of Rome to a certayne new fangled kynde of lyfe doctrine not Instituted by the Apostles but frō the Apostles quite fallen away into Apostasye not garded with the army of Martyrs but gorged embrued yea and drucken with the bloud slaughter of infinite Martyrs such so many as neuer any Nero or Maxentius did euer send more to heauē thē this Babilonicall strūpeth hath done Now where you adde beautified with the traditions of holy and godly men and made strong and for euer inuincible against all assaults and battrry of Heretiques and shall so continue permanent by the ayd of the holy Ghost Truely in these very wordes you feéme to resemble those persons which in the Prophett did call darcknes light and light darcknes euill good and good euill First as concerning mens traditions how holy those men were I know not this is most true that your Church is fully fraught with traditions and doctrine of men in deed in so much that who so shall vncloache your Church of those traditions and Implementes of mens patcheries shall leaue her altogether naked without all kynde of furniture to couer her shame except it be a poore ragge of Moyses Iaunitas solitudo Haue we not heard the Romishe church very notably defended by this Camille Camell I had almost sayd now sake an other vnuāquishable argumēt such as all the Heretiques wedges with all their Beatelles and malles can not beate abroad when they haue done all that they can where he knitteth vpp the knott forsooth on this wise Agaynst all the assaultes of Heretiques defensible by the power of the holy ghost shall cōtinue inuinciblefor euer How shall this be knowne forsooth because the Numa of our age Osorius doth Iustifie the same with hys wordes who is no more able to make a lye then the Pope is able to erre what remayneth therefore for vs to do but that beyng vanquished with the truth we become the Popes vassalles and worshippe the foothstoole of hys feete But to aunswere briefly to this Parrotte I will demaund this one thing first not of Osor. but of the whole brotherhood fraternitie of Shauelinges If they beleue themselues to be so garded by the power and force of the holyghost agaynst all the assaultes of heretiques as this reuerend Lord the Lord Bishop of Sylu doth boast why do they vphold their pylfe with such outrage and Tirannye with such boochery and blood with such horrible burninges stiflinges fryer fagotts emprisonmentes Rackinges Constrayntes to recantation Famine and sword Finally with all maner of horrible tortures without
what I ought to defend what you meane to oppugne it behoueth vs to cōclude vpon this point For you do so entangle all your discourse with I know not what crooked crabbed conueyaunce and choppyng of matters together knittyng and reknittyng one thyng vpon an other that ye neither agreé with your selfe nor any man els can perfitly determine what your meanyng is You doe accuse Haddon I suppose and our Preachers of Nouelty But we must thē know wherein you define this Noueltie to consiste In the lyfe that we lead or in the doctrine which we do professe If you meane of our lyues but therein wicked may we be new we cā not be For what is more auncient then vyce If the question be of doctrine onely why thē do ye transpose the Disputatiō which is onely instituted vpō doctrine racke the same to the lyues maners of men and then at last to cōmaunde Haddon to deliuer vnto you some example of that auncient Vertue As though if he could not do so he should be forthwith condemned for an heretique I know we lyue not Apostolicke lyues no more then we worke the miracles which the Apostles wrought what then what is this to the purpose Haddon affirmeth as he may iustifie it well enough that our Church here in England doth not vary from the institution Apostolicque in any thyng meanyng doctrine fayth and Religion If this seéme not to be true in your cōceipt it behoued you then to oppugne that which he doth defende For his defence cōcerneth the principles and substaunciall pointes of Christian doctrine wherein he sayth that our Churches do vary nothyng at all from the institution of the Apostles You or the other part ouerpassing the matters apperteinyng to doctrine do writhe and wreste the state of the whole questiō to morall vertues And in your owne conceipt seéme that you haue very notably besturred your selfe agaynst Haddon if you winne this much of him that the Lutheranes haue not attained to that excellencie of Apostolique integritie And hereupon you spende and wast all the smoaky pouder of your miserable Rhetoricke wherein you both bewray the weakenes of your cause to much the subtill steight of your deépe deuise For if it would haue pleased you to deale franckly here and not sticke to discouer the very grief of your minde this lyfe of ours howsoeuer it be was not the matter that made vs heretiques nor that made you and your Catholickes to be so maliciously incensed agaynst vs. For how filthy soeuer we seéme to you and your fraternitie wollowyng weltryng in all abhonimation if besides this licentiousnesse of maners had bene nought els doughtles we should haue found both your fatherhoode and the rest of your profession our good Maisters enough and not onely our good Maisters but most foreward felowes and mates of the same vyces and of all kynde of abhomination besides yea and not fellowes onely but our auncientes and Captaines therein For what filthynesse in all our liues what pride ambition cruelty sauadgenes robberies disreipt violence arrogancy lust despising of Magistrates was euer so monstruous in any of vs wherein you do not vnmeasurably exceéde vs And therfore if dissolute maners and vnbridled course of licentious lyfe haue made you so skittish and forced you to boyle in so beastly rancour agaynst vs surely this trōpet ought so much the rather haue bene founded agaynst your popes of Rome your Cardinalls other your Copesmates of the same crew by how much more greéuous matter may be foūde in them to be quarelled at reproued But this is not the prick that makes you to kicke bycause we breake Gods commaundementes by liuyng wickedly but bycause we yeld not to the Decreés of your traditions bycause we do not humble our selues to your Cannons and Lawes but chiefly aboue all others bycause the light of the Gospell spreading her glorious beames abroad and the whole world at the length hauyng shaken of her wonted drousines euē Coblers and Tyukers begyn to discerne a Frier from a Fursebursh a Moncke from a Marmyan and the Pope frō a Puppet bycause the vgly vysours and counterfaite hypocrisie of Frameshapen Religion is layed open to the view bycause the errours of doctrine blyndnes of Iudgementes and most false pretences of antiquitie be openly discouered to the worlde hereof come all these stormes hereof arise all those Tragicall outcryes and exclamations of Osorius agaynst the poore Lutheranes Syth it is euen so and for asmuch as all this controuersye betwixt vs consisteth not vpon examples of good lyfe but vpon the chiefe principles and foundation of Doctrine and Religion reiecting all vnnecessary circumlocutions come agayne to the matter Osorius and stand fast vpon the speciall poynt of the question The controuersye at this present concerneth matter of Doctrine and Fayth which onely matter must either conuince vs for Heretiques or arquite vs for Catholiques And here writing agaynst Haddon you require vs to cleare our selues from all suspicion of Noueltye There is nothing more easy to be done But sithence you prouoke vs to this challenge my Lord become a man of your word then and let not your discourse runne at randone from the state of the question And let vs conclude if it please you vpon this poynt That whether of vs can iustify his part best by testimony of Fathers and Antiquity of tyme the same to goe away with the garland But who shall be vmpyer you will say yf I vouch the scripture you will forthwith cry out that it is to obscure neither doe I deny but that in certeine propheticall and profound and deéper misteries it is in deéde somewhat obscure but in matters of fayth saluation the holy ghost would not haue it so obscure but that euery indifferent and godly reader might gather thereof matter sufficient for the necessary instruction of fayth and abilitye to discerne And for mine owne part I will require none other witnesse or vmpyer herein then the Reader himselfe whatsoeuer he be so that he will stand vpright and will lay aside all priuate affectiōs and all partialytye of foreiudgement and geue sentence according to the very touchstone of the manifest Scriptures But our Osorius and his companiō Pighius will exclayme agayne and say that none ought be iudge in this cause but the Pope of Rome neither will I forsake him condicionally so that he will faithfully sincerely simply without fraude or guile exclude priuate affection nor will be addicted to one part more thē the other setting aside his authoritye awhiles will promise to become an vpright sounde vmpier of the cause together with scripture being Iudge For otherwise I thinke it not to stand with conuenience of reason that any man shall be in his owne cause both a pleader a witnes and a Iudge Neither doe I thinke that any such one will euer become in indifferent Iudge nor will any
but humble and prostrate Sinners onely truely and vnfaynedly repentaunt Sinners For otherwise such as raunge outragiously and willfully in their Sinnes nor are touched with any remorse of sorrowfull minde for their wickednes coÌ„mitted nor moued with any earnest desire to obtayne forgeuenesse vnto such I say Paule doth not bouchsafe to ascribe either Fayth or any righteousnesse at all no more doth Iames defraud the others which with repentauÌ„ce haue an earnest desire of Saluation of any part of IustificatioÌ„ No more do euen those which though be moued with neuer so great a remorse of Conscience obtayne any mercy at Goddes handes by any other meanes possibly then through onely fayth whiche is in Christ Iesu our Lord. Whereby you may perceaue sufficiently that in the Doctrine of Iustification all workes are excluded and Fayth onely weareth the gareland But that the meanyng of the Apostle may appeare more playnly to be so bold to vse schoole tearmes the predicatum must neédes agreé with his subiectum on this wise as where it is fayd that fayth onely doth iustifie this is true in deéde but whom Not the proud not the obstinate stubborne and outragious sinners but those sinners onely which stricken downe with an earnest acknowledgement of their sumes and entring into a serious meditation of amendement of lyfe doe most humbly flee vnto Christ through fayth euen with all their hartes Such that doe on this wise simply and vnfainedly repeÌ„t for Luther speaketh not a word of others if a man doe teach to be freely iustified through fayth onely agreéing herein with Paule with Iames and with Christ himselfe doth this man seéme in your eyes to teach a new Gospell or rather a most true and most most auncyent Gospell It were a tedious peéce of worke to runne ouer all the places of doctrine Let this be the summe to speake breefly Martine Luther did publishe many articles Iohn Caluine hath set forth his Institutions Melancthon hath made a collection of Common places the same also hath done Wolfg. Musculus Henry Bullenger hath written his Decades Peter Martyr hath made sundry commentaryes vpon the old Testament and the newe and discoursed notably vpon the Sacrament The same did before him Hulderick Zuinglius Iohn Oecolampadius Marine Bucer hath geuen vs many aunsweres and Apologies Emongest those may be placed the Apologie of Iohn Iuell no lesse famous and worthy Of Antichrist now openly and in good time discouered besides many other things hath Gaulter Rodulph compiled a treatise Of many other matters lykewise many writers haue treated largely Finally the professions and confessions of many natioÌ„s peoples prouinces Kingdomes Cities townes incorporate proclaymed published in writing through all their seuerall Churches by generall agreément conspiring and concluding all with one assent in one vndoughted trueth In all whose writinges monuments and confessions If you canne shew any thing new neuer heard of before or that is not auÌ„swerable and correspondent to the auncienty and doctrine of the Apostles I geue you here freé libertye to exclayme agaynst those doctours of the new Gospell as lowde and wyde as ye canne But if hitherto your selfe haue found no such matter nor euer shall be able to shew any such to what end raungeth this shamelesse vnbryveled impudency in matter so manifestly false You call it a new Gospell shamelesly enough yelding no reason that moueth you to call it newe Wherein you haue set before our eyes a very playn and euident demonsiration of your foolishe vanitye For if we should confesse the trueth in deéde to what purpose is all this brabble contentioÌ„ and discention emongest vs but for this onely matter because we do endeuonr to reclayme you that haue forsaken the true natiue simplicitye of the true and auncient Gospell roauing at randone after I can not tell what new-fangled straunge and imaginatiue deuises of mens traditions and are desirous to haue you come home to the auncient antiquitye of the true simple and pure Euangelick veritye agayne If any man shall doubt hereof and thinke this vntrue that I speake the apparant proofe is at hand Uouchsafe vs once this one petition that ye would be but willing to haue the Christian doctrine to recouer and returne to her auncient state and first institution euen the same state wherein it florished in those most auncient dayes of Christ and his Apostles weéding out by the rootes all that pilfe and baggage that hath ouergrowen the Churche since their departrue hence and wherewith they nor any of them were euer acquainted we will desire none other condicions or couenauntes of vnitie and attonement to be concluded vpon betwixt vs. Whereby the godly and indifferent reader may by this onely argument coniecture where those maisters doe lurke whome Osorius doth accuse of Noueltye Howbeit this nick-name of newe Gospellers wherewith the Catholickes doe obbrayd vs is no newe reproch For in lyke manner the Prophets in times past thapostles yea Christ himselfe were called New fellowes because they taught new doctrine Tertullian and Eusebius also do record that this nickname was vsually frequeÌ„ted eueÌ„ in the very swathling clowtes of the Church But they did easely deliuer themselues from that reproch of Nouelty Wherein albeit we haue not attayned so prosperous a successe as they did yet haue we yelded our endeuour in the same cause as farre forth as we trust the godly and indifferent reader will be satisfied and pleased withall I haue spoken now of our Antiquitie It remaineth that you aunswere lykewise Osorius as much as you may for your Antiquitye For it is agaynst all reason and iniuriously handled to exact a speciall accouÌ„pt of an others Antiquitye that can render no reason for your owne And therefore whereas this religion of yours which vnder visor of a true Church you do falsly call by the name of a Catholicke Church is ouâ—rwhelmed with infinite preceptes lawes and doctrines of men oppressed with innumerable decreés decretals extrauagantes Quintines Sixtines Ceremonies Traditions Rules Prescriptes Edictes Cannons and Synodalles Rites vowes and curses Let vs be certified therfore how much antiquitie is resiauÌ„t in the whole rabble of these your inuentions and deuises And to begyn at the very toppegallaunt of all your Religion that highe Prelate the Pope him selfe let vs first take a view of all his Titles by the which he is called to witte Uniuersall Byshop Prince of Priestes high and supreame head of the Church on earth Christes Uicare generall the onely Successour of Peter the most holy Father most Reuerend Byshop keépyng ioynte Consistory together with God the onely Monarche of the visible Church Byshop of Byshops These Titles and Additions of names I doe not enquire whether were euer named or heard of in the tyme of Christ or of his Apostles neither do I aske whether they were receaued into the Church in the tyme of Gregory sixe hundreth yeares after the AsceÌ„sion
For this is almost the whole strength substaunce of their defence And I am not ignoraunt how plausibly this probable shew glittereth in the eyes of vnskilfull and vnlettered people For so do Philosophers define Probabilitie to be such as seémeth probable either to all men or many or at the least to wise personages But in heauenly thyngs ought a farre other maner of cōsideration be had For if we grounde our selues vpon many we are taught by Christ himselfe That many are called but few are chosen And agayne in an other place That his flocke is a very litle flocke And afterwardes he demaundeth If when the Sonne of mā shall come whether he shall finde any Faith vpō the earth Neither are those thyngs alwayes best wt delight many Agayne if we shall depend vpon the Iudgemēt of the wise we heare likewise the same Lord him selfe geuing thākes vnto his Father that he had hiddē those thinges frō the prudent and wise of this world and reuealed them to litle ones And agayne we read in Paul The wisedome of this world is very foolishnes with God And therfore where as they would haue the Church to be placed on high apparaūt to the view of all the world truly they Iudge not amysse herein namely if they meane of the preaching of the word And yet this is no good Argumēt notwithstādyng that euery Citie vaūced on highest hill shall be forthwith esteémed the true church of God or els what shall be sayd to that famous great City mētioned in the Apocalips Which was foreprophecied should be built not vpon the Toppe of on hill onely but vpon seuen hills Or what shall we Iudge of that exceédyng wondering and worshyppyng of so many Nations so reuerētly hūbled to that Beast whose marcke it is sayd that small and great young and old riche and poore freemen and bondmen yea and those in noumber not a fewe but vniuersally all shall be marked withall in their right handes and in their foreheades Uerely if common sence and consent of people do make a Church where was euer a greater consent or more well likyng and greater admiration of fautours and frendes But they say that the cōsent cōmunitie of their Church is vniuersall Catholick which may not erre by any meanes Now let vs seé how they proue it The Apostle say they in his Epistles did greatly cōmēde the fayth of the Romaine Church This is true Peter also did both consecrate the same to be a See and instruct it in the Fayth I am in dought of this But what hereof After the Apostles tyme many of the Apostles Disciples say they learned Doctours and holy Martyrs Ignatius Irenaeus Cyprian Tertulliā Augustine and all that auncient age of graue Fathers did alwayes most gloriously esteeme of this Church Is there any more yet In the tyme of Basile Nazienzene Chrisostome the Church of Rome was not onely had in highest estimation but also was diuers tymes sought vnto for counsell and ayde neither will I deny this to be true couple herewith if you will that whē other Churches were tossed and turmoyled euery where with Schismes and rent in sunder with seditious factions no one Church besides stoode so long in so quiet a calme not assaulted with any such contētious sectes or variable opiniōs which did not a litle aduaunce the estimation of the Church and gate it no small authoritie Go to and what shal be concluded at the last out of all this For sooth The Church of Rome whiles it reteigned the sounde doctrine and simplicitie of the Fayth was commended of the holy Fathers by the name of a Catholicke and an Apostolicke Church Ergo The Church of Rome is the head and Metropolitane Church of all other Churches which hath neuer hetherto swarued from the true tracke of the truth nor shall euer erre vnder the which all other Churches must be subiect of very necessitie the cōmaundement wherof is an haynous obstinacie to disobey From the which to depart is manifest Schisme agaynst the which to resist and stand is playne heresie all the cōmaundements whereof to sweare obedience vnto is the surest way of sauety moreouer also a very necessary Article of eternall Saluation You do seé I suppose the whole force and subtiltie of your Catholicke cutted Enthymeme Whereof if you will seé a right proportion it is this The Church of Rome was allowed of the holy Apostles or the most auncient Fathers and all the most approued Doctours of the Church for Catholicke and Apostolicke But our Church is the Church of Rome Ergo Our Church is approued for Catholicke and Apostolicke by the consent of all the godly First we aunswere to the Maior proposition The auncient primitiue Church of Rome was approued by the famous cōsent of the learned for Catholicke and Apostolicke Peraduenture it was so yet was not this Church of Rome accompted so alone nor yet to this end so accompted bycause it should be the vniuersall Church of all other Churches For this will forthwith be gayne sayd by the Councels of Nice Mileuitane and by Pope Gregory and all the learned Deuines of that age vntill the cōmyng of Boniface 3. Moreouer neither was it for that cause so famously commended with so great consent bycause it was the Church of Rome but bycause it was a Christian Church Neither for any prerogatiue of the place though Peter sate there a thousand tymes For euen this also will an aūcient Pope Gregory deny as appeareth euidently by the Decreés Neither the places nor the dignities do make vs more acceptable to our Creatour but either our good deedes doe couple vs vnto him or our euill deedes do exclude vs frō him Moreouer not bycause it can prescribe an ordinary Succession of Byshops For Ierome also will not admit this They be not children of holy ones forthwith sayth he that occupie the possessiō of the holy ones but they that practize the workes of the holy ones But bycause with the Succession of Byshops they did ioyne agreable profession in true Religion bycause they did apply them selues to imitate the Fayth Religion and order of worshyppyng instituted by the Apostles bycause they did not varry frō well ordered Churches in any part of sounde doctrine For this cause I say namely for their sincere vnstayned Fayth and constaunt vprightenes of Religion not defiled with filthy stenche of erroneous doctrine the Church of Rome obteined of the auncient godly Fathers to haue a place amongest the Catholicke Apostolicke Churches But what is this O ye Apostolicke Princes to this your Romish Church in the state that it is now in the disorderous order whereof as it is at this day reuelyng with Cardinalles riotyng in Court glorified with this title of Uniuersall head garnished with tripple Crowne garded with the double sword magnified with Patriarches and innumerable other titles of dignitie armed with Abbottes mounted with Mounkes saluted
souereigne with shauelyngs and infinite skulles of fectes fortified with those Canons Decreés Decretalles and Rescriptes pampered vppe with Pardons exalted with Idolatry sumptuous in superstition entangled with so many snares and Articles embrued in so bloudy a bootchery of Saintes that might easily fill vp a thousand Toonnesfull of Babilonicall horrour and crueltie aduaunced with so many more then Pharisaicall Traditions and peltyng Ceremonies which would easily ouerlade a monstruous Carricke glitteryng in gold precious stones and pearle enriched with large and great possessions patrimonies beautified with purple and scarlet finally so blazing in brauery with the Royalties of S. Peter If S. Peter if Paule the Apostle if the holy Fathers and auÌ„cient Doctours of that pure primitiue Church had seéne these glorious gawdyes which we seé veryly I doe beleéue they would so litle acknowledge this Church for Catholicke that they would euen from the bottome of their hartes vtterly abhorre it and would scarsely acknowledge it by the name of a Christian Church And thus much to your Maior Now I do aunswere to your Minor wherein you haue committed a great eskape in the word which the Logitians do terme aequiuocum or ignoratio Elenchi For this word Romayne Church is in the Maior taken after one sort in the Minor after an other sort In the Maior it noteth such a Church as did retayne the true worshippyng of God and sincerity of Religion as into the which were no poysoned infections of sinister Doctrine no filth of false opinyons crept But in the Minor thys word Church is of a farre contrary condition and quality as the which doth carry no resemblaunce at all of that auntient and primitiue Church besides a bare name onely and a certayne whorysh dissembling counterfayt of outward Succession In all thynges els which do make a true vnspotted and vndefiled Church it beareth so no countenaunce at all as that it seémeth rather vnder the name and Tytle of the Church to be at defiaunce with the Church rather and vnder the name of a ChristiaÌ„ souldior to fight agaynst Christ her captain trayterously to betraye him to Antichryst For if Christ be the verity it selfe surely counterfayt verity as Origen sayth is very Antichrist And therfore if they will iustify theyr consent and Antiquity by good argument Let them yelde vs such a Church of Rome as the auncient Fathers did honourably esteéme of and then shall it not want our agreéable and mutuall assent and allowaunce And let them make vs a playne demonstration of those ornaments which are worthely ascribed to a true Christian Church and we will confesse it to be a true Church Where the Church is sayeth Irene there is the holy Ghost and where the Spirite of God is there is also the Church and all grace But the Spyryte is the verity therefore verity is the life of the Church without the which the Church is blinde and euen dead being aliue and deserueth not so much as the name of a Church no more then the portraiâ—t or counterfayt of a man doth deserue to be called a maÌ„ properly whereupon the Church is with the Apostle very fittely called a sure piâ—ler and a foundation not of mans authority but of Gods verity And by the testimony of Lactantius that Church is called the onely Catholicke Church wherein God is worshipped aright which Church if the ofspring of the auncient Romanistes did now professe as truely and in the same forme as the Catholicke Fathers did extoll prayse it with such great commendation there would be no controuersy at all On the other side if they haue determined with theÌ„selues neither to admit the trueth within theyr Citie themselues nor to tollerate the same to beé preached being brought in by others let them accuse themselues not the Lutherans who had rather patiently endure coÌ„tinuall enmity and hatred of them then to become open aduersaries of the truth Moreouer lette them also cease hereafter to pray in ayd of antiquity number of voyces for defence of their church forasmuch as they can alleadge no true report of the one and the other can helpe them nothing at all For if it may be lawfull for vs renouncing the verity to mayntayne one cause by vouching antiquity and number of nations namely in those thynges which appertayne properly to Christ and his Church then let vs not spare to argue after the same forme of Logick The Religion of Mahumette hath bene of as long a continuaunce of tyme and yeares as the Church of the Pope Ergo Mahumettes Religion is of as great authority as the Popes And agayne The greatest part of Priestes haue long sithence bene ouer gredily couetous Ergo They that doe inueigh agaynst theyr greedy Auarice most be accounted Cosen Germaynes to the valdenses heresy Agayne The greater part of the people did cry out Crucifige and stoaned Stephen to death And the most part of meÌ„ do at this day follow their owne sensuality and lust Ergo Let vs all ioyne together in sensuality and lust If on this wise we shall thinke to measure the truth and sincerity of Religion by the standard of Antiquity and number of yeares what shall we winne by this argument when we doe heare that many are called but few are chosen when as fooles also be in number infinite when as from the highest to the lowest all are become couetous when as euen from the Prophette to the Priestes all worke deceit What shall we win I say by this argument but that the part of Sathan which is more in number shall be of greater force and seéme to tryumph agaynst the Lord But to lette passe the Romysh Church I returne to our own Church In the which Osorius hauing alleadged nothing hetherto nor being by any meanes able to alleadge any matter truely that may seéme either new or straunge in our doctrine or that doth in any respect swarue from the institution and discipline of the Apostles he runneth away from the question that concerneth the sincerity of Religion and doctrine and commeth to this point to catch some occasion of outward life and maners of men whereby he may reproch vs subtlely enough I warrant you imitating herein the old crafty Rhetoricall Foxes who feéling themselues altogether vnable to prosecute the cause which is specially in hand with effect do wring the state of the Question an other way or enforce the whole bent of theyr accusation agaynst theyr aduersary with some contrary cauillation turning Catte in the Panne that so being not otherwise able to compas theyr cause it selfe they may yet at least entangle theyr Aduersary with some perill and daunger Not much vnlike hereunto happeneth now to Osorius in this kinde of controuersy who being not able to mayntayne the cause of his guilty Church with any iustifiable argumentes bendeth himselfe wholly to defame our Churches with falsehoodes and vntruethes And on this wise at length addresseth his
assault agaynst vs as finding nothing offensiue to any man in our fayth in our Religion in our manner of worshypping nor our Church ordinaunces he presently rusheth vpon our liues and rippeth abroad the vnhonest behauiour of men and in this discourse he spendeth all his powder and shotte of slaunders lyes outcries figures and all his exclamations of accusation And therefore it behoueth me also to alter the state of my defence so that from henceforth I shall not need to aūswere for our doctrine our fayth our Sacramēts and the institution of our Churches which differ not frō the institution Apostolicke but for the liues onely and the outward conuersations and maners of our Ministers And first It is well truely and I do prayse you Osorius so do all the rest of vs likewise acknowledge our selues indebted vnto you in a whole Cartlode of thankes in this behalfe For sithence you apply all the force of your accusation to reproue our euill demeanor and corruption of maners onely hauing els no matter of reproch iustly to charge vs withall surely euen by this onely testimony of your owne mouth you doe fully acquite vs in such wise as all men may well playnely perceaue that all thinges els are well stayed and sound with vs concerning other poyntes of our doctrine and christian profession All which if you thinke may be tollerable enough amongest vs why may ye not aswell release vs of your action of heresy and schisme in so much as all hereticall waywardnesse consisteth not in conuersation of life properly but in doctrine and Religiō But if it be our doctrine that you and your Catholickes doe mislike chiefly why do you not prosequute this action agaynst vs why do ye not stay here why runne you away like a coward from your challenge wherefore do ye turne ouer all the substāce and rigor of your accusation agaynst our liues and manners leauing our doctrine in the field why are ye so lusty and frolicke in that one and so white liuered and caponlike in this other You do accuse vs of Nouelty If you charge the doctrine of our Religion with this Noueltye declare them in playne wordes in what part of Doctrine and in which one article of the commō Creéd we do vary frō the Apostolique or propheticall scriptures Nay rather what doe our Churches professe at this day that we haue not drawen taken from the Apostles the Euangelistes yea and from Christ himselfe the very author and foūder of fayth which also we mayntayne and keép very Religiously you haue tofore treated I confesse of freéwill of righteousnesse of workes and of certayne other principles somewhat but so haue you handled your selfe therein that it had bene better for you to haue bene silent and mumme for the further you roll in this puddle the more durt cleaueth to your backe and both bewrayeth where you haue bene and maketh you to loase the whole grace of your market And now perceauing your selfe destitute of ayde in this kinde of conflict you flye the field cowardly and renew your skirmish in narrow streights inuading the corruptions and escapes of maners and lyues with lyeng and slauntyng Wherein I would not so much reprehend you as though you had delt much amisse if in this behalfe you proceéded against vs with a good simple meaning and as we do all with you altogether who are no lesse agreéued with that outragious corruption of maners thē your selues are Now euē here also you shew your selfe so cold and vnprouided as that by your vnskilfull hādling of the matter you disclose rather the scabbe of your owne Fistula then minister salue to any others soare For you do not therfore so earnestly reproue our lewdenes and misdemeanour how horrible so euer it be bycause your mynde is so much agreéued thereat or bycause you haue any earnest desire to bryng vs to amendemēt but this rather is the whole scope of your scoldyng that as it were occasioned by these you might pyke out some fitt matter to whett your cursed and slaunderous toung more freély agaynst Luther and other godly Ministers and bryng them into hatred contempt conceauyng in your imagination to bryng this to passe that if the world would by your meanes but conceaue euill of the Lutheranes as that their Churches did swarme and were ouerwhelmed with abhomination of life then the credite of our doctrine should be easily crackt those godly personages which tooke vpon them to restore the sinceritie of the Gospell should be accounted for errant heretiques most execrable false Prophetes for hereunto is your whole Rhetoricke strayned Osorius But let vs seé how well this Rhetoricke doth agreé with the Rules of Logicke And bycause as your selfe say it is not sufficient for a mā to affirme what him listeth with bare wordes onely let vs behold not your vayne ianglyng but the very substaūce of your meanyng And to begyn now with the principall part of the controuersie to witte whereas in the defence of our Church Haddon had sayd as true it was in deéde that our doctrine was neither new nor did differre any iote from the Institution and discipline of the Apostles all this saying of Haddon Osorius doth vtterly deny doth Reply agaynst it that our Church hath no affinitie at all with the Institution and discipline of the Apostles nor any continuaūce in Antiquitie And who so Now marke his reasons gentle Reader and marueile a whiles at the wonderfull dexteritie of this Portingall Prelate For Haddon sayth he doth bryng no president or example of that auncient vertue Fourth a Gods name Moreouer in all that Church appeare no exāples of that heauenly vertue What vertues speake you of here good Syr Miracles What doe ye looke for such miracles in these dayes No. But luste say you raungeth in your Churches wickednes is ryfe hygh wayes and passadges are replenished with theeues treasons and conspiracies are common practizes of the people treachery and villany bringeth all thynges into perill for the simple puritie of the Gospell these fellowes haue in all cōmon weales scattered abroad horrible wickednes for concorde and charitie execrable dissentions pride in steade of modestie for Religiō Sacriledge for freedome seruile bondage for Ciuill orders outrage finally for trāquilitie and peace cruell and detestable tumultes and commotions And who be they I pray you Luther I thinke Melācthon Bucer Caluine Zuinglius Haddon and such others their like Go to is there any more yet And all these mischieues say you after the doctrine of these men tooke place were in such wise not rooted out as that they encrease rather dayly more and more amongest vs and are growen to greater heapes all which mischieues notwithstandyng if were but light or meane at the least the matter were not so great for that might haue bene pardonable in respect of the weakenesse of mans Nature But what shall we say now of that most horrible and execrable haynousnes
To witt if there be not a Purgatory Osorius doth lye if he be a lyar Ergo he is not sent froÌ„ God but from the Deuill the father of lyes Which counterbuffe is so much the more probably applyable agaynst Osorius then agaynst Luther by how much he persisteth more obstinately in the maintenaunce of that filthy quauemyre of Purgatory For as much as although Luther did erre somewhat in that matter at the first yet afterwardes knowing the trueth did reduce himselfe to a more sound iudgement so that now he neither maketh for the Papistes in affirming Purgatory neither by that his former vntrueth error sinneth agaynst God at all Therefore as touching his forked and double horned argumeÌ„t wherein the first part of Osorius his Position If there be no Purgatory Luther doth lye If Osorius here doe vnderstand of a lye Formaliter Luther doth not lye but Osorius doth lye But if Luther be adiudged according to that which he once thought and taught once why should he be more reproched with a lye in affirming Purgatory then commended in the trueth in denying Purgatory afterwardes Moreouer if a lye be such a kinde of thing as you doe affirme in your other Position wh doth separate vs from God surely he is to be accoumpted a lyar not that reuoketh the error which he maintayned before but he that still persisteth obstinately in his ouerthwart opinion manifestly agaynst the trueth But the Scholemen that in their Schooles dispute somewhat more subtilly of the nature of a lye do ioyne together to the full proportion or making of a lye the will also of him that doth make the lye to speake the schole tearmes with the part of the false surmise In the one whereof they ground the matter or substaunce in the other the forme or qualitye Therefore for asmuch as there is no sinne but that which is voluntary if we will speake after the proprietye of speéch he that in teaching or disputing doth mainteyne a falshoode thinking that he doth maintayne a trueth he is to be sayd that he erreth and is deceaued in opinion but doth not make a lye properly but per accidens as the schoole men speake and materialiter And therfore touching the one horne of your sophisme If there be not a Purgatorye Luther doth lye If you meane it formaliter as I sayd it is vntrue and a deuise of Osorius Now remayneth thother horne whereof we must be well aduised how wee doe aunswere it If he did lye say you Ergo He was not sent from God If this be true that neuer any man was sent from God that did make any kinde of lye at any tyme Lett Osorius looke well to the matter how he may be able to crack me these two nuttes that I will lykewise geue vnto him as euidently in ech respect agaynst him If Sara were not Abraham his sister then did Abraham lye If Abraham did lye then was he not sent from God Yea further also to adde hereunto an intent of deceauing Here is yet an other matter If Iacob were not the first begotten sonne of Isaack by Rebecca his wyfe both Iacob lyed and the Mother also If the Myddwyues did not drowne the young sucklings of the Hebrues then did they make a lye vnto Pharao If king Saul gaue vnto Dauid no commaundement by worde of mouth commiâ—g to Achimelech then did Dauid make a lye 1. Kinges Chap. 21. If all these of whom I haue spoken Iacob Rebecca the Middwiues Dauid did lye Ergo they were not sent from God which if Osor. will not deny to be a most arrogant vntrueth what remaineth but that this cruell Sauadge two horned beast together with Luther goare the holy Patriarches also with his hornes or casting away his hornes acquite Luther and the Patriarches also both together Now I put Osorius to his choyse to take which he will Howbeit I speake not this to acquite Luther cleare from all spott of error NotwithstaÌ„ding it is not all one to hold an error and to maintayne a lye It is one thing to be vnskilfull and ignoraunt and an other thing to reuoke in season assoone as a man doth know his error The first whereof is a speciall poynt of humaine infirmitye thother a singuler benefite of Gods mercy Both which we haue seéne to haue chaunced euen in the most holy ones of all We reade of the most holy messenger and forerunner of the Lord speaking on this wise And I sayth he knew him not Neuerthelesse in an other place we heare the same speaking on this wise Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And what maruell was it if Luther were ignoraunt in some thinges a whiles which were discouered vnto him afterwardes And where hath euer bene so quicksighted a Spinx that was able to seé all things at once which prerogatiue the Barnardines dare not geue vnto Barnard himselfe But Osorius will not leaue of his handfast And would gladly know as he sayth Whether senteÌ„ce of Luther Haddon will determine vpoÌ„ to be true seing Luther is Author of both Of the first wherein he affirmeth a Purgatory to be or the last wherein he denyeth the same thing agayne That I may passe ouer in the meane space whose Cartloades full of Tauntes Mockes and Mountaynes of lyes which he vomiteth out in the bosome of the good man most brutishly euen to the ridding of his gorge almost I will aunswere to the matter and the reprochfull Taunt it selfe briefly without Tauntes As concerning the very trueth and naturall substaunce of Doctrine howsoeuer mens opinions and Iudgements be carryed hither and thither in wauering vncerteynty yet trueth is neuer vnlyke it selfe but remayneth alwayes one and the same also vnchaungeable which suffreth not it selfe to be toste to and fro after the whirling variablenes of mens imaginations but standeth alwayes sound and vnshaken builded vpon the vnpenetrable Rocke of the Scriptures of God Now if Luthers rule be agreably apporcioned accordyng to the infallible squarier of that holy staÌ„dard whether it be first or whether it be last why should it not be worthely embraced not because it is the last but because it is the truest On the other side if in all his doctrine be any assertion that deserueth to be reprehended as repugnauÌ„t or varying from the true touchestone of Christian profession there be extant the holy Scriptures of God manifest and layd open there be auÌ„cient ordinauÌ„ces of the Primitiue Church There be approued Testimonies of learned men There be groundes and principles of doctrine wherewith ye may lawfully conuince him Yet orderly notwithstanding and courteously that the Readers may finde you to be a learned Deuine or skilfull Logician not a rayling Slaunderer and fryuolous brabbler Now to what purpose serueth so much cursed rayling no lesse vnseasonable then vnreasonable so many Tauntes so many slaunders so many subtiltyes and so many bitter skoffes what neéded
of the Euangelicall doctrine to glister and shyne farre and wyde abroad ouer all Christendome at this tyme which because was not so resplendisaunt and lightsome in the tyme of certeine of our forefathers of late yeares whereas neuerthelesse Christ did alwayes preserue embrace his Church with lyke mercye and fauour therefore he accompteth this Gospell of Christ to be a new straunge Doctrine contrary to Christ and this also not Osorius alone supposeth to be so but many other Deuines wandring inlyke error who are maliciously wroth agaynst Luther as though he a few others were the first deuisours and coyners of this Gospell Thē which vntrueth can nothing be more vntrue Nay rather if Luther had neuer bene borne if Bucer or Caluine had neuer taught yet could your ignoraunce and shamelesse errors haue no longer lurked in darknes through one singuler and especiall prouidēce of God not that whereby Luther was sent abroad into the world but by that inestimable benefite of Gods blessing prepared for the behoofe of his Church I meane the singuler and most excellet Art of Emprinting By this meanes it pleased Gods good mercy both to prouide for the weaknes of his Church withall auēge himselfe vpon your Tyrannous cruelty by a certein secret vnsearchable maner For imediately after Iohn Husse Ierome of Prage the most holy Martyrs of God were by your horrible fury and wickednes consumed to ashes and the veritye of the Gospell suppressed by your Tyranny could neither be suffred to speake franckly nor shew her face abroad boldely nor eskape your rauenous gaping freély skarse x. yeres were come gonne before that in place of two poore Prophetts almighty God had raysed vpp all the holy Prophetts Patriarches Apostles Euangelistes and all the holy doctours of the Church Martyrs Confessours and Interpretours of holy Scripture as it were a certeine army of heauenly knightes armed at all poyntes to encounter your outragious assaultes who because could not be permitted to speake openly in the Church through your tyranny begann to presse forth boldly now in the open Printers shopps and to leape into euery mans bosome and handes and withall to bewray your ignoraunce and Tretchery and to discouer not new wellsprings of Doctrine but to skoure and make cleane the olde fountaines and Conduyt pypes of the Gospell of grace stoppt vp by the popish Philistines And hereupon begann to spreadd abroad with glystering beames the large encrease of this gladsome Doctrine which if be so combersome a block in your way you may not therefore wreake your anger vpon Luther but deuise make some prouiso for these Printers for these bookes for learning and for Languages and to tell you as the trueth is you must excommunicate God himselfe Who durst be so hardy to bestow his vnspeakable mercy vpō this later and declining age of his Church in relieuing comforting her long and werysome trauaile with so many and so plentifull graces and aydes of true Doctrine and sound vnderstanding that would prouide for her sicknes so many learned Phisitions and Doctors not Luther Zuinglius Bucer and Caluine but Moses the Prophetts Apostles Euangelistes and cannonicall Scriptures through the reading and dayly perusing of the which if Christian hartes being better enlightened doe now feéle and perceaue sensybly that which our forefathers were forced to groape after in darkenes you ought not to muse thereat at much lesse to enuye and maligne it Wherefore as touching the grayheadded age of this Doctrine whereat you doe barke so impudently with your currish snarling for as much as we doe professe nothing els then the same that is comprehended within Gods booke and which before our tyme was taught by Moses aucthorized by the Prophetts Apostles what meaneth this your I will not say reason but vnreasonable insensibilytye with such vnsauery subtlety so to wryth wrest that to the defacing of this Doctrine which Haddon did conceaue of the outward lybertye and freédome of the Preachers only as though this doctrine were of no better creditt and no longer continuaunce then these last thyrty yeares and so shamelesly by many hundred yeares to preferre the auncienty of Mahumets sect before the knowledge of this Gospell But it had bene more conuenient for you good syr to haue learned by diligent enquirye whether this comparison of sectes doe not serue more fittly with that your pampered Papane for asmuch as that heathenish Paganisme and your prophane Papacye were both whelped nere about one tyme and almost within the compasse of one yeare which yeare we doe accompt by the reueled computation in S. Iohn to be the sixe hūdreth sixty and sixe Now that this deépe Deuine hath reasonably well beaten his braynes about matters of Diuynitye he doth beginne to cast a new floorish about and will haue a cast at the prosperitye and stayed estate of Princes presuming vpon his politique wisedome to councell kinges and Queénes and chiefly aboue others our gracious Queéne Elizabeth with what modesty she ought to attemper the prosperous successes and happy tranquillitye of her estate That she trust not to much to fawning fortune that there is nothing certeine in the course of this lyfe and many perills are to be feared in matters most pleasaunt and prosperous to the viewe and that no thing is more daungerous then carelesse securitye because as after light followeth darkenesse and after Calme come Clowdes euen so the whole course of this lyfe hath his continuall enterchaunges Ioy sometymes surprised with sodeyne sorrow agayne heauinesse chaunged into honour that all thinges are carryed about in a certaine vehement whyrling vnstablenesse as it were the fleyng vanes of a windemill forced about with Boreas blastes The thinges that are now aloft be sodenly throwen downe and contrarywise the things that be simple base doe at an instant mount aloft And that it commeth oftē to passe that whom God is most displeased withall those same he will ouershadow with more fruitfull aboundaunce of vertue grace and endue them with happy assuraunce not of fyue yeares onely but of many yeares continuaunce that so the greater that their fall is the deeper may their wound be according to the old prouerbe the higher wall the greater fall Briefly that there is no state of honour so firme so sure garded wherein a man may assure himselfe of a minute in safetye which doth euidently appeare by the example of Craesus who being vanquished of Cyrus and prepared vpō a pyle of wood ready to be bourned did cry vpō Solon with a lowd voyce and being demaunded by Cyrus who that Solon was Craesus doth declare the councell that he long before had receaued of that Solon whereupon Cyrus commaunding him to be taken downe from the stacke of wood after that he had thereby learned to bridle his Choler did not onely preserue him on lyue but hadd him in great reuerence and estimation This farre forth Osorius euen out
through swiftenesse of opinioÌ„ doe affirme her to be such a Church as cann by no meanes goe astray and whatsoeuer this Church doth denouÌ„ce and commaunde the same they doe most greedely catche after with the whole bente of their fayth and defende it with tooth and nayle Out of this sincke were plumped at the first mens traditions and sundry preiudiciall opinions as certein vnreproueable determinations they call them Vnwritten Verities which by leysure they do coÌ„ferre with the Scriptures but in such sorte that whatsoeuer shall seeme to serue for their purpose they Canonize the same as inuiolable but if ought be founde contrary to their expectation then either they submitt it to the IudgemeÌ„t of the Church or with violent wrestyng do racke the same to colour their suggestions And hereof sprang all that Darnell and Cockell of errours and dissensions bycause many men did fashion their fayth after this frameshapen chaungelyng and not after the simple conduct of the word In which Church when they perceaued those and such other doctrines to be embraced as these to witte that the Romish See ought to be supreme Empresse ouer all other Churches that Purgatory must be beleeued That Pardons were necessary that vowes made to remayne vnmaried were meritorious That Mounckery and cowled profession hadd a certein wonderfull perfectioÌ„ That Images ought to be worshipped Sainctes prayed vnto and that the Grace and deseruynges of Iesu Christ could not of it selfe suffice to the attaynement of Saluation That no man could obteyne righteousnes through fayth without workes That Christ him selfe flesh bloud and bones was conteined and sacrificed in the Masse vnder bare accidentes That lay persons should be denied the vse of readyng the Scriptures participatyng the cuppe of the Lord. All these and many other like drugges though they neuer could finde in the liuely wellsprynges of holy Scriptures yet bycause they perceaue them to be shryned in the Decrees and Decretalles of Rome they doe constauntly beleeue that they must be of as autentique aucthoritie as if they were so many Oracles letteÌ„ downe from heauen Hereby cometh to passe that vnder the vysour of the Churche sondry deformed byshapes of doctrine are fostered vpp in the Church and vnder the pretence of Christ the true Gospell of Christ is in no small daunger to be vtterly defaced So that the lamentable complaynte vttered by Chrisostome could neuer so aptly be applyed as to this our Age Many doe walke sayth he vnder the name of Christians but very fewe in the trueth of Christ. But bycause we haue debated these matters with Osorius hereafter at large I will not deteigne your Royall Maiestie with any further Register thereof It remayneth that we make humble intercession to almightie God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that of his immeasurable mearcy and loue wherewith he disdayned not to disclose him selfe vnto mankynde by his Sonne he will vouchsafe to beautifie and establishe and with his mighty power and outstretched arme to defende and make permanent from all errours and bloudy bootchery the true light of his holy Gospell the bright beames whereof hath allready enlightened the earth We beseeche him likewise that by the Trompett and dewe administration of his Gospell the kyngdome of darkenesse may dayly more and more be subuerted and the Church and kyngdome of his Sonne Iesu Christ may be dispersed abroad ouer the face of all the earth and preached thorough our all Nations and tounges Lastly we pray that he will endue all Christian Kynges and Princes beyng sett in aucthority and especially the puissaunt and victorious Sebastian Kyng of Portingall with all Princely ornamentes to enriche him with all perfect and absolute clemency in vertue and true godlynesse and to enlighten him with the knowledge of his glorious countenaunce and establishe his throne to the settyng forth of his glory and aduauncement of his Church through the merites of the same our Lord Iesus Christ who graunt you in this world millions of his grace and in the world to come lyfe euerlastyng Amen ¶ Faultes escaped in them printyng with correction of the same Wherein note that the figures direct to the Foland and A. B. to the first and second Page FOl. 3. b. President Presidentes ibidem is verified which is verified 15. b. lyfe hereof lyke hereof 15. b. groundewordes groundeworkes 16. a. endyng enduyng 23. b. iugglyng ianglyng 4.2 a. you say lay you 43. b. can vvith can not with 46 b. slaunder slaunderer 56. b. in a by a. 61. a. knowen an vnknowen ibidem to the of the. 66. b. was no litle was litle 96. b. with which 97. a. pitie pictie .105 a. of him in him .106 b. ofter after 10â— b. that may that we may .111 b. excludeth excluded .112 a. in other in an other 114 b Sophistically a Sophisticall lye ibidem rather of the rather the .116 a. of a. for a .117 a. requireth required .118 a. geauen be geauen .122 b. they do they that do ibidem the sentence these sentences .130 b. not one no not one .135 b. obiect obiecteth .136 a. of Luthers owne workes he alledgeth Luthers owne wordes .136 b. deny denyeth .137 b. do to to do 137 b nature the nature .151 a. frameth frame .165 a. do thteach doth teach 177. a. iudged be iudged .190 a. deliuered be deliuered .195 a. to onely to the onely 208. a. eare are .231 a. is it not .237 b. may be not may not be .239 b. includeth included .258 b. finally which finally in which .259 a. not but wonder not wonder .266 a. agaynst agayne .275 a. is neither as neither .278 b. to the by the .280 a. to credite no no credite to .285 a. Minister Minster 286. a. fourth a fourth .292 a. yee he .293 b. circumuerted circumuented .300 b. agaynst agayne .303 b. passe to passe .305 a. successours predecessours .313 a. pardon pardoned .329 b. nevves nevv .336 a. same the same ibidem yea yee .357 b. Romeo Rome do .360 b. this these .373 b. dot do not .379 a. hundred hyndred .392 a. by be .426 b. proued prouided .430 a. our your .437 a. sword word .446 a. seduced enduced .446 b. I he it he .462 b. this these 504. b. herefore there hereof therefore To the godly Reader Walter Haddon sendeth greetyng in our Lord Iesu Christ A Few yeares past a certeine Portingall named Ierome Osorius wrate a tedious Epistle to the Queenes Maiestic In the which he imagined many monstruous errours to bee frequented in our church with reprochful rayling most vnreuerently depraued the professours of the Gospel This publicke quarell against my nature countrey troubled me not a litle To some particular pointes wherof I thought good to aunswere although not to all in generall Partly bycause I wated tyme thereunto partly bycause I supposed that Osorius was deluded by some malicious report of our aduersaries therefore I hoped the man would haue bene somewhat satisfied with myne aunswere There passed ouer one yearâ—
or two and I in the meane tyme appointed the Queenes highnes Agent in Flaunders was lydgear in Bruges At what tyme one Emanuell Dalmada a Portingall borne Byshop of Angrence sodenly sprang vp in Bruxelles This worshypfull Prelate vndertaking the defēce of his frend Ierome Osorius did stuffe a great Uolume full of wounders brabbles in the ende of his booke caused certein ougly pictures to be portrayde thereby to deface my personage as much as he might I perused this Apologie for to be entituled that cōfused llipe I neuer saw so foolish vnsauery a writing full ofskoffes absurdities which two beyng taken away there remained els nothyng besides Whereupon I debated with my selfe a whiles whether I might aunswere the doltish Asse But at the last I determined to despise the scely wretched dottarde as one not onely altogether vnlettered but also so dull and blockysh by nature many tymes so voyde of common sence that he became a iestyng stocke among the wiser sorte of his owne fraternitie About two yeares sithence my familiar frend Thomas Wilson returnyng from Portingall into Englād brought ouer from thence at the request of Osorius certein Volumes of Osorius framed into three bookes wherof one he deliuered seuerally vnto me I receiued it gladly and perused the same ouer once or twise trustyng that Osorius beyng now enstalled a Byshop would be much more modest thē before But the matter fell quite contrary For in steede of a Liuill and sober person I finde him a most friuolous Sophister for a graue Diuine nine a childish counterfaite and for a discrete byshop a most impudent rayler Hereunto was added such store of vanitie and proude hawtynes that in respect of him Thraso might be well adiudged a very discret person I sorrow to speake so much for it had bene more acceptable to me and more honesty for him according to the ordinary course of commō conference to haue debated our matters frendly and quietly rather then to cōbat together with such tauntyng and snatchyng But sithence Osorius disputeth not as a Byshop neither will I argue to him as to a Byshop Neither is it requisite that I should be myndefull of Osorius estate sithence he forgetteth his owne myne also And it standeth with good reason that if he haue takē any pleasure in euill speakyng he loase the same in euill hearyng Here of gentle Reader I thought good to premonishe the partly that thou mayest perceaue the course and processe of our writyng partly that if I shall seeme sometymes somewhat to sharpe in myne aunswere thou mayest impute it to the enforcement of myne aduersarie rather then to the bitternesse of my nature Now I will request two thynges of thee The first is that as I shall haue briefly and throughly confuted the most foolish and spitefull braules of Osorius so thou wilt be cōtēt therewith not requiring many woordes in matters of so small substaunce For albeit Osorius can lunite to him selfe no measure nor ende of pratlyng yet will I so temper my talke that I neither abuse thy leysure nor myne owne Not bycause it is a hard thyng but a matter rather of no difficultie to fill whole Uolumes with scribling and toyes But that it is odious to be accused of that selfe same faulte wherof a man doth condemne an other My last request is That thou yeld thyne attentiue mynde voyde of parcialitie in opinions which two if thou graūt vnto me It shall easely appeare I trust both that I haue no lesse godly then necessarily entred into the honest defence of my countrey And thou also as playnely perceaue how maliciously and wickedly England hath bene accused and depraued by her cursed enemy Osorius Farewell ¶ An Aunswere of Walter Haddon to the rayling Inuectiues of Ierome Osorius IN the entrey of this Tragedie this prattling brawler hath framed a long discourse to shew how my booke certeine yeares after the publicatiō therof came to his hādes wherein he supposed to finde some mysticall matter As though to know when hee receaued my booke were any iote to that purpose whereof we doe entreate or as though any man may doubt whether a writyng sold in euery shoppe might in foure yeares space be transported into Portingall Or that myne aunswere publiquely Imprinted could by no meanes els be brought to Osorius vnlesse that worshipfull Prelate of Angrence had come ouer into Flaūders Nay surely For as this maketh litle to the matter to know when or at what tyme my booke came to your sight so is it not credible that you wanted him foure yeares after the Imprinting And there is no doubt but that there were messēgers enough that would haue conueyed the same vnto you though this Byshop of Angrence had neuer sene Bruxels yea though he had neuer bene borne And therefore this friuolous painted Preface of yours might haue bene spared altogether if it had not bene accompanyed with two iolly mates The one that ye might vp this meanes yeld your honorable testimonie of your frende Emanuell whō you aduaūce for his excellency aboue the skyes But you come to late Osorius for this your carrion Emanuell departyng frō Flaunders hath left behynd him a most euident monument of his folly bewrayng his blockyshnesse wherein alone hee hath vttered so many proofes of his ignoraunce and impudencie that no man will beleue you though you extoll his worthynes with an othe Wherfore if you haue any delight in his felowshyp vse the same rather in couert in your owne countrey at home for els where Osorius shall neuer get honor or honesty by praysing Emanuell The secōd part of your narration declareth the laudable custome of your countrey where bookes of corrupt Religion may not be admitted and therfore that Emanuell durst not commit myne aunswere vnto you vnlesse he had first obteined licence thereunto What do I heare Are our bookes so dayly infamed with the slaunderous accusations of your fraternitie and yet so curiously deteined frō you whom the world doth acknowledge the most sturdy champions of the Romish Sea By what exāple with what reason with what learnyng doe you iustifie this For where as our writers do publikely inueighe agaynst your Ierarchy wholy cōuince your superstitions it is enacted by your Canon Law and reason yeldeth no lesse that the writinges of your aduersaries should bee deliuered vnto your Doctours and Pillers of the Churche pardye that you may burne them and broyle the Authours of them if they come in your clawes Reason doth require this custome hath this farre forth preuailed with you This is also established by your doctrine And yet onely Portingall is so squeymish at our writynges that Osorius beyng himselfe the most couragious champion of the Romishe facultie may not handle any leafe therof no nor Emanuell a Bishop of Angrence may not dare to send any title therof to his familiar and felow Osorius though otherwise Emanuell be a most pestilēt enemie of
weaken the Maiestie of the Romane Empire but ransacked and rent in peéces the whole world almost Euen so the Romishe Byshops in the first swathling cloutes of the first primitiue time of the church were very godly and sounde and to vse the wordes of the scripture did many tymes withstand the enemies of the Gospell euen with losse of lyfe But after they had erected this Lordly superioritie of the Papane Monarchy there was of godlynes and integritie of lyfe no dramme at all but of intollerable ambition vnbridled licentiousnes whole swarmes did appeare And yet I speake but a litle It is not therefore requisite to hang all the keyes vnder one maus gyrdle alwayes nor yet scarse good pollicie For if it were so there might be some daūger therein lest the frowardnesse of one person might ouerthrowe the whole estate of Christianitie There is farre lesse ieoperdy where seuerall Prouinces are ruled by their seuerall Pastours for proofe wherof if it be not sufficient to haue alledged reason experience I will recite vnto you out of the Register of Romish Byshops for witnes Gregorie the first Who in this matter vttereth the same reason in the same wordes And for playnesse of the matter I will set them downe as hee hath spoken them whiche are these If we haue but one onely head the fall of that head is the fall of the whole Churche it any mā presume to take vpon him this name of vniuersall Byshop the whole Church falleth downe from her estate when he falleth which is called vniuersall But farre may this name of blasphemie be from all Christian myndes whereby the honour of all Priests is diminished in part whiles this arrogaunt singularitie is presumed vpon c. May any thyng be sayd more playnly or plentyfully can any thyng be pronounced more vehemently or effectually agaynst this extraordinary and presumptuous Lordlynes of Papacie Neither did Gregorie otherwise then he spake For when this Satanicall name of vniuersall Byshop was offred vnto him by the Coūcell of Calcedon hee refused it with great detestation and would by no meanes be acquainted therewith although you deny the same most shamelesly as shal be declared afterwardes But here you obtrude agaynst vs the misticall Sonet of Salomon Wherein he commaundeth his spouse to catch the Foxes destroying the vynes which be as you interpret it heretiques peruertyng the Churche And this you affirme cā by none other meane be brought to passe except some one be set in authoritie that may roote vp the mores of hereticall contagion before they be ripe First of all Osorius it is hard to establish a firme doctrine by an Allegorie Moreouer the denomination of Foxes doth no more resemble heretiques then any other wicked persons But to graunt this vnto you in some respect by what argument do ye proue that heretiques can by no meanes els be apprehended vnlesse your singular Monarchy be admitted The Emperour Phocas did first of all erect this Papal Empire in Boniface the iij. What then Had not Peter long before Foxes in chase and the other Apostles likewise Call to your remembraunce Ananias Saphira and Elymas the sorcerour forget not other pestilent examples like vnto the same and you will be better aduised Proceéde a degreé lower to those graue Fathers the first Byshops of the Romish Church Clemēs Anacletus Marcellus many others Could the holy Martyrs haue sealed our Religion with their bloud vnlesse they had first daunted the pride of Tyrauntes and heretiques with the sword of the Scriptures But here paraduenture you will Triumph bycause I make so honorable mention of the Romish Seé I wis it is neédelesse For I doe here commend Byshops not Popes Martyrs not Monarches And yet in truth I haue no quarell with the Romishe Seé or the Byshop therof nor euer had It is that vsurped authoritie that exalteth it selfe aboue all earthly power which I do challenge and will proclaime open warre agaynst whiles breath is in my body except I finde a stronger Goliath then you are hetherto But we will returne to your Foxes whereof I haue noted the ouerthrow of sondry most subtill and craftie before the Papacie This our later age praysed be God doth punish and vtterly suppresse whole sects of heresies although the same doth not acknowledge your Papane principalitie I dare be bold to vouch England and I conceaue no lesse frendly of other common weales agaynst the which you can not forge any probable reason to the contrary or why it should not be so For if there were no vniuersall Monarche of the Churche sittyng in that stately chayre at Rome ought that be any estoppell to the Byshops of England Scotland Poland or Germany yea of Spayne or Portingall or any other dominion or common weale but that they may apprehend hereticques yea and punish them Haue they no Magistrates do they lacke lawes are they voyde of sense and vnderstanding Put on your spectacles Osorius and behold all Christian Nations and marke wel the maners of the people Are they not sufficiently prouided for their common safetie and tranquilitie by their owne peculiar lawes do not Princes gouerne their seuerall territories in orderly pollicie may they administer all other matters well and can not confute the absurdities of heresies without this Tyrannous Ierarchy of Rome Can not we touch an heretique or can not other Regions do the like which are in the furthermost part of the world seuered from the costes of Italy except they gad to Rome for a Pelting Oracle do you iustifie this Osorius is this the wisedome of an old man are you so altogether voyde of learnyng experience and discretion also Yea rather before any Pope was at all heretiques were layd handes vpon Euen now also rigour of law is executed agaynst them Neither can any Foxe be foside so crafty as your reasons alluded vnto thē are vtterly friuolous vnskillfull But ye skippe from Salomon to Paule and of him you write in this maner Therfore Paule in his second Epistle to the Thessaloniās denyeth that it may come to passe that Antichrist shall come before there be a departyng from the fayth First of all this is somewhat straunge in you that you note the place And surely in very good tyme haue ye done it for euen here your vnshamefast imprudencie is taken tardy Paule pronounceth in that place that our Lord Iesu Christ shall not come before a departyng be of the fayth first but you for our Lord and Sauiour Christ haue placed Antichrist Paules wordes are these Let no man deceaue you by any meanes for the Lord shall not come except there come a departyng first and that sonne of perdition be reuealed You are caught Osorius and so entangled in this snatch that ye can not escape Are you not ashamed to depraue Paules sentence so blasphemously can you with so execrable impietie and horrible ignoraunce place Antichrist in steéde of Christ and the sonne
it quoth Cicero for if you had bene taught any thyng at all you would neuer haue written so absurdely Euen in like maner may I beleue no man better theÌ„ Osorius him selfe that he neuer had any other Schoolemisters besides Confession For of a wicked and corrupt Schoolemysters is hatched a proude and hautie sholer standyng in his owne light a despiser of all others an importunate brauler a prattlyng Sophister a shamelesse rayler an vnmeasurable slauÌ„der and a peruertour of holy Scriptures and true godlynes How much better had it bene for you if you had had lesse conference with Massemongers and bene more acquainted with S. Paule Hee would haue instructed you in all sobrietie modestie iustice pietie fayth charitie patience and meckenesse Whereof you seéme to haue leâ—rned no title in all your sweéte confessions nor so much as heard whether any such matter be or euer haue bene So farre and wyde doth both your speach your reason dissent and disagreé as altogether estrauÌ„ged from them Yet ye proceéde notwithstandyng in this desperate trauaile of Confession which beyng staggeryng and ready to fall you doe vnderproppe with workes least it fall to the grounde For thus ye write Yet notwithstandyng we doe not so content our selues with this Confession of sinnes but that we exact fruites of RepentauÌ„ce which we vse to name Satisfactions a word that you scorne at most insoleÌ„tly Behold this fine scholer of Confession so well poolished in the schoole of his Massemongers that hee hath learned that Christians are required to bryng foorth fruites worthy of Repentaunce O deépe and profounde doctrine as though any Cobbler or Carter did euer deny or were ignoraunt in this point but you haue coupled hereunto an other new companion a meare straunger to ChristiaÌ„ eares For you say that the fruites of Repentaunce are named of you by this name SatisfactioÌ„s I do know very well that your MassemoÌ„gers Friers schoolemen haue thrust into the church this new wicked name of Satisfaction but I know this also that you haue done this to your great shame and reproch For it is a manifest vntruth contrary to all holy Scriptures contrary to the doctrine of the sacred and Apostolicque Church contrary to the iudgements of the approued auncient fathers But we do heare Iohn say you exhorting them which had confessed their faultes to bryng forth fruites worthy of Repentaunce and you adde that the same wordes were repeated by that great maister of righteousnes the Redemer of mankynd I doe confesse this Osorius what conclude you hereof we must bryng forth fruites worthy of Repentaunce Ergo fruites worthy of RepentauÌ„ce must be named SatisfactioÌ„s Cursed be your Confessours Osorius that could instruct you no better in Logicke Osorius hath suckt out of Confession the rules of good lyfe Ergo he must do nothyng els A very like conclusion a fit whelpe of that schoole where you were trayned vp But let vs seé if your Satisfactions be not vtterly ouerthrowen with the same Scriptures wherewith you thinke to establish them Iohn pointyng vnto Christ with his finger Behold quoth he the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world If Christ take away the sinnes of the world how caÌ„ workes satisfie but harken vnto Christ him selfe whom you do worthely name the great Schoolemaster of righteousnesse When you haue done all sayth hee that are commaunded you say yet we are vnprofitable seruauntes we did no more then we ought to doe Behold we are vnprofitable seruauntes in the chiefest perfection of our workes Ergo your Satisfactions are cold nothyng worthe That pure and chosen vessell of God Paule doth teache in this maner I am not guiltie of any thyng yet am I not iustified hereby If Paules vndesiled conscience cleare of all crimes were not auaylable to iustification then of very necessitie all your owne and the SatisfactioÌ„s of all your sect are lame and cripled But let vs learne of the same Paule from wheâ—ce true Christians ought to fetche full Satisfaction and absolute perfection Christ sayth he hath by one onely oblation made perfect for euer them whiche are sanctified This one onely Sacrifice of Christ offred vp in the Altar of the Crosse is our Satisfaction our perfection and our witnessing and shal be for euer not ours onely but of all those also which shal be made perfect in tyme to come We doe beleue Paule we doe beleue Iohn and we doe beleue Christ. If you do not beleue those there be other companions fit for you to company withall namely the Pharisies whiche scorned Christes preachyng vnto whom he sayd You be they which iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your harts for that whiche is glorious in the sight of men is abhomination before God Take heéde Osorius take heéde I say that you be not of the nuÌ„ber of those Pharisies lest God abhorre you turne his face froÌ„ your glorious SatisfactioÌ„s shyne they neuer so gorgiously in the sight of meÌ„ You cauill after your old maner I can not tell what agaynst the vanitie of me and our Deuines wherein I will not braule with you lest I fill whole Uolumes with superfluous matters as you do but I will meéte with you in those thynges onely wherein seémeth some matter of coÌ„trouersie You bryng a very sit and elegant cause surely whereby you would shewe why we should not confesse to God alone but rather fleé out to your Confessours For that God you say can not be so easily perceaued of vs hee hath appointed his Vicares on the earth whiche should exercise his authoritie so that who would refuse them would refuse God him selfe c. First of all ye deny that God caÌ„ be clearely perceaued as though the sight of God were necessarie to the daÌ„nation of sinners This is to to lumpish Osorius more fit for that Cowled Asse your companioÌ„ then for you No maÌ„ euer hath sene God nor caÌ„ seé him and yet through Christ we do offer vnto God the father the sacrifice of thankesgeuyng and magnifie his holy name This matter apperteineth not to the sight of the eyes it apperteineth to the mynde and inward seélyng of the soule which clyming vnto God in harty sorrow and sighyng is neuer throwen downe from the beholdyng of his infinite goodnesse I liue sayth the Lord and take no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that the wicked conuerte from his wicked way and liue be ye conuerted therfore be ye conuerted from your wicked wayes wherfore will ye dye O ye house of Israel With like geÌ„tlenes doth our Sauiour Iesus Christ call vs vnto him Come vnto me all ye that are laden and I will refresh you I will geue to them that are thirstie of the well of life freely And yet Osorius beleueth that bycause of the absence of Christ Uicares must be substituted Paule taught vs farre otherwise saying The Lord is neare vnto all them that call vpon
For you apply your senses to the vnderstādyng of Transubstātiatiō wherby you will haue Christ to be felt to be tasted to be swallowed downe into the stomacke But I accordyng to the doctrine approued vse of the true Catholicke Apostolicke Churche doe vtterly renounce senses accidētes substaunces transformatiōs do aduisedly behold and comprehend in my mynde the Sacrament the mysterie and the Spirite You cast away the yoke of Christ and embrace the licentious outrage of the Romishe Bulles I am a poore miserable exile of Christ and his afflicted seruaunt You doe choppe and chaunge the benefites of Christ with the peéuishe trinckettes of your Schoolemen I do search for the true doctrine of Christian fayth in the most approued preachyngs of Christ his Apostles Ye do snarle at my conuersation of lyfe as if it were most wicked Wherin though you doe me a great iniurie yet ye geue your selfe a deéper wounde which in so open and manifest a lye doe put all your credite in hassarde of losse For albeit I am a miserable sinner in the sight of God yet I hope I haue so led my whole lyfe through his onely great mercy that I neéde not to feare Ierome Osorius to be myne accuser I could call to witnesse for my innocencie here in Italy Germanie and England in euery of which Regiōs I haue so behaued my selfe that hauyng testimony of all good commendable personages I may easely despise your slaunderous shameles rayling Wherfore a way with this your friuolous and insolent custome of scolding once at the last for it empaireth not the estimatiō of honest persons whiche though be vnknowen vnto you yet haue commendable report els where abroad but it rather hurteth your profession diminisheth your credite and loseth your estimation You doe prayse the Sacramēt plentifully and with many good wordes beautifie the benefites therof Wherein you doe very well for what thing vnder the heauens can be founde more prayse worthy more comfortable more honorable more precious more heauenly then this sacred Supper of the Lord whiche we not onely call by the names of Synaxim Euchariste as you doe but also bread come downe frō heauen and Angels foode Neither can you deuise to speake so fully and aboundauntly in the displaying of the excellent worthynes of this most singular sacrament but I will gladly consent with you therein You say that Cyprian was accustomed to geue this heauenly foode to Martyrs and that he would lykewise remoue from this heauenly Banquet men that were notorious for any great crime We doe acknowledge this godly vsage of Cyprian and the same do I for myne owne part Imitate as much as I may and I know not whether I haue employed any so great endeuour in any one thyng so much as that the pure and naturall honour of this Sacrament might be established and the same dayly frequented in all Churches Let my bookes bee perused let enquirie bee made of my familiars and such as I haue bene conuersaunt withall let the continuall course of my maners and lyuyng bee examined and I shal be founde of all men to haue bene a most humble and dayly folower and guest of this heauenly Supper Wherfore thē do you so immorderatly exclame agaynst me That I doe mainteyne combate agaynst the ordinaunce of Christ agaynst the doctrine of Paule agaynst the excellencie of so delicate fruites agaynst the knowen experience of that wonderfull commoditie and pleasauntnesse and agaynst the vndefiled fayth of the vniuersall Church Wherfore do you adde hereunto That I haue reprochfully abused the body and bloud of Christ and outragiously peruerted the benefite of Gods mercy Why do you knitte vp your knot at the length and say That I doe sport my selfe in these mischiefes and doe infect many persons with the poyson of this pestilēt errour God cōfounde that vnshamefast and blasphemous mouth with some horrible plague most cursed Semei whose cancred toung can finde no end nor measure in rayling I haue alwayes most reuerētly esteémed of the Euchariste as of a most precious most fruitefull sacramēt of Christes death as a most assured pledge and Seale of our redemption as a most precious treasure and mysterie of our fayth and hereunto haue I bene enduced by the ordinaunce of Christ our Sauiour by the doctrine of Paule by the iudgement of aūcient Fathers and by the discipline and receaued custome of the vniuersall Catholicke and Apostolicke Church Touchyng the doctrine therof I haue oftē tymes spoken before now therfore touchyng the Custome The same is perceaued by the dayly Custome of the Disciples which after Christ was takē vp into heauē did continually perseuere together in the doctrine of the Apostles and in participation and breakyng of bread and prayers as appeareth by these wordes Vpon a day of the Sabbaoth when the Disciples came together to breake bread c. Awake Ierome Awake you do heare the holy Ghost call it Bread and bicause you should not doubt therof you heare it agayne and ägayne yea and brokē also and this much more ye finde that the Disciples of Christ continually remayned in this holy custome And yet it was not bare Bread as you do wickedly diffame my sayinges therein but it was mysticall Bread sacred Bread finally it was the participation of the body of Christ in the same maner as the body of Christ may bee deliuered in a Sacrament by fayth and Spirite Therfore for as much as our Lord Iesus hath so instituted this Sacramēt to the euerlastyng Remēbraunce of his death passiō sithence Paule doth make mention of the sayd institution after the same maner sithence the auncient Fathers haue applied their doctrine to the same sense sithēce the primitiue Apostolicke Churche hath confirmed the same with perpetuall Custome Awake Ierome at the lēgth for shame awake if you can and rid your stomacke of that dronken Schoolesurfet of Trāsubstantiation which neither Christ did ordeine nor Paul acknowledged nor the Fathers euer thought of ne yet the Apostolique Church did euer medle withall It is a new deuised mockerie foūded first by Innocētius proclaymed by Schooleianglers scattered abroad by Sathā to the rootyng out of the true remembraunce of Christ from out our soules to the vtter ouerthrow of the power of that euerlastyng sacrifice of the crosse Lastly to the erecting of a damnable Idoll in our myndes supplying the place of Christ him selfe to be worshipped of vs. For what els meaneth this your Transubstantiated bread so much adorned with all ceremony of Religion so reuerently carried abroad so superstitiously reserued and kept in boxe lastly so blasphemously holden vp to the gaze worshypped did Christ our Sauiour do or teach euer at any tyme any of all these did Paule did the first and primitiue Church did the auncient Fathers Christ gaue Bread to his disciples Paule pronoūceth it by the name of Bread once twise thrise The Apostolicke church brake Bread
in the remembraunce of Christes death and perseuered in the same Custome The Fathers name it Bread and a Sacrament a mysterie and a figure of Christes body And yet Pope Innocentius commyng lately out of hell with a detestable superstition horrible Sacriledge doth Transubstantiate this mysticall Bread into our Sauiour Iesus Christ. There followed him certeine phantasticall Schoolemen which did most wickedly defile the pure Supper of our Lord with durtie schoole dregges And now at the length starteth by our Osorius a braue champion of this Schoole tromperies Ierome Osorius I say that great Maister in Israell a deépe and incomparable Deuine whō no man exceédeth in witte nor surmounteth in learnyng if a man may beleue him as hee reporteth him selfe Wherfore I would now aske one question good maister Proctour of you of this Transubstātiation whether our Lord Iesus Christ when hee did first institute the Sacrament of the Euchariste did make any mention in his speach of any remouing of the substaunce of Bread of the accidentes that should remayne or whether the substaunce of his body should supply the substaunce of Bread Did Paule touche any of these did the primitiue and Apostolique Churche receiue any such thyng haue the auncient Fathers made mention of any such matter in their bookes Sithence therefore this your wonderfull conuersion of the Substaunce of Bread into the body of Christ whiche your Schoolemen by a more grosse name call Trasubstantiatiō hath bene shapen forged out of these Monasteries whereof not so much as one title can be founde in the holy Scriptures in the Custome of the Apostles in the bookes of auncient Fathers it is a wonderfull straunge matter that a bishop so exquisite in diuinity as you are or would seeme to be would yet vndertake so desperate a cause and obtrude vpon vs such cold schoole dreames in steéde of most apparaūt knowen thynges Ye seé now how pitthily my Peter Martyr hath aunswered you in all thyngs whose soule you would not haue teazed to quarell if you had had any witte For he was worthely esteémed an excellent Deuine amongest the chiefest Deuines of our age whose Scholer you might haue bene in all knowledge and litterature except your eloquence onely in the Latine tounge But you do leaue our Peter now at that length whō if you had neuer prouoked you had done better so neéded you not to doe me so great iniurie as to challēge me for my familiar acquaintaunce with him For if you thinke that ye may with your honesty keépe company and vse frendly familiaritie with that doltish Calfe Angrence hauyng no vtteraunce no witte no sence no vnderstādyng why should not I rather acquainte my selfe with a man not onely excellēt in learnyng but replenished with all comlynesse ciuilitie of maners Make choise of your familiars Osorius as you please Suffer me to enioy myne owne neither is it reason that you should limitte me or I you in this kynde of affaires humanitie cōmon course of mās life requireth that choise be made of frendship as liketh eche mans owne iudgement best not to be ruled by others phantasies Be not you squeymish therfore at the cōmēdations of godly learned men my especiall frendes Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr I loued thē when they lyued I will not forget them beyng dead I frequēted their familiaritie whiles they lyued as much as I might their names remēbraūce of thē though they be dead I will defende as much as I may and if they were now alyue I would esteéme more of a whole yeares conference with them then of one day with you for their conuersation had a certeine discreéte pleasauntnes their conference had a wholesome wisedome the whole course of their demeanour was a most absolute paterne of honestie and godlynesse And I am throughly persuaded that nothing could haue aduaunced my estimation such as it is more then myne acquaintaunce and familiaritie with these two godly Fathers You come at the length to our Church the orders whereof you do captiously snatch at but this ye do so disorderly stāme ringly that all men may iudge that ye did roaue at it in your dreame rather then dispute beyng awake I affirmed that fayth came by hearyng What say you is it no so I sayd also that our Preachers are sent abroad into all the coastes of our Realme to teach the cōmon people their duties in all thynges what will you deny this to be done You can not the matter is manifest But you exclaime and say that our Preachers are Lutherans Bucerans and Caluinistes First of all how know you this to be true then if it be so let the names goe confute their doctrine if you can But this lesson you learned of your Cowled Coockowes to braule alwayes with bare names whē you cā not ouerthrow a sillable of their doctrine Your Maister shyp will not allow that our Parliamēt and publicke assemblie of the Realme should entermedle with matters of Religion for herein ye suppose that the dignitie of Priestes is empayred First what thyng can be publiquely receaued vnlesse it be proclaymed by publique authoritie Then our Prelates and Ecclesiasticall Fathers do propoūde the rules of Religion after that the Prince with the consent of the whole estates do ratifie the same What may be done more orderly or more circumspectly This custome was obserued in the tyme of the kynges of Israell This vsage preuayled in all Counseils vntill that Romishe Ierarche had burst in sunder these lawes with his false ambitious picklockes and had commaūded all thyngs to be subiect to his absolute power I wrate also that there was great reuerence geuen to the holy Scriptures in our Churches and that vnitie and the bonde of peace was wonderfully preserued You demaunde on the other side From whence so troublesome contentions in opinions are raysed in our Churches Shew what contentions there be and we will satisfie your request But if you will not or cā not hold your toūg most wicked rayler require not to be beleued for your onely affirmatiues sake Deale in this maner with your charge of Siluain for ye shall obteine nothyng here but by meare force of Argument I did affirme likewise that our deuine seruice is ministred with vs in the mother and vulgare toūg accordyng to Paules doctrine the approued custome of the Apostolicke Churche what say you to this forsooth you can not like of it bycause it is repugnant to the ordinaūce of Rome and yet you can not well deny so manifest a truth for S. Paule did establish this doctrine of the holy Ghost with so many and so strōg Argumētes as though hee did euen then foreseé in mynde that some such erronious botches would infect our Religion that by such meanes they might blot out vtterly extinguish out of our Churches this most fruitefull worshyppyng of God beyng the very foundation of all Christian godlynes And therfore this godly mā
deuise no lesse wicked then false To witte that the auncient Churche is peruerted by our Deuines and a new Church fashioned after our owne phantasies Whiche doe you call the auncient Church Osorius truly you name the Catholicke and Apostolique Churche to be auncient or so you ought to say founded in the Patriarches and Prophetes enlarged by our Lorde Iesu and his Disciples with vndefiled doctrine and vprightenesse of conuersation Haue we peruerted this holy Church Osorius haue we erected a new nay rather the matter is quite contrary We do most reuerently embrace this blessed Churche sealed vnto vs by the finger of our Lord Iesu and ordered by the pure ordinaunces of his Disciples we do appeale vnto this Church the same Church do we urge agaynst you and the same we do oppose agaynst you we combate agaynst all your filthy corruptions with the decreés of this Churche Herein we do persiste and cleaue fast vnto this Church and fight agaynst you in her defence directly with her owne weapons You are fallen away by litle and litle from this auncient Churche the inuincible fortresse of all truth and haue set your trust vpō the whyueryng reéde of the Romish Seé Then also you are so whirled vp downe as it were with whirlewyndes with the whirlyng and vnsauory Constitutions of Schoolemē ech contrary to other that ye cā finde no ankerhold any where Out of these tempests and whirlewindes of vpstart doctrines out of this immoderate gulfe of your idle braynes so manifold routes of fayned Gods peéped abroad so many sundry sortes of prayers made vnto them so many and so tedious pilgrimages to dumme blockes so many impieties of offrynges inuocations massinges adorations Finally so many blasphemous markets and fayres of pardons and redeémyng of soules out of Purgatory pickpurse are made To this beadroll may bee linked superstitious swarmes of Friers Mōckes Nunnes sproutyng and dayly buddyng one out of an other in infinite droues and innumerable factions This euen this is the true Image of your Church Osorius wherupon you doe bragge so much increased with the ofscombe of rascall brothells made dronken with the drousie dregges of Schoolemen and so farre estranged from the right trade of the auncient and Apostolicke Church that there is scarse any hope that it wil euer haue any regarde to her former duetie or euer returne frō whence it is estrayed In this your new Churche or rather Conuenticle of lozelles which you haue newly erected vnto your selues with the motheaten mockertes of your Schoolemen you moyle and wallow after your accustomed maner We are desirous to renewe the auncient dignitie of the Catholique Church as much as in vs lyeth Hereunto we do employ all our endeuoures to this we doe direct all our thoughtes that siftyng through and throwyng away all the dānable darnell whiche the enemy hath scattered abroad at this present in these newe Churches we may at the lēgth be vnited and gathered agayne into the true and auncient worshyppyng of God prescribed vnto vs by Iesu Christ in his Gospell And here our old peéuish wayward piketh a new quarell agaynst me bycause I will not acknowledge any other chief Bishop but Iesus Christ and that I do also by the name of a Byshop call him a kyng Truly I hartely confesse that our Lord Iesus was both a Byshop and a Kyng but that the name of a kyng is cōteined vnder the tearme of a Byshop is false as you haue set it downe as all other your doynges are for the most part Osorius But our vnconquerable Logiciā goeth onward demaūdeth Why we do admit any other kyng besides the Lord Iesus and yet abandone the chief Byshop whereas both dignities are conteined in the person of our Lord Iesu and in this place our glorious Peacocke pounceth out his feathers and the same question repeateth agayne and agayne very boyeshly in other wordes and sentences If it be lawfull sayth he that ye may haue vpon earth an other Kyng Vicare of that great kyng what reason is there that ye will not haue an other most holy Byshop Vicare of that hygh Byshop Will ye know why we do acknowledge a kyng vpon earth Uicare of that great and heauenly kyng The holy Ghost shall most euidently and expressely aunswere for vs and shall aunswere by the mouth of Peter from whom you deriue your clayme of supreme Byshop Bee ye subiect sayth hee to euery humane creature for the Lord whether it bee to the king as chief ouer the rest or to the Magistrates whiche are appointed by him to the punishment of the euill doers and the commendation of well doers for this is the will of God c. Behold how playnly how distinctly and how plētyfully Peter doth aunswere you which by expresse speache hath settled the Maiestie of kynges in the highest place aboue all vnto whom hee commaundeth vs to be subiect for the Lord. Then next vnder that authoritie he placeth other Magistrates whom notwithstandyng he ordeineth to be Ministers of his highe power Besides this heé instructeth vs withall how commodious this authoritie of kynges is and whereunto it ought to belong Lastly to take away all doubt he concludeth that this Is the will of God If you had any droppe of shame at all in you Osorius You would not haue moued this question so malapertly Why we doe acknowledge a kynges authoritie vpon earth When as ye can not be ignoraūt of this doctrine of Peter nay rather of the holy ghost being so euidēt so firme so notable so plētyful and so of all partes defensible When as also Peter a litle after cōmaundeth in this wise Feare God honor the king When as Paule likewise doth pronounce that A king is the Minister of God to whom he commaundeth euery soule to bee subiect to whom hee geueth the sword and willeth Tribute to be payde in euery of which thynges most royall and principall souereignetie is conteined And to the end the sentēce of Paule should stand firme out of all controuersie he commaundeth That prayers intercessions petitions thankesgeuynges be frequented for kinges and all others that are set in authoritie What say you now brablyng Sophister what cā you hisse out agaynst so many so strong and so notable testimonies approuyng the authoritie of kynges What shal be done vnto you brablyng Sophister that will so maddely so proudly so blasphemously kicke agaynst the doctrine of the holy Ghost But ye allowe of the authoritie of a kyng say you in some respect so that we will likewise admit the supremacie of the hyghe Byshop We haue already iustified the authoritie of a kyng by the inuincible testimonies of the holy scriptures if you can in lyke maner coyne vnto vs out of the same Scriptures a chief Byshop we will yeld But you can not for there is not one sillable of chief Byshop to bee founde in the Gospell besides our Lord Iesus alone and besides that question moued of the rites and
what sayth Osorius in the Ceremonies of the old law no not so for that were altogether Iewish in Fayth therfore neither yet so in any wise for this is the very doctrine of Luther Uouchsafe therfore a good felowshyp Osorius to escry out one safe Hauen for vs wherein we poore forlorne abiectes may cast Anker saue our selues frō shipwracke Forsooth in workes sayth Osorius and in keépyng the prescribed rules of vertuous lyfe That is to say in Innocencie in chastitie in modestie in abstinence in vprightnesse of mynde in holynesse of Religion in feruentnesse of the spirite in aboūdaunce of the loue of God in earnest endeuour of godlynesse in deédes of righteousnesse dueties of pietie in geuyng much almonesse in obedience in keépyng peacible vnitie and such like ornamentes treasures wherof Osorius in many wordes maketh a long rehearsall Of all whiche vertues there is not so much as one croome or sparckle in these Lutherans and Buceranes and these new Gospellers thē which kynde of people nothyng can bee named more wicked nothyng thought vpon more pestiferous nothyng more troublesome in the common wealth nothyng more readyly armed to rayse maliciousnesse to sow contentious quarelles strife enemitie nothyng more pernicious to procure the destruction of Princes none more geuē to bloudsuckyng and Treason who beyng embrued with all wickednesse licentiousnesse libertie lust with all manner shamelessenesse crueltie and madnesse outragiously rushe into all places whereby they may thrust their Gospell in place and defile all thynges with filthy stenche wheresoeuer they make neuer so litle abode they corrupt the land with trecherous villanies finally they doe poyson the ayre they doe abandone chastitie geue full scope to voluptuousnesse roote out all feare of Gods law and mans law and in all this outrage they promise vnpunishable libertie On the contrary parte I meane in the Court of Rome and in all that most sacred Citie florisheth a farre other maner of countenaunce and Maiestie of seuere discipline and vertuous lyfe And first of all in that most royall hygh and chief Prelate and most renowmed Monarche of all Prelates sittyng in Peters owne chayre In those Reuerend estates of the Tridentine Councell in the worshypfull Massemongers of the Romish Church in the great Doctours of that old Gospel in Monasteries and Dorters the very forgeshops of most pure doctrine in the most chast Selles of holy Nunnes finally in all that sacred Senate and Catholicke people no such Presidentes of wickednesse and abhomination may bee seene no spotte so much of corrupt infection raigneth no ambition no lust no insolencie neither any kynde of malice no quarellyng no crueltie no foule or vnseémely thyng sauoryng of any earthly contagion can be discernable amongest this generation But whole heapes yea huge mountaines of godly and heauealy store doth florishe and abounde no vnquietnesse or molestation of Empires and Princely gouernement no seéde plottes of mortall warres no shew so much of bloudy battell no Treason no ouerthrowe of Kynges and publicke authoritie nor any seditious plātes of cōtentious discorde finally no earthly thyng in the secret closettes of the Romishe Court in so much that if Diogenes would in midday with torche in hād prye neuer so narrowly he should no be able to finde in all the Citie of Rome one Harlot or strumpet so much To conclude it is not possible to heare amōgest that most sacred Catholicke conuenticle any sounde of cauillation at all no mutteryng of outragious slaunders no blaste of cunnyngly forged lyes wherof as all others of that sect are cleare so are these bookes of Osorius chiefly most purely purged wherein appeareth no smatche of brabling distempered affections no lyeng slaunder nor iarre of erronious doctrine no significatiō of a mynde troubled and seuered from the Castle of Reason But all thynges are debated and expounded with peaceble gentlenesse quyet tranquillitie of mynde wonderfull lenitie and mildenesse not with rigorous and malicious wordes not with slaunderous carterlike reproches but with inuincible Argumētes as forcible as the dartes of Achilles or Hector discharged I thinke out of the very guttes of the Troian horse nothyng vttered to the vayne ostentatiō of witte or reuengemēt of spightfull hatred as it were in Triumphe of victory fie beware of that gentle Reader but of a very simple earnest desire to aduaunce vertue pietie for this especiall cause forsooth that those sparkes and Embres of honesty and godlynesse which Luther hath raked vp buryed and vtterly quenched out might once agayne be quickened and florishe in that most sacred Seé of Rome These euen these same bee the workes if ye will neédes know them Catholicke Reader and good deédes of those men wherewith they doe prepare an entyre to true righteousnesse and furnish their iourney to heauen and wherewith as it were with ladders they clymbe by steppe to the purchase of eternall inheritaunce And how els this euen this must bee the right way to heauen But in the meane space with how many foggy and thicke cloudes hath S. Paule the seruaunt of God Apostle of Iesus Christ ouerwhelmed the Christiā people And into how deépe and darkened doungeons hath he drowned our senses Who albeit was rapt into the thyrd heauen had not as yet conceaued this incomprehensible wisedome out of the very forgeshops of mysticall Philosophy Belike he could not escry throughout all the heauens this hidden secret that men are not Iustified by workes but are made righteous by the Fayth of the sonne of God so by fayth that in no respect by workes Finally that the especiall meanes and singular substaunce of our Iustification is in this sorte to bee wayed as that it may not be attayned els where then in Christ onely nor by any other meanes then through Fayth onely in Christ. But if S. Paule had not receaued this doctrine from heauen or had not taught vs the doctrine which he receaued from thence or if you for your part Osorius had disputed after this sort as ye teach now in any Paynyme common wealth or before any Ethnicke Philosophers or amongest the Iewes or Turkes it might happely haue come to passe I suppose that this your Aristotlelike Iustice might haue obteined at the least some resemblaunce of truth or perhappes crept into some credite nay rather it is not to bee doubted but if the Iewes them selues or Turkes were now consederate with you in Portingall in the same Argument they could not scarsely alledge any other proofes then you bryng forth vnto vs at this present neither would I thinke expoūde the same in any other phrase of words then your selfe do vse But now for as much as we contend not together in Tullies Tusculane questions nor in his Academycall probabilities nor in Platoes common wealth nor in the Iewishe Thalmude ne yet in the Turkes Alcaron but in the Churche of Iesu Christ surely ye ought to haue regarded the place chiefly where you were when ye wrate this
Onely Now chuse you therfore one of these two whiche ye will whether we shall adiudge Chrisostome a Lutheran bycause he trusteth to Fayth Onely or your selfe an execrable Iewe which set your Confidence vpon workes Agayne the same Chrisostome in other place makyng a Commentary vpon the Epistle to the Ephes. vseth the selfe same exclusiue word By Fayth onely sayth hee shall Christ saue the offendours of the law And bycause ye shall know his meanyng perfitely not the offendours of the ceremoniall law but of the same law namely which was endited by the finger of God in the most sacred Tables conteinyng the tenne Commaundementes Adde also hereunto the saying of the same Doctour in his fourth Homely vpon the Epistle to Timothe What thyng is so hard to beleue as that such which are enemies and sinners not Iustified by the law nor the workes of the law obteined forthwith to be placed in the chiefest dignitie of merite through Faith Onely c. We haue recited a litle before the wordes of Basile vpon the Sermon De Humilit so that it neédeth no further rehearsall where in expresse speach excludyng from maÌ„ the glory of his own righteousnes he doth testifie that we are euery of vs Iustified by fayth onely in Christ Iesu. I might cite his owne wordes agayne vpon the 32. Psalme as effectuall as the rest where he describyng a perfect man doth describe him to be not such a one as trusteth to his own good deédes but such a one as reposeth all his whole confidence in the onely mercy of God In like maner also Theophilact Now doth the Apostle sayth he declare euidently that very Fayth Onely is of power to Iustifie And by any by he citeth the Prophet Abacuc as most credible witnesse thereof Briefly what shall we thinke that those auncient Fathers of the purer age and primitiue Churche dyd determine therof Whenas Thomas Aquinas him selfe chief champion of this Sinagogue of Schoolemen being otherwise in many thynges a very wrongfull and false interpretour Yet vanguished herein with the manifest truth was enforced no lenger to dissemble in this questioÌ„ of Fayth Onely For in his thyrd lesson vpon the first Epistle to Timothe the 3. Chap. disputyng of the law and concludyng at length that the wordes of Paule did not apperteine to the ceremoniall law but vnto the Morall law There is not sayth he any hope of IustificatioÌ„ but in Faith Onely and arguyng agaynst Osorius of set purpose as it were he citeth to this effect the testimonie of S. Paule We suppose sayth the Apostle that man is Iustified by Fayth without the workes of the law Rom. 3. I am not yet come to this pointâ— to discusse how true this doctrine of Luther is touchyng Iustification by Fayth Onely But whether this doctrine was erected first by Luther And I trust I haue sufficieÌ„tly proued that it began euen from the first age of the primitiue Church and in the very dawnyng of the Gospell and hath bene so deliuered ouer from the most auncient writers and continued vnshaken euen vntill our age so that no man neédeth hereafter to geue credite to Osorius makyng so shamelesse a lye vpon this doctrine of Fayth Onely Iustifieng And this much hetherto concernyng Luther I come now to that point wherein Osor. did likewise shamefull belye Paule And what doe I heare now Osorius Doth Paule as you say so promise the inheritaunce of the heaueÌ„ly kyngdome to them which worke good deedes and not to them also whiche rest vpon fayth onely That is to say Which haue reposed all their affiaunce in Iesu Christ onely How shall we conceaue this where finde you this and how doe ye enduce vs to beleue this out of the Epistle as I thinke to the VtopeÌ„ses Looke there Reader at thy bestleysure for Osorius was at good leysure to lye but had no tyme at all to confirme his lye But he alledgeth somewhat I suppose out of the Epistle to the Gallat 5. Chapt. That is to say that the Apostle doth threaten vtter banishement from the kyngdome of God to the wicked and haynous sinners which yeld them selues ouer wholy to all filthynesse of sinne This truely is a true saying of the Apostle Who denyeth it But what doth Osorius in the meane space gather hereof Forsooth bycause the horrible wickednesse of men doth exclude those persons from the kyngdome of God which are endued with a false fayth onely or none at all rather hereof doth he conclude his Argument by opposition of contraryes That life euerlastyng is promised to the good and vertuous workes of men O clownishe Coridon But we are taught by the rules of Logicke that if a man will frame a good Argument of coÌ„traries hee must bee first well aduised that those propositions which are appointed for contraries must dissent and disagreé eche from other by equall and proportionable degreés Wherby it is cleare that this is not a good consequent The silthy lyfe of the wicked doth exclude men from the inheritaunce of euerlastyng habitations Ergo the honest and vpright lyfe doth obteine euerlastyng habitations And why is this no good Argument bycause the propositions â—oe not agreé together in proportionable qualitie The offences that are committed by vs are of their own nature of all partes vnperfect euill purchase to them selues most iust daÌ„natioÌ„ But on the contrary part our good and verâ—uous deédes yea beyng most perfectly accoÌ„plished by vs want yet alwayes somethyng to absolute perfection and of their owne nature are such as rather stand in neéde of the mercy of God then may deserue any prayse in the sight of men To the same ende spake Bernarde very fittely Our righteousnesse is nothyng els then the indulgence of God But here commes yet an other place of S. Paule out of the whiche this wylde wiffler may rushe vpon vs with his leaden dagger not altogether so blunte and rustye herhaps The wordes of the Apostle a Gods name in the second to the Romaines Not the hearers of the law onely but they that performe the law in their lyfe and conuersation shal be accompted righteous before the IudgemeÌ„t seat of God c. To auÌ„swere briefly I will gladly allow that which this enemy to Paule doth obiect out of Paule so that hee will not in like maner refuse the the whole discourse of the Apostle and ioyne the first with the last For the whole Argument of the Apostle in those iij. Chap. is concluded in this one Sillogisme All men shal be rewarded with the coÌ„mendatioÌ„ of true righteousnesse God him selfe witnessing the same whosoeuer be able with their owne workes to accomplish the whole law published in the tenne Tables and commaunded by God to be kept absolutely as the law requireth But there is no liuyng creature whether he be a Iewe and is ruled by the law of the tenne Tables or a Gentile and lyueth after the law of nature
ioue Peace yea and mainteyne Peace amongest them selues yet good men onely good Syr haue not Peace alone How glorius acceptable a thyng soeuer Peace is accoumpted to be in her owne nature yea though it be chiefly embraced and hadd in greatest price with good men Yet is not Peace alwayes and altogether conuersaunt amongest good men onely nor the entoyeng of Peace alone doth make men to be good For there is a certeyne Peace amongest the wicked Yea Pirates Theéues Robbers haue their certeine Peace and agreément in willes Neither is it to be doughted but that false Catholiques and such like heretiques haue their seuerall Conuenticles and peacyble bandes of concorde and consent euē as the false Apostles and false Prophetes had in tymes past They that worshypped the Golden Calfe and they that conspired took counsell agaynst the Lord cryeng Crucifige agaynst him did represent a certeine forme of the Churche and were firmely knitte together in mutuall Peace and agreément of myndes If it be an haynous matter to dissolue the bandes of Peace and knittyng together of fellowshyppes concluded and determined vpon for euer occasion whatsoeuer we must neédes thinke that Cicero dealt very wickedly who at the tyme of Catelynes conspiracie did breake a sunder and sparckle abroad the false treatheries of this detestable cōspiracie beyng linked together with a certeyne wonderfull agreément of willes and affections yea and affyed together sworne in one by drinkyng a cup of bloud So also did Elias very naughtely who detected so great a nūber of the Priestes of Baal agreéing together so constaūt in errour and in so great a tranquillitie causing them to be slayne And therfore it is not enough to pretend the names titles of Peace and of the Churche onely if their effectes be not aunswerable Peace sayth Hillarie hath a glorious name and truth is had in great admiratiō but who doughteth of this that the onely vnitie and peace of the Church and of the Gospell is that which is of Iesu Christ alone c. Now as the Peace of Christ and Christes true Churche doth alwayes lyue in a perfect vnitie so together with vnitie doth it alwayes enioy perfect truth and veritie On the contrary part that Peace and Churche whatsoeuer is not grounded vppon the Rocke of Christes infallible truth is not Peace but Battell rather is not the Churche of Christ but a conspirary of naughty packes And therfore we do seé many tymes come to passe that vnder the name of Peace very naturall dissentiōs are fostered and many persons are deceaued by the paynted vysour of the title of the Churche yea they are many tymes accumpted seditious persons which doe vphold and mainteyne Peace and tranquilitie most After this maner Tertullus the Oratour did accuse S. Paule to be a seditious fellow so was Christ him selfe also and his Apostles exclaymed vpon as seditious by the Phariseés the holy Martyrs were likewise charged with treasō procuring of vprores by that vnbeleéuyng Emperours and miscreant infidels Euen so fareth it now a dayes with Luther the Lutheranes Luther sayth he doth rende a sunder the Peace and tranquillitie of the Church with his writynges and preachynges doth teare in peeces Christes Coate that is without seame rayseth tumultes and vprores doth entāgle whole Christēdome with dissentions and varieties of opinions And why so Osorius I pray you From sooth bycause he doth discouer the liuely well-springes of sounde doctrine bycause he doth enstruct men to cōceaue the most wholesome and souereigne Grace of God in his Sonne and declareth vnto them the true rule of righteousnes and the true Peace which is in Christ Iesu bycause be allureth all men to the onely mercy of GOD excludyng all mans merites and vayne confidence of Freewill Now bycause their bleare eyed dulnes could not endure the sharpenes of this light from hence flush out all these fluddes of complaints from hence rush out all these Tragicall scoldinges exclamations wherewith these Rhetoricall Becons haue conceaued so greéuous a flame ragyng out on this wise Is not this mōstruous wickednesse is not this horrible maddnesse is not this intollerable presumption what feuer doth make thee so frantike Haddon what furies doe possesse thee Luther what paynes of haynousnesse doe pursue thee And such like pleasurable ornamentes of whotte eloquence which scarse any man can read without laughyng For who can endure to heare common outlawes complainyng of Sedition Truly I suppose Osorius that with the very same wordes and euen in the same maner of outrage or surely not much vnlike Herode and the whole Nation of Phariseés did crye out whenas the fame of Christes byrth being bruted abroad it was sayd that Herode the king was exceedingly troubled and with him all Ierusulem also And therfore accordyng to this Logicke and Rhetoricke of Osorius Let vs condemne Christ him selfe for a seditious fellow bycause vnlesse that child had bene borne and that Sonne had bene geuen vnto vs those troubles had neuer arisen amongest the Iewes What shall we say to that Where the same Christ afterwardes beyng now of well growē yeares did declare in playne open wordes That he came not to send peace in the earth but a sword but diuision but fire and that he desired no one thyng more earnestly thē that the same fire should be kindeled Wherfore if it be so much to be feared least breach of Peace and concorde breéde offence Let this Portingall aduise him selfe well whether Christ shal be here accused as farre forth as Luther bycause in the Gospell he is sayd to sturre vppe the Father agaynst the Sonne the daughter agaynst the mother the stepmother agaynst the daughter inlawe and the daughter in lawe agaynst the stepmother two agaynst three and three ogaynst two or whether Luther ought to be acquited with Christ for as much as in this accusation he can not duely be impeached with any one cryme which may not also aswell be charged vpon Christ. If the Peace of the Catholickes be disturbed in these our dayes through Luther the same also happened to the Phariseés in old tyme by the meanes of Christ and his Apostles yea not to the Phariseés onely but also in sturryng vppe all the Natiōs of the earth in an vproare wherein yet no fault can be layed vpon Christ who is himselfe the Prince of Peace and can by no meanes be vnlike him selfe In lyke maner and with lyke consideration Luthers doctrine is to be deémed as I suppose For what a sturre soeuer the Papisticall generation keépe in these our dayes yet surely is not their Peace hindered by Luther or if it be yet ought not he to be accused that ministred wholesome playster to the wound but the fault was to be imputed rather to them whose cankers were so vncurable that could not endure the operation of the Medicine And therefore as touchyng the crime of sedition and troublesome disturbaunce
the people to be taught on this wise rather That God of hys goodnes and mercye would haue all men to be saued And that the cause why all are not saued is for that all will not receaue the grace indifferently offered vnto them And this maner of teaching they do suppose to be sound On the contrary that the other doctrine of predestinatiō doth take cleane away all force vse of wholesome preachinges exhortations and disciplines c. If we onely eyther were alone or were the first that were vrged with these slaunders and cauillationes there were lesse cause to wōder at the wickednes of this our age But I do seé now no new thinge here neuer spoken of before nor any other thinge but such as many notable learned men haue bene sundry tymes combred withall long sithence Emongest whom cōmeth first to hand Augustine whom beyng occupyed in thys cause sometyme the Pelagianes but most of all the Massilianes did molest much with the very same obiectiones as appeareth playnely by the transcript of Prosper and Hillary their letters to Augustine euen the which obiections our deuines are now a dayes pressed withall which if were true then might he seeme to haue vndertaken this quarrell not rashly nor altogether in vayne as our men haue done also But let vs aunswere to their complayntes Such as are appoynted teachers in the congregation of God if they should beate into the grosse eares of the rude multitude this part of doctrine which treateth of the secrett predestination of God so nakedly and barren of it selfe as not doyng ought els nor respecting any other thing ne yet applying wtall any wholesome exhortations and allurementes to vertue shold stirre and prouoke none to vertues endeuour honest carefulnes and godly lyfe these reasons might carry some showe of truth perhapps But this matter ought to haue bene foreseene Osor. how these preachers behaue thēselues what they preach how in what maner and to what end they do lay this doctrine open before the people before you should haue burst out into those cruell accusacions and slaunderous reproches If some yoūglings peraduenture may be found not so modestly and soberly to demeane themselues as may beseeme them allured either through delight of noueltie or caryed thereunto through lightnes of witte or to braue out their knowledge and learning it is not conuenient that the lowse and vncircumspect dealing of some particuler persons should be preiudiciall to the truth of the doctrine Godly and modest wittes surely as they conceaue the true reason of this doctrine so doe they Iudge it no lesse necessary to be applyed to the end they may pluck downe that pernicious opinion of yours treating of merites of confidence in workes and of doughtfulnes of Saluation For the ouerthrow whereof what more necessary doctrine to edifie the congregacion withall may be applyed in the Church of Christians And therfore to conclude briefly For asmuch as all the doctrine of Predestination doth tend to this ende chiefly that men may be forewarned not to trust to much to their owne strength but to repose all their hope and affiaunce in God It is vntrue that you do obiect That the doctrine of predestination doth perswade rather to desperation then to godly lyfe For what is this els as Augustine sayth then as that you should say that men do then dispayre of their owne safety when they beginne to learne to repose their hope and affiaunce in God and not in themselues in any wise c Whosoeuer therefore shall instruct the ignoraunt people in the true doctrine of predestination of the holy ones discretly and modestly and in due season when case so requireth and shall ioyne withall godly and wholesome exhortations the same shall he do profitably enough without anye inconuenience seeing that the preaching of both may be well coupled and agree together according to the testimony of Augustine who affirmeth that neyther the preaching of fayth profiting in godly fruits ought to be hindered by the preaching of predestination that they which are taught may learue how to obey And agayne that the preachīg of Predestinatiō ought not to be hindered by the preaching of fayth profiting in godly fruites that they which obey may know in whom they ought to reioyce not in thoir owne obedience but in him of whom it is written he that doth reioyce let him reioyce in the Lord. Will you vnderstand Osorius how the coupling of these too doctrines is not preiudiciall to the preaching of the one to the other Paule the Apostle of the Gentills did many tymes sette forth the doctrine of predestination to the Rom. Ephe. Timot. The same did Luke in the Actes of the Apostles Christ himself likewise doth make often mencion of the same in hys sermons all which did not cease to preach the word of God neuerthelesse and do notwithstanding withal entermixt diuers good and godly exhortations to liue well Paule when he sayd it is God that doth worke in vs to will and to bring to passe according to hys good pleasure did he therefore abate any thing of hys godly lessons to make vs lesse carefull to will and to worke the thinges that are acceptable vnto God In like maner where he sayth he that hath begonne a good worke in you will bring the same to effect euen vntill the day of Christ Iesu Yet did he not cease to perswade them earnestly in the same Epistle written to the Phillippianes that they should not onelye beginne but perseuere vntill the end Beleue sayth Christ in God and beleue in me yet is thys neuerthelesse true that he speaketh in an other place No man commeth vnto me or beleeueth in me vnlesse it be geuen him from the father Christ sayth also he that hath eares to heare let hym heare Yet doth God speake in the scriptures these wordes also that he will geue them a hart frō aboue that they may vnderstand eyes that they may see and eares that they may heare c. And although it were not vnknowne vnto hym who had eares to heare and who had not that is to say the gifte of obedience Yet doth he exhort all men to heare Although Cipriane did both know and wryte that fayth and obedience were the gift of God and that we ought not reioyce in any thing because we haue nothing of our owne yet this was no hindraunce at all vnto his earnest preaching but that he taught Fayth and obedience neuerthelesse and most constantly perswaded to good life When we heare S. Iames teach vs that euery good and perfect gift commeth downe from the father of lightes yet this preaching of grace nothing withstoode but that he continued to rebuke such as troubled the cōgregation saying If you be bitterly zelous and your hartes be full of contencion doe not reioyce nor lye not against the truth for this is not the Wisedome that came from aboue but earthly beastly and diabollicall
many horrible and vnspeakeable abhominations if he liued nowe for who is so blinde that cannot see so Impudent that will denye that all places are ouerladen with forlorne villanies lecheries murthers Robberies Treasons Uproares and conspiracies But if inquisition be made for the speciall place where these abhominations do raigne mostâ— what place may we poynt out vnto you more notorious then Rome it selfe the mother See of the Catholicke Church where Harlottes Bawdryes howses of Stewes Brothell houses and all kyndes of filthy lechery are opeÌ„ly haunted not onely not punished but made also very gainfull marketts to the Popes treasory Where you appoynt the chiefe Seé of your whole Religion the same may I boldly and with great reasoÌ„ approue to be that caruell and Botche of true religion the Metropolitane Citie of all abhominations the Butcherow and shambles of Christian Bloud the sincke of thefte and auarice the very forge and schoolehouse of all Treasons Trecheries seditiones and abhominations If the bodyes of mortall men be the Temples of the liuing God who hath vyolated and defiled more temples of GOD with fire fagotte and goare then the Bishoppes of Rome And in good tyme is the vproare of Germany remembred in this place If it might be lawfull for me to bryng forth what I could out of histories Recordes and Reportes how easy a matter were it for one perticuler example onely which notwithstanding is altogether impertinent to religion to spread abroad whole decades and Iliades of seditions Tumultes Schismes how easily might I poynt out by name tyme and place not onely the practises of conspiracies agaynst princes but the cruell murthers poysoninges Banishmentes and famishings procured against them one in the neck of an other Briefly in what countrey soeuer these Droues of Monckes and Nunnes do build their nestes what els shall a man seé then all thinges polluted and contaminated with most filthy and shamefull villanies and stench yea the whole world bearing witnesse Tell me I beseech you good holy father whose doctrin is this Si non casté tamen cauté if not chastely yet warely is it Luthers or some one of your profession who maketh marketts of Incestuous marriages who alioweth the concubines of priestes for hys commoditie and pleasure who persequuteth the lawfull marriage of priestes with fire and sword To leaue ouer in the meane space the vnspeakeable abuses and misteries of your couert Paphia to the couert consideration of your couled coÌ„fessioners who be priuie partakers of your hiddeÌ„ abhominations And to passe ouer withall the Crementines Beneuantanes Peters Aloisianes Casianes or that Cacus rather nor him onely the commendation of whose vnspeakeable filthines opeÌ„ly proclaimed did denouÌ„ce that stincking lechery was not only notpunished but also highly rewarded by some of you But Osorius hath found out here a very prety starting hoale to escape out at For sithe he perceaueth himselfe to be vrged so narrowly that of Necessitie he must pleade for the honesty of his Church beyng neyther able to hyde nor excuse her filthines he wringeth himselfe into this moushoole that although he can not deny that in all the societie and course of mans lyfe and that in the most fruitfullest corne stincking weeds of iniquitie do grow euery where among yet this doth neuertheles not empayre the force of his argument for he meaneth not in this place to make comparison of men and to set maners agaynst maners but he affirmeth the ground of the Argument to beâ— this To witte whereas the preachers of the new Gospell Luther Bucer Zuinglius Martyr did vndertake this vpon them to weede this corne cleane from the chaffe and to pluck vp the noysome weedes by the rootes and did bryng no ioate of their promise to passe nay rather whereas more wickednes hath bene seene to buddle vpp a fresh through their meanes hereupon he doth conclude as it were at a vauntage that the doctrine of these men is not onely vnprofitable but also pestiferous and noysome and not to be beleued in any wise on the other side to witte in the Catholique Chur. although Auarice and Ambition doe raigne in many and the sinowes of luste are not altogether rooted out yet because amongst them no newe prophet doth arise on thys wise taking vpon hym so great a charge as to restore to her former and primitiue bewty and Apostolicke neaâ—tnes the decayd Church and the doctrine of the same ouermuch weakened therefore the Argument is not of like force agaynst them To this effect almost doth Osorius frame his talke in words ouerlauish inough but in matter so nakedly and coldly that I am very loath to aunswere him The summe of this conclusion tendeth to this effect If any such new Prophet should arise amoÌ„gst theÌ„ which would take vpoÌ„ him to make a reformation of the corrupt maners of the church to the auÌ„cieÌ„t purity of the gospell did not briÌ„g to passe the same according to his promise no credite should be geueÌ„ to that prophet Luther Bucer Phillip Caluine Martyr did take vpon them to reforme the maners of the Church and made all thinges worsse Ergo They ought not to be beleeued O Saint Sophistry what kynde of Sophisme is this If a new Prophet should arise that would endeuour by all meanes possible to reduce to amendement of life such as he were able and could not atchieue his desire in all ought he not therfore to be taken for a Prophett I think this be not true What if heé could not preuayle with many shall he forthwith be accepted for no Prophett Go to what and if hys preaching entred but into a very few yea what if none almost were profited thereby do yeé think it reason that the estimation of the preacher be measured according to the number of beleuers or vnbeleuers or rather according to the spirite and truth of hys embassye Noah the eighth Prophet and preacher of righteousnes did neuer cease calling and cryeng out vpon the people to th end hee might allure all to amendment of life and yet eight persons onely no more were reserued out of that generall destruction of mankinde When Moses was sent to the Egiptians how many of all that whole multitude became a heare bredth the better for his preaching nay rather who waxed not more indurate Esay the Prophett doth cry out vnder the person of Christ. Who haue beleued our teaching If we will measure Gods Prophetts after this rule what shall we say to Ieremy and the rest of the Prophetts what shall we say to the Apostle Steuen to Paule who coÌ„playned bitterly that all had for saken him and were fallen away to the vanities of this present lyfe Now ensueth the Minor of this Sillogisme But Luther Melancton Zuinglius Bucer and Caluine which took vppoÌ„ theÌ„ this charge yet reaped no fruit agayn of innoceÌ„cy of lyfe nor of Charitie from amongst them that they were coÌ„uersaunt withall
where none was Nay rather why dyd not the Pope rather throw away his proude ambition and filthy Iucre and embrace the wholesome counsell of his brother and sithence he disdayned the maÌ„ why did he not douchâ—afe to yeld to the truth If he be so humble a seruaunt of the seruauntes of God as in name title he professeth to be why shamed he to harken vnto a godly man a learned Doctour and a graue Deuine not onely teachyng the truth but also castyng him selfe downe so humbly Nay rather why shamed he not to abuse the name of his Christ his Gospell in so false and filthy a matter Why shamed he not to blind the eyes of the people with such smoakes and to delude theÌ„ for whom Christ shedd his most precious bloud so craftely finally why durst he spurne so malapertly agaynst the expresse authoritie of the word and for as much as there is nothyng of more valour and more excelleÌ„t in this life then freé remission and forgeuenesse of Sinnes which we do enioy by the onely bloud of the sonne of God what more pestilent practize of lyeng and deceite could haue bene imagined or what ought he to be adiudged els then the very enemy of mans saluation who betrayeng vs of the most precious iewell in the world doth sell vnto vs smoake and dead coales in steéde of true and perfect Treasure These thynges beyng so manifest and cleare as nothyng caÌ„ be more manifest and cleare for as much also as Luther defended so honest and rightfull a cause as no man euer better and whereunto he was not allured by any his owne affectioÌ„ but forced rather by the peéuishe frowardnesse and manifold iniuries of others euen agaynst his will which also he could neither recant without haynous offence nor mainteyne without perill of lyfe where be those ianglers now which slaunder Luther as that he sought meanes of him selfe to disturbe alter ceremonies where be those whoÌ„ you rayle at so much I pray Osorius Who do set vppe Schoole no where but that they make all thynges more abhominable Finally where be these new Gospellers who so vayne gloriously tooke vpoÌ„ them to restoare the puritie of Gods pure Euangely Nay rather where was your shamefastnesse where was your honesty when you wrate this where was your Logicke wheÌ„ you ouerflowed so monstruously with filthy lyes in steéde of true honest Argumentes For what so simple a witted maÌ„ may be fouÌ„de that caÌ„ not seé a great mayme want to Iudgement in you in this kynde of Logicke when he shall view and read so wynde shaken and rotten Argumentes where in all your Assumptions ye vouche no maner of truth nor yet of all the same Assumptions any one hangeth agreably with the other For first begynnyng with a manifestlye you Assume on this wise Your Prophetes say you and your Apostles tooke vppon them and bounde them selues with an oathe that they would restore the pure and liuely wellsprynges of the Gospell Which is most false where dyd they vtter any such promise in word or halfe a sillable of a word so much But what doe you assume hereof But nothyng is ameÌ„ded in your Churches through their endeuour Hereof we shall seé the proofe hereafter Goe to conclude at the length Therefore those new Gospellers of yours be not of God O wonderfully not concluded but confused Argument of yours as are all your Argumentes els But if I may be permitted to builde such scattered Cobbewebbes together without morter or lyme why may not I as lawfully argue on this wise Ierome Osorius Bishop of Siluano hath taken vpon hym to confute the Lutheranes But his attempt hath little preuayled vnlesse it be to make their cause more manifest Ergo The purest Elleborus doth grow in Antycyra But let vs proceéde and because you haue taken your pleasure hitherto with our Gospellers teachers reasonably well Syr Ierome may we be so bold to enquire likewise what your Gospellers and great Doctours haue performed at the leÌ„gth what fruites what notable marchaundizes they haue enriched their people withall what aunswere will you make to this They did neuer promise any such thing say you I do beleue you But I demaund not of you what they promised but what they performed howe much they profited to the restoring of the puritie of your Churche what they ought to haue done this is the thing that I do aske You suppose that they haue well acquited themselues when by your testimonye they neuer made any vaunt of themselues to bring any thyng to passe euen as though when your friend shall staÌ„d destitute of your helpe you care not how naked you leaue him so that you binde not your selfe vnto him with any parcell of promise But I am of an other opinion and this I reason with you not because you haue not profited nor giuen any hope of profiting or help towardes the restitution of the puritie of your Churche but this I say and do expostulate with you because the most pure doctrine ordayned instituted by Christ himselfe for our behoofe ratified by the Prophets and Apostles and most wisely deliuered ouer vnto vs by our elders is wholy altogether or surely for the most part therof I say not not conuerted but vtterly subuerted by you because you haue obtruded vpoÌ„ vs such an estate of the Church is neyther Christ nor his Apostles if they were nowe aliue would euer acknowledge which if any man will dought whether be true or no from whence shall be he better certified then if he throughly peruse the very shape and lyuely Image of that Romish Church which your self do represent vnto vs here comparing the samewith the true Apostolique and that auncient Romaine Church that was for many yeares agoe Therefore let vs now harcken to Osorius preaching of hys owne Church First sayth he we haue neyther the Gospels of Luther nor of Melancthon nor of Carolostadius nor of Zuinglius nor of Caluine nor of Bucer but we do firmelye retaine the Gospells of Mathew Marke Luke and Iohn c. This is well done indeéde if it be true that you say and I wolde to god it were so I would to God Osor. you woulde stande faste and vnremoueable within the limytts and bowndes of that doctryne which the Actes wrytinges of the Apostles and Euangelistes haue deliuered ouer vnto vs and beyng contented with the same Gospelles you would not seeke for any other meanes of Saluation but such as in these sacred Scriptures is ensealed vnto vs by the finger of the holy Ghost But what is the cause then that yee defraud the godly of these Gospelles why do you hyde them in darcknes and why do you ouerwhelm them not vnder a Bushell onely but with fagott also and fire and by all meanes possible els consume them As to that where you say that you renounce the Gospelles of Luther MelaÌ„chton and Caluine truely I doe wonderfully commend
eyes and hādes yea the very body in deéde naturally corporally and substauncially present the very same Christ I say full and whole in qualitie and quātitie with all his dimensions euen as he sitteth now at the right hand of the Father so that Christ may seéme now to dwell no lōger in heauen but to haue translated him selfe into much more precious and purer tabernacles And hereupon this cōmeth to passe That Priestes Monckes and Bishops as the very familiar guestes of Christ Nourished with this heauenly foode and dayly more and more strēgthened thereby doe attaine those heauenly and euerlastyng treasures so happely doe withstād the rage of lust so stoughtly and keepe their vowed chastitie most purely And no maruell for whosoeuer be so nourished with the most sacred body of Christ and carry him about dayly not in their myndes onely but in their bodies also how can it be chosen but that of very necessitie All drousinesse of sinnes must be shakē from them and an heauenly dawnyng of cleare light must shyne in them and must needes be replenished with heauēly treasures and out of the same yeld most glorious fruites of righteousnesse All which to be true the presidentes of their Angelicke holynes and chastitie scattered abroad euery where of the which the commō people tell so many and so commendable tales doe manifestly declare Let not this be forgotten among that whereas in the sacred holy Masse is such a miraculous operation also which as it were a certeine soueraigne Panax and a casket full of Pādoraes treasory may serue to cure the greéfes of all malladies is medicinable for the pestilence for all noysome cōtagions preseruatiue agaynst thūder agaynst Infidels agaynst misfortunes agaynst Agues a present remedy to obteine seasonable weather liquour of life for the sicke a cleare acquitall to the dead from all paynes of Purgatory a medicinable drenche for sicke Horses and Swine what maruell is it if these dayly worshippers of so heauenly a treasure beyng garded with the garrison of so inestimable a Iewell do become such creatures as in whose maners nothyng can be espyed but altogether chast and maydenly yea poolished beautified with all blossomes of vertue But amongest these this one thyng chiefly happeneth very straunge and incredible to be spoken especially in those Byshoppes and Massemongers who beyng enuironed about with so many comfortable Sacrifices dayly whenas they be otherwise rauished with so ardent and zealous affection towardes all other partes of Relligion towardes Masses toward pypyng and singyng toward Confessions and such like holy exercizes that to heare any Godly Sermons to Preach the Gospell of peace wherein the glory of Christ and the sauetie of the people consisteth chiefly they are so hard frosen and so thoroughly benommed as that they seéme scarse warme yea and altogether without sense and feélyng of their duety towardes Christ or of any carefull regard at all of their flocke or of any remorse of conscience to performe their function I speake not here of Oso nor of a few others like vnto him against whō this complaint happely may not so truly be enforced namely sithēce this Bishop is carefull and diligent in curyng his owne charge as him selfe telleth vs But of other Massemongers and shauelynges what will Osorius him selfe say vnto me who to the great fraude and detriment of the Church do so carelesly negligently attend their charge yea and neuer come at it at all They doe performe their duties by the ministery of others say you And such as of them selues are lesse able and vnfitte to preach do yet procure good wise and Relligious mē not of Bucers or Martyrs Relligion but such as are nouseled vp in the readyng of holy Scriptures Doctours and holy Fathers of the Churche who haue skill to teache the people pure chaste and Relligious doctrine Be it as you say Osorius but in the meane space where is that power and efficacy of that wonderfull Sacrament wherewith men are so inflamed and so raysed vppe as you say to all earnest and studious endeuour of godlynesse and to the desire of attainyng all heauenly Treasory At the least where is that charitie which beyng alwayes ready and inclined to doe good to all men by all meanes possible ought not deteigne and foreclose other men from the knowledge of holy Scripture And what shall we say then to those pastours and shepheardes who hauyng charge of Christs sheépe either of them selues can not or will not feéde their flock do not onely not opē their mouthes them selues vnto them but also do forbidd them the vse of the Scriptures in that lāguage wherewith they be acquainted whereby they might more easily attayne to the vnderstandyng of the same by their own industry This contumelious iniury beyng not in any respect collerable in the Church of Christ nor defensible by any coulourable excuse yet this delicate Rhetorician to helpe the ignoraūce of the vnlettered seémeth to haue foūde out of his perspectiues a certeine old wormeaten quircke or shift framing his Similitude from the pearcyng light of the Sunne Which beyng either vnpearceable for the clearenes therof doth blind the sight if the eyes be ouer much bente thereunto or if it shyne not at all profiteth not to thē that are enclosed in a darke doūgeon or do turne their eyes frō it In like maner they which turne away their dazeled eyes from the bright light and knowledge of holy scripture or do force the eye sight of the mynde thereunto more earnestly then is needefull do waxe blynd altogether Wherfore sithence it is so he concludeth herupon that it is a very great poynt of wysedome in them to foresee that the Rude people be not altogether defrauded of all light of Gods word nor yet that they may be oppressed with the ouermuch clearnes thereof For Aunswere For as much as the word of God is as your selfe do confesse the light of the worlde I beseech you Osorius what can be more appropried or peculiar to light then that it spread it selfe abroad ouer all places and persones or what can be more contrary vnto light then to be pent vppe vnder a Bushell And what els doth your discreéte foresight and prouident prouision but shut the word of God close vnder a Bushell when as you procure so pretely that the sacred Testament of Christ may not be deliuered in any other Language but such as the vnletteredd cannot vnderstand And what is this els I pray you but that the rude multitude shall see no light at all but be ouerwhelmed with a perpetuall dazellnes of sight whiles heé that readeth may not vnderstand what heé doth reade and whiles also in your Churches Masses Ceremonyes Supplications and Sacramentes they seé nothing but vtter darckenesse and heare nothing but in an vnknowne Language but in holy Sermones say you we do enstruct and teach them as much as shall seeme Necessary to the endeuour of godlynes
for the most perfect men and most purely catholicke towardes the attayning of perfect Religion Because mans minde hath alwayes some familiarity and acquayntaunce with transitory thinges of this worlde Which if be not poolished with this most excellent skanning of mysteries waxeth of her owne nature very dull quickly and is ouerwhelmed with forgetfulnesse And no maruell For as much as this new and wonderfull light of the Euangelicall knowledge which hath transsigured those Lutheranes hath not yet shined so brightly in the eyes of those meÌ„ nor are as yet so throughly carried away from this corporall familiarity as that they caÌ„ waÌ„t these signes of heaueÌ„ly things without great perill as these Celestial and Diuine men can do For with this skoffe doth he note them whom Luthers doctrine hath enstructed by a certayne figure called Sarcasmus But to auÌ„swere your pleasaÌ„ut scoffe good maister Bishop First what acquaintauÌ„ce familiarity you haue with the state of murtall men let other men iudge Surely I could hartely wish that you Massemongers and Shauelinges would take lesse acquaintaunce of your neighbors wiues and daughters with câ—Ì„cubynes and drenches of Baudrye to stay here and to rippe vp no more of your horrible dealinges But if you be not as yet estrauÌ„ged froÌ„ the assaults of the flesh as you do affirme nor haue yet so mortiffed the flesh but the generall ftaylty of nature will violently carry you away typsituruy as well as other men now and then into the naturall infirmities of the flesh what meaneth theÌ„ that rash temeraryous rushing rudely into vowes wherewith very solemnely you sweare sacred and perpetuall virginity both to God and vnto men As though there were nothing to be feared in you of that naturall and general disease of imbecillitye and weakenesse that is otherwise common to all men ingeneral Which if you doe as faythfullye performe as you doe rashlye sweare and vow beyng a matter aboue the reach and capacityâ— of humayne ability I cann seé no cause to the contrary but that we may reply these Surnames vpoÌ„ you much sooner to witt to call you Celestiall men and more then Diuine For as concerning Luther and others of his profession howsoeuer it pleaseth you to mockemeary being a very merry man tricke and trym altogether for holydayes all kind of pleasureablenes yet did they neuer challenge to themselues so Celestiall Deuine natures but that as men compassed about with weake and frayle bodies as all other mortall men are they waÌ„ted their introductions yea and enured themselues to the same not vnwillingly For both Religion and the Church of Christ hath her rudymentes hath also her ceremonyes and introductions not onely profitable to say as you say but very nacessary also I speake of those rudimentes and ceremonies chiefly which Christ himselfe deliuered to his Church in number but very few but in vse of greatest force and effectualnesse Namely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord the one whereof Christ did institute as a pledge of our profession the other as aperpetuall memoryall of himselfe For other rudimentes of piety which are practised in externall actions Christ left none besides these of any expresse commaundement And yet if there be any other ceremonies profitable and appliable for the present time the Lutheranes doe not altogether abolish them But the matter doth bewray that these ceremonies rytes Gamboldes holidayes and new fangled ceremonies which your Clergye doth daylye patche vpon the olde are for the more part not onely fruitles but also verye Botches and Cankers of the pure and true Religion And thys much hetherto of the holy and sweét mother church of Rome and of the vniuersall Regiment of her fayth ceremonies and holydayes Of the which because Osorius seémeth to himself to haue spoken sufficiently returning at the length to the Lutheranes bendeth his declamation against them raked and skraped from out of the very bowels of Rhetoricke wherein he thrusteth himselfe vpon the stage to play the part and to expostolate with Luther in such wise as that in all that notable furniture of words skarcely ought can be found els then was sometimes especially noted in Anaximenes by one on a time to witt to haue whole fludds of words but not a dropp of good matter It were great pitty to rehearse the whole speéch a fresh then the which nothing can be more ouerlauish and babling The effect thereof as briefly as may be compiled together tendeth to this end These Lutheranes do seeme to haue taken vpon them a very great and labour some burthen Who seing the Church of Christ lameÌ„tably entaÌ„gled in such dissolute liceÌ„tiousnes of maners doctrine almost ready to fall to the grouÌ„d could not onely be coÌ„teÌ„ted to be agreeued thereat with bare prayer well wishing hartes helpe to vnderpropp it but that they would attempt to put their handes therto also by their industry practise the reformation of that which was past al recouery and because they saw that the inueÌ„tioÌ„ of man was not able to couÌ„teruayle so great an incoÌ„uenience by any meanes they vndertook the matter by the onely word of God renouncing all humaine pollicy and industry Go to and to what end are all these so farre fetche and false also Osorius at length our Tertullius goeth forward But because the efficacy of Gods word doth consist not in brauery and braggery of wordes but in vertue in the duetyes of lyfe and the workes of righteousnes He doth desire therfore that some president of this deuine workemanship may be shewed him wherein some shew at the least of this recouery and preseruation of the Church may shew it selfe But forasmuch as there could not possibly be a ReformatioÌ„ vnlesse those obstackles were vtterly takeÌ„ away which gaue the first occasion of this generall craze euen as in Phisicke wholesome potiones are not ministred before superfluous and noysome humors be throughly purged in buildings like as vnlesse the olde walles and rotten postes be first plucked downe no new building is supplied euen so and after the same maner the Lutheranes did purpose with themselues to proceed with theyr worke Which Osorius mislyketh nothing at all For he thinketh it expedieÌ„t that superstitions be vtterly cut of because vertue commoÌ„ly hath not greater Enemies then her owne counterfaytes Moreouer where he seeth many abuses taken away scattered abroad krusht in pieces neither doth Osorius reproue this in theÌ„ so long as this alteration is profitable for the Christian coÌ„mon weale and that in stead of these which be remoued some supply be made of better Nowe what is throwne downe he doth see playnely but what is new builded he seeth not yea it is apparaunt enough what thinges are moyled vppe by the Rootes but what is planted in that place he confesseth he caÌ„not as yet discerne But this he doth see namely the authority of the Byshoppe of Rome to be afflicted Monasteries and Nooneries rooted
vppe and theyr goods and possessions haled away the deuotion of ceremonies and Religion of Churches defyled Images Pictures Crosses and altars broken in pieces and troden vnder foot the holy ordinaunces Lawes and traditions of the Churche abrogated finally no hope of true deuotion nor any freedom of wil to be left souÌ„d safe Where in this life nothing is left so holy but is defiled with some spot no abilitie of will so great which is not yoaked fast with fatall and vnauoydable Necessity All which so many in this wise disordered rent torne a suÌ„der by the Lutherans albeit do moue many mens harts to rue Yet Osorius of his ouerflowing abouÌ„dauÌ„ce of patieÌ„ce coÌ„staÌ„cy could take all this in much more better part and be lesse a greeued thereat if he could be perswaded that the losse and ouerthrow of those things might agree with the safety of the Church and the maiesty glory of the Gospell But now perceiuing the matter to fall contrary hereupoÌ„ he is both greuously and with good cause offended with these Sectaries Lutheranes who hauing vndertaken so great a Charge as to restore to the former health integritie the disciplyne of the Church being greuously syck weakned hath so performed no iote at all of that their promise as that all thinges rather become worse and worsse and the new supplies farre more ill fauoured weake then the olde buildinges But how will this right reuerend father proue his saying to be true at the last For sooth whereas the purity of the Gospell and the whole meanes of reforming the Church consisteth in this that men maye be taught to leaue the beholding of earthly thinges and rayse vppe their mindes vnto heaâ—en to embrace modesty to be endued with an earnest desire to liue chastely to yelde due obedience first to the Church afterwardes to the princes Magistrates temporall to prepare themselues a way into heauen by meekenes patienee grauity constancy and other heauenly vertues These I say and other heaueÌ„ly ornaments like vnto these if would appear either in their churches where they teach or in the maners of them which are professours of their doctrine No man could be ignoraunt then what men might iudge of this newe Gospell and the fruit thereof But now whereas he doth playnely see that the professors of this new Gospell are not onely not made better but also much worsse and much more filthy of theyr conuersation as amongst the which lust rageth more outragiously vnpunished presumption of minde more readye to committe all manner haynousnesse more vproares and much more troublesome more theeuery moreouer more conspiracies against Princes finally more horrible atteÌ„ptes if Report be true be hard to be euery where the worlde may easily iudge by these so manifold and so great tokens that these men haue entred vpon a vayne enterprise vndertaken much fruitlesse labour in that lameÌ„table moilyng of thinges which they haue subuerted c. Behold here gentle Reader though not euery word yet the force and effect of euery word fully set downe and the whole purport of Osorius Inuectiue vnlesse I be deceaued All whose superfluous and neédeles bablyng whereas he might haue concluded together in one Sillogisme yet this idle trifler chose rather to come aloft with Peacocklike ruffling of his Rhetoricall plumes blazed abroad after a sort and to swell in brauery of eloquence In the which he hath placed the whole mayne battery of hâ—s eloquence with shotte and powder and by all meanes possible els to beate downe if he can the gladsome light of the glorious Gospell of Christ. But all in vayne for mightier is the force of the Veritie enuironed about with heaueÌ„ly garrison theÌ„ that it can be dasht out of countenaunce with Irishe hooboobbes or wandryng crakes of loftie speaches Let Osorius bende and enforce all the cramps and artillery of his eloquence and shoot of all his powder and shotte yet is this cause of more power theÌ„ can be vanquishable with such smoakes These be but Apsen leaues Osorius which you haue scattered abroad meére slaunders swollen and puft vp with rancour and malice You must gather a fresh supply or els fleé the field Where the chiefe trust of your fortresse is crazed and faultie there the more you teaze the aduersary the sooner wil he make a breache vpon you you shall be lesse able to endure his assault You say that these wonderfull men took vpon theÌ„ a very great and daungerous enterprise And who bee these wonderfull men whom you note The Captaines I thinke of these Euangelicall affaires Luther Melancthon Bucer Zuinglius Caluine Haddon and other like sproughtes and issues of the same plantes And why doe ye not ioyne in nomber with them Paule Peter Iohn all the Apostles and Prophetes nay rather Christ him selfe the authour and grauÌ„de Captaine of this Gospellâ— For as much as the other neuer atteÌ„pted any thing but vnder their conduct and staÌ„dard Go to and what is that so great and perillous an enterprise that this lusty gallants of the Gospell haue entred vpon may a man be so bold to know it First bycause they tooke vpon them the Cure of the wounded Christian Church I do heare you but you haue not declared yet who they were that wounded her first But abroad with your peddlers packe Moreouer that they would settle the Gospell in her auÌ„cient renowme and Maiestie that they would restoare the auncient earnest zeale to godlynes the abouÌ„daunce of Charitie and that desire to lyue the heaueÌ„ly life wherein the Churche florished in the Apostles tyme That the Gospell beyng cleansed and the superstitions thereof wholy rooted out they would reuiue the liuely sprankes of the auncient Church being vtterly extinct c. Truly if these notable men did take this enterprise vpoÌ„ theÌ„ if euer they made any such promise if they made any such vowe or oathe that they would bryng these thynges to passe I confesse they vndertooke a very great and hard enterprise in deéde But where did you euer Read any such matter in all their bookes or which of them did euer make any such promise of him selfe Tell the truth Osorius was this any promise of theirs or a false forged deuise of your own was it their bragge or the vnshamefastnes of your slaunder was euer any man yet so madd as to conceaue in his secret imagination or to dare to make any such promise to reforme the Gospell then the which no one thyng in the world can be more sincere and pure When Luther began first to peépe abroad he attempted agaynst the Popes Pardons somewhat franckly yet modestly notwithstandyng not so much allured there unto by any his own motion as prouoked by necessitie of coaction nor yet offryng any challenge but beyng iniuried first and almost wearied out with the importunacie of others Afterwardes beyng for that same cause coÌ„uict by Leo theÌ„ Pope of Rome he purged him selfe but very humbly
doth lye in all his Bookes Hereof therefore canne not be denyed but that he writeth Bookes Or els how could he lye in his bookes if he wrote no bookes at all And yet neither did Luther in that Article affirme symply that the righteous man doth sinne in euery good worke But annexing thereunto an exception conditionall he doth qualifye the sharpenesse of the proposition expounding himselfe with the testimonies of Gregory and Augustine on this wise If God proceed in his iudgement sayth he straightly without all consideration of mercy Meaning hereby not that God should take good workes from righteous men but should despoyle works of that perfection which of it selfe were able to counteruayle the cleare iudgement of God so that the perfection of our righteousnes consist not now in doing well but in acknoledgement of our owne Imperfection and humble confessing the same For this do we heare Augustine speake Vertue sayth he wherewith man is now endued is so farre forth called perfect as the true and humble acknowledgement of mans owne imperfection ioyned with an vnfayned confession of the same doth make it to be accepted for perfect Now what poyson lurketh here I beseéch you worshippfull Syr Unlesse perhappes you thinke thus that because God doth not commaund impossibilities for this cause they that be regenerated may in this life accomplish the law of God fully and absolutely and that your selfe be of the number of them which in this life abcomplish all righteousnes throughly If you thinke thus of your selfe what better aūswere shal I make you then the same which Constantine the great did on a time nippingly to Acesius a Nouatian who denyed that such as were fallen could rise agayne by repentaunce Set vppe your Ladders quoth he and clymbe you vppe to heauen alone Acesius Furthermore where you are wont to obiect in this place impossibilitie of performing the law surely this doth not so much empaire Luthers assertion nor helpe your presumptuousnes sithence Augustine doth aunswere you sufficiently in Luthers behalfe All the cōmaūdemēts of God saith he are thē reputed to haue bene performed when whatsoeuer is left vndone is pardoned And in his booke de perfectione iustitiae debating this question whether the commaundements of God were possible to be kept he doth deny that they be possible to be kept But he affirmeth that neither in this life they be possible to be kept nor to keep them commeth of nature but of the heauenly grace But hereof hath sufficiently bene spoken already before so that it shall not beé needfull to do the thing that is done already It remayneth next now that we enter into the discourse of the holy ceremonyes decreés and ordinaunces of the Church because he complayneth for the suppressing of these also wherein what iust cause he hath to complayne shall hereby apeare If we consider duly and aright the auncient ordinaunces and determinations of the primitiue Church Amongest which auncient ordinaūces of the Church I suppose this was establshed That no man should be abridged from freédome to marry and from eating all kinde of meates fish or flesh as euery man foūd himselfe best disposed It was an auncient ordinaunce also that aswell the lay people as priestes without exception should communicate vnder both kindes the bread and the wine And that nothing should be redde in the Churches besides the scriptures Moreouer that the Scriptures should be read openly to all persons generally in their mother toūg that euery man myght vnderstād it The auncient ordinaūces of the church did neuer admit any more sacramentes then two nor widdowes vnder threéscore yeéres old nor vouchsafed any that were but newly entred into the profession to beare any rule in the congregation nor any els but such as were knowne both godly and prayseworthy aswell for the soundnesse of theyr doctrine as for the continuall course of their liues It was an especiall prouiso of the auntient discipline that no one person should haue any more Cures the◠one nor should receiue out of any Church any greater contribution then should seéme sufficient for necessaryes onely and not to mayntayne prodigality and lust It was also an auncient custome amongst the elders that the newly professed should be applied to reading of lessones and singinge onely And the Priestes in the meane time should apply preaching of the word Amongest other aūciēt ordinaūces that Canon of the counsell of Nyce seémeth worthy to be placed here which prouided that the ouersight of all other churches should beé committed to threé or foure patriarches equally in such wise as that no preheminence of superiority should be amongst them but all to be equall in dignity Adde vnto this the generall discipline of the church which did not hang vpon one mans sleéue onely but was exercised indifferently in all places agaynst all notorions offences without respect of persons Now therefore where Osorius complayneth that the ordinaunces of the auntient and primitiue Church are taken away abolished herein he doth not amisse So do many godly personages more beside Osorius complayne very bitterly of the same But in the meane space I do maruaile much what monstruous deuise this Byshoppe coyneth agaynst vs who neither liketh with the abolishing of the auncient customes of the primitiue Church nor can in any respect disgest those men which do endeuour and desire onely to haue a generall reformation For to saye the trueth whereunto tendeth all the endeuour of those men whome Osorius here wringeth vpon so sharpely but that those auntient decreés and ordinaunces wherewith the Church of Christ was endued at the first might recouer agayne theyr former dignity from which they haue bene lamentably reiected If they could bring this to passe by any meanes nothing coulde please them better But if their harty desires attayne not wished Successe no men are more to be blamed for it Osorius then you your selues who vnder a deceauable and craftie vysor of antiquity practize earnestly and busily alwayes that no Monumēt of auncient antiquitie may remaine but haue forged vs a certeine new face of an vpstart Church with certeine straunge and newfangled Decreés and Decretalles which the true and auncient antiquitie if were alyue agayne would neuer acknowledge otherwise then as misbegotten Bastardes But to proceéde this Rhetoricall amplificatiō waxeth more hotte yet in more choler Moreouer neither contēted sayth he with the lamentable desolatiō of these thynges ye haue dispoyled mā of all freedome of will and haue bounde fast with a certeine fatall and vnauoydable Necessitie all the actoins and imaginations of men be they good and godly or be the perillous and pernitious cōtrary to Nature Reason and the law of God c. Touchyng the freédome of mans will and that fatall necessitie as Osorius tearmeth it bycause aunswere sufficient is made already before It shall be neédelesse to protract the Reader with a new repetition of matters spoken already To be brief and
the order of Templars or Almaines which tooke their name of the Hospitall of S. Iohn in the yeare .1128 The Order of Premonstratenses were founded by Caliste 2. in the yeare .1124 The order of Gilbertines in the yeare .1152 by Eugenius the 3. The Order of Brother Preachers who tooke their name and begynnyng from Dominicke a murtherer and most cruell persecutour of the Valdenses vnder Innocent 3. in the yeare .1216 Immediatly after ensued the factions of Franciscanes in the yeare .1228 vnder Gregory the 9. To whom within a whiles after were added the orders of Eremytes Austen Friers Reformed Carmelites whom the moūt Carmell did vomite out vnto vs. There followed also an other order of Austen Friers vnder Honorius the 4. in the yeare .1286 Neither did these monstruous vanities of new fangle Religiōs cease at men but the Serpigo crawled further into womens cōsciences also who beyng allured by the exāple of men began after a litle sittyng abrood to hatcht vp such cheékynes to flocke together in coueyes herdes Wherof some were called Sisters Clarites broched by Dominicke first Some Brigittines surnamed of one Brigitte a Scithiā borne their couey peéped abroad at the first in the begynnyng of Vrbane the 5. his Popedome In the Councell of Laterane was a Decreé published by Innocent the 3. with a speciall prouiso for the abandonyng of diuersities of Religions that from thenceforth no Couent of Cloystered company or cowled crew should be erected in the yeare .1215 And yet in despight of the authoritie of this Decreé how many clusters of factious Friers haue bene forged emongest your holy Fathers sith that tyme. Besides the orders of Minorites Austens Brigidines Crossebearers and Scourgers there is peépte abroad within these few yeares good lucke a Gods name to the Pope and his Puppettes the order of Iesuites in the yeare .1540 promising I know not what by the title of their names Sure I am they haue hetherto accomplished nothyng correspondent to so sacred a name But it seémed good to the Lord Iesus peraduenture to fulfill so the Propheticall truth of his Gospell Many shall come in my name c. What followeth let them selues looke to it I haue spoken of Mounckery I haue spoken also of some other orders and ordinaūces of the Romish Church for to rippe vp all were an infinite peéce of worke It remaineth now That Osorius say somewhat for him selfe likewise and make some shew of wares if he haue any in all that his Romish Church wherein he liueth now except a few Articles of the Creede onely wherein we can iustifie as auncient a prescription of possession as they can that be not either new straunge and lately vpstarte or els altogether Poeticall stagelicke and mockeries Wherfore if we measure Antiquitie by the age of Christ his Apostles the nearest yeares next ensuyng the same age wherein also if Osorius will abide by it that nothyng ought to be allowed in the Church that doth not sauour of that primitiue and Apostolicke antiquitie then shall Osorius daughtlesse at this one blow choppe of the Popes head triple Crowne Church and all for as much as he shall neuer be able to vouch any thyng either in the receaued Doctrine Religion Rites or Ceremonies of his Church that euer saw the age of the Apostles or is in any respect correspondent to that first patterne and president of the primitiue Simplicitie There is such a generall Metamorphosis and alteration yea all thynges are turned into so frameshapen a newfanglenesse that it may seéme they haue not onely forgoen the aunciēt ordinaūces of the primitiue Church but also to haue vtterly excluded them selues from all acquaintaūce with that same Church with the Gospell yea with Christ him selfe of whom the Apostles gaue testimony and preached The Apostles did not acknowledge that same one Christ any where but in heauen and him ascendes into heauen they did so apprehend by Faythe that they would neuer seéke him els where then in heauen and so in heauē sittyng in the flesh as that they would no more know him after the flesh as men not dreamyng so much vpon his carnall presence nor ouer greédely affectioned to enioy him after that fleshly maner but were otherwise wholy settled and vnmoueably fixed in mynde in that spirituall presence of his Maiestie But to you sufficeth not to apprehend Christ by Fayth sittyng in heauen and to worshyp in spirite as the Apostles blessed Martyrs did vnlesse after a fleshly and bodyly maner with your fingers you handle the reall corporall substanciall identicall presence of Christ behold the the same with your eyes and choppe him vppe at a morsell Which deuise of yours doth argue that you seéme to be carried with a wondrous senselesse opinion of errour as neither to acknowledge one the selfe same Christ whom the Apostles did nor to worshyp him in heauen onely but to imagine to your selues two Christes of that one Christ namely one Sauiour in heauē and an other in earth and him also to Sacrifice dayly in your Masse In the Apostles tyme the Communion was ministred not once in a yeare onely nor at the Feast of Easter onely nor with Bread consecrated into the body of Christ but in a thankefull remembraunce of the Lordes death the bread and wyne beyng equally deliuered to the people at all tymes whensoeuer any assembly of well disposed did meéte together for that purpose They neuer sayd nor song any priuate Masses nor instituted any Sacrifices for the quicke and the dead being throughly satisfyed with one sacrifice onely which beyng once finished they were assured that the whole action of our Redemption was accomplished For so are we taught by the testimony of the Apostle By his owne bloud he entred in once the euerlasting redemption being accomplished And agayne For this did he once when he offered vppe himselfe And imediately after We are sanctified by the onely offering of the body of Christ Iesu once offered for all Moreouer in an other place writing of one Christ onely One God sayth he one Mediator of God and men the man Christ Iesu c. But how shall there be but one onely Christ or one onely Sacrifice of his body once offered of whose body you doe exact dayly a new fresh sacrifice to be made for the sinnes of the people Or how cā he be sayd to be but one accordyng to the proportion of a body of whom you doe imagine a presence accordyng to the whole nature of his flesh both absent in body in the heauens and in the same body neuertheles at one selfe instaunt on the earth Do ye not seé how absurdly these your patcheries concurre and agreé with the naturall meaning of the Scriptures and how farre they be from all reason And what is this els then to preach vtterly an other Christ then whom the Apostles
more commodious for vs namely sith him selfe hath spoken in the Gospell It behoveth you that I go for if I go not the comforter can not come If the corporall presence of Christ seéme in your conceiptes so necessary and so effectuall vnto Saluation Then bethinke this with your selfe how long the Apostles should haue neéded the vse of his bodyly presence how weake they were how grosse their vnderstandyng was notwithstandyng their dayly familiaritie and acquaintaunce with God and man notwithstandyng so may miracles seéne with their eyes notwithstanding so many apparaunt demonstrations notwithstādyng their dayly teachyng proceédyng from that heauenly voyce yet loe whē he should ascēde into heauē doth he not cast their incredulitie in their teéth And what was the cause hereof els but bycause the effectuall power and mighty force of the comforter could not enlighten their hartes vnlesse the fleshly presence of Christ had bene first takē away from them And do you not yet cease so drowsily to dreame vpon Christes flesh and euen for that cause haue you made such an horrible slaughter of so many thousand soules continuyng still in that sauadge and vnappeasable vnmercyfulnes And yet after this so great and cruell a bootchery may ye not endure to haue that your notable Prelate called by the name of Antichrist In deéde is this your aūcient Religion my Lord to speake nothyng in the meane space of that wherevnto the Rhetoriciās are wont to fleé whē they assayle their aduersaries most greéuously by an Impossibilitie of proofe as this that it is not possible for you to proue that your fleshly Assertiō of the Sacrament by any reason or by any deuise or imagination For how can you possibly bryng to passe that two contradictories may be verified of one selfe same body at one selfe instaunt so that the same selfe body of Christ seyng you will haue it one selfe body may be at one selfe same tyme in one and in diuerse places at one instaunt of tyme both glorified not glorified visible and not visible corruptible incorruptible which is not onely wonderfully absurde to be spoken but as impossible to be done and which also will admitte no miracle at all namely that the thyng that is true by nature should be false by miracle and be conceaued both true false at one instaunt of tyme. But bycause we determined not to prosecute Disputation hereof in this place but to treate onely of the antiquitie of doctrine I returne agayne to your Church which you garnish with a very gorgeous but in very deéde counterfaite and false title of Antiquitie wherein you deale also as subtelly and craftely Not much vnlyke to harlottes who when they will be atcompted for honest do as much as they may frame them selues to the resemblaunce of vertuous matrones from whose conuersatiō and maners they do varry notwithstandyng altogether Euen so fareth it with your Church I speake of that shape and countenaunce of the Church that now is not that which was long agoe For as I may not deny that the Church of Rome in that pure and primer age deserued wonderfull yea the principall commendation of all others not onely in respect of the noumber of Martyrs that suffred there but also in respect of her vnstayned sinceritie and Fayth euen so comparyng the Church that now is with the Church that then was The example is so farre of frō any liuely resemblaunce of the first patterne that it seémeth quite transformed and I can not tell how mishapen into a certeine chaungelyng Else without any mauer of likely applyable nesse to the feature or countenaunce of that first and auncient simplicitie and sinceritie For such was the lyfe of Christians in that purer age that they would not swerue one tytle so much from their profession Moreouer such was their profession that it would not raunge an hearebredth from the prescript rule of the Institutions Apostolique And such was the rage of persecution then as would now supper them to be Idely sluggish or to geaue themselues to vnlusty Lazines As for delightes and pleasures to rake riches together to build pallaces to seéke the exalting of themselues by honorable titles and dignityes they had neuer one minute of spare tyme to bestowe their wittes vpon Their dayly exercise then was a continuall wresting agaynst the world and the Deuill They spent all their tyme in labors and perills their whole lyfe was a paynfull turmoyle all their power was nought els but prayer Their fortresse was grounded vpon Christ Yea for Christ onely was their whole warfare Neither were those valiant souldiours destitute in the meane time of a singuler Chefetayne Christ himselfe was the chief generall of this Army who did either mitigate the horror and cruelty of their agonyes by his omnipotent power or with some comfortable restoratyue qualifie their greéues so ordering and attempering the proceédyngs and alterations of his Church that he would neither suffer the vaynes and sinowes of the same to gather any infection by ouerflowing plenty of ytching delights of this flattering world nor to be discouraged or vanquished with any immoderat assaultes or excessiue stormes of aduerse fortune and at the last would conduct them to a ioyfull Triumph and end of all their Troubles and afflictions And this was the very order of the first foundation and building of that auncient Church So that neither tickeling enticementes of the world could defile the lyfe of the godly nor any contagious error infect their doctrine For the very same ordinaunces and rules of doctrine which thapostles receaued of Christ and the holy ghost the same also which came from the Apostles vnto the Church were reteined with vnremoueable cōstancye So also was nothing at all mingled or chopt in for vse or worshippe vnlesse being deliuered from Christ or his Apostles had the rootes thereof vnseparably planted in the knowen authoritye of the sacred worde Inuielable as yet was that sacred rule of this commaundement See that you adde nothing nor diminishe any thing And that other also of Saint Paule Whosoeuer shall teach you any other Gospell lett him be holden accursed And this also They doe worshippe me in vayne teaching the doctrine and traditions of men c. Those superfluous swarmes of superstitious traditions of men were not yet growen in vre men were not yet ouercloyed with the cumbersume clusters of crabbed constitutions For it seemed good to the holye ghost not to burdeine the Gentiles with the ordinaunces prescribed in the old lawe That vnmeasurable heape of ragged Rytes were not yet raked together nor hard of in the Church Nor was there any neéde of naked ceremonies where sufficed to euery person to serue and worshippe God in spirite and trueth Nether was any thing worshipped then but his Deitye alone Afterwardes in deéde the age of the Apostles being runne ouer and the number of Christians encreasing certaine ordinaunces were instituted by
the Fathers and Elders which did apperteine to the well ordering and gouernmēt of outward discipline Yet euen in these was such a moderation consonauncy obserued as should nether extinguishe the glory of the Gospell nor entāgle consciences with combersome charge but serue onely for preseruation of necessarye orders For due obseruation of the which was graunted to the Church a certayne authoritye and power to dispose and determine according to the nature of places and necessitye of tymes such thinges as might seéme most agreéable and couenable for their assemblies But this authority hedged in as it were within her certein limits and boundes as was but humaine so forced it not such a necessitye of obseruance as did those other commaunded immediately from God For lyke consideration may not be taken of humaine precepts commaunded by men onely as must be had of thordinaunces of God Hereof commeth it that the breach or not performaunce of that one being done without arrogant cōtēpt or reprochful disdayn is not punishable as mortall deadly sinne In lyke maner the godly ministers of the Church were not without their due honor and authority yet such it was as exceéded not the appointed lymittes and measure For as then function ecclesiasticall was a Ministery and seruice not a Maistry or Lordshippe which consisteth in two thinges chiefly In preaching the worde and ministring the Sacraments and in directing outward discipline and ordering maners and misdemeanours In which kinde of ministery although cōmaundement be geuē to yeald due obediēce vnto the pastors yea though we heare these wordes spoken of Ministers He that heareth you heareth me Yet tend they not to this end that they may after their owne wittes and pleasures make new innouations frame new fashions of doctrine and coyne new Sacraments thrust in new worshippings and new Gods or thereby to erect a kingdome in the Church But their whole power and authoritye is restrayned to the prescript rule of the Gospell not to dispence and dispose thinges after their owne luste but to be the dispensors and disposers of the misteries of God Wherevpon in matters appertayning to Gods Lawe conscience is bound to yealde due obediēce to the pastoures according to this saying He that refuseth you refuseth me In other thinges that concerne the Tradicions of men or that haue no assurance of their creation by any principle of doctrine herein ought speciall regard to be had First to what end they are commaunded then also by what authoritye they are brought into the Church For the ordinaunces which are thrust in vnder such maner and condition as may enfeéble true confidence in the Mediator as may dispoyle cōsciences of their freédome and ouerthrowe the maiestie of gods grace or are linked together with a vayne opinion of righteousnes of worshipping of remission of sinnes of merites of Saluation or of vnauoydable necessitye Such I say ought without all respect to be hauished and abandoned as pestilent batches from the communion and congregation of the Church Consideration also must be had of the difference betwixt these thinges which the Church doth charge mens consciences withall by mans authoritye onely and the thinges which are established and proclaimed by the expresse word and commaundement of God For although the Church may of duety require a certein subiuection to the ecclesiasticall ministers as that we ought to obey the ordinaunces that are instituted for preseruation of ciuill societye and couenable decency Yet must the ministers be well aduised least vnder pretence and colour of ecclesiasticall authoritie they eyther commaund the things that are not expedient or oppresse the simple people with vnmeasurable Burdeines or thinke with them selues that the Church is tyed of neccessity to any Lawes established by men Euen so and the same that hath bene spoken of mēs Constitutions may in effect be applyed to Iudicall Courts Iudgementes For although authoritye be committed to the Church to iudge and determine of doctrines and outward misdemeanours although the resolution of doubtfull cōtrouersies the discouerie and opening of matters obscure the declaring and debatyng of matters confuse the reformation and amendement of matters amysse be left ouer to the Censure and iudgement of the Church many tymes Yet is not this ordinary authoritye so arbitrary and absolute but is also fast tyed to the direct rule of the worde So that in matters of controuersie this Authoritie came conclude commaunde nothing but that which the word of the Gospel must make warrantable Neither hath this authoritye any such prerogatiue to make any alteration of Gods Scriptures or to forge false and vntrue interpretations which may auaile to establishe an authoritye of men or of orders or to make any new articles of fayth or to bring in straunge Inuocations which are directly repugnant to the manifest authoritye of the Scriptures And therfore we creditt the Church as a Mistres and a teacher foreshewing the truth yet after an other maner altogether then as we be bound to obey the word of the Gospell preached in the Church by the mouth of Gods faythfull ministers which authoritye when they put in execution according to the authoritye of Gods word we doe beleue them yet so neuerthelesse beleue them as that our creditt is not grounded now vpon the testimonie of the Church nor vpon men but vpon the worde of God namely because their iudgemēt is agreable and consonant with the rule of the sacred scriptures and with a free confession of the Godly iudging directly accordyng to the voyce and worde of God The Church therfore hath authoritie in decyding controuersies of doctrine Yet so that it selfe must be ouerruled by the authoritie of the word Otherwise the Church hath neither authoritye nor iudgement contrary to the consonancy of the Scriptures In lyke maner in discipline and reformation of maners the Church may determine and iudge But here also consideration must be had of the differēce For the censures ecclesiasticall are of one kinde but Iudgements temporall of an other kinde For in forinsicall and temporall causes when Iudgementés are geuen although they receaue their authoritie from the word of God yet are they in force in respect of the authoritye of the Prince and the Magistrate And therefore they minister correction with punishment corporall according to the qualitye of the trespasse But the iudgements of the Church are farre vnlyke For in those maner of offences which appertayne to the ecclesiasticall Consistorye the Church hath her proper iudgements and peculiar punishments Wherewith it doth not afflict or crucifie mens bodyes notwithstandyng nor pursue vnto death but cutteth of from the congregation onely and common society of men such as doe wilfully and stubburnely sett themselues agaynst the Ministerye and such as doe harden themselues and obstinately perseuer in wickednes agaynst order and conscience and continue in errors and other notorious crimes contrary to the prescript rule of sound doctrine
Agaynst such the Church thundereth out endles excommunicatiōs denoficing the horrible curse of Gods euerlasting wrath and vnappeasable displeasure except they repent And these punishmentes of the primitiue Church in old tyme called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as were neuer ministred but vpon greuous and vrgent causes so was there no hope of release from the same vnlesse playne demonstration were made by open and publique confession of true and vnfayned repentaunce Which kinde of censure the aūcient Fathers deuided into threé degreés 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excommunication Whereby all maner of offenders aswell spirituall as temporall were as it were cut of from all societye and partaking of the Church and Sacramēts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Depriuation Whereby such as were but newly professed were remoued from their function 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sequestration Whereby all offendours whatsoeuer were excluded from the Sacraments some from partaking of all the Sacramentes and some from the Communion onely whom the Grecians doe note by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remouyng from the Communion table onely And thys was the very order and gouernement of the prymityue and Apostolique Church wherein florished not onelye that sincerity of doctrine whereof I spake before but also Ecclesiasticall discipline touching distrybution of dignityes placing of elders ordering of times reading of lessons frequenting of exercises Inquisition of lyfe Reformation of manners and other profitable ordinaunces established after the best manner was dayly exercised All which the prymytyue and vndefiled antiquity of the auntient Fathers obserued purely and sincerely after the age of the Apostles and in all respects very reuerently and orderly as the decrees and Canons of godly assemblies and Synods together with the Hystoryes and Monumentes of auntient Fathers do playnely and manifestly record Hauing now described and faythfully expressed the verye face and countenaunce of the auncient primitiue Church I referre me to any equall and indiferrent iudgement to discerne whether the Lutheran Church or the Lateran Churche of Rome to resemble that primitiue Church neérest And as for that primitiue Church of Rome hath bene aboundauntly and sufficiently spoken of already Now could I wish that the Romish prelates would vouchsafe to deliuer likewise some painted vysour of theyr Ieratohye if it myght please them or if they refuse so to do we will not disdayne to do so much in their behalfe whereby godly mindes may euydently perceyue the true causes that moued those Lutherans iustly to sequester themselues from that Romysh Reuell In which theyr sequestration notwithstanding from Rome they haue not remoued themselues one ynche so much the more from the Church of Christ. I speak of the Romish Church once agayne I say in that state that it is now The first Institution whereof touching doctrine and Traditions if be sifted and searched by comparing of her first foundation to the true Church of Christ it will euydently appeare that thys Romysh Church being but a late newfāgled vpstart doth expresse no sparke of resemblaunce of that auncient antiquity but patcht and botcht vppe altogether with new opinions erroneous abuses Idolatries traditions deuised by authority of men ioyned with an opinion of necessary worshipping and obseruaunces It is most certayne that the foundations of Christes church were grounded first vpon sure playne infallible and vnmoueable demonstrations proclaymed from aboue in the writinges propheticall and Apostolicall which be builded vpon the true knowledge of the essentiall will of God vpon true inuocation and prayer vpon vnfayned obedience to godward vpon assured acknowledgemēt affiaūce in the Mediator wh is very God and very mā and which doth display abroad the kingdome of Christ to be a spirituall and an euerlasting kingdome not temporall nor instituted or gouerned by mans pollicye or power but begonne by the preaching of the Gospell and enlarged by fayth in them which doe beleue and obay the word of doctryne and life with a pure and sincere affection On the contrary part the foundations of the Romish Ierarchy are builded vpon the decrees of Popes entangled with most intricate and I know not what most crabbed and crooked questions of Scholeianglers Polluted with most manifest errors vtterly dissentyng and cleane contrary to the prescript rule of Gods word which being apparaunt enough in very many matters besides yet is notably discernable in iiij principall pointes chiefly Fyrst Because this doctrine doth abolish quite the doctrine of the law of repentaunce of righteousnes by fayth and commaundeth a mammering doubtfulnesse out of which puddle yssueth an outragious ouerflowing Sea of papisticall errors Secondaryly because it doth transpose merites and worshippings which are proper and peculiar vnto the sonne of God into adoration oblation and application of the consecrated breade for the quicke and the dead by merite meritorious in theyr masking Masse and without theyr masse whereas in very deéd the Gospell doth playnely teach that the benefittes of the sonne of God are not applied to any person but in respect of euery theyr proper and peculiar fayth Thirdly after the manner of Infidels Because it translateth to dead men Inuocation which ought to be yelded to God onely Fourthly because it commaūdeth traditions of men Mounckish vowes Canonicall satisfactions pilgrimages and innumerable such dredge with an opinion of merite worshyppyng and necessary obseruaunce and doth preferre the same before the commaundementes of the law which God hath commaunded to be especially obserued To this Beadroll appertayne more then dottered Bussardly fables of Purgatory Pardons secret and compulsary confesūon pompous Processions and superstitious supplications wherein is carryed abroad to be gazed vpon the consecrated bread profaning of the Lordes Supper making sale thereof as it were in open Fayre or Markette Magicall consecrations of naturall thinges to wytte of water wyne oyle salt and such like What shall I say of that more then whorysh shamelenesse when as the Popes without all proofe or probabilyty of aunciēt antiquity of a certayne insolent arrogancy not by any Dyuyne authoryty but through theyr owne trayterous treachery haue raysed to them selues not a true Catholicke and Apostolycke Church to Christ Iesu but a Seraphycall Ierarchy exceédyng all earthly prymacy superiority and potentaty Wherein reygneth in place of Christ a proud Popysh Peacock For the Apostles cormoraunt Cardinalles For Martyres monstruous Mounckes for professors pestiferous persecutors For fathers Bellygod Byshoppes and Gorbelly Abbottes For Euangelistes cruell Canonistes Copistes Decretaries Summularyes seditious Sententioners For Minysters sheépysh shauelinges And for Pastours Maskyng Massemongers Who hauyng rauenously Raked the ryght of the Church haue turned and chaūged it into a newfangled fashion of an earthly kingdome where it may not suffice to serue Chryst Iesu our pastor and head onely to settle our selues vpon hym whollye to depend vpon hys mercy onely Unlesse we become vassals and bondslaues to thys popysh Byshoppe and honour him as a certayne other Chryst vpon earth who vnder a delycate vysor of
entred into any order Ecclesiasticall foreswearing to be coupled in wedlock should sweare them selues to obserue perpetuall vow of vnmaried lyfe If any man be of opiniō that this Tyrāny was brought in by the Apostles and not rather directly agaynst the ordinaūce of the Apostolicke Church is much deceaued in imagination whereas that law was neuer begon nor euer heard of before the tyme of Hildebrand And although I can not deny that there were many vnmaried Ministers many dayes agoe in the Church of Christ at that tyme when as there was not such a huge multitude of Priestes and more plentyfull giftes of chastitie possessed Christian Churches yet did neuer any man read or heare that this necessitie of vowyng chastitie became a publique cōmon coaction before Hildebrād was borne How earnestly the Germaines did set them selues agaynst this wicked prohibition decreéd by Pope Gregory the 7. at what tyme the Archbyshop of Mentz Sollicitour of this Popish decreé was almost slayne let the Histories beare witnesse As touchyng what was done in England I will note somewhat my selfe For on this wise writeth Henry Huntyngton in his Chronicle Anselme sayth he did prohibite Mariadge of Priestes in England which was neuer prohibited before Which seemed to some a matter of wonderfull continēcie but to other very pernitious and perillous least whiles they should couet for a cleannes that surmounted their power they might rushe healong into horrible filthynes to the great reproche and dishonour of Christian name This much he with whom also accordeth the testimony of Monumetensis touchyng the same matter Herbert Byshop of Norwiche sayth he by the commaundement of Anselme and a Decree of a Prouinciall Synode did endeuour by all meanes possible to sequester the Priestes from their Wiues in his Diocese And when he could not bring it to passe he was constrained to send to Anselme for Counsell This is to be founde in a written History pag. 240. The same also happened to Gerrarde Archb. of Yorke about the same tyme. Now what will Osorius say to this If I shall be able to shew him out of our own auncient Recordes more then 40. Recordes and Rolles which doe make mention not onely of our Priestes companying together with their Wiues but also that do by publique authoritie and law of the land prouide that their Wiues ought to be endowed in landes and possessions There was an old Decreé in the Councell of Gangren That no man should make any difference betwixt an vnmaried Priest a maried Priest as to Iudge the one more holy then the other in respect of his vnmaried lyfe I will annexe the wordes of the Coūcell If any man doe take exception betwixt a Maried Priest at that in respect of his Mariadge he ought not to minister the Communion and so sequester him selfe from Communicating with him let him be accursed There ensued after this the Councell of Areletens the 2. wherein was a contrary Decreé made that no person should be admitted to Priesthood that was Married to a Wife vnlesse he vowed to depart from his Wife c. Whereunto also agreéd a Decreé of Pope Lucius long after the other Whereby Priestes and Deacons and such as serued the Altares should lyue continently And this hetherto tollerable enough But what kynde of cōtinency he did meane let vs marke by the sequele But if it happen sayth he that a Minister doe go to bedd to his Wife after he haue once receaued orders let him not enter within the Chaūcell nor be made bearer of the Sacrament nor yet come a neare the Altar c. As touchyng Images Inuocation Sacrifies for Sinnes and Freéwil hath bene spoken sufficiently before And what shall I adde more of the rest of the rascall rable to witte of Purgatory of Satisfactory Constitutions of vowes of other lyke peltyng pelfe of the newfangled Romish Traditions and of the antiquitie of all the rest but euen as they be in deéde namely that in them all appeareth no countenaunce of true Antiquitie but are deuises altogether of mens inuētions bastardes and misbegotten chaungelyngs of Scholeianglers and cowled crauens not grounded vpon any authoritie of the Scripture altogether vnknowen vnto the aūcient primitiue Church the most part wherof hath bene hatcht thrust abroad into the world within these 500. yeares within which compasse of tyme that noumber of yeares began to be fulfilled which was long before Prophecied of for the lettyng louse of Sathan into the world whose libertie out of that bottomles gulfe of hell was foretold by the Propheticall Scriptures should be after a thousand yeares to the end he might now preuaile to deceaue the people dwelling vpon the foure corners of the earth Gog and Magog c. By meane of which pestiferous deceauing it is scarse credible to be spoken what mōstruous ruine dissipation of Empires and Kyngdomes with in these 500. yeares what an alteration hath ensued in that church chiefly how much of Christian force hath bene decayed through Ciuill warres priuate grudgynges how greatly the power of foreine Nations hath increased to our destruction and vndoyng And how in the meane tyme whiles the Turke doth inuade the Christian Church without seékyng with foreine force to vndermine it The Popish Prelates be no lesse busily bent to builde vppe their fortresse of furious Tyranny euen within the bowels of the same Church and to fill vppe their Coffers with Treasures they moyle and turmoyle all thynges Procure warres and bloudshed for the establishment of their primacy sturre vppe Ciuill warres and commotions turne all thynges vpsidowne Wherupō commeth to passe that doctrine is nought sett by by how much their treasory aboundeth in ouer flowing-plenty by so much to speake with Ierome their vertues are pyned away with famine skarsity Idolatry ambitiō superstitiō haue growne to an vnmeasurable excesse all things are defiled with abuse Religiō ruleth the roast with violence cruelty Finally all things are come to nought Trueth is turned to playne lying and treachery The place of sincere fayth possesseth false hipocrisie Praying for the dead kneéling and crowching to Images supplyeth the place of the true and pure worshipping of God The word of the Lord is troden downe with mans authoritye The most godly and auncient ordinaunces are transformed into new fangled traditiōs the simple meaning of the Scriptures is entāgled with scholetrickes and Sophystrye Luste and vnbrideled licentious outrages preuayle aboue godly conuersation and seueritye of discipline Presūptuous pride and greédy desire of Lordlynes and superioritye doe wrestle agaynst lowlynes and humilitye huge heapes of new Noueltyes increase dayly errors and falshode flocke abroad vnmeasurably Finally the whole state of the auncient Church is become a very stage of an earthly Monarchye and a filthy forgeshoppe of foolishe fond ceremonies But now assoone as the Lord of his louing mercy good pleasure towardes vs vouchsafed to amend this dayly drowsy darkenes with
some glymering of dawning day and to refresh the razed Rent of his ruynous Church and to restore a recouery of his auncient recordes of written veritye the Braynesuck beastes of Romyshe rowte ganne fret aud fume and our sweéte shauelinges seéke at the length that we render them a reason of our Noueltye And because veritye Euangelicall oppressed with Tyranny through the Reuell of Sathās raunging abroad these few yeares eyther durst not shewe it selfe into the open world or could not be heard to plead for it selfe through their outragious vilaines being now quickened from aboue beginneth to display her oryent beames she is called to corā before these cloisterers as though Christe and the doctrine Apostolicall were some straunger in the world and commaunded to Iustifie her chalenge of Antiquitye to them which are neither able to render any reason of theyr counterfayt Antiquitie nor Iustify the trueth of their own cause by any recordes or reportes of probable auncienty or by any testimonie or president of the prymatyue Churche whatsoeuer Wherein me seémeth they behaue themselues no more modestly and shamefastly then theéues and murtherers which breakyng in by nyght into an other mans house hauing by violnce and wrong either slayne or thrust the true owner out of dores chalenge vnto themselues a title of possession And so pleadyng in possession by wrongfull disseisin for tearme of certeyne yeares doe plead occupation and prescription of time agaynst the lawfull heire that hath right by lawe to recouer and demaund Iudgement thrusting the true heire out from his true inheritaunce who in ryght equitye demaundeth restitution For what other thing doe they herein who finding their cause to be no way bettered by vouching of Scriptures which make nothing for thē at all fleé ouer forthwith to yt. Fathers Custome continued of olde by long prescription of time crying out agaynst vs with full mouthes that they haue enioyed their possession in the Church more then xv hundreth yeares and commaund vs to tell them where our Church was litle aboue xl yeares sithence And because they aske it I will tell them conditionally that they will distinctly tell me first what they doe meane by this worde Church If they meane the people perhappes we were not all borne then if they vnderstand the Roofes Walls and Tymber of the Churches they stand euen now in the same place where they were wont to stand are enuironed with the same churchyardes where they stood of old But yf they speake of the doctrine verely it was in the word of God and in the Scriptures discernable enough where also it resteth now rested euer heretofore and shall rest hereafter for euer If they demaund of the forme of gouernment It was in the primitiue Church and many yeares after in Asia Greece Affrick Europe dispersed abroad in all Churches at what tyme euery particular Church was gouerned by theyr peculiar Patriarches and not pente vppe and straighted into one hole vnder the commaundement of one man onely when also neither was any Byshoppe called vniuersall Byshoppe no nor my Lord Byshoppe of Rome called as then vniuersall Byshoppe I haue now told where our Church was before these fourtye yeares It remayneth that I be so bold to demaund agayne of them but especially of our Osorius that he vouchsafe to declare vnto vs where this fine Ciceronisme thys braue poolyshed speach where thys exquisited eloquence of writyng and speaking where this gorgeous furniture of fyled toūges this pyked and straunge statelynes of style was fourty yeares agoe where this wonderfull increase of Artes and Mathematicall sciences was will he eyther say that it is newely found out now or restored agayne rather and deliuered long sithence from olde auncient teachers If he will confesse that they be not new nor speciall deuises of our proper wittes but renewed and reuiued rather out of auncient authors let him then so account him selfe satisfied in his question touching the state of the Church not that it is a newe vpstart but reuiued from olde not garnished with new Coapes but returning agayne in her old Fryse gown For we doe not now build a new Church but we bring forth and beautifye the olde Church But now if any man will seéme to maruell what the verye cause reason should be that these artes and disciplines do rather in these dayes now florishe agayne at length after so long scylence and so long continuaunce in exile and banishment and would neédes know the very true naturall cause hereof What better aūswere shall I make him then that it is done by the speciall prouidence of GOD who of his inestimable goodnesse vouchsafed in these latter dayes to discouer abroad into the world the famous Art of Emprinting By meanes wherof aswell the seédes and principles of all liberall sciences as the knowledge of Diuinitye are extant and in dayly exercise not newly begon now but sproughted vppe of the olde Rootes and recouering their olde beauty So that you haue lesse cause to wonder Osorius that our Deuines beyng enlightened thus with so opē a light of the manifest scriptures and furnyshed with so great store of bookes and helpes of learning doe seé much more in matters of Diuinitye than many our Elders haue done Which helpes and furnitures of bookes if had bene so plentifull in those aūcient yeares of Gregory 7. Nicholas 2. and Innocent 3. for the exercise of wittes as we seé them now dayly and hourely handled and frequented beleue me Osorius The Pope of Rome had neuer so long lurcked in his lazye denne nor so long had bewitched the senses of selly ones with his leger demayne and crafty conueyaunce Nor had Osorius euer sturred his stumpes so stoughtly in this quarell agaynst Haddon Nor had Haddon bene forced to this streight to make defence of his Noueltye at this present But here some one of Osorius Impes will say peraduenture For as much as the state condition of the Church is such that wheresoeuer it be it must neédes be visible and apparaunt to be seéne not thrust vnder a bushell but set on hygh vpon an hill that it may shyne clearely vnto all and for as much also as the Churche of Rome was euer euē from the very swathlyng cloutes of Christian Religion of that excellency as to be able to Iustifie her dignitie and renowme by the whole and full agreable consent of all estates times and places euen vnto this day and that none other Church besides this one alone can mainteyne so lōg a continuaunce of yeares and so great a title of authoritie who may dought hereof but that this Seé of Rome is the onely Seé where onely is refiaunt a true face and profession of the true Church And that on the contrary part the Lutheranes Church beyng but of a few yeares continuaunce and neuer heard of before must therfore be accoumpted not worthy of place or name of a Church
wherewith they haue practized the dissipation ouerthrow vtter spoyle and consumyng of all thynges both publicke and priuate with fire and sword yea the most holy thynges of the Church Be of good cheare now I suppose this whotte flamyng Rhetoricall smoake is come almost to an end Can Osorius amplification adde yet more hereunto surely these be great matters yea very great in deéde but yet you shall heare farre more haynous For whereas emongest other kynde of liuyng creatures which nature hath formed to the destruction of mankynd some do bewitche with their eyes and lookyng on some do infect with touchyng others doe kill with their teeth and some with their tayles These Lutherās do so contriue their matters that they doe not onely poyson the bodyes the soules and the lyues of men with the contagion of their wickednesse but vpon what grounde soeuer they set footyng I doe not say they defile the same with those former small faultes but wheresoeuer they tread with their feete they leaue the same lande contamined and poysoned with many more ye more execrable abhominations And why doth he not adde this also withall that what shyppe soeuer they enter into of purpose to sayle ouer Sea they do also drowne the same shipp into the bottome of the Sea with ouer burdē of their wickednes why then clappe your handes reioyce you Osorians congratulate this yonr notable Rhethoriciā who if you haue not yet learned the arte of lying and flaunderyng haue here a notable Schoolemaister whom ye may follow And so when you haue magnified this your exquisite Maister triumphauntly enough write some Epitaphe for this wretched caytife Haddon worthy his impudencie who notwithstandyng all these horrible abhominations shamed not to stand in the defence of this new doctrine agaynst this great Doctour Osorius Moreouer that the singuler excellency of this your Maister may shyne so much the more notably Behold now not the Rhetoricke but the modesty and humanitie of the man For whereas this might haue sufficed him if at least he might haue woonne this much which we can in no wise deny to witte that our maners are not correspondent to that most exact and exquisite rule of most holy and Apostlicque Religion Which thyng these new Apostles vndērtooke to bryng to passe yet the sweete man contented of his incredible courtesie to acquite vs of this quarell doth now deale with vs after this maner not to compare vs as he might of his Pontificall authoritie doe it well enough with the Apostles nor with auncient Fathers of the primitiue Church but doth referre vs to our owne forefathers and doth require this onely at our handes that we Englishmē should frame our selues to the grauitie vertue Religion and holynes of our aūcestours and by their example become like vnto them in lyke integritie of lyfe But for as much as we can not aspire to the glory and renowme of their vertues which were also by many degrees inferiour to the Apostles how much and how farre discrepant therfore is the Institutiō of our Church in this point that it may carry any resemblaunce at all of that Apostolicke institution and discipline which discipline ought to expresse it selfe not in vayne ostentation and tauntyng but in superexcellent examples of righteousnes chastitie sinceritie Religion and charitie and a life altogether vndefiled vnreproueable conuersation and a most serious desire and endeuour of heauenly vertue You haue heard godly Reader the knittyng vppe of the conclusion of this Peroratiō fetcht out of the very entrailes of all Rhethoricke Now take an Argument of the same somewhat more compendiously knitte vppe not with floorishyng figures of Rhetoricke but framed euen in the very schoole and Arte of Logicke and comprehended in fewe wordes that it may easily appeare how to Iudge of the same more certeinly and to aunswere the matter more fittely The life of the Lutheranes as he calleth them is haynous and farre vnlike the life of the Apostles and their own auncestours Ergo The doctrine that the Lutheranes do professe in their Churches is altogether discrepant from the Doctrine and Institution of the Apostles For as much as this is the whole force and Summary conclusion of your Argument Osorius It remaineth agayne that we aunswere vnto the same And what aunswere may we frame more fitte and agreable to the matter then to deny the Argumēt For I beseéch you where did you learne this Logicke to knitte such fleéyng fruitlesse moates together or where haue you learned this Diuinitie to measure mens doctrine and profession by maners and conuersation of life When Haddon debated with you of Fayth onely and Religion it behoued you to haue aunswered the same accordyngly which if seémed in your conceipt to varry from the Institution Apostolicke in any pointes the same should haue bene layd open by you the Articles shoulde haue bene noted by some speciall marke and conuinced with Scriptures those errours should haue bene refuted with lawfull Testimonies and authorities those heresies should haue bene discouered and confuted But you omittyng that part of the controuersie which belonged to doctrine skyppe away to other matters not such as are of no importaunce but such neuerthelesse as concerne the present matter nothyng at all accordyng to the old Prouerbe which is the way to Canterbury a pocke full of plummes And this much to the Conclusion of your euillfauoured clouted Argument I come now to aunswere that part of your argument wherewith you vrge vs most namely Manners albeit the same hath bene once done already but so I would aunswere you as that I would desire you to aunswere me first simply to a few questions First whereas you Rayle so franckly agaynst the maners of our people do you know this that ye write to be true by any sure argument or knowledge of your owne but how canne you attayne vnto it being so meare a straunger and so farre seuered from vs by distaunce of place Or els haue you conceaued it to be so by some coniecture of your owne head but we take you for no Proyet Or haue you beleued it vpon some vagarant tales or reports of others but talebearers may deceaue you haue deceiued many Or did you dreame of any such happely ouercharged with some wine of Creéte But the men of Creete haue bene alwayes accounted lyers Agayne euery fond dreame is not by and by a prophecy As Basile reporteth Moreouer do you inueigh against all the Lutheranes generally or agaynst some particulerly if you meane all you speake vntruely If you speake of many tell vs when did you number thē if of some perticuler persons it standeth agaynst all reason that the offence of a few dissolute persones should be a cōmon reproch to the whole order of Mynisterie Now agayne lette vs seé what kinde of offences they be wherwith you charge vs what do you meane therfore all kindes and sortes of abhominations Osorius without any exception or those small
Moyses Howbeit it was so much the lesse to be marueled That the same should be obiected agaynst Paule in that tyme especially when as the Iewes were yet chiefe rulers of the Temple it selfe and Moyses ordynaunces were as yet in their chiefe force and authoritye What and haue we profited this farre now at the length after so great and long labors employed after so many aduertizements of thapostles after so many instructions of the holy ghost after so many examples of the Church after so many miracles so many bookes so many testimonyes of learned men so many helpes of sownd doctrine that we must after all these neédes â—unne back vnto old Iewishnes agayne may we not now skarcely open onr mouthes to preach Iesus Christ the Sonne of God but we must seéme Iniurious to Moyses For what els did Luther meane Whereunto els tended all his doctrine trauaile endeuour and thought but that the gracious mercy of God discouered in the Gospell might through his minystery he commended to weakâ— and aflicted consciences and glorified of them In which maner of doctrine yf any thing seéme displeasaunt to your minde let your owne minde and Imagination offend you rather then Paule or Luther For there lurketh a plague or pestilence not in the Doctrine but in the minde which in my iudgement seémeth to be such as that if you had liued in the tyme of Christ with the Scribes and Pharises being of the same mind wherewith you gnaw this doctrine so viperously now you might haue bene fellow mate with them which cryed out Crucifige Crucifige agaynst Christ. Not so say you but the wickednes and abhominations of this age doe much displease me with that am I worthely offended And what good or godly man is not throughly displeased herewith Peruse who will the writings of Luther Melanckton Bucer Zuinglius Martyr Caluine and he shall easely peceaue that this deadly decay of Godly lyfe was no lesse greuous to euery of them then to your selfe that I neéde neuer speake of this besides to witt that Luther being very oftentymes disquieted with the maners and vnthankefulnes of his own countrey men did long before with a very propheticall vehemencye foretell that the same lamentable slaughter should befall them for their vngratefull contempt of Euangelicall lyfe wherewith not long after they were greuously pinched And how then may any reasonable man credit you Osorius that lye so impudently vpon these men whom you make to be Authours and standerbearers of all those mischyeues and Tumultes But here is yet another argument clowted vppe and patcht together with the lyke stuffe whereby he would proue vpon trust of hys Rhethoricke That these false Prophets Lutherans were not sent from God Let vs first note the wordes which he citeth out of the Scriptures Marke well sayth he What the Lord spake of a false Prophet The Prophet that is puft vp with pride and will speake in my name the thing that I doe not commaund him to speake or in the name of any other straunge Godds let him be slayne And if in your secret conceypt you thinke with your selfe how shall I vnderstand that it is not the word of God that he hath spoken Take this for a signe Whatsoeuer that Prophet shall Prophecy in my name and it come not to passe that hath not the Lord spoken but the Prophet himselfe hath imagined it through the pride of his owne hart and therefore thou shalt not feare him c. Where is this Seéke for it Reader in the old Testament or in the new for eyther it pleased not Osorius to note the place or perhappes it serued not for his purpose so to doe But the place is to be found in the 18. Chap. of Deut. Go to and what is it that this wonderfull Philosopher of this world hath pyked out of these words Forsooth hauing vttered this much first by way of preamble It followeth now sayth he that we see what Luther Melancton Bucer Caluine and the other iolly companions haue promised and vndertaken to doe what hope they haue geuen of their glorious promises to witt that it should come to passe that they would call home agayne the discipline of the Gospell to her auntient sinceritye restore Religion hold vpp the Church that was ready to fall downe That is to say that they would fully restore the decayed fayth of the Church restore lenitye Chastitye Concord Vnitye Modestye Obedience Charitye together with godlynes and great bountye of godly loue All these things wherof they promised largely and in many wordes to bring to passe it lacketh so much of thacomplishment of their promise that they haue left all things in farre more worse case more peruerse more filthy and more deformed by the meanes of their goodly trauayle as men that haue placed Sacrilege in stead of Religion Crueltye in stead of Lenytye Tumults in stead of Peace Ciuill warre in stead of Concord Licentiousnes of lyfe in stead of chastity Contempt of Magistrates in stead of Obedience Pride in stead of Modestye Finally in stead of Charitye and Pietye Enmitye and hatred amongest good men Monstruous wickednes and vtter ouerthrow and confusion of all common weales The matters being so to conclude at the last who can thinke that any man may doubt that these men were sent from God or moued by his holy spirite Breéfly passing ouer all friuolous circumlocutions of words to gather the whole matter agayne together into a shorte breuiate Behold here a full sillogisme after this maner and forme The Prophets which doe prophecie in the name of God yf it come not to passe as they haue prophecied are not sent from God It is so farre of that Luther Melancton Bucer or Caluine haue performed the thinges that they promised that all haue proued in farre more worse case Ergo. Luther Melancton Bucer and Caluine were not sent from God but are lying Prophets and therefore according to Gods lawe worthy of euerlasting death I am in doubt whether I may aunswere or laugh Thone of both paraduenture the Reader will looke for t thother the fondnes of the argument doth perswade me to doe For what can be spoken more senselesly what can be more crookedly wrested out of the whole Scriptures what could haue bene attempted more cruelly and falsly agaynst godly personages what could haue bene concluded more absurdly First there is a place vouched out of the Scripture wherein the people is taught how they may discerne a false Prophet froÌ„ a true namely by the true successe euent of thinges as farre forth as the thinges foretold doe happeÌ„ or not happeÌ„ And yet in this behalfe also speciall consideratioÌ„ of choyse ought to be hadd some secret inspiration of the holy ghost For although Caiphas be sayd to haue foretold as the trueth was Yet will you not geue him a place emongest the holy Prophets So also neither did Balaam lye altogether when in a Propheticall speach he
dead how is the safetie of all men and the state of the Churche preserued thereby To make this matter good Iustifiable S. Paule him selfe is forced maugre his beard to become wittnesse agaynst him self beyng charged with his one wordes spoken once or twise in his Epistle written to the Corinthes as when he sayth I do dye dayly through the reioysing that I haue of you in Christ Iesu our Lord. c. And agayne writyng to the Collo Now I do Reioyse sayth he ouer my afflictions for you and I do fill vpp that which wanteth in the afflictions of Christ in my fleshe for his body which is the Church c. Out of these wordes of Paule well spoken not well vnderstanded and wickedly wrested it is a wonder to seé what horrible doctrine and monstruous blasphemies these false Apostles doe inferr and thrust in place For whereas the Apostles meanyng doth note onely the confirmation of doctrine and the afflictiōs and agonyes that he endured for the enlargyng of the Fayth of Christ onely the same doe these praters most horribly mistourne force to the satisfaction for Sinnes yea to the very price of our Redemption not without manifest Sacriledge agaynst the bloud of Christ As though the Death and Passion of the onely Sonne of God Iesu Christ could not otherwise suffice to the absolute accomplishment of the whole action of our Redemption vnlesse meritorious afflictions of Sainctes were annexed besides which beyng mingled together with the bloud of Christ should counterpeise in equall ballaunce the iust and true proportion of the Iudgement of God and with full measure as it were fill vpp that euer flowyng founteyne which doth purge and washe cleane away the Sinnes and filthe of the quicke and the deadd Which mingle mangle they call by the name of the Treasure of the Churche which of all the rest is most vayne foolishe And this Treasure of the Church they dare not committe to the custody of Christ onely nor to euery of the Ministers nor yet to laye men nor to Priestes not to poore Prelates not to Abbottes or Priours not to Prouostes and Wardens of Colledges nor to simple Preachers as they call thē but to Byshoppes onely and amongest them also chiefly to the high and superexcellent Byshoppe the Pope which is of all the rest most absurd And yet least you shall thinke that these be not their own proper Assertions we will heare what holy Saynct Bonauenture and such like doctours of the same Schoole doe speake of theyr owne mouth For on this wise doe those profounde Deuynes frame theyr Argumentes out of the wordes of holye Scripture Because according to the Law say they he that doth marry his Brothers wise to rayse vpp seede to his brother that is dead ought to enioy the possession of his brothers goods that appertayne to the education of the Children Ruth 4. Therefore the dispensation of this treasure of the Church belongeth to the Byshoppes onelye which be the husbandes of the Church haue power to beget sonnes daughters that is to say perfect vnperfect and amōgest all these principally the high Byshopp which is husband gouernour of the whole Church vniuersall Ha Ha gentle Reader haue you not heard a mynyon mariage worthy for a Popes puppett grounded vpō the very vnpenetrable Rocke of the profundity of all Scriptures by which ye may first perceiue that Christ was once the husband of this spowse Now because he departed this lyfe dyed without issue of his body lawfully begottē his next brethrē the Byshops do succeéd him who marrying their Brothers wife may rayse vpp issue to their Brother vpon her and may begett Children perfect and vnperfect And because all this shall not wāt creditt they do proue it by the authority of the scripture to witt in the 4. Chapiter of Ruth and other testimonies of the Law But by the way whereas we find that by the same law it was lawfull for one husband to haue many wiues or concubines I do not yet remember any such liberty geuen by the law that one wife should be married to manye husbandes Wherein truely they doe describe a very hard and miserable estate and condition of the Church if one wife shal be constrayned to be buxonne and bonaire to so many husbandes as there be Byshoppes in Christendome But let vs harken yet what followeth more For he proceédeth on this manner And therefore all Byshoppes sayth be that haue issue may graūt pardones but especially aboue all other our most holy Father the Byshopp of Rome as to whom belongeth the dispensation of the whole spirituall treasory because he hath the charge of all the whole Church and of all her Children whereupon all be his Children and he is the Father of all c. Thus much doth preach vnto vs our holy Saynt Bonauenture Behold here gentle Reader the summe of this most excellent mysticall interpretation of the Schole doctrine where in bethinke aduisedly with your selfe how many fowle horrible errors blasphemies are scatrered abroad by this pestilent dogg and recken them vpon your fingers if you will whiles I sett thē downe in order vnto you First an vtter disability and a worne out Emptymes in the bloud of Christ his most comfortable death is here set downe wherein is manifest blasphemy Then followeth an Eclipse of Christes passion That is to say whatsoeuer wanteth in his passion to the full satisfaction of our Redemption must be supplied and recompenced with the afflictions of Martirs and Sainctes Next vpon this minglemangle of the merytes of Christ and his Martirs they gather together a certayne treasury of most precious and aboundant Satisfactiō which they call the Treasure of the Church Now whereas out of this treasury all Remission and pardō of Sinnes is dawen forth then yet must not all be Stewards and distributers of this great riches nor any other then the Bishoppes and the chiefe Byshopp of all other the Pope of Rome which is of all other a most pestiferous error Moreouer as is most meét out of this Romish Budgett and dispensation of Romish treasure are begotten Bulles and Pardons which is a most horrible fraud and liegerdemayne Lastly out of these Pardons is framed at the lēgth the skalding house of Purgatory by this argument forsooth Because otherwise these pardons and prayers of the Church and merites of Sayntes should not be worth a Rush vnlesse the soules of the faythfull did frye and broyle in this skalding house of Purgatorye for ease of whom these qualificatiōs are proued by the Church I haue reckened vpp orderly and briefly the chiefe of all their errours monstruous horrible enough I thinke which being directly agaynst manifestly repugnaunt and contrary to the true meaning and naturall sense of the scripture will not require any long aunswere in the confutation of them First where as they do affirme that
any such thing at any time no more can you make that iustifiable that you doe now by any approued testimony of the scripture or lawfull example of antiquitye But here will some one vrge agayne what did not Melchizedech offer bread and wine then I doe not deny it was he not a Priest Yes surely and a king also For he was both the king of Salem and the Priest of the most high God But he was not therefore a Priest because he did offer bread wine Nor did he geue bread and wine being a King because he would make a sacrifice thereof No more did he offer his presentes vnto God but vnto Abraham neither yet of any priestly duety but of a kingly magnificence moreouer he did not onely geue giftes which was the poynt of a princely hart but he blessed them also which was part of a priestly function For Priestes are wont to blesse men sometime but they do neuer accustome themselues to offer sacrifice to men The wordes of the History are playne and well knowne Therefore lett vs returne to the very springhead and originall according to the â—ounsell of Cyprian if it may please you After the olde TraÌ„slation the wordes be thus Melchizedech King of Salem bringing forth bread and wine for he was the Priest of the highest did blesse him c. Although here be not so muche as a word of Sacrificing Yet in this translatioÌ„ is no litle difference from the very originall whereas chaunging the copulatiue Hebrue sillable for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Moyses expresseth thys sentence after an other sort for he doth vse not the word of Sacrificing but hath Hozia which word what it signifyeth according to the verye naturall proprietye I referre me to the iudgement of the learned After the same maner also doth the chaldean expositor interpret the same And Iosephus an especiall witnesse hereof doth expound it after the same sence For Melchizedech sayth he did Banquet the souldiours of Abraham suffering them to lack nothing necessary for their sustenauÌ„ce and withall inuited Abraham to be a Guest of his owne Table Wherein the courtesy of the King is commended that disdained not to make Abraham a Guest of his owne Table Whereupon you seé that it is most false which they do assume in the Minor touching the oblation of Melchizedech who being both a Pryest and a Type of Christ is not called therefore a Pryest neuerthelesse in the history because he brought forth bread and wine as is declared before But agaynst this is there a strong countermure raysed namely the Authority of the Tridentine councell with a very horrible cursse annexed thundring out after this sort Whosoeuer shall say that the Masse is onely a sacrifyce of prayse and thankesgeuing or a bare memoriall of the Sacrifice performed vpon the Crosse and not a propitiatory sacrifice or that it auayleth to the Receiuer onely and ought not to be offered for the quick and the dead for sinnes for punishmentes satisfactions and other necessityes let him be holdeÌ„ accursed If he shall be holden accursed whosoeuer shall so say surelye the very same haue all the auncient Deuines before mentioned spoken and affirmed All the Doctors especially of the primitiue Church haue both sayd so and taught so neither did the whole Greéke Church almost teach otherwise not exempting out of the same beadroll all the Apostles of Christ no nor Christ himselfe vnlesse perhappes the Tridentine Lordinges will esteéme themselues to be of greater creditt and authoritye then Christ and the Apostles that so it may be lawfull for them to coyne a newfaÌ„gled Gospell wherew t Christ his Apostles were neuer acquainted First what the opinion of the doctors is herein hath bene expressely set downe before Surely Christ himselfe and the Apostle Paule do require nothing els in this celebratioÌ„ but onely a memoriall and an expressing and shewing forth of the Lordes death nor doth seéme to determine vpon any other end of this Sacrament then a remembraunce with a thankesgeuing This do ye sayth Christ in remembraunce of me And Paule deliuering to the Corinthians the same which he receiued of the Lord doth commaund them to shew forth the Lordes death whensoeuer they do celebrate this Supper vntill he come agayne Now I beseéch thee geÌ„tle reader doost thou heare any thing els in these wordes of Christ and his Apostle then the shewing forth of the Lordes death onely And what els will the Tridentine councell exact of vs Forsooth that we shall agayne and agayne offer the sonne of God for a sacrifice to God the Father for the remission of sinnes world without end a sacrifice I say not sacramentall onely but very propitiatorye which may helpe and be profitable not for the receiuer onely but may procure saluation for the quicke the dead also and wh thought to be offred of very necessity for the ease of punishmentes of satisfactions and of all other miseries afflictioÌ„s of this present lyfe But by what authority do they proue this where do they finde this of Christ of his Apostles or of any prescript word of Gods gospell No truly I am not of that mind But why do I demauÌ„d this of theÌ„ what warrant they haue by the word of God Lett it suffice me rather to admonish theÌ„ to beware lest through the selfe same Sacrifice wherewith they iudge themselues able to satisfy for their owne and other mens punishmentes and sinnes without all warrant of Gods word yea rather most wickedly requgnaunt to the expresse word of God they procure and heape vpon themselues lust damnation for this their shamelesse and horrible Idolatrye which they shall neuer be able to redeéme with all their massings and Iuggling Sacrifices It might seéme that we had alleadged sufficiently for thys matter and euicted the controuersy throughly if we were not pestered with such brawlers that dyd not delight rather to contend and striue for theyr owne victory then for the glorye of Christ or with such as would be satisfied with any authoritye of scriptures in the discouery of the truth of the question But they being now pressed downe and quyte ouerthrowen with the multitude of testimonies out of the sacred scripture fleé to the testimonies of men As though Diuinity as Tertullian sayth ought to be valued by the deuises of men or that the touchstone should be tryed by the golde and the golde not by the touchstone or that the course of the Sonne should be apportioned after the will of Iohn Clockekeéper and Iohn Clockekeéper not ruled rather by the course of the Sunne And on this wise now our catholicks bend their force with Testimonyes and Consent The Catholicke Churche hath alwayes hitherto from the age of the Apostles ratified those obseruaunces this doctrine of the sacrifice of the Masse whiche it would neuer haue done vnlesse this doctrine had bene agreable with the
estimation of his speaches without yeloyng any reason or demonstration of the thynges which he vttereth in good sooth then haue you spoken enough Osorius and crackt the creditt of all the poore Lutherans vtterly as you say But if in decidyng of controuersies trueth must be tryed not with bare speéches but with substantiall matter certes either you must gett a better visor for your glorious persuation or els in my iudgement you were better hold your peace altogether You doe oppresse vs in a glorious braggery of speéch with the speéches of the Apostles and with the tradicioÌ„s of the Apostles disciples And yet out of all the Apostles writings can not any man hitherto force from you no not by violence one title so much which will auaile any ioate to the creditt of those your Assertions but will rather deface them discouer your packing Upon the neck of them you do force vpon vs also the authoritye of auncient Fathers and the generall consent of the vniuersall Church cleare from all maner of variablenes and disagreéing What a iest is this As though there were any one of those auncient Fathers euer borne as yet that euer vttered one sillable so much of purging the sinnes of the faythfull after they were once departed this lyfe or of the Popes Pardons of the Propiciatory Sacrifice of the Masse of Transubstantiation of Merite Meritorious of Merite of CoÌ„gruum and Condignum or that euer durst presume to make the Sacrifice of the Altar comparable with the Sacrifice of the Crosse or durst affirme that Christ himselfe was really in the consecrated hoast with all the dimentions and liniaments of the same body which suffred death vpon the Crosse or would euer ascribe to a pelting Priest full power to Merite and offerr Sacrifice for the quick and the dead Now if euer you haue chaunced vpon any such Doctrine in the writings of the auncient Fathers gentle Syr Byshopp why doe yoe not vouch the same boldly wherby you may seéme to haue confuted vs not with babling but with trueth and substaunce of matter But if you haue not so done as yet nor seéme euer able to doe it where is then that generall consent and agreément of the whole Church Where be these Records and Monuments of auncient Antiquitye and of all foreages Where be those inuincible Arguments Where be those irreproueable Testimonyes and vndeceiueable examples wherevpon you crake so lustely perhappes you will empart them vnto vs in your next bookes at your better leysure For hitherto as yet you haue hadd no leysure to muster that your braue guarison that you beare your selfe so stought vpon and to leade them into the fielde being otherwise surcharged with farr more weightie affaires And now to deteigne theé no longer geÌ„tle Reader thou hast heard heretofore howe this Portiugall hath powred forth his prattling Rhetorick for the vpholding of his Purgatory his Uowes his Supplications and Prayers for the safety of the dead and also of that most holy oblation of all other the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ offred for the reconcilemeÌ„t of Gods wrath and displeasure There remayneth behinde the knitting vp of all this geare Wherein purposing to make an end of his whole discourse he rusheth vpon Haddon with all the bent of his Eloquence Dare you be so bold sayth he to call this holynes of Religion this ardent endeuour of Loue this comfortable oblation offred not for vs alone but for our bretheren also wherewith we are knitt together in an euerlasting amitye to be defacinges disgracements of Religion A very haynous offeÌ„ce verily to call a Boate by the name of a Boate and a Mattock by the name of a Mattock But here was one sharde left open which must neédes be slopt vp with some brambles and Bryars Is not this foolishnes Is not this vnshamefastnes Is not this Madnes For if Osorius Eloquence were not furnished with these flashing flames surely it would be very colde But how more commendable yea how much more seémely and sittingly for his personage in my conceipt should he haue done if surceasing these outragious exclamations which preuaile not to the creditt of his cause the value of a pinne he hadd discreetly and with sober reasons debated the matter first and examined thoroughly whether Haddon hadd spoken trueth or falshood If he haue vttered the trueth then is Osorius frendly dealt withall If he haue spoken any untruethes there be scriptures there be arguments meéte and couenable Reasons wherwith Osorius might easily both defend the truth of his ReligioÌ„ and preserue it from to be impeached by others Spightfull reproching Skornefull taunting Cotqueanelyke rayling Rascallyke raging and Barbarous exclaming further not the defence of his cause If Osorius be so fully settled and so throughly wedded to his Church that no persuasion will seduce him to thinke that his Churche may straye by any meanes from the right course and that in all his Religion is no wrinkle or spott that may be amended surely he is herein very much deceaued Conferr who so list the whole face shape of the Popes ReligioÌ„ to witt his adoratioÌ„ his SacrameÌ„ts his Masses his breadworshipp his Imageworshipp his Sacrifices his ApplicatioÌ„ his TransubstantiatioÌ„ his Releasing of sinnes his Merits his Ceremonyes his Pardons sixe hundreth lyke papisticall truÌ„peries with the pure cleare founteines of the sacred Scriptures with the Institution Euangelicall and the expresse rule of the doctrine Apostolique and he shall easily perceaue that Haddon did vse an ouer myld maner of speéch wheÌ„ he called theÌ„ disgracements Some other man perhappes would haue blazed abroad these dreggs with some grosser tearmes Truely if the Apostle Paul hadd heard these profound opinions and these deépe deuises of the Romish Religion and hadd seéne their decrees their Cannons their Clogges of Ceremonies snares of consciences I he liued now and beheld these obseruations of dayes Monethes times these vowes and restraintes of meÌ„ forbidding Marriage denying the lawfull vse of meates which are now dayly frequented in the Church would any man dought whether he would call these disgracements of Religion or the Doctrines of Deuils rather But because we haue spoken hereof sufficiently before It shall be lesse neédefull to take this dounghill abroad any more But Osorius goeth forward and because HaddoÌ„ shall not escape sâ—â—tfreé for naming his pontificall pilfe to be disgracements of Religion Osorius acquiteth him with the like beadroll of the Lutherans corruptions in a long raggemarow of wordes that so comparing both partes one with an other to witt Luthers nakednes and beggery with the maiestie glory of the Catholickes he may make them to grow into the greater obloquy and hatred It remaineth therefore that we geue eare a whiles vnto the gallaunt brauery and loftines of Osorius Eloquence To abaÌ„don dutifull obedieÌ„ce to the Magistrate to disturbe the auncient ordinaunces of the Church to defyle the virginitie of sacred Nunnes
he hath debated somewhat and so debated as himselfe doth confesse not of any gredy desire of flattering as speaking the thing that â—he doth know to be plausible to his Catholickes but hath written the very same doctrine which he doth firmely beleue to be true which I doe yeld vnto that you haue perfourmed accordingly For as much as hitherto you haue alleadged nothing but phantasticall conceiptes of your owne wandring imagination and fryuolous opinions of your owne gyddy deuise Thoroughout all your bookes no sparke of Scripture no sentence at all of auncient writers besides bare names onely is vouched able to geue any creditt to your cause And therefore you haue sayd well in deéde that your writing doth agreé with your meanyng in all pointes but there is nothing more corrupt then that iudgemeÌ„t of yours nor any thing more vayne then your writing And for the thinges themselues whereof you make mention hath bene spoken sufficiently allready to witt of the Popes supremacy of the Popes warres of Purgatory of Sacrifices of Marketts of Pardons of the vncleanesse of Priestes and of their filthy superstition All which disgracementes of Religion from whence they issued out at the first although Haddon affirmed that you were not your selfe ignoraunt albeit you dissembled the contrary yet surely of this you ought not to be vnskilfull except you list to be reputed an open counterfaite that all those Trincketts which you thrust vpon vs vnder the cognizaunce of Religion did sauour nothing of the foundation of Christes Religion of his Apostles or of the Prophetts doctrine but haue bene deuised by other men long sithence the comming of Christ and by couert creéping by litle litle into the Church are growÌ„e to this vnmeasurable Rable Which hath bene displayed abroad aboundantly enough before as I Iudge in these same bookes After all these ensueth a common place of the filthy and wicked lyfe of Priestes which being more notorious then can be couered more filthy then can be excused Osorius is driuen to this streight that he can not deny but many thinges are amisse in the maners of Priestes and many things out of order which require seuere and sharpe correction howbeit he doth so extenuate this cryme as that he shameth not to confesse but that the greater part of these Catholick shauelings doe liue most chastely without all blemish of worthy reproch Of the rest he hath good hope yea and doughteth not thereof vpon the confidence that he hath of the good beginnings of the most holy Father the Pope Pius the fifte whose wonderfull godlynes ioyned with marueilous zeale of true Religion cleare and voyde from all ambition greedynesse and rashe temerytye doth geaue vs especiall comfort that it will shortly come to passe that the disorders and dissolute misdemeanours of Superstition and Priestes will attayne to a better reformation But if happely this hope happen not to good successe and though all thinges doe runne into further outrage yea although also no man minister medicine and remedye to this diseased Church yet is not this forthwith a good consequent that good and godly ordinaunces shall for the retchlesse trechery of some euill disposed persons be vtterly taken away And that humaine actions did neuer staÌ„d in so blessed an estate as to be cleare froÌ„ all matter worthy of reprehension not onely emongest Priestes and MouÌ„ckes but also through all the conuersation of Christian congregatioÌ„s And that it standeth not therefore with Reason for the negligence of a few disordered Mounckes to roote out the whole order of Mounckerye and for the wickednes of some Priestes therefore to subuert the whole dignitye of Priesthood and authoritye of Byshopps None otherwise then as if in the holy state of Matrymony many thinges chaunce sundry tymes not all of the best and vnseemely handled yea and that wantonnes grow euen to brech of wedlock yet is it not reasonable that for this cause the whole bond and vowe of mutuall loue and lawfull vniting should be cutt asunder Semblably ought we to determine of the orders of Priestes and Mounckes Emongest whom though all thinges be not done orderly and decently yet such thinges are not by and by to be discontinued which were instituted for godly purposes nor followeth not forthwith if there be some festered members in the coÌ„mon weale which must of necessitye be cutt of that for this cause the whole state of the coÌ„mon weale shall be tourned vpsidowne but rather that the ouergroweÌ„ weeds be pluckt vpp and such as be scattering brauÌ„ches be applyed to better order and reduced to their first patterne And that there is nothing more perillous in Common Weales then the often innouation of good and commendable established ordinaunces and lawes which doth commonly breed not onely a generall contempt of wholesome statutes but for the more part procure an vtter ouerthrow of the whole state according to the testimony of Aristotel who did sometime openly withstaÌ„d the decree of Hippodamus Milesius made for the aduauncement of such as should deuise good and profitable lawes being of this opinioÌ„ that lawes should be comprised within measurable lymitts and boundes that the well keeping of tollerable lawes emported more safetye then the innouation of new To Aunswere this large discourse briefly Osorius could haue alledged nothing more coÌ„modious in the defence of Luthers cause and nothing more vehemently agaynst these newfangled Romaines For if Aristotel did worthely reproue Hippodamus Milesius Who being not contented with the present state of his owne Countrey did practise an alteration of the state What shall be sayd vnto you who haue so chopt and chaunged all things in the Church that there is not left therein one title so much of Apostolick antiquity or auÌ„cieÌ„t Doctrine Therefore if all matters must be reduced to the first foundations what one thing can preuayle more to further the LutheraÌ„s desire who in all theyr writings and wishinges haue neuer endeuoured any thing more carefully then that a reformation might be had of the Publicke abuses and corruptions of the churche according to the first most godly institutions to the vtter abolishing of all newfangled vpstartes wickedly supported And those first Institutions I doe call the very first foundations of the Apostolyque doctrine most godlye grounded vpon the holye ghost and the Testament of Christ. From the which how much your doctrine and Traditions do varry I haue sufficiently discouered before For whereas Christ is an infallible principle ground of the Apostolicke doctrine and whereas the chiefe pillers of the Euangelicall buildyng do stand principally vpon this poynt to preach vnto vs euerlasting life promised by the freé gift of God through fayth in Iesu Christ euen by this one marke may easily be discerned of what value and estimation the whole state of the Romish religioÌ„ may be accounted which doth not direct vs to Christ but to the Pope not to the onely sonne of God but to the sonnes of
Queéne despising those franticke furies of broylyng Bulles and crauyne curses would banish this proud Tarquine from out their kyngdomes territories Which if they did it were not to be doughted but that the publique tranquillitie of all Christian Nations would enioy a farre more ioyfull countenaunce of freédome and concorde And yet I speake not this to the end that I would haue godly Prelates dispossessed from their dignitie or would wish their authoritie empayred the value of a rush S. Paule doth not in vayne admonish vs to yeld double honour to Byshops and Rulers of the Church but with this prouiso annexed to witte if they rule well if they do labour mightely in doctrine and preachyng But what prerogatiue can the Romish Byshop clayme from hence more then any other particular Byshop The Pope hath his owne Prouince lett him guide that as well as he caÌ„ lett him not encroche vpon others nor hawke for hawtyer Titles of honour then beseémeth his function The Ecclesiasticall dignitie is a ministery not an Empyre a charge and a burden rather then a Lordlynes or superioritie wherein he that will presume to rule the roaste ouer others must looke aduisedly to him selfe first that he gouerne well that he labour mightely in the word doctrine If the Byshops and Priestes be not negligent and retchelesse in their owne dutyes they shall neuer be defrauded of their due honour and dutyfull obedience nor euer were denyed therof For eueÌ„ for this cause that valiauÌ„t kyng of England Constantine that noble Emperour Theodosius that famous Ludouicke Pius the French kyng and other like Princes did esteéme highely of good and godly Christian Ministers and obeyed them which instructed them in the word of God did enure them selfes to their godly exhortations as the Emperour Valentinian doth report euen as to wholesome potioÌ„s and medicinable restoratiues Euen so Theodosius beyng excluded from partakyng the holy Communion by Ambrose did most modestly obay The same Theodosius also beyng determined to exercize cruell reuenge against the Thessalonians and beyng counsayled by Ambrose that in geuyng sentence vpon lyfe and death he would take breath pause by the space of xxx dayes least in rage and fury he should accomplish that whereof he might afterwardes repent him did willyngly and obediently submitt him selfe to the graue exhortation of the godly Father Semblably many other notable Potentates also in many great and weighty matters did humbly yeld to the sweéte persuations of such as were farre their inferioursâ— Princes for the preseruation of their health do obay the direcâ—â—â—n of their Phisitions In the lawes positiue they be guided and ledd by the conduct of the Lawyers And yet for all this such subiectes do not cease to be subiectes still neither refuse their due obedience to their liege Lordes and Gouernours It happeneth oftentymes that the maister will be aduised by his seruauÌ„t and the husband guided by the discretion of the wife yet ceaseth not therefore the Maister to be Maister nor the Husband to be head ouer his Wife As in all well ordered common weales be Maior alties Bayliwickes and many degreés of Officers which doe seuerally employ their functions for the preseruation of common societie yet must there be one onely soueraigne emongest them of some greater couÌ„tenaunce who by his wisedome and authoritie may guide the inferiour Magistrates and bridle the insolency of the rude multitude But the Catholickes doe deny that the Catholicke Church ought to be subiect to this authority If vnder the name of Church they do comprehend the ordinaunces and ceremonies wherewith the Church is administred they do speake truly In deéde the word of God the Articles of doctrine and of fayth the administration of the Sacramentes and the discretioÌ„ of byndyng and excoÌ„municatyng is not attempered by the regiment and commaundement of Princes nor doth the Ciuile Magistrate entermedle with the administration of any of these thyngs But if they meane the personages of men who are exercized in this holy function or the charge dispositioÌ„ of particular matters that are incideÌ„t to the Ministery they do say vntruly for as much as there is no Ciuile potentate vnto whoÌ„ is not coÌ„mitted the order gouernement of all members of the coÌ„mon weale indifferently as well Ministers Preachers of the word as all other inferiour Magistrates Subiectes Otherwise the doctrine of Paule were in vayne Let euery soule submit it selfe to the higher power the truth whereof is to be Iustified by the most approued exaÌ„ples of both the old and new Testamentes If we begyn at Moyses who supplyed the office of a Ciuile Magistrate and from him descend to all the Ages of our owne Emperours Potentates Emongest all which Magistrates we shall finde none but hath receaued by Gods commaundement the gouernement of Ecclesiasticall persones aswell as of Ciuile Magistrates as inferiour Subiectes It would require a long discourse to treate throughly of all the names and gouernementes of Emperours and Ciuile Potentates To make a brief rehearsall of the chiefest First in the old Testament how many examples are extaunt of such Princes â—s do prescribe ceremonies for the Tabernacle which doe fetche backe agayne the Arke of the couenauÌ„t which make holy Sonettes and Psalmes Rule ouer Priestes builde Churches moreouer do cleanse them agayne after they were defiled do ouerthrow Temples Altares reforme abuses which also sometymes doe pronounce exhortations to the people touchyng the worshyppyng of God do aduertise the Priestes of their dutyes and ordeyne lawes for them to guide their lyues by which appoint Orders and obseruations in the Church which doe kill wicked Prophetes yea and many tymes also doe prophecy in their owne persones In the new Testament lykewise how many examples are to be seéne in the recordes of the best ages of kinges and Monarches who within their owne Territories and dominions haue ordayned godly and learned Byshoypes to rule ouer prouinces and haue deposed such as haue bene vnworthye haue suppressed the riott and insolencye of Priestes who haue not onely Sommoned Synodes and Councells of Byshops but do sitt emongest them geue sentence with them yea prescribe orders vnto them which they shall obay are presidents ouer their Councells doe depose hereticall Byshoppes which geue iudgement vpon matters of Religion which doe sett downe articles pronounce sentence disanull the opinions of heretiques and ratifie the Doctrine of the Catholicke fayth If the most auncieÌ„t and most Christian kinges Emperors did not entermeddle heretofore in all these causes the report of Historyes is false If our kinges and Queénes doe the lyke at this present what cause hath Osorius to frett and fume If the charge of Religion and Religious persons doe not pertayne to the ciuill pollicye in any respect surely Constantine did not behaue himselfe discretely who in his owne person decyded the causes and controuersies of Byshopps which did appeale to his Maiestye entermedled his authoritye in
Broomes Furthermore a man may easily descry the nature of this Doctrine by the very foūdacion of this Church And how so I pray you Forsooth because Venus Cupido were the founders of this Church breach of lawes and contempt of the Pope haue encreased it flattery and lying hath supported it Greedy couetousnes hath established it Crueltye agaynst the Saintes hath sanctified it Tymerous feare of men hath straightened it Finally a doctrine of men not sent from God but sturred vpp by Sathan hath with most troublesome errours poysoned it Which being trew who doth not easely perceaue with how many and how greuous woundes this Haddon hath embrued himselfe through these ruinous fosidaciōs of the Church who did dare to be so bold to call this Gospell of Luther Zuinglius Bucer and Caluine by the name of a holy Gospell the beginning proceéding increase and end of which he doth euidently finde to be entred vpon shuffled together and shutt vpp at the last with intemperate lust and licentious outrage Behold here gentle Reader a daungerous wound in deéde and deadly enough I confesse which wound neuerthelesse Haddon did not procure vpon himselfe with his owne handes but Osorius hath made For if it be true that the wise man spake The mouth that doth lye doth kill the Soule I reade you Osorius take good heéde to your selfe least you haue pearced your selfe with a farre more mortall wound through these cursed lies and detestable blasphemies vnlesse you fall to repentaunce betimes which I doe hartely beseéch the most mercifull Lord to graunt vnto you in deéde If this were the Gospell of Luther or Zuinglius agaynst the which you rayle so rudely then might your Raskallyke outrage vomited out agaynst godly and learned personages seéme more tollerable But now forasmuch as there is nothing published in this Gospell that is superstitious or deuised by man but groūded wholy vpon the Sacred Gospell of Christ which is not of all partes ioyned together with the trueth it selfe builded vpon the sure and infallible Rock of the word of God the first foundation whereof was layd by Christ the most perfect builder encreased with Christ enlarged by the conduct and guiding of Christ tending to none other end but to the only glory of Christ and the assured safety and consolation of the godly Looke you then to this agaynst whome your slaunderous lyes be throwen out so dispightfully What you meane by Venus and Loue I cannot conceaue you but if you vnderstand the Marriage of those men that did choose rather to Marye then to burne with what face dare a Portingall Byshopp accompt that ordinaunce infamous which S. Paul thapostle hath ratified for good which God himselfe did institute at the first creation of the world which Christ did sanctifye with the first fruites of all his Miracles But if your rayling tend to the licentious lust and filthy lyfe of Priestes to harlotts and Concubines to other abhominations of your secret Paphia to the inward boyling and skorching flames of inordinate concupiscence to the dayly and nightly defilings to passe ouer in silence other vnspeakeable stenches horrible to be spoken more then familiarly frequented and gredely haunted by Catholickes of your coate what aunswere shall I geue herevnto els then the same which Cicero was reported to haue obobiected agaynst Verres who obbrayding Cicero with ouermuch nycenesse hauing himselfe Children suspected for their incontinency sayd You must speake ill of your Children within the doores not without But what shall I say to the rest of his accusations which are throwen together in an heape with full skoupes and wherewich as it were by stepps and grieces all his Eloquence mounteth alofte to witt to the breach of lawes to contempt of the Pope to bolstring and supporting with lyes to greédy couetousnes to cruelty agaynst Sainctes and terror brought vpon all men what aunswere I say shall I make to all these when as nothing can be vttered agaynst him in such bitternesse of speé ch as his shamelessnesse doth deserue when as also the matter it selfe is a sufficient testimony of Luthers innocency herein to the vtter discreditt of Osorius When the first broyle begann about Pardons how modestly how constantly in how great perill and daunger of his lyfe did Luther behaue himselfe in that conflict how humbly did he prostrate himselfe to the Pope agayne agayne with letters emporting most humble submission full of dutyfull obedience and reuerence wherein what one sparke of malice or breach of law doth appeare when as yet there was no sentence geuen out agaynst him Afterwardes being conuented to appeare before the Emperor how reuerently did he make his personall apparaunce wherein what bolsteryng and supportation of lyes was there into what terror were all mē enforced hereby Nay rather into how much more perillous feare was he throwen when as being circumuented by the malitious practizes of all men almost he was forced to maintayne his cause not with lyes and cauiliations but with most manifest scriptures After these beginnings the veritye of the sacred Gospell glistering more and more cruelty and outrage was exequuted vpon godly and vertuous personages not by the practize or procurement of Luther But wherew t the Pope more lyke a Butcher then a Byshopp did with vnentreatable bloudthyrstynes rushe vpon good and godly ministers and innocent members of Christ without measure and without end Of whose vnmeasurable cruelty as there be infinite examples of godly Martyrs emongest all the rest what sauadge brutishnesse was there executed euen in your owne Countrey of Portingall about xx yeares past agaynst a country man of ours named William Gardiner whom after sundry intollerable tortures and vnspeakeable crampes more then horrible barbarousnes susteyned you would not dispatch out of lyfe speédely as you might but hanging him on hye vpon a Gibbett and by a pulley drawyng him vpp and downe sundry and seuerall times into the flames you deuised a meane rather by litle and litle to skortch him to death chosing rather to broyle him with leasurable torments as it were by pausing of breath to the paynefull increase of miserable griefe then to kill him at once All which so great so greéuous and so exquisite imagined tortures notwithstanding you could not preuayle nor euer shal be able to preuayle so farre forth but that the vnuanquishable courage of the Gospell which you persecute so furiously how much the more villanously is raged agaynst by your madnesse shall dayly so much the more waxe mighty and impregnable agaynst all your frantique assaultes And albeit our Portingall be not acquaynted with any sproughtes braunches and outstretched armes of this florishing and fruitfull Gospell yet by gods good prouidence this fruitfull grayne of Mustard seéd doth mount vpward neuerthelesse and doth encrease dayly in wonderfull aboundaunce which onely thing might haue bene a good lesson vnto you to enduce you to conceiue that all this successe whatsoeuer was not deuised by mans pollicy
required in philosipher so may the want therof be borne withall in a Deuine Ieromes Epistle to PaÌ„machius Luke 16. Esay 2. 1. Cor. 1. â— Osor. 163. Prouer. 16. Fine poolished speach is alwayes impudent An Exquisite affectation of Eloquence not so much to be regarded of Deuines Pag. 166. Osori inueighed against EnglaÌ„d but not agaynst all Osori pag. 167. What Osorius doth promise in this booke Osori Argument not able to be resolued Haddones auÌ„swere to Osori Argument Osor. pag. 167. The testimony of the world agaynst the Lutheranes The rebouÌ„ding of the Argument agaynst Osor. Osor. pag. 168. A trimme reason of Osor. Osor. pag. 169. Osor. Argument coÌ„futed The spirite of the Prophettes is not to be measured by the nomber of beleuers Moah Moses Esay Ieremy Stephen S. Paule The first beginning of Luther Luthers humble letters to pope Leo the tenth Pope Leo his proude insolency agaynst Luthers humble submission Luthers second letters to Leo the Pope Anno 1519. Luthers Protestation Luthers huÌ„ble Supplication to the Church of Rome Stanislaus Hosius in his first booke of heresies The Pope the seruauÌ„t of seruauÌ„tes of God by a figure called Antiphrasis The cause of Luther honest Osori conclusioÌ„s false Sophistry A comparison betwixt the professoures of the true Gospell the Papisticall Osor Pag. 169. The prayle of the Romish church after Osor. A fifth and euerlasting Gospell made on a tyme of the Dominick Fryers at Parise Anno Dom. 1256. Osor. pag. 169. Of the Fayth of the Romishe Church Whether the vniformitye of fayth be more discernable in the Romish Chur. or in the Lutheranes How many wayes the popes fayth is contrary to the right institution of the Gospell Arrogancy and vayne confidence The name of vniuersal Church is restrayned to the Romaynes onely contrary to the nature of the Gospell Osor. pag. 169. The false and lyeng braggeâ— of the Romish Church Osor. pag. 169. Esay 5. How the Church of Rome is laden with mens tradicions Emptynes and voyde Apoca. 13. Osor. pag. 170. By what Reasons the vniuersality of Christes Vicar is coÌ„firmed One head of the Church The doctrine of the Gospell doth call all the Ministers of the Church to humilitie permitteth superioritie to none in any wise August agaynst Petilian Epist. Cap. 3. Cyprian Whether the authoritie of the Romishe See be Necessary for the takyng away of Schismes The Romishe See the Metropolitane of Sectes Where the Romish authoritie is quite banished there is most rest The Papacie nothyng els then a certeine mighty faction and armed power of kyngs The slaunder of the Sectes and dissentioÌ„ of the Lutheranes FactioÌ„s and Schismes in the Church of Rome Diuerse coÌ„tentiones of papistes amongst theÌ„ selues touching the supper of the Lord. Whether Popes See were erected by god or men See hereof before Haddons discourse in the first booke pag. 15. Peter sate at Rome What a diuersitie is betwixt Rome now and as it was in the tyme of Peter The principallitie of the See of Rome by what begynnyng it crept to so great power and tyranny When the name of Vniuersalitie and the order of Cardinalles beganne Vrsinus Damasus Anno 369. How many and how great conflictes haue raunged in the Chur. of Rome about the choosing of the Pope Boniface Eulalius Anno. 420. Simachus Laurentius Anno. 499. Stephanus Constantinus Phillip Anno. 768. Anastasius Benedictus 873. Leo. Christoph. Sergius Iohn 13. Leo. 8. Anno. 968. Out of platina this Iohn the 13. was takeÌ„ committyng adultery and was slayne Benedict the 5. being taken prisoner was cast into Adrianes Doungeon Anno. 973. Donus 2. Boniface 7. ranne away with the Treasury of Rome 975. Gregor 5. Iohn 17. Siluester Anno. 995. Out of Cardinall Benno Clemens 2. 1048. Benedict 10 1058. Alexander 2. Cadolus 1062. Hildebrand Clement 3. Victor 3. Vrbanus 2. Anno. 1083. Pascalis Albertus Theodoric Maginulph Vibertus False Popes Platina Blondus Gelâ—sius 2. The Archbishop of Bacchara a false pope Anno. 1118. Calistus 2. Gregory 8. false popes Anno. 1124. Distinct. 76 Cap. Ieiunium The first institution of Cardinalles about the yeare 1124. Innocent 2. Anacletus 1130. Out of AEmilius his 5. bookes Blond Platina Guil. Tyrius 14. booke and the 12. Chapter The Consuls of Rome brought in subiectioÌ„ to the Pope Blond in his 6. booke Lucius 3.2 Schismatick 1182. Vrbanus 3. called Turbulent for his troublesome head 1185. InnoceÌ„t the 3. the chief champioÌ„ of all the calamities and troubles of the church 1215. Honorius 3 Innocent 4. Gregoâ—y 9. most rebellious traytours agaynst the Emperour Friderick 2 The factioÌ„s of the Guelsians and Gibellynes raysed by the meanes of this Gregory 9. Celestin. 5. Boniface 8. a firchrand of factions 1295. Platina AEmil The most impudent shamelenes of Boniface 8. agaynst the Archb. of Genua Innocentius 6. Gregorye 11. the greatest author of Schisme 1352. Vrbanus 6. thrust into the Popedome by violeÌ„ce 1378. The See of Rome deuided in Schisme by the space of 74. yeares A cruell coÌ„tention betwixt the Cowled generation about the Conception of our Lady 1400. Boniface 9. Innocent 7. a seditious murderer 1405. Gregory 12 AlexaÌ„der 5 a troublesome pope Iohn 24. by force and money occupyeth the Sec. 1411. Three Popes deposed at one time Martine 5. The Councell of CoÌ„stance The Conuenticle of Constance did coÌ„deÌ„ne Ierome of Prague and Iohn Husse to be burned Martin not the Vicare of Christ but of Bellona Engenius an other chicken of Bellona A CouÌ„cell at Basile 1435. Eugenius a Schismatick is deposed from the Popedome 1442. This schisme endured 9. yeares The battell agaynst the Heluetians and Basileans by the procuremeÌ„t of Eugenuius Rob. Gaguinus and Phrigio Thomas of Redon thorough the popes Tyranny burned 1436. Antonius others A non causa vt causaÌ„ The fallaxe of the accident Luther a speciall aduersary to Sedition Osor. pag. 187. Of the Româ—nistes obedience rowardes Princes pag. 170. The Emperoâ—â— translated from the Grecyanes to the Frenchmen by the popes contrary their oathes Charles the Great The Creeks inuaded by the Turkes An Auncient ordinaunce of the right of the Emperour and the Pope The Maiestye of the Empyre was translated from Fraunce into Germany by the pope A degree of Gregory the 5. Concluded vpon with Otho the thyrd Emperour The wayward Rebellion of the popes alwayes agaynst the Imperiall Maiestie An olde grudge of the popes agaynst the Emperours for the bestowyng of Ecclesiasticall promotions Benedicte doth rebell against HeÌ„ry 3. The horrible conspiracie of pope Gregory 7. and the Bishops agaynst Henry the fourth Rodolphe suborned agaynst his Lord and Emperour by the practize and treason of the pope Rebellion punished The pope beyng the firebrand of seditioÌ„ doth prouoke the sonnes to rebell agaynst their Father Gods iust iudgement executed vpon the sonne that rebelled agaynst his Father The popes absolute power The Maiestie Imperiall subdued and subiect to the popes De Maior obedi Cap. Insolitae De Maior Cap.
not to be marueâ—led that Monckeries were so soone ouerthrowen as that they stode so long Of the holynesse of ceremonies with Osorius Luke Iohn Collos. 2. Galat. 4. Mens traditioÌ„s ceremonies are not altogether sequestred from a Christian mans lyfe How great a perill is in ceremonies Christian RelligioÌ„ almost wholy turned into ceremonies Images Crosses Altars throweÌ„ downe Ezechiah Iosiah Iozaphat Gedeon Epiphanius in an Epistle to Iohn Byshopp of Ierusalem Phillippicus Leo Isaurick CoÌ„stantine Leo 4. Greeke Emperours agaynst Images Images banished by the couÌ„cels of ConstaÌ„tinople Elibertine and francksord Out of the councell of ConstaÌ„tinople Ex Elibertino coâ—cil can 36. Lactant. instit book 2. cap. 19. ChrisostoÌ„e Amphilochius Theodore Byshopp of Ancira Portraictes Eusebius Bysh. of Pamphil. The reasoÌ„s of Bysh. alleadged in the counsell of Constantinople Deut. 20. 2. Cor. 6. A figure called contraposition betwixt the decrees of God and the Popes Math. 10. 1. Iohn 5. Out of the Decrees of the Trydentine counsel 9. Sesio Iere. 10. Abacuâ— 3. The wicked and preposterous iudgements of the Papists in worshipping of Images Osor. pag. 178. Osorius slaunder agaynst Luther touching contrition and good workes condeÌ„ned is confuted Articul 31. How this sentence that the Righteous man doth offend in euery good worke is to be taken Gregory vpon Ioh. 9. August in his 3. booke of confess cap. 7. August to Boniface 3. book ca. 7. The words of Constantine to Acesius Aug. in his 1. booke de perfectione iustitiae Aug. in his booke of the perfection of righteousnes Of the auntient ordinaunces of the Church The ordinaunces of the primitiue church taken away now by our Catholicks The complaynt of abolishing the auntieÌ„t ordinaunces of the Church appliable to none so much as to the Papists By what meanes the Romanistes haue altered al thinges in the Church Osorius pag. 178. Osor. pag. 180. An aunswere in the behalfe of the Lutheranes liues agaynst slauÌ„deryng It is one thyng to iudge of maners an other thing to iudge of doctrine Dogges in the pallace of Rome Osori pag. 180.181 The popes blynd Decrees caÌ„ not away with the light of the Gospell The cauill of Osorius agaynst the lyues of Lutherans Osori rayseth all his slaunders of hearesay The fruites of the Gospell beyng restoared Doctrine ought not to be iudged after the qualities of mens manners Osorius malice agaynst the Lutherans Many are vntruely termed Lutherans that be no Lutherans Mauy counterfets lurke in the Church vnder presence of the Gospell The approued integritye of the-ProtestaÌ„ts The lyfe of Cranmer Archb. of Cant. The marriage of CraÌ„mer defended The name of a Concubine more holy with the Papistes then the name of a wife Nichol. Ridley Byshop of London Ferrar Bish. of Saynt Dauids Iohn Hooper Bish. of Worcest Glocester Famous men martyrred vnder Queene Mary Tho. Bilney Ioh. Bradford The liues of those which were burnt in Queene Maries raigne Erasmus testimony coÌ„cerning Luther See Osorius in his 1. booke 69. Roffensis of the doctrine of Luther Luthers doctrine not other then all other true Christians The Fallax of the consequent An Argument rightly deduced froÌ„ Signes Doctrine not to be applyed to maners but maners to doctrine Osorius pag. 181. 182. Of prescription of Antiquitye Osorius doth accuse the reformed Churches of Noueltye The reformed Churches now a dayes doe not vary froÌ„ the Apostles institution in doctrine Maner of lyfe thought neuer so disorderous maketh not an heretique The cause that enflameth Osor. agaynst the Lutheranes is not the life but the state of their doctrine The foundation of the questioÌ„ is not of maners but of the principles and grouÌ„des of Religion The condition agreed vpoÌ„ concerneth the triall of antiquitie The papists exception agaynst the obscurenes of the scriptures Of an vnpier in Ecclesiasticall causes A Request to the excellent king of Portingall The Antiquity of the Romish Religion couÌ„terfaite The false accusation of Noueltie agaynst the Lutherans The law of PrescriptioÌ„ Distinct. 8. August Gregory Custome Antiquitye PrescriptioÌ„ Cyprian distinc 8. No custome may prescribe agaynst the king much lesse anye Custome may prescribe agaynst god A defence agaynst the accusation of Nouelty falsly charged vpon the reformed Churches by Osorius Of the merites of Christ. Of true coÌ„fidence Tertulian touching prescription agaynst Heretiques Exod. 20. Of inuocation worshipping c. Of Sacraments Out of Iustine Of the freedome of Mariage Heb. 13. 1. Timo. 4. The mother tongue in Churches The Communion vnder both kindes Of Images Of rightâ— and Ceremonies Of the power of free-will Of iustifiyng fayth Rom. 3. Galat. Galat. How fayth onely doth iustifie and whom Luther Caluine MelancthoÌ„ Musculus Bullinger P. Martyr Hul. Zuinglius Occolampadius Iohn Iuell Gualter Rodolfe Theodore Beza The Lutherans acquited from all reprehention of Noueltye An olde quarrell of the Catholicks touching Noueltye Of the supremacy titles of the Pope The titles of the Romaine pope Math. 23. The outragious dignitie of the pope Chrisost. ad Romanos homil 23. Gregory The supremacy was first graunted by Phocas to Boniface The fulnes of power beganne in the tyme of Hildebrand Pope Cardinalls The election of the Pope translated from the Emperour and the people of Rome vnto the Cardinalls Of the Masse and her appurtenaunces The vse of Corpes in the Church Priuate Masses The Communion of the laye people abbridged froÌ„ thrice to once in a yeare by Clement 3 Vnleauened bread One part of the CoÌ„munion taken away from the lay people Corpus Christi day Of Image Of transubstantion of Eleuation of carying abroad of the Sacrament Of marriage of priestes and choyse of meates Of the Popes decrees and decretals Extrauaga de Maiorit obed cap. vnam De maior it obedientia cap. Solitae Of MouÌ„cks Fryers Three vows of MouÌ„kerye Sixe wings of Seraphin Aemilius in his 5. booke Carthusianes Castersianes Templars Premonstratenses Gilbertines Dominicanes Franciscans Eremites Augustines Carmelites Nuns of S. Clares order Out of the Councell of Lateran Innocent 3. Cap. 13. Minorites Augustine anes Crossebeabeares Whippers Iesuites In the Romish Churche are many things new altogether nothing auncient sauoring of thapostolique Antiquitye The carnall presence of Christ no where but in heauen The carnall presence of Christ one of the Popish doctrine How the Papistes dp doe differ from the Apostles in the ministring of the communioÌ„ Priuate Masse Hebr. 9. 8 10. 1. Tim. â— The true doctrine of traÌ„substantion iuuented by the paâ—istes TransubstaÌ„tiation was neuer knowen to the Apostles Many thou sandes of Martyrs lost theyr liues for this TransubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ The Churche of the Pope a Murtherer The papist caÌ„ reÌ„der no iust cause of spâ—llyng so much Christian bloud It is one thing to reuerence the SacrameÌ„ts an other thyng to turne Christ into a Sacrament The words of Christ. This is my body Christs wordes bespirit and lyfe Christ is called by sondry names in the Scriptures Christ is called bread in the Gospell By what similitude the
Sacrament of bread and wine is called the body and bloud of Christ. August to Boniface 13. Episto August vppon the psalme 89. August agaynst Adimant 13. The circumstaunces about the Supper of the Lord are to be considered August vpon the wordes of the Lord in Lake Ser. 33. August in Ioh. tractar 25.26 The abseÌ„ce of the body of Christ more profitable for vstheÌ„ his presence An Argument in respect of the profit therof Antichrist An argument from Impossibilitye Contradictiories cann not be together not so much as by miracle A great diuersitie betwixt the auncient Church of Rome and this vpstart Church The lynes and couersatioÌ„ of the auncieÌ„t Fathers of the primitiue Church The first age of the Church Deut. 12. Gala. 1. Math. 7. In processe of time the maners and ordinaunce of ChristiaÌ„s were chauÌ„ged The middle age of the Church How sure forth humayne authoritye doth binde Ecclesiasticall function consisteth in two thinges chiefly How farre ecclesiasticall power doth extend it selfe In matters appertayning vnto God dew obedience ought to be geuen to the Pastors and Ministers How farre forth obedieÌ„ce ought to be geuen or not geueÌ„ to Pastours of the churche in matters of mens constitutioÌ„ What ministers ought to consider in makyng new ordinaunces Of iudiciall power of Churches The difference betwixt Ecclesiasticall temporall IudgemeÌ„ts Ecclesiasticall discipline in the primitiue Church The first institution of the primitiue church compared with the tymes of the latter Church The foundation of the christiaÌ„ Church The foundation of the Romyshe Church The Popes doctrine coÌ„uinced by foure principall pointes The popes Church more like an earthly kyngdome then the kyngdome of Christ. A smale discription of the Romishe Ierarchye A comparison betwixt the kingdome of the Pope and the kingdome of this world Iohn 20. A comparison betwixt the popes kyngdome and Christs kyngdome Luke 20. Mar. 10. Luce. 12. 2. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 1. 1. Pet. 5. Rom. 12. The shape of the Romish Ierarchy The counteâ—faite authoritie of popes The church wickedly defined by the papistes How the Romishe stagers doe counterfayt olde Antiquitye A manifest declaration of the Romish church as it is now to be nothing at all Gregor 4. booke 30. Epistle The order of Cardinalles The electioÌ„ of the pope of Rome Cyprian 4. booke Epistle 2. The auncient authoritie of Emperours in sommoning Councelles and in chusing popes A Decree of Charles the great Otto Distinct 6 3. The olde Canons do abhorre priuate Masses Canon 8. The power of both swords coÌ„trary to the old CanoÌ„s The thyrd CouÌ„cell of Carthage Cap. 47. In the new Constitutions 123. 146. Cap. 3. Antiquitie agaynst Images in Churches Origene vpon Leuit. Cap. 16. Chrisost. vpon Math. 1. Homel 2. Vpon Iohn Homel 31. August de opera Monach Malburiensis de pontificibus Lib. 1. An auncieÌ„t law of EnglaÌ„d against pluralities All thynges altered by the pope Out of the Tridentine Councell Generall Councels accordyng to the old constitutioÌ„s aboue the pope The Church of Rome as it is now is conuinced of Nouelty The Councell of Laterane A new doctrine first instituted in the same vnder Pope Innocent 3. Cap. 1. Of the sacrifice of the Masse Of priuate confession The Laterane councell vnder Innocent 3. Cap. 21. Chrisost. in his fourth Sermon of Lazarus Chrisost. vp on the psal 50. hom 2. Chriso vpon the Epistle to the Hebrues homi 31. Tripart histo lib. 9 Cap. 35. Erasmus iu his Apolo The Sacraments of the Romish Church Out of Huntington the 7. booke Out of the Chronicles of Monumetensis Councell of Gangren Cap. 4. Out of the 2. councel of Arelaten 2. cap. Pope Lucius decree distinâ— 81. Ministri The greatest part of the Romish doctrine newly fouÌ„d out and brought in within thâ—s 500. yeares Apoc. 21. Trueth suffereth violence A figure called Hypotiposis Whereby the state of the RomaÌ„s Church and the Reformed Churche is expressed In the question of the Churche many things are conteined People buildyng doctrine forme of gouernement Where the Churche of Lutheranes was fourtie yeares ago A Similitude betwixt the restitutioÌ„ of Religion the finest of the tounges Reason reÌ„dered why Religion is more pure at this tyme in the Churches then it was in many yeares before The Arte of Emprintyng The reason and obiection of the Catholicks in the defeÌ„ce of their Church Probable with Deuines Rome built vpon seuen hilles Apocal. 13. The reason of the papistes touchyng the consent and proofe of their vniuersalitie The captious conclusion of the Catholicks The aunswere to the Argument Distinct. 40. Non loca Distinct. 4. Non est A fallax in the Equiuocum which is of diuers significations The Rom. Church doth combate against the true Church of Christ vnder a coulour of christian name Origen vpon Mathew cap. 17. Irene 3. book cap. 4. The trueth is the life of the church Lactant. 5. institu cap. 30. ArgumeÌ„tes made from consent and multitude of authors are weake Math. 10. Eccle. 1. Ieremy 8. Osorious accusation which was properly bent against Doctrine is transposed to maners To what end tendeth the force of Osorius Accusation Osorius doth deny that Luthers doctrine hath any affinitye with the Apostolique Scriptures Pag. 181. Osor. pag. 182. Osorius lying Rhetorick The Argument of Osorius The Aunswere to the Argument Osorius quarell of lyfe and maners Tit. 1. Ill may the Snight the Woodcock twight for his long bill The lyfe of the Lutheranes compared with the Catholickes The vices of maners are not to be imputed to his doctrine The fruites of Luthres doctrine Osor pag. 182. The confutation of hisl aunder Artic. 21. The scoffe of Luthers doctrine Luther offeÌ„ded with the life of his countrey men Osor. pag. 187. Deut. 18. The argument of Osorius 1. Kinges Act. 1â— A true difference betwixt the false and the true Prophett Luther vpon the 130. Psalme Mens iudgemeÌ„ts in findyng faulte may be free so that they be vpright Out of Valer Ansel. Iohn Stella Out of BeÌ„uo a Cardinall Of couenauntes and promises not alwayes holden true emoÌ„gest the papistes Iere. cap. 23. Osorius argument out of Ieremy Aunswere to the argument The fallax of the consequent The aunswere to the Maior The reason to discerne betwixt false and true Prophetes accordyng to Osorius The aunswere of the Minor Osori pag. 190. The place of Ieremy expounded Iohn Husse The prophecy of Iohn Husse touchyng the doctrine of the Gospell to be restored by Luther A small coÌ„trouersy betwixt Luther and Zuinglius Osor. pag. 191. Of diuisioÌ„s of the churche Dissentions in the Papane church Dissentions amoÌ„gst the most godly A full consent of doctrine in reformatioÌ„ of Churches The Articles of the chief grouÌ„des of Religion wherin the Ministers of the Church do well agree together How great a concord is ctetwixt many Churches in the matter of the Sacrament Papistes murtherers of Martyrs Osori pag. 192. Osori doth beleue fame Authour of all his vntruthes A prouerbe
and to know how you ought to haue behaued your selfe wheÌ„ you were there what doctrine you ought haue published in so great an Auditorie what personage ye doe represent in your countrey not the person of a common Ruffian I suppose but of a Byshop mary now you haue played so the part of a very rascall vnder the visor of a Byshop pardon me I pray you speakyng the truth that no common barrettor nor Rogish Ruffian could vomitte out more shamelesse scurrilitie S. Paule doth so little esteéme the credite of any other Gospell That hee holdeth him no better then accursed yea though an Aungell from heauen doe bryng a contrary one to this same And shall we beare with this collouerthwarte Osorius like a vice in a play with a new founde chauÌ„gelyng to make myngle mangle with the sacred worde of the Lord and with such vnsauorie subtelties to peruert the pure and vndefiled sinceritie of the Gospell of grace and like a wild Boare to moyle vp by the rootes the florishyng and most plentyfull Uynearde of our blessed felicitie planted by the Lord him selfe If that blynd bussardly Owle eyes of your mynde Osorius be as yet wrapped in so darkened a cloude that this cleare light of the gracious mercy of God shynyng from aboue can not pearce into those dull dazeled senses to seé the manifest light of the truth it should yet haue bene much more seémely for you to haue comforted them whom the holy Ghost had enabled with better grace to teache the truth so simply to haue yelded to the same Truely it behoued you to haue quallified your rage and vsed more modesty at the least towardes them that did dissence from you And if your selfe were not willyng to pursue the true pathe to heauen ye should not yet haue foreclosed the entrye to others that were willyng to enter in And knowyng your owne disabilitie in teachyng ye should yet more shamefastly haue bewrayed your vnskilfulnes and made some end once at the leÌ„gth or at the least reteyned some reasonable order from that rascallyke raylyng and immeasurable insolencie and not so wilfully haue rushed into such Tragicall exclamations before you had bene better acquainted with the cause But as now you tosse and turmoyle your selfe in these questions as though ye were of some other profession and a meére straunger to the matter wherein you scarcely sauour any thyng at all surely vnderstand so little so coldly and senselesly as no man more brutishly and with all vse your selfe therein so disorderly and outragiously as the very furies of Hell could not more horribly You must pardon me Osorius if I spake playnly franckly as I thinke wherein I will not speake as moued of malice or of any melancholicke affectioÌ„ agaynst your person whom I wish well vnto truly and beseéke God hartely to graunt a more sound IudgemeÌ„t But I feare me Osorius least within this Osorius dwelleth some other guest besides Osorius hee not all the best perhappes whatsoeuer he be that doth continually teaze and pricke foreward those busie braynes of yours to poysoned and pestiferous deuises of whom I wish you to be well assured Osorius if you loue your soules sauetie But if wholesome CouÌ„sell of a wellwiller shall litle preuayle with you I would aduertize the tender vnskilfull youth of the posterite in the bowels of Iesus Christ that they take diligent beédefulnesse to the readyng of Osorius his bookes left beyng allured with sweéte poysoned bayte as with Mermaydes melody do vse the wordes of S. Ierome they bee hooked vnwares and carryed away into delusions and errours I know how plausible and easie a matter it is to the Iudgement of the flesh learnedly and plentyfully to preach of the payse and commeÌ„dation of vertue or righteousnesse of the rules and preceptes of mans lyfe of Ciuill gouernement of polliticque Statutes and ordinaunces and of the excellencie of lawes And there happeneth not for the more part in any other Theame a more swifter readynesse of speach a more sensible sharpenesse of deuise or more vsuall admiration of worldlynges Wherein many notable Rhetoricians most subtill Philosophers heretofore haue thought best to employ their endeuours and whole force for their eloquence not without great commendation of witte and singular prayse of ingenious inuention whole laudable trauaile therein I ought and can not chuse but accompt prayseworthy as men that were desirous to emparte to the posteritie most worthy moâ—umentes atchieued through excellencie of learnyng and nymblenesse of capacitie and seuere pursuyng of vertue and vertuous discipline wherewith they were wouderfully beautified But I returne to Osorius whose diligence also in Imitation I doe commende for that he hath made his choyse of such especially after whom he may direct his Imitation But whereas he doth nothyng els but affect their Heathenishenesse I doe not onely not prayse him but vtterly disallow and refuse his order of study herein These men hauyng none other so commendable an exercize wherein they might bestow their tyme as by all meanes possible to beautifie the giftes and ornamentes of nature and to allure men thereby to honest and seémely Ciuilitie did worthely deserue the prayse of that whiche they so earnestly pursued And therfore M. Tullius Cicero hath of right obteyned the garland of an honest Citizen and learned Philosopher who bendyng all the powers of his excellent vnderstandyng in blazyng the dueties and offices of mens lyfe and defence of vertue agaynst the beastly and swynish pleasures of Epicure esteémed that matter worthy his study and trauaile Wherein he bestowed such diligence and actiuitie of witte as that him selfe did neuer better in any other Theame nor any man els could haue handled the same more aboundauntly And euen the same dyd he as then accordyng to the necessitie of the present tyme with singular learnyng for as yet besides the orderly course of naturall doctrine were not any other preceptes of purer discipline extaunt amongest those Nations wherein the fine and nymble wittes might exercize them selues And therefore it was no maruell if hee beyng a man endued with wonderfull instinct of nature did embrace that thyng as the chiefest felicitie worthy whereupon he might discourse and whiche he sawe to be most notable and had in greatest prize amongest all the workes of Nature neither could rayse his mynde beyonde the limites of Nature nor stretche out the force of his capicitie further then to that outward righteousnesse obteyned by speciall pursuite of vertue But now as the state of the tyme is altered from that which was then so haue we now receaued an other Schoolemaister froÌ„ heauen whose Maiestie as surmounteth in glory all worldly state condition so his doctrine being not straighted within the boundes of Nature doth disclose vnto vs thynges farre passing the reach of all Nature whose Scholer you ought to haue bene Osorius especially sithence ye be aduauÌ„ced to so high dignitie in the Church for we haue receaued now not
your stoughtnes herein But because I neuer chaunced to see anye such Gospelles I do earnestly desire you O holy father for the loue ye beare to S. Fraunces to S. Bruno Finally for the loue of that fifth and euerlasting Gospell which the Dominick Fryers not long sithence beganne at Paris in the yeare of our Lord 1256. in the tyme of Pope Alexander the iiij That your holines will not be squeimish to acquaynte me what maner of gospells those be of Luther Melanchton Bucer Caluine c. whereof you make mencion If you can shewe none such it remayneth therefore that we hang vppe this accusation also vpon the file of your other staūderous lyes so long vntill in your next false inuectiues you acquite you of this cryme We haue heard touching the Gospelles Let vs now seé the fayth of hys Church Which he vaunteth franckly not to be of many coates but one Vniforme not lately risen vp and ioyned with vayne confidence but deliuered from the Apostles themselues not depraued with any peeuish interpretation or corruption of madde or franrick usage Go to and what if in like phrase of speeche I make euident that Luthers fayth was one and vniforme yea the same that all the Catholicke fathers of the primitiue churche did professe not start vppe yesterday or for a few dayes agoe not grounding vpō any variblenes nor toste to and fro by any vnsteadfast assurance but proclaymed by the Apostles themselues and wholly cleared from all madnesse and outrage What if I shall shewe playnely that all these quallities be in Luthers fayth what shall remayne then but that Osorius shall become a Lutherane whether he will or no if it be one vniforme fayth that he so much esteémeth or if he hold a contrary fayth then must he needes proue an open lyar But Osorius will not credite my wordes which I shall speake touching Luther and why then shall I creditte Osor speaking for his owne fayth namely sithe he voucheth nothing in proofe but bare wordes But if the truth thereof shall be decyded not with wordes but with substanciall matter by howe many euident demonstrations shall I be able to Iustifie that there is nothing in Luthers fayth but is agreable with the truth and the Auncient age of the primitiue Church in euery poynt And that in Osorius fayth be many thinges whiche do not onely vary cleane frō thē both but are also manifestly repugnaunt and contrary to them both But let vs drawe neere to the matter The fayth that you professe is vniforme you say If by this generall word Fayth you meane the Articles of the common Creéde forasmuch as there is no Churche of the Lutheranes but doth professe the same as well as you I seé no cause here why you should challenge a more speciall prerogatiue in vniformitie in this poynt then the Lutheranes And I would to God the Fayth of your Church would stay it self with the Lutheranes vpon those Articles onely where doughtles is matter sufficient enough for our saluation But now how many by hangers do you couple to this vniforme common Creéd how many new straunge stragglers bussardly blynde and vnknowne Raggmalles to the Auncient fathers And so couple them together as thinges most necessary to mans Saluation and for these also keepe a greater coyle then for the very articles of the Creéde Wherof we shall treate more at large in place fitt for it by Gods grace And therefore whereas you say that you obserue one vniformitie of fayth I would first learne what poynts you do ground this vniformitie vpon For although I may not deny but that in certayne Decrees and Decretalles is a certeine consent and agreément of conspiring doctrine such a one as it is yet if a mā will thoroughly sist many of thē wherein Luther doth dissent frō you he shall easily perceaue that Luth. hath not so much swarued from your vniformitie as your fayth is raunged altogether out of the right pathe of the true Christian fayth from the doctrine of both Testamentes from the Apostles and Prophetts yea and from the footsteppes of the Fayth of your owne predecessors of Rome whereby appeareth euidently that this fayth which you so gloriously vaunt is not auncient but new fangled not deliuered from the Apostles but patched together with mens Tradicious not grounded vpon any certaynty but full of vayneglorious braggery finally not vniforme but of many shapes and vtterly a Bastard vnlike the true vniformitie of Fayth Such as procure to themselues so many hyreling aduocates patrones and intercessours in heauen besides the onely Sonne of God Such as do worhip God otherwise then in spirite and truth with alters superalters Images Pictures Signes Formes and Shapes grauen in wood and in marble Such as before God do hunt after true righteousnes by other meanes and merytes then by onely fayth in the Sonne of God or do apply to themselues the effectuall grace of his great liberalitie otherwise then by this only Fayth Such as do promise Remission of Sinnes by any other meanes to themselues or to others but through the onely bloudshed of the Immaculate Lambe Such as with the price of pardons do sel that to others which Christ gaue freely Such as do dayly sacrifice him for the quick and the dead who by one onely oblation once for all did make attonement for all things in heauen and in earth such as make to thēselues a way passable to the kingdome of God life euerlasting by any other meanes and wayes to witte thorough the merites of Saintes through vowes Masses orders and Rules and through straightnes of profession by the merite of holy orders humble confessions mens absolutions and satisfactions through building of Abbyes and such other trumpery barganing as it were with God for merite meritorious and not for the onely death of Christ crucified for vs Such as do thrust into Churches other Sacramentes then Christ dyd euer Institute and commaund to be kept Such as robbe that lay people of one part of the sacrament contrary to the ordinaunce of the church and in the other part leaue nothing but that which can be no where els then in heauen and which if were present naturally ought not to be ministred as meate according to the veritie of the scriptures All these I say and an infinite table more of the same hiewe cleane contrary to the scriptures Such as do retayne in fayth mayntayne in vse clogge consciences withall and proclayme to be obserued in their Temples how dare they be so shamelesse to vaunt an obseruing of one vniforme Fayth agreéing with the Prophettes and Apostles vndefiled and cleare from all spotte of Noueltie or wrinckle of deformytie Wherfore you must either cōuince all these patcheries to be falsly burdened vpon your Church as I haue rehearsed them or els you must needes confesse that your fayth is neyther vniform nor Auncient nor sprong vppe with the Apostles nor yet consonaut to sound