need then the people of old time For the ancient Doctors vrged euery one to reade the Bible diligently in their houses which now vnder paine of excommunication they are forbidden to touch vnlesse they obtaine a dispensation So that the sacred word of God I tremble to speake it hath now the first place in the catalogue of bookes prohibited His Maiestie knoweth that amongst you there may be found some Bibles translated into vulgar languages but the English Priests at Do way which turned the Scripture into English haue taught him thus much that you were constrained against your willes to make those translations importunitate haereticorum by the importunitie of the heretikes as they of Do way speake For it is heresie with these men to be desirous to reade the word of God with sobrietie and reuerence Neither is his Maiestie ignorant when Renatus Benedictus Priest translated the Bible into French how the Popes of Rome troubled him for that fact and how by their letters they commanded the Bishop of Paris to endeuour that all the French translations might be extorted from the people Which without faile they had effected if there had been no Protestants in France His Maiestie hath read of late also in a booke of a certaine English Pontifician Priest that prayers vttered in an vnknowne tongue haue a kinde of greater efficacie in them then if they were vnderstood Which senselesse dotage was an old heathnish conceit and is not the singular follie of this Priest alone So the Valentinian heretikes did vse Hebrew names in their superstitious mysteries that they might amaze the ignorant multitude and as Eusebius speaketh in the fourth part of his Historie the more to astonish those that were initiated in their superstitions The second abuse is the diminishing of the holie Sacrament contrarie to the institution of Christ the example of S. Paul and the practise of the Church for the space of one thousand yeeres at least as Cassander a learned man confesseth In the third place are priuate Masses where are no communicants I haue said before that these things had their beginning from that peruerse doctrine concerning the sacrifice in the Christian Church Restore vs the ancient faith and the ancient practise In the fourth place his Maiestie obiecteth the present vse and adoration of Images The Councell of Trent confesseth an abuse and the Romane Catechisme giueth some profitable admonition on this behalfe But what are we the better the abuse remaineth it is approued maintained and encreaseth daily His Maiestie omitteth the adoration and inuocation of Saints which as it is now practised neither can nor ought to be excused He omitteth also the religious adoration of reliques which at this day is taught and commanded as a thing necessarie or at least very profitable to saluation Beside the intollerable absurditie as when false or ridiculous reliques are obtruded as the teares of Christ and the milke of our Ladie and such like Hee omitteth the licentious boldnes of your preachers when they stray from the word of God who ought to bee restrained from propounding any doctrine to the people as necessarie to saluation which is not drawne out of the diuine oracles and agreeable to the ancient faith For that is the wholesome doctrine which the Apostle so often commendeth If there were such a restraint many things now practised in the Church of Rome would fall downe of their owne accord As the doctrine of Indulgences as that foppish deuice of the intensiue paines in Purgatorie by vertue of which intension many thousand yeeres are contained in one minute as those battologiae or idle repetition of heedlesse prayers vnpleasing to our Sauiour as he himselfe witnesseth Then it would no longer be accounted great merit to repeate the Rosarie or other prayers and Psalmes twentie or fiftie or an hundred times If these and such like impediments were remoued religious men should peraduenture finde no iust cause to abstaine from your communion There is another thing which his Maiestie thought good not to omit which is written in the end of your Epistle that you will be silent concerning the Pope of Rome because it is manifest to those which haue but meane skill in Ecclesiasticall historie that the Fathers of the first ages the Councels and Christian Emperours in all businesse appertaining to religion and the Church gaue him the preheminence and acknowledged him the chiefe That this is all for this point which your Church requireth to be beleeued as an article of faith by those whom you receiue into communion To this his Maiestie maketh answere and appealing to your owne vnpartiall minde he desireth you to consider the actions of Romane Bishops for almost seuen hundred yeeres past He is loth to stirre the remembrance of things noisome yet gladly would hee haue you know that hee is most certaine of this that the late Bishops of that sea are so vnlike vnto the ancient Popes in sinceritie of faith in manner of life and in the whole course and end of their gouernment that it is altogether vniust things being in this state to draw arguments from the former ages and applic them to this present time Let the forme of the ancient Church be restored and many new lawes heretofore not heard of be abolished In briefe let the Bishop of Rome declare euidently by his actions that he seeketh Gods glorie not his owne that he hath a care of the peace and saluation of his people then his Maiestie as he hath protested before in his Monitorie Epistle will acknowledge his primacie and be willing to say with Gregorie Nazianzen that he hath the care of the whole Church But at this time what the Church of God especially Kings and Princes ought to thinke concerning that sea his Maiestie dare referre it to your owne iudgement to determine For you know what a number of books come abroad daily from Rome and almost all the corners of Europe in defence of the Popes temporall power or rather omnipotencie his dominion and monarchie ouer all the Kings and people of the whole earth You know that Cardinall Bellarmine hath of late written concerning that argument and soone after the death of Henry the Great hath been bold to publish that which all honest men of your owne side doe detest I say all honest men for the complices of that conspiracie doe heartily embrace and to their power defend it as an oracle from the mouth of the Pope which cannot erre Wherefore the Iesuits of Ingolstade in a booke lately published against Master Iohn Gordon the Deane of Salisburie a man nobly borne and very learned doe cite testimonies out of this booke of the Cardinals as if it were the constant opinion and consent of all Catholikes But I desire your Honour to consider whether the ancient Church euer did the like to this and what will be the issue of this madnesse Consider into what danger of vtter ruine they bring the Church of Christ which doe
readie at al times as our Sauiour teacheth to scatter tares amongst the good seede And considering in these times wee see with our eyes that this is come to passe and it is so grosse that wee may almost grope it with our hands it is ridiculous and most absurd to dispute whether this thing could heretofore happen or hath now happened Therefore the Church of Rome the Greek Church the Church of Antioch and of Aegypt the Abyssine the Moschouite and many others are members much excelling each other in sinceritie of doctrine and faith yet all members of the Catholike Church whose ioynture in regard of the outward forme was long since broken For which cause his Maiestie doth much wonder when hee considers how some Churches which heretofore were but members of the bodie once entire doe now ingrosse all the right of the whole and appropriate to themselues the name of Catholike excluding from their communion and affirming boldly that they belong not to the Catholike Church whosoeuer doe dissent from them in anything or refuse the yoke of their bondage Neither do you only challenge to your selues this right there are others that do the same For his Maiestie speakes it with griefe there are at this day many priuate Churches which beleeue that they onely are the people peculiar which they call the Church Giue them that strength which the Church of Rome hath and they shall doe the same with her and pronounce of all others as hardly as she doth What shall wee say are there not sundrie sects now adaies which are certainly perswaded that they only haue insight into the Scriptures and as the Poet saith that they only are wise that all others walke like shadowes It is true indeed that in euery age there were conuenticles of sectaries and dissemblies which did boast themselues of the Catholike Church and by this prouocation did allure many vnto them but it is the peculiar and famous calamitie of these latter times that the Catholike Church vnto which of necessitie a man must adhere either really and actually or at the least in will and vow is become lesse manifest then it was of old lesse exposed to the eyes of men more questionable and doubtfull For which cause his excellent Maiestie thinketh that he ought more carefully in such a deluge of variable opinions to betake himselfe to the mountaines of the sacred Scripture and as S. Augustine gaue counsell to the Donatists to seeke the Church of Christ in the words of Christ And so S. Chrysostome both elsewhere and of purpose in his 33. Homilie vpon the Acts of the Apostles handling the question How the true Church might be discerned amongst many Societies which challenge to themselues that name teacheth that there be two meanes of deciding that question first the word of God and secondly antiquitie of doctrine not inuented by any new author but alwaies knowne from the birth and beginning of the Church These two trials the King and Church of England embracing doe auouch that they acknowledge that doctrine onely for true and necessarie to saluation which flowing from the fountaine of sacred Scripture through the consent of the ancient Church as it were a conduit hath been deriued vnto these times Wherefore to make an end of this obseruation his Maiestie answeres that it is faultie many waies and cannot stand with the hypothesis propounded Because saith he the Church of England is so farre from forsaking the ancient Catholike Church which she doth reuerence and admire that she departeth not from the faith of the Church of Rome in any point wherein that Church agreeth with the ancient Catholike If you question the succession of persons behold the names of our Bishops and their continuance from the first without any interruption if the succession of doctrine come make triall let vs haue a free Councell which may not depend vpon the will of one The Church of England is readie to render an account of her faith and by demonstration to euince that the authors of the reformation here had no purpose to erect any new Church as the ignorant and malicious doe cauill but to repaire the ruines of the old according to the best forme and in their iudgement that is best which was deliuered by the Apostles to the Primitiue Church and hath continued in the ages next ensuing His Maiestie grants that his Church hath departed from many points of that doctrine and discipline which the Pope of Rome now stifly defendeth but they doe not thinke this to be a reuolting from the Catholike Church but rather a returning to the ancient Catholike faith which in the Romane Church by new deuices hath been manifoldly and strangely deformed and so a conuersion to Christ the sole Master of his Church Wherefore if any man grounding vpon the doctrine of this obseruation will inferre from it that the Church of England because it reiects some ordinances of the Romane hath therefore departed from the ancient Catholike Church his Maiestie will not grant him this vntill he prooue by sound reasons that all things taught by them of Rome especially those which they will haue to be beleeued as necessarie to saluation were allowed of from the beginning and established by the ancient Catholike Church Now that no man can euer doe this at least neuer yet hath done it his Maiestie and the reuerend Bishops of the English Church doe hold it to be as cleere as when the Sunne shineth at mid-day Lastly his Maiestie thinketh it a great offence to forsake the Church but hee vtterly denieth that hee or his Church are guiltie of this crime For saith his Maiestie we depart not voluntarily but we are driuen away And your Honour well knoweth how many and how excellently learned and godly men for these fiue hundred yeeres at the least haue wished the reformation of the Church both in the head and members What grieuous complaints haue been often heard of worthie Kings and Princes lamenting the estate of the Church in their times But what auailed it for vnto this day we see not any one thing amended of all those which were thought most needfull of reformation Wherefore the Church of England in this separation feareth not any fellowship with the Donatists if the matter be debated by ingenuous men They willingly and without cause left the Catholike Church which at that time the consent of all nations did approue whose doctrine or discipline they could not blame but England being enforced by great necessitie separated her selfe from that Church which innumerable Christian people did not grant to be the true Catholike and vniuersall Church nay more which many of your owne writers haue heretofore ingenuously confessed to haue varied much from the ancient Church in matters of faith and discipline to haue patched many new things to the old and euill to the good which indeed is now better knowne to the vniuersall world then that any man can denie or be ignorant
illustrious and most reuerend Lord I haue learned as I thinke by vse and experience that there is no euill so great out of which or by occasion whereof some good may not arise And as it is an vsuall speech that honey breedeth gall so it may bee said not vnfitly that somtimes out of pure gall commeth pure honey Not to seeke any further proofe of this the lewd book of that debosht cauiller which gaue me first occasion by his excellent Maiesties commaund of writing to your illustrious Honour it was pure gall and that most virulent But both your letters which vpon that occasion you sent me seasoned with singular courtesie humanitie and prudence witnessing the faire ingenuitie of the author were sweeter to me then any honey Wherefore I was not afraid to shew them vnto his Maiestie and his Maiestie although he approued not of all that was in them for that could not be yet hee refused not but was willing to reade them both It delighted him very much that yet he knew one Diuine of your side a man of chiefe place of honorable estimation and excellent learning which handling the controuersies of these times appeared to be of a moderate and quiet disposition For with what spirit the most are led which now adaies set out bookes of this argument there needs no more sufficient declaration then out of those writers which hitherto haue oppugned his Maiesties Apologie All of them if you except one or two filling their vnhappie leaues with lies reproches and foule language But especially the words in your last letters did delight his Maiestie whose minde is enflamed with the zeale of sincere pietie whereby you seemed to put him in hope that this friendly communication concerning matters of religion was like not to prooue fruitlesse Which thing as it pleased the King marueilously who is readie vpon this condition to vndergoe any paines so if there remaine no hope hereof neither is there any iust cause why his Maiestie or your Honour should trouble your selues Surely I hope if your Worthinesse will take serious care of it that with the helpeof almightie God you may effect by the authoritie which you haue amongst your owne and the report of learning and wit amongst all that by these mutual writings some good profit may redownd to the Church of Iesus Christ As for his most excellent Maiestie of Great Britaine in whose Court I haue now liued a whole veere and more I dare promise you and with all manner of asseueration confirme that he is so affected and that the course of his whole life hath bin so ordered that all men may easily vnderstand there is nothing dearer to him then the carefull endeuour for religion Neither priuate businesse nor the publike cares of his kingdome doe vsually so affect his Maiestie as a kinde of vnmeasurable desire by all meanes to promote religion and which consideration most beseemes so great a King an exceeding affection by all right and honest meanes to procure peace amongst the dissenting members of the Church And this care so fitting a Christian Prince the most pious King hath not confined within the bounds of his owne kingdome though very large but remembring that he is stiled the Defendour of the faith he hath thought good not out of any curiositie but a vehemencie of zeale to extend it beyond the limites of his owne little world that his Maiesties wisedome and authoritie might be beneficiall also to the Churches of other Countries if occasion were offered and that daily it might be more apparant in the sight of God and men that his chiefe care is the preseruation of Christian religion Of late therefore and about the time when I shewed you his last letters his Maiestie gaue this great experiment of this his deuout minde which as it is most worthilie approued and commended here of all good and godly men so I hope most illustrious Cardinall that the knowledge of it will be delightfull to you When the right Honourable and most reuerend Prelate the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace by letters certified his Maiestie that there came vnto his hands a booke brought out of some part of Germanie or the Low Countries containing doctrine concerning the nature of God which was new peruerse and in some points repugnant to the faith of the Catholike Church and withall desired his Maiestie that for the repressing of this mischiefe which was lately sprung vp hee would shew foorth the zeale of the Defendour of the faith and intercede with the Magistrates of that place where the author liued desiring of them not to suffer so prodigious doctrine to bee brought into their Churches and Vniuersities and that the inuentor of this prophane noueltie might not passe vnpunished the King as he came out of coach after a tedious hunting as soone as hee had receiued the letters and the booke noted and markt in sundrie places by that most vigilant Prelate without any delay thought it a businesse worthie to be taken notice of And although at that time his bodie was faint with exercise and fasting yet what he had begun he went through at once as it were with one continuance and heate of endeuour neither could hee bee entreated by the Nobilitie which stood about him to haue any respect of himselfe vntill after a good long consideration of the whole matter with the right reuerend Bishop of Lichfield and others of the Clergie and a perfect vnderstanding thereof hee most accuratly discharged as much as appertained to him and as piety commanded The booke was condemned and it was determined that all the copies of it should be burnt in London and in both the Vniuersities Which afterwards was performed Letters were immediatly dispatched the King himself dictating vnto his Maiesties Legier there lying to testifie what was the iudgement of the King and the Church of England concerning this new doctrine Withall order was giuen to acquaint the Magistrates with the matter Let them looke to it to whom the care of remouing that euill doth belong what account of their delay they can make vnto the immortall God if which wee hope cannot come to passe neither of their owne accord nor after so notable example they vndergoe the patronage of the truth with lesse zeale and endeuour then they ought His Maiestie at the first receiuing of the newes was so mooued that hee thought hee should commit a grieuous offence if hee gaue any indulgence to his bodie before he had fully performed this office of pietie I doubt not most illustrious Cardinall but you will greatly approue of and praise this deed I haue made relation to you of what was done not to the intent I might commend his Maiestie vnto you but to let you vnderstand how fast he holdeth the ancient faith and how stout and earnest a Defendour he is of the opinions of the true Catholike Church whom notwithstanding most of your Catholikes will not haue to bee accounted and called a
Catholike yea many not a Christian His Maiestie at the first thought the strife about those names not to be materiall whilest he held that which was meant by them which his Maiestie desires to doe and fullie trusts in the mercie of God that he doth But because the common sort of men doe thus interpret that to be depriued of such names is all one as to bee depriued of the things vnderstood by those names therefore hee doth not thinke it wisedome to take no notice of this wrong As concerning the name of Christian there is no strife no controuersie betwixt you and him For neither of your Epistles doth deny this title to be due vnto him The question is then concerning the title of Catholike For after that according vnto your excellent eloquence in your first Epistle you had signified that you acknowledged in the King of Great Britaine the perfect and absolute Idea of the greatest Prince in the end you put this exception if vnto the other gifts of his minde the glorious name of Catholike might bee added and when by his Maiesties commandement it was answered that that title could not be denied to him which acknowledged the three Creeds of the Church Catholike and the foure first generall Councels and which beleeued all things that were beleeued as necessarie to saluation in the foure first ages with this answere in your last accurate and subtile letters you appeared not to be so well satisfied Those letters perswade your selfe that they were not read hastily and cursorily for he read them through and examined the waight of your reasons with wonderfull equitie and gentlenes of minde But whereas after the reading of your answere hee departeth not from his former opinion and yet neuerthelesse by the helpe of Gods grace trusteth he is a true Catholike his Maiestie would haue you know what reasons he hath for this resolution Wherefore most illustrious Cardinall receiue this short answere to your last letters which receiuing from his Maiesties owne mouth I was commanded to comprise in words and to send vnto you I will not now request of you that in the reading of these you would vse such equitie as hee did in the reading of yours I know full well your excellent wisedome and moderation worthie of all praise The whole disputation in your last letters consisteth of two parts In the former part are brought fiue reasons which do illustrate and shew the acception of this thesis in what sense you would haue it taken This thesis Catholici appellatio c. The name of Catholike can be denied to none which admits of the three namely the Apostles the Nicene and the Athanasian Creeds and of the foure first generall Councels the Nicene the Constantinopolitane the Ephesine and that of Chalcedon lastly which beleeues all those things that were thought necessarie to be beleeued to saluation in the first foure ages This thesis in the Kings answere hath the place of the maior proposition The second part of your disputation bringeth in foure instances against the hypothesis or assumption THE FIRST OBSERVATION THe name of Catholike doth not simply signifie faith but also a communion with the Catholike Church Therefore the ancients would not haue them called Catholikes which departed from the communion of the Church albeit they retained the same faith For they said there was but one Church Catholike out of which a man might haue the faith and Sacraments but saluation hee could not haue To this purpose you bring many things out of S. Augustine HIS MAIESTIES ANSVVERE TO beleeue the Catholike Church and to beleeue the communion of Saints are set downe in the Apostles Creed distinctly as two diuers things And the former of these two articles seemes to be inserted especially to the end that a difference might bee made betwixt the Iewish Synagogue and the Christian Church Which was not to bee confined within the bounds of one nation as that was but to be scattered farre and wide thorow all the regions of the world Wherefore there is no manifest reason why in the beginning of this obseruation the name of Catholike should be said to signifie communion Indeed these two are very neere ioyned but they are two diuers things as I haue shewed Now his Maiestie beleeues vnfainedlie that there is but one Church of God truly and in name Catholike or vniuersall diffused ouer the whole world out of which he affirmeth also that no saluation is to be hoped for Hee condemneth and detesteth those which either long since or more lately haue either departed from the faith of the Catholike Church and so become heretikes as the Manichies or from communion and so haue become schismatikes as the Donatists against which two sorts of men chiefly al those things were written by S. Augustine which are brought in this obseruation Likewise his Maiestie commends the wisedome of those godly Bishops which in the fourth Councell of Carthage as is here well obserued did adde vnto the forme of examination of Bishops an interrogation concerning this point Neither is the King ignorant that the fathers of the ancient Church did oftentimes many things by way of condescent pro bono pacis as they ysed to say that is for desire of maintaining vnitie and for feare of breaking mutuall communion Whose example he professeth himselfe readie also studiously to imitate and to follow in the steps of those that follow after peace ad aras vsque to the altars that is as farre as he may considering the state of the Church in these daies with the safetie of a good conscience For hee is as much grieued as any man for the distraction of the members of the Church so much abhorred by the holy Fathers and as earnestly desireth to communicate if it were possible with all that are members of the mysticall bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ Neuerthelesse his Maiestie thinketh that he hath most iust cause to dissent from those which simply without any distinction or exception doe perpetually vrge this communion He acknowledgeth it to be very necessarie and one of the proper notes of the Church yet doth not account it for the true forme of the Church and that which the Philosopher calls the essentiall being His Maiestie hath learned by his reading of the holie Scriptures according to the minde of all ancient fathers that the true and essentiall forme of the Church is this that the sheepe of Christ heare the voyce of their shepheard and that the Sacraments be rightly and lawfully administred namely as the Apostles haue giuen example and those which followed neere to the Apostles times Those Churches which are thus instituted they must needes be linked together by a manifold communion They are vnited in Christ their head who is the fountaine of life whereby all live whom the Father hath chosen to be redeemed by his precious blood and to be rewarded with eternall life They are vnited in the vnion of faith and doctrine in
such chiefe points as are necessarie to saluation For there is but one sauing doctrine there is but one way to heauen They are vnited in coniunction of mindes in true charitie and the duties of charitie especially of mutuall prayers Lastly they are vnited in the communion of one hope and expectation of promised inheritance knowing that before the foundations of the world they were predestinate I speake of the elect to be fellow heires and of the same bodie and partakers of the promise of God in Christ through the Gospell as saith the diuine Apostle Yet his Maiestie addes further that the same Church notwithstanding if any member thereof depart from the rule of faith will more esteeme of the loue of truth then the loue of vnitie He knowes that the supreme lawe in the house of God is the sinceritie of celestiall doctrine which if any man forsake he forsakes Christ which is Truth it selfe hee forsakes the Church which is the pillar and establishment of truth and by this meanes ceaseth to appertaine vnto the body of Christ With such Apostates a true Catholike neither will nor can communicate for what concent betwixt Christ and Belial Wherefore the Church will flie from communion with these and wil say with Greg Nazianzen that disagreement for godlinesse is better then ill affected concord Neither will he doubt if need be to say with the same blessed father that there is a holy contention Now that such a necessarie separation should sometimes be in the Church both wee are taught in other places of holie Scripture and that admonition also of the holie Ghost not without cause giuen to the Church doth openly declare saying Goe out of Babylon my people lest you communicate with her sinnes What that Babylon is whereout the people of God are commanded to depart the King disputes not in this place nor affirmes hee any thing concerning it yet thus much the matter it selfe doth plainly shew that whether some priuate Church be vnderstood in that place by the name of Babylon or the greater part of the whole it was before this a true Church with which the religious might religiously communicate but after it was more depraued the religious are commanded to goe out and to breake off communion Whereby it may be easilie vnderstood that not all communion with those that be called Christians is to bee desired of the faithfull but that only which may stand with the integritie of doctrine reuealed from heauen Now to come neerer to the purpose his Maiestie denies those places of S. Augustine to belong at all to him For he affirmes that all those testimonies doe euince this only that there remaines no token of saluation for them which depart from the faith of the Catholike Church or from communion with the same Church Which thing as I said before the King willingly grants But here his Maiestie desires of you most illustrious Cardinall that you would call to minde and perpend what great difference there is betwixt the times of S. Augustine and these of ours How much the Church now called Catholike differs from the ancient how the face of the Church is changed and the outward forme to say nothing of the inward For then the Church Catholike was like a citie seated vpon an hill which as Christ saith cannot be hid knowne to all conspicuous and certaine whereof no sound minde could make question Which was not as the foolish Donatists prated lying I know not where in the South driuen into some corner of the world but diffused farre and wide thorow the whole earth flourishing vnder the Emperours whose dominion extended from the East to the West and from North to South You might see the Bishops of the East and West daily communicating and when need required assisting one another For that which is written in the Constitutions of Clement that the Catholike Church is the charge of all the Bishops and by that meanes that euery one is an Oecumenicall Bishop we wonder now when we reade it neither can wee beleeue it which then daily practise did shew to be most true and may easily be demonstrated out of historie by infinit examples There were then also in frequent vse literae formate that is demissatie or testimoniall letters by commerce whereof and as it were by tokens communion was held amongst the members of the Church although farre remoued by distance of place Furthermore when it stood in neede they had Councels truly Occumenicall not as since we haue seene Occumenicall in name only but indeed assembled out of some Prouinces of Europe And in those ancient times this was the fastest bond whereby all the members of the Catholike Church were knit together in the ioynture of one bodie which bodie was for that cause very eminent conspicuous and in the faire view of all which no man could chuse but know There was one faith one state one body Catholike frequent mutuall visitation wonderfull consent of all the members a wonderfull sympathie Was any man lapsed by heresie or schisme from the communion of any one Church I speake not of any one of the chiefe which were the seates of the foure Patriarchs but of any one much smaller that man as soone as it was knowne was held to be excluded from the communion of the whole Catholike Church For whereas wee meete with some examples obserued to the contrarie that was not right but vsurpation Was any man bold to corrupt the truth a little by being of another opinion it was easie euen for a child to deprehend him Wherefore such a steale-truth being once discouered all the shepheards of the whole world if need was were raised and were neuer quiet vntill they had rooted out this euill and prouided for the securitie of Christs sheepe By these signes and markes the Church at that time was conspicuous but this happinesse continued not many ages For after that the Empire was ouerturned and the forme of the Common-wealth altered there sprung vp many new states differing as well in manners and language as in ordinances and lawes Then vpon the distraction of the Empire followed the distraction of the Catholike Church and by little and little all those things ceased which had been before of singular vse for the preseruation of vnion and communion in the outward Catholike bodie of the Church From that time the Catholike Church hath not ceased to be for it shall continue euer neither shall the gates of hell at any time preuaile against it seeing it is founded vpon Christ the true rock and vpon the faith of Peter and the rest of the Apostles but it began to be lesse manifest being diuided into many parts which as touching externall communion were quite separated from one another Then which is chiefly to be lamented it came to passe by this dissipation that there was lesse strength in the parts then before in the whole bodie to resist the enemie of mankind who is
of it Furthermore the Church of England for some ages past had felt the yoke of the Romane seruitude so cruell being afflicted with their often new vexations and incredible exactions that if there were no other cause yet that alone might suffice before equall iudges to free them from the suspition of schisme and as S. Augustine speakes of the Donatists iniquae discissionis of an vniust rent or distraction from the Church For the English did not depart from brotherly charitie vpon a humour as the Donatists did nor as the tenne tribes of the Iewes for feare of imminent euill but after the patience of many ages after vnspeakable miseries at length they withdrew their necks and shaked off the intollerable burthen which neither were they able longer nor would their conscience suffer them to beare Besides this the ancient Church to the end that she might draw the refractarie Donatists to communion was wont with admirable charitie to prouide for the temporall commodities of the Bishops and others that were reconciled but the Church of Rome being desirous of amitie with England what doth she first thunders out her Buls then vseth violence open and secret then receiueth into her bosome and still cherisheth detestable traytors euidently condemned of plotting the desolation of their Countrie lastly numbreth amongst Martyrs those which suffered for the same crimes and daily defendeth their innocencie against all lawes both diuine and humane Cardinall Bellarmine himselfe I am loth to speake but I speake the truth is become a principall patrone of these parricides who of late also that he might draw on his Maiestie hath vsed this argument of wondrous efficacie to perswade that the kingdome of England belongeth to the Pope and that his Maiestie of England euen in temporalties is his subiect and holdeth his kingdome of him I omit other grieuances of the King and Church of England both ancient and moderne which are not to be rehearsed in this place THE SECOND OBSERVATION BEsides those that are necessarie to saluation there are two kind of things which the ancient Church beleeued whereof one is things profitable to saluation the other things lawfull and not repugnant to the same Therefore if a man will embrace the faith of the ancients he must also embrace those things and esteeme them as the ancient Church did HIS MAIESTIES ANSVVERE THose things which were held by the holy Fathers as not absolutely necessarie to saluation but only profitable or lawfull they ought to be esteemed little more then indifferent For the vse of them being as things not simplie necessarie in the beginning was free In such things therefore to deuise any necessitie at all it seemes vniust for by and by there will follow a necessitie of vsing them as wee fee it is come to passe in the Church of Rome which obserues at this day many things as simplie necessarie to the integritie of faith which the ancient Church scarce knew much lesse vsed as matters of necessitie I will alleage foure examples of many It is manifest that in the primitiue Church confession of sinnes was vsed but farre otherwaies then now For that auricular confession in that manner which you haue it was in vse in the primitiue ages I think no man will affirme His Maiestie grants that the Fathers which did first ordaine it had their reasons why they thought that such manner of confession would further the easier attaining vnto saluation but they held it not for a thing necessarie absolutely much lesse for a Sacrament or at least not all the Fathers thought so For as touching S. Chrysostome it is plaine that hee required not of his people auricular confession But the matter is now come to that passe that there is little lesse attributed to this confession then to the precious blood of Christ whereby wee are redeemed the absolute necessitie thereof is so precisely vrged Whence by little grew vp that doctrine in the Church of Rome of not disclosing the secret of confession vpon any occasion soeuer For because they beleeued that it was impossible without this confession to attaine vnto the hauen of saluation therefore they thought it necessarie to remoue all impediments that might hinder it Wherefore in time this doctrine hath proceeded so farre that now to murther Kings or suffer them to be murthered seemes to be no sinne in comparison of breaking the seale of confession which many of your Diuines especially the expounders of the Canon Law haue in their bookes published Moreouer Binetus a Iesuite did auouch as much to me at Paris in the same tearmes which I remember that I told you afterwards We know also neither perhaps is your Honor ignorant of it that there is another Iesuit in France which of late was bold to say That if our Lord Iesus Christ were liuing vpon the earth subiect to death and some man had told him in confession that he would kill him notwithstanding rather then he would reueale that confession he would suffer I tremble to speake it Christ Iesus himselfe to be murthered Which horrible blasphemie you see whence it tooke the originall In like manner abstinence from wine and daintie cheare set times of fasting xerophagiae or eating drie meates the ancient Church reckoned amongst such things as were profitable to the easier obtaining of saluation neither doth his Maiestie denie it giuing a conuenient interpretation according to the intention of the primitiue Church but by your leaue he liketh not that the obseruation of these things should be more strictly required then of such as are expressely contained in holy Writ Againe single life in the Ministers of the Church was in old time commended but now it is commanded and exacted as a matter of absolute necessitie whereof you shall heare more hereafter So whereas S. Paul saith that hee doth afflict his bodie and make it seruiceable his Maiestie honours and calles them blessed that follow this example of the diuine Apostle but he detesteth those which reckon sackcloth and Lacedemonian whippings and such vexations of bodie or as they call them satisfactions amongst the causes of saluation or at least so highly prize them that they make account of slouenrie and whatsoeuer nastines as of sanctimonial perfection But of al such his Maiestie doth especially abhorre them which after the manner of the priests of Baal rending their bodies with scourges would make vs imagine God to be desirous and thirstie for mans blood like Bollona the Pagan Goddesse Only he commends their wisedom which hiring others to be whipped for them doe purchase the merit of those punishments which they haue suffered So it commeth to passe that the rich offend and the poore are punished that penaltie pursueth not the guiloie but him that is in pouertie and want Wherefore his Maiestie as hee thinketh it vnlawfull to condemne those things which the Fathers of the first age by vnanimitie of consent did hold for things expedient or lawfull so he cannot endure to
man say you desire to haue issue Againe soone after when you declare the necessitie of approbation you reckon the choice of liuing in virginitie or single life which things when his Maiestie read he disallowed them not yet he thought that vnto both examples something might conueniently be added for vpon the former it seemes to follow that there is no other necessarie cause of mariage saue hope of issue But the Apostle S. Paul doth teach vs in expresse tearmes that they also are bound to prouide for mariage which want the gift of continence If they containe not saith he let them marrie This addition is of no small moment For who knoweth not what occasion is daily ministred in the Church of Rome of many and horrible crimes through the contempt of this Apostolike rule through the neglect of this necessarie remedie Wherefore in continent persons his Maiestie exceedingly commenceth the liuing in the estate of virginitie or single life and being by the singular mercie of God more familiarly acquainted with the sacred Scripture then most Princes are bee knoweth S. Pauls sentence of the whole matter and the examples extant in both Testaments and the rewards proposed to them that containe But wheras your Diuices doe commonly teach especially the Doctors of the Canon Law that fornication whoredome and other foule sinnes not to be named are more tollerable in Ministers of the Church then lawfull mariage and the bed vndefiled that his Maiestie accounteth a most detestable crime and most worthie of the hatred of God and men His Maiestie opposeth against all the cauils of Sophisters yea against all humane authoritie whatsoeuer that oracle of the holy Spirit pronounced by the mouth of the Apostle It is better to marrie then to burne For as a wise Captaine ought to be more afraid of receiuing ouerthrow or losse to himself then of weakning his enemie so in the election of a mans life whether he would lead it maried or single his Maiestie thinks that godly men ought in the first place to decline the transgression of Gods law and then on Gods name if any man haue the power let him vse that benefit of nature It is a thredbare cauill that England is not a lawfull Church because here wanteth the practise of such vowes But what can the want of vow hinder as long as wee are not destitute of that which is vowed For here are many Bishops and other Pastors of the Church who without ostentation of vow do abstaine from mariage and yet leade their liues chastly and saintly without any taint of common sinister report Moreouer for the Monasteries themselues his Maiestie as he is most earnestly affected vnto pietie and goodnesse would not haue dissolued them or not all of them as I haue heard him often protest if he had found them vncorrupted and obseruing the Canons of their first institution But his excellent Maiestie often wisheth that the Tridentine Fathers which could not bee drawne by the entreaties of great Kings and Princes to prouide for publike honestie on this behalfe would consider with themselues from what fountaine this doctrine did flow For whereas at the first single life was placed amongst profitable orders and counsels afterwards vowes were annexed at length men came to this absolute necessitie which now raigneth amongst you the law of God being abandoned and most vilely disgraced Now whereas in the end of this obseruation it is added that they which allow of some and reiect other of those things which the ancient Church beleeued as necessarie to saluation although vnder diuers kindes of necessitie haue no reason to affirme that they retaine the same faith and discipline with the ancient Catholike Church his Maiestie well enough perceiueth the drift of that speech He answereth therefore that he wil not extol his own Church by comparing it to a glasse without spot or to a face perfectly faire without wrinkle or blemish he leaueth such Pharasaisme to others Yet that this he knoweth euidently that if question be made concerning the essentiall markes of the Church or if you looke at those things which are plainly necessarie to saluation or respect order and decencie in the Church you shall not finde a Church in the whole world God be praised for it more approching to the faith and fashion of the ancient Catholike His Maiestie excepts none no not the Church of Rome which by new inuentions deuised for increase of superstition and for the establishing of her dominion ouer Princes and people hath manifestly turned and changed the faith and discipline of the ancient Catholike and swarued infinitly in many things from the puritie and simplicitie of the primitiue Church THE FOVRTH OBSERVATION WHen question is made touching the faith of the ancient Church there be same which doe limit antiquitie within one or two ages after the Church was founded but it standeth with equitie for examination of the controuersies of these daies to insist vpon that time wherein al parties grant that the Church was not only a true Church but then also most florishing and possessed of that glory brightnes which the oracles of so many Prophets had promised And that is the time wherein the foure first generall Councels are included from Constantine the Emperour vnto Marcion And there is the more equitie in this because there be so few monuments extant of the former ages but very many of this time wherein the Church florished So that the faith and discipline of the ancient Catholike may easily be knowne out of the writings of the Fathers of that age HIS MAIESTIES ANSVVERE THis condition will seeme vnreasonable to them which would haue the vniuersall historie of the primitiue Church concluded within the Acts of the Apostles which is but one little though most sacred and diuine book The most equall and prudent King is farre from this opinion who in his Monitorie Epistle hath ingenuously declared how highly he esteemeth of the Fathers which liued in the fourth and fifth age Neither doth his Maiestie doubt to pronounce with S. August that look what the Church hath duly obserued from her first originall vnto those times and for any man to offer to reiect that as impious it is a point of most insolent madnes For his Maiestie heretofore hath vnfainedly protested that hee approoueth of those markes of truth giuen by Vincentius Lirinensis à principio vbique semper that is from the beginning euery where and euer Wherefore the King and the Church of England in that they admit of the foure first generall Councels therein they sufficiently declare that they conclude not the time of the true and lawfull Church within the compasse of one or two ages but that they extend it much further comprising the time of Marcion the Emperor vnder whom the Councell of Chalcedon was kept But whereas in this obseruatiō you more esteeme the times after Constantine then the times going before that his Maiestie thinketh somewhat strange and indeed
doth not allow it He granteth that the Church of the fourth age florished aboue the former in externall glorie and splendure in wealth and plentie of learned men but that the Church of the former ages was equal with it or excelled as touching the orthodoxall rightnesse of faith and sinceritie of incorrupt discipline he is perswaded that none can make any doubt We finde euery where in the holy Fathers of the fourth age Basil Nazianzen Ierome Chrysostome Augustine and others most grieuous complaints of the faults and sundrie deprauations of their Churches Neither can it be doubted that the further men liued from the first originall the further also they departed from the originall puritie and sinceritie Wherefore when there is a serious purpose to clense and to sweepe the house of God why should not an especiall regard bee had to the time of the Apostles or the times neere the time of the Apostles It is true indeed that for the greatest part of that time the godly Christians did liue in obscuritie in pouertie and miserie by reason of perpetuall persecution yet consider well if in this sense also it be not better to goe into the house of mourning then into the house of mirth Pouertie and miserie are called the sisters of good minde riches and glorie haue not that honourable report And although many of the writers of those times be lost yet some are extant and those worthie of regard S. Cyprian that holy Martyr of Christ he alone if there were none else can better informe vs in the gouernment and discipline of the primitiue Church then many others which liued in the fourth age Wherefore the summe of his Maiesties answere vnto this obseruation is that he is well content there should be arguments brought out of the writings of the Fathers of the fourth and fifth ages but with this caution and condition that those things be allowed for ancient and necessarie to saluation which had not their beginning then but which may be cleerely proued to haue been continually obserued from the first originall of the Church vntill those times THE FIFTH OBSERVATION WHen there is question made about the vnanimitie and consent of Fathers some will haue it then to bee manifest when the matter controuerted is found in all the Fathers in expresse tearmes whose opinion being manifestly vniust it is more equitie for knowledge of consent of Fathers that these two rules be vsed First that the consent of Fathers should then be thought to be sufficiently proued when the worthiest of euery nation do consent in the auerring of any thing and that no man accounted orthodoxall doth oppose them So S. Augustine when he had praised eleuen of the principall writers of former times and the Fathers of the Ephesine Councell when they had brought out ten against Nestorius they all thought that they had giuen sufficient testimonie concerning the consent of the ancient Church The second rule is this When the Fathers do not speake as Doctors nor say that this or that is thus to be done or thus to bee beleeued but when as witnesses of those things which the vniuersall Church of their times beleeued or practised they affirme this to be the faith or practise of that Catholike Church through the whole world then they are so much to be honoured that such an affirmation must be held sufficient to proue the vnanimitie and consent of the Church HIS MAIESTIES ANSVVERE IT is an equall demaund that the parties which contend in these times should consent and agree how they may vse profitably the authoritie of the ancient Fathers For if the testimonie and authoritie of the primitiue Church bee taken away his Maiestie freely confesseth that on mans part the controuersies of these times can neuer haue an end nor by any disputation be determined Wherefore that it may be agreed vpon what and how much is to bee attributed to the Fathers and how farre their authoritie is to take place it will not be amisse that certaine rules be composed by the mutuall consent of the parties prescribing the manner hereof Amongst many other profitable and necessarie rules for this purpose his Maiestie thinketh that these two which you haue noted may haue their place But because the controuersies of these daies are not about ceremonies and other matters of lighter moment but about some articles of faith and opinions appertaining to saluation therefore his iudgement is that aboue all there be a generall agreement vpon this rule that opinions concerning matters of faith and whatsoeuer should be beleeued as necessarie to saluation ought to bee taken out of the sacred Scripture alone neither must they depend vpon the authoritie of any mortall man but vpon the word of God only wherein hee hath declared his will vnto vs by his holy Spirit Because the Fathers and the ancient Church had authoritie of deducting articles out of the sacred Scriptures and explaning but of coyning new articles of their owne they had no authoritie This foundation being laid both the maiestie of the Scriptures inspired by God shal remaine inuiolated and that reuerence shall be giuen to the holie Fathers which is due That this was the minde of all the Doctors of the ancient Church it may be easily demonstrated out of their owne writings For what words more frequent in their workes then these That the doctrine which is taught in the Church of God ought to bee taken out of the word of God And these For controuersies in matters of religion let the Scripture be iudge Or who knoweth not the golden words of S. Basil the Great in his booke De Fide It is a manifest fall from faith and argument of presumption to reiect any thing of the written word or to bring in any thing which is not written seeing it is the speech of our Lord Iesus Christ My sheepe heare my voyce And thus much be spoken concerning the obseruations proposed Now follow the foure instances For your illustrious honour being come to the hypothesis to the end that you might euince that his excellent Maiestie doth not beleeue those things which the Catholike Church did anciently beleeue you goe about to demonstrate it by foure arguments drawne from such things as concerne the outward worship of God or the liturgie and matters of daily practise in religion and afterwards you giue this reason why especially you bring these instances because if there were agreement concerning these the rest would bee easily agreed vpon His excellent Maiestie most illustrious Cardinall could wish that this might be hoped for but considering with himselfe what it is which at this day is vrged by your writers with chiefe care and eager contention there appeares no great hope of peace no not if there were agreement about these foure heads which you haue proposed For now adaies there is as eager contention about the Empire of the Bishop of Rome as for these or any other points of Christian religion
reckon it amongst the mysteries and indeed the Eucharist is a mysterie the remainders whereof should be consumed with fire That is as the fathers doe elegantly vnderstand it which should be adored by faith not debated by reason This is the saith of the King this is the faith of the Church of England Who that I may summarily comprise the whole matter doe beleeue that in the Supper of the Lord they are made really partakers of the bodie and blood of Christ as the Greeke Fathers speake and as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth spiritually For by faith they apprehend and eate Christ and they belecue that there is no other kind of eating profitable to saluation which all your men also haue confessed To the second Instance concerning the sacrifice in the Christian Church HIs Maiestie is not ignorant neither doth he denie that in place of the manifold sacrifices of the Mosaicall law the ancient Fathers did acknowledge one sacrifice in the Christian religion But this he auoucheth to be nothing else but the commemoration of that sacrifice which Christ did once offer to his Father vpon the crosse Therefore S. Chrysostome which maketh mention of this sacrifice as oft as any vpon the ninth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes after he hath called it a sacrifice straightwaies adioyneth by way of explication or correction or rather commemoration of that sacrifice That tearme or rather what force it hath you know very well And often hath the Church of England protested that they would not contend about the word so they might obtaine of you to haue the ancient saith restored And that these things which you practise contrarie to the custome of the ancient Church might be abolished For it is certaine that the celebration of the Eucharist without any communicants and all that merchandise of priuate Masses condemned by many of your owne Diuines tooke their originall from the peruerse doctrine concerning this sacrifice And whereas for the deliuering of the soules of the deceased from the flames of Purgatorie the necessitie of many Masses is vrged his Maiestie doubteth not but that this is a dotage of idle braines and such as for their owne gaine doe wickedly abuse the simplicitie of the people Remoue those and the like grosse and soule abuses which raigne amongst you the Church of England which in her Liturgie maketh expresse mention of a sacrifice can be well content to rest in the custome of the ancient Church Wherefore his excellent Maiestie being lately informed that not long agoe at a famous assemblie of Dominican Friers you disputed learnedly concerning a double sacrifice of Expiation and of Commemoration or religion hath affirmed in the hearing of many that he approued that distinction and commandeth me now to signifie so much vnto you To the third Instance of prayer for the dead THat it was a very ancient custome in the publike prayers of the Church to make commemoration of the deceased and to desire of God rest for their soules which died in the peace of the Church few are ignorant much lesse is it vnknowne vnto his Maiestie Neither is there any doubt but that this custome sprung from a vehement affection of charitie Likewise the ancient Church hereby gaue testimonie of the resurrection to come This custome although the Church of England condemneth not in the first ages yet she thinketh not good to retaine it now for diuers and weightie causes some whereof I will touch heere First because she is verely perswaded that without any precept of Christ the supreme Lawgiuer of his Church this custome was introducted neither could the contrarie hitherto bee demonstrated by any of your Doctors Wherfore although his Maiesty doth not take vpon him as he hath protested in his Monitorie epistle to condemne an ordinance which is approued by the practise of the ancient Church yet he is vndoubtedly perswaded that his Church is not bound by any necessitie to obserue it For whatsoeuer the ancient Christian Fathers haue done on this part all that his Maiestie reserreth vnto the head of things profitable or lawfull of which wee haue spoken in the second obseruation neither can it be prooued that this custome is to be referred vnto those things which are of absolute necessitie For whence should this necessitie spring not from the law of God for he neuer commanded it and if it flow not from that fountaine it is no necessitie For wee haue alreadie laid this ground that nothing ought to be accounted necessarie to saluation which is not either expressely contained in Gods word or thence by necessarie consequence deducted And wee haue declared that such things as the ancient Church beleeued or practised without necessitie the same ought now also to be left with libertie vnto vs. A second reason is that although his Maiestie acknowledgeth the authors of this custome to haue been very ancient yet no man hitherto could proue that such was the vse in the beginning and in the Apostolike times which is the fountaine of all antiquitie in the Church Besides that the prayers then vsed doe much differ both in their end and manner from these which are now practised and taught A third reason is added by his Maiestie that when once prayer for the dead tooke place amongst Church rites not long after a rout of shamefull errours and doting superstitions did band together and breake into the Church Now let indifferent arbitratours iudge to whom the name of Catholike should be denied whether to the King and his subiects which by reason of errours ensuing haue left off or thinke it not lawfull to vse a custome grounded vpon no necessitie or to your men which by sophisticall cauillations and incredible obstinacie had rather maintaine then reforme all the errors of former ages though neuer so grosse and pernicious To the fourth Instance concerning the inuocation of Saints COncerning the inuocation of Saints his Maiesties answere is the same with his former touching prayers for the dead From a small beginning as all men know it grew to such greatnesse that in former ages and I wish it were not so now in many places Christian people haue put more confidence and hope of present aide in Saints then ô horrible impietie in our Sauiour himselfe who being in the forme of God that he might bring saluation vnto vs which were his enemies did emptie himselfe by taking the forme of a seruant and humbled himselfe being obedient vnto death euen the death of the crosse And when this blessed Sauiour according to his neuer enough admired goodnesse and clemencie doth inuite miserable sinners with these sweete words of his Gospell Come vnto me all you that are wearie and heauie laden and I will refresh you yet some haue endeuoured by the peruersnes of their wit to frustrate this gracious inuitation and painting Christ who is our onely Aduocate to God the Father alwaies terrible and vnmercifull they would perswade poore soules that there is no way
to Christ but through the mediation of many Saints Moreouer some others haue openly taught that our Sauiour Christ hath reserued the seueritie of iustice vnto himselfe but indulgence and mercie he hath granted to the blessed Virgin Againe how haue they distributed offices and powers of healing amongst the Saints with wonderfull curiositie or rather detestable superstition And heretofore their suffrages only were desired that being gracious with God almightie they would make intercession for men but afterwards the world was filled with bookes concerning the proper seruice of this or that Saint and peculiar formes of prayer to be made vnto them Wherefore in place of that diuine booke of the Psalter which the ancient Christians neuer laid out of their hands which was the solace of men and women yong and old rich and poore learned and vnlearned there haue succeeded the Houres of our Ladie and Legends or rather impious and doting fables I speake not of the true histories of Martyrs and such vile stuffe And yet further as if it were not iniurie enough to robbe Christians of so necessarie and diuine a booke one of your men hath turned all the Psalmes to the honour of the blessed Virgin attributing vnto her as if there were no difference betwixt the creature and the Creator whatsoeuer was prophecied concerning the onely Sonne of God His excellent Maiestie doth extoll the happinesse of the most glorious virgin mother of our Lord affirming that she is eleuated vnto the highest degree of honour which God the Creator could impart to any humane creature he reioyceth also that the Church of England vpon set daies in the yeere doth solemnize the honoured memorie of that most blessed Virgin but the Sophisters of these times can by no cunning euer perswade him to allow or endure that Psalter of our Ladie For as touching Cardinall Bellarmine which hath lately defended it his Maiestie is perswaded that he is distasted of your owne as many as haue but any small sense of pietie Considering then that the Church of Rome is almost deadly sicke of such inward diseases his Maiestie wondred most illustrious Cardinall when hee read in your epistle that the inuocation of Saints as your men doe now practise it is the same which was in vse in the primitiue Church Wherefore his Maiestie answereth in few words First it cannot be proued that in the beginning of the primitiue Church any other but the almightie God was inuoked secondly that there is no precept in the word of God for it no one footstep of any example God onely was adored God onely was implored through the intercession of his onely begotten Sonne the one and only Mediatour betwixt God and man Afterwards was brought in the vse of praying at the sepulchres of Martyrs then began the making of apostrophees vnto Saints besides the worship of God then the making of vowes and prayers not primarily to pray them but that they should pray God Yet if these new examples had gone no further his Maiestie would not greatly haue reprooued the custome of those times at the least not so much condemned it as the abuses which hereupon ensued For his Maiestie doth honour the blessed Martyrs and other Saints which now raigne with Christ the head of both Churches triumphant and militant neither doubteth he of their continuall prayers for the necessities of the Church beleeuing stedfastly the benefit thereof but hee confesseth ingenuously that hee knoweth no reason whereby any man can promise or warrant vs that they heare our prayers and that wee should account them as our household gods and protectors Wherefore hee exceedingly disliketh that which followed in after-ages For by degrees it came to that which I haue shewed which the Church of England affirmeth to be impious in the extreame And if there bee examples extant in the Fathers of the fourth age for this inuocation as no doubt there are neither doth the King denie it yet this is a testimonie of the decay of ancient simplicitie and of an euill then growing but in no respect comparable with that which in the Church of Rome at this day is openly practised tolerated and defended Lastly although the holy Fathers did allow the custom of that time amongst things profitable or lawfull yet they neuer accounted of it as a thing necessarie to saluation which is the present argument of our speech And thus much concerning the foure obiections against the English Liturgie Now his Maiestie commendeth your iudgement that amongst all the things which you dislike in his religion you haue made choice especially of those which concerne matters of Church assemblies and diuine seruice For the communion of the faithfull consisteth much in the publike exercises of pietie and this is the chiefe bond of vnion so much desired by good men Wherefore if Christians could but agree about this why might not all Europe communicate together only granting a libertie to schoole-Diuines with moderation to debate other opinions Which were a thing much to be wished and that foundation once laid by the helpe of God much hope might be conceiued of the rest For this cause his excellent Maiestie greatly commending your iudgement herein hath himselfe likewise heere deliuered what things in your Liturgie he thinketh worthie to bee reprooued But if for the want of these foure things in the English Liturgie you think there is iust cause that they which vse it should neither be accounted nor called Catholikes then consider I pray you what his Maiestie may pronounce of the Church of Rome in whose Liturgie for hee passeth other points of your religion godly men haue obserued so many things manifestly repugnant to the word of God and the ancient Catholike faith Which things neuerthelesse the Pope had rather maintaine then reforme when the truth now shineth so cleerely And here although his Maiesty could easily rehearse many grieuous abuses in the Romane Liturgie yet it pleaseth him to name only foure which he opposeth to the other foure named by you The first is the vse of an vnknowne tongue contrarie to the precept of S. Paul and the practise of the primitiue Church to whom in their assemblies nothing was dearer then the good and edification of the hearers Wherefore the Fathers prouided the translation of Scripture into all languages and as Epiphanius noteth in the end of his third booke they had their Interpreters who if need were did translate one language into another in their readings as hee speaketh that is when the Scriptures were read vnto the people Surely that the things read were generally vnderstood this alone is sufficient proofe that in most of the Homilies of the Greeke and Latin Fathers wee meete with these words vt audistis legi or vt hodie lectum est as you heard it read or as it was read to day Which if your preachers should say were it not ridiculous when the poore people vnderstand nothing that is read out of the Scriptures notwithstanding they haue more
approue or suffer such things as are now practised and taught For to conclude as long as matters stand thus with you and yet you denie that you haue been the cause of the diuision it were meere doltishnes and follie to imagine any reconciliation amongst the diuided mēbers of the Church The last point in your letters was this that you are able to demonstrate cleerely what good consent there is betwixt the Church of Rome and the seas of the other Patriarches in these points which are now in controuersie But his Maiestie thinketh that you may spare that labour For hee knoweth and so doe others that are desirous to prie into such matters that not the West Church alone but the East also the Churches in the South and North parts of the world haue degenerated farre from the golden sinceritie of former ages and peraduenture further then might seeme possible but that the reuolting from the ancient faith must come to passe of necessitie being foretold by the oracles of God He knoweth also how those nations haue daily heaped ceremonies vpon ceremonies and how for more then these thousand yeeres superstitious men haue been too presumptuous in that kinde But when wee treat of reforming the Church of God the question is not what the East Church or the Moscouites Church doe practise or beleeue but this is the question what the Apostles haue taught from the beginning and what the Catholike Church hath practised in her times and in the ages next following That that is the paterne which the King doth ingenuously and from his heart confesse that he would imitate without all exception Neuerthelesse such as are skilfull in Ecclesiasticall matters they will not grant you this neither that the doctrine of the Romane Church doth agree in all points with that which is taught in the Churches of other Patriarches For to omit your worshipping of Images your fire of Purgatorie your precise obseruation of single life and the infinite power of the Pope euen aboue Councels to say nothing of these and other articles yet it is manifest that in the celebration of the sacred Eucharist the Grecians doe much differ from you Romanes In so much that Marcus the Archbishop of Ephesus speaking of the Romane Masse doth affirme that in matters of greatest moment it is contrarie to the word of God and the ancient Liturgies It is manifestly repugnant saith he to the axpositions and interpretations which wee haue receiued by tradition and to the words of our Lord and to the meaning of those words And of those which defend the Romane rites concerning this matter the same Marcus pronounceth that they deserue to be pitied both in regard of their double ignorance and their profound sottishnesse But thus much is enough for this present Now you haue heard most Illustrious Cardinall the reasons wherefore his excellent Maiestie of great Britaine after the reading of your letters doth neuerthelesse trusting in the mercie of God beleeue and maintaine that he and his Church are Catholike Who if he were not inflamed with an infinit desire of furthering the publique peace or if he supposed that you were otherwaies affected he would haue spared the labour of this answere Especially because his Maiestie calling to minde the daily writings and practises of your men is now as I said before stedfastly perswaded that through their dealings there remaine no meanes or hope of reconciliation For they are resolued to defend all and not to grow better or by the serious reformation of things depraued to winne the mindes of the godly In which resolution as long as they persist and will not yeeld one iot to antiquitie and truth his Maiestie professeth once for all that he regardeth them not neither will hee euer haue any communion with the Church of Rome So his Maiestie humbly prayeth to our Lord Iesus Christ that he would vouchsafe to direct those excellent gifts of minde which he hath plentifully bestowed vpon you to the honour of his name and the benefit of his Church And I humbly take my leaue of your Honour London 9. of Nouember MDCXI Faults escaped Pag. 4. lin 14. reade with no lesse pag. 9. lin 14. for token reade hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 10. 3. Ephes 3. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 3. 15 2. Cor. 6. 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Pace Orat. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Oratione habita in Concil Constantin Apoc. 18. 4. Matth. 5. 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non fugimus sed fugamur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 9. 27 Laconicas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob. 3. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 7. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. 7. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip. 2. 7. Mat. 11. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉