of themselues of their folowers The 51. Demaund Apostasie LAST of all to be short to cut off many other questions of like weight that I could demaund whether as in euery one of these Demaundes it is euident that they be Heretickes and Seducers so in many of them and much more in all of them it bee not likewise euidēt that they be litle better thē plaine Apostataes as First in changing the Priesthoode Heb. 7. c. 12. wherupon the change of al the Lawe ensueth as we see they also thereupon haue chānged wel neare all which no olde Heretikes euer durst to do except it were the Manichees Orat. de 5. Haer. c. 7.10.6 whom S. Augustine for that cause did note to be somthing els then Heretiks in saying that there were fiue sorts of people in the world Iewes Paganes Manichees Heretikes and Catholickes Secondly in reuiuing not one or two but so many olde Heresies besides as I am bould to say at leaste a thousand more of their owne inuention Thirdly for taking from Christian men so many arguments of Christs God head and Diuinitie as the inuisible Continuance and Authoritie of his Church the Honour of Crosses the vertue of Crosses the Honor of Relikes the vertue of Relikes Miracles Exorcismes Vnitie Sacrifice c. Fourthly for leauing nothing vndenied not Fathers not Councels not Traditions not Scriptures nor the only witnesse of all Canonical Scripture the Churches authoritie departing from the Faith of al ages since Christs time agreeing with no Christian time nor none with them Fifthly in place of al Religion and goodnes which they haue remoued deuising a new gospel of their foresaid onely vaine Faith which teacheth all Sinnes and all Heresyes to presume of saluation Besides much more that I need not to repeate And whether therefore people now a daies be not to to carelesse and negligēt of their soules that whereas they shoulde not vnder paine of euerlasting damnation yeald to any one Heresie haue so fowly yelded to so fowle Apostasie How beit as S. Peter saide to the Iewes Act. 3. Et nunc fratres scio quia per ignorantiam fecistis sicut principes vestri so I doubte not but that in our Countrey likewise many of all sortes may be somewhat excused by ignorance and therefore the more hope there is for such as wil repent But otherwise if any for all this list wilfully to folow on most fowly and most miserably deceauing them selues by cause afore God they can not possibly haue any excuse of their so doing no more then if they should consent to folow the proceedinges or to frequent the churches of the Arrians or of any other olde Heretikes yea or of the Turkes them selues if perhappes they liued vnder the raigne of such And therefore I say if any liste to contemne stil all holsome counsell and desperatelye to followe on not to returne to the Truth so manifoldly and so plainely opened some also to perfecute it moste malicioussy their blood at leaste wise Ezecb. 3 shal not bee required at our handes hereafter when they shall repente to late CERTAINE OTHER DEMANDS ANNEXED TO THE FORMER VERY FIT Also to be proposed to our En-English Protestants but principally vnto our Puritans EXTRACTED Out of a learned booke made by the Reu. Fa. Iohn Hay Priest of the Society of Iesus proposed vnto the Ministers of Scotland With licence Anno 1623. Stand yee vpon the wayes and see and aske of the old pathes which is the good way and walke yee in it and you shall find refreshing for your soules Ieremy 6.16 There must be heresyes that they who are approued may be knowne among you Cor. And I desire you brethrē to mark them that make dissentions and scandals contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoyd them for such do not serue Christ our Lord but their owne belly and by sweet speaches and benedictions seduce the harts of innocents Rom. 16.17 I know that after my departure there will rauening wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke and out of your owne selues shall arise men speaking peruerse thinges to draw away disciples after themselues Acts 20.29 THE PREFACE GENTLE Reader by the little experience that I haue in matter of disputation against Protestants I find the Prouerb to be verifyed which sayth That Aristotles Asse is able to deny more then Aristotle himself is able to proue For the most ignorant companion that euer handled a cudgell in schoole makes a shew to be some tale and iollie fellow all the while the skilfull Fencer suffers and wills his young schollar to lay at his Master he in the meane tyme lying only at his locke and defending himselfe and not offending his vnskillfull schollar But when this Maister begins to let flye at this ignorant fellow and to teach him the Art as well to defend himselfe as to offend others alas how doe the standers by laugh at this poore apprentice To see him who seemed some-body a little before to be now no-body and to be knockt and rapt how and where his Master listes The very like is to be sayd of the combate or Controuersy in Religion where let Protestantes alone still to stricke obiect and lay loade at Catholikes one would thinke I wosse that there were some matter in them For in opposing the Reall presence Purgatory Images Prayers to Saints Rayling at the Pope and the like you would thinke them to be some iollie fellowes but alas turne the offenciue weapon towardes him lay at him a little and do but teach this bould offender of others to defend himself all the beholders burst out in laughter and the poore schollar proues so vnskillfull that the blowes he should receaue vpon his buckler he beareth them off with his head and shoulders and is knockt and rapt euery where where the Fencer listes For euen so Protestantes seeme to shew some small skill in offending vs and our Religion but being put to defend their owne alas what poore Fencers doe they proue Let the Reader be but an indifferent behoulder of this ensuing combate and I assure him he cannot looke on but he shall laugh for his labour The 1. Demaund Their first Preachers VVHETHER the gospel of Christ was at any time preached in Scotland before Paul Methuen sir Iohn Knox yea or no 2. VVhence their Doctrine Seing no man ought to preach any doctrine but that which he hath learned in the Church of God because as witneseth S. Paul saith cometh by hearing Rom. 10 I demand from what Doctors or Pastors Iohn Caluin sir Iohn Knox and their like first learned their new doctrine now preached in the realme of Scotland 3. VVhence their vocation And sith it is written that no man may preach vnles he be sent Rom. 10 I demād by what power Syr Iohn Knox with other Apostataes Priests Monkes and Friars tooke vpon them this vocation 4. If Conforme to predecessors
Churches handes Aske them againe Whereas some auncient writers haue bene iustly noted for certaine errors whether our Church may be taxed with any of those errors yea whether our Churches Faith be not the Rule whereby both Protestants and all others safely may and do now read those writers and so most easilye auoide those errors being nothinge moued with the authoritie nor antiquitie of those writers nor with the greate showe of many Scriptures which either those writers or also sundrye olde Heretikes made for their errors knowing vndoubtedly by the Rule of our Churches faith that those Scriptures haue not that meaning being otherwise like to thinke as any indifferent man will beare me recorde that the Scriptures make for those olde errors heresies no lesse yea much more then for Luther or Caluine or any other Heretikes of our time And whether it be not plaine by this that our Church is that Depositorium diues Iren. l. 3. cap. 4. that Riche Storehouse wherein all Truth either by the Apostles or by any other 2. Tim. 1. d 14. hath bene laide vp and wherein euery man that will may without danger and without labour finde what soeuer Truth he seeketh The 38. Demaund Old Heresies VVHETHER on the contrarie side amongst the Protestantes any other Truth be to be found but only such as they receued of vs yea further whereas very many Falsehoodes Errors Heresies haue bene from time to time by the Church noted and condemned whether a greate number of the same Heresies be not now to bee founde amongest the Protestantes So many olde Heresies I saye whereas one were enough to proue theÌ„ heretiks as be enough to proue them almost Apostatates As Against a Epip haer 75. Aug. haer 53. Praying for the dead Against prescripte Fasting daies Against b Aug to 6. de fide con Manich. c. 9.10 Aug. haer 82. Ret l. 2. c. 22. Free wil Against c Merite of Single life Against c the Vow of the same at least tweÌ„ty more And therefore whether as our Church is the storehouse of Truth so their Sinagogue bee not the Sinke of false hood and of Heresie The 29. Demaund VVhere grew their doctrine AGAINE whether the Persons that of olde professed the said pointes of these mens doctrine and were of the Church therfore noted for Heretiks were not also otherwise most notorious Heretickes for certaine other pointes I say confessed also by the Protestants to be heresy As whether a Epip haer 75. Aug. haer 52. Aerius who held with them against praying and offeÌ„ring for the dead and against all the prescript fasting dayes were not besides that also an Arian the like of all their other Parteners Aske them now what it meaneth that their doctrine alwayes hath been found in such naughty ground and with such stinking weedes And contrarywise our doctrine touching the same pointes found also at the same tyme in such as they confesse themselues to haue beene good ground as in S. Augustine in S. Epiphanius and others who did so hold our sayed doctrine that they with the whole Church coÌ„demned Aerius of heresy for denying the same The 40. Demand They neuer afore new VVHETHER of this it follow not that they must needes coÌ„fesse that their church was neuer in the world neuer I say at no tyme before this our tyme Or else let them say whether one that is an Arrian denying Godes Sonne to be Consubstantiall that is to say Of the same substance with his Father may be of their Church Yea also of VViclef and Husse themselues do you aske theÌ„ how they could be of this their Church holding with Pelagius Iustification a Tho. wald to 3. cap. 7. Melanct. hom ad Friden Micon by mans owne merits and also b Heu Syl. in hist Bohe c. 35. that a King or Queene committing any mortall sinne leeseth streight his office and is no longer to be obied The 41. Demaund Studying all Truth VVETHER our Church to keepe safely all Truth in manner aforesayd doe not diligently studdy all Truth her Masters therefore in their Bookes and Schooles teaching all Truth her scholers therfore learning all Truth to defend I say all Truth of Christ against all enemyes against Painyms against Iewes and against all Heresyes And whether Protestantes on the contrary side but a few of theÌ„ God wot do study any more then a few questions of this tyme onely and that so lightly that they be afrayd to reason with common Catholickes Being all rather occupyed about wyuing and thriuing in the world then sincerely and learnedly to defend Religion Or let them tell vs why else our Countrey is so ful of Atheists Achristes and all kinds of most detestable heretikes Aske them whether in their vniuersityes they haue the whole course of Diuinity within a certaine tearme of yeares yea or in Anno Platonis proceding as they do all read ouer Yea whether their Students or Doctours also and Readers can tel you almost what the course of diuinity meaneth And againe aske them who for christian study and increase of godly knowledg fouÌ„ded those vniuersityes builded those Colleges and instituted those degrees of learning whether our Church or theirs and who hath authority to make Doctours of Diuinity whether Kinges and Queens or only Bishops And therefore if our Church haue againe taken from them her graunt and annullated their degrees as it a Bulla Pij 5. Anno 1564. hath done aske them by what title they will clayme the same The 42. Demaunde Vnsent VVHETHER the Preachers euer of the Church of Christ did take vpon them to preach and teach without a IoaÌ„ 20. c. 21 Act. 15. cap. 24. Rom. 10 cap. 15. sending And whether euer any all this while had authority to send forth Teachers but only the Apostles and their Successors and such as receaued it of them And if they say their sending to be extraordinary aske theÌ„ why all this tyme God did so send non other but only to barre such as they be from so saying Aske theÌ„ likewise where then be their Miracles Or whether any also afore Christes Church beganne were sent out of order without the gift of Miracles or of prophecy or of both Finally you may aske them what warrant they haue to hold such an office of a Lay Prince Or how without that office they can pretend to be the true Church of Christ The 43. Demaund Succession VVHETHER it be not euident in the a Act. 1. d 21. 14. d 22. Actes and b Tit. 1. b. 5. Epistles of the Apostles with the c Eus l. 2. cap. 13.15.23 l. 3. c. 2.4.10 Ecclesiasticall historyes of the tymes that followed that the Church once begunne by and in the Apostles did afterward grow on as Christ d Mat 13. c. 14. f. 4. â—6 c. 18. did promise that it should and spread it selfe ouer all places and through all ages by
tha Christ is God and also against the Iewes in the second of his fiue Orations that he made against them That Christ I say is God because his church although it had but a small poore beinning euē then very many very mightie and very fierce enimies yet could not nor cannot euer possibly be suppressed but contrariwise being in the beginning as it were but one litle sparkle of fire whole floudes yea seas of persecutions being poured out vpon it yet could it not be extinguished but contrariwise I say partely hath and partly shall set all the world on fire first or last bringing all to christ according to christs owne prediction which he also doth there alleage Aedifieabe Ecclesiam meam Mat. 16. Portae inferi non praeualebūt aduersus eam I will builde vp my church and Hel-gates shal not preuaile against it Now let it be considered whether this argumente doe holde if it be true which they say to wit that the church of Christ was not inuincible but that it hathe bene these many hundred yeares quite suppressed yea in Chrysostomes own time no church of Christ at all For they knowe if they graunt that thē to haue bene the true church that they must grāt also ours now to be the true church as being all one with that If then they will say that this is not a good argument lett thē be further demaunded whether they dare take parte also with the very Iewes Paynims againste the Christians yea and against the Godhead of CHRIST himselfe and whether they will go about or whether they be able which the Iewes and Paynimes were neuer able nor neuer shal be able to answere this argument And thē againe How they can for shame say theirs to be the Church of Christ not rather a plaine Apostasie from Christ that must needes labour to answer the arguments of CHRISTIAN men which they haue made against such infidels to proue that Christ is God And therfore againe whether it be not a sufficient Motiue for any Christiā man to be of our Church which he so plainely seeth anon more plainly shall see to stand vpon the very same argumentes against these Heretickes whereupon the Diuinitie of Christ himselfe doth stande against the Iewes and Painymes Finally let thē consider whether it be not euidēt by this that when they talke so much of Persecution to bring vs thereby into enuie and thēselues into fauour they do not geue wise mē occasion to marke that they cannot be the Church of Christ For Persecution is not a Motiue of it selfe alone to beleeue any Otherwise not onely one sorte but all sortes should be beleeued because all are persecuted Iulij 22. Stow. as themselues of late did burne certaine in Smithfielde But persecution is a Motiue after this sorte as S. Chrysostome here doth handle it to wit that Christ must be beleued to be God because according to his owne saying no persecution coulde or can ouerthrow his Church which being once granted that the Church of Christ I say alwaies standeth contineweth let the Heretickes say whether they had any cause to rise and therfore if they be wise let them lye down againe returne to the Church and saue their soules The 3. Demaunde Going out VVHEREAS it is manifestly writtē in the holy Scripture of the Apostles actes Act. 2.4.5 28. Act. 15. that the Church of Christ a began visibly a Hierusalem and visibly growing on b came at lengthe also visibly to Rome Whether the Protestantes can shew vs out of Scripture or storie that the Romanes with whom as it is manifest we agree in all pointes who then were in the church went againe out of the Church forsaking at any time the communion or company of other christians then liuing and making a new seueral church or companie by themselues asunder So as it is knowen themselues haue done being first of our company and their Captaines for the most parte also of our Mōkes Fryars as Luther Oecolampadius Hooper Bale with many others and afterward breaking from our company by disobedience and contempt of their ordinarie Superiours and so seditiousely setting vp these factions of theirs which now we see Whether also they can name vs any company that euer since the Apostles time so did and obstinatelie stood in it that was not Schismatical As it is plaine that they are Gono out so it is plaine I say that we neuer went out wherof it foloweth sensibly that as they be notwithin so we be stil within And therefore let them be vrged what they can say to this either for themselues or against vs. Or rather let them if they be wise geue ouer and quickely without more a doe come in againe The 4. Demaunde After rysing WHETHER they be able to name any time since the Apostles time when our Church first Arose Or because they refuse not onely our company as Schismatiks but also our Faith as Heretikes and also almost all our Religion as plaine Apostatats whether they can name any certaine Author and first beginner of the peculiar Articles of our Faith and Religion but Christ and his Apostles onely Let them be vrged to name the Article the time and person Sure it is that they can name no such But on the other side it is euident that their companie or companies beganne of late the Author therof is knowē the time of his rising not onely recorded in Histories but also fresh in the elders memories and very manie Articles of his Doctrine before vnheard of Many such cōpanies are noted in Histories rising so with new Articles after the begining of the church as Nouatians Sabellians Arrians Pellagians and very many moe Now for defense of their owne doing let thē looke amongst them all and name vs some one of them that notwithstanding this their rising afterward was not Schismatical nor their Articles Hereticall Sure it is againe that they can name no such and therefore is it euident both that we bee still the true and Primitiue or first christians and also that they be of a new false makinge and not true christians The 5. Demaund VVondred at ALso whether at any time the christian people wōdered at our Religion Doctrine or any point therof as then first appearing and afore not heard of and whether the Pastors and Doctors of the church then presently controled the same as new diuerrs from the Doctrine that was before And whether that all Heresies were not so wōdred at and so controlled at their first appearing WHETHER also that which seemed so strange to them that stoode in vnitie which was so gainesaid resisted in bookes Disputations and councels by them that had the charge of the Church of Christ were not alwayes Heresie the Professors of it if they were obstinate alwaies Heretickes without exception As our doctrine therfore which euen from Christ his Apostles is come quietlye to our handes
charge them and all other Heretickes with following some one man that was a new Maister and a deuiser of some new doctrine they cannot so charge vs with any one Pope at all because the Popes doctrines that we doe follow them in were not at any tyme newly deuised by them but receaued of the Apostles so kept continually of them al euen vnto this day And therfore Luther hauing nothing to charge vs with in this foresayd manner inuented this general tearme of Papists manifestly against himselfe being rightly scanned as the wise doe see The 9. Demande Conuersion of Heathen Nations VVAEREAS Christ did say that All Nations should bee conuerted from their Paganisme and be taught Io. 10 16. Mat. 28 19 Mar. 16.20 and heare his Gospell preached vnto them and whereas his Apostles beganne most gloriousely to doe the same let the Protestantes be asked who they are that did and doe accomplish the same Rom. 20 c. 18. whether they euer conuerted any Nation from Paganisme to be Christian and not rather doe only auerte Christians from the faith of Christ so as all other Heretikes haue done before them And on the other sid whether they know not how euen at this present our church filleth very many most ample Nations of the East and weast India with the Ghospel knowledg of christ And whether they do not confesse themselues that likewise all the other Nations which haue beene conuerted within these 1000. years which are very many were cōuerted by our Church Then of other nations afore cōuerted let them be vrged to name any one either cōuerted by them or not conuerted by vs but by some other Church and to some other Ghospell or some other Christ Finally let them peruse all Histories report truely whether they do not al note those nations then to haue beene conuerted vnto christ when they were conuerted vnto our Religion if any but we chanced to haue to do with the cōuersion of certain that their conuersion was neuer accompted right and good vntill they were amended by vs and namely vnited to the Sea of Rome And therefore let them be asked whether we be not or who els be christs witnesses vsque ad vltimum terrae Act. 1. euen to the furthest end of the earth The 10. Demaunde Touching Miracles VVHEREAS againe Christ confirmed his owne preaching to the Iewes by working of Miracles Io. 10.37 12.37 15.24 20 30.31 Mar. 16.17 Io. 14.12 Mar. 16.20 sending his Apostles with their Successors to conuert all other Nations promised and fortold that he would comfirme their preaching likewise with Miracles as also the Ghospell sayth that he did We aske the Protestantes whether they know not by Historyes that at the conuersion now of the Indes and afore also at the conuersion of those other nations by our church great Miracles are and euermore were wrought by our preachers And whether it follow not therupon that our Preachers are they whome Christ sent out and with whom christ worketh that their preachinge is true as christes preaching was true and his Apostles preaching true and that our Nations therfore be wel conuerted as S. Peter S. Barnabee and S. Paule doe proue therby I say by Miracles that the first Gentiles were well conuerted by them Act. 11.17 15.9.12 And besides the first conuersion of Nations whether they read not in most approued authors that afterward also almost continualy in euery Nation of our church most vndoubted Miracles be and haue bene wrought innumerable holy men and women of our church approued and honored by God with that gift as S. Bernard S. Frauncis S. Dominicke c. and very many articles pointes of our Doctrine also in particuler so confimed as the B. Sacrament the signe of the Crosse Relikes c. In so much that the auncient Christians writinge against the Iewes and Paynimes for the Godhead of Christ Aug. de ciui Dei lib. 22. ca. 5.8 de vtil cred c. 14.15 16. Re. lib. 1 cap. 14. Chry. to 5. cont Gent. de vita Babila col 885. do first shew that the miracles of Christ him selfe and his Apostls were wrought to set vp avisible Church that shold continue for euer wherof it foloweth that all Heretickes do rise in vaine And secondly they do by such Miracles of the Church as I haue saide daily to bee seene proue vnto those Infidels the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles recorded in the holy Scripture which those Infidels did denie because they did not see thē Let the Protestantes therfore be asked whether they dare ioine here in also with the Infidels against the christians and answere for them that the argument is not good because these Miracles of the Crosse and of Relickes and such like are not Miracles but illusions And then whē they shal by and by heare the Infidels say euen so also of Christes his Apostles Miracles let vs see a Gods name how wisely the Protestāts wil replie shew them a plaine difference betweene christes Miracles and our Miracles Or rather shal we not see them hereby not only confirme the Infidels in their incredulitie but also prepare weake christians to infidelitie yea them selues also readie to geue ouer therunto as in our countrey God helpe who seeth not The 11. Demaund Touching England our own Countrye AND here namely of our own Countrey a few questions whether it be not plaine by the Historie of Venerable Bede our Countreiman and other Authors that our English Nation a thousand years agoe in S. Gregories time was conuerted a lib. ca 23. by men of our catholike Romane church and conuerted to al points of our catholike Romane Faith as b lib. 1 ca. 26 Masse c lib. 3. k. 14.24 Purgatorie d lib. 1. c. 32 Saints c. And that our saide conuersiō was confirmed then e lib. 1. ca. 26. l. 2. ca. 2. l. 4. ca. 13 f. lib. 1. ca. 4 by wonderful Miracles And if this be not enough wheras the Britons or welsh men were conuerted before vs more then foure hundred years aboue fourtene hundred yeares agoe in S. Eleutherius time whether they were conuerted by S. Eleutherius to one faith and we English men by S. Gregorie to a lib. 1. c. 7.8.15.18 another faith Or whether g lib. 2 ca. 2 the greatest point wherein the Bipes of VVales differed from our Apostles were not about the Sonday vpon which Easter should be kept which the Protestantes pardy although ignorantly and falsely make to be no great matter And whether in that point also and in any other of less waight wherein they did differ the truth were not euen by the Protestantes owne confession on our Apostles side not vpon the welshe mens side Now for them to departe from this faith so longe continuing so confirmed so auncient so close to the Apostles time therfore as also because it came from
d. 17. Gospel by most auÌ„cient Christian b Iustin. con Triphon Tertul. in Apol. ad ScapulaÌ„ Cip. adu Demetr de va nitate Idolorum Arnob. contra Gentes Lact. l. 2 cap. 16. writers to the Painimes That their Idolles were not Godes but that Christ is God because ChristiaÌ„ men haue amoÌ„gest them an ordinarie power giuen by Christ to adiure Diuelles yea and the same Diuelles that were the Painimes Goddes with meruailous authoritie to encrease vpon them infinite tormentes vntil by such constraint they both confesse their names with other thinges that they be asked and also finally depart out of the bodies which they had posessed The practise wherof any man that list may see also at this day in our Church as my selfe and many other of our Countreimen haue seene and in all ages the like practise of our Church as the learned Protestantes doe know is recorded in Histories as the Diuell neuer ceasseth thus vexing of men so the church neuer ceasing to vse this power of hers against him for such as seeke vnto her Now let the Protestants that resist this church be asked what they can answere to this Motiue in behalfe of the Painimes and of the Diuels themselues whether they dare say or can shewe that the argument prooueth not the Idolles vanitie and christs Diuinitie S. Cyp. de vanitat Idolor num 4. Con. Car 4. ca. 7. Paulin. in Nata 4. S. Fe licis Or that in olde time it did but now doth not And what difference they can geue vs betwene the churchs Exorcismes then and now Or rather let theÌ„ humblie confesse their faulte that in drawing men away from this church they haue drawen them from their vndoubted sauegarde and so lefte them desolate and open to the Diuells inuasion working therby for the Diuells kingdome so manifestly that his raigning in their countreis people and proper persons is most euident and notorious which our Exorcistes would if they might be suffered geue them to see in many of themselues no lesse theÌ„ to Demetrian the Proconsull of Afrike who yet thought himselfe for witt tongue against christ in defence of his Diuells a passing orator to whom it were good for the new preachers to consider deeply what S. Cyprian writeth O sayth he that thou wouldest heare Cyp. ad Demet. num 6. and see them when of vs they be adiured and tormented with spirituall whippes and by torments of wordes cast out of bodies by them possessed c. Vent cognosce vera esse quae dicimus Come and see by experience that we say true c. Aut si volueris tibi credere de te ipso loquetur audiente te qui nunc tuum pectus obsedit Or if thou wilt beleeue thy selfe also out of thy selfe shall he speake in thine owne hearing that hath now possessed thy hart The 18. Demaund Destroying of Idolatry VVHETHER they see not by this that I haue saide that as it is our church which hath conuerted and doth conuert all Nations vnto christ so it is our church that hath destroied and doth destroy Idolatry Or let them say whether that both our Nation all other Nations now of christendome were not before their christening worshipers of Idoles as Iupiter Mars Venus c. And whether that vpon their Christening by vs they haue not bene so fully turned froÌ„ those Idolls that the Multitude hath forgotten their very names also And therefore whether it be any other church but ours Zac. 13. a 1. that fullfilleth the Scriptures which foretold of the destroying forgetting of Idolles ouer all the world Câ—â—â—â— S. Babil And whether auncient storyes and other writers doe not reporte the same oftentymes to haue beene done by our holy Images signes of the Crosse Relikes of Saints and most blessed Sacramente of the Altar And therefore againe whether Protestants in calling most blasphemously these points of our Religion Idolatry which I say haue destroyed and doe destroy Idoles be not as blind as he that sayth Isa 5. c. 20. white is blacke or rather as peruerse as he that sayth God is bad The 19. Demand Kinges VVHERAS the holy Scripture speaketh much of the conuersion of a Is 49. Kings at length namely of the b 7. f. 23 b Is 60. c. 14. b 11. Roman Emperours though first most cruell persecutors of the Christians ask the Protestantes first whether this doe not argue cleane against them that whereas they say the Church and fayth of Christ did soone begin to perish and vanish quite away that cleane contrary to them I say euen then to wit certaine hundred yeares after the beginning it increased much and florished a great deale more catching then hold also of those mighty Powers before her persecutours by their help in very short tyme destroying Idols and building Churches spreading it selfe ouer all the world Secondly aske them whether any one of those Emperors were conuerted to their Religion or whether such of them as were to be commended for some they well known fell afterward to be Heretikes though not Protestants But of them I say that were most Christian catholik as Constant Theod. c. Aske the Protestants whether they are not plainely reported to haue been of our Religion as c Aug. ep 42. Eus de vit Constant l. 3 c. 1. l. 4. c. 58.71 running to Relikes praying to Saintes praying for the dead d Theâ— hist l. c. 17. submitting themselues to the Church and generally in all other pointes so to be gathered by their lawes and specially by the tyme when they liued which tyme the heretikes do so plainely see to haue beene ours that they are fayn to say that Christs church did faile before that tyme. Thirdly wee aske them els whether they will for tryal of the truth get vs leaue to appeare with them before the Queens highnes both of vs to ioyne with her Maiesty in that Religion which shal be clearely proued to haue beene the religioÌ„ of those Emperours not only of so many Kinges and Queenes at home her noble Progenitors but of those very Emperours I say whose Religion and conuersion was so long c Isa 60. c. 14. d 11. afore more plainly foretold promised in the Scripture and there most specially the Religion euen of those whoÌ„ the great Oratour of VVoodstocke namely commended of late vnto her Highnes to wit a Theodosius Valentinianus d Theod lib. 5. c 36. Soc. l. 7. c. 21.46 Soz. l. 9. cap. 1.2 and Pulcheria the Virgin and Emperesse The 20. Demaunde In all persecutions BEcause the Romane Emperours first were persecutours Protestantes haue talked much of persecution as though we vsed them so as those Tyrants vsed the first Christians to the end that the truth many be plainly knowen aske them whether they wil be content to trye this coÌ„trouersy of Religion which is between vs Comfort sor Catholiks in England
Eus hist l. 4. c. 14 l. 6. c. 4.9.35 l. 8 cap. 2.17 Cyp. ep 5 34.37.57.69 by the religion of those ancient Martyrs and others then in persecution as S. Ireneus S. Cyprian S. Laurence and such others as we read of in the Ecclesiasticall Histories where they write of those persecutions and was sensibly the true Religion of Christ and yet I warrant you the learned Protestants that haue read and seene all will neuer be content to be tryed by it They know to well that it was not theirs Otherwise aske them what it meaneth that they and we be so contrary in setting out the liues of Martyrs their Foxe for example being most occupyed about their new foūd Martyrs of this our age and our Surius besides many others being altogether occupyed about the liues of old Saintes such as haue bene euen from the Churches beginning read their liues and you will not meruaile neither at Foxe on the one side nor at Surius on the other side And not only in the sundry persecutions of the heathen but aske them likewise of the sundry persecutions of diuers Heretikes as in the persecution of the Arians in Afrike a little after S. Augustines death whether the Catholiks whom those Heretiks did persecute were not of the same religion as we whome these heretikes doe persecute S. Victor who then liued with them writting that the Arrian King Hunericus permitted the Catholiks a Vict. de perse vand l. 2. fol. 12. Missas agere to say Masse in certaine Churches afterward charged them b f. 19. contra interdictum Missas egisse to haue sayd Masse in other Churches that they were forbidden writing also that afore him the Arian King Gensericus did forbid them all churches Neque c Lib. 1. fol. 3. vsquam orandi aut immolandi concedebatur locus Neither any place was permitted vs to pray or to Sacrifice And that thereupon caeperunt Sacerdotes qualiter poterant vbi poterant ablatis Ecclesijs Diuina Misteria celebrare The Priestes began when their Churches were taken from them to celebrate the Diuine Misteryes as they might and where they could so as they are fayne to doe now also in England Saint Augustine himselfe being to those Priests d fol. 2. fellow both in persecution and also in Religion The 21. Demaunde Churches VVHether they will be content to be tryed by the Relihion of those first christiā churches or temples and chappels a Eus hist l. 7. c. 24. l. 8. c. that in the foresayd persecutions were by the pagane Emperours ouerthrown Or b Eus l. 8. c. 28 by those churches that were afterward by the Emperours specially when they were conuerted built vp againe 9. c. 8.9 l. 10. c. 2.3.4 de vit Cōst l. 1. c. 40. l. 3. cap. 41.58 Bed hist l. 5. c. 12.18 c Bed l. 3. cap. 2. Chrys to 5. con gēquod Christus sit Deus col 1036 Or by the Churches that are now ouer al Christendome to be seene being the most liuely and most principall Monumentes of Christianitie And whereas the Churches now beare plaine witnesse to our Religion both in their fashion in their furniture as that they be builded at length into the East and the chiefest also in the forme of a Crosse furnished with Chauncells Altares Crosses and other Images with holy Relikes with Chalices and other holy vessells and with Holy Vestimentes c. Aske the Protestants what they reade of the aunciēt first Churches whether they also were not so builded and so furnished yea whether very many of these that are now to be seene are not of the very first and most auncient Or when the Churches beganne to be chaunged and altered from the first to a cleane contrary forme furniture As for example in our owne Countrey whether of late yeares they were changed from c Bed l. 2. c. 3.14.16 l. 3. c. 2.7 those of our first conuersiō Or whether those of our first conuersiō did differ from d Bed l. 1. c. 6.8.26 l. 2. cap. 5. the former of the Britons or welshemen Or whether of both Englishe I say and Britannes there are not yet some to be seene and they and others as well in that Iland as in all the reste of Christendome so like and vniforme that neither the Heretikes can pointe out so much as one that was of their Religion the Catholickes may see g Aug. ep 118. de bap l. 4. c. 24 by theire vniformitie I say that they haue bene and be al of the Apostles Religion and tradition And therefore put the Heretickes in mind of their hainous Sacrilege partely in pulling downe so many of the Churches partely in vsurping the reste and the Liuinges of al being the possessiōs of Christ and Dowries of his onely Catholike Church and no one of them all builded by Protestantes nor for Protestants nor for their wemen and children The 22. Demaund Seruice VVHETHER they wil be tried by the praiers that were saide or Seruice that was done in the foresaid Churches either before they were throwē downe by the Tirantes or after they wer reedified by the Christiā Emperours or any time since then Let them say what they reade therof likewisē in all Antiquitie whether they reade not expresly that alwaies there was in thē a Cyp. ep 69. Eus de vita Cōstant l. 4. c. 56.71 Aug. de cura pro mort in fine Praying for the dead and Praying vnto Saintes and in administration of the Sacramēt of Baptisme those very b August con Iul. l. 6. c. 8. l. 2. de nup. c. 17 18.19 Ceremonies which we now vse which they haue laide awaie as Exorcisme Exufflatiō Inunction Consecration of the Fonte with crossinge of the water c And whether they read at any time whē Masse did first come into the Churches ye whether they find not expresly as alwayes Altares chalices and Priestes so alwaies Masse and Sacrifice c Cyp. ep 66. August Confess l. 9. c. 12 14. euen for the dead also which they most abhorre with the wholle substance of the most holy Canon which they haue presumed to lay away not considering that euidentlye it came of the Apostles no Heretike being able to bring forth any other origen of any peice of the saide substance thereof Finally whether in all the Masse or other Seruice of our Church the which Catholickes most worthily doe admire they finde any piece although it were afterward brought in contrarie to the olde faith therfore what cause they haue to find fault with that more then with Gloria Patri Te Deum Quicumque vult Gloria in excelsis and very many more such afterward I say brought in and yet retained now by themselues also being all nothing els but godly exercises daily preachinges of the Faith that the Apostles taught Heretikes impugned the Church hath alwaies kept The 23. Demaund Apes WHETHER they haue in
their Seruice or any wher els any thing to be commended but they haue like Apes taken it of vs by imitatiō as may bee seene in their Communion booke comparing it with our Masse book in their spiritual Courtes Visitations Conuocations Councels Excommunications Burning of Heretikes Depriuations Degradations c. Aud therfore aske them how that can be the true Church which so must and so doth imitate or that the false Church which so is imitated and so worthy to be imitated The 24. Demand Priesthood ALSO whether they be content to trie Religion by the Priesthood that not onely these later hundreds of yeares but also from the beginning hath serued in the foresaide churches of Christendome As whether S. Hierome S. Augustine S. Cyprian S. Ireneus or any other were made Bishop or Prieste by a King or Queene and not by Bishops and Priestes Or whether it be not expressely written in many a Tim. 4. d 14. 5. d 22 Tit. 1. b 5 places of the new Testament that Bishops and Priestes should be and also were made by Bishops and Priestes And as the most aūcient priests of Christendome were made by such so againe whether they were not made b Hie. l. 14. in Ezec. 45 Paulin. ep 4. ad Amand. c. Cyp ep 66. to offer Sacrifice yea also c Ang. cō fess◠9. c. 14. for the dead And whether therfore there were not besides Priestes and Deacons which they seeme to retaine euen in the first Churches I say also d Eus l. 6. c. 35. Subdeacōs Acolytes Exorcistes Lectors Ostiaries or Dore-keapers all which they haue plainely laide away Whether these orders were not I say e Cyp. ep 66. in respect of a Sacrifice and there vpon so distinguished that although they might all be with in the Chauncell which the Lay people were he the King or Emperour f Theod. l. 5. c. 17. Soz. l. 7. c. 24. might not yet some of thē might g Dion Ec. Dion c. 3. p. 2. ep 8. ad Demoph not come at the Altar others might and there h Hier. in Ezec. 45.48 some able to doe lesse others able to doe more Let them say whether they finde not all this in Antiquitie yea and that it was thē so obserued much more straightly then we obserue it now and therefore wher as our obseruatiō plainly sheweth that we beleue a Sacrifice and also whom we beleeue to be there sacrificed so whether the more obseruation of the same in Antiquitie be not a plainer demostrantion that they also then beleeued the same And whether this be not so euident that they also to proue Christ to be GOD i Eus de laud. Const pag. 384. Cyp. Test l. 1. c. 16. Chry. to 5. Con. Iud. or 2 co 942. obiected this their Priesthood and Sacrifice to the Iewes Painims shewing vnto them that wheras then both in Herusalem and in all Nations both the Iudaical also pagane Sacrifices had giuen and daily did giue place to this Sacrifice that the same I say was euen so promised and foretolde by the Prophets k Mal. 1. c. 11. of the old testament And therfore aske thē againe whether by all this it be not euident that they haue changed the priesthood of the new Testament both because they are made by the Prince and because they are not made for the Altare or to offer Sacrifice As it is also euident onely by this that they go about to change the name of Priestes For as the Apostles bringing into the wolde a new Order changed the olde names of the Iewes and Gentiles to witte Pontifex and Sacerdos for which we haue no English and said for them Episcopus and Presbyter whereof are deriued our English names Bishop and Prieste so who seeth not that the Heretikes changing again those Apostolike names into Superintendent and Elder doe manifestly bewray them selues that they haue also changed the Apostolike Order And that wee who are found still to haue reteined the Apostolike names haue therefore neuer gone aboute to change the Apostolike Order In so much that wheras we as they know accompte their Orders no Orders yet they accepte our Orders for true Orders and hauing bene Ordered by vs seeke not to be reordered as may be noted in Parker Grindall Sandes Horne and many moe that are Priestes of the Catholicke making And herevpō may al men note how it is that wheras aforetime Heresies haue troubled the world vnder the name of christiās these men haue brought in not so properly an Heresie but as it may rather be called an Apostasie from almost all the Law of Christ For as Sainte Paule saieth Vpon the changing of Sacerdotium Heb. 7. c. 12. that is to saye Orders or Peiesthoode there must needes folow changing of the Law bycause the Law runneth so much vpō the Priests as is to be noted both in Moyses Iudaicall law also in our Catholike Christiā law which one thing I would to God they wold quietly sadly and with the feare of God consider that they I say go about to do against Christ and his law as much almost as the Turke if he should come would do and where he cometh doth The 25. Demaund Monkes THEN whether they be content Eus hist l. 2. c. 15.16 that the matter be tried betweene vs by the Religion of the Monkes Nunnes Ermites Anchoretes Soz. l. 1. c. 12.13.14 l. 3 c. 12.13.15 l. 6. c. 15.17.28 and other such like persons in state of perfection that were in those first tymes of the church of Christ Yea whether it be not a plaine confounding of them and their doings to heare that then also as euer sithens Aug. de moribusec cat c. 31 de vn Ec. c. 14. there were such persons in the church of Christ specially to see that a Eus de lau Const p. 385. christian writers haue against the Painimes made of thē for their straight life and great numbers an argument to proue Christes diuinity The 26. Demaund Fathers VVETHER they will be tryed by the fayth and Religion of the ancient Fathers Or whether euer any refused to be so tryed but onely Heretikes Or whether the Fathers Faith and Religion were not the faith and Religion of all the church in their seuerall tymes Or whether the Fathers were not all of one faith of one church and of one religion Or whether these besides many moe be not good causes for christian men to beleeue the Fathers in so much that the Protestantes themselues thinke it good and necessary to make a shew of the fathers in their books and sermons vnto the people But yet let them say in conscience whether they were not al of our church and of our religion Or els why do they put vs to defend their authority Why do they in writing and speaking as most men know so derogate frō their credite yea let them say whether they were not all
Succession And whether our church cannot shew in plaine authenticall writing the continuall Succession of her Bishopes and Pastors with their flockes euer since the Apostles time Or whether the Protestants Church can doe the like Yea whether they can in our Countrey referre them selues any further then to the letters patents of the Prince And whether this haue not bene e Opt. l. 2. f. 15. Hier. in Mic. 1. Aug. in Psa con par Do. nat alwaies vsed as a marke most certaine to knowe the true Church from Schismatikes and Heretikes euen in the f 3. Reg. 12. g. 31. Olde Testament also The 44. Demaund Apostolike Church VHHETHER in the Creede that we in our Masse and they in their Communion do vse this word Apostolicall were or could be put in as a plaine marke to know the Church which we must beleeue but only as it directeth vs to the Church of Rome seeing by experience that all other Apostolicall Churches Trent de praes Har. are now fayled Or whether the Roman Church be not Apostolicall as being the Sea of the two most glorious chiefe Apostles Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Opt l. 2. Aug ep 165. S. Peter and S. Paul Or whether in tyme of schisme and heresy the Fathers in their tymes hauing many Seas Apostolike did not chiefly looke themselues and direct others to the Apostolike Sea of Rome shewing therby that the Truth was theirs because the Bishop of Rome that came of the Apostles by lineall succession was theirs And therfore whether we haue not iust cause to followe their example specially seeing that Sea still hold on and continue as the Fathers said it should to the number now of two hundred and thirtie Bishopes Aug. in ps cont part Don. wheras to those Fathers time there were not fourtie The 45. Demaund Changinge VVHETHER we haue not yet againe iuste cause to keepe vs with the Churche of Rome seeing that the Romanes neuer changed their Faith which a Act. 2. g. 31. Rom. 10 c. 12. 6. 17. 16. c. 19. they receiued of S. Peter S. Paul Which is so plaine that I appeale to the Protestants them selues whether the Romans did not for example Pray for the dead euen then when those Fathers aforesaid did auouch that they were vnchāged yea so wondēring euen thē also at Aerius for denying the same that togeather with all other Churches they condemned him as an Heretike for going about to change that which alwaies vnitll then they had keapte vnchanged as they doe keepe it stil both that all the rest and that by the Protestantes owne confession these thousād or twelue hūdred years Whereby no wise man can doubt but that they remaine also the rest vp to the Apostles time also without change Yea to consider no more but that since Luthers time the Popes haue not changed one iote and that the Heretickes on the other side haue not since then lefte nor do not leaue changing euery daye may to any man of indifferent iudgement seeme a demonstration that the Popes neuer at all did chang And as for one or two amongst all the Popes whom they charge with erring first we deny it for it is most false as the learned Catholikes haue well declared Secondly we say supposing some Popes had erred yet neuer did any Pope goe about to chang the Romans faith with his error Thirdely we say and let the wise consider it well that were it so those Popes did erre also goe aboute to infect the Romans with those errors yet is it not those errors wherewith the Protestantes do now charge the Pope the Romanes And therefore whē they blasphemously burden S. Liberius with Arrianisme or any other with the like they might better holde their peace then so to lie yet their lye nothing at all vnto the purpose The 46. Demaund Our Auncestors saued THEN whether al this while that they cōfesse our church to haue bene at least 12 hundred yeeres they will say that all our and their fathers mothers grād fathers and grandmothers and other Anncestors Kinsefolke Countreimen and all others that haue gonne so long for Christian men Iustin. l. 4. cap. 2 in fine c are all dāned in Hell yea whether Caluine him selfe do not confesse the contrarie that our Church I say serued well the turne all this while to saue men from Hell and to bringe men to Heauen Aske them then why it cannot serue still that turne as wel Or if they say that ignorāce afore did excuse now because of their preaching it cannot aske them why they do confesse that S. Augustine and such like are of all most surely saued who yet had not this ignorance but knew right well their new doctrine as in Aerius Iouinianus Vigilantius c and condēned it for most wicked Heresie And therefore whether it be not wisdome for al men to hold thē still in our chuch or to returne againe vnto it The 47. Demaund Communion of Saintes ALSO whether their church as it neuer was in the world before now so now at theire first appearing haue not cōmitted many most foule absurdities in pinching vp it selfe so narowly into the streightes of one small Countrey that in it one Christian man to another euen in spirituall affaires is a stranger that in it an Ecclesiasticall and Apostolicall power erected by Christ is deemed a foreiner that in it any Generall Councell that euer was or euer can be gathered of the Bishops of other Nations of al christēdom yea or of their owne confederats can take beare or haue no whit of authoritie that in it Epistles directed frō beyond the Sea by S. Paule himselfe if he were aliue such as his Epistles to the Romanes Corinthians c could beare no sway that in it all the Apostles togither writing frō their Synode of Hierusalem as they did to the Antiochians Act. 15. might beare no stroake that in it Christ himselfe without the King and the Parliaments consent might not dispose of his own churches but hold his peace and leaue his medling like a Foreiner as he was vnlesse he would say that he were the naturall King of Englande and displace the lawefull heires of the Kinges afore time because by their saying that headship cannot be separated from the kingshipe being as they say a real naturall and essential parte therof and therfore they shoulde not write the King of Englande Head of the Church of England no not vnder Christ vnlesse they wold write him also King of England vnder Christ. Of many other their absurdities Conf. l. 9 c. 12.24 as that S. Augustine there with our Priestes doeing his request should forfeite an hundred Markes for saying Masse for his Mothers soule c. I here say nothing The 33. Demaund VVhere Christ worketh VVHETHER it be not our Church onely which now and euer is so blessed of God and so embrued with Christes Blood that she hath grace in
her Sacraments as well for remission of sinnes after Baptisme as of sinnes before Baptisme to the vnspeakable comfort of all that be heauy loaden merite in her workes force in her word power in her teaching so that shee breedeth deuotion turneth to Religion to the search of saluation strangely altereth the hartes of men yea her children therfore being the saddest sorte of people men of best order in all families townes and citties for all goodnes best beloued both of God and man And whether with the Protestantes all be not cleane contrarie No preaching of Penance no grace in Sacraments nothing but sinne in good workes although they be done in Christ no power to bring vnder Diuels no blessing no comforte And their folowers therfore easie to be noted by their ill conditions All persons as they fall from order and godlinesse more neare they become to their Religion a generall obseruation that all men as they returne to our Church bettered and amended as they fall to their Synagogue much worsed more then afore corrupted And yet be they neuer so wicked flagitious haue they Onely Faith and no doubt they shall be saued And what Faith I pray you Not our Christian faith which is conteined in the articles of our Creed and such like but a speciall Faith or an vndoubted perswasion that he is predestinate For who soeuer so perswadeth him selfe doubting no more therof thē he doth of one God and of Christs birth death and other Articles of the Creed he they say most certainly is predestinate and shall be saued and his sinnes are thereby remitted And it is forsooth a goodly comfortable way because it teacheth men to bee soe certaine But in truth and in deed if it be a litle examined no greater teaching of vncertaintie For say we vnto them not onely English Protestantes but also any wicked man cōtinuing in his wickednes may firmely persuade him selfe that he is predestinate and all other Heretiks of this time do so teach and so persuade them selues euē those two Anabaptistes also whō for dānable creatures thēselues of late did burne in Smithfielde How thē teach you that the said faith or persuasiō saueth all herevnto they say that such Heretiks and wicked persons can not haue this wonderfull faith because it cannot be without true doctrine nor without good workes But say we they persuade thē selues and they will sweare yea and die in it yea and which is greatest of al they know that they so persuade thē selues as who knoweth not when he persuadeth him selfe of any thing as of One God of Christ and so forth O say our Protestants and the like say the others of them to but they do not soe perswade them selues And where I pray you is now becom this great certaintie the matter being brought now to this passe that by their owne saying of one another no man can tell when he is certaine in so much that also of any one of their owne fellowes standing now in true doctrine as they esteeme it in good works and so persuading himselfe to be predestinate if he fall hereafter they must then and wil say of him that he did not afore persuade him selfe and so none of them all can say to day that he is certayne because he cannot tell what he shall doe to morrow Is not here then trow you a greate certaintie that I vse no other reason against this vaine sinfull point of their doctrine being yet the groundeworke of all theire innouations Well whatsoeuer they say euery man seeth that all Heretikes naughtie packes may and that some of euery sorte do thus persuade assure themselues And we on the otherside be sure that not by our only bare persuasion as they see by this Booke that none of them all so cōtinuing shall be saued And therfore best it were for them to confesse the vanitie of their new special faith and to returne to the Catholicke faith and so liuing through the grace of Christ in good workes to hope assuredly for saluatiō wherof now most vainely they do presume or rather in deed they neither hope nor presume but think verely that there is no saluation at all vsing therfore their owne religion as if they thought it and as it is indeed no religion at all as now at length the wiser sorte principall of the Realme haue proued infinite waies by experience of their doinges according to our Sauiours true prophecie Mat. 7. Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos By their fruites you shall knowe them The 49. Demaund All enemies VVHETHER it bee not our Church onely which al the enemies of Christ do fight against conspiring all against vs as the companie that onely standeth in their way that onely beareth off their brunte specially all Sectes and Heresies for that cause bearing intollerably with one anothers blasphemies and as it is called syncretizing and tyed togither by the tailes like Sampsons Foxes their heades being most farre a sunder Iud. 15. and counting Turkes and Iewes and very Atheistes for their frendes and all that be not Papistes And therefore whether our Church be not the true Church and our Church onely as which only both now and euer hath bene of all maligned by Hel gates impugned The 50. Demaund Sure to continue VVHETHER our Church for all this fighting and conspiring against it Aug de vt cred c. 8 Psa con part Dō Chri. cō Gent quod Christus sit Deus col 1039 as it hath hithervnto stood vpright so be not sure to stande and continue likewise hereafter Or els how is it that the Fathers which in their sundry times haue bene bould so to say of the Church namely also of the Church of Rome that it I say should stand foreuer could not all this while be proued liars yea whereas they haue further saide that the Church by oppugnatiō should not ōly not be ouercom but also more increase therby and florish Whether this saying of theirs as alwaies heretofore so now likwise be not plainly iustified innumirable persons as well of our owne countrey that against all hope of man but to the gratious safetie hither to no doubt to the wise of the State so much maligned by the Puritans as of others also daily seing and confessing that ours is the true Church and ours the true Religion and the Heretiks haue fowely abused hitherunto their ignorance The Heretikes in the meane time partely by the conuersiō of such partly by their continuall diuiding into so many strange Sectes daily diminishing and as all other Heretiks before them going to nothing And whether they were not best therefore to put vp their pipes as Humfreie his wise Syllogismes in his Onus or prophecie of the ruine of Rome to holde their barking against the Moone and to leaue with Saul their vaine kicking against the pricke getting nothing thereby but onely the eternall hurt destruction both
the heresie of the Eunomians Aug. ad quod wlt Deum heres 54. that by faith only man may obtaine life euerlasting 54. Of the Pelagians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Pelagians Aug. ad quod vult heres 11. teaching that infaÌ„ts may be saued without Baptisme 55. Of the Iouinians Why haue yee renewed the heresies of Iouinianus Aug. ad quod vult haer 81. teaching mariage to be as acceptable to God as virginitie that it is lawfull for Monkes Nunnes to marrie 56. Of the Vigilantians Why haue yee renewed the heresies of Vigilantius denying the inuocatioÌ„ of Saints the honoring of the relicks of the Martyrs Hier. con Vigil 57. Of the Eustichians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Eustachians affirming that it is not lawful to go in Pilgrimage vnto holy places 58. Of the Iconomachians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Iconomachians Concil Gang. breaking downe the Images of our Lord Iesus Christ of his Saints 59. Of the Beringarians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of Beringarius denying the body and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ to be reallie present in the Sacrament of the Altar 60. Of many other heresies Why haue yee reneued maÌ„y other heresies of the Albigenses Waldenses Wickliffits Hussits of Abailhardus of Almaricus of other more detestable heretiques condemned many years since by the church of God 61. Following heretiques only in some pointes Why haue yee followed the aforsaid heretiks in these pointsoÌ„ly in which they haue dissented froÌ„ the whole church of God and reiected the rest of their doctrine 62. Scottish Reformation Whether your Reformation which yee haue made in the realme of Scatland in pulling downe of the Churches be not rather like to the Reformatign of Turkes and Pagans then to a Reformation made by Christians 63. Churches made Stables Whither in making Stables of the Churches in Scotland so that horses were stabled on your Kinges graues and in diging vp the bones of Christian men resemble yee rather to be Christians or Infidels and Pagans 64. Burning Reliques What moued you to burne the holy Reliques of Saints who were Temples and Tabernacles of the holy Ghost when they liued which among all ChristiaÌ„s since the Apostles dayes vnto this present haue bene holden in honor and veneration 65. Burning the Doct. writinges Why burnt yee the writinges of the Doctors holy fathers as of S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Hierome and others and yet shame not to say that yee professe one faith with them 66. Depossing magistrates Where is the veritie and effect of your solemne protestations promising that your ReformatioÌ„ was not to disposses any magistrat when yee haue not only raised vproares in the contrie and expelled thence the chiefe magistrates but in your preachinges would plainly thrall all kinges and kingdomes and haue them subiect to the election and punishmeÌ„t of the people setting forth your sundry bookes therupon 67. Libertie of Conscience Why in the begining of your new gospell preached yee liberty of conscience now constraine all men to subscribe to your new doctrine yee them whome yee know to beleeue the contrarie 68. Profession of pouertie Why preached yee when yee first vsurped authoritie to preache that the Ministers of the word ought to profes and obserue pouertie as the Apostles did and presently none in the whole realme are so couetous as yee are not only to giue mony vpoÌ„ land but also vpon planie vsurie 69. Churches patrimonie Why pretend yee to haue the benefices and patrimonie of the Church seeing yee cannot shew your selues to be lawfull heires and successours to them who were the true and right posessors therof before you And why haue yee reiected as Idolatrie all that which appertayneth to them whom yee cal papistes excepting only the patrimonie liuing of the Church Or if there were no Churchin the contry before your coming why pretend yee as patrimony any other thing theÌ„ hath already bene giuen to your congregation by those of your owne coate 70. Building Churches Seeing one spirit could not moue so many of our Kinges to build so many Churches Colledges Abbies and you to destroy the same which of you two may be iustly esteemed to be moued by the good spirit and which by the euil 71. Finally whether these your doinges tend not to the abolition of all memorie of our Lord Iesus Christ yea or no Seing already some of you doe dout in what time of the yeare he was borne as whether in winter or in summer so that apparently your next dout will be whether he was borne or not which appeares to be the end and conclusion of your new gospell THE TITLES OF THE DEMANDES Contayned in this booke of D. BRISTOVV 1 COLLATIO CarthagineÌ„sis pag. 6 2 Building of the Church 11 3 Going out 16 4 After-rising 18 5 VVondred at 20 6 Name of Catholikes 22 7 Name of Heretikes 26 8 Name of Protestants 27 9 Conuersion of Heathen Nationss 31 10 Miracles 34 11 England 38 12 Visions 41 13 Hoâ—or of Crosses 42 14 Vertue of Crosse 45 15 Honor of Saintes 46 16 Vertue of Saints 47 17 Casting out of Diuells 48 18 Destroying of Idolatry 52 19 Kinges 54 20 In all persecutions 57 21 Churches 60 22 Seruice 63 23 Apish imitation 66 24 Priesthood 67 25 Monkes 72 26 Fathers 73 27 Councells 75 28 Sea Apostolicke 77 29 Traditions Apostolike 78 30 Their owne Doctors 79 31 Vniuersality 80 32 Antiquity 82 33 Consent 83 34 Authority 84 35 Vnity 89 36 Keepers of the Scriptures 91 37 Store-house of all Truth 92 38 Old Heresyes 95 39 Where grew their dostrine 96 40 They neuer afore now 98 41 Studying of all Truth 99 42 Vnsent 101 43 Succession 102 44 Apostolike Church 103 45 Changing 105 46 Our Auncestors saued 108 47 Communion of Saints 109 48 VVhere Christ worketh 112 49 All enemyes 118 50 Sure to continue 119 51 Apostacy 119 THE TITLES OF THE DEMANDES Contayned in this other booke 1 PReachers 131 2 VVhence their doctrin 131 3 VVhence their vocation 132 4 If conforme to predecessors 132 5 VVho their Doctours 133 6 Their admission of Tinkers 134 7 If the oÌ„ly writteÌ„ word be Iudg 135 8. S. Thomas Ghospell 136 9. VVhy Iewes credited 137 10. Churches authoritie 137 11. Citing only the writteÌ„ word 138 12. If Scripture be easy 139 13. Conference of places 139 14. No meanes to be resolued 140 15. Traditions 141 16. Thinges vnwritten ordered 142 16. Church not inuisible 142 17. Their Church how long 143 18. The Sinagogue visible 144 19. Time of decaying 145 20. Sucession of theirs 145 21. Condemning heresies 146 22. Imitation of heretiques 146 23. Sacraments seales 147 24. Faith assures not grace 147 25. Value of Sacraments 148 26. Necessitie of Baptisme 148 27. Preachetiue Baptisme 148 28. Baptisme of Infidels infants 149 29. Ceremonies of Baptisme 150 30. Confirmation 150 31. Reall presence 151 32.
Father for thē nor for any one thing that they hold against vs The 34. Demaund Authoritie VVHETHER the Church of Christ did not euermore take her selfe to be of Authoritie irrefragable and so beare her selfe as necessarie worthie to be beleeued vpon her onelyword and therfore no man to controll her a Aug. ep 105. Sentence or Iudgement no man to misdoubt her b Aug ep 118 c. 3. ep 105. Practise And whether S. Augustine haue not written a booke therupon which he calleth De vtilitate credendi Of the vtilitie of beleeuing the Church in all thinges shewing how profitable how necessary how sure a way that is for the finding out of true Religion And whether the Maniches then as the Protestantes now founde not fault with that way And whether the true Christians notwithstanding did not for all that hold thē against those all other Heretickes vpon the Churches Authoritie Chris con gent. de S. Ba◠coll 882. 884. Et con Iud. ar 2. col 928. Eus Hist l. 1. c. 3. Devt or c. 14. yea and alleage it also vnto the Iewes and Painimes to proue that Christ is God and that the holy Scriptures with the Miracles and all other things in them contained be true because I say the Church or company of the Christians so saith and so beleeueth And whether Saint Augustine and that by true reason doth not infer therupon that seeing we beleeue Christ and the Scriptures because of the church we must therfore beleeue the Church in all other thinges also whatsoeuer it saieth against the Heretickes And whether this Authoritie do not therefore argue that the Church can neuer erre And whether neuer erring doe not argue that it can neuer perish And therfore again whether it do not now also well worthely claime the same authoritie Yea whether the Protestants themselues haue not receaued many thinges as Christ himselfe and the Scriptures themselues c. vpon our churches credite the church I say that now is Aske them then howe they can possiblye bee the church who willingly doe renounce the claime of such Authoritie and doe by their doings confesse it to be in the companie of their aduersaries Finally bydde the deceaued consider this well that they haue no forte or nūber of men amōgst them whom they may truste in all thinges with whom and in whose steppes they may venture to walke the way of Faith and Religion towardes saluation None of all the Sectes in our countrey nor in all the world so happie none so secure and therfore no Church amongest them because I say they openly renounce the claime of Authoritie confessing therby that it is not of them that the Creed saith I beleue the Church in so much that they haue suffered of late an vnlearned Christian as he is called to set out in Print a vaine libell againste the Aucthoritie of the Church of God comparing and opposing vnto it the Authority of the word of God as though the word of God and the Church of God were one against the other it being yet so plainely written that as the Father saied of his Sonne Mat. 17. Mat. 18. Ipsum audite Heare him So the Sonne said of his church Si Ecclesiam non audierit sit tibi ficut Ethnicus Publicanus If he will not heare the Church do thou vse him as the Iewes did as an Heathen and a Publican And yet this felow trusteth so much in his owne folie Prou. 17 that he is bold to prouoke all catholiks to answere his childishnes or els they must be accounted saith he no lesse then very Murderers It were good for him poore man that he had in him no more pride then learning My best counsaile to him for his saluation is that he reade humblye these Demaundes and looke whether any of his greate Masters will answere them And if after this his stomacke serue him still let him set out his Libel more orderly with his name with approbation of their Rabbins and with priuiledge that we labour not in vaine with the grace of God he shall quickly see it answered as vnworthy as it is The 35. Demand Vnity THEN whether vnity proced not of the sayd Authority And our Church therefore one for euer and not possibly by any questiō or controuersy to be desperatly deuided within it selfe They on the other side for lacke thereof running euery day into more and more diuision amongst thēselues multiplying Sectes as all men do see without hold or measure not being able to aleage herein any excuse for thēselues which the Arians Donatistes other olde Hereticks might not as well aleage for excuse of their diuisions yea euen their owne Doctrine being the very cause therof and they therfore guiltie of all these sectes that doctrine I say wherin they teach that the Scriptures are so easye and that therefore euerie one may folow his owne sese yea and vant also that it is the sence of the Spirite himselfe And whether the Churches inseparable vnitie be not so sure an argument of Truth that it is a moste iuste Motiue by Christes owne saying for the world to beleeue in Christ that no man meruaile seeing the infinite Sects that be now in Englād that there be also so many incredulous that beleeue not in Christ The 36. Demaund Kepers of Scriptures VVHether it were not our Church that notified to the worlde the Canon of the holye Bookes of the new Testament Whether it were not our Church that hath had the custodie construing both of the foresaid and of the other Bookes of the holy Bible euer since the Apostles time Or else whether before this time the Expositors thereof were Protestants And whether the Protestants had not the saide Books of vs And whether they can charge our Church all this longe while of her possesion with adding or minishinge any iote thereof Or whether they can not bee charged this short while of their vsurpation with robbing vs of many wholle Bookes thereof Bookes I say canonized in aproued Concels and of many a particulare portion more or whether euer any coulde be so charged but only Heritikes Finally whether our Church therefore be not the ōly true possessor or keper of this treasure as to whom only the Apostels cōmited it and therefore againe ours the only true Church The 37. Demaund Storehouse of all Truthe VVHETHER not onely all Canonicall Scripture as I haue saide but also all other truthes agreed vpon at any time by the Church of God and as it were laide vp for euer are not at this tym to be foūd in our church as that which was agreed vpon against the Arians that which was concluded against the Donatistes briefly that which was defined aganst all other Heretikes Aske them whether it haue not bene hither vnto and whether it be not still safelye keapt in our Church And how them selues came by the saide Truthes whether otherwise then at our
l. 4. Inst c. 17. n. 3â—â— that when yee receiue the sacrament Christ is made verely present vnto you Not that he should be on the earth where yee are but that yee should be lifted vp to heauen where he is and to which of the heauens were the Apostles lifted vp when they had our lord Iesus Christ sitting with them in the last supper 34. In two places at once Why attribut yee more to your owne faith then to the omnipoteÌ„t power of God Cal. l. 4. Inst cap. 17. n. 31. saing that by your faith yee are truly lifted vp to heauen and so at one time yee ar both in heauen and earth and deny that Christ can cause his body to be really present at once in heauen and earth 35. Penance Why deny yee the sacrament of Penance Cal. l. 3. Inst. c. 4. by the which the lawful ministers of Gods word as instruments of his Maiestie giue vs remission of our sinnes according to the word of Lord Iesus Christ Ioh. 20. Whose sinnes yee forgiue they are forgiuen whose yee retaine they are retained 36. Order Why deny yee holy Order to be a sacrament l. 4. Inst c. 14. n. 20. seeing your master Caluin doth most euidently confes it to be one as is most manifest in the written word of God Mat. 10. Luc. 9. 37. Extreame Vnction Why deny yee the sacrament extreame Vnction seeing the Apostle S. Iames cap. 5. speaketh so manifestly therof saying Is any sick among yov let him send for the priests of the Church let them pray ouer him and annoint him with oyle in the name of our Lord 38. Matrimonie Why deny yee the sacrament of mariage Ephes 5. seeing S. Paul witnesseth in so plaine words that it is a Sacrament And why doth your master Caluin lye so loudly affirming that no man vntill the time of Gregorie the first of that name Pope of Rome In c. 5. ad Ephes l. de fide op c. 7. euer saw that it was giuen for a sacrament seeing S. Ambrose a S. August b and other Doctors long before Gregorie affirme the same in most manifest wordes to be a sacrameÌ„t 39. Two wiues at once Why permit yee any man to marrie his first wife being yet aliue seeing S. Paul saith That the womaÌ„ which is in subiection to a man her husband being aliue is bound to the law but if her husband be dead she is deliuered froÌ„ the law of her husband Therfore if she take another man whilst her husband yet liueth she shall be called an adulteres 40. Breaking of vowes Seeing S. Paul affirmes that those who marrie after they haue made the vow of chastity incur damnation what hath moued your Apostata Priests Monkes and Friars to attempt mariage after their so solemne vow of chastitie and so most willfully to damne themselues 41. Sinnes not imputed Why affirme yee that yee are so assured that your sinnes are not imputed to you as yee are assured that God is in heauen because yee beleeue the one the other with one faith as yee say And yet not withstanding yee beg daylie in our Lords prayer that your sinnes may be forgiuen you which prayer truly were superfluous if this your assertion were so assured 42. All good workes sinnes Why affirme yee Cal. l. 3. Inst cap. 14. n. 5.11 that all our workes how good soeuer they appeare to be are nothing but sinne in the sight of God sith it is impossible that any worke be good and euill all at once And in the Scripture it selfe Gen. 4.22.3 Reg. 10. we reade of sundry that haue bene commeÌ„ded for their good workes Or if all our workes be sinnes then is it all one to rob a poore man and to giue him almes excepte the one be lesse sinne then the other 43. False assurance Why affirme yee with your master Caluin l. 3. Inst c. 2. n. 40. that who soeuer hath once embraced the light of your gospell can neuer perish considering that many who haue bene of your sect yea Ministers themselues of the highest ranck haue turned to vs and haue dyed in our Catholique faith and so according to your doctrine ar vtterly Damned 44. Absurditie by denying a third place Seeing on the one side yee teach that the spots of sinne remayne so long as we liue Cal. l. 4. Inst c. 13 n. 10. and on the other side deny both place and time of cleansing after our death how can you auoide to declare manifestly that ether none at all enter into heauen or else that they who enter do still remayne with their spots of sinne a thing so expresly contrary to the word Apoc. 12. 45. Inuocation of Saints Why affirme yee against the Scripture that the Saints in heaueÌ„ heare not our prayers because forsooth that they ar dead seeing Christ himself saith that God is not the God of the dead Mat. 22. but of the liuing And how can the Saints in heauen reioyce at our repentance if they know not the same Luc. 15. 46. Images If all that haue errected Images in the Temple of God be I dolaters how can yee deliuer Moyses of that spot or yet defend Exod. 25. 37. Num. 7. that God himselfe was not the author of I dolatrie seing he commanded Images to be made for that effect 47. Renewing old heresies Why haue yee renewed so many old heresies condemned so many hundred yeares since by the vniuersall church of God Namely the heresie of Simon Magus denying the freewill of man Clem. l. 2 Recog 48. Of the Pepusians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of PepusiaÌ„ns affirming Aug. de haer haer 27. that distinction of order and degree ought not to be obserued in the church of God 49. Of the Nouatians Cyp. l. 4. ep 2. â— Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Nouatians denying that all sinnes are forgiuen by the Sacrament of Penance 50. Of the Maniches Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Maniches Aug. ad quodâ— ult heres 46. denying the water of Baptisme to auayle any thinge to our saluation 51. Of the Donatists Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Donatists Optat. Mil. l. 2. ad Par. de scis Don. teaching that the Church of God hath perished thoroughout the whole world except in some obscure corners As also Aug. l. 2. cont Petil c. 34. that S. Iohns Baptisme was not different from the baptisme of our Lord 52. Of the Arrians Why haue yee renewed the heresies of Arius Aug. de heres ad quod vult Deum heres 13. teaching that it is not lawfull to offer sacrifice for the dead And that there is no difference betweene a Bishop and a simple priest nor that the fasting dayes of the Chruch ought to be kept but that euery man may fast according to his owne will and pleasure 53. Of the Eunomians Why haue yee renewed