this time you are not ignorant yee Pope of Rome of the very cause that brought this plague vppon your neckes and fatall confusion to your Sea It is come to passe surely not by any humane force nor puissaÌ„t princes power not by any brunt of battell strong nor Armies huge of kings or keysâ—â—s train not by any wits of meÌ„ or wily worldly diriftes â—nd yet happily you do imagine that poore Luther was chiefest ringleader of this roast and his Copemate Caluin with others were procurers of your bane Beleeue it not Pope those were but stones throwne against you but what hand directed those stones to your destruction you vnderstande not You respecting onely outwarde and worldly pollicie cannot espie any besides Luther and the Lutherans But ther is an other that couerâ—ly vndermineth all your pompe whom yf hitherto as yet you coulde not discerne by most euident demonstrations nor conceiue by any reasons reach you may nowe perceiue at the length as bright as the Sunne out of Sainâ— Paule what he is Whom the Lorde sayth S. Paule shall destroy with the breath of his mouth When you heare the Lord himselfe named you see the very authour of the Action it selfe not Luther not Caluin but that most mightie and â—ighest workmaister of the whole Tragedie who â—etteth foorth vpon the Stage ministers of his will whom he will Againe when you heare the breathe of his mouth therein you may beholde both the meane and order of subduing the enimie not by any force of armes nor earthly power but by influence diuine preaching the woord But if you cannot be induced to beleeue this to be true by this testimonie of Paule which as being farre fetchâ— you will conster not to apperteine vnto you I wyll nowe cal you home neere vnto your owne selfe and wyll come euen too that time somewhat more familiar to your remembraunce wherin Iohn Hus liued of whom I made mention before Since when yee cannot but remember what hee euen then when as being long â—ost turmoyled from poste and piller by your treacherie and execrable furie fore tolde by reuelation of the heauenly Oracle shoulde befall vpon you Namely That after one hundred yeeres then next ensuing you shoulde render an account to God and too him of the mischieues which you wrought If yee will deny this to be true it wil be openly iustiâ—ied to your teeth not only by al Historiograpâ—ers but also by that auncient peece oâ— coyâ—e which is yet vsually currant engrauen with the names of Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage It remaineth nowe too make proofe of this by the sequell thereof which if you suppose to be worthie of credite â—it downe then and make a true computatioÌ„ of the yeeres succeeding and compare them with those yeeres where in Luther made the first shew of him self when as he made an open challenge against the Popes pelting Pardonsâ— for it was the very next yeere ensuing that hundred yeere whereof Iohn Hus forewarned in his prophesie There may bee annexed heereto one other note though not altogeather of so great importaunce yet perhaps not altogeather vnworthie to bee remembred to wit the same whereof the same Iohn Hus maketh mention in his booke of Epistles and was reuealed vnto hym in a dreame many yeeres before Namely That in the Temple named Bethleem whereof hee was Minister he shoulde with pencill in hand very artificially paint the Images of Christ and his Apostles which being afterwardes razed and sâ—rapte cleane out by the Pope and his Cardinalles immediatly sprang vp many Painters expert men in the same arte which shoulde not only restore the same Images much more beautiful tâ—en before but also that the number of the â—ame Painters shoulde be so great that from thencefoorth they seemed too contemne the violence of the Cardinalles and theyr Pope also I meane not heere to discusse the certaine â—uentes and interpretations of dreames But this is to be â—oÌ„dred at surely to see howe notably and aptly the seqâ—ele was in all points answerable to the diuination touching those personages And thus muche hytherto of Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage whom not long after succeeded Martine Luther mentioned before raised vp doubtles by the most euidently discernable prouidence of god But of him wee shall treate more at large heereafter in place fit for the same God willing In the meane time let vs proceede too the discouerie of those thinges worthie of consideration whiche hapned in that meane entercourse of time For after the slaughter of Iohn Hus xxiiii yeeres were scarse expired before that through the singular prouidence and incredible benefite of God the famous science of printing Bookes in most exquisite maner very straunge then yea neuer heard of before was discouered to the vnspeakeable commoditie of well natured dispositions and such as were desirous of learning then the which kinde of skil as amongest al other manuel occupations no one science was deliuered to the vse of mankinde more excellent and more incomparably beneficial for the capacitie and industry of man euen so ought we to iudge of the same that it was not in vaine raised vpp nor without some speciall counsel and singuler prouidence of god the onely author thereof For the supercelestiall wisdom perceiued plainly the lameÌ„table misery of the state of christianitie wherin the very fouÌ„datioÌ„s of the Apostolike discipline were vtterly vndermined and translated into I can not tell what vnsauory suttleties crabbed and fruitlesse quillities it beheld likewise what and how monstrous fogges of darknesse and pestiferous errours violently whirled by blinde fury cloked with counterfaite hypocrisie fortified with tyrannous impietie ranged euery where vncontrouled euen too the vtter roâ—tyng out and subuertion of sincere and true pietie howe all thinges were ouerwhelmed with grossenes and barbarous rudenesse hee sawe also religion defiled with all deformitie in the Churche nothyng sounde in doctrine scarse any tytle voyde of corruption the true woorshippe of GOD conuerted to a gaynful merchandize the faith of the Gospell turned into outwarde and Apish Ceremonies The Churche it selfe cleane transformed out of kinde intoo a kyngdome not like to that of Plato but into a Bishoply and Princely Seignory in place of Christes true religion which ought too haue beene one vniforme and generall to all crept in particular rules of Fraunces Dominicke Brigit and sixe hundred other strange religions besides In steede of true worshipping of God innumerable feastes of Saints were celebrated in steede of true inuocatioÌ„ of Gods holy name Pilgrimages were vowed Iubiles Stations of Saints Reliques and worshipping of Images Finally in the place of Christ the Pope bare dominion not only in temples but euen in the consciences of men Christ sate in heauen but the Pope Christ his vicar reigned on earth in power surmounting all Kings and Monarches so much by how muche the Mathematikes haue apporcioned the Sunne to exceede the Moone in quantitie to wit seuentie
the Iudge became first an accuser of others Semblably and with no lesse shamelesse impudencie this Laterane not Terentian Phormio accuseth them for Heretiques Apostataes And why so I pray you because they haue reuoulted from Christe at any time denyed or shronke cowardly from faith No not so but because they haue forsaken that sacred Sea of Romishe Churche wherein they were once settled Yea is it so Shall there bee no Church then but that only Churche of Rome Shal they bee all accounted to be without the body of Christe which doe acknowledge Christe for their supreme head What is it of more emportance to be slaues vnto the Pope then to bee souldiers vnto Chrisâ— No But they affirme that there is no Churche where the Pope is not head What Church then I pray you was that in Asia and Palestine before Peter euer sawe Rome Yea put the case Peter had neuer seene Rome in all his life shoulde there therefore haue beene no Churche at all Doth the state of Bishops make the Churche of Christe to be a Churche or doth the authoritie of the Churche make Bishops But they say there is no hope of saluation without the church I do heare it and confesse it to be true yet this is no good argument to prooue that there is no Church at al except it be subiect to the Pope I adde moreouer That where they say that there is no hope of saluation without the Church that this saying is to be construed to apperteine to that church only which is the very vndoubted spouse of Christe and which is also married vnto Christe her husbande not because saluation is so necessarily tyed to the Churche as though the Churche bestowed it of her owne meere liberalitie and bountie but for the mutuall immutable coupling together of the head with y e body Whereby it commeth to passe that whosoeuer is made partaker of sauing health in Christ being the head the same can in no wise bee a straunger from the socieâ—ie of the Church And againe neither can such a one be an outcast from the Church vnlesse hee bee first cast off by Christ the heade and prince of the Church Which beeing concluded vpon with what arguments nowe doth this counterfeyte successour of Peter conuince vs for outcasts and Apostataes from partaking with the bodie who through fayth bee engraffed into Christ Who bee not seuered from the true and Catholike fayth of Christ For if nothing else make an vtter separation from Christ but obstinate rebellion from Christian fayth and Christian conuersation what treacherous rebellion eyther in our doctrine or in our maners can these Romanistes espie in vs so blame worthie which may not much more iustly be rebounded vpon their owne backes Forsooth say they bycause wee holde not the Catholike fayth Go to then Sith they standâ— so nicely vppon this poynt let vs faythfully discusse what maner of fayth that is which they call Catholike If the same be the Catholike fayth which Athanasius dooth sette out in his Creede or which the Councell of Nyce did determine vppon for inuiolableâ— From which article of the Creede can you shewe that they haue reuolted But here againe some iangling Iay of this Sea will vrge that bycause they holde not the Catholike fayth of the Romaine Church therefore they holde not the true Catholike fayth Well sayde Hereby then I do perceyue that it auayleth no whitte to bee accounted Christians and Catholikes vnlesse they be Romanistes also Let vs learne therefore of these Romanistes what it meaneth to be a Romanist Truly I beleeue it is thiâ— That the Pope of Rome must of necessitie be accounted for the very and vndoubted vniuersal Bishop of Bishops the Pope of Rome must be esteemed chiefe head generall Lorde of the whole Catholike Churche vnto whom and vnto all whose commaundementes statutes and decrees all people and nations must bee buxam and bonnaire vpon paine of damnation Is it so in deede whosoeuer reteigne not this fayth though he holde fast and firmely mâ—inâ—eyne all other thinges agreeable with the holie ordinaunces of God and all the Articles of the Creede and fayth of the Church shall not the same bee adiudged for Catholike No Sir I trowe But if this be true surely neyther the Churches of Alexandria of Antyoche â— of â—erusalem of Constantinople of Affricke nor yet that auncient Church of little Brytaine shall be reckoned for Catholike To what purpose then spake Basil these woordes where making mention of the Church in his Epistles hee sayeth The Catholike and Apostolical Church abandoneth c. When as yet notwithstanding in that Church of Greece which hee auoweth to bee Catholike and Apostolike the stately loftinesse of Rome had not so highly aduaunced it selfe And therefore wee must needes scrape out of the Kaleâ—der of Catholikes Basil Athanasius Nazianzen Tertullian Augustine Cyprian Eusebius Theodorete and all 〈◊〉 the most famous Bishoppes of the Greeke and Latine Churches all which though doubted nothing but that they were true Catholikes yet did no one of them professe himselfe to bee a Romanist after this rule Neither can the grosse ignorance of manie learned Fathers be any wise excused who first framed the Articles of our Creede vnto vs. For if no Church ought to be reputed for Christian or Catholike but that which is of Rome then were those auncient Fathers much to blame who in setting downe the Articles of the Creede did neglect and so lightly passe ouer this vpstart Article of the Romish Sea that where we bee commaunded to beleeue one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church they did not in like maner commaund vs to beleeue the Romaine Church withal Hereby you perceiue well ynough holie Father into what combersome straightes and absâ—rdities you haue whirled your selfe by your blinde vnaduised rashnesse For firstâ— if no certaintie of saluation bee to bee hoped for out of the Church which Church must be without all question that same verie Church of Rome as you frame your arguments and that the Church of Rome be none other but the same which is â—trayned and streighted to the vniuersal commaundes and decrees of the Bishop of Rome now then you do exempt out of the priuiledge of the Church not that one English Nation alone foreclosing them all passable way to saluation but togither with them also you do exclude out of the number of the Catholikes infinit other famous learned Clearkes of the auncient and pure age of the Church Doctours Patriarches and Bishops yea amongest these also all the Bishoppes of Rome as many as were Gregories pâ—edecessors But what neede manie prooues in a matter of it selfe so manifest and well knowne Undoubtedly sithence Christ woulde vouchsafe to lay the first foundation yea and to builde vp that beautifull and euerlasting buylding of his owne houâ—e vppon none other groundwoorke than vpon that corâ—er stone of Christian fayth and Christian confession And if Paul doubted
nothing to recompte the same fayth to bee the onelie and infallible shoote anker of saluation by what lawe then will he adiudge them as outcastes worthie to be banished from the Catholike and Apostolike Church which professe the self same fayth of Christ that the Apostles and other Catholike Churches did profeâ—â—e But the Pope I suppose will denie That to beleeue in Christ and to worship him in heauen as our onely heade sufficeth to true fayth and saluation vnlesse we doe withall professe the Pope of Rome to be chiefe heade of the Church here on earth and our selues generally all to be members of the same Church If it be so that the fayth of Christ be not suffâ—cient ynough for the faythfull vnto saluation except the pompe of the Pope bee propt vp togither with the Maiestie of God what can bee more agreeable with reason then to make vs here three Tabernacles one to Christ an other to the Pope and the thirde and good will to the Cardinals To conclude This also ministreth no small cause of maruelling why the Pope doth not require vs likewise to correct the fourme and wordes of our Baptisme for as much as the fayth which we haue vowed to Christ in our Baptisme auayleth nothing to enfranchise vs nor to make vs free denezens of the Catholike Church except to this necessitie of fayth be tyed withall an other tagge of humble obedience to the Pope of Rome That wee correct I say the wordes of our Baptisme That whosoeuer bee baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost be baptized also in the name of our most holy Lorde the Pope But if this bee true the cerâ—entie whereof cannot be denied That wee were neuer admitted into the participation of holy Churche in the Popes name and that the want thereof is no maner of Estoppell to barre vs any way from being vnited vnto Christ as members of his bodie howe dare that lying mouâ—h be so monstruously impudent as to condemne the seruaunts of Christ for Heretiques to exclaime agaynst vs as Apostataes and runnagates from the Church to accuse kinges and Queeâ—es to bee supporters of Heretikes Nay rather by what reason or Scripture will he defenâ—e himselfe so that all the worlde may not plainly perceyue him to bee the verie selfe same whome Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Thessalonians doth by most euident demonstration forewarne them shoulde come who sitting in the Temple of God shoulde keepe a sturre not as a minister of Christe but most arrogantly vaunt himselfe to be as a God Which woordes sithence doe so in all pointes accorde with the life and manners of the Pope as that they can not seeme to signifie any other Let the Pope bee throughly well aduised first howe hee may bee able to cleare himselfe before God before he accuse others before men But an other time shal serue more fit for this treaty hereafter more at large God willing THE POPE CONFVTED THE HOLY AND APOSTOLICAL CHVRCHE CONFVTING THE ERROVRS OF THE POPES DOCTRINE THE SECOND ACTION IT appeareth manifesâ—ly ynough I suppose by the former discourse that wee haue not departed from out the Church of Christ in that we haue sequestreâ— our selues from the Romish Sinagogue In this present action therefore nowe it may seeme conuenient that we render the reason that moued vs to renouÌ„ce that Romish route and set downe as briefly as we may the verie pointes withall wherein we swarue from them Wherein neuerthelesse shal not bee altogither amisse to aduertise the gentle Readers hereof chiefly That we entred into this controuersie agaynst the aduersaries not of anie set purpose to rayse contention and debate in the Church nor of any desire to quarell and contende nor yet of any euill affection that wee beare to the persons themselues agaynst whome wee maintaine argument nâ— yet for that we woulde not much more willingly bee coupled with them in one lincke of Christian vnitie and concord if the vnitie which they offered vnto vs were such as we might by any meanes yeeld vnto without preiudice of the fayth and glorie of Christ without staine of conscience without manifest treachery and Apostasie or without vnauoydable daunger of the safetie of our soule But the matter being now growne to this poynt that we can by no possible meanes be at vnitie with Christ if we partake with them what remaineth then at the length wherin they may eyther iustify agaynst vs or alledge for further defence in their owne behalfe If they accuse vs of Apostasie or falling from them let them then first by plaine demonstration make manifest the verie nature of right Apostasie Surely if those that haue seuered themselues from the Primitiue and true Catholilike Church and be reuolted from the first founders of Christian faith from the auncient Fathers from the Apostles from the infallible principles of the Euangelical doctrine to an other doctrine to mens traditions to forreine forged nouelties of Religion to worshipping of Idols to a strange Gospel altogether vnknowne to the Apostles to patter praiers in vnknowne and barbarous speeches may rightly be called plaine runnagates no men in the worlde deserue to be called Apostataes in my iudgement more properly and truly than this generation of Papists broode But here againe will some one of them replie that they stande vpon a good grounde of possession not able to be gainesayde which they holde of the holy and Catholike Church neuer discontinued since the verie age and time of the Apostles themselues from the which they say that wee being but fewe in number hedgecreepers as it were in corners through treacherous backsliding haue as it were abandoning our natiue Country shrowding our selues in the hil Auentine withdraweÌ„ our selues like rebels To stoppe those slaunders againe let this answere suffice First as concerning the number whether we bâ—e many or fewe it maketh little to purpose In the Church of Christ sayeth Augustine consideration must bee had of the grauitie of the matter and not of the number of voyces and it happeneth oftentimes that the greater number preuayleth agaynst the better by number of polles rather than by trial of trueth yea Christ himselfe viewing the number of his flocke pronounceth it to be very smal so also when hee confesseth that many bee called yet hee addeth foorthwith that the elect be not many but fewe in number in so much that he seemeth to doubt whether the same sonne of man shall finde fayth in the earth when hee shal come Yet for al this if a true computation may be yeelded of men of nations and people by the poll it self of al such as with al their hartes do detest the fraudes and contagion of the Romishe false religion there wil not so small a number appeare in their eyes as happly either they coniecture themselues or at lest ought to make so slender accompt of But as concerning the Churche it self let
as in very deed they were the broode of the deuil Neither wanâ—ed such like busibodies in the Apostles tyme whome S. Paul worthely reprouing spared not to cal false Apostles false brethren dogs euil workmen enemies of Christes crosse The Angel in the Apocalipse speaketh of theÌ„ on this wise they would be accompted Iewes but in very deede they be the synagogue of Sathan To conclude with what sort of people hath not only Christes churche but al commoÌ„ weales also bene pestered more at any time then with such kinde of naughtipackes which when either can not or wil not walke the right way to true renowme do foorthwith not only seeke pilladge of the people but procure also the hassard of their soules health couÌ„terfait hypocrites gloasing flattering the vulgar sort of people entraping the simple The like crafty colour vsed the sect of Mahomet who bicause would not seeme to be Agarenes coyned theÌ„ selues the name of Saracenes as though they were generation of Sara so deceaued the people And the beast mentioned in the Apocalips beeing nothing lesse then a Lambe did wonderfully bewitche men vnder the counterfaict face and hornes of a lambe But here again happly wil some friend of the Romish Churche take me vp for stumbling saying what a matter is this do ye on this wise compare so sacred a Sea to the Agarenes and Saracenes seeing that these do carry no shewe or any resemblance at all of the visible churche neither ought to be named by the name of ChristiaÌ„s On the other side though the Patriarke of Rome be not allowed amongst you as head of the church yet can he not be denied to bee a member of the visible churche and to haue a place amoÌ„gst the Christian congregation For as much then as this bishop hath his place of a Christian in the Christian church for this cause surely it doth not beseeme Christians to sâ—quester them â—elues from Christians What needeth longer answere hereto then at one worâ—e to answere with Cicero Why should I hearken to speeches when I see deedes Certes if he bee a Christian byshop as he requireth to be accompted his offence is so much the more haynous in this that vnder the visor of a Christian he executeth such outrage so furiously and so sauadgly breathing out slaughter vtter destruction of Christians as that no man may doute but that this Abadon hath murthered burnte and oppressed greater heapes of Christian carcasses then any one of all the heathenish sauadge which proclayme them selues to bee open enemies of Christianitie Yea by so much the more is he to be detested then the Saracenes by how much lesse an open enemy hurteâ—h in respect of the priuie lurking and domesticall Scorpion whereof the one may somewhat be preuented by foresight but this other doth â—urther at vnawares before any notice or warning giuen Moreouer to admitte also to be true that this same prelate hath the place of greatest preeminence not onely amongest the Christians but also in the very bosome of the visible churche howe farre forth I pray you will this aâ—ayle for as much as Antichriâ—t him selfe must plante his seate in the chiefest temple of God garded with so great a guarrison of humble attendauntes the multitude whereof is described vnto vs by the prophetical scripture in these woordes And hee made all bothe small and great ryche and poore free and bonde to receiue a marke in their right hande or their foreheades And that no man might buye or sell but hee that had the marke of the name of the beast or the number of his name c. Nowe therefore if a man doe shunne and flee from this poyson and venimous contagion though it be enshrined neuer so gloriously in the visible churche it foloweth not therefore hereupon necessarily that the same doth vtterly renounce the visible church of Christe No more is this true likewyse though the Pope with his shauelings and Cardinals be some part and portion of a visible church that therefore the state of the vâ—â—uersall churche consisteth wholy in them But they proceede neuerthelesse too their suttle â—ophismes What say they doth not the vniuersal church of Christe embrace the faith of Rome euery where Go to and what then I praye you Ergo he that seâ—ludeth him selfe from the faith of Rome can not choose but renounce the vniuersall church of Christe What answere shall I frame better too this suttle sophisme but too deny both partes thereof both the assumption and conclusion For the church did neither heretofore alwayes confesse the Romish faith that is now to be vniuersall neither doth the vniuersall churche of the whole worlde confesse the same at this present as the which groundeth her ankerholde vpon the Apostolike faith and not vpon the Romishe faith Neither we though we do not allowe but abrogate vtterly all singuler the assertions of the Romish religion being now in vre haue therefore renounced the vniuersal church Ouer besides to yelde thus much also y â— a great yart of the vnlettered multitude do at this preseâ—â— receiue the Romish ragges yet behoueth vs to haue consideration not of that which the common people do affectionate but what may be iustifiable by the touchstone of truth So neither must we regarde what the Romish faith is at this present rather we must be wel aduised what the first faith thereof was and what it ought to be now also That person surely which withdraweth him selfe from erroneous doctrine chopt into the churche through the ignorance and treacherie of some teachers doth not fall away from the church but rather â—oth seeke to salue the soares of the church If the Pope of Rome such as professe them selues to be pillers of the Romishe churche will make proofe vntoo vs that their Romishe church swarueth nothing from the Apostolike churche that their faith withal is not defiled with many filthy vnsauery dregges errors then let them condemne vs of Apostasy for our departure from them But if they be not able to do soâ— yea if they theÌ„ selues haue not by much more probable arguments renouncing the doctrine of the Apostles the discipline of the best approued church transfourmed them selues into a certein newfangled doctrine let the indiffereÌ„t reader iudge hereof whether they or we desâ—rue most iustly to be condemned of Apostasie But you were sometime militant in the same churche where we be now will they say from whence you are nowe fallen awaye and departed from vs. It is true in deede So did your predecessours agree once well and godly wiâ—h Christ with his Apostles with the ancient and godly fathers why haue you abandoned them and changed your tippeâ—tes theâ— If you may thinke it lawfull for you to raunge at randon out of â—he true track of religion wherein you did treade sometime a right and to suffer your sâ—lues to be carried away through rockâ—s and â—ragges
be found which being famous raysed aloft as a citie builded vpon an high hill may bee seene of al people a farre of and ought to bee credited of all the Nations of the earth And bicause this shape of a Church can not be seene any where at this present but amongst that people and nation onely ouer whom the Bishop of Rome must be acknowledged for chief head hereof must it follow of necessitie That there is no true and glorious Church of Christ except this onely Romish Church and that al other Churches besides be foreiners infamous and no Churches at al as the which being not able to deriue any certenâ—ie of their discent and antiquity ought not in any respect beare the name of Christian Churches but must be accounted rather for dennes and conuenticles of heretiques And thus much nowe by the way touching the Church the treatie whereof God willing shall bee sette forth with larger discourse in other bokes hereafter This lesson in the meane â—pace will not bee amisse to bee foretolde That if it bee true that Christ himselfe did plainly pronounce that his kingdome was not of this worlde and this also as true which hee doth else where affirme that the things which doe seeme mightie and glorious to the iudgement of men are accounted for vile drosse and abhomination in the sight of God finally if the estate of the most holy Apostles and Martyrs of Christ was alwayes such as it became rather odious to the worlde then accepted or of any estimation that such as applied neerest to Christ were alwayes despised most and that the Disciple cannot bee greater than his maister certes it can not possibly bee that this Churche of the Pope so mightie and glorious in the worlde so renowmed and famous in worldly pompe and excâ—sse so magnified and fawned vpon with the wel likings and alliances of Princes should haue any affâ—nitie or alliance at all with Christ the onely head of the Church or any fellowship with the Apostles I come nowe to other partes of the Romish doctrine in the which the Papists do seeme no lesse Iewish then in the shaping and fashioning of their Church as I sayd before For if the doctrine of Paule bee most true where discoursing of the reiection of the Iewes that sought their iustification by the lawe he rendered a reason wherefore they could not attaine thereto Bycause sayth he they sought to be come righâ—eous not by faith but by workes Lâ—t vs see I pray you what else doth the Romish religion proclaime at this day then that wee oughâ— to make our way passable to heaueÌ„ by industrious works precepts of good life reposing the whole shoote anker of assured affiance trust in the same not bycause we beleue on him that doth iustifie the sinner but in doing workes of this life which do exclude all impietie How shall we say that the great Clearkes and Doctours which teach this such like doctrine do differ from naturall Iewishnesse If the Iewes seeking to be iustiâ—ied by woorkes were for this only cause cleane cut of from true rightuousnesse according to the testimonie of Paule what hope may they conceyâ—e at the length to attaine true rightuousnesse which thrusting faith into a corner do raise vppe the whole building of their iustification vpon that tickle and sandle foundation of workes But thou wilt say these men doe not so altogether abrogate fayth but that they couple her together with works by a necessarie and an inseparable coniunction I do know indeede that fayth is peraduenture in some estimation amongst them yet such an estimation this is as that they will in no wise yeeld vnto her her true dignitie and due place of estate For whereas no one thing is resiant in vs nor giueÌ„ vnto vs miserable wretches fâ—oÌ„ aboue that may make vs acceptable vnto God may obteine his fauour may cure our diseases may deliuer from the fetters and chaines of sinne may turne away wrath and vengeance may ouercome the worlde may crush in peeces the horrible tyrannie of death and the deuill may stande boldely and vnuanquishable in the face â—f hell gates finally which may ouerspreade vs poore forlorne caâ—â—iues drowned in the doung and durt of the earth with the gladsome sunneshine of heauenly life and vnspeakeable glorie of immortalitie besides this onely inestimable Iewel namely fayth in Christ in the which all our hope and riches togither with all the promises of God are fast locked vp as it were in a certaine Arke of couenant when as also the selfe same fayth linked and vnited togither with other vertues doth not onely farre surmount al those vertues in her singular excellencie and power but also of her owne force onely and alone satisfie and accomplish all the partes of our redemption yea and so accomplishe the same as that where she leadeth alwaies whole troups of most excellent vertues with her needeth not neuerthelesse any their helpe at al towards the procuring of Gods fauour I beseech you for the loue you beare to Christ what peruerse peuishnâ—sse and I know not whether more malicious or shamelesse impudencie of men is this I say of the false docâ—ors of Rome which being addicted to the Romish ragges seeme by a certaine destinie as it were borne of purpose for the vtter ouerthrowe of Christes Church so to embase this same faith in Christ euen vnder al other vertues as a very naked bare fruitlesse thing of it selfe as that they scarcely can finde in their heartes to graunt her any commendation in heauen or any place of acceptance in earth For what else doe these wordes of theirs import wherewith they tearme this fayth onely onely rashnesse yea and no fayth at al but impudencie temeritie and arrogancie Where they affirme the Gospel whereof we make mention to be sediâ—ious full of fraude and deceyte Moreouer where in all their bookes and writings they doe so vtterly suppresse this fayth of Christ as that they dare presume to say that there is no passable way to heauen but that which is purchased with holy workes and most excellent integritie of life I will couple herewith though not out of the foresayd Authour but out of the publike instrument and decree of the late Tridentine Councell In which Councell whereas those gay iolly gallants did most filthily erre in many thinges yet played they not the Philosophers in any one decree more perilously then where they vttered their Stoicall opinion in the doctrine of Iustification by Christ. Which being proclaymed vnto vs throughout the whole tenour of the Scriptures to bee freely giuen without all mediation of any other thing besides the onely promise of God through fayth in Iesus Christ our Lorde contrariwise those gracious fathers do so iumble and wrappe vp this grace of God full of sauing health and freely offered wholy replenished with most comfortable consolation and safety in one hotchpot mingled as it were with
and maister whome your selues doe professe I beseech you Sir is not our request agreeable with equitie But if the matter go otherwise and that you wil be exempt from the place of a seruaunt as no fit member of our Church but doe require rather to bee enstalled a Lorde ouer our fayth then knowe ye for certaintie that your banishment from our Kingdomes is not procured by our onely meanes but authorised by the very sacred Scriptures wherein we finde moste euidently one onely Lord to be attended vponâ— and one onely fayth to be directed by Euen as wee reade in the same Apostle else where Not bycause we are Lordes of your fayth sayth he So also neither Peter himselfe farre vnlike to an Imperious Apostle câ—ulde not at any time permit in the Clergie the name of Lordly estate neither did euer presume to chalenge any such title to himselfe as the which he reproued verie sharpely in others For he right wel remembred what Lorde hee was disciple vnto namely the same Lord who being alwayes the greatest despiser of worldly pompe would neuer contende for honour and seignorie but in al lowlinesse rather would yeelde humble seruice to all persones without respect But loe a replie forthwith of some of this crew What say they do we not call them Lordes commonly who as Gods Ministers do exercise princely authoritie and regiment ouer the earth Yes truely and therefore let euerie prouince haue his peculiar seignior who according to Gods appointment may exercise this function of bearing gouernement and rule But what is this to Peter What is this to the Apostles and Apostolique Ministers who be called to this function to this onely ende to profite the congregation of Christ and not ouerrule them as Princes and Potentates to nourishe and feede the flocke of their Lord not Lordly and loftily to ouercrowe them as Lordes of the flocke For their estate is not an estate of stately domination and tyrannical superioritie but an office a charge and a shepeherdes estate And as it is a charge so ought the same charge be stretched no further than for whose sake properly it is vndertaken so also neither ought it be applied otherwise in any respect then as it shall apperteine to the proper and peculiar benefite of the flocke For neither the Scholemaister may therefore take vpon him to ouerrule his pupilles as Parents do their children or as Princes their subiectes bycause his office is to instruct theÌ„ in learning neither is he otherwise worthie the place of a Schoolemaister then in that respect that he may teach good and wholesome doctrine In like maner whereas the office of a godly pastor consisteth in this onely to direct the consciences of Christians to employ all his studie and trauel to the enlargement of Christes kingdome he ought for this cause abide vnremoueable within the bounds of his charge therein behaue himselfe as a shepeheard not as a Lorde as a seruant not as a maister It is one thing to beare soueraintie by publike and Christian authoritie an other thing to be a seruant in feeding the flocke and to be subiect to the state And yet neither doeth this kinde of seruice want his proper and peculiar dignitie As in all common weales the most renowmed famous actions do of their owne nature allure the wel liking and laudable commendation of the godly So Ministers of the Church also such as being endued with heauenly giftes of spiritual blessing and the mightie power of Christ Iesus though they groape not greedily for promotion shall neuer yet bee destitute of their due honour and reuerence which of it owne nature doth alwayes attend vpon and accompanie godly and famous personages I meane not any such dignity notw tstanding as should raise theÌ„ to the state of princes nor make them Lordes of the earth ne yet aduaunce them to Monarchies nor so much as priuiledge them froÌ„ due obedience to the state nor to the Lawes and Statutes of the higher powers Therefore as concerning the prerogatiue of Princes sithens there is so great a number of Regions Nations and people such a varietie of Lawes and tongues nothing can be more seemely nor more consonant for the ordinance of God then that in al societies and estates of Nations a special preeminence and singular superiority should be yeelded to some one personage as to a certaine chiefe gouernour and heade by whose authoritie and soueraigntie al others may be trayned vnder whom also seueral offices and charges may be seuerally distributed as shal seeme necessarie and commodious for the well ordering of euery weale publike Hereof is it That the higher powers do of right beare a necessarie preeminence directly vnder God as the Apostle witnesseth And yet euen the selfe same powers are empaleâ— compassed in within their prescripts listes limits boundes according to Gods ordinance But as to that vniuersalitie and Ierarchie ouer the whole Church of Christ or to be onely and entier Lord and ruler ouer our fayth besides Christ onely we acknowledge neither king nor keyser whatsoeuer And what was he then that at any time hath authorised you yee Prelate of Rome to bee chiefe gouernour and Lorde ouer the vniuersall Church of Christ so farre and wide ouerstretched ouer the face of the whole earth Or who euer besides you hath beene heard of that durst presume vpon so prowde a Title of superioritie eyther in the Apostles tyme or in the whole succeeding age vntill this your chalenge without great reproche and greeuous controulement of euerie good man Or with what face at the length dare your selfe so arrogantly rayse vppe your crest so Luciferlyke as to bee magnified for the onely and principall Bishoppe and Monarchie of the whole state of Christianitie vnlesse ye were Antichrist him selfe In this case therefore aduise and bethinke your selfe well yee Romish Prelate what ye nowe doe or rather what ye ought to doe If yee thinke that the credite of your Maiestie is crackt by them bycause they haue banished you out of theyr Coasts I pray you heartely when it commeth to your minde to make a true account howe much they haue bene beneficial vnto you others of your crew whiles they were your vassals tel vs now this one thing what secrete insolencie lurketh in that authoritie of your maiestie that may by an vnauoidable necessitie enforce them to the lyke superfluous pillage any longer For why shoulde they so do is it because you may graunt them saluation and blesse them But their saluation is already plentifull sufficient and euerlasting for them in our onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Is it because you may geue them remission of sinnes but the same is also geuen them freely in the faith of the Gospell without any other ayde What is it then Because you may preach the woorde of God to Gods people or is it rather because ye may as ye haue hitherto accustomed thrust
maiestie of that popish kingdome The brauerie whereof whoso could blaze out witâ— most loftie titles stateliest style was adiudged the most profound and delicate diuine And then these notable and inuincible oracles were finely sifted out not of any light trash but coonned out of the verie bowels of diuine Philosophie Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith should not faint Feede my sheepe Ergo the most holy father the Pope of Rome is enthronized the vniuersal Prince of the Romish Sea vnto whom onely are giuen the keyes of al maner iurisdiction The Romish Church hath taught thus Thâ—s hath it seemed good to the vniuersall Bishop who carieth about with him the holie Ghost within the cubbard of his breast These be the traditions of the holie fathers Ergo this is the Catholike Church In good fellowship gentle Reader what â—tronger force of illusion coulde possibly bee seene at any tyme In so maruelous a confusion of thicke and darkened clowdes what coulde bee more easie than for the vnlettered and vnskilful multitude to wander vppe and downe by whole heapes into any amazed errour whatsoeuer euen as a man hauing first pyked an others eyes out of his heade might easily leade him then to breake his necke where him lyâ—ted Herein vnlesse the most mightie Lorde Creator of all thinges and gouernoâ—r of all thinges looking downe from aboue had put to his helping hanâ—e in time what coulde all the Counsels of men agreeing togither in one all their forces and powers conspiring togither preuayle agaynst that so mightily forâ—ifyed force of popishe Monarchie by such a continuall course of succeeding yeares established the proofe whereof manie greate and probable argumentes haue heretofore declared For how often hath attemptes beeâ—e giuen euen of the most puissant Monarchies Kinges and Potentaâ—es of the worlde to snaffle this intollerable ambition of popane arrogancie yet voyd of al successe notwithstanding For immediatly vpon an assay made princes being sâ—aâ—ed eytâ—er through feare of further perill or lead on â—he blinde side by craâ—ty collusion or zeale of Religion or circumuented by trayterous reâ—cuâ—tyng of theyr Subiectes at home haue surceassed all the sorte of them â—rom further exploites Examples whereof albeit in number infinite may easily and readily â—ee vouched if out of Fraunce Germanie Cicilie Austriche â—e wâ—ulde reckon vp all and euery particular King and Emperâ—urâ— bearing the names of Phillip Lewes Otto Henry Fredericke as wee might yet passing ouer for this present forâ—aigne princes we wil coâ—tent ourselues with a brief Catologâ—e taken out of our natiâ—e Countrey Moâ—umâ—ntes suche as shal suâ—â—ice for this present purpose William of NormaÌ„die wearing the Croâ—n of this land .500 yeres agoe or very neere theraboutes this Romishe tyrannicall Ierarchie whereof I spake before began too growe somewhat more lofâ—ie then before against whose hauty arrogancy Henry the first of that name a learned and puissant Prince of courage beganne somewhat to bende his browes After whose death his successour Henry the second did set himself against the Pope in more forcible maâ—er But Pandolâ— the Popes Legate forthwith qualified the king Not long after succeeded Iohn king of Englande who was much more eagerly sharpened aâ—gaynst the Pope but this force preuailed nothing at al. After them reigned Henry the thirde of that name who mightâ—ly laboured to stay the Romishe money markettes exceeding all measure and meane within his owne kingdomes This was a woorthie enterprise certes well beseeming the noblenesse of a most worthie king But the inâ—atiable pride of the Pope gate the vpper hande notwithstanding King Henry hath his counsels quoth the Pope so haue I my councel also What shal we say to this that the same hath beene earnestly impugned by learned and graue diuines as wee finde recorded in Histories to call backe that moste insolent tyranny of that proude Peacocke to some meane and reasonable order wherein these also did but beate the ayre and loose their labour for either they were pricke foorthwith to prison or raked to recant or tormenâ—ed with tortures compelled to bee mute Amongest whom innumerable names of godly Martyres besides the Valdenses Albingenses Merindolanes Bohemias be registred of recorde What other cause procured the death of that godly martyr Ierome Sauouarolla whose worthie sermons published in the Italian tongue and printed at Uenice Italy it selfe to this day yet can in no wise digest What else was the destruction of those two Moonks burnt at Auynyon vnder Pope Innocent the sixth What other cause did consume to ashes WilliaÌ„ Sawtreâ— Swinderbie Thorpe Gâ—alter Bruite a very learned young man Iohn Badbie Lorde Cobham right honorable of parentage and infiniâ— others partakers of the same persecution What other matter raked out of graue Iohn Wicklife being buried long before In which Catalogue let bee numbred also whom for reuerence due vntoo them I may not forget Tauler Wesel Groningensis Hilton Isenua William de Sancto amore Nicholas Oremmus William LaudiueÌ„sis Iohn Poliacensis Armacan Peter de Vineis the Archbishoppe of Tullensis of whom Auentine maketh mention But I passe ouer these as being ouer auncient whom if I shuld rehearse by particularitiesâ— mine OratioÌ„ wold scarce find an end I wil draw neare to these yeeres wher with we be better acquainted in the which I knowe not by what meanes the impietie of this Romishe fury waxyng more rype in riot rusht abrode into the worlde but euen then chiefly whereas by your trayterous treacherie and mercilesse crueltie you haled too the sâ—ake the most worthie Father Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage â— partakers of the same Martyrdome vnder colour of SuÌ„mons to the Councell by the Emperors safe conduit with trayterous practice yee Romane Popes cannot deny to bee procured by your meanes If I demauÌ„d the cause of this tyranny what aunsweare wyll you make wherein had they offended what was theyr crime did they any way blasphemously abuse them selues agaynst the name of Christe nothing lesse But for that the good men moued in conscience in discharge of theyr faith and dutie durste aduenture to pinche the pride of the Pope To suche an vnspeakable outrage coupled with insatiable sauagenes was the vntreatable insolency of this Babylonicall struÌ„pet crawled vp at that season that neyther it might bee lawâ—ull for any person whatsoeuer once too dare quacke against her yea though he did so yet shoulde hee little preuaile Wherefore if that so mightie power and outstretched Dominion of your stately state the like whereof was neuer hearde of to beare sway on earth by any memory of man fortified and established with so great authoritie suche huge Hostes Armies Treasures Munitions Aliances Confederates wherof you were seased in so long continued a possession vnuanquishable almoste against all attemptes whatsoeuer hitherto seeme somewhat crazed nowe brought on knee I suppose by
manly but brutyshe and sauadgely vnder what fourme so euer it bee couered and hydden Wherefore this loathesomnes doth not consiste in the rawenes but in the very humayne fleshe not in the beholding but in the nature of the thinge it selfe not in that which the eye doth beholde but in that which the heart doth conceyue For if according too the olde prouerbe the wolfe will not deuoure wolues fleshe nor the dogge dogges fleshe is there any man beeing of any manly nature that woulde not abhorre to bee fedde with mans fleshe vnder whatsoeuer fourme it were shrowded or doe ye thinke that Christe did euer conceiue any such matter as when hee helde the bread in his handes wherewith he determined to feede his disciples would therefore exclude bread quyte out of doores to the ende hee might gorge the mawes of men carnally with his naturall fleshe beeing both rawe and aliue contrary to nature without any necessitie without all cause altogether vnprofitable and frutelesse Wherfore you doe not by this meanes exclude lothsomenes from out the sacred mysteries Lombard when you turne the fourmes of bread and wyne into the fleshe of Christe but you choppe a loathsomnes in rather so that nowe this supper may seeme not honourable but horrible if so be that excluding bread and wyne this bee true that you speake that there remayneth nowe nothing to eate but the substaunce of flesh and blood which substance neuerthelesse ye will not vouchsafe to be seene in it owne kynde but vnder an other kynde Wherein ye become two maner of wayes iniurious to the sacrament coupling together therewith a twofolde absurditie First bicause you defraude the fourmes and accidentes of bread of their true and proper subiect Secondly bicause you doe in like maner robbe the very naturall substance of the body of his proper accidentes so that nowe there remayneth neither any substaunce of bread at all nor any fourme of a body on this wyse the Poetes as it seemeth were wonte to describe their Chymeres Neuerthelesse this is not spokeÌ„ to that end as though we would banishe Christe cleane out of the sacrament or that we might seclude our selues from partaking with the holy bodie of Christ in this heauenly Supper But for this reason chiefly y t this holy CoÌ„munion may be cleared from all grosse absurditie If you will demaunde by what meanes Ambrose will answere you verie learnedly who will tel you that ye drinke out of the holie cuppe not blood it selfe but the likenesse of blood rendering the reason why bycause it shall breede sayeth he no loathsomnesse to the stomack And againe in another place hee doeth beare vs witnesse that wee receyue the Sacrament in a likenesse That which Ambrose doth verifie of the likenesse others doe affirme in a figure in a mysterie in a Type in a memoriall Moreouer the same Ambrose writing of the Eucharist sayeth It is the memoriall of our redemption And bycause we be enfranchised by the death of the Lorde wee doe signifie our mindfulnesse of the same death in eating drinking the Lords blood which were offered for vs. And again in the same place The blood saith he is a testimonie of Gods great liberalitie in the Type whereof we doe receiue the mystical cuppe of the blood to the preseruation of bodie and soule Where he calleth the Mystâ—cal cuppe a Type Nowe who is so vnskilful that knoweth not that a Type doeth signifie nothing else than a forme a likenesse and an example Agaiâ—e who knoweth not what great diuersitie there is betwixt likenesse and trueth it selfe and that they bee so contarie eche to other that they cannot agree togither by any meanes Whereby you may learne two things Lombarde both that the horror is taken away and that the substaunce of breade and wine abydeth neuerthelesse still vnempaired All which beeing thus concluded vpon as appeareth by plaine demonstration before all that your lying and false assertion infringible as you tearme it is become windshaken altogither wherewith you mainteyne so stoute a combate for the kingdome of accidentes and your transubstantiation as that yee leaue no place nor space for breade and wine in the Sacrament but calling all backe to visible fourmes plant all your whole batterie of the materiall part of the Sacrament vpon these buttresses of shadowes onely Which fourmes though retaine still the names of the things which they were before yet doe ye denie them to be the very thinges themselues Wherevpon if at any time the names of breade and wine doe occurre in the holy Fathers of the Church the same ye teache to be vnderstoode on this wise To witte that they bee called breade and wine not in respect that they be so but bycause they were once so and that the very substance thereof is gone farre away and that therein is nought resiant nowe that is elemental besides the onely names of elementes and emptie fourmes onely of breade and wine the names whereof they doe reteyne still but haue vtterly lost the verie substaunces themselues and do conteyne nought else now besides the naturall and substanciall bodie of Christ by the which bodie neither bee the fourmes affected nor doth the bodie affect the fourmes Loe this nowe is your gay diuinitie in describing the Sacrament the which howe agreeth with the Scriptures with the iudgementes of the auncient Faâ—hers with the antiquitie of the purer primitiue Church â—nd with fayth it selfe nay rather howe farre and wide it is dissonant and diâ—crepant from all truth and reason it shall not bee amisse to discouer in fewe woordes for I thinke it not coâ—uenient to vse many wordes herein And first wheÌ„ we heare that saying of Paul Let a man proue himselfe and so let him eate of that breade and drinke of that cuppe c. May any man bee so boyde of reason to affirme this to be spoken touching the fourmes and not the materiall part of breade and wine for what shall we say may any man ymagine that to eate to breake to eate of the breade to drinke of the cuppe is to bee referred to emptie and bare shadowes of bread and wine onely and not to the naturall breade In the Decrees is a certaine â—entence extant vouched out of Hylarie whereof we made mention before The bodie of Christ sayth he that is receiued of the altar is a figure whiles the bread wine are apparantly seene with eyes but it is the very body when the inward fayth apprehendeth it for the bodie and blood of Christ. c. To the same effect and in like plaine phrase of speech writeth Cyprianus The Lorde sayth Cyprian did vouchsaâ—e to call wine by the name of his blood the liquor which was enforced by the presse out of the grapes and clusters and made into wine c. For what shal we say do we easily wring accidents of wine out of grapes clusters not rather the very substancial liquor of
notably magnified with the blood of glorious martyrs most aboundantly flourishing with godly and learned Bishops who employed all their industrie and endeuour to none other ende then to the publique peace and tranquilitie of the Church Restore againe this peace vnto vs holy father if you may and this you may easily doe if yee wil depart from that proude primacie which you nowe stande vpon altogether agaynst all Gods lawe agaynst all mans lawe and quite contrarie to the example of all the auncient fathers Lay downe that peruerse imperious obstinacie vaile lowe your stately topgallant and shake off that vnweldie clogge of Lordlinesse which you haue vndertaken the weight whereof is able to ouerpeyse I say not your shoulders but the strongest shoulders of the stoutest man in the worlde Let errours giue place to truth Let humaine glorie assubiect it selfe to the glorie of Christ. Let the Romishe Broker call backe againe his Romish counterfeyt trash which he hath foysted into the Church without any warrant of the Scriptures I meane Masses Sacrifices Satisfactions Pylgrimages Image-worshippers false doctrine Monkish vowes Purgatorie merits Routes of Regulars combersome clogges of consciences Let him pâ—â—mit Kings and Monarches to inioy their owne soueraintie ouer their Kingdomes and territories and to amende their errours Let him restore general Councels to their auncient liberties without the which can no sure meanes bee founde for establishing the truth For what can bee more auayleable for the maintenaunce of the trueth then that where Religion is free there also shoulde all voyces bee free and such Councels summoned which shoulde bee lawfull not a stolne Councell where matters might bee decided by free voyces not by extort speeches by vpright and sincere and freer determinatioÌ„s of the learned not by procured affections not by practises of confederates nor by the foreiudgements of men but by the onely authoritie of God and where the best approued and auncient orders of the fathers might bee obserued that it might bee lawfull for euerie person to vtter freely what hee thought without feare without peril not where all must bee measured after the lust of one person alone But nowe where all men are enforced to sweare vnto the woordes of one man and all voyces rackâ—e to satisfie the appetite of one person which person so ruleth the rost that no man shall bee admitted to bee present but suche as shall thinke as hee thinketh and that it shall not bee lawfull lykewise for anie to determine ought but which shall bee consonant to his will What successe I beseeche you may anie man surmise to bee hoped for in such Councels but such as shal tende to the breach and dissolution of the libertie of the Churche And shall seeme not to aduaunce the glorie of Christ but to enhaunce the onely tyrannous loftinesse of mans ambicious Lordlinesse to the vtter ruine ouerthrowe and rooting out of all sincere and most pure Religion By reason whereof it behooueth you holy father of Romeâ— to take so much the more especiall regarde that veyling that proude bonnet of greedinesse to beare soueraintie and altogether abandoning this straunge neuer heard of noueltie of heathenish ambicion yee reclayme your selfe wholy to that auncient and more moderate humilitie of the most auncient most true Catholike and Apostolique Church Examples bee extant euerie where whiche may endure you to bee better resolued Whether you enter into dewe consideration of the life of Christ what can bee more milde or whether yee beholde the platte formes and proceedings of the Apostles what can bee more contrarie more repugnant and more vnlike the course of your Court Let vs come one degree lower to the next succeeding age after the Apostles what shall a man finde in those graue fathers of the Primitiue church that is not altogither discrepant to these your outragies and disorders But to make no long rehearsal we will for examples sake put you in remembrance of one man alone a verie godly person namely that notable ornament of the Church Cyprian whom I thought good to vouch by name at this present not so much bycause you should read his wordes as that by him you might learne the maner of the auncient discipline and the most excellent integritie of that age For in his Epistle written to Iubaianus he maketh this report Wee sayeth Cyprian as much as in vs lyeth doe not contenâ—e with our companions and our fellow Bishops with whom wee doe ioyne in godly concorde and Christes peace especially for that the Apostle saith If any maÌ„ amongst you be thought to be contentious wee haue no such custome nor yet the Church of God The loue and charitie of the minde the honour of mutual societie the bonde of fayth and the vniforme agreeablenesse of Priesthoode is preserued amongest vs in pacience and lenitie Moreouer the same Cyprian in his Preface which hee prefixed before the councel of Carthage It remaineth nowe that euery of vs particularly pronounce what we think foreiudging no man neither reiecting any man though hee thinke otherwyse then we do For neyther hath any of vs taken vppon him too bee a Bishoppe ouer Bishoppes nor hath enforced any of our fellowe Bishoppes too any necessitie of obedience by any tyrannous constraint for as much as euery bishoppe is endued with his proper peculiar iudgement according too the freedome of his owne liberty and power as that hee may not bee iudged of an other howe then may him selfe iudge any other person But let vs all depende vppon the iudgement of our Lorde Iesu Christ who onely and alone is of power both too appoint vs superintendentes in the gouernement of his Church and to iudge vs according to our vsage proceedinges therein c. Heere nowe haue you set downe before your eyes a president yf I bee not deceaued not vnfit and a commendable ymage of auncient Apostolique modesty which floorished long sithence amongest our graundesyres the first and principal guides and capteynes of Christes Churche Untoo the which rule of humilitie if you coulde addresse that your intollerable hawty courage which you might easily doo if yee woulde and woâ—lde frame your selfe too marche in order amongest your other felowe Bishops certes these troublesome commotions and disordered factions of most pernitious vproares wherewith the peace and concorde of Christians is so lamentably shaken and rent asunder at this present woulde easily be quailed or for the more parte woulde surely growe much more calme But these thicke clowdes cease not as yet too threaten dayly farre more daungerous tempestes and from whence they proceede I know not except they grow froÌ„ out these stinking bogges of that Romishe ryot onely and those pestilent drugges of Papisticall doctrine which woulde once content it selfe too bee refourmed and reduced to the rule of Euangelical simplicity there woulde bee no hurly burly in the worlde nowe no outragious factions woulde molest oppressed common weales at this present Al which enormities woulde easily at
17. Gregâ—ry in his 4 booke the 38 Epiâ—tlâ— to Luâ—oâ— Peter was neither head of the Church nor vniuersall Apoâ—â—lâ— Galat. 2. Chrysâ—st vpon Paules Epâ—stle to the Romanâ—s The vniuersall Iurisdiction of the Pope confuted Iohn .6 Luke .14 Iohn .13 Matth. 23. Luke .16 Matth. 5. In what sense Peter was calleâ— prince of the Apostles Peter called prince of the Apostles as Cicero was called prince of eloquence in reâ—pect of eâ—cellencie not of superâ—oritie Mat. 4. Luke 5. Iohn 21. Peter made fisher of men not prince of men Actes .8 Pope Alexander the 3. Hâ—stiensis Extrauagan dâ— eâ—ectâ— electi poâ—â—state Hadriâ—n Clâ—mâ—nt 5â— Honâ—rius 3. Gregory 9. Vrbanus 4. Innocent 4. Clement 4. All the French in Sicile yong and olde were slaine at the sound of a bell Martin 4â— Honorius 4. Nicholâ—s 4. Boniface 8. Clement .5 Iohn .22 Vrbane .6 Clement Martine .5 Pius .2 Sixtus .4 Iulius .2 Paulus .3 The succession of the Pope discouered and confuted 2. Quest. 7. Omnes Dist. 40. â—erome writing to Helyodore The councel of Constance The ordinary succession prefiteth nothing in the sight of God Maâ—asses Caiaphas The Iâ—wes Iohn .9 Mat. 3. Luâ—e 2. Mat. 23. Iames .1 Ephe. 5. No resemblaÌ„ce betwixt Peter and the Pope The state of the chayre of the Romish Monarchyâ— Betwixt the Pope and Peter Esay 5. 2. Ezechiel .34 It is not the chayre but the good life that maketh a man Apostolical Neanthus sonnâ— of Pittacus The continuance of succeeding Bishops in the Church is no sufficient cloke to coulor error The ordinary succession of popeâ— hath bin discontinued broken of The light of doctrine and trueth restoreâ— The Popâ—s Bullâ—s against the faithfâ—l sâ—ruants of Christâ— The slaunders of the Pope against the Queene of Englandâ— The Oration of Queene Elizabeth to the Pope Matth. 5. Lâ—â—ius The cause of the Popes malice against Elâ—zabeâ—h Queene of England How this saying without the Churche is no hope of saluation must be conâ—trued The Câ—tholâ—kâ— fayâ—h Athanasius Creede The Nycene Creede The Romish fayth Bâ—â—â—â— in his 78. Epiâ—â—le The Catholike church amongst the Grecians eâ—empt from the Church of Rome We read in our Creeâ— the holy and Catholike Church but not the Romain Church The onely faiâ—h and doâ—trine of Christ doth vnite Câ—ristiâ—â—s to the Câ—uâ—châ— Three Tabernacles â— Thessal 2. Luke â—2â— Matâ— 20. 2â—â— Luke 18. A compaâ—ison betwixt the auncieÌ„t church of Rome and the Romish prelates nowe The life and conuâ—rsation of the auncient aâ—d Apostolical â—hurche Great differeÌ„ce betwixt the biâ—hops of the ancâ—ent and the new churche of Rome Bernard in his Epistle to Eâ—genius â— The life of the Bishoppes of Rome may seeme lesse Apostolike then Apostatique The Popes doctrine conninced in nouelty The nouâ—lâ—y of the Popes docâ—ryne was in many things vnknown to the auncieÌ„t fathers In howe many how weighty matters the Apostolicke doctryne varyeth from the popes Tertullianusâ— Apocal. 2. Apoca. â—3 Cicero in his Tusculanes the 3. booke Apoc. 13. Though the Pope with his crew be part of the church yet be they not the vniuersall church The Popes arguments deducted from the vniuersalitie The Papiâ—â—â—â— obiection Two sortes of men in the visible Church A disagreement not a departure bâ—twiâ—t the protestantes and the Papistes Osâ—c â— The errours filthines of the Popes doctryâ—e A comparison betwixt the Iewes and the Romish catholikes The persecution of Christians by the pope and his papâ—sts The ceremonies of the Iewes and the Papistes compared together The superstitioÌ„ of the Romanists in defending their traditions is more than Iewish As the Iewes do looke for a worldly Messiâ—as so the Papists doe expect a worldly vicar Like Pope like Church The very pattâ—â—â—e â—â—age of the Romish Church The Papists do play the Iewes in establishing the doctrine of rightuousnesse by workes â—om 9 10â— How fayth is esteemed with the Papistes Only faith with out works â—oâ—h accomplish the whole worke of our iusâ—iâ—icatioâ— Oâ—orâ— agaynst Haddon pagâ— 94. Oâ—or in his Epistle to the Queene of England pag. 27. 32. Tridâ—â—â—in Conc. Ses. 6. cap. 7. How fayth dotâ— beget good workes Faith as oportunitie is offred can neuer cease from doing good working alwayes throâ—â— loue Fayth in iustification is onely and alone but in working is not alone Tridentin Conc. Ses. 6. cap. 16. The infallible doâ—trine of the Tridâ—ntine Councâ—ll Sâ—ssiâ— 6 Cap. 7 Ephesians 2. Iohn .6 Iohn .11 Euerlasting life promised to the beleeuers The diffeâ—ence betwixt the law and the Gospel The vse and duetie of the lawe Wherein the vse of the law consisteth properly The Euangelicall faith The preaching of faith * 2. Cor 3. Who hath made vs able ministâ—rs of tâ—e new Testament not of the letter but of the spirite The fruite and prayse of good workes Psalm â—5 In what respect good workes be auayleable and what they bring to passe Ianuensis is his booke called Cathoâ—ico Psal. 1â—â— From whence ariseth the welâ—spring of eternal life Iustificaâ—ion is proper to faith only Mark .9 Good woorkes do not procure a man to be iustâ—fiâ—d but bee fruites and effectes of him that is iustified alâ—eady August de graâ—ia 〈◊〉 Cap. 3. Romans 4â— Titus .3 Obiection The answeres of the Apostle Howe faith and good woorkes doe agree and disagree ech with other Tully in his orâ—tion for Milo The obiectioâ— is confuted Eâ—he 5. A brief Catalogue of the popish doctrine Osor. in his 7. booke de Iustitia â—ala 3. A comparison betwixt the preachers of the lawe and the Gospel and betwixt theÌ„ which plod vpon nothing els then the rightâ—ousnes of the lawe and workes The supremacâ— of the Pâ—pe confuted Luke 22.26 Inuocation of saintes confuted Hebr. 7. Pictures and images of saintes Uowes of vâ—maried life Masses and sâ—â—rifices Satisfactions â—or â—iâ—nes 1. Iohn 2â— Actes 1â— Osor. In his Epistle to the Queene of Englande Rightuousnes by faith Iustification free One only oblation The Papistes suppâ—r without wyne The holy ghost the vicar of Christ. Tertullian de praescrip aduersus Haereticos Being taken hence into heauen to the right hande of the father hee sent his vicar power of the holy Ghoste which might comfort the faithful Christ the ende of the lawe The ende and mark of romish doctryne Iohn .5 An vnknowne toung doth not edifie Mat. 24. Idolatroâ—s pilgrimages Peter the Apostle is denied to haue beene bishop of Rome The functions of Apostles and Bishoppes bee diuerse The Pope of Rome is falsely supposed to bee Peteâ—s successor How much the popes doctryne is swarued froÌ„ the disciplyne Apostolique 1. Peter .2 Of the sacramentes The abhominable corruptions of the papists in the Lordes supâ—er * Aug. ad Infantes is cyted by Bedâ— 1. Cor. 10. That which you see is bread and wine which also your eyes do declare maniâ—eâ—â—ly * Augustâ— de trinitate 3. booke cap. â— Myracles are properly applyed too declare to our senses some supernatural and heauenly power In the sacrament nothing
another Lib. 4. dist 8. If the senses must be credited in establishing the accidents of brâ—ad and wine why should not the same senses be beleued also in affirming the substance of bread and wine which we do see A double â—rror of the Papâ—sts in the matter of the saâ—ramâ—nt An obiectioÌ„ out of Ambrose being wrongfully taken The woorking woorde The refutation of the obiectioÌ„ All whatsoeuer was created God did create by the power of his word Ergo god doth chaÌ„ge the bread intoâ— the pâ—rson of the sonne of God The Argument is denyed The wordes of Christ must be considered not according too the letter but according too the true sense meaning of the sentence No transubstaÌ„tiation can bee gathered by the woordes of the supper * Hesychiuâ—inâ— Leuit. lib. 1. cap. 2. We do eate this meate receauing the memory of his passion Esay the 25. â—hap And in this mountaine shall the Lorde of hoastes make vnto al people a feast of fattlings eueÌ„ a feast of neare and fined wynes and of fat thinges full of marrowe of wynes fined and purified c. * Why woulde Christe conuey away his body into heauen in the open sight of his disciples but that they should â—ease to looke for him any more heere on earth Aug in Ioan. tracta 27. When yee shal see the sonne of man ascende vppe where he was before truly euen then shal you see bicause hee doth bestowe his body not after the maner that yee thinke Certes then shal ye vnderstand it that his grace is not thereby consumed with teeth c. The obiection of the aduersaries An answere * Beda in octauis Epiphaniae The creature of bread and wyne is by the vnspeakeable sanctification of the holy Ghoste transposed intoo the sacrament of the fleshe and blood of Christ. * August de Consecrat dist 2. Thiâ— is it that the heauenly breade which is the fleshe of Christ is called after his maner the body of Christ whenas in deede it is the sacrament of Christes body * Rabanus Maurus lib. 1. Cap. 31. The sacrament is one thing the efficacy of the sacrament is an other thing The sacrament is turned intoo the nourishement of the Body By the efficacie of the sacrament the honour of euerlasting life is obteyned * Cyril cathechis mistagog 4. Doo not esteeme it as bare bread The bread of the Euchariste is no more bare and naked bread * Chrysost. sermo ad Infantes The bread is remoued by the substaunce of Christes body That is to say That it become nothing in respect of the body Ambros de sacr lib. 4. cap. 4. Origen vppon Mat. cap. 15. Aâ—gu de consec distinct 2. Hoc est quod c. Rabanus Maâ—â—â—s lib. 1. cap. 31. * Iren. lib. 5. The substance of our flesh is nourished and increased by the bread which bread is the body Chrysost. in operâ— imperfâ—â—om 11. * Origen in Mat. cap. 15. And thus much of the typical symbolical body c. * Chrysost. ad Caesarium Before the bread bee sanctified wee doo cal it breadâ— But by the sanctification of the diuyne grace and the prayers of the Priest it is delyuered from the name of bread But is reputed woorthy too bee called by the name of the body of Christe though the nature of bread remayne stil c. * Chrysost. 1. Cor. hom 24. Ascende therefore vppe euen too heauen gates and there enter intoo dewe consideration nay rather not the gates of Heauen but of the Heauens of Heauens and there shalte thou see that whereof wee doo speake Chrysost. in Genes Hom. 24. When the eyes of fayth doo beholde these vnspeakeable treasures they doo not perceaue these visible thinges indeed but only the difference betwixt these thinges There was nâ— cause why Christ should change the substance of bread into his flesh A threfolde reâ—son wherâ—by Lombard establâ—sheth his transubstantiation li. 4. dist 11. â—â— 5â— LoÌ„bards reasons discouered and refuted The first reason of Lombard In matters of faith mans reasoÌ„ hath no place Ergo. TransubstantiatioÌ„ must be beleeued though it bee quite against reason the Argument is denied The second reason of Lombard â— * Ex August de conse dist 2. sub figura There is nothing more reasonable for vs theÌ„ to receiue the likenesse of blood that so both the trueth may not cease that no occasioÌ„ be giuen to the PagaÌ„s to scorne vs bicause we drink the blood of a slain maâ—â— August de cons. dict 2. cap Sub figura Ex citatione Lomb. lib. 4. dist II. Ambros. De sâ—â—cramento liâ— 8. cap. 1. Hilarius De coÌ„sec dist 1. 2. Corpus Christi The third reason of Lomb. li. 4 dist 11. cap. 5. Lombard doth not agree with him selfe The loathsomnes of eating iâ— not takeÌ„ away by the accideÌ„ts Iohn .6 The flesh profiteth nothing Lombard is iniurious to the sacrament two maner of waies * Ambros. de sacra lib. 4. cap. â— As thou hast receyued the likenesse of his death euen so thou dost drinke the likenesse of his precious blood that there may bee no loathsomnesse of blood * Ambros. lib 6. cap. 1. You doe receyue the sacrament in a similitude but you doe attaine the grace and power of the true nature * Ambros. 1. Cor. ca. 11. The testament is perfourmed with blood bicause the blood is a testimonie of Gods liberalitie In the Type wherof we do take and r eceyue the mysticall cuppe the blood The Papists can neuer take away the horror from the holy supper except they first grauÌ„t the bread whole and sound Transubstantiation of the doctrine of sacramentall formes in the Lordes supper is described 1. Cor. 11. De consecra dist 2. corpus Christi Cyprian lib. epist. 6. Origen in Mat. cap. 15. August in Iohnâ— Tract 26. Whether the operation of bread remaine in the Sacrament togither with the kindes and names of bread yea or nay No likenesse betwixt the accidents and the body of Christ. Lib. 4. dist 8. 1 The Sacrament onely 2 The Sacrament and the thing 3 The thing and not the Sacrament The visible formes cannot be the SacrameÌ„t of a double thing to wâ—t of the bodie and of the mysticall bodie An argument agaynst Lombarde who doth affirme that the natural bodie of Christ is a Sacrament of his mystical bodie that is to say The church What thing is that thing of the SacrameÌ„t and the SacrameÌ„t of a thing and howe it is both according to Lombard 2. Cor. 10. August de Sacramentis fâ—deliâ—m Looke into August coâ—â—ra Donatist lâ—b 7. cap. 50. Eight Sacraments hatcht out of Lombards diuinitie The thing and not a Sacrament The substance of the Sacrament is not the vnitie of the mysticall body but the death of his naturall bodie Lib. 4. dist 8. An argument againste the assertion of Lâ—mbarde The sacramâ—nt was not instituted to signifie the vnion of the Church An other Argâ—ment The thirde Aâ—gument Lombardes threefolde error Lombardes viii Sacrament