mulieribus quas ad confessionem admittunt Scelestissimè fornicantur Luk 2. cap. 37. 1. They Priests do often most wickedly commit fornication with the women of there parishes which they admit to confession The like writeth Marsilius Patauinus in his booke intituled Desensor Pacis part 2. ca. 6. pag. 286. To your sixt accusation I answere that we exclude and banish our Sauiour Christ neither from the Sacrament of his supper nor from the hearts of the faithfull but acknowledge that as by faith hee dwelleth in the one so by Ephes 3 17 2. Cor. 13 5 the same hee is receiued of the Godly in the other Your false and grosse doctrine of Transsubstantiation which the Greeke Church neuer beleeued and the Latine Church lately defined as Erasmus saith wee iustly reiect and condemne â—râ—s Anno â—â— in 1. Cor. 7 We exhort men when they come to receiue that holy mysterie the Sacrament and pledge of our saluation in Christ to examine themselues and so to eate of that bread and drinke of that cup For hee that eate haâ—d drinketh vnworthily 1. Cor. 11. â—8 eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords bodie But if as you say sinfull liues consorte not with his sacred mysterie I meruaile how your Priests liues consorted with it which how holy they were I will shew hereafter Lastly you charge vs with a new negatiue religion wholy standing vpon negation of Sacraments ceremonies rites lawes customes and other practicall points of the Catholike Church wherevnto I answere that we deny nothing that God hath commanded in the holy canonicall Scripture the which as I haue before shewed is the onely rule of our Religion and life Indeede wee deny and defie your trifling traditions and vnwritten vanities and inuentions with the which you haue gone a whoring as the Prophet saith If you can shew that wee deny any thing which Psal 106. 39 God hath commaunded as wee can plainely prooue that you doe then spare not to charge vs with a new negatiue religion You deny the sufficiencie of the Scriptures and that all doctrine necessarie to saluation is contayned in them You deny the same Scriptures to bee in the vulgar tongue for all Gods people to reade and heare to their comfort You deny praier and the publicke seruice of God to be in the same vulgar tongue You deny Christ to bee our only mediator between God vs. You deny the Cup of Christs supper to Gods people You deny the lawful authority which Princes haue ouer their people subiects in all causes ecclesiasticall and temporall You deny mariage to ecclesiasticall ministers whereby what great and horrible wickednesse you haue caused I will hereafter declare You say we bring in for fasting feasting for praying playing c. Concerning your fasting consisting in a superstitious obseruing of times and diuersitie of meates and tending to the honouring of Saints and satisfying Gods iustice for your sinnes we deny it But fasting purely vsed according to Gods word to humble our soules before God to mortifie the wicked affections of our sinful flesh we allow and especially that great and principall fast in abstayning from sinne whereof Saint Augustine speaketh in these words Ieiunium autem magnum generale August in Ioan traâ—l â—7 distinct de consecra cap. Ieiunium est abstinere ab iniquitatibus ab illicitis voluptatibus seculi quod est perfectum ieiâ—nium in hoc seculo The great and generall fast is to abstaine from iniquities and vnlawfull pleasures of the world which is the perfect fast in this world Chrysostome saith Ieiunium dico abstinentiam à vitiis I say that fasting which is to abstaine from vices Chrysost in Genes hom 8. Hereby let it be discerned who doe most truely fast In deede I know that it is your manner much to glory in your writings and speeches of your outward fasting from meates as the Pharisee in the Gospell did who gloried Luke 18. 12. that he fasted twise a weeke which neither God in his law had required nor the Apostles of Christ for any thing wee reade vsed Whereby wee may note that true Godlines neither is to bee measured by such outward abstinece from meates nor is alwaies ioyned with it Iohn Matth. 11. 18 Baptist vsed greater austerity in his diet and abstinence from meates then our Sauiour Christ did yet was his life nothing so holy Iohns Disciples vsed more fasting Matth. 9. 14. then the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ did Yet it is not to be doubted but our Sauiours Disciples liued as godly or Tertul de Iâ—iâ—nio adueâ—s Psichicos Hierom. in Aggaeum cap. 1. pag. 230. more then they did The Montanists Heretikes were greater fasters then were the true Christians as Tertullian sheweth And S. Hierome writeth that they obserued three Lents in a yeare and yet were Heretikes condemned by the Church of God although then fauored by the Bishop of Rome as Tertullian sheweth in the beginning of his booke against Praxeas The Iewes vsed such great abstinence and fasting that they brought weakenes and sickenesse to their bodies as Saint Hierome writeth who neuerthe Hierorymus ad Algaesiam quast 10. lesse were enemies to our Sauiour Christ The Moscouites which neuer acknowledged the Popes authority be as great fasters as Papists are And so also be the Turkes And therefore these men neede not to boast so much of 1. Tim. 4. 8. their fasting Saint Paul saith that bodily exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable to all things hath the promise of this life present that which is to come Howbeit as I will not deny but that there may be lesse fasting and more feasting then were requisit yet that there is more feasting and superfluitie in fare now especially in ecclesiastical persons I thinke it will be to hard for this man to proue Whence came these phrases As fat as an Abbot he hath a face like an Abbot and an Abbey Lubber but of their immoderate fare and feeding And how these men were giuen to gluttony excesse I will shew at this time but by one example Giraldus Cambrensis in his Book intituled Speculum Ecclesiae writeth that the Abbot and Monkes of Saint Swithens in Winchester came to King Henry the second hunting at Gilford in Surrey and fell downe in myre and durt before him pittifully crying out The King asked them what was the matter They answered that their Bishoppe had taken three dishes of meate from their dinners and suppers He asked them how many he had left vnto them They answered tenne but from the foundation of their house they had vsed daily to haue thirteen dishes at a meale The King turned to his Nobles and said By the eyes of God for that was his oath I thought their house had beene burnt and now I see it is but a matter concerning their paunches And then turning to the Abbots and Monkes
seruice Sigibertus Gemblacensis a Monke declareth how that Grimoaldus In Chronico fol. 96. Ar. 713. chiefe Gouernor of the house of Leodium whilest he was praying before the Altar of Saint Lambert was murthered by Rauinger a seruant of Rabode Duke of Frisia Hee also sheweth both how one Gualcerus a Bishop of England was slayne in the time of Masse And also how one Gerrardus a noble souldier or Knight was slaine by the Bishops Ibidem fol 134. seruants as hee was praying before the Image of Christ Albertus Krantzius writeth that Stanislaus Arch-bishop of Cracouia in Polonia as he was saying Masse was slaine In VVandalia lib. 2. pag. 62. Part. 3. Titul 22. cap. 11. 8. 10. Theod. a Niem lib. 1. cap. 25. p. 20. Part. 2. Titul 16. cap. 4. 55. 3. fol 95. by the commandement of King Bodislaus Iohn the Cornetan Cardinal did assault the King of Aragon as he was hearing Masse as writeth Antoninus Ioane the Queene of Naples as shee was kneeling before the Altar was at the commandement of Charles strangled by foure Hungarian soldiers Antoninus maketh mention of a fray in the Church a litle before Masse betweene the seruants of the Arch-bishop of Mentz and of the Abbot of Fulda about sitting neere to the Emperor by which the pauement of the Church was filled with blood But whether this was the same fray â— is alleaged before out of Mathew Paris I do not know neither haue I leisure to examine The people of Bedera slew William Trentheuell their Guliel Neubrig reruÌ„ Angli lib. 2. cap. 11. pag. 389. lib. 1. in Henr. 1. part 7. In Richard 1. fol. 6. Lord with his friends and Nobles before the Altar and in the presence of the Bishop Fabian writeth that one Guye a French man was slaine at Masse Hee also declareth how Hugh Nouante Bishop of Chester made complaint that the Monkes of Couentry had shed his blood before the high Altar of the Church for which cause the Bishop of Elye deemed that the sayd Monks should be put from their Abbey Geffrey Arch-bishop of Yorke brother to King Richard the first and King Iohn hauing said Masse and standing Act monu in Rich 1. pag. 323. at the Altar hauing his Masse garments on was by the Bishop of Elies men and commandement bound and dragged through the dirt and myre Robert Haul Esquier who had escaped out of the Tower Ex libelio de Sâ—pult et mon â—uâ—eclesie VVâ—stmon Anno 137â— of London with his fellow Iohn Shakel fled vnto the sanctuary at Westminster from wheÌ„ce Alane Buxhâ—l Raphe Ferrers with 50. men did go about by force when he was at Masse to bring him who making resistance crying for the peace of the Church was slaine with swords with a seruant of the Abbey who would haue letted them Hollingshead writeth of a fraye in Saynt Dunstans Hollingsh Croniâ—l in Hen. 5. pag 562. Church in London in these wordes In this yeare 1418 In the first yeare of the raigne of this Victorious King on Easter day in the afternoone a time which required deuotion at a sermon in Saint Dunstons in the East of London a great fraye happened in the said Church where through many people were sore wounded and one Thomas Petwarden fishmonger that dwelt at Sprots key was slain out right as they vpon a good intent did what they could to their own perill as it vnfortunately befell to appease the turmoile and to procure the keeping of the Kings peace This broile began betweene the Histor Mont. Hersang pag. 17. in VVandalia lib. 13. cap. 20. lib. 10. cap. 9. c. Lord Strange and Sir Iohn Trussell Knight by the malice of their wiues Many such other broyles committed in the Church and in the time of their Masse might be alleadged as the learned may read in Tritemius Krantius and others but I will forbeare them They haue also shewed their deuotion in not sparing to Platina in victor 3 vse or rather horribly to abuse the Sacrament of Christs blood to poysoning of their enemies Pope Victor the third was by poyson put into the Chalice poysoned and killed Plat in ClemeÌ„t 5. fasciâ— tempor Septa aetate fol. 84. So Henry the 7. Emperor was poysoned by a Monke called Bernard de Mont Polâ—tiano in the Chalice when he receiued the Sacrament So was Henry Archbishoppe of Yorke poysoned in the Chalice when himselfe said Masse as writeth the Monke In Stephano pag. 122. Mathew Parâ—s Thus the reader may see that the deuotion of Papistes is like if not much worse the deuotion of those women who Act. 13. 50. were stirred vp by the Iewes to persecute Paul and Barnabas Hereby this man and others who so much accuse our manners these times may see what hath been the estate of the Church and manners both of Priestes and people heretofore when Popery most florished and thereby may discerne with whome dissolution and loosenesse of life do most raigne The Pamphlet The Protestants make God the author of sinne the onely cause of sinne that man sinneth not that GOD is worse then the Diuell 5. Article VVHosoeuer defendeth that God commaundeth perswadeth vrgeth impelleth to sinne maketh God the cause of sinne a Caâ—uia lib. 1. Institu cap. 17. §. 11. cap. 18. §. 4. lib. 3. cap. 23. §. 7. 8. 9. Quintius serm de prouidentiâ— Beza Aphoris But all Protestants say that God commandeth perswadeth vrgeth impelleth to sinne Ergo The Protestants make God the cause and author of sinne The Maior I proue for if God perswade or impell men to sinne as for example Iudas to sell Christ Saint Peter to deny Christ the Iewes to crucifie Christ questionlesse he intended the sacriledge of Iudas the negation of Peter the murder of the Iewes and this much more effectually then Iudas Peter or the Iewes For who can resist his impulsion or who can frustrate his intention Voluntati eius quis resistet Who is able to oppose himselfe against his will yea what man is he that in conscience were not bound to conforme his will vnto the will of God who is the author of all good willes and the first rule and square of all regular wils Iudas Peter and the Iewes if they had followed the motions of God who could haue blamed them for following him who could not erre in impelling nor sinne in perswading them But some will say that God moued them for a good end videlicet the redemption of man and they intended an ill end to wit Luere reuenge or some other sinister effect Yet this shifâ— will not salue the sore for euill may not be done that good may follow Non sunt facienda mala vt inde veniant bona For Rom. 3. ver 8. otherwise a man might steale to giue almes be arunke for a meriment commit adâ—â—utrie to beget children Moreouer why might not Iudas Peter or the Iewes intend that
AN APOLOGIE FOR THE RELIGION established in the Church of England BEING AN ANSWER TO T. W. HIS 12. Articles of the last edition In this impres sion recognized and much inlarged Also Answers to three other writings of three seuerall Papists By ED BVLKLEY Doctor of Diuinitie Prouerb 14. 15. The foolish will beleeue euery thing but the prudent will consider his wayes Lamenta 3. 40 Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. Chrysost in Genes 〈◊〉 â— Quocirca diuinae Scripturae vestigia sequamur neque â—â—ramus eos qui temerâ— quiduis blaterant i. Let vs follow the steps of the holy Scripture and not endure or abide them that rashly babble euery-thing AT LONDON Printed by George Eld for Arthur Iohnson and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the white Horse ouer-against the great North doore of S. Paules Church 1608. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON KNIGHT LORD Keeper of the great Seale of England Chamberlaine of the Countie Palatine of Chester and one of his Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell grace and peace be multiplied WHen I consider right Honourable the estate of England in these our dayes I cannot better compare it then with the estate of the kingdome of Iudah vnder K. Iosias expressed shortly yet effectually by Sophonie the Prophet who liued preached in that time For as then God gaue to that people that worthy godly King who zealously 2. King 25. rooted out Idolatrie and planted Gods true worship agreeable to his law so God in great mercy hath giuen vs our most gratious Queene Elizabeth by whose godly meanes Idolatrie hath beene abolished Gods true religion and seruice restored his holy word truly and sincerely preached and peace and tranquilitie among vs long maintained And as in those daies vnder King Iosias notwithstanding that godly and zealous reformation there was great wickednes among the people as the said Sophonias sheweth For there were then which worshipped Sopho. 1. 5. vpon the rouffes of their houses the host of heauen and which worshipped and sware by the true and onely God Iehoua and by Malchaâ— their Idoll and 6. such as were turned backe from after the true God and sought him not nor inquired after him and 8. that did weare strange apparell and others that filled their maisters houses with robbery and deceit 9. and such as were frozen in their dregges and said in 12. their hearts the Lord will neither doe good nor euill And Ierusalem was then a filthie and spoyling Chap. 3. 1. 2. citie which heard not Gods voyce receiued not instruction trusted not in the Lord and drew not neere vnto her God c. Euen so how these sinnes abound at this time in this land I thinke there are but few but doe see and none that truely feareth God but doth lament To omit other sinnes here mentioned as then there were which worshipped Iehoua the onely true God and Malcham their Idoll euen so there be now not a few which to please the Prince and State pretend outwardly to like of religion established and yet inwardly in their hearts fauour Idolatrie and wicked worshippings repugnant to the same And as then many were turned backe from after God and sought him not nor inquired after him euen so now there are many which be reuolted from Gods holy worship agreeable to his word and vtterly forsake the holy assemblies where Gods word is truly preached the Sacraments are according to Christs institution rightly ministred and Gods holy name faithfully called vpon These with Lots wife looke backe vnto Genes 19. Numb 14. Sodome and are with the Israelites in heart turned back into Egypt desiring rather to eate onions and garlike there then to feed vpon the heauenly Manna of Gods blessed word Of these thus turned backe from seeking after God they be most dangerous which being deceiued themselues endeuour by all meanes both by speaking and writing to seduce and deceiue others Such be the Seminarie Priests and Iesuites who although they be at this present time at leastwise in outward apparance at deadly fewd among themselues writing most bittely one against another yet they all agree in resisting Gods truth seducing the simple and in labouring most earnestly to set vp againe their Dagon of the Masse fallen downe before the Arke of Christs Gospell To this end they write lewd lying and slanderous Pamphlets wherein they traduce the truth and faithfull fauourers thereof deceiue the ignorant and confirme in error their ouer affectioned fauorers who without triall or examination ouer rashly receiue and ouer lightly beleeue whatsoeuer is broached by them Of these lying Libels there came one to my hands a yeere past and more pretended to be printed at Antwerpe 1600. wherein is boldly affirmed but faintly proued that we haue no faith nor religion that of vs both the learned and ignorant of the Greeke and Latine tongues be Infidels that wee know not what wee beleeue that we are bound in conscience both neuer to aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes and also to auoide all good workes that we make God the author of sinne and worse then the diuell These and such other shameles assertions and false slanders when I read it came into my heart that Master Thomas Wright with whose spirit I had beene acquainted was the venter of this ware In which opinion I was afterward confirmed for that both some of his fauourers could not denie it and in a written copie therof taken in a search in Shropshire and sent vnto me these two letters T. W. were set in the end of it This lewd Libell although in respect of the matter voide both of truth and learning deserued rather to be despised then earnestly answered yet because the author of it thinketh so highly of himself and so basely and contemptuously of vs giuing out in certaine written conferences which he hath dispersed abroad in this land and some faithfull men haue seene that wee be vnlearned and so giuen to wordly affaires that we bestow no time or but little in studie I although the meanest and vnmeetest of many was moued to wtite this answere thereby to confute these calumnies to cleere the truth to confirme the faithfull and if by Gods gracious blessing it might be to reclaime and reforme the ignorant and seduced Whereof I haue the lesse hope for that as they imitate those wicked Israelits which refused to hearkeÌ„ turned away their shoulder stopped their Zach. 7. 11. eares that they might not heare made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the law the words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by his Prophets So they doe fully follow the peruerse Pagans which most obstinately refused to read godly bookes written by Christians as that ancient eloquent Christian Lactantius in these eloquent words declareth Non est apud me dubium Constantine Imperator Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 1.
and beleeued of which to giue fol. 251. the reader a taste I will set downe two or three It is there sayd that Iohn Damescene hauing his hand cut off for writing letters against the Emperour the same was suddenly set on againe to write a praier which he had made to fol. 254. the Virgine Marie Also that a theefe which vsed to fast the vigiles of the feastes of our Ladie and vsed to pray vnto her beeing hanged by the space of three daies could not die for the Virgine Marie susteined him on the gibet infinite such other fables swarme in that booke And wee may wonder that men of any wisedome knowledge or iudgement should bee deluded and mocked with such false fained reliques as were and are in Popery as with Saint Peters finger at Walfingham as bigge as if it Erasmus in Colloquio peregriergo Blondus de Roma instaurata lib. 3. prope sinem Holingshead in Henry 8. p. 946 Caluinus admonitione de reliquijs had beene of some Giant and also the virgin Maries milke there which seemeth by Erasmus to haue beene the white of an egge and chalke mingled together and a vessell of the same at Rome as writeth Blondus the bloud of Hales the which was prooued and declared at Paules Crosse by the Bishop of Rochester in king Henry the eights daies to haue beene clarified honey coloured with saffron In Geneua there was worshipped for the arme of Saint Anthonie that which afterward was prooued to bee the pisle of a Stagge for a peece of Saint Peters scull that which was found to bee a pumish stone But this will not bee beleeued of this writer and of his fellowes because Caluin did write it But why Caluin should write and publish euen in the French tongue in Geneua such a thing of Geneua vnlesse it were true which the Inhabitants thereof might know to bee false I see no reason it could purchase no credit to him or to his doctrine But why might not that as well bee true as the things before alleaged or as that which Gregorius Turonensis who liued sundry hundreth yeares past writeth Gregâ—â— Turoâ—ens lib. 9. ca. 6 that there was found in a boxe of reliques of a certaine Sainct rootes of trees the teeth of a Mole the bones of Mice and the clawes of Beares which were worshipt for holie reliques But of these iuglings I will write no more at this present GOD may giue occasion hereafter more largely to intreate of them At these things we may wonder but yet wee doe not ouermuch meruaile and wonder at them for that the spirit of GOD by Saint Paule hath foreshewed vs that the time would come when men shold 2. Timoth. 4. 4 turne away their eares from the truth and bee giuen to fables and that the comming of Antichrist should bee by 2. Thessal 2. 9. the effectuall working of sathan with all powre and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnes amongst them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might bee saued therefore GOD should send them a strong delusion to beleeue lies that all they might bee damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Whereas you request that hee that shall answere this your pamphlet will doe it briefely orderly and seriously I will indeuor to doe the two last as GOD shall inable me But concerning breuitie I will vse my libertie and peraduenture more largely lay downe your absurdities then you would bee willing I should doe But whereas you say that you make this request for that you perceiue that the Protestants cannot answere with breuitie because their Religion lacketh both certaintie and perspicuitie I say that with one breath you doe vtter two vntruthes The first that wee cannot answere with breuitie which how vntrue it is let it be tried first by the briefe and pithy answeres of that great learned man Doctor Fulke who answering many of their bookes which yet to this day stand vndefended how briefely and pithily hee answered the same let any man that hath but a graine of indifferent iudgement consider and iudge And particularlie I referre them to his answere to Rishtons challenge and to Allens booke of Purgatorie both in one volume yea many times in his writings hee called them from long and impertinent discourses to short syllogismes wherevnto â—ee could neuer bring them How closely that pretious Iewell and excellent ornament of this Church of England did hold himselfe to the matter and how vnlike hee was to Doctor Harding in his long discourses and digressions who in his booke intituled A detection of lies c. discoursed two hundred and sixe whole sides of paper onely in preambles and prefaces before hee once stept into his matter as Maister Iewel truely told him let the vpright Preface to the defence of the Apology edition 2. reader indifferently iudge The like I may say of that worthie man of famous memorie Doctor Whitakers who how briefely soundlie and learnedlie hee hath answered Campion Saunders Duree Stapleton William Reynolds Bellarmine any man that hath an incorrupt eye may see and discerne And if T. W. bee the author of this pamphlet as I nothing doubt but hee is he may remember that one which had conference with him did write a briefe Epistle vnto him and did therein set downe short sillogismes concerning the controuersies of praier to Saints and the sacrifice of the Masse and required to haue the like short syllogismes set downe of him for the defence of his assertions and could not receiue one but along tedious discourse concerning praier to Saints which was confuted and neuer defended But whether answeres be briefe or long it maketh no matter so that they be learned sound and true to the effectuall confuting of the errour and satisfying of the reader Now as touching certaintie which you say but doe not shew that our Religion lacketh I answere and auouch that our Religion is farre more certaine consonant and agreeable to it selfe then the doctrine of the Church of Rome is the which if I do not effectually proue hereafter in place more conuenient I will not require any man to vse your owne words to accept or affect it But with what forehead can this man charge our doctrine with want of perspicuitie seeing hee cannot bee ignorant how obscure darke and intricate the popish Religion and doctrine is as may appeere by their manifold both curious questions and intricate distinctions which be their chiefe shifts to elude the plaine truth And if any would see how darke the doctrine and writings of Papists are let him looke into the Schoolemen Tho. Aquine Io Scotus Alexander de Hales Gabriel Biel and many such other amongst whom he may finde as much certaintie vnitie and perspicuitie of doctrine as hee may in hell But how we study for perspicuitie and seeke to make all matters plaine both in our preachings and
Bishoppes seates were placed for euening prayer there fell a greeuous strife betweene the seruants of Helecon the Bishoppe of Hildeneshem and the seruants of Widerad the Abbat of Fuldens they beganne with chiding afterward with fistes and had quickly come to swordes if the authority of Otho Duke of the Baioarians had not stayed it Againe a little after The King kept Whitsontide at Goslare where when the King and Bishoppes met at euening prayer there rose againe a tumult for the setting of the Bishops seats not by suddaine chaunce as before but by a fore premeditate purpose for the Bishop of Hiledeneshem being mindefull of the reproch before receaued did hide Cont Ecbert with prouided souldiers behind the Alter These hearing the noise and stir of the seruants came quickly in and of the seruants of the Abbots of Fuldens they did beate some with their fistes others with their clubes did throw them downe and easely driue them being amased at the suddaine danger out of the chancell of the Church who forthwith calling there fellowes to fight the Abbots men hauing their weapons in redines did rush on a heape into the Church in the midst of the Queere among the singers they fought not now with cudgels but with swordes A fierce fight was there made and through the whole Church in steed of spirituall hymnes and Songes there was heard the crying out of some exhorting to fight and the sorrowfull mourning of others dying Sorrowfull sacrifices were slaine vpon the Alters of God and floudes of blood did euery where runne in the Church shed not as in old time by the religion of the law but by hostile crueltie The Bishoppe of Hildensheyme getting vp into a high place and as it were founding a trumpet for warre exhorted his men to fight valiantly and that they should not be feared by the holines of the place from fighting he alleaged his owne authoritie and promise Many were on both sides wounded many were slaine amongst the chiefe were Regeâ—bado the Abbot of Fuldens Standart-bearer and Bero a souldier very deere vnto Count Ecbert In these stirres the King cryed out and by his Kingly maiestie exhorted the people to peace but he seemed to speake vnto them that were deafe At the last being admonished by his followers to prouide for the safety of his owne life hee left the fight and with much adoe escaped through the multitude thronged together to his Pallace The Bishop of Hildeneshems men who came to the fight prepared had the vpper hand The Abbots as vnarmed and sodainely gathered together vppon the sodaine rising of the storme of this seditious tumult were driuen away ouerthrown and expelled out of the Church Wherevppon by and by the doores were locked The Abbots men who in the beginning of the tumult had gone farre off to fetch their weapons came armed in great number and did gette the porch of the Church and put themselues in array yâ— they might forthwith sette vpon them which should come out of the Church But the night did breake off the fray Hetherto Lambert of Schafnaberge Charles Earle of Flanders was slaine at Bruges in the Church at Masse as testifieth these writers Mathew 1127. Paris in Henrico 1. Page 94. Tritemius in Chro. Mon. Hersong Page 156. Sigâ—bertuâ— fol. 137. and FÃ bian part 7. 230. Henry the sonne of Richard Earle of Cornewale was Enncad 9 lib. 5. Dâ—â—aâ— 2. lib 8. slaine in the Church at Viterbum in Italie in the time of the Masse by Guy Mâ—nserratens as testifie Sabelicus Blondus and others This was about the yeare of our Lord 1273. Antoninus sheweth how one Thomas Clevallis Gouernour of Fabrian a great and populous towne and other Pâ—t 3. Titul 22. Cap. 10. fol. 170. â—â—no â—436 Castles thereabouts was slaine with his two sonnes in the great Church of the said Fabrian vpon the Ascension day whilest he was present at a solemne Masse Famous or rather infamous is that murther of Alphonsus Medices in the Church of Florence which Raphaell Volaterranus in his Geography dedicated to Pope Iulius Lâ—b 5 pag. 57. the second declareth in these wordes Laurence Medices suffered sundry conspiracies but especially the Pactian most perillous of all the rest which was in this sort At Rome two Francisces Pactuis and Saluiatus Bishop of Pisa were authors of it Saluiate was greiued because in obtayning his Bishoppricke he had Laurence his aduersary the other for that seeing himselfe equall to Laurence in Nobilitie witte and almost in wealth was not equall to him in power and authority Therefore they did impart the matter with Hierome a kinsman of Pope Sixtus the fourth because they did know that he also did hate him For whereas bee was the first keeper of the Popes treasure he was found to haue giuen secret aid against the Pope to Nicholas Vitellius of Tiserni in the siege of Tiserni Therefore they being priuy consenting they went first to Pisa afterward they came to Pactius town wher they continued certaine daies vntil they had gotten togither the rest of the conspirators and had disposed of the whole matter From thence vpon the tenth Câ—lendes oâ— May being Sonday in the yeare 1478. the Conspirators vnder the pretence of Gods seruice came to Florence with Raâ—hael the Popes Legat and Hieroms kinsman who from the schoole of Pisa beeing lately made a Cardinall came thither either by chance or of set purpose They came all early to the Church of Reparata to Masse In the meane while Saluiatus with his armed men departed secretly from the Church and came vnder pretence of an other matter to the Court or common Hall to talke with Caesar Vcâ—iliser the Gouernour but yet to this end that the murther being committed in the Church he might bee ready to inuade and sette vppon the Court and Magistrates Therefore the token beeing giuen when the Eucharist or Sacrament was lifted vp Barnard Bandine first did thrust through Iulian Laurences brother Antony Volateran who moued with hatred for an old iniury done to the Volaterans had required the first part in that action did on the other side sette vppon Laurence behinde his backe and did strike him a little below the throate whereas hee straight wayes turning himselfe at the crye of the people did somewhat auoyde the blow and when the other would haue giuen him an other blow hee speedily escaped into the Reuestrie of the Church neere therevnto where hee was by the multitude of his friendes receiued and preserued c. Hitherto Volaterans wordes who immediately sheweth how Pope Sixtus interdicted Laurence for laying handes vppon the Legate and the Priestes and made wars vppon the Florentines drawing Ferdinandus King of Sicile and Fredericke Duke of Vrbine to ioine with him in that warre c. The same Rap. Volaterane sheweth how both Ioannes lib. 4. fol. 54. Ibidem fol. 55. Maria Galeatus Sfortia Dukes of Millayne were slaine in the Church in time of the Masse
countenance vpon the said sacrifice and that thou wouldest accept the same as thou vouchsafedst to accept the gifts of thy righteous seruant Abel and sacrifice of our Patriarch Abraham and the holy sacrifice and immaculate hoast which Melchisedech the high Priest offered vnto thee Here the Priest prayeth to God mercifully to look vpon and to accept this sacrifice as hee accepted the sacrifices of Abel Abraham and Melchisedech And what is this sacrifice forsooth say they Iesus Christ himselfe whom they offer for a propitiatorie sacrifice So that by this doctrine the Priest prayeth to God the father mercifully and fauourably to looke vpon and to accept Iesus Christ his sonne S. Paul teacheth vs that Christ sitteth Rom. 8. 34. at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs this Popish Canon teacheth vs that the Priest maketh intercession to GOD the father for Iesus Christ And whereas Saint Paul faith that Christ is the onely Mediatour 1. Tim. 2. 5. betweene God and man this Popish Canon maketh the Priest Mediatour betweene God the father and Iesus Christ Is not this good Catholike doctrine the which must needes follow if their doctrine of their Reall offering and sacrificing of Iesus Christ himselfe for a propitiatorie sacrifice be true Moreouer if here by the sacrifice of Melchâ—sedech be meant that which in the 14. of Genesis is mentioned whereby they often endeuour to proue their fained sacrifice then I say the Scripture is falsified for Melchisedech did not offer bread and wine for a sacrifice vnto God but brought them forth to refresh Abraham and his Souldiours returning from the battell In the Canon they haue another prayer Libera nos quaesuâ—us Domine c. Deliuer vs wee beseech thee O Lord from all euils past present and to come and through the intercession of the blessed and glorious and alwaies Virgine Mariâ— the mother of God and of thine Apostles Peter and Paul grant vs mercifully peace in our dayes c. When they shall by the holy Scriptures the onely rule of faith and life as is before said proue that this doctrine of the intercession of the blessed Virgine and other Saints is â—ound and true then we will grant this to be an holy prayer in the meane time we must otherwise iudge of it to be a wicked and blasphemous prayer derogating from the intercession of Iesus Christ of whom Saint Iohn saith If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus the iust and 1. Ioh. 2. 2 hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes Where Saint Iohn teacheth vs that hee is the Mediatour and Aduocate to make intercession for vs who is the reconciliation for our sinnes but neither the Virgine Marie nor anie Saint in heauen is the reconciliation for our sinnes therefore no Saints can be our Aduocate and Mediatour to make intercession to God for vs. Other most blasphemous prayers they haue vsed in their Masses as for example Christe Iesu per. Thomae vulnera quaeâ—nos ligant reaxa sâ—elera i. Oh Christ Iesu by the vvounds of Thomas release or vnloose our sinnes vvhich doe binde vs. Againe Opâ— nobis Thoma porrige rege staÌ„tes iâ—centes erige mores actus ac vitam corrige in pacis nos viam dirige Salue Thoma virga iustitiae mundâ— iubar robur ecclesiae plebis amor cleri deliciae salue gregis tutor egregie salua tua gaudâ—nâ—es gloriâ— O Thomas helpe vs gouerne them which stand lift vp them that fall correct our manners actions and life and direct vs in the way of peace All haile Thomas the rod of righteousnes the brightnes of the world the strength of the Church the true loue of the people the delight of the Clergy All haile oh thou worthy preseruer of the flocke saue those that reioice in thy glory Whether these be not most wicked and blasphemous praiers let any that hath any sparke of iudgement iudge What can we more in a manner either aske of God or attribute to our Sauiour Christ then here is attributed and asked of Thomas Becket of whom wee may well doubt whether he be a Saint in heauen or not Yea by the testimony of certaine old chroniclers it may be thought that he is rather a diuell in hell then a sainct in Heauen For both he wickedly disobeied the King which had beene his gratious Lord and aduancer and also most of the Bishops of England then were against him But it is enough that the holy father of Rome hath canonized him and made him a Sainct though God neuer did Then wee may also pray and say Tuper Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas asendit The which that they might not be void both of rime and reason they thus translated and printed in Queene Maries daies By the bloud of Thomas which he for thee did speÌ„d make vs Christ to come whither Thomas did ascend If such praiers as these which tend euen to the denying of our Lord Iesus Christ that hath bought vs were in our communion bookes then I would euen wish them all in a flaming fire with the which I would all the masse bookes Portuisses and popish Primers in EnglaÌ„d were purged Now if these named Catholiques can proue that the praiers vsed by vs at the ministration of Christs supper bee wicked not agreeable to Gods holy word then they say somewhat But if they be sound and godly then it maketh no matter how new they be in respect of the forme of words being olde godly and comfortable in respect of the substance and matter Their owne horae canoâ—icae canonicall houres vsed in their portuises were ordained by Vrbanus the second in the time of William Rufus Moreouer as touching those essentiall and substantiall things of the Sacrament before mentioned I would aske of this Catholique gentlewoman and her fauourers whether they in their consciences doe thinke that the said sacrament was first ministred in a tongue knowne generally of the people or in a strange vnknowne tongue and whether is most ancient the ministring of it vnder both kinds of bread and wine or onely vnder one kinde and whether is elder the distributing of it to all the people present or the sole receiuing of it by the Priest alone the people standing by gazing vpon it and worshipping it I am sure none can affirme the latter but he that is ferreioris et plumbei cordis hath a face of yron and a heart of lead as Lud uicus Vâ—uâ—s himselfe a Papist sometimes said of the Author of The title of the Legend the golden legend And therefore the godly Christian Reader may plainly perceiue that our ministring the Sacrament of Christs body and bloud is more ancient then theirs And if we compare our communion booke with their new Romane Missall now and newly receiued though ours were neuer before the raigne of King Henry the eight yet it is more ancient then theirs which hath
not beene for ought that I know before the raigne of our gratious Queene Elizabeth And this may sufficiently serue for to answere the three first questions which tend all to one end in the which not onely antiquitie but also verity is to be respected for as antiquitie ioyned with verity is effectuall so separated from the same it is of no force as Saint Cyprian saith Consuetudo sine veritate Ad Pom Coâ— Epist Stepha vetustas erroris est i. Custome without truth is but old error Now followeth in the said paper Wherefore is not the communion according to the institution of Christ recorded in the three Euangelists viz. Mathew Marke and Luke where it is written that Christ first washed the feete of all them that receiued and commanded them to doe the like then preached vnto them afterward tooke bread in his hand lifted vp his eies to heauen blessed it brake it c. and all this he did after supper but our minister now doth obserue none of these Answere IN this question is both follie and falshoode follie in asking wherefore the Communion is not administred according to the institution of Christ which doth agree therewith in all the substantiall points thereof wheras their masse vtterly differeth from the same And falsehood in saying that it is written in the three Euangelists Matthew Marke and Luke that Christ washed the feete of all those that receiued whereas indeede this is written in none of them but onely in Saint Iohn neither was that either done by our Sauiour Christ or recorded by Saint Iohn to binde vs alwaies to wash the feete of those that doe receiue the Sacrament but onely to teach vs to auoid ambition and pride which hath too much raigned in the papacie and to humble and submit our selues one to another in the feare of God 1. Cor. 11. Iustin Apol. 2. Wee read both in the scriptures and in the ancient Fathers of the ministration of Christs holy supper yet there is no mention of washing of feete before the same Neither was the same required or vsed in the time of Poperie And therefore this is foolishly required of vs now as a part of the institution of Christ which may appeare to bee no part thereof in that by the prouidence of God those three Euangelists heâ—e named who doe rehearse and describe the institution of our Sauiour Christs supper doe omit it and that Euangelist which doth not touch the institution doth record it Therefore the scope and purpose of our Sauiour Christ is as I haue said by this washing of his disciples feete to teach vs humility and not to binde vs of necessitie to wash the feete of them that shall receiue Moreouer this gentlewoman or Author saith that Christ preached tooke bread in his hand lifted vp his eies to heauen blessed it brake it c. and all this hee did after supper but our minister now obserueth none of all these things As touching preaching all good godly and learned ministers doe vse to preach the word of God before the ministration of the Sacrament both thereby to declare the death of Christ vntill he come that by it only wee be deliuered from eternall death and be made the children of Gods mercie and heires of his glorie and also to stirre vp the people reuerently and worthely to receiue that holy mysterie being as I saide before a pledge vnto vs of Christs body and bloud giuen for vs and of our saluation purchased thereby This preaching of Gods word wee thinke very requisite to bee ioyned with the Sacrament which is a seale thereof and therefore we bee as neare in following Christs steps in this point as it hath beene vtterly neglected by the Papists who haue beene so farre from preaching at the ministration of the Sacrament that they haue not made any declaration of Christs death and the fruit thereof in a knowne tongue to the peoples instruction and edification If the preaching of the word be in some particular Churches omitted it is for want of the sufficiency of allowance in some parishes not able to maintaine a learned and a preaching Minister and yet in those Churches there are by order appointed such lessons instructions an â— exhortations to bee read at the ministrie of that blessed Sacrament which setting out plainly the excellent power and effect of Christ his death may mooue the people present to a mâ—re reuerend regard of that holy seruice We take the bread into our hands both when wee receiue it our selues and deliuer it to others whereas in Poperie the people were not so holy as the Priest to touch it with their hands but had it thrust into their mouthes As touching lifting vp of eyes I read not in the three Euangelists heere named any mention made of our Sauiour Christs lifting vp of his eies at the time of the celebrating of his Supper with his Disciples and therefore you haue falsly foysted in this of your owne But yet if our Sauiour Christ did at his Supper lift vp his eyes to heauen wee are not thereby bound of necessity to follow the same True it is that euery action of our Sauiour Christ is for our instruction but false it were to say that euery action of our Sauiours is for our imâ—tation that is of necessity of vs to bee followed I write not these as though I thought it vnlawfull to lift vp our eies to heauen but this I acknowledge that as when wee doe behold and consider our owne manifold heynous and horrible sins whereby wee haue transgressed Gods lawes offended his Maiesty and deserued his wrath and eternall damnation wee may with the Publican bee ashamed to lift Luke 18. 13. vp our eies to heauen So on the other side when by a true faith in Gods promises wee behold his great loue and mercie towards vs in not sparing but giuing his owne deare Sonne for vs we haue good cause to lift vp our eyes hands and hearts vnto God which is in heauen giuing him most humble and heartie thankes for his said vnspeakeable mercies towards vs in Iesus Christ But whereas you say that Christ blessed it meaning the bread I say in plaine words that you bely the text for it is not there sayd that hee blessed the bread but that hee blessed that is to say gaue thankes to his heauenly father for his great mercy towards mankinde and for the great worke of our redemption and saluation which hee was then to accomplish That our Sauiour Christ by blessing did meane not a Magicall incantation of the consecrating and transubstantiating the bread and wine into his naturall body and blood as you falsly surmise but a thankesgiuing to his father it is most manifest by the texts for whereas in Saint Matthew and Saint Marke it is recorded Matth. 26. 26. 27. Mark 14. 22. 23. that when our Sauiour Christ tooke the bread he blessed immediatly followeth that when hee tooke the cup hee gaue thankes whereby