the which âuilding Christe is the chiefe corner stone âhough you haue taught the people of God âtherwise affirming the Pope to be head âf Gods Churche and to be of equiualent âucthoritie with Christ One of your scholeâoctors saith That Christe and the Pope âake one consistorie and sinne onely âxcepted the Pope can doe whatsoeuer God himselfe can doe And euen as you âeale with Christe for the preheminence ând rule so you will appointe him a body âr no bodie or alter or chaunge his bodie âs you liste You cannot limit GOD âis Church for his Church is in manie or âewe as his heauenlie wisedome appoyneth And therfore Christ saith That whenâoeuer two or three are gathered togeaâher in my name I am in the middest of âhem And as one doth say as is before âlledged Although there were but two âen remayning in the worlde yet in âhem two the Churche of God which âs the vnitie of the faithfull shoulde bee saued Therefore though man be ignorant whome God hath elected vnto saluation and who be of Christ his bodie yet God who vnderstandeth all secretes doeth knowe who are his And euerie member of Christ hath the spirite of God to assure his conscience that he is the childe of god God graunt you that inwarde testimonie and the comfort of the same spirit grounded vpon the Gospell which they doe feele in themselues Then will you neuer be so carefull for these outwarde shewes Papist 15 SHew me that the church which ought to be a Christian mans stay in troubles ⪠and tempests of doctrine might become so hidden or so close that no man could finde her or so hartlesse that she coulde succour no man nor instruct anie man in hâ doubte of conscience or distresse in faith Proue me that there may be such a decay â Goddes spirit truth and churche And I recant Answeare 15 IT seemeth that you are harping alwaieâ vppon one string but if you woulde dilâgently waie with your selfe the frailtie man who is dailie slipping away from dâtifull obedience towardes God and consider what bridles and bittes God hath ordained to pull him backe from the libertie of sinne to preserue him from daungers You shal finde other staies to grounde maÌs faith and settle his coÌscience then anie such outwarde shewe of a visible Church as you imagin The ground worke and foundation of faith and the staie and buttresse of mans conscience are the holie scriptures which Dauid the blessed Prophet calleth the Mountaines vnto which the faithful shoulde lift vp their eyes which are the onely comforte to theÌ in their troubles Christ exhorteth vs To searche the scriptures for they do beare witnes of him who is our peace our iustification our sanctification our redemptioÌ The Apostle assureth vs That the scriptures are the power of god vnto saluatioÌ to as many as beleeue whether they be Iewes or Gentils What need we any further proofe to teach vs that faith is staied vpoÌ the scriptures then that which is spoken by Paule the Apostle ⪠Faith saith he commeth of hearing and hearing by the worde of God. Howe shall we knowe God ⪠Howe shall we knowe Christ How shal we know Gods spirit howe shall wee discerne true faith from a fonde opinion but onely by the scriptures Faith as Saint Augustine affirmeth doth stagger if the aucthority of gods scriptures do faile True faith true knowledge and a right conscience are grounded vpon the worde of god Constantine that worthie Emperour spake openly in the Nicene Councel to the like effecte The writinges saith he of the Euangelistes and Apostles and the oracles of the auncient Prophets do instruct vs plainely what we ought to vnderstande and beleue of Gods will and pleasure and therfore all contention set aparte let vs seeke the solution of those thinges which bee propounded out of the scriptures of God which by the testimonie of the holy Ghost be able to instruct vnto all good workes The doctrine of the scriptures teacheth especiallie these foure principles Knowledge Faith Godlines Iustice true brauÌches of a christian mans life It is the parte of euerie Christian to learne to knowe God the Creatour and maker of all thinges to knowe Christ the the redemer of mankinde to knowe the holie Ghost the spirit of sanctificatioÌ what benefits he hath ond doth receiue by these âhree persons vnited in one Godhead which ânoweledge the wise man calleth Perfect righteousnes and the roote of immoralitie Also our Sauiour Christ saith That âhis is eternall life that they know thee âhe onely true GOD and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Man created according to gods Image may not be like the Horse Mule in whom there is no vnderstanding or to bee such as God by the Prophet complaineth vpon That the oxe knoweth his owner the Asse his maâters cribb But Israel hath not knowne âny people hath no vnderstanding It beâoueth him to beleue in these three persons and all thinges which he knoweth out of gods booke It is his part and duty moreouer to practise pietie and godlinesse towârdes God iustice and vprigh dealing towardes man But I knowe what you âhoote at Verely to haue vs to beleue and âo stay our selues vpon the aucthoritie of your Church of Rome and the vnwritten âerities of the same Church Because the true Church of God hath not alwaies appeared to the view of the whole worlde in outwarde pompe or shewe Therefore your indeuour to perswade yet I trust in vaine that man doubtfull in conscience and wauering in faith coulde receiue no comfort by that close inuisible and hartles Church as you call it I haue proued before that God hath raised vp in all ages since the beginninge of the worlde such as haue giuen a testimonie of their zeale and true religion vnto the worlde You must not limit and appointe God his Church or vpon whom hee shall power out his graces or in what measure he shall bestow his spirite God by the ministerie of his woorde doeth cure and heale suche as be broken in heart geueth medicine to heale their sickenesse maketh strong the weake faith and doth comforte the feeble minde of man by his holie spirite Gods spirite cannot decay or be of lesse power or Gods churche and spouse lesse honourable albeit there were but one simple man in the vniuersall worlde to mans iudgement which doeth imbrace the trueth of god Though Abell was but one thoughe Elias in his time was but one Noah and his housholde but a small number Christe our Sauiour and his simple Fishermen his Apostles men of no reputation a very few in respect of all the world besides had God therefore âo Churche in these times Notwithstanding the law was corrupted before Christ the true worshipp of God cleane extinguised all the people geuen for the most part âo idolatrie yea and no prophet to reproue the people from Malachie his time vntill
thy heade meaning thâ woman Which text the Louanistes woulâ seeme to reforme do put in ipse referring it to Christ You may see into what miseries you woulde bring vs to haue vs to beleue that the Virgin Marie should brusâ the Serpents head whereas the words are to be vnderstanded of the seede of the woman Likewise in the Epistle vnto the Corinthians your olde translation hath these wordes Omnes quideÌ resurgemus ⪠sed non omnes imutabimur Wee shall all rise againe but wee shall not all be changed Which words be vntruely translated for all shall not rise againe because that at Christes comming some shall be founde aliue yet neuerthelesse All must be chaunged and this corruptible flesh must put on corruptioÌ But you wil perhaps say that the fault is not in the translation but in the Printer Why then hath your Church suffered the same translation to haue beene printed so often and hath not corrected these faultes Nay why with your Tridentine generall councell precisely say Let no man be so bolde or presume by any manner of colour to refuse the old common translation of the Bible To conclude you persuade the world if you haue authoritie not onely to allowe what translation ye list but also as your owne Canonistes doe auouch that the Pope the heade of your Church can at ãâã pleasure dispense against the Lawe of God against the Lawe of nature against the Apostles against all the commaundements of the olde and newe Testament That hee is Christes Lieftetenaunt not onely ouer thinges in heauen ouer thinges in earth and ouer things ââ hell but also ouer the angels both good and badde whereas the true Church of God hath not at any time made her selfe ââudge ouer the worde and lawe of God ãâã alwaies hath vsed subiection vnto the âââe grounding all her religion and faith ââon the same worde And this you must needes confesse vnlesse you will denie a knowen trueth that we whose religion you doe so vehemently withstande haue alwayes perswaded the people not to beleeue vs one iotte further then we bring the woorde of God for our warrant And whereas you further enquire what Church hath had the custodie of the Bible and hath most safely preserued it I must needes say that God of his singuler mercie towardes his Churche by his diuine prouidence hath alwayes preserued his woorde to the comforte of his children as he preserued Elias in the wildernesse Daniel in the Lions denne the three children in the fornace Howe I pray you hath the Byble bene preserued by your Churche sith the whole worlde can testifie howe you haue burned the olde and newe Testament whiche thing is yet freshe in mans memorieâ Did not Cutbert Tunstall being then Bishop of London cause the newe Testament to be burned at Pawles crosse in London as your Churche learned of Iehoakim king of Iuda who threw the boke which the Prophete Ieremie by Goddes commaundement had indited conteining the wrath of God against Iuda into the fier But you will say the Testamentes were falselie and vntrulie translated and therefore were burned If that had beene the cause it had bene your partes rather to haue disclosed and quoated forth the erroures and to haue amended the faultes Doeth the mother cast away the milke wherewith the children shoulde be nourished for that sometimes motes doe fall into it but rather culleth forth the moates giueth the Milke to the children euen so you ought to haue done What faultes were I beseech you in that translation you neuer noted anie if there had bene as indeede there were none why haue not you set forth a better what doctour of your Churche or fauorer of your Romishe Religion hath written in whose workes can not be found some errour yet we burned them not but are content to giue them the readinge and do reuerence them so farre as they agree with Gods truthe Further if ân Angell should speake or write we ought not to beleue him Iudge you nowe laying away all affection whether your Church ââ ours doe better esteme of the Bible or ââ the better preserue the same Papist SHew me why our common knowen church did not as well corrupt the text of the Testament as the true religion contained in the same Shewe me why she kepte not as trulie and as faithfully the true sense of Gods woorde as she preserued the worde it selfe Shewe me why we shoulde beleeue the Papistes as ye tearme them for the worde it selfe and yet we shoulde beleeue you Protestantes for the meaning of the worde rather than them Shewe me why you beleeued our Churche telling you this to be Gods booke and will not credite her aduouching this to be the true and vndoubted sense of the same booke and last of all shewe me why you beleeued the elder knowen Churche affirming this to be the word and doe not beleeue her affirming Luther to be an Heretike Shewe me good reason or Scripture for these poyntes and I recant Answeare YF you meane by your common knowen Churche the Churche of Rome as you will easily assent therevnto then your Church is more common than true For triall whereof it is plaine and that by Saint Barnarde that the pastoures of your Churche of Rome keepe not the spouse of God whiche is his Churche but they destroy her They keepe not the flock but they kill and deuoure And one whiche writeth of your Church in that great and solemne assemblie at Constance saieth They did quenche the spirite they did dispise the voice of the prophetes they persecuted Christ in his members and it was altogether a persecuting churche Barnard in an other place likewise crieth out O miserable Rome which in the time of our Elders hast brought foorth the lightes of worthie Fathers but in our dayes hast brought forth the monstruous darkenes shamefull and slanderous to the time to come An other calleth Rome a schoole of errour a temple of heresie And your old friend Thomas Becket whome you haue canonized for a Saint saith Our holy mother of Rome is become an harlot and hath prostituted her self that is hath set her selfe open to euerie man for reward And what neede we goe farre one of your owne nest in the late councell of Trent sheweth his iudgement of your Churche of Rome They haue brought to passe saieth he that godlinesse is turned into hypocrisie and that the sauoure of life is turned into the sauour of death Woulde to GOD they were not gone with one generall consent from religion to superstition from faith to infidelitie from Christ to Antichrist from God to Epicure saying with wicked heartes and filthie mouthes there is no god Truth seketh not to be shrouded in corners I haue noted before a fewe places amongst many in which you haue corrupted the text of the Byble You seeme to vrge this matter instantly that your Church hath kept and
foresaide states in their gouernement and ministerie And if he can proue vnto me that their Churche hath neuer lacked the same appointed officers or that anie other Churche or congregation besides oures hath alwayes kept that charge and I recant Answeare TRuth it is that Christ gaue some to be Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Pastoures and teachers but where doe you reade that our Sauiour Christe euer promised all these functions to continue successiuely to the worldes end Shew vnto me anie which was called apostle or prophet after Christ his Apostles Saint Paule the blessed Apostle maketh mentioÌ of false Apostles which alwaies withstood the doctrine of the Gospell maintained the ceremonies of the Lawe and the inuentions of their owne braine and set them selues opposite vnto the true Apostles and if you will claime your succession from them I will easily agree vnto you There hath bene Preachers and teachers at all times saue onely when they haue bene kept vnder by your tyrannie which haue preached Gods truth and reproued your grosse Idolatrie whom your Church hath alwaies persecuted vnto death and euen vntill this time there hath bene and are Christians in Graecia and Asia which haue euerâââe and doe yet vtterly detest the Pope the head of your Church with all your deâââs and traditions But shewe mee in one place I pray you of the Scripture where euer Christ promised anie such succession to continue in all ages Yâ were so that the truth of Gods worde â the functions in Gods Church should âceed alwaies by ordinary succession tâ you had a good foundation to builde yâ succession vpon Then Christ our Sauiâ by right should not haue controuled â Scribes and Pharesies which satâ Moses chaire which bragged of succeâon as well as you doe saying We are the seed of AbrahaÌ we are the disciplâ of Moses vnto vs God hath made â promisses as for Christ we knowe nâ from whence he came And therefâ they asked Christ By what power he dâ such thinges who gaue him that auâthoritie and so they might very well haâ said in respect of their outward successioâ For so Annas and Caiphas were Bysâops aswell as Aaron But that warniâ and admonicion which Saint Paule gaâ vnto the congregation of Ephesus toucâing succession might satisfie you I know this saith he that after my departingeâ there shal greuous Woolues enter in amoung you not sparing the flocke moreouer of your owne selues shall mâ arise speaking peruerse thinges And againe he saith That true faith cometh not by succession but by hearing not the Bishoppe of Rome but the worde God. Yf Christ had appoynted anie such succession would he haue forewarned vs that desolation of abhomination should sit âââhe holy place and that Antichrist should ââârude him selfe into the roome of Christ If you looke well about you you haue no cause to glory in succession for that by your writers sufficient is spoken to discredit your succession for one saith That many Popes haue fallen into heresies that Hildebrand in whose time defection froÌ the faith tooke place was charged by a generall councell to be an adulterer a Churchrobber a periured person a maâqueller a sorcerer and an apostata Another calleth the Popes monsters and ãâã shapen creatures If your heade and chiefe of your Church be such what shall we iudge of the rest I wil take for proofe of your succession euen the confessioÌ of Pope âdrian the fourth Succedimus non Peâââo in pascendo sed Romulo in parriciâââo We succeede saith he not Peter in âââeding but Romulus in killing To be ââât what auaileth the succession of your Church vnlesse you coulde prooue that she hath alwayes mainteined the doctrine of Christ For Saint Augustine saith Thaâ many doo giue the outward marke of a Byshop to wolues and be wolues them selues That the truth of Gods woord maâ be the touchstone of lawfull succession giuâ eare to the godly councell of a learned father It becommeth vs saith he to obeâ those Priestes in the Church which hauâ their succession from the Apostles anâ together with the succession of their Bishoprikes according to the good wil oâ God the father haue receiued the vndoubted gift of the truth An other being pressed with the like succession saith If any of my predecessors haue not obserued and kept the same that our Lorâ hath taught vs both by his example anâ also by his commaundement his simplicitie may be pardoned but we if we doâ the like can hope for no pardon beinâ now admonished and instructed of ouâ Lord. And comparing all other Churcheâ with the primatiue âhurch the same fathâ saith If the pipes of the conduit whicâ before ran with abundance happen â faile do we not vse to search to the heaâ The Pristes of God keeping Gods commaundementes must doo the same that if the truth haue fainted or failed in any point we returne to the original of our Lord and to the tradition of the Gospel and of the Apostles that thence wee may take the discretion of our dooings from whence the order it selfe and originall first began Thus muche concerning the succession of your Church hauing no warrant by Gods woorde Papist 6. AND for the necessarie vse and execution of the foresaide offices they must further bee asked what sacraments the ProtestaÌts ministred for the space of a M. yeares together in which they confesse their congregation to haue beene neare or wholly hidde what correction or discipline they kept for offendors to whom they did preache their heresies Where did ãâã principall pastor sitte in iudgement âââre did they gather as in a councell âââye the trueth in doubtfull matters Hââe might Christian men iustelie ofâââd with some of their Bretheren haue sought out your officers or congregation to make complaint of him or how if it lacked any man to haue beene baptized of them or to haue receiued the communion of them or haue ioyned them selues in faith and religion vnto them How might I say that coâtemptible and vnknowne companie haâ beene found out in this case If therefoâ you can shewe me that euer anie man sougâ iustice or knowledge of truth sacramentâ faith or anie helpe of saluation at the Proâstants secret and close Church or anie othâ where else but of Gods knowne Catholâ Church And I recant Aunsweare 6. TOuching Sacramentes we finâ two appoynted expresly by the worâ of God namely Baptisme and the Lorâ Supper The one doeth signifie our neâ birth and regeneration that as by watâ the filthe of the body is washed cleane through faith in the bloud of Christ oâ soules are clensed from all sinne and wâ are incorporat and ingraffed into the bâ of Christ and made members of his boâ of which he is the onely head the other doâ put vs in remembraunce that Christ Iâsus is our spiritual foode and sustenaunâ that he is the celestial Manna which came downe from Heauen and
aduocate with the Father âesus Christ the righteous and he is the propiciation for our sinnes and not for âurs onely but for the sinnes of the whole world By the which words we â taught that Christ our sauiour is not onâ the mediatour of our redemption but also â our intercession doth plead our cause wâ god Why would you haue vs to take Chrâ his office froÌ him as you do by inuocatiâ praying to saints in making theÌ meanâ for vs seeing that the Saintes departâ know not our estate vnderstande not oâ infirmities as Esaie the prophet doth wânesse saying Though Abraham be ignorant of vs Israel know vs not yet thoâ O Lord art our Father our redemeâ thy name is for euer Wherevppoâ S. Augustine giueth this note Thoâ seest here saith he that neither Abrahâ nor Israel knewe after their death whâ the estate was of their posteritie And iâ the same chapter he saith I am certainely perswaded that the dead knowâ no more what we do here in earth theâ we being in earth knowe what they doâ in heauen Touching seruice in an vnknowne speech howe can it stande with the Apostles doctrine If the Trumpet saith Saint Paule geue an vncertaine sounde who shall prepare himselfe to battaile Also in the same Chapter Let â thinges bee done in the congregatiâ to edifying howe are the people âlified whiche vnderstande not what is âoken But to make the matter more âaine the Apostle saith further I had raâer in the Church to speake fiue words âth my vnderstanding that I mighte âso instruct others then ten thousande âordes in a straunge tongue You aske âso who preached against the Churche â Rome for the space of a M. yeares âuly euen from time to time God had his âhurche which reproued your grosse idoâtries And for a taste I will name you a âwe The Monkes ⪠of Chester which âere not idle bellied Monkes but payneâll Preachers and lyued not vppon the âeate of other mens browes but by their âne handy labour whom your Monkish âugustine sent into Englande by Pope âregorie did finde meanes to murder âost cruelly by incensing the king to make âarre against them Sabellicus saith in the âare of our Lord 1111. the Bishop of Fluâce beganne to teache preach Antiârist then to be born to be manifest ârnulphus a godly Precher inueying aâainst the abominatioÌs of your Church was priuily hanged in Rome by youâ cleargie men This is no tale but recoâded by your owne histories A councâ was holden in king Steuens time vndâ Theobaldus Archebyshoppe of Caunteâ burie charging the Byshoppes that thâ people shoulde learne the Lordes prayeâ and the Creede in Englishe Gherarduâ and Dulcinus both being preachers affiâmed the Pope to be Antichrist and Româ to be Babylon In the same yeare king Henrie the seconde made Lawes at Claredowne in Normandie abolishing thâ Popes authoritie taking away appellations and Peter pence In the citie of Tolouse in the yeare of our Lorde 1178. a great number both men and women professoures of the true religion were by the Popes commissioners coÌdemned to death There were certaine christen people called Valdenses or Leonistes true professoures of the Gospell as appeareth by the articles of their religion which liued in the yeare of our Lorde 1170. And of these godlie Christians speaketh one of your owne writers who saith thus The secte of these Leonistes hath a great shewe of pietie or godlinesse because they liued iustly and vprightly before men ând doe beleeue all thinges very well âhich concerne God and all the artiâes which be contained in the Creede ânelie they doe speake ill of and doe âate the Churche of Rome I will not âeake of king Iohn who detesting your Romishe doctrine was poysoned by a âayterous Moonke at Swinested Abbey ân Lincolneshier I let passe Iohn Wickâiffe person of Literworth who reade the âiuinitie lecture in Oxenforde a zealous ârofessour of all the pointes of doctrine which we now mainteine Whose bones your cleargie tooke vp manie yeares after his death and burned them I coulde name Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prage Bohemians whome the Emperour and your Pope sent for vnto the councell holden at Constance vnder their safe Conductes to come and goe in safetie yea though they prooued verie notablie their faith which word by worde agreeth with the true religion now set foorth Neuerthelesse contrary to promise their owne hands seales most violently they coÌdemned theÌ for heretikes burned them And to salue this sore bleare the worldes eies they afterwarde decreed that Fides cum haereticis non esset seruanda that is That faith ought not to be kept with heretikes Gods name be thanked it may sufficiently be proued that in all ages there were some which defended the truth against your tyrannie But to come to the Pope this word Papa is a generall name vnto all learned men and therefore doth not pertaine onely to the sea of Rome Saint Augustine Saint Hierome writing one to another calleth each other Papa though one of them was conuersant in Iewrie the other at Hippo in Aphrick But to the matter You woulde knowe what wee mislike in the Popes gouernment and what Pope declined first from his Forefathers faith and steppes The Popes or Bishopes of Rome for the space of three hundred yeares after Christ did for the most parte suffer martyrdome vnder the wicked Emperours for the testitimonie of Christ and the doctrine in these daies published At which time they did not rule but were ruled After that they liued other three hundred yeares and more in a calme time and in greate quietnesse by Gods prouidence vnder Constantine the greate and the godâ Emperours his successors Which time âeeing expired and accomplished they âeeing pricked forwardes through pride ând ambition did beginne to claime supeâioritie ouer their fellowe Bishoppes ând also to decline by little and little from âhe perfecte rule of God his holy woorde ând veritie And in steede thereof magnified and extolled them selues and âheir own inuentions traditions not stryâing and contending who should excell or âoe before one an other in pure and âincere doctrine and holinesse of life But âather who coulde woorke moste mischiefe and iniurie one towardes an other of them seeking one to depriue an other of theire Bishopprikes and often times of lyfe in taking one an other out of their graues and also cutting of one an others âingers and poisoning one another and ân making Lawes decrees and ordinanâes one against an other there beeing sometymes two or three Popes at one time in doctrine vnsound in life wicked and in this hurley burly the Churche of Rome continued a verie long time both before and after Hildebrande Neuerthelesse this Hildebrande beyng yet Cardinall as one of your owne Cardinals reporteth did beate Pope Alexander with his fist and kept him in
âe Lord we will not heare them of thee âut we wil doo whatsoeuer thing goeth âorth of our owne mouth as to burne âncense vnto the Queene of heauen and âo poure our drinke offerings vnto her as we haue doone both we and our fathers our kinges and our princes in the âitie of Iuda in the streetes of Hierusalem Whereas in deede they woorshipped sacrificed to the Sonne Moone and Starres and committed grosse Idolatrie against god Euen as you haue learned by that idolatrous people and grounded I thinke vppon this place to call the Virgin Mary Queene of heauen and to sing Salue Regina and againe Regina coeli laetare Reioyce O Queene of heauen And euen from this same time wherein Ieremie liued and for the most parte vntill the time of our Sauiour there were false Prophets and men of greate learning which preached idolatrie in steed of Gods lawe yet imagined that they serued God shal we say that these were of Gods church because their religion continued so long a time woulde that excuse them or the Pharisees in pleading that they were the true successors of Moses the children of Abraham and that they taught the Lawe of God when as in deede they had corrupted the Lawe Euen so albeit you boaste neuer so much of succession or that your Church hath continued thus manie hundreâ or thus many thousand yeeres or that your Churche is the knowne Catholike Church if that you be not able to prooue by the woord of God that your Church is the true Church and the religion and doctrine of your Church is fully and wholy in euery point grounded vppon the Gospell of Christ which you shall neuer be able to doo then you boaste and bragge in vayne The Turke himselfe by this argument of succession and continuance may approue the Alcaron and religion of Mahomet and this to be as true a Churche as yours This reason might the Aegyptians the Persians the Romanes and all Esawes broode haue alleadged for themselues So that to ende this matter it is neither the title or name of a Churche neither the succession of Officers or the continuance of the same or the aucthoritie of anie man that maketh the difference betwixte the true and false Churche but onelie the true worde of God which discetneth them Papist 14 MOreouer let anie Protestant shewe how that can be the piller of truth whiche durst not for a thousande yeares together claime either the preaching of Gods worde or ministring the Sacramentes or woulde vtter her selfe against falshood and superstition Let any man shew that all the giftes of the Spirite and functions of the holie Ghoste haue been taken from her for a thousande yeares together and onely practised for the peoples vse by the adulterous Churche Let it bee declared how the gates of bell haue not preuailed and Christes woordes promise and warrant for her hath not bene voyde and frustrate of a bastarde churche exercising perpetuall idolatrie as they say hath spoyled the true churche of all holie actions and of the whole gouernement and of the whole name of Christianity almost euer since Christes time Let me see therefore howe the onely dareling and spouse of Christe shoulde be neglected so long of him so long let the Aduersarie shewe that the Churche should euer by superstition and falshood committ adulterie or deserue to be deuorced from him or that Christ shoulde euer want his spouse in earth or that he shoulde be either a heade without a bodie or of such an vnknowen and small bodie or that Christ his onelâe kingdome should become so contemptable or that his spouse in earth shoulde euer lacke the singuler prerogatiue of Gods spirit Shewe me these things and I recant Answeare 14. COncerning the principal matter comprised in this your demaunde it is sufficientlie answeared before howe that all the Christians in Greece and Asia haue euer refused to agree with your Churche in faith and doctrine that God hath raised vp from time to time since your Churche declined from the true and Apostolike faith some which haue inueighed against your superstitious traditions euen as it is recorded by a learned writer who affirmeth That there hath bene some in euerie age which haue honored and embraced the Gospell but that within the space of these foure hundred yeares the zeale therof hath decaied in manie men And whereas you aske Howe the holie Ghost coulde be kepte so long from this close âhurche how the gates of hell haue not preâayled against it howe Christes dearling âouldâ be neglected howe Christe shoulde âe head of suche a Churche as hath either âo bodie at all or else a very small and âtle bodie ⪠I answeare that albeit to your âdo âmeaâ the Churche of God whiche âs the congregation of the faithful be conâmptible and despised yet neuerthelesse â God 's eyes it is precious The holie Ghost commeth not in visiâle forme vnto the children of God as the Owle or Howlet presented himselfe in the âytime and stared your Pope Iohn in âe face when he and his Cleargie were ât in a general Councell holden at Rome by which occasion the Councel was dissolâed ⪠but he is the comforter which shall âwayes remaine with the church of God âhich dwelleth with suche as be faithful âhich guydeth and ruleth their mindes âhich doth saÌctifie them inwardly whiche âpirite doeth breathe his graces where âe listeth and when he pleaseth And thereâore it is a great fault in you to vtter suche âashe iudgement and to propounde suche vayne questions or rather as you seeme to define where Gods spirite remayneth as though you had him in a string or that he should be at your becke and appointment The wordes of Christ be true That Hell gates which is the power of Sathan Antichrist which standeth in crafte and violence shall not preuaile against the Churche of God. For you may burne their bodies racke them in peeces teare them in sunder with wilde Horses boyle them in cauldrons roaste them on spittes broyle them vppon gridyorns stabbe and prodde them in with bodkins or penkniues throwe them vnto wilde beastes or other waies to torment them as your Church oâ Rome hath vsed the children of God euen this close Churche whiche you so often do skoffe at Neuerthelesse their names are written in the booke of life When yoâ haue consumed the bodie you haue no further power you haue done all that you caâ for Christes Churche is Christes darling in deede whom he wil not forsake because he is alwayes faithfull and sure in his promises The mouth of God hath promised them helpe whiche cannot lie Christe iâ deede is the true andonelie heade of his Churche whiche be the faithfull children âf God truely called the temple of God âecause that GOD is resident in them by âis holie spirite and these faithfull are the âtones of the new Ierusalem which is the âniuersall Churche of God of
the comming of Christ sauing Iohn Bapâiste and he thirty yeares of age before hee preached was there no churche or was Gods spirite decayed and his trueth vanâuished all this while ⪠God forbid that âee shoulde bee so rashe in iudgement as ânce to thinke so For Gods spirite which âs the coÌforter of the faithful hath instrucâed the churche of God whether it hath appeared or bene hidde whether it hath beene close or open whether in manie or ân fewe euer since the beginning So Christe Iesus hath promised that his spirit shoulde remaine with the children of God though the wicked would not receiue him because they see him not neither knowe him The comfortable Spirite of God doeth woorke saluation âoth adopt into Gods fauoure doth puriââe our heartes doeth moue vs to all good and godlie actions doth comforte vs in al daungers and confirmeth vs to expecte the comming of our sauiour Christ Therfore to this spirite with the Father and the Sonne be all honour laude and praise Papist 16 SHewe me againe whether anie man can be saued except he beleeue the catholike Church and that is it which in the face of all the world hath practised preaching the conuersion of nations to the obedience of the Gospell that hath alwayes had the ministring of the Sacramentes the hearing of matters in coÌtrouersie the orderly succession of Bishoppes vniformitie in solemne ceremonies vnitie in faith that hath in her selfe all holy functions of the spirite a woorking of miracles remission of sinnes the true sense and interpretation of Gods word that is beawtified with diuersitie of states commended by Christ in the Gospell as with virgins martirs with confessors and the rest Prooue vnto me that this is not the true Church or that we be bounde to obey this Church and none other in all controuersies and doubts raised by the difficultie of the scripture or by the vaine contention and pride of heresie And I recant Answeare 16 Suppose that there was neuer any man which would looke to haue saluation by âods mercies in Christ that euer denied âe Church of god So we beleeue that âod hath had his Church euer since the âginning which Church is the Company â the faithfull dispersed through out the âce of the whole earth which church is the âouse of Christ builded vppon the doctrine â the Apostles and Prophets Christ him âfe beeing the heade corner stone Yet âe vtterly denye your Church of Rome to â this true Church of god The reasons âd causes why we will not close handes â agree with your Church be these First âur Church dooth refuse Christ Iesus to â her head in that she setteth vp her Pope â be her head wherin she wil be gouerned â all things euen against gods holy word âerefore your Church is not of god That âhrist is the heade of the true church not â but the spirit of God testifieth that God âath appointed Christ ouer all things â be the head to the Church which is âs body And again The husband is the âyues head euen as Christ is the heade âf the Church and he is the same which âeueth saluation vnto his body Your church appointeth otherwaies to be saueâ by then onely Christes death and passion yea doth persecute Christ in his members taketh away the key of knowledge whiâ is the woorde of God from Gods people for that ye wil not suffer them to haue it â their knowne tongue you feede them nâ with the sweete pastures of the holy scriptures but with the dregges of your blind Ceremonies and vayne traditions yoâ teach them to pray in a straunge languagâ to woorship the creature in steede â the Creator you mixe the woorde of Goâ with your owne deuises not to the benefite of Gods people but to get mony anâ to enrich your selues with the spoile â their soules You sett out all your practises as you call them to sale For of youâ church it is saide Omnia Romae vaenaliaâ All thinges are to bee had for monye aâ Rome The Poet saith That Templeâ Priestes altars sacrifices crownes fierâ frankencense yea heauen is to be soldâ and God him selfe But you giue smalâ credit vnto this author Will you hearâ what one of your approoued doctors saith Roma dat omnbus omnia dantibus omnia Romae cum praecio Rome doth âiue to al men which doo giue all things âo her all thinges are there to be had for âony at Rome Your owne decretales ây That Rome is the head of coueteousâesse and therefore all thinges are there âo be solde Your Popedome is in part âainteined with the tribute of Curtesans âr common stues which is the rewarde of âniquitie Thus you forbid lawfull matriâonie and mainteine open lecherie And âhereas you would haue the worlde to beâeeue that your Church of Rome hath alwayes had the due and right administratiân of the Sacramentes vnitie in faith orâerly succession of Bishoppes euen from Peter vniformitie in solempne ceremonies âebating of matters in controuersie all holy functions commended by Christ as virgins martirs and confessors and that all Churches are bound to obey the Church of Rome in all controuersies and doubtes raysed by the difficulty of the scriptures it shall appeare to all men that these are but vaine ostentations and shewes without truth But you wil aske me who shal iudge this matter for sometimes you stay vpon Counceles sometimes vppon Fathers sometimes vpoÌ customes Truly I would but wishe you and euery indifferent reader to examine whether your masse doe agree worde by worde with the last supper of our sauiour Christe You haue culleâ foorth these woordes Hoc est corpus meum This is my bodie And therevppoâ haue framed your masse The wordes be comfortable if you would take theÌ in a spirituall sense and meaning to signifie vnto vs the bodie of Christe as the godlie Father Augustine doth expouude those same woordes Non dubitauit dominus dicere hoc est corpus meum cum daret signum corporis sui Our Lord saieth hee doubted not to say This is my bodie when as he gaue a signe of his bodie Likewise Tertullian saith Hoc est corpus meum hoc est figura corporis mei ⪠This is my bodie that is to say This is a figure of my body But what shal I speak of al the abuses of your masse as the consecration the eleuation the aduocation the priuate receiuing the vnknowen tongue the ministration in one kinde keeping the âuppe from the Laie people making it a propiciatorie sacrifice for the quicke and dead which all are moste contrarie vnto Christe his institution in his last supper Furthermore you haue corrupted Baptisme and haue deuised fiue other Sacraâentes more then Christe hath ordained âd appointed in his worde Touhcing your succession of bishopes âd vnitie in religion they are two things âhich sound verie well together If so bee âu can proue your succession out of the âorde