Hierome likewise expoundeth Lift vp the standard of the crosse in an high tower that is in the height of the Church Concerning this interpretation of Hierome how apt it is for the place I will spend no time with Master Martiall onely this is sufficient for the purpose that Saint Hierome meaneth not the crosse on the toppe of the steeple but the passion of Christ whereto he exhorteth the people to runne for aide as to a standard of comfort against the enimie that was comming vpon them The third text is Matth. 24. The signe of the sonne of man shall appeare in the cloudes which diuers of the olde writers expound to be the signe of the crosse Some to be Christ him selfe as Chrysostome in Matt. 24. Hom. 49. Some to be the crosse it selfe on which he dyed as Chrysost in Matt. Hom. 77. and Theophilact in 24. Matth. Some other the passion or signe of the crosse as Hierome vpon that place so that the Doctors being in diuers opinions speaking doutfully there is no certaintie of y e matter That the signe of the sonne of man is Christ him selfe as Chrysostome rehearseth some to haue thought in his time is the most probable opinion bicause both Marke cap. 13. and Luke 21. do seeme so to expound that signe of the sonne of man in Matthewe But Martiall is such a perillous Logician that he will admit nothing but necessarie consequences which we must be bolde to vrge and require of him for the mention of the signe of the crosse in such varietie of Doctors opinions and a matter so obscure The fourth text is Ezechiel 9. the signe Thau set on the foreheads of them that should be preserued from destruction But what argument or authoritie hath he to proue that this marke was the signe of the crosse None at all onely he quarelleth after his manner against M. Calfhils reasons which shewe it was not the signe of the crosse but an inward spirituall marke And least he should flee to the figure of the Samaritane letter Thau which Hierome saith in his time was somwat like a crosse Hierome himselfe sheweth that the Septuagintes Aquila and Symmachus translate Thaua marke as the word signifieth only Theodotion left the Hebrue word vntranslated which bicause it is the name of the last Hebrue letter diuers thought to signifie Thorah the lawe whereof they were obseruers that were so marked Cyprian also taketh it for a marke without naming the letter Thau Contra demetrianum Wherefore seeing here is nothing whereby the fashion of the marke may be gathered fondly doeth Martiall gather that it was the signe of the crosse The fift text is the marke commaunded to be set vpon all Gods seruants in the Apoc. 7. which Martiall out of Thomas Aquinas concludeth to be the signe of of the crosse but that is disproued by M. Calfhils three reasons which Martiall like an impudent wrangler will vnderstand onely of the place of Ezechiel 1. The spirite of life and faith is not giuen with the signe of the crosse 2. Which is not sufficient to discerne the good from the badde 3. But is receiued of all sortes therefore the seale spoken of in those places is not the signe of the crosse Martials crosse not being found in the holy Scriptures hath yet often remembrance among the auncient Fathers whome M. Calfhill doth iustly reproue in this behalfe so highly to extoll that signe which hath no ground in the word of God either in contention against the Gentiles that disdained it or in aemulation of the heretikes that first vsed it For if all records of ecclesiasticall antiquitie be sought that are authenticall and not manifestly counterfeted there shall no mention be found of Martials crosse in the fourth signification before the superstition of the Valentinian heretikes which called the crosse Horon confirmatiuam crucem which Iraeneus lib. 1. ca. 1. doth speake of So doth Epiphanius Contra Valent. Haer. 31. But against this reproofe of the olde writers Martiall hath a plausible common place to sporte him selfe in which notwithstanding euery wise man can see howe fondly he behaueth him selfe to be patrone to them which either neede not his defence where they write well or can not be iustified by him where they write amisse I will therefore passe ouer all such fruitlesse controuersies and keepe me onely to the argument That Chrysostome was immoderate somtimes in extolling the signe of the crosse and such like matters either Martial must confesse or else excuse it by a rethorical hyperbole as where he saith of Saint Pauls chaine Si quis me coelo condonet omni vel ea qua Pauli manus vinciebatur catena illam ego honore praeponerem If any man could reward me with al heauen or else with y t chaine wherewith Pauls handes were bound I would preferre that chaine in honour Such are many excessiue speaches in Chrysostome both of the signe of the crosse of the Lordes Supper of Baptisme and other thinges In Tertullians time the signe of the crosse was vsed among Christians to shewe them selues to be Christians against the Gentiles if it were not a piece of Montanus superstition But whereas Martiall citeth Constantinus for the commendation of his crosse he sheweth him selfe an egregious ignorant person both in antiquitie and in the historie For the signe which Constantine commended to be a healthfull signe and true token of vertue by which he deliuered the citie from tyrants was not the signe of the crosse but the character of the name of Christe which was shewed to him from heauen with this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this GOD not in this signe thou shalt ouercome And least Martiall should cauill at the signe of the crosse named by Eusebius De Vit. Const. lib. 1. you shall vnderstand that he describeth the standard of Constantine to haue bene a long speare in the top whereof a barre went ouerthwart like a crosse to hang the banner vpon which euen the Heathen Emperours vsed But in the banner was set foorth in golde and precious stones that signe which Constantine did see which was the Greeke letter P with the letter X in the middest thereof after this manner which is to be seene in many hundrethes of auncient coynes both of Constantine and other Christian Emperours which is the Caracter of the name of Christ. Agreeing with the wordes of Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which you may see howe ridiculously Martiall and the Papistes looke onely to the crosse staffe vppon whiche the banner hanged and see not the very wholesome signe in deede which was described in the banner namely in the name of Christ by whom Constantine had so glorious victories But Martial omitting to speake of the crosse vsed among the Heathen Priestes of Serapis will discusse Maister Calfhils two rules The one that whatsoeuer is brought in vnder the cloake of good intent is not straightway allowable To this he sayeth that some thinges are brought in by priuate
See heere the fface of Romes renowned ffoe Graue larned Fulk whose worth his works best show T. STAPLETON and Martiall two Popish Heretikes confuted and of their particular heresies detected By. D. Fulke Master of Pembrooke hall in Cambridge Done and directed to all those that loue the truth and hate superstitious vanities Seene and allowed AT LONDON Printed by Henrie Middleton for George Bishop ANNO. 1580. A CATALOGVE OF ALL SVCH Popish Bookes either answered or to be aunswered which haue bene written in the Englishe tongue from beyond the Seas or secretly dispersed here in England haue come to our handes since the beginning of the Queenes Maiesties reigne 1 HArding against the Apology of the Englishe Church answered by M. Iewel Bishop of Sarum 2 Harding against M. Iewels challenge aunswered by M. Iewel 3 Hardings reioynder to M. Iewel answered by M. Edward Deering 4 Coles quarels against M. Iewell answered by M. Iewell 5 Rastels returne of vntruthes answered by M. Iewel 6 Rastell against M. Iewels challenge answered by William Fulke 7 Dorman against M. Iewel answered by M. Nowel 8 Dormans disproofe of M. Nowels reproofe answered by M. Nowel 9 The man of Chester aunswered by M. Pilkington Bishop of Duresme 10 Sanders on the Sacrament in part aunswered by M. Nowell 11 Fecknams Scruples answered by M. Horne B. of Winchester 12 Fecknams Apologie answered by W. Fulke 13 Fecknams obiections against M. Goughes sermon answered by M. Gough and M. Lawrence Tomson 14 Stapletons counterblast answered by M. Bridges 15 Marshall his defence of the crosse answered by M. Caulfehill 16 Fowlers Psalter aunswered by M. Sampson 17 An infamous libell or letter incerto authore against the teachers of Gods diuine prouidence and predestination answered by Maister Robert Crowley 18 Allens defence of Purgatory answered by W. Fulke 19 Heskins parleâ—â—ent repealed by W. Fulke 20 Ristons challâ—ng answered by W Fulke Oliuer Carter 21 Hosius of Gods expresse worde translated into English answered by W. Fulke 22 Sanders rocke of the Church vndermined by W. Fulke 23 Sanders defence of images answered by W. Fulke 24 Shaclockes Pearle answered by M. Hartwell 25 The hatchet of heresies answered by M. Bartlet 26 Maister Euans answered by himselfe 27 A defence of the priuate Masse answered by coniecture by M. Cooper Bishop of Lincolne 28 Certeine assertions tending to mainteine the Church of Rome to be the true and catholike church confuted by Iohn Knewstub 29. Sander vpon the Lordes supper fully answered by D. Fulke 30 Bristowes motiues demaâ—des answered by D. Fulk 31 Stapletons Differences Fortresse of the faith answered by D. Fulke 32 Allens defence of Priestes authoritie to remit sinnes of the Popish Churches meaning concerning Indulgences answered by D. Fulke 33 Martials Reply to M. Calfehill answered by D. Fulke 34 Frariâ—s rayling declamation answered by D. Fulke These Popish treatises ensuing are in answering If the Papistes know any not here reckoned let them be brought to light they shall be examined 1 Stapletons returne of vntrruthes 2 Rastels replye 3 Vaux his Catchisme 4 Canifius his Catechisme translated AN OVERTHROW BY W. Fulke Doctor of Diuinitie and Master of Pembroke hall in Cambridge to the feeble Fortresse of Popish faith receiued from ROME and lately aduaunced by THOMAS STAPLETON Student in Diuinitie THOMAS STAPLETON student in Diuinitie translated the 5. Bookes of Bedes historie of y â— English Church into the English toung before which historie it pleased him to set a table of 45. differences betweene the Primitiue faith of England continued almost a thousand yeares and the late pretended faith of the Protestants all which we will consider in order First are fiue Apostolicall markes found in their preachers and wanting as he saith in ours 1 Augustine whome he calleth their Apostle shewed the token of his Apostleship in all patience signes and wonders Bed 2. lib. 1. c. 30. 31. l. 2. c. 2. Miracles in confirmation of their doctrine Protestantes haue yet wrought none I aunswere Peter Paul Matthewe Iames Iohn c. are Apostles to vs sent not from Gregorie of Rome but by Christ him selfe out of Iewrie y â— signe of whose Apostleship being shewed in all patience signes and wonders and our doctrine being the same which we haue receiued of their writings needeth no other confirmation of miracles to be wrought by vs. If Augustine sent from Gregorie a man haue planted any humane traditions and confirmed them by liâ—ing signes and miracles as a forerunner of Antichrist which was euen immediatly after his time to be openly shewed or if by subtill practice miracles haue bene feigned to haue bene done by him and reported by a credulous man Bede it hurteth not our cause seeing other writers report him to haue bene both a proud and a cruell man And yet we receiue all that doctrine which he taught agreeable to the doctrine of the Apostles of Christ what so euer he taught beside we are not to receiue it of an Angell from heauen much lesse of Augustine from Rome 2 Their Apostles tendered vnitie labouring to reduce the Britaines to the vnitie of Christes Church Nothing is more notorious in Protestantes then their infamous dissention Augustine in deede laboured to bring the Britons in subiection to himselfe and to the Church of Rome which argueth no desire to Christian vnitie but fauoureth of Antichristian ambition and tyrannie as his cruell threatening executed vpon them did shewe sufficiently The dissention of the Protestants is not in articles of faith nor such but that they are all brethren that vnfeignedly professe the doctrine of saluation although they dissent in the matter of the sacrament in orders rytes and ceremonies 3 Their Apostles were sent by an ordinarie vocation Protestantes haue preached without vocation or sending at all such as the Church of Christ requireth They were sent by Pope Gregorie who had none ordinarie authoritie to send Apostles or preachers into foreigne countries Wherfore if they had any sending it was extraordinarie of charitie and not of office The Protestants that first preached in these last dayes had likewise extraordinaire calling But if the calling of the Papistes may be counted a lawfull calling they were called of the Popish Church to be preachers and teachers before they knewe or preached the trueth of the Gospell 4 Their preaching was of God by Gamaliels reason bicause their doctrine continued 900. yeares whereas the Protestantes faith is already chaunged from Lutherane to Sacramentarie in lesse then 20. yeares This reason of Gamaliel would proue Mahometes enterprise to be of God bicause it hath likewise continued 900. yeares yet it is false that the Popish faith hath had so long continuance For the Papistes are departed as from many other points of doctrine so euen from that of the Lords supper which Augustine planted among the Saxons vnto carnall presence and transubstantiation the contrarie of which were taught by Augustine as appeareth by the publique Saxon
the Priest should kepe knowledge and men should require the law of his mouth Agg. 2. Aske the priest the Lawe But what dronken Flemming of Douaie would reason thus The Scribes and the Pharisees sate in Moses chaire therefore the Synagogue did either neuer or not then erre Our Sauiour Christ willed thē to be heard while they spake out of Moses chaire not while they taught to worship God in vaine preferring their traditions before the commandement of God But who would spend any more time in reasoning against such a one as defendeth that the Scribes and the Pharises did not erre whose false doctrine cōcerning adulterie murther swearing the worship of God not onely the person but also the qualitie of Messias and his kingdome our sauiour Christ him selfe so often so sharply doth reproue But the whole synagogue saith he in necessary knowledge of the lawe of Moses did neuer erre If he vnderstand the whole synagogue for euerie man we confesse the same and so we say that the whole Church that is all the elect neither in the first sixe hundreth nor in the latter nine hundreth yeares did neuer erre in necessary knowledge of the Gospel But if you take the whole synagogue for the whole multitude that had the ordinary authority and did beare the outward face and countenance of the Church they haue erred before the comming of Christ Example in the whole synagogue in the dayes of Iosias when the very booke of the lawe was vnknowen vnto the Priestes vntill it was found by occasion of taking out of mony out of the temple by Hilchiah the priest So that from the beginning of the reigne of Manasse vntill the 18. yeare of the reigne of Iosias which was almost 80. yeares Idolatry openly preuailed in the temple of God the whole synagogue that is all in authority and countenance embracing the same except a fewe poore Prophetes that were slaine for crying out against it 2. King 22. 2. Chro. 34. And such was the state of the Church in the most corrupt times continuing as then but yet in persecution aduersity and beeing vnknowen vnto the worlde except now and then God stirred vp some witnesse to testifie his truth which was slaine of the beast Apoc. 11. Now concerning the childish sophisme that although it was not possible that the Church could erre yet it is not proued that it hath erred what shold I speake When the defender directly oppugneth that paradoxe which the Papistes holde namely that the Churche cannot erre To conclude while he walketh vnder a cloude of the Church sanctified and assisted by the holy Ghost defended by the presence of Christ c. He playeth bo peepe vnder a coverlet For what so euer promises are made to the faithfull spouse of Christe pertaine nothing at al to the Popish Church of Antichrist which is departed from the faith carrying the brandmarks of hypocrisie in prohibition of marriage and meates so euident that all the water in the sea can not wash them out CAP. XI Obiections out of the News Testament moued and assoyled The first obiection is the abhomination of desolation standing in the holy place that is the Church Matth. 24. He asketh where the defender hath learned to expound this holy place of the Church Forsooth where M. Stapleton learned that it may be vnderstood of the temple at Ierusalem where Pilate placed Caesars image or of the Image of Adriane Namely in Hierome vpon this text Matth. 24. which vnderstandeth the abhomination of desolation to be Antichrist of whom Saint Paule speaketh whom he denieth not but that he shal sit in the Church his wordes are these De hoc Apostolus loquitur quòd homo iniquitatis aduersarius eleuandus sit contra omne quod dicitur Deus colitur ita ut audeat stare in templo Dei ostendere quòd ipse sit Deus cuius aduentus secundum operationem satanae destruat eos ad Dei solitudinem redigat qui se susceperint Potest autem simpliciter aut de Anti christo accipi aut de imagine Caesaris c. Of this abhomination of desolation the Apostle also speaketh that the man of sinne and the aduersary shalbe lifted vp against all that is called God or worshipped so that he dare stand in the temple of God and shewe himselfe as God whose comming according to the working of Satan may destroy them bring them to solitarines frō God which shal receiue him and it may either be taken simply of Antichriste or of the image of Caesar c. Let him now reason with Hieronyme howe the sacrifice should ceasse after the ende of 62. weekes Although for my part I thinke the pollution of the temple whiche was a token of the desolation imminent was a figure of the corruption of the Church by AntiChriste The 2. obiection S. Paul witnesseth that Antichrist should sit in the temple of God that is in the Church What of this saith he will it followe that he hath sitten there these 900. yeares As though the defender were to proue how long Antichrist should sit and not rather that the visible and outwarde multitude of the Church should erre Like madnes shal I say or impudence he sheweth where he saith the protestantes commonly name S. Gregorie to be that Antichrist Which I am sure he neuer read nor heard any protestant affirme But the Pope cānot be Antichrist saith he because Antichrist should then labour to extirpe the faith of Christe for the Pope hath called people from infidelitie to Christianitie That letteth not but that he is Antichrist for the Pope calleth none but vnto the name of Christianitie vnder colour of which he exerciseth tyranny otherwise he laboureth to extirpe the faith of Christ and to preferre himself before Christ whose redemption he teacheth to take away onely the guilt of sinne whereas his pardon taketh away both the paine and the guilt of sinne The thirde obiection is out of S. Peter that in the Church should be many masters and teachers of lyes But these sayth he shall not tarie 900. yeares for their destruction sleepeth not A wise shift as though the Apostle gaue not a generall admonition for the Church in all ages euen in that wherein he liued himselfe The last is out of 1. Tim. 4. that in the latter dayes such should come which shall giue eare to the doctrine of deuils forbidding to marrie and eate suche meates as God hath created to be receiued with thanksgiuing In this matter he professeth to be short as he hath no lust to tarrie being in that wherein his cauterized conscience is so galled But he aunswereth briefly it was fulfilled in the Manichees what then doth it followe that it is not fulfilled in the Papistes Doth the spirite speak euidently of the Manichees an obscure heresie and not rather of the Apostasie of Antichrist whose hypocrisie should be cloaked by fained chastity and fasting No no Master Stapleton your conscience
a sacrifice but of thanks giuing as the same Augustine writeth De fide ad Pet. Cap. 19 Cont. aduers. leg Proph. lib. 1. Cap. 20. Wherefore his Popish bragg notwithstanding here is neuer an ancient father within the 600. yeares that acknowledgeth the propitiatorie sacrifice of the Masse The eight difference is intercession of saints which Protestants abhorre There is no man denyeth but that this errour preuailed within the time of the first 600. yeares and namely in the later 300. years For in the first 300. there is nothing to be found whereby it may be gathered Epiphanius accompteth inuocation of Angels an heresie of the Caiani Tom. 3. H. 38. And although some shewe of inuocation of saints in the later time may be excused by rethorical exornation as M. Grindall truely sayd some prayers for the dead as y t of Ambrose for Theodosius whome both he calleth a perfect seruant of god yet prayth fos his rest which agreeth not with popish prayers for them in Purgatory yet it is confessed y t this was one of y â— spots of that time which being not proued by scripture can be nothing else but a superstition of men What said I can it not be proued by scripture beholde the learned clerke M. Stapl. proueth it out of S. Peter Ep. 2. Ca. 1. I thinke it right as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you vp and admonish you being certeine that I shall shortly leaue this tabernacle according as our Lord Iesus Christ hath signified vnto me But I will endeuour also to haue you often after my death that you may remember these things Here is a strange kind of translation of these wordes of his owne Latine texte Dabo autem operam frequenter habere vos post obituÌ„ meuÌ„ vt horum memoriam faciatis But I will endeuour also y t you may haue after my departure whereby to make remembrance of these things For I wil neither trouble him with the Greeke text which perhaps he regardeth not nor with Erasmus translation which are without all ambiguitie But I apeale to GraÌ„marians whether habere vos in this place may be reasonably construed to haue you or else be resolued by vt habeatis vos that you may haue His collection is more monstrous then his construction for thus he addeth immediatly after his translation I aske here How will S. Petter after his death endeuour and procure that the people may remember his sayings They will not I dare say say that he will come in a vision or by reuelation vnto them What remaineth then but that he will further them with his good prayers And so doe the auncient Greeke Scholies expound this place And I aske here Howe prooue you that S. Peter after his death will endeuor procure for them O shamelesse corruption S. Peter saith that bicause he hath not long to liue he will not only put them in remembrance liuing but also leaue his Epistle that it may be a perpetuall admonition of them euen after he is deade But the auncient Greeke Scholies as he saith doe so expound it Why are not those Scholies set downe and their antiquitie shewed to be within the compasse of the first sixe hundreth yeares In deede Occumenius which liued about fiue hundreth yeres last past reporteth that some did wrest that text vnto such a sense but they which did simplie handle y â— words of S. Peter did expound it as I haue done before The 9. difference is commemoration of Saintes at Masse time If you meane commemoration onely as I haue shewed before we make it in our Communion and therefore this is no difference but a lye of Master Stapleton for we say Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all the holy companie of heauen we laude and magnifie c. Likewise in the Collectes mention is made of the Apostles whose memorie our Church doth keepe In deede we vse no inuocation of Saints which was vsed within the latter 300. yeares but not to be proued in the first 300 yeares Neither do we thinke the honour of Saintes to be a dishonour to God but such honour as robbeth God of his glorie which he will not communicate with any creature But Augustine sheweth the memorie of Martyrs to be kept of the Christian people Ad excitandam imitationem vt merius eorum consocietur atque orationibus adiâ—uetur To stirre vp imitation and that they may be ioyned in fellowship of their merites and helped with their praiers The fellowship of their merites he meaneth to be made like them in good workes For he acknowledged no desert of our good workes but onely the mercy of God It is pitie that Iulian the Apostata had so great occasion to charge the Christians with superstition of sepulchres whereof they had no ground in the Scriptures Although Cyrillus defendeth no superstition but only a reuerent estimation of the tombes of the Martyrs for their vertues sake after the example of the heathen Againe he saith that the reliques of the dead were not seene bare and negligently cast vpon the earth but well laide vp and hidden in the bosome of their mother in the deapth of the earth wherein they differred not a little from the vsage of Papistes about their reliques Cyrill Contr. Iulian lib. 10. The pride of Eustachius in contemning the publike Churches ministring in corners we condemne with the Councel of Gangra Concerning the reading of the passions of Martyrs in the Church which he cauilleth that Master Iewell left out in his replie to Doctor Harding out of the seuen and fourtie Canon of the Councel of Carthage 3. Bartholmewe Garizon confesseth that it is an addition and without all such addition the same that M. Iewell requireth that nothing be read in the Church but the canonicall bookes as the 59. Canon of the Councel of Laodicea The 10. difference is of confession and penance in which he maketh two kinds open confession priuate for the open confession vsed in the primitiue Church he bringeth many proofes out of Actes 19. Augustine Tertullian Cyprian the councel of Nice Which need not for we graunt that it was vsed we our selues according to such discipline as our Church of England hath doe vse it that publique and notorious offenders make publique confession of their faultes for satisfaction of the congregation But when this publique confession was abused he saith that this practise of the Church and the counsel of S. Iames willing Christians to confesse one before an other was restrained to the auricular confessioÌ„ of y â— priest only But neither he sheweth when nor by what authoritie the counsel of y â— the Apostle and practise of the Church was thus altered He citeth an Epistle of Innocentius ad Decentium cap. 7. to proue That particular confession was not first instituted in the Councel of Latarane as Caluine babbleth but that if a man were diseased he should not tarrie for the time
needefull nor profitable The memory of that godly learned man Maister Doctor Calfhill whome he abuseth is written in the Booke of the righteous and shall not be afraide of any slaunderers reporte Omitting therefore all friuolous quarels I will onely endeuour to answere that whiche hath in it any shewe of reason or argument to defende the idolatry of the Papistes In which matter also as many thinges are the same which are already satisfied in my confutation of Doctor Sanders Booke of Images so I will referre the reader to those Chapters of that treatise where he shal finde y â— which I hope shal suffice for the ouerthrowe of Idolatry This reply as the first treatise is diuided into ten articles all which in order I will set downe with such titles as he giueth vnto them But first I must say a fewe wordes concerning his request made to the Bishop of London and the rest of the superintendentes of the newe Church as it pleaseth him to call them and his preface to the reader His request is that the Bishops should certifie him by some pamphlete in printe whether 61. articles which he hath gathered out of Maister Calfhils booke be the receyued and approoued doctrine of the newe Churche of England able to be iustified by the worde of God and the Fathers and Councels within sixe hundreth yeares after Christ How wise a man he is in making this request I leaue to reasonable men to iudge And touching the articles themselues I aunswere that some of them be such as the Church of England doth holde and openly professe as that Latine seruice Monkish vowes the communion in one kinde c. are contrary to Gods worde the other be particular affirmatioÌ„s of Maister Calfhil which in such sense as he vttered them may be iustified for true and yet perteyne not to the whole Church to mainteine and defende as whether Helaena were superstitious in seeking y e crosse at Ierusalem whether Dionyse and Fabian were the one suspected the other infamed c. beside that a great number of them be so rent from the whole sentences whereof they were partes that they reteyne not the meaning of the author but serue to shewe the impudencie of the cauiller As that the counsels of Christe in his Gospel be ordinances of the Deuill the prayers of Christians a sacrifice of the deuill the councell of Elibeus was a generall councell c. Wherfore I will leaue this fond request with all the rayling that followeth there vppon and come to the preface to the Reader First he findeth himselfe greatly greeued that not only ancient fathers are by M. Calfhil discredited but also the holy crosse is likened to a gallowes c. which moued him to follow Salomons counsell to answer a foole according to his folly After this he taketh vpon him to coÌ„fute M. Calfhils preface in which he proueth y t no images should be in churches to any vse of religion because God forbiddeth them Exo. 20. Leuit. 19 in y e first table of religion His reply standeth only vpon those common foolishe distinctions of Idols Images of Latria Doulia which are handled more at large with greater shewe of learning by D Sander in his booke of Images Cap. 5. 6. 7. 8. whither I refer y e reader for answer Likewise y t discourse which he maketh to proue y t an image of Christ is not a lying image is answered in y e same booke Cap. 7. The authoritie of Epiphanius he deferreth to aunswer vnto y e 5. article To Irenaeus he answereth y t he only reporteth y t the Gnostike heretikes had y e image of Iesus but reproueth not y t fact But he reproued them only because they placed the image of Christ w t the images of Plato Pithagoras c. vsed them as y e Gentyles do This were in deed a pretie exception for a brabling lawyer to take but a student in diuinitie should vnderstand that Irenaeus in y t book Chapter li. 1. Ca. 24. declareth no fact of y e heretiks y t was good but his declaration is a reproof And so it is throughout that whole booke conteining 35. Chapters But he chargeth M. Calfhill for falsifying Augustine in sayng that he alloweth M. Varro affirming that religion is moste pure without images first quarreling at the quotation which by errour of the Printer is de ciuitate Dei lib. 4. Cap. 3. where it should be Cap. 31. a meete quarrell for such a lawyer secondly shewing that the Latine is Castius obseruari sine simulachris religionem that religion woulde haue beene more purely kept without Idols or fayned Images as though there be anye Images but fayned and the worde Imago euen in their owne Latine translation of the Bible is indifferently taken for Idolum and simulachrum and that in many places Deut. 4. ver 16. 4. Reg. 11. ver 18 Sapient Cap. 13. 14. Esai 40. ver 18. 44. ver 13. Ezec. 7. vers 20 where imagines simulachra are both placed together Ezech. 16. Ca. 17. Amos. 5. ver 23. wher he sayeth Imaginem idolorum the image of your Idols and many other places declare that this counterfait distinction was not obserued no not of the Latine interpreter As for his other logicall quiddity wherin he pleaseth him selfe not a little that religio non suscipit magis minus sheweth that eyther his lawe is better then his Logike or else both are not worth a strawe Further he chargeth M. Calfehill for adding words which are not founde in Augustine where images are placed in temples in honourable sublimitie c. These wordes are founde in the Ep. 49 ad Deogratias Cum hiis locantur sedibus honorabili sublimitate vt a praecantibus atque immolantibê° attendantur when they are placed in these seates in honourable sublimitie that they are looked vpon by them that praye and offer c. But Martiall looked onely to the quotation Ps. 36. 113. Yet doeth not M. Calfhill rehearse the wordes but the iudgement of Augustine from which he doth nothing varie except Martiall will cauill at the wordes images in temples where Augustine sayeth Idola hiis sedibus Idoles in these seates speaking of temples in which images were placed But he speaketh saith Martiall in the Psalmes against the images of the heathen and not of the Christians Then reade what he writeth De moribus ecclesiae Catholicae lib. 1. Cap. 34. de consensu Euangelist lib. 1. Cap. 10. where you shall finde his iudgement of such images as were made of Christians to be all one with those of the Gentiles The iudgement of other doctours whome he nameth you shall finde aunswered in the 14. or 13. Chapter of Master Sanders booke of Images That the Iewes had no images in their temple he sayth it is a Iewish and Turkish reason to proue that we should haue none Much like y e priest that would not beleeue in Christe if he
Apostles haue preached vnto vs be he accursed Here the quarreling lawyer findeth fault with his translation because Euangelizauimus may be referred as well to the Disciples as to y e Apostles so that y e Disciples preachings are to be credited as well as y e Apostles No doubt if they preach the doctrine of the Apostles of which the controuersie is and not of the persons that preach it But these quarels sir Bacheler are more meete for the bomme courtes where perhaps you are a prating proctor then for the schooles of diuinitie Wee are gone out you say and that we confesse in our apologie Yea wee are gone out of Babylon but not out of the church of God but abyde in the doctrine of Christ. And you are gone out of the Church of God which remaine in the synke of Rome that is departed frō that which was heard from the beginning and was sacrosanctum apud Apostolorum Ecclesias moste holy in the Apostles Churches You cannot abyde to be charged with the saying of Christ. They worship mee in vaine that teache the doctrine and precepts of men First you saye the Apostles were men whose traditions the Church must receiue yea sir but they deliuered no doctrine of their owne Secondly Christ speaketh of the Scribes Pharisees and their fonde traditions and not of the Church and her Catholike traditions and customes And they be Scribes and Pharisees which euen in the Church teach a false worshipping of God according to the doctrines and traditions of men disanulling the commaundements of God as the Popish teachers in their doctrine of Images communion in one kind priuate Masse c. That Augustine framing a perfect preacher willeth him to conferre the places of Scripture together you say it is a profounde conclusion to inferre that he sendeth him not to doctours distinctions censure of the Church Canons of the Popes nor traditions of the fathers but onely to quyet and content him selfe with the worde of God And these last wordes you saye are not found in Augustine de doct Chr. Cap. 9. sequentibus as though Master Calfhil recited the words not the sense for which he referreth you not only to that Chapter but to the rest following in al which there is no mention of doctors distinctions Popes Canons c. But this is an argument ab authoritate negatiuè Make as much and as little as you will of Augustines authoritie Master Calfhill hath rightly inferred vppon Augustines iudgement that if conference of Scriptures wil make a perfect preacher which you graunt he needeth neyther doctors distinctions nor Church censures c. but may quyet and content him selfe with the onely worde of God But it would make an horse to breake his halter to see howe Martiall prooueth out of Augustine that God teacheth vs by men and not by Angels and that knowledge of the tongues and instructions of men is profitable for a preacher yea the consent of moste of the Catholike Churches and the interpretations of learned men as though all those were not to be referred to the dewe conference of scriptures where onely resteth the substance of doctrine and the authoritie of faith and not in doctours distinctions Church censures Popes Canons c. which haue no grounde in the Scriptures or else be contrary to them Where Master Calfhill sheweth that as before the newe testament was written all things were examined according to the wordes and Sermons of the Apostles so after the newe testament was written all thinges ought to be examined according to their writings because there is none other testimonie of credite extant of their sermons writings Martiall replyeth out of Saint Augustine that wee haue many thinges by tradition which are not writen which being vniuersally obserued it were madnesse to breake Ep. 118. But Augustine speaketh not of doctrine but of ceremonyes or obseruations Out of Hierom ad Pam. he obiecteth that our Creede is not written in the Scriptures which is vtterly false although the fourme of the symbole be not set downe as wee rehearse it Thirdly out of Epiphanius contra Apostolic li. 2. Heres 61. that wee must vse tradition because all thinges cannot be taken out of the holy Scriptures Therefore the holy Apostles deliuered certeine things in writing and certeine things in tradition c. But they deliuered nothing in tradition contrary to their writinges neyther omitted they to write any thing that was necessarie for our saluation The matter whereof Epiphanius speaketh is that it is a tradition of the Apostles that it is sinne to marry after virginitie decreed and yet he holdeth that it is better to marrye after virginitie decreed then to burne contrary to the doctrine of the Papistes But Martiall frankely graunteth that no doctour is to be credited against the Scripture and the content of the whole Church Yet where Master Calfhill sayde that no man in any age was so perfect that a certeine trueth was to be buylded on him bringing examples of Aaron and Peter the one the high Priest of the Iewes the other affirmed by the Papistes to be the same of the Christians He quarreleth at his induction because he sayeth not sic de singulis where as his argument followeth not of the fourme of induction but of the place a maiore ad minus After this as he doeth nothing but cauill hee chargeth Master Calfhill for corrupting Saint Augustine saying Truth mee not nor credite my writings c. Proem lib. 3. de Trinit For Saint Augustine sayeth not trust mee not But he confesseth that he sayeth Do not addict thy selfe to my writings as to the Canonicall Scriptures See what a corruption here is when Master Calfhill rendereth not the words but the meaning of Augustine Againe saint Basil he sayeth is vilely abused because Master Calfhill sayeth Saint Basil setteth forth by a proper similitude with what iudgement the fathers of the Church should be read Conc. ad Adol wheras Basil speaketh of prophane writers As though Basils similitude may not serue to shewe howe both should bee read because he speaketh but of one sorte Likewise he cryeth out that Saint Hierome is not truely alledged because the Printer in the English translation of Hieroms words hath omitted this word not which he hath set downe in the Latine The 4. pretie persons he putteth vppon Master Calfhill as foolishe and childishe I omitt onely the slaunderers persons I will touche In saying that the fathers declyned all from the simplicitie of the Gospell in ceremonies He chargeth M. Calfhill to be a slaunderer Because God hath not suffered all the fathers to declyne lest hell gates should haue preuailed against his Church Although M. Calfhill speake of those fathers onely whose writings are extant yet the gates of hell in ydle ceremonies did but assault they did not preuaile against the Church And these fathers departed not from the Gospell but declined from the simplicitie thereof But you Papistes haue departed
prefigured in the law of nature foreshewen by the figures of Moses lawe denounced by the prophetes and shewed from heauen in the time of grace Maister Calfhil saide that the signe of the crosse was neither prefigured in the lawe of nature nor foreshewed by the figures of Moses law nor denounced by the prophetes nor shewed from heauen in the time of grace but the passion of Christ manner of his death Against whom commeth forth Martiall and offereth to prooue that the crosse whereon Christe died was prefigured c. which is no contradiction of M. Calfhils assertion Although the fathers rather dallie in trifling allegories then soundly to prooue that the crosse was prefigured in those places which he alledgeth as August Contra Faust. lib. 12. cap. 34. that the two stickes which the widowe of Sarepta gathered did prefigure the crosse whereon Christ died not only by the name of wood but by the number of the stickes Et de 5. heres ad quod vult de cap. 2. that Moses lifting vp his handes to heauen did prefigure the crosse whereby Christ should redeeme the worlde So saith Tertullian and Augustine in diuers places All which proue not that the image or signe of the crosse but that y e crosse it selfe whereon Christ died was prefigured whereof we make no question but it might be seeing it was in Gods determination that Christe should die on the crosse although we would wish sounder proofes then these for such prefiguration Here would Martiall excuse his ridiculous argument because it is not in mode and figure but in deede it fayleth both in forme and matter for his minor is false y t the signe of y e crosse was prefigured by y e hands of Moses As though there were no difference between the crosse on which Christ suffered a superstitious signe of the crosse y t a Papist maketh Concerning the signe Thau in Ezechiel cap. 9. I haue spoken sufficiently in the first article that it was not the figure of any letter like a crosse but a marke vnnamed or described as Apo. 7. And wheras Hierome saith that the Samaritanes had a letter somewhat like a crosse it is not to be throught y t the Samaritanes had the true forme of letters and the Iewes lost it Chrysostome draweth it to the Greeke letter and trifleth of the number which the letter Tau signifieth Tertulliā is indifferent betweene the Latine latter and y e Greeke setteth this T for the marke of his forehead differing somewhat from our Popishe ✚ for which cause Martiall calleth the character of the Latine letter Tau saying Our Tau is a signe of the crosse But of this marke more Art 1. and in my answere to D. Sanders booke of Images Cap. 13. or 12. Concerning the figure of y e crosse that was in the olde time in the idol Serapis wherunto he thinketh scorne to be sent for the antiquity of that signe he answereth out of Socrates that it was there set by the prouidence of God as the inscription of the altar in Athens and among the Hyeroglyphical letters of the Aegyptian priestes signified life to come But this proueth no more y e superstitious vse therof then y e alter in Athens proueth that we should set vp such altars and dedicate them to the vnknowen God Next followeth the brawle about the story of Constantines crosse which should be the figure of the crosse shewed from heauen in the time of grace wherein Martial noteth no lesse then sixe contradictions foure lyes in in M. Calfhil but of them let the reader iudge The signe shewed I haue prooued before not to haue bene Martials crosse but the Character of the name of Christ and so doth Constantinus himselfe cal it speaking to Christe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Holding forth thy Character I haue ouercome c. meaning the standerd in which that Character was imbrodered But of this I haue spoken sufficient Art 1. and against D. Sanders booke of images cap. 13. Ar. or after the errour of his print After much wrangling and brabbling about M. Calfhils principles wherein it were easie to displaye Martials follie but that I haue professed to omit such by matters he cōmeth to the signe of the crosse shewed to Iulian marked in his souldiers apparell which if it were true as Sozomenus reporteth it yet proueth it not y t the signe of the crosse was shewed from heauen that it should be vsed of Christians and the lesse because it was shewed to none but Iewes and forsakers of Christian religion as Maister Calfhill noteth which might probably be thought to be the marke of persecuters rather then of Christians But seeing the Signe of the crosse hath very often times appeared not onely in cloudes but also on mennes apparell with diuers other sightes as Conradus Lycosthenes in his booke De Prodigijs obserueth whether the cause of those apparitions be naturall or supernaturall or sometime perhaps artificiall the appearing of that signe from heauen doeth no more argue an allowance of the Popish ceremonie of crossing in religion then the appearing of other shapes and sightes in heauen doe teache vs to frame ceremonies of armour of horsemen of beastes of trees of pillers of circles and such like because the figures of them haue ben shewed from heauē So that hitherto the signe of the crosse hath not bene prooued to haue bene prefigured in the lawe of nature nor of Moses neither denounced by the prophetes nor vsed by the Apostles nor shewed from heauen to be a pattern of y e allowance of superstitious crossing among y e Papistes The thirde Article That euery Church Chappell and Oratorie erected to the honour and seruice of God should haue the signe of the crosse First it is to be remembred that for this position he hath no shewe of the authoritie of the holy scriptures nor yet the testimony of any auncient writer that any Church Chappell or Oratory should haue any crosse grauen or painted within it or vpon it for 500. yeares after Christ. Eusebius describing diuerse Churches builded in his time sheweth no such necessary furniture of a Christian Church although he set foorth euen the fashion of the stalles or stooles where the ministers should sit lib. 10. cap. 4. But Martial to haue shewe of antiquitie beginneth with a newe found olde doctour called Abdias whose authoritie seeing Maister Calfhill reiecteth as a meere countefet Martial spendeth certaine leaues in quarrelling at some of his reasons and the rest he passeth ouer because he can say nothing against them But touching the credite of this Abdias if any man be not satisfied with M. Calfhils reasons I referre him further to the Bishop of Sarums booke against Harding Art 1. Diu. 5. p. 8. To speake of the vowe of virginitie supposed to be made by the virgine Marie it is impertinent to the cause It commeth somewhat nearer that he defendeth building of Churches
honestie or shame For he feigneth that the fault is alledged for want of consent of her husband whereas such separation as he coÌ„mendeth w tout consent is directly contrarie to the doctrine of y e holy Ghost 1. Cor. 7. v. 5. Likewise where M. Calfhil nameth a booke that the Apostles wrote Martial saith it was but of Pauls Epistles where he saith it was laide vnto diseases M. Martial saith it saued a man from drowning but of these quarels too much Martiall coÌ„fesseth that were a Doctor swarueth froÌ„ scripture no man ought to followe him But if Paulinus swerued not from Scripture when he brought images into the Church we neede not doubt that any man swerued from Scripture seeing nothing is more plaine in all the Scriptures then forbidding of images and similitudes of any thing to be made or had in any vse of religion Where M. Chlfhil aunswereth to the decree of Iustinian that no Church should be builded before the place were consecrated and a crosse set vp by the Bishop that this was a constitution of the externall pollicie Martial laboureth to proue that it was religious and yet at length graunteth that it was a matter of externall policie wherevpon I inferre that it was not of necessitie and so the article is not proued thereby that euery church should c. But it commeth of great wisdome that he will defend the time of Iustinian from ignorance and barbaritie bicause the ciuill lawe was then gathered and a fewe learned men were found in the whole world All this notwithstanding the Barbarians had ouercome a great part of the Empire and filled the world with ignorance and barbarousnesse Against the decree of Valentinian and Theodosius cited out of Crinitus he hath many quarells First against Petrus Crinitus who was as good a cleark as Martial Then at the Homily against images where the Printer calleth him Petrus Erinilus yet againe y e Valentinian not being writteÌ„ at large is mistakeÌ„ for Valens where it should be Valentinianus And if Valens and Theodosius had made such a lâ—â—e what an ouersight was it of Eusebius to suppresse it When Eusebius was deade before any of them were borne it was a great ouerfight in Martials iudgement to suppresse in his storie a lawe made by them which liued neare an hundreth yeare after him so that belike he would haue Eusebius to write stories of thinges to come But concerning that lawe of Valentinianus and Theodosius you shall see more in mine aunswere to D. Sanders booke of images cap. 13. or 12. The rest of this chapter is spent in commending the Church of Rome whose custome it hath bene saith Martial these twelue hundreth yeares to set the signe of the crosse in the Church and Pope Pius the fourth did it him selfe of late c. Concerning the Church of Rome so long as she continued in true religion and so far foorth as she mainteined the trueth as she was greatly commended of auncient writers whome Martiall nameth so nowe it is to her greater reproch and shame earum laudum gloriae degenerem esse that she is growen out of kinde and desert of all such prayses as the Cleargie of Rome writing to Cyprian lib. 2. Epist. 7. To conclude therefore there is nothing shewed to proue that euery Church Chappel or Oratorie should haue a crosse although in the latter and more corrupt times of the Church it is declared that some Churches had a crosse and at length grewe to a custome in those parts of the world that euerie church had one and was thought necessarie that it should haue one The fourth Article That the signe of the crosse was vsed in all sacraments c. That it hath bene vsed in the later declining times we will not stande with Martiall but that in the best and purest age of the Church by the Apostles and their imediate successors it was vsed or allowed before the Valentinian heretikes I affirme that Martiall can not proue by any auncient authenticall writer betweene the Apostles and Irenaeus Wherefore Master Calfhil aunswereth well that the ceremonie once taken vppe of good intent being growen into so horrible abuse is iustly refused of vs. Martiall will knowe what our vocation is as though we were not able to proue our calling both before God and men Our Synodes he refuseth bicause no Councel can be kept without the consent of the Bishop of Rome in which point as many of Papistes are against him which holde that euen a generall Councel may be kept to depose an euill Pope against his will so he mistaketh the Tripartite historie and Iulian Bishop of Rome where they speake of generall Councels and Synodes to determine of matters of faith from which the Bishop of Rome while he was a Bishop was not to be excluded bicause those cases touch all Bishops dreaming that they speake of all Councels But long after their times it was practised as lawfull for Kinges and Bishops of seuerall prouinces to gather and holde prouincial synods for the state of their seueral Churches without the consent or knowledge of the Bishop of Rome In which some things haue bene determined against the will of the Bishop of Rome as in the councels of Carthage and Affrike and in generall Councels also as in that of Calcedon Constantinople the 5. 6. the Councels of Constans and Basil. But signing with the crosse is a tradition of the Apostles and so accounted by S. Basil therefore we ought not to forsake it for any abuse saith Martial But howe will S. Basil persuade vs of that when we finde it not in their writings it is more safe therefore to followe his counsell in his short definitioÌ„s q. 1. where he affirmeth y t it is not lawfull for any man to permit him selfe to doe or say any thing without the testimonie of the holy scriptures And this we will hold euen with Basils good leaue against all pretended traditions of the Apostles what so euer We Knowe the Apostle willeth vs to hold the traditions either learned by his Epistles or by his SermoÌ„s But what he deliuered in his sermons we can not tell but by his Epistles Yes saith Martial the church telleth you of y e signe of the crosse but seeing y e church telleth vs of other things which are left and forsaken auouching them likewise to be traditions of the Apostles which ought not to haue ben so giueÌ„ ouer if they had ben Apostolike traditions in deed we see no cause why we may not refuse these aswel as those hauing no ground of certaintie for apostolike traditions but only y e Apostolike writings Tertullian couÌ„teth y e tasting of milke hony after baptisme for an Apostolike tradition bicause it was a ceremonie in his time as wel as crossing y e one was left long ago why may not y e other be forsakeÌ„ y t hath no better ground hath ben worse abused Concerning the tale of Probianus which foloweth next
foorth after her childbirth and therfore no procession after the crosse And if Agapetus did not deuise processions first as M. Calfhil saith your owne Canon law lyeth and not he de cond d. 1. Agapitus as your author Garanza citeth it But to come neare vnto the article Sozomenus lib. ◠ca. 8. sheweth y t the Arrians at Constantinople began a kind of processiō with singing of Psalmes by course which Iohn Chrysostome fearing least any godly men should be seduced by them tooke vp the same fashion so pasted the Arrians in number processu going forward For siluer standards of the crosse with burning waxe 〈◊〉 went before them This place sheweth how godly men tooke vpfond ceremonies in emulation of heretikes But nowe concerning these siluer standards in forme of y e crosse which Socrates li. 6. ca. 8. sheweth did serue to carie waxe candles or torches burning vpon them to giue the people light in the night season for then their processions were in the night Martiall is as madde as a marche hare that they should be counted no better then candlestickes or cresset staues and yet when he hath prated what he can for that principall vse they serued although it may be that Chrysostome had some superstitious fantasie in the fourmes also of the crosse which he deuised to be as y e standerds for the Catholike armie to followe so the same crosse staues serued both for candlestickes and standerdes how soeuer it was this procession differed much from our Popish processions in whiche idols are carried about and not as candlestickes but candlesticks before them with candels light in the day time not in the night His surmise that the siluer crosses were set in the Church because no place is mentioned where they left them when they came home is foolish They had common theaters and meeting places more meete for seting vp of such candlebearing crosses then y e Churches The quarrell of the foure lyes I passe ouer let the Reader compare both their Bookes and iudge whether Martiall haue handeled that storie with sinceritie The councell Elibertine forbadde candels to be lighted in the day time in the Churchyards Ergo they forbadde them not on the Lordes table quod Martial But why then go you with torches and tapers into the Churchyarde both in procession and at burialles And seeing it was an Heathenishe custome to light them in Churches as well as in Churchyardes they which forbad the one would not haue alowed the other But you light them not as Heathē men of whom Lactantius speaketh thinking God to be in darkenes and to haue neede of light But Ad signu◠latriae demonstrandum to declare a signe of the high seruice that you owe to God If it be so why light you them to saintes yea to images the Gentils had as good excuses as you Neuer thelesse you are determined to kepe your lightes still as you haue record witnes out of Eusebius Athanasius c. In deede there is great reason because they had candels light in the night you wil haue them in y e day but of light I wish the reader to look more in my refutation of Rastals confutation to y e 33. leafe of his book After this foloweth a vain discourse to proue y t we are heretiks because we haue departed from the vnitie of the Church from the Cleargie from the bishop of Rome c. Al which is false for we haue not departed from the church of Christ which is ruled by his word nor from the Christian Cleargie nor from any godly Bishop of Rome in any point in whiche he departed not from the trueth but we are gone out of Babylon we haue forsaken Antichriste and all his merchantes that made sale of mens soules our prayer in a knowen tongue our communion in both kindes our reuerent administration of the Lordes supper haue the Scripture for their warrant and the primitiue Church for their witnesse His rayling vpon Luther I will not deale withall God hath aduanced Luther as his poore witnesse aboue the Pope the proud antichrist which maketh all Papistes to spighte him Concerning Iustinians constitution for crosses to be born at the singing of the Letanie it fauoureth of the corruption of his time Such godly constitutions as he made as well in Ecclesiasticall as politike matters we esteeme as the good lawes of a forreyne prince are to be regarded And at length we come to Augustine the Monke which cōming from Rome did more hurte in corrupting true religion then good in planting any religion And whereas Martiall saith if our religion came from Eleutherius it came from Rome although it were no shame to confesse it came from Rome in those purer times yet Christian religion came to vs euen from the Apostles as witnesseth Gildas the Brittaine being planted here in the reigne of Tiberius the Emperour And as for Augustine although the king Ethelbert the people were well prepared before his comming by the Queene and the bishop that attended vpon her yet according to his zeale he tooke some paines to make the people receiue the doctrine of Christe although in behauiour he was proude as Galfride writeth and Beda not altogether denieth but that he seemed so and in ceremonies superstitious So that the doctrine of Christ which he taught came from Ierusalem from whence the Gospel was first preached his errours and superstition came from Rome That the bishops of the Brittaines refused both his authoritie and ceremonies it argueth that Christianitie was in this land not subiect to the see of Rome If they refused to ioyne with Augustine in teaching the Saxons it might be not for that they enuied their saluation which were their enemies but because they would not consent to ioyne in y ◠worke with him which sought to bring them into subiection Concerning the cruel murder of the Monks of Bangor in Augustines quarrell Galfride a Brittaine imputeth no small part of the fault to Augustine Bede a Saxon would haue him cleare of it But seeing the threatening of Augustine is agreed vpon and the slaughter followed it is shrewde euidence against him That Augustines crosse painted table differeth from that the Papistes nowe vse in procession Martial counteth it not material seeing afterward they receyued other kinde of images from Rome and other kinde of Images were then vsed in Churches which yet were harde for him to proue for the Grecians to this day receiue none but painted Images The pretence that Maister Calfhil saith Augustine might haue to excuse him to feede the eyes of them that neuer heard of Christ with y e image of his death that lending their eares he might enstruct their hearts Martiall wil not admit or if he did admit it that it followeth not that they whiche haue not like pretence may not vse like example Whereas Maister Calfhil doth neither absolutely affirme the pretence nor allowe it to be good From this pretence he passeth into a
the Greeke and Easterne Churches from him which they count to be a schisme and heresie The third reason No heresie can continue and ouergrowe the true Church Papistrie hath continued Ergo Papistrie is no heresie The minor of this syllogisme is false for Papistrie hath not continued from the time of Christe but hath had her beginning long since and was not growne to a ripenesse of all her heresies in more then a thousand yeares after Christ as I haue shewed in the table of differences Therefore what so euer he saith to proue the maior is to no purpose when the minor is manifestly false CAP. XX. The third reason of the former chapter is fortified out of the aunicient and learned Fathers Nowe he taketh in hand a goodly piece of fortification and like a worthie surueior of the Popes buildings he bestoweth great cost out of Hilarius Chrysostome and Clemens Alexandrinus for defence of such a point as none of his aduersaries would euer offer to assaile Nameley the continuance of the Church and true religion which can not be ouercome not kept downe by any tyrannie or heresie but the more it is persecuted and oppressed the more it will flourish and increase And for this cause the true Church and faith of Christ although it haue bene long troden downe and afflicted by the tyrannie of Antichrist euen to such time as God had appointed that Antichrist shuld rage in the world for the sinnes thereof and especially for the contempt of the trueth 2. Thess. 2. yet hath it in the end preuailed encreased and flourished and by no craft or crueltie of Antichrist could any longer be suppressed or kept vnder Let not Papistes therefore bragge that they haue preuailed so long but let them nowe behold their ouerthrow by the increase of Gods Church and looke for their finall destruction at the glorious appearing of our Sauiour Christ. We doubt not therefore but determine with Augustine De vtilitate credendi to rest in y e bosome of that Church which from the seate of the Apostle by consent of mankind hath continued by succession of Bishops and hath obtained the height of authoritie all heretikes barking about it which partly by the iudgement of the people partly by the grauitie of Councels partly by the maiestie of miracles haue bene condemned But we vtterly denie the Popish Church to be this Church which hath had no continuance of succession from the Apostles seate in faith and doctrine though it claime neuer so much the succession of persons and places with the Donatistes Symon Magus Martion Eunomius and other heretikes we haue nothing to doe If trueth in Aerius and Vigilantius was condemned for errour not by the scriptures but by the tradition of men such condemnation can be no preiudice to them or their opinion when being called againe into iudgement they are found by sentence of Gods word the iudgement of the more ancient Fathers to haue ben wrongfully condemned To conclude Papistrie hath not preuailed against the church of God which hauing sought by all meanes so long time to roote her out of the earth yet was neuer able to bring to passe her wicked deuice but that the Church of Christ and the true religion thereof hath at last in the sight of al men gotten the vpper hand in despight of the Pope and Papistrie and all Papistes THE SECOND part of the Fortresse CAP. I. CErtaine demaundes to Protestantes putting the case that Papistes these many hundreth yeres haue liued in a wrong faith all which the case so put they ought of necessitie to satisfie WHat so euer the Protestantes can say for them selues as their credite is not great with him except they can proue one of his two demaūds he thinketh no godly or wise man will regard any thing they can say The first demaund is where or vnder what Pope or Emperour Papistrie beganne I aunswere Papistrie being antichristianitie the mysterie of that iniquitie began euen in the time of the Apostles 2. Thess. 2. Claudius being Emperour of Rome and so contiuned increasing in Apostasie vntill the time of Sigismund the Emperour who procured the Councel of Constance in which the lay people were robbed of the cup of the Lordes bloud Stapleton must beare with me if I can not name the Pope bicause at that time there were no lesse then three Popes at once and no man then liuing but as he was affectionate to one of those three could determine which of them was Pope This Stapleton though he haue a brasen face will not denie He requireth vs further to shewe the complaint of other Churches against Papistrie First for the beginning of the mysterie of iniquitie S. Paul complaineth 2. Thess. 2. And for the proceeding of that which was y e chiefe point therof namely the tyrannie of y e Bishop of Rome alwayes as it shewed it selfe some there were which complained of it Victor is the first Bishop of Rome which discouered the hid mysterie of iniquitie in vsurping against his fellowe Bishops in the time of the Emperour Seuerus against whome complained sharply reproued him Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons Polycrates and many other Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 25. Afterward in the dayes of Theodosius Honorius and Arcadius the Emperours when the Bishops of Rome Innocentius Bonifacius Zosimus Anastasius and Celestinus vsurped more openly in so much that they forged among them a decree of the Councel of Nice whereby they claimed their authoritie they were complained of by the Bishops and Church of Africa in open Councel the forgerie detected and decrees made that none in Africa should appeale to any Bishop ouer the Sea And that the Bishop of the first See should not be called prince of Priestes nor by any such name of pride but onely Bishop of the first See Conc Mileuit c. 22. Conc. Carth. 6. cap. 4. Conc. African c. 92. Ep. Concil ad Bonifac. Caelestinum Afterward in the dayes of the Emperour Mauritius when Iohn of Constantinople vsurped the title of vniuersall Bishop as the forerunner of Antichrist Gregorie him selfe Bishop of Rome complained of him and pronounced that he was the forerunner of Antichrist Wherefore Stapleton lyeth shamefully when he saith we make him the first Antichrist for as I haue testified before although there was in him a superstitious affection vnto ceremonies and that he was infected with certaine olde errours that had preuailed before his time yet bicause he helde the foundation of saluation by Christ onely and detested the vsurpation of that Antichristian title we account him for a member of the true Church of Christ. But after him when in the dayes of Phocas Bonifacius by pride and symonie had vsurped the same Antichristian authoritie and procured that the Church of Rome should be counted head of all Churches he was complayned of by the Church of Rauenna in Italie which would not acknowledge that Antichristian title neyther would submitte her selfe vnto the whore of
Babylon before the time of Donus the Pope which was almoste seuentie yeres after that Maister Stapleton misnameth Martianus in steede of Mauritius I will impute it to no ignorance although if such a faulte escape any of vs we are by and by cried out vpon to be ignorant in all antiquity c. Thus haue I aunswered Maister Stapletons demaunde concerning the principall foundation and rocke of Papistrie although no necessitie suche as hee supposeth doeth moue mee For albeit the precise time of the entring of any heresie can not be named yet it followeth not that the same heresie is a trueth therefore The second demaunde is when and by whome Luther was called when he begunne to preache the Gospell I aunswere if calling of the Popishe Churche be lawfull as the Papistes will not denye Luther had suche ordinary calling as the Churche where he liued did allowe for he was called to be a publike teacher before the Popes pardoner came into Saxony against whose moste impudent blasphemies and shamelesse errours he first inueyghed in his publike sermons Wherefore concerning his vocation the mouthes of Papistes ought to be stopped But Stapleton will not be so satisfied for he sayeth that the Popish Churche would neuer call him to preache against her selfe that is not materiall the Popishe Churche gaue him such authority as she had to preache whiche he vsed first to seeke her reformation if she had bene reformable but when he sawe her oppose her selfe against the manifest trueth he had iust cause to departe from her vnto the Catholike Churche of CHRISTE It sufficeth not Stapleton that hee learned by the Scriptures that the Churche erred bycause all heretikes abuse the Scriptures as thoughe there were no certainty of trueth to be founde in the Scriptures which blasphemie derogateth all authoritie from the holy Scriptures inspired of GOD whiche the Apostle sayeth to bee able to reprooue all errours that the man of GOD may be perfecte prepared to all good workes 2. Tim. 3. ver 16. Againe where hee affirmeth that he had the interpretation of the Scriptures from heauen Stapleton vrgeth that then he must shewe some miracle as if the ordinary inspiration of Gods spirite without the which no man can vnderstand any of Gods mysteries of necessitie requireth confirmation of miracles But Luther him selfe he sayeth requireth miracles of Muncer whiche boasted of Reuelation and so ought we to doe of Luther No sir Muncer boasted of an extraordinary Reuelation and taught a doctrine directly contrary to the worde of GOD written and therefore the case is nothing lyke After this hee telleth a slaunderous fable out of that runnagate Baldwine of the conference at Poissie that Beza and Martyr could not agree whether their calling was ordinary or extraordinary the conclusion whereof was this that Beza was ordeined of Caluine and Caluine as Beza sayde of none Which how impudent and shamelesse a lye it is that Beza should reprote of Caluine it is manifest to all men that knowe the storie of that Churche and citie of Geneua that Caluine was called and ordeyned by the Churche there when he was altogether vnwilling to remaine in that Citie but in a manner compelled by the earnest obtestation of Farellus Cal. in Praefa in Psalm Beza in vita Caluini And yet more monstruous is that lye that Beza should grant the rebellion that followed to be a signe of his vocation when the worlde knoweth that the beginning of these ciuill warres came altogether from the Papistes the Duke of Guise giuing the occasion by the Diuelishe slaughter and buchery of Vassie But to the principall matter in question that Luther and some other hauing an extraordinary calling from God to teach and reforme the Church need not to conâ—irme their calling by miracles when they teach nothing but that is confirmed by manifest authoritie of holy Scriptures in the consciences of all men that wilfully oppose not themselues against the trueth either y â— they will not knowe it or that they will not obey it It is euident by so many prophets as God stirred vp in the olde time which had no extraordinary calling of the Church being not of the tribe of Leui yet being only interpreters of the lawe needed no signes or miracle to confirme their calling Our Sauiour Christ himselfe confirmeth the extraordinary calling of the Scribes and Pharisees when he willeth them to be heard sitting in Moses chaire of which yet a great number and almost all were no Leuites nor Priestes therefore had no ordinary calling Yet Gregory himselfe in the history of Bede at the first planting of the particular Church in Englande alloweth extraordinary ordeyning of Bishops Lib. 1. Cap. 27. Wherefore if Luthers calling were altogether extraordinary as Papistes can not say except they deny the calling of their owne Churche he is not bound to approue his calling by miracles when his doctrine and all things in which hee departeth from the Church of Rome is proued true and agreeable to the word of God The third demaunde is that we must shewe a succession from the Apostles as the Scripture witnesseth the Churche to haue and the auncient fathers exacted of Heretikes The Scripture requireth no succession of names persons or places but of faith and doctrine and that wee prooue when we approue our faith and doctrine by the doctrine of the Apostles Neither had the fathers any other meaning in calling vpon newe vpstart heresies for their succession but of a succession of doctrine as well as of persons Which is manifest by Tertullian De praescript Ita per successiones c. So comming downe by successions from the beginning that their first bishop haue for his authors and antecessours one of the Apostles or Apostolike men but yet such a one as hath continued with the Apostles These wordes of Tertullian are manifest that succession of Bishoppes euen to the Apostles helpeth not excepte there be a continuance in the doctrine of the Apostles whiche when the Papistes can shewe we will gladly yeld vnto them In the meane time it is not the continual succession of persons in any place which teach contrary to their antecessours which haue taught in that place that can carry away the credite of the whole doctrine and religion of Christe CAP. II. An Introduction to the proofes which followe in the seconde part of this fortresse Repeating what he fantasieth he hath fortified before which howe weake it is I haue sufficiently discouered in this Chapter hee promiseth first to declare by diuerse sure and necessary tokens whiche protestantes doe lacke that the faith then planted was a right faith which in many principall pointes we doe not denye but that it was a right faith Secondly repeating the difference in doctrine gouernement ceremonies course and consequence of both the religions he will prooue all that they had differring from vs partly by Scripture and partly by the faith of the first sixe hundreth yeares To which I replye
from the Gospell and doctrin of saluation in setting vp a newe sacrifice in seeking iustification by workes in ouerthrowing the true and spiritual worship of God As for the two Iudges the worde and the spirite he denyeth them finding manye defectes in the worde As that it is sencelesse dombe deafe not able to prooue it selfe to be the worde of God hauing no more power to be Iudge and decide controuersies then the booke of statutes to put on my lorde chiefe Iustices robes and to come to the Kings bench and giue sentence I thinke there is no Christian man but abhorreth to reade these blasphemies But let vs see whether the booke of statutes although it put on no robes is not iudge even ouer my lorde chiefe Iustice him selfe who is a minister seruing to pronounce the lawe not a King to alter the lawe for he him selfe must be obedient to the lawe Nowe in all controuersies that be de iure either the lawe is plaine to be vnderstoode or it is obscure If it be plane as that a felone must be hanged or the sonne must inherite his father c. the Iudge pronouncing the lawe with authoritie and execution following his sentence brydleth the obstinate person that will not obey the lawe which he knoweth as well as the Iudge If the lawe be hard to be vnderstoode the Iudge must seeke the interpretation thereof according to the minde of the law-maker and not according to the his owne fantasie So that in all cases the Iudge hath no authoritie ouer the lawe but vnder the lawe so that if the giue wrong sentence both he and his sentence are to bee iudged by lawe Or else why doe you Martiall in your ciuill lawe courtes so often crye out sit liber iudex let the booke be Iudge If you will not allow the booke of Gods law to be Iudge euen ouer them which haue authoritie as Iustices haue in the common lawe to pronounce it and to declare it The Spirite he refuseth to be Iudge because it is inuisible secreate vnknowen vnable to be gone to but in the Church therefore the Church is the Iudge and neyther the worde nor the Spirite But the Spirite by his owne substance incomprehensible is by his effects in the holy Scriptures visible reuealed knowen and able to be gone vnto therefore a sufficient Iudge taking witnesse of the Scriptures and bearing witnesse vnto them For that maiestie of trueth that power of working that vniforme consent which is in all the Scriptures inspired of God maketh a wonderfull difference of them from all writings of men of all sortes But let vs see Martials arguments against the Spirite of God to be iudge of the interpretation of the Scriptures Paul and Barnabas in the controuersie of circumcision went not to the word and Spirit but to the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem O blocke-head and shamelesse asse Paul and Barnabas doubted not of the question but sought the generally quiet of the whole Church by consent of Councell But whether went the Apostles and Elders for decision of the question but to the worde and Spirite Reade Act. 15. Againe he citeth Deuteronom 17. that the people in controuersies should resort to the priestes for iudgement but where should they fetche their iudgement but of the lawe of God as it is in the same place Againe Christ hath appointed Apostles Euangelistes c. therefore it is not a generall precept for all men to trie all men to iudge what doctrine they receiue bicause all be not Apostles Euangelistes c. Then in vaine saide Christ to all men search the scriptures in vaine the Apostles trie the spirites neither did the Boerheans well that daily sought the Scriptures to see if those things were so as the Apostles taught Martiall is to be pitied if he knowe no difference betweene authoritie of publike teaching and the triall and examination of doctrine whereof this pertaineth to all men the other to such onely as are called thereto But Martiall proceedeth to shewe that as GOD appointed one high Priest to the Iewes to avoide schismes so he appointed Peter among the Christians and for this purpose he citeth diuers sentences of the auncient Fathers which all in order almost the reader shall finde cited and satisfied in myne aunswere to Doctor Sanders booke of the rocke of the Church Cap. 5. except one place of Tertullian De pudicitia which I maruell this Popish Lawyer would alledge being so contrarie to his purpose but that the poore man vnderstoode it not Qualis es c. What art thou ouerthrowing and changing the intention of our Lorde giuing this personally to Peter Vpon thee saide he I will builde my Church If it were personally saide to Peter Syr Bacheler counsel with Baldus and Bertholdus whether it goe by succession to the Pope or no Which Tertullian denyeth to pertaine to euery Elder of the Church bicause it was spoken personally to Peter And nowe at the length beginneth he to come to the argument of his booke the signe of the crosse Which he saide was the fourth signification of the word Crosse in Scripture and calleth it the materiall and mysticall signe of the crosse which Master Calfhill denieth to be once mentioned in Scripture in that sense that Martiall taketh it Martiall repeateth that which he had saide before that Esaye cap. 49. saith I will set out myne signe on high to the people which Hierome vpon that place expoundeth to be the standard of the crosse that it may be fulfilled which is written the earth is full of his praise Et iterum c. And againe In all the earth his name is wonderfull Which wordes following immediately Martiall craftily suppresseth and falleth into a brabbling matter that preaching which Master Calfhill saide was this standard is not the onely standard or signe lifted vp by GOD for conuersion of the Gentiles but miracles and good examples of life c. Whereas the question is whether the Popish signe of the crosse be the signe spoken by Esay and Hierome And the exposition added by Hierome sheweth plainely that he meaneth not a red or blue crosse banner but the preaching of Christe crucified whereby the earth is filled with the praise of GOD and his name is wonderfull in all the earth But Martiall in the end concludeth that it hath pleased the auncient Fathers to appoint and ordeine the signe of the crosse to he one meane among many by which the praise of GOD is set foorth Where he should haue proued that the signe of the crosse as he taketh it is mentioned in the scriptures Other cauils and slaunders not more false then foolish I will clearely omit as I purposed in the beginning and followe onely such matter as is proper to the question in controuersie namely the signe of the crosse The second text to proue that the signe of the crosse is mentioned in the scripture he citeth out of Iere. 4. Lift vp a signe in Sion which