returne from the same yea that religious men being in their priuate religion are not of the Christian Religion but are members of the Diuell 3. Concerning the Authoritie of the Church his doctrine was that whatsoeuer the Pope and his Cardinals can deduce cleerely out of the Scriptures that only is to bee beleeued or to bee done at their admonition and that whatsoeuer else they command is to bee condemned as hereticall As for the decretals of the Pope they are Apocrypha and seduce men from the faith of Christ and the Clergy that studie them are fooles 4. As touching preaching and hearing the Word which is the execution of Christs Propheticall Office hee taught That it is lawfull for any man either Priest or Deacon to preach the Word of God without the authoritie of the Apostolike Sea or any other of his Catholikes and that all such who doe leaue preaching or hearing the Word for feare of their excommunication they are already excommunicated and in the Day of iudgement shal be counted traitors against God 5. Hee opposed also the selling of Prayers Pardons Indulgences and such Popish trash by which the satisfaction of Christ is weakened affirming that it was but a folly to beleeue the Popes Pardons Item that all such as bee hired for temporall liuing to pray for other doe offend and sinne in Simony 6. In the doctrine of the Sacraments which are the instruments of Christ to apply to vs the work of his satisfaction he laboureth much to reforme the abuses 1. In Baptisme hee found fault with their doctrine of necessity teaching that they which doe affirme that the infants of the faithfull departing without the Sacrament of Baptisme are not saued are presumptuous and fooles in so affirming 2. In the Supper of the Lord hee opposed the reall presence and transubstantiation teaching that Christ is not really in the Sacrament of the Altar in his proper and corporall person but only figuratiuely That without all doubt it is a figuratiue speech to say This is my body Item that the substance of materiall bread and wine euen bread in his owne substance doth remaine in the Sacrament of the Altar and ceaseth not to be bread still That the Accidents do not remain without the Subiect in the same Sacrament after the consecration So also hee taught That it is not found or established by the Gospell that Christ did ordaine Masse 3. As for the other fiue which we count bastard-sacraments some he did doubt of as Extreame Vnction for this is one article if corporall vnction or anneyling were a Sacrament as it is faigned to be Christ and his Apostles would not haue left the ordinance thereof vntouched So also for Shrift if a man be duely and truely contrite and penitent all outward confession is superfluous and vnprofitable Other Sacraments he complained of as being abused hallowing of Churches saith hee confirmation of children and the Sacrament of Orders be reserued to the Pope and Bishops onely for the respect of temporall lucre So also concerning Matrimony he held that the causes of diuorcement of consanguinity or affinity be not founded in the Scripture but are onely the ordinances of men and humane inuentions 7. Lastly concerning the power of the Keyes and the Churches censures his positions are That no Prelate ought to excommunicate any man except he know him first to be excommunicate of God and that he that doth excommunicate any other man is thereby himselfe either an hereticke or excommunicate Item that a Prelate excommunicating any man of the Clergy which hath appealed to the King or to the Councell is thereby himselfe a traitour to the King and Realme This in effect is the summe of his doctrine wherein howsoeuer there may be some few small slips or harsh phrases yet no pernicious errours much lesse damnable heresie but for the substance it is sound and good and agreeable to the Canon of the World Wherefore howsoeuer the Synod of London and the Councell of Constance haue agreed to condemne these Articles and his Books yea his bones also to the fire 41. yeeres after his death yet since de iure they ought not so to haue done and that we are able to iustifie his doctrine we are bold to challēge him as a fit instance to answer the question proposed and doe conclude that our Church had a being and the doctrine of the reformed Churches had professors long before the dayes of Luther But goe to let vs goe on and see what other can be named one Swallow maketh no Summer nor one professor a Church True and therefore except we can draw downe the profession of this doctrine successiuely from Wickcliffe to the dayes of Luther let vs lose all this labour wherefore we are to know that both together with Wickcliffe and after him arose a multitude in the Church of England maintaining the same doctrine and spreading it abroad among the people labouring with might and maine to defend it Such were Lau. Redman Master of Arts Dau. Sawtree Diuine Iohn Aschwarby Vicar of S. Maries Church in Oxford William Iones an excellent young-man well learned Th. Brightwell Will. Haulam a Ciuilian Ralph Grenhurst Io. Scut Ph. Norrice who being excommunicate by Pope Eugenius the fourth appealed to a generall Councell Peter Paine Lord Cobham with diuers others whose names are mentioned in the Kings writ sent to the Sheriffe of Northampton giuen at the Mannor of Langly March 8. in the 12. of Richard the second so also for confirmation of their multitudes the words of the Statute made Anno 5. of Richard 2. About this time W. Courtny Archbishop being in his Visitation at Leicester conuented diuers before him as Dexter Tailor Wagstaffe Scriuener Smith Henry Parchmeanar Goldsmith these with other moe were accused to the Archbishop for holding the opinion of the sacrament of the Altar auricular confession and other sacraments contrary to that which the Church of Rome did teach The which persons because being cited they came not in were solemnely accursed as hereticks with bell booke and candle yea and by the same Archbishop was the whole Towne of Leicester interdicted so long as any of these excommunicate persons should remaine in it There was also one Matilda an Anchoresse accused of the same opinions all this happened in 1387. in the 10. yeere of Richard 2. About the same time Peter Pateshall an Austen Frier hauing obtained leaue of the Pope to change his coate and religion hearing the doctrine of Wickliffe and others of the same sort began to preach openly and to detect the vices of his Couent preaching in London by the Londoners graciously entertained and vpheld against the turbulent Friers who sought to molest him Thus by the preaching of Wickliffe and others the Gospell began to fructifie and spread abroad in London and other places of the Realme and more would haue done had not the Prelates set themselues so forcibly with might and maine to gaine-stand the course thereof 1389.
the Lords Supper of penance orders the power of the Keyes the preaching of the Gospell of marriages vowes possessions correction of the Clergy of the lawes and decrees of the Church of the state and condition of the Pope and Clergy 1409. Iohn Badly first molested and condemned by the Bishop of Worcester was afterwards accused before Archbishop Arundel and other his Assistants for being vnsound in the doctrine of the Sacrament as denying the reall presence and transubstantiation and being demanded whether he would renounce and forsake his opinions and adhere to the Doctrine of the Catholike Church hee confessed That he had both said and maintained the same and would adhere and stand to these his opinions and while he liued would neuer retract the same for which hee was condemned and in Smithfield burned After this the Prelates not contenting themselues with this that now they had the power of the secular arme to assist them in the punishment of Heretikes and hauing a King to their mind ready to serue their turne in al points at the Parliamēt thē held procured the Statute ex Officio the sequell whereof cost many a man his life at the same time also came foorth diuers constitutions of Archbishop Arundell forbidding to preach or teach any thing contrary to the Determination of the Church in the points of the Sacrament of the Altar Matrimony Confession or other Sacraments or other Articles of faith Item that no Schoolemasters should in teaching the Sciences intermingle any thing concerning the Sacraments contrary to the determination of the Church That none of Wickliffes bookes should bee read those onely excepted which the Vniuersitie of Oxford had allowed Item That none should translate any Text of Scripture into English Item That diligent inquisition should bee made by euery Prouost Principall and Master of euery Colledge in Oxford among the Schollers for persons defamed of heresie Now let all men iudge whether these constitutions giuen at Oxford in this manner do not plainely declare that there was a great company of these men who professed and taught such points which these constitutions did condemne Againe is it any wonder that after such strength and force such policy and practices vsed to supplant the doctine of Wickliffe and his followers it should bee almost extinguished The Bishops and Clergy hauing the King on their side armed with Lawes Statutes Punishments Imprisonments Fire Faggot Sword and the like what wonder is it if they beare all before them Is it equall to challenge vs to shew foorth our Church to require a visibility of it when these who are our aduersaries hauing the sword in their hand did labour so abundantly to suppresse the memoriall of them And yet by the goodnesse of God it came to passe as may appeare by the Registers that those persons whom they condemned and detested as Heretikes calling them Lollards did increase daily in diuers countries especially at London in Lincolne-shire Norfolke Hereford Shrewsbury and in Calice and other quarters in the Prouince of Canterbury with whom Archbishop Arundel had much adoe as by his Registers doth appeare 1413. Henry the fourth beeing dead succeeded Henry the fifth crowned on Passion Sunday presently after began a Parliament to be called and holden after Easter at Westminster at which time also was holden a Synod at London vnder Archbishop Arundel The chiefe cause of assembling thereof was to represse the growing of the Gospell and especially to withstand the noble and worthy Lord Cobham who was then noted to be a principall fauourer receiuer and maintainer of them whom the Clergy called Lollards especially in the diocesse of London Hereford and Rochester setting them vp to preach whom the Bishops had not licensed hee was also accused to bee farre otherwise in the beliefe of the Sacraments of the Altar of Penance of Pilgrimage Image-worship and of ecclesiasticall power then the holy Church of Rome had taught for many yeeres before his examination confession and declaration of his Christian beliefe his godly answers and reasons his constancy in the truth is worth the reading Finally he was also condemned and committed to the Tower out of which hee made an escape peraduenture not without the helpe of Sir Roger Acton who himselfe whatsoeuer hee was otherwise certaine it is that hee was alwaies of a contrary minde and opinion to the Romish Bishops and Clergy for which he was greatly hated of thē his friendly helpe to the Lord Cobham is thought to haue bin the cause why hee was apprehended and brought into trouble and in the end came to his death some three yeres before the Lord Cohbam and with him I. Browne and I. Bouerly a preacher suffered the same kind of death in S. Giles fields with other moe to the number of 36. as the stories doe report all which are said to haue bin hanged and burned in the moneth of Ianuary 1413. The which death also the Lord Cobham suffred some foure yeeres after his escape being betrayed and brought in by the Lord Powes either for the hatred of the religion and true Doctrine of Iesus Christ or else for greedinesse of the reward promised by the King to them that could bring in the Lord Cobham aliue or dead for being thus taken he was adiudged to be hanged vpon the new gallows in S. Giles field and burned hanging for you must know that the Prelates the better to suppresse this doctrine had gotten an Act passed which condemned the Lollards and followers of Wickliffe decreeing that they should be accounted as traitors to the King and Realme and so should suffer double punishment viz. to be burnt as heretikes and hanged as traitors to the King testified by Polydore Virgil and by Waldensis 1415. After Th. Arundel succeeded Archbishop Chichely before whom was conuented Iohn Claydon who for the space of 20. yeeres before had beene suspected of Lollardy He was accused to haue diuers bookes in English out of which his Aduersaries collected 15. Articles which they condemned as hereticall and erronious for which cause he was condemned and shortly after together with Rich. Turning burned in Smithfield Shortly after the Archbishop with the rest of the Clergy made other constitutions against the Lollards After the setting forth of which constitutions great inquisition followed in England and many good men whose hearts began to fauour the Gospell were brought to much vexation and trouble and caused outwardly to abiure Thus while Christ had the inward hearts of men Antichrist would needs possesse the outward body and make them sing his song In the number of whom were I. Taylor W. Iames I. Dwerfe Iohn Iourdly M. Roberts Parson of Hegly W. Henry I. Gall Bart. Cornmonger N. Hooper Th. Granter so also Ralph Mongin Priest was condemned to perpetuall prison After this followed the Recantation of Ric. Monke and of Edmund Frith besides many more recorded in the same Register who likewise for their faith and Religion were much vexed and troubled The names of 16. are
and yet remaine members of the Church a taske that will neuer fadge well especially with them in their mutinous multitude and rabble of religious orders yea let them then call to minde how weakely Harding hath defended his answere of Bishop Iewels challenge or let them answere Perkins Problem and prooue where their Church was before the Trent Councell for it will asmuch trouble them to name a company of men in all points professing the Trent faith as vs to finde a company of men professing in all points the doctrine of the reformed religion But if they giue vs liberty to make challenge to them who in the most and greatest points haue agreed with vs which is but reasonable then in the next place we desire to grow to a point and agree vpon the maine points of difference betwixt vs and them All which in generall do concerne either the offices of Christ or the fruites of his office the which by their doctrine are ouerthrowne For first the kingly office of Christ is ouerthrowne by the supremacy of the Pope which draweth with it the pride of the Clergy and exaltation of them aboue the temporall power Secondly the Propheticall office is ouerthrowne by their silencing the Scripture and by giuing such liberty to the Church yea and to the Pope to frame articles of faith Thirdly the Priestly office is ouerthrowne in the worke of satisfaction by Merits Indulgences Purgatory c. In the worke of Application by their abuses thrust into the Sacraments especially Transubstantiation reall Presence Exorcismes c. by their false sacraments which were neuer appointed by Christ as meanes of application In the worke of Intercession by Angels Saints Images whom they haue made their mediators of intercession Lastly the fruites of Christs office redounding to vs by the mediation of Christ is our Iustification before God which doctrine they haue laboured to ouerthrow Now to the point this our taske wee are to shew forth the names of such men who haue consented with vs in the opposition of the Supremacy exemption of the Clergy from Ciuill iurisdiction in the authority of the Scriptures and in the communicating of them to the people in condemning Merits Indulgences Purgatory Transubstantiation reall presence intercession of Saints and Angels Image worship Pilgrimage in the doctrine of our free iustification by faith and such other points which are controuerted betwixt vs and the Church of Rome And this wee will doe first in the instance of our owne Countrimen and then proceed to others Know all men therefore by these presents that about the yeere of Grace 1370. in the time of Edward the third King of England at what time all the world was in most desperate and vile estate and that lamentable ignorance and darkenesse of Gods truth had ouer-shaddowed the Church most Iohn Wickliffe who almost 200. yeeres before Luther by the especiall prouidence of God was raised vp here in England to detect more fully and amply the poison of the Popes doctrine and to purge Religion from those dregs and filthinesse with which it was defiled a Professor of Diuinitie was he in Oxford a man of note in his time and of famous memory in the ages following For after hee had begunne to publish some conclusions touching the Doctrine of the Sacrament and other abuses of the Church which boyle and sore could not be touched without the great paine and griefe of the world hee was much infested with the Monkes and Friers who like Hornets did assaile the good man on euery side After them the Priests tooke the matter in hand and Symon Sudbery Archbishop depriued him of his Benefice in Oxford yet by the friendly and fauourable assistance of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and Henry Percy Earle Marshal being also befriēded of the King who had heretofore made vse of him in an Ambassage he bore out the malice of the Friers and of the Archbishop all the dayes of Edward the third and of Pope Vrban who being busied in suppressing his aduersary Clement the seuenth could not spare any time to deale with Wickliffe and so it came to passe by Gods prouidence that the truth began to take some place and roote in mens hearts Afterward in the beginning of Richard the 2. and of Gregory the eleuenth his aduersaries espied their time and incensed the Pope against him who sendeth foorth his Bull to the Vniuersity of Oxford and an Epistle to the King with diuers Letters to the Bishops dated all 11. kal. of Iune in the seuenth yeere of his Pontificality 1378. By which it appeareth that Wicklife was a man of note and that these things were not done in a corner but that his preaching had taken effect So that the Bishops had neede of the Popes owne helpe to suppresse him and his abettors the which although they attempted yet could they not bring to passe his commendation testified by the Vniuersitie is this That hee behaued himselfe as a stout Champion of the Faith neither was hee conuict of any heresie and God forbid saith the Testimoniall that our Prelates should haue condemned a man of such honesty of heresie His bookes were many and spred abroade not only throughout England but also by occasion of Queene Anne wife to Richard the second sister to Wenceslaus King of Bohemia carried into Bohemia whence Iohn Husse learned the beginnings of his knowledge Thus was this man a most worthy instrument in the Church of God like a bright Starre shining farre and neere Now for his conclusions which are recorded for his they are many gathered by his aduersaries and therefore if in all points they sound not so well as we could desire yet certainely wee may beleeue that they were not so bad as some of them are deliuered Wee finde that in a Conuention at London 1382. May 17. they proceeded to the condemnation of his articles some as hereticall some as erroneous The which also were afterward presented to the Councell of Constance with diuers others to the number of 45. in all and by the same Councell condemned the which for breuitie sake I haue collected vnto their seuerall heads 1. Touching the supremacy hee held that it is not necessary to saluation to beleeue that the Church of Rome is supreme head of all Churches That the Church of Rome is the Synagogue of Satan Neither is the Pope immediately the Vicar of Christ nor his Apostles and that the Excommunication of the Pope and his Prelates is not to bee feared because it is the censure of Antichrist 2. Concerning religious orders which are the tayle of Antichrist he taught That those holy men as Francis Dominick Benedict c which haue instituted priuate religions whatsoeuer they be in so doing haue grieuously offended And such who do found Monasteries doe offend and sin so all such who enter into such religions are thereby vnable to keepe the commandements of God as also to attaine to the Kingdome of heauen except they