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
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
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
if that be too farre of let him worship Iudas lippes that kissed him if he can come by them Concerning the person of Helena I would wish nothing to be spoken of her but to her honour except in case where her honour should be an hinderance of the honor of Christ. Martial to iustifie her in al things raileth vpon M. Calfhil for charging her with superstition as though he had bene the first y t had so written of her when it is reported of her that she was vsque ad superstitionem pia deuout euen to superstition And yet her superstition appeareth not so great in any thing as in this supposed inuention of the crosse The varietie in time that is in the witnesses of the inuention of the crosse the blasphemous beast is not ashamed to compare with the apparence of varietie which is in the Euangelistes where in deede there is none wheras this discord can not be reconciled Yet will he not haue the tale discredited for the discorde in time as though there were none other discorde The manifest contradiction that is betweene Ruffinus saying Titulus non satis evidentâ—r dominici prodebaâ— signa patibuli The title did not shewe euidently the signe of our Lordes gibbet And Ambrose saying Titulo crux salutaris patuit by the title the healthfull crosse was manifestly knowen This contradiction I say he denyeth to bee any affirming that a simple Logitian would proue it to be none Thinking that sâ—tis euidenter euidently inough would excuse the matter as though we knewe not what patet doeth signifie as well as Maister vsher of Winchester That a shippe would not carrie the peeces of the crosse that are shewed in so many places he counteth it an impudent lye of Caluine whome he rayleth vpon like a ruffian and slaundereth like a diuel Yet Erasmus affirmeth the same in his Peregrinat relig erg And he that will beleeue neither of them both let him consider beside so many whole crosses as are shewed in steede of that one and of great boardes y t are kept in many places as part of it so many thousand churches Abbeys as either now shew or haue shewed chips pieces of it he shall not think their report to be in credible The talk of the nayles which were but three at y e first al bestowed at the time of y e inuention yet are now multiplyed to 13. or 14. which bewrayeth an horrible impudencie in the Popish idolaters Martiall refuseth as impertinent yet will he not confesse y e forgerie which is a token of a wicked diuelish conscience Where M. Calfhill sayeth that miracles were not done by the crosse to establish a worshipping or hauing of it Martiall requireth proofe by scriptures Councels or Doctors I reason thus a paribus out of the scripture myracles were done by oyle shadowe other things not to establish a worshipping or hauing of them the like reason is of myracles done by the crosse Beside that y â— scripture is plentiful in challenging all honour worship to the author not to the meanes or instruments Peter and Iohn meanes of the healing of the lame man refused all honour and worship in respect of his healing Act. 3. vers 12. yet were they other manner of meanes then y e crosse euer was in doing of myracles That M. Calfhill sayeth myracles teach vs not to do the like but to beleeue the like Martiall sayeth they teach vs to do the like if we may and he proueth it by him that teacheth that almes couereth sinne who thereby teacheth to do almes c. Thus the wise man compareth miracles men together facts doctrin act possibilitie euen as right as a rammes horne But how shal we come by this power to worke miracles by the signe of y e crosse for to assay without assurance of Gods power is to tempt God Therefore wee may no more crosse vs against diuels because God hath sometime chased theÌ„ away by y â— signe then wee may annoynt blind mens eyes with clay to proue if they will see after it because Christ wrought a myracle by y â— meane which as Martial saith teacheth vs to do the like if we may What estimatioÌ„ Paulinus a superstitious man had in his piece of the crosse which was perhaps a piece of another tree then euer came in Iewry Wee haue not to followe him in his follye That myracles wrought of holy men by the signe of the crosse c. is not a sufficient reason to proue that y e figne of the crosse should be had kept set vp and honoured I haue alreadie proued out of the scripture by y e like or equall yet it is against reason when we deny your arguments whose consequence you ought to proue y â— we should be driueÌ„ to proue that they follow not Where M. Calfhill sayeth y â— myracles onely ought not or may not coÌ„mend a thing you pick quarels to him without cause obiecting the miracles of Christ who tooke witnesse not only of his miracles but also of y e holy scriptures When you haue vrged the miracle done by y e signe of y e crosse out of Epiphanius as much as you can yet proueth it not y e honouring and setting vp of y e signe of y e crosse in these days as M. Calfhill telleth you seing y â— we liue not among Turkes or Sarazens y â— we need to haue any such signe whereby we might be knowen to be worshippers of Christ. But you would faine learne what if a Portingal or one of y e new conuerted IlaÌ„ds of India coÌ„ming by chance into England of which he neuer heard before seing neither images nor crosses in church nor streate how he should knowe in whome wee beleeue And I would learne of you what skilleth it if such a man as neuer came here nor euer by any likelyhood shall come hither yet supposed to be driuen on a boarde out of India into Englande what skilleth it I say if he know not in whom we beleue and so depart as wise as he came What remedy but we must haue al places filled with images crosses for such a man to knowe what we holde of who shalbe neuer the better thereby nor the worse if he know not But you think that happily strangers of Greece CoÌ„stantinople Iewry India may come to our coastes and therfore wee ought to haue the signe of the crosse in churches chapels high wayes to signifie of whome we hold We haue not many such strangers but when they arryue we haue bookes of the holy scripture in Greeke Hebrue Chaldee Syrian Arabike Sclauonian tongues in which they may be instructed that are desirous to vnderstand what religion we professe The Lorde God thought it sufficient to haue his lawe written vppon great stones at the entrance into the holy land to let all strangers knowe both whome after what manner the people of Israell did honour and
is the vowe of virginitie in a great many which our sauiour Christ affirmeth to be a rare gift not in euery mans power As for the vowe of chastitie if any were made by Popishe priestes it was oftener broken before the restoring of true knowledge then since Whose incontinencie hath infected the world with whoredome and vncleannesse 15 Such Monkes and virgines liued in cloysters in obedience and pouertie which are ouerthrowne of Protestants as a damnable estate The horrible abuse of Cloystrall life hath caused the subuersion of them beside their errours superstition and idolatrie 16 Prayer for the dead Dirige ouer night and Requiem Masse in the morning was an accustomed manner lib. 3. cap. 2. lib. 4 cap. 21. which the Protestants count to be abhomination Praier for the dead is an older errour then Popish religion But Dirige and Requiem Masse had an other meaning lib. 3. cap. 2. then the Papistes haue now for there it is saide In the selfe same place the religious men of Hagustalden Church haue nowe of long time bene accustomed to come euery yeare the eue and the day that the same king Oswald was afterward slaine to keepe Diriges there for his soule and in the morning after Psalmes being saide solemnely to offer for him the sacrifice of holy oblation You must vnderstand that this Oswald was of them that so did taken for an holy martyr and therfore these Psalmodies and sacrifices were of thanksgiuing for the rest of his soul not of propitiation for his sinnes as the Papistes account them lib. 4. cap. 21. there is nothing to the matter in hand but in the next chapter following is the tale of him that was loosed from his fetters by saying of Masse by the relation whereof and not by the word of God many beganne to thinke the sacrifice of the Masse profitable for the dead 17 Reseruation of the sacrament thought no superstition lib. 4. cap. 24. nowe counted prophanation of the sacrament Reseruation was an older errour then Poperie yet contrarie to the commaundement of Christ Take ye and eate ye 18 Houseling before death vsed as necessarie for all true Christians lib. 4. cap. 3. 24. Protestants vnder pretence of a Communion doe nowe wickedly bereaue Christian folke of it These chapters shewe that it was vsed but not that it was vsed as necessarie The Communion of the ficke is also vsed of vs. Neither can M. Stapleton proue that it was then ministred to the sicke person alone as is vsed among them But in the 24. chapter of the 4. booke it may be gathered that as many as were present with the partie receiued with him bicause there was a mutuall demaund of his being in charitie with them and they with him 19 Consecrating of Monkes and Nunnes by the handes of the Bishop a practised solemnitie in their primitiue Church lib. 4. cap. 19. 23. which Protestantes by the libertie of their Gospell laugh and scorne at Chap. 19. it is saide that Wilfride gaue to Ethelrede the vaile and habite of a Nunne and cap. 23. that one Hein tooke the vowe habite of a Nunne being blessed and consecrated by Bishop Aidan In those elder times no virgine was suffered to professe virginitie but by the iudgement of the Bishop who was not onely a minister of the ceremonie of profession but also a iudge of the expedience and lawfulnesse of the vowe so that the vowe of virginitie was moderated and kept within more tollerable boūds then is vsed of the Papistes 20. Commemoration of Saints at Masse time lib. 4. cap. 14 18. such commemorations in the Protestants Communion are excluded as superstitious and vnlawfull Chap. 14. it it saide vpon the report of a boyes vision And therefore let them say Masses and giue thanks that their praier is heard and also for the memorie of the same king Oswald which somtime gouerned their nation Admitting this vision to be true here is but Masse and memorie of thankesgiuing in the 18. chap. is nothing to any such purpose In the Communion of our Church is a thankesgiuing with Angels Archangels and all the glorious companie of heauen although we make no speciall mention of any one Saint by name 21 Pilgrimage to holy places especially to Rome a much waitie matter of all estates lib. 4. cap. 3. 23. lib. 5. cap. 7. Nothing soundeth more prophane and barbarous in the eares of Protestants In the first of these places there is mention of pilgrimage into Ireland not for y ◠holinesse of the place but for the wholsome instruction that then was there For it seemeth by the storie in many places that Ireland although not subiect to y ◠See of Rome was thē replenished with godly learned men of whome men sought out of Britaine to be informed in religion Peregrination to Rome was vsed of superstition and opinion of great learning to be had from thence Yet was there no pilgrimage to images nor to Rome so filthie a sinke of all abhominations as it hath bene since those dayes 22 Of the reliques of holy men of reuerence vsed towards them and miracles wrought by them the historie is ful Nothing is more vile in the sight of Protestantes then such deuotion of Christians Such superstition and credulitie of the former age is iustly misliked of vs but the idolatrie and forging of reliques which is too common among the Papists is rightly detested of vs. 23 Blessing with the signe of the Crosse accounted no superstition lib. 4. cap. 24. lib. 5. cap. 2. In the deuotion of the Protestants is esteemed magike Signing with the signe of the Crosse which sometime against the Gentiles was an indifferent ceremonie vsed of the Papistes for an ordinarie forme of blessing is both superstitious and idolatrous 24 Solemnitie of buriall Protestantes despise whereas it was the deuotion of their primitiue Church to be buried in monasteries Churches and chappels Honourable buriall of the Saintes bodies which were the temples of the holy Ghost and are laide vp in hope of a glorious resurrection Protestantes despise not Yet were the first Archbishops of Canturburie buried in a Porch beside the Church lib. 2. cap. 3. There was no buriall place appointed in the Monasterie of Berking vntil by a light it was reuealed as the historie saith lib. 4. cap. 7. but with time superstition on of buriall grewe yet nothing comparable in that age to the superstition of Papists of these latter times There was no buriall in S. Frances Coule nor after the Popish solemnitie 25 Benediction of the Bishop as superiour to the people was vsed which Protestants scorne at lib. 4. cap. 11. The Protestantes allowe benediction of the Bishop in the name of God as the superiour although they iustly deride the Popish maner of blessing by cutting the aire with crosses neither is there any such blessing spoken of in the chapter by him cited 26 The seruice of the Church was at the first planting of their faith in
the Latine and learned tongue lib. 1. cap. 29. lib. 4. cap. 18. which the Protestants haue altered There is no such thing to be proued in the first place nor any thing sounding the way but only this that Gregorie sent into England to Augustine many bookes of which it is a Popish consequence to gather that they were bookes of Latine seruice In the latter it is declared that Iohn y e Chaunter of Rome brought from thence the order of singing and reading and put many things in writing which pertained to the celebration of high feastes and holidayes for the whole compasse of the yeare But this being almost an hundreth yeres after the cōming of Augustine it appeareth the Church of England had no such Latine seruice before For Gregorie willed Augustine to gather out of euery Church what ceremonies he thought expedient for the English Church and bound him not to the orders or seruice of the Church of Rome And it may be gathered that long after there was no certain forme of administration of the sacramentes put in writing generally receiued but that the priestes which then were learned ordered the same according to their discretion for their chiefe labour was in preaching and instructing For Beda reporteth vpon the credite of one which liued in his time and was Abbot of Wye Herebald by name that he being in great extremitie and daunger of death by falling from an horse S. Iohn of Beuerlaye the Bishop that was his master asked him whether he knewe without all scruple or doubt that he was baptized or no to whome hee aunswered that he certainely knewe that he was baptized and tolde the priestes name that baptized him To whome the Bishop replied saying If you were baptized of him doubtlesse you were not well baptized for I knowe him well and am right well assured that when he was made priest he could not for his dulheaded wit learn neither to instruct nor to baptize And for that cause I haue streightly charged him not to presume to that ministerie which he could not do accordingly By this it may be gathered that the forme of baptisme was not set downe in writing which euery dulheaded dogbolt priest can reade but that it was referred to the learning of the minister which did instruct them that were of age and came to receiue baptisme But this ignorant priest whome S. Iohn of Beuerlay depriued of his ministerie could neither cathechise nor baptize for which cause the yong man being cathechised againe and after he recouered of his fall was baptized a newe as one that was not rightly baptized before Moreouer lib. 4. cap. 24. Beda sheweth of one Cednom in the Abbay of Hilda to whome was giuen miraculously the gift of Singing and making Hymnes for religion in his mother tongue of the creation of the world and all histories of the olde Testament of the incarnation passion resurrection and ascention of Christ c. which by all likelihoode were vsed in the Churches And when Latine seruice was first vsed it is not incredible but that the people did meetely well vnderstand it for the Latine tongue was in those days vnderstood in most places of the Westerne Church And Beda noteth some especially which vnderstoode no language but the Saxon. The interpreters which Augustine brought out of Fraunce do confirme this coniecture For the rude Latine tongue spoken in France was better vnderstood of the vulgar people then that was spoken at Rome and in Italie for which cause there was a Canon made in the third Councel at Toures that the Homilies should be turned in rusticam Romanam linguam into the rude Latin tongue that they might more easily be vnderstoode of all men Againe the Britaines and Pictes which conuerted the greatest part of the Saxons howe could they haue been vnderstood preaching in Welsh but that the vulgare Latine tongue was a common language to them both Finally the manifolde vses of diuers Churches as Sarum Yorke c. declare that the Latine seruice was but lately in comparison set downe when knowledge decayed both in the Priestes and the people 27 Protestants haue plucked downe altars which they had of olde time They had altars but standing in the middest of the Church as y ◠tables stood in the Primitiue Church 28 Altar clothes and vestments vsed of them Protestants admit not A sorie ceremonie in which no part of Christianitie consisteth The like I say of the 29. holy vessels 30. holy water and 31. Ecclesiasticall censure about which there was no small adoe 32 Their primitiue Church was gouerned by Synodes of the Clergie only in determining controuersies of religion which Protestants haue called from thence vnto the Lay court onely The latter part is a slaunder vpon the Protestantes the former part a lye vpon the auncient Saxons for at the Synode holden at Strenshalch not only the kings Oswine Alfride were present but also king Oswine did order the Synode and in the end concluded the matter in controuersie lib. 3. cap. 25. 33 The spirituall rulers of the primitiue Church were Bishops and pastours duely consecrated protestants haue no consecration no true Bishops at all This is an other lewd slander against y e Protestants for they haue true Bishops though not cōsecrated after the Popish manner Laurence the second Archbishop of Canterburie acknowledgeth the Ministers of y e Scots and Britaines for Bishops although they were not subiect to the Church and See of Rome lib. 2. cap. 4. Aidanus Finanus Colmanus are iudged of Beda for true Bishops although they were deuided from the Church of Rome and so are such Bishops as were ordeined by them for they conuerted the greatest part of the Saxons vnto Christian faith As Northumbrians Mertians and East Saxons 34 Protestants haue brought the supreme gouernement of the Church to the Lay authoritie in the primitiue faith of our countrie the Lay was subiect to the Bishop in spirituall causes And so are they nowe in suche causes as they were subiecte then But that the supreame authoritie was in the ciuill Magistrate at that time it may appeare by these reasons First Pope Gregorie him self calleth the Emperour Mauritius his souereigne Lord lib. 1. cap. 23. 28. 29. 30. and after him Pope Honorius called Heraclius his souereigne Lord lib. 2. 18. King Sonwalch Preferred Agilbert and Wini to be Bishops afterward he deposed Wini which for mony bought for Wulfher king of Mercia the See of London lib. 3. cap. 7. Earcombert king of Kent of his princely authoritie purged his realme of idolatrie and commaunded that the fast of 40. dayes should be kept lib. 3. cap. 8. King Oswine ordered the Synod at Strenshalch li. 3. cap. 25. Oswine and Ecgbert kings deliberate touching the peacable gouernement of the Church and by the choice and consent of the Cleargie did nominate Wighard Archbishop of Canturburie lib. 3. cap. 29. King Ecgfride deposed Bishop Wilfride li. 4. ca. 12. Ost for
at y e cōmandemēt of king Edilred was cōsecrated by Wilfrid Bish. of y e Victians li. 4. ca. 23. These places of the historie shewe that kings had chiefe authoritie both ouer persons and causes Ecclesiasticall such as we nowe acknowledge our Princes to haue 35 The finall determination of spiritual causes rested in the See Apostolike of Rome which is nowe detested of protestantes Although the See of Rome vsurped much in those dayes yet was not the authoritie thereof acknowledged by the Churches of the Britaines Irish and Scots The Britaines before Augustines time sent not to Rome but vnto Fraunce for ayde against the Pelagian heretikes At Augustines comming and long after they refused to yelde obedience to the See of Rome yea among the Saxons them selues Wilfrid deposed by the king and absolued by the Pope could not be restored but by a Synod of his own countrie li. 5. c. 20. 36 Their faith and Apostles came from the See of Rome the protestant departeth there fro The Protestantes are returned to the auncient faith which was in this land before Augustine came from Rome which did not so much good in planting faith where it was not as in corrupting y ◠sinceritie of faith where it was before he came 37 Their faith was first preached with crosse and procession Heresies first raged by throwing downe the crosse and altering the procession therewith The Popish faith beganne with superstition which the Christian Catholikes haue iustly abolished 38 Their first Apostles were Monkes The first preachers of the protestants haue bene apostataes as Luther Oecolampadius Martyr c. Nay they haue returned from apostasie to the true faith and religion of Christ. Augustine and the rest of the Monkes of that time differed much from the Popish Monkes of the latter dayes For they were learned preachers lib. 3. cap. 26. these idle loyterers they laboured with their handes lib. 5. cap. 19. these liued of the sweat of other mens browes They made no such vow but they might serue the common wealth if they were called thereto Sigbard of a Monke was made King lib. 4. cap. 11. these professed them selues dead to all honest trauell either in the Church or common wealth 39 The first impes of their faith and schollers of the Apostles were holy mē Luther confesseth his schollers to be worse then they were vnder the Pope There were hypocrits in those daies also there were incontinent Nunnes lib. 4. cap. 25. And Beda confesseth that Aidane which was no slaue of the Romish See was more holy then y ◠Cleargie of his time whose deuotion was key colde If Luther flattered not his scholers he is more to be commended yet can not Stapleton proue that he speaketh so of all but of some carnall professours only 40 Their first preacher liued apostolically in voluntarie pouertie This Apostolicall perfection protestants that beare them selues for the Apostles of England neither practise them selues nor can abide in other First it is a slaunder that any Protestantes beare thē selues for Apostles of England secondly let the world iudge whether the preachers of the Gospel come nearer to the pouertie of the Apostles then the Pope their great Apostle of the Romish Church with the rest of the pillers of the same the Cardinals c. 41 Their faith builded vp Monasteries and Churches protestants haue throwne downe many erected none The first Monasteries were Colledges of learned preachers and builded for that end King Edilwald builded a Monasterie wherein he his people might resort to heare the word of God to pray and to burie their dead lib. 3. cap. 23. The like practise was in the Abbay of Hilda lib. 4. Ca. 23. From which vse seeing they were of late degenerated into idlenesse and filthie lustes they were lawfully suppressed And as for building of Churches where they lacke Protestants haue and do imploy their indeuour 42 By the first Christians of their faith God was serued day and night protestants haue abolished all seruice of God by night and done to the diuell a most acceptable sacrifice Protestants haue abolished no seruice of GOD by night but such as was either impious or superstitious for they also serue God both day and night euen with publique praier and exercise of hearing the word of God preached 43 By the deuotion of the people first imbracing their faith much voluntarie oblations were made to the Church by the rechlesse religion of the Protestantes due oblations are denied to the Church Of them that be true professours of the Gospell both due oblations are paide and much voluntarie oblations also for the maintenance of the preachers for reliefe of the poore the straunges and captiues c. 44 Princes endued the Church with possessions and reuenues The lewde loosenesse of the Protestants hath stirred princes to take from the Churches possessions so giuen Nay the pride couetousnesse and luxuriousnesse of Popish Cleargie haue moued them to do that is done in that behalfe 45 Last of all their faith reduced the Scottishmen liuing in schisme to the vnitie of the Catholike Church This late alteration hath moued them from vnitie to schisme Nay their superstition at length corrupted the sinceritie of faith in the Britaines and Scots and from the vnitie of y e Catholike Church of Christ brought them vnder the schismaticall faction of the See of Rome from which they are nowe againe returned with vs God be thanked to the vnitie of Christes true Catholike and Apostolike Church These differences which he hath either falsely obserued or else craftily collected out of the drosse and dregges of that time he promiseth to proue to concurre with the beliefe practise of the first 600. yeres in the second part of his feeble fortresse which is easily blowne ouer with one word Although some of these corruptions haue bene receiued within the first 600. yeares yet is he not able to proue that they haue bene from the beginning and so continued all that time wherefore his Fortresse will doe them small pleasure to establish them for Christian truthes which haue had a later beginning then our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles But for as much as he hath gathered differences of the first Church of the Saxons from ours I haue also gathered differences of the same from theirs at this time and let the readers iudge of both indifferently 1 The Church of English Saxons for 300. yeares after Augustine did beleeue bread and wine to remain in the sacrament after consecration which the Papists denie proued by a Sermon extant in the Saxon tong translated out of Latine by Aelfrike Archbishop of Canturburie or Abbot of S. Albones appointed to be read vnto the people at Easter before they receiued the Communion also by two Epistles of y e same Aelfrike 2 The Church of English Saxons beleeued the sacrament to be the body and bloud of Christe not carnally but spiritually expressely denying as wel the carnall presence as transubstantiation which the Papistes
Christ these many hundreth yeares he alledgeth the sayinges of some Protestants miserably wrested from their meaning that Latimer was our Apostle that Luther begat trueth that the Gospel doth arise in the first appearing of the Gospel c or as though by these sayings such like they should deny that euer there had ben any Churche in the worlde before these times whereas euery childe may vnderstand they speake of the restitution of the truth of the Gospel into the open sight of the world in these latter days Likewise where some haue written that the Pope hath blinded the world these many hundreth yeares some say a thousand yeres some 1200. some 900. some 500. c. And the Apologie affirmeth that Christ hath saide the Church should erre he cauilleth that all the Church for so many yeares is condemned of all error Whereas it is euident to them that will vnderstande that although some erronious opinions haue preuailed in processe of time haue increased in the greatest part of the Church for many hundreth yeares yet so long as the only foundation of saluatioÌ„ was reteined the vniuersall Church of Christe so many hundreth yeares is not condemned But when Antichrist the mysterie of whose iniquitie wrought in the Apostles time 2. Thess. 2. was openly shewed and that apostasy which the Apostle foresheweth was fulfilled then and from that time whensoeuer it was not the vniuersall Church of Christ is condemned but the general apopasie of Antichrist is detected THE ARGVMENT WHEREVP-on this first part of the vawmure of this Fortresse is builded is thus framed by the builder himselfe The knowen Church of Christ doth continew and shall continue alwayes without interruption in the true and vpright faith But papistrie was the onely knowne Church of Christ all these nine hundreth yeares Ergo papistrie all these nine hundreth yeares hath continued and shal continue alwayes euen to the worldes end without interruption in the true and vpright faith This argument hath neuer a legge to stande vpon for vnderstanding as he doeth the knowen Church to be that which is knowne to the world to continue without interruption so knowne to the worlde the maior is false For although the Church shall continue alwayes without interruption yet it shall not continue alwayes so knowne but as in the dayes of Elias be hid from the outward viewe of men Againe the minor that Papistrie was the only knowen Church vnderstanding as he doth that it was only reputed taken and acknowledged so to be it is vtterly false For the Greeke Orientall Church which is not the Popish Church hath beene reputed taken and acknowledged to be the Church of Christ by as great a nomber of professors of Christianitie as haue acknowledged the Popish Church So that where he thinketh and saith al his labour remaineth to proue y e maior you see that if he could proue it yet al his labor is lost But to follow him in his maior he deuydeth it into two partes The one that the Church doeth alwayes continue in a right faith The other that this is a known Church Both these he promiseth to proue by Scripture And the first truely he shall not neede but yet it followeth not but that the church may erre in some particuler points not necessary to saluation although it continue in a right faith concerning all principall and necessarie articles CAP. III. Euident proofes cleare demonstrations out of the Psalms that the Church of Christ must continue for euer without interruption sounde vpright He is plentifull in prouing that which needeth no proofe that the Church of Christ shall continue alwayes and first out of the 88 Psalme which he rehearseth and interpreteth of the Church out of Augustine lest he should trust his owne iudgement as he fantasieth that our preachers do altogether refusing to read interpreters Wee affirme that the Church of Christ hath and shall continue to the worldes ende but we deny that the Popish Church is that which could not be before there was a Pope before their heresies were brought out of the bottomlesse pit which were not breathed vp all in 600. yeares after Christ no not in 1000 yeares after Christ and some not almost in 14. hundreth yeares after Christ I meane the sacrilegious taking away of the communion of the blood of Christ from the people in the councell of Constance What impudencie is it of Papistes to vrge the perpetuall continuance of Christes Churche without interruption and then to begin at 600. yeres after Christ and not to be able to shewe a perpetuall course of all their doctrine from Christ his Apostles and the primitiue Church But to proue that the church of Christ cannot possibly as Protestants wickedly do fable haue fayled and perished these many hundreth yeares he citeth the 61. Psalme with Augustines exposition thereupon But what Protestant so fableth M. Stapleton you had neede to make men of paper to fight against the paper walles of your fantasticall fortresse The Papistes when they cannot confute that we say they wil beate downe that we say not How saye the Protestantes that these 900. yeares and vpward the Church hath perished it hath beene ouerwhelmed with Idolatrie and superstition The Protestants neuer sayde so M. Stapl. The Church hath not perished though the greatest part of the worlde hath beene ouerwhelmed with idolatrie and superstition God can prouide for his chosen that they shall not be drowned when all the worlde beside is ouerwhelmed Another testimonie to the like effect and with the like conclusion he bringeth out of y e psal 104 thereupon a pithy syllogisme We proue the Catholike Church by the continuance of Christianitie The continuance of Christianitie only in Papistry is cleare ergo Papistry is only the true Church of Christ. Nego tibi minorem M. Stepl When will you proue the continuance of Christianitie only in Papistrie when Papistrie began since Christ his Apostles and if you meane Christianitie for the externall profession of Christes religion then will you proue the Orientall Churches to be papistrie which defye the authoritie of your Pope Last of all out of the Psalm 101. and Augustines application of the same against the Donatistes which sayde that the church was perished out of al the worâ—d except Affrica where they were he would compare the Protestants to them whereas in deede the Papistes are more like to them For they holding that there is no Church of Christ but the Romish church affirme in effect as the Donatistes that the Church of Christ for many hundreth yeares hath perished out of all partes of the world beside Europa where onely yet not in all partes thereof they haue borne the sway Whatsoeuer therefore Augustine writeth against the Donatistes for shutting vp the Church of Christ onely in Affrica may be rightly applyed to the Papistes for restraining it onely to a part of Europa But contrary to the Papistes and
although marked with a whot iron yet can not but inwardly confesse that this prophesie perteyneth especially to Papistrie the greatest heresie that euer was CAP. XII Other common obiections of protestantes taken out of the law discussed and assoyled The obiections are these where was the outwarde face of the Church in the time of Noe in the time of the departing of the tenne tribes in the dayes of Elias He aunswereth out of Augustine De vnitate ecclesiae against the Donatistes cap. 12. which made the same obiections that as these examples of fewnesse of the Church are read in the Scriptures so the Church to be dispersed ouer all the world is read in the same Scriptures and therfore it can not be restrained to the communion of Donatus in Affirica The like say we how of euer it pleaseth his malice to slaunder vs that the Church is and was these 1500. yeares dispersed ouer the whole worlde and therefore can not be restrained to the faction or communion of the Pope in a parte of Europe Concerning the apostasie of the 10. tribes he answereth that the Cleargie vide licet the Priests and Leuites remained in sound religion and many of the people so God hath his Church alwayes which we denie not Yet in the dayes of Manasse where can he shewe me any Cleargie of the Iewes that continued in sound religion And yet I doubt not but there were some particular persons for GOD had his Churche among them euen then But the outward face of the Church was all turned into idolatrie and false worshipping of God Where he saith except the Church had remained in Europe these 900. yeares protestantes should not haue had from whence to departe I answere protestantes are not departed out of the Church of Christ but out of Babylon And yet I acknowledge that there were members of Christes Church dispersed yea and Churches gathered also in the time of deepest ignorance in moste regions of Europe though not regarded or condemned for heretikes in Calabria in France in England in Bohemia Finally whereas he would seeme to repaire the Popes losse in Europe with the recouery of large countries in the East wise men may easily see and fooles also may laugh at it howe vaine a bragge it is to boast of matters so farre of as none can beare witnesse of but himselfe and such as he is CAP. XIII That the true Church of Christ which continueth for euer is a visible and known Church no priuie or secrete congregation His name is Thomas forsooth and therefore he saith he will neuer beleeue that there was any other Church but the Church of Rome except he may so see it that he may point to it with his finger But gentle Thomas our Sauiour Christ saith blessed are they that beleeue see not If the catholike Church of Christ might be seene at any time it should be no article of our faith which is an euidence of thinges that are not seene Heb. 11. The members thereof as seuerall congregations are seene sometimes of many of all sortes of men sometimes of them onely that are true members of them but Ierusalem which is aboue and is the mother of all the faithful is not seene but with the eyes of faith Therefore Thomas if you wil neuer beleeue the Catholike Church except you see it with your bodily eyes you can neuer be any member thereof You alledge out of Esay 2. The hill of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the toppe of all hilles c. This is fulfilled in the calling of the Gentiles which haue not ceased to walke in the light of our God since they were first called though not alwayes in like numbers not always in fauour with the powers of the worlde nor alwayes in sight of the blinde worldlinges And Christ is the light of the Gentiles vnto the vttermost partes of the earth therefore not vnto one part of Europe only as you Popish Donatistes do affirme And the Apostles were the light of the worlde to carrie the light of saluation vnto the furthermost partes of the earth And their seede shalbe knowen among the Gentiles and their buddes among the people All that see them shall know them that they are the seede which the Lord hath blessed The Church of the Gentiles confesseth the seede of Abraham which sometimes was obscure and knowen to fewe to be the blessed seede and reioyceth that by faith she is engraffed into the stocke of Abraham to be partaker of the same blessing All this prooueth no light sight or knowledge of a Church to be pointed at with vnfaithfull Thomas his finger but heauenly spiritual and to be discerned by faith Againe when Esay sayeth God hath prepared his arme in the eyes of all nations and all the endes of the earth shal see the saluation of our God he meaneth to the electe and chosen of all nations to the predestinate people Not onely so sir Protestant Why so syr Papist The Prophet sayeth further Quibus non est narratum viderunt qui non audiuerunt contemplati sunt Such as the Messias hath not beene preached vnto yet they haue seene And such as haue not heard haue yet beholden Ergo not the Electe onely What then syr Papiste tagge and ragge all the reprobate of al times is this your interpretation But Thomas I pray you giue vs leaue to beleeue the interpretation of S. Paule before you who expoundeth it cleane contrary to you Romanes 15. ver 20. Yea I enforced my selfe to preach the Gospel not where Christe was named least I should haue built on an other mans foundation But as it is written To whome he was not spoken of they shal see and they that hearde not shall vnderstande Loe Thomas Saint Paule expoundeth this text of them which had seene Christe and knowen the Gospel first by his preaching and not of such as the Messias hath not bene preached to Therefore be no more vnfaithfull but beleeue the Catholike Church though it can not be seene Yet will he not leaue the matter so for Esay prophecyeth That the Lorde would be a perpetuall light and glory of his Church That the sunne of the Churche shal not goe downe any more nor the moone vade because the Lord shal be her euerlasting light Nations shal walk in their light and kings in the brightnesse of her arising Verily Thomas though our bodily eyes can not see this yet doe wee moste constantly beleeue that it is fulfilled in the Churche as it was promised But that the externall brightnesse of the Church is ☜ not promised to bee in all ages alike wee may clearely see by this that he saith Kinges shal walke in the brightnesse of thy rising vppe For euerye age of the Churche hath not had kinges to walke in the brightnesse of her light Let Thomas which will not beleeue the continuance of our Churche except it be so shewed that hee may
world was without thes doctrine I wil hold that faith an olde man in which I was borne a childe A worthie saying of Hierome which may be rightly applied against the Papistes which teach such doctrine as neither Peter nor Paul would euer teach nor the Christian world knewe for 600. yeares after Christe yea for almost a thousand yeares after Christ in many pointes The like force is in the saying of Gregorie Nazianzen against the Arrian Ep. 2. ad Clidon Si ante hos triginti c. If our faith beganne but 30. yeares agoe when there are almost 400. yeares since Christe was shewed and the Gospell hath for so long space bene in vaine our faith also hath bene in vaine and they which haue giuen witnesse thereto haue testifid in vaine so many and so worthie prelates in vaine haue gouerned the people This saying is verified of Christian faith which had cōtinued in the world sixe seuen or eight hundreth yeares before Papistrie in many pointes began Christ hath bene preached and yet Papistrie neuer heard of yea what so euer doctrine had a latter beginning then Christ and his Apostles this father condemneth of error Euen as the same man writeth in the other place by M. Stapl. cited De Theod. li. 2. Vt haec praesidia omittam c. To omit these helpes yet it should satisfie vs that none of those which haue bene inspired with the spirite of God hath hitherto either pronounced this sentence or allowed it being vttered by any other and the doctrine of our church doth abhor it He braggeth not vpon the present opinion of y e Church but as the same hath alwayes bene allowed of al the Apostles and their successors and y e contrarie neuer receiued Therfore wheras Theodoret reporteth y t that confession of the faith was admitted in y e Councel of Nice which preuailed was published throughout y e world he meaneth not y t the Fathers folowed either y e multitude or the cōmon opinion of men which were reputed for the Church in that time but bicause y e same confession had alwaies euen from the beginning bene receiued and continued in y e Church as consonant agreeable to y e word of God by which the Church must be tried to be y e true Church wheras articles of faith are not proued true bicause they be helde by thē y ◠are commonly taken to be of y e Church To conclude The prescription of Tertullian against Hermogenes we do willingly admit offer to be tried therby y t whether of our religion or theirs is y e more auncient y t vndoubtedly must be truth But thē y e prescriptiō of 900. yeres wherof Stapl. so often so much doth cackle will not serue y e Papists as they cannot prescribe scarse halfe so long for many of their opinions For except we be able to proue our religion as auncient as the time of Christ and his Apostles we refuse not to be accounted heretikes If we teach nothing but that we can iustifie by manifest demonstration out of the holy Scriptures y ◠same also in the most principall points being confirmed with the testimonie of the auncient fathers of the primitiue Church the Papistes which accuse vs of heresie shall be found not onely to be heretikes but blasphemers of God and slaunderers of his Saints CAP. XIX It is proued by three reasons or arguments deducted out of holy Scripture that all the time of Papistrie can be no schisme on heresie and therefore was true Christianitie The first reason is this No heresie or schisme is vniuersall The faith of England these 900. yeares was vniuersall ergo it was no schisme or heresie The minor which is false he would proue by this reason The faith of England was the faith of France Spaine Italie Germanie and of all other Christian countries therefore it was vniuersall This antecedent is false for beside y t in England Fraunce Spaine Italie c. since the Church of Rome ceased to be the Church of Christ there were alwayes true Christians which yelded not to Papistrie as many regions as he hath named of the East countrie helde not the faith which was then openly receiued in England in many principall articles namely in that which they make to be y e chiefe of all y e article of the Popes supremacie and subiection to the Church of Rome therfore al Christened coūtries were not of y e same faith of Papistrie these 900. yeres He laboreth like a wise man to proue y t no sect is vniuersal but that Poperie was vniuersall it is sufficient for Papistes to say bicause they are neuer able to proue it The second reason is that no heresie is of long continuance to preuaile ouer true beleeuers to oppresse the trueth c. Papistrie hath continued these 900. yeares therefore Papistrie is no heresie Although the minor be not simply true yet y e maior is vtterly false But he would proue the maior out of S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. saying of such as should withstand the trueth like Iannes and Iambres that they should not further preuaile for their foolishnesse shall be made knowne to all men euen as theirs was Admit that this were spoken of those which should forbid marriage and meates which he would haue to be the Manichees 1. Tim. 4. as it is spoken of hypocrites which shall be in the Church to the end of the world yet here is no shortnesse of time prescribed for the continuance of their errour for he saide before 2. Tim. 2. vers 16. That they shall increase vnto more vngodlinesse and their word shall fret as a canker He meaneth therefore that they shall not long continue vnknowne not to all men but to all faithfull and godly men as the follie of Iannes and Iambres was not made manifest to all the Egyptians but vnto the Israelites Likewise whereas Peter saith 2 Peter 2. That the destruction of false Prophetes sleepeth not he meaneth not but that they may haue by succession a long continuance in the world for he him selfe admonisheth vs that we may not count the Lordes delaying of iudgement to be slacknesse as Stapleton doth if it should be deferred 900. yeares for one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day Heretikes therfore shal haue a quicke iudgement heresie shall shortly haue an end for that neither of both shal cōtinue alway vncondemned But that his maior proposition is vtterly false which is No heresie is of long continuance I shewe by these instances The heresie of them that ioyned Circumcision with the Gospell is more then 1500. yeares olde and yet it continueth in Affrica among Aethiopians as witnesseth Munster and other writers of Geographie as also the heresie of the Nestorians which is 1200. yeares olde and yet continueth among the Georgians Finally so auncient as the full tyrannie of the Pope is so auncient is the departure of
fortification of this piece by the elder times he referreth vs to Doctor Hardings proofe against Master Iewels challenge And to the same Bishops learned replie doe I referre the reader for ouerthrowe of the same feeble fortresse of Harding The 26. difference is of Alter clothes Church vestments c. Such Alter clothes and such vestments as Christ vsed in the celebration of the holy sacrament we thinke not onely to be sufficient but also most conuenient for the administration of the same Neuertheles if any other vestments without superstitiō be appointed by lawful authoritie we thinke no strife or contention is to be raised for so small matters But let vs see of what antiquitie he will make the holy vestments First Tertullian Lib. de Monogam maketh mention of Infulas the vpper garment of the Priest But he might vnderstand Tertullian if he were disposed to vse that terme but in derision of them that when they would be proude against the Cleargie they alledged that we are all Priestes c. but when we are called saide he to the same seueritie of discipline with the Cleargie deponimus infulas pares sumus we put off our Rochets and we be priuate men This infula was the apparell of the Heathen Priestes to which he alludeth when he scoffeth at them that in dignitie would be Priestes but in discipline Lay men The Albe which is spoken of Con. Carthag 4. Can. 41. was nothing like your Popish Albe but a white garment which was vsed in signe of dignitie and was forbidden of the Deacons to be worne but onely in time of the oblation and reading Saint Iohns Petalum if he could tell what to make of it he would not call it generally a pontificall vestment Saint Iohn was a poore Pontifex to goe in pontificalibus The rich garment which Constantine gaue to the Church of Ierusalem if it had bene a cope as he saith it had bene an vnhandsome garment to daunce in as the storie saith it came into the handes of one that daunced in it The admonition that he giueth to such as sleepe in Church goodes meaning belike such as haue their beddes garnished with olde copes were more meete to be made to some of his benefactours that sleepe in Abbeyes and yet will not awake out of them To conclude although there is some mention of garmentes applied specially for the vse of diuine seruice yet the Popish tragicall trumperie of this time differeth as much from them in forme and vse as they doe in time and age The 27. difference is of holy vessels such vessels as are comely and decent for the ministration of the sacraments we haue without superstition which beginning to growe in the auncient times the Fathers did rather reproue then foster Gregorie Nazianzen whome he citeth in his Oration aduers. Arrianos de se ipso speaking of the ministring vessels that might not be touched of many meaneth Allegorically of prophaning the mysteries of Christian religion alluding to the prophanation of the vessels of the Iewish temple by Nabuzardan and Balthasar as his words doe plainely shewe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. What ministring vessels not be touched of many haue I deliuered to the handes of the wicked either to Nabuzardan or to Balthasar which rioted wickedly in holy things and suffred punishment worthie of his madnesse Chrysostome reproued the preposterous superstition of the people which durst not touch the holy vessels but yet feared not to defile them selues with sinne In ep ad Eph. H. 14. Non vides c. Doest thou not see those holy vessels Be they not alwaies vsed to one purpose Dare any man vse them to any other purpose Nowe art thou thy selfe more holy then these vessels and that by much Why then doest thou pollute and defile thy selfe He hath forgotten Exuperius Bishop of Tholosse which caried the Lordes body in a wicker basket and his bloud in a glasse when he maketh so much adoe about holy vessels Hier. ad Rusticum Acacius Bishop of Amida is commended for melting the vessels of the Church of golde and siluer to redeeme prisoners from the Persians The 28. difference is the shauen crown◠of Priestes for antiquitie whereof he citeth Eusebius in Panegyric Vos amici Dei sacerdotes lōgae talari veste corona insignes Ye friends of God ye Priests seemly by your long side garment and crowne Verily he is worthy to be shorne on his poll with a number of crownes that vnderstandeth this of a shauen crowne If nothing else could haue driuen him from this dreame at least he should haue remēbred the solemne disputation whereof he spake immediately before in Beda li. 5. ca. 22. by which it appeareth that y ◠Greekes were shorne square and not round and therefore Eusebius speaking to Greeke Priestes would neuer haue called their square tonsure a crowne But the wordes of Eusebius put all out of doubt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. O ye friendes and Priestes of God which are clothed with the holy long garment and the heauenly crowne of glorie and with the diuine vnction and the priestly robe of the holy Ghost c. Is there any blocke so senselesse to thinke that he called a shauen head the heauenly crowne of glorie Who seeth not that in commendation of the spirituall dignitie of the Ministers of the Church he alludeth to the Aaronicall attire of the Priestes of the lawe The next testimonie is out of the tripartite historie that Iulian the Apostata to counterfet religion shore him selfe to the hard eares therefore religious men were then shorne There is no doubt but the Cleargie and such as professed sobrietie and modestie vsed to poll their heades whereas the licentious multitude delighted in long haires which shearing or polling after grewe to a ceremonie from a ceremonie to a superstition but small mention of the ceremonie there is within the 600. yeares and that toward the latter end of them But where he compareth the scoffing that the Turke might make at the blessed passion of Christe with such pleasant railing as Protestantes vse against their Friers coules and shauen crownes he sheweth in what blasphemous estimation he hath such vile dung of mens inuention to compare it with the onely price of our saluation The 29. differēce is holy water for antiquitie wherof he alledgeth two myracles the one out of Bede li. 1. cap. 17. of Germanus which with casting a fewe sprinkles of water into the sea in the name of the Trinitie assuaged a tempest The other of Marcellus Bishop of Apamea which when the temple of Iupiter could not be burned with fire after praiers made commaunded water signed with the crosse to be sprinkled on the Alter which done the diuels departed and the temple was set on fire burned But these miracles wrought by water proue not an ordinarie vse of holy water in the Church in those times as for the counterfet decree of Alexander the fift Bishop of Rome
is a worthie witnesse of such a worshipfull ceremonie In the end of this chapter he inueigheth against a newe tricke which he saith y â— preachers haue to make their audience cry Amen CoÌ„paring it with the applause and clapping of handes vsed in the olde time but misliked of godly fathers Chrysostome and Hierome So that for the preacher to pray to God anâ— to giue God thankes whereto the people aunswereth â—â—en it is counted of Stapleton a newe tricke and yet it is an auncient as S. Paul 1. Cor. 14. vers 16. But to make such a loude lye that Sathan him selfe the father of lyes I suppose for his credites sake would be ashamed to make in his owne person Videlicet that To teares to lamenting or to bewayling of their sinnes no Protestant yet moueth his audience It is an olde trickes of a cankared stomaked Papist CAP. VIII Differences betweene the former faith of Catholikes and the late newes of Protestants concerning the gouernement and rulers of the Church The 30. difference is Synodes of the Cleargie which is a lewd and impudent slaunder for we allowe them and vse them as all the world knoweth but saith he no conclusion is made in them but such as pleaseth the Parleament This is a false lye for although no constitution made in the conuocation hath the force of a lawe except it be confirmed by Parleament yet many constitutions and Canons haue bene made that were neuer confirmed by Parleament The 31. difference is imposition of handes which is a meere slaunder for that cerimonie is vsed of vs in ordeining of Ministers likewise where he saith that wheÌ„ all the Popish Bishops were deposed there was none to lay handes on the Bishops that should be newely consecrated it is vtterly false For there was one of the Popish Bishops that continued in his place there were also diuers that were consecrated Bishops in King Edwardes time and although there had bene but one in that time of reformation it had been sufficient by his owne Gregories resolution Bed lib. 1. cap. 27. An other example is Lib. 3. cap. 28. of Ceadda Archbishop of Yorke consecrated by Wini Bishop of the West Saxons assisted by two Bryton Bishops that were not subiect to the see of Rome Bicause at that time there was neuer a Bishop of the Romish faction in England but this Wini who was also a Simoniake and bought the Bishoprike of London for money I speake not this as though in planting of the Church where it hath bene long time exiled an extraordinarie forme of ordaining were not sufficient but to shewe that the Papistes doe picke quarels contrarie to their owne pretended recordes of antiquitie and Catholike religion Where he inueigheth against the vnsufficiencie of a number of our Ministers which are come out of the shop into the Cleargie without giftes sufficient for that calling as I can not excuse them nor their ordeiners so I dare be bolde to affirme they are no worse either in knowledge or conuersation then the huge rable of hedge Priestes of Poperie The 32. difference that such Bishops as were created by the Archbishops of Canterburie and Yorke were created by the appointment of the Pope This is a shamelesse lye for which he can bring no colour either out of the first sixe hundreth yeares or out of Bedes historie Where he saith If it can be shewed by any historie that at any time by the meere temporall authoritie euer any Catholike Bishops were created he dâ—re yelde and graunt that ours are lawfull Bishops For aunswere that Catholike Bishops of olde by as meere temporall authoritie were created as any are created among vs I referre him to Bede lib. 3. cap. 7. 29. lib. 4. cap. 23. of Agilbert and Wini by authoritie of Sonwalch Wighard nominated by authoritie of Oswine and Egbert Ostfor consecrated at the commaundement of king Edilred beside Wini made Bishop of London for money by Wulfher king of Mercia which authoritie he could not haue abused except it had bene in him lawfully to vse The 33. difference is that Princes had not the supreme gouernement in ecclesiastical causes For proofe whereof he alledgeth Gregorie Nazianzen and Saint Ambrose both which speake not of chiefe authoritie but of knowledge of spirituall matters which is not to be sought ordinarily in Princes but in the Cleargie Secondly he citeth Caluine and Illyricus which do write against such ciuill Magistrates as thinke by their supremacie they haue absolute authoritie to decree what they wil in y e Church wheras we in England neuer attribute so much to the Princes authoritie but that we alwayes acknowledge it to be subiect to God and his word The Papistes right well vnderstand this distinction but it pleaseth them to vse this ambiguitie of supreme authoritie to abuse the ignorance of the simple The 34. difference is that the Bishops and godly men in matters of doubt counselled with the Pope of Rome so did the Pope of Rome with them while there was any modestie in him so did Pope Sergius aske counsel of poore Beda Math. West Nay but Saint Hierome so well learned consulted with Pope Damasus which entred his See with the slaughter of sixtie persons I might aunswere that Damasus also asked counsell of Saint Hierome So that in him which is consulted there is rather opinion of knowledge then of authoritie But Hierome confesseth that he will not separate him selfe from the Church of Rome c. Ep. ad Dam. 2. So long as the Church of Rome was the Church of Christ there was great cause he should ioyne with it But nowe is it ceased to be the spouse of Christ and is become an adulteresse as the prophete saith of Ierusalem yea it is become Babylon the mother of all abhominations and therefore that heauenly voice commaundeth all Christians to depart out of her But concerning the Popes authoritie I haue aunswered at large to D. Sanders rocke of the Popish Church The 35. difference but I knowe not howe it differeth is the Popes authoritie abolished by whom Christianitie was first in this land receiued It is wel known that there was Christianitie before Gregorie sent Augustine not of Popelike authoritie but of godly zeale as it seemeth to winne the English nation to Christe After followeth a large complaint for abolishing the Popes authoritie a Canon inuectiue against discentions among vs and slight fortification of the Popes authoritie for vnities sake out of Hierome Cont. Iouinian Cyprian de simpl prael aunswered at large in the discouerie of D. Sanders Rocke The 36. difference Augustine came first in presence of the king with a crosse of siluer and an image of Christ painted in a table The Protestants beganne with taking away the crosse and altering the Letanie But this part is left vnfortified except it be with a marginall note that Chrysostome vsed in Letanies crosses of siluer and burning tapers In deede I reade Chrysostome had certaine candlestickes or cressets
in the honour of Saintes because some Churches of olde haue had the name of Saintes But Augustine saith of the Saintes Quare honoramus eos charitate non seruitute nec eis Templa construimus nolunt enim se sic honorari a nobis quia nos ipsos cùm boni simus templa summi Deiesse nouerunt Wherfore we honour them with loue not with seruice Neither doe we builde Churches to them for they will not be so honoured of vs because they knowe that we our selues when we are good are y e temples of the highest God De vera religion Ca. 55. Also Ep. 174. Pascentio He proueth the holy ghost to be God because he hath a temple Also Euch. ad Laurent Cap. 56. The like iudgement he hath de ciuis Dei li. 8. Cap. 27. li. 22. Ca. 10. shewing that it is a diuine honor proper to God to haue temples erected to his honor and declaring that y e Martyrs churches were places set vp in their memorie not temples in their honour But Martiall fynding nothing for the space of 500 yeares after Christ for his purpose at length stumbleth vpon a Canon of the prouinciall Councell of Orleans in Fraunce that No man should buyld a Church before the Bishop came set vp a crosse This canno made in those dayes sheweth y t churches before the making therof were builded without a crosse neither bindeth it any but such as build churches within the prouince of Orleans Beside that it may be doubted of the antiquitie of the Canon seeing it is not found in the recordes of y t councell but taken out of the Popes Canon lawe where is most counterfait stuffe Beside that it is not obserued among the Papists themselues that before any chuch chappel or Oratorie be buylded the bishop of the diocesse should come and make a crosse there The next Canon he citeth our of y e Councell of Toures the 2. Vt corpus domini in altari non in armario sed sub crucis titulo componatur that the Lords body be layde on the altar not in a chest or almery but vnder the title of the crosse But Martial doth english it thus That the body of our Lord consecrated vpon The Altar be not reposed and set in the reuestry but vnder the roode He braggeth y â— when he was Vsher of Winchester schoole he taught his Schollers y e true signification of the Latine words But beside that hee translateth Armarium a reuestrie which Tully vseth for a place wherein money was kept which could not wel be an open house also maketh a manifest difference betweene Armarium Sacrarâ—â—â— beside also that hee calleth titulum crucis the roode where findeth he in this sentence the Latine worde for his English worde consecrated But to the purpose of the crosse this Canon sheweth that in old time they vsed to lay it otherwise then vnder the title of the crosse whether they meant thereby the signe of the crosse or these wordes Iesus Naz. rex Iudaeorum which was the title of the crosse as they had in those dayes many ceremonies growne out of vse and therefore not vnderstood of vs. The third Councel is a Canon of the sixt generall Councell at Constantinople in Trullo which in the margent he calleth the Councell of Chalcedon in Trullo Can. 73. which M. Calfhil could not finde in y t Councel because it is certeine confessed by Geranza Martials author that the sixt Councel of Constantinople in Trullo made no ceremonies but of y e faith that these which he setteth forth were made priuatly by them long after in the dayes of Iustinian therfore they haue neither the authoritie of Canons nor be free from suspition of forgery And yet the Canon alledged proueth not this article for it only commaÌ„deth crosses that were made in the pauement to be put out Nay sayth Martiall the prohibition of the crosse to be made on the ground permitteth it to be made in all other places For a prohibition restrictiue of a thing to be done in one place is a lawfull permission for all other places which are not namely included in that prohibition And for this he referreth him selfe to y e iudgement of the lawyers But I thinke his lawe deceiueth him in this point as much as his diuinitie almost in euery point For if y e kings edict forbid swearing fighting brawling in his court I suppose he doeth not permit these things as lawfull in al other places The last Canon which forbad y e laying of y e lords body in y e vestri doth not lawfully permit it to be layd in the belfry The captains prohibition y t no man shal discharge his belly within y e precinct of y e camp is not a lawful permission y t a soldiar may defile a church without y e campe The lawe that forbiddeth the Princes image to be made on the pauement is not a lawfull permission that the same may be set vppon the high altar what Martials lawe is in these cases I knowe not but my reason serueth me not to allowe of those prohibitions for lawfull permission And where these Canon makers saye They did reuerence the liuely crosse with minde tongue and sense Martiall inferreth that this worde sense declareth that they had a sensible crosse to which they might shewe their reuerence with their externall senser Which senses Martiall their sight their hearing their smelling their tasting or their feeling Did you teache your schollers at Winchester thus to interpret was it the image of the crosse or the liuely crosse that shewed them that sauing health which they professe to reuerence in worde and minde And were you went to conster Cum seeing viuifica crux the liuing crosse ostenderit doth shewe For thus you giue mee example to play with you And if one of your boyes that learned Terence had so construed would you not haue streight way asked him Cuius modi temporis oftenderit if he had annswered the Preterperfect tense you woulde haue demaunded whether doth be the signe of that temps or haue If haue then haue not you rightly translated Cum crux viuifica illud sabâ—â— are nobis ostenderit Seeing the liuing crosse doeth shewe vnto vs that healthfull thing Wherefore to leaue this trifling the Canon is this Seeing the liuing crosse that is to say the passion of Christ hath shewed vnto vs that sauing health it behoueth vs to employ all our studie that we may giue vnto it by which we are saued from our olde fall that honour which is conuenient Wherefore giuing reuerence vnto it with minde speache and vnderstanding wee commaund that the figures of the crosse which are made of some in the ground and pauement be vtterly taken away lest the trophee of our victorie be iniuried by treading of those that passe ouer it It is not without fraude y t beside your false translation you haue omitted per quam ab antiquo lapsu
say the figure thereof was vsed Wherfore here is no lye proued Touching the saying cited out of Augustine Serm. 130. de tempore although the authoritie is not greatly to be regarded of those Sermons yet admit it were Augustines in deede M. Calfhil saith truly that he speaketh neither of Martials materiall nor mysticall crosse but of the death of Christ and the crosse whereon he suffered as al the discourse of that Sermon declareth Before the crosse was a name of condemnation nowe it is made a matter of honour before is stoode in damnation of a curse nowe it is set vp in occasion of saluation This nowe Martiall would either craftily or impudently referre to Augustines time which is spoken of the time of Christes passion when the crosse was set vp in occasion of saluation and not an idol therof in Augustines time He complaineth that to an other place of Augustine wherein mention is made of the signe of y e crosse nothing is saide where nothing needeth when it is coÌ„fessed that the signe of the crosse was vsed in his time And concerning Constantines crosse we haue spoken alreadie sufficiently To conclude therefore here is nothing replied in this article to proue that the Apostles and Fathers of the first Church did blesse them selues with the signe of the crosse although the Fathers of latter time vsed to marke them selues with that signe and counselled others so to doe Neither is there any thing but the forged newe found Martiales Epistle which is worse then nothing to proue that the signe of the crosse in the first age of the Church was vsed by the Apostles or their immediate successors before the dayes of Valentinus the heretike The sixt Article That diuers holy men and women got them little pieces of the crosse and inclosed them in gold c. It is confessed that diuers made great account to haue little pieces of the crosse to inclose them in gold and hang them about them but their superstition is reproued both by Hieronyme and Chrysostome To Hierome Martial aunswereth that he reproued not the hauing of those pieces but the confidence put in them as the Pharisees did in their Phylacteries hanged vpon their bodies and not printing the lawe in their harts Be it so but what accounteth he the hauing of them euen the strayning of a Gnat Culicem liquantes cameluÌ„ degluâ—ientes lib. 4. cap. 23. But in other places saith Martial he wisheth him selfe to kisse the wood of the crosse Apol. 3. cont Ruff. This was a small matter and yet it was more then hauing a little piece of the crosse for he speaketh of his visiting the places of the death buriall and birth of Christ in which he might take more occasion of meditation vpon the mysteries of our redemption To Chrysostome which counted it impietie in certaine priestes that hanged Gospells about them and pieces of the coat and haire of Christ he maketh like answere alledging out of his Demostr ad Gentiles that all the world desired to haue y e crosse and euery man coueted to haue a litle piece of it to inclose it in golde c. and whereas M. Calfhil aunswereth that this was no praise of the parties but a practise of the time Martial replyeth that it was a praise of the parties repeating what Chrysostome doth write in commendation of the signe of the crosse c. whereas in deed Chrysostome speaking of the matter in question onely sheweth what was the affection of Christians to the crosse which was sometime the wood of condemnation Which affection although in some it were immoderate yet Chrysostomes reason against y e Gentiles should not turne him to perpetuall shame as Martial saith for he proueth that Christ was God in that he had wrought so great a conuersion vnto the faith that no man was nowe ashamed of the signe of the crosse which before was a token of condemnation To conclude where Martiall abuseth the wordes of Christ Haec oportet facere c. These things ought to be done the other not omtted to proue that the fact of hauing these pieces of the crosse and inclosing them in golde was good he must either bring the lawe of God as the Pharisees did for tything of Mynt and Anise or else we can not be persuaded that such estimation of pieces of wood is good and godly The seuenth Article That a crosse was borne at the singing or saying of the Letanie c. That processions came not from Gentilitie to Christians Martial will proue bicause processions came from tradition of y e Apostles and that he proueth by a saying of Leo What so euer is retained of the Church into custome of deuotion commeth of the tradition of the Apostles and doctrine of the holy Ghost So is procession c. but the minor is false for the Church of Christ for many hundreth yeares after Christe knewe no processions But if processions came from the Gentiles saith Martial shal we therefore condemne them Haue we not y e liberal sciences many politike lawes from the Gentiles as though there were one reason of religion and politike laws or liberal artes the one we are forbiddeÌ„ to learne of the Gentiles the other being the giftes of God we may take them euen from the Gentiles Neither doth Augustine against the Manichees whome Martial citeth lib. 20. cap. 23. Con. Faust. speake of any heathenish ceremonies receiued in Christian religion but of such thinges as we must haue common with them like the sunne and the ayre as meate drinke apparel houses c. Whether processions came from the Montanistes or Arrians certaine it is they came not from Christe nor his Apostles Tertullian a Montanist maketh meÌ„tion of certaine stations but I suppose they were no processions but standings The miracle of water turned into oyle to serue for light in the Church reported by Eusebius I maruell to what end Martial bringeth foorth and counteth that it was an hundreth yeares before the heresie of Arrius The Letanie or supplication prescribed by the Councel of Ments Martial saith the Papistes do obserue for they ride not in the Rogationweeke nor weare their copes But how obserue they that the Canon commaundeth them to goe barefooted in sackcloth and ashes The Councel of Orleans anno 515. calleth these Letanies rogations but of processioÌ„ or going abroad it speaketh nothing S. Ambrose in deed is ancienter then this Councel but whether that Commentarie vpon the Epistles that goeth vnder his name were of his writing it is not agreed among learned men at least wise there be diuers additions and the written copies varie Besides that the worde wherevpon he buildeth dies prâ—cessiâ—nis both in written and printed copies is dies purgationis the days of a womans purification or if algates he wil haue it processionis as some printed bookes haue yet the very circumstance of the place wil proue that it is the dayes of a womans going