it for the protestants Maketh it not so euidently for Intercession of Saintes that they haue no shift to answere it but by denying the Booke Whereby they doe plainely shew forth to all men which be but indifferent that the cause why they denie not the other Scriptures yea the Gospell it selfe is not for anie reuerence that they beare therto but only because they thinke that they haue inuented stuftes good enough to blind the world and to make shew of answere to the places which out of the same we aleage against them To be briefe the Visions most certaine which might be here brought foorth and that for verie manie other points of our doctrine besides the foresaid are innumerable in euery age since Christs time in great aboundance certaine of our owne time and countrie I may not omit A man there is in England that hauing beene very long a Protestant although much solicited to the contrarie and being on a time about fiue yeares agoe at the point of death ventred in that extremitie to tempt God to aske for a signe that hee would be mercifull vnto him shew him the true vvay that Quanquam sciâ—m somnia ridicula visiones ineptas quibusdam videri sed vtique illis qui malunt contra Sacerdotes credere quam Sacerdoti Sed nihil mirum quando de Ioseph fratres sui dixerint Cyp. lib. 1. Epi. 9. seu Epi. 66. in noua edit Ecce somniator ille venit c. Howbeit I know as Saint Cyprian saith that dreames to certaine seeme ridiculous and Visions foolish but verily to such as had rather to beleeue against Priests then to beleeue the Priest But no meruaile seeing that of Ioseph his brethren said See yonder commeth the dreamer Gen. 27. c. Scriptures VVHOSOEVER at anie time haue taught doctrine so plainlie repugnant to the Holie Scriptures that for the maintenance thereof they were faine to denie bookes of the saide Scriptures and that after such bookes vvere once euidently knowen or by the Church approued for Canonicall most certainely or that for the same cause they vvere faine to say the Scriptures to haue bin falsified corrupted they whatsoeuer they were and how soeuer for a time they deceaued some wretched persons or Countries Heretikes they were vndoubtedly and euermore in the end so prooued Read the ancient writers against Heresies Ireneus Epiphanius Philastrius Saint Augustine vvith all the Ecclesiasticall Histories and see whether that all that so did were not such as I say namely Simon Magus Basilides Carpocrates Valentinus Cerdon Marcion Apelles Seuerus the Manichees the Ebionites the Helchesites the Arrians the Aetians and such others all detestable Heretikes by the iudgement now and many hundred yeares afore of the whole world and all stubborne deniers of certaine approued Canonicall Scriptures such especially as to their wicked doctrine were most plainly contrarie For example the Ebionites Iren. 1. ad hers ca. 26. because they would haue vs to be both Iewes and Christians Eus 3. Ec. hist ca. 27 circumcised baptized togeather denied stiflie and most impudently all S. Paules Epistles as directlie written against that Heresie Epiph. 1. haer 30. plainly testifying that by Christ wee are all deliuered from that law The Manichees likewise because they would that the holy Ghost Aug. de vtil cre Cap. 3. which Christ promised to send vnto his Disciples came to vs by the Author of their Sect named Manicheus they denied the acts of the Apostles for that in them Christes promise is said to haue beene fulfilled ten dayes after his Ascention certaine hundred years before that Manicheus was borne And do not the Heretikes of this time play vs the very same part Doe they not denie the Canonical most certaine Scripture of the Machabees Aug. 2. doct Chr. cap. 5. for none other cause but for that they cannot otherwise auoide the most plaine testimonies thereof that are there against their Heresies As concerning praying for the dead Sancta salubris est cogitatio pro dâ—functis exorare 2. Macc. 12. vt a peccatis soluantur An holy and an wholsome meaning it is to pray for the dead that they may be loosed of their sins Likewise concerning prayer of Saintes for vs Multum orat pro populo vniuersa sansta ciuitate 2. Macc. 15. Ieremias Propheta Dei Ieremie the Prophet of God praieth much for the people for all the holie Citie To whom in defense of this booke we say De praen SaÌ„ct ca. 14. as Saint Augustine said to certaine that denied a testimonie of the booke of wisdome Tanquam non de libro Canonico adhibitum as taken by hym out of a booke that is not Canonicall Thus he saieth Non debuit repudiari senteÌ„tia libri Sapientiae qui meruit in Ecclesia Christi de gradu Lectorum Ecclesiae Christi tam loÌ„ga annositate recitari ab omnibus Christianis ab Episcopis vsque ad extremos laicos fideles poenitentes catechumenos cum veneratione diuinae authoritatis audiri They should not reiect the saying of the boke of wisedom which booke in the Church of Christ hath deserued so long a rew of yeares to be recited out of the steppe whereon the Lectours of the Church of Christ do stand to read the lessons and vvith worship belonging to a booke of diuine authoritie to be heard of all Christyan men from Bishopps euen to the lowest sort of lay-men faithfull penitents and Catechumenes Etiam temporibus proximi Apostolorum egregij tractatores eum testem adhibentes nihil se adhibere nisi diuinum testimonium crediderint Also the notable Interpreters or Fathers that liued next to the Apostles times when they brought foorth that booke for witnesse nothing did they beleeue them-selues to bring foorth but Gods own witnesse Do they not againe deny the Epistle of Saint Iames in Luther their man of God bycause it is against their Heresie of Iustification by faith only and not by workes Iac. 1. saying most plainly Ex operibus iustificatur homo non ex fide tantum By vvorkes a man is iustified and not by faith only Doe they not likewise in Beza Beza in Lac 22. novv their Oracle at Geneua say that Saint Lukes Gospel is falsified where it hath Hic est Calix qui pro vobis fundetur This is the Chalice shed for you bycause it most manifestly vvitnesseth against theÌ„ the Real presence of Christs blood in the Chalice the chalice being therefore of Saint Luke said to be shed for vs bycause that which is in the Chalice is shed for vs and not vvine nor none other thing shed for vs but only Christs most precious blood If in these pointes they like not their Beza nor their Luther why will they seeme to be their folowers why do they not as we doe for the same condemne them Is not one false poynt of the Arrians sufficient to vs to condemne the Arrians
impugned then this no none of them all euer the thousandth part so much impugned so much barked at so much sifted as this and yet they gone and this remaining by which very euent of thinges Christ hath plainely declared vnto vs what he meant when hee said to Peter first concerning all his Aposâ—les Simon Zuke 22. ecce Satanas expetiuit vos vt cribâ—arâ—t s cut triticum Simon behold Sâ—tan hath desired that he might siâ—t you lâ—ke wheaten meale all the flowre of truth out of the sieue nothing to remaine within but bran of Heresie and error then concerning Peter himselfe Ego autem rogaui pro te vt non deficiat fides iua tu aliquando conuersus confirma fratre tuos But I haue made petitioÌ„ for thee that thy faith may not faile and thou once turning confirme thy brethren all this I say notwithstanding the Heretikes of this time will haue vs now to be so blockeheaded so mad not to take our light of the Apostolike Church of Rome that Church I say whose Bishoppes from Peter vnto Eleutherius of his time twelue in number Ireneus reckneth vp saith that it is plenissima ostensio Lib. 3. ca. 3. a most ample declaratioÌ„ of the Apostolike truth to be of his side a confouÌ„ding of all false maisters That church againe whose Bishops from Peter vnto Siricius of his time seauen and thirtie in number Optatus reckeneth vp saith that he is Schismaticus peccator Lib. 2. a Schismatike and a sinner that against this one singular chaire setteth vp another That Church also whose Bishops from Peter vnto Anastasius of his time eight and thirtie in number Epist 165 Saint Augustine reckoneth vp and saith that this is Certo vere salubriter numerare Surelie to number and to our soules health in verie deed Who now that haue care of their saluation wil not folow the example the rule of these Holy Fathers Saintes in heaueÌ„ reckning vp likewise the Bishops of the same Church from Peter to Gregorie of our time the thirteenth of that name being two hundred thirtie and three in number and there seeke find beleeue the Doctrine which the Apostles taught Mat. 16. rather then with the Donatists Protestants Puritans other gates of Heâ—l fight against the rock all in vaine so foolish to thinke that he can with theÌ„ leape at one iumpe from Luther to the Apostles hauing not one place to rest his feet in all that long space of fifteene hundred yeares which is betweene Catholike men you see were neuer wont so to leape to proue their Church to be Apostolike Heretikes haue none other but that impossible way Wherfore the Protestants Puritans be not Catholikes and Apostolikes they be Schismatikes and Heretikes with such guides or companions they walke that vvalke with them whither who seeth not whither els but to perdition God giue my deare friendes and Countrimen better eyes and take from them their vvilfull blindnesse The Romains neuer chaunged theyr Religion ANIE man that vvill may by this that I haue said easilie and plainely vnderstand that the Roman Church is still as it euer was Apostolike For the which true vnderstanding Quod Romana esset Catholica Apostolica Ecclesia that the Romaine was the Catholike Apostolike Church Hist Angli Lib. 3. Cap. 29. Saint Bede our Countrie-man much commendeth in his time King Oswy But to make it yet more plaine I adde this other consideration that whereas the Romaines faith was once the true faith of S. Paule himselfe commended where hee saith Gratias ago Deo meo per Iesum Christum pro omnibus vobis Rom. 1. quiae fides vestâ—a annunciatur in vniuerso munâ—â— I giue thankes to my God through Iesus Christ for you all because your faith is reported in the vniuersall vvorâ—d And vvhereas theyr Church vvas once Catholike and Apostolike which the Heretikes themselues neither câ—n nor wiâ— deny it cannot possibly be shewed that they euer changed their faith or any part thereof Wherefore their Chuâ—ch doth still remaine as it was Apostolike and their faith Catholike Or let them shew if they can what Pope changed it in what Articles or pointes of Faith it was chaunged at what time vvith what tumultes in the world rising thereupon vvhat Doctors withstood it what Councels accursed it or such other circumstances vvhich we can shew in all innouations both great and small that euer by Heretikes were attempted as namely by the Arrians Sabellians Donatistes Pelagians with other of old and now presentlie of the Protestantes and Puritans We see in what Princes dayes they began what Captaines they had what pointes they chaunged what Catholike men haue set against them what places or countries haue chaunged Religion with theÌ„ what countries againe keepe still the old Religion These things and others the like can neuer be shewed in the Romaines because they neuer were and therefore most certainlie neuer was there by the Romains any change made Or if any man will say that the Romains made their change not al at once but secretly by little little he can not so escape but he must shew vs those seuerall little changes in forme also aforesaid As we doe shew not only the totall chaunge made now by the Protestants but also how in the former ages at sundrie times their misterie of iniquitie did worke by litle litle or by one one For example Aerius preparing to their handes theyr doctrine against Purgatorie Nouatus theyr doctrine against forgiuenes of sinnes by a Priest Iouinian their doctrine of Priests and Nunnes mariage Vigilantius theyr Doctrine against praying to Saintes Manicheus theyr Doctrine against free-will Pelagius theyr Doctrine against the necessitie of childrens Baptisme Simon Magus their Doctrine against saluation for good vvorkes Eunomius also theyr Doctrine of onely faith to be sufficient with many others that here I could recite They must shew the like of the seuerall points in their imagined Romaine chaunge Which most sure it is they can not doe For name they what point of faith they will at such or such a time to haue beene chaunged and wee will plainely shew the contrarie that the same point which they will say to haue beene brought in by the chaunge vvas euer afore by the Romaines and other Christians beleeued vp to the Apostles time What points will they name but such as euen now I touched of Purgatorie Confession Saintes vowed Nunnes with the rest But those you see were so not brought in by any Romaine change that we haue by the FATHERS noted vnto vs vvhat Heretikes would haue brought in theyr contraries by some chaunge Whereby it is inuincibly proued that in those very pointes also the Romaine Church remained vnchaunged And so doe the Holy Fathers witnesse as much that euen then when as wee can shew the Romaines prayed for the dead c. they did yet keepe still vnchaunged the Faith
but euen so obserued in that time also that ranne or passed betweene Saint Paul and S. Augustine As presently you heard him speake of Exorcization and Exufflation of children in Baptisme and * In the 5. motiue before I alleaged out of him a practise likewise of his owne time of a Priest of his owne that offered as we doe in the Masse the sacrifice of Christs bodie in a certaine forme to deliuer it from the vexation of vvicked spirites * In the 7. motiue In another place I shewed that his mother worshipped the Blessed Sacrament of the Aultar with Religion euery day as verie God Christ himselfe desiring at her death to haue it offered to God for her soule for her sins which he also then caused to be done and long after in writing desired all Priestes to doe for her the like In another place hee witnesseth the practise of the Church about the same Blessed Sacrament to haue then beene such that children when they should afterward come to yeares if they were not otherwise taught by other mens admonition or by their owne experience would verily thinke that our Sauiour was neuer in other forme vpoÌ„ the earth but in that forme only which they see at Masse His words are these De Trin. lib. 3. cap. 10. Infantes non nouerunt quod in altari ponitur peracta pietatis celebratione consumitur vnde vel quomodo conficiatur vnde in vsum religionis assumatur Et si nunquam discant experimento vel suo vel aliorum nunquam illam speciem rerum videant nisi inter celebrationes Sacramentoâ—â—â—um offertur datur dicaturque illis authoritate grauissima cuius Corpus Sanguis sit nihil aliud credent nisi omnino in illa specie dominum oculis apparuisse mortalium de latere tali percusso liquorem illum omnino fluxisse Infantes know not that which is layed on the Aultar being ended the celebration of pietie so he calleth the Holie Canon is consumed whereof or how it is consecrated from whence into vse of Religion it is assumpted And if they neuer learne by experience eyther of their owne or of others and neuer see that forme of things but at celebrations of the Sacraments so he calleth Masses when it is offered and giuen be told them vvith authoritie most vveightie whose Body and Blood it is no other thing will they beleeue or conceaue but verily in that forme our Lord to haue appeared vnto the eyes of men and out of such a side being striken that liquour verily to haue issued Then touching the practise of other thinges also as going a pilgrimage to Holy places worshipping of Relickes praying to Saints praying for the dead it is so plaine by all the writers of those times that they were then no lesse vsed then now they be that no thing there is which can more copiously be shewed as all that read Antiquity know right wel My purposed breuitie as I haue often sayed suffereth not the allegatioÌ„ of many testimonies but one short saying wil I aleadge of S. Augustines which in very few wordes doth manifestly witnesse vnto vs the practise of all those foure thinges at once vvhich I haue named De cur pro mort in fine Thus he sayeth Quod vero quisquam apud memoriam Martyrum sepelitur hoc tantum mihi videtur prodesse defuncto vt commendans eum etiam Martyrum patrocinio affectus pro illo supplicationis augeatur That any man is buried at some Memorie or Relicke of Martyrs vnto me it seemeth in this onely to auaile the departed that commending him also to the patronage or intercession of the Martyrs the deuotion of his friend which maketh supplication for him encreased may be Here haue you expressie Relickes of Martyrs for so he meaneth by a memory as if you doubt you may gather out of another place where he saith De Ciui Dei li 22. cap. 8. Memoriam Martyris Episcopus in manu portabat The Martyrs Memory did the Bishop beare in his hand You haue also here praying to Martyrs praying for the dead Pilgrimage to Relickes so liuely that you see the practise thereof was as I may say infinite people not being content only in their life time to vse it continually but also after their death to make such Pilgrimage once for euer there to rest both their owne bodies and their friends with the holy Relickes vntill the vvorldes end In so much that bold I am to say and proue it well I can that whereas Christian people of those first ages are counted as they were indeed far more Godly and more holy and more deuout then wee for no other cause it was but onely because they practised the things aforenamed and such like much more often more religiouslie and as the Heretikes would haue it falsly called and counted much more superstitiously then we doe more going a Pilgrimage more kissing of Relikes kneeling vnto them more crying out to Saints and all other such thinges much more in those dayes then in these therfore I say people then more deuout and religious then now Such going then a pilgrimage to Ierusalem that S. Hierome sayeth of the Holie places of our Sauiours Natiuitie Crosse Resurrection and Ascension ad quae de toto orbe concurritur In Isa 19 vnto which holy places there is concourse of people out of all the world euen the very holie earth of our Sauiours sepulcher brought home by Pilgrims and giuen to theyr friends and vsed to hang in their chamber to saue them from euill yea so reuerenced that they would not keepe it in their chambers but build Churches to lay it in for people at it to serue God to come to it a Pilgrimage and that with following of great Miracles De Ciui Dei li. 22. cap. 8. all which S. Augustine writeth of his owne time being himselfe a partie therein Such going a Pilgrimage to Rome likewise at Rome In Ezech. 40. that S. Hierome writeth againe Solebam puer Romae cum caeteris eiusdem aetatis propositi diebus Dominicis Sepulchra Apostolorum MartyruÌ„ circuire crebroque Cryptas ingredi c. My vse was being a boy at Rome with others of the same age and meaning vpon Sondaies to goe about the Apostles and Martyrs Sepulchers often to enter into the Cryptes c. Which are places vnder the ground full of Martyrs bones and ashes still to this day visited much of Pilgrims Finally all Antiquity is full of such practise bearing plaine witnesse to the practise of the other pointes also of our Religion as might easily be shewed if breuity did permit or if these foresaied were not sufficient And yet as I proued before out of S. Augustine and S. Paule for finding and knowing of the Truth sufficeth the practise alone of the church that now is And diligentlie is it to be noted that so plaine and vndoubted
contemned the right or embraced the wrong We then also at this present standing in like perill and euerlasting daunger of our soules haue we not neede to awake to shake off our slouth and to looke about vs I deale not now with them which say in their foolish heartes that there is no God no Christ no soule no heauen no hell no right way nor no wrong of whome God help the world is too too full Neither with them do I deale which thinke no way at all so wrong but that it may serue well enough to heauen All which sorts of vaine men how vvise soeuer that they seeme in their owne conceits haue most certainely all good reason all true wisedome and which amongst Christian men is most irrefragable all Diuine Scripture cleane against them For wheresoeuer the said Scriptures speake of Nicolaites and such like who is there that findeth left for such any hope of saluation Therefore to leaue these vanishing away in their foolish fansies and to talke with others that beleeue the Scriptures and therefore thinke well that some in those forsaid ages found the way to heauen that other some by walking by-waies are fallen into damnation of these I demaund if at least wise they care for themselues more thē for their pelfe that soone will forsake them whether they would not be glad to know these waies to walke the one and to auoid the other the matter is past with those aforetime it is we that are in daunger that stand of making or els of marring If happely we could light in the steppes of them that are in Heauen wee were made foreuer But if we walke on the same pathes that lead others to hel then are wee marred and vndonne foreuer Here therefore it would be known what way they that now are safe did then take when they were in perill In their seuerall times very many and verie great questions as I haue said vvere mooued by new deuisers and some allwaies there vvere that could and did trie the matters with them by learning but these very few if we compare them with the multitude besides that the said triall is very long and many before it can be made passe out of this world to their certaine damnation if they go vncertaine What other remedy what better way is there than for such Is there any or is there none If there be none let vs eate and drinke and make good cheare for we shall die to morrow But thankes be to God there is good remedie there are also other waies inough and not only for the vnlearned and vnskilfull multitude but also for them that are of greatest learning of deepest knowledge Onely needefull here it is that a mā be willing to be set in the right way and to hold him in it Who better learned than S. Augustine Who more surely now in heauen He then besides learning what other waies had hee to hold him right To the Manichees of whose sect once he was thus he saith Con. Ep. fund Cap. 4. In Catholica Ecclesia vt omittam sincerissimam Sapientiam ad cuius cognitionem pauci spiritales in hac vita perueniunt vt eam ex minima quidem parte quia homines sunt sed tamen sine dubitatione cognoscant caeterā quippe turbam non intelligendi viuacitas sed credendi simplicitas tutissimā facit vt ergo hanc omittam Sapientiam quam in Ecclesia esse Catholica non creditis multa sunt alia quae in eius gremio me iustissime teneant Tenet consensio populorum atque gentium Tenet authoritas miraculis inchoata spe nutrita charitate aucta vetustate firmata Tenet ab ipsa Sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suas post resurrectionem Dominus commendauit vsque ad praesentem Episcopatum Successio Sacerdotum Tenet postremo ipsum Catholicae nomen quod non sine causa inter tam multas Haereses sic ista Ecclesia sola obtinuit c. In the Catholike Church to let passe most pure wisdome and knowledge to the perceauing whereof a few spiritual men in this life doe attaine so that they perceaue it in a very litle peece pardie because they are but men but yet without all doubting for as touching the other multitude it is not quicknesse of vnderstanding but simplicitie of beleeuing that maketh thē most safe that I omit therfore this wisedome which in the Catholike Church to be you Manichees and other Heretikes doe not beleeue many other things there are which in her lap most worthily do keep me There keepeth mee consent of peoples and nations There keepeth me authority by Miracles begonne nourished by hope by Charity increased by Antiquity made firme and sure There keepeth me Succession of Priestes from the very See of Peter the Apostle to whome our Lord after his resurrectiō committed the feeding of his sheepe euen to the Bishop that now is There keepeth me finallie the very name of Catholike which not without cause amongst so many heresies this Church alone hath obteined c. And in an other place to the same he retiks he saith againe Christo esse credēdum credidi famae celebritate consensione vetustate roboratae Vos autem tam pauci tam turbulenti tam noui nemini dubium est quin nihil dignum authoritate praeferatis That Christ must be beleeued I beleued fame or authority fortified with vniuersality consent and antiquity But you Heretikes being both so few and so dissentious and so new risen no man doubteth but that you shew nothing that deserueth authority Here as wee see this most learned most holy most renoumed Father allegeth many most worthy reasons as hee tearmeth them to hold him still a Catholike As indeed vpon that matter he wrote his whole said booke De vtilitate credendi Concerning the vtility of beleuing So did Tertullian of the same mater write his book De praescriptionibus Haereticorum Of exceptions against Heretikes And also Vincentius Lyrinensis his booke Contra prophanas omnium haereseon nouationes Against the prophane innouations of al Heresies These their books they wrote of the most iust and worthy reasons which there are to mooue anie man to forsake al Heresies and to liue die a catholike which bookes I wish all such my deare Countrimen to read as will know the truth and specially the holy Scripture of the actes of the Apostles with Saint Beedes Ecclesiastical Historie of our own Nation What such reasons may to that purpose be gathered out of those Authors and their like grounded all vpon most certaine and diuine authoritie I in this Treatise haue in part declared shewing particularly in euery one of them some vndoubted cause to moue any man to beleeue vs and not the Protestants Puritants nor other Heretikes in all together that nothing there is to be demaunded of a Christian man but vvith vs it maketh plainely and against them plainely no such thing against vs no such thing with
Fathers then written against them and to this day extant So in their time the Nestorians the Macedonians the Eutichians the Pelagians the Donatistes and in breife all others that Heretikes were called Heretikes are proued Gal. 5. For which cause Saint Paule sayeth Manifesta sunt opera carnis The workes of the flesh are manifest which are fornication Heresies Murder c. For as Fornication Murder the rest straight vpon their naming are abhorred so the very name of Heresies and Heretikes is a manifest word of naughtines will they now say that Heretikes is our name Yea somuch as in their owne Lawes Bookes Sermons and common talke of vs Or vvill they denie that they be knowen themselues by that name But who I praie you in reading the Catholike Bookes of thys time there finding them commonlie so named sticketh at that terme not knowing or doubting who are named Or els why feared they in their Inglish translations of the Bible to set the name of Heresies and Heretikes where Saint Paul so hath it specially in the Greeke out of which they pretend to make their translations putting for it the worde Sectes and a man that is author of Sectes Is it not euident hereby that they know wel that the reader finding in Saint Paul the word Heresies or Heretikes would by and by thinke vpon them Againe why els did they in theyr Apologie of their Inglish Church alledge for their defence that S. Pauls doctrine also was by the Iewes called Heresie Act. 14. As though that bycause the vnbeleeuing and blinded Iewes so tearmed the faith of our Sauiour Christ S. Paul would haue vs not to thinke yll of them that by the Christians should so be called nor to regard what hee wrote to the Galathians that heresies be workes of the flesh keeping a man from the kingdome of God no lesse theÌ„ murder it selfe and fornication and to Titus likewise that an Heretike must be auoided as a most peruerse sinner Finallie vnlesse it had binne to to euident that they are named Heretikes and knowen immediatly by that name Luther their Grandsier would neuer in his booke intituled Notae verae Ecclesiae Markes of the true Church haue giuen vs for the seuenth marke that the people of God are spite of their teeth commonly called Heretikes Coguntur audire Heretici I stand to long vpon things that be plaine Name of Protestantes THirdly therefore who soeuer in respect of the doctrine which they professe haue a newe name made of some mans name or otherwise taken vp whereby they coÌ„monly terme them selues and in the world generally be termed and immediatly knowen thereby they vndoubtedlie are Heretikes And therefore Lutherans Caluinistes Protestants Precisians Vnspotted Brethren and Puritans most certainelie are Heretikes as were the Nicolaites of whom the Scripture it selfe maketh meÌ„tion Or let them giue mee an example to the contrarie Sure I am that they can not It is a rule that the Auncient Fathers in their times with great consent alwayes gaue the people to know Heretikes thereby as out of diuers of them I could shew but that I mynde not here nomore but brieflie to inscinuate vnto such as are desirous to learne or to teach the truth what waies they maie with ease and without error come to their desire Here after if any of the Heretikes more obstinat and venturous then hys felowes shall endeuour to make me answere I will with Gods helpe more largelie proue and declare this other my conclusions Now may Saint Hierome alone suffice Sicubi audierâ— saith he â—os Aduer Lucif Vide Chrisost hom 33. in Acta Iusâ—â—n â—n Tr sâ—â—â—ne Opt. li. 3. con Parm. Ire câ—n Haer. li. 1. ca. 20. Lact. li. 4. de vera sap ca 30 et Aug. de vtil cred cap. 7. qui dicuntur Christi non a Domino Iesu Christo sed a quopiam alio nuncupari vtpuâ—e Marcionitas Valentinianoâ— Monteâ—ses siue Compates scito non Ecclesiam Christi sed Antichristi esse synagogaÌ„ If any where thou he are theÌ„ which are said to be of Christ to be tearmed not of our Lord Iesuâ— Christ but of some other as Marcionites Valentinians Hil-brethren or Field-brethren be thou sure that they are not the church of Christ but the synagogue of antichrist Here I know they are wont to answere that amongst vs also some be called Benedictines Franciscans Dominicans Hieronimians Augustinians and such like But who seeth not that those some are not so called for profession of any special Doctrine brought vp by those holy meÌ„ Saint Benet Saint Francis Saint Dominicke Saint Hierome and S. Augustine but only because they professe to liue after a speciall rule of life deliuered vnto them by those Fathers to the better keeping of Gods commandements so as in the old Testament in figure of these Religious men Iere. 35. did the Rechabites But our Aduersaries haue their names I saie for doctrine and that is it that Saint Ierom and the other Fathers do giue vs as an vndoubted marke of Heretikes Wel but we are called Papistes they will say for doctrine To that I answere wee doe not so call our selues neither be wee so called in the world abrode but Catholikes euerie where as in Italie Spaine Fraunce c. VVhich they that trauaile can beare me witnesse but it is a name put vppon vs by the Heretikes as their vse hath alwaies binne to doe to tearme the Catholikes by certaine odious names So did the Arrians tearme vs Homousians others otherwise For that these be not our names it is most euident by this that wee were manie hundred yeares as they know themselues and confesse before those names were inuented and all that time were wee not without a name Let them name their eldest author or witnes of that name and if I proue not that vvee were then aboue a thousand yeare old let Papistes be our name I say therefore with Saint Augustine Quod quaerentibus satis est vna est Catholica cui haereses aliae diuersa nomina imponunt cum ipsae singulae proprijs vocabulis quae negare non audeant appellentur There is one Church Catholike vppon the which diuerse Heresies put diuerse names whereas they euerie one themselues are called by propre and speciall names which they dare not to denie And this is sufficient for such as seeke of whom to learne the truth If last of all they say that yet by our owne Confession we are called Catholikes which is an other name then Christians and therefore in danger of Saint Hieromes sentence aboue pronounced they trouble me sore I graunt and put me to my shiftes to answere it well But they doe withall ye wot as a man that would refuse to be sticked by mee with my sword and would runne vppon my speare For you know pardie by my first note that the name of Catholikes serueth well my turne quite to dispatch them what soeuer exception they pretend thereby
diuers sundrie pointes of that our doctrine as that with Miracles hath beene confirmed and vvith great numbers of Miracles our doctrine of the Signe of the Crosse our doctrine of Images our Doctrine of Reliques our doctrine of Pilgrimage our doctrine of praying to Saintes of the necessitie of Baptizing children of Confirming by a Bishop and of very many other things by vs taught beleeued by the Heretikes denied and derided But because about so many pointes I should be too long I will be content with one or two and them out of such Authours as the Heretikes cannot denie nor answere with their peeuish scoffing at some vncertaine or false Miracles which they read in I know not what Legenda Aurea and such other obscure apocryphal writinges As if that because of certaine Gospelles fained in the name of Saint Thomas Nicodemus the Twelue the Hebrues c. they would thinke therefore to scoffe out the authoritie of the vndoubted Gospels of S. Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn And because about the holy Sacrifice of the Masse is our greatest variance they hauing by open Edict set thereon the losse of an hundred markes to euerie one that frequēteth the same the Masse shall be my first example and Purgatory my other because that is of them no lesse contemned then the holy Masse and one Miracle will I aleadge prouing them both And first for the Sacrifice of the Masse Saint Augustine is witnesse of a notable Miracle wrought therby in his owne time in his owne Dioces by a Priest of his owne VVhich thus hee writeth De ciuit Dei li. 22. ca. 8. See there a number of miracles for vs Vir Tribunitius Hesperius qui apud nos est habet in territorio Fussalensi fundum Cubedi appellatum Vbi cum afflictione animalium seruorum suorum domum suam spirituum malignorum vim noxiam perpeti comperisset rogauit nostros me absente presbyteros vt alquis eorum illo pergeret cuius or ationibus cederent Perrexit vnus obtulit ibi Sacrificium Corporis Christi orans quantum potuit vt cessaret illa vexatio Deoque protinus miserante cessauit Hesperius a man of good worship who is here with vs hath nere about Fussala a Farme named Cubedi where finding by the affliction of hys cattaile and seruantes that his house was yll troubled with wicked spirits he besought our Priestes for I was absent that some one of them would goe thither The forfait of an hundred markes was not then as yet enacted with his prayers to driue them away There went one he offered there the Sacrifice of the body of Christ praying with all hys power that the same vexation myght ceasse and strayght waies through Gods mercie it ceassed Now another Miracle for both the Masse and purgatorie together Hist Angli li. 4. ca. 22. I will recite out of our owne Countrie-man Saint Bede which chaunced in his time in our owne Countrey no lesse certaine then merueilous A notable thing hee saith is * Constat certainly knowen to haue bin done in the battaile wherein was killed King Elbuine vvhich I in no wise thinke should be least vntold but that it wil be profitable to the saluation of manie to rehearse it In that battayle was slaine amongst others of Elbuines souldiers a young man named Imma who hauing that day and the night following amongest the bodies of the slayne lyen as dead at length receauing breath againe reuiued and sitting vpp bounde hys woundes himselfe as well as he could Then resting awhile gat him vpp and began so to goe his waie where hee might finde frindes to see vnto him In so doyng found hee was and taken by him of hys enimies hoast brought to their Lorde an Earle of King Edilredes of vvhom being asked what he was hee feared to confesse that he was a souldier and rather answered that he was a poore man of the countrie and one that had a wife saying that hee came with others such as he was into the Campe to bring victuals to the Souldiers But the Lord for all this took him to him bidding his woūds to be seene vnto and vvhen hee waxed whole in the night for running awaie he commaunded him to be bound but yet bound he could not be for straight as they were gone that had bound him the same his bonds were loosed for hee had a brother whose name was Tunna a Priest and Abbot of a Monasterie in the Cittie which vnto this daie of his name is called Tunnacester Who hearing him to be killed in the fight came to seeke if perhaps hee might finde his body and finding another in all pointes very like vnto him thought it had bin he and brought the same vnto his Monasterie buried him honorably and for the loosing of his soule was diligent often to say Masse By the saying whereof vvas done the thing that I haue tolde that none could bind him but straight he was loosed In the meane time the Earle that kept him began to meruaile asking how it was that hee could not be bounden whether perhappes hee had about him loosing letters such as fables speake of for which he might not be bounden But he answered that hee knew nothing of such sorceries But a brother I haue said he a Priest in my country sure I am that he thinking me to be slaine saieth often Masse for me And if I were now in the other life there should my soule by his intercessions be loosed from paines After this when he was throughly recouered the Earle solde him for London to a certaine Frisian but neyther of him nor in the way thither could he by any meanes be bounden but still his enimies laying on him sundrie kinds of bondes still vvere they loosed When then hee that had bought him saw that in bondes hee could not be holden hee gaue him leaue to ransome him-selfe if hee could For after * Counting from the sunrysing the third houre at vvhich the Masses were vvont to be said verie often were his bands loosed So then he found meanes to pay his ransome And after this returning into his countrie and comming to his brother he vp and told him in order all the aduersities and comfortes in aduersitie that had chaunced vnto him And by that his brother told him hee knew at those times specially his bandes to haue bin loosed at which for him the Masses vvere celebrated And other thinges also vvhich to him in daunger had happened profitably prosperously hee vnderstood that by his brothers intercession and offering of the Sauing Hoste they had from heauen bin giuen him And manie hearing these things of the foresaid man were in faith and godly deuotion enflamed to pray or to giue almes or to offer to our Lord Victimas sacrae oblationis pro ereptione suorum qui de saeculo migrauerunt Hostes of the Sacred oblation for the deliuerie of their friendes that were departed this world For they
as here the vse of people is by reason of the exceeding great multitudes which resort to such solennities Masse being now begonne shee fealt immediatly such an-horror and trembling in all her bodie such stretching and strayning such haling and pulling cold sweat following also thereof in much aboundance her memorie senses beginning thereupon to faile her that it seemed vnto her nothing more like then death it selfe to be neare at hand Yet bearing it a while the best that she could for reuerence of the place companie and resigning herself into the handes of God after the Epistle was read shee began to feele some more ease both in mind and body And at the tyme of the Gospell standing vp with others by helpe of her crouch shee seemed to her self when she was stoode vp that shee had not as then needed that helpe but that she could haue riseÌ„ without it and began to thinke within herselfe that shee now stood vpon both her legges without it her short legge touching now the grouÌ„d no lesse theÌ„ her other Wel the Gospell being ended she kneled her doune againe in silence after the maner vntill the end of Masse and the Bishopps blessing Then for greedines of Holie-water which there is wont at the end of euery Masse to be sprinkled vp she rose sodainly because shee would leese no spirituall helpe which at that Masse might be had and did forgett for hast both her crouch her hat her beads and her handkerchef Her hat an husbaÌ„d man that stode by her at Masse brought by by vnto her the rest in the throng except her staffe were lost She feeling herselfe fully and wholly deliuered both from all payne and also from all cause of halting and lamenesse for this her strange chaunce first being sore amased and halfe crying out withall but anon remembring better her selfe and much reioysyng for that which had happened going or rather runnyng out of the Church before the Procession as she met in the multitude here and there with her acquaintaunce they wondering to see her goe vpryght and without her crouch shee told them with great ioy that by vertue of the B. Sacrament of Miracle she was as they saw wholly restored Which while she told thus to very few thinking still that it had beene secret the fame thereof did immediatly so encrease specially by the meanes of theÌ„ that at Masse time kneeled about her marked wel the whole order of her straÌ„ge moods that her staffe by and by vvas taken vp in the place where shee left it and hanged vp forthwith after the manner there beside the place of the said blessed Miraculous Sacrament by the Chaplaine that hath the custodie of the same Afterward the miracle of her healing being more famously knowen and proclaimed in pulpits to the hearing also of other Citties round about certaine Englishmen that lay at Mechlin twelue miles off vnderstanding of it thought it good for the honor of God in respect of her pouertie to call her to Mechlin vnto their seruice Which iourney shee went so lustily that certaine of our couÌ„trymen very good on foote had much a doe to keepe her company as euer since in deed her agilitie is such that shee rather seemeth to flie or at least to runne then to goe as others doe As touching her vnfaithfull husband of whom before I spake he very shortly after this Miracle of her healing falling out with another young fellow receaued of him a very grieuous wound whereof within a few dayes after he died And this much haue I said of Doâ—maticall Miracles Miracles Personall NOw of the other sort of Miracles which I called Personall I make this Conclusion Whatsoeuer persons at any time since Christes Ascension haue had the grace of Miracles they were the Ministers of Christ I say not alwaies iust and holy but alwaies Preachers of his truth and consequently whosoeuer set themselues against such persons they were against Christ and against the truth Neither vnto this can they possibly giue me any instance as I will by Gods grace most plainely shew in answering such instances if any of them shall venture to giue any For what they can doe I am not ignorant Only this that some miscreantes haue made boast and shew of Miracles Trac 13. in lo. as Simon Magus Mahomet the Donatistes whome for that cause Saint Augustine tearmeth Mirabilarios Meruailousers so to say and as certaine Heretikes of this tyme doe Foxe Humpherie and others and as Anti-christ shall doe hereafter in his lieing signes wonders 2. Thes 2. in omni virtute signis prodigijs mendacibus being able none of them but such only as some-time they haue wrought in plaine confirmation of our Catholike truth being therefore Dogmaticall and not personall to abide the touch or examination no better then the Iugglings of Iannes and Mambres Exo. 7. the Magicians of Pharao vvhose roddes were straight deuoured by the rodde of Moises Exo. 8. and they at the third plague of Ciniphes or gnattes compelled to confesse Digitus Dei est hic The finger of God is this and so their foly as Saint Paul saieth manifested to all men 2 Tim. 3. Moyses and Aaron proceeding yet styll and multiplying their strange mighty wonders So I say true Miracles last and continue fained trickes doe vanish sone awaie as the sluttish feate of Lane the Minister at Westchester But yet because for a time they maie chance to deceaue some fooles others also that know not the power of Nâ—ture and of the Diuell S. Augustine hath noted vnto vs out of our Sauiours wordes a very good ready present Mat. 13. and certaine rule saying Tene amus ergo vnitatem In Io. tr 13. vide de vnit Ec. cae 16. fratres mei praeter vnitatem qui facit miracula nihil est Let vs therefore keepe the vnity my brethen out of the vnitie hee also that worketh Miracles is nothing So as S. Paul also said Gal. 1. Sed licet nos aut Angelus de coelo euangelizet vobis praeter quam quod euangelizauimus vobis praeter id quâ—d accepistis anathema sit But although wee or an Angel from heauen should gospel vnto you contrarie vnto that which wee haue gospelled vnto you contrarie vnto that which you haue receaued accursed be he Not because there is any such danger of an Angel of Heauen but because folish light persons are alwaies readie to crie as they did at Poules when they saw Bradford the Heretike after their seditious hurling of the dagger steppe vp in M. Bournes place my Lord afterward of Bathe and Welles an Angell an Angell I say then that innumerable holy men of our vnitie haue in all ages had the grace of working true Miracles not disprooued not able to be checked as S. Thomas Aquinas Saint Bonauenture Saint Bernard Saint Thomas of Canterburie Saint Frauncis Saint Dominicke and inâ—inâ—te others Wherefore I
conclude that it was the truth vvhich they preached Hereunto what can they answere truely nothing but only that which the blasphemous Pharisees answered of our Sauiour Luke 11. that by the Diuell hee worked his Miracles no man being able to put any difference betweene the miracles of Christ with his Apostles and of these holy men the one sorte to be defended with no reason but with the same reason the other sort may be likewise defeÌ„ded For that these holy men were of our side it is so well knowen that they confesse it that they were of God wonderfully coÌ„mended by the gift of Miracles euen to the healing of desperate disseases by the touch of their gâ—rments skirts and to the raysing of the dead also it is so manifest in all stories that it cannot be denied One example will I here alledge of Saint Bernard but that such a one as may rather be called many aâ—d as may suffice for all being both Personall and Dogmaticall so commending his person that it also directly confirmed his doctrine and the same our doctrine and that not in one or two pointes but in all almost that at this day the Heretikes haue called in question So it was that in Saint Bernardes time there were certaine Heretikes named Henricians of one Henrie vvho of a Monke became an Apostata Pet. Clun in opere suo con illos Ber. in CaÌ„ Ser. 66. These Heretikes burned Images destroyed churches denied the reall presence of Christs Bodie in the Blessed Sacrament Transubstantiation of the Bâ—ead into the same the Sacrifice of the Masse praying for the dead praying to Saintes and many other articls which also the Protestantes and Puritans doe now denie They raigned much in the Countrie about Tholousa in Fraunce For vvhich cause Saint Bernard being desired often and at length brought thither to preach against them did the same with great working also of most wonderfull Miracles De vita S. Ber. lib. 3. cap. 5. as writeth Godfridus a Monke and Disciple of Saâ—â—t Bernards Amongst many others of that which I would aleage thus he writeth Est locus in regione eadem Sarlatum nomen est illi vbi sermone completo plurimos ad benedicendum panes sicut vbique fiebat Dei famulo offerebant Quos ille eleuata manu signo crucis edito in dei nomine benediceÌ„s in hoc inquit scietis vera esse quae a nobis falsa quae ab haereticis suadentur si infirmi vestri gustatis panibus istis adepti fuerint sospitateÌ„ Timens autem venerabilis Episcopus Carnotensium magnus ille Gaufridus siquidem praesens erat proximus uiro Dei si bona inquit fide sumpserint sanabuntur Cui pater sanctus de domini virtute nihil haesitans Non hoc ego dixerim ait sed vere qui gustaâ—erint sanabuntur vt proinde veros nos veraces Dei ministros esse cognoscant Tam ingens multitudo languentium gustato eodem pane conualuit vt per totam prouinciam verbuÌ„ hoc diuulgaretur vir sanctus per vicina loca regrediens ob concursus intolerabiles declinauerit timuerit illo ire A place there is in the same countrie of Tolousa the name of it is SarlatuÌ„ where after the Sermon was done they offered to the seruant of God as euery where the vse was many loaues to blesse Which he by lifting vp his hand by making the signe of the Crosse in Gods name blessing saide thus In this shall you know Miracles by Holie Bread that the things are true vvhich we and that the things are false which the Heretikes labour to perswade you if your diseased persoÌ„s by the tasting of these loaues shall get their health Whereat fearing the Reuerend Bishoppe of the Carnotians that same great GAVFRIDVS for hee vvas present and stoode next to the man of God If quoth he they take it with a good Faith they shall be healed To vvhome the Holy Father nothing doubting of our Lordes power said It is not this that I vvould say but verilie whosoeuer they be that tast it they shall be healed that thereby they may know vs to be the very and true Ministers of God And there so huge a multitude of diseased persons by tasting the same bread recouered that ouer al the countrey this word was talked and the holie man returning ouer the places vvhich were there by was faine to goe out of his way for intollerable concourse of people and feared to goe thither Ep. 241. And of the same doth Saint Bernard himselfe in his Epistle afterward to those Tolousians make mention in these wordes Wee thanke God for that our comming to you was not in vaine Our tariance in deede vvas short vvith you but not vnfruitfull Veritate nimirum per nos manifestata non solum in Sermone sed etiam in virtute deprehensi sunt Lupi The truth being by vs made manifest not only by preaching but also by working the Wolues were deprehended c. In which his writing hee imitateth S. Paule to the Thessalonians 1. Thes 2. where hee saieth Euangelium nostrum non fuit ad vos in Sermone tantum sed in virtute c. Our Gospel was not vnto you in preaching onelie but in working of Miracles c. And vnto the Corinthians he saith touching their false Apostles Veniam autem ad vos cito si Dominus voluerit 1. Cor. 4. cognoscam non sermonem eorum qui inflati sunt sed virtuteÌ„ c. I will come vnto you quicklie and if it be Gods will and then will I consider not of the preaching of those proud Masters but of their power in working c. For these true Ministers of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Saint Paule and Saint Bernard knew well that the same our Lord had giuen such a token to know his Ministers saying Signa autem eos qui crediderint haec sequentur Mar. 16. In nomine meo daemonia eijcient linguis loquentur nouis serpentes tollent si mortiferum quid biberint non tis nocebit These Miracles shall follow such as beleeue in me In my name they shall cast out Diuels they shall speake new languages they shall take vp Serpents and if they drinke any poison it shall not hurt them For which cause Saint Paule in his second Epistle to the Corinthians threatning to come againe vnto them and then to Excommunicate the offenders without sparing of anie 2. Cor. 13. Praedixi praedico vt praesens nunc absens iâ—s qui aâ—te peccauerunâ— caeteris omnibus quoniam si venero iterum non parcam proueth this authority of his to excommunicate with the power of Christ vnto such as would perhaps not feare it by his working of Miracles amongst them with the power likewise of Christ An experimentum quaeritis eius qui in me loquitur Christus qui in vobis non infirmatur sed potens est in vobis What
doe you seeke a proofe of him that speaketh in me Christ who in you â—s not weake but mightie he is in you Whereby it is manifest that they doe miserably forget themselues vvho feare not the excommunications of Pius Quintus of holy memorie in whome Christ himselfe to haue spoken and excommunicated as in S. Paule vnlesse peraduenture they beleeue not neither in Christ himselfe needing therfore that S. Paule say to them also Vosmetipsos tentate si estis in fide ipsi vos probate c. they might coÌ„sider by the miracles that Christ by him as by S. Paule did worke hee vvith his prayers and signing of the Crosse casting Diuels out of fiue women in open procession Vide Epistolas Germanorum quorundaÌ„ Surius Chronologia edit 1572. as very many oculati testes doe to this day beare witnesse some of them also hauing put it in print and the Chronicles of this time commonlie recording it And in consideration of this that God must needs be confessed to be with them that by his power doe thus worke Miracles the Apostles and other Christians in the first beginning praied thus Et nunc Domine respice in minas eorum Act. 4. da seruis tuis cum omni fiducia loqui verbum tuum in eo quod manum tuam extendas ad sanitates signa prodigia fieri per nomeÌ„ sancti Filij tui Iesu And now Lord looke to the threates of our enimies and graunt thy seruants to speake thy vvord vvith all confidence by this that thou stretch forth thy hand to healing and Miracles wonders to be wrought by the name of thy holy sonne Iesus Which euen so to haue bin done Saint Marke witnesseth saying that the Apostles after Christes sending of them Marke 16. Went and preached euerie where our Lorde woorkeing with them and confirmeing their preaching with Miracles that followed Whereupon it is most certainely inferred that wee who haue for our Preachers and Religion such confirmation from God are of Christ our Lord and that the Protestants Puritans which vtterly are destitute of all such confirmation are not of Christs sending but that they come of their owne head by the instigation of Inimicus homo The enimie man Mat. 13. to destroy the seed sowen before by the true Sower in euerie Christian Countrie with the mighty operation of meruailous Miracles such as by our men were wrought and still are wrought in all Nations speciallie at their first conuersion vvhich is a thing well knowen to all that are anie thing read in Histories Visions ANOTHER sure and infallible way verie like to that of Miracles going next afore to finde out vvho haue the truth we or the Protestantes is this to consider in all ages of what side were those persons of ours or of the Protestantes and of what side were and are those doctrines of ours or of the Protestants which persons and doctrines or also doctrines alone and not the persons as sometimes hath happened God in any age hath commended with heauenly Visions For that vvaie doth Saint Paul himselfe vse to commeÌ„d both himselfe and his doctrine vnto the Corinthians against the deprauing of their false Apostles and Heretykes Veniam autem ad visiones reuelationes Domini scio hominem in Chriflo c. 2. Cor. 12. Now will I come to Visions and Reuelations of our Lord. I know a man in Christ fourtene yeares ago whether in hys bodie I know not or out of his body I know not God knoweth the same man to haue bin rapt euen vnto the third heauen And I know the same man whether in his bodie or out of his bodie I know not God knoweth that he was rapt in Paradise and heard secret words such as a man may not tell Pro huiusmodi gloriabor prome autem nihil gloriabor nisi in infirmitatibus meis Of such a man will I boast but of my selfe by name will I nothing boast but onlie in mine infirmities 2. Pet 1. Saint Peter likewise alleging his Vision for so it is called in the Gospell of our Lordes Transfiguration in the Mount Mat 17. is nothing afeard of that kind of argument but sayeth boldlie For wee haue not followed craftie fables in preaching vnto you the power and presence of our Lord Iesus Christ but beholders wee were afore of his Maiestie For receauing of God his Father honor and glory comming downe vnto him such a voyce from the magnificent Glorie Thys is my beloued Son in whom I haue pleased my selfe him doe you heare And this voice heard we brought froÌ„ heauen when wee were with hym in the Holie Mount Also for the Christening of vs that be Gentiles Act. 10. et 11. hee had a Vision of a Sheete vvith all kindes of beastes in yt both cleane and vncleane a voyce bidding him from heauen kyll and eate of them all which Vision he eftsones alleageth boldlie in defence of that his doing He allegeth also in the Actes of the Apostles for the truth of Christes Religion Act. 2. a Prophecie of Ioel in the which amongest other signes and argumentes of the truth thereof this also is promysed to be one Ioel. 2. And your sonnes saith hee and your daughters shall prophecie and your yong-men shall see Visions and your elder sort shal dreame dreames c. Finallie of this sort wee haue one whole booke of the new Testament named the Apocalipse or Reuelation or Visions of Saint Iohn Now then for a few examples consider ye of Saint Monica the mother of S. Augustine a woman verie much accustomed to meruailous VisioÌ„s sent her of God as Saint Augustine himselfe witnesseth in many places of hys deuout Confessions CoÌ„fes l. 3. ca. 11. namely how on a tyme beginning to detest and abhorre her sonne being yet a Manichee and to refrayne from eating with him for hys blaspemies shee had a dreame in vvhich she saw herselfe stand vpon a wodden ruler as straight as a line and a yong man comming vnto her shining pleasant and smiling vpon her she being then heauy and with heauines a most spent VVho after that he had asked of her the causes of her heauines and daylie weeping she answering that it was for my perdition sayth Saint Augustine bad her to be without care willing her to maâ—ke and behold that vvhere she was there was I also which when she had marked shee saw mee standing by her vpon the same ruler saith he in signe that he should turne to be of her Religion although not before that time nine yeares Consider now I say of what Relygion was this holie woman for of the same you see was S. Augustine himselfe afterward and the same in him by God himself both promised and perfourmed whether she were a Protestante or a catholike such as we be She beleeued and knew CoÌ„fes l. 9. ca. 4. Co los 2. that from of the Aultar was ministred and dispensed Victima
will they nil they a false point this is and to be found as I haue saied in none but Heretikes And therefore they doe well to be good to their companions in the case of S. Iames Epistle Saint Lukes Gospel and others moe bycause they are plainly vnder the same iudgement themselues specially for the bookes of the Machabees We on the other side most obediently receaue and beleeue all Scriptures Canonicall Whereby to any reasonable man yt may be manifest which in it selfe is most certaine that of the same there is no part to our doctrine repugnant but all without exception to vs agreing all against heretikes vndoubtedly and that in some partes so openly that they haue no other shift but by denying Traditions most certaine THE true Church alwayes hath together vvith the whole Scripture beleeued and embraced Traditions and vvhatsoeuer companie there euer vvas vvhich was faine to crie for onlie Scriptures and to denie most certayne Traditions of the Apostles theyr doctrine for whose defence they were fayne so to doe vvas euer Heresie and they most surely Heretikes and for such at length holden by all Christendom what so euer deceaued followers for a vvhyle they had For this cause saith Saint Paul to the Church of the Corinthians Laudo autem vos fratres 1 Cor. 11. quod per omnia mei memores estis sicut tradidi vobis praecepta mea tenetis I commend you brethren that in all things you remember me and euen as I deliuered vnto you you keepe my Traditions Tas paradoseis And to the Church of the Thessalonians Itaque fratres 2. Thes 3. state tenete Traditiones quas didicistis siue per sermonem siue per Epistolam nostram Therefore be constant brethern hold fast the Traditions which you haue byn taught either by our word or by our Epistle And for the same cause saith Saint Basile Dogmata De Spiritu san ca. 27. quae in Ecclesia praedicantur quaedam habemus e doctrina scripto tradita quaedam rursus ex Apostolorum traditione in mysterio id est in occulto tradita recepimus quorum vtraque parem vim habent ad pietatem Nec his quisquam contradicet quisquis sane vel tenuiter experous est quae sunt iura Ecclesiastica The matters of doctrine and preaching vvhich in the Church are kepte some of them vvee haue by teachyng committed to wryting some againe we haue receaued by the Apostles tradition in mysterie that is to saie in secret delyuered vnto vs both which are of like weight touching Gods seruice Neyther will anie man gaine-say these whosoeuer surely hath any sight in the Churches orders And that Saint Basile herein is not singular it is manifest by thys besides much els that might be sayed that the vvhole Church Aug haer 84. Epiph. haer 78. and the Protestantes also them-selues holde for Heretykes the Heluidians for the denying the Apostolicall Tradition of our Blessed Ladies Euer-more remayning a Virgin to say nothing of many other lykevvise condemned Heretikes for the like denying of Traditions So then hath the Church bysides Scripture certayne Traditions and them alwaies in great estimation But Heretikes contrariwise haue had the custome to make exceptiō against Tradition allowing nothing but only Scrypture Thereupon saied Maximinus a Bishopp of the Arrians to Saint Augustine Con. Max. li. 1. Si quid de diuinis Scripturis protuleris quod commune est cum omnibus necesse est vt audiamus Hae vero voces quae extra Scripturam sunt nullo casu a nobis suscipiūtur c. If thou bring any thing out of the Diuine Scriptures vvhich is common with all we must needes heare it But these wordes which are without Scripture in no case are of vs receaued And to the same effect did Constantius the Arrian Emperour gyue out an Edict Epiph. hae 72. Hila li. con Const Vt Episcopi nihil praeter diuinas Scripturas Ecclesiasticae fidei adderēt That Bishops should besides the diuine Scriptures put nothing to the Churches faith Many other Heretikes might here be brought forth vvith the lyke sayings but that my purpose is here rather to set short Conclusions plainly directing the meeke and humble into the truth and mightily cōfounding the stubborne enimy than with heaps of exāples to make great Volumes Now then that these Traditions be with vs and against the Protestants although it be manyfest ynough by this that we obediently embrace Traditions and they vnfaithfully refuse them and also otherwise vvell knowen to most men neither of themselues denied yet to satisfie all men it may for examples sake be remembred that S. Chrysostome saieth Ho 69. ad populum Antiochenum Ab Apostolis haec sancita fuerunt vt in tremendis Mysterijs defunctorum agatur commemoratio c. It hath byn by the Apostles decreed that at the dreadful Misteries so he calleth the holy Canon of the Masse there should be made a commemoratiō of the dead c. And that Saint Ierome calleth it Munus quod necessitate offertur Ep. 54. an oblation which we are bound to offer vnam quadragesimā secundum Traditionem Apostolorum toto anno ieiunare to fast one fourtie dayes in the yeare according to the Apostles Tradition And that Saint Ciprian saieth it is Dominica Traditio Li. 2. ep 3 our Lords Tradition that in offering the Chalice the wine be mingled Epi. 118. cap. 6. And that Saint Augustine saith of Saint Paul Totum illum agendi ordinem quem vniuersum per orberi seruat Ecclesia ab ipso ordinatum esse c. That by him was ordayned this order of doyng vvhich through the whole world the Church doth keepe in doing of Masse with sundrie other Traditions which I omitte plainly witnessed by antiquitie to haue come from the Apostles and in our Church to this daie vsed and of the Heretikes quite reiected A plaine Argument that ours is the Church that foloweth the steppes of Christ and his Apostles and theirs to be the heire of the Arrians and other damned Heretikes a lymne and Messenger of that lost sonne Antichrist The Churches Commaundement ALwaies since Christes Ascension who-soeuer haue at any tyme resisted the common knovven Visible Church graunting that in the beginning it was to be seene and to be obeied for that is so plaine in the Holy Scripture it selfe of the Acts of the Apostles that they cannot denie it but that afterward it became inuisible and fell from Christ and therefore no longer to be obeied who soeuer I say haue thus done and spoken they were euer Schismatikes and Heretikes and in the end forsaken of all Christian men one and other how soeuer for a time they deceaued the world Let our aduersaries bring forth if they can one example to the contrarie sure it is that they can not And therefore they are themselues such as I haue sayd Schismatikes and Heretikes and for such no doubt at length will generally
necessarie for mee to aske counsell of Peters Chayre and of the fayth praised by Saint Paules mouth c. Noe sticking at the monstrous space of sea land that is betwene Vbicunque fuerit corpus Mat. 24. illuc congregantur aquilae Wheresoeuer is the carkase thither vvill the egles gather c. Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens Beatitudini tuae id est Cathedrae Petri communione consocior I following none but Christ first am ioyned in communiō to your Blessednes that is to the Chaire of Peter Super illam Petram aedificatam Ecclesiā scio Vpon that Rock I know the Church is builded c. And because I am so far of from you Ideo hic Collegas tuos Aegiptios confessores sequor therefore here I follow them of your syde the Confessors of Egypt c. Quicunque tecum nō colligit spargit hoc est qui Christi non est Antichristi est Who soeuer gathereth not with you he scattereth that is to say who so is not of Christes syde he is of Antichrists syde c. Obsecro Beatitudinem tuam per Crucifixū mundi salutem per homousion Trinitatem vt mihi epistolis tuis siue tacendarum siue dicendarum hypostaseon detur authoritas I beseech your Blessednes for hys sake that vvas crucified the Saluation of the vvorld and for the Consubstantial Trinities sake that by your Letters authoritie may be gyuen me to say or not to say these Hypostases Read the whole Epistle Finally true it is I saie generallie without exception that alwaies as Catholikes haue earnestly kept and dilygently sought the vnity and communiō of the See of Rome so were they euer Heretikes or Schismatikes that cōtemned the same especially after that they were by it condemned for such were they at the length by the whole world taken if they continued wilfull and obstinate in the said rebellion Therefore the Protestants and other Sectaries of this time vvho haue binne by so many worthy Bishops of that holy See accursed and haue notwithstandyng so many yeares desperatly continued in their disobedience are Schismatikes and Heretikes and so wil they one day be accompted of all Christian men when as in al Heretikes that were afore our time so in these shal be fulfilled Saint Paules most certaine Prophecie 1. Tim. 3. Insipientia eorum manifesta erit omnibus their folly shal be knowē of al men as thanks be to God it hath of late yeares wel begonne to be and namely in our Countrie where notwithstanding their continual preaching for these sixtene yeares and the Catholikes all that while beyng put to silence yet haue they now fewer folowers without comparison then they had whē they began for no other cause but for that the folly of Heresie as Saint Paule hath told vs is such that through Gods working men of their owne accord in time wil see it and seeing wil forsake it Which when as by the mercy of God Catholikes shall haue there againe their liberty will no doubt much more and in short time generally of al men be done For certaine it is as I haue saied that none haue bin from Christes Ascention to this our age by the Apostolyke See condemned in maner aboue-sayed but they haue binne also after-ward by all Chtistian men with one consent abhorred and detested howsoeuer they haue for a time abused their vile tongues against the said See for condemning thē calling it Cathedram pestilentiae the Chaire of pestilence as did the Pelagians Augustine con lit Petil li. 2. cap. 51. or the seat of Antichrist or by such like termes of blasphemie Councels VVHOM so euer any Councell of Bishopps Generall or Prouinciall confirmed by the See Apostolyke hath at any tyme condemned as Heretykes they were Heretykes in dede as such they were at length forsaken of all men howsoeuer for a tyme Emperours Kinges or Queenes multitude of folowers shew of learning opinion of holines or any other mā or thing did vphold them Neither against thys can there be brought any exception Remember all the times who so that will that were before vs. The Nycene Councell condemned the Arrians for denying the Godhead of Gods Sonne the Constātinopolitan condemned the Macedoniās for denying the Godhead of the holy Ghost the Ephesine Councel condemned the Nestorians for diuiding Christs own person into two the Councell of Chalcedon condemned the Eutichians for making but one of Christs two Natures an other Councell of Constantinople condemned the Monothelits for leauing in Christ but one wil only other Councels condemned others And the end alwayes vvas that the Councell preuailed the Heretykes were suppressed For those Heretykes which I haue rehearsed which in theyr time raigned each one very farre infected meruaylous great multitudes of sinful vnconstant soules yea many Emperours also and Empresses Kinges and Queenes States Countries c. novv at thys tyme and many hundred years before this time what one folower haue they had Haue they not bin generally forsakē Haue not those Councels which condemned them of al Christēdome bin embraced Yea by the verie Parlament lavv Si Dijs placet of our Protestants in England haue not foure of them bin allowed with the Scriptures for good touchstoanes of Heresie So mightie is the authoritie so vndoubted is the verytie of such a Councell And that wel worthie as being a thing wonderfully commended vnto vs by the Example of the Apostles and first Christians in the acts of the Apostles where we haue the first lineaments of Christes Church and the orders of the same There wee see how that a very great Question being raised by certaine Prechers saying Act. 15. that wee Gentiles without circunciding of our selues after the maner of Moyses lavve can not be saued although wee beleeue in Christ the matter was referred vnto a Councell of the Apostles and other priests at Ierusalē Who after great searching debating of the matter determined it vvith Visum est Spiritui sancto nobis it hath pleased the holy Ghost vs that Christian men of the Gentils should not be bound to the law of Moises making also certayne Decrees of such to be obserued And after this what effect toke the Councell Mary S. Paule and Silas vvent ouer many Countries and Cities Act. 16. preaching and deliuered vnto them to kepe the Decrees that vvere decreed by the Apostles and Priests that vvere at Hierusalem And this same order euer since that time in like cases hath the Holy Ghost the guid leader of the Church into all Truth caused the Church alwaies to obserue making by his diuine power Councels to be assembled to be furdered to be agreed to be finished to be receaued That we doe worthily refer this proceeding prospering of Councels in the Catholike Church to God almyghty any reasonable man wil sone cōfesse that cōsidereth out of how many countries languages maners wits persōs about how many matters
haue beene in error but that it needeth not being a thing otherwise well known to all such as heare their Sermons or be in place to heare them talke boldly and familiarly together amongst themselues where they are not afraide plainely to confesse that the Fathers all were Papistes as I haue already sufficiently proued and vvill with the help of GOD more largely proue hereafter if it be required desiring the Reader for this time to holde himselfe content with this one fresh saying of Laurence Humphrey Libel de vita Iewel speaking of Iewels famous chalenging Sermon afore-mentioned vvherein he prouoked the Catholikes to trie vvith him the mater by the Scriptures Councelles Fathers and examples of the first sixe hundred yeares of Christes Church Thereupon thus saith Humphrey Nimium largitus est vocis plus aequo concessit sibi nimium fuit iniurius c. Et seipsum Et Ecclesiam quodammodo spoliauit Siquidem Daemoniacorum quaestio est Quid nobis tibi est Iesu fili Dauid Sed interrogatio Sanctorum est Quid nobis rei cum Patribus cum carne sanguine Too much he gaue to you hee graunted more then vvas meete and to himselfe hee was too iniurious c. Both himselfe and the Church after a sort he spoiled For it is the question of men possessed what haue we thou to doe O Iesus the Sonne of Dauid But the demaunde of Saintes it is what haue wee to doe with the Fathers with flesh and blood Such Saints as you heard a little afore were not S. Ambrose not Saint Augustine nor anie other Saint of Heauen but the Saintes of this Canonizers nevv Calendare such as Saint Paulus Samosatenus Saint Nestorius and other Heretikes of accursed memorie vvho were in their life time Ranae Cyniphes Exod. 8. Muscae moriturae quales sunt Pelagiani Frogges and Gnats Libel aduersus prophanas omnium haeresum innouationes and Flies that shall not last such as be the Pelagians as Vincentius Lirinensis for this theyr croking against the Fathers verie aptlie termeth them in that passing fine book of his written by him aboue a thousand yeares agoe of the same argument that this our treatise Nobis inquiunt authoribus nobis principibus nobis expositoribus damnate quae tenebatis tenete quae damnabatis reijcite antiquam fidem paterna instituta MaioruÌ„ deposita c. Take vs say they to the Catholikes for your Authors vs for your Leaders vs for your Interpreters vpon our word condemne yee the things that you held hold yee the thinges that you condemned cast away the old faith the fathers teachinges the thinges that your Elders left you to keepe c. This I say with him was the croking of those Egyptiacall frogs while they were liuing which now are quackling yalping with the Diuels in Hell froÌ„ whence they came as Saint Iohns Apocalips beareth witnesse Cap. 16. Now therfore let any reasonable maÌ„ anie that would saue his soule yea anie that thinketh himselfe to haue a Soule weigh consider with himselfe what he hath to doe whether to venture his soule with such frogs of Hell men vtterly destitute of all things wherwith preachers of Truth should be commended and found to haue all the marks of false Masters Heretikes or to bestow it in the way of the old Holy Fathers men most learned most gratious most miraculous their way so sure that it hath brought them vnto heauen where they be novv Saints most glorious by the confession of all men most vndoubtedly Certaine it is that none euer haue left their vvay but only Heretikes and therefore Protestantes and Puritans be Heretikes Their followers then can not looke for any other place after this life but that which is prepared for Heretikes which by the witnes of S. Paul himselfe cannot be the Kingdome of HeaueÌ„ Gal. 1. For aduouterers saith he murderers sorcerers heretiks such like regnuÌ„ Dei non consequentur shall not possesse Gods kingdome Martyrs NEXT of all let it be well considered what Church that is which hath in the roll of her owne children so manie which both wee and our Aduersaries acknowledge to be true Martyrs in deede that here I say nothing of other orders of Saints in heauen confessed by vs both consider I say whether all those which by our Church are enrolled in the number of Martyrs in the common Calendare who to Laurence Humphrey now that Iewell hath in learning life and Miracles so farre passed them al are al but Sanctuli hold heauen by any Church but ours Or whether any one of them all were of any other faith then ours Name any one of them all and prooue it by good record that he was of your Church or of your faith and let my name be blotted out of heauen for euer But the contrarie that they were not of your Church vndoubtedly thus I proue most euidently presupposing first that no man will doubt but that they were all of one Church so that it shall be sufficiently proued that none of them all were Protestantes if I proue that some one of them were not a protestaÌ„t which I may easily do by many kindes of strong arguments and will hereafter with Gods help if need be But now may one plaine argument well suffice and that common to all the old vndoubted martyrs but it will I onely in one exemplifie This it is All those holie martyrs were of the same Religion that they were of which prayed vnto them which worshipped their Relikes which went a Pilgrimage to their Churches and that whether it were our Religion or the Protestantes who knoweth not my example shall be S. Steuen himselfe of whose true martyrdome no man can doubt that beleeueth Saint Luke S. Paule the Scriptures Act. 6.7 8. 22. and God himselfe Now that he as all other Holy martyrs was and is of the same Religion that the persons aforesaid it is manifestly and inuincibly prooued by this that hee as all other holie martyrs did with the power of God Almightie heare and helpe those persons that in maner aforesaid sought vnto him to the same purpose also reuealing by visions the place where his Relikes were hidden with the Relikes of Saint Gamaâ—iel Gennad in Catalogo Saint Nicodemus and others to Lucianus a Priest of Ierusalem who wrote in Greeke the Historie of his inuention to the same purpose I say for these are the very wordes of S. Gamaliel appearing the third time vnto Lucian Exurge igitur vade In Ep. Lucia â—i dic illi vt aperiat nobis faciat locum orationis vt intercessione nostra misereatur Dominus populo suo Vp therefore and goe to the Bishop and say vnto him that he open vnto vs and make a place of prayer that by our intercession our LORD may haue mercy vpon his people And all this may be proued by such certaine witnesse of so many
life in his defiance are the worst sort of damned soules in Hel. But contrariwise let all Catholike men that suffer reioice in Christ be of good coÌ„fort being assured that they are persecuted for the right faith as by this Tretise they see for the very same that was the faith of all holy Martyrs before this time And therefore to them pertayneth no lesse then to the Thessalonians thys saying of Saint Paule You brethren 1. Thes 2. are made imitators of Gods Churches that are in Iurie bycause the same things you haue also suffered of your own countrimâ—n as also they of the Iewes To them belongeth this saying also to the PHILIPPIANS Phil. 1. Be ye for nothing afeard of your aduersaries Which to them is cause of perdition but to you of Saluation that of God Faith and suffering both Gods giftes bycause vnto you it is giuen for Christ not only to beleeue in him but also to suffer for him hauing the same fight as both you haue seene in me and now you heare of me Finally the same fight that al Christs martyrs haue susteyned God by hys wonderful myracles wel declaring that they which pray vnto the Martyrs and the Martyrs that we pray vnto be all of one faith verily not the Protestants faith as themselus must needs and wil confesse but our only Catholike Faith Their Own Doctors HERE after so many so euident so vndoubted waies afore declared to finde the TRVTH by the Names of Catholikes and Heretikes by Miracles and Visions by the Scriptures by Traditions by the Church by the See Apostolike by Councels by the Auncient Fathers and Martyrs which all I haue brieflie but to any indifferent man sufficiently and clearelie shewed to make for vs most certainly to stand all in open field against our aduersaries novv for the next Motiue I would haue it considered by anie man that is not wilfull that the Protestantes and Puritans are out of the way euen by the iudgement also of their own adherents such as themselues doe in word and hart like well of as men of God and therefore consequently condemne them selues Which if I shall proue inuincibly against them will any man be so folish mad and desperat to walke theyr vvay a way I say contrary to so many good guides aboue rehearsed condemned by their owne Masters by themselues in hart misliked First then let their Graundsier Luther come forth and say his minde of these his whealpes who in theyr Apologie call him a man Diuinitus datum ad illustrandum orbem Apol. Eccl. Anglic. giuen by God to lighteÌ„ the world He falling first himselfe from the Church of God about the yeare 1517. seeing shortly after in the yere 1524. his owne Disciple Carolostadius fall againe from him to be the author of the Heresie against our Sauiours reall presence in the Blessed Sacrament who afterward of Zuinglius were called Zuinglians and now of Caluine be named Caluinists after that he had many yeares together written much and full bitterly against the sayed Heretikes of his owne descent many meanes also of agrâ—â—ment making betwene them being attâ—â—pted but al in vaine and to no puoposâ—â— theyr discord daily more more increasing two yeares before his death in the yeare 1545. gaue he them his blessing wherein amongest other vvordes thus he sayed Quicunque credere nolunt Libel in ZuingliaÌ„ panem Domini in caena illius esse verum ac naturale corpus quod Iudas impius non minus percipiat ore quam Diuus percipiat Petrus Sancti omnes hâ—c inquam quisquis credere noÌ„ vult is a me abstineat Epistolis scriptis vel sermone neque vllam meam expectet communionem Oleum enim operamque perdiderit Who soeuer will not beleeue the Lords bread in the Supper to be his true and naturall body which Iudas and the wicked receaueth with hys mouth no lesse then Saint Peter receaueth it and all that be holy this I say whosoeuer wil not beleeue let him refraine from me for Epistls for writing or for talking neither let him loke for any communicating of me with him And a little after he sayeth further Suermeris nihil contulerit quod circa SacrameÌ„tum pius unum illi nugantur de spirituali esu potati te Corporis Sanguinis Christi de Chrisâ—â— orum charitate atque vnitate Et frustra quâ—que illi in Deum Patrem Filium Spiritum sanctuÌ„ Christum Seruatorem credunt Omnia inquaÌ„ haec nihil illis prosunt quaÌ„tumuis sane incuipate ea mendaci ac blasphemo ore pronunciant quando hunc vnum negant articulum eumque falsi in simulant dum de Sacramento Christus ait accipite panem manducate hoc est corpus meum It shall nothing helpe the Suermerians that about the Sacrament they trifle very much vpon the spirituall eating and drinckyng of Christes body and blood and vppon Christian mens charity and vnity Yea they also in vaine beleue in God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and in Christ the Sauiour Al these thinges I say nothing auaile them how soundlie soe euer and vnblamedly they pronounce them with their lying and blasphemous mouth seeing that they denie this one Article He corrupteth the Scripture to help his Heresie of the bread to be Christs bodie and lay falshood to hys charge whereas Christ sayeth of the Sacrament take bread and eate thys is my body Thus you see what this man of God this light of the world maketh of our English Caluinistes Lyers Blasphemers voyde of his felowshipp men without our Sauiour Christ and the Blessed Trinitie Haue they not trow you in so praising Luther shewed men a candle to see by it their owne fowle faces and a light wherby to runne out of their coÌ„pany Let them loke wel therefore what excuse they will pretend at the last day to the Iudge of al that remaine stil with them that flie not from them For another example of their condeÌ„nation by their own folowers read who list the Compilers of the Centuries named Magdeburgenses Magdeburgenses in their Epistle dedicatorie of the seuenth Centurie There shall he see a long discourse against this that the Ciuell Magistrate should haue the Gouernment as well in causes Ecclesiastical as temporal Which is the very foundatioÌ„ of all our Protestants building in England and the only key of their whole Religion After many other wordes thus they say Sint sane ipsi Magistratus meÌ„bra partes ciues Ecclesiae Dei imo vt ex toto corde sint omnes precari decet Flagrent ipsi quoque zelo pietatis Sed non sint Capita Ecclesiae quia ipsis non competit iste Primatus The very Magistrates also let them hardly be lymmes and partes and Citizens of the Church of God mary that with all their hart they so may be it is meet for all to pray Let them also be
if need be As on the contrarie side for their owne confession of the truth of our Religion not onely in some part as in the two points afore touched of the Sacrament and Supremacie but also in the very whole well nere much may be alleaged out of their writings One place for this time may serue that out of Luthers booke against the Anabaptistes written many yeares after his fall where thus he saith An. 1528. we confesse that vnder the Pope-dome are manie good Christian thinges yea all good Christian thinges and that from thence we had them We confesse pardie that in the Popedome is the true holie Scripture true Baptisme true Sacrament of the Aultar true keyes to remit sinnes true office of preaching true Catechisme as the Lordes prayer and tenne Commaundements and Articles of the Faith c. I say moreouer that vnder the Popedome is true Christianitie yea the true kernell of Christianitie The Catholike Faith in England mightilie planted and lightly chaunged IN this place before I goe anie further to bring more light vnto our matter according to the example of S. Paules question to the Galathians changing their first religion from the faith of Christ to the law of Moyses Qui tribuit vobis Spiritum Gal. 3. operatur virtutes in vobis ex operibus legis an ex auditu fidei God giuing the Holy Ghost vnto you and working Miracles amongest you did hee it by workes of the Law or by preaching of the faith as if wee would say now by preachers of Protestancy or as they call it of Papâ—strie according to this example of S. Paule I say let it be first remembred what Religion that was in which was planted in our Countrey at our first conuersion vnto Christ by our Apostle Saint Augustine the Holie Monke that Saint Gregorie sent vnto vs about a thousand yeares agoe at which tyme wee English-men were first made Christians being before alwayes as other Paynims and Heathens without hope or knowledge of Christ and saluatyon giuen wholly to the seruing of Idols And to be short this matter may be soone knowen out of the Ecclesiasticall History of our owne Countryman Saint Bede a man of great holynes and learning of great credit fame throughout the vniuersall Church of God both in his life and euer since his death who lyued shortly after the time of our first Conuersion and vvrote the Historie of it in 5. bookes a worke very worthy S. Bedes Storie very expedient very profitable and verie necessarie to be read of all English-men that desyre to haue vnderstanding of things belonging much to their saluation There shall you finde it so plainlie that the Religion then brougt in vvas this very same that now the Protestants haue thrust out that no man either can or as I remember doth denie it For example in the first Booke Cap. 25. they came in with Crosse Image of Christ with ProcessioÌ„ cap. 26. in Dover they vsed to say Masse with many other points of our ReligioÌ„ that may there be found Goe on then consider how the said Monke our Apostle with his fellovves perswaded our Nation to that Religion In the first boke Cap. 26 you shall find that the King was brought to beleue to be baptized by their working of many Miracles and namely in the second Boke cap. 2. how that hee chalenged the stubborne Britons who being Christians yet dissented from the rest of the Church in peculiar practise of some certayne pointes of Religion to trie the truth betwene them by restoring a blind man to his sight in such maner as Elias vpon sure confidence in God chalenged the false prophets of Baal The Britons could not doe it 3. Reg. 28. but Saint Augustine did perfourme it as hee wrought also very many mo such wonderfull Miracles In somuch that S. Gregorie in an Epistle that hee sent him which is to be seene Lib. 1. ca. 31. thought good to admonish him of humilitie knowing that S. Paul him-selfe had neede to haue giuen vnto him an Angel of Satan to boxe and buffet him 2. Cor. 12. least that in the greatnes of hys VisioÌ„s he might haue chaunced to take pride Likewise that he had the gift of Prophecie and thereby foretold the destruction of those Britons which euen so came afterward to passe you shal find in the second Boke second Chapter Al this now wel considered whereas the Protestants for that they see this maÌ„ of God to haue byn so euidently on our side speake much horrible Blasphemie of him not fearing God at al who so coÌ„mended him for his true seruant let vs thinke that wee here him say vnto vs in hys ovvne commendation compelled thereunto by these our corrupters and his dispraysers as Saint Paul in the like case and vpon the like necessitie said of himselfe vnto his Corinthians 1. Cor. 9. Si alijs noÌ„ sum Apostolus tamen vobis sum Nam signaculum Apostolatus mei vos estis in Domino If vnto other people I be not an Apostle yet vnto you I am For the seale of my Apostleship you are put as it were to my letters Patentes by our Lorde through whose power I conuerted you to the faith of Christ 2. Cor. 12. And againe Nihil sum signa tamen Apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia in signis prodigijs virtutibus Nothing am I in deed yet the signs of an Apostle were wrought by me among you in all patience in Miracles and wonders deedes of power What wil we answere to this his saying or what can we answere Can wee denie his argument but it is Saint Paules It proued well Saint Paul to haue binne an Apostle whether those false masters of the Corinthians would or no. It proueth therefore Saint Augustine likwise to haue byn an Apostle a man sent of God vnto vs vvhether our false Preachers will or no vvhereunto no doubt they shal neuer be able to answere Let vs then againe consider vvhat causes or reasons haue carried vs awaie from his true Gospell into the false gospel of these men what Miracles what Visions what Scriptures what Catholikes what Traditions what Councels vvhat Bishopps of the See Apostolike vvhat other such thinges as afore I haue shevved to make for hys Gospell If none of all these thinges lead vs into this new Gospell but against them all we went into it say then what els did the deed An odious matter it is to rip all vpp in particular and wise men know all well only in generall doe I appeale to all mens consciences whether anie thing els first lead and now keepeth our vnhappie Countrie in thys false Gospell but only the world the flesh and the Diuell And therefore may our Apostle Saint Augustine say well vnto vs as Saint Paul the Aposte said to his Galathians Gal. 2. Miror quod sic tam cito transferimini ab eo
the same euer since that time no exaÌ„ple being able to be brought vnto the contrary Wherefore the Protestants and Puritans bycause they are not sent but come of their owne heades are but as all other Heretikes they are not of Christes Church they are as hee of whom Saint Paul in a brief description of a false-apostle said 2. Cor. 11. Si is qui venit If he that commeth They are as Christ hath said Ioan. 10. Qui non intrat per ostium in ouile ouium sâ—d ascendit aliunde ille fur est latro vvho so entreth not by the dore into the shep fold but getteth himself vp another way he is a stealer and a robber And therefore must the shepe beware of them not heare them flee from them remeÌ„bring that fur non venit nisi vt furetur mactet perdat The theefe commeth not but to steale and to murder and to destroy Vnto this they neuer were nor neuer shal be able for to answere no exaÌ„ple being to be giuen in al this time of Christes Church but that the Preachers stil were sent in such order and by such persons as I haue saied no exâ—mple of any sent our of order al this while finally no exaÌ„ple also of any aforetime that vvas sent out of order that had not withall giuen vnto him the grace of Miracles or Prophecie or of both as Moyses and some others in the old Testament our Heretykes being of those graces altogeather destitute therefore by no meanes to be accompted Gods ministers namly in this time of the nevv Testament where neither they worke Miracles neyther any haue bin euer sent but only by order Succession COnsider moreouer vvhat Church is that which can giue you in plaine authenticall vvriting the lavvfull orderly intiere without any breach and sound notorious Succession of Bishopes Pastors and Priestes with theyr whole and seueral flockes euer synce the Apostles tyme. Can not ours thus doe Or can the Protestants thus doe Or was it euer the true Church that could not so doe Or was it not euer the true Church that could so doe What one of al these things can be denied or with any exception be disproued Who readeth in the new Testament the Actes the Epistles and other writings of the Apostles with the Ecclesiastical Histories of the tymes that folowed which can be ignorant of this that the Church once begonne by and in the Apostles did afterward grow on and spread it selfe ouer al places and through al ages by this Succession So that whosoeuer will say at this day them-selues to be the true Church it is as necessarie for them to be come of the Apostles by a certaine Order of Bisshoppes continually succeding one another from that time to this time as it is necessarie for vs that now are Adames children to be come of Adam by a continual petigrew of our Fathers GraÌ„dfathers and other progenitors euen till his time So likewise as it is necessarie for the feete to be referred to the head by certaine articles ioyntes one after another ouer al the whole body and not enough to say that they hang and hold with the head bycause they come of the neck vnlesse they also haue their depeÌ„daunce by the shoulders and so douneward ouer al the body eueÌ„ by the knees legges and ancles And in this doth S. Hierome note all Heretikes to faile where he saith In Mic. â— Haeretici non habent diuitias de paterna hareditate venientes Heretikes haue not such riches as come to men by plaine inheritance from their Fathers And namely to the Donatists vpon the same saith Optatus De dotibus Ecclesiae Cathedra est prima Lib. 2. quam probauimus per Petrum nostram esse Vestrae Cathedrae vos originem reddite quivobis vultis sanctam Ecclesiam vindicare Missus est victor ex Africa Romanâ— Erat ibi filius sine patre sequens sine antecedente Of the Churches dowries the Chaire or See of Rome is the first which we haue proued by Peter to be ours now the origine of your chair giue you that will challenge to you the holy Church Sent in deed by you out of Afrike was Victor to Rome that you might say you had also on your syde a B. of Rome but he was there as a sonne without a Father a Successor without a Predecessor vvherby he gathereth that the Church of Rome was not for the Donatistes bycause this Victor whom they sent thither to lurke in a corner as their B. of Rome vvas there the first of that sort came not from S Peter by succession For so did only Syricius the true B. of Rome at that time and bycause hee so orderly succeeding to S. Peter vvas with Optatus and the other Catholikes in Afrik not with the Donatists thervpon concludeth Optatus that theyrs was the holy Church not the Donatists for al their fatherlesse apish Bisshopp Victor by them sent thither So sure an argument of the true Church was it euer to haue the B. of Rome Saint Peters Successors societie and so sure an argument of a false Hereticall Church was it euer to sitte without succeding And therefore doth S. Augustine amogest other most certaine Motiues that most iustly kept him in the lap of the Catholike Church giue this for one Con. ep Maenâ— ca. 6. Tenet ab ipsa Sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suâ—â— post resurrectionem Dominus comendauit vsque ad praesentem Episcopatum Successio SacerdotuÌ„ There kepeth me in the said Church the Succession of Priestes from the very sitting of Saint Peter to whom our Lord after his resurrection coÌ„mitted the feeding of his shepe euen to this present Bishop And the same cause so mouing him he proposeth to the consideratioÌ„ of the people of the Donatists as a cause most certaine why they should forsake those heretikes and returne vnto the Catholikes Thus he saith Venite fratres si vultis vt inseramini in vite Dolor est In ps con parteÌ„ Den. cum vos videmus praecisos ita iacere Numerate Sacerdotes vel ab ipsa Petri Sede in ordine illo Patrum quis cui successit videte Ipsa est Petra quam non vincunt superbae inferorum portae Come Brethren if you will that you may be grafted in the vine It is a greife to see you so lie cut of Number the Priestes eueÌ„ from the very sitting of Peter and in that order of Fathers see who suceeded whom That is the rocke which the proud gats of Hel doe not ouercome The verie same likwise giueth TertulliaÌ„ for a most vndoubted prescription agaynst such Heresies as dare vaunt them-selues to haue bene in the Apostles time Quae audent interserere se aetati Apostolicae This is his saying De praescri haer Edant ergo origines Ecclesiarum suarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporum suorum Let them then shew forth the origines of
their Churches Let them vnroll the Succession of their Bisshopps Finallie it is without contradiction by the witnesse of Scriptures Doctors and Historyes a most vndoubted way to know at al times vvho be Heretikes and who be Catholikes and therefore of such as wil not desperatly cast them-selues into Hell deeply and earnestly to be considered Apostolike Church VPON this poynt of Succession is inferred another very vvorthie consideration that whereas not only we in the holy Masse but also the Heretikes in theyr communion professe both to beleeue Vnam Sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam One Holy Catholike and Apostolike Church according to the Crede of the first Constantinopolitan Councel it is our Church that is Apostolike bycause it agreeth in the faith with the Church of Rome in which is the See of an Apostle holding on to this day by Succession and to which was written an Epistle by an Apostle What caÌ„ they here deny doth not our Church the Catholikes I meane of England agree in faith with the Romain Church It is both confessed by the Heretykes who for that cause do call vs Papists and knowen to all men bysides Doth not the Bishop of that Church succeede an Apostle in his See S. Peter was an Apostle and Prince of the Apostles and the first Bishop of Rome which is as euident in it selfe and as certainely may be proued by vndoubted witnesse and as sensibly is sene vvith our very eies as that there hath bene so long and is at this present such a citie in the world named Rome Had not the Church an Epistle writteÌ„ to it by an Apostle S. Paules Epistle to the Romains is extant Are not these the causes why a Church is called Apostolike Heare Tertulâ—ians definition De Pres Haeret. Age tam qui voles â—uâ—iâ—sitatem melius exercere in negotio salutis tuae peâ—â—urre Ecclisias Apostolicas apud quas ipsae adâ—uc Cathedrae Apostolorum suis lâ—cis praesidentur â—pud quas ipsae authenticae literae corum recitantur sonantes vocem repraesentantes facieÌ„ well now thou that wouldest vse yet more curiosiâ—ie in the matter of thy saluation runne ouer the Apostolike Churches at whom the very Chairs of Apostles are yet in their places sitten in at whom the very authentical letters of them are recited sounding their voice representing their face Examples there hee putteth of the Churches of the Corinthians of the Philippians of the Ephesians and specially of the Romains saying of the same Videamus quid dixerit quid docuerit CuÌ„ Aphricanis quoque Ecclesiis contestatur Let vs consider what it the Romain Church hath said what it hath taught Mary with our Aphrican Churches also it holdeth Which he there declareth in al points by the Heretikes of that time denied by himselfe with other Catholikes of that countrie beleeued Wheâ—eupon he will haue it to follow that their African Churches are Apostolike although not so as the Romaine Church other like yet in another right good sense bâ—cause they agree with those Apostolikes And in this hee putteth so strong an argument of the truth that hee â—gâ—ine againe prouoketh Heretikes to shew the like Edant origines Ecclesiarum suarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporum suorum ita per successiones ab initio decurrentem ut primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis vâ—l Apostâ—â—icis viris qui tamen cum Apâ—stolis perseuerauerit habuerit authorem antecessâ—rem Hoc enim modo Ecclesiae Apostolicae census suos deferunt Sicut Smyrnaeorum Ecclesia Polycarpum ab Iohanne collocatum refert Sicut Romanorum Clementem a Petro ordinatuÌ„ id proinde vtique caeterae exhibent quos ab Apostâ—lis in EpiscopatuÌ„ constitutos Apostolici seminis traduces habeant Let the Heretikes bring sorth the origines of their Churches let them vnfold the rew of their Bishops so from the beginning running downe by successions as that first Bishoppe of theirs haue had for his author and predecessor some one of the Apostles or Apostolike men which also with the Apostles perseuered For after this manner doe the Apostolike Churches bring down their substance to our time As the Church of the Smyrnians sheweth Polycarpus placed by S. Iohn as the Church of the Romains sheweth Clement ordered by Saint Peter And so verily doe the rest also shew whom by the Apostles ordained Bishops they haue for the drawers vnto them of the seed or doctrine Apostolike So as our naturall progenitors haue deriued or passed vnto vs the naturall seede of Adam Confingant tale aliquid Haeretici Let the Heretikes faine any such thing if they can saith hee But no doubt they cannot and therefore be they not Apostolike and ours most certainely which manifestly so doth is Apostolike God graunt them therefore once in heart also to beleeue with vs that which with vs in mouth they professe to beleeue I say One Holy Catholike and Apostolike Church Neither it is the Motiue only of Tertullian Saint Augustine also in the greatest matter that can be touching the very Canon of the Scriptures sendeth vs to those Churches speciallie aboue all others Quae Apostolicas Sedes De doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 8. Epistolas accipere meruâ—runt which to haue Sees Apostolike and to receaue Epistles Apostolike found the fauour Finallie many others of the holy Fathers teach vs the same vvay vnto the Truth and no one of them all did euer disproue it In whome this is yet further to be coÌ„sidered that whereas there were in their time standing yet manie other Churches Apostolike besides the Romaine they for all that did euer principallie and singulaly direct men alwaies to the Romane so also calling it by prerogatiue the Church Apostolike or See Apostolike that by that name it was no lesse knowen from all others as all can beare me witnesse that read antiquity then I say when there were also many other Churches or Sees Apostolike than now at this time it is when we haue none other Apostolicke See remaining After which manner also we know Virgil from all Poetes by the name of Poeta and Aristotle from all other Philosophers by the name of Philosophus S. Paule from all the other Apostles by the name of Apostolus Which thing well considered of anie indifferent man may giue him easily to vnderstand that the holy Fathers of the Constantinopolitan Councell in their Creede bidding vs to belieue the Church Apostolike did not only meane the RomaÌ„ Church but also none other but the RomaÌ„ well that I leaue to the consideratioÌ„ of such as be indiffereÌ„t But that which afore I saide is certaine as it is also most worthy to be considered that the Fathers in their times hauing manie Sees Apostolike yet chieflie looked themselues and directed others to the Apostolike See of Rome And now at this time when as there is none other of that sorte remayning in the worlde but onely the Roman and yet neuer none of them all more
which of the Apostles they had receaued as a little afore I shewed by the witnesse of Ireneus in his time Optatus and Saint Augustine in their time at which time I say it is yet most euident that they prayed for the dead because they then accounted Aerius an Heretike for denying the same And so haue I most plainely shewed that the Romaine faith which once was right is still right because it is not chauÌ„ged that promise of God by Esay his Prophet neuer failing Esay 62. Super muros tuos Hierusalem coÌ„stitui custodes tota die tota nocte in perpetuum non tacebunt Vpon thy walles O Ierusalem he speaketh to the Church of the Christians haue I placed watchmen all day and all night for euer they shall not be dumbe but straight giue warning and without ceasing if any enimie at anie time goe about to breake in with anie prophane innouation 1. Tim. 6. whatsoeuer it be As S. Augustine also saith Epi. 119. cap. 19. Ecclesia Dei inter multam paleam multaque zizania constituta multa tolerat tamen quae sunt contra fidem vel bonam vitam non approbat nec tacet nec facit The Church of God being set amongst much chaffe much cockle tollerateth many things but such things as be against faith or good life it neyther approueth nor is dumbe at them nor practiseth them Conuersion of Heathen Nations AFTER the considerations aforesaid let it be further considered whether euer any Nations were froÌ„ Paganisme conuerted by the Protestantes As it was alwaies the practise of Heretikes to draw away Christian men from the true faith of Christ so wee see that the Protestantes haue done the like in manie Countries corrupting christian men but that they euer turned men that were not christians to be christians vvho can say That Caluin to get this glorie sent certaine of his Ministers into the new found Countries of the Indians and others vvee vnderstand Villagag con Calu. Epistolae Indic but who euer heard anie Protestant boast of any one there conuerted by them The truth is that they there agreed so wel together in theyr preaching one destroying still anothers building that they were laughed to scorne by the Infidels and faine all to be put to silence Contrariwise the preaching there of our religious men of the orders of Saint Francis and S. Dominicke and of the Societie of IESVS what fruit it had dailie hath theyr filling of manie ample Kingdomes both in the East and Weast India vvith the knowledge and faith of Christ doth openlie speake to all such as reade the Ecclesiasticall Histories of this time Whereby the Church hath in those partes vvonne more incomparablie then it hath lost by Heretikes in these our partes Besides these many other Nâ—tions haue beene vvithin these thousand yeares conuerted vnto Christ as our English Nation Germanie also the Bohemians Hungarians Flemminges Brabantines vvith manie others Consider me now whether any one of them all were not conuerted by our Catholike Romaine Church whether they were conuerted without the mighty operation of infinite wonderfull miracles by their Apostles whether they receaued not at their conuersioÌ„ as Articles and ioyntes of the very body of Christs Gospell all pointes of our doctrine that the Heretikes now call Papistrie vvhether they were not for the said receiuing of our doctrine and religion and at that very time when they first receaued the same neuer before truly called Christians and noted by all Histories at that time to haue bin conuerted to the Faith of Christ whether the Nations conuerted afore these latter thousand yeares by the Popes of Rome that then were or other Holy men sent by them as Italie Fraunce Britany Scotland Ireland c. were otherwise conuerted then by such Miracles or were named Christians of another Christ or had any other religion planted amongst them finallie whether those holie Popes sent abroad into the world any other faith then S. Peter and S. Paule brought to Rome preached they with the other Apostles of Christ in the Greeke and other Nations that they had bin in Is it not euident by all this that the Church as well of these last thousande yeares which by our aduersaries is confessed to be ours as of the six hundred yeares before is the Church of Christ the one and selfe same Church to which hee said at the beginning of it Aâ— Eritis mihi testes in IerusaleÌ„ in omni Iudaea Samaria vsque ad vltimum terrae You shall be witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem and in all Iewrie and Samaria and euen to the farthest end of the earth And againe is it not euident hereby that the Ghospell vvhich the Church for these thousand yeares hath preached which they confesse to be ours is all one with the Gospell of truth whereof S. Paule in the beginning of it said to the Colossians Quod peruenit ad vos Col. 1. sicut in vniuerso mundo est fructificat crescit which Gospell is now come also to you by the preaching of Epaphras as it is also in the vniuersall world beareth fruit and groweth on And therefore our Sauiour likened the Doctrine Mat. 23. which hee would send by his Apostles into the world to seed sowen in a field that is to say in the world and not to be plucked vp againe by the root soone after the spring but growing still as well as the cockle euen vntill haruest that is vntill the very end of the world Likewise to a small graine of mustard seed growing still on till it be a great tree spreading his bowes ouer al. To a fishers net likewise cast into the wide Sea of this troublesome world which they neuer draw nor cease filling of it vntill they come to the shoare that is to the end of the world Seeing therefore that the Protestants seede was not in the field nor their net in the sea for these thousand yeares from S. Gregories time vnto Frier Luthers Apostasie and seeing that our seede hath al the same while bene growing spreding and none other but ours our Peters net also al the same space bene fishing the sea and taken into the faith of Christ so many Nations which afore were swimming and drowned in Paganisme it is I say hereby inuincibly proued not that the Protestantes by no means but ours most certainly is Christs Seede and Christes Net By what Religion hath Idolatrie bene destroyed BY this former Motiue alone blunted is as al men may see the edge of Heretikes blasphemous tongues endeuouring continually and most vvickedly to fasten in our Catholike ReligioÌ„ the wounds of Idolatrie for the vvorshipp that we doe to our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar to his Saintes in heauen to theyr Relikes to the Images of himselfe of his Crosse and of his Sainctes for that all this as the rest also of our Religion is the
seede and Doctrine of Christ himself euery maÌ„ may easily by that which hath bene said conceaue But to make it yet more sensible eueÌ„ to the blind eyes of our Aduersaries themselues such as it shall please God mercifullie to lighten forgiuing both their ignoraunce and their malice I propose this to their said earnest quiet consideration whether that all these foresaid Nations of Christendome were not before their Christening vvorshippers of Idoles as of Iupiter Mars Saturne Venus Priapus and ten thousand more Whether that vpon their Christening they haue not bene so fully turned from those Idoles that the multitude hath forgotten their very names also such only knowing some-what of them but that very litle as are conuersant in the old writings of Grekes and Romains that were Heathens whether againe that this so generall destruction an obliuion of those Idoles be not that which God by his prophet Zacharie Zac. 18. did foretell in these wordes In die illa erit sons patens Domui Dauid habitantibus Hierusalem in ablutionem peccatoris menstruatae erit in die illa dicit Dominus exercituum disperdam nomina Idolorum de terra noÌ„ memorabuntur vltra In that day there shall be a font standing open for the house of Dauid and the inhabitants of Ierusalem for to wash or baptise him that is a sinner and her that is in flowers And be it shal in that day saieth the Lord of ostes I will destroy the names of Idoles from of the earth and they shall no longer be remembred Being then of God this such conuersion of these Nations their Idoles with their names and memories destroyed by God and the Font of Baptisme opened vnto them by God and they in it washed by God from their sinne and filth and so brought into the howse of Christ our Dauid made free Citizens of his new Ierusalem all this foretold by the Prophet all this euen so fulfilled by God are the Heretikes yet so blind not to see vpon whom they cast theyr blasphemie He that turned them from their Idoles did not the same God turne them at once to our Religion Did hee turne them from seruing of Idoles to serue Idoles againe Was that so worthy a promise to be made so long afore by his prophet Yea or can his Prophets word and his owne promyse be possiblie iustified if the Heretikes saying may be iustified Let them therefore blaspheme if they list and blaspheme againe euen vntill they fall into the pit of euerlasting blasphemie other men whom the Diuell and sinne hath not so blinded do see by this that the conuersion of al Chhristian Nations hath bene none other 1. Thes 1. then as S. Paule sayeth to the Thessalonians of theyr conuersion Conuersi estis ad Deum a simulachris seruire Deo viuo vero Your conuersion was to God from Idoles to serue God the liuing and the true But yet farther vtterly to confound them or the Diuell rather that speaketh those blasphemies out of them and to set open a full window to the blasing light of God and truth you shall consider that euen the very same poyntes of our Religion which they call Idolatrie are so farre from Idolatrie yea so contrarie and so directy opposite to Idolatrye that they haue byn the meanes whereby God hath destroyed all Idolatrie and so fulfilled the foresayed Prophecie The Blessed Sacrament I saie Saintes Relikes Crosse and other Images with such like neuer could the Diuels better abide them vvhen they were within those Idoles then they can doe now within these Heretikes as Saint Hierome straight vpoÌ„ the rising of their Fathers the Vigilantians vvitnessed Lib. 28. in Isaiae c. 65. Vide eundem con Vigil Haeretici nuper in Gallia sub magistro cerebroso pullularunt qui Basilicas Martyrum declinaÌ„tes nos qui ibi orationes ex more celebramus quasi immundos fugiunt Hoc autem non tam illi faciunt quam habitantes in eis Daemones fortitudinem flagella Sancti Cineris non ferentes Heretikes of late in France are buded out vnder a braynsicke Maister vvho shunning the Martyrs Churches doe flee from vs as from vncleane persons that there do celebrate prayers after the maner But this doe not they so much as the Diuelles that dwell in them not being able to abide the might and whips of the holy Ashes Let our men therefore looke vvell to themselues and consider depely of what spirit they are inhabited and suggested Neither bycause Saint Hierome is so plaine let them therefore thinke him a lyer or his admonâ—tion bycause it is so sharpe therefore to be vnwholsome For he is not singular in this point nor for it of any Father controlled yea the same thing of them all likewise most plainlie testified so many examples of Diuels by such things put to silence and tormented and expelled out of Idoles and out of mens bodies being in auncient Histories and other writers as vvould fill whole bookes My purpose and study is here and in all this Treatise rather how to make short then how to make long not to heape togeather so much as may be saied but to take out so much as is sufficient To descend there-fore from Zacharies generall Prophecie of the whole earth vnto one special Country they that read either the diuine Scriptures or also prophane Authors doe know that of al Countries Aegypt passed for Idolatrie And yet of it did Ezechiel leaue this prophecie Ezech. 10. Haec dicit Dominus Deus disperdam simulachra cessare faciam Idola de Memphis c. Thus saith our Lord God I will both destroy abominations and make an end of Idols out of Memphis and other places of Egypt And as much had learned one Hermes Trismegistus a false Aegyptian Prophet of those Idoles there himselfe also after his death an Idol and a false God of theirs and the meanes also had hee learned by which it should be so accomplished which he vttered in a booke of his written to Aesculapius quasi futura praenunciando deplorans August de Ciu. Dei li. 8. ca. 26. as it were bewayling things to come in foretelling them as S. Augustine saith Hermes wordes are these Tunc terra ista sanctissima sedes delubrorum atque templorum sepulchrorum erit mortuorumque plenissima Than shal this most holy land of Aegypt the seat of the Godds of their temples be filled al with sepulchres and dead men His meaning therein doth S. Augustin thus interprete Dolor daemonum per eum loquebatur qui suas futuras poenas apud sanctorum Martyrum Memorias imminere moerebant In multis enim talibus locis torquentur confitentur de possessis corporibus hominum eijciuntur The sorow of Diuels by whose instinct he saied this did speake by hym who lamented for the drawing nigh of their paynes that they should suffer at the Memories or Relikes of the Holy Martyrs For in many such places
Scripturas then did hee open their vnderstandinges to vnderstand the Scriptures Can these be the Protestants vvho euen in their very Commentaries vpon the old Testament take their vnderstanding out of the blind commentaries of the obstinate Iewes professed enimies to our Sauiour Iesus Christ and therefore make they very few Prophets very few Scriptures and in very few places to speake of him euen so much in maner as hath pleased the Iewes their masters and not all the Prophets as S. Peter saith nor all the Scriptures Act. 10. almost in all places to belong to him so as he himselfe declared and so as both his Apostles and his Church to whome hee gaue the gift to vnderstand the Scriptures haue euer taught still doe teach vs. It is our Church I say whose very Seruice doth this very well declare It is our Church that by her very Seruice doth euery yeare Praedicare annum Domini acceptabilem Luke 4. preach the gracious yeare of our Lord by yearely recording at most conuenient times all that he did and suffered for vs any yeare and all his yeares that he was with vs vpon earth his Precursour and Baptists Natiuity his owne Conception his Aduent his Natiuitie his Circumcision his Manifestation too and adoration of the Gentiles his Presentation his Baptisme his Fasting his temptation his Preaching his Miracles his Passion his Death his Burial his Resurrection his Ascension his sending of the Holy Ghost to be with vs for euer and againe his Aduent besides the birth dayes not into this world but into Heauen of his Apostles Martyrs Confessours Virgins and other most Holie witnesses By all which thinges the Church maketh her Spouse and Redeemer with all his Misteries euen to be seene felt and palpate of all his people Was this the Protestantes vvorke Or is not that Christes Church which hath done this for Christ Looke to the very names of these Feasts see whether they speake not our Church Candlemas day Corpus Christi day Al-soules day Al-hallowes day Ash-wensday Tenebre-wensday-Maunday-thursdaie Passion-sondaie Passion-weeke Goodfriday Holyroode day Shroue or Shrief-tide fastinges Eaue This is Ember that your blind Apostls do boldlie say to haue bin the Popes Lemman Lent Ember-dayes or according to the Dutch the root of our English Temper-dayes Quatuor Temporum Palmesondy Dâ—minica in Albis Sondaie in whites with many more speake they Protestancie or speake they as you call it Papistrie Or were not these Feastes by the same Church ordained that appointed vs to keepe Christmas Easter Whitsonday Trinity sonday the TraÌ„sfiguration of our Lord and the rest All these to haue bin by our Church instituted it wil be easily proued if need shal be and the Protestants doe manifestly declare while that in many of their places infected specially where their Puritans doe raigne they keepe no better Christmas day it selfe nor any Sonday then they doe Ash-wensdaie Which they declare againe most plainly in laying away not only all the dayes of Saints which were not Holy daies but manie also that were Holy daies as still in the Catholike Church they are For was not Saint Laurence day brought in and euer obserued by the same Chruch that commaunded Saint Steuens daie Was it not the same Church that honored our B. Lady Gods Mother with holydaies vvhich made holie the Apostles dayes Of that same one Church therefore are not the Protestants who haue put downe S. Laurence day all the dayes of our B. Ladie with very manie moe all the dayes I say of our Ladie euery one none excepted For the Annunciation of our Ladie is the Conception of our Lord the Purification of our Lady is the Presentation of our Lord neither of them more properly our Ladies day then Christmas day is our Ladies day Christ being that day borne she deliuered But the proper dayes of our Lady are her Conception her Natiuity her Visitation specially her Assumption which the Protestants haue laid all away as though Christ were worshipped by keeping his Precursors or Baptists Natiuitie and dishonored by keeping his Mothers Natiuitie honoured by keeping his other Saints Assumpting out of this life to heauen dishonored by keeping his mothers Assumption a faulte most absurdly by them committed that whereas in all Saints we keepe specially their Natalitiae or taking hence vnto Christ his owne mothers day that shee was by death assumpted in soule onely as other Saints or in body also although it be certaine I doe not here say that this day of Gods Mother the Lady of Saints and Angels they keepe not it is I say for them an intollerable foule absurditie So do they many waies as I haue said manifestly declare that which also in it selfe is euident that they be not the Church vvhich vvith such daies obseruations hath commended all christendome for to be Regnum Sacerdotale a Kingdome Priestlike 1. Pet. â— and heauen vpon earth Christ with his Saints Angels being by such meanes continually seene here by representation remembrance as there in face and fruition but that they be the Rebelles of that Church the defacers of christendome the coolers of deuotioÌ„ in christian harts enuiers of the honour remembrance of Saints and of Christ himselfe That and if they might or would be but present once at the Reuerend solemne doing of the foresaide Catholike Seruice specially at Christmas Easter such other more festiuall times I doubt not but that most of their stony harts would melt for ioy with the loue of Christ so as Saule also himselfe did Prophecy 1. Reg. 10 19. comming in place where the Prophets were if I say they would come in and leaue their standing without with him in the Parable Qui audiuit symphoniam choruÌ„ Luke 15. c. nolebat introire who heard the singing melody c. and would not come in And much more would the colde hearts of many Catholikes be enflamed therewith which now for feare of the world for lacke of the feare of God doe to their owne damnation appeare at this new paltrie Wherewith how wel God is pleased they may learne of Saint Ierome saying thus In Amos. 5. Haeretici quotiescunque sub nomine Domini fuerint congregati detestatur faetorem eorum claudit nares suas c. Whensoeuer Heretikes be gathered together vnder the Lords name he abhoreth their stinking and stoppeth his nose c. Iudaeorum quoque oratio Psalmi quos in Synagogis canunt Haereticorum composita laudatio tumultus est Domino vt ita dicam grunnitus suis clamor AsinoruÌ„ c. Also the Iewes praying and Psalmes which they sing in their Synagogues and the Heretikes fine composed praysing is a great disquieting to our Lord and that I may so say a grunting of Swine and a braying of Asses c. The cause thereof is for that he hath appointed only the Catholike Vnitie to be serued in Ephes 4.
because they must and doe confesse that Saint Bede in our Countrie Saint Bernard in another and such like are of all most surelie saued who yet had not this ignorance but knew right well this new doctrine and condemned it for moste wicked heresie And will men of this time be then so folish so wilfully cast away themselues to forsake that sure faith that sure maner of seruing God which by the very confession of those that would haue it forsaken serued well the turne so many hundred yeares together to saue men from hel to bring men to heauen Who is so sure that this new Faith and new Seruice hath all this vvhile brought any one to heauen Yea how certaine that is which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of Saint Paule hath spoken Ephes 4. Vna fides vnum Baptisma one faith one Bapisme so certaine it is by that aforesaid that whosoeuer in this new faith and seruice hath ended this life is in Hel most certainely the very first fathers open teachers of it condemned by God and all good men when they were aliue and euer since theyr death remayning in so cursed memorie that their owne followers dare not for shame and feare once name them to their honour nor any true Christian man thinke otherwise of them then as of most damnable creatures The onelie knowen and vndoubted Mother of Christes children for a thousand yeares togeather VVHEREVPON consider you next of all what Church was that which for these thousand yeares togeather throughout the whole vvorld was called Christes Church and stoode and encreased and brought forth both Children to Christ as his only wife all that while and Spouse and innumerable Saintes to heauen and Pastours for the people and vvas accepted in humble peace and quietnes for the Mother of al faythful folke so long togeather and before euer any of these Sectes had to doe or appeared in the world Was either that a false Church by whose only wombe and none others al men so long time were regenerate Or can that be the true Church which so many worlde 's togeather either vvas not at all as we say and as it is certaine or was so obscure and hidd that it could not be sene nor knowen and that in the gloriouse time of the new euerlasting Testament which is the time of Christes Churches Raigne in heigth aboue the topp not only of al Iereboam and other Idolatrers Excelsies and Hillockes 3. Reg. 3. Excelsa colles but also aboue the mountes and Hilles them-selues of both Temples Ioan. 4. false Samaritan and true Iudaicall Is 4. Mic. For so say the Prophets Erit in nouijsimis diebus praeparatus Mons Domus Domini in vertice montiū eleuabitur super colles In the last dayes shal be cunningly set the Mountaine of our Lordes howse on the toppe of the hilles and it shal be exalted aboue the hillockes whereas contrarywise by the Protestantes saying Christs Church should be more obscure then the Synagogue of the Ievves not only afore but also in this very time of their vtter desolation In vvhich tyme the Church of Christ is sette in such cleare light bright shining that both the Prophet saieth Scietur in gentibus semen eorum germen eorum in medio populorum omnes qui viderent eos cognoscent illos quia isti sunt semen cui benedixit Dominus In Nations shal be knowen their seede Is 61. and their issue in the middest of peoples al that see them shall know them that these are the seede which our Lord hath blessed Mat. 5. And also our Sauiour calleth it a Citie that cannot be hid being set vppon a mountaine that cannot be hid he saith And yet shall you haue some youths which please themselues so much in their owne inuentions that they feare not to say Yes but it may be hid because the highest hilles haue sometimes mistes about them In deed with their mistes they hide for a time this Citie how high as it standeth and how plaine in sight from some weake-sighted persons that be without it to their owne damnation But from such as are within it and there will keep themselues no mist can hide it For which cause our Sauiour saith in the same place Mat. 5. Vt luceat omnibus qui in domo sunt to giue light to all that be in the house God open the eies of people euen of the mist-casters also to see where they are and where they should be where they shall be if they goe blindly forward as they haue begunne to see that those wits and tongues of theirs vvhich now they count lucra Phil. 3. for bringing vnto them so manie Church-liuinges and so much vaine glorie are in verie truth nothing but stercora and detrimenta for beraying them all with sin and leesing vnto them the glorious Cittie of Christ both here and hereafter A long time it were for a mist to haue lasted aboue a thousande yeares together and much for it al that while not only to haue hidden but also to haue quite choken vp such a Cittie set vp by Christ to be seene and to last for euer In this time of Christes glorie and his new Testament so long togeather was not at all the Protestantes Church say we and otherwise also must they themselues confesse that all that time it had no vse of her owne Sacraments nor any help to saluation but by another company which vvas contrarie vnto it and in which only vvas then all the practise of all christianitie and which therefore was the Church of Christ so high so bright so fruitfull as promise was made afore it should be Celebration and operation of Christes death VVITH this consider you at once vvhat Church is that which now and euer is so blessed of God so embrued with Christs blood and Passion issuing out of his precious side vvhen vpon the Crosse it was opened that she onely hath in her the highest only proper worship of God consisting in Sacrifice and in her Sacrifice the liuely and sensible celebrating of Christs Death whereby his holy Bodie and precious Blood were done asunder that she hath moreouer grace in her Sacraments merite in her workes force in her vvord vertue power and efficacie in her teaching that she breedeth deuotion conuerteth sinners turneth to religion and to the search of life and saluation strangely altereth the heartes of men Christ being in her not weake feble but strong and mighty as S. Paule said to the Corinthians Christus in vobis non infirmatur sed potens est in vobis 2. Cor. 13. and she in Christ Iesus being by God created in good workes who loued her Eph. 2. 5. gaue himselfe for her that hee might sanctifie her and purifie her with the lauer of water in his word to present her vnto himselfe at the last day a glorious Church without spot or wrincke or any blemish
considered what grouÌ„d it was alwaies vvhere at those sundrie times did grow the sundry points of the Protestants doctrine which at any time before our time chaunced to appeare what manner of meÌ„ they were eyther for lyse or for doctrine to whom happened to be showen some glimce of this great light which now the Protestantes Gospell hath brought vnto vs. For a few examples because my purposed breuity permitteth not many as in deed very many there are which the learned may here remember One kind of the Protestants seed is that wee must not pray for the dead another that wee must not keepe the Lent and other accustomed times of fasting another that wee must not pray to Saintes another that a Bishop and a Priest be equall But where grewe those seedes afore-time Some in one Aerius that liued in the time of Saint Epiphanius some in certaine that named themselues Apostolici in S. Bernardes time and at other times in others Now if you vvill know what manner of ground that was Aerius was an Arrian Apostolici vvere Anabaptistes Of Aerius thus vvriteth Saint Epiphanius Lib. 3 coÌ„ Haer. her 75. Hic Aerius in hunc vsque diem viuit in carne superest in vita Arianus quidem in totum aliter enim non sentit quam velut Arius adhuc vltra amplius quae Arij sunt perscrutatur acutus lingua armatus labijs in hac parte This Aerius liueth to this day being an Arian altogether For otherwise thinketh he not then euen as Arius and yet furthermore doth hee search than the thinges that belong to Arius hauing his tongue whetted sharp his lips armed in this behalfe And in another place he was a Priest of Bishop Eustathius who for an Arian was accounted and depriued And because Aerius himselfe vvas not made Bishop in his place multa contra Ecclesiam docuit In Anace phaleosi fide quidem existens Arianus perfectissimus many things he taught against the Church being in beleefe a most perfect Arian Verum amplius docet non oportere offerre pro his qui obdormierunt But further he teacheth that wee must not offer for them that are departed Si quis vero ex discipulis ciusieiunare vult Ne in diebus ordinarijs hoc facito inquit sed quando volueris He forbiddeth to fast on Wensday Friday and in Lent and the holy weeke before Easter The Church hath released wensdaies fast long sithens But and if any of his folowers wil fast doe it not saith he on the dayes appointed but some other day when thou wilt Assâ—rit idem EpiscopuÌ„ Presbytero non esse excellentiorem Hee saith also that a Bishopp is no better then a Priest All the same doth S. Augustine likewise witnesse of him Haer. 53. that these were his owne Heretical assertions and that hee was besides an Arian and the occasion of his fall to haue beene the very same because he might not be made a Bishop Of the Heretykes named Apostolici S. Bernard vvriteth In. Cant. ser 66. that they likevvise would haue no praying to Saintes nor for the dead and that withal they laughed at the Catholikes for Baptising of Infantes Anabaptistes as they were I would haue it therefore considered why these seedes of the Protestantes were so sowen vpon the ground of Arians and vpon the grond of Anabaptistes Let them tel vs why vnto such wicked men they were so deare Why were these caÌ„dels of theirs as they accompt them lighted to Aerius a perfitte Arian and a proud Ambitious fellow rather then to S. Athanasius S. Epiphanius Saint Augustine and other holy men of God that stood with the Church against the Arryans Why to those false Apostolykes who were wicked Anabaptistes Bern. ep 240. de Henrico and to others that were dicers and hoorehunters rather then to Saint Bernard and other holy and Catholike men of the same time Is it not playne by this vvho is the sower of such seede the lighter of such candels Euen hee that sowed vs the Seede of Arianisme that lighted vs the candell of Anabaptisme not GOD our Lord but the Diuel himselfe the Lord of Heretikes Such seede it is as wee see that any ground will beare it if it be not the Catholike be it AriaÌ„ be it Anabaptist And not those only but also at this time whereas there are in the world very many Sectes which also the Protestants themselues condemne as well as we doe yet what one is there of them all vvhich with the same agreeth notright wel Yea eche one of them in his falling from the Catholike Church what soeuer vvere the sinke to the which hee fell yet in his way tooke he not with hym the doctrine of the Protestants and the light of their Gospell to be his direction The very worst sort of Heretykes of this tyme as the Anabaptistes the Trinitaries or who soeuer els they be yea and all the sortes that be one and other yea the very Epicures also and Atheistes vvho knoweth not that first they were Protestants yea and that such they be and wil seeme to be still The opinions of theyr owne and of the Protestantes standing all in maner so well togeather vnlesse peraduenture I should except the Atheistes whereof yet I doubt very much that they neede not to lay avvay scarse any one point of the protestants commoÌ„ doctrine as being contrary to their own no not the Atheists themselues I thinke but of al the rest it is certayne of those general negatiue points I say that properly are the Protestantes and for the which they so cal themselues and wherin they be from vs departed troubling therefore the Catholikes in our Country for them and tolerating and mainteining all Sectes how many soeuer and diuers they be That Seede therefore which euer is found amongest such cockle and that lyght which sheweth the way and leadeth vnto such headlong downe-falles and which light also they no lesse se that be in such Egyptiacal darkenes then our Protestants them-selues who soeuer is content to take it for the right seed and the true light litle careth he as he plainly declareth vvhat seede grovv in his soule or into what darknes hee be lead and therefore shall he be sure at the later day to be gathered by the reapers togeather with the Arians the Anabaptistes the Atheistes and all other darnell that the parable speaketh of in these wordes Mat. 13. In tempore messis dicam Messoribus colligite primum zizania alligate ea in fasciculos ad comburendum At Haruest tyme I will say to the reapers gather ye first the Darnelles and bind them in bundelles to be burned where there shal be weepyng and gnashing of teeth For being here found with Arians and other cockell aforesaid how can he be but there bound vp with them in the same buÌ„del Sure therefore shall he be likewise from this wilfull darknes to be throwen yet into further
that there he saith All Heretikes would haue themselues to be called Catholiks which also at this day you see the Protestants doe desire For why are they also desirous of this name but only because that they which indeed haue the name are also indeed euermore true Catholikes and so the name alone sufficient to moue any man to be of that side As likewise all Heretikes desiring to haue it seeme that there maketh for them Scriptures Miracles Fathers Martyrs and such like of which I will speake more hereafter doe euidentlie therby declare that company for whom in deed such thinges doe make to haue with them both truth and saluation Againe in another place the same holy Doctor saith De ver rel c. 7. Tenenda est nobis Christiana religio eius Ecclesiae communicatio quae Catholica est Catholica nominatur non soluÌ„ a suis sed etiaÌ„ ab omnibus inimicis Velint enim nolintue ipsi quoque Haeretici Schismatum alumni quaÌ„do non cum suis sed cum extraneis loquuntur Catholicam nihil aliud quam Catholicam vocant Non enim possunt intelligi nisi hoc eam nomine discernant quo ab vniuerso orbe nuncupatur Wee must hold the Christian religion and the companie of that Church which Catholike is and Catholike is named not only of her own but also of al her enimies For will they nill they the Heretikes also and Schismatikes when not with their owne but with straungers they talke they call the Catholike nothing but the Catholike for they cannot els be vnderstanded vnlesse by that name they discerne her by which of the whole world shee is called This therefore is proued they to be the Catholikes that Catholikes are called Will they now denie that we be called Catholikes The world doth beare vs witnesse For besides the foresaide note of the Cities of Germanie I aske them when as in bookes written now a dayes wee be named Catholikes euerie-where whether that the reader knoweth not straight waies who by that name are meaned In this very booke speak I not plainly enough wheÌ„ I so call our selues Or thinketh any man by that name that I am some Lutheran Protestant or Puritan Why els doe they mocke at the very name of Catholikes and not at vs only nicknaming it Cacolikes Cartholiks Or why els did Luther Luther in Germanie cause the Creed to be turned I beleeue the Christian Church not I beleeue the Catholike Church What els meant Iewell Iewell to entitle his Replie to D. Harding A Replie against the Roman Religion which of late hath bin accounted Cathoâ—ike Finally any indifferent man may see will acknowledge as much to be confessed in the new Legend set out of late by LaureÌ„ce Humphrey HuÌ„phrey the Puritan Iewell a new saint of Pope HuÌ„phries own making How erâ—d he â—o whose History HuÌ„phrey him-â—elfe here vnawares coÌ„firmeth For Catholikess saith hee were present as lookers on earnest defeÌ„ders What then but none such were moderators saue only lay lords vnlearned Heretikes Ergo. although not greatly liked I dare say of his fellow-Puritans for the canonization and please you of Saint Iewell Where hee saieth thus Errauit qui Pontaco suggessit Londini solum praesedisse laicos neque doctos neque Catholicos Hee erred vvhich infourmed Pontacus that at London in the pretensed Disputations at Westminster were moderators only lay men neyther learned nor Catholike An. 1. Eliz. Aderant non solum homines Catholicissimi id est Papisticissimi qui spectatum venerant sed alij eiusdem Catholicissimi acerrimi propugnatores c. Present there were not onely men most Catholike that is to say most Papisticall who came to looke on but other most earnest defenders of the same Catholikedome And againe Primam causam primaeriam fere solam omnium malorum contentionum deformationuÌ„ quasi Equum Troianum intra Ecclesiae muros nobis omnibus insidiantem fuisse hactenus esse hodie Catholicam a Scriptura sancta defectionem praecipue vestrum PapismuÌ„ The first cause and formost and only in a maner of all euils contentions deformations as it were the Troian horse which within the Churches wals lieth in wait for vs all hath beene hither-vnto and is at this day Catholike reuolting from the holie Scripture and specially your Popedome Where what hee meaneth by Catholike reuolting who seeth not Although to helpe his cause he would seeme to distinguish from it the Popedome as he tearmeth it contrary to his own interpretation afore but in deede to his meruailous disaduantage whiles that in the same his distinction whether we be Catholikes or no hee chargeth the Catholikes with reuolting as well as vs whosoeuer they be True it is that in the same place aforegoing hee tearmeth vs Pseudocatholicos falsenamed Catholikes But euen so haue I with myne owne eares heard him which manie moe also may remember in the Diuinitie Schole at Oxford in his fond vnlearned Readings tearme S. Augustine also himselfe and his felowes being not ashamed in his controlling of our worshipping of Saintes to allege this as good authoritie that Faustus the Manichee Heretik for the same did say in his time Pseudocatholicis to the false catholikes Apud Aug. eo Faus li. ca. 4. Idola vertistis in Martyres The Idols you haue turned into Martirs These Pseudocatholici who they were Saint Augustines wordes declare Li. 20. ca. 21. Hinc nobis caluÌ„niatur Faustus quod Martyrum memorias honoramus in hoc dicens nos idola conuertisse With this doth Faustus entwite vs because wee honour the Martyrs memories saying that into this we haue turned the Idols Neither can Humphrey or any other prooue that eyther now or then or euer were or shal be in the world any Pseudocatholici at al any Isay commonly named Catholikes but only true Catholikes Wherefore in calling vs Pseudocatholicos hee graunteth vâ—to be true Catholikes such as were also those Pseudocatholici in Faustus time So theÌ„ both these haue I inuinciblie proued that the generally named Catholikes be Catholikes and that wee be so named catholikes and for that name mocked at by our Aduersaries vvhereof it foloweth that we be catholikes and therefore that we haue the truth A most certaine demonstration which no Aduersarie of ours can with any reason gainsay and sufficient by it selfe alone to satisfie any man that will be satisfied But yet of aboundance will I shew the other waies Name of Heretikes SECONDLY whosoeuer are of them vvhich professe Christ commonlie called Heretikes and plainly knowen by that name they vndoubtedlie are Heretikes and so euer haue in the end proued Or let them giue me out of all Antiquity so much as one example to the contrarie Certaine it is that they can not but for it are all the examples that euer were As the Arrians in theyr time were commonly called Heretikes which we see euery where in the workes of the holy