saye that we oughte to folowe those that conforme them selues moste vnto the pure worde of God that will come to one ende for if I doo demaunde of you how we shall know whiche do conforme theym selues moste vnto the truthe you aunswere me that it must be done by the grace of the holye Ghoste sent by the Lorde yf with a true hearte he is inuocated of the faythfull Seeing you knowe so well the way how to agree together howe comes it to passe that you haue not vsed it this fortie or fiftie yeres which are the precinctes of the time since your auncient Churche beganne seeing that you haue assembled so manye times together why haue ye not prayed vnto the Lorde to sende the spirite of truth to make peace amongst his Apostles I thinke that you are not so vnshamfaste that you will denye the quarels and debates that haue risen amonge you I doo not saye in light wordes but in great battailes in rayling processes in horrible excommunications sent from the Churches of the Lutherans vnto the Caluinists and from the Caluinists vnto the Lutherans as I haue set foorth at large in the booke that I made of the Sacrament and therefore ye are greatlye ouerseene that ye haue not inuocated the spirite of the Lorde as Caluin hath taught you in his Cathechisme to the ende that you may come to some accorde ¶ The .29 Chapter NOwe to turne againe to our former purpose if it were so that of our owne free deliberation we were minded to forsake our Catholike religion the iniurious disputations that you vse amonge your selues were sufficient to make vs to suspende oure iudgement without leaning to anye of both parties vntill that we coulde see you more resolute in youre opinions being the hardest matter the knowing in what countrey the residence shoulde be kepte for that matter You haue geuē absolute sentence saying that the Catholike Churche hath erred euen from the Apostles time vnto this present in praying to God for the soules of those that are deade constituted in a thirde place called Purgatorye You shoulde me thinke at the least allowe a thirde place although it be not that to receaue the soules of those whose consciences you haue so troubled that they knowe nowe neither what is their faith nor of what religion they should be for whē they reade Luthers workes they are Lutherans whē they meete with Caluins workes they are Caluinists and at the last they do not know which side in deede is the truest being both false and therfore I think it were good that a sequestration were made that neyther God nor the Deuill might haue parte of their soules till there were a farther inquirye made of suche a number of sects and that some good and honest arbitratour might geue iudgement as concerning which partie hath moste right And in the meane while I beseeche God to open so the eyes of the people that they maye see both youre errours and their owne and that through the aboundaunce of their sinnes he permit them not to fall into an Heathenisme vnto the which you doo seeke to drawe them with so manye contrary Gospels ¶ The .30 Chapter IT doth appere well by that that I haue saide howe the assuraunce of your vocation to the ministerie is but founded vpon sande forasmuche as you doo seeke particulerly a contrary meaning euery one to his owne perticuler sense being not this the waye that an extraordinarye minister sent from God shoulde vse to confyrme his doctrine for this hath beene the custome of all olde heretikes as I haue alreadye sayde There is a verye great difference betweene setting foorth the Scripture to refourme ones religion to reforme ones conditions for when there is any questiō of the refourming of ones maners there is no neede to regarde whether the doctrine be newe or olde for as the Apostle sayth let euery man take it to his owne sense but when it is to be talked of as touching ones fayth the Catholike ought greatlye to beware of singuler interpretations and to holde them as very suspitious He ought to folowe the sentence that is holden and taught by the auncient Catholike Churche without making any accompt of all these new deuises for euen as when one will repaire an olde house he dares commit it to anye Mason although his cunning be but small but if the foundation must be touched he will seeke the best masters he can fynde Euen so when one will correct me for my euill life or conditions although that it be so that he that seeks to reforme me be not of the wisest of the worlde and that he alleage to me some place or figure of the Sceipture not altogether to the purpose yet all this ought to turne to me to one effect for I know his meaning although he cannot well expresse it the which is to haue me chaunge my naughtie life and to leaue my yll conditions But when he shall come to touche my fayth and to perswade me from that that all my auncetours did euer holde frō that that the Catholike Churche deriued from the Apostles hath holden and doth holde and from that that both the Scripture and the generall Councels and all the auncient doctours teache and affyrme In the repayre of this foundation I ought to trust none but euen the verye best I meane not one or two but all these that I haue named And now if you say that they maye all erre I praye remember the olde prouerbe that saith He is a foole that thinkes that he onely is wise and all the other fooles and that it is more agreable to reason that one onely should erre then one great multitude for as thei say commonly two eyes see more then one and fowre more then two ¶ The .31 Chapter OVr Sauiour Christe did approue his vocation after another sort thē you doo yours Searche saith he the Scriptures for they beare witnes of me he doth not say that they ar Iudges as you saye for you will haue none other arbitrator but the word of god You knowe that they are two different thinges to beare witnes and to be a Iudge yet the scriptures of the old Testament doo conteine not only the veritie of the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ but therwithall the very sufficient probation of his person to teache vs the true worde of God to ouerthrow destroy the whole kingdome of Sathan as it is plainlye seene by those that list to looke vppon the oracles of the olde patriarchs and Prophetes It is written in the third of Genesis that God saide vnto the woman that her seede shoulde breake downe the serpents head And likewise in the said booke ther is mentiō made of this diuine seede of Abraham in the. 15. and. 53. Chapters of Esay in the. 2. Psalme Dauid doth talke of it And in like maner Daniell Moyses Aaron with al the rest of the prophets in their sacrifices haue very
passe drye foote ouer the redde Sea Whye did ye not require at his hande that it mighte please him to authorize his worde preached by youre ministers with Signes miracles and tokens as he did when he sente youre felowes the Apostles seeinge that you are Prophetes howe commeth it to passe that you haue not foreseene that we would not beleue you for who is he although he were a deuil that could not say as muche But we haue one disauowe which God hath geuen to manye which doo report that they doo come from him whiche doth greatly ouerthrowe the authoritie of your commission He doth say in the .14 of Hieremie The Prophets preache falsely in my name I haue not sent them I haue not commaunded them nor I haue not spoken vnto thē but they prophecie vnto you false visions and naughtie diuinations to deceaue your heartes And likewise in the .27 Chapiter I haue not sent them saith the Lord God and they prophecie in my name falselye to thintent I should forsake you and that aswell you as your prophetes should perishe Item in the .29 Let not your Prophetes seduce you that are amongest you nor your Southsayers and doo not marke the dreames that ye dreame for they doo prophecie falselye vnto you in my name seing that I haue not sent them saith the Lorde etc. So that although it wer true that God hath sent you as it is false we might with a iust cause pretend an excuse of ignorance and to saye with great assuraunce that that Abymilech sayde vnto God where he threatned that he woulde kill him because he kepte Abrahams wife O Lorde God sayde he would you kill a poore simple nation Shall it be sayde that we beleue all those that fayne to come in youre name haue not you commaunded vs by the Apostle That we shoulde not beleue euery spirite and that the Angel of darknes doth transfourme himselfe into an Angell of light Haue not you commaunded to be written that we should beware which way we take that suche a waye doth seeme good the whiche notwithstanding doeth leade vnto damnation and perdition If any saying that he is our princes seruant should come to demaunde a summe of mony in his masters name and that he had neither his hand nor his seale to warrant his demaunde would not we sende him awaye like a false merchant fering that he wold deceaue vs then with greater reason ought we to feare the committing of our faith and the hope of our saluation into their hands whom we know not nor that cannot shewe any miracles to confirme their preaching as the Apostles did Qui confirmabant sermonem sequentibus signis That is which did confyrme their preaching with Signes or miracles folowing why do not they sai as he said whose successors they professe to be the signs of my commission Apostleship haue bene accomplished among you with signes and miracles 2. Cor. 12. ¶ The .18 Chapter YOu do aunswere vs as that Iewes were answered by Christe when they did demaund him to shew some Miracles The generation adulterous and peruerse doeth demaunde signes but no signe shal be geuen them etc. But this comparison can not be applyed vnto vs for we are not so hard of beliefe as the Iewes nor you such faithful messengers of God as Christ was of whom the Iewes did demaunde some signes of obstinate hatred after thei had sene so many lame healed so many blinde receiue their sight so many deafe heare so many dispossest that had spirites but as for you we haue sene your cōmission not to haue extended so far as to restore a flie to life againe or to heale a lame goose although that greater matters are required to confirme so straunge and so new a reformed Gospel These wordes doo make you mad crying out and preching in euery place that your Churche ought not to be called newe but rather that it is olde and Apostolicall and that your doctrine is the verye same that S. Peter and S. Paule did preache And to drawe the simple people to beleue that that you saye you doo declare your faith saying that you doo beleue doo preach that there is one God in Trinitie of persons and the second which is our Sauiour became manne from the wombe of the virgin and that he suffered and did rise againe and to be briefe you shewe that you haue profited in your religion for you haue bene but fortie yeeres which is the time since it began in learning the great Creede the Pater noster the whiche you coulde not learne in a thousande and fyue hundred of ours But in all this you say nothing to the purpose for we doo not demaunde of you whether you can well your Cathechisme the which you hauing learned of vs you teache to others And as Sampson saide Iud. 15. If you had not labored with my Cowe ye would neuer haue hit my Riddle That is to sai That if that our Churche had not nursed or taught you which are her rebellious children you woulde haue knowen nothing for it is of our Churche that you haue learned the principles of your faith She is the Cowe that hath nourished Caluin in a Chanonrie of Noyon Theodore de Bexa in the Priorie of Louinnam harde by Paris and consequentlye all the other ministers which haue learned all that they knowe at the Conuent of S. Fraunces S. Dominick S. Augustine and of S. Bennet where ye were nourished spirituallye as touching your doctrine and temporally as touching the mainteyning of your studie at the charge of that Church against the which ye doo nowe so striue as the Camels whiche sometime rewarde their masters for their good keeping with yerking biting so that coulor it howe you list ye cannot denye but that ye set forth newe deuises For althogh it is so that your heresyes which to please the eares of the vnlearned ye call the refourmed Gospel and pure worde of God haue bene in times past yet they were buried in the very depth of hell and you haue raised them againe cloked with newe coulors But although it were so that your doctrine were not new but very olde yet ought not you to be more priuiledged thē Moyses and the Prophetes whose simple and playne wordes the world would not beleue although they preached no new doctrine no more then you say that you doo Moyses did shewe manye miracles in Egipt and why was the principall cause to deliuer the children of Israell out of the captiuitie of Pharao No surelye for to what purpose I pray you shuld God shewe such great power and might against a simple worme of earth Is it like to be true that he shoulde moue the whole heauens with suche great darkenes to send so many notable plages to bring him to yeld which had confessed his wickednes for the torment that he suffered with the flyes the frogges Grashoppers Surely no he himselfe doth
to that that is outwardlye written For if so manye men of great learning and excellent vnderstanding haue found such great rocks in this rough sea which haue manye times ouerthrowen their ships howe daungerous then must it needes be vnto those that will take it in hande so doubtfull a nauigation hauing litle skill or none at all But as for you my masters of the contrarye syde you canne sayle with all tides and al winds geuing the gouernance of the ship or the guiding of the sterne without consideration to all kinde of people We haue at this daye in Fraunce I will not say in Englande many that haue the holy spirite Interpreters of the Scriptures And forsooth what are they Mary Pedlers Cobblers Tanners Bankrouts Runnegates and suche others which hauing no other liuing sue to my Lorde Bishop and he makes them ministers being not one of them but hath the holy spirite for assoone as they can saye the Lorde and rayle vpon the Pope the Bishops and al the learned men that haue bene in times past Oh these are great doctors no place of Scripture to them is harde all the auncient doctours were men and the generall Councels did erre I knowe that you doo mainteine your opinion with the saying of Christe alleaging it as other heretikes haue done the whiche is That the heauenly father hath hid these high and profound things from the great Clerkes and hath reuealed them vnto the meeke and humble This is true but it ought to be vnderstoode to the humble and meeke of spirite and not to those which trust so much to their owne wittes beinge puffed vp with arrogant ignoraunce that they thinke to knowe more in three dayes reading then the Doctours coulde in fyftie yeres studie faining themselues to be like the Apostles as if that god gouerned by their appetites did sende euery month the feast of Pentecost ¶ The .28 Chapter I Praye Syrs since you are so absolute aunswere me to this obiection Is it good to beleeue all maner of people that doo alleage the Scriptures or no If ye saye yea why doo not you beleue the abouenamed Valentinus Apollinaris Hebion Cherintus and Nestorius with diuers others that haue sought to mainteyne their errours with the newe and olde Testament If you saye no but that we ought rather to folowe the counsell of S. Iohn in his fyrste Epistle cap. 4. The which is not to beleue euery spirite but that we ought to proue whether it be of God or no What proufe will you shewe vs of yours Shewe the priuiledge that you haue by the which God doth enioyne vs to beleue your Gospell rather then the Gospell of the Pelagians Nouatians Nestorians and other suche false Apostles considering that they haue alleaged the Scriptures aswell as you If you saye that they were heretikes abusers of the people and rauishing wolues cloathed in lambes Skins and false Interpreters of the Scriptures all this is certaine But what though the like reporte goeth of you Ye saye that ye are sent from God to refourme the Churche They saye as muche They preached that the Pope was Antichriste shewinge themselues verye eloquent in detracting and rayling against the Catholike Romane Churche you doo the like At euery worde they did alleage the Scriptures in their Sermons to confyrme their doctrine as you do for yours That that they preached was called by them the Gospell and the pure worde of the Lord these are the very tearmes that you vse amonge your holye prophetes they haue beene condemned as heretikes by the generall Councels you are so likewise They did appeal vnto the pure word of God you doo the like Yet are they proued to be false cogging knaues and so shall you Then seing there is so great an vniformitie betweene you vppon what grounde shall we confyrme that reason that shoulde condemne theym as heretikes and allowe you for Catholikes S. Augustine in his Epistle .161 did put vnto a Donatist called Honoratus this probleme We desire thee not to think it much to aunswere vs to this what cause doest thou knowe or what thing hath there bene done that hath made Christ lose his inheritance spred ouer all the worlde to come to be contayned only in Affrick there only to remayne We put the like question to Caluin Beza Virett and the rest that it may please them to tell vs if that by chaunce they haue ben aduertised through what occasion our Sauiour Christ hath lost his inheritaunce that is to saye the Churche spread ouer all the worlde to remaine nowe in the latter dayes with a company of rude Swizers or in two or three corners besydes and not among the rest for there is a great number of good Catholikes what badge can ye shewe or what signe to make vs know that you are the successors of the Apostles of Christe If that the Scriptures that you alleage ought to be a sufficient proufe we are content to accepte it if you will be content to graunt the like vnto the abouenamed heretikes whiche haue fortifyed their campe with as manye places more then you doo alleage Nowe if that notwithstanding the Scriptures by them alleaged you doo condemne them as heretikes because that they did interprete them contrary to that that the Churche doth teache and to say truth you can imagine no other excuse to what purpose doo you take vpon you the names of Catholikes seeing that you commit the like offence The diuersities of those old heresyes grounded vppon the Scriptures yll interpreted doo teache vs that we shoulde not permit the noyse of youre reformed Gospell that soundeth so shrill to make vs reele from our auncient fayth and without going so farre to seek that that we haue so neere at hande Let vs talke of the present time howe many contrarye sectes doth there reigne howe many heades of heresyes Some are Lutherans some Anabaptists some Puritans some Protestants some Precisians and all these do fortifye their campes with Scriptures to fight one against another The Zuinglians and the Caluinists on the other syde doo write that all these doo erre and they proue it by Scripture The Anabaptists laughe at all the rest The Prophetes Celestes which is another secte doo no lesse grounding theym selues vppon their reuelations because that Dauid sayeth Heare what the Lorde doeth speake in me The Deists or Trinitaries which are come last of all crye out and saye that all they are heretikes and they proue it by the olde and newe Testament I praye nowe tell me which of al these shall I receaue seeing that they doo all alleage the holye Scriptures If we receaue some and not all those that are refused will saye that we offer them wronge for they haue their shoppes stored with as good stuffe of the Scriptures and as wel alleaged as all the rest If we receaue them all it will be a renewing of the olde confusion of Babilon through the neglecting of so manye Gospels If you
vndoubtedly led with the spirite of god in them both For if the Catholike Churche had the true spirite of God in discerning and iudging the true Scriptures of God from the rest not Scriptures why shoulde not we beleeue that same catholike churche gouerned and led by the same spirite in geuing the true sense meaning and vnderstanding of the scriptures Whē ye shal be able to render a sufficient reason of the one and not of the other I shall then yeelde and recant and not before Fourth Let the protestantes make sufficient proufe by auncient writers of the ecclesiasticall historyes what church it is that all these fyftene hundred yeeres past hath continued thoroughout fyrme and stedfast whiles all other conuenticles and congregations aswell of the Atrians as of the Nestorians Maniches Nouatians Vigilians Iouinians and the rest of heretikes of all sortes haue decayed bene conuinced and ouerthrowen that by any other church then by the common knowen catholike Churche of Christe And I shal then yeeld and recant and not before Fyfte If it may sufficiently be proued that any other Churche then the common knowen catholike churche of Christe hath instituted and ordeyned all goodly ceremonies solemne obseruations in the same dayly practised and vsed as the festiuall dayes of Christmas Candlemas Easter Whitsontide the feasts of thapostles and holy Euangelists of S. Michaell tharchangell and of all halowes blessed Saintes the obseruation of the holye fast of Lent and Imber dayes the faste of thapostles and of all the aforesaide festiual Eues beside the weekely fast of Frydayes Saturdayes the rest yet obserued and allowed on both sydes to the honour and glorye of God Then I will recante and not before Sixth let the protestantes shewe what Church from Christe his time hitherto and for the whole space of these fiftene hundred yeres past hath exercised discipline and due correction vpon offenders in all degrees and for that purpose hath not onely prouided and made but continuallye executed lawes canons and decrees ecclesiasticall by suspension excommunication degradation and such other like Let thē proue this discipline to haue proceeded of the Protestants congregations or to haue continued from time to time in anye other Churche then in the common knowen Catholike Churche of Christe And I will then recant and not before Seuenth let me know of the Protestants what Church hath brought forth for the space of these fyftene hundred yeres past as children begotten of her owne wombe so manye thousandes of blessed Martyrs of stoute and bolde confessors of pure and innocent virgins and of other holye Saintes of al sortes and so acknowledged of eyther partie And if it shall in fine fall out that anye one of them was of the Protestants congregatiō faith or belief whiles they liued here and not of the cōmon knowen faith and religion of the Catholike Church of Christe or that they were approued and canonized for Saintes when they were deade by the protestantes congregation and not only by the catholike churche of Christe I shal then submit and recant and not before Eight Wheras the Apostle Saint Paule testifieth that Christ gaue vnto his Churche some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some pastors and doctours ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerij and so to continue to the edifying of his body the catholike Churche vntill his comming agayne Nowe if the Protestants shal be able to proue by ecclesiasticall historyes of all ages the continuance and vse of the said functions and degrees in their congregations and that by some orderly succession and playne accompt made from Christ his time hitherto thei haue neuer lacked the sayde appoynted officers or that any other church thē the common knowen catholike church of Christe hath had at all times the continuance of the same I shall then recant and relent and not before Ninth whereas the protestants by the drift of reason and argument are forced of the Catholikes to acknowledge and confesse their churche and congregations to haue lyen hydden vnknowen for the space of one whole thousand yeres together without all the foresayde functions and ministrations of Apostles prophets Euangelists pastors doctors of their gospel fayth and religion at the least wise to be openly perceyued and knowen If therefore they shal be able for the space of that whole time to proue by auncient writers of ecclesiastical historyes any other worde Gospell or doctrine to be vniuersally and openly taught any other Sacramentes to be ministred anye other discipline or correction to be practised anye other Iudgementes Decrees Canons or lawes to be exeuted then those which were dayly practised in the cōmon knowen Catholike Churche of Christe I will then recant and not before Tenth forasmuche as the Protestantes doo affyrme their congregations faith and religion to haue bene practised in the primatiue Churche of Christe some of them for the space of the firste three hundreth yeeres as Iohn Caluine some for the space of foure or fyue hundred yeres as Martine Luther and his complices some for the whole space of the fyrste sixe hundreth yeeres as master Iewell and the authours of the Apologie of the Churche of Ingland and therin not agreeing among them selues as the maner of heretikes is I requyre some better stayed and certayne tale of them where and when this sodeyn change from the Protestants religiō to the Papists should be made as in what yere of our Lorde vnder what Pope and Emperour by what persons of name it was so wrought and brought to passe and vpon what occasion what Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes Pastors and doctours of their congregations did gaynesay or withstande the same And who doth make anye mention of this sodeyne and meruailous change of the Protestantes religion to Papistrie what one eccesiastical writer or auncient father of the whole world And when they shal be able reasonablye to aunswere and to satisfye these my demaundes then I will recant yeelde to them and not before Eleuenth Let the learned Protestant shewe me what order of seruice or common prayer what order of ministration of Sacramentes their Churche had before papistrie as they call it preuayled in the worlde Let im shewe me one booke or copie of any Communion or what els you liste that was in Englishe or in anye vulgare or common tonge beside the Hebrewe Greeke and Latine or that lacked prayer for the soules departed or inuocation to Saintes or sacrifice for the sinnes both of the quicke the deade or that charged a number to receaue with the prieste or that he could not els consecrate or say Masse receauing alone or that the people should take the sacrament for breade and wine and not for the reall bodye and bloud of Christe or that they should geue no honour to it or not reserue the same for the comfort of the sicke and diseased people or that denied extreme vnction with the rest of the Sacramentes to be behoufull or necessary for
them Let the learned protestant bring foorth and shewe suche a Communion booke or anye leafe lyne or worde of any suche doctrine or any churche or congregation that euer had any authenticall seruice or ministration of the Sacraments other then that which is yet daylye openly practised in the cōmon knowen catholike churche of Christe And I shall then recant and not before Twelfth I demaunde of the learned protestant to knowe cause reason why their congregations do admit and receaue all Bishops priests deacons and other officers spirituall ordered by our catholike Churche as men lawfull and sufficient to preache the worde of God to minister the sacramentes and to exercise al spiritual Iurisdiction in no lesse wise but rather more then if they had bene ordered in their owne priuate congregations whereas the catholike churche of Christ doth not acknowledge any man of their ordering calling to be any whit the more fit for any spirituall function in Christ his church then other cōmon lay men When therfore the learned Protestant shal be able to shewe good cause and reason whye our Catholike Churche hauing by their owne consent and approuing lawfull priestes Bishops and spiritual ministers not to be also the lawful true and catholike churche of Christe I will then recant and not before Thirtene I require of the learned protestant to expresse what furniture furtherance or commoditie to the honor and seruice of God did christianitie or any part of Christendome receaue by his Churche or congregations what temple or churche did you build at any time for your assemblies and seruice of god what Bishopriks for the better gouernment of the church did you founde or procure what vniuersities schooles or colleges did you at any time erect for the maintenaunce of christian doctrine fayth and religion When the learned Protestant shal be able to proue by ecclesiasticall histories and olde auncient writers these thinges to be the monumentes of their conuenticles and priuate congregations of their fayth and religion and not of the common knowen fayth religion and catholike Churche of Christe Then I shal in like maner yeelde and recant and not before Fourthtene Let the learned Protestant name anye one felowship or companye of beleeuers in the whole christian worlde that in all Articles of faith and religion be in one vnitie in one meaning and beliefe and contented also to captiue submit their seuerall meaninges to the iudgementes of their prelates and spirituall gouernours and of one chiefe head and pastor among them in all ecclesiasticall thinges and causes Let I saye the learned protestant name any one company thus agreing among them selues and thus humblye affected in Christian fayth and religion sauing onely the holye and blessed felowship of the common knowen catholike churche of Christe And I will then recant and not before Fyftene Againe I doo demaunde of the learned protestant whether the Lutherans Zuinglians Illirians Caluinists Confessionists Swenkfeldians Anabaptists and suche like be al of one church and congregation or no And if he be able to proue these sectes being of such diuersitie in fayth and religion to make one church and that euery one of them may geue saluation to their felowes being so disagreable one with another in high misteryes and poyntes of fayth and religion or that I ought to beleeue all those rather then the one true catholike churche of Christe or yet anye of these more one then another all of them making such a bolde chalenge of the truth of Gods worde and Gospell When the learned protestant shall be able by good reason or drifte of argument to satisfye these my requestes Then I shall yeelde and recant and not before Sixtene when the protestant shall be able to proue that those persons which in their departure made from the catholike churche of Christe haue more desyre to beare the name of Sectaryes as of Lutherans Suinglians Illyrians Caluinists Swenkfeldians and Anabaptistes then the name of Christians or Catholikes are the true members of Christe his Churche and not heretikes and schismatikes nor yet folowers therein of their forefathers the Arrians whiche toke their names of Arrius the Maniches of Manes the Nestorians of Nestorius the Nouatians the Vigilians the Iouinians Pelagians Eutichians and others Then I shall yeeld recant and not before Seuenthtene I demaunde of the learned protestant whether if the whole space of that thousand yeres of blindnes wherein their Churche laye hid and vnknowen suppressed by papistrie superstition and Idolatrye as they terme it whether they whiche were then baptized and openly professed Christ wer saued or not If the Protestant doo aunswere yea consequently it foloweth that they were saued without the Church of Christe liuing in all ignorance superstition Idolatry as they say If he aunswer no and that there was no saluation out of their hid vnknowen Church then all men of all degrees yong and olde for the whole space of the foresayde thousand yeeres by the Protestants iudgement perished without all hope of Gods mercye and were damned When therefore the learned Protestant shall be able to proue by good reason and argument eyther that ther is a way to saluation without the Churche of Christe or that all people professing Christe perished for so many hundreth yeeres together Then I will recant and not before Eightene Let the learned Protestant make prouf vnto me how their hid vnknowen and secrete churche not hauing in it the doctrine of Christ his Gospell openlye taught no ministration of Sacramentes no spirite of prophecying no discipline of rod or correction no ordering of Bisshops priestes and ecclesiasticall ministers nor yet anye other spirituall function executed in the same for the space of one thousand yeres together Let him proue their hid vnknowen Churche with the lacke of all these thinges to be the true spouse and Catholike church of Christe And I will recant and not before Ninthtene Againe on the other side let the learned protestant proue that it is not the true Churche of Christe that hath in the face of the world for the space of fiftene hundred yeres past exercised preaching the cōuersion of nations to the obedience of the Gospell that hath alwayes had the administration of Sacraments the hearing of matters in controuersie the orderlye succession of Bishops the vniformitie of solemne Ceremonies and the vnitie of fayth that hath in her selfe all holye functions of the spirite as working of miracles remission of synnes the true sense and interpretation of Gods word that is beautifyed with diuersitie of states commended by Christe as with martyrs with confessors holye virgins such other Let the protestant proue vnto me that this is not the true churche and that we are not bound to obey beleue this church none other in all controuersies doubtes vprising eyther by the difficultie of scripture or by vain contention pride of heretikes and I wil yeld recant not before Twentie Moreouer let the
learned protestant proue that the true and catholike churche of Christe may at any time be voyde of Gods spirite which he hath promised to be with his churche for euer saying Et ego rogabo patrē et alium paracletum dabit vobis vt maneat vobiscum in aeternum or falsly to interprete any sentēce of holy scripture or to induce any error among the people or approue vnprofitable and hurtful vsages among the christians or that she suffereth any damnable abuse in her religion without open reprehension thereof Let the learned protestant proue anye of these poyntes And I will then yeelde and recant and not before One twentie If vnitie in faith austeritie of life sharpe discipline great penance muche fasting large almes godly deuotion obedience to higher powers grauitie and true charitie be not more euidentlye exercised and vsed in our common knowen catholike church then in the protestants congregation And contrarywise if discord in religion licentiousnes in liuing contempt of discipline reiecting of penaunce lothsomnes of fasting lacke of zeale and deuotion disobedience to Magistrates Sacrilege Apostacie breaking of vowes vnlawfull lustes wantonnes in all life and maners doo not agree better and more cleere to the protestantes then to the catholikes being the playne signes and fruits of a false churche Then wil I recant and not before Two and twenty Let the learned protestant proue vnto me that their churche congregation might rightlye be called catholike which for the space of a thousande yeres together was so particuler that no man could name any certaine place where their churche was or that it might be called holye which had for so longe time and space neyther the doctrine of Christes Gospell taught in it neyther Baptisme nor anye other Sacrament of Christe vsed to sanctifye them withal or that it could be called one church which assoone as it grew vp and shewed it selfe to the worlde was deuided into so many sundry sects of Lutherans Zuinglians Illiricans Caluinists Swenfeldians Anabaptists and such other or that it might be called Apostolike whiche coulde neuer make an accompt by orderly succession and discent from any one of Christe his Apostles or any other Apostolike man or that their secrete hid and vnknowen congregation was euer of that maiestie or authoriti that it had at any one time or season the true obedience of all christian nations or that it was euer able to assemble and gather vniuersall and generall Councels of all nations christian people or to exercise any discipline or correction vppon offenders throughout all kingdomes and regions professing Christe or that these titles folowing properly applyed by the Scriptures and doctors to the true churche of Christe could euer be chalenged by any right to their hid vnknowen congregation I mean these titles namelye Corpus Christi The body of Christe Sponsa Christi The spouse of Christe Amica Christi The louer of Christ Vnice dilecta Christo Dearely beloued of Christ Columba speciosa The beautifull doue Domus dei The house of God Columna veritatis The piller of truth Ciuitas dei The Citie of God Ciuitas super montem posita A Citie set vppon an hill Fons signatus A spring or fountayne surely signed and sealed Sponsa Agni The spouse of the Lambe Mulier amicta sole A woman clothed with the Sun Habitatio fratrū inuicē a dwelling of brethren all together Mons dei The hill of God Sacra Anchora The holye Anchore Vinea Domini Our Lordes vineyarde Terra viuentium The lande of the liuing Ecclesia magna The great and mightie Churche Archa Noe Noes Arche Vna Sancta Catholica et Apostolica Ecclesia One holye Catholike and Apostolike Churche Domus pacis The house of peace Domus refugij The house of refuge Domus veritatis The house of truth Societas Sanctorum The felowship of holy Saints Nutrix Christianorum The Norishe of the Christians Vxor de latere Christi The Spouse out of Christe his syde sicut Eua de latere Adam like as Eue was out of the syde of Adam Let the learned Protestant make proufe that these moste excellent propertyes and peculier Denominations and Callinges maye possiblye agree to their hid and vnknowen congregations and priuate societies or to any other knowen societie of the whole worlde but onely to the holy societie moste blessed companye and felowship of the common knowen catholike Church of Christ And I will then relent yeelde and recant and not before Last of all when these notes folowing being most certayne and sure signes and tokens of Antichristians false Prophetes heretikes and schismatikes mentioned and manifestlye expressed in diuers partes of the scriptures shall by the learned protestant be proued more aptly and truely to agree vnto vs of the common knowen catholike Church of Christe then vnto the protestants of so many sundrye and diuers sects and congregations I shal submit yeelde and recant and not before First signe and token appropriated to Antichristes false Prophetes heretikes and schismatikes in the scripture is their departure from the cōmon knowen catholike churche of Christe wherein they were baptised and first receaued christian faith and religion of the which sygne and token speaketh Thapostle S. Iohn saying Ex nobis prodierunt sed non erant ex nobis nam si fuissent ex nobis permansissent vtique nobiscum They departed from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs and of our Churche they woulde sayeth Thapostle S. Iohn haue continued with vs still and not haue departed from vs And here nowe the learned protestant not being able to denye that they haue departed from our cōmon knowen catholike church from our fayth and religion wherein they were fyrste baptised and not we departed from them but still remaining in the profession of the same fayth religion that we fyrste receaued he must needes by the dryfte of argument and reason graunt also that this fyrste signe and token of false prophetes heretikes and schismatiks was before spoken of the Apostle S. Iohn onely of them and not of vs. Second sure marke sygne and token of false prophetes heretikes and schismatikes is that they being thus departed from the Catholike church doo of themselues and of their owne authoritie without warrant beinge not sent set vp a newe Gospell a new fayth and religion by preaching of a newe doctrine to assemble and set vp a newe churche and congregation Of this signe and token and great presumption speaketh thapostle S. Paule Quomodo enim praedicabunt nisi mittantur How shall men preach except they be sent And in his Epistle to the Hebrewes he sayeth Nec quisquam sibi sumit honorem nisi qui vocatur a deo quemadmodum et Aaron Let no man take vnto himselfe honoure except he be called of God like as Aaron was Certayne it is that Aaron was called vnto the office and dignitie of a Bishop ordinarily by Moyses and by externall and
the best of the worlde yea whollye without spot or sinne as some of you doo affyrme yet were not they sufficient to moue vs to chaunge our religion nor to forsake that that our forefathers haue taught vs for although it be so that our Sauiour Christe was as iust and as innocent as any can be hath beene or euer shal be yet neyther his holy life nor the Scriptures that he did alleage to proue his comming by the authoritie of the Prophetes nor the testimonie of S. Iohn Baptist all these thinges together wer not sufficient to perswade the Iewes to forsake their old lawes and to receaue the Gospell without the testimonie of the great miracles that he did in their presence He doeth confesse this plainely where he sayth If I had not done in their presence the workes and miracles that neuer any had done they should haue no sin This sentence is moste notable and woorthy to be grauen in the heartes of all Catholikes to assure their consciences which are troubled with such diuersitie of opinions For although it were so that you my masters were the honestest men of the worlde sent from God to teache and preache a true doctrine yet shoulde we be excusable before God for not receauing of your commission euen as the Iewes had bene for not receuing of our Sauiour Christe if he had not done so manye miracles For we knowe no cause why you shoulde be more priuileged then Christe And seing that you haue shewed nothing to verifye it this waye and that the Scriptures make no mention of your vocation nor you shewe no miracles and that your liues are at the least as yll as ours what moues you to be so bolde and so vnshamefaced as to threaten vs with eternall damnation if we receaue not your hereticall doctrine the which is so full of discordes and diuisions that one maye easilye gather by this from whence it came and whither it doeth leade one although yee haue nothing in your mouthes but the Gospell the worde of the Lorde and as S. Augustine sayde vnto your semblables Sola personat apud vos veritatis pollicitatio I say no more at this time but that I beseeche God to drawe you as nere to vs as you are farre from vs and to inspire youre mindes to turne to the flock of Christ the which both to your owne harme and ours you haue forsaken FINIS ¶ An offer made by a Catholike to a learned Protestant wherein shall appere the difference betwixte the open knowen Churche of the Catholikes from the hidde and vnknowen congregation of the Protestants FIrste seeing it cannot be denyed that our Sauiour Christe before his departure and Ascension did commit the charge and gouernment of his Churche the testimonie of his word the truth of his Gospell the ministration of his Sacramentes to his Apostles and Disciples that not only for them selues but to their successors Bishops and priests to none other saying onely vnto them Euntes docete omnes gentes Goe ye and teache all people and nations of the worlde baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghoste teaching them to obserue and keepe all thinges which I haue commaunded you Further Thapostle S Paule being at Miletum in executing of his charge and gouernment gaue this admonition to the bishops and priestes there assembled before him saying Attendite vobis et vniuerso gregi Take hede vnto your selues and vnto the whole flocke of Christe in the which the holy ghoste hath ordeyned you bishops Regere ecclesiam dei to gouerne the church of God. And in the thirtenth Chapiter of his Epistle to the Hebrews he doth commaunde al other sortes of men without exception of Emperours kinges Queenes princes to obey their bisshops and priestes saying Obedite Praepositis vestris et subiacete eis ipsi enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri Obey your Prelates and doo what they appoynt you for they doo watche as men that shall render accoumptes for your soules Seeing that by the testimonies before alleaged it can not be denyed but that the charge and gouernment of Christe his churche the preaching of his doctrine the administration of his Sacraments was by him committed to his Apostles disciples and to all Bishops and priestes as Successors of them to plant christian fayth and religion in his catholike churche vniuersally throughout all nations coastes and quarters of the worlde Seeing this is by the playnnes of the sayde Testimonyes of suche an vndoubted truth that it cannot be denyed Nowe let the learned Protestant affyrming princes to be the supreme heades of the Church eyther shewe by some suche other like playne testimonyes of the scriptures that our Sauiour Christe did committe the chiefe charge and supreme gouernment of his Churche to Emperours kinges Queenes and princes to plant christian fayth religion in the same or that anye one of Christe his Apostles or disciples did conuert any people lande or countrey from their Idolatry Ethnike kinde of liuing to Christian fayth religion by preaching the doctrine of the Protestantes as of onely fayth to iustifye the contempt of good workes and that they be all vncleane in the sight of God the denyall of free will of the reall presence of Christes bodye in the holy Eucharist of the sacrifice of the moste blessed Masse the abolishing of Christe his Sacramentes of all grace and goodnes by them cōferred vnto vs then I shal yeelde and recant and not before Seconde Christe his Catholike Churche being on this wise planted by Thapostles disciples of Christe by Bishops and priests the successors of them had at all times a special care and regarde not onelye of preaching Gods worde but also of the preseruation of the same worde and Gospel by writing of the sacred Bible and holy Scriptures and did discerne iudge them from all other writinges prophane or authentique of all sortes What Churche hath had from time to time the custody of the sacred scriptures and moste safely hath preserued them for the necessary foode of Gods people and from the corruption of the aduersaries aswel Iewes and Gentiles as schismatikes and heretikes of all sortes but onely the common knowen Catholike Church of Christ When therefore the learned Protestantes shal be able to bring proufe to the contrarye that their priuate conuenticles and congregations were the firste bringers forth of this sacred Bible and the worde of God written the chiefe preseruers and defenders of the same in all times and ages from all Iewes Gentiles heretikes and schismatikes Then I will as I saide before reuolte and recant Thirde shew me good reason why ye protestants doo beleeue our catholike churche enfourming and telling you this to be the word of God written the true Bible and sacred Scriptures and doo refuse to credite her in the true sense and vnderstanding of the same Scripture she being