tho' first before we enter into this examination we have thought good to treat certain general Points that make way thereunto as by the next Chapter you shall perceive CHAP. I. Of how to great Importance Ecclesiastical Succession is for trial of true Religion and how Sectaries have sought to fly the force thereof by saying That the Church is invisible How fond a shift this is and how foolishly John Fox doth behave himself therein THE Sentence of the Philosopher is known to all That contraries being laid together do give light the one to the other as white and black proposed in one Table do make each colour more clear distinct and lively in it self For which respect we having laid open before in the first Part of this Discourse the known manifest Succession of Christian Religion in our Isle of England first from the Apostles times among the Britans for the first six Ages after Christ and then again among the English-men for nine Ages more since their first Conversion from Paganism we are now to examin what manner of visible Succession John Fox doth bring us forth of his Church that is to say of the Protestants of his Religion for the said 1500 years or fifteen Ages if any such be for that by this comparison of the One with the Other the Nature and Condition of both Churches will be understood But yet first I mean to note by the way certain principal points to be considered for better understanding of all that is to be handled in this Chapter or about this whole matter of Ecclesiastical Succession 2. Whereof the first may be that which I have touched in the end of the former Chapter to wit of how great importance this point is I mean the Succession and Continuation of Teachers the one conform to the other in matter of Belief and Religion for clear demonstration of Truth in matters of Controversie and for staying any discreet man's judgment from wavering hither and thither in his belief according to that which holy St. Augustin said of himself and felt in himself For that considering the great diversity of Sects that swarm'd in his time and every one pretending Truth Antiquity Purity and Authority of Scriptures and himself also having been misled by one of these Sects for many years was brought by God at length to be a true Catholic and to feel in himself the force of this visible Succession of the Catholic Church And therefore writing against one that in time past had been his Master as Head of the former Sect wherein he had lived to wit Faustus Manichaeus after divers other reasons alledged of his confidence and assurance of Truth in the Catholic Church and of his firm resolution to live and die in the same he bringeth for his last and strongest reason the perpetual Succession of Bishops in the same Church and especially in the Church of Rome Tenet me in Ecclesia saith he ab ipsa Petri sede usque ad praesentem Episcopatum successio Sacerdotum c. I am held in this Church against all you Sectaries by the Succession of Priests and Bishops that have come down even from the first seat of St. Peter the Apostle to the present Bishop of Rome Anastasius that holdeth the seat at this day c. 3. Lo here the force and estimation of Succession with St. Augustin Whereunto are conform all other ancient Fathers if we would stand to alledge them yea they stand so firmly upon this point and do make so great account of it as they do generally note Heretics and Sectaries for the contrary defect to wit that they have no Succession or orderly continuation either of Bishops or of Faith among them but did leap hither and thither as ours do at this day challenging to themselves now this and now that without either Order Interest Continuation or Succession Ordinem saith St. Augustin ab Apostolo Petro coeptum usque ad hoc tempus per traducem succedentium Episcoporum servatum perturbant ordinem sibi sine origine vendicantes Heretics do trouble and break the order of succeeding of Bishops begun by St. Peter and brought down by Off spring one Bishop succeeding another and so challenge unto themselves a certain Order without beginning 4. To which effect also Tertullian more than 200 years before St. Augustin challenging Heretics to this Combat of Succession said Edant Haeretici origines suarum Ecclesiarum evolvant ordinem Episcoporum suorum c. Let Heretics set forth the beginning of their Churches let them recount the order of their succeeding Bishops if they can And then having set down for his part and for proof of true Catholic Succession the whole rank of the Bishops of Rome from St. Peter to Pope Eleutherius that lived in his days Mark I pray you the proof he useth tho' he were of the Church of Africa He glorieth as tho' he brought forth an invincible Argument against all Heretics challenging and provoking them to do the like if they could Consingant saith he tale aliquid Haeretici Let Heretics bring forth or devise any such things for proof of their Church if they can And consider here gentle Reader how Heretics remain confounded by Tertullian's judgment for want of Succession 5. But this is not only Tertullian's Opinion for St. Irenaeus before him again objecteth the same to Heretics against whom he wrote saying Obedire oportet eis qui successionem habent ab Apostolis qui cum Episcopatus successione charismata veritatis acceperunt You ought to obey these who have their Succession from the Apostles who together with the Succession of their Bishoprics have received from time to time the gifts or privileges of Truth And in another place Apud quas est ea quae est ab Apostolis successio hi fidem nostram custodiunt scripturas sine periculo nobis exponunt With whom the Succession of Bishops from the Apostles time downwards is found to have remained these are they who conserve our Faith and do expound the Scripture unto us without danger Behold the vertue of Succession which this blessed Bishop and Martyr St. Irenaeus esteemed so highly in his days as he ascribed thereto both the infallible Conservation of Faith and true Exposition of Scriptures 6. And it is to be noted that he speaketh not only of Succession in Belief as every one of our Sectaries will seem to pretend that they have it among themselves from the Apostles which yet is ridiculous and manifestly false as before hath been declared and after shall be more in particular but he speaketh expresly also of the external Succession and Continuation of Bishops ascribing to them and proving by them the Succession of one and the self-same Faith And to that end doth he number up all the Bishops of Rome from St. Peter to his time as Tertullian before-alledged did notwithstanding the one lived in France and the other in Africa proving
Christian Men have to procure their Salvation tho' all do not use the same to their best benefit and thereby do miscarry For to come to some particulars we say That in this Church and no where else is the truth of Faith and certainty thereof and this by the perpetual assistance of the Holy Ghost promised thereunto by the Founder God himself In this Church is the infallible Judgment both about the Books of Scripture and their Interpretation as all other Doubts and Controversies according to that you have heard before out of S. Augustin In this Church alone and no where else is there true Priesthood by lawful Succession Unction and Imposition of Hands and consequently Remission also of Sins by the Authority they have from Christ to that effect In this Church is the true number use and force of holy Sacraments and Grace given by them In this Church is Unity of Faith and Doctrin Communion of Saints and of Merits and Prayers which no where else is to be found And finally in this Church alone is there warrant and security from Error assurance from overthrow failing or fading which security is established by the promise of Christ himself as our God Creator and Redeemer and to endure unto the worlds end 10. All these utilities and most singular benefits do we believe to be in this Catholic Church above all other Congregations in the world In respect whereof we hold this Church to be our ship our rock our castle our fortress our mistress our mother our skilful pilot throughout all storms of heresies our pillar and firmament of truth against falshood our house of refuge against tribulation our protection our direction our help aid and security in all points and if any man perish in her it is by his own default but out of her none can but perish And this is our estimation of this Affair 11. But now how different an account Protestants do make both of this or their own Church is easily seen by their own words and doings For as they contemn and impugn our Church which we hold for the only true so do they seldom speak of their own For when shall you hear a Minister or Protestant Writer allege the Authority of his Church against us or against his own Fellows when they fall out as often they do or if he should how lightly is it esteemed even by themselves You may read the eager Contentions of the Protestant Churches of Saxony which are Lutherans against those of Heidelberg and other Towns of the Palsgrave's Country that are of a different Sect and of these again against other Consorts of other Provinces both of Switzerland and other parts of Germany yea between the soft and severe Lutherans themselves as between the Calvinian Churches of England and Scotland and in England it self between the Protestants Puritans and Brownists at this day who are nothing else but soft and severe Calvinists In all which sharp Contentions if any part do but name the Authority of their several Church which is very seldom the other presently falleth into laughter holding the Authority thereof so ridiculous as it is not worth the naming so as the Argument taken from the Authority of the Church which with us is of so high esteem as we say with S. Augustin That we would not believe the Gospel if the Authority of the Church did not move us thereunto with these Fellows is most base and contemptible 12. Moreover when they talk of their own Churches tho' every Sect and Sectary for Honors sake would be content to have them accounted Catholic as Lactantius before testified of the Heretics of his time yet do they speak it so coldly and do use the word Catholic so sparingly as they will shew that in their Consciences they do not believe it and a man might answer them as S. Augustin answered Gaudentius the Donatist whose Sect being a particular company of Heretics in Africa presumed by little and little first in jest and then in earnest to call themselves Catholics and their Church the Catholic Church as Protestants do at this day and being reprehended for it by S. Augustin and others would needs prove the same by the Definition of Catholic taken out of S. Cyprian S. Augustin I say after a long refutation thereof out of S. Cyprian's words to the contrary concludeth thus Quid igitur vos ipsos c. Why then do you go about both to deceive your selves and other Men with impudent Lies against S. Cyprian If your Church be the Catholic Church by the testimony of this Martyr shew us that your Church doth stretch her beams and boughs throughout the whole Christian World as ours doth for this S. Cyprian called Catholic c. So as by S. Augustin's Argument if the Protestants cannot shew that their Church hath her beams and boughs spread throughout all the Christian World and that her Faith is the general Faith received amongst all Christians and not only of particular Provinces then cannot they call her or esteem her for Catholic as indeed they do not but for fashion sake and from the teeth outward as hath been shewed 13 For when they come to set her out in her best colours they make her but a very obscure base and contemptible thing first in outward shew calling her the poor oppressed and persecuted Church as Fox's words are troden under foot neglected in the World not regarded in Histories and almost scarce visible c. So as where all the ancient Fathers do triumph and vaunt against both Heretics and Heathens as we do at this day against Protestants that the Catholic Church is more eminent and splendent than the Sun it self and more famously known than any other Temporal Kingdom or Monarchy that ever was in the World Fox of his Church confesseth that she is scarce visible neglected in the World not regarded in Histories c. 14. And then again he playeth fast and loose making her visible and invisible Altho' saith he the right Church be not so invisible in the world as none can see it yet neither is it so visible again that every worldly Eye may perceive it So saith he But how contrary to this was S. Chrysostom who would not yield that the right Catholic Church could be so much as obscured by any force or means whatsoever and thereof vaunting against Infidels saith It may be perhaps that some Heathen here will despise my arrogancy about the Majesty of our Church but let him have patience to expect until I come forth with my Proofs and then shall he learn the force of truth and how it is easier for the Sun it self to be wholly extinguished than for the Church to be so much as darkned or obscured Thus said S. Chrysostom And mark good Reader the difference of Spirits S. Chrysostom vaunteth of the outward splendor and majesty of his Church and John Fox contrariwise doth
Protestant Congregation in London in Queen Maries days and of one Cuthbert Sympson the Deacon or Clerk of that Congregation which two had Dreams and Visions the one concerning the other of them Which Fox thinketh worthy of so great consideration as he writeth thus in his Margin The Visions sent to God's Saints concerning their afflictions Now then touching the first St. Rough you must know that he had been a Dominican Friar in Scotland as Fox confesseth and from thence running away into England gate himself a Mate or as he calleth her a Kate with whom lying in bed he had a Vision of his Fellow Sympson which Fox recounteth in these words The Friday at night before Master Rough was taken being in his bed he dreamed that he saw two of the Guard leading Cuthbert Sympson Deacon of his Congregation to Prison and that he had the Book about him wherein were written the Names of all them that were of that Congregation Whereupon being sore troubled he awaked and called to his Wife Kate strike light for I am much troubled with my Brother Cuthbert this night And when she had so done he gave himself to read on his Book a while and then feeling sleep to come upon him he put out the Candle and so gave himself to rest again and being asleep he dreamed the like Dream and awaking therewith he said O Kate my Brother Cuthbert is gone So they lighted a Candle again and rose This is the Vision of the Scottish Friar which caused his Kate twice to strike fire and light the Candle as you see 30. The other Vision of his Clerk Simpson that kept the Beadroll of the Names of his secret Congregation and was afterward burned with him in Smithfield Fox describeth in this manner Before Simpson 's burning saith he being in the Bishop's Cole-house in the Stocks he had a very strange Vision or Apparition which he himself with his own mouth declared to the Godly Learned Man Master Austen and to his own Wife c. Thus beginneth Fox to relate the Vision noting first as you see that he spoke it with his own mouth as tho' it were a great matter And then he entreth to make a long Apology against the Papists in defence of these Visions tho' theirs be not to be believed 31. They will ask me saith he why should I more require these to be credited of them than theirs of us This is the demand which he frameth in behalf of the Papists and I think no man will say but that it is reasonable Let us hear his Answer First saith he I write not this binding any man precisely to believe the same as they do theirs Lo here is a Foolery with a manifest Lye the Foolery is in telling us so precise believing all Visions and Dreams which no wise man ever thought or spake the Lye is in that he affirmeth us to teach that such precise belief is necessary in Visions among us But let us hear him further in his Answer to the former demand It is no Argument saith he to reason thus Visions be not true in some Ergo they be true in none This part we grant but what is this to his purpose or proof His meaning is that Ours be not true Visions and His be But who shall be Judges He and His would be But this is no reason and we on the contrary do say much more equally Nec mihi nec tibi neither He nor We as particular men ought to judge of these things but the Catholic Church which by her Bishops and Pastors does examin the Proofs Weight and Moment of every one of these things that fall out and according to the Quality Merit and Condition of them to whom they happen as also of the Witnesses and Testimonies whereby they are proved she doth judge of the Truth or Probability of every thing And to Her therefore we stand and not to the fantastical broken Brains of John Fox that maketh Miracles and Visions where he listeth and authorizeth or discrediteth them when it pleaseth him again 32. And thus much by occasion of St. Cuthbert's Apparition to King Alfred the Holiness of which Saint how highly it was esteemed in the days of this King about the year of Christ 878 you hereby see himself living 200 years before for that he died upon the year 687 the 20th of March which day hath ever since been celebrated with perpetual Memory not only by the Church of England but also by the Universal and that most worthily as may appear by his Life written largely by St. Bede Howsoever John Fox doth speak contemptuously of him here and his Fellow John Bale doth revile him But for what think you You shall hear his complaints Omnia ad amussim Monachus didicit quae ad Monachismum spectare novit nulla penitus de Evangelio facta mentioone He being a Monk learned exactly all things that appertained to the Life of Monks but never made mention of the Gospel And is this likely or probable think you that he never so much as mentioned the Gospel seeing that Monks Profession and form of Life is taken out of the Gospel But what more ensueth You shall hear the Apostata utter his Spirit Faemineum gensn saith he exosum ei erat c. Women-kind was hateful unto him c. This is the same Accusation that the Mgdeburgians laid to St. Cyprian if you remember for that he praised Virginity But how doth Bale gather this hatred of St. Cuthbert against Woman-kind It followeth Decretum fecit contra Mulieres ne ejus ingrederentur Monasteria He made a Decree against Women that they should not enter into his Monasteries This Decree Friar Bale that loved Woman-kind liked not But he addeth a further Accusation That in the second year of his Bishopric St. Cuthbert left the same and no less hypocritically than idly made himself an Anchorite leading for the rest of his days a solitary retir'd life See what matters they pick out to object unto God's Saints which themselves cannot or will not imitate 33. Finally to end this Chapter and therewith this fourth station or Time John Fox after much trifling here and there setteth down in the last words of this his third Book a very brief Catalogue of the Archbishops of Canterbury of these Ages with this Title The Names and Orders of the Archbishops of Canterbury from the time of King Egbert to William the Conqueror c. Which he beginneth with Etheldrenus that was the Eighteenth in Order and endeth with Lanfrancus who was the Thirty-fourth making certain Notes or rather Scoffs and Jests upon them all especially upon those that were most renowned for their Holiness and multitude of Miracles recorded by old Writers as namely St. Dunstan of whom Malmsbury and others having left written That among other Miracles happened unto him one was that his Harp wherewith he was wont in his Youth
for her only Son I hold to be that other Blessing before-mentioned of so many rare Parts discovered in His Majesty's Person which truly tho' I have had ever in great esteem upon the reports of other men yet hath the same been exceedingly increased upon the late reading of a Book written I suppose some years agon by His Highness but printed in London this very year 1603. This Book is entituled in the Greek Tongue Basilicon Doron to wit A Kingly Gift sent by His Majesty unto the Prince his eldest Son now also our Lord being in truth a Golden Gift in respect of the excellent matter contained therein and it discovereth so many rare Parts in the Writer as may justly give all Catholics good hope to see one day that fulfilled in His Majesty which most they desire And would to God this singular Treatise had appeared earlier to the World. 6. For setting aside one Point only therein handled which is Religion wherein His Majesty must needs speak according to his Persuasion and Education in that behalf all other matters are such and so set down as you will exceedingly delight therein and profit also thereby if you read with attention and ponder all well but especially Three Points above other I noted with no small admiration to my self which I speak in all sincerity of truth as in the sight of Almighty God. The first is the great variety of select Learning in such a Person and so occupied otherwise as His Majesty is Secondly the great maturity of Judgment in applying the same so fitly to the peculiar Affairs of Scotland The third is the fervent and extraordinary affection of Piety towards God and Godliness uttered in so effectual words and upon so good occasions throughout the whole Book as a man may easily see it cometh from the heart And how highly this one Point of Piety is to be esteemed in so High and Mighty a Prince especially in these our days when Contentions in Religion have wrought so great coldness of Religious Piety in many Great Mens Hearts every Wife and Pious Man will easily consider 7. But I will go no further in this matter lest I may seem to flatter which I hate with my heart and His Majesty detesteth the Vice most prudently and Christianly in this his Book Only I will add for our common comfort That it seemeth impossible unto me that such a Wit and so godly-affected a Mind as God hath bestowed upon His Majesty can be long detained with the vanity and inanity of Sects and Heresies where no Ground no Head no certain Principle no sure Rule or Method to try the Truth no one Reason at all can be found why a man should rather be of one Sect than another but only every ones own Will and particular Judgment grounded as each one will pretend upon the Scriptures whereof yet himself only will be the Judge and Interpreter Which things being of themselves most absurd in so weighty a Cause as Religion is that concerneth the Eternal Salvation of our Souls it is to be hoped that His Majesty having the former two parts of Judgment and pious Affection in that Excellency as hath been said will easily come in time to discover the same and therewithal the contrary substantial Grounds and clear Demonstrations for the Catholic Religion whereunto this Treatise also of the first planting of Christian Religion in our Country may in my Opinion give no small help and light if it might please His Majesty to bestow the casting of his eye upon the same 8. Wherefore to conclude this Addition to my former Letter God having wrought so strangely this Change as here is reported with so general Peace and Applause of the whole Realm you are to expect at His Divine Majesty's hands the Effects that are conform to his Fatherly Love and Care ever hitherto shewed towards you And as for the Person now advanced I know most certainly that there was never any doubt or difference among you but that ever you desired his Advancement above all others as the only Heir of that Renowned Mother for whom your fervent Zeal is known to the World and how much you have suffered by her Adversaries for the same Yet do I confess that touching the disposition of the Person for the Place and manner of his Advancement all zealous Catholics have both wished and pray'd that he might first be a Catholic and then our King this being our bounden Duty to wish and his greatest Good to be obtained for him And to this end and no other I assure my self hath been directed whatsoever may have been said written or done by any Catholic which with some others might breed disgust 9. Now it hath not pleased Almighty God to give us our desires in the order of our wishes but first to make him our King and then to leave us in hope of the other at his due time What shall we say in this and all the rest but as Heli did Dominus est quod bonum est in oculis suis faciat He is Lord let him do as he thinketh best And with Patience Humility Longanimity and Obedience seek by continual Prayer to hasten that time of our full Joy by His Majesty's Conversion which we trust in his everlasting Wisdom and infallible Providence is already determined to be suo tempore And in the mean space seeing it is here reported that Catholics according to their Abilities have shewed themselves in every Country both ready and forward to advance His Majesty's present Admission to the Crown I do not doubt but they shall find the Effects of his Clemency for their delivery out of such Afflictions Calamities and Oppressions as lately they have suffered by the instigation principally of such people whose Manners are most excellently and prudently described by His Majesty in the second Book of his worthy Treatise as to himself well experienced 10. And it is no small comfort in this behalf to have a King of whom we may truly use the words of St. Paul which he spoke of Christ Didicit ex eis quae passus est c. He hath learned by that himself hath suffered by the same kind of Men. And truly tho' in his own Person he cannot be said nor would perhaps to have suffered properly for Catholic Religion as You have done yet if we respect his nearest either in Nature Blood or Affection and their Number Rank and Quality that among them have suffered for the same Cause He may be said to have suffered perchance far more than You for that more of his Princely Blood hath been shed in England France and Scotland about the quarrel of Catholic Religion than of all other Christian Princes joyned together 11. And forasmuch as His Majesty doth vouchsafe of his Princely Gratitude to profess in one part of his Instructions to his Son the Prince That in all his Troubles Streights and Dangers he hath found none so sure and confident
hardness of heart for that they had not believed those who had seen him risen from death again Which doubt and hardness of heart in believing he cured wholly afterwards by sending the Holy Ghost 25. But yet hereby we may evidently see that Christ required humility and obedience of belief even in things where our reason or sense resisted requiring us to captivate our understanding to use S. Paul's own word unto his obedience in matters of faith and not only to himself immediately but to those also that teach and preach unto us by lawful ordination and authority from him albeit they deliver us matters above our capacity reach and understanding and this under pain of eternal damnation for that our Saviour himself having given the Commission of preaching in S. Mark 's Gospel aforesaid Ite praedicate Go and preach he addeth presently Qui non crediderit condemnabitur He that will not believe shall be damned And this is sufficient for the first Point about the obscurity of the Object of Faith and Causes thereof 22. The second Point of this consideration is That albeit Almighty God will have us to yield obedience of faith unto him as well for his due honor as for our own utility yet doth he not leave us without sufficient testimony of the truth nor requireth at our hands this obedience but as rationabile obsequium to use S. Paul's words a reasonable obedience or an obedience founded in all reason of probability inducement and credibility For proof whereof we must understand that albeit the most parts of Christian Belief do so surmount as in the former Point hath been shewed the reach and capacity of human reason as they cannot be comprehended thereby tho' of some other there may be also demonstration made as shall be shewed in the fourth Point of this consideration yet for satisfaction of our understandings his divine Piety and Providence hath left unto us so many other proofs and arguments of persuasion and inducement called by Schoolmen Argumenta credibilitatis Arguments of credibility which being laid together and well pondered may justly move any indifferent prudent and discreet man to yield his assent thereunto and to rest fully satisfied of the truth as learnedly you have seen proved these days past by a Treatise set forth in English for answer of the new challenges of the Minister O. E. this matter is handled more largely But for my present purpose it is sufficient to record unto you that of these arguments of credibility are full fraught all the books and volumes of the ancient Fathers thereby to prove the credibility probability and convenience of Christian Religion and of every part and article thereof thereby to leave them inexcusable that will not believe the same whereof it shall be sufficient that I allege only the example of S. Peter who going about to persuade his audience useth these words Non indoctas fabulas sequuti c. Not induced by vain fables as the Gentiles were have we believed and made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ but for that we have been made eye-witnesses of his greatness c. 27. Thus began S. Peter to persuade his Hearers alleging 2 or 3 strong Inducements of credibility for the same First that he and the rest of his Apostles had conversed with Christ himself upon earth and had been eye-witnesses of all his doings And secondly he allegeth that famous Miracle upon the Mount Thabor when he with S. James and S. John were present at his transfiguration and heard the voice from heaven This is my beloved Son hear him And thirdly he allegeth the Predictions of the old Prophets concerning Christ's coming life actions death and resurrection which S. Peter doth prefer before his sight knowledge and experience had with Christ and worthily for that the Predictions of the Scriptures and Prophets being written by God's Spirit so many Ages before Christ was born and now fufilled so evidently in his Person the Apostles sight and experience thereof was but a testimony to the others verity and nothing so certain as the foretellings of the said Prophets so evidently verifi'd in their sights 28. And yet were all these things but inducements and arguments of credibility as I have said and not demonstrations For albeit the truth of Scriptures be most certain and infallible in it self yet to me who must take them upon credit of others either concernings the books themselves traductions or interpretations or some other such circumstances they cannot have the clearness and evidence to convince our Vnderstandings which philosophical Demonstrations have albeit the assent of our Faith induced by these Arguments of credibility together with the help of our pious affection and assistance of God's grace be much more sure firm and immovable than that which is gotten by human knowledge which is partly seen in that a stronger reason coming against my knowledge I do change my judgment but not in Faith if it be sound The cause whereof is for that Faith is grounded upon a more certain foundation than is human science to wit upon the credit and authority of God himself wherein also is to be noted that these Inductions and Arguments of credibility may be much more evident to some than to others As for example the Miracles done by God in bringing home of the Jews from Egypt were much more evident to those Jews that then lived and were present and saw them than to others that came afterwards Albeit the Faith and Belief of some of the later might be as firm and constant as the former And so the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles were more evident to those that saw them than unto us that hear them only by relation tho' yet our Faith may be as good and firm yea more commendable and meritorious than theirs in that we believe them without seeing according to the aforesaid Saying of our Saviour to S. Thomas And this is the great Piety and Mercy of Almighty God that we that come after in the end of the World shall lose nothing if we will by our so late coming but may be equal in merit to the first 29. Well then this is the second Point what Arguments of credibility Christ hath left unto us for proof of Christian Faith whereof as I said all the ancient Fathers Books are full and you may see many in Eusebius's Learned Books De praeparatione demonstratione evangelica but especially in those that before him wrote Apologies for Christians in times of Persecution as Justin Martyr Tertullian and others S. Austin also in 22 excellent Books that he wrote De Civitate Dei gathered many And you may see good store laid up in our English Tongue in the first Book of Resolution c. 4. entituled Proofs of Christianity Which Arguments being indifferently weighed together with the absurdities of all other Religions besides the Christian do make our Faith most
that Easter-day must be kept upon the first Sunday after the first Full Moon in March as hath been said And furthermore forasmuch as this fourteenth day of the Moon must be that which falleth upon the very day of the Spring Equinoctial or immediately followeth the same which Equinoctium was observed by the Council of Nice to be in those days upon the 21st of March though since that time it fell back by little and little to the 11th day for correction whereof Pope Gregory XIII was forced to make his Reformation from the year 1582 by detracting ten days as all men know For this I say and for that if the fourteenth day of the Moon of March should happen to be Sunday the celebration of Easter must by the same ancient Fathers Prescription be transferred to the next Sunday For observing of these Points the Cycle also of the Sun or Circle of Dominical Letters containing the Revolution of 28 years was invented as necessary for this Observation I might add much more to this effect but this is sufficient to shew the grounds of many difficulties as also returning home to our Affair in hand to shew the beginning of the Eastern Custom among the Scots Picts and Britans not to be of that Antiquity which John Fox and his Fellows would pretend 14. But now besides this we may not omit another point of more consideration for the Reader 's Utility which is the small Piety or Religion of these Sectaries of our days who care not what they grant deny or say so they say somewhat against Rome her Bishops or Religion even in the first Ages or Primitive Church For to this end and with this good mine you shall see them here prefer in effect the foresaid Eastern Custom of celebrating Easter us'd by the Britans and Scots before the Catholic Custom of Rome albeit they well know how many Ages agone it hath been condemned not only for Error but also for Heresie yea tho' themselves do practise the contrary Custom at this day in England and Germany For that this is also a knack of these good men to speak one thing for advantage and practise another As for Example when the Question is about all those Books of the Old and New Testament which by Luther and Lutherans are rejected from the Canon of Canonical Scriptures as Ecclesiasticus Judith Hester Macchabees St. James Epistle the Apocalypse and other like When we reprehend the Lutherans for this point our Protestants of England take their parts and defend them stoutly as we see by the Writings of Fulk Chark Whitaker and others against F. Campian that objected the same to Luther and his Followers and yet on the other side they set the same Books forth in their English Bibles as Books of the Scriptures What dealing I pray you is this For either they be Scriptures and consequently of Infallible Truth or no. If the first then why do you defend the Lutherans that call them in doubt If the second why do you set them forth to the people among Scriptures 15. The like Example may be taken from Martin Luther who in his Book de Conciliis doth persuade the German Princes to observe Easter-day as an immovable Feast whensoever it falleth out without expecting Sunday as the Roman Church doth which point he saith is contrary to the Apostle forbidding us to observe Days Months and Years And yet I do not hear but that He and other Lutherans to this day do observe the Roman Use in practice of their Church concerning this point And the very same may be noted here of our English Calvinists who tho' in Practice of the English Church do observe the same Roman Custom as all men do know yet in their Writings they are content to impugn the same as a matter coming from Rome which you may see notoriously performed by John Bale a chief Gospeller in King Henry VIII and King Edward's days who treating of the former Disputation between Colman the Scottish Bishop and St. Wilfrid the English Abbot in the foresaid Council of Northumberland related by St. Bede praiseth highly the first to wit Colman together with his Learning and Piety in defending the Jewish Custom but scoffeth very contemptously and spitefully at the second that propugned the Catholic Roman Use notwithstanding that St. Bede as before you have heard calleth St. Wilfrid Virum doctissimum a most learned man and other ways also for his Holiness extolleth him exceedingly affirming among other points That for his rare Learning and great Vertue he was made Archbishop of all the Kingdom of Northumberland divided after him into two Bishoprics York and Lindisferne and when afterward as to the best men happeneth he was persecuted and driven out by violence of King Egfrid from his said Archbishopric he went and preached to the South-Saxons and converted all that Kingdom together with the Isle of Wight working many Miracles in like manner among them whereby he is truly called the Apostle of Sussex 16. Thus writeth Bede of St. Wilfrid Apostle of the South-Saxons who vanquished also in the former Disputations B. Colman and converted thereby King Oswyn from his former Rite of observing Easter with the Jews which he had learned during his Education in Scotland to follow the Roman Use But what think you saith John Bale thereof You shall hear in his own words Stulté respondit Wilfridus saith he c. Wilfrid answer'd like a Fool saying that the Apostle St. John did play the Jew in many things c. So saith Bale which words besides the Contumely contain a most false Lye and Slander also for that Wilfrid said not so as in St. Bede may be seen but only that St. John might tolerate perhaps for a time certain Rites of the Old Law as some of the other Apostles also had done and namely St. Paul in circumcising Timothy to bury the Synagogue with Honour c. 17. But hearken yet further how this new Gospeller and old Apostate-Fryer goeth forward against this holy Man Temporum saith he calculatores Evangelistis opponit Wilfrid did oppose the Roman Computists or Calculators of times against the Authority of the Evangelists This is an open Lye as the place in Bede will testifie for he saith only that perhaps one cause why the rude simplicity of the ancienter sort of Scottish Christians embraced the Jewish Custom at the beginning amongst other things might be for that no learned Calculator of the Roman Use had in those days arrived unto them He saith not one word of opposing this to the Evangelists and yet by the way do you note that this false Apostata would have his Reader think that this Jewish Heretical Custom is conform to the Evangelists than which nothing can be spoken more wickedly 18. But let us go forward and see what ensueth In fine saith he suis praevaluit Imposturis dementatis qui aderant Regibus
for a time Brentius as appeareth in his Confession of Wittemberg and some others of that Sect. But this Opinion of Luther did not long please his Followers for that Ph. Melancthon his chief Scholar did soon after teach the contrary viz. That the Church was visible to the eyes of men also And the Magdeburgians do hold the same defining every-where the Church to be a visible Company of Men. Which going back of the principal Lutherans in this point it being done by a certain Consultation had thereof among themselves as Fredericus Staphylus the Emperor's Counsellor that had been one of them affirmeth was some Cause perhaps that Calvin coming presently after them took upon him to defend the same Doctrin again saying Nobis invisibilem c. We are forc'd to believe the Church to be invisible and to be seen only by the eyes of God. Lo Calvin putteth necessity in this point of Belief 13. The Causes that moved the chief Lutherans to go back from their first Opinion about the invisibility of the Church were principally the apparent Evidences and Demonstrations which Catholics do alledge both out or Scriptures Fathers common sense and reason for overthrow of that most fond and ridiculous Paradox And first out of holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament these men being not able to alledge any one place where the Name of God's Church is applied to an Invisible Congregation the Catholics on the contrary side pressed them with many most evident Texts of Scripture where it was and is used for a visible Company of Men as that in the Book of Numbers ch 20. Cur eduxisti Ecclesiam Domini in solitudinem Why hast thou brought the Church of God into the Desart And again in 3 Kings ch 8. Convertitque Rex faciem suam benedixit omni Ecclesiae Israel omnis enim Ecclesia Israel stabat c. The King turning his face about did bless all the Church of Israel for that all the Church of Israel was present c. Which places and many the like cannot possibly be understood of an Invisible but of a Visible Company 14. And much more if we consider the speeches of Christ and his Apostles in the New Testament as these words of Christ Dic Ecclesiae si Ecclesiam non audierit c. Tell the Church and if he hear not the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen or Publican But if the Church were invisible neither could a man complain to the Church nor hear the Church Moreover St. Paul exhorteth the chief Pastors of the Ephesians to attend diligently to their charge Acts 20. In quo vos Spiritus Sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Ecclesiam Dei In which the H. Ghost hath placed you as Bishops to govern the Church of God. But how could they being visible men govern a Company that was invisible not to be seen 15. And yet further when St. Paul and St. Barnabas went up from Antioch to Jerusalem the Scripture saith Deducti sunt ab Ecclesia c. They were brought on their way by the Church of Antioch and when they came to Jerusalem suscepti sunt ab Ecclesia they were received by the Church And yet further ascendit Paulus salutavit Ecclesiam Paul went and saluted the Church c. All which places cannot agree possibly to an invisible Church and yet that this was the true Primitive Church of Christ no man can deny 16. And finally when St. Paul doth teach Timothy his Scholar 1 Tim. 3. Quomodo oporteat conversari in Domo Dei quae est Ecclesia c. How he should converse and govern the House of God which is his Church Columna Firmamentum Veritatis the Pillar and Firmament of all Truth Ibid. All this I say had been spoken to no purpose if the true Church of Christ were invisible for how can a man converse in a Congregation which he cannot see or know or how can the Church be a Pillar and sure Firmament of Truth to resolve all Doubts and Questions that may fall out about Scriptures Articles of Belief and Mysteries of Christ's Religion if it be an invisible Congregation that no man seeth discerneth or knoweth where or how to repair unto it nor who are the persons therein contained 17. And lastly not to stand longer upon this matter that is so evident in it self and plain to common sense and reason if the true Church of Christ be a Society not of Angels Spirits or Souls departed but of Men and Women in this life that must be governed or govern therein how can they be invisible And if they must have Communion together in external Sacraments and namely in Baptism and participation of the Body of Christ if they must profess the Name and Doctrin of Christ externally to the World as also to be persecuted and put to death for the same if all men must repair unto them and those that be out of the Church to enter and be received therein and those that be in her to be resolved of their doubts to lay down their complaints to be governed and directed by her and finally to obey her under pain of Damnation how can all this be performed if she be invisible to man's eyes and only seen by the eyes of God 18. To alledge Fathers and Doctors in this behalf were both endless and needless for that all of them every-where almost are occupied in setting forth not only the Visibility but the Splendor also and Greatness yea the multitude and external Majesty of Christ's Church throughout the World in their days and only St. Augustin may serve for all who dilateth himself every-where in this Argument shewing how the little Stone prophesied by Daniel was grown to be a huge Mountain and terrible to the whole World and that the Tabernacle of Christ which is his Church was placed by him in the Sun to be seen of all and that it was a City upon a Mountain which none could be ignorant of and other like Discourses founded on evident Scriptures Whereby is refuted not only the first shift of Luther and Calvin making the true Church of Christ invisible but also the second of these latter Lutherans who tho' overcome with the former proofs do grant the Church to be a visible Company yet do they deny it to be that external conspicuous Succession of Bishops and Councils which have been most eminent in the known Christian Church from the Apostles downward but rather to be some few obscure and contemptible people which they call the Elect that have lived or lurked from time to time in shadows and darkness and known to few or none 19. But this second device is more fond than the former for where shall a man seek out these hidden Fellows to treat with them or to receive Sacraments at their hands how shall they be known how may they be trusted whence have they
Pope 6. But what did he from his breach forward Did he spare the new Gospellers any thing more for his breach with the Pope Truly it cannot be denied but that for some years he wink'd at their doings somewhat more than before considering the new difficulties wherein he had cast himself by his new disunion and breach as before we have noted in the end of the former Part. But as soon as he had put his Domestical Affairs in some quiet and security he returned again to his former course and custom of restraining these new unruly Spirits by calling them to account for their Innovations and proceeding juridically against them according to Church Canons and according to his former judgment in matters of Religion Which as I might shew by divers ways of proof as well of Acts of Parliament as Proclamations Injunctions and other Declarations of his Will and Opinion in this behalf so will we allege only two or three Examples in the first kind besides those which we have set down in the former Part. 7. In the 31st year of his Reign which was seven or eight years after his breach with the Pope there was made an Act for abolishing of diversity of Opinions about Christian Faith which beginneth thus Whereas the King 's most Excellent Majesty is by God's Law Supreme Head immediately under him of the whole Church of England c. intending the conservation of the same Church in a true sincere and uniform Doctrin of Christ's Religion c. Thus beginneth his Preface And then he determineth together with the Parliament That whosoever shall deny the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar or affirm that the Communion is necessary under both Kinds or that Priests may by God's Law take Wives after Priesthood or that Vows of Chastity are not to be observed or that private Masses are not to be said or that Sacramental and Auricular Confession is not necessary c. All these he condemneth as Heretics and for such to be Apprehended Arraigned Condemned and Burned as at large is to be seen in the Statute 8. And the very next year after perceiving that notwithstanding his former Statute against Protestant Opinions the same did grow and were spread abroad in England he ordained another Statute which beginneth thus Whereas the King 's Róyal Majesty of his blessed and gracious disposition c. well weighing that out of sundry outward parts and places there have sprung been sown set forth divers heretical erroneous dangerous Opinions Doctrins in the Religion of Christ whereby his Grace's Leige-people may be induced to unfaithfulness misbelief miscreancy and contempt of God to the utter confusion and damnation of Souls c. For this cause his Majesty according to the very Gospel and Law of God meaneth to have matters determined and declared c. Thus he writeth in the Statute remitting himself to his further Declaration which is wholly against Protestants whose Faith and Religion you see here called by the King unfaithfulness misbelief miscreancy contempt of God heretical erroneous and dangerous Doctrin tending to utter confusion and damnation of Souls c. And this proved by the pure Word of God and the very Gospel it self as his Majesty affirmeth 9. And will you have more clear testimony of his settled judgment against Protestants than this But yet hear further For that the same King divers years afters after this again towards the end of his days having had good experience of the falshood of Protestants in corrupting the very Scriptures themselves by their crafty Translations Notes and Commentaries he was forc'd to forbid under grievous punishments the reading of the foresaid Scriptures in English which before he had permitted as appeareth by a peculiar Statute made for that purpose and for inhibiting Protestants Books Sermons and Preachings in the 34th and 35th years of his Reign this Statute being entituled An Act for the Advancement of true Religion saying therein as followeth Whereas the King 's most Royal Majesty Sumpreme Head of the Church of England and also of Ireland perceiveth that notwithstanding such holy Doctrins and Docucuments as his Majesty hath hitherto caused to be set forth besides the great liberty granted unto them in having the New and Old Testament among them which notwithstanding many seditious arrogant and ignorant Parsons pretending to be Learred have the perfect and true knowledg understanding and judgment of sacred Scriptures c. intending to subvert the very true and perfect Exposition thereof after their perverse fantasies have taken upon them not only to preach teach declare c. but also by printed Books Ballads Plays Rhythmes Songs and other fantasies subtilly to beguile his Majesty's Leige-subjects c. 10. Behold King Henry's description of Protestants their Wit Nature Condition and Doctrin But now followeth the Remedy Wherefore to ordain and establish a certain form of pure and sincere Teaching agreeable to God's Word and true Doctrin of the Catholic and Apostolical Church c. Be it enacted That all manner of Books of the Old and New Testament in English being of the crafty false and untrue Translation of William Tyndall and all other Books or Writings in the English Tongue teaching or composing any matter of Christian Religion contrary to that Doctrin which since the year of our Lord 1540 is hath or shall be set forth by his Majesty is clearly and utterly abolished c. Thus ordained King Henry of the Protestants Books and Doctrin and this Censure he gave of William Tyndall's Truth and Honesty in translating the Scriptures whom John Fox calleth not only the true Servant and Martyr of God but the Apostle also of England in this our latter Age. 11. Wherefore I do not see how Fox can with any reason make King Henry to be a Gospeller of his Religion or so earnest a Defender of the same or why he should paint him with the Bible in his hand holden up by Cranmer and Cromwell as before hath been said and seen in his Painting seeing he contemned ever their Doctrin and burned the Professors thereof as notorious Heretics unto his dying-day Which is evident by many Examples but most clear and notorious by that of John Lambert a famous Zuinglian with whom in solemn public Audience he disputed in presence of all his Clergy and Nobility of the Realm and caused Cranmer to do the like and in the end made Cromwell as his Vicar-General to give the Sentence of Death against him and burn him in Smithfield and this not two years before Cromwell's own Condemnation for like Heresie by the King 's own pursuit as may appear by the Act of his Condemnation yet extant And the same no doubt would he have done with Cranmer which was the other Upholder of his Arm to maintain the new Gospel according to Fox his Picture if he had known or suspected him not only for an Upholder of
certain Alterations did not take counsel nor direction from the new Gospellers to do it but rather set forth a Book of his own entituled thus Articles devised by the King's Highness So do testifie both Hall Hollinshead and Stow. And then Hall who lived in those days addeth further In this Book are especially mentioned but three Sacraments with the which the Lincolnshire men were offended And then again afterwards he writeth This Book especially treated of no more than three Sacraments where always before the people had been taught seven Sacraments c. Which Articles being delivered to the people the Inhabitants of the North parts being very ignorant and rude and not knowing what true Religion meant c. said Now you see Friends that four Sacraments of seven are taken from us and shortly you shall lose the other three also except you look about you c. Thus writeth Hall of the beginning of the Insurrection of Lincoln York and other Shires by occasion of these new-devised Articles in Religion Whereby notwithstanding we see that King Henry thinking best to make some alteration tho' he meant not indeed to take away any Sacrament as afterwards appeared yet disdained he to take his Platform from the Protestants or Gospellers of those days but devised of himself the Innovation which for the present he meant to make Whereof I have heard of a certain Story not unpleasant nor from the purpose which therefore here I will set down 17. A certain Courtier at that day some say it was Sir Francis Bryan talking with a Lady that was somewhat forward in the new Gospel about this Book of the King 's then lately come forth she seemed to mislike greatly the Title thereof to wit Articles devised by the King's Highness c. saying That it seemed not a fit Title to authorise matters in Religion to ascribe them to a mortal King's device Whereunto the Courtier answered Truly Madam I will tell you my conceit plainly If we must needs have devices in Religion I had rather have them from a King than from a Knave as your Devices are I mean that Knave Frier Martin who not yet 20 years agone was Deviser of your new Religion and behav'd himself so lewdly in answering his Majesty with scorn and contempt as I must needs call him a Knave tho' otherwise I do not hate altogether the Profession of Friers as your Ladyship knoweth Moreover said he it is not unknown neither to your Ladyship nor Us that he devised these new Tricks of Religion which you now so much esteem and reverence not for God or Devotion or to do Penance but for Ambition and to revenge himself upon the Dominican Friers that had gotten from him the preaching of the Pope's Bulls as also to get himself the use of a Wench and that a Nun also which now he holdeth And soon after him again three other married Priests his Scholars to wit Oecolampadius Carolstadius and Zuinglius devised another Religion of the Sacramentaries against their said Master And since these again we hear every day of other fresh Upstarts that devise us new Doctrins and there is no end of Devising or Devisers And I would rather for my part stick to the devising of a King that hath Majesty in him and a Council to assist him especially such a King as ours is than to a thousand of these Companions put together 18. It is true said the Lady when they are Devices indeed of Men but when they bring Scriptures with them to prove their sayings then are they not Mens Devices but God's Eternal Truth and Word And will you say so Madam quoth he And do you not remember what ado we had the last year about this time with certain Hollanders here in England whom our Bishops and Doctors could not overcome by Scriptures notwithstanding they held most horrible Heresies which make my Hairs to stand upright to think of them against the Manhood and Flesh of Christ our Savior and against the Virginity of his Blessed Mother and against the Baptism of Infants and the like wicked Blasphemies I was my self present at the Condemnation of fourteen of them in Paul's Church in one day and heard them dispute and allege Scriptures so fast for their Heresies as I was amazed thereat and after I saw some of these Knaves burned in Smithfield and they went so merrily to their Death singing and chanting Scriptures as I began to think with my self whether their Device was not of some value or no until afterward thinking better of the matter I blessed my self from them and so let them go 19 Oh said the Lady but these were Knaves indeed that devised new Doctrins of their own heads and were very Heretics not worthy to be believed But how shall I know quoth the Courtier that Your Devisers have not done the like seeing These alleged Scriptures no less than They and did one thing more which is that they went to the fire and burned for their Doctrin when they might have lived which your Frier and his Scholars before named have not hitherto done And finally Madam I say as at the beginning I said If we must needs follow devising we Courtiers had much rather follow a King than a Frier in such a matter For how many years Madam have Friers shorn their Heads and no Courtier hath ever follow'd them hitherto to therein But now his Majesty having begun this last May as you know to poll his Head and commanded others to do the like you cannot find any unshorn Head in the Court among us Men tho' you Women be exempted And so I conclude that the device of a King is of more credit than the device of a Friar And with this the Lady laugh'd and so the Conference was ended 20 And thus much for the first devising or setting up of new Religion in England Now for the going forward thereof let us hear a large testimony of John Fox himself and thereby judge how Apostolic the manner was of promoting the same To many which be yet alive saith Fox and can testifie these things it is not unknown how variable the state of Religion stood in those days how hardly and with what difficulty it came forth what chances and changes it suffered even as the King was ruled and gave ear sometime to one and sometime to another so one while it went forward and another season it went as much backward again and sometime clean altered and changed for a season according as they could prevail which were about the King c. 21. Here now you see both the beginning and progress of Fox's Gospel whereof in the Margin he maketh this Note The course of the Gospel interrupted by malicious Enemies Here you do hear him say that the Birth of his Gospel came forth hardly and with great difficulty and straining and then that it grew or went backward as the King was ruled by others and gave credit