Donatistes we affirme that the Catholike church of Christ is and hath beene euen in the most darke times of Antichristes kingdome dispersed throughout the whole world nothing doubting but God which preserued 7000. in one corner of Israel not much greater then some shyere of England hath preserued seuen thousand thousande in all partes of the wyde world which neuer bowed their knees to the Romish Baal nor kissed him with their mouth CAP. IIII. Proofes and testimonies one of the Prophet Esay that the Church of the Messias continueth for euer vnto the worlds end assisted alwayes by God himselfe The testimonies of the perpetuitie of the Church out of the Prophet Esay with the exposition of Hieronyme vpon them maketh nothing against vs which willingly acknowledge the same But denye that they perteine to the Popish Church which had her beginning long after Christe and his Apostles and her full tyranny confirmed more than 1000. yeares after Christe The same Hierome disputeth against the custome of the particular Church of Rome and appealeth to the Church of all the worlde Si auctoritas quaeritur orbis maior est vrbe c. If authoritie be sought the world is greater then a citie And againe Quid mihi profers vnius vrbis consuetudinem What bringest thou forth to mee the costome of one citie Euagr. We stand for the Catholike Church of Christ dispersed ouer all the world against the particular schismaticall hereticall and Antichristian church of Rome which though shee haue inuaded by tyranny ouer a great part of Europe yet neuer did shee preuaile ouer the whole Church throughout the world not yet ouer all Europe CAP. V. The doctrine of Caluine touching the Church is examined to the touchstone of the holy Scriptures alledged Wherein also is treated and disputed by what markes the Church may be known First he confesseth that Caluine hath learnedly largely and truely treated of the vnitie authoritie and obedience of the Church He affirmeth also that he acknowledgeth a visible Church in the worlde whose communion we ought to keepe and of her to receiue the spirituall foode of doctrine and sacraments which ought not to be forsaken for the euil life of the members thereof All this he commendeth and alloweth But herein he sheweth his malicious cauilling stomak that he supposeth Caluine to affirme that the vniuersall Church of Christ is visible where he speaketh but of particular congregations members of the whole which are visible not to the world always but to the members of the same The markes of the Church which Caluine sayeth to be true preaching of the worde of God and due administration of the sacraments although he confesseth them to be in the Church yet he denyeth them to be the markes of the Church For the marke must be better knowne then the thing whereof it is a marke but the Church is more euident then those markes ergo they be no true markes The minor he proueth by that which Caluine teacheth that wee must learne of the Church the true meaning of the Scripture But hereof it followeth not that y e Church is better known then these markes For there is a farther tryal which ought to be better known by which both are to be knowne namely the worde of God whereunto wee must haue recourse to trye whether those things that are preached are euen so in deede as the Thessalonians did by the preaching of Paul Barnabas Act. 17. ver 11. The vnmouable trueth is to be sought in the Scriptures what preaching or Church agreeth with that trueth is to be receiued none other And whereas he sayeth that Heretikes challenge these markes as well as Catholiks I grant they do so but no more do they challenge these markes then they challenge the Church to be on their side for there was neuer heresie but they bragged as much of the Church as of the trueth Therefore the Church is not more cleare then these markes but these marks tryed by y e worde of God are more cleare then the Church which is therefore the Church because it maintaineth true doctrin The doctrine is not true because the Church maintaineth it The cause is better known then the effect for knowledge is to vnderstand by causes But M. Stapl. hath two better markes then Caluine describeth To wit the vniuersalitie and communion of all nations The continuance and euer-remaining thereof among Christians These markes by no Logyke can be causes of the Church but adiuncts vnto it and therefore the worst arguments that can be to knowe it by euen such as the foolish mans argument was that knew his horse by the brydle But admitt these to be proper adiuncts of the Church yet shall not the popish Church be able to prooue those to be her markes For Popery neither doth neither euer did possesse all the worlde except a peece of Europe be all the world The Church of Christ is Catholike although there were but three of foure persons in all the worlde that mainteined true doctrine as there was not many when Christ his Apostles and a fewe other were the onely Church in all the world and the Catholike Church before they were dispersed into many nations For y e Church is called Catholike or vniuersall not because all men or most men do pertaine vno it but because all that be members of Christ howe many or howe fewe so euer they be and wheresoeuer they be are members of that Church But M. Stapl. sayth The vniuersalitie of the Church is a matter euident to the eye therefore the Catholike Church is alwayes visible To this I answer that if the Catholike Church or the vniuersalitie thereof were alwayes visible or at any time visible or the vniuersalitie thereof euident to the eye it should be no article of faith for faith is of such things as are not seen with the eye but beleued with the heart Heb. 11. ver 1. We agree with Augustine against the Donatists that no heresie was in all countreys in all ages For Papistrie which is the greatest heresie apostasye was neuer in all countryes all ages But if an heresie were in all countries and ages yet proueth it not it self to be a Catholike trueth Idolatrie hath beene in all countries and ages yet is it not thereby prooued to be a Catholike trueth The Church of Christe whereof we are members hath bene in al partes of the world and in all ages though not alwayes not euer receiued of the greatest part of men And if this be a most cleare and euident marke as he saith that no heretike can pretende to be ioyned in communion with all Christian countries The Popish Church hath not this marke which is not ioyned in communion with the Greekes Armenians Chaldeans Aethiopians and so many nations as at this day and since the Apostles times haue bene Christened Countries But nowe wee come to the seconde marke of the Church The continuance thereof
doctrine necessary to saluation shall continue pure and vnspotted although in other matters shee may be deceiued euen as euery one of Gods elect for whome our Sauiour Christ prayeth Iohn 17. which text M. Stapleton citeth to proue the continuance of the Church Wee will neuer say that hell gates haue preuailed against the vniuersall Church of Christ though they haue preuailed against the see of Rome Yet must wee say as the Scripture teacheth vs that Antichrist shal prevaile in the worlde 2. Thessal 2. One Scripture is neuer contrary to another Wee are challenged to reade you out of the Scriptures the breach interruption and fayling of the Church of Christ so manye hundreth yeares As you vnderstand the breach and fayling for an vtter abolishing of the Church of Christ out of the worlde such breache and fayling as wee do not read it so wee do not affirme it But that wee affirme wee reade that in the latter dayes some shall depart from the faith attending to spirites of errour in hypocrisie c. whose markes are to forbid marryage and to abstaine from meates which God hath created c. 1. Tim. 4. Wee read that before the comming of Christe shall be an apostasie and the man of sinne shalbee openly shewed which shall deceiue a great parte of the worlde 2. Thess. 2. We reade that the whore of Babylon which all auncient writers expound to be Rome shall with her sorcerie enchaunt make dronke all nations c. Apoc. This and much more we reade to shewe what your vniuersalitie is and to take away the obiection of our paucitie and not appearing to the greatest part of the worlde at such time as it pleased God for the vnthankfulnesse of men to send them the efficacie of errour to be deceiued because they woulde not receiue the trueth CAP. VIII To denye the continuance of the Church in a sound vpright faith is to defect the mysterie of Christes incarnation This man hath great leasure with store of ynke paper that filleth so many chapters which proofe of that which none of his aduersaries will denie Who al with one mouth confesse and cry out against him so loud that if he were not either deafe or dead he might heare that as Christe the head continueth for euer so doeth the Church his bodye but that the Popishe Church at this time and many hundreth yeares before this time is the body of Christe the spouse of Christe the flocke of Christes sheepe which is deuided from Christ which is an adulteresse from Christ which heareth not the voice of Christ this we all denie and this you shal neuer be able to proue while the world standeth babble and scrible as long as you will CAP. IX That Protestants doe condemne the practise and beliefe of the first 600. yeares in many thinges no lesse then of this latter age If Papistes doe allowe the practise and beleefe of the first 600. yeares in all thinges they may iustly reproue vs for refusing the same in some things But if they refuse the practise and beleefe of that age in many things bicause their Church their iudge doth now practise and holde the contrarie why should they require vs to be bound to the practise and opinion of those times in all things when by Scriptures the only rule of trueth with vs we finde that they haue erred in some things But to leaue his impudent rayling and lying that we or any of vs did euer offer to iustifie what so euer was done or helde by godly men of the first 600. yeares let vs see what practise and beleefe he chargeth vs to condemne First saith he they not onely reproue certaine Fathers for certaine errours but in many pointes they condemne all the Fathers for common errours as inuocation of Saintes and praier for the dead And doe not you Papistes reproue the practise of al the Fathers Pope Innocent with them not onely for ministring the Communion to infants but also for holding that they be damned except they receiue the Communion Augustim Cont. duas ep Pelag. ad Bonifac. lib. 2. cap. 4. Doe you not reproue y e practise opinion of all y â— Fathers for allowing mariage in the ministers of the Church which you vtterly condemne What shall I say of the Communion in both kindes giuen to the lay people by consent of all antiquitie of communicating with the Priest and many such like thinges the practise and beleefe whereof you vtterly refuse But to returne to the examples of inuocation of Saintes which Stapleton saith are cleare by all writers of the first 600. yeares rayling like a saucie marchant at M. Iewell and M. Grindall men whose learning and godlinesse he may enuie but will neuer attaine vnto What a bolde bayard is this to affirme that innocation of Saints is cleare by all writers of the first 600. yeares when no writer of 300. yeares after Christ hath any one iot either of practise or beleefe to alow it Epiphanius among the heresies of y â— Caianes counteth inuocation of Angels Tom. 3. Haer. 3. The other errour of praying for the dead is more auncient but yet it sprang first from the heresie of Montanus neither is there any writer auncienter then Tertullian a Montanist in whome any steppes of praier for the dead are to be found To these he adioyneth a slaunder of Caluine whome he affirmeth to teach that God is the cause and authour of euill which how impudent a lye it is all they that haue read Caluine of Predestination can testifie The reseruation of the Sacrament of the Lordes supper Caluine confesseth to haue bene an erronious practise of the ancient Church And what say you Papistes was it not erronious to reserue that which Christ commaunded to be eaten and dronken But you make no bones of Christes commaundement If it were not erronious why was it forbidden in diuers Councels If you care not for that yet thinke not to mocke y e world with the auncient practise of reseruation which you your selues condemne Will you suffer men and women to carie home the sacrament and locke it in their chestes to hang it about their neckes to receiue it in their houses when they list If you allowe not these thinges which was the reseruation of auncient times you are twice impudent to charge vs for reprouing that practise which you your selues doe not admit to be lawfull But yet againe he chargeth Caluine to condemne the whole primitiue Church of Iewish superstition for saying the Fathers folowed rather the Iewish manner of sacrificing then the ordinance of Christ in the Gospell What a shamelesse beast is this to slander Caluine to condemne the whole primitiue Church when he speaketh only of the later and more corrupt times in which he sheweth their errour but condemneth not the Church But nowe he will proue that Protestantes hold sixe heresies condemned within the first 500. yeares The first is iustification by faith
at y e cōmandemēt of king Edilred was cōsecrated by Wilfrid Bish. of y e Victians li. 4. ca. 23. These places of the historie shewe that kings had chiefe authoritie both ouer persons and causes Ecclesiasticall such as we nowe acknowledge our Princes to haue 35 The finall determination of spiritual causes rested in the See Apostolike of Rome which is nowe detested of protestantes Although the See of Rome vsurped much in those dayes yet was not the authoritie thereof acknowledged by the Churches of the Britaines Irish and Scots The Britaines before Augustines time sent not to Rome but vnto Fraunce for ayde against the Pelagian heretikes At Augustines comming and long after they refused to yelde obedience to the See of Rome yea among the Saxons them selues Wilfrid deposed by the king and absolued by the Pope could not be restored but by a Synod of his own countrie li. 5. c. 20. 36 Their faith and Apostles came from the See of Rome the protestant departeth there fro The Protestantes are returned to the auncient faith which was in this land before Augustine came from Rome which did not so much good in planting faith where it was not as in corrupting y ◠sinceritie of faith where it was before he came 37 Their faith was first preached with crosse and procession Heresies first raged by throwing downe the crosse and altering the procession therewith The Popish faith beganne with superstition which the Christian Catholikes haue iustly abolished 38 Their first Apostles were Monkes The first preachers of the protestants haue bene apostataes as Luther Oecolampadius Martyr c. Nay they haue returned from apostasie to the true faith and religion of Christ. Augustine and the rest of the Monkes of that time differed much from the Popish Monkes of the latter dayes For they were learned preachers lib. 3. cap. 26. these idle loyterers they laboured with their handes lib. 5. cap. 19. these liued of the sweat of other mens browes They made no such vow but they might serue the common wealth if they were called thereto Sigbard of a Monke was made King lib. 4. cap. 11. these professed them selues dead to all honest trauell either in the Church or common wealth 39 The first impes of their faith and schollers of the Apostles were holy mē Luther confesseth his schollers to be worse then they were vnder the Pope There were hypocrits in those daies also there were incontinent Nunnes lib. 4. cap. 25. And Beda confesseth that Aidane which was no slaue of the Romish See was more holy then y ◠Cleargie of his time whose deuotion was key colde If Luther flattered not his scholers he is more to be commended yet can not Stapleton proue that he speaketh so of all but of some carnall professours only 40 Their first preacher liued apostolically in voluntarie pouertie This Apostolicall perfection protestants that beare them selues for the Apostles of England neither practise them selues nor can abide in other First it is a slaunder that any Protestantes beare thē selues for Apostles of England secondly let the world iudge whether the preachers of the Gospel come nearer to the pouertie of the Apostles then the Pope their great Apostle of the Romish Church with the rest of the pillers of the same the Cardinals c. 41 Their faith builded vp Monasteries and Churches protestants haue throwne downe many erected none The first Monasteries were Colledges of learned preachers and builded for that end King Edilwald builded a Monasterie wherein he his people might resort to heare the word of God to pray and to burie their dead lib. 3. cap. 23. The like practise was in the Abbay of Hilda lib. 4. Ca. 23. From which vse seeing they were of late degenerated into idlenesse and filthie lustes they were lawfully suppressed And as for building of Churches where they lacke Protestants haue and do imploy their indeuour 42 By the first Christians of their faith God was serued day and night protestants haue abolished all seruice of God by night and done to the diuell a most acceptable sacrifice Protestants haue abolished no seruice of GOD by night but such as was either impious or superstitious for they also serue God both day and night euen with publique praier and exercise of hearing the word of God preached 43 By the deuotion of the people first imbracing their faith much voluntarie oblations were made to the Church by the rechlesse religion of the Protestantes due oblations are denied to the Church Of them that be true professours of the Gospell both due oblations are paide and much voluntarie oblations also for the maintenance of the preachers for reliefe of the poore the straunges and captiues c. 44 Princes endued the Church with possessions and reuenues The lewde loosenesse of the Protestants hath stirred princes to take from the Churches possessions so giuen Nay the pride couetousnesse and luxuriousnesse of Popish Cleargie haue moued them to do that is done in that behalfe 45 Last of all their faith reduced the Scottishmen liuing in schisme to the vnitie of the Catholike Church This late alteration hath moued them from vnitie to schisme Nay their superstition at length corrupted the sinceritie of faith in the Britaines and Scots and from the vnitie of y e Catholike Church of Christ brought them vnder the schismaticall faction of the See of Rome from which they are nowe againe returned with vs God be thanked to the vnitie of Christes true Catholike and Apostolike Church These differences which he hath either falsely obserued or else craftily collected out of the drosse and dregges of that time he promiseth to proue to concurre with the beliefe practise of the first 600. yeres in the second part of his feeble fortresse which is easily blowne ouer with one word Although some of these corruptions haue bene receiued within the first 600. yeares yet is he not able to proue that they haue bene from the beginning and so continued all that time wherefore his Fortresse will doe them small pleasure to establish them for Christian truthes which haue had a later beginning then our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles But for as much as he hath gathered differences of the first Church of the Saxons from ours I haue also gathered differences of the same from theirs at this time and let the readers iudge of both indifferently 1 The Church of English Saxons for 300. yeares after Augustine did beleeue bread and wine to remain in the sacrament after consecration which the Papists denie proued by a Sermon extant in the Saxon tong translated out of Latine by Aelfrike Archbishop of Canturburie or Abbot of S. Albones appointed to be read vnto the people at Easter before they receiued the Communion also by two Epistles of y e same Aelfrike 2 The Church of English Saxons beleeued the sacrament to be the body and bloud of Christe not carnally but spiritually expressely denying as wel the carnall presence as transubstantiation which the Papistes
Christ these many hundreth yeares he alledgeth the sayinges of some Protestants miserably wrested from their meaning that Latimer was our Apostle that Luther begat trueth that the Gospel doth arise in the first appearing of the Gospel c or as though by these sayings such like they should deny that euer there had ben any Churche in the worlde before these times whereas euery childe may vnderstand they speake of the restitution of the truth of the Gospel into the open sight of the world in these latter days Likewise where some haue written that the Pope hath blinded the world these many hundreth yeares some say a thousand yeres some 1200. some 900. some 500. c. And the Apologie affirmeth that Christ hath saide the Church should erre he cauilleth that all the Church for so many yeares is condemned of all error Whereas it is euident to them that will vnderstande that although some erronious opinions haue preuailed in processe of time haue increased in the greatest part of the Church for many hundreth yeares yet so long as the only foundation of saluatioÌ„ was reteined the vniuersall Church of Christe so many hundreth yeares is not condemned But when Antichrist the mysterie of whose iniquitie wrought in the Apostles time 2. Thess. 2. was openly shewed and that apostasy which the Apostle foresheweth was fulfilled then and from that time whensoeuer it was not the vniuersall Church of Christ is condemned but the general apopasie of Antichrist is detected THE ARGVMENT WHEREVP-on this first part of the vawmure of this Fortresse is builded is thus framed by the builder himselfe The knowen Church of Christ doth continew and shall continue alwayes without interruption in the true and vpright faith But papistrie was the onely knowne Church of Christ all these nine hundreth yeares Ergo papistrie all these nine hundreth yeares hath continued and shal continue alwayes euen to the worldes end without interruption in the true and vpright faith This argument hath neuer a legge to stande vpon for vnderstanding as he doeth the knowen Church to be that which is knowne to the world to continue without interruption so knowne to the worlde the maior is false For although the Church shall continue alwayes without interruption yet it shall not continue alwayes so knowne but as in the dayes of Elias be hid from the outward viewe of men Againe the minor that Papistrie was the only knowen Church vnderstanding as he doth that it was only reputed taken and acknowledged so to be it is vtterly false For the Greeke Orientall Church which is not the Popish Church hath beene reputed taken and acknowledged to be the Church of Christ by as great a nomber of professors of Christianitie as haue acknowledged the Popish Church So that where he thinketh and saith al his labour remaineth to proue y e maior you see that if he could proue it yet al his labor is lost But to follow him in his maior he deuydeth it into two partes The one that the Church doeth alwayes continue in a right faith The other that this is a known Church Both these he promiseth to proue by Scripture And the first truely he shall not neede but yet it followeth not but that the church may erre in some particuler points not necessary to saluation although it continue in a right faith concerning all principall and necessarie articles CAP. III. Euident proofes cleare demonstrations out of the Psalms that the Church of Christ must continue for euer without interruption sounde vpright He is plentifull in prouing that which needeth no proofe that the Church of Christ shall continue alwayes and first out of the 88 Psalme which he rehearseth and interpreteth of the Church out of Augustine lest he should trust his owne iudgement as he fantasieth that our preachers do altogether refusing to read interpreters Wee affirme that the Church of Christ hath and shall continue to the worldes ende but we deny that the Popish Church is that which could not be before there was a Pope before their heresies were brought out of the bottomlesse pit which were not breathed vp all in 600. yeares after Christ no not in 1000 yeares after Christ and some not almost in 14. hundreth yeares after Christ I meane the sacrilegious taking away of the communion of the blood of Christ from the people in the councell of Constance What impudencie is it of Papistes to vrge the perpetuall continuance of Christes Churche without interruption and then to begin at 600. yeres after Christ and not to be able to shewe a perpetuall course of all their doctrine from Christ his Apostles and the primitiue Church But to proue that the church of Christ cannot possibly as Protestants wickedly do fable haue fayled and perished these many hundreth yeares he citeth the 61. Psalme with Augustines exposition thereupon But what Protestant so fableth M. Stapleton you had neede to make men of paper to fight against the paper walles of your fantasticall fortresse The Papistes when they cannot confute that we say they wil beate downe that we say not How saye the Protestantes that these 900. yeares and vpward the Church hath perished it hath beene ouerwhelmed with Idolatrie and superstition The Protestants neuer sayde so M. Stapl. The Church hath not perished though the greatest part of the worlde hath beene ouerwhelmed with idolatrie and superstition God can prouide for his chosen that they shall not be drowned when all the worlde beside is ouerwhelmed Another testimonie to the like effect and with the like conclusion he bringeth out of y e psal 104 thereupon a pithy syllogisme We proue the Catholike Church by the continuance of Christianitie The continuance of Christianitie only in Papistry is cleare ergo Papistry is only the true Church of Christ. Nego tibi minorem M. Stepl When will you proue the continuance of Christianitie only in Papistrie when Papistrie began since Christ his Apostles and if you meane Christianitie for the externall profession of Christes religion then will you proue the Orientall Churches to be papistrie which defye the authoritie of your Pope Last of all out of the Psalm 101. and Augustines application of the same against the Donatistes which sayde that the church was perished out of al the worâ—d except Affrica where they were he would compare the Protestants to them whereas in deede the Papistes are more like to them For they holding that there is no Church of Christ but the Romish church affirme in effect as the Donatistes that the Church of Christ for many hundreth yeares hath perished out of all partes of the world beside Europa where onely yet not in all partes thereof they haue borne the sway Whatsoeuer therefore Augustine writeth against the Donatistes for shutting vp the Church of Christ onely in Affrica may be rightly applyed to the Papistes for restraining it onely to a part of Europa But contrary to the Papistes and
only condemned in Aerius and Eunomius August Haer. 54. Epiph. Haer. 76. which is a very shamelesse slaunder for there is no such iustification by faith onely condemned in them as we holde which no man of the auncient Fathers more copiously defendeth then Augustine him selfe The second is also a most impudent lye that to condemne free will in man to worke well as we meane it is an heresie of y e Manichees Marcionistes for both which opinions as we holde them Augustine him selfe shall speake Ep. 105. Sixto Restat igitur vt ipsam fidem vnde omnis iustitia sumit initium propter quod dicitur ad ecclesiam in Cantico canticorum Venies pertransies ab initio fidei non humano quo isti extolluntur tribuamus arbitrio nec villis praecedentibus meritis quoniaÌ„ inde incipiunt bona quaecunque sunt merita sed gratituÌ„ donum Dei esse fateamur si gratiam veram id est sine meritis cogitemus Therefore it remaineth that we ascribe not faith it selfe from whence all righteousnesse taketh beginning for which it is said vnto the Church in the Balat of Balats Thou shalt come passe through from the beginning of faith vnto mans free will whereof they are proude nor to any merites going before for all good merites what so euer they are beginne from thence but that we confesse it to be the freely giuen gift of God if we thinke oâ— true grace which is without merites Thus writeth Augustine against the Pelagians which mainteined free will to do wel and were counted heretikes therefore the contrarâ—e whereof Stapleton doth nowe count to be heresie in vs. The third heresie imputed to Aerius was the deniall of praier for the dead which neither Augustine nor Epiphanius that count it for an errour can by the word of God conuince to be so The fourth is Iouiniaans opinion making marriage equall with virginitie which we doe not hold but that in some respect virginitie is preferred as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 7. But y t we exhort them to marrie which can not keepe their vowe of continence which rashly and presumptuously they made we are warranted by Epiphanius Contra Apostolicos Haer. 61. Hieronym Ad Demetriadem The fift that is the contempt of fasting daies appointed by the Church we holde not with Aerius and Eustachius but coÌ„trariwise that they are to be obserued although we make none account of the fasting daies appointed and superstitiously kept by the Popish Church The sixt the superstition of Christians vsed at the tombes of Martyrs we condemne with Vigilantius and Augustine De moribus ecclesiae Catholicae lib. 1. cap. 34. Neither is Vigilantius condemned of any man in his time but by the priuate iudgement of Hieronyme only Nowe in howe many heresies the Papistes communicate with the olde heretikes I haue shewed before in other treatises which it were needlesse here to repeate CAP. X. Obiections of Protestants to proue the Church may erre by the example and similitude of the olde lawe aunswered and confuted The obiection is onely this out of the Defence of the trueth fol. 94. as he saith The Church of the Iewes lacked not Gods promises succession of Bishops and priestes opinion of holynesse and austeritie of life knowledge of the lawe of God And yet they erred why may we not thinke the like may be in this our time Both maior minor of this argument he saith is false for first they had not such promises as the Church of Christ hath of perpetuall continuance in the trueth bicause they were not appointed to continue alwayes wherein he bewraieth his grosse beastly ignorance that can not discerne betweene the nation of the Iewes and the Church of God among the Iewes which hath euen the same promises of euerlasting continuance that the Church of the Gentiles hath which is not an other Church from the Church of the Iewes but an accession and an addition vnto it Howe many promises of eternall continuance be made in the Prophetes to Israel to Zion to Ierusalem Reade Esa. ca. 60. 62. 63. among a number The accoÌ„plishment whereof although it be seene in the Church gathered of the Gentiles yet who would be so impudent to denie that they pertaine principally to the Church of Israel as to the elder brother But what striue we further when the Apostle to the Romanes cap. 9. vers 3. expresly affirmeth that the promises pertaine to Israel euen as the adoption the glorie the couenants the giuing of the lawe c. yet M. Stapleton thinketh him selfe a sharpe disputer when he obiecteth out of the Epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 8. that the testament of Messias is established in more excellent promises bicause of y e new couenant out of Ieremie 31. as though both the testaments did not pertaine to the Catholike Church of Christ as wel that of the Iewes as this of y e Gentiles The newe Testament promises are better then that was made in Sinai but the new testament of Messias pertaineth as much to the Church of y e Iewes as to the Church of y e Gentiles Or els the Apostle had laboured in vaine writing to the Iewes to drawe theÌ„ from the ceremonies of the olde testament to the couenant of Messias established onely in mercie and forgiuenesse of their sinnes Christ was the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world whose redemption pertained as much vnto the fathers that liued before his incarnation as vnto them that are borne sincer therfore the promise of the eternitie of the Church beginneth not at the natiuitie of Christ but at the beginning of the world So that for continuance and perpetuity of Gods spirite with his Churche without the which it can not be the Church of God the promises from the beginning haue bene the same that are now although according to Gods moste wise dispensation they haue bene more clearely reuealed in the latter times most clearely of all by Christ himselfe and his Apostles Now remaineth the minor to be proued That the Church of the Iewes hath erred Which he denieth because the high priestes answered truely of the natiuitie of Christ because Caiphas prophecied vnwittingly of the vertue of Christes death then the which nothing can be more blockish They erred not in one article ergo they erred not at all One of them spake the trueth against his will in one point ergo the synagogue of the Iewes neuer erred Againe he saith the whole synagogue before the law of Christ took place in necessary knowledge of the lawe of Moyses did neuer erre For proofe whereof more like a blocke then a man he bringeth such places of Scripture as either shew what the Priestes duty should be but not affirme what their knowledge was or else prophesie a reformation of the corrupt state of the Cleargie from ignorance to knowledge As Ez. 44. The Priestes Leuites shall teach my people And Mal. 2. The lippes of
Babylon before the time of Donus the Pope which was almoste seuentie yeres after that Maister Stapleton misnameth Martianus in steede of Mauritius I will impute it to no ignorance although if such a faulte escape any of vs we are by and by cried out vpon to be ignorant in all antiquity c. Thus haue I aunswered Maister Stapletons demaunde concerning the principall foundation and rocke of Papistrie although no necessitie suche as hee supposeth doeth moue mee For albeit the precise time of the entring of any heresie can not be named yet it followeth not that the same heresie is a trueth therefore The second demaunde is when and by whome Luther was called when he begunne to preache the Gospell I aunswere if calling of the Popishe Churche be lawfull as the Papistes will not denye Luther had suche ordinary calling as the Churche where he liued did allowe for he was called to be a publike teacher before the Popes pardoner came into Saxony against whose moste impudent blasphemies and shamelesse errours he first inueyghed in his publike sermons Wherefore concerning his vocation the mouthes of Papistes ought to be stopped But Stapleton will not be so satisfied for he sayeth that the Popish Churche would neuer call him to preache against her selfe that is not materiall the Popishe Churche gaue him such authority as she had to preache whiche he vsed first to seeke her reformation if she had bene reformable but when he sawe her oppose her selfe against the manifest trueth he had iust cause to departe from her vnto the Catholike Churche of CHRISTE It sufficeth not Stapleton that hee learned by the Scriptures that the Churche erred bycause all heretikes abuse the Scriptures as thoughe there were no certainty of trueth to be founde in the Scriptures which blasphemie derogateth all authoritie from the holy Scriptures inspired of GOD whiche the Apostle sayeth to bee able to reprooue all errours that the man of GOD may be perfecte prepared to all good workes 2. Tim. 3. ver 16. Againe where hee affirmeth that he had the interpretation of the Scriptures from heauen Stapleton vrgeth that then he must shewe some miracle as if the ordinary inspiration of Gods spirite without the which no man can vnderstand any of Gods mysteries of necessitie requireth confirmation of miracles But Luther him selfe he sayeth requireth miracles of Muncer whiche boasted of Reuelation and so ought we to doe of Luther No sir Muncer boasted of an extraordinary Reuelation and taught a doctrine directly contrary to the worde of GOD written and therefore the case is nothing lyke After this hee telleth a slaunderous fable out of that runnagate Baldwine of the conference at Poissie that Beza and Martyr could not agree whether their calling was ordinary or extraordinary the conclusion whereof was this that Beza was ordeined of Caluine and Caluine as Beza sayde of none Which how impudent and shamelesse a lye it is that Beza should reprote of Caluine it is manifest to all men that knowe the storie of that Churche and citie of Geneua that Caluine was called and ordeyned by the Churche there when he was altogether vnwilling to remaine in that Citie but in a manner compelled by the earnest obtestation of Farellus Cal. in Praefa in Psalm Beza in vita Caluini And yet more monstruous is that lye that Beza should grant the rebellion that followed to be a signe of his vocation when the worlde knoweth that the beginning of these ciuill warres came altogether from the Papistes the Duke of Guise giuing the occasion by the Diuelishe slaughter and buchery of Vassie But to the principall matter in question that Luther and some other hauing an extraordinary calling from God to teach and reforme the Church need not to conâ—irme their calling by miracles when they teach nothing but that is confirmed by manifest authoritie of holy Scriptures in the consciences of all men that wilfully oppose not themselues against the trueth either y â— they will not knowe it or that they will not obey it It is euident by so many prophets as God stirred vp in the olde time which had no extraordinary calling of the Church being not of the tribe of Leui yet being only interpreters of the lawe needed no signes or miracle to confirme their calling Our Sauiour Christ himselfe confirmeth the extraordinary calling of the Scribes and Pharisees when he willeth them to be heard sitting in Moses chaire of which yet a great number and almost all were no Leuites nor Priestes therefore had no ordinary calling Yet Gregory himselfe in the history of Bede at the first planting of the particular Church in Englande alloweth extraordinary ordeyning of Bishops Lib. 1. Cap. 27. Wherefore if Luthers calling were altogether extraordinary as Papistes can not say except they deny the calling of their owne Churche he is not bound to approue his calling by miracles when his doctrine and all things in which hee departeth from the Church of Rome is proued true and agreeable to the word of God The third demaunde is that we must shewe a succession from the Apostles as the Scripture witnesseth the Churche to haue and the auncient fathers exacted of Heretikes The Scripture requireth no succession of names persons or places but of faith and doctrine and that wee prooue when we approue our faith and doctrine by the doctrine of the Apostles Neither had the fathers any other meaning in calling vpon newe vpstart heresies for their succession but of a succession of doctrine as well as of persons Which is manifest by Tertullian De praescript Ita per successiones c. So comming downe by successions from the beginning that their first bishop haue for his authors and antecessours one of the Apostles or Apostolike men but yet such a one as hath continued with the Apostles These wordes of Tertullian are manifest that succession of Bishoppes euen to the Apostles helpeth not excepte there be a continuance in the doctrine of the Apostles whiche when the Papistes can shewe we will gladly yeld vnto them In the meane time it is not the continual succession of persons in any place which teach contrary to their antecessours which haue taught in that place that can carry away the credite of the whole doctrine and religion of Christe CAP. II. An Introduction to the proofes which followe in the seconde part of this fortresse Repeating what he fantasieth he hath fortified before which howe weake it is I haue sufficiently discouered in this Chapter hee promiseth first to declare by diuerse sure and necessary tokens whiche protestantes doe lacke that the faith then planted was a right faith which in many principall pointes we doe not denye but that it was a right faith Secondly repeating the difference in doctrine gouernement ceremonies course and consequence of both the religions he will prooue all that they had differring from vs partly by Scripture and partly by the faith of the first sixe hundreth yeares To which I replye
Apostles haue preached vnto vs be he accursed Here the quarreling lawyer findeth fault with his translation because Euangelizauimus may be referred as well to the Disciples as to y e Apostles so that y e Disciples preachings are to be credited as well as y e Apostles No doubt if they preach the doctrine of the Apostles of which the controuersie is and not of the persons that preach it But these quarels sir Bacheler are more meete for the bomme courtes where perhaps you are a prating proctor then for the schooles of diuinitie Wee are gone out you say and that we confesse in our apologie Yea wee are gone out of Babylon but not out of the church of God but abyde in the doctrine of Christ. And you are gone out of the Church of God which remaine in the synke of Rome that is departed frō that which was heard from the beginning and was sacrosanctum apud Apostolorum Ecclesias moste holy in the Apostles Churches You cannot abyde to be charged with the saying of Christ. They worship mee in vaine that teache the doctrine and precepts of men First you saye the Apostles were men whose traditions the Church must receiue yea sir but they deliuered no doctrine of their owne Secondly Christ speaketh of the Scribes Pharisees and their fonde traditions and not of the Church and her Catholike traditions and customes And they be Scribes and Pharisees which euen in the Church teach a false worshipping of God according to the doctrines and traditions of men disanulling the commaundements of God as the Popish teachers in their doctrine of Images communion in one kind priuate Masse c. That Augustine framing a perfect preacher willeth him to conferre the places of Scripture together you say it is a profounde conclusion to inferre that he sendeth him not to doctours distinctions censure of the Church Canons of the Popes nor traditions of the fathers but onely to quyet and content him selfe with the worde of God And these last wordes you saye are not found in Augustine de doct Chr. Cap. 9. sequentibus as though Master Calfhil recited the words not the sense for which he referreth you not only to that Chapter but to the rest following in al which there is no mention of doctors distinctions Popes Canons c. But this is an argument ab authoritate negatiuè Make as much and as little as you will of Augustines authoritie Master Calfhill hath rightly inferred vppon Augustines iudgement that if conference of Scriptures wil make a perfect preacher which you graunt he needeth neyther doctors distinctions nor Church censures c. but may quyet and content him selfe with the onely worde of God But it would make an horse to breake his halter to see howe Martiall prooueth out of Augustine that God teacheth vs by men and not by Angels and that knowledge of the tongues and instructions of men is profitable for a preacher yea the consent of moste of the Catholike Churches and the interpretations of learned men as though all those were not to be referred to the dewe conference of scriptures where onely resteth the substance of doctrine and the authoritie of faith and not in doctours distinctions Church censures Popes Canons c. which haue no grounde in the Scriptures or else be contrary to them Where Master Calfhill sheweth that as before the newe testament was written all things were examined according to the wordes and Sermons of the Apostles so after the newe testament was written all thinges ought to be examined according to their writings because there is none other testimonie of credite extant of their sermons writings Martiall replyeth out of Saint Augustine that wee haue many thinges by tradition which are not writen which being vniuersally obserued it were madnesse to breake Ep. 118. But Augustine speaketh not of doctrine but of ceremonyes or obseruations Out of Hierom ad Pam. he obiecteth that our Creede is not written in the Scriptures which is vtterly false although the fourme of the symbole be not set downe as wee rehearse it Thirdly out of Epiphanius contra Apostolic li. 2. Heres 61. that wee must vse tradition because all thinges cannot be taken out of the holy Scriptures Therefore the holy Apostles deliuered certeine things in writing and certeine things in tradition c. But they deliuered nothing in tradition contrary to their writinges neyther omitted they to write any thing that was necessarie for our saluation The matter whereof Epiphanius speaketh is that it is a tradition of the Apostles that it is sinne to marry after virginitie decreed and yet he holdeth that it is better to marrye after virginitie decreed then to burne contrary to the doctrine of the Papistes But Martiall frankely graunteth that no doctour is to be credited against the Scripture and the content of the whole Church Yet where Master Calfhill sayde that no man in any age was so perfect that a certeine trueth was to be buylded on him bringing examples of Aaron and Peter the one the high Priest of the Iewes the other affirmed by the Papistes to be the same of the Christians He quarreleth at his induction because he sayeth not sic de singulis where as his argument followeth not of the fourme of induction but of the place a maiore ad minus After this as he doeth nothing but cauill hee chargeth Master Calfhill for corrupting Saint Augustine saying Truth mee not nor credite my writings c. Proem lib. 3. de Trinit For Saint Augustine sayeth not trust mee not But he confesseth that he sayeth Do not addict thy selfe to my writings as to the Canonicall Scriptures See what a corruption here is when Master Calfhill rendereth not the words but the meaning of Augustine Againe saint Basil he sayeth is vilely abused because Master Calfhill sayeth Saint Basil setteth forth by a proper similitude with what iudgement the fathers of the Church should be read Conc. ad Adol wheras Basil speaketh of prophane writers As though Basils similitude may not serue to shewe howe both should bee read because he speaketh but of one sorte Likewise he cryeth out that Saint Hierome is not truely alledged because the Printer in the English translation of Hieroms words hath omitted this word not which he hath set downe in the Latine The 4. pretie persons he putteth vppon Master Calfhill as foolishe and childishe I omitt onely the slaunderers persons I will touche In saying that the fathers declyned all from the simplicitie of the Gospell in ceremonies He chargeth M. Calfhill to be a slaunderer Because God hath not suffered all the fathers to declyne lest hell gates should haue preuailed against his Church Although M. Calfhill speake of those fathers onely whose writings are extant yet the gates of hell in ydle ceremonies did but assault they did not preuaile against the Church And these fathers departed not from the Gospell but declined from the simplicitie thereof But you Papistes haue departed
are 4. of Stapletons apostolik marks also techeth many things that before were vnknowen which is the fifth marke Whereas Protestants haue added nothing to the faith of Christ but taken many things away from it I answere if Augustine with him brought in all trueth and besides that some errours which haue encreased in processe of time thicke and threefolde Protestants were worthie of thankes for remouing the errours though they brought in no new matters of faith as he is thankes worthie which weedeth a garden or feelde although he sowe no newe seedes therein But it is most vntrue that Papistes had all trueth before we discouered their errours for the doctrine of iustification of the worship of God of the vse of good workes and of the sacraments was either almost or altogether lacking in Popery which by the doctrine of the Gospell is restored But now let vs see what Protestants haue taken away Forsooth From the quicke from the dead from faith from the Church from Saints from God From the quicke free will state of perfection and all merite of good workes Yea sir Pelagian the Scripture sayeth No quicke man shalbe iustified in the sight of God Psalm 143. v. 2. which taketh away all that you haue giuen him From the dead all prayer intercession for them When you can allow the dead these things out of the Scripture we will not denye it to them From the faith an article of Christes discention into hell A lewd lye of a slaunderous Papist From the Church as it is the whole bodye fiue sacraments Three more then Christ instituted The continuall assistance of Gods holy spirite promised by our Sauiour A shamefull lye And the visible sight in this world assured vnto vs by holy scripture That Scripture is yet to shewe whereby the Churche should be promised alwayes to be in open sight of y ◠greatest parte of the worlde From the Church as the spirituall parte they haue taken supreme gouernement in matters Ecclesiasticall None other then such as is against the Scripture Let euery soule submit it selfe to the higher powers Rom. 13. ver 1. Authoritie of making that which Christ had them to make in his last supper If you saye you make the body of Christ in such sence as you affirme the sacrament to be the bodye of Christe Gods cursse light on you The doing of all that Christe commaunded to be done in remembrance of him we take not away The power of binding and loosing with most of the authoritie due vnto that estate and vocation A very slaunder From the Church they take Altars crosses Images c. Because the temple of God hath nothing to doe with Images 2. Cor. 6. ver 16. From God him selfe an externall sacrifice the true proper seruice due to God onely and continually as Saint Augustine prooueth at large De ciuitate Dei A slaunder of Augustine which lib. 10. Cap. 20. calleth the Lordes supper a sacrament of the oblation of Christe the onely singuler sacrifice so that nowe there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne for by one sacrifice once offered he hath made perfect for euer those that are sanctified Heb. 10. ver 14. by which only sacrifice there was forgiuenesse of our sinnes and where there is forgiuenesse of sinnes there is no more sacrifice for sinne Heb. 10. 18. You see what sure and stedfast apostolike markes these are which are founde in Mahomet as much as in Augustine so that if Augustine had not the worde of God to warrant the principall partes of the faith which he preached in Englande by these fiue markes he might neither be proued to bee an Apostle nor yet a true preacher CAP. IIII. Differences in doctrine betweene the primitiue faith of Englande and the heresie of Protestants And first of Masse of the propitiation thereof of intercession of Saintes of their commemoration at Masse time of confession of sinnes and of merite of good workes Concerning the differences I haue written alreadie in answere to his table of differences Nowe must we see how he proueth them by testimonye of y ◠firste 600. yeares The first in this Chapter and sixth in number is the Masse whose name he may in deede finde within the compasse of 600. yeares although otherwise taken then it is of papistes but yet frō Christ vntill 400. yeares be complete the name of Missa is not founde in any auncient authenticall writer And therefore he beginneth with Ambrose in his Epistle E. 33. which place you shall finde discussed in mine aunswere to Heskins lib. 3. Cap. 32. letting you to vnderstande by the way that he citeth the wordes otherwise then they be and so doeth M. Heskins and yet neither of thē both as they be in Ambrose by which it appeareth that neither of them both read them in Ambrose Stapleton citeth them thus Missam facere caepi Dwum offerrem nuntiatum est c. I began to say Masse whyle I offred worde was brought to me c. Ambrose saith somewhat otherwise The next testimonies he citeth are out of Augustine Ser. 251. 237. de tempore which all learned men knowe to be none of Augustines but if they were they be after 400. yeares beforesaide The next is Leo Ep. 81. Cap. 2. which in mine answere to Heskins before quoted you shall finde handled at large After this followe the Canons of 7. or 8. councels prouinciall in which the name of Missa is found but all kept aboue 400. yeares after Christ and therfore proue not a perpetuall continuance of that name from Christ vntill the first 600. yeares ended Besides that the Masses so named were neither informe nor matter that which the popish Masse is For concerning y ◠forme it was patched together in many partes long after the first 600. yeares as their own Pontificall and other histories witnesse Concerning the matter it was not the Popish Masse for that there was in it a Communion and the naturall bodye of Christe was not offered therein which within the first 600. yeares was not beleeued to be really and corporally in the Sacrament The seuenth difference is that the Masse is a propitiatorie sacrifice and was so beleeued in the first 600. yeares Whereof he reporteth him to Cyprian Ser. 5. De lapsis who sayth The conscience of sinners is purged with the sacrifice of the priest But Cyprians words are not so he speaketh of them which being fallen in time of persecution made hast to the communion without dewe repentance and publike satisfaction to y ◠church and prayer of the priestes made for their sinnes Ante exomologesin factam criminis ante purgatam conscientiam sacrificio manu sacerdotis before confession of their offence being made before their conscience be purged by sacrifice hand of the Priest c. These words do shewe y t he meaneth none other purging of their conscience by sacrifice then by imposition of y ◠priests hands which can be no propitiatorie