in the Councell of Constance Tom. 1 Serm. coram Alexan. Papa in die Ascensionis Nicol Clemang de corrupto Ecclesiae statu fol. 5. b. writeth thus Nam quem è Sacerdotum numerâ— mihi dabis non ignarum legis Christi Whom among the multitude of Priests canst thou shew mee which is not ignorant of Christs Law Nicolaus Clemangis a Doctor of Paris who liued in the same time that Gerson did complaineth in like manner of the grosse ignorance of the popish Clergie in these words Non tamen à studiis aut schola sed ab aratro etiam seruilibus artibus ad Parochias regendas caeteraque beneficia passim proficiscebantur qui paulo plus Latinae linguae quam Arabicae intelligerent c. i. Yet they commonly came to rule parishes and other benefices not from schooles and Vniuersities but from the plowe and seruile artes who did little more vnderstand the Latine then the Arabike tongue yea and such as could not read and which is shamefull to bee spoken could scarce discerne A. from B. And againe Nam quotus quisque Ibid. fol. 10. b. hodie est ad pontificale culmen euectus qui sacras vel perfunctoriè literas legerit audierit didicerit imo qui Sacrum codiceÌ„ nisi tegumento tenui vnquam attigerit cum tamen iureiurando illas in sua institutione se nosse confirment iâ— How many are there now aduanced to bee bishops which haue but lightly read the holy Scriptures heard or learned them yea who hath touched the holy Bible except it bee the couering of it Againe Ibid. fol. 13. De literis verò doctrina quid loqui attinet cum omnes ferè presbyteros sine aliquo captu aut rerum aut vocabulorum morosè syllabatimque vix legere videamus i. But what should I speake of learning for that wee see in a manner all Priests can hardly spell and read beeing without vnderstanding of the matter or words I might alleage the like complaints of Erasmus and others but to omit them if wee who with the Councell of Toledo condemne ignorance Dist 38. ex conc Tole Contra Manichaeos Haere 66 Hier. in Esaiam dist 38. si iuxta Prâ—â— 2. 4. as the mother of all errors and say with Epiphanius Nihil peius imperitia multos excaecauit ignorantia i. There is nothing worse than ignorance which hath blinded many and with S. Hierome to be ignorant of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ and doe with Salomon exhort all men to seeke for knowledge as for siluer and for vnderstanding as for treasures if we I say be blind in what estate are they which hold ignorance the mother ef deuotion as Doctor Cole In the conference at Westminster in the beginning of her Maiesties raigne See the beginning of the Praeface of the new TestameÌ„t set out by them 1582. at Westminster said who to this day haue not published the whole Bible in the English tongue for the instructing and inlightning of Gods people although they writ eighteene yeares past that they had long before that time translated it and yet to this day they haue wanted meanes to publish it They haue had meanes since that time to print publish D. Stapletons great booke de Principiis doctrinalibus and many such others of the like sort but they can or will finde no meanes to publish the blessed Bible and booke of God for it serueth not so well for the defence of their doctrine and doings as the others doe But to conclude this matter I also doe both pray with the Prophet Dauid and say Open our eyes that we may see the wonders of thy law and Psal 119. 2. Timoth. 2. 7. Ephes 1. 18. with Saint Paule The Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things that the eyes of our vnderstanding being lightened wee may know what the hope is of Gods calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Saints c. and also exhort this man and his fellowes to take heed they bee not of the number of them of whom our Sauiour Christ said If Iohn 9. 41. yee were blind yee should haue no sinne but now yee say we see therefore your sinne remaineth The Pamphlet The copie of a Letter written by a Catholike to a worshipfull Protestant Gentleman his speciall friend concerning certaine reasons why the Protestants Religion is false and absurd LOued and reloued friend I haue receiued your courteous letter wherein you greatly wonder that I wondred so much in our last discourse that any man in England endued with a good iudgemeÌ„t conioined with a religious conscience could either accept or affect the Protestants new coyned gospell You request me to set downe briefly such reasons as induced me therevnto the which suite I could not deny for both religion and affection vrged me to satisfie so iust a desire For I must confesse I loue you as a man and as an honest ciuill Gentleman most gladly I would haue occasion to loue you as a Catholike Gentleman for it is great pitty that such a multitude of detestable errors and heynous heresies should lodge in so rarely qualified a soule I haue penned them after an accustomed manner following the fashion of schooles in most of them after a syllogisticall method to the intent that if you should shew them vnto your Ministers which swarme about you they might not haue such free scope and liberty to range abroad with their idle discourses as they vse to take veiling their confused conceits with a multitude of affected phrases thereby more easily to deceiue the simple loath the learned Wherefore I beseech you if any such itching spirit shall attempt an answer to intreat him to performe it briefly orderly seriously This I request for that I perceiue that Protestants cannot answer with breuity because their religion lacketh both certainty and perspicuitie And extreame hard or impossible it is to reply without prolixitie where there is no truth nor verity And therefore I request you as you loue me to will them to consider well before they answer ill and not to reply with rashnes least they retract with deliberation to their vtter shame confusion And that you may perceiue how my wonder rather deserued approbation then admiration for that order is a fauorit of memory I thought good to reduce all my reasons into two heads wit and will knowledge affection faith and good life because the nature of heresie hath euer been such as did not only inueagle the wit with errors but also seduce the will with occasions of inordinate affections I say then that no excellent good wit linked with a religious conscience can accept nor affect the Protestants new coyned gospell for good wits and iudgments assisted with Gods grace may easily conceiue the truth yea by the force of their very naturall faculties they may iudge credibly of the truth once proposed without great difficulty
veritâ—e that is both bee subiect to semblable incertaintie These errors I say they know not and consequentlie cannot discerne a true translation from a false and therefore must needes relie their faith vpon the sillie ministers faithlesse fidelitie which conuinceth they haue no faith at all Answere IDeny the Minor or second proposition of this Syllogisme and say that wee relie not our faith vpon the Ministers credit and sidelitie but vpon the worde of GOD translated the which wee know to bee true and holie not so much for that it is by publike authoritie and generall assent of men allowed as for that it containeth most holie doctrine agreeable to true faith and Godlie life whereby any that readeth or heareth it may behold the Maiestie of Gods spirit appearing in it As for example I beleeue these sayings to be true That Iesus Christ came into this world to saue sinners that hee is the Lambe 1. Tim. 1. Iob. 1. Tit. 2. 11. of GOD which taketh away the sinnes of the world that the grace of GOD which offereth saluation to all men hath appeared and treacheth vs that wee denie vngodlinesse and worldlie lust and liue soberlie righteously and Godlie in this present world c. not for that this or that man hath translated them but because the spirit of God doth beare witnesse vnto my heart that most holie pure and diuine doctrine is contained in them And therefore to say that those which vnderstand not the Hebrew and Greeke tongues because they vse the word of God translated to them into other languages do rely their faith vpon the Ministers credit and fidelitie and haue no faith is most foolish and absurd And let the Christian reader marke and confider how this sottish reason tendeth to the discrediting not onely of vs but also of the most part of all Godly and faithfull Christians in all ages yea and to the most of the Godly Doctors Fathers of the Church who were almost al ignorant of the Hebrew tongue and some of the Greeke also The holy scriptures were translated into many tongues in the which the people of God did reade and heare them As Theodoretus writeth Hebraici vero libri non modò in Graecum idioma conuersi sunt sed in Romanam quoque Theodor. de cu. vatione Graecarum affectionum lib 5. linguam Aegyptiacam Persicam Indicam Armenicamque Scythicam adeoque Sauromaticam semelque vt dicam in linguas omnes quibus ad hanc diem nationes vtantur that is The Hebrew bookes bee translated not onely into the Greeke tongue but also into the Romaine Egyptian Persian Indian Armenian and Scythian and also the Sclauonian tongues to say at a word into all languages which the nations vse vnto this day Did the ancient faithfull Christians which read and heard the holy scriptures in these sundrie languages rely their faith vpon men that did translate them or vpon the diuine doctrine and pretious promises of God contained in them And let this cauiller shew sufficient reason why were are not either to be acquited with them or they condemned with vs. They could no more iudge of the truth of the translations then our people can yet they did to their great comfort and Godly instruction and edification reade and heare the holy scriptures grounding their faith not vpon the translators who might bee and sometimes were euill men but vpon the sound holy and heauenly doctrien therein contained Saint Hierome exhorted ladies and gentlewomen Hieron ad Gaudentium de pacatulae Inâ—â—tulae educat ad letam de institut filiae not onely to reade the scriptures themselues but also to bring vp their young daughters when they were but seuen yeares old in that holy exercise They were not able to iudge of the translations otherwaies then to discerne and perceiue that the doctrine by them deliuered was pure and holy agreeable to true faith and Godly life And euen so they that bee Godly in these daies although they hauing not the knowledge of the Hebrew and Greeke tongues cannot iudge so exactly of translations and of the truth of them as those that vnderstand them can yet they may discerne whether the translations deliuer sound and holy doctrine consonant to true faith good manners and the generall heads and principles of Christianitie or not I neede not heere aske vpon what or whome your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catholikes doe rely their faith when they reade either the old vulgar Latine translation of the Remish English seeing they can no more nor better iudge of these translations whether they bee true or false then wee I do not I say aske wheron they rely their faith for it seemeth that they build not their faith so much vpon Extrauagant Ioh. 22. cum inter in glossa dist 96. satis euidenter the written word of God in the scriptures as vpon vnwritten traditions of men customes of fathers decrees of councels and especially vpon the will and pleasure of their great GOD as his owne friends call him the Pope of Rome Whose will is the rule of their faith and life If he giue a dispensation for a man to mary his owne sister as Antoninus Sum. part 3. titu 1. cap. 11. 55. quod papa summa Angelica in Papa fol. â—32 Pope Martin the fift did it is lawfull if he giue a dispensation for one to marry his sisters daughter which is as vnlawfull as the other as a late Pope gaue to the late King Philip of Spaine it is lawfull But yet if any of these counted Catholikes will pretend to build their faith vpon the Scriptures and being ignorant of the Hebrew and Greeke tongues readeth either the vulgar Latine or English Remish translation of the new Testament I would aske how he doth know whether these translations bee true or false or whether hee will say that his faith dependeth vpon the credit and fidelitie of the translator or no But I know Counc TrideÌ„t Sessi decretum 2. what they will answere that the Latine vulgar translation is allowed by the Church that is to say by the councell of Trident which representeth the Church which hath decreed the same to bee taken for authenticall in readings disputations sermons or expositions and that no man bee bold or presume vpon any pretence to reiect or refuse it Wherevnto first I say that as this decree doth allow the Latine so it doth not approue the English Now how shall an English Catholike that vnderstandeth not the Latine know whether the same bee truely translated out of the Latine or no or shall his faith here rely vpon the credit and fidelitie of the translator I would know what difference there is betweene such a one reading or hearing that translation and one of vs reading or hearing ours And why the faith of the one doth more depend on the credit and fidelity of the translator then the other Surely this difference there is that our translations
hinder it would suffer others to do it yet there Popeholy deuotion hath moued them to translate into English to publish in print aboue an hundred yeares past there golden Legend fully fraughted with lying fables as is before signified and is by some papistes confessed More-ouer will you confesse that because your Popes Sixtus the fift and Clemens the eight haue beene moulding a new your vulgare latine translation as I haue shewed that therefore it was before false and nought Surely whatsoeuer you will herein confesse both this their moulding and the booke it selfe did plainly shew that it was become very mouldy and corrupt and full of foule faults as sundry Papists haue acknowledged And why may not we as well bee moulding againe our translations as these Popes haue beene moulding this their mouldy translation which when their kingdome most florished by little vse and much rest had gotten much rust Aud therefore vntill you haue answered the same you may bee ashamed to brag of his pregnant proofs which were so weake and cauils so greatand many that he rather discouered his own folly then discredited our translators What Maister Broughton writeth concerning our translation I doe not knowe neither do I greatly care yet this I say although that our translations were made in the feare of God to profit Gods Church and people according to the measure of the grace of God bestowed vpon the laborers in that holy worke and be voyd of wilfull corruptions either for doctrine or manners yet I do not thinke them to be voyde of imperfections in respect of propriety of words and phrases wherein they may be somewhat reformed and amended And hard it is to haue a translation so exact and perfit but that some such imperfectnes may be in it which yet be not repugnant either to holy doctrine or good life And for asmuch as this man of malice would faine if hee could discredit our translations and cause the Reader to doubt of the truth of them I wil shew not onely the good Christian but also the Romish Catholike y◠hath vnderstanding of the Latine tongue how he may discerne and know the truth and faithfulnesse of our translations and so not to relie vpon the credit of our Ministers There is a Latine translation of the old Testament made from the Hebrew very well and learnedly by Sanctes Pagninus an Italian and a dominicke Frier a man excellentlie learned in the Hebrew tongue for I will giue him and his worke their due and deserued praise and commendation and not doe as this libeller and his fellowes vse to doe who of enui◠and malice wherewith their hearts bee infected and possessed cannot giue a good word to any thing we do though it be neuer so good and Godly This translation hee did dedicate to Pope Clemens the feauenth Let the Reader compare our translations especially of the latter editions with the said translation and see whether in any substantiall matter of faith and life hee can finde any corruptions and any great and notorious dissensions from the same And the like I may say of Erasmus translation of the new Testament dedicated to Pope Leo the tenth and allowed by him Let Isay the Reader compare our translations with these and although hee may finde some difference in words and phrases yet in matters of substance which concerne either the doctrine of faith or precepts of good life I am sure hee shall finde a goodly and Godly harmonie and agreement to his comfort and contentation And lastly I wil offer to this challenger who offereth challenge of disputation with vs and to al his partakers that for one fault of moment or weight that they shall finde in our translation especially as I said of the latter editions wherein they differ from the originall fountaines of the Hebrew and Greeke I will vndertake to finde sixe yea ten greater and fouler in that vulgar Latine translation which the councell of Trident hath most absurdly confirmed and made authentical And therefore let neither the Godly Christian Reader nor the seduced Catholike be disswaded from reading of our translations nor doubt of the truth of them But this hath beene in all ages the drift of the Diuell to seeke to discredite and diffame those Godly men that haue labored in Gods vineyard and haue indeuored to translate his holy word to the comfort and saluation of his elect and chosen people How Saint Hierome of old and Erasmus of late were vsed I haue elsewhere shewed So this cauiller dealeth now with that blessed man of God and constant Martyr of Iesus Christ Maister Tindall who as hee did patiently and constantly beare and abide their furious crueltie and confirmed the truth of God which hee had taught with the shedding of his bloud in flaming fire so hee needeth not my defence Who was a man of such mortification and Godly life that I haue knowne some of great credite and authoritie that knew him and liued with him at Antwerpe that would say of him that if a man could bee like God it was Tindall I doubt not but he was indued with much more Godlines then a hundreth of your Popes whom their owne friends and fauorers call for their horrible wickednesse Monstra Portenta Monsters of mankinde But he that iustifieth Platina in Benedioto 4. Christophoro 1. Ioan. 13. prou 17. 15. Psal 1 16. Rom. 3. the wicked and hee that condemneth the innocent euen they both are abhominatiō to God That al men may erre wee doe confesse Omnis homo Mendax all men be liers and generall councells which consist of men may erre and haue erred wee doe not doubt But of this it shall bee impertinent to speake at this present I will onelie now retort your argument vpon you Whosoeuer relieth his faith vpon man hath no faith but all English Papists that vnderstand not the Hebrew Greeke and Latine and reade the Remish translation relie their faith vpon man videl the translator of that Testament ergo all such English Papists haue no faith The like may bee said of them that reade the Latine which relie their faith vpon the councell of Trent who were men Againe whosoeuer relieth his faith vpon man hath no faith all Papists relie their faith vpon the Pope who I trow is a man ergo all Papists haue no faith And this shall suffice for answere to your third article The Pamphlet The Protestants know not what they beleeue 4. Article THe Protestants know not what they beleeue nor why they beleeue that they know not why they beleeue I haue shewed before For that the ground of their beleefe is not the authoritie of scripture of councells of Doctors nor of the Church but their owne fancie And that they know not what they beleeue is manifest because they haue no rule whereby to know what is matter of faith and what is not Some say the sphere of their faith is extended solely and wholy to the word of God set
vrbanos mores in populo Christiano adeo à iustitiae tramite declinasse quod diuinam non cessant irritare prouocare vindictam The religion faith and ciuill manners of all estates and sexes which with great griefe I declare is so declined from iustice that they cease not to prouoke the vengeance of God Againe Nulla inter nos concordia nulla obedientia est neque spirituali Epist 39â— neque temporali paremus capiti Iacet spreta religio iustitiae nullus honos fides pene incognita There is neither concord nor obedience Wee obey neither the spirituall nor temporall head Religion lieth despised righteousnesse not honoured faith is in a manner vnknowne Platina who was the Popes Secretarie and liued at the same time in many places greatly complaineth of the horrible corruption of life both in the Priests and people in those daies Quanta sit auaritia sacerdotum c. How Platina in Marcell 1 great couetousnesse of Priests and especially of those that bee in chiefest authoritie how great leachery how great ambition and pompe how great pride and idlenesse how great ignorance both of themselues and of Christian doctrine how little religion and the same rather fained then true how corrupt manners to bee detested in prophane and secular men I neede not declare when they them-selues doe so openly sinne as though they sought praise thereby Beleeue me the Turke a more cruell enemy of Christianity then Diocletian or Maximinian will come I would I might be a false prophet and euen now knocketh at the gates of Italy The like complaints hee hath in many other places in Dionysio 1. in Bonifacio 5. in Stephan 3. in Gregorio 4. c. Petrus de Aliaco a Cardinall of Rome in his treatise Petr. de Aliaco Carâ—â— n â—asc â—â—rum 〈◊〉 ac fugiend Coloâ—â—ae excus Aâ—no â—535 fol. 207. concerning the reformation of the Church exhibited to the councell of Constance Anno 1415. hath these words Adhibenda â—sset correctio crica mores ecclesiasticorum quâ— iam nimis prohâ—dâ—lor sunt corrupti ira gula luxuria pompa prodigalitate otio aliis generibus quod cedit in graue laâ—corum scandalum A reformation were to be had about the manners of Ecclesiasticall persons who now which is greatly to be lamented be so much corrupted by anger gluttony riot or vncleanenes by pompe prodigality idlenes and other kinds of vices which redoundeth to the great scandall and offence of lay men That noble and learned Earle of Mirandula in his Oration to Pope Leo the tenth and the Councell of Laterane concerning the reformation of manners hath these words Apud plaerosque religionis nostrae Ibidem 209. primores ad quorum exemplum componi atque formari plebs ignara debuisset aut nullus aut cerâ—e exigâ—us Dei cultus nulla bene viuendâ— ratio atque instiâ—uâ—io nullus pudor nulla modestia iustitia vel in odium vel in gratiaÌ„ declmauit pietas in superstitionâ— pene procubuit palamque omnibus in hominum â—rdâ—â—bus peccatur sic vt saepenumero virtus probis vâ—râ—s â—itio vertatur vitia loco virtutum honorari soleant c. Wâ—th most of the chiefe of our religon to whose example the ignorant people should conforme their liues there is either no worship of God or surely very little no manner nor order of good life no shamefastnes no modesty iustice is turned either into hatred or into fauour godlines in a manner into superstition All sorts of men doe so openly sinne that oftentimes vertue is made a reproch in good men and vices be honoured in place of vertues c. The learned reader may there reade of other horrible sinnes that then raigned which I am ashamed to vtter If I should set downe many other complaints of the horrible and vniuersall wickednesse that raigned in Popery I should be too tedious I will end it with the complaint of one Bredenbachius who was Deane of the Church of Mentz in Germany in the time of Charles the 4. about Anno 1370. in these words Recessit lex à sacerdotibus c. The law is departed Berdâ—nbach in suae pâ—â—igrinationis historia from Priests iustice from Princes councel from the Elders faithfulnes from the people loue from parents reuerence from subiects charity from Prelates religion from Monkes honesty from yong men discipline from Clerkes learning from teachers study from schollers equity from iudges concord from Citizens feare from seruants fellowshippe from Countrimen truth from Marchants virtue from noblemen chastity from Virgins humility from widowes loue from the married and patience from the poore O times O maners most troublesome and miserable times reprobate and wicked maners both in Clergie and of the people Although this which I haue alleaged do sufficiently shew what great wickednes abounded in the daies of darkenes when Popery most florished yet because this man so much exagitateth our dissolution and glorieth of their deuotion I will further shew what effects and fruits their Pope-Holy deuotion hath brought forth by declaring what murthers and mischieues haue beene committed in the Church and in the time of their Masse and other seruice wherein I will not stand to obserue precisely the order of time but will take them as they come pag 185 Anno 889. Pag 222. Circa An 1076. Pag. â—69 Anno. 1123. to hand Arn. Bishop of Wirtzburg in Saxonie was killed in the time of Masse as writeth the Abbat of Vrsperge in his cronicle He also declareth how Centius a citizen of Rome with the fauorers of Henry Emperour pulled Gregorie the Pope from the Altar as hee was saying Masse earely in the morning vpon the feast of CHRISTS natiuity sore wounded him and put him in prison The same Author sheweth how a Monke of an Abbey which Dretericus Bishoppe of Sâ—cens had built and founded being admonished and rebuked of him for his wicked life stabed with a knife the said Bishoppe as he was praying before the alter whereof hee died three daies after Mathew Parys a Monke of Saint Albons writeth that where as the Emperor Conradus kept Whitsontide in a certaine citty of Germany and was vpon Whitsunday in In Stephano pag. 113. cirâ—a annum 1033. the Church at diuine seruice there arose by the instigation of the deuill a contention betweene the Bishoppes and Prelates who should sit highest and neerest to the Emperor About which while they were brauling there seruants came with swords and clubs pulling some out of their places and setting others in the same casting about there Miters and breaking their Crosier staues and shedding much bloud in the Church Of the like tragicall sturres twise repeated in the daies of the foresaid Emperors sonne called Henry the third writeth Lambâ—rtus Schâ—fnaburgeâ—sis in these words Rex natalem Domini Goslarea celebrauit c. The King kept the feast of the natiuity of our Lord at Goslare where vpon the same day whilest fol 177. Anno. 1063. the
First that the grace of God whereby we are saued is giuen Hier. et Auguâ— aduersus pelag according to our merites Secondly that the law of God might be fulfilled of vs. Thirdly that we haue free-will and sayd that therefore grace was giuen vnto men that what things they might doe by free-will they might the more easily do them by grace I haue heard that there Hier. aduersus Heluidium was an Heritike called Heluidius reproued by an ancient learned father for foolishly thinking that the greeke bookes of the new testament were corrupted which both our Rhemists in their preface of the new testament by them set forth and others also of the same crewe do openly auouch I haue heard of certaine heritikes called Angellici so named for worshiping Angells and of others called Augu de heres cap 39. â—rencus lib 1. cap 35 Epâ—ph heres 79. Collyradiani condemned for worshiping the Virgine Mary And yet they did not call her Queene of heauen Empresse of hell the gate of Paradise their hope c. They did not pray vnto her saying lube deum pecâ—ator bus misereri i. Command God to be mercifull to sinners nor monstrate esse matrem iure matris impera i. Shew thy selfe â—â—nauent in Psâ—lâ—â—rio â—eaâ—â— Viâ—ginis to be a mother rule or command Christ by the authority of a mother but onely they offered a cake in the honour of her Whether these be not now taught and maintained for Catholike doctrines in the Romish church let the indifferent reader vprightly iudge Now to conclude and make an end I would exhort this gentlewoman and all others of her sect and opinion to take heed in the name of God how they resist the truth of God which in his great mercy hee hath reueiled vnto vs and that they doe not wilfully shut their eyes against it nor maintaine false and damnable doctrines which they bee neuer able by the word of God to defend Let them consider the grosse blindnesse and ignorance of former ages when such fables â—egâ—nd Festâ—ual c. and lies were published and preached as they be now ashamed of them and the booke of God was as good as lost the light thereof being kept vnder the bushell of a strange tongue by meanes whereof the people had no instruction nor comfort of it but sate in darkenesse and shadow of death were carried away after creatures and led after dum Idols as the Apostle sayth 1. Corr. 12. 2. Now is the word of God truely translated and sincerely preached the truth of God published and Popish heresies Ioh. 3. 19. effectually confuted and confounded Light is come into the world loue not darkenesse more then light We haue the Heauenly Manna of Gods holy word among vs bee not like the vnthankfull Isralites loathing the same and desiring to eate againe Onyons and Garlike in Aegipt But search diligently the holy scriptures make them the rule of your religion and line to leade your life by Proue all things hold that which is good and abstaine from all appearance of euill The God of all mercie roote 1. Thess 5. 21. out all errors and Herisies and giue free passage to his holy word lighten the eyes of the ignorant strengthen them that be weake treade downe sathan vnder our feete and giue vs grace to bee like minded one towards another according to Iesus Christ that with one minde and one mouth wee may glorifie God euen the Father of our Iesus Christ So be it Amen Amen I receiued aboue two yeares past out of Lankâ—shire this writing here following which I haue haue set downe in the same words forme and orthography as I receiued it and can yet shew it Thus it beginneth with this title Notes of dissention c. D. BVckley in answeare to the 12. articles c. fol. 17. 18. 19. noteth that the Waldenses Albingenses Boemia and many such other c. Were the true church of God were killed for the word of God and haue washed their roabes in the bloud of the Lambe and now haue beauty for asshes the oyle of ioy for mourning c. B. ante o. e. A. ante d. a. A. ante l. i. Vide Coupers Dixionary in these words Boemia Adamitae Albingenses Albanenses Boemia is a Realme called Beame inclosed with the bounds of Germany hauing on the East Hungary on the South Bauier on the West c. They vary from the Catholike faith in sundry opinions and do scorne aâ—l ceremonies In some places there the priuely obserue the sect of the Adamites and Waldenses the act of lechery whereof it is written in the words Adamitae c. 2 Adamitae or Adamiani were heretikes which tooke their beginning of a Piâ—ard who came into the Land of Bohemia And sayd that hee was the sonne of God and named himselfe Adam and hee commanded all men and women to goe naked and that whosoeuer desired to company carnally with any woman should take her by the hand and bring her to him and say that he feruently desired her company and then would Adam saie goe together and increase and multiplie This heresie began the yeare of our Lord 1412. in the time of Sigismundus the Emperour and men suppose that it dureth yet not only in Boemia but in other places also 3. Albingenses were the heretikes which began by Tolouse in Fraâ—ce the yeare of our Lord 120. which held the heresies of the Albanenses touching soule Baptisme God and the generall Resurrection Moreouer that it was not lawfull for the christian men to eate flesh 4. Albanenses were certaine Heretikes in the yeare of our Lord 1120. This sect held sundry heresies one was that the soule of man after his death was put into an other body an other that Baptisme was of no effect The third that there were two Gods one good and an other euill And that of the good proceeded good things and of the euill God euill things the 4. that in heil were none other paines then be in this world the 5. that the generall iudgement is past and that there is none to come the 6. that it is lawful for any man to sweare the 7. that man hath no free-will The 8. that the matter whereof the world was made was not made of God but is co-eternall with God the 9. that there is no originall sinne also that sinne commeth not of free-will but of the diueâ—l the 10. they denied that the body should eftsoones arise at the day of iudgement the 11. they abiected all the olde testament as a vaine thing and of none authoritie An Obiection SEe these seuerall opinions of two of your Doctors Buckley and Couper of the manner of beleefe of doctrine of the aboue named Martirs who Buckley pag. 18. saith haue washed their roabes in the bloud of the Lambe therefore iudge as to your owne selfe shall seeme best Begardy were women impeccabiles that is without sinne Buckley pag. 17 vide acts â—o
Iohn Slechta who was no fauourer but a misliker of them Centur. 4. pag. 334. truly translated Maister Bale in the life of Clement the fifth writeth thus of them Beghardos ac Beguinas quia panem Eucharisticum honorare nolebant imprâ—bat i. Clement the fifth misliked the Beghardi Beguins because they would not honour the bread of the Eucharist And that these men 〈◊〉 tempor fol. â—â— maintained the doctrines of the Waldenses Werâ—â—rus the Charthusian Monke of Colen in plaine wordes affirmeth Beghardi multi combuste sunt Parysiis propter heresim pauperum de Lugduno c. many Begwardi were burnt at Paris for the heresie of the poore men of Lyons that is to say the Waldenses Thus as I deny and defie the filthy and false opinions imputed I know not how truly to the Adamites and Albanenses so I doe confesse that I doe accoumpt these that were called Waldenses Albingenses and Beghardi or Picardy to haue beene faithfull men and witnesses of Gods holy truth whome although the world hated reiected and persecuted as it did Christ yet were they elect and pretious and beloued of God And I feare not to affirme that they haue washed their robes in the bloud of the Lambe and now haue beauty for ashes the oylâ— of ioy for mourning c. and are more worthy to bee reputed for holy Martirs and confessors then either Thomas Beckâ—t or Dominicus that bloody Fryar or Catherâ—nâ— his minion or Francis that superstitious hypocrite or Clara his companion or many others whome the Popes haue canonized for Saints For not he that him-selfe or any other man commendeth but whome God commendeth is approued and a Saint in his sight â— Cor. 16. 1â— And lette this man and all such others barke as much as they will or can against that true doctrine which the Waldenses Albingenses and Beghardi heretofore professed and is now through GODS great mercy in this land and many other Christian countries by publike authoritie maintayned they shall doe but as madde dogges doe that barke against the Moone and shall but kiâ—ke against the pricke and rush against that rocke that will not yeelde but bruse them to powder Great is the truth and it will preuaile Well saith Epiphanâ—us Contra Apâ—l lian Herâ—s 4◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. c. Neither shall darkenesse preuaile when the light shineth Now the light of GODS worde shineth now is that man of sinne reuealed now are his errours and abhominations disclosed and confuted and all his sworne soldiers they Iebusites are not able either to couer and hide him or defend them If this man thinke that they are why doe they so long suffer the bookes of D. Abbot D. Downam and maister Powell in the which they haue plainely proued the Pope to bee Antichrist soundly confuted Bellarmines weake defence and simple shifts to stand so long vnanswered and that their grand maister from whome they receiue life and vppon whome they wholy depend to bee vndefended This is a matter of no small moment which cannot without the losse of all bee neglected If the Pope be Antichrist then is their doctrine Antichristian and they are the slaues of Antichrist This sort wherein their whole safety consisteth ought with all might and maine be defended and this breach with all speed bee repaired And it hath by the canons of the men before named these foure yeares past beene battered and yet is the defense and repaire thereof vtterly neglected They write many pelting Pamphlets and such slender scroules as this is but to answere these books with raize the foundation of their religion or rather superstition and ouerthrow there great Goliaâ— of Rome they be very slacke Wherein appeareth to any that willingly will not shut his eies the weakenesse and desperate estate of there forlorne cause c. And thus much I thought good to answere to the contentes of the sayd scrowle which may seeme more then it deserueth being a foolish bable voide of learning and truth Eusebius history Eccles lib. 7. cap. 24 fol. 79. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Truth is a friend and before all things to be honored and we ought without enuy to commend and approue that which is well spoken and to examine and correct or confute whatsoeuer is not soundly written S. R. IN his answere to Maister Thomas Bels chalenge named the downfall oâ— Popery nippâ—th at me in these Pag. 126. words Bel termeth him Berengarius a silly Deacon though his brother Buckley call him an excellent and holy man Here first I do obserue that whereas this writer in this his answere which carieth a greater shew of learning then substance of truth doth in three places make mention of this my answeare viz. in the page here noted also pag. 144. and lastly pag. 208. it may seeme that he neuer reade it for that in all these places hee quoteth my answere to 8. reasons whereas it is vnto 12. Neither can he excuse this by saying that by the figure 8. hee meaneth the eight reason for the two first places are in my answeare to the forth reason and the third place is to the seauenth This doth also the more appeare in that he doth not truly alleadge my words but addeth to them For whereas I called Berengarius an excellent man hee saith that I called him an excellent and holy man Hereby it may seeme that this man receiued these places by hand from others and not by the reading of his owne â—ies As touching Berengarius I do willingly confesse that I haue a most reuerent opinion of him and doe thinke that notwithstanding his weakenesse in recanting once the truth hee was an excellent yea and holy man both for his singular learning and vertuous life And to conceiue this reuerent opinion of him I am mooued by the testimony of some Papists who fauored not the true doctrine which he maintained but especially by the great commendations which that learned father and notable poet Hildebartus bishop of Maine in France doth giue him Atoninus the Archbishop of Florence writeth of him Histor part 2. Tit. â—â— cap. 1 â— 20. fol. 175. Fiuit autem alias Berengarius iste vir bonus plenus elemosynis et humilitate magnarum possâ—ssionum quae omnia in vsus pauperuÌ„ dispersit praeterea nuillam foemâ—nam in conspectu suo patiebatur admitti This Berengarius was otherwise a good man full of almes deedes and of humilitie and dispersed great possessions to the vse of the poore and would suffer no woman to come in his sight Robert Gaguin in his French history hath these words of him Henrici tempore c. In the time of this Henry Berengarius Deacon or rather Archdeacon of Tours raised an error concerning the sacrament of the Eucharist wherein hee sayd Lib. 6. in Henrico was not the true body of Christ but a certaine example of his body from which he afterward repenting changed his minde and