shouâ—d haue cut of from his body for to sâ—ue the whole so most principal but rotten part therof who therefore with his Natural affection that said Quos iterum parturio donec formetur Christus in vobit Gal. 4. with you againe I go in trauaile vntill Christ be fashoned in you do al their endeuour make sute to man beseech the partie in himselfe or by his more interiours aboue al things at Gods feete cast themselues downe praying him euery houre day night with sighing and weeping when one is weary another succeding in his place 2. Maâ— 13. v. 10. Act. 12. v. â— al houres I say of the night no lesse then of the day so to make a continual clamour in the ears of God our most merciful Father that wee may see by reconciliation our so principall a member healed set againe in his place being then most ready to do him againe al honour seruice in heart also and mind that may be due vnto him neither in the Meane tyme denying him such loue and worship as we may Contrariwise to consider on the other side what Church is that vvhich riseth by disobedience to both the Swordes which counteth all Regiment of women to be monstrous vvhich standeth by traiterous murdering of great Persons by wast and destruction of cities countries and Kingdomes which violently displaceth vnfaithfully rebelleth against and openly with-standeth all Power though it be confessed to be most lawful of the Sect it selfe Yea of the catholiks though discharged of their fealtie yet for common humanity for their accustomed vse for their continuall and as it were naturall institution the Prince better obeied more faithfully serued by his own approbation and all mens sight then of the Puritans them-selues and Protestants which in maner all in heart be Puritans who yet would seme to beleeue in conscience that hee is not only Head of their Realme but also supreame Gouernour of their Church but in very deede they beleue as their man of God Martin Luther other Goodmen haue taught them that he is neither the one nor the other meaning in hart and truth with their Anabaptistes no better to the State ciuil then to the Ecclesiastical Whereby both honourable Princes with their graue Counsels and all other men may see vvho they be that both teach and folow S. Paules doctrine of obedience to Superiours who they be againe Rom. 13. that S. Iude in his liuely description of Heretikes calleth â—â—d Contemners of Lordship Blasphemers of Maiestie The Church to which Princâ—s doe Homage IT may be more-ouer considered for what Church all iust Princes Emperours and Potentates hold their swords to what Church they haue dedicated theyr fidelitie to vvhat Church they haue from theyr first conuersion giuen such immunities exemptions honours and prerogatiues of vvhat Church they hold their seuerall Title of Christianitie as to be called one Christian another Catholike another defender of the faith and so forth in what Church the Prophecie of Esay is fulfilled Et erunt Reges nutriâ—â— tui Esai 49. Reginae nutrices tuae vultu in terram demisso adorabunt te puluerem pedum tuorum lingent And Kinges shall be thy fosterers and Queenes thy nurces looking demurely with their eies on the ground shall they worshipp thee and the dull of thy feet shal they licke And againe Esai 60. Et aedificabunt silij peregrinorum muros tuos Reges eorum ministrabunt tibi And the sonnes of strangers that is of the Gentils shall build thy walles and their Kinges shall doe seruice vnto thee Et aperientur portae tuae iugiter die ac nocte non daudentur vt asseratur adâ—e fortitudo gentium Reges earum adduâ—antur Gens enim regnum quod non seruierit tibi peribit And thy gates shall stand open continually day and nyght shall not they be shut that vnto thee they may be brought the very strength of the Gentyls and that vnto thee theyr Kinges may comme For the Nation and Kingdome that wil not serue thee shal surely perish Consider therefore what Church it is which conformably to these Prophecies hath brought the mighty Princes of the vvorld Kingdomes of the earth and States of Common-wealthes to submit their Septers vnder Christ our Lord Gouernement of his Church to vvhat Church the very Romaine Emperours before most cruel tyrants and for three hundred yeares togeather Persecutours of the Church straight vpon their conuersion eueÌ„ then when they were Lords of all this world yealded vp theyr very Imperial City of Rome with the whole most large and mighty Country of Italie and translated their owne State into an other part of the world giuing place to his Vicar by whom in him they had bene Christened the only worke of our Sauiour Christ Lord of all and GOD omnipotent so to bring into his Church and submitte vnto it the very Strength of the Gentils and so mightily to bring Satan himselfe vnder the Feete of the Romaine Christians This Church you may see hath as it should doe ruled with Lavv and discipline all states of people it hath faithful Princes no lesse subiect vnto it then the people as obedient children as the people euen so as God foretold promised and ordayned that they should be Neuer therefore exempted it Emperour Prince or Potentate of the earth from his due obedience to Gods Church and lawfull Ptstours Consider on the other side vvhat Church is that where all is contrary the Prince not only not taught obedyence to the Church humilitie seruice vnder payne of himselfe and his Realme to perish but fondly seduced miserablye deceaued and flattered aboue measure with the very Title of head Supreme Gouernour of the Church The Parlament Church VVHEREVPON you may consider againe by the sequele of most foule absurdities following thereof vvhat Church that is where lawes be made to charge Peter him-selfe if he there were liuing to giue vp his commission receaued of Christ and take another of the King or Queen to châ—rge both him and all his fellowes the other Apostles of God our Sauiour to change that true seruice of God which they had receaued to minister of another sort which the King or Queen or ParlameÌ„t or law of the countrie should prescribe vnto them to put S. Augustine to fine to the Queene one hundred Markes for saying Masse for his Mothers soule to leese his Bishopricke to liue and dye in prison for the same and for calling counting Aerius an Heretike for holding against it and for many other points of their faith both hee and all the other Holy Fathers fayne to leese all and to giue place to certaine new Maisters that had bene from hence at the Apostles going so long a iourney without any footing in the way and as the Philosophers spake transeuntes de termino in terminum sine medio and from thence fetched vs a nevv Religion that they neuer
God doe either flatly denie or call in question and leaue in doubt as a thing indifferent for any man to affirme it or to deny it which the learned know to be so and I will by Godds grace shew to be so when it shal be required And therefore it is not the Protestants Church whereof Saint Augustine there speaketh but a Church it is that the protestants do impugne a Church that no lesse biddeth vs not to beleue the protestants and to beleeue those Scriptures than it did bid S. Augustine not to beleeue the Manichees as hee there doth say and to beleue those Scriptures Storehouse of the Scriptures FOR furder declaration hereof consider againe what Church it is ours or the Protestantes which hath had the custodie and construing both of the forsaied and of the other Bookes of the holy Bible euer since the Apostles tyme into the vvhich the olde Testament dyd fall by iust descent and alteration of the spirituall State from the Ievves vvhich hath noticed to the vvorld the Autoritie and Canon of the holy Books of the new Testament also which hath so many worldes and in such alterations of mortall thinges saued from destruction and corruption of all Heretikes Iewes and Infidels the whole autentical Corpes of Scripture which no Heretike aliue can charge for adding or minishing any iot thereof Will any man doubt therefore whether this be the true Church which is the olde and only Treasure-house of so precious a Monument which hath kept the iust possession of it these fiftene hundred yeares and hath lost neither leafe nor line thereof Or wil any man be so mad to thinke that to be the true Church which occupied no Bible nor had not to doe with holy Scripture as they cōfesse themselues for a thousand yeares together which now forcibly and violētly plucking it out of the iust possessours handes hath in little more then fortie yeares of their restlesse spoiling raigne robbed vs of so many vvhole Bookes thereof and of many a particular portiō more Tantae igitur ostensiones cum sint haec Iren. li. 3. cap. 4. non oportet adhuc quaerere apud alios veritatem quam facile est ab Ecclesia sumere cum Apostoli quasi in depositorium diues plenissime in ea cōtulerint omnia quae sint veritatis vti omnis quicunque velit sumat ex ea potum vitae Haec est enim introitus vitae omnes autē reliqui fures sunt latrones Propter quod oportet deuitare quidem illos quae autē sunt Ecclesiae cum magna diligentia diligere apprehendere veritatis traditionem Being therfore these so great so many demonstrations a man must not yet saith S. Ireneus seeke the truth amongest any other which it is easy of the Church to take because the Apostles haue in her as in a rich storehouse laid vp most plentifully al that true is so that euery one that listeth may out of her take drinke of life For shee it is that is the doore of life all other are theeues and robbers Wherefore a man must auoyde them I say but the Churches thinges he must most earnestly loue take hold of her Tradition of truth Studying and teaching of all diuine truth AND better yet to know both the plentie of this rich Storehouse and the Emptines of the beggarly Dennes of Heretikes consider againe vvhat Church it is whose maisters teach and children study the whole body of Christian truth taking no lesse paines to seeke out and to know what God hath reuealed about the Blessed Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and yet their vnity equalitie consubstubflantialitie in one Godhead about the Incarnation of Godds Sonne ioyning two most different natures of God and Man both intiere both complete no commixion no confusion into the vnitie of one Person about all the same one persons in his humaine nature perfections and defects doings and sufferings for our sakes about the creation of the world in the beginning of things visible and inuisible of men and Angels what they were both made by God and what they made themselues by sinne about the Resurrection and Iudgement that shal be in the ending and state of things both in earth and hel and heauen for euer afterward finally about all parts of faith Religion no lesse then about the Questions of this time And againe who they be on the other side that know very little euen of their owne Questions that they haue moued vnto our Church in these their dayes as they can not possibly knovv much being occupied rather about wyning then in studying and taking vpon them to be teachers before they haue bin lerners husbandes and Ministers both so sone as they can get them wiues and benefices so yong fathers so yong Doctors that the common Wealth is forsooth greatly strengthned by their multiplying and the Church substantially edified by their preaching But in other questions of our beleefe such as before I rehearsed so ignorant they be that they are scarse euer heard and very few of them to preache or teache vpō them the people thereby remaining vtterlye vnskilfull of Mysteries that they are bound to know vpon paine of damnation Yea Caluin himselfe the learnedst of them al and their master of masters compelled also to study the Mysterie of the Trinity for to answere his Polonion Trinitaries yet is hee found so ignorant therein that his errors are intolerable as that Gods Sonne is autotheos God of himselfe and not GOD of his Father Iust li. 1. cap. 13. nu 23. 24. Vide Geneb de Trin. li. 1. pag. 43. as the great Nicene Councell hath professed Deum de Deo Deum verum de Deo vero God of God very God of very god whereof it ineuitably foloweth that they are two Gods not one God vnlike in substance not consubstantiall beside many other his ignorant errors Such was Iuels ignorance also that Christ is a priest according to his Godhead being yet I say studied in the matter What then must be the blindes of our Countrie Heretikes that neuer trouble their braines about those Mysteries Loke to theyr Vniuersities and see vvhether there be any appointed publicke Readers or Teachers of such matters any that priuatly make them their studye whether they doe not all in maner study nothing at all but the arte of speaking or els but certaine new bookes of common places for a few pointes of their new Doctrine and them so lightly that the cōmon sorte of Catholikes are able to answere all there argumentes and to say also more for them then they can say for themselues and yet it serueth them to be Doctours there of Diuinitie a Goddes name how be it both in lawe and truth they are no Degrees that men seeme there to take Is such a Church trovv you that Rich Storehouse Li. 3. c◠4. in the which the Apostles laid vp for euer most plentifully al truth
and knowledge for euery one vvhen hee lifteth to take vvhat he vvill as Saint Ireneus hath saied Or is that the Company where is discarged the charge that Saint Paule gaue to Timothee 2. Tim. 2. Quâ—e audisti a me per multos testes haec câ—mmenda fidelibus hominibus qui idonâ—i erunt alios docere The things which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses theÌ„ commend thou againe to trusty persons such as againe shall be able to teach others also and so from hand to hand from mouth to mouth continually till the worldes end Are men amongst them prepared instucted and made able to defend the Faith of Christ in all pointes against Iewes against Turkes against Arrians Manichees Nestorians and all other Heretikes what soeuer haue beene or may be The very Foundation of our Faith and in deed al in all is that Iesus is Christ who knoweth not and graunteth the very point that is betwene vs specially and the Iewes and which Saint Paule ful often and ful mightily proued to and against those trayterous infidels as in many places of the Actes S. Luke hath noted Act. 9. 17. 18. 26. 28. Now if in England any of our newe Maisters should meete vvith such a Iewe would hee be very readye thinke you to oppose him to replie vpon him to make answere vnto hym Or if hee should light vppon any there that thinketh there is no God or that beleueth not the immortality of the soul should reason so with him in the hearing of others were he not like to betray the truth for lacke of learning rather then to roote out the error The multitude of that threefolde cockle in our Countrie against Iesus against God against the soule declareth vvell vvhat husbandes they are And wil there yet be any man so folish to thinke theirs to be the Church that S. Paule doth call Columnam fâ—mamentum veritatis 1. Tim. 3. the Piller and vpholder of truth Or is there any man of experience that knoweth not that our Catholike Church it is wherein most learnedly most substantially most lightsomely most orderly most vniuesally all truth Christian is studied taught and learned Looke the Summes of Diuinity written by our Maisters as Saint Thomas and others Consider our Pulpits Catecheteries Monasteries and Vniuersities such Readers such Lectures such Orders that in a short space a man may learne the groundes of all euery truth that vnto Faith belongeth In the Vniuersities on this side the sea that I haue bene in and the like I heare of others shall he heare in foure or fiue yeares the whole Course of Diuinitye and all in Dictates vnder two or three Readers twise or thrise ouer in the same tyme also the Controuersies of these dayes by another Reader seuerally by themselues examined by another al the new Testament very learnedly and very profitably expounded all this besides aboue a hundred publike disputations euery yeare euery disputation being of some whole matter as of all Baptisme all the Eucharist the Trinity the Incarnation the Supremacie the Angels the Creation of man Originall sinne c. euery one continuing for three houres at euery one foure or fiue Opponentes besides many Doctours sitting by and replying where and when they list all this againe besides priuate Disputations little inferiour to the other in sundrie places euery weeke finally besides all this the whole Bible red ouer at Table euery yeare and alwaies after dinner supper two Chapters of it one of the old Testament another of the new diligently examined as it were by familiar conference betweene the better learned and the younger sort as Doctors Licentiates Bachelers and Scholers of Diuinitie In this Church I say are the Treasures of the wisdome of Christ knowledge of God This is the Church of whose learning and wisedome S. Augustine often writeth himselfe to haue bin in vvonderfull admiration De vtil cred ca. 4. and calleth it Syncerissimam Sapientiam De mor. Ecc. Cat. cap. 30. con Epist fun ca. 4. most sincere wisedome alleaging it to the Manichees for the first Motiue holding him in the lap of the Catholike Church And therefore of this Church I say to euery one of my deare friends Countryemen as he did to his friend Honoratus Diu te affectum vides si iam satis tibi iactatus videris De vtil cred ca. 8. finemque huiusmodi laboribus vis imponere sequere viam Catholicae disciplinae quae ab ipso Christo per Apostolos ad nos vsque maenauit abhinc ad posteros manatura est You see that you haue beene long troubled with these broyles of parties in the world And if now you thinke your selfe to haue beene tossed and turmoiled inough would haue at length an end of these vexations follow the way of the Catholike Discipline which from Christ him selfe by the Apostles to vs is come and from hence shall not faile to come to our posteritie This Catholike continuall Discipline and euerlasting teaching sufficient to settle all that labour for the truth and to shew them all that they seeke is euident to be ours and that it can be none but ours Annuall celebrating of all Christes Mysteries THIS being done and considered that our Church it is which hath so put in course and order all Christian Doctrine for the ready and sure defence of our Sauiour Christ against all his enimies consider you consequently what Church it is that for the due worship of GOD for the thankefull and liuely rememberance of our Redemption hath driuen the Christian Seruice to such a Maiestie order and decencie in all Countries of Christendome most vniformely that it hath beautified sanctified all Christian common wealthes with the obseruation of Feastes and of Fastes with Rogations and other solemne Supplications vvith varietie of sundrie seasons with Histories to be remembred most apt and fit for euery season so exactly applying out of the Old Testament all shadowes figures promises Prophecies to the manifold and seuerall Truthes of Iesus Christ our God Lord that the Iew may be confounded the christian confirmed al Heretikes of theÌ„selues ashamed to see that done by Christes Church euery yeare coÌ„tinually without ceasing which Christ afore did himselfe to his Disciples Luke 24. Incipiens a Moyse omnibus prophet is interpretabatur illis in omnibus scripturis quae de ipso eraÌ„t Beginning at Moyses and all the Prophets he did vnto them interpret declare throughout all the Scriptures the matters that to him belonged as his Passion his resurrection c. his Catholike Church to begin at Ierusalem and to goe thence ouer all Nations by preaching pennance and forgiuing of sins Was it the Protestants Church that hath so done Or is it not euen so done in the seruice of our Church Who then are they of whom it is written Tunc aperuit illis sensum Luke 24. vt intelligereÌ„t
Fathers then written against them and to this day extant So in their time the Nestorians the Macedonians the Eutichians the Pelagians the Donatistes and in breife all others that Heretikes were called Heretikes are proued Gal. 5. For which cause Saint Paule sayeth Manifesta sunt opera carnis The workes of the flesh are manifest which are fornication Heresies Murder c. For as Fornication Murder the rest straight vpon their naming are abhorred so the very name of Heresies and Heretikes is a manifest word of naughtines will they now say that Heretikes is our name Yea somuch as in their owne Lawes Bookes Sermons and common talke of vs Or vvill they denie that they be knowen themselues by that name But who I praie you in reading the Catholike Bookes of thys time there finding them commonlie so named sticketh at that terme not knowing or doubting who are named Or els why feared they in their Inglish translations of the Bible to set the name of Heresies and Heretikes where Saint Paul so hath it specially in the Greeke out of which they pretend to make their translations putting for it the worde Sectes and a man that is author of Sectes Is it not euident hereby that they know wel that the reader finding in Saint Paul the word Heresies or Heretikes would by and by thinke vpon them Againe why els did they in theyr Apologie of their Inglish Church alledge for their defence that S. Pauls doctrine also was by the Iewes called Heresie Act. 14. As though that bycause the vnbeleeuing and blinded Iewes so tearmed the faith of our Sauiour Christ S. Paul would haue vs not to thinke yll of them that by the Christians should so be called nor to regard what hee wrote to the Galathians that heresies be workes of the flesh keeping a man from the kingdome of God no lesse theÌ„ murder it selfe and fornication and to Titus likewise that an Heretike must be auoided as a most peruerse sinner Finallie vnlesse it had binne to to euident that they are named Heretikes and knowen immediatly by that name Luther their Grandsier would neuer in his booke intituled Notae verae Ecclesiae Markes of the true Church haue giuen vs for the seuenth marke that the people of God are spite of their teeth commonly called Heretikes Coguntur audire Heretici I stand to long vpon things that be plaine Name of Protestantes THirdly therefore who soeuer in respect of the doctrine which they professe haue a newe name made of some mans name or otherwise taken vp whereby they coÌ„monly terme them selues and in the world generally be termed and immediatly knowen thereby they vndoubtedlie are Heretikes And therefore Lutherans Caluinistes Protestants Precisians Vnspotted Brethren and Puritans most certainelie are Heretikes as were the Nicolaites of whom the Scripture it selfe maketh meÌ„tion Or let them giue mee an example to the contrarie Sure I am that they can not It is a rule that the Auncient Fathers in their times with great consent alwayes gaue the people to know Heretikes thereby as out of diuers of them I could shew but that I mynde not here nomore but brieflie to inscinuate vnto such as are desirous to learne or to teach the truth what waies they maie with ease and without error come to their desire Here after if any of the Heretikes more obstinat and venturous then hys felowes shall endeuour to make me answere I will with Gods helpe more largelie proue and declare this other my conclusions Now may Saint Hierome alone suffice Sicubi audierâ— saith he â—os Aduer Lucif Vide Chrisost hom 33. in Acta Iusâ—â—n â—n Tr sâ—â—â—ne Opt. li. 3. con Parm. Ire câ—n Haer. li. 1. ca. 20. Lact. li. 4. de vera sap ca 30 et Aug. de vtil cred cap. 7. qui dicuntur Christi non a Domino Iesu Christo sed a quopiam alio nuncupari vtpuâ—e Marcionitas Valentinianoâ— Monteâ—ses siue Compates scito non Ecclesiam Christi sed Antichristi esse synagogaÌ„ If any where thou he are theÌ„ which are said to be of Christ to be tearmed not of our Lord Iesuâ— Christ but of some other as Marcionites Valentinians Hil-brethren or Field-brethren be thou sure that they are not the church of Christ but the synagogue of antichrist Here I know they are wont to answere that amongst vs also some be called Benedictines Franciscans Dominicans Hieronimians Augustinians and such like But who seeth not that those some are not so called for profession of any special Doctrine brought vp by those holy meÌ„ Saint Benet Saint Francis Saint Dominicke Saint Hierome and S. Augustine but only because they professe to liue after a speciall rule of life deliuered vnto them by those Fathers to the better keeping of Gods commandements so as in the old Testament in figure of these Religious men Iere. 35. did the Rechabites But our Aduersaries haue their names I saie for doctrine and that is it that Saint Ierom and the other Fathers do giue vs as an vndoubted marke of Heretikes Wel but we are called Papistes they will say for doctrine To that I answere wee doe not so call our selues neither be wee so called in the world abrode but Catholikes euerie where as in Italie Spaine Fraunce c. VVhich they that trauaile can beare me witnesse but it is a name put vppon vs by the Heretikes as their vse hath alwaies binne to doe to tearme the Catholikes by certaine odious names So did the Arrians tearme vs Homousians others otherwise For that these be not our names it is most euident by this that wee were manie hundred yeares as they know themselues and confesse before those names were inuented and all that time were wee not without a name Let them name their eldest author or witnes of that name and if I proue not that vvee were then aboue a thousand yeare old let Papistes be our name I say therefore with Saint Augustine Quod quaerentibus satis est vna est Catholica cui haereses aliae diuersa nomina imponunt cum ipsae singulae proprijs vocabulis quae negare non audeant appellentur There is one Church Catholike vppon the which diuerse Heresies put diuerse names whereas they euerie one themselues are called by propre and speciall names which they dare not to denie And this is sufficient for such as seeke of whom to learne the truth If last of all they say that yet by our owne Confession we are called Catholikes which is an other name then Christians and therefore in danger of Saint Hieromes sentence aboue pronounced they trouble me sore I graunt and put me to my shiftes to answere it well But they doe withall ye wot as a man that would refuse to be sticked by mee with my sword and would runne vppon my speare For you know pardie by my first note that the name of Catholikes serueth well my turne quite to dispatch them what soeuer exception they pretend thereby
will they nil they a false point this is and to be found as I haue saied in none but Heretikes And therefore they doe well to be good to their companions in the case of S. Iames Epistle Saint Lukes Gospel and others moe bycause they are plainly vnder the same iudgement themselues specially for the bookes of the Machabees We on the other side most obediently receaue and beleeue all Scriptures Canonicall Whereby to any reasonable man yt may be manifest which in it selfe is most certaine that of the same there is no part to our doctrine repugnant but all without exception to vs agreing all against heretikes vndoubtedly and that in some partes so openly that they haue no other shift but by denying Traditions most certaine THE true Church alwayes hath together vvith the whole Scripture beleeued and embraced Traditions and vvhatsoeuer companie there euer vvas vvhich was faine to crie for onlie Scriptures and to denie most certayne Traditions of the Apostles theyr doctrine for whose defence they were fayne so to doe vvas euer Heresie and they most surely Heretikes and for such at length holden by all Christendom what so euer deceaued followers for a vvhyle they had For this cause saith Saint Paul to the Church of the Corinthians Laudo autem vos fratres 1 Cor. 11. quod per omnia mei memores estis sicut tradidi vobis praecepta mea tenetis I commend you brethren that in all things you remember me and euen as I deliuered vnto you you keepe my Traditions Tas paradoseis And to the Church of the Thessalonians Itaque fratres 2. Thes 3. state tenete Traditiones quas didicistis siue per sermonem siue per Epistolam nostram Therefore be constant brethern hold fast the Traditions which you haue byn taught either by our word or by our Epistle And for the same cause saith Saint Basile Dogmata De Spiritu san ca. 27. quae in Ecclesia praedicantur quaedam habemus e doctrina scripto tradita quaedam rursus ex Apostolorum traditione in mysterio id est in occulto tradita recepimus quorum vtraque parem vim habent ad pietatem Nec his quisquam contradicet quisquis sane vel tenuiter experous est quae sunt iura Ecclesiastica The matters of doctrine and preaching vvhich in the Church are kepte some of them vvee haue by teachyng committed to wryting some againe we haue receaued by the Apostles tradition in mysterie that is to saie in secret delyuered vnto vs both which are of like weight touching Gods seruice Neyther will anie man gaine-say these whosoeuer surely hath any sight in the Churches orders And that Saint Basile herein is not singular it is manifest by thys besides much els that might be sayed that the vvhole Church Aug haer 84. Epiph. haer 78. and the Protestantes also them-selues holde for Heretykes the Heluidians for the denying the Apostolicall Tradition of our Blessed Ladies Euer-more remayning a Virgin to say nothing of many other lykevvise condemned Heretikes for the like denying of Traditions So then hath the Church bysides Scripture certayne Traditions and them alwaies in great estimation But Heretikes contrariwise haue had the custome to make exceptiō against Tradition allowing nothing but only Scrypture Thereupon saied Maximinus a Bishopp of the Arrians to Saint Augustine Con. Max. li. 1. Si quid de diuinis Scripturis protuleris quod commune est cum omnibus necesse est vt audiamus Hae vero voces quae extra Scripturam sunt nullo casu a nobis suscipiūtur c. If thou bring any thing out of the Diuine Scriptures vvhich is common with all we must needes heare it But these wordes which are without Scripture in no case are of vs receaued And to the same effect did Constantius the Arrian Emperour gyue out an Edict Epiph. hae 72. Hila li. con Const Vt Episcopi nihil praeter diuinas Scripturas Ecclesiasticae fidei adderēt That Bishops should besides the diuine Scriptures put nothing to the Churches faith Many other Heretikes might here be brought forth vvith the lyke sayings but that my purpose is here rather to set short Conclusions plainly directing the meeke and humble into the truth and mightily cōfounding the stubborne enimy than with heaps of exāples to make great Volumes Now then that these Traditions be with vs and against the Protestants although it be manyfest ynough by this that we obediently embrace Traditions and they vnfaithfully refuse them and also otherwise vvell knowen to most men neither of themselues denied yet to satisfie all men it may for examples sake be remembred that S. Chrysostome saieth Ho 69. ad populum Antiochenum Ab Apostolis haec sancita fuerunt vt in tremendis Mysterijs defunctorum agatur commemoratio c. It hath byn by the Apostles decreed that at the dreadful Misteries so he calleth the holy Canon of the Masse there should be made a commemoratiō of the dead c. And that Saint Ierome calleth it Munus quod necessitate offertur Ep. 54. an oblation which we are bound to offer vnam quadragesimā secundum Traditionem Apostolorum toto anno ieiunare to fast one fourtie dayes in the yeare according to the Apostles Tradition And that Saint Ciprian saieth it is Dominica Traditio Li. 2. ep 3 our Lords Tradition that in offering the Chalice the wine be mingled Epi. 118. cap. 6. And that Saint Augustine saith of Saint Paul Totum illum agendi ordinem quem vniuersum per orberi seruat Ecclesia ab ipso ordinatum esse c. That by him was ordayned this order of doyng vvhich through the whole world the Church doth keepe in doing of Masse with sundrie other Traditions which I omitte plainly witnessed by antiquitie to haue come from the Apostles and in our Church to this daie vsed and of the Heretikes quite reiected A plaine Argument that ours is the Church that foloweth the steppes of Christ and his Apostles and theirs to be the heire of the Arrians and other damned Heretikes a lymne and Messenger of that lost sonne Antichrist The Churches Commaundement ALwaies since Christes Ascension who-soeuer haue at any tyme resisted the common knovven Visible Church graunting that in the beginning it was to be seene and to be obeied for that is so plaine in the Holy Scripture it selfe of the Acts of the Apostles that they cannot denie it but that afterward it became inuisible and fell from Christ and therefore no longer to be obeied who soeuer I say haue thus done and spoken they were euer Schismatikes and Heretikes and in the end forsaken of all Christian men one and other how soeuer for a time they deceaued the world Let our aduersaries bring forth if they can one example to the contrarie sure it is that they can not And therefore they are themselues such as I haue sayd Schismatikes and Heretikes and for such no doubt at length will generally
ioyne vvith mee issue vpon this who will They were alwaies Schismatikes and Heretikes I say that pretended the common knowen Church at any time to haue failed and that stubbornely resisted the same And therfore Protestants and Puritans be such and for such of our Countrie and of all the world wil one day be takē Which God graunt of his mercy spedily that they bring no more poore soules to hell The Churches Practise TO this former obseruation of finding out the truth by the Churches iudgement as well vvhich novv is as which was in the first beginning being both but one Church no lesse then one Tree it is that vvas planted 16. hundred yeares ago and euer since that time groweth vp and spreadeth it selfe vpon euery side abrod may be ioyned another no lesse infallible and more sensible way by obseruatiō of the churches vse and practise Which way is so certaine and so vndoubted 1. Cor. 11. that S. Paule himselfe after that to proue that women should not be bare headed and vncouered in the Churches hee had vsed all kinds of arguments taken out of theyr creation of significations of similitudes of Scriptures of naturall reason to put the matter out of all peraduenture if any man perhappes would contentiously denie the said his arguments to this inuincible Fort hee recoyleth saying Si quis autem videtur contentiosus esse nos talem consuetudinem non habemus neque Ecclesiae Dei But and if any man doe seeme to be contentious wee haue no such custome for women to pray vncouered nor the Church or Churches of God And conformably to this said S. Augustine likewise for the same cause Ep. 118. cap. 5. Si quid tota per orbem frequentat Ecclesia hoc quin ita faciendū sit disputare insolentissimae insaniae est If the whole Church throughout the world doe vse any thing only to cal it in question whether that thing should be so done is a point of most proude or most straunge madnesse And therefore against the Pelagians hee maketh verie commonly his argumentes out of the Churches Practise Ep. 105. prouing that childrē be borne in sinne because the Churches Practise is to Baptize them for remission of Sinnes And this Practise he calleth Pondus veritatis weight of truth apertissimam molem veritatis a most plaine huge great bignes of truth Because likewise by the Churches practise exorcizantur exufflantur infantes in the ceremonies of Baptisme children are exorcized blowen vpō quiae Diabolus eis dominatur per quid nisi per peccatū because the diuell hath power ouer them by what but by sin And of this practise he boldly sayeth Secundum suam calliditatem non inueniunt quid ad hoc respondeant the Pelagians with all theyr craft finde not what to this to answere Non audent dicere haec in Ecclesia mendaciter geri they dare not say that these thinges are done in the Church fainedly He proueth likewise against them by practise of the Churches praiers that a mā can neither come to Christ our Lord in the beginning nor cōtinue in him till the ending by his owne power De bo pers cap. 23. but by the grace of God Quando enim non oratum est in ecclesia pro infidelibus atque inimicis eius vt crederent For when saith he was not prayer made in the Church for Infidels and for her enimies that they might beleeue Quando fidelis quisquam amicu proximum coniugem habuit infidelē ei non petiuit a Domino mentem obedientem in Christianā fidem When had any christian a friend a kinsman a wife that was an Infidell asked not for him of our Lord a minde obedient vnto our christian faith Quis autem sibi vnquam non orauit vt in Domino permaneret And who euer praied not for himselfe that hee might continue in our Lord Aut quis Sacerdotem super fideles Dominum inuocantem si quando dixit Da illu Domine in te perseuerare vsque in finem non solum voce ausus est sed saltem cogitatione reprehendere ac non potius super talem eius benedictionem corde credente ore confitente respondit Amen Or the Priest making inuocation of our Lord vpon the faithfull if at any time he saied giue thē O Lord to continue in thee vnto the end vvho hath dared not onely in worde but as much as in thought to reprehend him and hath not rather vpon such his benediction both with hart beleeuing and with mouth confessing answered Amen As if we now should against the Heretikes of this time reason out of priuate mens beades and out of the publike praiers vvhich are in the Portuise or Breuiary in the Missal other Church bookes Eus Ec. hist lib. 8. ea 24. 27. Amb. de virgin li. 3. Hier in Iou 1. Aug. de Ciui Dei li. 1. ca. 6. Note they this that for causes nothing so iust contemne other Saintes of the Church I omitte for desire of breuitie vvhat many of the auncient Fathers haue written of certaine holy women which in time of persecution being sought for to be abused killed themselues constantly and vniformely holding them for Martyrs because of the Churches practise in most solemne honouring of them and thinking rather that the Church did know the said women to haue had some plaine reuelation from God so to doe then that she erred in her practise But and if any man here be so folish to say or to thinke or to feare that now the case is altered because wee liue so long after the saying of those wordes by Saint Paul and S. Augustine let him consider first that S. Augustine also liued almost foure hundred yeares after S. Paule and yet so thought he not the case then to be altered that hee vttered the matter vvith more weight of wordes by a great deale as you see Secondly that if it were a case which by any space of time might be altered then had both Saint Paules Saint Augustines foretresse beene pregnable and not inuincible as they made it therefore would neyther Saint Paule in all the Churches of God nor Saint Augustine in the whole Church throughout the world haue put more confidence then in any one particular Church of some speciall place Or let any man giue me a reason why they did sticke to say as much of euery particular Church which they did see then to be in the right way but only because that although such a particular Church were then in the right way no lesse then the whole Church yet did they knowe that the particular Church might afterward stray out of the way but the whole Church might neuer goe astray Thirdlie let him consider that no Aduersarie of ours is able well to charge the Church sith Saint Augustines time with any alteration made all this while but we will shew that the same pretensed alteration was not an alteration
necessarie for mee to aske counsell of Peters Chayre and of the fayth praised by Saint Paules mouth c. Noe sticking at the monstrous space of sea land that is betwene Vbicunque fuerit corpus Mat. 24. illuc congregantur aquilae Wheresoeuer is the carkase thither vvill the egles gather c. Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens Beatitudini tuae id est Cathedrae Petri communione consocior I following none but Christ first am ioyned in communiō to your Blessednes that is to the Chaire of Peter Super illam Petram aedificatam Ecclesiā scio Vpon that Rock I know the Church is builded c. And because I am so far of from you Ideo hic Collegas tuos Aegiptios confessores sequor therefore here I follow them of your syde the Confessors of Egypt c. Quicunque tecum nō colligit spargit hoc est qui Christi non est Antichristi est Who soeuer gathereth not with you he scattereth that is to say who so is not of Christes syde he is of Antichrists syde c. Obsecro Beatitudinem tuam per Crucifixū mundi salutem per homousion Trinitatem vt mihi epistolis tuis siue tacendarum siue dicendarum hypostaseon detur authoritas I beseech your Blessednes for hys sake that vvas crucified the Saluation of the vvorld and for the Consubstantial Trinities sake that by your Letters authoritie may be gyuen me to say or not to say these Hypostases Read the whole Epistle Finally true it is I saie generallie without exception that alwaies as Catholikes haue earnestly kept and dilygently sought the vnity and communiō of the See of Rome so were they euer Heretikes or Schismatikes that cōtemned the same especially after that they were by it condemned for such were they at the length by the whole world taken if they continued wilfull and obstinate in the said rebellion Therefore the Protestants and other Sectaries of this time vvho haue binne by so many worthy Bishops of that holy See accursed and haue notwithstandyng so many yeares desperatly continued in their disobedience are Schismatikes and Heretikes and so wil they one day be accompted of all Christian men when as in al Heretikes that were afore our time so in these shal be fulfilled Saint Paules most certaine Prophecie 1. Tim. 3. Insipientia eorum manifesta erit omnibus their folly shal be knowē of al men as thanks be to God it hath of late yeares wel begonne to be and namely in our Countrie where notwithstanding their continual preaching for these sixtene yeares and the Catholikes all that while beyng put to silence yet haue they now fewer folowers without comparison then they had whē they began for no other cause but for that the folly of Heresie as Saint Paule hath told vs is such that through Gods working men of their owne accord in time wil see it and seeing wil forsake it Which when as by the mercy of God Catholikes shall haue there againe their liberty will no doubt much more and in short time generally of al men be done For certaine it is as I haue saied that none haue bin from Christes Ascention to this our age by the Apostolyke See condemned in maner aboue-sayed but they haue binne also after-ward by all Chtistian men with one consent abhorred and detested howsoeuer they haue for a time abused their vile tongues against the said See for condemning thē calling it Cathedram pestilentiae the Chaire of pestilence as did the Pelagians Augustine con lit Petil li. 2. cap. 51. or the seat of Antichrist or by such like termes of blasphemie Councels VVHOM so euer any Councell of Bishopps Generall or Prouinciall confirmed by the See Apostolyke hath at any tyme condemned as Heretykes they were Heretykes in dede as such they were at length forsaken of all men howsoeuer for a tyme Emperours Kinges or Queenes multitude of folowers shew of learning opinion of holines or any other mā or thing did vphold them Neither against thys can there be brought any exception Remember all the times who so that will that were before vs. The Nycene Councell condemned the Arrians for denying the Godhead of Gods Sonne the Constātinopolitan condemned the Macedoniās for denying the Godhead of the holy Ghost the Ephesine Councel condemned the Nestorians for diuiding Christs own person into two the Councell of Chalcedon condemned the Eutichians for making but one of Christs two Natures an other Councell of Constantinople condemned the Monothelits for leauing in Christ but one wil only other Councels condemned others And the end alwayes vvas that the Councell preuailed the Heretykes were suppressed For those Heretykes which I haue rehearsed which in theyr time raigned each one very farre infected meruaylous great multitudes of sinful vnconstant soules yea many Emperours also and Empresses Kinges and Queenes States Countries c. novv at thys tyme and many hundred years before this time what one folower haue they had Haue they not bin generally forsakē Haue not those Councels which condemned them of al Christēdome bin embraced Yea by the verie Parlament lavv Si Dijs placet of our Protestants in England haue not foure of them bin allowed with the Scriptures for good touchstoanes of Heresie So mightie is the authoritie so vndoubted is the verytie of such a Councell And that wel worthie as being a thing wonderfully commended vnto vs by the Example of the Apostles and first Christians in the acts of the Apostles where we haue the first lineaments of Christes Church and the orders of the same There wee see how that a very great Question being raised by certaine Prechers saying Act. 15. that wee Gentiles without circunciding of our selues after the maner of Moyses lavve can not be saued although wee beleeue in Christ the matter was referred vnto a Councell of the Apostles and other priests at Ierusalē Who after great searching debating of the matter determined it vvith Visum est Spiritui sancto nobis it hath pleased the holy Ghost vs that Christian men of the Gentils should not be bound to the law of Moises making also certayne Decrees of such to be obserued And after this what effect toke the Councell Mary S. Paule and Silas vvent ouer many Countries and Cities Act. 16. preaching and deliuered vnto them to kepe the Decrees that vvere decreed by the Apostles and Priests that vvere at Hierusalem And this same order euer since that time in like cases hath the Holy Ghost the guid leader of the Church into all Truth caused the Church alwaies to obserue making by his diuine power Councels to be assembled to be furdered to be agreed to be finished to be receaued That we doe worthily refer this proceeding prospering of Councels in the Catholike Church to God almyghty any reasonable man wil sone cōfesse that cōsidereth out of how many countries languages maners wits persōs about how many matters
if need be As on the contrarie side for their owne confession of the truth of our Religion not onely in some part as in the two points afore touched of the Sacrament and Supremacie but also in the very whole well nere much may be alleaged out of their writings One place for this time may serue that out of Luthers booke against the Anabaptistes written many yeares after his fall where thus he saith An. 1528. we confesse that vnder the Pope-dome are manie good Christian thinges yea all good Christian thinges and that from thence we had them We confesse pardie that in the Popedome is the true holie Scripture true Baptisme true Sacrament of the Aultar true keyes to remit sinnes true office of preaching true Catechisme as the Lordes prayer and tenne Commaundements and Articles of the Faith c. I say moreouer that vnder the Popedome is true Christianitie yea the true kernell of Christianitie The Catholike Faith in England mightilie planted and lightly chaunged IN this place before I goe anie further to bring more light vnto our matter according to the example of S. Paules question to the Galathians changing their first religion from the faith of Christ to the law of Moyses Qui tribuit vobis Spiritum Gal. 3. operatur virtutes in vobis ex operibus legis an ex auditu fidei God giuing the Holy Ghost vnto you and working Miracles amongest you did hee it by workes of the Law or by preaching of the faith as if wee would say now by preachers of Protestancy or as they call it of Papâ—strie according to this example of S. Paule I say let it be first remembred what Religion that was in which was planted in our Countrey at our first conuersion vnto Christ by our Apostle Saint Augustine the Holie Monke that Saint Gregorie sent vnto vs about a thousand yeares agoe at which tyme wee English-men were first made Christians being before alwayes as other Paynims and Heathens without hope or knowledge of Christ and saluatyon giuen wholly to the seruing of Idols And to be short this matter may be soone knowen out of the Ecclesiasticall History of our owne Countryman Saint Bede a man of great holynes and learning of great credit fame throughout the vniuersall Church of God both in his life and euer since his death who lyued shortly after the time of our first Conuersion and vvrote the Historie of it in 5. bookes a worke very worthy S. Bedes Storie very expedient very profitable and verie necessarie to be read of all English-men that desyre to haue vnderstanding of things belonging much to their saluation There shall you finde it so plainlie that the Religion then brougt in vvas this very same that now the Protestants haue thrust out that no man either can or as I remember doth denie it For example in the first Booke Cap. 25. they came in with Crosse Image of Christ with ProcessioÌ„ cap. 26. in Dover they vsed to say Masse with many other points of our ReligioÌ„ that may there be found Goe on then consider how the said Monke our Apostle with his fellovves perswaded our Nation to that Religion In the first boke Cap. 26 you shall find that the King was brought to beleue to be baptized by their working of many Miracles and namely in the second Boke cap. 2. how that hee chalenged the stubborne Britons who being Christians yet dissented from the rest of the Church in peculiar practise of some certayne pointes of Religion to trie the truth betwene them by restoring a blind man to his sight in such maner as Elias vpon sure confidence in God chalenged the false prophets of Baal The Britons could not doe it 3. Reg. 28. but Saint Augustine did perfourme it as hee wrought also very many mo such wonderfull Miracles In somuch that S. Gregorie in an Epistle that hee sent him which is to be seene Lib. 1. ca. 31. thought good to admonish him of humilitie knowing that S. Paul him-selfe had neede to haue giuen vnto him an Angel of Satan to boxe and buffet him 2. Cor. 12. least that in the greatnes of hys VisioÌ„s he might haue chaunced to take pride Likewise that he had the gift of Prophecie and thereby foretold the destruction of those Britons which euen so came afterward to passe you shal find in the second Boke second Chapter Al this now wel considered whereas the Protestants for that they see this maÌ„ of God to haue byn so euidently on our side speake much horrible Blasphemie of him not fearing God at al who so coÌ„mended him for his true seruant let vs thinke that wee here him say vnto vs in hys ovvne commendation compelled thereunto by these our corrupters and his dispraysers as Saint Paul in the like case and vpon the like necessitie said of himselfe vnto his Corinthians 1. Cor. 9. Si alijs noÌ„ sum Apostolus tamen vobis sum Nam signaculum Apostolatus mei vos estis in Domino If vnto other people I be not an Apostle yet vnto you I am For the seale of my Apostleship you are put as it were to my letters Patentes by our Lorde through whose power I conuerted you to the faith of Christ 2. Cor. 12. And againe Nihil sum signa tamen Apostolatus mei facta sunt super vos in omni patientia in signis prodigijs virtutibus Nothing am I in deed yet the signs of an Apostle were wrought by me among you in all patience in Miracles and wonders deedes of power What wil we answere to this his saying or what can we answere Can wee denie his argument but it is Saint Paules It proued well Saint Paul to haue binne an Apostle whether those false masters of the Corinthians would or no. It proueth therefore Saint Augustine likwise to haue byn an Apostle a man sent of God vnto vs vvhether our false Preachers will or no vvhereunto no doubt they shal neuer be able to answere Let vs then againe consider vvhat causes or reasons haue carried vs awaie from his true Gospell into the false gospel of these men what Miracles what Visions what Scriptures what Catholikes what Traditions what Councels vvhat Bishopps of the See Apostolike vvhat other such thinges as afore I haue shevved to make for hys Gospell If none of all these thinges lead vs into this new Gospell but against them all we went into it say then what els did the deed An odious matter it is to rip all vpp in particular and wise men know all well only in generall doe I appeale to all mens consciences whether anie thing els first lead and now keepeth our vnhappie Countrie in thys false Gospell but only the world the flesh and the Diuell And therefore may our Apostle Saint Augustine say well vnto vs as Saint Paul the Aposte said to his Galathians Gal. 2. Miror quod sic tam cito transferimini ab eo
qui vos vocauit in gratiam Christi in aliud Euangelium I maruaile that so soone and so lightlie ye are turned awaie from him that called you into the grace of Christ to be a meÌ„ber of his Church into another gospel which God wotteth is not another is not a gospell or good tidings of Saluation but that some there are that trouble you and that vvill turne in and out the Gospell of Christ He may well charge vs with leuitie for being lightly turned awaie from the truth that he planted so surely and so mightily amongst vs that it lasted nine hundred yeares vnchanged as it doth still also in them that be constant For what lightnes could be greater then froÌ„ so sure a ground whereon wee vvere so fast sett vvith such diuine Miracles to remoue our selues vvith euery puffe of wind blowen by none other but by flesh and bloud and that to the so certaine perdition of our soules destruction of our Countrie as was the former standing to the vndoubted Saluation of the one and triumphant glorie of the other in all affaires so many worldes and ages togeather And therefore may he yet say farther vnto vs as it foloweth in Saint Paul O insensati Galatae Gal. 3. quis vos fascinauit non obedire veritati c. O ye senselesse Galathians who hath bewitched you not to coÌ„tinue in obedience of the truth Sic stulti estis vt cum spiritu coeperitis nunc carne consummeâ—nim Are ye so without sence or vnderstanding that hauing begon in spirit you will now make vpp your selues in flesh Currebatis bene quis vos impediuit veritati non obedire Gal. 5. you did runne well who hath stopped your race not to obey the truth Ego coÌ„fido in vobis in Domino quod nibil aliud sapietis qui auÌ„t coÌ„turbat vos portabit iudiciuÌ„ quicunque est ille I trust in you with the help of our Lord that you wil be of no other meaning then in the beginning you were taught that they which be wil come home againe As for him that troubleth you he shal sustaine iudgemeÌ„t or damnation whosoeuer hee be high or low man or woman one or other And vpon that damnation most intolerable most certaine most nigh at hand God gyue them grace to thinke them deepely that they fall not in to it 2. Thes 2. But to receaue the truth and to loue it that they may be saued denying euery man witâ— Moises to be the sonne of Pharaoes daughter Heb. 11. and chusing rather to be afflicted vvith the peeple of God then to haue the swete of Transitorie sinne esteeming for greater riches then the treasures of AEgypt the reproche of Christ. Asâ—â—ciebat enim in remunerationem For he loked vpon the reward in the end saieth Saint Paul Which that al men may yet more plainly se how many how good causes they haue to doe let vs procede yet to moe other Motiues Going out AND for the next Motiue lett this be coÌ„sidered whether our Church did euer depart cut it selfe or violently breake out of any other company of Christians elder then it selfe by disobedience tumult seuerall packing and faction forsake contemptuosly their ordinary Superiours and into another syngular societie knitte asunder And whether the company that all the world knoweth to haue so done the time wheÌ„ the place where the Superiours from whome they brake all well knowen be not Schismaticall Or let a companie be named that euer since the Apostles time so did that was not schismaticall Thys very same consideration gaue Optatus to know the Donatistes to be schismatikes Li. 1. Videndum est quis in radice cuÌ„ toto orbe manserit quis foras exicrit quis Cathedram sederit alteram quae ante non fuerat quis altare contra Altare erexerit quis ordinationem fecerit saluo altero ordinato It is to be considered who hath remained in the roote with the whole world who is gone forth who is sitten him in another Chaire which Chaire was not afore who hath erected an Aultar against the Aultar who hath placed Bishops there where others were placed afore which are yet aliue In which his wordes that hee might not seeme to speake them of his owne head hee alludeth to many Scriptures which in many places liken the Church to a tree rooted in the Patriarkes Rom. 11. Ioan. 15. Mat. 13. Prophets Apostles and singularly in Christ himself that groweth from the first plaÌ„ting allwaies to the end of the vvorlde spreading it selfe ouer all Nations the braunches whereof that sticke not to it but fall off and breake themselues from it are none but Heretikes Schismatikes and Apostataes They doe likewise in many places describe such vnto vs by the terme of goers out 1. Ioan. 22. as where S. Iohn saith Ex nobis prodierunt sed non eraÌ„t ex nobis nam si fuissent ex nobis permansissent vtique nobiscum sed vt manifesti sint quoniam non sunt omnes ex nobis They went out of vs that are in the church but they were not of vs that shall be saued for if they had bin of vs that shal be saued verilie they had remained vvith vs in the Church But that they may be made manifest because all be not of vs that shall be saued And againe Omnis qui recedit 2. Iohan. non permanet in doctrina Christi DeuÌ„ non habet Euery one that departeth abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not Gods fauour S. Paule likewise 1. Tim. 4. Disâ—â—ndent quidam a fide Some will depart from the saith Hee alludeth also to the story of Ieroboam the first king of the ten Tribes 3. Reg. 12 13. who in Dan Bethel set vp an other Aultar against the only true Aultar which was at Ierusalem therefore was vndoubtedly a Schismatike Now it is euident that al this agreeth no lesse to the Protestantes then to the Donatistes and all other the like aforetime Who knoweth not the Tree whereon afore they grew and now deuided from the roote thereof lie withering by themselues Who knoweth not the companie out of which they are departed Who seeth not the chaire and preachers both that were afore that now they haue a new erected Who is ignorant that all the Bishoprikes which they now occupie were before by Catholikes possessed who with wonderfull consent and vnseparable vnitie stoode all most constantly to the Catholike faith as it became true Pastours not shrinking away at the Wolues inuasion and were for that cause throwen out of their charges cast into prisons there are now all almost made vp by Martyrdome This I say is a plaine declaration that the Protestantes be Schismatikes as the Donatists were before them for the like cause Finally let them shew any person or persons of old that did the like and were not Schismatikes certaine it is that they can shew none Rising
afterwardes LET this also be considered that no man is able to name any time since the Apostles time wheÌ„ our Church first arose nor any certaine Author and first beginner of the peculiar Articles of our Faith and Religion but CHRIST and the APOSTLES onelie Name the Article the time and person and if I shew not the same Article to haue beene yet more auncient afore that time and afore that person let me then be accouÌ„ted one that promise more then I can performe And theÌ„ let it be farther considered wether that euer there was anie companie other then Schismaticall that can by good record be proued long after that they were christians to haue had their beginning the Author whereof is knowen the time of his rising recorded in Histories the Articles of his Doctrine before vnheard of Consider well with your selues of all such Companies as the Arrians the Sabellians the Eutychians the Pelagians the Donatists and brieflie of all the like that we can tell when they first arose who began them Is it not manifest that they were all Schismaticall and their Articles Hereticall Neither can it euer otherwise be because the holy Scripture can not be false wherein our Sauiour his Apostles doe giue vs this selfe-same marke to know such Masters Multi pseudoprophetae surgent saith our Sauiour Mat. 24. seducent multos Many false Prophets shall arise and shall lead many out of the way S. Paul likewise to the Bishops Priests of Ephesus Ego scio quoniam intrabunt post discessionem meam lupi rapaces in vos non parcentes gregi Et ex vobis ipsis exurgent viri loquentes peruersa vt abducant discipulos post se Propter quod vigilate c. I know that after my departure there will enter in rauening Wolues vnto you not sparing the flocke and out of your selues vvill arise men teaching peruerslie to the end to draw away the Disciples or Christians after themselues Mat. 13. And for the same cause our Sauiour in the Parable likeneth himselfe to a man that sowed good seed in his field homini seminanti bonum semen in agro suo and the Diuell with his Ministers to the enimie that came afterward whiles men were asleepe and sowed cockle amongst it Cum autem dormireÌ„t homines venit inimicus eius superseminauit Zizania in mediotritici where the Latine very aptly expresseth the sense making superseminans to answere vnto Seminans although the Greeke haue not that agnomination Euen so doth Tertullian gather of this Parable Tert. de praescrip Haerot in that fifth book of his written vpon the same matter that this our treatise how to stoppe the mouthes of Heretikes Thus hee saith Principalitatem veritan posteritatem mendacit ali deput andam ex illius quoque Parabolae patrocinio quae bonum sâ—â—en frumenti a Domino seminatum primo constituit auenarum autem sterilis foeni adulteriuÌ„ ab inimico Diabolo postea superducit Former doctrine is truth that which after riseth is lying so we are taught by the Parable which first setteth good seed of wheat to haue bin sowen of our Lord and bringeth after vpon that by the spite of the Diuell the corruption of baren cockle Ita ex ipso ordine manifestatur id esse Dominicum verum quod sit prius traditum id autem extraneum falsum quod sit posterius immissum So by the very order is that declared to be true and of our Lord which was before deliuered that againe to be false of the enimy which was after brought in The Protestantes then and Puritans rising of late vvith Luther Zuinglius Melanchthon Caluine and Sampson are as you see by our Sauiour by Saint Paule by Tertullian marked for Heretikes Let them if they can bring vs one example for exception But no doubt they cannot and therefore Saint Irenee also tooke vpon him boldly to know by the same badge all the Heretikes that were afore his time Lib. 3. cap. 4. Valentinus enim venit Romam sub Hygino increuit vero sub Pio prorogauit tempus vsque ad Anicetum For ValeÌ„tinus saith he came to Rome vnder Hyginus and he encreased vnder Pius and he lasted vnto Anicctus Then of another he saith likewise Cerdon autem qui ante Marcionem hic sub Hygino qui fuit octauus Episcopus c. Cerdon vvho vvas before Marcion came also thither vnder Hyginus that was the eighth Bishop of Rome c. And againe of another Marcion autem illi succedens inualuit sub Aniceto decimuÌ„ locuÌ„ Episcopatus continente MarcioÌ„ that succeeded to Cerdon waxed vnder Anicetus who did hold the tenth place of the Bishoprike Furthermore the like he noteth there of the Heretikes also named Gnostici And then of them all he concludeth together Omnes autem hi multo posterius mediantibus iam Ecclesia temporibus insurrexerunt in suaÌ„ Apostasiam All these much later the Church hauing now bin a certaine time in the meane while did arise into their Apostasie Beginning with wondering and gainesaying of Christians then in vnitie CONSEQVENTLY consider mee this whether at any time the Christian people wondered at our Religion and Doctrine or any point thereof as then first appearing and afore not heard of and whether the Pastors Doctors of the Church then presently controlled the same as new and diuerse from the Doctrine that was before And whether that all Heresies were not so wondred at and so controlled at their first apearing Whether also that which seemed so strange to them that stood in Vnity which was so gainesaid and resisted by them that had the charge of the Church of Christ were not alwaies heresie without exception The Arrians were resisted by Saint Siluester Saint Iulius of Rome Osius of Corduba Saint Athanasius of Alexandria the whole Councel of Nice the Macedonians by the Councell of Constantinople the Nestorians by the Ephesine Councell the Eutychians by that of Chalcedon Finally all others by some others And by the same marke doth S. Irenee point out vnto vs Cerdon for an Heretike saying Liâ— 3. ca. 4. Ab aliquibus traductus in bis quae docebat male abstentus est a religiosorum hominum conuentu Of some he was controlled in the points that he taught amisse and commaunded to absteine froÌ„ the Church or excoÌ„municated As our doctrine therefore which eueÌ„ from Christ his Apostles is come quietly to our hands without such contradiction is sure Catholike so that of the Protestantes and Puritans vvhich vvas streight with the sword of Gods Church sticked in Luther and neuer synce hath ceassed to be by learned Catholike men confuted and hath binne by a Generall Councel also examined accursed nor neuer shal be able to get one day of quiet possessioÌ„ but euer oppugned assaulted vntil it be quite again dispatched as haue al other Heresies byn before it is most certainly without al doubt Heretical
no exāple of no time being possible to be aleged to the cōtrary For this doth S. Paul number amongest the singular gifts which Christ ascending gaue vnto vs Eph. 4. Pastors I say and Doctors alwaies to the end of the world Vt iam nō simus paruuli fluctuantes circumferamur omni vento Doctrinae in nequitia hominum in astutia ad circumuentionem erroris so doing their duty euermore that wee be not now lyke children wauering and carried about with euery puffe of Doctrine blowen by naughtie men that haue craftie waies to deceaue vs with their errors The same vigilant zeale of our spirituall Fathers and Mother the Church against all Heretikes straight to note them and cut them of did God also fore tell by his Prophet Zacharie Et erit in die illa 3. Zac. dicit Dominus exercitum disperdam nomina idolorum de terra non memorabuntur vltra pseudoprophetas spiritum immundum auferam de terra Et erit cum prophetauerit quispiam vltra dicent ei Pater eius Mater eius qui genuerunt eum non viues quia mendacium locutus es in nomine Domini Et cofigent eum Pater eius Mater eius genitores eius cum prophetauerit And in that day shal it so be saieth the Lord of hostes I will destroy the names of Idoles from of the earth and they shal not be any more remembred And False prophets and vncleane spirites will I take away from the earth And so shal it be when any man shall any more play the Falseprophet there shal say vnto him his Father and his Mother that did begett him Thou shalt not liue by cause thou hast spoken a lie in the name of our Lord. And there shal stick him his Father his Mother euen his owne parentes when that hee playeth the false-prophet Finallie hee gaue to Peter and to his Successors for euer the charge and the gift alwaies so to doe whensoeuer nede should be thereof saying Lu. 22. Confirma Fratres tuos Confirme thy Brethren For which cause also the Church is of Saint Paul called 1. Tim. 3. Columna firmamentum veritatis the Piller and proppe of truth for that it doth continually hold vpp and mainteine the truth against all such as at any time goe about to pull it doune So hath it alwaies done against all Heretiks afore time and they against whom it hath bene faine so to doe at any tyme were euer Heretikes The Protestantes therefore and Puritans against whom it so doth at this time are likewise Heretikes and for the same cause wee that neuer were for any poynt of our Doctrine by men of the Church gainesaid are without al doubt true Catholikes Vnsent ANOTHER demonstration that ours is the true Church you shall haue if you consider vvhat Church is that whose Priestes and Bishopps come in by ordinarie calling of other Bisshops that were before them of whose right ordering and lawfull power of ministery the Sects themselues make so litle doubt that they esteme one so called and ordered very fitte euen for their own Ministerie yea much more requisit then one of their own making seeking as much as they can possiblie to be consecrated by one of our Order least their might some danger or doubt aryse afterward of their right institution In figure of which their so doing and others the like the Historie of Michas the Idolatrer may be remembred who sayed Nunc scio Iud. 17. quod benefaciet mihi Deus babenti Leuitici generis sacerdotum Now doe I know that God wil prosper me hauing a priest of the Leuiticall kind Contrariely what Church that is whose Ministers are but very laie men vnsent vncalled vnconsecrated and therefore executing their pretended office without benefit or spirituall comfort of anie man yea to the certaine and great damnation of themselues and others vnfit vnworthy by that only they be called to that fond function of any seruice in the Church of God holding therefore amongst vs when they repent and come againe none other place but the place of laimē in no case admitted no nor loking to minister in any office vnlesse they take our Orders which afore they had not Is not this very practise both of vs and them a playne confession on their parte that ours is the true Church of Christ euen that same Church vnto the which after his Resurrection hee sayed Sicut misit me Pater Ioan. 20. ego mitto vos As my Father sent me so I send you And consequently is it not a plaine declaration that they are out of Christes Church What company can they shew vs at any tyme synce Christes Ascention to this day that toke vpon them to preach and minister not sent nor called thereto by their Aunciēts in those offices but they were Heretikes or Schismatikes We haue in the Actes of the Apostls described vnto vs of purpose the forme of Christes Church that the Apostles planted there doe the Apostles themselues notifie vnto vs false preachers not only by the marke of going out whereof I haue spoken afore but also by this that they vvere not sent saying thus Audiuimus Act. 15. quia quidam ex nobis exeūtes turbauerunt vos verbis euertentes animas vestras quibus non mādauimus we haue heard that certaine going out frō vs haue troubled you with their preaching goeing about to ouerturne your soules to whom wee gaue no commission Saint Paul likewise proueth the same out of Esaie the prophet that Preachers I say must be sent Rom. 10. Quo modo vero praedicabunt nisi mittantur sicut scriptum est Isa 52. Quam speciosi pedes euangelizantium pacem euangelizantiū bona And how shal they preach vnlesse they be sent as it is written O how faire be the feete of such as preache peace of such as preache good thinges In the worde feete vnderstanding that they be sent as messengers And therefore as he sent himselfe Tite and Timothee so hee appointed them for to send others Whereupon he saieth vnto Timothee 2. Tim. 1. Gratia Dei est in te per impositionem manuum me arum The grace of GOD is in thee by the Imposition of my handes Grace was giuen vnto thee 1. Tim. 4. cum impositione manuum Presbyterij vvith the Imposition of Priestes handes And touching others he saith vnto him 1. Tim. 5. Manus cito nemini imposueris Giue thou Impositon of handes to no man rashly To Tite likewise Huius rei gratia reliqui te Cretae Tit. 1. vt constituas per ciuitates Presbyteros For this cause left I thee in the I le of Crete that thou shouldest make Priestes in euerie city Such then was the order of Christes Church which the Apostles founded Priestes to be sent by Priests and not by the letters Patēs of King or Queen nor Priuilegio Altissimi c. And such hath bin the order of
their Churches Let them vnroll the Succession of their Bisshopps Finallie it is without contradiction by the witnesse of Scriptures Doctors and Historyes a most vndoubted way to know at al times vvho be Heretikes and who be Catholikes and therefore of such as wil not desperatly cast them-selues into Hell deeply and earnestly to be considered Apostolike Church VPON this poynt of Succession is inferred another very vvorthie consideration that whereas not only we in the holy Masse but also the Heretikes in theyr communion professe both to beleeue Vnam Sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam One Holy Catholike and Apostolike Church according to the Crede of the first Constantinopolitan Councel it is our Church that is Apostolike bycause it agreeth in the faith with the Church of Rome in which is the See of an Apostle holding on to this day by Succession and to which was written an Epistle by an Apostle What caÌ„ they here deny doth not our Church the Catholikes I meane of England agree in faith with the Romain Church It is both confessed by the Heretykes who for that cause do call vs Papists and knowen to all men bysides Doth not the Bishop of that Church succeede an Apostle in his See S. Peter was an Apostle and Prince of the Apostles and the first Bishop of Rome which is as euident in it selfe and as certainely may be proued by vndoubted witnesse and as sensibly is sene vvith our very eies as that there hath bene so long and is at this present such a citie in the world named Rome Had not the Church an Epistle writteÌ„ to it by an Apostle S. Paules Epistle to the Romains is extant Are not these the causes why a Church is called Apostolike Heare Tertulâ—ians definition De Pres Haeret. Age tam qui voles â—uâ—iâ—sitatem melius exercere in negotio salutis tuae peâ—â—urre Ecclisias Apostolicas apud quas ipsae adâ—uc Cathedrae Apostolorum suis lâ—cis praesidentur â—pud quas ipsae authenticae literae corum recitantur sonantes vocem repraesentantes facieÌ„ well now thou that wouldest vse yet more curiosiâ—ie in the matter of thy saluation runne ouer the Apostolike Churches at whom the very Chairs of Apostles are yet in their places sitten in at whom the very authentical letters of them are recited sounding their voice representing their face Examples there hee putteth of the Churches of the Corinthians of the Philippians of the Ephesians and specially of the Romains saying of the same Videamus quid dixerit quid docuerit CuÌ„ Aphricanis quoque Ecclesiis contestatur Let vs consider what it the Romain Church hath said what it hath taught Mary with our Aphrican Churches also it holdeth Which he there declareth in al points by the Heretikes of that time denied by himselfe with other Catholikes of that countrie beleeued Wheâ—eupon he will haue it to follow that their African Churches are Apostolike although not so as the Romaine Church other like yet in another right good sense bâ—cause they agree with those Apostolikes And in this hee putteth so strong an argument of the truth that hee â—gâ—ine againe prouoketh Heretikes to shew the like Edant origines Ecclesiarum suarum euoluant ordinem Episcoporum suorum ita per successiones ab initio decurrentem ut primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis vâ—l Apostâ—â—icis viris qui tamen cum Apâ—stolis perseuerauerit habuerit authorem antecessâ—rem Hoc enim modo Ecclesiae Apostolicae census suos deferunt Sicut Smyrnaeorum Ecclesia Polycarpum ab Iohanne collocatum refert Sicut Romanorum Clementem a Petro ordinatuÌ„ id proinde vtique caeterae exhibent quos ab Apostâ—lis in EpiscopatuÌ„ constitutos Apostolici seminis traduces habeant Let the Heretikes bring sorth the origines of their Churches let them vnfold the rew of their Bishops so from the beginning running downe by successions as that first Bishoppe of theirs haue had for his author and predecessor some one of the Apostles or Apostolike men which also with the Apostles perseuered For after this manner doe the Apostolike Churches bring down their substance to our time As the Church of the Smyrnians sheweth Polycarpus placed by S. Iohn as the Church of the Romains sheweth Clement ordered by Saint Peter And so verily doe the rest also shew whom by the Apostles ordained Bishops they haue for the drawers vnto them of the seed or doctrine Apostolike So as our naturall progenitors haue deriued or passed vnto vs the naturall seede of Adam Confingant tale aliquid Haeretici Let the Heretikes faine any such thing if they can saith hee But no doubt they cannot and therefore be they not Apostolike and ours most certainely which manifestly so doth is Apostolike God graunt them therefore once in heart also to beleeue with vs that which with vs in mouth they professe to beleeue I say One Holy Catholike and Apostolike Church Neither it is the Motiue only of Tertullian Saint Augustine also in the greatest matter that can be touching the very Canon of the Scriptures sendeth vs to those Churches speciallie aboue all others Quae Apostolicas Sedes De doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 8. Epistolas accipere meruâ—runt which to haue Sees Apostolike and to receaue Epistles Apostolike found the fauour Finallie many others of the holy Fathers teach vs the same vvay vnto the Truth and no one of them all did euer disproue it In whome this is yet further to be coÌ„sidered that whereas there were in their time standing yet manie other Churches Apostolike besides the Romaine they for all that did euer principallie and singulaly direct men alwaies to the Romane so also calling it by prerogatiue the Church Apostolike or See Apostolike that by that name it was no lesse knowen from all others as all can beare me witnesse that read antiquity then I say when there were also many other Churches or Sees Apostolike than now at this time it is when we haue none other Apostolicke See remaining After which manner also we know Virgil from all Poetes by the name of Poeta and Aristotle from all other Philosophers by the name of Philosophus S. Paule from all the other Apostles by the name of Apostolus Which thing well considered of anie indifferent man may giue him easily to vnderstand that the holy Fathers of the Constantinopolitan Councell in their Creede bidding vs to belieue the Church Apostolike did not only meane the RomaÌ„ Church but also none other but the RomaÌ„ well that I leaue to the consideratioÌ„ of such as be indiffereÌ„t But that which afore I saide is certaine as it is also most worthy to be considered that the Fathers in their times hauing manie Sees Apostolike yet chieflie looked themselues and directed others to the Apostolike See of Rome And now at this time when as there is none other of that sorte remayning in the worlde but onely the Roman and yet neuer none of them all more
impugned then this no none of them all euer the thousandth part so much impugned so much barked at so much sifted as this and yet they gone and this remaining by which very euent of thinges Christ hath plainely declared vnto vs what he meant when hee said to Peter first concerning all his Aposâ—les Simon Zuke 22. ecce Satanas expetiuit vos vt cribâ—arâ—t s cut triticum Simon behold Sâ—tan hath desired that he might siâ—t you lâ—ke wheaten meale all the flowre of truth out of the sieue nothing to remaine within but bran of Heresie and error then concerning Peter himselfe Ego autem rogaui pro te vt non deficiat fides iua tu aliquando conuersus confirma fratre tuos But I haue made petitioÌ„ for thee that thy faith may not faile and thou once turning confirme thy brethren all this I say notwithstanding the Heretikes of this time will haue vs now to be so blockeheaded so mad not to take our light of the Apostolike Church of Rome that Church I say whose Bishoppes from Peter vnto Eleutherius of his time twelue in number Ireneus reckneth vp saith that it is plenissima ostensio Lib. 3. ca. 3. a most ample declaratioÌ„ of the Apostolike truth to be of his side a confouÌ„ding of all false maisters That church againe whose Bishops from Peter vnto Siricius of his time seauen and thirtie in number Optatus reckeneth vp saith that he is Schismaticus peccator Lib. 2. a Schismatike and a sinner that against this one singular chaire setteth vp another That Church also whose Bishops from Peter vnto Anastasius of his time eight and thirtie in number Epist 165 Saint Augustine reckoneth vp and saith that this is Certo vere salubriter numerare Surelie to number and to our soules health in verie deed Who now that haue care of their saluation wil not folow the example the rule of these Holy Fathers Saintes in heaueÌ„ reckning vp likewise the Bishops of the same Church from Peter to Gregorie of our time the thirteenth of that name being two hundred thirtie and three in number and there seeke find beleeue the Doctrine which the Apostles taught Mat. 16. rather then with the Donatists Protestants Puritans other gates of Heâ—l fight against the rock all in vaine so foolish to thinke that he can with theÌ„ leape at one iumpe from Luther to the Apostles hauing not one place to rest his feet in all that long space of fifteene hundred yeares which is betweene Catholike men you see were neuer wont so to leape to proue their Church to be Apostolike Heretikes haue none other but that impossible way Wherfore the Protestants Puritans be not Catholikes and Apostolikes they be Schismatikes and Heretikes with such guides or companions they walke that vvalke with them whither who seeth not whither els but to perdition God giue my deare friendes and Countrimen better eyes and take from them their vvilfull blindnesse The Romains neuer chaunged theyr Religion ANIE man that vvill may by this that I haue said easilie and plainely vnderstand that the Roman Church is still as it euer was Apostolike For the which true vnderstanding Quod Romana esset Catholica Apostolica Ecclesia that the Romaine was the Catholike Apostolike Church Hist Angli Lib. 3. Cap. 29. Saint Bede our Countrie-man much commendeth in his time King Oswy But to make it yet more plaine I adde this other consideration that whereas the Romaines faith was once the true faith of S. Paule himselfe commended where hee saith Gratias ago Deo meo per Iesum Christum pro omnibus vobis Rom. 1. quiae fides vestâ—a annunciatur in vniuerso munâ—â— I giue thankes to my God through Iesus Christ for you all because your faith is reported in the vniuersall vvorâ—d And vvhereas theyr Church vvas once Catholike and Apostolike which the Heretikes themselues neither câ—n nor wiâ— deny it cannot possibly be shewed that they euer changed their faith or any part thereof Wherefore their Chuâ—ch doth still remaine as it was Apostolike and their faith Catholike Or let them shew if they can what Pope changed it in what Articles or pointes of Faith it was chaunged at what time vvith what tumultes in the world rising thereupon vvhat Doctors withstood it what Councels accursed it or such other circumstances vvhich we can shew in all innouations both great and small that euer by Heretikes were attempted as namely by the Arrians Sabellians Donatistes Pelagians with other of old and now presentlie of the Protestantes and Puritans We see in what Princes dayes they began what Captaines they had what pointes they chaunged what Catholike men haue set against them what places or countries haue chaunged Religion with theÌ„ what countries againe keepe still the old Religion These things and others the like can neuer be shewed in the Romaines because they neuer were and therefore most certainlie neuer was there by the Romains any change made Or if any man will say that the Romains made their change not al at once but secretly by little little he can not so escape but he must shew vs those seuerall little changes in forme also aforesaid As we doe shew not only the totall chaunge made now by the Protestants but also how in the former ages at sundrie times their misterie of iniquitie did worke by litle litle or by one one For example Aerius preparing to their handes theyr doctrine against Purgatorie Nouatus theyr doctrine against forgiuenes of sinnes by a Priest Iouinian their doctrine of Priests and Nunnes mariage Vigilantius theyr Doctrine against praying to Saintes Manicheus theyr Doctrine against free-will Pelagius theyr Doctrine against the necessitie of childrens Baptisme Simon Magus their Doctrine against saluation for good vvorkes Eunomius also theyr Doctrine of onely faith to be sufficient with many others that here I could recite They must shew the like of the seuerall points in their imagined Romaine chaunge Which most sure it is they can not doe For name they what point of faith they will at such or such a time to haue beene chaunged and wee will plainely shew the contrarie that the same point which they will say to haue beene brought in by the chaunge vvas euer afore by the Romaines and other Christians beleeued vp to the Apostles time What points will they name but such as euen now I touched of Purgatorie Confession Saintes vowed Nunnes with the rest But those you see were so not brought in by any Romaine change that we haue by the FATHERS noted vnto vs vvhat Heretikes would haue brought in theyr contraries by some chaunge Whereby it is inuincibly proued that in those very pointes also the Romaine Church remained vnchaunged And so doe the Holy Fathers witnesse as much that euen then when as wee can shew the Romaines prayed for the dead c. they did yet keepe still vnchaunged the Faith
which of the Apostles they had receaued as a little afore I shewed by the witnesse of Ireneus in his time Optatus and Saint Augustine in their time at which time I say it is yet most euident that they prayed for the dead because they then accounted Aerius an Heretike for denying the same And so haue I most plainely shewed that the Romaine faith which once was right is still right because it is not chauÌ„ged that promise of God by Esay his Prophet neuer failing Esay 62. Super muros tuos Hierusalem coÌ„stitui custodes tota die tota nocte in perpetuum non tacebunt Vpon thy walles O Ierusalem he speaketh to the Church of the Christians haue I placed watchmen all day and all night for euer they shall not be dumbe but straight giue warning and without ceasing if any enimie at anie time goe about to breake in with anie prophane innouation 1. Tim. 6. whatsoeuer it be As S. Augustine also saith Epi. 119. cap. 19. Ecclesia Dei inter multam paleam multaque zizania constituta multa tolerat tamen quae sunt contra fidem vel bonam vitam non approbat nec tacet nec facit The Church of God being set amongst much chaffe much cockle tollerateth many things but such things as be against faith or good life it neyther approueth nor is dumbe at them nor practiseth them Conuersion of Heathen Nations AFTER the considerations aforesaid let it be further considered whether euer any Nations were froÌ„ Paganisme conuerted by the Protestantes As it was alwaies the practise of Heretikes to draw away Christian men from the true faith of Christ so wee see that the Protestantes haue done the like in manie Countries corrupting christian men but that they euer turned men that were not christians to be christians vvho can say That Caluin to get this glorie sent certaine of his Ministers into the new found Countries of the Indians and others vvee vnderstand Villagag con Calu. Epistolae Indic but who euer heard anie Protestant boast of any one there conuerted by them The truth is that they there agreed so wel together in theyr preaching one destroying still anothers building that they were laughed to scorne by the Infidels and faine all to be put to silence Contrariwise the preaching there of our religious men of the orders of Saint Francis and S. Dominicke and of the Societie of IESVS what fruit it had dailie hath theyr filling of manie ample Kingdomes both in the East and Weast India vvith the knowledge and faith of Christ doth openlie speake to all such as reade the Ecclesiasticall Histories of this time Whereby the Church hath in those partes vvonne more incomparablie then it hath lost by Heretikes in these our partes Besides these many other Nâ—tions haue beene vvithin these thousand yeares conuerted vnto Christ as our English Nation Germanie also the Bohemians Hungarians Flemminges Brabantines vvith manie others Consider me now whether any one of them all were not conuerted by our Catholike Romaine Church whether they were conuerted without the mighty operation of infinite wonderfull miracles by their Apostles whether they receaued not at their conuersioÌ„ as Articles and ioyntes of the very body of Christs Gospell all pointes of our doctrine that the Heretikes now call Papistrie vvhether they were not for the said receiuing of our doctrine and religion and at that very time when they first receaued the same neuer before truly called Christians and noted by all Histories at that time to haue bin conuerted to the Faith of Christ whether the Nations conuerted afore these latter thousand yeares by the Popes of Rome that then were or other Holy men sent by them as Italie Fraunce Britany Scotland Ireland c. were otherwise conuerted then by such Miracles or were named Christians of another Christ or had any other religion planted amongst them finallie whether those holie Popes sent abroad into the world any other faith then S. Peter and S. Paule brought to Rome preached they with the other Apostles of Christ in the Greeke and other Nations that they had bin in Is it not euident by all this that the Church as well of these last thousande yeares which by our aduersaries is confessed to be ours as of the six hundred yeares before is the Church of Christ the one and selfe same Church to which hee said at the beginning of it Aâ— Eritis mihi testes in IerusaleÌ„ in omni Iudaea Samaria vsque ad vltimum terrae You shall be witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem and in all Iewrie and Samaria and euen to the farthest end of the earth And againe is it not euident hereby that the Ghospell vvhich the Church for these thousand yeares hath preached which they confesse to be ours is all one with the Gospell of truth whereof S. Paule in the beginning of it said to the Colossians Quod peruenit ad vos Col. 1. sicut in vniuerso mundo est fructificat crescit which Gospell is now come also to you by the preaching of Epaphras as it is also in the vniuersall world beareth fruit and groweth on And therefore our Sauiour likened the Doctrine Mat. 23. which hee would send by his Apostles into the world to seed sowen in a field that is to say in the world and not to be plucked vp againe by the root soone after the spring but growing still as well as the cockle euen vntill haruest that is vntill the very end of the world Likewise to a small graine of mustard seed growing still on till it be a great tree spreading his bowes ouer al. To a fishers net likewise cast into the wide Sea of this troublesome world which they neuer draw nor cease filling of it vntill they come to the shoare that is to the end of the world Seeing therefore that the Protestants seede was not in the field nor their net in the sea for these thousand yeares from S. Gregories time vnto Frier Luthers Apostasie and seeing that our seede hath al the same while bene growing spreding and none other but ours our Peters net also al the same space bene fishing the sea and taken into the faith of Christ so many Nations which afore were swimming and drowned in Paganisme it is I say hereby inuincibly proued not that the Protestantes by no means but ours most certainly is Christs Seede and Christes Net By what Religion hath Idolatrie bene destroyed BY this former Motiue alone blunted is as al men may see the edge of Heretikes blasphemous tongues endeuouring continually and most vvickedly to fasten in our Catholike ReligioÌ„ the wounds of Idolatrie for the vvorshipp that we doe to our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar to his Saintes in heauen to theyr Relikes to the Images of himselfe of his Crosse and of his Sainctes for that all this as the rest also of our Religion is the
and straight vvaies vvithout all tergiuersation to captiuate their vnderstanding into the obedience of faith Is it not plaine by the Scriptures that the Church of GOD should be so obeyed Or is there any so blessed a Church and felowship saue only ours Any other Church so credited so beleued so reuerenced so obeyed of her children that whatsoeuer she teacheth is receaued and followed whom none of her children be his witt neuer so great or his learning so excellent euer controlleth or euer mistrusteth and that most agreably I say to the holy Scriptures in ten thousand places as where they say Ephes 5. that Ecclesia subiecta est Christo in omnibus the Church is obedient to Christ in all thinges Who therefore saith vnto it Qui vos audit me audit qui vos spernit Luc. 10. me spernit he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Mat. 18. Si Ecclesiam non audierit sit tibisicut Ethnicus Publicanus If he wil not here the Church auoid him as thou wouldest an Ethnick and a Publican Thus is the Church of God to be obeyed and thus do we obey our Church and none of their Church but we For our Church it is and our Church onlie which hath by the spirit of wisedome discretion so sorted and seuered from the corps of truth al blemishes corruptions vncertaine or singular opinions or seueral errors in her childrens and Maisters workes whatsoeuer that both the truth may be had with ease and securitie and the vntruth escaped vvithout doubt or daunger Ours therefore and ours only it is that hath in it the path that the Prophet Esaie forespeaketh and promiseth should be in the Church of Christ Isai 35. Et erit ibi semita vita via sancta vocabitur Non transibit per eam pollutus haec erit vobis directa via ita vt stulti non errent per eam And there shal be in it a path and a way an holy way it shal be called the defiled shall not passe by it but this to you shal be a direct way so that fooles cannot misse if they folow it But now on the contrary side in any company of these seueral sectes and scatered congregations are they so humble as to submit themselues for dicision of their questions to any power placed in earth or haue they any possible meanes to trie and end their controuersies any sort or number of men amongest them whom they may trust in al things which whom and in whose steppes they dare venture to walke the way of faith and Religion towardes saluation None there is amōgst al the Sects in the world so happy none so secure and therefore no Church amongest them For in the plat forme of the Church drawen by the Apostles wee see that when a question arose about Circumcision of vs that be Gentiles straight was there found a remedie Statuerunt Act. 15. vt ascenderent Paulus Barnabas quidam alij ex aliis ad Apostolos Presbyteros in Hierusalē super hac quaestione They determined that there shold goe vp Paule and Barnabas and some others of the other side to the Apostles and Priestes in Hierusalem vppon this question Vpon this matter hath S. Augustine written an excellent Booke which hee intituled De vtilitate credendi Tom. 6. of tht vtilitie of beleeuing the Catholike Church in all thinges and whith all humilitie which booke I vvish and desire all that can to reade it Very fitte it is for this time and alone sufficient to perswade any reasonable man to be a Catholike For were it not for beleuing the Catholike Church and taking of it our light and knowledge a smal number God wotteth of truthes should wee in our whole life be able to finde out although we liued the yeares of Mathusalem and in most thinges should we fouly erre and be deceaued and of nothing almost be fully resolued And therefore being so many so obscure so controuersed the things whereof vpon payne of damnation vve may not doubt but must hold them certaynely euen to the losse of frinds Countrie liberty goodes landes and life vvhat hope were leafte for vs poore wretches of any saluation So desperate is the state of Heretykes their followers that no doubt for lacke of being grounded vpon the sure Rocke of the Churches Faith they would as sone be caried away from the faith of the B. Trinitie if the wind should chaunce to blow that way as were in old time the Arrians and others and now in Polonia the Protestant Trinitaries as they haue beene from the other Articles vnto the which wee labour and pray to see them once reuoked Protestants themselues take things vpon our Churches credit AND that wee doe well so as I haue saied to beleue our Catholike Romaine Church and also that all other should doe the same you shall yet againe perceaue by this if you consider what Church it is vpon vvhose credit the very Protestantes themselues haue receaued the Diuine Scriptures and besides them certaine confessions of Faith called Creeds the Creede of the Apostles the Creed of Athanasius the Creed of the Fathers also diuers Articles of Doctrine as the holy Ghost to proceed from both the Father and the Sonne that but as from one principium origin or beginning c. also many artificiall tearmes as Person Trinity Consubstātiality Sacraments c. into the very hart of Religion which neither they did would or could haue inuented nor we neuer haue vsed but only vpon infallible credit of this Church Con. Epis Mā ca. 5. For whereas S. Augustine saied Ego vero Euangelio non crederem nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae cōmoueret authoritas I for my part should not haue beleued the Gospel but the Catholik churches authority moued me Catholicis obtemperaui dicentibus Credite Euangelio to the Catholikes it was that I obeyed saying beleue ye the gospel Euāgelio Catholicis praedicantibus credidi I beleeued the Gospell vpon the Catholikes preaching Catholicis praecipientibus Euangelio credidi at the Catholikes commaundment I beleued the Gospell was it the Protestantes Church thinke you that in al these wordes he meant Or can you hold your laughter when you heare the question asked No no the Church at whose commaundement he beleued the Gospel at the same Churches cōmaundment he beleued as he declareth in his booke De Doct. Christ Li. 2. ca. 8. the bookes of Tobie of Iudith of Canticles of Wisdome of Iesus Sirach called Ecclesiasticus of the Machabees in the olde Testament and in the new Testament S. Paules Epistle to the Hebrues the Epistle of Saint Iames the second of S. Peter the second and third of Saint Iohn the Epistle of S. Iude the Apocalips of S. Iohn Al which holy bookes of Canonical Scripture the Protestantes either in their whole multitude or in some of their Captains whō they defend follow and commend as men of
knevv Yea a Religion that should compel their Maister and ours Christ himselfe God aboue all to be blessed for euer if he had chosen this time and our Countrey for to teach and worke in it mans saluation to haue held his peace and leaft his medling like a Foreiner as hee was and in no wise to haue behaued him-selfe like the Head of his owne Church vnlesse hee would haue also saied that he had bene the natural king of England and displaced the lawfull heires of the Kings afore-time and chaunged his talke to Pilate when he saied Regnum meum non est ae hoc mundo Ioan. 28. my kingdome is not of this world to haue sayed My Kingdome is of this world and thy Maister Cesar doth me wrong This must hee needes haue done I say by our nevv mens doctrine or not haue bin Head of his Church because by their saying that Headship cannot be seperated from the Kingship being as they say a real naturall and an essentiall part thereof Which their own saying themselues yet againe destroy by another saying of their own contrary to the former whiles that they professe as truth is our Prince to be King of France as well as of England and of Ireland and yet say not that he is Head of the Church of France but only of the Church of England and Ireland as euery man doth see in the King or Queenes vsuall Style Wherefore if any man thinke that Company vvhich breedeth and nourisheth such monsters such absurdities to haue any resemblance of Christes Church horribly blinded in his sight and his vnderstaÌ„ding fouly darkened Communion of Saintes SVCH you see is the new inuented Church of England so streightnyng and coarctyng it selfe into the limittes of one Kingdome or Countrey that in it one Christyan man to another euen in Spirituall affayres is a stranger that in it an Ecclesiastical and Apostalicall povver erected by Christ is deemed a Foreiner that in it any General Councel that euer was or euer can be gathered of the Bishoppes of other Natyons of all Christendome yea or of theyr own confederates can take beare or haue no whit of authoritie that in it epistles directed from beyond the sea by Saint Paule himselfe such as his Epistles to the Romains Corinthians Galathians c. could beare no sway that in it all the Apostles togeather writing from theyr Synod of Hierusalem as they did to the Antiochians might beare no stroke that in it Christ himselfe without the King and the Parlaments consent might not dispose of his own Churches Into such wonderfull narrow straightes haue these men laced and pinched vp them-selues besides their precise dealing also about communion with the soules in Purgatory and the Saints in Heauen Consider then whether this be the Catholike and Vniuersall Church of Christ spread ouer all Nations descending vnto vs throughout al ages one the same both in earth and vnder earth and aboue earth and not that Church much rather yea most certainly by which euery faithfull man communicateth in all offices of Relygion with all others be they neuer so farre asunder be it in time or be it in place in which there is a perfitte participation and societie of all spirituall commodities and commandementes where seruing and obeying praying and working desiring and deseruing lacking and abounding trouble and comfort goeth in common The Church that all Christs enimies fight against CONSIDER againe what Church that is ours or the Protestantes which the tyrannicall Romaine Emperours of olde before their christendome did vexe and persecute and which to this day the Heathen the Turke and the Iewe doe acknowledge themseulues to be annoyed by VVhat company honoring Christ do they feare but ours What Church beareth off theyr brunt from the neck of Christendom but only ours Of what Church was our owne Countrie wheÌ„ it in such holy warres ioyned with other countries of Christendome and got thereby immortal glorie And now that it is reuolted from the same Church what aide haue Christian Princes of it toward such warres Yea doth not all the world see that these go togeather them that fight against Heretikes the same to fight against Turks and they againe that maintaine Heretykes the same to fauour Turkes to be sory for theyr ouerthrowes to be glad of theyr preuailing for Christian Princes good successe to faine false bonefires for TVRKES good successe to shew forth mery heartes Of our Church I shewed afore that those Emperours afterward receaued theyr Baptisme therefore ours it vvas that they afore did persecute For so witnesseth the Prophet Esay that it is one Church Esa 60. and the same which they did first afflict and after adore Et venient ad te curui filij eorum qui humiliâ—ueâ—â—t te adorabunt vestigia pedum tuorum omnes qui detrahebant tibi vocabunt te Ciuitatem Domini Sion sancti Israel And there shal com vnto thee creeping and crouching the sonnes of them that afflicted thee and there shal adore thy footestepes all that blasphemed thee and they shal cal thee the Citie of our Lord the Syon of the holy one of Israel Seing it is euident I say that those Potentates neuer to no Church did this honour and Seruice but only to ours euydent also it is that our Church it vvas which afore they persecuted that Church Christes Church by the confession of al men therefore our Church Christes Church to the eye of such as are content to see Which yet again may be more plainly seene by this Motiue of S. Augustins by him proponed amoÌ„gst many others to the Heathens to moue them to be Christians Vidâ—tis Epist 42 ipsas huius saeculi potestates quae aliquando pro simulachris populum Christianum persequebantur victas domitas non a repugnantibus sed a morientibus Christianis â—â—ntra eadem simulachra pro quibus Christianos occidebant impetus suos legesque vertisse Imperij nobilissimi emineÌ„tissimuÌ„ culmeÌ„ ad sepulchruÌ„ piscatoris Petri submisso diademate supplicare You see the very Potestates of this world which once for Idolles did persecute the Christian people ouercome and tamed not by the resisting but by the dying of Christians both against the same Idoles for which they killed the christians to haue turned their forces and their lawes and also the highâ—st top of the most noble Empire at the Sepulchre of Peter the fisher submitting his Croune to mak supplication By this it is euident I say that our Religion it is to which from their former Paganisme those Emperours were conuerted and to which S. Augustine would haue those other Heathens to conuert And farder yet in the same kind of motiue you may coÌ„sider what church it was which all HERETIKES likewise euer impugned but neuer preuayled Which very note of his Church our Sauiour giueth Mat. 16. Portae inseri non praeualebunt adueâ—sus eam The gates of Hel shall not preuaile against it Was it then against the
Protestants that Iouinian lette out of Hell Priestes and Nunnes Mariage Or were it they and â—gaine stopped vp that gap gate of Hel Was it against them that Aerius let out of Hel his Heresie of No good to be done to the dead by prayer Or were it they that againe stopped vp that gate Was it one Church against which these Heretikes and many other such like ran out and another against which issued out the Arrians Sabellians Nestorians Pelagians and finally all the rable Or vvas it not one Church and the same which stopped vp both sortes of gates Not the Protestantes but our Church the one sort therefore not the Protestants but our Church the other sort therefore againe not the Protestantes but our Church the true Church Euer Visible and Catholike TO this consideration ioyne this also what Church is that vvhich can shew in it the fulfilling of innumerable Scriptures touching the Churches vniuersalitie by time place and person vvhich can spread before your eyes her line and pedegree descending from the chiefest Apostles euen vnto this time which can declare that in all Ages and States since Christs time shee hath had some notable glorious companie professing her Religion euen in the pointes also that the Aduersaries now impugne which is knowen still to haue in all places euen amongest the Kingdomes of Heretikes Turkes and Heathens her open Confessours Professours Maintayners vnto death Consider on the other side vvhat Church is that vvhich lacking proofe of lawâ—ull and lineall Descent careth not for the middest but leapeth froÌ„ one end immediatly to the other from Luther to Christ not hauing record of her religion in all the meane time no monument of such a Church neyther in leafe or line of Seruice-booke neyther in creation of Priest or Bishop of their Sect no like practiâ—e for her â—n gouernment either ciuill or Ecclesiasticall The truth is that some there haue bin in many ages in some points of their opinion but such as may not beare the naming and as may be easily proued not to haue beene of their Church because of certaine other pointes of their opinions As Aerius who denied praying offering for the dead ordinarie daies of fasting diffeâ—ence of Priest and Bishoppe dare they trow you for all this name him as a Protestant No Auâ— â—â—r 5â— I warrâ—nt you they know that he was withall â—n Aâ—rian Or any other of the old Heretikes likewise in some raile tyed to them doe you heare them for all that make their vaunt of them Let vs come then to veâ—y Huâ— and Wicklef themselues of whome they are wont to be somwhat lesse ashamed were they at least Protestants Or which is all one be Protestantes as they vvere Hussites and Wicklefistes No there be many points named wherein they agree not One for example Hus Wickâ—ef did holde 〈…〉 35. that for euery mortall sinne vvhich any Magistrate should commit by by he lost his office were he Priest or Bishop King or Queene or vvhat els so euer and no longer therefore men bound to obey him Will the Protestants alow well of such confusion as in thinges both diuine and humane therevpon must follow To be briefe let them heare their Father Martin Luther speake Non râ—cte faciunt qui me Hâ—â—ssitâ—m vocant Apâ—d Rof aâ— 30. Non enim mâ—cuÌ„ ille sentit They doe not well saith hee that call me an Hussite for with me hee agreeth not Let them heare also theyr brother Phillip Melanchton speake Inspexi Wiclefum Ad Frider Micon sed deprehendi in eo multa alia errata ex quibus iudicium de spiritu eius fieri potest Prorsus non intellexit nec tenuit fidei iustitiam c. I haue viewed Wicklef but in him haue I found many other errours by which iudgemeÌ„t may be made of what spirit he was Certainely he vnderstood not nor held not the iustice of faith foolishly confounded he the Gospell things political wiâ—h many other his errors that he there confesseth obiecteth Li. de vit Iew. Which L. Humphrey eyther ignorantly knew not or maliciously dissembled in extolling so highly this wrong-sprited Wiclef making him his Iewels peere them two the two Moones or Sunnes of Oxford and yet Melancthon withall that thus hath iudged him a man of right iudgement So that by this it is manifest that the Church of the Protestants neuer was neuer at al I say in the world before this time Now consider than to which of these Churches the Holie Scriptures beare witnesse to this new vpstart or to that old permanent As where our Sauiour saith to them whom he sent to preach to minister his Sacramentes to all Nations Mat. 28. Et ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus vsque ad consummationeÌ„ saeculi And behold I am with you all dayes euen to the ending of the world As also vvhere God saith of Christ by his Prophet Ieremy Si irritum potest fieri pactum cum die Iere. 33. pactum cum nocte vt non sit dies nox in tempore suo pactum meum irritum esse poterit cum Dauid seruo meo vt non sit ex eo filius qui regnet in Throno eius Leuitae sacerdotes ministri mei Gen. 8. â— 22. If broken may be my promise with the day and my promise with the night so that there be not day and night in their time my promise also broken may be with Dauid my seruant so that there be not a Sonne of him to raigne in his throne Leuites or Deacons and Priestes my ministers As againe vvhere hee saith by his Prophet Esay Hoc foedus meum cum eis dicit Dominus Spiritus meus qui est in te Esay 59. verba mea quae posui in ore tuo non recedent de ore tuo de ore seminis tui de ore seminis seminis tui dicit Dâ—minus amâ—dâ— vsque in sempiternuÌ„ This is my promise or bargaine vvith them saith our Lord My spirit vvhich is in thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not againe goe out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seed out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed saith our Lord froÌ„ henceforth euen so for euermore with innumerable more such like places that most euidently conteine in them visible preachers and ministers preaching and ministring raygning and shining in Christes Church for euer and therefore the said Church to be euerlasting visible visible euerlasting Where grew the Protestants seed before our time HERE BY the way doth offer it selfe a consideration of very great weight rising vpon that which in the last Motiue I saide that neuer vvas there Protestant in the world before Luthers time at the soonest but yet that manie points of Protestancy were long before and that at sundry times Whereupon I would haue it
darknes into the which he would not with hym that another Parable speaketh of wher it saith Mat. 22. Tunc dixit Rex ministris ligatis manibus pedibus eius mittite eum in tenebras exteriores ibi erit fletus stridor dentium Then said the King to his seruantes Bind him hand foote and cast him into more outward darknes there shall be weeping gnashing of teeth Sure To Continue Novv to go on your way in the vvhich vvee were before this last Motyue by the same places of Holye Scriptures there mentioned are vvee admonished agayne of another consideration what Church that is which as it hath so manifestly and gloryously lasted euer vnto this time so is it most sure and certayne from this time to last agayne euen continually till the world shall end And what Church that is on the other side which as it is lately start vp so is it most sure and certayne quickly agayne to fall to nothing Of the first was Saint Augustine bolde to say to his frind Honoratus a Manichee De vtili cred ca. 8. Si finem laboribus vis imponere sequere viam Catholicae disciplinae quae ab ipso Christo per Apostolos ad nos vsque manauit ab hinc ad posteros mana tura est If thou desire to make an end of al thy troubles folow the way of the Catholike doctrine vvhich from Christ himselfe by the Apostles euen to vs is descended and from hence to Posterity shal descend And againe to his coūtreymen the simple people of the Donatists Psal con Par. Don. shewing them the sure way to be againe grafted in Christ Numerate Sacerdotes vel ab ipsa Petri Sede Et in ordine illo Patrum quis cui successit videte Ipsa est Petra quam non vincunt superbae inferorum portae Count the Priestes hardly from the very See of Peter And in that order of fathers consider who to whom succeded That same is the Rocke which the proud gates of Hel do not ouercome If any man at that tyme or at any time had beene bolde so to haue said of any other Apostles See had he not by this time bene proued a lyer And were those other Sees more impugned I pray you by Tyrants and Heretikes thē vvas the See of Peter Yea hath not Peters See vvith all kindes of engyns by all sortes of enimyes ten thousand folde bene more impugned But all in vayne De. vtili cred .. 19. Frustra circumlatrantibus Haereticis saith Saint Augustine In vayne is the barking of Heretykes all about it All is in vayne And for what other cause Let them if with al their wits and wysdomes they can giue vs any other but only because Christ our Sauiour God Almighty hath said the word Tu es Petrus Mat. 16. super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam portae inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam Thou art Peter or a Rock vpon vvhich Rocke I wil build vp my Church and that spite of Hel gates they shal not preuayle against it be they neuer so manie neuer so mighty neuer so politike neuer so eloquent neuer so hardie and vvhat soeuer els can be thought or named Vpon this most plaine and most sure word of him that is truth and might it selfe haue our Fathers bin alway bold to say that the See of Peter should neuer faile neyther in succession neyther in faith And vpon the same word be wee much more bold if more may be because we see that it hath held on almost two hundred forty Bishops whereas they say not forty And wee againe besides the fighting against it that they saw haue seen an infinite deale of more Therefore be we bold to say with them that neuer shal hell gates ouer come this Rocke but that both the Successiō shall endure also the very same faith of it endure Who can say so of the B. of Cāterbury of London or any other or either of these either I say that alwaies there shall be a Bishop or that for the time he is he shall not chaunge his faith These Heretikes all the world seeth how soone they fade faile one alwaies eating vp another as a great morsell of Luther eaten vp by Zuinglius of Zuinglius by Caluin of the Protestantes by the Puritans c. And so in themselues euery one vvonderfully diminishing in the meane time the Catholike vnitie meruailouslie increasing For example whereof wee need not to goe to India where the multiplication is miraculous nor to other Countries of Europe verie manie persons and partes vvhereof doe daylie repent theyr Heresie and returne to vnitie Euen in our owne Countrie vvho seeth not the gracious and incredible increase of Catholikes so that now after sixteene yeares preaching of the Heretikes as long silence of the Catholikes all libertie maintenaunce help and law for the one all restraint persecution and oppression of the other yet at this day thankes be to God there are innumerable moe Catholikes and they more godlie more learned more zealous more constant then they were what time Pharao first arose that knevv not Ioseph Whereby anie vvise man may coniecture what will be their increase within few yeares yea although the commādement of exponing the men children should continue specially then when it shall be free for all to depart them out of the house of bondage and to heare Moyses preach vnto them at libertie which by the grace of God to be quickly these wonders that hee worketh both in heauen and in earth and specially in the hearts of men vnlesse I be deceaued doe seeme to promise God graunt if it be his blessed will that whensoeuer it be it be with the Egyptians own saluation that they indurate not their owne hartes euen to the destruction of their Primogeniti Well be that generall deliuerie when God will euer or neuer easily may the Heretikes see by this that the people of themselues do see their follies that much more plainely much more generally would they see it if the Catholiks might be suffered for to shew it Which sufferance although God hithervnto for the infinite sinnes of vs and our Countrie would not haue to be yet hath hee by other meanes wee see and daily doth more more declare that they be such as S. Paule speaketh of where hee saith Sed vltra non proficient 2. Tim. 3. insipientia enim eorum manifesta erit omnibus But they shall not still proceed for theyr folly shall be manifest to all men at the length as was the folly of Iannes and Mambres the Magitians of Pharao who for a while with theyr sorcery withstood Moyses For so wee see that partly Catholike mens writinges and Councels of Bishops partly time it selfe all with the helpe of God hath and doth make knowen theyr folly euen there where by all reason of man they should haue rooted in themselues for euer and
dispositions read depositions fol. 125 b line vlt. for consubstubflantialitie read consubstantialitie fol. 128. a. line 23. for vniuesallie read vniuersallie A TABLE OF THE MOTIVES conteined in this Treatise 1 NAme of Catholikes fol 5. a. 2. Name of Heretik 9. a 3. Name of Protestants Puritans c. 10. a 4. Oâ—d Heresies 13. a. 5. Miracles dogmaticall 15. a 6 Miracles personal 27. a. 7. Visâ—â—â—s 32. b 8 Scriptures 39. b 9 Traditions most certaine 42. b 10 The Churches iudgemeÌ„t 45. a 11 The churches practise 48. b 12 See Apostolike 55. a 13. Councels 59. a 14 The Fathers 63. b 15. Martyrs 69. a 16 Their own Doctors 74. a 17. The Catholike Faith in England mightily planted and lightly chaunged 80. b 18 Going out 84. b 19. Rising afterward 86. a 20 Beginning with wondring and gainsaying of Christians then in Vnitie 88. b. 21. Vnsent 90. b 22 Succession 93. a 23. Apostolike Church 95. b 24 The Romaines neuer chaunged their religion 100. a 25 Conuersion of Heathen Nations 102. b 26 By what Religion hath Idolatrie beene destroyed 105. a 27 Vnitie 117. b 28 Iudges infallible incases of Controuersie 120. b 29 Protestants themselues take things vpon our Churches credit 123. a 30 Storehouse of the scriptures 124. b 31 Studying and teaching of all Diuine truth 125. b 32 Annuall celebrating of all Christs Mysteries 129 b 33 Ecclesiasticall Monuments and Liuings 142. a 34 Apes 143. 35 States of perfection 144. b 36 The state of our Predecessors 145. b 37 The only knowen and vndoubted Mother of Christs childreÌ„ for one thousand yeares togeather 147. b 38 Celebration and Operation of Christs death 149. b 39 Teaching the Narrow way and liuing after it 151. a 40 Obedient subiects 153. a 41 The Church to whom Princes doe homage 155. a 42 The Parlament Church 156. b 43 Communion of Saints 158. a 44 The Church that all Christs enimies fight against 159. a 45 Euer visible and Catholike 161. a 46 Where grew the Protestants seed before our time 163. b 47 Sure to continue 167. a 48 How to make plaine demonstration that the Heretikes haue no euidence and that we haue all 171. a A TABLE OF THE MORE PRINcipall matters touched in this Treatise A AN Admonition to Catholikes that frequent the new Seruice Fol. 133. a To Priestes likewise that say it 136. b Aerians aliue againe in the Protestants 13. b Aultus 34. b 52. a 112. b S. Ambrose Motiue the Fathers 64. a Anabaptistes 165. b 166. a Antichristes side against the Pope 58. a Apes of the Catholikes are Heretikes 143. a The Apostles were of our religion 44. a. b 60. a 102. a 104. a 156. b Apostolike Church 95. b Apostolike See 55. a 94. b Assumption of our Lady 132. b Atheistes why they be so many in England 128. a. 152. a 166. a Motiues against theÌ„ See here in the word Christ and in the Preface S. Augustine of our religion 16. a 34. b. 35. a 44. b 45. b 47. b 49 a 51. b 54. a 55 b 108. a 117. a 160. b. brought therunto by God 34 b. How he should be vsed in England by the ParlameÌ„t law if he were there liuing 157. a His Motiues Name of Catholikes 5. b Name as of Protestants c. 12 a Councels 63. a the Fathers 64. b Succession in the See Apostolike 95. a 99. b 167. b the Churches authoritie pâ—e pa. 5. fo 123. b the Churches continuance 95. a 129. a 167. b the Churches wisedome and learning pref page 8. fol. 129. a Apostolike Churches as the Romaine c. 98. a 99. b. The honour and vertue of Saints and Relikes 110. a. Emperours turned from their Idols and praying at Peters Sepulchre 160 a. Christianity of humane lawes 153. a. 160. a S. Augustine the Apostle of Englishmen of what Religion and authoritie 80 b. B S. BAbilas Relikes 108. b Baptisme necessary for saluation of Children 14. a. 49. b. 71. b. 165. b. S. Bede of our Religion 17. a. 81. a 100. b. His storie to be read diligently of Englishmen 81. a. his Motiue the Romaine Church 100. b S. Bernard of our Religion and with what Miracles he confirmed it 29. a 115. a Bishops of England vnitie constancy 86. a A Bishop aboue a Priest 165. a Bookes of Heretikes not to be read 140. a C CAluin against our Prorestants about the Head of the Church 78. a His Legats in India 103. a His errors about the Trinity 126. b. Caluinists condemned by Luther 75. a Carolostadius condemned by Luther 75. a Catholikes haue the truth 3. b. that very name a certaine marke of right Catholikes 5. a Catholikes Romaine 55. b Chalenges turned into Proclamations 1. b Change of religion neuer made by vs. 51. a 100. a what an impudeÌ„t attempt it is 54. b. 80 b 135. b the Iewes religion chaunged into ours by Christ 117. a 124. b Christ to be beleeued for these Motiues Authoritie of his Church pref page 5. fol. 47 b Vnity of his Church 118. b Miracles 30. b 110. a Visions 33. b vertue of his Saints and of their Relikes 110. a. vertue of the signe of his Crosse 113. a 139. a Conuerting of Emperours and Powers from theyr Idols to serue his seruants 160. a the Scriptures of the old Testament as they be vnderstood in the Church 130. b Christ excluded out of England by Parliament 157. a Christendome shut out of England by Parliament 158. a Christians and Catholikes all one 12. b Christianity of humaine lawes in what Church 153. a S. Chrisost of our religioÌ„ 44. a 56. a. 109. a. b the Churches iudgement alwaies infalible 45. a 120. b. 123. a her practise likewise 84 b the Church euerlasting and visible 47. a 93. a 104. a 129. a 148. a 160. b 161. a 167. a. Her learning and wisdome 124. b 128. a 130. a 143. b Her seruice 130. a Churches the worke of Catholikes 142. a confirmed by Miracles 29. a. 54. a 107. a 109. a 111. a by visions 70. b Churches of the Heretikes to be refrained 133. b. Communion booke an apish imitation of our Masse booke 144. a burned in a vision 38. b. In another vision the Communion receaued by a blacke dogge 39. a against Communicating with Heretikes in their seruice c. 133. b Confirmation of Children 72. a Conuersion of Heathen Nations by our Church 102. b Councels 59. a 158. a Crosse 30. a 31. b 81. a. 113. a 115. a 139 a Custome or practise of Gods Church 48. b 72. a S. Cyprian of our Religion 39. b 44. b 116. a D DEgrees taken in vniuersities of Heretikes are annullated 127. a Diuels expelled with the Masse by a Priest of Saint Augustines 16. b. By S. Bernard 115. a with the signe of the Crosse by S. Bernard 115. a by Pius Quintus 31. b with Relikes 107. a Diuels in the Protestants 107. a Donatistes aliue againe in Protestants 45. b E EBionites 40. a Ember dayes