and his Apostles and it derogateth from the purging and cleansing of our sinnes which wee haue in the bloud of Iesus Christ whereof I wil only set downe a few places with one offering hath he made perfect them which are Hâ—â— 10. 14. 1. 3. Heb 9. 14. 1 Iohn 1. 7. sanctified hauing by himselfe purged our sinnes sitteth on the right hand on the Maiestie on high how much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God The bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth vs from all sin If we confesse our sins God is faithful and righteous to forgiue our sins and to cleanse vs Apoc. 1. 5. 7. 14. from all our iniquities Christ hath loued washed vs from our sins in his owne bloud and makes vs Kings and Priestes vnto God c. The Saints wash their long Robes make Ioh. 1. 29. Psal 51. 7. Isa 2. 18. Rom 5. 10. them white in the blood of the Lamb that is Christ Iesus who is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Purge me with Isope I shall be cleane wash me I shal be whiter then snow Though your sins were as Crimson they shall be made as white as snow If when we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his son much more being reconsiled we shall be saued by his life How these and such like places of Scripture will agree with the Popish Purgatory in the which they imagine sinnes to bee punished soules to be purged and Gods iustice to bee satisfied let the Christian Reader consider and so marke what the word of God sheweth to be our true Purgatory euen the bloud of Iesus Christ Saint Paul saith that wee bâ—ing Rom. 5. 1. Apoc. 14. 13. iustified by faith haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ And Saint Iohn saith Blessed are the dead which hereafter die in the Lord. Euen so saith the spirit that they rest from their labors and their workes follow them How the faithfull haue peace with God and rest from their labours and yet be tormented in the terrible paines of Purgatory I would saine vnderstand But of this popish purgatory and praier for the dead which depend on it I will write no more at this present expecting that this Catholike Gentlewoman which can propound such profound and vnanswerable questions will profoundly and pithily proue them by the Scriptures which when shee doth she shal by the grace of God heare further from me As concerning praier to Saints departed out of this life I say and here-vppon doe stand that in all the holy Scriptures there is not one commandement of God that wee should pray vnto them nor one promise made to such prayer nor one example of any Patriarke Prophet Apostle or godly man that euer prayed vnto them And although this may sufficiently satisfie a Christian conscience which ought to bee grounded vppon the word of GGD and thereby directed and may moue it to hate and abhorre this false doctrine which hath no warrant in Gods word yet the more to perswade this Gentlewoman and others of her crew to the truth I will sette downe a few arguments grounded vpon the Scriptures to confute this their doctrine of praying vnto Saints My first reason shal be vpon these words of the Apostle Rom 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whome they haue not beleeued Where-vpon I make this argument we are to pray only to him in whome we beleeue but wee beleeue onely in God therefore we are to pray onely to God and so consequently not vnto Saints The first proposition is the word of Apostle the second if they deny I wil hereafter proue it My second Argument shall bee this They are not to be praied vnto yâ— heare not our praiers but the Saints departed heare not our praiers therefore we are not to pray vnto them The first proposition is euident If they shal deny the second I wil hereafter proue it in the meane time lette them consider these places of Scripture Isa 63 16. 2. Reg. 22. 20 Psal 27. 10. My third Argument is this They are not to bee praied vnto which know not our hearts and know not whether our praiers proceed from our hearts or not but the Saints know not our hearts Ergo we ought not to pray vnto them My last argument shall be this wee are to offer sacrifizes Hosea 14. 2. Hâ—b 13 15. Psal 50. 23. to none but onely God Exod. 22. 20. but our praiers bee sacrifices therefore we are to offer them onely to God and so consequently not vnto Saints When this Gentlewoman and her friends shall directly and plainely answer these reasons and set downe as many or mo grounded vpon the Scriptures to proue their assertion then they heare more from me As touching Images if they can proue them by the Scriptures and by the testimonies of all writers since Christ and his Apostles they shall worke wonders the which vntill they doe I will set downe a few places out of the holy Scriptures and ancient Fathers which I would wish them well and deepely to consider and either to answer them or to yeeld vnto the truth of them I will begin with the commandement of GOD. Thou shalt Isa 20 4 Deut. 5. â— make thee no grauen Image neither any similitude of things that are in heauen aboue neither that are in the earth beneath nor that are in the waters vnder the earth thow shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For I am the Lord thy GOD c. Take good heed vnto your selues for Deut. 4. 15 you saw no Image in the day that the LORD spake vnto you in the Mount Horeb out of the middest of the fire that you corrupt not your selues make you agrauen Image or representation of aâ—y figure whether it be male or female c. Cursed be the man that shall make any caruen or molten 27. 15. Image which is an abhominatioÌ„ vnto the Lord the worke of the handes of the crafts man and putteth it in a secret place al the people shal answer say Amen To whom theÌ„ Isa 40. 18. wil you likeÌ„ God or what similitude wil you set vp to him the workeman melteth an Image or the Goldsmith beateth it out in gold c. Al they that make an Image are vanity their 44. 9. delectable things shall nothing profit and they are their owne witnesses that they see not nor know not therefore they shal be Hab. 2. 18. confounded who haue made a God or molten Image that is profitable for nothing Read the rest that doth there follow Habacuke saith what profiteth the Image for the maker therof hath made it an Image a teacher of lies though he that made it trust therein when hee maketh dumbe Idols
c. The inuenting of Idols and Images was the beginning of VVis 14. 2 Cor. 6. 16. 1 Ioh. 5. 21. Apoca. 9. 20. whoredome and the finding of them is the corruption of life What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols or Images Babes keepe your selues from Images The remnant of the men which were not killed by these plagues repented not of the workes of their handes that they should not worship deuills and Idols of gold and of siluer of brasse and of stone and of wood which neither can see neither heare nor goe Also they repented not of their murther and of their sorcerie neither of their fornication nor of their theft I wil for shortnes sake omit many other places of Scripture wherein Images in the worship of God are condemned and the vanitie of them liuely painted forth Now as touching the state of the Church after Christ and his Apostles it is most certaine that the Christians in Lib. 3. cap. 23. the primitiue Church neither had nor worshipped Images Eusebius writeth that Plinius secundus a Pagane writing to Traiane the Emperour a persecutor of Christians did certifie him that hee found no wickednes in the Christians but that they would not worshippe Images Origne writeth that Celsus that railer and Blasphemour of Christianity did obiect this as a fault against the Con. Celse lib. 4. Apolog. cap. 12. Christians that they had no Images Tertullian writeth thus If we worship not vaine pictures and Images that are like dead men which Kites Mise and Spiders know what they be doth not the forsaking of this knowne errour deserue rather praise then punishment Lactantius saith that God is greater then man therefore he is aboue and not below neither Lib 2. de Orig. 9. error cap 19. is he to be sought below vpon the earth but in the highestrehioÌ„ of heauen wherefore ther is no doubt but that there is no religion wheresoeuer there is an Image Clemens writeth Lib. 5. recog cap 6. thus That Serpent the Deuill vseth by others to vtter such words we to the honor of God do worship visible Images the which is most certainely false for if you would truly worship the Image of God by doing well vnto man you should in him worship the true Image of God for in euery man is the true Image of God But yet not in all the true similitude but where there is a good soule and a pure minde If therefore you would honor the Image of God wee doe shew you what is good that you do good and giue honor and reuerence vnto man who is made after the Image of God giuing meate vnto the hungry and drinke vnto the thirsty apparell vnto the naked seruice vnto the sicke hospitality vnto strangers and things necessarie vnto him that is in prison And this is that which shal be accepted as truely done vnto God And these things doe so farre forth tende vnto Gods Image and the honor thereof that he that doth them not is thought to offer iniury vnto the Image of God Therefore what honour of God is this to gâ—d after Images of stone and of woode and to worshippe as God vaine and liuelesse Images and to despise man in whom is truly the Image of God Hitherto Clement Epiphanius comming into a church and there finding a Com. 3. opem Hicronimi vaile hanging and hauing on it an Image as it were of Christ or some Saint did teare it in peeces willed them to wrap some dead body in it and not to hange such in the churches contrary to the authority of the scriptures This Epistle wherein this is contained hath the authority not onely of Epiphanius which did write it but also of Saint Hierome who did translate and alledge it against Iohn the Bishop of Ierusalem Saint Augustine commendeth that Lib. â— de ciuit dei cap. 9 learned Romaine Varro for that hee affirmed that they which ordained Images for the people both tooke away feare and brought in error And againe hee writeth of the Ibim cap. 31 same Varro in this sort Wherefore seeing that Varro did say that they did know what was God who did beleeue that hee is a soule or spirit gouerning the world and did thinke that religion might more chastly bee obserued without Images who did not see how neare hee came to truth Heare Saint Augustine affirmeth that Varro came neare vnto the truth in thinking that religion might more chastly and purely be obserued without Images then with them The same Saint Augustine writeth thus Vere mendatia c. Our fathers haue indeed worshipped lies euen Images in which is no profit Saint Ambrose sayth The De fug â—culi cap. 5. cap. 36. Church knoweth not idle formes and vaine figures Images The counsel Elibertimum decreed that Images ought not to be in the Church and that which is worshipped or adored 〈◊〉 lib. 1. a coas a. Euangel cap. 10. should not be painted â—poâ— walls I will conclude this matter o Images with an other saying of S. Augustine Sic omnine errare meruerunt quia ChristuÌ„ et Apostolos eius non in sanctis condicibus sed in pictis parietibus quaesiueruÌ„t i. They haue altogither deserued to bee deceiued because they haue sought Christ and his Apostles not in the holy bookes of the scriptures but in painted walls And thus much at this time for Images expecting that this Catholike gentlewoman or some of her friends will proue by the testimony of the holy scriptures and the testimony of all writers in all ages since Christ and his Apostles not onely the vse of them as here they say but also the horrible abuse of them such as was in Popery in running a pilgrimage to them in kneeling creeping to them in burning candles and tapers before them in offering incense and all kinde of other oblations vnto them in making them to nodde with their heads and their eyes to gogle to deceiue the simple c. This shal be as easie for them to doe as to moue mountaines As touching the crosse and pilgrimage I will for shortnesse sake write nothing requiring them by the foresayd testimonies for to proue them Now it followeth in the sayd scroole or paper I Would know whether it bee not true that Aerius was condemned an Heretike aboue these thousand yeares for denying praier for the dead and Vigilantius for denying the praiers to Saints and the Nouatianes for denying the power of the Church to forgiue sinnes and Eustathius for denying Pilgrimage to holie places and Simon Magus for denying free will and Iouiniane for affirming the marriage of Priestes all the which opinions and many moe that are now preached for Gods word haue beene these thousand yeares condemned for heresies as I am told out of bookes of Saint Ireneus Saint Ambrose Saint Augustine Saint Epiphanius Saint Hierome and other holy fathers of the primitiue Church Answere AS touching these here charged with
Maxime quin hoc opus nostrum quo singularis ille reruÌ„ conditor huius immensi operis rector asseritur si quis attigerit ex istis inepte religiosis vt sunt nimia superstitione impatientes insectetur etiam maledictis vt vix lecto fortasse principio affligat proijciat execretur seque inexpiabili scelere contaminari atque astringi putet si haec aut legat patienter aut audiat One Bee or egge is not liker to another then to these Pagans be our peeuish Papists in shutting their eies from reading godly and learned bookes tending to the confutation of their errors the instruction of them in the truth Whom yet I am to intreate with Lactantius words immediatly following Ab hoc tamen si Idem ibidem fieri potest humanitatis iure postulamus vt noÌ„ prius daÌ„net quam vniuersa cognouerit Nam si sacrilegis proditoribus veneficis potestas defendendi sui datur nec praedamnari quenquam incognita causa licet non iniustè petere videmur vt si quis erit ille qui inciderit in haec si leget perlegat si audiet sententiam differat in extremuÌ„ This reasonable request I would that I might obtaine at our Romish Catholickes hands that they would first read and examine this my answere before they condemne it For what is more vniust then to condemne that which a maÌ„ doth not know Howbeit I doubt least with the same Lanctantius I must say Sed noui hominum pertinaciam nunquam â—bidem impetrabimus Timent enim ne à nobis reuicti manus dare aliquando clamante ipsa veritate cogantur Obstrepunt igitur intercedunt ne audiant oculos suos opprimunt ne lumen videant quod offerimus Euen so our vntruly termed Catholickes doe follow this froward peruersitie of the Pagans in whom that saying also of the Prophet as it is alleaged by Saint Luke is verified The heart of this people is waxed Act. 28. 27. grosse or fat and their eares are dull of hearing and they haue shut their eyes least they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and should be conuerted and I might heale them The which is a fearefull iudgement of God when men refusing the loue of the truth that they might be saued be giuen vp to a 2. Thess 2. strong delusion to beleeue lyes But if these blinded with errour and ignorance for whose sake especially I haue written this answere will not vouchsafe to read it nor make any vse and profit of it yet if it may some what serue to edifie the faithfull and confirme the weake I shall thinke my labour not altogether lost The which how small or simple soeuer it be yet as I haue written it for the good of Gods Church so I haue bin by your Honours curtesie incouraged to offer and present it vnto your Lordship as a true testimony of my louing heart and dutiful affection towards your Honour for your fauour shewed me The God of all grace and mercy blesse your Lordship and all yours increase his good graces and gifts in you and long preserue you to the benefit of this Church and Common-wealth Amen Your Honors most humble to be commanded EDVVARD BVLELEY To the Christian Reader GOod Christian Reader whereas the author of these reasons vpon his good conceit of the forciblenesse of them to perswade to Popery hath thought them worthy of a second impression and a new augmentation I am partly thereby and partly by the request of the Printer and others moued to publish againe in Print my answer to them The which I haue recognised and in many places enlarged by adding not onely moe testimonies but also some discourses I haue also in the end adioyned answers to some friuolous cauillations which S. R. in his answer to Maister Bels downe-fall of Poperie and others haue made against it And hereof I must certifie thee good Reader that I haue inserted into the said reasons the Authors new additions the which that thou maist discerne from the other I haue put this marke vnto them the same marke also I haue put to my answers made to the same I haue also in this impression added an answer to certaine Popish questions written fifteene or sixteene yeares past the which although it was long agoe allowed to be published yet it hath vntill now lien by me howbeit now for the reasons in the Preface before it declared I haue thought good to ioyne it vnto this Now although this my answer will bring no profit to them that being wedded to will and bewitched by a strong delusion will not vouchsafe to looke vpon it much lesse will wholy read compare and examine it but will condemne it before they know it yet if it may serue to the defence of Gods truth and to the confirming of thee good Reader in the same as I shall therein obtaine that I doe seeke so my desire is that thou wilt remember mee at the throne of grace in thy faithfull prayers The Father of all mercy giue vs true vnderstanding in all things and guide vs by the light of his holy word outwardly and by his blessed spirit inwardly to beleeue his truth and obey his will to his owne glory and our eternall comfort Amen Aprill 22. 1608. Thine in Christ Iesus ED BVLKELEY AN ANSWER TO AN VNLEARNED SLANDEROVS AND LYING PAMPHLET INTITVLED Certaine articles or forcible reasons discouering the palpable absurdities and most notorious errors of the Protestants Religion pretended to be Printed at Antwerpe 1600. TO the sayings of the Prophet Esaias chap. 59. 10. and Elizeus 4. King 6. 20. set in the first front of this peeuish Pamphlet whereby he would insinuate and signifie vs to be blind I answere that if we be blind which giue our selues daily and diligently both pastors and people to the reading and hearing of Gods holy word and doe endeuour to make that a light vnto our Psal 119. 105 feete and a lanterne vnto our pathes in what estate be they which keepe the light of Gods word vnder the bushell of a strange tongue and read the same both little them-selues and disswade and with-draw others from it Aeneas Syluius who was Pope called Pius Secundus writeth thus of the Italian Priests in his dayes and of the good people in Bohemia Pudeat Italiae Sacerdotes quos ne semel quidem Commenta de dictis sactis Alphonsi Reg. lib. 2. 17. nouam legem constat legisse apud Thaboritas vix mulierculam inuenias quae de Nouo Testamento veteri respondere nesciat i. The priests of Italie may bee ashamed who are knowne not once to haue read the new Testament seeing with the Thaborites one can hardly finde a silly woman which cannot answer out of the old and new Testament Iohn Gerson Chancellor of the Vniuersitie of Paris who liued Anno 1415. and was a great dealer
in our writings auoyding all curious questions and intricate and needlesse distinctions we appeale to the consciences of al that reade and heare vs. As touching your method concerning errours in doctrine and inordinate affections in manners if you can proue that our wits be inueigled with them and our liues stained with these more then wee can prooue euen your holy Fathers the Popes forsooth Peters successors and Christes vicars haue beene you shall winne the victorie You seeme to attribute too much to our very naturall faculties to the iudging and discerning of truth proposed not considering the corruption of our naturall faculties by sinne how both the minde is blinded and the will peruerted Our Sauiour Christ saith The light shineth in darkenesse and the darkenesse Iohn 1. 5. 1. Cor. 2. 14. comprehendeth it not Saitn Paul saith that animalis homo the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of GOD for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned But of this I forbeare to speake any more and also will leaue the other wast words in your letter and doe come vnto your articles of faith The Pamphlet The first article concerning knowledge and faith The Protestants haue no faith nor Religion THe Protestants haue no faith no hope no charitie no repentance no iustification no Church no alter no sacrifice no Priest no Religion no Christ the reason is for if they haue then the world was without them for a thousand yeeres as they themselues must needes confesse videlicet all the time their Church was eclipsed and 1500. as we will prooue by all records of antiquitie as Histories Councels monuments of ancient Fathers Whereby it plainely appeareth that the synagogue of the Iewes was more constant in continuance more ample for place then the Church of Christ For the haue had their sinagogue visible in diuers countries euer since Christs death and passion euen vntill this day which is the very path to lead men into Atheisme as though Christ were not as yet come into the world a Isa 60. 11. whose admirable promises are not accomplished b Math 16 18. whose assistance hath failed in preseruing his Church vnto the worlds end whose presence was absent many hundred yeeres before â— cap 28 20. the finall consumation and consequenetly they open the gap to all Machiuillians who say that our Sauiour was one of the deceiuers of the world promising so much concerning his Church and performing so little Answer LOoking in this first article to haue found a syllogisme which this worthy writer vseth in some articles following but heere for want of a good medium as it may seeme to frame one by hath omitted I found a false assertion and a foolish probation The assertion that we haue no faith Haue we no faith The Deuils haue some faith Saint Iames saith The Deuills beleeue tremble and haue wee no faith wee are much beholden Iaâ— 2 19. vnto you for your charitable opinion of vs. You are by the doctrine of Saint Paule not to thinke so euill but to 1 Cor. 13. 7. hope the best of them that professe Iesus Christ and his holy Gospell But to this your false and slaunderous assertion I will oppose a true affirmation and confession Wee beleeue all that God hath deliuered to vs by Moses the Faith Prophets and Apostles in the old and new Testament yea we beleeue the contents of the Creeds of the Apostles Nicene Athanasius and yet haue we no faith Wee hope Hope to passe hereafter from death vnto life and to bee partakers of that kingdome of glory which God hath promised and Iesus Christ hath purchased for all those that truly beleeue in him We trust that we haue Charitie loue both towards God and man although wee confesse not in such Charitâ—e full and perfect measure as wee ought to haue Wee with Saint Iohn say Hee that loueth not his brother abideth in 1. Iohn 3 14. death Wee acknowledge repentance to bee one of those Repentance chiefe heads wherein the summe of Christianity is comprised Saint Marke setting forth the summe and substance of Christes doctrine comprehendeth it in these two Repent Marke 1 16. Acts 20 21. and beleeue the Gospell so did saint Paule witnes sing both to the Iewes and to the Grecians the repentance towards GGD and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ We beleeue to be iustified not by our owne works of righteousnes which wee vnprofitable seruants and prodigall Iustification Luke 17. 10. 15. 21. children haue done nor by the merits of any Saints in heauen or in earth but by the mercies of God purchased vnto vs by the blessed and bloudy merits of Iesus Christ and applied vnto our soules by the band of faith by the John 3. 36. Rom. 3. 25. 4. 5. Ephes 2. 8. Ephes 3. 17. Church which Christ doth dwell in our hearts and is made ours We beleeue that wee are true members of that holy Catholike Church which is Christes misticall body and whereof hee is the head which is the spouse and hee the bridegroome which is his flocke and he the shepeard which is the heauenly Hierusalem the Mother of vs all Galath 4. 26 finally which is the number of Gods elect and chosen people that shall rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Math. 8. 11 Kingdome of Heauen And wee know that wee haue perticular and visible Churches wherein Gods word is more truly preached the Sacraments seales of the word are more purely ministred and Gods name more faithfully inuocated and called vpon then in any or all the Romish Synagogues Indeed wee haue no Idolatrous Alters to offer either carnall or externall sacrifices vpon as though Altars Christs sweet smelling sacrifice were not yet offered but wee haue Mensam Domini the Lords Table where-vpon we minister the Supper of Christ which is a holy Sacrament 1. Cor. 10. 21. of Christs body and bloud giuen for vs a memoriall of his death and passion and a pledge of our redemption and saluation purchased thereby Wee haue that sweete smelling and sufficient Sacrifice which Iesus Christ by his eternall spirit offered without fault vnto GOD to purge Sacrifice Hebre. 9. 14. our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing GOD. As for the sacrifice of the Masse as being iniurious to the said sacrifice of Iesus Christ which he once for all and for euer offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse wee deny and defie We haue no shauen nor greased Priests to offer the Priests said false and forged sacrifice of the Masse but wee haue priests pastours or ministers how-so-euer wee terme them according to the ordinance of Christ to preach his holy Gospell and to administer his sacraments to his Church We haue and vse that religion which hath the testimonie of Religion Rom. 3. the law and prophets
Protestants deny three articles of our creed and the Puritanes fiue I say that you affirme much and proue little But first you might well ynough haue forborne this distinction of Protestants Puritanes for although some haue differd in some outward matters concerning ceremonies externall orders in the Church yet these all greatly agree and consent in all points of the doctrine of faith and Articles of Christian Religion Neither do I know any that deserue so well of this name of Puritanes as you who glory that you after Baptisme bee pure from all sinne and for actuall sinnes after committed can make so full satisfaction to God for them that hee can request no more of you as hereafter I will shew and therefor it is you that may well be called Puritanes of whome that saying of Sollomon may be well verified There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceit and yet are not washed from their filthines Prou 30. But let vs come to the examination of your proofe of this your absurd and slaunderous assertion The first you fay is the Catholike Church Credo Ecclesiam sanctam Catholicam doe wee deny this Article Why doe wee then not onely print it and rehearse it in our Creed but also expound it in our preachings and Catechising I haue said before that which may seeme sufficient concerning this matter andd article yet the better to satisfie the Christian Reader and to stop the mouth of this malicious accuser I say againe that by the holy Catholike Church mentioned in the Creede is ment the company of all Gods elected and faithfull people whome he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth to be vessels of his mercy and heires of his kingdome of glory which is the body of Christ and he the head the spouse of Christ and he the bridegrome the house of Christ and he the foundation the flocke of Christ and hee the shepehard And this Church wee confesse to bee Catholike that is to say vniuersall both in respect of time for that it consisteth of all them that are written in the booke of life which haue bene from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end thereof and also of place for that it is not now contained in any one country Act. â—o 35. but as S. Peter saith In euery nation be that feareth God and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him and is a true meÌ„ber of this Catholike church That this is the holy Catholike Church which we confesse and beleeue wherof the prophane wicked hypocrites and reprobates bee no part besides that which I haue said before I will further proue it by the holy Scriptures and ancient Fathers Saint Paul saith Let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp Ephes 4. 15. vnto him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increace of the body vnto the edifying of it sefe in loue Againe Christ loued â—he Church Chap. 5. 25. and gaue himselfe for it that be might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word that he might make it to him selfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame These things belong onely to the elect people of God who shall raigne with him in his eternall kingdome of glory For they onely be the body of Christ knit together in him sanctified here to bee without spot or blemish hereafter The Apostle to the Hebrues saith Whose house we are if we Heb. 3. 6. hold fast that confidence and that reioycing of hope vnto the end Where he sheweth that they belong to the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar and 1. Timth 3. 15 stay of truth which vnto the end hold fast their confident faith and hope of Gods glory wherof they reioyce which belongeth onely to the faithfull and chosen children of God This is that Church whereof he speaketh after But Heb. 12. 22. ye are come vnto the mount Sion and to the citty of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men To whom can these Galat. 4. things pertaine but onely to the Ierusalem which is aboue the mother of vs all which is the holy Catholike Church that we beleeue Hereunto I will adde a few sayings of the Fathers Saint Augustine saith Corpus huius capitis Ecclesiaest non quae hoc loco est sed quae hoc loco pertotum orbem terrarum nec August in Psal 81. illa quae hoc tempore sed ab ipso Abel vsque ad eos qui nascituri sunt vsque in finem credituri in ChristuÌ„ totus populus sanctorum ad vnam ciuitatem pertinentium quae ciuitas corpus est Christi cui caput est Christus The body of this head is the Church not which is in this place only but that which is in this place through the whole would neither that Church which is at this time but that of them which from Abel shall be borne vnto the end and shall beleeue in Christ eueÌ„ the whole company of Saints pertaining to one citty which city is the body of Christ wherof Christ is the head And in another place Ille caput est nos membra sumus tota ecclesia quae vbique diffusa est corpus ipsius est cuius Idem in Psa 62 est ipse caput Non solum qutem fideles quâ— modo sunt sed qui fuerunt ante nos qui post nos futuri sunt vsque in finem seculi omnes adcorpus eius pertinent cuius corporis ipse caput est qui ascendit in coelum He is the head wee are his members the whole Church which is dispersed euery where is his body whereof he is the head And not onely the faithfull which be now but also they which haue beene before vs and which shall be after vs vnto the end of the world all pertaine to his bodie of which bodie hee which hath Idem de Catech rud c. 20. ascended into heauen is the head Againe Caelestis Hierusalem ciues sunt omnes saâ—ctificati homines qui fuerunt qui sunt qui futuri sunt All sanctified men which haue beene which are and which shall bee Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Cyprian saith Ecclesia nunquam à Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. Christo discedit ii sunt ecclesia qui in domo Dei pâ—rmanent The Church neuer departeth from Christ and they bee the Church which continue in the house of God Againe Jdem de
yet by the communication of his vertue and demonstration of his diuine workes in those seauen Churches doth so perfectly shew himselfe as though there were so many spirits euery one working in his peculiar Church Ambrose set out by Doctor Tunstall Bishop of Duresme writeth vpon these words thus Hic tota trinit as demonstratur Heere the whole Trinitie is shewed and a little after Per septem autem spiritus spiritus sanctus cò quòd sit septiformis intelligitur By the seauen spirits the holy Ghost is vnderstood because hee worketh seauen manner of wayes And hard it were or rather absurd to pray for grace and peace from Saints and that before Iesus Christ But vpon this I will not stand onely the reader may consider how barren this cause is which hath no plainer proofes and driueth this man to such priuate and false exposition of Gods word Now whereas you say that by prayer you glorifie the Saints in heauen I say that by prayer we doe glorifie God Call vpon mee in Psal 50. 15. the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me But that by prayer we should glorifie Saints I doe not finde in all the holy scriptures If this man can why doth hee not shew it I finde that God will not giue his glorie Isa 42. 8. Psal 115. 1 to any other and that the Saints with Dauid say Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie for thy louing mercy and thy truths sake And that the Angell Apoc. 19. 10 2◠8. would not bee worshiped or glorified but said vnto Iohn worship God As touching the Saints mediation when Iesus Christ shall cease to be our mediator and to sit at the right hand of GOD to make intercession for vs then wee wil seeke to your mediation of Saints In the meane time take you heede that in attributing that to the Saints which is proper and peculiar to the sonne of GOD yea which hee hath bought with his bloud you doe not deny the Lord which hath bought vs and that you doe not horribly dishonor those Saints and make Idols of them Furthermore you say that wee deny the communion of the Church militant and the soules in purgatorie c. Wherevnto I answer that when you shal plainely pithily proue this your fained fire of purgatorie which the Greeke Church alwaies hath denied then we will yeeld vnto you and graunt our selues to bee to blame in not helping these seely soules with dirges masses c. out of the paines of this forged fire You quote in your margent for proofe thereof 1. Cor. 3. v. 15. 15. v. 29. Alas poore purgatory that hath no better proofes The words of S. Paul in the first place be these If a mans worke burne he shall lose but he shall be saued himselfe neuerthelesse yet as it were by fire Here is mention of fire and therefore it must needs be the fire of purgatory for such is the great iudgement of these worthy writers that if they read in the scriptures or Fathers this word fire it is none other but the fire of purgatorie if sacrifice it is the sacrifice of the Masse if confessiō it can be nothing but auricular confession to the Priest if tradition it is vnwritten verities or vanities But touching these places of Saint Paul because the author of this Pamphlet doth not aledge them but barely quote them I will but briefely touch thē To the first I say that Saint Paul there speaketh not of all men but only of teachers and preachers which be builders of Gods house and Church which euen Bellarmine confesseth Tom 1. contr 6 de purgat lib. 1 cap. 4. Secondly he speaketh not of all their workes but only of their doctrine whereby they build the Church of God Thirdly hee speaketh not of the purging of workes or persons but of the probation of doctrines Fourthly the works are said to bee prooued and not the persons Lastly if this place should be vnderstood of purgatory then euery man should bee throwne into it for it is said the fire shall try euery mans worke of what sort it is but this is contrarie to the doctrine of the Papists who will not haue all men come into purgatorie These things plainely shew that this place cannot bee vnderstood of purgatorie Saint Augustine in many places doth vnderstand it of the afflictions and troubles sustained in this life and not of the paines of Purgatorie after this life Enchir. ad Laurentium cap. 68. de ciuit Dei lib. 21. cap. 26. de fide operibus cap. 16. in Psal 80. But S. Paul speaketh of triall of doctrine shewing that as the fire trieth mettals so the light of Gods truth trieth doctrines and as gold and siluer abide in the fire and hay and stubble be consumed so true sound and holie doctrines abide the light and trial of Gods word when either vntrue doctrines or vaine speculations perish and be comsumed So doth Saint Ambrose expound it Mala doctrina Ambros in 1. Cor. 3. in igne omnibus apparebit nunc enim quosdam fallit Euill doctrine shall appeare vnto all in the fire for now it deceiueth some Againe Mala enim adultera doctrina idcirco in ligno foeno stipula significata est vt ostenderetur ignis esse esca Euill and counterfeit doctrine is therefore signified by wood hay and stubble that it might be shewed Idem in Psal 118. in haec verba ignitum eloquiū tuum that it is but meate to bee consumed of fire And againe Ignis ergo hic Christi sermo est bonus ignis c. This fire is the word of Christ and it is a good fire which warmeth but burneth not but onely sinnes By this fire that gold of the Apostle laid vpon the good foundation is tried By this fire that siluer of manners or workes is proued By this fire those pretious stones are lightned but the hay stubble is consumed Therefore this fire clenseth the soule and consumeth error Hitherto Saint Ambrose whereby wee may see that neither Saint Augustine nor Saint Ambrose expound this place of Purgatory much lesse the Greeke Fathers who neuer acknowledged it Therfore to expound it of Purgatorie as the Papists do whether it bee not a priuate false exposition let the godly reader vprightly iudge The words of the other place here quoted are these Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for dead To picke Purgatorie pickpurse out of this place passeth my skill Here is mention made of baptisme for the dead but neither of Purgatorie nor of praier for the dead I am not ignorant that there bee sundrie expositions of this place yet I doe not remember that euer I read it expounded of Purgatorie or applied vnto it And therefore I will write no more at this present
infidelity But S. Paul doth exhort vs to doubt of our saluatioÌ„ which we are bound to beleeue by faith according to the Protestants religion ergo S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelity The Maior is plaine for to doubt of matters in faith is manifest infidelity because whosoeuer doubteth whether God hath reuealed that which indeed be hath reuealed being sufficiently proposed as reuealed vertually doubteth whether God saith truth or lieth The Minor is proued by the testimonie of S. Paul Cum timore tremore salutem vestram operamini with feare and trembling worke your saluation All feare whether it be filiall feare or seruile feare inculdeth doubt the one of sinne the other of punishment Answere AS it is false that wee neither know what wee beleeue nor why wee beleeue as hath beene before sufficientlie shewed so is it no lesse false which is here boldlie affirmed but faintly prooued That wee haue no meanes in our Church to settle vs in vnitie of beleefe to determine controuersies and to abolish Heresies Wee haue the word of GOD which we acknowledge to be the onely touchstone of truth concerning religion and saluation We haue learned and Godly Bishops and Pastors to teach the truth of Gods word to confute both by preaching and writing errors and heresies And we haue Synodes although not generall yet prouinciall wherein controuersies may be decided and Heresies condemned as heretofore the truth hath beene maintained and Heresies confuted and confounded in some prouinciall Councels as that called Gangrense and some other Africane Councels as wel as they haue beene in some generall I would faine know of you what other and better meanes the Church of God had for the space of three hundred yeeres after Christs incarnation then these to determine controuersies and abolish Heresies Generall Councels they had not before Constantines time which Pigh 6. de eccle Hierarch cap. â— Bellarm. tom 1 contro 4. lib. 2 cap. 13. Aeâ—cas Siluius epist 28. pag. 802. therefore your fellow Papist Pighius counteth to haue beene an inuention of his but your great Rabbin Rob. Bellarmine therein controlleth him and saith it is false So well these men bee setled in vnitie of beleefe And to your great Maister of Rome whom you now would make the Oracle of the world there was before that time but small respect and regard had as your own Pope Pius 2. in these words confesseth Ante Concilium Nicenum sibi quisque viuebat ad Romanam Ecclesiam paruus habebatur respectus i. Before the Councel of Nice euery one liued to himselfe and there was small regard had to the Church of Rome Shew vs therefore what meanes the Churches of God then had for maintenance of vnity of faith which we want You say that Christ willed vs to heare his Church if we Matth. 18. 17. Bellar. contro 1. lib. 3. cap. 5 would not be accounted for Ethnicks and Publicanes The which place your said Rob. Bellarmine Reader full wisely alleageth to proue the Pope and his Councel to be the supreme Iudge of controuersies As though our Sauiour Christ there spake of deciding of controuersies in doctrine or of expounding the Scriptures or by the Church meant the Pope and his councell and that euery man against whom his brother trespasseth must goe to the Pope and his councell to make his complaint These bee vanities and follies which nullo impellente ruunt and neede no confutation You further alleage out of Ioh. 14. 17. that Christ promised vnto the church the assistance of the holy Ghost where by the church you meane the Pope and his councell as your Maister Bellarmine hath taught you who writeth thus Sed hic in genere dicimus iudiceÌ„ veri sensus Idem ibid. ca. â— Scripturae omnium controuersiarum esse ecclesiam id est Pontificem cum concilio in quo omnes Catholici conueniunt Wee generally say that the church is the iudge of the true sense of the Scripture and of all controuersies that is to say The Pope with the councell wherein all Catholikes doe assemble or rather dissemble together But our Sauiour Christ made this promise to his disciples saying I will pray the Father and hee shall giue you another Ioh 14 16 17 comforter that hee may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth whome the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you This promise pertaineth not to all the successors of the Apostles but to all them that truly feare God and beleeue and obey the holy doctrine which Christ deliuered to his Disciples and which they preached the which when you shall soundly proue that your Popes councels do then we will grant that this promise of Christ belongeth to them In the meane time wee will follow Chrysostomes good counsell Si videris aliquem Euangelica Chrysost Hom. dâ— Sâ—ncâ—o adorando spiritu repetentem profecto spiritum sanctum habet Veniet enim spiritus sanctus vt recordari vos faciat eorum quae docui Si quis igitur eorum qui dicuntur habere spiritum sanctum dicat aliquid à seipso non ex Euangelijs non credité meam doctrinam sequimini If thou see any man speaking out of the Gospell surely he hath the holy Ghost For the holy Ghost shal come to put you in remembrance of those things which I haue taught you If therefore any of them which are said to haue the holy Ghost doe speake any thing of himselfe not out of the Gospell beleeue him not but follow my doctrine Whereas you say that you beleeue certainely that the church cannot erre that the generall councels cannot deliuer false doctrine c. I answere that you foolishly begge that which is in question For as wee acknowledge councels assembled of Godlie learned and modest men which simply seeke the glorie of God and the profit of his Church are good meanes to suppresse errors and heresies and to abolish abuses and enormities so to affirme that generall Councells cannot erre or deliuer false doctrine is most false absurd as by many both reasons and examples might bee proued But for shortnes sake I will touch but a few examples The councell of foure hundred Priests of Israel erred and Satan was a false spirit in the â—outh of them all to the 1. King 22. 6. 8 22. Matth 26. 3. 65. 66. Act. 4. 5. 18. destruction of Achab that cursed king of Israel The councell of the Priests of Iuda erred in coÌ„demning Iesus Christ to death The councell of the high Priest and other Priests Rulers Elders and Scribes erred in forbidding Christs disciples to speake or teach in the name of Iesus The councel of Neocaesarea erred in iudging hardly falsly of second marriages which Gods word alloweth Rom Concil Neoca sar Can. 7. 7. 3. 1. Cor. 7. 39. the words of the councell be these
you prooue little The GOD of patience and consolation giue vnto Rom. 15 5. vs and you that wee may bee like minded one towards an other according to Christ Iesus that we may all with one minde and one mouth praise God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Whereas you say that we haue no argument to prooue that we haue the true Church true religion and true faith but such as al heretikes haue euer vsed I answere that wee haue that argument and proofe for these things which although Heretikes haue falsely pretended as popish heretikes now do yet the Godly learned Fathers haue sincerely vsed And that is the holy word of God the only touchstone of truth and piller of the Church for as the Church 1. Tim. 3. 15 in one respect is the piller of truth as Saint Paul saith so in another the truth is the piller and prop of the Church as Chrysost in illum locum ho mil. 11. Math. 4. 4 7 10. Math. 19. 4. ibid. 22 29. Luk. 24. 27. 32 44 46 Rom. 1 2. 3 21. 4 3. Chrysostom saith For by what meanes els haue the Godly and learned Fathers in all ages confuted heresies and proued the Church but by the scriptures by them our Sauiour Christ foyled the diuell and put him to flight By them he answered the Pharisies By them he confuted the Sadduces By them he proued himselfe to be the promised Messias and Sauiour of the world By them Saint Paul confirmed the Gospel which he preached By them hee perswaded the Iewes those things which concerned Christ Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Act. 21. 23. ibid. 18 2 8 Prophets By them Apollos confuted the Iewes with great vehemencie shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ By them the Godly and learned Fathers confuted and confounded the Arians and other Heretikes whom you here name as by their bookes and particular sayings it euidently appeareth Athanasius speaking of the Godly Athanas de de cretis Nicen. Synod pag. 528 decrees of the councell of Nice against the Arians writeth thus Atque harum rerum non aliunde nos quà m ex scripturis persuasionem habemus that is We be perswaded of these things by no other meanes but by the Scriptures Epiphanius saith In Scripturis sanctis Trinttas nobit Epipâ— contra pâ—â—umaiomachos haeres 7â— annuÌ„tiatur ac creditur citra curiositatem c. The Trinity is in the holy Scriptures preached vnto vs without curiositie beleued And that by theÌ„ al doctrines are to be confirmed al errors and heresies to be confuted they plainely and plentifully shew Tertullian saith that if Heretikes Tertul. lib de resurrec carnes Eâ—iph contra pâ—ulum Samosa haeres 66 Basii epist 80. bee brought to examine and try their questions onely by the Scriptures they cannot stand Epiphanius saith that wee are not to discusse questions by our owne wittes and reasons Sedex Scripturarum consequentia By the consequeÌ„ce of the Scriptures Saint Basil saith Let vs stand to the arbitrement of the Scripture inspired of God and with whome bee found doctrines agreeable to those diuine words let the truth be iudged to be with them Constantine sayd vnto the Bishoppes in the Nicene Councell The Euangelicall and Apostolicall bookes and the Oracles of the Theod. lib. 8. cap. 7 sol 284. Prophets doe plainely instruct vs of GOD wherefore laying away all enimitie and discord let vs take the explication or resolution of the questions in controuersie out of those saying inspired of GOD. So saith Saint Augustine Verum nos sacris literis accommodemus auditum c. August in Euang Ioan. tract 60. August de cura pro mortuis cap. 2. Let vs hearken vnto the holy Scriptures and according to them let vs helpe by the grace of God to dissolue this question And againe Non secunduÌ„ opinionem c. We must consider of this matter not according to yâ— commoÌ„ opinion but according to the holy Scriptures of our religion And of yâ— Church he saith thus Sed vtrum ipsi ecclesiam De vnitate ecclesiae cap. 16. teneant non nisi diuinarum ScripturaruÌ„ canonicis libris ostendant but whether they haue yâ— church let them shew by no other meanes but by the Canonical books of the diuine Scriptures Chrysostom saith yâ— we cannot know Chrisostom in Math. Homil. 44. which is the true Church of Christ Nisi tantummodo per Scripturas but onely by the Scriptures Therefore by the Scriptures proue your doctrine and shew your Church Math 4. But you say the Arians others Heretikes alleadged the Scriptures whereunto I adde that so did the Diuel also but in such sort as you and your fellowes doe in mangling them falsly expounding and applying them as I haue in some part before shewed I am conteÌ„t to ioyne this issue with you that they with be proued to depraue detort mangle and falsly expound and apply the scriptures be heretikes and to bee condemned with these old heretikes whome you here name To whome whether you or we bee more like let the vpright Reader indifferently iudge The Arians seeing that they could haue nothing out of the Scriptures fled as Athanasius saith vnto the Fathers and euen so do you The Arians vsed subtill distinctions Athanas tomâ— 2. to elude and shift of the truth and so do you They denied the person of Christ and you deny the office of Christ in not acknowledging him to be our onely Prophet and teacher whose onely voyce wee must heare and obey nor the only King and head of his Church nor our onely high Priest with the sweet smelling sacrifice of himselfe once for euer offered to redeeme and reconcile vs vnto God nor our only mediator to make intercession for vs. The Arians did cruelly persecute the true Christians Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 17. Socrates lib. 1. cap. 17. zozo in lib. 4. cap. 27. Gregor Nazi anz artic ad Arianos and so do Papists when power is in their hand to doe it The Arians when they could not preuaile against that excellent man Athanasius fell to raile vpon him and to slaunder him accusing him of adulterie murther and sorcerie and euen so do you now deale with such as for their godlinesse and learning may well bee compared with Athanaesiuâ— I meane especially Caeluin whome the Author of that vnlearned libell and beastly booke intituled A quartron of reasons of Catholike religion c. is not ashmed 5. reasoÌ„ pa. 30. to call a seare backt Priest for Sodomie O thou shamelesse man or rather monsterlart thou not ashamed to slaunder and belie such a man of whome they that knew him did truly write of him ipsâ— Ã quo potuit virtutem discere virtus Theo Beza that euen virtue it selfe might as it were haue learned vertue of him How doest thou know that Caluin was such a man I assure my selfe
heresie to whom you seeke to liken vs first I answere generally that neither whatsoeuer an heretike hath holden is to be counted heresie for there hath beene no heretike but he hath held some truth nor whatsoeuer a Godly father of the church hath maintained is to be esteemed for truth and verity for it is not vnknowne that the ancient Godly fathers had their infirmities and were subiect to some errors The which although by particuler examples might be declared yet at this present I will spare them Therefore a doctrine is not simply either to be reiected because an Heritike held it nor to bee imbraced because a Godly father maintained it But if it be agreeable to the word of God it is to be receiued if it dissent from it though an Angell from heauen deliuer it wee are to refuse it But Epiph heress 75. Augu. de her cap. 53. perticulerly to come to those persons here named I doe confesse that Aerius was an Heretike in maintayning the horrible heresie of Arius wherewith Epiphanius and Augustine do charge him But whereas they did obiect vnto him the denying of praier for the dead first I say that they doe not conuince and confute him by the scriptures And therefore let this Gentlewoman or some of her fauorers performe that which they haue ommitted and plainely proue this doctrine of praying for the dead by the holie canonicall scriptures and then wee will grant the deniall of it to be an herisie and Aerius for the same to haue beene an Heritike Secondly I say that that praier for the dead which Epiphanius and Augustine do meane neither doth prooue purgatorie nor is the same which the Papists doe Heres 75. now vse Epiphanius rendring a reason of their praiets for the dead doth not say that they praied for them that they might haue remission of such sinnes as were not here forgiuen them nor to make satisfaction for their sinnes and to release them out of the paines of purgatory for the Greeke Church whereof Epiphanius was neuer to this daie beleeued purgatorie but hee giueth this reason thereof that they which bee aliue should thinke and hope that they which bee departed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conses lib. de cap. 12 c. hence do liue and are not perished but bee and liue with God but they that bee and liue with God be in heauen and not in purgatory So Saint Augustine praied for his mother and yet beleeued that shee was in heauen so Saint Ambrose praied for Theodosius the Emperor and yet assured himselfe of his saluation For these be his words of him Absolutus certamime fruitur nunc Theodosius luce perpetua c. Theodosius beeing now freed from fight enioyeth eternall light continuall tranquility and glory in assemblie of the Saints Then Theodosius was not in purgatory The ancient Church also praied for the Virgine Lituâ—g Christ Mary for the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles and Martirs whom I hope this Catholike gentlewoman will not beleeue to haue beene in purgatory And therefore that kinde of praier for the dead which in the ancient Church was vsed was rather a commemoration of them and thanksgiuing for them then a petition to deliuer them from the fained fire of purgatory and so prooueth neither pick purse purgatorie nor that popish praier for the dead which is now vsed and maintained And thus much touching Aerius You also say that you haue beene told that Vigilantius was aboue a thousand yeares past condemned for an Hetike for denying praier vnto Saints But take heede you bee not ouer oredulous lightly to beleeue whatsoeuer a prating Priest or iugling Iesuite doth tell you lest you be deceiued as Eua was You should haue demanded how and where it doth appeare that Vigilantius was condemned for an Heritike for denying praier vnto Saintes Neither Epiphanius nor Augustine in their bookes of heresies doe condemne him or make mention of him Indeede Saint Hierome did write a bitter booke against him which I haue twise read ouer Yet cannot I perceiue that hee chargeth him with denying praier vnto Saintes neither doth Hierome make any defence thereof but seemeth rather to maintaine the contrary Affirming in these word that Martires are not to be worshipped Quis O insanum Hier. Contra. Vilgilani caput Mâ—rtires aliquando adorauit 1. For who oh thou foolish head at any time hath worshipped Mâ—rtires Indeede I confesse that Vigilantius denied that the Saints in heauen praied for vs one earth the which Saint Hierome aloweth But it is one thing for the Saints in heauen to pray for vs and another for vs to pray vnto them Though the former could bee prooued as by the holy scriptures it cannot yet the other is not there vpon to be inferred or graunted Lastly I say that if Vigilantius whom many Bishoppes of his time did fauour did deny praier to Saints yet vntill you haue effectually both confuted my reasons afore set downe and proued your doctrine by the scriptures wee will neither condemne it for Heresie nor count him therefore an Heretike As touching the Nouatian heretikes who denied repentance to them that after baptisme did fall wee abhorre their heresie and wish that the papists were as free from the poyson of them as we be The Nouatians gloried in their merites and so doe the Papists The Nouatians condemned second marriages and so doe Papistes in some in that one may not bee a priest that hath beene twise married The Nouatians re-baptised those that after Baptisme did fall and publikely offend and so doe papists in corners baptise such as haue beene baptized in our Churches which is an error condemned aboue a thousand yeares agoe You would haue vs to bee like Eustathius in denying pilgrimages to holy places But it will appeare that wee bee as vnlike as the papists bee like vnto him and in sundrie points doe ioyne hand in hand with him Sozomenus writeth of him that he was Monasticae Conuersationis Lib. 3 cap. 14. author 1. An author of Monastical life that is of Monkery And both there in an Epistle or preface before the CouÌ„sel called Gangrense in the which Eustathius and his doings Tom. 1. cons were condemned hee is charged with these things First that he had caused wiues to leaue their husbands and professe chastity wherevpon husbands and wiues sometimes fell into whoredome Secondly that dispising common vsuall garments he tooke new and strange habits Thirdly he caused seruants vnder a pretence of religion to forsake their Maisters and children their parents And women vppon the same pretence to sheare and cut of their haire Lastly that Priestes which were married were to bee despised and the Sacraments which they ministred were not to be touched Against this last error the fore-said Councell thus decreed Si quis cernit presbiterum coniugatum c. i. If Concil Gang. cap. 4. Tom. 1. Consil any make difference of a Priest that is married as though by
tom 2 and not able to proceed further in grace and that they neede neither praier nor fast nor bee subiect to law and carnall act no sinne hauing a desire thereto with other such like opinions Concilium viennense yet Martirs Iewell defence Apol. part 1. cap. 7. Diuision 3. speaking of the Albingenses saith of them we haue no skill they are none of ours But Maister Buckley doth say and hold that they were the true Church of God with much more pag. vt supra Therefore what godlines or goodnes maister Buckley hath red of them more then Iewell or Bishop Couper faine would I know vale in Christo I meane of the Albigenses and the rest Also D. Willet in his Trast pag. 113. of the latter editiâ—n calleth them heretikes I meane Begardy and D. Fulke answere to the Remis Rom. cap. 11. Sect. 3. commâ—ndeth the Waldenses c. Hitherto the words of the said paper which I receiued proceeding as it may seeme from some morrow masse-priest of more skill in his Portuise and masse-booke and better studied in Eliots and Coupers Dictonary then in other good authors The drift and scope thereof seemeth to be to shew a difference contradiction betwixt me and those reuerend and learned Bishops D. Couper and â—ewel for that I doe commend the Albigenses for faithfull and Godly men and holy Martiers and they in the opinion of this ignorant papist do seeme to mislike them I will first render â— reason of my good opinion conceiued of them and then I will indeuour to wipe away that fancie of contradiction which this man imagineth to bee be-twixt me and the forenamed reuerend and learned fathers I am mooued to thinke reuerently of that people called Albingenses and to commend them as witnesses of Gods truth First because the Pope of Rome whom wee Rad. Gualt Hom 5. de Antichri Lamb. Danaeus de Anticâ—ri Rob Abbot demonst de Antichristo D. Downam of Antichrist Gabr. Powel de Antichri Aduers haeres lib. 2. de commu here 's 7 Rob. Gaguin Hâ—sto lâ—b 6 Fascicul Temp fol. 77. Lib. 5. p. 458 charge to be the great Artichrist prophecied of by Saint Paule 2. Thess 2. and Saint Iohn in the Apocaplips of which imputation his followers and fauourers the Iebusites neither haue nor can discharge him did so cruellie persecute them and raise such bloudy warre against them Secondly for that it is certaine that these Albingenses so called of the countrie Albingens nere Tholosa where they inhabited as the Spanish frier Alphonsus de Castro writeth of them were the same which otherwise and els where were called Waldenses and Pauperes de Lugduno who were dispersed into sundrie countries as diuers Popish writers do confesse and hold the same doctrines that they did This is also confessed by that reuerend and learned maÌ„ Iacobus Aug. Thuanus praesident of the parliament of Paris in the first part of his excellent history And what their doctrines were none doth more effectually shew then doth Pope Pius the second in his History Aenaeas Siluy Histor Bohem. cap. 35. p. 103. of Bohemia attributing in these words these opinions vnto them That the Bishoppe of Rome is equall to other Bishops and Vide quoque Albert Krantii vandalia lib. 10. cap. 2. that there is no difference among Priests that not dignity but good life maketh a prasbiter or Priest the better that soules as soone as they depart out of the bodies be forthwith either cast into perpetuall paine or obtaine eternall ioy That no purgatory can be found that it is a vaine thing to pray for the dead and an inuention of couetous Priestes That the images of God and Saintes are to bee destroyed That the blessinge of water and palmes is to be derided That the orders of begging Freers were inuented by the diuell that Priests ought to be poore and be content onely with almes That the preaching of the word of God ought freely to be open to all That no capitall on great sinne ought to bee suffered for the auoyding of a greater euill That he which is guilty of deadly sin ought not to enioy either secullar or Ecclesiasticall dignity nor to be obeied That confirmation with oile extreame Vnction are not to be counted amongst the Sacraments of the Church That auricular confession is friuolous and that it is sufficient for men to confesse their sinnes vnto God in their chamber That baptisme is to be vsed in water without mixture of hollowed oile That the vse of Church-yardes was vaine and brought in for couetousnee sake and that it maketh noe matter with what earth mens bodies be couered That the world is the temple of God who is in al places that doe they restraine his maiesty which build Churches Monasteries and oratories as though his diuine goodnes and mercy were to be found sooner in them then in other places That the robes of Priests ornamentes of Altars palles Corporasses Chalices Patens and other vessels are of no valew That a Priest may in any place and at all times consecrat the holy body of Christ and minister it to them that doe require it that it is sufficient for him only to vse the sacrameÌ„tal words That the praiers of Saints raigning with Christ in heauen are in vaine prayed for and cannot helpe vs. That the time is euill spent in singing or saying Canonicall seruice or praiers That men ought to cease from their labours vpon no day but vpon that which is now called the Lords day and that the feastes of Saintes are to be reiected That there is no merit or goodnesse in the fastes which be appointed by the Church These be the doctrines which the Pope imputeth to the Waldenses Now when any of you shall effectually proue by the word of GOD the most and chiefe of these doctrines for some seeme to bee more hardly set downe by this their aduersary then they did meane them to be errours and heresies then I will confesse my selfe to haue beene deceiued and both the Waldenses and Albingenses to haue beene iustly reputed for heretikes And that the Albingenses ioyned with the Waldenses in these doctrines although it bee the harder to shew because it appeareth that the Pope and his followers were very carefull to suppresse their doctrines and to keepe them from the knowledge of the people as Robert Gaguine In Philip August Lib. 6. fol. â—04 the French historiographer sheweth in that no writer before his time which hee did know had committed them to writing for whereas saith he they call them haeretikes and doe declare that for that offence they were destroyed yet they haue lette passe to shew the kinde of their haeresie By this their polliticke concealing of their doctrines it seemeth that they did to neerely touch the Popes triple Crowne and too much did shake the cuppe of his abhominations where-with hee hath made Kinges and nations drunken Notwithstanding by some writers it appeareth what their doctrines