they see howe foolyshe it was laughed at it and thought it to bee passed awaye wyth sylence for that foolyshnesse of it selfe would confound it selfe to theym that hadde witte or learnynge Yet that the simple ones for whose cause chieflye thys labour is taken should not be deceyued and ouercomen wyth founde phantasyes of ydle braynes and least Goddes ennemyes shoulde crake that none coulde or durste aunswere it I thought good bycause other that can doe better woulde not thus shortlye to aunswere the chyefe pointes of Poperye touched in thys hys vnlearned apologye Thys is the politye of Papystes to sette oute a broker to vtter their ware and catche the vnlearned but the sutteller sort hold their toung stande alofe to see howe thys forerunner wil take place and are thought by their sylence to be able to saye muche more whan as they feare in dede least in beinge aunswered they should take the foile to the cleane ouerthrowinge of their cause Thys proude Golyas hais craked and prouoked all Goddes people as thoughe none durst medell wyth hym but I truste poore Dauid hais wyped hys nose and gyuen hym a falle wyth hys poore slyng and few stones But I feare I lose my laboure for as y â— Prophet says Can the blacke man of Iude chaunge hys colour No more can thys Morian learne to saye well If the miserable state of the people had not moued me I woulde haue holden my tounge and laughe at it as wyse menne doe but that wyth the poore symple ones whom they deceyue in corners wyth such lyes as these suche commen balde reasons as he hais broughte shoulde not preuayle I thought good for pity sake to say thus much to staye theym â–ª whose eyes God shall open to see My reasons and aâ—torityes of pourpose are commenlye taken out of their owne Doctours and writers and suche bookes as are not counted protestauntes nor made by anye of this newe learninge For the nonest I forbare to alledge the learneder sort least the vnlearned shoulde saye they coulde no skyll on such bookes nor knewe not whether they were truelye broughte in and seynge their owne Doctours and schole maysters haue geuen vs thys vauntage against them I feare not to trye wyth theym in writers of greater autoritye and auncientye Thus muche I haue spoken for my parte let the rest whom Godde hays geuen greater knowlege and vtteraunce vnto helpe thus to stoppe the mouthes of Goddes ennemyes and I trust by the power of hys holye spiryte Antichryst wyth hys members shall dayly decay and Goddes gloryous trueth shall shyne to the coumfort of all hys elect though their eyes bee not yet fullye opened to see nor their heartes lyghtned to vnderstande it Godde the father graunts for hys Sonne sake Iesus Chryste crucifyed that we all maye be partakers of his spyryte of trueth and hys wilfull obstinate ennemies confounded his poore lambes deliuered from the wolfes and strengthened against thassaultes of Satan that at the length we may be glorified with hym for euer and euer Amen ¶ Beholde sayes the Lord of Hostes to thee I wyll laye thy skyrtes on thy face and open thy fylthynesse to the people and thy shame to kyngedoines and I wyll cast thy abhomynations vppon thee and I wyll reuile thee and make thee lyke dunge and it shall come to passe that euerye one that sees thee shall fall from thee NauÌ„ iii. ¶ Haue mercye on vs O Lorde haue mercye on vs for we are vtterlye despysed Oure soule is fylled wyth the mockynge of the ryche and despyte of the proude Psal. C. xxiii ¶ Commen places entreated The autoritie of Byshops A. 8. S. Ia. Masse and others B. 7. Englande receyued not the fayth from Ro. D. 3. None is vniuersall Byshop ouer al. E. i. Extreme vnction is no Sacrament E. 7. Our Churche seruice F. 7 Communion Burials Communion table G. 6. Altars H. 1. Confession H. 8. Fasting I. 2. Lent I. 7. Mariage of Priestes K. i. Orderinge of Mynisters L. 5. Succession N. 4. The people learne the Scriptures O. 5. The Princes autoritie in religyon Q. 2. R. 7 ¶ Faultes in pryntynge B 3 leafe line 24. I meane not C 1 leafe page 2. line 19. turned into latin D 1 leafe page 2. line 26. as wel as their D 3 leafe pag. 6. line 25. it cannot be E 1 leafe line 31. nere theym G 1 leafe line 23 Ausegisus G 3 leafe line 1. put out mete page 2. line 17. put out not H 2 leafe line 1. as Iehu page 2. line 20. by blind H â— leafe line 16. some of Duns H 8 leafe line 17. for Ioan Dominus alwayes read Ioan Duns 25. Confession and bow I 5 page line 12. so muche of page 9. line 11. let vs eate fleshe with them K 2 leafe line 17. Epistle to the Ephesians K 7 leafe page 2. line 1. that History placed 16. leaues after M 5 leafe line 9. that Linus was O 3 leafe line 17. 1382. ¶ Imprynted at London by Wyllyam Seres dwellinge at the West end of Paules at the sygne of the Hedge-bogge ¶ The tenth of March Anno. 1563. 2 3 4 5 â— xi â—e vi 7 Math. Esa. 62. Esai 5. Ezech. 3. 9 10 11 12 Osee Hier. 8. Hier. 1. Esai 2. Esai 6 â—â— 14 Luc. 4 Math. 4 Trueth must be truly vttred 1 VVhat autoritye Byshops haue ouer the Church i. Pet. 5. Ioan. 21 Math. 2. Ioan. 10 Luk. xii Luk â—xii Ephe. 4. Psa. 79. Mar. xvi Ioan xx Act. xx Mynyster autoritye of like power all Ezech. 33 Epistula lib. 7. Câ— â–ª 63. Saint Iames neuer sayde Masse i. Cor. 14. aeneas syluius Pistoâ— Boeica Ca. 13. Lib. Epistula 7 Ca. 63. Ioan Faber de missa ver â—ger Masse Hebre. 7. Deut. 1â— Lib. 5 Epistula 33. Good Fridayes Masse Retract i. cap. xv 3 Englande receiued no the fayth first from Ro. buâ—â—n Thapostles tyme. Polychronic lib. 5. ca. 17. Elutherius Epistle to kyng Lucius Rex a regendo non a regno 4 The best witstoode Austin the Popes legate Austynâ— christening Neyther Pope noâ— other ought 〈◊〉 be called â—he vniuersal â—or head bishop of all Lib. 4. epistoâ—â— â— Lib. 7. Eâ— 30. Câ— â–ª 19 â–ª Lib. 4. Eâ—stola 76. 5 i. kyng 17 Iam v. Mar. vi VVhether extreme vnction be a sacrament or no. Ma. sententiar li. 4 disti 23. Ioan dâ— Sco â—us 4 senten distic 23. Midnyghte Mattins oore none masses i. corint ii Antems in the steple 3. kin 18. 6 II. Ebrew Iere. 6. Councels â—ur Church â—ruice agreâ—s wyth the â—uncient Church The Porâ—uds antiquityâ— 7 〈◊〉 6 Paules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 fatâ—â—rs â—nd the apists be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—rayer 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Epitaph Fabiola Burials Eccle. 11. Mariage The Communion table Luke 22. 1. Corâ— 10. Lib. 5. Ca. 18. Altars 4 king 10. â—â—â—â—e is not Catholycke â—he difference beâ—â—yx the â—reke Ghurâ—he and the â—atin Our religion is elder than Counsels Ephe. 2. Isai. 40. Luk. 6. The Papistes tourne with the world and dyffer one from another â—â—â— 1â— â— Masse Confession 4. kin 6. The Prelates othe to the Pope Fastynge Ambrose August P. pâ—â— 06. 58. Math 15. Lent Sozo lib. â— ca. 〈◊〉 Prayer Supersticion Ethelothresceia Supersticions Deisidâ— moniâ— Prayer Maryage of priestes Polid. lib 5. ca. 4. de inuenâ—or Act. 21. Roiff lib. 2. Ca. 9 Euseb. lib 5. ca. 26 Sozo lib. 3 Ca. 14. â— Paule Ambrose Platina Ierom. Gregorâ—â—â— â—ii Math. 19. 1. Coâ— 7. Gregorie Note also this notatable Epistle concernynge the same matter Ernulph Ansel. Paschall Polychro Duresme Math. 15. Sozo lib. 1 Ca. 23. â—â—i Ca. 11. Math. 8. 9 The ordeâ—â—ng of myâ—â—ysters Act. 13. Math. 15. Palle Ecclesiast Hieraâ—ch S. VVyllya of Yorke Edmond Lanfranc Ansel. Tho. Becket VVilfride egenda noa Sanctorm in hys fe 10 Spirituall mens landes Gala. 6. Psal. 2. 1. Cor. 9 Act. 5. Ioan. 15. â— thessa 3 1â— Polychro lib. 5. Succession Math. 23. Ioan. 8. Clemens Alexander Pius Marcellinus Liberius Felix Anastasius Leo. Ioan. Sergius Gregory 3 Zachary Steuen Leo. 3. Ioan. 8. Nicholas Syluester 2 Benet 9. Innocent 3. Ioan. 23. Math. 16. 12 Moe and greater plagues in popery than the Gospel Psal. 148. The people shoulde learne the scriptures Psal. 73. Deut. 32. Psal. 133. Ro. 1. Ia. 1. Math. 15. Hospitalitye Dearth Iere. 44. Iustice. August caâ— Epist. fuÌ„d Hiero. con Lucifer August Epist 1512. Ciprianâ—â— simpliei Hiero. coâ— Lucifer Iudg. 17. 2 3 Tit. 3. i. Cor. 1. 11. 4 Hebr. 10. Act. 5. 5 Act. 6. Act. 15. Act. 20. Mala. 1. Osee. 9. Ezech. 22. â—â—â—ac 2. Act. 1â— 1. Chro 〈◊〉 2 â–ª king â— 2. Chroni 30. 34. 17. in VVâ—â—frido â—hro 23. Act. 18. 6 Leuiâ— 10. Math. 19. Ciprianus de lap â—iprianus cecundum â— Ciprianus de lap August ciuitate dei â— 21. ca. 25. 9 Ciprian de lap 10 Num. 16. Ciprian Epist. Lib. 7. Ep â–ª 63. Lib. 4. sâ—â— tent distinâ— 8 II Roma 1 â–ª Math. 1â— â–ª Math. 10. 12 â—3 Isai. 49. â—ere 1â—
yet so god blessed the Quenes maiestye that she not onelye delyuered vs but theym from their enemies handes what relese in France the poore oppressed haue had at her highnes handes the blynde sce all her louinge subiectes reioise though the enuious Papist murmure grudge God graunt her hyghnesse grace to be thankefull to gods maiestye who does so past all mannes expectacion prosper her doinges that he onelye maye haue the praise UUhat cause we haue to prayse god for restoring religioÌ„ through the Quenes trauaile all menne of god do see praise him for it thoughe blind papists be sory therfore UUhat â—ost her highnes hais susteined in restoringe vs a fine coine from so base wise men reioise though this malicious foole say we be in great pouerty Looke howe fewe taxes she hais taken to doe this withal and howe manye and howe great were leuied afore Howe was this Realme pesterd with straunge rulers straunge Goddes straunge languages straunge religion straunge coines and howe is it nowe peaceablye ridde of theym all to the greate glorye of God that hais wroughte so manye wonderful straunge greate thinges in so shorte a time in a weake vessell which he neuer did by anye her noble progenitors whiche haue bene so manye and so worthy Coulde anye be so blinde but that malyce hays bewytched to not see or not praise Godde for these worthye dedes â–ª I woulde haue wanted the suspicyon of flatterye in rehearsinge these thinges but that I would the vnthankful world shoulde see the disdainefull blinde malice of popery which can not say well by Gods good blessinges The foolishe lynking and clouting of y â— scriptures together which folowes declares what wit he hais They may be applied all against himselfe and such as he is rather than against the professors of Gods trueth what blasphemye is it to lay all kinde of wickednes on Gods worde what euil so euer raignes in the world it is to be imputed to man not to God to mans frailnes not to gods trueth and goodnes God and his holye worde punish and condemne al false doctrine and filthines therfore God wil confounde all suche filthye mouthes as blaspheme hym or his holye woorde to be the cause of anye kynde of naughtinesse All liberty is now vsed he sais where in dede iustyce was not better ministred these manye yeares euen as the wiser and indifferenter sorte of Papistes doe graunte Call to remembraunce howe sharplye buggerye coniuringe witchcraftes sorcery c. were punished wyth death by lawe in the Gospell tyme of blessed king Edw. Whan were these lawes repealed but in the late dayes of Popery than iudge whether there was greater liberty to sinne vnder the christian kinge or vnder supersticious poperye But the sodomiticall papistes thinke these to be no sinnes and therefore beastly doe misuse them selues defilinge theym selues bothe with spiritual and Sodomitical vncleanes whether is there more libertye gyuen to sin whan such sinnes be made deathe by order of lawe or whan the lawes apoint no punishment for theym Surelye thegospel is vniustly blamed in geuing carnal liberty popery rightfully condemned in taking away the pain opening a doore to al mischefe Who liues more licentiously than the pope himself w tout al feare of god good order gods law doing what he wil so be al his scholers folowing their owne fathers steps In these my sayinges I go not about to proue vs Aungels yet surely not suche deuilles as he woulde make vs but in comparison of them we be saintes therfore let vs both amend that God maye be mercifull to bothe and glorified in both And as thexamples in his beginninge were good if they had bene well applied so is his conclusion I wil conclude with him therefore in the ryght sense and meaninge of it saiynge with him Returne to the steppes of the good fathers the Prophets and Apostles framinge your selues to folowe their doctrine be not caried away with straunge and diuerse doctrine of Popes contrary to Gods holy worde and inuented of late by men Imbrace the religion and faith taught from the beginninge in christes Church from time to time continually Flee this new fangled Popish supersticion whiche hais crept into the Church of late yeares and beleue that onelye whiche Christ hais taught and his Appostles and Martirs haue confirmed and frame your liues accordingly or elles Goddes vengeaunce hanges ouer your heades ready sodenlye to fall vppon you and let this token of brenninge of Paules be an example and token of a greater plague to folowe except ye amend whiche god graunt vs al to doe Amen A Prayer MOste ryghteouse and wise iudge eternall god and merciful father which of thy secret iudgement haste suffered false Prophetes in al ages to rise for the trial of thine elect that the worlde might knowe who woulde stedfastly sticke vnto thy vndoubted and infallible trueth and who woulde be caried awaye with euerye vayne doctrine and yet by the might of thy holye spirite hais confounded theym all to thy great glorye and comfort of thy people haue mercy vpon vs we besech thee and strengthen oure weakenes against all assaultes of our enemies confounde all Popery as thou did the doctrine of the Pharises strengthen y â— louers of thy truth to the confusion of all supersticioÌ„ and hipocrisy giue vs due loue and reuerence of thy holye worde defende vs from mannes tradicions encrease oure fayth graunte vs grace neuer to fall from thee but vprightlye to walke accordynge as thou hais taught vs swaruing neyther to the right hand nor the life neyther adding nor taking any thinge awaye from thy writen worde but submitting oure selues hollye to thy good wil and pleasure may so passe this transitorye life that through thy goodnes we may lyue euerlastinglye wyth thee in thy glory through Christ our lord who with thee and the holye Ghoste lyues and reignes one god and our Sauiour for euer and euer Haue not I hated theym O Lorde that hate thee and euen â—ined awaye because of thine ennemies Psal. Cxxxix I will giue you a mouth and wisdome whiche all your enemies can not gainsaye and wythstande Luke xxi FINIS ¶ Here folowe also certaine questions propounded by him whiche are fullye althoughe shortly aunswered whiche is the catholycke Church SAint Augustine and S. Hieroâ— do saye The Church is a visible companye of people gathered of christ our lord and the Apostles and continued vnto this day by a perpetual succession liuing in one faith Apostolicall vnder Christe the heade and his vicar in earth being the pastor and high Byshop Out of this catholicke and apostolicall church is no trust of saluation Saint Augustine sais who so euer shalbe out of this church althoughe his lyfe be esteamed to be very good and laudable by this only faut that he is disioyned and seperated from the vnitye of Christ and his Church he can haue no lyfe but the wrath of God
whether then was supersticion and ignoraunce or nowe in these dayes Forther where the true word of god is taught the holy ghost does so worke there with that vertue does encrease but as the Prophet sais sicut populus ita Sacerdos as the people be so God sendes them Priestes Apprehenderunt mendacium nolueruÌ„t reuerti the people haue apprehended a lye and will not come backe but trust in liyng Sermons whiche wil not profet them as almighty God says by his Prophet Hiere thinkinge they haue done wel because they haue done these abhominations says God by his Prophet Hieremi so as the Priestes be so be the people blynded in herisie as God sais by his Prophet Esai that their hartes do not vnderstande their eyes do not see their eares be stopped for hearinge the trueth so that this maye well be called the time of supersticion and ignoraunce calling darknes light and light darknes that whiche is euill good and good euill And for the brinning of Paules Church which he speakes of was in time of ciuil warre and not destroyed by thandes of God as it was at this time Whosoeuer reades the Chronicles shal perceyue that and this be not lyke Therfore beware of false Prophetes and Preachers which come with faire wordes in their mouthes of the Gospel but marke the frutes that comes of their preachinge howe they haue set the people in such case that no prayer is vsed no fasting litle almes dedes all liberty vsed What disobedience children be in against their parentes howe vntrusty seruauntes be what swearinge and blaspheming of God is vsed of all people what theft whoredome crafte subtiltye and deceipt these be frutes that come of this newe fanglet doctrine Therefore retourne backe againe to the steppes of good fathers afore vs be not caried away as S. Paule sais with a straunge and diuerse doctrine embrace the religion and faith taught in Christes Churche from time to time continually and frame your liuing accordingly or els Gods vengeance hanges ouer your heades readye sodenly to fall vpon you so sais the Scripture and let this token of brinninge of Paules be an example and token of a greater plage to folow excepte ye amende A CONFVTACION OF AN ADdicion vvyth an Appologye vvritten and east in the stretes of VVest Chester agaynst the causes of burnyug Paules Church in London vvhych causes the reuerend Byshop of Duresme declared at Paules Crosse â— Iunij 1561. OUr Sauiour Christ whan the Deuill spake the truth plainly did not confute or gayne saye it but whan he did it frowardly Christ rebuked hym sharpelye As whan the deuill said Iesus of Nazareth what haue we to do with thee art thou comen to destroy vs I knowe that thou art the holy one of god He did not refuse nor denye that truth which he spake but whan the deuill tempted him to throw himself down from the Pinacle of the Temple be rebuked him quickly bicause he alledged y e true scripture maliciously So it is not sufficient to do a good dede barely or speake the trueth only except it be done rightly with such circumstances as be necessarily required to make it good as that it be from the hart and for Goddes cause willingly c. In like maner where this scauenger sweping the stretes with his bookes as a fitteÌ„ brome and officer therto hais spoken the truth not trulye bicause it is for an euil purpose and frowardly I shal passe ouer it with silence but where he followes his maister the father of lies in falsifiyng the trueth or racking the Scripture subtilly I shal by gods grace let the world see his iugling and by truth trulye vttered disclose his shameles lyinge The firste examples that he bringes declaring how god does iustlye plague the obstinate sinners that will not repent after manye warninges giuen are true all but being alledged to bring vs backe to Poperye and for another purpose then God oure Lorde hais taught them they be craftelye misused and ye see whose fotesteppes be folowed And as he vses theym to perswade vs to supersticion so they maye and ought to be vsed specially for maintainynge true religion The Rhetoricians teach that suche kinde of beginninges as maye be applied to two contrary partes are fauty Therefore seinge I maye vse the selfe same reasons and woordes that he haâ—s from the beginning hitherto to train vs to loue and embrase oure godlye refourmed religion he can not muche crake of his wyselye placed examples or reasons But I wyll not stycke wyth hym in suche small poyntes as these although they be fautes but I wil ioine with him in matters of weight and those thefe pointes of religion whiche he hais touched and we differ from him and hys sort in them Committinge the rule and gouernement of hys Church to the Byshops c. THe first is concerning thautority and gouernment geuen to Bishops ouer Gods Church wherin his wordes are not so vntrue as they conteyne a false doctryne and meaning in them Yf ye thinke that I to boldly enter to iudge his meaning confer these wordes with such as folowe in his owne writing wherin vntruly he claimes those priuileges to his Bishops whiche neyther he nor they are able to iustifie and there at large ye shall easlye perceiue what he meanes by these fewe woordes here But I will followe him where awaye he leades me and because he does here but briefly touche it I shall likewise shortly passe ouer it and more throughly search it where he does more at large presse it In the beginninge of their late reuyued tyrannye and afore they had obtained their long desired autoritie to ragne ouer Kinges and Princes it was my chaunce to talke with one of their stoutest Champions and of those that he calles the godly Bishops in prison Among sundry thinges that were to be redressed in talke as he thoughte he toke this selfe same matter first and said it was not fitte for any temporal officer to sit as iudge on any Priest or spiritual manne specially in any spirituall matter For the same cause began Tho. Beket to rebell against his Prince not sufferinge his Priestes to be punyshed for their murthers roberyes and now like good childer they followe his steppes I asked whye for the lawes were then as they be nowe and both verye well that Iustyces in their Sessyons and Assises might and shoulde enquire who than offended the ciuill lawes and the order of religion establyshed whether he were Priest or other he aunswered that in the xx of the Actes of Thappostles it was plaine that God had set the Bishops to gouerne the Churche I saide that was another kind of gouernment that Saint Paule there grauntes to Byshops and differs from that which kinges or Princes claime and ought to haue No sais he marke the woordes and it is ad regendum Ecclesiam regere regum est therefore Byshops haue
the Scripture than any that euer they haue receyued from the Pope If we had not this faith spoken of to the Ebrewes we durst not so boldlye come to the throne of grace wythoute makynge anye moe medyatoures than one onelye Iesus Chryst Where as they in makynge so manye meanes and intercessoures for thē as though God were a cruel iudge and not a mercifull father declare them selues to want this faith in that they dare not so boldly come to the throne of grace without suche spokes men as we vse none for faith onely makes vs bolde to come into Gods presence and begge of his grace But accordinge to their desire let vs searche oute the olde waye whiche is good that we maye walke in it The faith of a Christian manne is generallye conteined in the Crede and particularly declared in the scripture at large and whether we kepe that better then they let wise men iudge We do esteame these articles of the Christian faith so much with the Lordes prayer and the tenne commaundements of almightye God that by commen order it is appoynted and good ministers practise it that Children shall learne theim not in a tonge that they vnderstand not as the Pope would haue theim but in their mother tong w e such a short declaratiō on it by a Catechisme that now a yong child of a ten year old can tel more of his duty towarde God and manne than an olde manne of their bringinge vp can doe of lx or lxxx yeare olde all the canonycall Scryptures we do so renerently receiue and faithfully beleue that we stande in contention with the Papistes that nothing is to be beleued as necessary to saluation but onely the old testament and the new where their faith is neuer certayne but whan it pleases the Pope or his Councell to make theym a newe artycle of their faith or condemne or chaunge any that they haue they receiue it willingly beleue it faithfully and folow it earnestlye with fire and fagor It is not longe sins that by commen autoritye where oure Creede hais but xii articles they added vi mo articles and with no lesse daunger of wythstandynge theym than of life This six stringed whippe did vere Gods people sore vnto God of his vndeserued mercy prouided a remedye And where they thincke no faith nor religion to be good alowed or receiued but that whiche is confirmed by generall counsels or written by the doctors for that I say their religious supersticion cannot be proued by general counsell nor Doctour as the reuerend Bysshop of Sarum laies against D. Coole But so farre as eyther generall counsel or the Doctoures writinges doe agree with the body of the holy scriptures we do not onelye reuerentlye and willingly receiue them but diligently so farre furth as we maye practise theym They crake much of the autoritye of a generall counsel and bleare the peoples eies with so glorious a name and also with the reuerende name of the fathers Doctoures and auncientye where in deede they make more for vs than theym If they considert what Gerson and Panormitanus write which were auncient fathers and not new protestants and were at the counsel of Basil where it was disputed what autoritye a counsell hais they woulde not so stifly sticke to so weake a staffe we must rather beleue one symple lay manne saye they alledginge the scripture than the hole counsell to the contrarye De Elect. Ca. significasti This thinge was well proued true in the greate Nicene councell where manye would haue forbidden Priestes mariage and onelye Paphnutius beinge vnmaried and alledginge the Scriptures which alow mariage in all menne did stoppe it Gregory Nazainzene sais that he neuer see good ende of a counsell They alledge muche generall Counselles whan in dede very fewe of them be generall If it be but a prouinciall Counsell they themselues graunt that it maye erre Nowe than looke bow manye maye be called or are called generall in their owne bookes and ye shall fynde verye fewe Take heede therefore of these Fores ye that will not bee deceyued whan they alledge a Counsell and trye euen by their owne booke of counselles whither it bee generall or no Ye shall fynde that euerye tenth that they alledge is not generall than beynge a particuler and prouinciall they geue vs leaue to deny it and so they condemne their owne doinge whan they alledge nothinge but prouinciall Counselles There is no Crede made at anye generall counselles nor Athanasius Crede but we willingly embrase it receyue it and beleue it Seinge than we openly professe and teache all thynges conteined in the holye Scriptures and all the artycles of anye Crede determined in generall Counsell or written by Athanasius or anye Catholycke father howe can it bee that we be oute of the fayth and howe canne it be but thys sclaunderous Proctour of the Pope hays blasphemed Godde belyed hys Minysters Gods people ▪ and his truth Thus much I haue spoken particularlye to purge vs from his liynge lyppes where he speakes generallye naminge ▪ nothinge but meaninge all that we should forsake both faith and religion and deuyse a newe one of oure owne where they themselues are gilty in this as more plainly shall appeare This shalbe sufficient I trust to them that will be satisfied to declare that we be not oute of the faith seinge we professe our faith now to trie whether we be fallen from the olde wayes of holye fathers and whether auncient recordes do testifie this maner of Church seruice to be godly and haue bene heard tell of afore Luthers time and whether it be elder than theirs I am content to wine with him in triall thereof I trust they will be content to call Moyses Dauid and the Prophetes auncient fathers whye than looke what order of prayer was in the Tabernacle of god and Salomons temple in their time and see whether it go nerer our seruice or the Popes Portuis Rede Dauids Psalme and marke howe manye of theym haue their title directed to the Chauntor or chefe singer and plaier on thinstrumentes to Asaph Hemā Dithum c. to be songe in the Temple and ye shall finde a great sorte suche Rede the xxv chap. of the first booke of the Chronicles and there it appeares whom Dauid appointes to be singers of the Psalmes in the Temple with their posteritye Rede the xiii Chap. of the art of Thapostles and there it appeares that the lawe and the Prophetes were redde in the temple euerye Sabboth daye for their seruyce with a Sermon After the reading sais Saint Luke of the lawe and the Prophetes the rulers of the Synagoge sent to Paule and Barnabas saiyng ye men and brether if ye haue any exhortacion to the people speake Againe in the. xv Chap. he sais Moyses hais of old time them that preache him in euery citye in the Sinagoges where he is red euery Sabboth daye Marke what prayers or kinde of seruice as
not ministred euery where after one sort but are handled in dyuerse places after diuers sortes Truly if they were ministred after one sorte and agreinglye through the whole church it were good and laudable notwithstanding because there be manye diuersities which differ not in the summe of the sacrament nor in the strength of it or in the faith nor all can be gathered into one custome I thinke that they are rather to be borne with agrement in peace than to be condemned with offence For we haue this from the holy fathers that if the vnytye of charity be kept in the catholike faith the diuerse custome hurtes nothing If it be demaunded wherof these diuersities of customes do springe I perceiue nothinge elles than the diuersities of wittes which althoughe they dyffer not in the strength and truth of the thing yet they agree not in the fitnesse and comelines of the mynistring For that which one iudges to â—e meter oftentimes other think it lesse mete And not to agre in suche diuersities I think it not mete to swarue from the truth of the thinge Also where the said Preacher does recite certain abuses of the said Church as talkinge biynge and sellinge feightinge and brawlinge although these be verye euill and worthie muche rebuke yet there be worse abuses as blaspheming God in lyinge Sermons pollutinge the Temple with Schismaticall seruice destroyinge and puâ—lynge downe holye aulters that were set vp by good blessed men there the sacryfice of the blessed masse ministred according to the order of Christes catholycke Churche yea where the alter of the holye Ghost stoode the newe Bisshoppes haue sette their tales vppon and theyr sit in iudgement of suche as be Catholycke and liue in the feare of God Some they depriue from their liuinges some they commit to prison excepte they wil forsake the Catholicke faith and embrase a fayth and religion that hais no foundacion layd by generall Counseil nor blessed fathers in times past but inuented by Heretikes that do not agre one with another nor them selues We both doe agree the Churche of Paules to be abused and therfore iustly plaged God graunt that hencefoorth it may be amended that worse doe not folowe Whan Iosue had conquered Ierico so maruaâ—â—ouslye with cariynge the arcke of God about it the priestes blowing their trumpettes and the people showâ—ing by the might of God rather house Goddes house must be a house of prayer and not the proud towre of Babilon nor the Popes market place nor a stewes for bawdes and Ruffians nor a horse faire for brokers no nor yet a burse for marchauntes nor a metinge place for walkinge and talkynge If a conuenient place to mete for honest assembles can not be founde nor had conuenientlye other where a particion might be had to close vppe and shit the praters from prayers the walkers and ianglers from well disposed persones that they should not trouble the deuout hearers of Gods worde so that the one should not heare nor see the other God hais once againe wyth the trumpet of his worde and the gladde receiuinge of the people throwen downe the walles of Iericho and the Popes bulwarke there by his owne might without the power of manne if man woulde so consider it and feare the Lorde No place hais bene more abused than Pauls hais bene nor more against the receyuing of Christes Gospell Wherfore it is more maruaile that God spared it so longe rather than that hee ouerthrewe it nowe From the toppe of the steple downe within the grounde no place hais bene free from the toppe of the spire at Câ—ronations or other solemne triumphes some for vâ—in glory vsed to throw themselues downe by a rope and so killed themselues vainly to please other mens eyes At the Battlementes of the steple sundrye times were vsed their Popishe antâ—ms to call vpon their Goddes with torch taper in the Euenings In the top of one of the pinacles is lollers towre where manye an innocent soule hais bene by theym cruellye tormented and murthered In the middest alley was their longe Censer reachinge from y â— roâ—e to the ground as though the holy Ghost came in their cenâ—ing down in liknes of a Doue On y â— arches though coÌ„menly men complaine of wrong and decayed iudgemente in Ecclesiasticall causes yet because I wyll not iudge by here saye I passe ouer it sauinge onely for such as haue bene condemned there by Annas Caiphas for christes cause as innocently as any Christians coulde be For their images hanged on euery walle piller and doore with their pilgrimages and worshippinge of them I will not stand to rehearse them because they can not be vnknowen to all men that haue seene Lonâ—on or hearde of them Their massing and many altars wyth the rest of their Popyshe seruyce which he so much ertolles I passe ouer because I aunswered them afore The south alley for vsurye and Poperye the north for Simony and the Horse faire in the middest for all kind of bargains metinges brawlinges murthers conspiracies and the font for ordinary paimentes of money are so well knowen to all menne as the begger knowes his dishe The Popishe clergy began and mayntained these and Godles worldlinges defende theym where the poore protestant lamentes and would amend them Iudas chappell vnder the ground with Thapostles masse so early in the morninge was counted by report as fit a place to worke a feat in as the stewes or tauerne So that without and within aboue the grounde and vnder ouer the roofe and beneath on the toppe of the steple and spire downe to the lowe flore not one spot was free from wyckednes as the said Byshop did than in his Sermon declare so that we should praise God for his mercy in sparinge it so longe and nowe tremble at his fearful iudgement in iustly reuenging such filthines god for his mercy sake graunt it may now be amended Secondlye where it pleases hym to tearme this Churche seruice nowe vsed schismaticall it is as true as afore whaÌ„ he saide that no auncient recorde made mention of anye suche afâ—re xl yeares past Why doocâ—ye call it a schismaticall Because it differs from the Popes pertuâ—s That it differs we deny not but reioyce and prayse God for it but if it agree with the holye Scriptures and the auncient fathers as I haue proued afore than be ye schismatickes in swaruinge from them and not we In one Morning and Eueninge prayer we agree with the olde prayers of Salomons temple as I proued afore In Baptisme we folowe Christ Iesus hys â–ª Appâ—stles Austin and Paulme whome Pope Gregory sente into England in the chiefe pointes whiche al christened â–ª 〈◊〉 â—â—â—oniured water without salt spit 〈…〉 oyle and chrisme c. In the Lordes supper we receiue together as S. Paule commaunded and â—â—pe Gelasius teaches either to receiue â—â—the partes or to refraine from both for â–ª it is sacrilegs to â—euide theym De
Timothe and Titus to appointe mynisters and Byshops in euery towne how ferre differs it from the Popes oiled shauelinges Act. i. Peter calles the disciples together preaches vnto them they fall to prayer and those Matthias in stede of Iudas In the vi of the act the Apostles assemble y e people declare to them how they themselfes shuld folow preaching willes them therfore to pike out men of honestye and godlinesse to serue the poore they praye together laye their handes on them and made theim Diacons to prouide for the pore In sending forth Paule and Barnabas whan they were assembled to their ministery they fasted prayed laid their hands on them and send them forth In the. viiii Paule and Barnabas ordeyned in euery churche ministers requirynge the consent of the people by holdynge vppe their handes as the Greke word there signifies In y e. i. Epistle to Timoth. ca. v. he biddes him that he lay not his hands rashlye on anye manne where afore he had taught him sufficientlye what manner of menne and with what qualities be shoulde call and thinke theym meâ—e for the ministery But because he findes not so great faute with the menne that be calde nowe a dayes althoughe other doe grudge at theym as with the order and maner of their callynge I wil onelye answere to that point which he touches In these places of the scripture afore rehearsed there be these thinges to be noted in sending forth ministers First an assemblye of the Clergye and people to beare testimonie of their honestie and aptnes that be calde for it must not be done in corners least suche be admitted as be vnworthye and with whom some could or would haue found faut if it hadde bene knowen and done openly The ministery is so godly a vocation that none ought to be admitted to it hauing anye notable faut in them or if they maye not abide the triall and judgemet of the multitude yea though they be heathens For Saint Paul sais they must haue good testimonie of their honesty euen of them that be out of the churche Secondly I note they vsed exhortacions wyth fastinge prayer and layinge on of handes These Ceremonies we be sure are good and godly because Thappostles vsed them so oft these except some great cause to the contrary are to be vsed of al in calling of y â— ministers Al these thinges the order now appointed obserues and no more all the popish ceremonies be cut of as vain superfluous The time of geuing orders now is the holy day whan the people be assembled that they may see who be cald and if they knowe anie notable faute in any of theym that are there to be appointed ministers or Byshoppes they maye declare it that they may be reiected as vnworthy The Popishe Prelates giue their orders on the Saturdaye whan the people is not present and commenly at home in their chappelles where fewe resort to see The Byshops nowe vse in giuyng their orders an exhortacion commen prayer the Communion and laying on of handes which Thapostles vsed The Pope and his Prelates haue deuised of them selues clippinges shauinge their crownes an vnlawful compelled vowe to lyue vnmaried oile for an â—intinge their fingers and power to sacrifice for quicke and dead their double latin matins and Euensonge daily with suche a kinde of apparell that they be more like to Aaron and Moyses priestes of the olde law than a simple preacher of Christes Gospell or minister of his sacraments of the new Testament Whan we do that which Christ hys Apostles did vsed we may be sure it is good lawfull and necessarye whan we adde any thing of our owne it may be doubted on and if it be commaunded as necessarye or as the true worshippe of Godde it ought to he refused chaunged yea condemned For Christe sais They worship me in vain teaching doctrines the commaundementes of men Therefore as he reasons here that it should be to great an inconuenience to saye that these Byshops whiche he names were blynde and ignoraunt in their doings and that they would come at the iudgement to the condemnation of these new Bishops which folow not their wayes I had rather tourne hys argument against him selfe on his owne heade and saye that it is a greater inconuenience yea blasphemy to say that Peter Paul Timothe Titus c. were in blindnesse and had not the right order of appointinge their ministers but that these latter Popishe Prelates haue inuented of late yeres a perfecter way to do it than they knew or vsed Let them proue that eyther Thapostles themselues or anye of their scholers vsed clippinge shauing their crownes the vowe of single life sacrificinge for the deade oilinge their fingers or crown their Iewysh apparel their halowinges crossings blessinges or suche trashe as their order is full of and than blame this new order but because they can not the Scrypture teachinge no suche thynge I saye they be Hypocrites layinge heauye loodes on mens backes and consciences yea greater than anye maye beare not touchinge theym with their finger to ease them but rather to presse theym downe lower in preferringe mans dreames before the symple truthe of the Gospell Christ and his Apostles with their scholers shall come in iudgemente to their condemnatioÌ„ For that they haue maintained their owne deuises afore the infallyble truth of the Scripture the perfect rule and onelye example of all oure doinges and religion Than if our Bisshops nowe vse all such order as Thappostles theymselues vsed as in comparinge them together it will easelye appeare why shoulde anye proude Papist be so bolde to correct magnificat to reproue theym and saye that the Pope hays deuysed a better way than Thappostles vsed or why shoulde any weake conscience hanginge on manne rather than on Godde be offended to see suche vaine superfluous and wicked toies left of and not vsed If they left out anye thing that Thapostles vsed they might wel be blamed but seing thei had rather folow them as their schole masters and not the Pope they were to be praysed Are Papes wiser than Thappostlesâ— or shall Papists for folowinge their father of lies be preferred to Protestauntes whiche haue Gods worde and his truth with the doings of Thapostles for their defence to alledge for them God forbid But I thinke this good Proctour of the Pope is offended because the new Bisshops runne not to Ro. theymselues or by their deputye to doe their homage to their holye father and sweare an vnlawful and traitorous oth against their lawfull and naturall Prince and bring home y t holy relique their Palle which many haue bought so deare that in gathering money for it they beggerd their bole diocesse Yet that the blind may see that these ragged Popishe cloutes whiche they thinke so holye relyques and necessarye are not of suche worthinesse nor to be regarded so highly it is easye to see euen in this realme others that both
the xxxii yeare of king Henrye the first Of this kinred came that goodlye impe Tho. Beket In the yeare M. C. xxxvii and the first yeare of kynge Steuen began a fire at London bridge and burned all the Citye and Churche of Paules vnto ye come out at Temple barre to Saint Clementes church whiche was than called the Danes churche In the yeare M. iii. lxxxii and the xxi daye of Maye with a greate earth quake through the Realme the crosse in Paules Church yard was ouerthrowen in the. vi yere of Richard the. ii To the bylding of that crosse againe Willyam than Byshoppe of Cantorb gathered greate summes of money and enriched him selfe And because menne should be more willinge and liberal to giue he the rest of such holy Byshops graunted manye dayes of pardon to theym that would frely geue money to the bilding of that crosse again Cantor grauÌ„ted xl days London Ely Bathe Chichester Carleil LaÌ„daff Bangor euery one xl dayes the summe in all iii. C. rr dayes of pardon but not one dodkin of money came out of their purse All which thinges and more the Deane of Paules declared wel at the crosse out of the recordes of their church and Citye iii. yeare afore Lanfranc was made Byshoppe of Cantorb as Legenda sanctorum writes the hole city of Cantor almost and Christs church there was burned vp with fire in the beginninge of Willyam conquerours days Polychr tels lib. vii ca. iiii that a great piece of London and Paules Churche with the principall Cities of Englande were burned Ca. vii he sais a whirle winde threw downe a. C. houses in London and many churches also lib. viii ca. i. Basil a great Citie with many towres fel with earthquake in Edward the. iii. days and in Naples xl thousande were killed Ca. xâ—viii on Candelmas euen in mid winter Paules steple was burned wyth lyghtninge in the tyme of Henrye vi Ca. xxii the church of DurraÌ„ likewise about xl yere sins w t many other like But why shuld I stand to proue that which euerye man knowes to be true if he be of any lerning knowledge as thoughe it were a doubt or straunge thing What great town or church can ye recken within the realme or w tout almost that hais not sufferd the lyke why shuld we thaÌ„ meruail of this cal to remembrans y e late dais of popery here w e vs not vii yere sins see what horrible stormes thunders and lightninges was here by Notingam where houses Churches belles woodes and loden cartes were ouerthrowen and caried awaye But he sais these chaunced some in time of Ciuill warre and not all with fire from heauen What than what helpes that his case all were in the time of poperye and many mo like And thoughe all these were not wyth fire from heauen yet it is as great a token of Goddes anger as well as the other or more Sais not Dauid Fire haile snowe yse and windy stormes do his coÌ„maundement If they do his commaundement than the one is his doing aswell as the other Does not god rule the earth as well as the heauen These fires from heauen chaunce more seldom than the other and therefore more fearfull whan they come yet these on earth obey his word as well as the other and are not done withoute him And not without a cause it maye be a token of gods greater anger to punish vs rather with those thinges that be daily among vs and were ordeyned to serue vs for our helth than to corect vs with those that fall so seldome and are made to feare vs and declare Gods great fearefull maiestie But this greues him to call that the time of supersticion ignoraunce whan God was serued night and daye so deuoutly as he thinkes and euery one liued quietly without reasoning of y e scripture and beleued what so euer the pope sent them serued god after their owne diuise not as god himselfe taught the so that the belly were ful al was wel thoughe they maintained ideli lubbers which was no more almes afore god thaÌ„ their praitinge was praying For their munkishe night prayer how vain lippe labour it was and mumbled vp of an vnlearned sort I said inough afore and declared how farre it differed from true prayer but this is that maye not be borne whan the people haue the scripture in their owne tonge for than they are able to tell the Priestes their dutye and correcte their supersticious Idolatry It skilles not muche thoughe the Papistes would haue the people to liue in blyndnesse still for in that the Pope and the Turke agrees well that their people shalbe vnlerned and vnderstand nothing but what so euer it pleases the Priestes to teach them which is neither much nor good but God in his word the auncient fathers in their writinges do teache christian people otherwaies Dauid sais the father shoulde declare his truth to their children Moyses sais Aske thy father and he will tel thee demaunde of the elders and they will declare vnto thee Paul sais wiues if they woulde know any thing let them aske their husbandes at home If fathers must teache their children and children learne of their fathers and wyues of their husbandes howe shoulde eyther party be ignoraunt Ierom. sais men are wont women are wont and Munkes are wont to striue amonge themselues who should learne most scriptures and thinks them best that learnes most but he learned most that does most Chriso in his xxxi Homily on S. Ioan rebukes the people that were so vnwillinge to learne the scriptures seing the woman of Samaria of whom there he writes was so desirous that at home in their houses they hadde Tables and Chesses rather than bookes and if they had anye bookes they were not occupied c. In his ii Homilie on Matth. In declaringe howe the scriptures refresh the minde as a holesome aer does the bodye he moues them to the readinge of it and rebukes theym that saye it belonges to munkes and Priestes to read it and studie it and not to the people Thus in corners these ennemyes of god and hys woorde woulde drawe the people from their saluation and woulde make them beleue that it were not their duty to learne What blindnes is this to thinke ignoraunce better than learninge and blindnes than sight Saint Paul sais the Gospel of God is the power of god to saue them that beleue Saint Ia. sais the worde of god is able to saue oure soules Than surelye those theues that woulde robbe Gods people of Gods worde woulde robbe theym of their saluation by christ and sell theym such filthye salues as the Pope woulde heale his scabbed shepe withall whiche stinkes in Gods sight Christ oure lorde sais if the blinde leade the blinde bothe fall into the ditch than it is not inough to saye Sir Iohn our Priest taught me thus For
lift vp their sacrament offer it for the deade and quicke and eate all vp whan they haue done whether is not euery one aswel the priestes as laite bounde to obey the Queene and her lawes BOth Priestes and the laite be bounden to obey the Queene and her lawes as farre as Goddes lawe will permit but no manne ought to obey the Queene and her lawes against God and his lawes For landes goodes and bodye euerye one is bounde to obey the Queene and her lawes and no man ought to disobey or resist her or her lawes for God in the scripture commaundes But for matters of faith and relygion pertaynyng to oure soule health she hath nothinge adoe to medle for Christe himselfe hath dearly bought our soules with his precious bloude shedinge and committed them to the rule and gouernement of the Byshoppes which watche as to gyue an accompt for our soules Therefore the Scripture commaundes vs to obey the Byshoppes in matters of faith and religion pertayninge to our soules health and the Queene in temporall causes concernynge landes and goods and body The. xiii answere FOr obeyinge the Queenes maiestie and her lawes or for disobeying we do not greatly differ from him but where he sais she hais nothing a doe with matters of faith and relygion we vtterly denye it For that is as much to say as that she were not a christian Prince no nor a Prince at all for Princes are charged by God to maintaine true religion and suppresse supersticion and Idolatry This is the marke that they shote at to be exempt from all correction of Princes that they might do what they lust bring in supersticion in stede of religion and nourish the people in bloude deuotion rule all other and be ruled of none no not of God him selfe So muche obedience the Turkes subiectes owe him and yet denie him not autority in their religion But this mater was more fully handled in the. v. aunswere King Richard the. ii proues wel in his Epistle to pope Boniface the ix that temporall rulers haue oftē from the beginnige bridled and ruled the spiritualtye euen the Popes Salomon sayes he putte downe the Priest Abiather and set vp Sadoc Otho Themperour deposed Pope Ioan. xii Henry the Emperour put downe Gratianus Otho deposed pope Benet the. i. The controuersy betwix Symmachus and Laurens who should be Pope was ended afore Theodoricus kinge of Italy Henry Themperor deposed ii striuing who shoulde be Pope and set vp a. iii. called Clement the. ii Frederick Themperor corrected iiii Popes By these and manye suche like he proues that Princes haue corrected and brought◠in order so many Popes therfore they haue lawful power so to do And shal not our Quene haue power to see whether the clergye here within her Realme do their duty in teachinge true doctrine pure ministringe of the sacramentes and an vpright godlye life In dede this was the beginninge of the controuersye betwix Tho. Becket and kinge Henrye ii and these lyke good scholers of the same schole folowe the same waye Certaine priestes were complayned on for their leud liuing whom the king would haue punished But Becket withstode him sayinge it belonged not to the kinge to handell such holy anointed spirituall men Austin in his boke contr liter petiliaī ii in vi and other sundry chapters proues that it belonges to Kynges to haue care and charge for religion bothe in maintaininge the good and pullinge downe the euill He alleages this of the ii psal Serue the lord in feare c. How shoulde kinges sais he serue the lord in feare but in forbiddinge and punishing those thinges that are done against the Lordes commaundement he serues in one sort in asmuch as he is a man and in another in so muche as he is a king he serues him as a manne in liuing trulye but as a kinge in makinge lawes whiche commaund iust thinges and forbid the contrary So serued kinge Ezechias in descriyng the groues and temples of idolles so serued Iosias so the kinge of Niniue in compellynge the whole citie to pacifie the lord Thus serued Nabucho in forbiddinge by a fearfull law that they should not blaspheme god Kings serue the Lord in this point whan they doe those thynges to serue him which none can doe but kinges c. Thus far Austin Constantine also the good Emperour commaunds the donatistes to come to Ro. to heare the Bysshops iudgement but afterward whan he had hard the matter debated he iudged the cause himselfe and made a law against them as Austin writes Epist. ix viii Thus Princes than callyng their clergye together bicause fewe of theym haue sufficient learninge of themselues and hearing the matters of religion debated and the trueth tried maye and ought by their law and roial power defende that trueth and punyshe the disobedient who so euer they be The Prophete sayes that God made kinges and Queenes to be nurces to hys Churche The Nurces duetye is to feede guyde and chearyshe the chylde yea to correct instruct and reforme him wha◠he does a faut She must not be a drie nurce but wyth the. ii Pappes of the newe Testament and olde feede her children she must teache him to goe whan he is fallen take him vp agayne and geue him suche holesome meat that she maye and dare taste and trie it herselfe God graunt Princes thus to be nurces and not stepmothers that Goddes children may serue their lord Godde maister and father quietlye vnder their winges The conclusion OUr Sauioure Christe whan they called him Samaritan a friende of Publycans and sinners a drunkard c. held his tunge and made no aunswere but whan they sayde he had a deuill he saide I haue no deuil It is written also in vitis prū of Agathō whom certaine woulde trie whether he could pacientlie beare sclaunders and called him proude aduoterer a these and bereticke Al other he let passe and said I am a sinner but I am not an heretick They asked him why he aunswered to that rather than to the other he said he learned of Christe his maister to suffer lies but not his doctrine to be touched for heresy separates a manne from god So amonge all sclaunderous tounges that goe about to deface gods truth by raning on the ministers of it many are borne of manye with gryefe of minde but to be charged wyth false doctrine no honest minde can beare nor good man shoulde suffer For as he teaches the good and holesome doctryns so he should confounde the contrarye to hys power and this was amonge other a great cause why I though not hurt by this his folish railing tooke in hand to aunswere this blynde Papist and bycause those learned fathers whome he woulde seme to touche thought it vnworthy any aunswere Whan I see this copye cast abroade by a malicious member of Antichryst to wythdrawe Gods people from his truth my spirie was stirred to the aunswerynge of the same but manye whan