Father for thē nor for any one thing that they hold against vs The 34. Demaund Authoritie VVHETHER the Church of Christ did not euermore take her selfe to be of Authoritie irrefragable and so beare her selfe as necessarie worthie to be beleeued vpon her onelyword and therfore no man to controll her a Aug. ep 105. Sentence or Iudgement no man to misdoubt her b Aug ep 118 c. 3. ep 105. Practise And whether S. Augustine haue not written a booke therupon which he calleth De vtilitate credendi Of the vtilitie of beleeuing the Church in all thinges shewing how profitable how necessary how sure a way that is for the finding out of true Religion And whether the Maniches then as the Protestantes now founde not fault with that way And whether the true Christians notwithstanding did not for all that hold thē against those all other Heretickes vpon the Churches Authoritie Chris con gent. de S. Ba◠coll 882. 884. Et con Iud. ar 2. col 928. Eus Hist l. 1. c. 3. Devt or c. 14. yea and alleage it also vnto the Iewes and Painimes to proue that Christ is God and that the holy Scriptures with the Miracles and all other things in them contained be true because I say the Church or company of the Christians so saith and so beleeueth And whether Saint Augustine and that by true reason doth not infer therupon that seeing we beleeue Christ and the Scriptures because of the church we must therfore beleeue the Church in all other thinges also whatsoeuer it saieth against the Heretickes And whether this Authoritie do not therefore argue that the Church can neuer erre And whether neuer erring doe not argue that it can neuer perish And therfore again whether it do not now also well worthely claime the same authoritie Yea whether the Protestants themselues haue not receaued many thinges as Christ himselfe and the Scriptures themselues c. vpon our churches credite the church I say that now is Aske them then howe they can possiblye bee the church who willingly doe renounce the claime of such Authoritie and doe by their doings confesse it to be in the companie of their aduersaries Finally bydde the deceaued consider this well that they haue no forte or nūber of men amōgst them whom they may truste in all thinges with whom and in whose steppes they may venture to walke the way of Faith and Religion towardes saluation None of all the Sectes in our countrey nor in all the world so happie none so secure and therfore no Church amongest them because I say they openly renounce the claime of Authoritie confessing therby that it is not of them that the Creed saith I beleue the Church in so much that they haue suffered of late an vnlearned Christian as he is called to set out in Print a vaine libell againste the Aucthoritie of the Church of God comparing and opposing vnto it the Authority of the word of God as though the word of God and the Church of God were one against the other it being yet so plainely written that as the Father saied of his Sonne Mat. 17. Mat. 18. Ipsum audite Heare him So the Sonne said of his church Si Ecclesiam non audierit sit tibi ficut Ethnicus Publicanus If he will not heare the Church do thou vse him as the Iewes did as an Heathen and a Publican And yet this felow trusteth so much in his owne folie Prou. 17 that he is bold to prouoke all catholiks to answere his childishnes or els they must be accounted saith he no lesse then very Murderers It were good for him poore man that he had in him no more pride then learning My best counsaile to him for his saluation is that he reade humblye these Demaundes and looke whether any of his greate Masters will answere them And if after this his stomacke serue him still let him set out his Libel more orderly with his name with approbation of their Rabbins and with priuiledge that we labour not in vaine with the grace of God he shall quickly see it answered as vnworthy as it is The 35. Demand Vnity THEN whether vnity proced not of the sayd Authority And our Church therefore one for euer and not possibly by any questiō or controuersy to be desperatly deuided within it selfe They on the other side for lacke thereof running euery day into more and more diuision amongst thēselues multiplying Sectes as all men do see without hold or measure not being able to aleage herein any excuse for thēselues which the Arians Donatistes other olde Hereticks might not as well aleage for excuse of their diuisions yea euen their owne Doctrine being the very cause therof and they therfore guiltie of all these sectes that doctrine I say wherin they teach that the Scriptures are so easye and that therefore euerie one may folow his owne sese yea and vant also that it is the sence of the Spirite himselfe And whether the Churches inseparable vnitie be not so sure an argument of Truth that it is a moste iuste Motiue by Christes owne saying for the world to beleeue in Christ that no man meruaile seeing the infinite Sects that be now in Englād that there be also so many incredulous that beleeue not in Christ The 36. Demaund Kepers of Scriptures VVHether it were not our Church that notified to the worlde the Canon of the holye Bookes of the new Testament Whether it were not our Church that hath had the custodie construing both of the foresaid and of the other Bookes of the holy Bible euer since the Apostles time Or else whether before this time the Expositors thereof were Protestants And whether the Protestants had not the saide Books of vs And whether they can charge our Church all this longe while of her possesion with adding or minishinge any iote thereof Or whether they can not bee charged this short while of their vsurpation with robbing vs of many wholle Bookes thereof Bookes I say canonized in aproued Concels and of many a particulare portion more or whether euer any coulde be so charged but only Heritikes Finally whether our Church therefore be not the ōly true possessor or keper of this treasure as to whom only the Apostels cōmited it and therefore againe ours the only true Church The 37. Demaund Storehouse of all Truthe VVHETHER not onely all Canonicall Scripture as I haue saide but also all other truthes agreed vpon at any time by the Church of God and as it were laide vp for euer are not at this tym to be foūd in our church as that which was agreed vpon against the Arians that which was concluded against the Donatistes briefly that which was defined aganst all other Heretikes Aske them whether it haue not bene hither vnto and whether it be not still safelye keapt in our Church And how them selues came by the saide Truthes whether otherwise then at our
Seeing you acknowledge in your Confession of faith that the Sacraments ought only to be ministred by such as are called therunto by ordinary vocation I demand if your vocation vnto the ministrie be like vnto the calling of all others who haue gone before you in the Church of Christ since the time of the Apostles whom both yee and wee repute and hould to haue been Iawfull pastors and teachers of his flock as S. Cyprian S. Augustin S. Ambrose and diuers others wishing you to shewin al points the conformitie of your vocation with that of theirs 5. who their Doctors Seing after the discours of the election of your Ministers Elders and Deacons yee acknowledge that the Scriptures make mention of a fourth kind of Ministers lest vnto the Church of Christ which also are very necessarie profitable Ephes 4. 1. Cor. 12. and are called by the name of teachers and doctors whose office it is to teach and instruct the faithfull in sound doctrine prouiding with all diligence that the puritie of the gospel be not corrupted ether throgh ignorance or false opinion I pray you to shew at what time any Doctors of such calling haue bene in your Church before Iohn Caluin because the places of Scripture noted by you teach and declare that God hath appointed such meanes in his church that it should neuer be left desolate nor yet his Doctrine to decay for wāt of Doctors other teachers 6. Their admission of Tinkers c. And seeing yee confes in the same place that men cannot profit so well in the knowledge aforesayd vnles they be first instructed in the learned tongues humane sciences for now God doth not commonly worke by miracles and that therefore it is necessary that seed be sowen for the tyme to come to the end that the Church be not left barren wast vnto posterity and also that for this effect schooles be erected wherin youth may be trayned vp in the knowledge and feare of God I demand why yee admitted at the first entry of your doctrine into Scotland and yet doe Taylors Skinars and other Artificers who were neuer instructed but in their owne craft and occupation which they left and abiured and out of their owne heades without any further calling vnto the ministery began to teach the people hauing for all their learning and forme of preaching some English books only which yet themselues very hardly vnderstood 7. If the only written word be Iudge Seeing that among other heads of your alleadged fayth this is one principall that nothing is to be beleeued Cal. l. 4. Inst c. 8. sect 8. but what is found in the written word I demaund what testimony yee haue in the same for assurance of your faith in this point And whether the fayth of the Apostles was groūded on the written word or not 8. S. Thomas Ghospell Where is it written that there is only foure Ghospels and that the Ghospell of S. Matthew with the other three ought to be recea ued and not the Ghospell of S. Thomas Or what authority hath moued you to receaue som books or chapters for canonical scriptur and to refuse or reiect others Or if any man deny any booke of the new Testament as Martin Luther doth the epistle of S. Iames what argumentes haue yee from the Scripture to condemne him Praef. in nou Test 9. VVhy Iewes credited Seeing yee giue so great authority to the Synagogue of the Iewes that according to their canon yee admit reiect sundry bookes of holy Scripture why giue yee not the like authority to the Christian church which hath gone before you in receauing such bookes as are approued by her for canonicall Scripture And if the only cause which moues you to reiect such bookes be because they were not approued by the Synagogue of the Iewes why by the same reason reiect yee not Christ himselfe seeing that Synagogue would not admit him for their Messias 10. Churches authoritie If it be the office of the church to discerne betwixt canonicall Scripture and not canoniall as a De capt Bab Luther b In prologo cont Pet. à Soto Brentius and other of your owne masters doe confes why should not the same church be heard of you in giuing her interpretation vpon any doubtfull place therof called in question Or why call yee more in dout the interpretation of the Scripture giuen by the Church then the very bookes themselues Or why prefer yee the priuat opiniō of Iohn Caluin and your selues before the vniuersall and vniforme consent of all Christian people before you 11. Citing only the written word Why esteeme yee Calu. l. 4 Inst c. 8. num 13. that yee haue an infallible marke of the true religion because yee cite only the written word seeing this hath beene common to all heretiques from the beginning Or what haue you more to say for your felues then they had for themselues in this point 12. If Scripture be easy If the Scripture be so easy as yee teach it to be c Luth de ser arbit what hath moued your owne writers to make so many cōmentaryes therupon Or what is the cause that ther is so great controuersy in religiō as we see at this day Yea euē vpon the expresse wordes of the last Testament of our Lord which according to the nature of a Testament should be most cleere 13. Conference of places If the priuate iudgment of euery one conferring Scripture with Scripture be a certaine and infallible rule of right interpretatiō as yee say how is it that so many grosse contradictions are foūd in your writinges gayn-saying not only one another but your selues also as is euident in your owne bookes 14. No meanes to be resolued Seeing that the Lutherans the Zuinglians and the Caluinists besides an infinite number of other sectes doe euery one alleage the written word for cōfirmation of their contrarie opinions how shall it be knowen to any man that would resolue himselfe in matters of religion which of them haue the true word sith it is the true vnderstanding that maketh the word and not the outward sounding of the voice as Christ himselfe saith who obiected to the Saduces Mat. 12. that they mistooke the Scriptures because they vnderstood not the meaning of them 15. Traditions Why deny yee any credit to be giuen to Traditions contrary to a Cal. l. 4. iust c. 10. the expres commandment of the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians in this maner b 2. Thes 2. Stand and keepe the Traditions which yee haue receiued whither by word or by our epistle And also contrary to the doctrne of all the auncient doctors of the church Or how haue yee the Scripture it selfe but by Tradition And seeing yee will giue no place vnto Traditions what assurance haue yee that since the Natiuitie of Christ there is only 1623. yeares Or whither it be lawfull for Christian men to call this point in
the heresie of the Eunomians Aug. ad quod wlt Deum heres 54. that by faith only man may obtaine life euerlasting 54. Of the Pelagians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Pelagians Aug. ad quod vult heres 11. teaching that infaÌ„ts may be saued without Baptisme 55. Of the Iouinians Why haue yee renewed the heresies of Iouinianus Aug. ad quod vult haer 81. teaching mariage to be as acceptable to God as virginitie that it is lawfull for Monkes Nunnes to marrie 56. Of the Vigilantians Why haue yee renewed the heresies of Vigilantius denying the inuocatioÌ„ of Saints the honoring of the relicks of the Martyrs Hier. con Vigil 57. Of the Eustichians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Eustachians affirming that it is not lawful to go in Pilgrimage vnto holy places 58. Of the Iconomachians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Iconomachians Concil Gang. breaking downe the Images of our Lord Iesus Christ of his Saints 59. Of the Beringarians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of Beringarius denying the body and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ to be reallie present in the Sacrament of the Altar 60. Of many other heresies Why haue yee reneued maÌ„y other heresies of the Albigenses Waldenses Wickliffits Hussits of Abailhardus of Almaricus of other more detestable heretiques condemned many years since by the church of God 61. Following heretiques only in some pointes Why haue yee followed the aforsaid heretiks in these pointsoÌ„ly in which they haue dissented froÌ„ the whole church of God and reiected the rest of their doctrine 62. Scottish Reformation Whether your Reformation which yee haue made in the realme of Scatland in pulling downe of the Churches be not rather like to the Reformatign of Turkes and Pagans then to a Reformation made by Christians 63. Churches made Stables Whither in making Stables of the Churches in Scotland so that horses were stabled on your Kinges graues and in diging vp the bones of Christian men resemble yee rather to be Christians or Infidels and Pagans 64. Burning Reliques What moued you to burne the holy Reliques of Saints who were Temples and Tabernacles of the holy Ghost when they liued which among all ChristiaÌ„s since the Apostles dayes vnto this present haue bene holden in honor and veneration 65. Burning the Doct. writinges Why burnt yee the writinges of the Doctors holy fathers as of S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Hierome and others and yet shame not to say that yee professe one faith with them 66. Depossing magistrates Where is the veritie and effect of your solemne protestations promising that your ReformatioÌ„ was not to disposses any magistrat when yee haue not only raised vproares in the contrie and expelled thence the chiefe magistrates but in your preachinges would plainly thrall all kinges and kingdomes and haue them subiect to the election and punishmeÌ„t of the people setting forth your sundry bookes therupon 67. Libertie of Conscience Why in the begining of your new gospell preached yee liberty of conscience now constraine all men to subscribe to your new doctrine yee them whome yee know to beleeue the contrarie 68. Profession of pouertie Why preached yee when yee first vsurped authoritie to preache that the Ministers of the word ought to profes and obserue pouertie as the Apostles did and presently none in the whole realme are so couetous as yee are not only to giue mony vpoÌ„ land but also vpon planie vsurie 69. Churches patrimonie Why pretend yee to haue the benefices and patrimonie of the Church seeing yee cannot shew your selues to be lawfull heires and successours to them who were the true and right posessors therof before you And why haue yee reiected as Idolatrie all that which appertayneth to them whom yee cal papistes excepting only the patrimonie liuing of the Church Or if there were no Churchin the contry before your coming why pretend yee as patrimony any other thing theÌ„ hath already bene giuen to your congregation by those of your owne coate 70. Building Churches Seeing one spirit could not moue so many of our Kinges to build so many Churches Colledges Abbies and you to destroy the same which of you two may be iustly esteemed to be moued by the good spirit and which by the euil 71. Finally whether these your doinges tend not to the abolition of all memorie of our Lord Iesus Christ yea or no Seing already some of you doe dout in what time of the yeare he was borne as whether in winter or in summer so that apparently your next dout will be whether he was borne or not which appeares to be the end and conclusion of your new gospell THE TITLES OF THE DEMANDES Contayned in this booke of D. BRISTOVV 1 COLLATIO CarthagineÌ„sis pag. 6 2 Building of the Church 11 3 Going out 16 4 After-rising 18 5 VVondred at 20 6 Name of Catholikes 22 7 Name of Heretikes 26 8 Name of Protestants 27 9 Conuersion of Heathen Nationss 31 10 Miracles 34 11 England 38 12 Visions 41 13 Hoâ—or of Crosses 42 14 Vertue of Crosse 45 15 Honor of Saintes 46 16 Vertue of Saints 47 17 Casting out of Diuells 48 18 Destroying of Idolatry 52 19 Kinges 54 20 In all persecutions 57 21 Churches 60 22 Seruice 63 23 Apish imitation 66 24 Priesthood 67 25 Monkes 72 26 Fathers 73 27 Councells 75 28 Sea Apostolicke 77 29 Traditions Apostolike 78 30 Their owne Doctors 79 31 Vniuersality 80 32 Antiquity 82 33 Consent 83 34 Authority 84 35 Vnity 89 36 Keepers of the Scriptures 91 37 Store-house of all Truth 92 38 Old Heresyes 95 39 Where grew their dostrine 96 40 They neuer afore now 98 41 Studying of all Truth 99 42 Vnsent 101 43 Succession 102 44 Apostolike Church 103 45 Changing 105 46 Our Auncestors saued 108 47 Communion of Saints 109 48 VVhere Christ worketh 112 49 All enemyes 118 50 Sure to continue 119 51 Apostacy 119 THE TITLES OF THE DEMANDES Contayned in this other booke 1 PReachers 131 2 VVhence their doctrin 131 3 VVhence their vocation 132 4 If conforme to predecessors 132 5 VVho their Doctours 133 6 Their admission of Tinkers 134 7 If the oÌ„ly writteÌ„ word be Iudg 135 8. S. Thomas Ghospell 136 9. VVhy Iewes credited 137 10. Churches authoritie 137 11. Citing only the writteÌ„ word 138 12. If Scripture be easy 139 13. Conference of places 139 14. No meanes to be resolued 140 15. Traditions 141 16. Thinges vnwritten ordered 142 16. Church not inuisible 142 17. Their Church how long 143 18. The Sinagogue visible 144 19. Time of decaying 145 20. Sucession of theirs 145 21. Condemning heresies 146 22. Imitation of heretiques 146 23. Sacraments seales 147 24. Faith assures not grace 147 25. Value of Sacraments 148 26. Necessitie of Baptisme 148 27. Preachetiue Baptisme 148 28. Baptisme of Infidels infants 149 29. Ceremonies of Baptisme 150 30. Confirmation 150 31. Reall presence 151 32.