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.
DEMANDS TO BE PROPOVNDED OF CATHOLICKES TO THE HERETIKES By Richard Bristow Priest and Doctour of Diuinity Taken partly out of his late English booke of Motiues to the Catholicke faith partely out of his printed Latin booke of the same matter For Iohn Heigham With permission Anno 1623. Mat. 16. Aedificabo Ecclesiam meam portae inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam I will build vp my Church and hell gates shall not preuaile against it Marc. 1.3 Caelum terra transibunt verba autem mea non transibunt Heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shall not passe Hic libellus est Catholicus elegans apprimè vtilis praelo dignus Ita testor Gulielmus Alanus S. Theol. Duaci Professor Regius DEMANDES TO BE Propounded vnto all Heretikes VNDERSTANDING gentle Reader that many are desirous of my late booke of Motiues to the Catholike faith who notwithstandinge cannot come therby partly because there were but few printed partely because a great parte of those few fell into the Heretickes handes God so ordaining it in testimonium ills for a witnesse vnto them and not minded to repaire the Printe although of som desired I thought good for some satisfaction of the saide and for further propagatiō of the truth to the saluation of my deare deceaued countrimen to set out this litle Pāflet which albeit to some may for the quantity seme but a trifle yet whosoeuer will voutsafe to peruse it shal finde it I trust full of most iust weightie considerations to beleeue the Catholikes of this time also and not the Heretikes The maner of it I haue conceaued by way of Demaundes to be made by Catholickes vnto Heretickes to confound therwith the obstinate and to conuert thē that be more tractable And although in these Demandes I wil be very briefe as only to put the learned in minde of that they haue read or may read and to shew them how to vse it to profite both thē selues others yet shall I touch the matter in euery one of them by the grace of God sufficiently for all sortes But if any man desire a larger declaration of them he shall in my late booke of Motiues for most of thē find enough and for all of them much more in my latine book which work thē only promised he hath since most learnedly performed of the same mater and that somewhat of an other sort in another order thē I did before in English which by these Demaundes may partly be coniectured Beseeching moste hūbly the deceuers if they shall clearely see in their consciences that they can not replie to these Demaundes that then they will for Christes sake vouchsafe to be good to their owne soules and to spare the seely people The 1. Demaund Touching the disputation made at Carthage FIRST then in the name of God let it be demanded of the sayd deceauers or of any other Heretike and especially of them that will seeme to be learned whether they haue not read or heard of Collatio Carthaginensis The conference or disputation made a Carthage in Africke almost twelue hundred years ago betweene Saint Augustine on the one side and his fellowes the other Catholike Bishopes of that Countrey and on the other side the Bishoppes of the Donatistes who were Heretiks likewise of that Countrey Which disputation being then presently taken word for word of diuers swift Notaries was afterwarde more breifly written by S. Augustine himselfe and is at this day to be seene in the seuenth Tome of his workes in his booke called Breuiculus Callationis An abridgment of the Conference If they knowe of the said conference let them then be asked whether the Question there betweene the Catholickes and the Donatists were not the same that is now betweene the Catholicks and the Protestants with al other Heretickes of this time to wit VVhich of vs haue the Church of Christ wherher we or they And because these Hereticks call earnestly for plaine Scripture and make as though they would yeeld most gladly therunto Let them say whether those Catholickes did not bring for their church very many most plaine testimonies of holy Scripture as is more orderly to be seene there in another booke of S. Augustins named De vnitate Ecclesiae Of the Churches vnitie Whether S. Augustine I say and those other Catholickes did not there most manifestly and most mightily out of the Scriptures proue a visible Church begining visibly at Hierusalem lasting visibly not only vnto their time but also vnto our time and euen so continually to the worlds end And whether such a Church make not as much against the Protestantes and all other Heretickes as against the Donatistes and as much for vs that be Catholickes now and for such as shall be Catholickes at any time to the worldes end as for S. Augustine and the other Catholikes of that time because neither the Protestantes nor no other Heretickes no more thā the Donatists haue so lasted or euer shal so laste cōtinually nor no other company of Christians but onely ours Finally if they will say that S. Augustine and his felowes there did not nor coulde not out of the Scripture proue sufficiently such a Church let them be demaunded whether they dare take parte with the Donatistes against those Catholickes and whether they will or be able to answere their Scriptures for and in behalfe of those Heretiks At leastwise because they talke so much of scripture and of onely Scripture whether they be able all the packe of thē as S. Augustine also there requireth of the Donatistes to alleage for their owne Church or Churches so much as one plaine text of Scripture as he there alleageth for our church in maner aforesaide very many and very plaine shewing also there that it cannot erre whether they can bring vs I say in so weightie a matter as wherupon dependeth al our cōtrouersie any one plaine saying of holy Scripture to proue that Christes Church beginning visibly at Hierusalem shoulde so continue but a time and then afterward should vtterly either perish or vanish away that many hundred yeeres after one Luther in Saxonie or one Caluine at Geneua or any other in any other countrey should bring it to life or to light againe The 2. Demaund Building of the Church VVHEREAS Christ his Christians haue besides Schismatikes and Heretikes two other kindes of enemies to wit Panimes Iewes wheras the aunciēt writers haue made many goodly books against those enemies either to confound them or to perswade them that Christ is God as it was then in the first beginning of Christians very necessary for them so to doe Let the learned Protestantes be likewise demaunded whether those christian writers in those books haue not made amongst others this argument to proue that christ is God namely Saint Chrysostome both against the Panimes in his booke named Contra Gentiles demonstratio quod Christus sit Deus A plaine demonstracion against the Gentiles
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
Succession And whether our church cannot shew in plaine authenticall writing the continuall Succession of her Bishopes and Pastors with their flockes euer since the Apostles time Or whether the Protestants Church can doe the like Yea whether they can in our Countrey referre them selues any further then to the letters patents of the Prince And whether this haue not bene e Opt. l. 2. f. 15. Hier. in Mic. 1. Aug. in Psa con par Do. nat alwaies vsed as a marke most certaine to knowe the true Church from Schismatikes and Heretikes euen in the f 3. Reg. 12. g. 31. Olde Testament also The 44. Demaund Apostolike Church VHHETHER in the Creede that we in our Masse and they in their Communion do vse this word Apostolicall were or could be put in as a plaine marke to know the Church which we must beleeue but only as it directeth vs to the Church of Rome seeing by experience that all other Apostolicall Churches Trent de praes Har. are now fayled Or whether the Roman Church be not Apostolicall as being the Sea of the two most glorious chiefe Apostles Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Opt l. 2. Aug ep 165. S. Peter and S. Paul Or whether in tyme of schisme and heresy the Fathers in their tymes hauing many Seas Apostolike did not chiefly looke themselues and direct others to the Apostolike Sea of Rome shewing therby that the Truth was theirs because the Bishop of Rome that came of the Apostles by lineall succession was theirs And therfore whether we haue not iust cause to followe their example specially seeing that Sea still hold on and continue as the Fathers said it should to the number now of two hundred and thirtie Bishopes Aug. in ps cont part Don. wheras to those Fathers time there were not fourtie The 45. Demaund Changinge VVHETHER we haue not yet againe iuste cause to keepe vs with the Churche of Rome seeing that the Romanes neuer changed their Faith which a Act. 2. g. 31. Rom. 10 c. 12. 6. 17. 16. c. 19. they receiued of S. Peter S. Paul Which is so plaine that I appeale to the Protestants them selues whether the Romans did not for example Pray for the dead euen then when those Fathers aforesaid did auouch that they were vnchāged yea so wondēring euen thē also at Aerius for denying the same that togeather with all other Churches they condemned him as an Heretike for going about to change that which alwaies vnitll then they had keapte vnchanged as they doe keepe it stil both that all the rest and that by the Protestantes owne confession these thousād or twelue hūdred years Whereby no wise man can doubt but that they remaine also the rest vp to the Apostles time also without change Yea to consider no more but that since Luthers time the Popes haue not changed one iote and that the Heretickes on the other side haue not since then lefte nor do not leaue changing euery daye may to any man of indifferent iudgement seeme a demonstration that the Popes neuer at all did chang And as for one or two amongst all the Popes whom they charge with erring first we deny it for it is most false as the learned Catholikes haue well declared Secondly we say supposing some Popes had erred yet neuer did any Pope goe about to chang the Romans faith with his error Thirdely we say and let the wise consider it well that were it so those Popes did erre also goe aboute to infect the Romans with those errors yet is it not those errors wherewith the Protestantes do now charge the Pope the Romanes And therefore whē they blasphemously burden S. Liberius with Arrianisme or any other with the like they might better holde their peace then so to lie yet their lye nothing at all vnto the purpose The 46. Demaund Our Auncestors saued THEN whether al this while that they cōfesse our church to haue bene at least 12 hundred yeeres they will say that all our and their fathers mothers grād fathers and grandmothers and other Anncestors Kinsefolke Countreimen and all others that haue gonne so long for Christian men Iustin. l. 4. cap. 2 in fine c are all dāned in Hell yea whether Caluine him selfe do not confesse the contrarie that our Church I say serued well the turne all this while to saue men from Hell and to bringe men to Heauen Aske them then why it cannot serue still that turne as wel Or if they say that ignorāce afore did excuse now because of their preaching it cannot aske them why they do confesse that S. Augustine and such like are of all most surely saued who yet had not this ignorance but knew right well their new doctrine as in Aerius Iouinianus Vigilantius c and condēned it for most wicked Heresie And therefore whether it be not wisdome for al men to hold thē still in our chuch or to returne againe vnto it The 47. Demaund Communion of Saintes ALSO whether their church as it neuer was in the world before now so now at theire first appearing haue not cōmitted many most foule absurdities in pinching vp it selfe so narowly into the streightes of one small Countrey that in it one Christian man to another euen in spirituall affaires is a stranger that in it an Ecclesiasticall and Apostolicall power erected by Christ is deemed a foreiner that in it any Generall Councell that euer was or euer can be gathered of the Bishops of other Nations of al christēdom yea or of their owne confederats can take beare or haue no whit of authoritie that in it Epistles directed frō beyond the Sea by S. Paule himselfe if he were aliue such as his Epistles to the Romanes Corinthians c could beare no sway that in it all the Apostles togither writing frō their Synode of Hierusalem as they did to the Antiochians Act. 15. might beare no stroake that in it Christ himselfe without the King and the Parliaments consent might not dispose of his own churches but hold his peace and leaue his medling like a Foreiner as he was vnlesse he would say that he were the naturall King of Englande and displace the lawefull heires of the Kinges afore time because by their saying that headship cannot be separated from the kingshipe being as they say a real naturall and essential parte therof and therfore they shoulde not write the King of Englande Head of the Church of England no not vnder Christ vnlesse they wold write him also King of England vnder Christ. Of many other their absurdities Conf. l. 9 c. 12.24 as that S. Augustine there with our Priestes doeing his request should forfeite an hundred Markes for saying Masse for his Mothers soule c. I here say nothing The 33. Demaund VVhere Christ worketh VVHETHER it be not our Church onely which now and euer is so blessed of God and so embrued with Christes Blood that she hath grace in
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
question yea or no 16. Thinges vnwritten ordered If no Traditions ought to be receiued shew me where those thinges are written which S. Paul promised to set in order at his comming to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. for if all thinges were contayned in the written word which the Corinthians had receiued what needed S. Paul to promise to putt the rest in order at his cominge chiefly cōcerning our Lords supper 16. Church not inuisible Seeing Christ saith If thy brother will not heare thee tell it vnto the Church and if he will not heare the Church let him be to thee as a heathen publican and therfore apoints his Church to be iudge in controuersies concerning doctrine and maners how shal a man finde the church if it be inuisible And why affirme yee it so to haue bene seeing no recourse can be had to an inuisible iudge 17. Their Church how long How long esteeme you your Church to haue beene inuisible And during the tyme of the inuisibility therof if ther were any of your Ministers that preached the word of God administred the Sacraments in the realm of Scotland Also who they were that during that time opposed themselues to al heresies and confuted them seeing yee acknowledge with vs sundrie heresies to haue beene euen almost in all ages 18. The Sinagogue visible Seeing Christ hath reiected the Sinagogue of the Iewes erected and builded to himselfe a Church of the Gentills Mat. 28 which he hath promised to asist and maintaine to the end of the world how it is possible that the church of Christ against his said promise hath beene so many yeares inuisible as yee suppose Seeing that the aforsayd Synagogue notwithstanding the reiection thereof hath euer beene visible and is yet at this present in diuers countreyes so that by this your false doctrine yee giue vnto it euen after the reiection of it greater prerogatiue then yee vouchsafe to giue to the church of Christ 19. Tyme of decaying Seeing yee confes with your master Caluin l. 4. Inst. c. 2. n. 3. the Romane Church somtime to haue bene the true Church in what time age suppose yee that it decayed so that the adherents thereof by reasō of idolatrie could not be saued 20 Sucession of theirs Seeing God hath giuen some Apostles some Prophets Ephes 4. Euangelists and Pastors for the gathering to gether of the Saints and for the edification of the body of Christ which is his Church to the end of the world I require you if you be the members of the said body of Christ to shew your Doctors and Pastors who haue succeeded one another since the Apostles with continuance of any Vniforme doctrine as the Catholiques haue already done 21 Condemning herefies Why rayle yee so much against the seate of Rome seeing by that seate all heretiques haue bene conuicted and condemned hier ep 17. ad Dama s Aug. cont Pelag an euident token that it is of God And if yee haue the true Curch as yee alleadge shew that euer any of yours haue opposed your selues against any heresie before our dayes 22 Imitation of heretiques Why follow yee the footsteps of the Donatists who called the chaire of Rome Aug. cōt lit Petil. l. 2. c. 51. the chaire of pistilence Or how could it haue bene possible that the seat of Rome could haue withstood and prenailed against all kindes of perpersecutions since the begining and against so many infidels and heretiques if it had bene the chaire of pestilence as yee say The 23. Sacraments seales If the Sacraments be only outward tokens and seales as yee teache what prerogatiue giue yee to the Sacraments of the gospell Cal. l 4. Inst c. 10.1 aboue the Sacraments of the old law 24. Faith assures not grace Seeing yee teach that faith assureth you of grace receiued before the reception of the Sacraments how can you say but that they be altogether vnprofitable and can giue no fur ther confirmation For as much as where assurance of grace is already no confirmation is required 25. Value of Sacraments Why affirme yee the Sacraments to be of no valor except they be receiued by faith and not withstāding baptise infants who can receiue nothing by faith 26. Necessitie of Baptisme Why abuse yee the people teaching that infants without baptisme obtaine remission of their sinnes by the faith of their parēts sith the faith of the parents cannot hinder them to be borne in originall sinne Rō 3.5 Ephes 2. and to be the sonnes of wrath as S. Paul affirmeth 27. Preachatiue Baptisme Seeing Baptisme Cal. l. 4. Inst ca. 14. n. 4. as yee teache can not consist without preaching and for as much as no preaching was made at the time yee were baptised by the Catholiques what assurance haue yee that yee ar yet baptised Or what doth preaching auaile to alitle infant who wants the vse of vnderstanding 28. Baptisme of Infidels infants Why affirme yee with your master Caluin In Antid cō Trid. that the Sacrament of Baptisme ought only to be ministred to them who haue already obtained the remission of their sinnes Seeing therof it followes most euidently that infants begotten of Infidel parents should not at all be baptised because they cannot receiue remission of their sinnes by the faith of their parents when they are Infidels or vnfaithfull 29. Ceremonies of Baptisme Why reiect yee the ceremonies of Baptisme which alwayes a Dionis Ar. c. 2. c. Hier. haue bene vsed in the church of God since the dayes of the Apostles name what age soeuer you please Or how can yee defend your maister Caluin b l. 4. Inst c. 15 n. 19. who is not ashamed to affirme that in the primitiue church the right lawfull administration of Baptisme was already corrupted 30. Confirmation Why deny yee the Sacrament of Confirmation seing it is so clearly expressed in the Acts of the Apostles Act 1.19 who by the imposition of handes gaue the holy Ghost and also confirmed by all ancient writers yea and as yet retayned by the English Protestants 31. Reall presence If the body of our Lord Iesus Christ be not really in the B. Sacramēt l. 4. Inst. c. 17. n. 10. 14 why affirme yee with your master Caluin that in this Sacrament by the spirit of God those thinges are conioyned together which are seperat to wit the body of Christ which is in heauen with vs who are beneath in earth 32. Receiuing by faith Why affirme yee Cal. l. 4. Inst c. 17. n. 10. that we receiue the body of Christ really by faith if it be not really present in the Sacrament seing our faith cannot make that thinge to be which is not If therfore his body be not there really we cannot beleeue that we receiue it really except we flatly deceiue our selues 33. lifting vp to heauen In what scripture reade yee that which yee profes with your master Caluin
l. 4. Inst c. 17. n. 3â—â— that when yee receiue the sacrament Christ is made verely present vnto you Not that he should be on the earth where yee are but that yee should be lifted vp to heauen where he is and to which of the heauens were the Apostles lifted vp when they had our lord Iesus Christ sitting with them in the last supper 34. In two places at once Why attribut yee more to your owne faith then to the omnipoteÌ„t power of God Cal. l. 4. Inst cap. 17. n. 31. saing that by your faith yee are truly lifted vp to heauen and so at one time yee ar both in heauen and earth and deny that Christ can cause his body to be really present at once in heauen and earth 35. Penance Why deny yee the sacrament of Penance Cal. l. 3. Inst. c. 4. by the which the lawful ministers of Gods word as instruments of his Maiestie giue vs remission of our sinnes according to the word of Lord Iesus Christ Ioh. 20. Whose sinnes yee forgiue they are forgiuen whose yee retaine they are retained 36. Order Why deny yee holy Order to be a sacrament l. 4. Inst c. 14. n. 20. seeing your master Caluin doth most euidently confes it to be one as is most manifest in the written word of God Mat. 10. Luc. 9. 37. Extreame Vnction Why deny yee the sacrament extreame Vnction seeing the Apostle S. Iames cap. 5. speaketh so manifestly therof saying Is any sick among yov let him send for the priests of the Church let them pray ouer him and annoint him with oyle in the name of our Lord 38. Matrimonie Why deny yee the sacrament of mariage Ephes 5. seeing S. Paul witnesseth in so plaine words that it is a Sacrament And why doth your master Caluin lye so loudly affirming that no man vntill the time of Gregorie the first of that name Pope of Rome In c. 5. ad Ephes l. de fide op c. 7. euer saw that it was giuen for a sacrament seeing S. Ambrose a S. August b and other Doctors long before Gregorie affirme the same in most manifest wordes to be a sacrameÌ„t 39. Two wiues at once Why permit yee any man to marrie his first wife being yet aliue seeing S. Paul saith That the womaÌ„ which is in subiection to a man her husband being aliue is bound to the law but if her husband be dead she is deliuered froÌ„ the law of her husband Therfore if she take another man whilst her husband yet liueth she shall be called an adulteres 40. Breaking of vowes Seeing S. Paul affirmes that those who marrie after they haue made the vow of chastity incur damnation what hath moued your Apostata Priests Monkes and Friars to attempt mariage after their so solemne vow of chastitie and so most willfully to damne themselues 41. Sinnes not imputed Why affirme yee that yee are so assured that your sinnes are not imputed to you as yee are assured that God is in heauen because yee beleeue the one the other with one faith as yee say And yet not withstanding yee beg daylie in our Lords prayer that your sinnes may be forgiuen you which prayer truly were superfluous if this your assertion were so assured 42. All good workes sinnes Why affirme yee Cal. l. 3. Inst cap. 14. n. 5.11 that all our workes how good soeuer they appeare to be are nothing but sinne in the sight of God sith it is impossible that any worke be good and euill all at once And in the Scripture it selfe Gen. 4.22.3 Reg. 10. we reade of sundry that haue bene commeÌ„ded for their good workes Or if all our workes be sinnes then is it all one to rob a poore man and to giue him almes excepte the one be lesse sinne then the other 43. False assurance Why affirme yee with your master Caluin l. 3. Inst c. 2. n. 40. that who soeuer hath once embraced the light of your gospell can neuer perish considering that many who haue bene of your sect yea Ministers themselues of the highest ranck haue turned to vs and haue dyed in our Catholique faith and so according to your doctrine ar vtterly Damned 44. Absurditie by denying a third place Seeing on the one side yee teach that the spots of sinne remayne so long as we liue Cal. l. 4. Inst c. 13 n. 10. and on the other side deny both place and time of cleansing after our death how can you auoide to declare manifestly that ether none at all enter into heauen or else that they who enter do still remayne with their spots of sinne a thing so expresly contrary to the word Apoc. 12. 45. Inuocation of Saints Why affirme yee against the Scripture that the Saints in heaueÌ„ heare not our prayers because forsooth that they ar dead seeing Christ himself saith that God is not the God of the dead Mat. 22. but of the liuing And how can the Saints in heauen reioyce at our repentance if they know not the same Luc. 15. 46. Images If all that haue errected Images in the Temple of God be I dolaters how can yee deliuer Moyses of that spot or yet defend Exod. 25. 37. Num. 7. that God himselfe was not the author of I dolatrie seing he commanded Images to be made for that effect 47. Renewing old heresies Why haue yee renewed so many old heresies condemned so many hundred yeares since by the vniuersall church of God Namely the heresie of Simon Magus denying the freewill of man Clem. l. 2 Recog 48. Of the Pepusians Why haue yee renewed the heresie of PepusiaÌ„ns affirming Aug. de haer haer 27. that distinction of order and degree ought not to be obserued in the church of God 49. Of the Nouatians Cyp. l. 4. ep 2. â— Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Nouatians denying that all sinnes are forgiuen by the Sacrament of Penance 50. Of the Maniches Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Maniches Aug. ad quodâ— ult heres 46. denying the water of Baptisme to auayle any thinge to our saluation 51. Of the Donatists Why haue yee renewed the heresie of the Donatists Optat. Mil. l. 2. ad Par. de scis Don. teaching that the Church of God hath perished thoroughout the whole world except in some obscure corners As also Aug. l. 2. cont Petil c. 34. that S. Iohns Baptisme was not different from the baptisme of our Lord 52. Of the Arrians Why haue yee renewed the heresies of Arius Aug. de heres ad quod vult Deum heres 13. teaching that it is not lawfull to offer sacrifice for the dead And that there is no difference betweene a Bishop and a simple priest nor that the fasting dayes of the Chruch ought to be kept but that euery man may fast according to his owne will and pleasure 53. Of the Eunomians Why haue yee renewed