Doctor Hills Reasons for Upholding of Papistry Unmasked, Dialogue 1

Doctor Hills Reasons for Upholding of Papistry Unmasked · Dialogue 1

p. 9AN ANSWERE TO THE FIRST REASON.

THOMAS HILL.

If the Prophecies of the Holy Bible be true (as they be most true) then must the Religion of the Protestants needes be false.

GEORGE ABBOT.

THat some doe still continue to plead for their vnholy father of Rome, & do their best endevours to vnderprop & vphold the ruines of his decaying Babylon, ought not to seeme strange to any Christian man, who hath but a competent knowledge of things spiritual. For while there is a church militant, there shal also be a Church malignant, laboring to oppresse and keepe downe the other; and so long as Antichrist standeth, he shall hauehave his admirers, yea and aaApoc. 13. 15.Rev 13:15adorers too, of the image of the beast. And toward the end of the world it is foretolde, that there shall be swarmes of bbCap. 9. 3.locusts, who in likelyhood wil not so ill love the bottomles pit, from which they do ascend, but that their purpose wil be to returne thither againe, & drawe with them such store of company, as they may bee able to worke vponupon. Neither may it seeme wonderfull, that among the devoted servants of the Pope, some of our nation being …ed over the seas, should play their parts and prizes, since it is their open profession to stand on his side, and fight vnderunder his banner: And something they must returne for their hungrie pensions & needy mainetenaunce which they receive from his Holinesse and the King Catholike; besides the containing of their favourites heere in their former courses, by refreshing their wittes with novelties; and the solacing of their owne discontentments, vvhichwhich doe the lesse gaule and gripe their vnquie… hartes, while their heades are busied with inventing, and their handes with writing p. 10that, which whether it be true or false, tending to edification or destruction, they little care or consider.

2 But of the two, it is more to be marveiled at, that after so long and plentifull a flowing forth of the water of life, there should yet be anie of our countri-men and women remaining at home, who will tast of puddle water, yea bee as greedie to drinke thereof, as the maisters of the broken cisternes can bee ready to propose it vntounto them. That come there forth any pamphlet, of what small worth soever, yet some or other will either for their ignorance admire it, or for their vnsetlednes entertaine it, or for their perversenes embrace it, as if it were some divine Oracle descended from aboue. But this is the instabilitie of their iudgment, who are once ccGal. 3. 1.Gal 3:1bewitched like the foolish Galathians, that although Christ hath beene so lively testified vntounto them, as if hee had beene crucified before their eies, yet if newe teachers come one after another, they will earnestly attend, & listen vntounto thē. The world is not so altered, but that in their passage to ddNum. 11. 4.Num 11:4Canaan, some Israelites wil loath that Māna, which is ccPs. 78. 25.Ps 78:25the bread of Angels, & long to be againe in Aegypt. If there were never philosopher so absurde to invent any fond opinion, but there were some auditours as absurde to maintaine and follow the same, who can conceive but that vntill the destructiō of that whore, the famous strumpet (with the ffApoc. 17. 2Rev 17:2cup of whose fornication many of the Kings, and much of the people of the earth have bin dronken) shoulde stil have some inamored on her. As there ever will be deceivers, so there shall be some which will be deceived. Satan cannot give over his ggIob. 2. 2.Job 2:2compassing the earth: his skoutes & messengers vvill entend his service. Some children of Idolaters to the worlds end, shall vntounto the hhExo. 20. 5.Exod 20:5third and fourth generation participate of their parents curse, God with-drawing his grace from them, and not opening their eies: the peevish will decline, stumbling at some rocke of offence: weake women to shew themselves to be Eves daughters, will rather iiGen. 3. 1.Gen 3:1chuse to harken vntounto the serpent then to God almighty: & young ones for want of iudgment and discretion, wil credulously listen to a Sirens Song. Thus it hath bin, and thus it wil be. Not withstanding, the Magistrate by his charge, & the Minister by his duty, & indeede every Christian in his place, p. 11is both for pieties and charities sake to endevour, to plucke as many as he can kkIud. 23.out of the fire, as Saint Iude speaketh.

3 Yet this being graunted, that such leaders and such followers there be and will be, it may neverthelesse be much marveiled at, that the wisedome of Poperie is so blinded, and the ability of English fugitives is growne to so low an ebbe in the Seminaries, that to make good their party they hauehave no better means to vse, but such base ones, as in this booke or libel are presented to the world. Especiallie since this treatise is pretended to come from a Doctor of Divinitie, and one taking degree in one of those Vniversities, which by themselves bee llSee Reason 15. and Bristow Motive 31.reported to bee so famous, as that almost he who may but smell the smoake of them, or breath but a while on the ayre there, shal be inspired with knowledge, & have more learning Metaphysically infused into him, thē among vsus is to bee attained to in many yeares. And can a man of the highest degree in schoole there, for the maintenance of his cause, bring no better then such worne & broken stuffe, as heere is cō gested and heaped togither? Yet worship betide him, who not long before the birth of this tract, put out the mmCertaine Articles, or forcible Reasons. 1600.Pamphlet, that, the Protestants hauehave no faith nor religion: that the learned Protestantes are Insidels: that the Protestants are bound in conscience to avoide all good workes: that the Protestants teach, that God is worse thē the Devill, and such other worthy conclusions, to which nnD. Barlow. D. Buckley.two learned men hauehave made reply. For although he had but little honestie, in propounding such prodigious and portentuous monsters, yet he had more wit; since that caried some …ūble with it, albeit in such fort, as that those who respected it, were more afraide then hurt. That which comming vnawares, seemed to the improvident at the first to be some clap of thunder, was at the last discerned not to be so much as the striking vp of a drumme: It was no otherwise but a fewe stones shaken togither in an empty barrell. Yet the wile of the man is to be commended, that he could set som good words on it, as the Montibank… doth vse, who after open protestation that he hath somthing to sel of admirable vertue, of incō parable value, of inestimable benefite, which the Graunde Seigneour of the Turks, the Great Duke of Muscovy, the Emperor of Germany wil accept of, and desire, yea earnestly call for, which p. 12to have at their neede, Lords and Ladies will thinke themselves most happie: doth at the length & after all this flourish, produce some lippe-salve, or other such toy, as mooveth laughter in some, and serious indignation in other, who have not beene acquainted with the Mountibankes custome.

4 But this gallant with whom I hauehave to deale, and who speaketh as hereafter you shall heare, imagining that all the men in England are as blind as he would have them to be, hath sent vsus a fresh garment made of other mens olde clothes, which the most of vnderstanding have seene and knowne, to bee both worne bare and torne like the Ruines of Time. And hee hath little altered the verie fashion of it, saving peradventure to sette the right sleeve where the left formerly was, and something now before, which erst stood behinde. Indeed some peeces he hath shrunk, & drawne thē in narrower, to make them seeme the thicker: & some other few (for in sooth they are but few) he hath enlarged with a skirt or hem of new cloath: and yet willing to buy as little stuffe as possibly he might, in some places he hath sewed two or three ragges togither, so to make a pretty peece. The truth is, that now almost ooAn. 1574.thirty yeeres since, a coūtry-man of ours, whom D. Fulke not vnfitly called Bl…ring Bristow, did with much bouldnesse and little learning put forth a booke, which he called his Motives vntounto the Catholike saith. VVhichWhich as then for satisfying of the simple, & repressing of the craking insolency of the adversary, it was answered by a worthy man ppD. Fulkes Retentives.who now resleth with the Lord; yet since that time, (howsoever by some Romanists, Banke-rupts of better matter, it hath ever now & then slightly beene talked of) almost generally it hath lien contemned of all, scant worthy the naming or serious recounting. Yet of late because Master Parsons was busie about State-causes, or the supporting of his weake and languishing Arch-priest, and they have not manie other which may keep the mint going, in the yeare 1599. some body thought good to revise their olde t…inkets, and for lacke of richer stuffe, out were put these Motives againe, printed at Antwerpe, as in the first Page is prefixed. And albeit this were a Crambê, whereof most stomakes, which received it, had surfeted before; yet this honest friend D. Hill, thought he would not leave it so, but the p. 13verie next yeare qq1600.after, and from the same forged place, & printed with the same letters, for any difference that may bee seene betweene them, sendeth this script vntounto vsus, as if it were some new excellent booke, wheras indeede much of the forme & manner, and almost all the matter, for the ground thereof, is taken out of Bristow.

5 Yet of his olde Rectour M^r. Parsons, hee borroweth some fevve Memorandums, and heere and there a touch from Campian, and a finger he hath in Staphilus translated by Stapleton, on al which he bestoweth ever now and then a little viperous aspersion of his own; if among so much taken vponupon trust, we may iudge that to be his owne, which perhaps might bee found to belong to some other, if we had vse of all their bookes & dictates which they retaine among them. Had it not bin better for one of that learning which this title doth entend, to have translated a peece of Bellarmine, or Gregory de Ualencia out of Latine into English? If the worke had bin but meane, yet this had bin gained by the bargaine, that every English Papist & Protestant almost, had not bin acquainted with the matter before hand. But to take an olde English booke, and to make a new English booke of it, is but to take an olde garment, and to turne it and newe dresse it, where when all is done, because it is not onelyonly turned but rotten stuffe also, it deserveth no better then to be turned out of dore, that it may finde no place in the conscience of any Christian man or woman. Where by the way it may be observed, that reasons for Popery grow fewer & fewer; for M^r. Bristow being of likely hood desirous to have made them vp fiftie, did stretch his witte so farre, as that, tales quales, he brought th… to eight and forty. But D. Hill hath reduced his number to five & twenty: And though he would have his friēds beleeve, rrIn his second letterthat he can adde many more, yet the Reader shall finde that in these he hath involved almost all the remainder of Mr. Bristowes matter, as in the processe hereof shall be declared. And if heereafter he bring more, by Gods assistāce he shal have thē examined. In the meane while I will be dealing with these, whō after the French fashion he vttereth by the Quartron; and calling them A Quartron of Reasons, doth intimate vntounto vsus, that being wayed in the ballance of the Sanctuary p. 14they are as much worth as a quarterne of raysings. Let vsus see now what proofe is made of his first stout proposition.

T. HILL.

BEfore the comming of the Messiat, there was not any People, or Natiō which did serve the true and living God, but only the Iewes, al other whatsoever being overwhelmed in a Sea of blindnes, & wor s…ipping false Gods, which indeede were Devills, and therevpon the Maister Devill Lucifer was tearmed Princeps huius mūdi, that is, Prince Ioan. 12.John 12of this world, for that he was … and worshipped in all Landes & Kingdomes, Iewry, and that in part onelyonly, excepted: which miserable state and condition God of his infinite mercy greatly pittying, promised in time to send a Saviour, which should redeeme all Nations & People, free them from that pittifull servitude and blindnesse, and bring them to the knowledge of true and right Religion, by suffering death, and consequently by planting a Church, to the which all Nations should repaire. Thus he did fore-tell by diver se & sundry Prophets, as by Esay, who saide the Church should be as a mountaine, to the which All nations should slowe. And manie people shall goe and say; Come and let vsus ascend to the Cap. 2.mountaine of our Lord: and after, Idols shall vtterly bee bruised, and to be briefe, all this Chapter, yea all the rest in a manner fore-shevv the same matter, declaring most plainely the conversion of all Nations to the Church of the Messias, and …vv Kinges and Queenes should come, Cap. 49. & 60. Dan 2 & 7. Psal 47. Mich. 4. Luc. 1. Psal. 71.Dan 2Ps 47Mic 4Luke 1Ps 71and … homage vntounto it, and that it should ever continue vvithout interruption: and that it should be most ample and large, the Prophet David most manifestly fore-telleth, saying, that it should extend frō Sea to Sea, and from the river to the endes of the world, and how the Aethiopians should fall downe Before the Messias, with the Kinges of Tharsis, Arabia and Saba, and to be short, all Kings & People should acknowledge this Church, as innumerable Prophecies of the olde Testament doe plainely foreshew. Heerevpon it was that good men thirsted and longed so greatly for the comming of the Messias, knovving that by him all people which sate in darkenes, and in the shadow of death, should be lightened, delivered, and set in the right way to Heaven. And so our Saviour b…selfe p. 15being now in the way to Ierusalem to suffer, saide, Now the Prince of this world shall be cast out: and, If I shall bee exalted from the Ioh. 12.John 12earth, I will draw all to my selfe, meaning by his Passion to dravv all people from Heathenish Idolatrie to serve him.

G. ABBOT.

6 I will not dispute with you, whether the maister Devil (whom the Iewes termed ssLuc. 11. 15.Luke 11:15Beelzebub) bee called Lucifer or no, and whence that opinion had both his beginning and progresse: neither will I handle any other thing of like nature, which properly belongeth not to that which is in difference betweene you and mee: But I will condescend vntounto you, that some Iob, or Iethro or some fewe such excepted, the Church for the ordinarie compasse of it, vvas after the entrance into Canaan, vvithin the boundes of Israel, that is, the twelve Tribes at the first, and afterward in Iewry, accounting that to comprehend the men of Iuda and Beniamin, with the Levites. And on these tearmes it stood till the comming of our most blessed Saviour, concerning whose appearance Esay did foretell, that to ssCap. 2. 2.the mountaine of the house of the Lord &c. all nations should flowe, And many people should goe and say, Come and let vsus goe vp to the mountaine of the Lorde. But that which you cite of Idols, ttVers. 18.And the Idols will he vtterly destroy, howsoever it may be applied vntounto Christ, yet if you looke againe, it may well be disputed to belong in that Chapter to another time and matter; and then you in referring the whole, to the revealing of the Messias, may very well be deceived. I will not stand vvith you, but that Esay and Daniel, and David and the other sacred writers, do give ample testimony of a copious confluence every way to the Church. As also it must be yeelded that men longed for the comming of the fore-appointed Saviour, since hee it vvas alone who should bring ioy vntounto mākind. Only by the way I do tell you, that in delivering the words of Esay, you are bould with the text, when you put it, Our Lord, whereas no such word, as Our, is there to be foūd. But that is your custome to hale in that word throughout the whole newe Testament, it neither being in the p. 16Greeke nor in the vulgar Latine. OnelyOnly the … Rhemists doe enioyne In 1. Tim. 6. 20.1 Tim 6:20it to their obedient children, that they must not say, The Lord, but Our Lord, as we say, Our Lady, for his mother, not the Lady, & this they make to be a marke of difference betweene themselves so speaking, and vsus saying after the Scripture, The Lord. And accordingly our English people doe practise it, if they savour of Popery… so much that in all my life I have scant heard any in cōmon speech alwaies saying, Our Lord, but that party hath more or lesse beene tainted that way.

7 Furthermore when you name Heathenish Idolatrie, doe you give it that Epitheton, as meaning that Christ would put an end to the horrible superstitions of the Ethnicks, but that there should stil be Idolatry in your Synagogue, which by no meanes you wil forgoe? Or is it rather your minde, that all Idolatrie is heathenish, and that there can bee none in the daies of the newe Testament? Indeede so M^r. Bristow your good maister, woulde make vsus beleeve, saying, xxMotiv. 32.So must wee everie vvhere vnderstand Idols in the olde Testament, that they were figures of Heresyes in this time of the nevve Testament, no other Idols being now but Heresies. Ponitur Idolum quan… do novum dogma constituitur &c. An Idoll is sell vp, when a newe Position (or Heresy) is erected, saith Saint Hierome, the most learned & expert In Ier. 32.Jer 32interpreter of the Scriptures. Saint Paule also himselfe giving his voice thervnto, where by Baal, the Idoll that God did speake of to Elias, Rom. 11.Rom 11be teacheth vsus to vnderstād the erroneous wicked doctrin against Christ, 3. Reg 19.1 Kgs 19of his incredulous Countrie-men the Iewes of his time. This is good Logicke M^r. Bristow, and for the sweetnes of the conclusion, fit to be studied in your Popish Vniversities. An Idoll is set vp when a new doctrine is erected, (which is a figurative vnderstanding) & Baal may in some application signisie an erroneous doctrine, Ergo there bee now no other Idols but Heresies, neither have bin vnderunder the Gospell. By this reckoning you doe well in your Catechismes to leave out the second commandement, as not at al belonging to the newe Testament. But why did Saint Iohn, after Christs death and ascension too, bidde, yy1. Ioh 5. 21 foreign.1 John 5:21Babes keepe your selves from Idolls. And is it not saide else where speaking of times, after the opening of the zzApoc. 8. 1.Rev 8:1seventh seale, and when the sixt aaCap 9. 13.Angell had sounded his trumpet, that is to say, towards the end of the p. 17world, that men bbCap 9. 20. foreign.repented not of the deedes of their handes, that they should not worship Devils, and Idols of gold and silver, and brasse & stone, and of wood, which neither can see, neither heare, neither goe, which being taken with al the circumstāces, is a most manifest convictiō, that in the later daies there should be materiall Idols. To which may be added the Idols destroied by Cōstantine, three hundred yeares after Christ, & the intolerable Idolatry which in this last age hath beene discovered to be committed, in the East Indies, America and many parts of Africa, by diverse Ethnicks and Infidels, which did & do inhabit there. Therefore you cannot so run away & escape, but that evē now also Idolaters you may be. This I note to shew how your Popery doth hang vponupon gimols.

T. HILL.

NOw if the Religion of the Papists (as these new men tearme them) be false & arronious, then is it against the Messias, and consequently it is a Religion of the Devils owne invention, and hee the maister and inspirer thereof, and so by it he is served and worshipped: and then must it needes follow that the Prophets were false, yea Christ himselfe saide not truely, in telling his Disciples, that the Prince of this world, that is, the Divell, should then be cast out, and that he would draw all to himselfe, for that since his passion the Divell bath had a more large and ample dominion then he had before.

G. ABBOT.

8 Very bluntly & boisterously is your second Propositiō here connected to your former: where we wil not be straightlaced toward you, but readily yeelde you the tearme of Papists. For if Christians be such as depend vponupon Christ, you may wel be called Papists, as resting your summn̄ bonū vpō the Popes pleasure & determination. Neither shall you neede much to presse vsus, to grant that your Religion, or rather Superstitiō is false & erronious, yea against the Messias, & as far forth as the abuses of it stretch, of the Divels owne invention. For Saint Paule doth teach vsus, that it is cc1. Tim. 4. …. 2. 3.1 Tim 4doctrine of Divels, to speake false in hypocrisie, to forbid to marrie, p. 18to abstaine from meates, vvhichwhich God hath created to bee receaved vvith giving of thankes; the first wherof, most of you plētifully performe, the second you inhibit to some men at all times, the third to all men at some times, and that not for state-governmēt, but for Religion sake. But the sequel of your inference, doth prove to be a most discinct and dissolute thing: for howe will it then followe that the Prophets were false, and Christ saide not truely? Marry, in telling his Disciples that the Prince of the worlde, that is, the Devill should then bee cast out, and that he would drawe all to himselfe. Which doe you so expound, as that all Nations of the world should immediately after his death, resurrection, and ascension be converted to the faith, & should alwaies so cōtinue? which your former words may wel seeme to import, by your inculcating of Al ddFol. 2.Nations, & having afterwards subioyned vntounto it, ever continue without interruption, &, eeFol. 3.all Kinges & people should acknowledge this Church, & againe, all people which sate in darkenes, & in the shadow of death, should be lightened, delivered, and set in the right way to Heaven. If you take it thus, you are pitifully out: for our Saviour hath fore-told that into the ffMath. 7. 13Matt 7:13wide gate & broad way, that leadeth to destruction, many there be which enter; but the straight gate and narrow way that leadeth vntounto life, few there be that finde. And it was reveiled vntounto Iohn, that with the whore of Babylon the ggApoc. 17. 2.Rev 17:2Kings of the earth committed fornication, & the inhabitours of the earth are drunken with the wine of her fornication. And experience hath confirmed, that not only the Saracene doctrin hath for almost these thousād yeeres possessed the shew & face of many great countries; but time out of mind, very Gentilisme & Heathenisme have raigned in the East & West Indies, in the Ilands neere adioyning, in diverse parts of Africa, in Lappia, and many other countries, the name of Iesus our Redeemer (for ought that of certainty can be found) till of late yeeres being scant ever heard of among them. Or doe you rather vnderstand those speeches of all Nations cōming vntounto him, & of all being drawne vntounto Christ, to carry this sence, that the Gentiles nowe, as well as formerly the Iewes, should bee admitted, and moreover that the word should bee spreade to the East and to the VVest, and to the North and to the Southe, so that before the day of iudgment, God should have some faithfull in everie quarter; and p. 19sometimes when his Church did flourish many thousands in diverse places, and alwaies some servants some-where? In this meaning if you take it, we willingly ioyne with you, the rather induced thervnto by the nature of the word, All, in the Scriptures, and by the manner of the fulfilling of those Prophecies in the Church, in such a sort as with reason cannot be gaine-saide. For as All in holy writte doth evermore at least signifie many, so it doth not cōtinually importe a generality without any sort of exception. When it is saide that to Iohn the Baptist hhMath. 3. 5.Matt 3:5vvent out Hierusalem and all Iewry, and all the region round about Iordan, it is not meant that no individuall person did stay at home, but many of all sortes, rich and poore, young and olde, men and women, such a company as if almost all the country had come in, were partakers of his Baptisme. So iiTit 2. 11. foreign.Titus 2:11the grace of God hath appeared, which bringeth salvation to all men, saith Saint Paule to Titus. Like to which is that to Timothy, kk1. Tim. 2. 4.1 Tim 2:4God our Saviour, who will that all men shall be saved; where All intendeth many, or diverse of diverse sorts, not vniversally every one. He will have all to be saved, saith Gregory, llIn 1. Reg. 14.1 Kgs 14because out of every sort of men hee chooseth those whome hee draweth to the ioye of everlasting salvation. And Aquinas himselfe among other interpretations of that later place, hath this, mmPart 1. q. 19. a. 6.It may bee vnderstood that the distribution must be made pro generibus singulorum, and not, pro singulis generum, according to this sence: God vvill have of every state of men to be saved: males and females, Iewes and Gentiles, smal and great, but not all of every severall state. And who will say that in every particular countrie of Asia, or the continent toward the South pole, or many other quarters of the world, the Church of Christ hath alwaies apparantly bin? The Romanists of al other must not say so; if they will have the cōgregation of Gods faithful to extēd it selfe no further thē their doctrine & the Popes vsurpatiō doth goe. For they cannot prove that ever those regions heard of the name of the Romane Bishop vntill this last age, if now they doe, or have lately done. This thē we grant vntounto you: that Christ Iesus hath evermore a Church, & that variously dispersed vnderunder the cope of heavē, not boūded within narrow precincts, as that of the Iewes was. The goodly titles also which in the word are givē vntounto it, are ever true in respect of the purity of religiō, but especially p. 20for the fundamental points which finally cōcerne salvation. And they are also as true for the visible glory of the church in time of peace & the free course of the Gospel: but are not perpetually & without interruption, to be vnderstood for the patent extent of the same, & that gloriously & apparātly to be in any one countrey of the world, as the defenders of the Romane Hierarchy would chalenge to themselves.

T. HILL.

FOR before the comming of the Messias, the people of the Iewes, & many others also in other Lands, which were of the Iewish Religion, vvere in some sorte farre from the bondage of the Devill; but since his comming both Iewes and Gentiles and almost all Nations, Tribes and Kingdomes have bin ever in Lucifers thraldome vntill this our age, in which Luther came to expell Lucifer, and to ridde all the world out of his captivity. And so the passion of our Redeemer availed little or nothing at all, for the space of these fifteene hundred yeeres; & for a thousand yeeres together hee was so farre from drawing all vntounto him as hee said hee would do, that he drew not so much as one person that any mā can name. And in Ioh. 12.John 12our Country there of England, it is most manifest that all were Papistes without exception from the first Christening thereof, vntill this age of King Henry the eight.

G. ABBOT.

9 YOV labour to proove, that if you bee not the Church, the Devils dominion since Christes time hath bin larger then ever it was before. And your reason is, that before the comming of Christ, the Iewes and other of the Iewish profession in other lands were in some sort free from the bondage of the Devil: (which is true in all those who by the eies of faith did foresee the birth, life & death of the Messias, & did beleeve on him, reputing him their Redeemer, as … Iob did call him) but since his manifestation, say you, Iewes & Gentiles & almost all Nations, Tribes & Kingdomes … Iob. 19. 25.Job 19:25have bin ever in Lucifers thraldome vntill this our age, in which Luther came to expell Lucifer &c. I wōder that you can suffer the name of Luther to passe so quietly without some egregious contumely: p. 21but keeping it for him you only stay it a while, & anon he shall have it. But being heere in the heigth of that argument, which above all other pleaseth your side, and the very rehearsing whereof (as you woulde make your doating followers beleeve) doth make vsus all ooCampian Ration. 3.looke pale; you amplifie your former proposition, that if this be yeelded vntounto, Christs passion availed little or nothing at all for fifteene hundred yeeres; but for a thousand yeeres hee vvas so farre from drawing all vntounto him, that he drewe not so much as one person that any man can name. This is spoken like a man of some mettal indeede: & by this shal your disciples know how to trust you hereafter. But as if yet you had deserved but one end of a sharpingstone, and meant to have the rest with you before that you depart, you tel vsus that in our own coūtry, there of England, (which whether you speake with some contept or no, your selfe can best discover) it is most manifest that all were Papists without exception, from the first Christening therof, vntill this age of King Henry the eight. You are a blessed companion, & a man may beleeve much vponupon your word. Doubtlesse you perswade your selfe that all, who should reade your booke, would be madde, or drunke, or senselesse, or else you must thinke that they would admitte and admire you for a singular lyar. Besides that of Antiquitie, the vvritings and testimony of your owne men, will convince you in this to have neither wit nor shame. VVe make it good against you, that the thousands and ten thousands of the servants of God in the Primitive Church knew at the first nothing; and afterwards but little of your blasphemous Popery, and that not in the mainest points: And albeit in processe of time, superstitiō (as it was pp2. Thes. 2. 3. 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. Pet. 2. 1.2 Thess 2:31 Tim 4:12 Pet 2:1foretold) did by little and little creepe in, yet in all ages God had his Church of such as did not spotte their soules with your horrible contammations: And we maintaine it, that in our owne lande there were testimonies most luculent, of such as detested the Antichristiā pride, & other loose behaviour of the Romane Clergy, both in doctrin & manners, & served the Lord after the prescript of his owne word, as now we do endevor to do. If you know not this M^r. Doctor, you have reade but little, & so in some sort we question your scholarship: or else you have reade it, and so wee question your conscience. But vvee vvill hope the best, that it is p. 22your ignorance: although these present propositions and many other in your booke, doe give vsus great occasion to suspect your honest conscience. Your owne men will be ashamed, that you talke in this fashion, as anon you shall perceive. But I follow you a while.

T. HILL.

AND so the Protestants affirme of other Countries, & boldly say, Luther in postil Ger. 1537 part. 2. fol. 141.that vntill this age, the Gospell lay in the dust, & was hiddē vnderunder the bench, and Christ was vnknowne. Which to say (as the Protestants must needes say, and blush not to say indeede) is meere madnes and flat infidelitie, and a plaine denying of Christ, and no small establishment of Mahomets Religion. For the Protestantes and Mahumetanes agree in this, that the Church which Christ founded, fell some five or sixe hundred yeeres after his ascension, into most horrible errours, and then (say the Turkes) the Angell Gabriel was sent from God to Mahomet, to teach him hovve hee shoulde reforme the saide Church, because it would not stande with the wisedome and goodnesse of Almight… God to suffer his Church to vanish avvaie through errours and superstitions, vvithout sending in time to reforme it. And in this, out of doubte, the Turkes have farre greater reason then the Protestantes have, vvhichwhich Protestants by their doctrin make Christ the most simple & most improvident Lavve-giver that ever was in the vvorld. For neither Plato, Solon, Lycurgus nor any other Lavv-maker vvhosoever, was so simple and improvident as to fashion and plant a Common-wealth, which before it were vvell setled should vanish away and come to nothing, having no sufficient meanes to prevent errours, and such abuses as would ever throvve their Lawes, & destroy their Cm̄on wealths. And therfore if Christ bee God, & the holy Bible true, the Religion of the Papists must needes be that Religion which he ordained, and left to all generations, and consequently the onelyonly true and right Religion.

G. ABBOT.

10 SInce by your last fore-going wordes, it hath appeared to bee your profession, in your owne person to speake largely, it is most probable that to the vttermost you will racke and pervert the speeches of other. There is neither Luther nor any other Protestāt p. 23so absurd, as to say according to that which you would intimate heere, that there was no Church till of late, & that the Gospell was absolutely hidden, or Christ simplie vnknowne vntill their daies. For we well vnderstand, & teach cōtrary-wise, that in the Primitive Church plentifully, & afterward alwaies more or lesse, in some parts of the world or other, there were the Elect of God, who groning to behould the common errours of their age, did strive to beleeve and live after the rule of the Scriptures. But the speech of Luther & of vsus in that behalfe is comparative: that in comparison of that which it should bee: or that which had bin not long after the Apostles: or in respect of that which the Lord hath of late reveiled: or of that which by the faithfull might have bin wished, the Gospel had not for some later ages, so free a course, and Christ was not so ordinarlly & vnpollutedly taught; but the Bible lay much neglected, and was cast aside in comparison of other bookes. And while we acknowledge this, we need not to blush, neither is it madnesse in vsus, but qqAct. 26. 25Acts 26:25the words of truth and sobernes, as Saint Paule said in a like vniust accusation: nor yet infidelity, or denying of Christ, or the establishing of Mahomets Religion. Heere you heape vp many wordes, but are not able to prove the least part of your owne Propositions: wee must therefore give you leave to say much, & conclude nothing. Your vniust imputatiō that not only in this, but in diverse other matters, we ioyne with the Turkes, you borrow of Doctor Gefford, who no lesse slaunderously then crakingly, pretēdeth to do great things in his Calvino-Turcismus. (The maliciousnes wherof is already displayed, and the crime returned by a learned rrD. Sutliv. in Turco. Papismo.man vponupon the Papists themselves.) It is to be hoped that the Authour thereof will either in time repent him and turne to grace, or receive the reward of his blasphemous speeches against Christs Religion, & his venimous revilings against his naturall Prince & country. In the meane while he may looke to the clearing of his credit, from the accusations of father Parsons, ssParsons manifestation cap. 1. & 7.who describeth him to be very ill qualified, & no better thē a fire-brād in kindling dissension evē among the English fugitives of the Romane Colledge. But for our parts, know you, ô the whole rable of the Romish generatiō, that vvee from the bottome of our heartes detest Turcisme and p. 24Mahumetisme, and know that Mahomet was a false Prophet, & never had Angel, (vnlesse it were one of darknes) sent vntounto him. And as touching the Church of Rome, we are not ignorant that before the daies of Mahomet, it did by little & little decline, but in the time of Phocas the Emperour & Boniface ssVide Plat. in Bonif. 3.the third, then Pope, (which was neere to the daies of Mahomet) the malignity of it did grow much greater. And since that season, the mistery of iniquity hath wrought forward & forward, & it is almost grown to the ruine of it selfe. But in al this time the Cōgregatiō of Gods servāts was never extinct, not the Church brought to such passe, as that Mahomet one of the great enimies of Christianity should neede to reforme it. His reformation was deformation, and to his power he would like the ttPsa 80. 13.Ps 80:13Boare of the Forrest, hauehave rooted vp Christs vine-yard. If then you will vnderstande what it is which we doe teach, the Turkes hauehave not so much as in shew, any the like reason for their most vaine assertion, as we hauehave for our position; since our doctrine in this case is laid vponupon a sure foundatiō, which with all your invectiues you shall no more be able to impeach, thē you can hurt the Moone with stones throwne against her. Neither do we make Christ a simple & improvident law-giver, but wise, & wisdome it selfe in al his actions, since he determined before hand what he would hauehave done, & that not after your imaginations, but after the depth & purpose of his own coūsaile; & accordingly in time he perfourmed it. For he had ever those who were his Congregation, & Common-wealth, observing his statutes; & this regiment was better setled then that of Solon or Lycurgus was, the precincts of whose government were boūded within the territories of the Spartane & Athenien Iurisdictiō, & in the compasse of some hundreds of years came to their period & end. But this of our Saviour is restrained within no limits of time, (but is perpetual,) nor circuite of place, otherwise then as it seemeth good to his infinite wisdome, to restraine or to enlarge it. Now whereas you ioine here with Solon and Lycurgus the law-giver Plato, I pitty your over-sight. For that Cōmon-wealth which Plato imaginarily erected, did indeede vanish away and come to nothing, before it was setled. For all men of learning can tell you, that there never was any such matter in rerum natura, p. 25but in his bookes De uuPlaton. Dialog. de Rep.Republica he propounded speculatiuely, what was to be striven and contended for, if wee could attaine to perfection. But if I should aske you in what City, or within the compasse of what Country it was established, you cānot answer me: vnlesse after much study you should remember your selfe, & reply that it was in Sir Thomas Moores Vtopia, and famous Citizens there, were Aristotles Felix, and Tullyes Oratour, & Castilios Courtier; and Xenophons Cyrus albeit hee could not bee a Monarch there, yet caryed the mainest sway. Wel, I pardon you this fault: notwithstanding requesting you to put it among your negligences and ignorances; and telling you withall, that our boyes and ordinary scholers, in those xxRat. 15.Vniversities which you seeme to vi…sie, can informe you, that Plato was a Law-maker, and a Common-wealth establisher, but by imagination. And so nothing here said doth hinder, but that Christ may be God, as indeed he is yyRom. 9. 5.Rom 9:5God over all, blessed for ever, and the holy Bible true, as verily it is the sacred rule of truth; and yet the Religion of the Papists is not that Religion which Christ ordained, or left to all generations, but a meere profanation of his Word & Sacramentes, a horrible abomination, the service of Antichrist, idolatry and superstition. And so I let you breath a while…dismissing you notwithstanding with this close, that although in this Chapter you tooke some more paines then you meant to doe hereafter, because this is the front of your booke, yet the ground of this your formost Tracte is taken from the zzMotiv. 37. & 45.seven and thirtith, and fiue & fortith Motive of Bristow; you, to colour the matter, placing the end almost of his booke in the beginning of yours. But here-after you wil shew your selfe more plainely, as from Chapter to Chapter I shall remember you.

11 ANd heere the Christian Reader will pardon me, if partly to shew the ignorance and indiscreete folly of this fresh gamesler, and partly to stoppe the mouthes of other our clamorous adversaries, but especially to satisfie the weake, I doe adde something more in the former argument, although by diverse of our men much heeretofore hath beene suide to that purpose, both in English and Latine. VVee doe therefore teach, that as from the beginning long before the incarnation of Christ, God p. 26ever had his Church, yet sometimes more visible and glorious, and sometimes more contracted and obscured; so since the appearance of our Saviour, at all times infallibly & without exception, there hauehave beene chosen children of God, who hauehave retained his faith, & calling vponupon his name hauehave studyed to expresse their knowledge in their life, by retiring themselues both from the loose conversation of Libertines, and the profanations of Idolatrous persons. Neither ever was there any of our profession, which did teach or write the contrary. But whereas the Synagogue of Rome lay it downe for a fundamentall rule, that this Church hath beene and must be in all ages, a visible and conspicuous congregation at the least, consisting of an apparant Hierarchy, so that at all times a man may point it out, and may repaire thither as to a matter eminent, yea and in a sort pompous too, or to say as Stapleton speaketh when hee doth most extenuate it, aaIn Antid. Matth 24.Matt 24It is evermore visible in respect of her governours and sheepe-heards, but most of all for the Pope or chiefe Pastour thereof; to which Pope, bbDe Roma. no Pontif. 4. 4.Bellarmine assigneth, that he cannot erre in iudgement, and to the people and Cleargy of Rome (where this sensible Church must principally be) that they cannot erre with a personall errour, so that all altogether erre; we therein doe dissent from them, & maintaine that although when the godly are most driven to extremities, by heresies or persecutions, they be visible each to other, & acquainted with some other brethren who are in like case vvith themselues, yet they are not so apparant to other men, as that at all times they know where to finde assemblies, and congregations of them. But that the Bishop of Rome and his Pontificall Cleargy, should hauehave the face of the Church tyed, and inseparably ioined vntounto them, we can in no sort yeeld, but doe disclaime it as a flattering tale, suggested to that Bishop by such parasites as are about him, and from time to time doe depend vponupon him.

12 And that it may be seene what reason we hauehave of this our assertiō, we first shew, that the estate of the faithful was frequently so, before the cōming of Christ. For when it lay as hid in some few persons, within the single families of the old Patriarkes, before and after the flowd, what great boast could there be made of it? Nay when the Common-wealth of the Iews was much setled, p. 27into what straights was it brought, when David complained, ccPsal. 12. 1.Ps 12:1Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man lest: for the faithfull are failed from among the children of men; this being spoken, as it is most probable, in the daies of Saul, after the death of Samuel, and the dd1. Sam. 22. 18.1 Sam 22:18slaughter of the Priests. How was it even in Iudah and Hierusalē, when Esay cryed out, that the eeIsai. 1. 5. 6.Isa 1:5Isa 1:6whole head is sicke, and the whole heart is heavy? from the soale of the foote vntounto the head there is nothing whole therin; the estate of the Church being then most miserable, and all depraved, not only in manners, but in religion, Idolatry beeing plentifull as is manifest by the words in the same vision, ffvers. 29.for they shall be confounded for the Okes, which yee hauehave desired, and yee shall be ashamed of the gardens which yee hauehave chosen, which intendeth the trees and pleasant places where they vsed their superstitions. Call to minde the daies of leremy, when he said, ggIer. 5. 1.Jer 5:1Runne to & fro by the streetes of Hierusalem, and beholde now and know and inquire in the open places therof, if yee can finde a man, or if there be any that executeth iudgement, and seeketh the truth, and I will spare it: And those of Ezechiel testifying in this sort, I hhEzech 22. 30.Ezek 22:30sought for a man among them that should make vp the hedge, and stande in the gappe before mee for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. These things were said of Iudah and Hierusalem, where alone at that time was that Church which was, the Israelites for their grievous sinnes being long before caryed away into captivitie. You may adde to this, if you wil, the complaint of Micah, iiMicah. 7. 1Mic 7:1We is me, for I am as the Somer gatherings, and as the grapes of the vintage: there is no cluster to … my soule desired the first ripe fruites. The good man is perished out of the earth, and there is none righteous among men: they all lie in waite for blond: every man …teth his brother with a net. If the Priests & people had not almost generally gone astray, and the whole face of the visible Church had not seemed to be defaced, would these Prophets thus hauehave particularized, that one godly man was not left, that one was not to bee founde who had not declined from truth?

13 We doubt not but in those times the Lord had many faithfull ones in secret, as he had seaven thousand in Israell when kk1. King. 19. 18. Rom 11 4.1 Kgs 19:18Rom 11:4Elias lived, of whom neither the enemies of the truth, nor scant that Prophet did take any notice. The llEzech. 9. 4 Apoc. 7 3.Ezek 9:4Rev 7:3marke in the foreheade p. 28is sometime knowne to fewe, but onelyonly to him who imprinted it there; yet this is a good holde for the Elect, mm2. Tim. 2. 19.2 Tim 2:19The Lordknovveth who are his. But vpō what might those, who were Gods secret chosen, out wardly build, when diverse times the Princes and people had corrupted their waies, and the Temple it selfe was polluted and made a sinke of Idolatry? For wee find that things stood vpō those termes in the daies of Manasse, vvhen in the house of the Lord, even that house whereof the Lord had saide, nn2. Reg. 21. 4. 5.2 Kgs 21:42 Kgs 21:5In Hierusalem will I put my name, he built profane altars: and in the two courtes of the house of the Lord he built altars for all the hoste of Heaven. Iudge where in those daies was the glory of the visible church, or where it was a pretty while before that, whē the Priest oo2. Reg. 16 11.2 Kgs 16:11Vriah was as ready to set vp in the tēple an altar after the fashiō of that which was in Damascus, as the King Ahaz was ready to cōmād it. And then the Prince & Priests cōspiring, there was scāt any kind of grosse Idolatry, which was not plētifully cōmitted. Ahaz himselfe making ppVers. 3.his son to goe through the fire after the abominations of the Heathē. And least it should be thought that the people at least, did amend somewhat which was amisse, in the very next Chapter it is witnessed in generall, qq2 Reg. 17. 19.2 Kgs 17:19Yet Iudah kept not the cōmandements of the Lord their God, but walked according to the fashion of Israell which they vsed. And by most probability, this outrage vnderunder rrIsa. 1. 1.Isa 1:1Ahaz was the tune, against which Esay so inveighed in the visiō before remembred. These things are so plaine, that the greatest pillars of the Papacy cānot deny thē; & therfore they are forced to another shift, as the Rhemists whē they say, ssIn Rom. 11. 4.Rom 11:4that there is a great differēce between the Christian Church & the Iewes, ours resting vpō better promises then the…s; which is a very poore eva…ion, in as much as every Divine may knowe, that there bee as large and many promises, that the Church of the Iewes should last vntill Christs appearance in the flesh, as there be that the Cōgregatiō of Gods Saints, shal cōtinue among the Gētiles vntil the day of Iudgmēt. And saving only for the time of the Babylonish captivity, there was one set externall place of Gods eminēt service, that is, the Tēple at Ierusalē, supported with such words, ssPsal. 132.Ps 132This is my rest for ever: heere will I dwell, &c. &, tt2. Chr. 33. 4.2 Chr 33:4In Ierusalē shal my …me be for ever; she like wherof throughout al the cōtinuance of the new Testamēt, is not warrantable out of the word, for any one place whatsoever. No it cānot so much as p. 29superficially be maintained out of the Scripture that Rome it selfe hath any such promise: but rather out of the Revelatiō of S^t. Iohn there are many substātial matters which make to the contrary.

14. But because by the strōg shot of truth, they be beatē frō the bulwarke of the Iewish Synagogue, & fly to the next hold of the later Testamēt, let vsus follow thē thither. Whē our Saviour Christ was borne, & for the most part afterward till hee was baptized, where shal we cōceive, was the visible Church? The Scribes and Pharisees possessed al the shew, & they were no better thē uuMat. 23. 24Matt 23:24blind guides of the blind. The xx2. Mach 4. 8. 24. c. 11. 3. Ioseph. de bel. Iud 4. 5 & lib. 5. 9.2 Macc 4:82 Macc 4:24Judg 4:5Priest-hood was long before and after bought & sold; & in Christs own time, it is evidēt out of the Scrip ture, that the highest spiritual dignity going by yyIoh. 11. 51.John 11:51yeeres, Annas & Caiphas & other vnworthy mē of that rabble did enioy it. Vpō the birth of Iesus, they were not glad who should most have reioyced in it, but al Ierusalem was zzMath. 2. 3.Matt 2:3troubled at it. And how they persisted afterward till Christ did manifest himselfe fully, may be guessed by diverse circūstances, which the Evāgelists do mētion after his birth. But whē he came first into the world, of whom do we find speech made, but of some shep-heards in the field, of Simeon an old mā, of Anna a most aged womā; both ready to goe into their graves, of Ioseph & Mary, Zacharias & Elizabeth and very fewe other? And of these some might be soone dead, other lived out of the way, at Beth-lehem or Nazareth or in Aegypt, & the shepheards were in the fields about their trade; but where there was the apparācy of a visible cōgregatiō, cā hardly be imagined. Whē our Saviour had selected out his Apostles, they then were termed by the name of a Flock, but yet by their master they were called but a aaLuc. 12. 32.Luke 12:32little flocke, where the Rhemists do confesse, that bbRhemens. ibi.in the beginning it was little indeed. At the death of Christ, whē his body hanged on the Crosse for our sakes, & his disciples were ccMath. 26. 56.Matt 26:56all fled, no man daring to shew himselfe, ddIoh. 19. 25. Nic. Cleman. de mater▪ Cō cil.John 19:25Mary & Iohn & a few womē were al the faithful that now appeared vpō earth. And afterward while the Apostles & their followers walked very privately, or were assēbled in a eeAct. 1. 13.Acts 1:13chāber, the Priests, & Scribes & Pharisies were they who …uffled it in the streets, & bore the sway in the Tē ple: so that if a weak body had enquired for the church, he might rather have bin directed to thē, who had the law & the altars & al p. 30sacred things in their custody, then to any other. When ffAct. 8. 1.Acts 8:1Steevē had beene stoned, and for feare of the persecution, which was at Hierusalem, the disciples were all scattered besides the Apostles, it may well be presumed that for a time, they which remained in the citty, where Steevē had lost his life, did not walke very opē ly. Truth it is that after these things the Church was better setled, and the truth was more spread: but yet never was there any such priviledge bestowed vponupon it, but that in the daies of persecutiō, or some grievous Apostasie, the faithful might be brought to a smal visibility.

15 Our Saviours words intend so much, when alluding to the time of his second appearāce, to iudge the quicke & the dead, he asketh, ggLuk 18. 8.Luke 18:8Neverthelesse, when the sonne of man commeth, shall hee finde faith on the earth? as meaning that very little should then be to be found, in comparison of the flowds and Ocean of iniquity, which every where should abound. But God to the end that he might not hauehave vsus ignorāt, but warned before hand, into what straights the Church should be brought, informeth vsus by Saint Paul, that the Lord shall not come, except there first be an hh2. Thes. 2. 3 foreign.2 Thess 2:3Apostasie, or revolt, or falling away, wherein Antichrist with great pride and disdaine should shew himselfe. This is solemnely spoken of by the Apostle, & by al both old & new intreating of it, is observed to signifie some matter of great note, that is to say, some maine declining from somewhat. Many of our Papists fearing to touch this soare which can in no case turne them to good, would hauehave this interpreted to note nothing else, but the slipping of divers regions & countries, frō their subiection to the Romane Empire. But Gregory Martin and the other Rhemists, being overcome with the evidence of truth, are heere a litle more honest then ordinary, and speake to other purpose. Indeede they cannot tell how it will be taken at other Papists hands, that contrary to the custome of their fellows, in a matter of such moment, they should giuegive way vntounto vsus, and therefore they doe vse these words in way of excuse, be iiRhemens. in 2. Thes. 2 3.2 Thess 2:3it spoken vnderunder the correction of Gods church, & al learned Catholikes. But to the point, concerning the Apostasie they deliver this; It is very like that this great defection and revolt, shall not be only from the Romane Empire, but specially from the Romane church, p. 31and withall, from most pointes of Christian Religion. In the margent it is, and from most articles of the Catholike faith. Here they would hauehave vsus take the Romish beleefe, for the Christian Religion & Catholike faith: but that deserveth a long pause. We rather obserue out of them, that this revolt is in matter of faith, and not onelyonly from the Empire; then which glosse nothing can be truer. Well then, if there must be so egregious an Apostasie, it wil follow, that Antichrist so dominering, as by the Apostle he is described, will not be negligent so to represse the publike service of God, that it shall not carry any liuely head or countenance, where he hath to doe. So that certainely our Rhemists yeelding to this exposition, doe in substance confesse so much, as that the apparencie of Gods congregation, in the time of the great defection, must bee mightely eclipsed. Now the Lord, to the end that he might establish his faithfull, and arme them to expect this paucity of beleevers, and inconspicuousnes of his Church, and yet not be discouraged for that which should be past, present, or to come; and againe that there might be no doubt in a matter of this moment, letteth vsus farther know, that the kkApoc. 12. 6Rev 12:6womā fled into the wildernes, where shee hath a place prepared of God. It is not doubted of betweene the Romanists & vsus, but that this woman doth represēt the church, concerning whom being in the wildernes, it doth manifestly follow, that for the time of her aboad there, which the Almightie had decreed, shee should not be discerned; that is, by her enemies, who did and would chase her: not withstanding it be not to be doubted, but shee knew where her selfe was. If the Romanist therefore and persecuting Adversary, did not ever see the professors of the Gospel, it was no wonder, the woman was to remaine in the wildernes apart & hid from them. The evidence of which matter is such, that as Master llIn praefat. super Apocalyps.Foxe observeth, for feare of divers things in the Revelation of S. Iohn (wherof this may worthily be one) scant any Popish writer for many yeares togither, durst adventure to comment any thing vponupon the Apocalyps, vntill our Rhemists being desirous to shame the Pope & themselues, with all who are wise, adventured to set penne to paper. Having then a purpose to set foorth, and corrupt the New Testament, partly by their Translation, but most of all by their Annotations, they p. 32may not chuse but say somewhat of the Revelation, although they professe that it is as mmIn argument. Apocalyps. & in Apoc. 1. 1.Rev 1:1sparingly as may be, & as briefly; which is not for that the volume of the Rhemish Testament groweth great, as they would colour it, but for feare least they should too much lay open their owne weaknesse, which while that booke is in the Bible, will never be concealed. Howsoever therefore through their volume, in many maine matters they be very silent, vvhere they should most speak; as of the question of imputed righteousnes, where the nnRom 4. vi de Ration. 14.Rom 4Apostle doth most handle it, (a …ore argument of their owne conscience distrusting their cause, & even sinking vnderunder the waight of that Chapter) yet here God over-ruling thē to say a truth, as he did ooIoh. 11. 50John 11:50Cayphas, they interprete the woman to be the ppIn Apoc. 12. 6.Rev 12:6Church, flying from the great persecution which shall bee in the time of Antichrist. Indeede to keepe peace with their Lord and Master the Pope, they will not hauehave this flight to be, but in the very ending of the world, and so they would fetch it with a back racket, that the woman should continue so in secret, but three yeares & an halfe, which (to keepe all vpright) they assigne to be the time of Antichrists raigne, & then the iudgement must come; which is a most fonde evasion, seeing by that means men living at the appearance of Antichrist, should bee able precisely to tell, when the last day should be, to wit, three yeares and a halfe after Antichrists entring. But of qqMark. 13. 32.Mark 13:32that day and houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in heaven, neither the Sonne himselfe, saue the Father only. It can never be made good, that the rrApoc. 11. 2 3. c. 12. 6. c. 13. 5. Dan 7 25.Rev 11:2Dan 7:25time, times, and halfe a time, the two and forty moneths, and the thousand two hundred and sixty daies, are so literally to be taken, as that they should containe exactly three ordinary yeares and a halfe. Your Romane Bishop in his declination, hath already beene in the world much longer, and he is the greatest Antichrist that ever yet was manifested among men, and on whom many things in the Scripture signified touching Antichrist, do directly and vnavoidably light.

16 Well, this revolt taking place, and the woman the Church being in the wildernes, it is not to be doubted, but here & there be diverse which serue God aright, the very ssMat. 16. 18Matt 16:18gates of hell not beeing able to prevaile against them. And as these in generall, whersoever p. 33dispersod, doe make vp the vniversal militant Church, so where any few of them, evē in the smallest number, are assēbled tog…ther, they may bee saide to be a particular Congregation or Church. ssExhortatio ad castitatemWhere three are, saith Tertullian, there is a Church although they bee lay persons. It is likely that he alludeth to that saying of our Saviour, ttMat 18. 20.Matt 18:20VVhere two or three are gathered togither in my name, there am I in the middest of them. He is with them as with members of his Church, to guide them & heare them, to blesse thē & preserve thē. And that such little assemblies are not vnworthy the name of the Church, is plain by S^t. Pauls words to …hilemō, where he sēdeth greeting not only to Philemō, & Appiat & Archippus, but to uuPhilem …. foreign.the Church in Philemons house, for so the Rhemists themselves trāslate it. In dangerous & Apostatating times, such petty aslemblies do make vp the general, & they belōg vntounto the same mystical body, although they not only be not known to their persecutors, but many of thē have no acquaintāce with other. T… have the same head, the same faith, the same charity, the sam… …pirit, uuDe Baptism, contra Donatist 6. 4 Idem Spiritus sanctus ca dimittit▪ (i. peccata) qui datus est omnibus Sanct…s &c.The same holy Ghost is given to all Saints, ioyned one to the other in love, whether they know each other corporally, or doe not know thē, saith Saint Austē ▪ The wāt thē of acquaintāce each with other may keepe the godly a…ūder, as wel as the rage of their persecutours, both which are to be soūd in the case of Elias. But directly to follow farther this argumēt of the Eclipse of the Churches glory, may it not be thought to be brought to a low ebbe, whē it is said of the second beast▪ that xxApo. 13. 16.he causeth al, both smal & great, rich & poore, free & bond, that he should give thē a marke in their right hād or in their fore-heads, & that no mā might buy or sel, saue he that had the marke, or the name of the beast; or the nūber of his name. And what else is signified whē so many yyCap. 17. 2. 15.are mētioned to have cōmerce with the whore of Babylō, yea all zzCap 18. 3.Natiōs are reported to have drunken of the vvine of the wrath of her fornication? The anciēt Fathers were not ignorant, that such times there might be, whē they so oft cōpa…ed the Church to the Moone, as Saint Ambrose; aaEpistol. lib. 5. 31.The Moone it selfe, vvhereby in the Oracles of the Prophets the countenance of the Church is figured, when at the first rising againe shee is renewed into the ages of the month, shee is hidden by the darkenesse of the night, & by little & little fi…ing her hornes, or right ever against the Sun ending thē, doth shine with the light p. 34of cleere brightnes. Saint Austen in one bbIn Psa. 10.Ps 10place doth for diverse respects liken the Church vntounto the Moone, and expoundeth the Moone to signifie it. In another ccSerm 134. de Tēpore.place he saith the Sun is Christ, the Moone the Church. VVhichWhich as on the one side it doth intimate vntounto vsus, that the Moone hath no light but frō the Sunne, and the Church no light or bewty but from God: so on the other side it doth most lively put vsus in mind, that as the Moone continueth not at the same stay, but increaseth and decreaseth, waxeth and waneth, is eclipsed by the interposition of the earth betweene her selfe & the Sun, & sometimes in the chāge cānot be seene, although it is never to bee doubted but there is a Moone; so the Church of Christ while this troublesome world doth last, is now glorious, then shadowed, in one age in bewty, in another age kept vnderunder, vnderunder some Princes in peace, vnderunder others in persecution, yea sometimes so pressed with the extremity of the mali…us, as that she is glad to remaine retired into secret places, & not … appeare opēly to the malignāt, albeit she never is nor cā be extinguished, but hath a continual being. VntoUnto which it may be added, that since faith doth much cōsist ddHeb. 11. 1.Heb 11:1of things which are not seene, & we beleeve the holy Catholike Church, as an Article of our faith, it may follow, that it need not ever be eminently visible, and apparantly sensible vntounto vsus.

17 For the better exemplificatiō of this verity, it may be remē bred what havocke was made by the heathen Romane Emperours, & their Deputies, against the flock of Christ, in the ten first persecutions. That in the Roman dominion there was scant any to be heard of who professed Christianity, but hee was soone cut of by the sword, or otherwise. Did they in those times suffer any patent visibility of true profeslours, or when they once knewe where they were, did they not forthwith labour to extirpate thē? But in the daies of Cōstātius, whē the Arriā Heresy had once gottē the head, where in the world did there appeare any sēsible cō gregatiō maintaining the Orthodoxe belief? Hieromes testimony of those daies was, eeAdversus Luci…rianos.The whole vvorld did sigh, & wondred that it selfe was Arrian. The words are but fewe, but they are to the purpose. So said Gregorius Presbiter, writing the life of Gregory Nazianzen, The secte of the Arriās had almost possessed al the coastes of the world, the p. 35power, & impiety of the Emperour ministring boldnes vntounto it. The words of Constātius himselfe in ffTheodor. Hist. Eccles. lib. 2. 16.Theodoret, do give testimony vntounto this; neither doth Liberius the Roman Bishop say ought to the cōtrary. The speeches of the Arrian Emperour, against him & Athanasius are these. The whole vvorld doth thinke that this is well. The whole world hath givē sentēce of his impiety. Thou alone dost embrace the friēdship of that wicked man. And a litle before that: Doth so great a part of the world reside in thee Liberius, that thou alone dost dare to come in aide to that wicked mā, & disturb the peace of the vniversal world? Whervnto Liberius did not take exceptiō, saying that the visible Church stood for him & Athanasius, but rather giveth another reason, to make good his being alone. Be it, that I am alone. Notwithstāding, for that, the cause of the faith is not the worse. For a great while agone, there were three only foūd, who would resist the Kings cōmandemēt. Heere the Church for any external shew was low brought: for if any body held it vp, it was Athanasius, who thē plaied least in sight & durst not appeare. For this Liberius who did for a time second him, did afterward shrinke. He went at first into banishmēt in defence of the truth, but after that, he was so sollicited & laid at by ggHieron. in Catalog. script. Eccles.Fortunatianus, that he relēted & cōdescended to subscribe to the Arrian heresy, as Hierome witnesseth, who lived in that age, & was longe cōversant in Rome, & therfore could better report what was the issue of Liberius his cōstācy, thē some other who do relate it otherwise. What can be said for him, hhDe Pontifice Romano 4. 9.Bellarmine hath; but yet enforced by the evident testimony of Athanasius, Hilary, & Hierome, he cō fesseth so much as I have heere set downe: but cover it he would, that he only consented to the externall acte of subscribing, but remained in hart Orthodoxe. Why should it then be a marveil…, if in processe of time, Antichrist growing to greater strength, the Church should be in covert? It is no more then often times fell out vnderunder the Iewish Synagogue, and hath bin exemplified to have beene since among the Christians, & was so evidently foretolde before. In so much that by the example of the iiApoc. 12. 6.Rev 12:6woman, it cannot be the true Church, vnlesse it should be hidde in the wildernes: Which while our Popish teachers deny to agree to their Romish Church, but professe that it hath ever bin in sight, they thēselves do by a cōsequēt proclaime, that they are not the pure p. 36& vndefiled flying womā, but another painted harlot & strūpet. The true Church is for a time out of sight in the wildernes: but so, say they, was their Church never, and therefore, will they nill they, their Church is not the true Church.

18 And heere to the end that the slaūderous calūniatiō of our Adversaries, may the more bee manifested to all those, who will not wilfully close their eies against truth, I wil a little shewe the vanity, and yet maliciousne… of their obiectiō, whē they say, that there was kkCampian Ration. 10. Q…nti Evang pro fessores.never any of our faith before the daies of Luther, who in the yeere 1517. began for hi… part to display the kingdō of Antichrist. Where I pray the Reader to cōsider, that the most pa…t of those whō I shal …e, are Popish writers, & no way partially. flected toward vsus. We say thē, that M. Luther was not the first brocher of those pointes, which he taught against Papistry, but as he did originally deduce thē frō the Scriptures, & out of the workes of the ancient Fathers, so he did derive thē also hereditarily frō other, who immediatly before him had taught the same doctrine, & left it both in bookes & the harts of mē recōmēded vntounto him. As principal parties herein, I name Iohn Hus & Hierome of Prage, & al such as were their scholers, in or about Bohemia: who before Luthers time oppugned the beliefe of the Church of Rome▪ and their professiō was not extinguished vntil his dates, howsoever it before had bin mainly assaulted: If we could learn this no where els, yet Fraūcis Guicciardine, an Italiā & Florētine Historiographer would informe vsus of it, who llHistor. l. 13.writing of the yeere 1520, saith plainly that Luther did set abroad the Heresies (as he tearmeth thē) of the Bohemiās, & he nameth there Hus & Hierome, as former divulgers of the same. And Petrus mmIn vita Wenceslai.Messias a Spanyard, therin agreeth with him, who mētioning the opiniōs of Hus & the Bohemians, saith, they were the seed of those errors, which were afterward in Germany; alluding to the doctrin of Luther. There is no mā whose testimony in this behalfe may be of more worth, thē Iohannes Cochleus: first because hee wrote a large story nnHistoria Chochle… de Hassit…s.of purpose cōcerning the Hassites, and therefore by his long search, reading, & writing, in that argument, may bee presumed to knowe as much as any. Secondly because it may bee vvell imagined, that hee woulde faine nothing to doe Luther good, in as much as hee also wrot… p. 37a ooHistor, de actis & script. M. Lutherivolume purposely against that worthy servāt of God, intēding to rippe vp his whole life, frō yeere to yeere, & to censure all his workes. Yet this enimy of his, in the story of the Hussites, doth plētifully satisfie vsus about the matter now in questiō. One ppLib. ….where he telleth vsus, that Hus did slay soules for an hūdred yeeres togither, neither yet doth he cease to slay them by the second death. Within an hundred yeeres after him came M. Luther, according as the saide Iohn Hus did qqIo. Foxus in Histor. Ecclesiastic.prophecy not long before his death. And whē it is added, that yet hee doth not cease to slaye, it is manifest that his doctrine remained till the daies of Cochlues. In another rrCochl. lib. 2.place hee relateth, that Luther did stirre vp seditions in Germany, by the bookes of the Hussites. Afterward hee calleth those, who were in Germany in his time, ssIbidem.new… Hussites. And againe, Hus did so rente the vnitie of the Church, that vntounto this day there remaineth a pitifull division in Bohemia. He proceedeth in the same matter ssLib. 3.elsewhere, saying, that the people of Germany are now by Luther partakers of the heresies of Hus and Hierome. One sorte of the followers of this Iohn Hus, did call themselves Thaborites, and these were they, who most dissented of all other from the doctrine of Rome. Of these hee speaketh thus: ttLib. 8.Unto this day remaineth the secte of the Thaborites, in manie places of Bohemia and Moravia, vnderunder the …ame of Picards and VValdenses. Lastly the same Cochleus in the yeere 1534. doth vvish, that uuLib. 12.hee may see the remainders or leavings of the Hussites to returne to the Church, and the Germanes to cast out all nevve sectes. VVhat can bee more evident, then that the doctrine of Iohn Hus vvas sensiblie and apparantly continued somewhere, even till the daies of Martin Luther? VntoUnto which may be added, that wheras Luther began to shew himselfe but in the yeere 1517. that very yeere was uuCentur. 16. lib. 1. 20.ended the Coūcel of Laterane, held at Rome, & finished by Pope Leo the tēth. And there consultation was had of reforming the manners of the Church, and of recalling the Bohemians to the vnity of the Church of Rome.

19 And as these testimonies do cōvince, that the Christiā cōfessiō of Hus was not extinguished at the cōming of M. Luther, so may there be good reasō assigned why it did so lōg cōtinue, in as much as it was embraced by many, & earnestly maintaned evē vntounto the death. Whē Hus begā first to preach, the people which vsed hādy p. 38xxCochl. lib. 1.craftes, did with great desire heare his sermons, and did reade the Scriptures, being turned by him into their mother tongue; so that they could dispute with the Priests: which the very women were able to do; yea & one woman did make a booke. Not long after, three of the yyIbidem.scholers of this preacher, did affirme that the Pope zzIohan. …3.thē living was Antichrist, who had proclaimed a Croisado against a Christian King; that was Ladislaus King of Naples, then infesting the lands of the Church of Rome. These three persons were martyred for this speech, & tooke their death patiently. In small processe of time this doctrin so multiplied, that as Onuphrius hath, aaIn tabula Concil. ante Platinae Histor.the Councell of Constance was called principally for two things; the one was against the Hussites, the other to take away the sehisme betweene the Popes. These of likely-hood grew great, that now a general Coūcel was called against thē. Neither did the people only agree in faith with Iohn Hus, but the Nobles of Bohemia stood apparātly for him, in so much that they sent two bbIo. Fox. in Concil. Constant. Historia.severall & solēne supplicatiōs to the Coūcel at Cōstāce in his behalf. And whē these their requests were neglected, & Iohn Hus & Hierome of Prage (cōtrary to the Emperours safe cōduct given to the former of thē) were burnt, the Nobles ccCochl l. 4.of Bohemia did mightily murmure against the fathers of the Coūcell, insomuch that Sigismund the Emperour to give them satisfaction on his behalfe, did write vntounto thē, excusing himself touching the death of these two mē, & laying the fault vpō the Coūcel. But this gave not cōtentmēt to the Bohemiās, now robbed of their principal pastour, but being moved at the perfidiousnes of those at Cōstance, they assē bled thēselves togither to the nūber of ddIbidem.thirty thousād, & in the fields, vpō three hūdred tables erected for that purpose, they received the Eucharist in both kinds. Afterward they rushing into the Churches & Monasteries, did break down the Images there. It was not long after, but that vnderunder Iohannes Zisca, a noble & victorious warriour, these Hussites grew to bee of souldiours eeLib. 5. & Petr Messias in Sigismundo.forty thousāds in one army, who got into their hāds the castle of Prage the chief city of Bohemia. Thē not long after did Pope Martin the 5. publish a Croisado against these whō he called Heretikes, promising remissiō of their sins to such as could destroy them. Notwithstāding, these hated persōs did stil prosper, getting many victories p. 39vnderunder Procopius & other Captaines, but especially vnderunder Zisca, who was of that dexterity and felicity in his warres, as that Cochleus almost amased at his strange successe, saith, that ffLib. 5.scāt any history of the Greekes or Hebrewes or Latins, doth mētiō such a Generall as Zisca was. He built a new city as a refuge for his mē, & called it. Thabor, wherof diverse embracing the doctrine of Hus were afterward called Thaborites. A ggLib. 6secōd time time did Pope Martin proclaime a Croisado against thē, granting remissiō of sins to al, who did either fight or cōtribute mony against thē. VponUpon which there were at one time forty hhIbidem.thousād Germaine horsemē gathered to destroy thē: but such was the terror of their name, that vpō the approaching to thē, the horsemē of their own accord turned their backs & fled. The Popish Auctor saith that there was in this some secret iudgmēt of God, but he thinketh the cause of their ill successe was, that they had Bishops & Priests to their leaders & Cap taines. By this time came on the Coūcel of Basil, which as iiIn tabula ante Platinam.Onuphrius saith was helde against the Hussites. This sheweth that they were many; which may also appeare, in that the Fathers at Basil, did by an indulgēce grāt to the Bohemiās this dispēsutiō, that cō trary to the Acte of the kkSess. 13.Coūcel of Cōstāce, they might receive the Eucharist both in bread & wine. Genebrard, who was ever a true servant to the Pope, llGenebrard lib. 4 Chronograph.confesseth so much: but addeth withall, that the cuppe was permitted vntounto thē, because that alwaies before had beene their custome so to communicates yet saith he, al was on that condition, that they should not finde fault with the contrarie vse, nor sever themselues from the Catholike Church in other rites and doctrines. Cochleus mmLib. 7.nameth no such condition. Nay, to shew that simply and directly it was yeelded vntounto them, he reporteth that the Legates of the Councell of Basile, did thus expound that which was concluded in the Bohemians behalfe, nnLib. 8.The Councell doth permitte the Eucharist vnderunder both kindes, not tolerating it only as a thing evil, as to the Iewes was permitted a bill of divorce, but so, that by the auctority of Christ & his Church it is lawful, & profitable to the worthie receivers. Where, is it likely, that vnlesse the Bohemians now after Husses death had bin a strōg party, the Antichristian rabble would have yeelded to their importunitie, so directlie against the Canon of the nexte precedent Councel? Indeed the ooIbidem.Emperour p. 40Sigismund did afterward take a course to lessen their nū ber, when he sent many of them into Hungary against the Turks, that there they might either conquering winne to him victories, or being conquered themselues so be destroyed and perish. Hee who list to see more concerning the multitude of these Professours, let him but looke on ppHist. Boh… ▪ ca 35. & cap 50. Epist. 130.diverse places in the works of Aeneas Sylvius, who was afterward Pope by the name of Pius 2. & he shall finde him reporting of his own knowledge (as travailing himselfe into Bohemia) that they were many, and very earnest also in their Religion.

20 If here it should bee replyed, that these perhaps were base people and of the vulgar, who thus followed Iohn Hus; but men of learning & knowledge, or persons of authority they had none to ioine with them; the course of the story will easily cleere the same, & shew that they had both learned Pastours, & great Magistrats, who beleeved as they beleeved, & stood wholy with thē. Of what literature H… himselfe was, is evident by his works yet remaining, & by his personal withstanding the whole Coūcel of Constance. And what learning, what eloquence, what memory, all admirable, were in Hierome of Prage, as also with what singular patience he tooke his death, is most significantly delivered in an qqAd Leonardum ….Epistle of Poggius, who as an eie-witnes beheld him, & seemed to bee much affected with the singular partes of the man. Which noble testimony of that worthy Poggius is acknowledged by rrLib 3.Cochleus. While these two lived, there were diverse ssLib 2.priests, & ssLib. 1.preachers, which agreed in their Doctrine, & in their Sermons reproved the Popish Cleargy for their Simony, keeping of Concub…, avarice, riot, & secular-like pride. But after the death of those two famous servāts of God, their ttLib. 4.followers got to them a Bishop, who was Suffragane to the Arch-bishop of Prage, and by him they put into holy Orders as many Clerkes as they would. Which the Arch-bishop tooke so il, that he suspended his Suffragane. But it was not long before that uuLib. 5.Cōradus the Arch-bishop himselfe, became a Hussite also, as the Author calleth him. VnderUnder this Conradus as president of the assembly, these Hussites held a Coūcel at Prage in the year 1421. & there they compiled a Cō fessiō of their faith, This Cause did the said Archbishop, & many p. 41Barons of Bohemia afterward stifly mainetaine, and complained against the Emperor Sigismūd, for offring wrong to those of their Religion. uuIbidem.Alexander also the Duke of Lituania did giuegive these Hushtes aide, which moved Pope Martin the 5, to write vntounto him in this sort, Know that thou couldst not giuegive thy faith to heretikes which are the …ors of the holy faith, & that thou dost sin deadly of thou shalt keepe it, because there cannot bee any fellowship of a beleever with an insidel. Thus did the vertuous Pope write. In xxLib. 8.processe of time there grew a parley, betweene Sigismund the Emperour & the Bohemians. There among the Compacts this was one, that the Bishops should promote to holy Orders the Bohemians, even Hussites, which were of the Universitie of Prage. And they might well deserue to be reputed Vniversity mē; for Cochleus himselfe witnesseth, that the Priests of the Thaborits were skilled in arg…g, & exercised in the holy Scripture. yyLib. 10.Rokizana one of thē did vndertake to dispute, with Capistranus a great & learned Papist. By that time that the yeare 1453. was come, Aeneas Sylvius doth complaine that the kingdome of Bohemia was wholy zzLib. 11.governed by heretiks. Now all the Nobility, all the Cōminalty is subiect to an heretike. That was one George or Gyrziko, Governor of the kingdome of Bohemia vnderunder king Lad…slaus. But when Lad…slaus was dead, this aaLib. 12.George himselfe was by the Nobles and the People chosen King of that country. And continuing the auncient profession of his Religion, about the yeare 1458, those of Uratislavia and Silesia doe refuse to obey him as being an heretike. Notwithstanding Pope Pius the 2. then intending warres against tho Turke, did by all meanes perswade thē, that they should yeeld obedience to him. This George, saith the Authour, was borne and brought vp in the heresie of the Hussites. Now when Pope Pius did interpose himselfe, as a mediatour betweene this King and his Subiects, George did require of the Pope, that he might keepe the Compacts agreed vponupon at Basill, in behalfe of the Bohemians. And when bbIbidem.Pius vvoulde not yeeld there-vntounto, the king calleth togither the Estates of his kingdome, and protesteth that he would liue & die in those Compacts, & so did also the Nobles which were Hussits. This was done at Prage in the yeare 1462. This resolutenesse of his, caused that Pope to tolerate many things in him, but Paul. 2. who succeeded p. 42in that See of Rome, did excommunicate that king, and set vp a Croisado against him. Also he gaue to Matthias the king of Hungary, the title of king of Bohemia. ccApud Platin.Onuphrius in the life of Paulus 2, saith that the Pope did excommunicate him, & depriue him of his kingdome. Indeed for seaven years this George and Mathias did warre for it, and Mathias got from him Moravia and Silesia, and a good part of the kingdome of Bohemia. Vratislavia also and some other Provinces and citties, did put themselues in subiection of Mathias. Yet did not George deale hardly with the Papists which were at Prage, but in his greatest extremity, did vse both the advise and aide of many Nobles of the Popish beleefe. At length after the continuance of warre for seaven years, ddCochl. lib. 12.Mathias cōcludeth a peace with king George, both against the will of the Pope and the Emperour. And then this king was cō tent, to aske of the Pope an absolution from the excommunication, some Princes being mediatours for him in that respect. But before the Agents could returne from Rome, the king died in the yeare of our Lord, 1471. By this story it is manifest, that both noble and learned of high account, were of that Christian beleefe, which Iohn Hus taught, and vvere contented to adventure all things which they had in the world, for the maintenance of the same.

21 Perhaps here it may be asked; but how shall we know that Iohn Hus and his followers, did embrace that Religion which is now professed in England? We finde in Aeneas Sylvius some opinions of theirs, which peradventure will scant be reputed currant among all English Protestantes. He rehearseth these fowre of theirs, eeHistor. Bohem. ca. 50.That they would receiue the Sacrament in both kindes; that Civill dominion is inhibited to Cleargy men: that preaching of the vvords was to bee permitted to all men: that publike crimes are in no sort to bee tolerated. I answere, truth it is that he there mentioneth onelyonly those, & whither he relateth them truely or no, it may be doubted, as anon I shall shewe, by laying open the custome of the enimies of the Gospell, in mis-reporting their doctrine. But elsewhere he delivereth other opinions of theirs, as ffEpist. 130.against the Supremacie of the Pope, against Purgatorie, against Invocation of Saints, and such like matters. If wee returne to Cochleus who was best acquainted p. 43with their matters, wee shall finde much more. As thus, ggCochl. Hist. lib. 1.Hus translated all the bookes of Canonicall Scripture into the Bohemian tongue, & the people did most diligently read them. They would hauehave the holy Scripture, to bee the only iudge in matters of Controversie. They held that al Bishops and Priests, are the successours of the Apostles. That not the Pope but Christ is the head of the Church, neither are the Cardinals the body, but all that beleeue in Christ. That the Pope is not a member of the Church, but of the Devill and his Synagoge. That one Pope was a womā. Yea Hus did preach, that the Pope is an abomination, and Antichrist. Also hhLib. 2.he called the Generall Councel at Cō stance, the Synagoge of Sathan. Another of his Articles was, iiLib. 3.The Pope is the beast in the Apocalyps. His scholers after his death, broke downe the kkLib. 4.Images in Churches and Monasteries. Yea Zisca did cast downe all the llLib. 5.Churches, which were dedicated to the Virgin Mary, or to any Saint, as if it were lawfull to build a Church, onelyonly to almighty God. In his time the Professours began to be distinguished into two companies. The one of them did not so much dissent from the Pope, as the other. Those which in fewer matters differed from the Bishop of Rome, retained stil the name of Hussites; they which disagreed in more, were called Thaborites, of Thabor the Citty which Zisca built for them. And these were the greater number and the stronger. There is in Cochleus, a mmProfessio fidei antiquae, &c.Confession of faith by one Iohannes de Pr…bram a Bohemian, who was but a Hussite and not well affected to the Thaborites, because he accounted them as a kinde of Precisians or Puritanes, in comparison of himselfe. Yet this more milde man doth wishe and begge of God, to see a reformation of the Church, that there might be redressed, nnArtic. 57.Simonyes through all the worlde most detestable, most wicked setting to sale of all Sacramentes, most insatiable avarice, most impudent fornications, most putrified vncleannesses, rottennesses most abominable, Co…ubines-keeping most polluted, manners most dissolute, most corrupt gestures & behaviours, harlotry every where too too much multiplyed in the Cleargy, wherewith alas the whole earth lyeth corruptly filthy. Also the Lucifer-like pride of the Cleargie, vvhichwhich is exalted above God, their dainety and dayly banquets, their aboundant riches and rich aboundance, their disquietnesse most litigions, p. 44being the cheefe roote of the quarrels of the world, their curiosity most vai…, their most vnseemely pompe of apparell, their conversation most secular-like, their most open transgression of all the commaundements of God, their most remisse care of soules, their most negligent regard of the word of God. This he saith for himselfe: but concerning the Thaborites who indeede came neerer to the purity of the Gospell, hee witnesseth of them, that they held, ooArticul. 5….That materiall bread doth re…ine in the Sacramēt… that the Saints now triumphant are not to be called vponupon: that there is no Purgatory: that no suffrages, or praiers, are to be made for the dead…: Also they allow not of the holy da…es almost of al the Saints, nor of the Eves or Uig…s that go… before them; Nor the consecrations of visible thinges, as salt, oyle, holy-water, belles and such like. They have a s…bismaticall celebration of their Masses, that is, a severall sort of Church-service, and refuse the most celebrsou… service of the Churc…, and th… r…es and administrations of almost all the Sacraments. Let our Papists now speake whether they & wee do not agree in the same doctrine altogither. For I doubt not but they, who had received so much grace from God, as to see all these things, were also partakers of farther knovvledge in the mysteries of Salvation.

22 VVhile I have spoken thus largely concerning these good Christians in Bohemia, let not any man imagine that Christes faithfull flocke was restrained within the compasse of that countrey, so that godly men were else no-where to bee found. For certaine it is that betweene the time of Iohn Hus, who was burnt in the yeere 1415. & the first standing vp of Martin ppAn. 1517.Luther, were very many other, who in that darkenes did see what belonged to the light of the Gospell. Among these may be reckoned, as verie memorable, the Waldēses, who about the yeere 1508. do make qqResponsio ad Doctorē Augustinū.an answere in de…ce of thēselues, & therin as they testifie that they thē had Priests of their own, so they speake against Purgatory, and most op…ly against Trāsubstātiatiō. The same, touching Trāsubstā tiatiō, they do in a rrWaldensium Confessio in fasciculo …erum expetend. & …ugiend.Cōfessiō of theirs, where also they impugne Adoration of the Eucharist. There also they name the Prelates vnsav…ry salt, & avouch that the execrable naughtines which was in thē, by the instinct of the Devil, did drive thē away frō the Sea of Rome. For the Papists in their Sermon… did cal one another schismatikes. p. 45heretikes, sacrilegious, false Prophets, ravening wolves, the beast and whore in the Revelation. Of ssSleidan. Lib. 16.these there were many in one part of Fraunce, who time out of minde had refused to beare the yoke of the Pope, and therefore in the daies of Frauncis the first, king of Fraunce, by a bloudy decree of that king, but by the execution of one Minerius a most cruell person, Merin…ol and Cabriers with some other villages about them, were sacked and destroyed, men, women and children being slaine. Yea diverse of them being stripped starke naked first, and then murthered, and fortie poore women being burned in a barne. I may adde vntounto these, many worthy men heere and there dispersed, where-of all cryed out against the Church of Rome, and desired a Reformation, and many of them apprehēded, and delivered to other the true meane… of Iustification, which is the nearest point of Salvation. The ssLucas O…iand. l. …. c. 8.Authour of the sixteenth Centurie nameth about the yeare one thousand fiue hundred and somewhat after, (but yet before Luther) Baptista M…ntuanus; and Franciscus P…cus, Earle of Mira…dula, both which much inveighed against the Cleargy, and their whole practise. Also one Doctour K…serspergius, another called Iohannes H…lten, a thirde named Doctour Andreas Proles, and Sava…orola, all groaning vnderunder the burthen of those times. The Oration of ttOratio ad Leonem. 10Picus in the Councell of Laterane is extant: where besides his most bitter taxing of the filthy behaviour of the Cleargy, he vseth these words. Pietie is almost su…ke into superstition. How Mantu… doth every where pay the Romanists, may appeare to those who read his works. But one place of him I will uuCalamit… cum. 3.name.

—Petrique domus polluta fluente

Marcescit luxu, (nulla hic arcana revelo

Non ignota loquor, liceat vulgata referre:

Sic vrbes populique ferunt, ea fama per omnem

Iam vetus Europam) mores exirpat honestos:

Sanctus ager scurris, venerabilis ara cyaedis

Servit, honorandae Divûm Ganymedibus ades.

Quid muramur opes, recidiva que surgere tectat

Thuris odorat… globulos & cinnama vendit

Mollis Arabs, Tyrij vestes: venalia nobis

p. 46Temple, sacerdotes, altaria, sacra, corona,

Ignis, thura, preces, coelum est venale, Deusque.

Some of them, I English thus.

Priests land now Iesters vile doth serue: The Aultars bawds maintaine.

Of holy Churches of the Gods, lewde Ganymeds make their gaine,

Why do we woder that their wealth, and houses falne doe …

Sweete franckincense and cinnamon are the onelyonly marchandise

Of the Arabian; and but cloathes the Tyrians vse to sell:

But with vsus Churches, Aultars, Priests, yeelde mony very well.

Things hallowed, crownes, fire, franckincense, the praiers which we make,

Yea heaven, yea God, are saleable, if we may mony take.

The opinions of Savanarola against Popery are many, & for them (howsoever it be otherwise uu…uicciard. Lib. 3.coloured) he was burnt. In the matter of free Iustification he is xxIn psa. 51.cleere. And the same is written also of yyCatalog. test verit. lib. 19.Trit…ius another learned man, who lived at that time. How in England Christ had in al these times professours of the truth, I shall hauehave occasion to shew anon, when I come to speake of Iohn Wiclef.

23 In the meane while I shall not do amisse, to mention some other, who were betweene the daies of Iohn Hus and Martin Luther. A special oppugner of the Papacy was that learned Laurentius Valla, a Patritius of Rome, and Canon of Saint Iohn of Laterane there. He wrote a treatise of purpose against the zzContra … donationē.forged Donation of Constantine. He pronounceth of his owne experience that the Pope himselfe doth make warre against peaceable people, & soweth discorde betweene Citties and Princes. The Pope doth both thirst after other mens riches, and swalloweth vp his owne. Hee maketh gaine of not onelyonly the Common-wealth, but the state Ecclesiasticall and the holie Ghost. The later Popes doe seeme to labour this, that looke how much the auncient Popes were wise and holy, so much they will bee wicked & foolish. He lived about the yeare 1420. & for the freenesse of his speech and penne, was by the Pope driven into exile. About the same time lived Arch-deacon Nicolaus de …, who rebuked aaDe Annatis non sol▪ vendis.many things in the Ecclesiasticall state, and spake excellently in the matter of Generall Councels, and their circumstances, as bbRation. 9.hereafter may be declared. Petrus de Aliaco Cardinall of Cambray, gaue a tract to the Councel of Constance, touching the ccDe Reformatione Eccl….reformation p. 47of the Church. There doth he reprooue many notable abuses of the Romanists, and giveth advice how to redresse thē. ddCap. 3.There should not be multiplyed, saith he, such variety of Images and pictures in the Churches. There should not be so many holy-daies. There should not so many new Saints be Canonized. Apocryphall writings should not be read in the Churches on holy-daies. eeCap. 4.Such …umerositie and variety of Religious persons is not expediēt. There are so many orders of begging Friers, that their state is burdensome to men, hurtfull to hospitals and to the poore. Few doe now studie 'Divinity for the abuse of the Church of Rome, which hath despised Divines. All now turne to the Lawe and to Artes of gaine. He saith, that it was then a proverbe, The Church is come to that estate, that it is not worthy to be ruled but by Reprobats. He hath very much more, and in the end concludeth, that ffCap. 6.As there were seaven thousand, who had not bowed to Baal, so it is to he hoped, that there be some which desire the reformation of the Church. Imagin whither this Cardinall, if he had founde some company to hauehave ioyned with him, would not hauehave said much more. About that time lived Leonardus Aretinus, whose little booke ggIn hypocritas libellus.Against Hypocrites, is worth the reading. So is the hhOratio ad cleium Coloniensem.Oration of Antonius Cornelius Lynnichanus, laying open the lewde lubricity of Priests in his daies. So doth he detect many abuses and errours, who wrote the iiDecē gravamina Ger maniae.Tenne Grievances of Germany: but those who compiled the hundred Grievances of the Germaine Nation, doe discover many more. Finally he who list to see farther, that God even in those dead daies, had diverse servants, who by more then a glimce did see the truth, & desired yet more plentifully to be instructed in Religion, let him read the kkLib. 19.Catalogus testium veritatis lately set out, and there hee shall finde divers whom I hauehave not named.

24 By this time I trust it is manifest, how false a slaunder that of the Papists is, that before the daies of Martin Luther there was never any man of our Religiō. Till the time of the Councel of Constance, this case is cleared. And beyond that, it is as easie to shew, that Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage, had their immediate antecessours in witnessing the faith of Christ. For they vvere instructed and much helped, by the bookes of Iohn VViclef an English man, and therefore saith Platina, as llIn Ioh. 24.sectatours of Wiclef, they were condemned in the Councell of Constance. Aeneas p. 48Sylvius sheweth the means how those Bohemians came to know the doctrine of Wiclef; he saith thus: mmHisto Bohem ca. 35.He who first raised vp the opinions of the Hussites, had them from Oxford, carying thence into Bohemia Wiclefs bookes De Realibus Vniversalibus. Cochleus who by his good will would bee taken for a vehement defender of Popery, giveth yet a larger testimony. For he saith nnHistor. de Hussitis, li. 1.that as a Bohemian brought first into Bohemia Wiclef▪ booke De Realibus Vniversalibus, so there was afterward one P…ter Paine a scholer of Wiclefs, who after the death of his Maister, came also into Bohemia, and brought with him Wiclefs bookes, which were in quantitie as great at Saint Austens workes. ooIbidem.Many of these bookes did Hus afterward translate into their mother tongue. In plaine tearmes after this, the Authour delivereth it, that ppLib. 2.the Hussites and Thaborites were branches of Wiclef. And in the same booke, Hus did commit spirituall fornication with many strangers, with the Wiclefists, the Dulcinists, &c. And in the next he avoucheth, that qqLib. 3.Hus and Hierome tooke their heresies from Wiclef. And once againe he tearmeth the Protestant Germanes rrLib. 6.new Wiclefists. What an opinion of this man Iohn Hus had, may be fully seene by that wish of his, wherin hee praied ssLib. 2.that hee might there bee, where the soule of Wiclef was. Now what VViclef did teach, may be easily gathered, if by nothing else, yet by the deadly hatred which the Romanists did cary toward him. The ssSession. 8.Councell of Constance did define him to be an Heretike, long after his death, and commaunded that his bones should be taken vp and burnt. Also ttCochl. li. 1.Pope Iohn the 23. in a Generall Councel at Rome, did before that time condemne him for an heretike, which the Hussites did but laugh at. But no man had a harder conceipt of him then Cochleus, who sticketh not to affirme that uuLib. 2.he thinketh the torments of Wiclef are greater in hell, then those of Iudas or Nero. If God Almighty had no better opinion of him, the man were in an ill case. But the best is, this cholerike Criticke is not the Iudge of all the world. He was angry be…ke in behalfe of Transubstantiation, concerning which he citeth this Article of Wiclef, There was never a greater heresie, then that which putteth the Accident without a Subiect in the Eucharist. But he might hauehave named more pointes, wherein that holy man did differ from the Church of Rome. The uuSession. 8.Councell of Constance p. 49picketh out fiue and forty Articles of his Positions, which the learned Reader may finde there. Yet doubtlesse many of them are fasly reported, which is a matter common with enimies of the truth, to perver…, and mis-construe, that so they may more freely defame. There was one xxRespo. ad …8 artic. Wiclef. In …ase rer ex▪ petend.… Wideford, who tooke on him to answere eighteene Articles, said to be Wiclefs, whence a mā may gather some of his doctrine. But that al things there laid against him were not true, may wel be obserued out of the same Answere, declaring that he had many things cōcerning Wiclef, but only by yyIn fine Articul. 10.fame & report; And zzVirgil. Aeneid 4.that is not the most certaine Relater. What positiōs indeed he held, may be seene in M^r. Foxe reporting his life & actions; as also in the aaLib. 18.Catalogus Testium veritatis. And those who be not learned, may esteeme of them, by the doctrine of Iohn Hus before rehearsed, who by the testimony of the Papists themselues, as I hauehave shewed, maintained the opinions of Wiclef.

25 Now that this worthy champiō, & preacher of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, went not alone, but had many English men and women, who in his life time, & after his death, beleeved as he beleeved, & professed as hee professed, is in the next place to bee shewed. Among the chiefe of his fautours were Iohn of Gaunt, (as bbApolog. Hie…arch. ca 1.Parsons the Iesuit confesseth) and Lord Henry Percy, the one of them Duke of Lancaster, the other Marshall of Englande. Master Foxe citeth out of a ccEx Regist G. Courtney.Register of the Arch-bishoppe of Canterbury, a Mandate mentioning that the Conclusions of Wiclef, were preached in diverse and sundrie places of the Arch-bishoppes Province, generally, commonly, and publikely. The same also is manifested by a letter of that Arch-bishoppe to the Bishop of London; and in a Monition directed to ddAd Cancellar. Ox.Oxford, where it is said that certaine Conclusions hereticall and erroneous, were generallie & commonly preached and published, in diverse places of the Province of Canterbury. There be extant also eeAd … Cant. & Cancel. Oxon.letters of King Richarde the seconde, directly signifying so much. But there is nothing vvhichwhich maye more amply testifie the spreading of his doctrine, then an Acte of Parliamente in the beginning almost of that younge Kinges dayes, vvhere it is related, that there vvere ffAnno 5. Rich 2. ca. 5diverse preaching dayelie, not onelye in Churches and p. 50Church-yardes, but also in markets, f…res, and other open places, where a great congregation of people is, …verse sermons containing Heresies and …etorious errours. This putteth mee in minde of a written booke which once ggIn manu M^r. Gu…el. Wirley.I sawe, being a Chronicle compiled by a Monke of Leicester Abbay, who writing of the time of the saide K. reporteth at large, that the people in faires & markets, & riding by the way, & almost every where, would talke of the Scripture, and reprove the customes of that time, as also the Priests, to the exceeding greate trouble and offence of the Clergy. This they might the rather doe out of the word of God, because the Scriptures were then translated into English, as may bee seene by diverse copies vvritten and remayning to this day, supposed to bee so turned by UUiclf. And it is very probable, that in Leicestershire there were many of those, of vvhome the Mon…e Leicestrensis spake, since at Lu…erworth a towne in th…t Coun…e, Iohn UUicl…f vvas beneficed. But the greatest parte of this learned mans abode, was at the first in the Vniversitie of Oxford, vvhere hee was both a Doctor and Reader of Divinity, and therefore is to bee conceived, to have many learned men partaking with him in his opinions. hhIn fine. R. Edward 3.Maister Foxe saith (out of the Chronicle of Saint Albane…) that hee had a benefice in Oxford, of vvhichwhich he was deprived by Simon … Arch-bishop of Canterbury. It may be this was nothing else but the Maister-ship, or Chiefe Governours place in Ba…oll College, vvhichwhich I am perswaded that he had, since there are yet two auncient writings in the Treasurie of that iiIn Archivis Colleg. Ba…ol.College, (vvhichwhich I have seene) who vvere made in the name of Iohn Vviclif Maister of that house, and that in the daies of King Richard the second. But while hee lived, hee had so manie favourers in that Vniversitie, as that kkVide Io. Fox in vita Wiclif.Maister Robert … Uice-chancellour, and the two Proctors tooke part with him, As also Nicolas Herford, Philip … and Iohn Ash…on, preachers and Bachelers of Divinity, and grewe into great question for his cause, where R…ington, in the ende being Doctor, did slippe from him. Yea so farre was his doctrine there spread, that Pope llAnnot. R. Richard…. ….Grego…ie the eleventh in the yeere 1…78. did direct his Bull to the Vniversitie of Oxford, against the doctrine and Articles of that learned man, even Rome it selfe ringing of his opinions in p. 51that Vniversitie. Neither did his followers dye, vvhen hee himselfe died, but longe mmSub Rege Henrie.after that, Pope Gregorie the 12. did direct dovvne another Bull to Oxford, against VViclif, in vvhichwhich hee vseth the same vvordes, vvhichwhich his Predecessor had, that is to say, that VViclif did follovv… the doctrine of Marsilius of Pa…a, and of Iohn of Gand…ne of vnvvorthie memorie, which speech is vvorth the marking to shevve, that this man also had his Predecessours. nnLib. secund. in literis Reg. Henrie. 4.The copy of this later Bull is to bee seene in the booke which that vvorthy lover of Antiquities Maister Hare gave to our Vniversitie. VVhere also is to bee seene, in the Constitutions of a Provinciall Councel celebrated at Oxford, a sharpe Inquisition decreed by Thomas Arondell Arch-bishop of Canterbury against all even the heades of Colleges and Halles, and others suspected of Lo…ardy and VViclevisme. They might vvell suppose that the studentes of that place vvere entertainers of such doctrine, since aboute that ooAn. 1406. Octobr. ….verie time, a testimoniall ppIn operibus Iohn Hus.vvas given in their Congregation house, vnderunder seale, in favour of Iohn VViclif, vvhere these vvoordes are, among other, GOD forbid that our Prelates should have condemned a man of such honesty for an Heretike &c. And yet in the Councell of Constance hee vvas condemned for such a one, fortie yeeres after that hee vvas deade and buried. But all vvoulde not serve, to extirpate his bookes or memorie out of our Vniversitie, but even in the daies of qqAn. 1476.King Edvvard the fourth there vvere nevve letters directed to the Governours of that place, by the King himselfe, to make search for his bookes and to burne them. I have in my custodie a faire auncient Record of that Vniversitie, vvhichwhich by meanes of a good friende I have gained backe to this place, And therein is a solemne letter, directed from the Convocation of Doctours and Maisters to the Kinge, testifying that according to their Soveraignes commaundement, they had vvith accurate diligence, searched out the bookes and tractes of VViclif himselfe and of Reginald Pecocke, and had burnt them. So much adoe vvas it, and that in so longe a space, to suppresse the heade vvherevnto VViclif… doctrine was growne, in the famous Vniversitie of Oxford.

p. 5226 Howe else-where in this kingdome, his Positions were spredde, may bee easily collected out of Geffrey Chaucer, vvho dying about the yeere 1400. may rightly bee supposed to have lived vvhile Iohn UUictef lived. This Chaucer vvho wanted neither write nor learning, did at rrIn the Plow-mans tale.large paint out the pride, lascivious, vicious and intolerable behaviour of the Pope, Cardinals, and Clergy, even applying the name of Antichrist diverse times vntounto the Romane Bishop, and saying that there vvere many in those daies of the speakers minde, yea finding faulte vvith their faith, as vvell as vvith their manners. The whole tale is well worthie the reading: but I will cite onelyonly a few verses.

Peter ssThe Apostle.was never so great a …oole

To leave his kaye ssWhich Pa…sts say he hath of heaven gate.with such a ttAs the Pope.lorell,

Or take such cursed such a toole

Hee was advised nothing well:

I trowe they have the kaye of hell,

The… maister is of that place Marshall;

For there they dressen him to dwell

And with false Lucifer there to fall.

They bene as proude as Lucifarre,

As angry and as envious;

From good faith they beene full farre,

In covetise they bene curious:

To catch cat ta…le as covetous

As bound, that for hunger well yall;

Ungodly and vngracious

And needely such falshed shall foule fall.

This and a hundred times as much, hee expresseth in a simple Plowmans person, as evidently inferring, that the husbandman and meanest countrie body of that time, by the reading or hearing of the word of God, could tell what was right and religious, and what otherwise, yea and complaine of the blindnesse, and impierie of the Romanistes in that Age. But if we would bee advertised, what even laye-men in those times could do let vsus looke into the Declarations of VValter Bruite, who wa… in question for his opinions, before the Bishop of Hereford in the p. 53yeere 1393. and gave vp a little booke, containing those things which he maintained. The true uuEx Registro Episcopi Hereford.copy of that treatise is yet extant, and deserveth to bee reade. There wee may finde these and the like positions; That breade remaineth in the Sacramente after Consecration: that the Pope is Antichrist: that nothing is to be beleeved but what may be confirmed out of the Scriptures: that the Pope is the Idol of desolation sitting in the Temple of God: that Antichrist is not to come of the Tribe of Dan: neither onelyonly to raigne three yeeres … a halfe: that the City, Apoc. 17. is Rome: that our Iustification is freelie by faith alone: that the doctrine of the Pope differeth from that of Christ that miracles are no assuraunce of truth that men are not rashly to bee reputed Saints: that the Pope hath not power beyond other Bishops: neither is the heade of the Church: that Papistes mistake the keyes of binding and loosing: that Infantes dyeing before Baptisme are not therefore damned: that Auricular confession is not prescribed in the Scripture: that the Canon Law is ill grounded: that the Pope deceiveth men in his Pardons: that Absolution is to bee sought at the hands of God onelyonly: that the Priests vse vaine praiers in the Masse: that Exorcismes & holy-water are vnlawfull: that Priests doe sinne vvho bargaine to sing for the soules of men departed: that Religious men and vvomen are the devourers of widowes houses: that selling of Orders and Dirges is naught: that the Pope is the beast vvith the tvvo hornes like the Lambe, vvhile hee chalengeth the double svvorde: that hee seeketh to bee vvorshipped as God: that Dux Cleri doth make vp the number 666: that vvorshipping of Images is Idolatrie: that temporall goods may bee taken from the Clergy offending. There was a great Papist one William Wideford whome before I mentioned, who giveth testimony to this Treatile of Brute, whome hee calleth Waltherus Britta in Latin: and vvriting against uuContra 18 articul. Wiolif.VViclif, maketh yyIn articulo 11. & 12.tvvise mention of a booke of his ovvne, sent to the Bishoppe of Hereford (D…num Ersordense… he calleth him) in confutation of the booke of VValter Britte.

27 While I wr…e these thinges, I cannot but thinke vponupon the audacious absurdnesse of my ignorant Doctour, who blusheth not to vtter, that is is yyRation. 1.most manifest, that all in England vvere Papistes vvithout exception, from the first Christening thereof, vntill this age of King Henry the eight. Hee is doubtlesse an honest p. 54man, and worthy to be trusted on his word. It is not only manifest, but most manifest, not that the greatest part, but all, yea & be… shal not be scanted, all w…ut …ption were …apistes &c. Were Iohn Wiclif… bones burnt because he was a Papist? & were the Bul… of the Pope against him for that cause? and were the Archbishop Arondel… Cost… against his followers so severe, because they were Papists. The man is h… to be pittied for his simplicity. A man may know by the lawes, Proclamatiōs, letters & proceedings by the State against some as against Heretickes, As also by the Records of Bishops yet extant, & by the manifold executions & burnings afterward, that even in that deepe time of ignorance, England did give most noble testimony of Christs truth against Popery, evē so farre as to the fiery trial. If the Christian Reader peruse the Ecclesiastical History of M^r. Foxe, he shal find how zz… An. 1400. sub K. Henrie. 4.before the Co…, William Sa… a Priest was burnt, & after him Iohn Ba…y, and that because they were Wiclevists o… L… (as they the …ed them) and not because they were Papists. There are the reasons also and asseveratiōs of P…y and Thorpe against Popery, with diverse other matters. And is it …ot to bee thought that the Heretikes increased, when a …ynode aa… Sub Reg. Henric. 5.was assembled in S…. P… Church at London, into the vvhichwhich …me … Inquisito…, who in a former Synode were appointed, to … and … the vv…gs of VV…, vvherein they found▪ 24…. Conclusions, an vvhichwhich they supposed to bee I… … in the … …eere of K. Henry the … d… … ward the L. … was …ge …, as … had beene a …de of Trai…, but hee was then … …ed H…. So was o… … for his … consumed to …. Not long… … …, beside… … … Sub …Religion, … and VV… tvvo … and … of …followed afterward… Neither …d …he … and of King … the … escape … of sundrie …CHRIST… … sake … for … profession of the …hy the particular stories p. 55of vvhome, may b… …ounde in the Authour abou… … The Clergy of these times did beare much sway with their Princes, and lefte no meanes v…ught, no stone vn…ned, to keepe vp the dignitie and preheminence of their Romish Hierarchy, and the superstitions Idolatry vvhichwhich then vvas in vse. Novve …in the raignes of all these Princes, so many were slaughtered for the testimonie of a good conscience, hovve manie weake brethren vvere there, vvho did not make open profession of their faith, and hovve many did there lie hid, diverse of them in probabilitie having confederates, and some of them being Priestes, and therefore not vnlikely to have learning, both to confirme themselves in the truth, and such other as hearde them. Thus have I both in England and else-vvhere brought vp the doctrine of the Gospell, vntill the time of Iohn VViclef, who flourished in the yeere, 1371.

28 Heere it may please the Reader to remember, that the iudgment (before cited) of …vo ccGregor. 11. & Gregor. 12.Popes vvas that VViclef taught the doctrine of Marsilius of Padua, and of Iohn of …. Of the later of these, there yet appeareth no monument vvritten: But hee ioyned in ddCatalog. test. verle. lib. 18.opinion vvith the former. But as for Marsilius Patavinus, our Adversties cannot but acknovvledge him to bee a verie learned man, after the measure of the age vvherein hee lived, vvhichwhich vvas in the yeere 1324. Hee vvrote a eeDefensor pacis.booke against the vsurped power of the Bishope of Rome: vvhichwhich argument hee entred into, in behalfe of the Emperour Levvis of Bav…e, vvho vvas mightily laide at by three Popes successiuelie. There the Authour avovveth as right and iust, the supreme authoritie of the Emperour, displaying the iniquitie of the Popes vsurpation over Christian Princes and Generall Councels. The booke is vvoorth the reading, to see vvhether all in times past, did allowe of the Popes doctrine and proceedinges or not. His opinions are these▪ That the Pope is not superiour to other Bishoppes, and much l… the Emperour and civill Magistra…. That thing as are to bee decided by the …ure. Th… … men of the lai… … in Councels. That the Clergy and Pope himselfe are to bee subiect to Magistrates. That the Church is the … companie of the faithfull. That CHRIST p. 56is, … of the Church, and appointed … to bee … Ui…: That Priestes may bee …ryed. That Saint Peter was … at Rome. That the Popish Synagoge … a d… of theeves. That the doctrine of the P… not to bee follovved, because it leadeth to everlasting destruct…. In the time of this Marsilius, lived that noble Poet Danie, vvho vvrote also a booke against the Pope, ffPetrus Messias in Ludovico.C… the Monarchie of the Emperour▪ but for taking part vvith Lewes of Bav…ere, hee vvas condemned for an heretike, and his booke …hereticall. Then also vvrote ggCatal. test. verit. lib. 18.Occam directly to the same purpose: but for his labour therein, and his large reproofe of the Pap…cie in other pointes, hee was excommunicated by the romane Bishop, vvhichwhich he so much contemned, that hee not vnwillingly dyed vnderunder that sentence. Aboute that time vvere here and there dispersed sundry godly men, who sawe more then the common sorte touching Religion. As hhIbid. ex Hen. de Erford.Hay… a Minorite, vvho frequently saide in his Sermons, that the Church of Rome vvat the vvhere of Babylon, and that the Pope and Cardinals vvere meere A…: vvhichwhich propositions were helde somevvhat before also, by iiIbidem.Ger… and Dulcinus, tvvo learned men. This Du… may be thought to hauehave had many followers, since kkHist. Hussit. lib. 2.Cochleus coulde say, that Iohn Hus committed spirituall fornication with the W…sts, and with the Dul…nists. The same opinions concerning the Pope and Rome, did that rare man▪ llEpist. 20. & in Poesi Italica.Franciscus Petrarche seeme fully to embrace, as may appeare to any who will reade his vvorkes, hovvsoever Cardinall mmIn Appēd. ad lib. de Romano Poutif. c. 20Ballarmine labour to make the worlde beleeve otherwise, beeing desirous to hauehave vsus thinke…, that Petrarch spake not against the Pope, but some abuses in the Courte of Rome. And to make it plaine that it vvas not a slight conceipt, or onelyonly in a fewe, that the Pope vvas …, and Rome vvas Babylon, Apocal. 17. God stirred vp yet more in that age, vvho proclaimed the same in …. As nnGenebr. Chronogr. l. 4. An 13…7… B… or … sis, vvho vvas a Mino…, and for teaching so, vvas digged vp after that hee vvas deed, and his body by the sentence of Pope Clement the si… vvas burnt. A fevv yeares after him did ooCatal. te… verit. lib. 18… …es de R…ssa, a Monke, teach the same doctrine, vvhichwhich as every man may gesse doth … the Papacy in every respect. p. 57ppAcadem. …. Christ. Clas. 15.Iohannes G… came not so fat: but saw in his age many horrible abuses of the Church of Rome, and in his writings spake liberally of it. And it did bite deepe, when qqDe auferibilitate Papae ab Ecclesia.hee disputed that the Pope mighte bee taken safely away from the Church, and yet …o daunger follovve of it. But let vsus novve goe a little higher.

29. I mentioned before how Cochleus saith, that Iohn Hus did take his doctrine from the Wiclevists and the Dulcinists. Heare, I pray you, what he saith. rrHist. lib. 2.H… did commit spirituall fornication with many aliens, with the Wiclevists, the Dulcinists, with the Leonists, the Wal…ses, the Al…ingenses, and other of that sorte, enimies of the Church of Rome. These Leonists or poore men of Lyons, and VValdenses, and Albingenses vvere the same men, but diversly vponupon diverse occasions tearmed by the Romane Synagoge which hated them. Their opinions then did Hus mainetaine. Aeneas Sylvius doth also directly witnesse the same, affirming that the ssHist Bohem. ca. 35.Hussites did embrace the opinions of the VValdenses. There you may see, that their doctrine vvas against the Primacy of the Pope, Purgatorie and such like matters. ssChron. lib. 4.Genebrarde, vvho sayeth that these VValdenses beganne Anno 1170, or as some other vvill 1218. rehearseth out of Sylvius these opinions of theirs, that praiers for the deade and Purgatorie-fire are an invention of the Priestes covetousnesse, that holy Images are to be defaced, that Confirmation and extreame Vnction are no Sacramentes, that auricular Confession is a trifling thing. Hee vvho list, may see a greate many more of their ttCatal. test. verit. li. ….positions, agreeing with the doctrine which vve teach, vvhichwhich may vvell also bee gathered from the Iesuites themselues. For that is the cause that uuIn prefat. generall. Cōtrovers.Bellarmine ioineth these togither as heretikes, the Ber…garians, the Petrobrusiant, the VValdenses, the Albingenses, the UUiclevistes, the Hussites, the Lutherans, &c. And uuLib. 1. c. 19.Lewes Richeome, another of that Society, in his defence of the Masse against the Lorde Plessis, saieth that the Ministers for the confirming of their figuratiue sence in This is my bodie, hauehave none for their Doctours, for their Auncients, for their Fathers, but Berengarius, …uinglius, Calvin, …, VViclef, the Albingenses, the UUaldenses. These Waldenses then and Albingenses are ours, by the confession of our p. 58Adversaries. And of these, long agone there were no smal company. For as Du xxHist. li. 12.Haillan in the life of Philip the 3. King of Fraunce speaketh, being driven from Lyons in Fraunce, they withdrew themselues into Lombardy, where they so multiplied, that their doctrine began to spread through Italy, and came as farre as Sicely. As the same Authour yyLib. 9.writeth, Philippus Augustus came to his kingdome, Anno 1180. which is nowe more then foure hundred yeares since. And in his time it was, that the Albingenses did so increase in Fraunce, that the Pope and Princes adioyning were afraide of their number. He who readeth the story of them shall see, that they are reported to hauehave held many grosse, wicked and absurde opinions mingled with their true doctrine. But Du. Haillan the best and most iudicious Chronicler of Fraunce, and no partiall witnesse in our behalfe (since his profession touching religion was such, that he was imployed to write that story, by K. Henrie the thirde) had not so little wit, but that he perceived those imputations to be laid on them in odium, and of purpose to procure their defamation. See how wisely he speaketh truth and his conscience, and yet so coucheth it, that his felows might not iustly be offended at his words. zzLib. 10.Although saith he, these Albingenses had evill opinions, yet so it is that these did not stir vp the … of the Pope and of great Princes against them so much, as their libertie of speech did, vvherewith they vsed to blame the vices … dissolutenesse of the said Princes and of the Cleargy, yea to taxe the vices and actions of the Popes. This was the principall point which brought them into vniversall hatred, and which charged them with more evill opinions then they had. Now first that they were not men infamous, either for their vile opinions or filthy conversation, and secondly that they were not onelyonly base and poore people, it is evident by this, that so many noble and worthy men tooke parte with them, yea to the adventuring of their liues, in their company and for then behalfe, as the aaIbidem.Counties or Earles of Tholouse, of Cominges, of Bigerre, of Car…, yea the King of Arragon. And when Raimund this Earle of Tholouse was for his beleefe excommunicated by the Pope, and a Croisado was proclaimed against him, and the Albingenses, as if they had beene Saracens or Infidels, not onelyonly the Counties of Foix & Cominges came with all their p. 59strength to assist Raimund, but Alphonsus the king of Arragon came in his owne person to his succour, as beeing his kins-man and his friend. And when all these were mett togither, the report is saith Du Haillan, that the armie of these heretikes, did consist of about one hundred thousand fighting men. These things being thus discovered by men of your owne part, be ashamed you Papistes and blush, to spread among your simple and credulous followers, that never men did as we do, nor beleeved as we beleeue, before Luthers time, and al Christendome formerly liked of the Papistical doctrine and proceedings. But because you shall yet heare one testimony farther, touching these Albingenses and Waldenses, how honest and truely religious they were, I will cite what one Reinerius, a man who did hate them and was as it is supposed, an Inquisit or against them, did report concerning them, now three hundred yeares agone, or there about. Thus then among much other matter he saith of them, bbCatal test. verit. lib. 15.There were many sects of heretikes long agone, among all which sects that are or were, there is not one more pernicious to the Church of God, then that of the Poore men of Lyons, for three causes. First because it is of longer continuance. Some say that it hath endured from the time of Sylvester. Other say, that from the time of the Apostles. The second is because it is more generall. For there is almost no land in which this sect doth not creepe. The thirde, that whereas all other by the imm…ity of their Blasphemies against God, do make men abhorte them, this of the Lyonists having a great shew of godlinesse, because they doe liue iustly before men, and do beleeue all things well of God, and all the Articles which are contained in the Creede; only the Church of Rome they doe blaspheame and hate: which the multitude is easie to beleeue, and as Sampsoni Foxes had their faces severall waies, but their tayles tyed one to the other, so heretikes are diverse in sects among themselves, but in the impugning of the Church they are vnited. There can hardly be found a more honorable testimony, out of the mouth or penne of a bitter and bloudy adversary, as he was who wrote this, and much more, concerning those good servountes of God.

30 VVe shall not neede to ascende any higher, since hee giveth witnesse of the antiquity of their profession long before his …lme. VVhichWhich otherwise to make plaine is as easie, as to deliver p. 60that which hitherto I have spoken. And it is not to bee conceived that Petrus VVald… (of whom the VValdenses tooke their name at Lions) had his doctrine from no body, but that of himselfe he attained to his owne knowledge, since he was not deeply learned. ccMatth. Par… in Gul. Conquestore.Berengarius indeede vvas onelyonly called in question for denying of Transubstantiation in the Sacrament, but it may well bee thought, that in some thing else hee dissented from the Church of Rome. And albeit by his ovvne vveakenesse and the importunitie of the Clergie, hee yeelded once or tvvise to recant, and abiure the true doctrine vvhichwhich hee helde, yet hee had many ddCōtinuat. histor. de gestis Anglorum, lib. 3. 27.scholers, vvho by his example vvould not bee driven from the right Beleefe, which they had apprehended. These scholers were in eeMalmisbur. lib 3.France in great numbers, and in diverse other Landes. And Genebrard cannot conceale it, but that about the ffChronogr lib. 4.yeere of our LORD 1088. Basilius the Monke did set on foote againe the errour of Berengarius. And might not the doctrine of both these bee sucked from Bertram, who wrote so learnedly and so directlie, out of the Scriptures and Fathers, against the Reall-presence and Transubstantiation, that the Index ggIn Bertramo.Expurgatorius cannot tell vvhat to make of him; but the Bishoppe of hhResp. ad Dan. Tilen. fol. 258.Eureux vnderunder the name of Henrie Connestable, tearmeth him the greate fore-runner of all the Sacramentaries; and iiLa saincte Messe declar. lib. 2. 4Rich…e the Iesuit disclaimeth him plainelie as a Sacramentarie Heretike. Then, Calvin and Zuinglius vvere not the first vvho gaine-saide Transubstantiation. Before our ascending thus highe, vvee might tell you of Saint Bernard, vvhome although it is likelie at the first dashe you will chalendge as your ovvne, yet vvhen you have vvell advised on him, you may let him goe againe. For albeit hee had his errours, vvhichwhich hee sucked from the age vvherein hee lived, and vvee may not in all thinges subscribe to his iudgement, but say of him as commonlie it is spoken, Bernardi… non vidit omnia: yet vvee finde in him s…rem partem, a liberall profession of manie good and sound pointes agreeable to the Gospell. He for a fashion acknowledgeth maine matters to bee in the Pope, and giveth him kkDe considerat. ad Eugen. lib. 2. 8.greater titles then any Papist can iustifie, but it is by such infinuation to winne him the more attention frō p. 61Eugenius, and then having procured liberty, or rather taken it to himselfe, hee schooleth and lessoneth the Pope, plainely shewing, that hee liked not of their ordinarie courses, neither did hee repute him to have that preheminence or prerogative, which his Parasites did allowe him. But touching the matter llSerm. 61. in Canti….of merit by good workes, for mmEpist. 190.Iustification by faith alone in Christ; for nnDe gratia & libero arbitrio.Free-will, for ooSerm. 3. de 7. misericordijs.Certaine assurance of salvation in the death and by the strength of our Saviour, and for ppSerm. in Concil. Rhemens.dislikeing then the vile life of the Clergy, how cle…re, how pregnant, how copious is hee? These thinges wee teach togither with him: and notwithstanding his other slippes, wee doubt not but his soule doth rest with the Lord, God pardoning vntounto him his errours and ignorances, which hee, being caried vvith the streame of that time, did never discusse, but tooke them as they were delivered to him, without scanning or examining. And to this good hope we are firmely induced, by that saying of Saint Paule. qq1. Cor 3. 11.1 Cor 3:11Other foundation can no man laye then that vvhichwhich i…aide, vvhichwhich is Iesus Christ, And if anie man builde on this foundation, golde, silver, precious stones, timber, hay or stubble, everie mans worke shall bee made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall bee reveiled by the fire, and the fire shall trie everie mans vvorke of vvhat sorte it is. If any mans vvorke, that hee hath builte vponupon, abide, hee shall receive vvages. If any mans vvorke burne, hee shall lose, but hee shall bee safe himselfe. Hee helde the foundation of Iustification by onelyonly faith in Christ, and that our best deedes are but rrDe gratia & liber. arbitr.via regni, non cause regnand…, the vvay to the kingdome, not the cause of raigning▪ and for that cause we doubt not but his soule is safe, though his hay and stubble of praying vntounto Saints, and other such stuffe, as cannot endure the fire of the holy Ghosts triall, do burne and consume. And this is our iudgment touching many other, both before and after the time of Saint Bernard, that holding Christ…e foundation aright, and groning vnderunder the heavy, but then of humane Traditions▪ Satisfactions and other Popish trash they by a generall repentance from their errours and l…pses knowne and vnknowne, and by an assured faith in their Saviour, did finde favour with the Lord. Such as these vvere, vvee holde to bee Gods good servants to be of the number of the Elect, and propter p. 62sa…rem & …, for their founder and better parte, to bee of that Church vvhereof vvee are: to bee members of that bodye, vvhereof by the grace of Christ vvee are a portion.

31 And in this respect our setled and resolved iudgement is, that when it is asked, where our Church in former ages was, we may besides that which formerly hath beene answered, truely say, that it was in England, in France, in Spaine, in Italy, yea in Rome it selfe. Spiritus vbi vult spirat. The holy Ghost breatheth Ioh. 3. 8.John 3:8where it pleaseth. For who cannot conceiue by the writings of many in former ages, or by such touches as other doe giuegive concerning them, that diverse who lived nearest the whore of Babylon, did most detest her abomination, & finding that the weakenesse and impurity of her doctrine, could not truely satisfie the hungry & thirsty soule, did according to that knowledge which Christ out of his word reveiled to thē, seeke some meanes which was not ordinarily professed in that time. And if it be asked who they were, and how could they lie hid from the world, it may truly bee answered, that their case was like the case of them in the daies of ss1. Reg. 19. 18.1 Kgs 19:18Elias, who were not known to that State, which would hauehave persecuted them. Now why should not we thinke, but as God had his secret and invisible company at that time, in that most idolatrous country, so in the time of the deepest darknesse, he had those who saw light this Christian children among Antichrists broode: such as embraced true religion, among the superstitious? So that Italy and Rome, and these Westerne parts, had some of God… Saints in all ages, who like sea-fish, most fresh in the faltest water, and being removed in their affections, though not in their persons, did with … Lot vexe their righteous soules in the 2 Pet …. 8.middest of a spiritual Sodome, and kept themselues … vnspotted …am. 1. 27.of the world. And yet it is not to be taken, that we co…rctate the Church within those Provinces onelyonly which looked toward the See of Rome, but know that God had thousands of his elect elswhere. Osor. li. 3. de gest. Emanuel.Christians hauehave beene in … India, even by perpetuall dilcent from the daies of the Apostles: and so in Africa among the … Abyssines, in … and huge-companies, besides Li. 9. Dam. … Goes de morib. Aethiop.such as hauehave continued …, Asia the lesser, Aegypt, but p. 63especially in the Greeke Church, which was never so much as in shew extinguished, and from whome the Russians and Muscovites had their faith. Our Popish lads would gladly shut al these out of Christs fold, because they acknowledged not the Bishop of Rome, for their vniversall Pastour: but we should do wrong to Almighty God, to pinne his iudgment vponupon the Popes sleeue, and to offer to pull from him so many ample Churches, whereas charity and common sence might put vsus in minde, that hee might there hauehave thousandes throughout all ages. Looke to these places yee Papists, and imagine that if there had been none but these, yet the wordes of the Scripture, which in generality speake of a spowse had beene true, and Christ had there had his body on earth, and the Church had not beene vtterly extinguished, if neither we nor the Synagoge of Rome had beene extant.

32 But in as much as it cannot be denied, but that the Prophecies concerning Antichrist doe most touch the Westerne world, yyApoc. 17. 18.Rev 17:18Rome being by the holy Ghost evidently designed, to bee the seate of the whore of Babylon, as also because our Romish standard-bearers, are more willing to talke of those partes, then of any other, I will once againe returne to the Countreies neere adioining. Then in some parts or other of Christendome, how many men were there in al ages, who lo…thed both the See of Rome, & the whole courses of it, as the Israelites did loath the Aegyptian bondage? Matthew Paris alone giveth vsus many notable experiments that way, as relating the Actes of the zzIn Hen. 3.Emperour Frederike, who put out diverse declarations in detestation of the Pope; and adding else▪ where farther of his owne, that aaIbidem.Pope Gregory did absolve from the oth of fealty, all who were bound vntounto the Emperour, perswading them that they should bee faithfull in vnfaithfulnesse, obed…nt in disobed…ence. But somuch deserved the Romane Churches lowdnesse which is to be ex…ed of all men, that the Popes authority did merit… to bee harkened vntounto by few or none. He reporteth also of a certaine bbIbidem.Carthusian Monke a… Cambridge, who cryed out against the Pope, and said that he was an heretike, and that the Churches were profaned. And of Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lancolne, who was a man both holy and learned in his time. This p. 64Lincolniensis, while hee lived, had many Combates with the Bishoppe of Rome, and openly resisted his barbarous tyranny in dominering so farre in Englande, as to inioyne Provision of the best Benefices, to be taken vp for Italian boyes; which for a ccLincolniens. epistol.Prebend in his Church at Lincolne hee vvould not yeeld vntounto, and for that cause vvas by the Pope excommunicated. But vvhen he was ddMatth Paris in Hen. 3dying, hee most bitterly inveighed against the Romane Bishop, and the Ecclesiasticall Persons, as being the most w… ked men that did liue. In the same eeIbidem.Authour you may also find the conceite, which the most Reverende Arch-b…shop of Yorke Sewaldus had of them and their proceedings. VVhat should I mention ffHoveden. parte secū da.loachim, who said that in his time Antichrist was already borne, and was in the Citty of Rome. Or that Bishop of ggPlatina in Paschal. 2.Florence, who lived about the yeare 1100. and did vse to say, that Antichrist was then in the worlde, which mooved Pope Paschalis so much, as that he thought fit to enquire of him in a Councell, and did there castigate him for it. Notable in this kind are the contentions of Philippus Pulcher the King of Fraunce, and his whole Cleargy, against hhPap. Mas…on in Bonifac. 8.Boniface the eighth. I might adde to these Petrus de Brus, and many other learned men, who laid the axe to the very roote of Popery, and some in set Treatises oppugned one of their documents, and some assaulted other, but that the writer of the Catalogus Testium veritatis, as it is lately enlarged, and iiIn Histor. Ecclesiast.Master Foxe, and Master kkIn Catal. script. Brit. Laur. Hū …r. …uitism. part. 1.Bale, and diverse ¹ other, hauehave largely handled this; to the reading of vvhose bookes I doe referte them, who in particular desire to bee more advertised in this behalfe. Now if these things doe appeare much by their owne witnesse, and by the confession of Papistes themselues, as also by such few Records, as by Gods providence so disposing, doe yet remaine; howe many illustrious argumentes might there hauehave beene of the confession of our faith, if the Clergy and Magistracy of those darke times, had not burned & suppressed all things which made against th…, as I shewed before touching the bookes of Iohn VViclef, and Reginald Pecocke in Oxford. The Clergy in those dayes did almost rule all, and they had the custody of all libraries, to ransacke at their pleasure, or to put in and pull out, and they had power to search poore p. 65mens houses, and to destroy what was thought fit by them to be destroyed. But God, who would not hauehave his truth vtterly burned, or buried in ashes, suffered a remānt to remaine, yea & that in England; albeit Polydore Virgil with an Italian tricke of his owne, did there consume and destroy many worthy & ancient monuments.

33 By this time I may well suppose, that some vehement Papist, having read over this long Chapter, is even ready to svvell with his belly full of exceptions against these things heere saide. And first he wil begin & say, that we rake to gither as the Ancesters and fore-runners of our faith, such as were notorious Heretikes, as Wiclef or Hus or the Waldenses, men condemned by Popes or general Councels. And Heretikes, as mmRation 10Campian telleth vsus, are the dregges and the bellowes and the f…well of hell. These as our Papists commonly say, are already fire-brands of hel, and frying there in the flames. It is no rare matter with the Synagogue of Rome, to pronoūce such sentences as these are. Our Rhemists by their Consistorial or Imperial decree, hauehave defined, that Calvine & Verone are not only Heretiks but nnIn Rom. 11 33.Rom 11:33Reprobats, for writing so as they hauehave done, touching the Article of Predestination. Yea they cal M. Beza a Reprobate also, although he were not only then aliue, but yet is so; howsoever the Iesuites some ooAn. 1598. vide Epist. Bez… ad Stuckium.few years since, did by a most ridiculous Pamphlet or other newes spreade it in Fraunce and Italy, that he was dead, and dying had recanted his Religion, and was turned to the Romish faith, which also Geneva did by his example. It is no newes with Iesuites to lie, and therefore Master Beza must beare vvith them: and so had hee neede to doe with the Rhemistes also, vvho got hastyly into Gods chaire, & there concluded him to be a Reprobate. But indeede those good Christians before named, of whom many lost their liues for the maintenance of Gods truth, were heretiks in such a manner, as Christ was saide to bee ppMat. 26. 65Matt 26:65a blasphemer, who indeede vvas both called so, and condemned to bee such a one, by a Councell of the High-Priestes, Scribes, and Rulers of the Synagoge. VVe doe not beleeue that all those are Heretikes, vvhom you Papistes will so call, or accounte: for you giuegive vsus that name, vvhichwhich maugre your malice, you shall never bee p. 66able to prove against vsus. They are truely Orthodoxe and right Catholikes, who teach nothing but that, whereof they have evident vvarrant out of the vvorde of GOD. And this vvee have, as hath beene ofte shewed by men of our side, and in that question we are ready at all times to iumpe with you for any parte or all the doctrine vvhichwhich vvee professe. VVith Saint Paule therefore vvee say, that qqAct. 24 14.Acts 24:14after the vvaie that you call Heresie s… vvorshippe vvee the GOD of our Fathers. The same vvhichwhich you maliciously and presumptuously tearme Schisme and Heresie, is that vvherevpon (vnderunder our blessed Saviour) vvee rest our soules, and by the confession thereof vve hope to bee saved, in the day of the generall iudgment. Doe not you therefore take that for graunted, vvhichwhich is so highly questioned betweene vsus and you, but rather if you can, prove our profession to bee hereticall. By GODS grace we shall not shrinke at any of your biggest obiections.

34 Yea but say you farther, the vvriters vvich make mention of these your predecessours, doe brande them with the holding of some most grosse and damnable doctrine, vvhichwhich you your selves vvill not avouch. My answere is, that wee our selves doe easilie beleeve so much. For did malice I pray you ever say vvell? The rrAct. 16. 20. cap. 17 7. 2. Cor. 12. 16Acts 16:202 Cor 12:16Apostles were at more times, and in more places then one, charged with many accusations, which yet in truth were but calūniations. The old Christiās in the Primitive Church, were slandered to vse incestuous company each with other like Oedipus, and to eate vp mans flesh as at the banket of Thyestes: yea their owne ssEu…b. Eccl. Hist. lib. 4. 7. …. 5. 1.servantes for feare were induced to lay such matters to their charge. tt…. …. 20. Theodor. Eccl. Hist I 1. 30.Athanasius was accused to have cut of ones hand, and a harlot to his face woulde have calumniated him, to have committed fornication with her. This practise vvas never more liberally frequented, then by the enemies of the Gospell, in the late daies of Popery. You may remember what I cited before out of Du Hailla…, concerning matters f…lsly obiected to the Albinge…ses. There is extant an uuIn fasci…ul. …um exp…nd.Excusatory Oration of the VValdenses, wherin they say, that for that their faith, which they were ready to iustifie, they vvere condemned, iudged, captivated and afflicted. And aftervvard, that they vvere called Heretikes. But p. 67in their Confess. Waldensiu.Confession they have it directly, Of these criminations vvhereof vvee are blamed oftentimes, vvee are nothing at all guiltie. The Pope and his Chapleins were fell and furious against them, because they did bite so neere, and therefore to disgrace them, both in present and to posteritie, they helde it fit that by speech, preaching and writing, it should be divulgated, that they taught monstrous blasphemies, that by that meanes the credulous people might be preiudicate, and so not onelyonly frighted from harkening to them, but be much the readier to ioyne in the prosecutiō of thē to prison & to death. But what they indeed held, is declared before. When xxCochl. Histor. Hussit. lib. 2.Iohn Hus was at the Councell of Constance, he did openly call God to vvitnesse, that hee did neither preach nor teach those thinges which his adversaries did obiect against him, neither that they ever did come into his minde. Neither is it to bee marveiled, that they did lade his scholers vvith the like false accusations, when their malice vvas such toward them, as that they burnt many yyLib. 8.thousandes of them in barnes, vvhichwhich vvas done by the trechery of one Mainardus. In other places the Romanists have still helde the same course of slaundering, vvhichwhich caused the Protestants to professe, in the Diet at Augusta, zzSleidan. Commentar. lib. 8.that diverse opinions vvere falselie reported vp and dovvne, vvhichwhich vvrongfullie vvere fathered vponupon them. And that th…se were not onelyonly estranged from the holie Scriptures, but that they vvere abhorrent even from common sence. And is it not probable that long since, when much darkenesse did cover the face of the earth, and fewe had grace to perceive their doings, and fewer had authoritie to question their doctrine, the Pope-holie Clergy vvhichwhich hated the true Gospellers vvith all their heartes, vvould pay them vvith vile and odious reportes; when in this age, wherein God hath afforded more plentifull meanes, to discover their falshood, they doe dare not only in their sermons, or in their secreter whisperings, but in their Printed bookes to proclaime abroade concerning vsus, most false and vngodly calumniations and imputations, as that we do teach all loosenes of life, and aaWeston vbique.Libertinisme by this our new Gospel, that we bbCampian Ration. 8.maintaine, that al sins are aequal, that wee hould it as a Maxime, that God is the Author of sinne, and whatsoever else it pleaseth M. Campian and his felowes, to invent p. 68& devise touching vsus, wheeras we vtterly disclaime these & the like Positions, as execrable & vngodly. Yea that Mounti-banke whom once before I mentioned, hath not blushed to assevere, that wee so teach, as that by our doctrine, ccCertaine Articles or forcible Reasons. At Anwerp, 1600.the Protestantes are bound in conscience never to aske God forgivenesse of their sinnes. And that they are bound in conscience to avoide all good worke…. As also that we make God the onelyonly cause of sinne; And holde that God is vverse then the Devil. So shamelesse was this fellow growne, that he neither knoweth not careth what he saith. And yet many a poore Papist, abused and gulled by the Devil… deceiving instrumentes, doth swalow such goageons, & runneth away with these things, beeing as verily perswaded of them, as that the Gospell is true. Such a hand the Seminary Priests have over their disciples, that they may not reade our bookes to see whether these obiections be true or no, neither may they heare ought to the cōtrary. Now if they thus vse vsus who can speake for ourselves, wil any māmarveile, that those who professed the verity two or three hundred of yeeres since, do t…st of the malignant aspersion of those times.

35 The Romanists not withstanding all this which hath beene said, do not yet so leave vsus, but once more farther adde, that none of all those which hitherto have bin named, or can be named, but in some knowne, confessed, and vndoubted opinions, did vary from you, and therefore they and you may not bee saide to have beene al of one Church. Our Maisters of Rhemes do thinke that this lyeth hardly vponupon vsus, & therfore thus vauntingly they vrge, that they ddIn Rom. …1. 4.Rom 1:4will not put the Protestants to prove, that there were seaven thousand of their Sect, when th…r new Elias Luther began, but let them prove that there were seven or any one, either thē or in al ages before him, that was in all points of his beleefe. VVhat the olde Fathers taught, vvee shall have time inough in diverse Chapters heere-after to shewe; where by the assistance of GOD, wee shall discusse many single pointes of faith: but for other of later time, it is most easy to manifest, that all those whome before I have named, did generally for all maine matters teach the same which vvee novve doe teach. There is no Papist vvho can truely and vvithout calumniating them, or sayning thinges vponupon them, demonstrate that in causes vvhichwhich touch the substance of p. 69faith, or the foundation of Christian Religion, they did dissent from vsus. Hee who will try this, let him looke on the Declaration eeIn M^r. Foxes Eccles Histor.of Walther Brute, which I before mentioned, and let him reade it set downe by himselfe, and not reported by other. And what did that learned lay-man deliver there, which was not the beleefe of Wiclif, and the rest of the English professing the Gospell in those times? But if there bee in some petty matters, yea questions of some reasonable moment, difference in opinion betweene them and vsus, shall vvee not therefore bee of the same Church with them, or they with vsus? Yes verily: for otherwise many of the auncient Fathers, should not be of the Communion of Saintes, or Catholike Congregation with those who came after them, and amended their errours. For vvas not ffDivin. Iustir l. 7. 14Lactantius spotted with the Millenarie infection, and ggAugustin. Epistol. 48.Cyprian vvith the matter of Rebaptizing? Had not Austen an hhEpistol. 106. & 107.opinion of the necessity of the Eucharist, to be administred to children, and that Infants being deade without iiEpist. 28.Baptisme, were not only deprived of the fruition of heavenly ioyes, but were damned to the pit of hell, and to everlasting torments? And what man religiouslie affected will suspect, but that although Saint Cyprian, and the other Affricane Bishops aslembled in a kkConcil. Carthag. in Cypriā. oper.Councel, did, concerning the new baptizing of those who were already baptized by Heretikes, determine cleane contrarie to Cornelius, & the rest of the Italian Bishops, yet they should not be of the same faith in generall, and of the same holy Church, whereof Cornelius was? Saint Austen can thus write concerning Cyprian: llDe Baptism contra Donatist. lib. 1.Whereas that holy man Cyprian, (thinking otherwise of Baptisme, then the matter was, vvhichwhich was afterward handled, and with most diligent consideration established) did remaine in the Catholike vnity; both by the plentifulnesse of his charitie a recompence was made, and by the sickle of his suffering there vvas a purging. mmLib. ….In another place hee saith: The authoritie of Cyprian doth not terrifi… mee… but the humilitie of Cyprian doth refresh mee. Hee meaneth that if that vvorthy man had lived, to have seene more light in that argument, or to beholde, vvhat the succeeding time had reveiled, and concluded in that behalfe, hee vvould in greate humilitie and meekenesse of hearte have conformed himselfe and yeelded vntounto it. VVhichWhich may iustly p. 70serve for a true defence of the Waldenses, Iohn Wiclif, Iohn Hus, or any other servant of God, who might seeme in matters of small moment to vary from vsus.

36 And thus I trust that by this time it appeareth, to every one who will not wilfully close his eies, & stoppe his eares against an app…rant truth, that God hath at all times had his children houlding the verity of Christian Religion, & not approving of the filthie Superstitions, & sacrilegious Idolatries of the abhominable Antichrist of Rome. So that it is a most fonde collection, that either the Popish Convocation, or Confusion, are the right & vndoubted spouse of Iesus Christ; or els that for a thousand yeeres togither there was no Church in the worlde. They doate much vponupon themselves, and on the opinion of their bewty, who in such intolerable deformities, doe predicate and magnifie their Synagogue, as the vnspotted wife, and mystical body of our most blessed Saviour. Truth it is, that intending to blind the ignorant, and to abuse the simple, they laboured by all externall pompe and shew, to give to their hypocrisy and outward formality, a setled opinion of pietie and sanctitie; and for that cause there was no corner of the braine of man, or rather of men in many ages succeeding togither, vnsought, to procure glorie to that which was in it selfe very vnglorious. Their care therefore was to convert the eies of all persons on their externall hewe, which was marveilously adorned and garnished to the sence, with their … Crosses set vp or caried before some Prelates, with the triple Crowne Praefat. Catalog. Testium veritatis.of their Popes, the redd hattes of their Cardinals, the precious attire of some in their Churches, their prodigious apparel abroad, the diverse-cou…oured coules of their Monkes, such singing and chaūting with Organs, such ringing of Belles, such trimming of Images, & many more such sensible matters, as that neither the Iewes nor the Gētiles had the like. And amōg all this, if true Religion in diverse were present, it is not to bee marveiled at if she were scant seene, or if no notice were takē of her, for her poore & vntrimmed or vngarnished hewe, for her naked simplicity and vnpainted integrity. It was the commendation given to Sol… beloved, by vvhome the Church is represented, that the Ps. 45. 13.Ps 45:13Kinges daughter is all glorious vvithin: her bevvti… consisting of p. 71puritie in faith, veritie in doctrine, severenesse in behaviour, innocencie, patience, and such like spirituall complementes. And these are as much contemned in others by the Antichristian rabble, as they are neglected in themselves; vvhereas their externall pompe on the contrarie side is as much despised by the LORD, as it is magnified in their fleshly and carnall imaginations. And thus I ende this matter, hoping that if any Reader thinke that I have beene to long in this Chapter, hee will remember the waight of that which hath beene handled, and a recompence shall bee made in some other Reasons following, vvhere I am not enforced to the large handling of the question then occurrent.