AN APOLOGIE FOR IOHN WICKLIFFE, shewing his conformitie with the now Church of England; with an­swere to such slaunderous obiections, as haue beene lately vrged against him by Father Parsons, the Apolo­gists, and others.

COLLECTED CHIEFLY OVT OF diuerse works of his in written hand, by Gods e­speciall providence remaining in the Publike Library at Oxford, of the Honorable foun­dation of Sr. THOMAS BODLEY Knight:

BY THOMAS JAMES keeper of the same.

3. Esdras Cap. 4. ver. 38.

Truth doth abide, and is strong for ever, and liveth, and raigneth for ever and ever.

At Oxford, Printed by Ioseph Barnes, printer to the Vniversitie. 1608.

TO THE HONORABLE Sr EDWARD COOKE, Knight, Lord Chiefe Iustice of his Maiesties Court of Common Pleas.

My very good Lord; it is not lōg since, It was my happe, to see a Booke published; quo iure, quáue potius miuria, against your Lord­ships Fift booke of Reportes: Intituled de Iure Regis Ecclesiasti­co by one, that if he had not tearmed himselfe a Catholik Deuine, I should haue takē him for any thing els: So far is he in this lying Libel frō being a Deuine, much lesse Catholik (vnlesse it [...]e in the sence vniuersal) being indeed nothing els but an vniuersal Historiā. I haue also read an other book wherin your Lordship is most vniustly produced, or rather traduced for an egregious falsarie, a crime which that Libeller hath made common to others of your ranck, and of higher mark, by im­puting the same most scandalously vnto one of the most Honorable and religious Peeres of this land. Farthermore I haue hard of diuerse others, whose fingers doe itch, to be dealing with your Lordship, according to the grounds of your Ho­norable profession. By al which I perceaue, that [Page] your Lordship hath so mortally wounded the hayrie scalp of that man of Rome, which would faine bee accepted for head of this Church, that our aduersaries doe striue with noe smale adoe, whoe shalbe most forwarde, to salue this sore, though it be neuer so incurable. But amongst all others, who so aduenturous, as our pretended Catholike, surnaming himselfe the Deuine, which hath spared no cost, no labour, for the effecting thereof in his late aunswere. Seely disputer, that where the question is de Iure, produceth testimo­nies de facto, and being by profession a Deuine, & the questiō of law bringeth his proofs out of His­storie. Doubtles the Deuine is much beholding vnto your Lordship (though hee doe craftily dis­semble it) for giuing him so good an occasiō both to shew his great reading, and withal to purg so much choller, being of liklyhood of that chole­ricke & bilious disposition.

Quod si non aliquà nocuisset, mortuus esset.

I gather so much by his writings; for I am veri­ly perswaded, that this is not the first book, that hath come out of th [...]s mans forge; [...]here bee di­uerse books, I should haue said Pamphletts, cast abroad, which sauour of the same stile and file: so [Page] finely smothed and framed for the nonce, that a man maie knowe him to bee his crafts Master, in this black Art, though he transfigure himselfe in­to an Angel of light, & professe al manner of Can­dour and Chari [...]ie in hi [...] writings; but the contra­ry is too too manifest in his lyeing Pamphlets. To saie nothing of his slaunderous reports a­gainst the late religious Queene of blessed me­morie: against the reuerend Sages and Iudges of the Common law in general, and your Lordship in particular; because he takes vpon him to be so great a Clearke in the question about the Kings Crowne and dignitie, I haue endeauoured in this Apologie (which I haue framed in defence of that famous writer and preacher of Gods word Iohn VVickliff) to oppose against his slaunderous Li­bel, his answere; as the answere of a most anciēt, Catholike, and learned Deuine. Ancient, for hee liued in the time of K Edward the 3. Catholike, for he maintained the same doctrine then, which the Church of Eng1 and now (being guided by the Holy Ghost and sacred writings of Scrip­ture & Fathers) doth professe; learned in al kind of good knowledge, needfull for a Divine: & for the maine question touching the kings Regaltie [Page] & the Popes Supremacie, hee delivereth in other termes the very same argumēts & reasons, which I finde written in that your said fift Booke of Re­ports: proving the truth of your assertiōs, by the Iawes Civill, Canon, & Common. Wherein be­cause I professe little knowledge (it being not my element; and as your Lordship hath well ob­serued, Perito in sua arte credendumest,) I haue presu­med to submit the whole Apologie vnto your iu­dicious & learned censure, quatenus de Iure. If your Lordship finde him not in this Apologie (where I haue, as neare as I could, truly related his words) most iudicious, religious, temperate, learned, & altogether conformable vnto the doctrine and discipline of this presēt Church (which this libel­ler so much impugneth) and agreeing with the laws of God and of this Realme, let me beare the fault of presumption, and vndergoe your heaui­est Censure whom I professe, I doe honour and reuerence, as farr as anie of my profession, and as it becometh me to doe in al Christian dutie; knowing your Lordship to be a zealous professor of the truth, a worthy maintainer of the Cleargie, a lo­uing Patron of both our Vniuersities, and lastly a great furtherer of al good learning: which that [Page] you may liue for to doe, maugre the opposition of our aduersaries, I shal neuer cease to pray vnto the Almighty, long to continue your Lordship in health, wealth and prosperitie, with encrease of spiritual gifts, for the benefit of both Church and Common wealth. From the Library in Oxford Feb. 10. 1608.

Your Lordships in al Christian du­tie to be commanded. THO: IAMES.

Faults escaped in the printing of this Apologie.

Pag. 1. l. 15. but, read butte, p. 7. in the marg 1.6. for Auctorziatio, read Aucto­rizatio. p. 9. l. 12. impious, read pious, p. 19. marg. l. 36. discipui, read discipuli p. 25. l. 18. ohfarlanot, read of an harlot, p. 34. l. 2. awere, read werep. 37. l. 7. t [...]e read the, p. 39. marg. l. 34. lucrationes, read lucratiuas. p. 40. l. 21. secundā, read secundum p. 42. marg. l. 33. habe [...], read habent p. 44. mar. l. 33. formicator. read fornicator. p. 48. l. II. excommunication, read excommunications p. 53 l▪ 20. fit­est, read fittest. p. 56. l. 12 rained, read raigned. pag. 69. l. 10 ia, read in pag. 71. l 5 should obay, read obay, lb. marg. l. 16. leges, read legis. in his life, for, many, read maine, for to pray macks, read their stomacks.

THE PREFACE VNTO ALL TRVE Catholicks, and Christian Readers.

WHeras among al the writers, which haue since the daies of Antichrist sharpened there pens in defence of the Gospel, and maintained the cause of Christ against Antichrist and his Supposts, by oppo­sing themselues as Arch-pillers, against the Arch-he­reticks and Caterpillers of there times: there is none that hath behaued himselfe more religiously, valiant­lie, learnedlie, and constantlie, then this stout Cham­pion, reverend Doctor, & worthie preacher of Gods word Iohn VVickliffe, whose veryVetus Hypo­crita, Angeius Sathanae, An­tichristi prae ā ­bulus, non no­minandus Io. Wickli [...]. vel potius Wicke­beleefe, haereti­cus. Wals. p. 256. Organū diabolicū, ho­stis Ecclesiae, confusio vulgi haereticorum Idolum, Hypo­critatum spe­culum, Schis­matis incētor, odij seminator incendij fabrī cator. lb. Pag. 266. o linguā [...]emper men­dacem, male. dicam & blas­phemā! Wald. To. I. pag. 177. ¶ Ps. 64. 5. name is therfore become hateful vnto the Adversarie, his parson contēp­tible, and his doctrine the only marke or but at which those Ps. 64. 5. qui sagittāt in occulto which lie priuily lurki [...]g in co [...]ners do especially aime, shooting there arrowes bitter words, euē lewd & lying Pamphlets: some chal­lēging him of Blasphemie towards God, some of Trea­son towards the king, others of monstrous Of Maniche­isme. Donatis­me, Pelagia­nisme &c. see Walden Act. Cap. 25. lb. Verl. 7. heresies in Religion, all of sondry errours and grosse absurdi­ties: knowing therefore, that howsoeuer iure soli the Court of Rome maie, yet iure poli Gods law doth not condemne any man before his cause be heard, I haue thought it most conuenient and sit, to bring him forth before you Christian Readers, as before so many * Fe­stusses & Agrippaes to the end that you maie know the truth of those things wherof he is accused. And albeit our Romanists, haue as euilly intreated him as euer the Jewes did * Paul, laying many and grievous complaints [Page 2] against him: yet I doubt not, but you when you shall (as it becommeth men of profoūd iudgment & good discretion) permitte him to answere for him selfe as Act. 26. 1. Act. 25. 7. Agrippa did Paul, wil either finde there complaints with Festus such as they sh [...]l Act. 25. 8. never bee able to proue: viz: that hee hath nether offended against the law of God, neither against the Temple, nor against Cesar, and finallie pronounce this sentence of absolution with K. Agrippa:Act. 26. 31. This mā hath done nothing worthy of death, nor of bondes.

The order and method which I wil, God willing, ob­serue, shalbee: first to shew his conformitie, with the now Church of England in the chiefest points cōtro­versed, thence to descend vnto questiōs not altogether so material, and last of al to answere al such obiections, as haue beene mooued by our late Popish writers. Whose proofes, because they are of two sorts: drawn either frō From Foxe, Stow, Osian­der, Melan­cthon, Lu [...]her, &c. Protestantes which for want of due infor­mation, or from The Apolo­gists & Father Parsons. Papists which of ill wil, 'which never spake good of anie man, 'haue vttered anie thing pre­iudicial either vnto his doctrine or to his person: I wil indeuour (as much as in me lieth, & the truth wil per­mit) to informe the one, and reforme the other. The proofes which I shal alleadge shalbe cleere, euident, apparent, authentical, for they shalbe produced out of his own words and works, as they are extant in sundry good Manuscripts, in our so renowned publike Li­brarie, as thēselues may see or cause to bee seene by o­thers: for therefore to iustifie my proceedings against them, (knowing there sundrie & malignant See the Treatise ten­ding to miti­gation writtē by P. R. with the answere thereto. oppositi­ons against vs) I haue quoted in the margent, the very [Page 3] wordes of the Auctor, either in As the Au­thor himselfe wrot them. Latin or in English noting both Bookes and Pages. And for a final Con­clusion, I make this protestation; his writings shal not be defended by mee farther, then they are agreeable with the Articles of our Religion, and I exhort you as manie as shal happen to read this Apologie, as S. Paul did the I. Thes [...]. Cap. 5. vers. 21. The ssalon [...]ans: on [...]nia probate, quod bonū est te­nete. Examine all things, hold fast that which is good.

AN APOLOGIE FOR IOHN VVickliffe, shewing his conformity with the now church of Eng­land both in Doctrine & Discipline.

TO proceed thē according vnto the first part of our general diuisiō, J doubt not, but it wil easily be acknowledged of al hands, that the greatest Controuersies betweene the Papists and vs, maie be reduced into these fewe heads.

They concerne.

  • 1 The Scripture.
  • 2 Traditions.
  • 3 The Pope.
  • 4 The Church.
  • 5 Iustification.
  • 6 Merits.
  • 7 The blessed Sacrament of the Lords supper.

For the rest which concerne the other Sacraments, or other pointes of doctrine, that are collateral, they shalbe handled with the principal questions; or else in the second place apart by themselues, according to our former diuision.

The I. Chap. Of the Scripture.

THe questions to be moued about the Scripture are no lesse infinite, then the Scripture it selfe: but the greatest points controuersed betweene vs and the Papists, resteth in these 4. About the num­ber, Sufficiencie, Interpretation, or Communication of the Scripture, or bookes Canonical.

Sect. 1.

The first que­stiō about the number of the bookes Cano­nical. Article 6.TO the 1. point Io. VVickliffe fully agreeing with the 6. Article of the Church of England, and S. Hierōs doctrine, maketh but Satis est pro sua militia ha­bere 22. libros de veteri Tes­tamento-Au­thēticos Wie­kliff [...] de ver. Scrip. Pag. 110. 22. books Canonical, excluding the rest which are as he rightly tearmeth them bookes Apocrypha, so called as he writeth; Non quia o­portet illis discredere tanquam fa sis sed quia non oportet. Ecclesiam militantem illis li­bris credere explicatè tanquam authenticis. ld lb. not because they are to be discredited of falshood: but because the Church militant should not beleeue them explicatè, as if they were authenticall, & Stultum et vanum circa veritatem aut passiones Scripturae Apocryphae nimis contendere cum habemus plenè Scripturas sensibilitèr nobis authenticas, ld. lb. he thinketh it to sa [...]or of folly & vaine curiositie, for a man to striue about the truth or proper passions of these bookes Apocrypha, where there are so manie books besides; which are verie sensibly and plainly authentical. Now if you happen to a [...]ke VVick­liffe how he knoweth these bookes to be losse authen­tical [Page 7] then the former,The differen­ces betwixt the books Ca­nonical & A­pocrypha. he wil informe & shew you that the best meanes of discerning books Canonical from the Apocrypha bookes are. 1. Aucto [...]izatio corum in No­uo, testamento Wickleff. de Ve [...]r. Scrip. pag 95. & pag. 109To looke into the newe Testament, and to see what books of the old Te­stament are therein cited & authenticated by the holy Ghost. 2. If that wil not serue, for Credo, quod Ecclesia discre tè examinan [...] quemcun (que) li­brum, quoad totam suam sententiam, dicià Spiritu Sancto in alia Scriptura, lo. pag. 96. the Church of God discreetly examining any booke, to consider whether the like doctrine be deliuered by the Holy Ghost elsewhere in the Scripture. And what else doth the Church of Eng­land answere? So that VVickliffe is wholly for vs in the first point.

Sect. 2.

TO the 2 point the Church of England differing from the Church of Rome professeth that Holy Scripture containeth althings necessarie to Sal­uation, and that what soeuer is not read therin, The 2. questiō about the suf­ficiency of the Scripture. The 6 Article of Religion. nor may be proued thereby, is not to be required of anie man that it should be beleeued as an Article of the faith, or bee thought requisite or necessarie to Saluation.

To this Article also Diuersorium Lollardorum. Nih [...]il inquiūt praeter Scrip­turas Sacras accipimus: quicquid istis apponitut aut subtrahitur est blaphemum Walden. To. 3. Pag. 3. Io. VVickliffe most willingly subscribeth, in that most excellent booke of his De ve­ritate Scripturae: affirming positiuely, that Lex Dei patula in d [...]s obus Testamentis. VVicklis. in exp [...]sit Dec [...]l. Pag. 5. [...]criptura ergo est lex Christi — & [...] des Ecclesiae. ld. de verit, Script. Pag. 15. Lib de 7. Peccat Mo [...]libus Pag. 40. Gods will is plainly reuealed in two Testaments, which he calleth else where Christs law, or the saith of the Church; that Christs law sufficeth by it selfe to [...]rule Christs Church; [Page 8] that a Scriptura se­cūdū sensū suū sacrum, suffi­cit pro quadā scientia necessaria viatori. De Ver. Scrip. pag. 66. Christian man wel vnderstanding it may thence gather sufficient knowledge during his pilgrimage here vpon earth: that wheras [...]ū in Scrip­tura S. sit om­nis veritas, pa tet quod om­nis disputatio — quae iin Scri­ptura Sacra non habet o­riginē est pro­phana lb. p 39 all truth is contained in holy Scripture, that what disputation soeuer is not original­ly thence to be deduced, is to be accounted prophane. A­gaine, that Non oportet admittere sci­entiam vel cō clusionem quae nō habet Te­stimonium ex Scriptura. lb. pag. 66 we owght to admit of no science, no con­clusion, that is not approued by the Scripture, Nisi in ordi­ne ad hāc Le­gem lb. p. 485. no lawe vnless it be ether subordinate vnto this law or Nisi de quan­to promouet ad hanc Le­gēld lb. p. 50. helpe to bring vs vnto this law: No Court lb. pag 11. citra Calum besides the Court of heauen: no parson, not the Popes holines, which Ex Augusti­no, contrarius Scripturae etiam Dominus Papa, quem aliqui fingunt dispensare contra illam, non est vt sit Christianus lb pag. 128. if he should dispense (as some faine that hee maie) with holy Scripture, he shal not any longer be ac­counted a Christian; yea, he is so resolued vpon the cer­taintie and sufficiencie of the Scripture, that he telleth vs elsewhere, that Lib. de biasphemia pag. 42. thowgh we had an hundred Popes, and al the Friars in the world were turned into Cardi­nals: yet should we trow more the law of the Gospel, thē we should trow al this multitude. And this was not a bare opinion of his, which might grow vppon dislike, discontent, or be vtte [...]ed by waie of contradiction: but a [...]etled and constant persuasiō out of the word of God & therefore Log [...]cos & Grammaticos oportet submittere [...]e ad di [...]cendum in Scriptura, tam nouam G [...]ammati­cam, quam Logicam. De verit. Script pag. 7. he magnifieth and extolleth this heavē ­lie Logike and Grammar aboue all the Logiks and Gram­mars of the world willeth Finus non debet infringere testamentum Patris lb pag. 72. true sonnes in no wise to goe about to infringe this will and Testament of there hea­venly father; and perswadeth al omne genus humanum debet stare pro de [...]ensione veritati Scripturae ex integro, vs (que) ad mortem. lb. pag. 161. true subiects to per­forme [Page 9] al due obedience and subiectiō thereunto, whe­ther they be of the Laitie, or of the Clergie, saying: that all men ought to defend it vnto the death:Saecularis vio­lentia, Cleri­cus ratio ne lb pag. 161. Secular men by power and strength, Clergie men by reasons and arguments. Professing of him that holdeth the contra­rie opinion, Non est vt sit Christianus. lib. de verit. Script, p. 128. that he cannot be a Christian, that Quicun (que) nō vere fundaue rit, vel vitam suam, vel sen­tentiā in Scri­ptura S; sed ad versatur sibi, & suis profes­soribus, hic ob liquat vt pugil Diaboli, at (que) haereticus. lb. pag. 189. hee is flatly the Diuels champion and finallie that Non est vox Theologi sed Docmonologi lb. pag. 327. he speakes not as a Divine, but as a Divell. I coulde inlarge this point with infinite quotations, so earnest is he euerie where in his writings, to establish this doctrine, which is the ground of al our Protestant opinions. And the reason of this his earnestnes, & impious zeale was this: he saw the grosse ignorance of those times, wherein few sermons were preached, & those for the most part out of Lib. de 7. pee cat mort. p. 22 lb. pag. 22. lb. pag. 3. de verit. Script. pag. 332. Chronicles and fables, leasings and traditions Expos. Deca­logi pag. 69. prophaned with much scurrilitie and emptines, by Lib. de 7. peccat mort. pag. 10. lb. pag. 22. lay­ing aside Gods law and Christs Gospel. Yea so farre were they from preaching the word of God, that they went about to Contra Fratres mendi [...]. p. 52 burne the Gospel in English, & to consume with fire or They pursue true men for preaching the truth. Lib. de 7 peccat. mort. pag. 102. Like the Byshops of the Temple letten men to preach lb. pag. 19. letten the Gospel & Pistles to be preached, and pursue the true tellers thereof. Lib. Miscell. pag. 34. sword, with banishmēts or imprisonmēts, the true and godly Professours thereof: despiting & re­viling the Scripture by the name of Opinio haere tica quod Scriptura S. sit haeretica et blasphema. Lib. de ver Scrip pag. 196. Multiplicati qui dixer [...]it Scripturam secundum magnem partem suam esse falsissimā. Ibid. pag. 130. Blasphemous, false, flexible or changeable vnto anie sense that a man would haue it, and lastly that Lib. contra Fra [...]res. mendic. pag. 44. it was neuer well since Lords and Ladies tooke regarde to the Gospell and leften [Page 10] there ancestors manners. When these absurd, infamous blasphemous, Romish or rather Diuelish opinions be­gan to be broached and bo [...]stred vp by Antichrist and his deerest Minions, the Moonks & Friars; maruel wee at his positions, doctrine, constancy and resolution, for the auctoritie and maiestie of the Scripture, or that he was as we finde him in this 2. and most materiall point of al, a sound Protestant?

Sect. 3.

The 3. questiō of the Inter­pretation of the Scripture.THe 3. point wherein we differ, is about the inter­pretation of this Holy and sacred Scripture. The Papists, as they make the Pope alone indge of al con­trouersies: so they make him sole interpreter of all dark and obscure places of holie writ. Other men as the an­cient Doctors and writers maie write, cōment, vnfold a [...]d explane the darke sentences therein cōtained, but there writings are humane, there iudgements not al­waies certaine, and solide, finallie they want that vner­ting kay, which the Pope hath, to search, trie, examine and determine the truth thereof. Heare we therefore what is VVickliffes opinion, concerning the interpre­tation of the Scripture. He affirmeth euerie where in his writings, that the sensus litera­lis Scripturae sensus quem Spiritus S. in didit. De verit Script pag. 27 Omnia neces­saria in Scrip­tura continē ­tur in sēsu hi­storico vel lite rali, Wickliff. ex relat. Gu. Wodeford in lib. ML. Nulla conclu­sio authentica tur ex Scrip­tura Sacra, nisi in quantū al­legatur ad sē ­sum Auctoris Ib. pag. 201. true literal sense and sentence of the Scripture, which the Holie Ghost doth principally intend, is that which we are chieflie to regards that it is nothing for a māto cite Scripture, vnlesse it be * perti­nēt to the meaning of the Auctor; which being of it self hard to be found out, (because a carnall man doth not easilie conceiue the things of God) therefore by Gods [Page 11] providence, whichOrdinauit Deus commu­nem Scripturā sensibilem, ad cuius sensum Catholicum capiendū de­us, non po [...]est deficere; quo­niam semper quosdam irra­diat, ad quam irradiationē confert sanct­itas vitae et cō ­tinuare istam irradiationem in matre Ec­clesia est The­ologotum of­ficium, quos o­porter stare in suis limitibus, vnde non li­cet Theologis fingere alien [...] praeter fidem Script, Catholicae lb p. 205. neuer faileth his Church in things necessarie to Salvation, some are illuminated & enligh­tened from aboue, for the finding out of the true and Ca­tholike sense of the Scripture, which illumination & ir­radiation of theirs (as he cals it) is much confirmed and warranted vnto vs, by their holy lines and cōuersations, and to continue it in the mother Church, is the dutie and function of Diuines. Who neuerthelesse, because they are men, and maie easily erre, by making false Postilles or b [...]nging vntrue glosses, therefore he willeth them to obserue certaine meanes, and prescribeth them cer­taine bounds and limits, quos vltra citrag, nequit consi stere rectum. within the which they are to containe thē selues. And first for the meanes of expounding and explaining of holie Scripture, they are in his iudgment and accountQuintuplex medium dispo nens ad suae veritat is noti­tiam. fiue.

  • 1
    Codicum Scripturae correctio.
    To looke that the books of Scripture be not corrup­ted, for the Editions.
  • 2
    Logicae Scripturae in­structīo.
    To haue the knowledge of the Scripture logick, that is the Phrase, & manner of speaking vsual in the Bible.
  • 3
    Partium Scripturae iugis collatio.
    A continual collation and comparing of Scrip­ture, with Scripture, is required,
  • 4
    Sui deuoti student is virtuosa dispositio
    A vertuous and deuout disposition in the Student.
  • 5
    Ptimi Magistri interna instructio. De verit. Script. pag. 75.
    An inward instruction and information of the chiefe Master Christ Jesus.

These are the best meanes, which he could find for the explanation of doubtful places in Scripture, the fourth whereof being somwhat obscure, he expound­eth thus. The virtuous disposition of a scholler or stu­dent [Page 12] in Diuinitie, consisteth in these 3. points. 1.Primo in au­ctoritatis Scripturae humili [...] acceptatione [...] in an humble acceptation of the [...]auctoritie [...] of the Scripture 2. 20. In sui & rationis con­formatione. in a conformation of himselfe and his reason there­vnto. 3.30. in SS. Do­ctorum testifi­catione. De Verit▪ Script. pag. 78 In admitting the testification of the holy Do­ctors. What could be said more plaine for vs, concer­ning the two former points, as for the latter, obser­uing the bounds & limits which VVickliffe prescribes there can be nothing more consonant and agreeable, with the Protestant doctrine here in England at this day professed. For first of al he proues that the best, In­terpreters doe somtimes Causa vari [...] [...]tatis inter­pretum, vt cognoscomus vniuer [...]alo doi donū—in pae­nam superbie Ib. pag. 8 [...]. The diuersi [...]y of opinions as S. Aug. saith may standwel enowgh with the vnitie of faith, so long [...] as their opinions doe varie, but not con­trarie one a­nother, that they are di­uerse but not aduerse. varie: the cause of which vari­etie springeth, ether from Gods vniuersal goodnesse, g [...]uing guifts vnto mēdiuersely according to his good wil and pleasure: or else from mans wickednes & pride, which is hereby iustly punished.. Secondly for the Theologi debēt completius cognosce [...]e Doctores, prop [...]er videnda completa eorum originalia & radices rationum quas eliciunt ex Scriptura De Verit. Script. pag. 456. ho­ly Doctors and Fathers of the Church (whom we are to reuerence & esteeme in the next Non oportet plus credere homini quam mādato quod docet: ex hoc principio, prop­ter quod est vnum quod (que) [...]ipsum est magis. De, Ver., Script. pag. 205. place to the Scri­pture) we are to vnderstand, that A [...]legando. alios extra auctores, Scripturae, non allegamus eos vt auctores dantes probationem per locum a [...]ide; sed per locum I opicum à Testimonio humano; vt tale Testimonium viz. ar­guendo ad hominem, allegando sibitestem quem ipse acceptat ta [...]quam authenticum, vt arguendo contra infideles, allegamus eis proprios auctores▪ De Verit. Script. pag. 107. there testimonies & auctorities, being [...]o Topick places in Diuinitie, other then hum [...]ne prosies, not inducing beleef per locum a fide are to be all eadged in this manner only: whereas lb. pag. 108. they speak somthings assertiue, by waie of assertiō; somthings recitatiue, or interrogatiue, b [...] waie of narration or in­terrogation; and somthings by waie of iest or merriment Ironice: we are to admit or accept of no proofs, no au­ctorities, [Page 13] but such as are definitiuely vttred by waie of assertion, or asseueration. Wherein also in his iudg­ment, we are warilie to heed and attend this Caueat, that because they speak somthings Ib. pag. 108. opinādo by think­ing them to be so, somthings ratione probando, by pro­uing them to be so, by humane reasons & arguments thirdly and lastly vt sententiam Dei praeconizando, by citing Scripture for the farther proofe of them: wee must note, that in this last sence only, there words are chieflie to be regarded: because this is his final resolu­tion and conclusion of al; that Nulli creden dum est p er locum &c. lb. 109. Homini creditur non vt sibi, [...]ed vt promul­ganti divinam sententiam. De Ver. Scrip. pag. 205, Non debet credi creaturae, nisi de quanto Ioquitur confōrmiter ad Scripturam De Verit. Scrip pag. 206. Non sunt de capitulo eorum, de quibus sequitur, Ipsi sic aslerunt ig [...]tur verum. lb. pag. 151. no man liuing is to bee credited, per locū ab auctoritate, for his auctorities sake, nisi in quantum praconizat verbum Domini, vnlesse he vrge Scripture for the maintenance of his opinion. And thus, we see VVickl [...]ffe in this third point also, an abso­lute Conformitan vnto our Church.

Sect. 4.

THe 4. point determinable is,The 4. questiō whether the Scripture should be trā ­slated into the vulgar tonge. whether it be behoue­ful and necessarie, that the Scripture should be trā ­slated & communicated in English, to edifie the sim­ple people. Wherein it shal suffice out of S. Lib de verit. Scrip. p. 331. Gregory, to note his earnestnes in this point, in writing against Lib. Miscel pag. 24. this wicked sin, which would that the Gospell slept, lb pag. 34. & did let it to be preached. lb. pag. 24. The truth of God (saith he) stā ­deth not in one language, mor̄e thē other. lb. pag. 25. Christ taught the Pater noster in a language vnderstood, and therfore [Page 14] lb. pag. 24. why maie not men write in English the Gospell, and o­ther things? For lb. pag. 26. Clarks should ioy that the people knew Gods law, and certainely lb. pag. 24. this Heresie and Blasphemie should men cast out from there harts, for it springeth vp of the Fiend, & lb pag. 24. who is cursed of God but he that letteth this meane. And this moued this worthie instrumēt & chosen vessel of Gods glorie, to carrie his name before the Gentiles, to translate the whole extant in his Maiesties Li­brarie at White-hall. Bible, to com­ment vpon some part [...] therof, & chiefly those parts of Holy Scripture, which are most in vse; as the Extant in the publike librarie verie faierly bound of the guift of M. Doct. Bond the wor­thie president of Magd. Col. in Oxford, a true favou­rer & furthe­rer of al good learning. Psalmes of David, the Te Deū, Nunc dimittis, the Magnificat, and other Hymnes now read and retained to this day, in the vsage and Liturgie of the Church of England. And so we see, that in this point as wel as in the three former, nothing letteth vs to pronounce him to be an absolute Protestant.

The 2. Chapt. Of Traditions.

THe next questiō followeth about Traditions, wher­in although he hath sufficiently manifested his iudgment of them positiuely; by teaching vs that Habemus—completam notitiam ne­cessariorū ad salutem ex fide Scripturae. De Veritate Scrip. pag. 108. Though there be not a particular decision of al questions that maie be moued in Diuinity touching doctrine or discipline; yet, sententia dati iudicij est inuenibilis in Scriptura-vnde'pateat quomodo esset in ca­sibus particularibus indicandum. In Expos. Decal. pag 6. Status, statu [...]a, et. ritus a diecti se­cundum traditiones humanas, omnes inseparabiliter peccant, cum difficultant legem Dei, & impediunt cursum Sermonis sui. Art. 41. Oxon. condemnatus Regist, Acad. we haue a compleat & [...]ure knowledge of things necessarie to sal­vation out of the faith of the Scripture; yet exclusiuelie, [Page 15] By remouing the contrarie opinion, he farther manife­steth his detestatiō of al Popish or humane traditions, such as are contrarie to the word of God, which are of diuerse natures and conditions; some inuented De verit ate script p. 487. pro questu, for gaine; some profastu, of pride; a thirde sorte Traditiones humanae com mixtae cum ve ritate Eu an­gelica lb. pag 330. mixed, partly humane and partly divine, partly good, and partly bad, (the which came in with the Tempore Christi coepit calumnia [...] tempore Maho­meti am plius dissipata est et a tempore editionis De­cretalium de­creuit honor et ponderatio Legis Scrip­turae continuè quae videtur—esse via praeparatoria Anti­christo. lb p. 207. Canon Lawe:) you must obserue, that hee doth not blame, or reprehend al rites and Ceremonies in the Church: (for some are lawful, some expedient [...]) but willeth vs to obserue these few precepts only, in the obseruation, or establishing of them.

  • 1 That our rites and Ceremonies, be surely
    Obseruantie—fundabiles in Scriptura. lb. 529. Sunt Deo & Ecclesia sua o dibiles nisi de quanto sundātur in Script. p. lb. 411.
    foun­ded and grounded on the word of God.
  • 2
    Cauendum est Principibus Eccle­siae, ne onerent [...]ubditos rituum multitudine [...]b. 529.
    That the chiefe Prelates of the Church, doe not surcharge or lade them with too many Ceremonies.
  • 3
    Videtur probabile, qu [...]d nuliae con­stitutionez Pra positorum Ecclesiae sunt licitae, vel ā populo obligare admittendae, nisi de quanto sunt media facilitantia ad obse [...]uantiam Legi [...] Christ [...] Expos [...] Decal. pag 18.
    That we admit of none, but such as are meanes facilitating the observation of Christs law.

Lastly, that in obseruing them, we prefer not Conquirimus non manda [...]a saluatoris led Caesaris non pra [...]cepta Capitis Ecclesiae qui est Chris [...]us, sed Temporalis Pontificis De Verit Scrip. Pag 68.2. Our Lord Iesu Christ, very God and very man, is head and P [...]elat of this Religion. In supplicat. ad Parl. pag. 1 anie Caesar' before our Saviour', or any Pope before Christ, which is Supreame head of the Church, and chiefest Pre­late of our religion: and hence it was, that hee reiected there popish superstitions & traditions, of salt, Artic. 43. in syn. Const [...] damnatus. spit­tle, chreame, oile and [...]uch like: Artic Var. damnat. there 5. Sacraments, [Page 16] and 5. Orders, and the like, which were Propriae ad­inuētiones plus pecuniae lucratiuae. De Verit. script. pag. 333. om­nes sonant—ad lucrum Ecclesiae lb. plus pecuniae lucratiuae, established more for mony, then for religiō, & rather propriae adinuentiones commanded by men, then commended by God. Such as he blameth euerie where in his writings,Optarē quod omnes ritus nostri forent à Deo confirmati De Ver. Scrip. p. 581. wishing that no Rite or Ceremo­nie might be received in the Church, but such as are con­firmed by God. Which opinion of his, I am sure, wilbe receiued for currant amongst al the true professors of the Gospel, throughout al Protestant Churches.

The 3. Chapt. Of the Pope.

THis controuersie about the Supremacie, or Prima­cie of the Pope, being the verie soule and life of Po­perie, may be resolued into sundrie questions. 1. It maie be questioned, whether the Pope bee supreme Iudge here vpon earth, in al causes, & ouer al persons. 2. Admit he were so, whether he may intermedle with the Temporal affaires of Kings and Princes. Thirdly supposing that also, whether he be of that temper and making, that he cannot erre in his finall Conclusions. Fourthly and lastly, whether he be Antichrist or no.

Sect. 1.

Touching the 1. point, it cannot be denied but that Iohn VVickliffe supposing the Donation of Constā ­tine (which afterwards proued but a counterfeit) did for a while hold, that the Pope was to bee consulted in [Page 17] the greatest points of Religion, and that he had De Verit. Scrip. p. 122. plenā & solam potestatem, plenarie and ful power of himselfe, and Peccatum paganitatis incurrit, quis­quis dum [...]e Christia­num a [...]e­rit sed i. Apo­stolicae ob edi re; contemnit De Verit. Scr. pag 426. that he did incurre peccatū paganitatis, the crime of Paganisme, which did not obay his mandats. But what of all this? Was VVickliffe a Papist? No, verely. For first his plenarie power, was built vpon a rotten Tempore Constantini translatio [...] Sa­cerdotij. nec fuit decretum quod [...] Episcop: illius Ecclesiae haberet necessario primatū in alios, vt hic supponitur De Ver. Scrip. pag. 565. foundati­on, which afterwards fel to the ground of it selfe. 2. It was giuen him only, Habet plenā & solam pote­statem ad ae [...] dificandum Ecclesiam. De Ver. Scrip. pag. 122. ad aedificandum Ecclesiam, for to edifie, not to destroy or demolish the Church. 3. It was so limited, that he could doe nothing lb. pag. 455. contra Deum, or contrarationem against the Law of God, or against the law of reason. Lastly, if his lawes Certum est ex fide Scripturae quod quicun (que) Secula­ris vel Clericus maxime obuiat Christi legibus, hic est potissimus Antichristus De Verit. Scrip. pag. 590. did obviare Christi legibus, an Oportet inferiorem nomine tenus Superiorem [...]uum corrippete lb. p. 524. Inferiour might, and in conscience ought, not only to disobey him, but to reprooue, correct, and contradict him; as lb. pag. 524. Paule did withstande Peter vnto the face: and wil our Papists grant this? Farthermore, he grants the Pope no greater auctoritie or superiority o­ver his fellow-brethren,Pe [...]s ipse & Apollo exclusi à Dominatu suorum conuer [...]rum: imo ipsos esse quasi nihil & abiectos seruos D [...]esu cui omnis scientia, omnis amor vel honor Christiani debet attribui; cum nullum creatum debet sciri amarivel honorari▪ nisi Chri­stus, vel in habitu diuino ad ipsum De Verit Script. pag. 494. then Peter and Apollo had, o­ver there new Converts: whom he excludeth and debar­reth flatly from any such Soveraintie, taking away all ho­nour from them, and giving it vnto Christ Iesu, to whō all knowledge, all loue, all duty, from al Christians is to be ascribed, so far: that no Creature is to be acknowledged, loued, or honored, but Christ, or in respect of Christ. Nec credo quenquā Ca­tholicum ad [...]antum desipere quod credat quod vbi Christi [...] vicatius sc [...]ibit Fiat & ipse qui dixit & facta sunt non approbat ad quiritur ius aliquod impetranti cum de isto solo verificatur hoc metricum-sic volo sic iubeo, sit pro ratione voluntas. in Expos. Decal. p. [...]. Ne­ther [Page 18] is it possible (as he thinketh) for any Catholike, to be so vnadvised or inconsiderate, as to follow the Popes fiat, Let it be done, when he that spake, and it was done, shall say no. Because this verse can be true of no earthly man, but of our blessed Saviour Christ Iesus:

Sic volo, sic iubeo, sit pro ratione voluntas.
This is my will this I commande,
My will for reason good shall stand.

Finally, to conclude this point, he was Quod Papa sit summus Pontifex est ridiculum, & Christus nee in Petro ne [...] in alio talem approbauit dignitatem Art. 17. dam­nat. in Syn. Const. condēned as an heretike, for denying the Popes Supremacy, and therfore cannot verie wel be accounted of the Romish Church.

Sect. 2.

The 2. questiō whether the Pope may in­termedle with the Temporal affaiers of Princes.NOw we come to the 2. question, where we con­sider his civile dominion, or right in Temporall estates: which question VVickliffe doth In ciuili do­minio non possunt esse duo dominantes aequo, oportet quod vnus sit capitalis Dominus & alter subdominans-Re­gem, nostrum nolumus. in hac parte sibi [...]ubijcere cum donans quicquid ad manum mor tuam sibi reseruat capital e dominium Wickliff de Ciu. Dom. p 67. euerie where determine against the Pope, for the king, & his regalty, and that of set purpose in an especiall Treatise of his Extant in the pub­like Librarie. De Civili Dominio ▪ strengthning his opiniō ve­rie plainly out of the The contrary opiniō (a [...] he saieth) videtur impugnare iura & consuetudi­nes Regni de Ciuili Dominio pag. 66. Tenendo quod iura Angliae in hac parte sunt nul­lo modo Iuri contraria lb. I knowe the particular and approued custome of euerie na­ [...]ion is the most vsual binding & assured Law. my L. Cook in his 5. l. of Reports in praes: Fūdamētal laws of this lād, with great iudgement and knowledge, of the common law, which I speake in fide aliena, being not able to iudge of that which is beyond my profession: but I do verily be­leeue [Page 19] it to bee so, becauseth he seemeth vnto me, to vrge the verie same reasons, lawes, and arguments, which that thrise. My L. Cook Chiefe Iustice of the Com­mon pleas in his 5. booke of Reports. Wickliffe maintaineth it as an old Custome, the which our King, Lords & Prelats beene sworen to sus­taine & main­taine-as per­taining to the Kings Regalty and of Com­mon Law. In supplicat. por recta ad Parli­am. pag 9. The kinglie head of this politique bo­dy, is instituted and furnished with p'enarie and entire power, prerogatiue, and iurisdi­ction, to render iustice and right, to euerie part and member of this bodie, of what estate degree, or calling soeuer, in al causes, Ecclesiastical, or Temporal, otherwise hee should not be head of the whole bodie. My L [...] Cook. in his 5. book. of Reports pag. 9. The verie same reason is vrged by Wickliffe, in sundrie places: else he were not King of al England but of a little part thereof In supplicat. ad [...] Parliam. pag. 10. Non haberet plenae pacis. custodiam. De Verit. Script. pag. 453. Non [...]oret' Rex totius Angliae sed Regulus paruae partis. De Verit. Script. pag. 424. []The Title of his book is this: Controuersiarū Rob. Bel larmini Defensio Auctore Iac. Gretsero Soc. Iesu S, S. Theol. Doct. et in Academia Ingol­stadiensi Professore. Ingol. Anno. 1607. in fol. Reverend and learned Iudge, doth faithfully mention, in his fift booke of Reports, against the truth of which doctrine, no Parson, nor Parsons, I suppose, shal euer be able to preuaile; raile they may, and brag they do, which are the two ordinary meanes of late daies found out, to answere al obiections; as that vpstart Goliah, or Rabsache of Rome, Iames Gretser, which is newlie come forth to reuile the whole host of Protestant writers, hath abundantly testified, & decla­red in his late [] voluminous book, written in a suppo­sed defence of Bellarmine: but to giue the Divell his right, hee hath farre exceeded, not only his Equals Je­suits, but surpassed all other writers whatsoeuer, in this supereminent art of railing, or scolding rather: so that to vse Similes sunt-authori discipui omnes e­quorum libris, si iactationes, mendacia, scōmata, maledicta, conuitia tollerentur ex max­imis voluminibus vix libelli perexigui effici possent Bell cont. 4. To 1. pag 328. in 8o. iustly to be retorted vpon the Iesuits. He railes against D. Rainolds, D. Whitaker, D. Mo [...]ton. Iunius, Polanus, Hunnius, Lubbert, &c al which he doth befoole, & depresse, both lewdly and foolishly: as because D. Rainolds was sicke of the [...] gout, therefore forsooth, nihil [...]oli­dum nihil ne [...]uosum ab isto sperandum, his head was not sound enough to deliuer anie solide matter against them, and that he did forbeare to inuaie more sharply against him Ne sorte exasparatis articulorum doloribus acrius discrutietur, & ad rabi [...] ̄ vel despera­tionem adigatur. The paine of the gout and of reading his books withal, might driue him into despaire. Gretser. defens, Bell. pag. 1058, & 1070. his M. Bellarmines words; if a man should take [Page 20] out al his braggings▪ scoffings, reproches, raylings, reuil­ings and lewd speeches vttered against the cheifest writers of our age, ex maximo volumine, minimus libellus efficeretur, it would proue not only a poore booke but a lewd and lying booke. In this booke hee hath taken vpon himself such libertie of giueing euerie man the lie that he cannot keepe from putting a lie vpon his Master Cardinal Bellarmiue, where he writeth thus speaking of the Jesuits, Bellarmine the Iesuits the meekest men aliue. non est nostrum, reddere malū promal [...], it is not the manner of the Iesuits, to render euil for euill. Though I cannot saie of him as Vide Praefa­tionem ante Biblia Interli­nearia. Arias Mon­tanus doth of his Erostratus, that nostrum pro alijs, but nostrum cum alijs nomenproscindendum suscepit; that he hath traduced me for others; yet because he hath traduced my name with others, I thought good to mē. tion him only at this present, because I intend ere long be, to In two books of his, the one in quarto de Iu [...]e & [...]m odo libros prohi­bendi, abolen­di & expurgā di [...]the other in folio writte in defense of the 1 part. of of Bellarmins Controuersie he hath gone about to re­uerse two Po­sitiōs of mine: the 1. That the workes of the [...]Anciēt Fathers are verie much corrupted by the Papists: the 2. that their Bibles authorized are diuerse, cōtrarious, & cōtradictorious, the one vnto the other, Both these God wil­ling shalbe proued m [...]st cleerely in my Apologie. God opē the [...]ies of our hetherto blin­ded and hoodwinct Papists, that they maie see, and seeing maie knowe, and knoweinge maie abhorre their soule corruptions and open contradictions. salute him in his owne language, & to send him to schoole vnto the Jesuits, 'to learne better manners, then being but a young Jesuit in comparison, not only to abuse al Lutherans, Calvinists, and Protestants; but to write professedly and purposely, I may say, maliti­ouslie and spitefully, against the most aged, and Ant Posseuine woū ­ded thorowgh my sides, For my Collation of Cyprian which Grerser cheifly impugneth i [...] translated verbatim into Possevins Apparatus, Changing the word Protestant into Catholike, and by affirming the booke that was printed at Geneua, to be printed at Pa­ris, that men might thinke it was his worke: sic nos non nobis mellificamus apes, hereby you maie note his exceeding great iudgment; and yet he taketh vpon him to be, Censor censorum, and Criticus Criticorum. iu­dicious Jesuit at this day in al Christendome: but lea­ving [Page 21] him vnto his Superiours to be punished for a no­table wrangler, & VVickliffe in this point a sound Pro­testant, we are now by Gods grace come to examine the most material point of al others.

Sect. 3.

IF it be doubted whether the Pope maie erre, or no: according vnto VVickliffes doctrine,The 3 questiō whether the Pope may err. it is shewed o­penly and plainly, thoroughout all his works, where he proueth that the Pope is, Papa est pec cabilis. sicur caput Eccle­siae. De Verit. Script. pag. 456. est naturae peccabilis, ha­bens supra se capitalē Do­minum in. Ex­pos Decal. pag 123. natura peccabilis, of that nature that he may erre. De blasphē pag. 40. That one, that men callen Pope, may erre: not only in manner and Non dubiū quin error posset in [...]le­ctione contingere, & magis in conuersatione sequenti De Ver, Script. pag. 457. conuersation of life, but also in doctrine and Hee maie erre—in seeding of his Churches or Articles of the faith. De blasp pag. 40. Multi papae deprau [...]ti haeretica dep [...]auitate, De. Ver. Scrip. pag. 181. hodie inualescit opinio Legistarum dicentium, quod si quis sit Papa, est impeccabilis, & per con [...]equens si quid arbitratur, vel ordinat, tune est iustum, [...]um Epistolae suae vel parificantur vei superant auctoritatem Scripturae. lb. pag. 47. Non habet a Deo Chartas talis officij lb pag. 92. Vtinā talis Antichristus non destruat Regna Borealia, occidentalia, or [...]entalia, s [...]cut infecit A­f [...]am, Ap [...]iricā, & Europam. lb. pag 589. Articles of the Creed. Lib. De 7. Pecc, Mort. pag. 16. He may sin, De blasphem. pag. 40. and no man in the world lightlier or grie­vouslier, and de facto erraverunt in deed they haue [...]rred and been infected with foule heresies. Yea he thinketh it to be De blasphem pag. 55. likely, that all the Bishops of Rome, for 300. yeares and more before his time, were fullie hereticks: & therefore I nothing doubt, but he shalbe accounted of them an Arch hereticke, of vs (as the truth is) a sound Catholike, and an Arch Protestant.

Sect. 4.

The 4. questiō whether the Pope be Antichrist.THe l [...]st point controuersed is, whether the Pope be Antichrist. Which point he proueth verie largely, by comparing his doctrine & manners, with Christs, in sundrie places of his works: but chiefly in his Lib. de 7. Pe [...] ­cati [...] Mortal. pag. 16. Booke of the 7. deadly sinnes; telling vs, that for­asmuch as thorough his Decrees, Contra Frat. Mend. pag. 26 Gods Hests, by his maundements Christs commandements, by his De­cretals Paules Epistles, by his Nihil est Ca­nonicū quod Regula 1. non approbat De Ver. Script. pag. 457. Canon law, the Cano­nical Scripture was vilified, nullified, vtterly defased and debased (a fault for which he is bolde to taxe him, in sundrie passages of his works) he pronoūceth of him absolutely, that he is De verit. ser. pag. 590. potissimus Antichristus, that verie Antichrist.

The 4. Chap. Of the Church.

NOw it remaineth, that we see his iudgement cō ­cerning the Church, marking how farre his o­pinions do concurre with ours. Here we wil en­quire his definitiue sentence in these questions follow­ing. 1. Whether the Church of Rome be the Catho­like Church. 2. Whether it hath the priviledge of not erring. 3. Whether the Church be visible, or not. Fourthly and lastly, whether the wicked, be true mē ­bers of the Church.

Sect. 1.

THe 1. question is thus determined by him,The 1. questiō whether the Church of Rome be the Catholike Church? Protestor publicè, quod amando, & ve­nerando Ro­manam Ec­clesiam, ma­trem meam, desidero & procuro defē ­sionem o [...]isi Privilegiorū suorum. De ve rit scr [...]pt. Pag 196. he ac­knowledged the Romane Church to bee his mother Church, and he professeth that he will to his power defend all the Priviledges thereof. Here VVickliffe may seeme to depart from vs for a time, (and so in words he doth:) but in the ende or vpshot of all you shal see him come backe againe vnto vs, and fight vnder our Stan­dard. He cals the Romane Church his mother Church he might do so, for those worthy beginnings which she made in open profession of the Gospel, in S. Pauls daies and this is apparent, by those true priuiledges, which hee se [...]teth downe, as belonging vnto the Romane Church, which to omit al other stand chiefly Scio quidem ex fide Scrip­turae tanquam infrāgibiliter verum, quod omne [...]uum privilegist est ex Deo, & de quanto secuta fuerit Ch [...]istū cōfor [...]nius, de tanto amplio­ribus privile­gijs insignitur, De verit. Scr. Pag. 196. in con­forming her selfe vnto Christ and his lawes: so that the neerer shee came vnto him, the greater priviledges shee had. But it is not hereby to be so much as imagined, that the Church of Rome was endowed with any such priuiledges, as they dreame of; as if Peter had therfore chosen this place aboue all other to rule in, and Christ had giuen him that priuiledge and his Successours not to erre in it: hee that hath this opinion of VVickliffe de­ceiueth himselfe: for he giueth an Absit, to that opiniō. Absi [...] Eccle­siam credere, quod fides cuiuscun (que) alieni membri Ecclesiae depēdeat ab isto Petro Iohanne vel Gregorio. De verit scr. Pag. 92. God forbid that the Church, or that any man shoulde thinke, that the faith of other members of the Church, doth depend vpon this Peter, that Iohn, or that Gregory. Fie [...]i potestquod Dominus Papa fo [...]et igna [...]us Legis Scripturae, & quod Ecclesia Anglicana foret lōgè praestā [...]ior in iudicio veritatis Catho­l [...]ae, quam tota ista Romana Ecclesia collecta de istis Papa & Cardina [...]ibus. lb, P. 182. Yea it may so happen, that our Lord the Pope may be ig­norant [Page 24] of the Laws, of the Scripture, & that the Church of England, may be far better and quicker sighted in fin­ding out the Catholike truth then al this Romane Church of Pope and Cardinals, being all thrust together. So that the issue, or vltima resolutio, the Conclusiō, is like that of the Apostles,1. Cor. Chap. 11. vers. 1. to follow this Church, I say, aboue all others, in as much as it follows Christ, & no otherwise, which Conclusion, if it should be granted by vs, it will neither greatly steed them, nor hurt vs.

Sect. 2.

THe 2. question is almost answered by the first: fier [...] potest, the Church of Rome may erre, Necesse estS. matrem Ecclesiam per The. ologos regu­lari: oportete nim quod re­guletur secundum vitam Christi, & Scripturae Sacrae sed hoc prop­ter euitandas haereses De Ver. Script. pag. 510. if it keepe not her first faith, which is called by him, De Ver. Scr. pag 72. fides Eccle­siae, or lb pag. 108. fides Scripturae, the faith of the Church, or the faith of the Scripture; or if you will needes haue it so, Peters [...]aith, which is so certainly groūded on the true rocke Christ Jesus, that Math, Chap 24. v. 24, 25. though the raine fall and the flouds come, & the winds blow, & beat vpon this Church, yet it fals not, for it is founded (as I haue said) on a rocke, and the Math. Chap 16. v. 18. rocke is Christ, against whom 1 Cor. 10.4. Luc. 18.8. Hell-gates could not heretofore prevaile. But because this doubt may herehence arise; if the Church of Rome, and the Church of England, and so other particular Churches may erre, as you say, then true faith may be vtterly ex­tinguished here on earth, and so we may easily a [...]oile that doubt in the Gospel; when the Sonne of man com­meth. shall he finde faith vpon earth? Therefore, to pre­vent this obiectiō, he setteth this down, for a maxime. De Verit. Script p. 105. Nec esse est in tota matre Ecclesia esse fidem Catholicā. [Page 25] Jt cannot otherwise be; God hath hitherto providently and wil mercifully so prouide, that true faith shalbe en­tirely professed in his Church, in some one place or o­ther, and the true professors thereof shalbe preserued, though it be miraculously, as Elias, and as our Iohn VVickliffe was, to continue the preaching of the Gos­pel, and to shew forth the sauing health thereof vnto all nations, to see the Sacraments duly and rightly ad­ministred, which are the only true notes of VVickliffes Church.

Sect. 3.

BY that which hath beene spoken,The 3. questiō about the visi­bilitie of the Church. not only the secōd question, but also the third doubt concerning the vi­sibilitie of the Church, like 1. Sam. 5.3 Dagon before the Arke, fals downe to the ground, and VVickliffe remaines in this point, as in al the former, a resolued true, Catho­tholike, English Protestant.

Sect. 4.

FOurthly where the Contra Fra­tres mendicā ­tes. Cap. 39. pag. 54. They [...]eachen that tho men that shalbe damned bee members of holy Church, & thus they weddē Christ and the diuel together Ib. Church of Rome takes the members o Hfarl an ot, and giues them to Christ, coupling Christ and Antichrist togither, by affir­ming the wicked to be true members of the Church, hee denies the assertion most flatlie and peremptorilie informing vs, that there are but two Churches; Ecclesia Christi & Ecclesia malignantium, De Ver. Scr. p. 490. Christs Church, and the malignant Church; Duo capita Christus & Diabolus lb. two Captaines, or [Page 26] Chieftaines, Christ, and the Devill or Beliall, There is no cōmining, ne consent to Christ and to Belial. Contra F [...]atr. Mend. pag. 54. betwixt whom there is no communitie. And therefore, I con­clude this point with VVickliffes words: these wicked miscreants & vngodlie men Comment in Psal. pag. 2. in Praef. a [...]e in the holy Church but not of the holy Church, and in the Church by body, not by thought, by name, not by deed, in nomber, not by merit.

The 5. Chapt. Of Iustification.

THe fift maine controuersie concernes iustification: wherein VVickliffe according to his vsuall manner, accordeth fully with the Church of Englād; 'teaching vs, that Decreuerunt Apostoli suffi­cere ad salua­tionem Chri­stianismi [...]fidē Domini Iesu Christi De Ver. Scr. pag. 494. faith in our Lord Iesus Christ is sufficient for saluation, Est—fides—summe vtilis quia sine illa fide impossibi­le est fidelem alterius Testa menti placere Deo -cum in­cludit in se di­uinitatem hu­manitatis sal­uationem tam causalitèr quam efficientèr quam finalitèr De Ver. Scríp, pag. 496. and that without that faith, it is vnpossible for any man to please God: that Meri­ [...]um Christi per se sufficit omnem hominem redimere ā Gehenna. Ib. pag. 552. the merit of Christ, is able by it selfe, to redeeme all mankinde from Hell; that D [...] per se sufficientia intelligitur sine alia causa concurrente. Ib. pag. 553. this sufficiencie is to be vnderstood, without any other cause concurring, perswading men therefore to trust wholy to Christ, to rely altogether vpon his sufferings, Omnes sequentes Chri­stum Iustificati ex sua Iustitia, tanquam [...]ua generatio saluabuntur De Ver. Scrip. pag. 550. not to seeke to be iustified but ex sua iustitia, by his iu­stice; that In genere iustorum est dare vnum iustum, cuius participatione cuncta alia erunt iusta in Expos. Decal. pag. 1. by participation of his righteousnes, all men are righteous; that Infideles non viuunt vi [...] tuosè; licet de propinquo faciant bona de genere. De Ver. Scrip. pag. 468. the works of Infidels, licet de propin­quo faciat bona de genere, though they doe good workes, [Page 27] which are good for there kinde; yet they are not to be ac­coūtedrighteous mē. And thus it may appeare, that VVickliffe did fully vnderstand the point of Walden To. 3. pag. 24. chargeth him with Pelagia­nisme in the highest de­gree how tru­ly let the rea­der iudge by comparing Wickliff with Walden; truth with falshood. Wicleuistae destruunt liberum Ar­bitrium Ib. To. 1. pag. 68. Justification, or else he would neuer haue relied so much vpon Gods mercie, and so little, vpon merits, as in truth he did, as is declared vnto you in the words following.

The 6. Chapt. Of Merites.

THE doctrine of merits, that you may know that VVickliffe was nether Ecce si non sit inter Wic­kliffe & Pela­gium germa­na societas? Walden To. 3 pag. 14. Pelagianitae & Wilclevistae gratiam Dei tacent vel ab­negant, & in meritis homi­num omnino confidunt Ib. pag 25. Ib. Wickliffe diuinae gratiae nihil tribuendum docet. Ib. Walden must needs be very true in al the rest that is so notoriously false in this. Pelagian, nor Papist, is plentifullie in al his bookes refuted, but chiefly in his Commentaries vpon the Psalmes. Where hee beateth downe these prowde Pharisees, Comment. in Psalm. pag. 474. which saie, that God did not al for thē, but thinketh, that there Wickliff. dixisset non, sic, sed propter memetipsum Deus, & propter opera me­ritoria mea me audi Walden To. 3. pag. 28. very like vnto himselfe merites help­eth. Ib. pag. 182. Heale vs Lord for nought; that is, no merit of ours; but for thy mercie. Ib. pag. 368. Lorde not to our merits, but to thy mercie, giue thy ioy. Ib. pag. 368. Giue vs grace, to' knowe, that all thy gifts beeth of thy goodnes: Ib. pag. 126. our flesh though it seeme holy; yet it is not holy. VVe all Omnes homines originaliter peccatores sunt quodāmo do Adam. De Ver. Scr. pag. 489. Tota natura humana inimica Deo. In Expos. Decal. pag. 77. Concupiscentia peccatum mortale. Ib. pag. 144. are originallie sinners, as Adā, and in Adam, his leaprosie cleauing faster to vs, then [Page 28] Naamans did to Gehezay. 'For according to his teach­ing, wee all are sinners, not only from Infans' ex peccato ori­ginali est hae­reticus quia à numero fideli­um diuisus ex caeca electio ne priorum parentum a qua contrahit maculam ori­ginalem. De Ver. Scr pag. 607. our mothers wombes, but Infantes pec­cant in matris vtero. in Expos. Decal pag. 77. in our mothers wombes▪ so that we cā ­not so much as thinke a Comment. in Psal pag. 109. good thought vnlesse Iesu the Angell of great councel send it, performe a Ib. pag. 423. good work, vnlesse it be properly his good worke; Ib. pag 79. his mercy comes before vs, that we receiue grace, and followeth vs helping and keeping vs in grace. So then, it is not good for vs to trust in our merits, in our vertues, in our righteousnes: but to conclude this point, good- Comment. in Psal pag. 374. it is, —only to trust in God, as the Church of England teacheth.

The 7. Chapt. Of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

THis is the seauenth and last maine question, concer­ning which wee haue VVickliffes confession, both in Haec est con­fessio Mag. Io. Wickliff. de Sacramento Altaris in Fe­sto Sanctorū. Gordiani, & Epimachi. Oxon. Anno Domini. 1381: extant Ibidem. Latin and in Wickliffes beleue of the Sacrament in English in the Publike Librar [...]e. This was published after that Concili­um Terrae motus at Londō. English. For he was not ashamed to yeeld an account of his faith, 1, Pet. 3.15. omni poscenti, to anie man that would demand it: so farre was he from retra­cting his former opinion as some shamefully write: but without any ground in the world, for this there conie­cture. For Wickl: de Verit Scr. pag. 183. Non sum suspectus de formidi­ne istarum conclusionum, cum transmisi eas per magnam partem Angliae, & Chr [...]stianis­mi—vnde quia volui materiam communicatan [...] Clericis & Laicis, col [...]êgi & communica­ui 33. conclusi [...]nes illius materiae in lingua duplici. lb. he sent his opinion touching his beliefe of the Sacrament, and all other points wherein he dissen­ted frō their Apostata Church into al Christendome, [Page 29] to be censured by the learned Diuines, according vnto Sentential mea est Catholica, Reip. di­rectiua, a fide Scripturae se­cundū postil­lationes San­ctorū, concor­diter eliquata pag. 187. Scripture and Fathers; whereas on the contrary, the Friars De blasph­pag. 38 Friars re [...]usen to de­liuer their o­piniō of the Host. De blasp. pag. 51. durst not put out there faithes vnto the people. His opinion of the Sacrament, was the same with the Church of England; Confess. de Sacramento Euchar p. 58. Isle panis est bene, v [...]è, & real [...]ter spiri­tualiter, virtu­aliter, & Sacra mētaliter cor pus Christi Ib. that the body of Christ was real­ly and truely in the Sacrament, in his kind, that is, sacra­mentalitèr: and figuralitèr, by way of Sacrament, and fi­guratiuely; Sicut Io. Bap tista figura [...]i­ter fuit Helias & non per [...]o­naliter. A [...]t. 4. in Syn. Const. damna [...]. so Iohn Baptist figuratiuely was Helias, & not person [...]lly; and as Sicut Christus est simul Deus, & homo: sic hostia consecrata est si [...]ul corpus Ch [...]ist [...] & verus panis, qui [...] est co [...]pus Domini ad minimum in figura, & ve­rus panis in natura; vel quod idem sonat, est verus Panis naturaliter, & co [...]pus Christi fi­guraliter. Art 49. Oxon damnatus. Christ was together God and man so the Posuit panem in corpus & vinum in [...]anguinem mystica consecratione conuerti [...]on rea [...]iter ita intelligenda sunt verba Wicklefi ex sent. Will. Woodford vide Lib. Ms. pag. 107. consecrated host (for so he calleth it) was at the same time Christs very body, and very bread: not by waie of Consubstantiatiō, as the Lutherans teach, for it was Christes body in figure, and true bread in nature; or vvhich is all one, true breade naturallie, and Christs body figuratiuely. Moreouer, hee affirmed Vae generationi adulterae quae plus credit Te­stimonio Innocentijvel Ray mundi, quam sen [...]u [...] Euangelij-, c [...]e [...]o quod finaliter veritas vincet eos in Confes [...] de sacramento altaris p. 59. con­stantly, without wauering, that this true Catholike & Apostolical doctrine, De blasphem. pag 4 [...]. lasted in the Church, for a 1000. yeares, till Sathanas was vnbound; and De blasphem. pag. 37. the people blin­ded by Friars, with the Heresie of accidents without sub­iects; which opinion they durst not maintaine; wheras I'am certaine for the third part of the Clergie that defends this sentence. that they wil defend it on paine of loosing their liues. Confess. de Sacram. Anglice pag. 64. VVickliffe, and the third part of the Cleargie that de­fended the contrary, were readie to defende it, on paine of loosing of their liues, cum non fu [...]rit materia martyrij [Page 30] plus laudanda;Art. Oxon: damnat. 52. there being no better cause of martyr­dome. For De blasph. pag. 63. he could speake it boldlie, beeing certaine of the truth thereof, that al the Friars of this land, or other Blasphemers, could not disproue that faith which he told: and thus, it appeareth, that VVickliffe was wholly for vs and our Church, in the 7. principall pointes of con­trouersie, containing 16. questions in the whole, strōg­ly maintained and defended by him, against the Pa­pists of his time.

Of other questions, wherein also VVickliffe holdeth with vs, against them; which are collateral, or accidental to the former, after a more briefe manner.

HAuing sounded these 7. greater controuersies, as it were so many Ios. Chapt. 6. v 20. Trūpets, see how the wals of this spirituall Hiericho doe fall flat vnto the ground as they did, in the time of Iosua Iudge of Israel; and as he spake vnto the Jewes, so I say vnto al good & perfect Christians:Ib. v. 26. Cursed be the mā before the Lord, that riseth vp and buildeth this Citty Hiericho.

The 8. Chapt.

FAther Parsons that worthy Jesuit in his Part. 2. c. 9. p. 489. Then belike Friar Walden wil proue a notable liar, whichmaketh Wickliffe to hold almost al the opiniōs that wee doe thowgh hee charg him be­sides with ma­ny vntruths. booke of the three conversiōs, or rather as he hath made thē, perversions of England, woulde faine make vs to beleeue; that the points wherin VVickliffe agreeth with the Papists, against vs, are many, and farre more thē the former, wherein he ioineth with the Protestants against [Page 31] them. And our Apologists say, that Tract. 2. Cap 2. Sect. 4. pag. 108. after his revolte, hee retained stil sundry Catholike points. I knowe not how [...]ur Apologists wilbe able to iustifie their saying, sure I am, it wil pinch on the Parsons side.

Sect. 1. Of the Nomber of the Sacraments.

FOr the nomber of the Sacraments, he held that there were but two. True it was,I note the same of Wickliffe, which M. Wottō ob­serues of Lu­ther, that hau­ing beene a lōg time kept in thedarknes of Poperie, he could not by & by discern the truth in al points Wott. pag. 29. that some time after his Conuersion, when he began to see and know the truth, being not fully instructed in all points at the fi [...]st (for his conuersion was wrought by degrees the elder he grew the more he loathed, and detested there abhominable heresies) he names 7. Sacraments: but. posteriores cogitationes sunt sapientiores his after opinions, were better thē his former, els why did their Art 45.46. 47.48. Damn­per Oxon & Syn. Const. Church condemne him for an Hereticke in this point.

Sect. 2. Of holie Orders.

Videtut SS. Doctoribus quod super­fluit in sacramento ordinis ponere plures quam duos gradus, scilicet Diaconos, vel Leui­tas, & Presbyteros, siue Episcopos, cum nec dignitas ministerijTOuching holy orders, he held that there were but two; viz: of Nec auctoritas facit eui­dentiam, quod in statu Cleri debent isti [...]es gradus; scilicet Clericus 1. tonsurae. Acolytus & Subdiaconus approbari, [...]mo irrationabile & infundabile videtur, quod Ecclesia militās s [...] cum istis tribus Ordinibus onerata. Artic. 55. Oxon. damnat [...] vide Walden To. 2. p. 200 Deacons and Priests, so doe we.

Sect. 3. Of the Chrisme in B [...]ptisme.

Articul. 43. in Synodo Cōst. damnat.He held against the Chrisme in Baptisme, saying; that Christ contented himselfe with pure water, so doe we.

Sect. 4. Of the Sacrament of extreme Vnction.

Si corpora­lis vnctio fo­ret Sacramē ­tum vt modo fingitur: Christus & sui Apostoli eius promulgationem non tacuissent. Art. 58. Oxon. damnat. vide Wald. To. 2. pag. 268.HE held, that corporal Vnction, or the last anoin­ting, or anealing, was no Sacrament, so do we.

Sect. 5. Of Popish Confirmation.

Quantum adoleum quo Episcopi vn­gunt pueros, & poplum lineum quod complexum est capiti, Videtur quod sit ritus leuis, infundabilis ex Scriptura, & quod ista confirmatio introducta super Apostolos, blasphem, in Deum. Artic. 8. In Synod. Const. dā ­nat.HE held that Popish Confirmation, with oile & vaile, and I know not what fooleries, was a Re­lique of the Diuels, but Walden, To. 3. pag. 105. such Confirmatiō as was agreeable with reason he allowed.

Sect. 6. Of Images.

[Page 33] HE preached against the Praedicandū est cōtra pre­tiositatē spe­ciositatem. & alias sophisticationes quibus illudimus peregrinos potius prop­ter pecunias exhauriendas quam propter religionem Christiin pro­prijs agendā In Expos. De­cal pag. 48. Diabolus act­ione infideli­tatis illud it plures, putantes quando (que) esse miraculum, vbi est purê deceptio. lb. pag. 48. pretiosity, speciosity, and miraculositie, and sundry other sophistications a­bout images, being of opinion, that it were better to banish them And accord­ing to his doctrine not long after Will, Neuil, Lewys Clifford, Io. Clanwow, Ric. Styry, Tho. Latymer. and Ioh. Montagu turned out the Images out of a certaine Chappel. Wals pag. 3 [...]8. cleane out their of Churches, alleadging that noted saying of Epiphanius: and where as the Pa­pists say, they commit no Idolatry, Adorò illam nomine Sancti: Si [...] dixerunt infideles In Expos Decal. pag. 48. for they worship not the Image, but that, which the Image represents: first he shewes, that the Idolatrous heathen men were wont to make this apologie for themselues; but how­soeuer they dissembled the matter, sure he was, that In mora imaginandi latet venenum Idololatriae lb pag. 48. betweene there gazing vpō the Image & thinking vp­on that, that was thereby represented, it was an easie matter for some kinde of Idolatrie to creepe in. And of the same opinion are we.

Sect. 7. Of the Distinction of sinnes.

HE holdes the Distinction of sinnes thus; Lib Miscel. pag. 182. some sinnes are called little sinnes, in comparison of greater, and Lib de 7. peccat Mor [...]. pag. 1. Wald. To. 2. p. 254. venial, because Gods sonne forgiues them, so doe we.

Sect. 8. Of Auricular Confession.

[Page 34] HE held Confessio vocalis facta Sacerdoti, in­troducta per Innocentium non est tā necessaria Artic. 9. con deninat. in Synodo Cōst vocal Confession to a Priest, not to be necessa­rie in Si h [...]mo fuerit debite contritus, omnis confessio exterior est sibi superflua & inutilis. Arti [...]. 9. Lond damnat. case a man a were truly contrite and sorrow­ful for his sinne, with ful Two manners of perfit Penance, Shrift and amendment. Com. in Psal. pag. 129. Shrift that is hallowing in our harts, lb. pag. 367. Shrift, that is forsaking of sinne. lb. pag. 363. ¶Graue & infundabile est, Presbyterum audire Confessiones, Populi modo quo Latini vtuntur, Wickliffe. 3 Ser. Dom. in monte. Wald. pag. 223. purpose of amendment: vn­lesse the party offending, do finde himselfe verie much grieued, in which case he counselleth him, to repaire Lib. Miscell. pag. 247. vnto a Priest that hath cunning and good living; & so farre this doctrine is iustly ratified, by the Canons of our Church and pittie it is, that it is not oftner vsed.

Sect. 9. Of Satisfaction.

HE wrote against their, Papa mo­dernus erube seere debet de ist a moder na penitentia sine fundatione posita, cūm non licet mortalibus & Apostolis difficultare legem Dei, vltra hoe quod ip [...]emet limitauit. Artic. Oxon. damn. 47. Though a man liue neuer so long he might not. &c. Lib. Miscell. pag. 163. new found penance, and penall Satisfactions; assuring vs, that a man might not doe sufficient penance for one deadly sin, so do we.

Sect. 10. Of Pardons and Indulgences.

SHar [...]ly he inveied against their Li. Mis. p. 28. vaine sellers, or distributers of Pardons and Indulgences, and other Ghostly deeds; shewing that this treasure, Li. Mis. p. 26. was not in earthly mans power to deale; but De Thesau­ris Ecclesiae dispositio Christi De Ver. Scr. p. 471 wholie in Christes disposition; and that the De blas. p. 51 parting of this blisse, was pro­per to God only: and the [...]efore lb. pag. 53. we should not trust to the [Page 35] Pope, but to God; Fatuum est credere In­dulgentijs Papae & Episco­porū. Art. 42. Lond. Cond. not to beleeue his Buls, but the Lib Com. in Psal. p. 173. Bul of everlasting pardon, which is our Lord Iesu Christ, so do we.

Sect. 11. Of Fasting.

FOr fasting, he held as we do; that Li. de 7. Pece Mort pag. 28. abstinence with prudence was needeful, that is, (as he expoundeth himselfe) Lib. Miscell. pag. 247. measureable fasting, both of bodie and soule; of the body from meates, of the Debemus ie­iunare a pec­cato Lib de Ver. Scrip. p. 8 soule from sins, was requisite; but neuerthelesse he held absolutelie, a­gainst there Foole-fast­ing is glutto­nie Lib de 7. Peccat, Mort. pag. 28. foole-fasting, that is, fasting from flesh, to glut themselues with fish; or lb. p. 29. excesse of fasting, that is, to goe about to fast more then mans nature would permit, by seeking too much to euen Christ or In operibus humanitatis debemus sequi Christum faciendo operibus suis proportiona­lia--debemus ie iuna [...]e a peccato 40. diebus et iuxta possibilitatem naturae, a superfluo corporali cibo. De Verit. Scr. pag. 8. Elias, by so doing.

Sect. 12. Of Vowes.

HE speake against there forced vowes, of Chasti [...]e, Pouerty, and Obedience: shewing, how there Cha­stity was turned Lib. Miscelli: 64 lb. p. 63, into Lecherie, and sin against kinde; there Friars studi­en to be rich Vita Sacerd. pag 59. They robb men by beging. Touch a great Cup of Gold or Syluer, but not a peny or farthing Reg. S. Franc. pag. 76. The King [...] garment for goodnes not better then theirs. lb p 77. haue chambers for Dukes or Earles--with lewels--and mikel hid treasure lb. 77 They magnifie more o­bedience to sinful men then to Christ. Reg. S. Franc, pag. 77. Pouertie into riches; there "Obedience, into disobedience, and flat rebellion against Christ, and his Lawes.

Sect. 13. Of Priests Mariage.

TOuching Matrimonie, thus stood the case in his time, the Priests were vnmarried: but neuerthe­lesse, he held that the In Primitiua Ecclesia ordi­nati sunt con­iugati Epis­copi. De Ver. Ser. pag. 370. Orietales Sa­cerdotes vxo­rati. lb p. 406, et in Expos. Decal. p. 116. Oftendit quo modo Sacer­dotes possint effe vxorati. De Ver. Scrip. pag 407. & lb. Miscell. pag. 63. Bishops and Priests of both the Primitiue and East-Churches were married, & that he saw no cause, why the Priestes of the Latin Church lb. pag. 63. should be forbidden marriage; that the forbidding of it, caused many Lib. Miscell. pag. 63. to liue lust full life and easie, and fall in­to sin against kind [...]; that who so forbids it, lb. p. 63. is enemie of God, Saints in Heaven, and al mankinde: because lb. pag. 65. true chastitie, is as wel to be found in wedlock, as otherwise; and this is our verie tenet.

Sect. 14. Of Divorces.

Lib. Miscell. pag. 54. Quo ad diuortium divulgandum cautelae innumerabiles adinuentae. In Expos. Decal. pag. 117.HE held against vnlawfull divorces, so doe we.

Sect. 15. Of Dispensations.

HE helde likewise against Eiusmodi dis, pensationes creditur Ec­clesiam nimium perturbare De Ver. Scrip. pag. 399. false and vnnatural Dispensations for marriages in case of neerenes of bloud gainful. Lib. de 7. Pecc. Mort. pag. 33. dis­pensations for mariage, in case of neerenes of bloud.

Sect. 16. Of Acquivocation.

[Page 37]HE held against damnable Vide Capitu lum 15. de Ve rit. Scrip. vbi rem prolixe tractat. Aequiuocatiō and lying, & that the Pope nor no man else could absolue thē from lying, or wilful periurie, or breach of their lb. p. 207. oaths of allegeance.

Sect. 17. Of the kings Supremacie.

HE held that the Kings Maiestie, hath power within his Realmes,--to whom the Chiefe gouernment of all Estates of this Realme, Aliternon haberent Re­ges in Regnis [...]uis plenae pa­cis custodiam De Ver. Scrip. pag. 453. 37. Article of Religion. whether they be Ecclesia­stical, or Ciuil, in al causes doth appertaine, and is not, nor ought to be subiect to any forraine Jurisdictiō, ac­cording to the 37. Article of Religion; not intending hereby, (as slaunderous Jesuits doe giue out) to giue the Prince, the ministring of Gods word or Sacramēts, or to make and establish what Religion he list, as if we Englishmen Iac. Gretse­rus. Angli & corpora & a­nimas suas Capiti suo Sae­culari prosti­tuerunt in de­fē [...]. Bel p. 1261 had prostituted (so the lewd Jesuit spea­keth) both our souls, and bodies vnto the King.

Sect. 18. Of Christian mens goods.

AGaine, he held the riches and goods of Christiās not to be common, as touching the right, title, and possession (as the Anabaptists now, & a cer­taine Io. Balle. see Froissard. Bald Priest in his time did hold) notwithstan­ding, by Omnes homines debent charitatiue habereomnia in communi De Vet. Scrip. pag. 449. a See the 38. Article of Religion Christian charitie, they were to be made cō ­mon, as he teacheth.

Sect. 19. Of Oathes.

AGaine hee helde against Lib. Miscell. p. 124. the perilous custome of swearing, against fallacious, blasphemous & lb p. 125. & De Ver. Scrip p. 252, 253, & 284. In Expos in Decal pag. 63 The 39. Artic of Religion. Ac­guivocall Oathes; not against swearing: the con­trarie is most euident throughout al his bookes, and as cleere as the Sunshine in a faire Sommers day, & this is an Article of our Religion.

Sect. 20. Of Excommunications.

For Excommunications he held the same with our De Ver. Ser. pag. 614 Art. 33. of Rel Church; that the partie excōmunicated, being deliuered vp once vnto Sathan, by the Church, ought to be taken of the whole multitude of faithfull, as an Heathen and Publican, vntil he were openly re­conciled by Penance, and receiued into the Church, and this made him write, against the abuses of Excom­munication: viz: that those greater Scribit con­tra leuiter ex communican tes De Verit. Scr. pag. 368. Contra ex­communica ti. ones iniustas In Expos. Dec pag. 124. dā ­nantes alios fine debito ex amine, De Ver. Scrìp. pag. 612. Excommunicatio non inuenta propter decimas., lb. pag. 437 ad ter­tendum homines Laicos In Expos. Decal. pag 123. Excommunicati­ons were thundred forth too often, too suddainly, vpō no dew information, and for no good end.

Sect. 21. Of the Discipline of the Church.

[Page 39]HE held a reuerend opinion of the bookes Quos decre­u [...]t Ecclesia nec damnare nec explicite canonizare cum satis sit pro sua mili­tia habere 22. Libros de vet Testamento. De Ver. Scrip pag. 110. He writesa­gainst those that wil not honor their Prelats Lib. Miscell. p. 260 shewes howe we should honour them In Expos. De­cal. pag. 93. Apocry­pha. For the governmēt of the Church by Archbi­shops, Bishops, Archdeacons and Officials, he was (to my seeming) a plaine conformitan. There were noe doubt of it, some Reuerend, learned, and vncorrupt Prelats in his time: and therefore he obserued this rule in all his sharpe Treatises against the Cleargie: parcere personis, dicere de vitijs, to note the abuses in general, without He names not any one of his aduersa. ties, Monk or Friarthrough out al these books that I haue seene of his. naming anie man in particular to his dis­grace. & for Rites and That which he blamed was that plus appretiabantur Tradi [...]. quam Scripturam sacrā De Ver. Scrip. p. 96. That they did Traditiones Lucrationes preponderare legi dei. lb. pag. 359. pe Ceremonies, such as were lau­dable and approueable by the Church, he himselfe ob­serued, and wished others so to do▪ Lastly, though Hee were soule and bodie, for Shewing that to preach Gods word is highest Seruice Lib. de 7. Pecc, Mor [...]. pag. 19. quod praedicatio sit praecipuum opus Episcopi Lib. De Ver. Scrip. p, 331. Maior quam Eucharistia, lb. 345. Necessario in Archi [...] iscopo & Episcopo lb. 347. Au­dacter assero quod non sit Episcopus nisi praedicet aliquo tempore lb. 392. lo, 21. 15. 16. preaching and teaching the people, yet he held it a matter of no necessitie, but of indifferēcie, for the Priest to preach vnto the Lay-peo­ple by weekes, or months, or otherwise in their discre­tions; so the people were wel taught: likewise he was not so seuere and sharpe an inueier against Non-Resi­dents, as to allow them no time of absence, or recrea­tion, by inculcating and thundering in there eares Christs pasce, pasce, pasce, feed, feed, feed: for he shew­eth, that a man may be absent vpon occasion, from his liuing, either at the Licet Rectoriad tempis collige [...]e semen fidei in scholis Theologi [...] is extra parochiā De Ver. s [...]r. pag. 437. Vniuersities, or elsewhere, for the encrease of his knowledge,Pascat eos continue in sancta sacerdotal [...] conuersatione in sub. fritu [...]i [...]donca preparatione & opportuna pro horis. congruis absentiae rectificatione Ib. deputing a sufficient man [Page 30] in his place, and liuing wheresoeuer, a godly, and ver­tuous life: and for Cum-pastus spiritualis nō debet este tā continuus, sed maioris effica ciae ac perma­nentiae quam pastus corpo­reus, sufficit quod horis congruis in anno pascat subditos lb. continual feeding, he shewes the difference betweene corporal food and spiritual food, the one a man of a strong bodie and complexion can­not wel want twise a day, the other a man may want manie daies and weekes; yet hee thinketh it not conve­nient that they should so do, if it might be otherwise. Finally, he was not for hedge Priests, such as our Fami­lists, which refuse the Church, as prophane, and chuse the open fields, or there houses, for their disordered cō. venticles and meetings: he loued preaching & Necesse, & v­tile est orare. In Expos. De­calogi. est spi­ritualis Tyri­aca contra Diabolum lb. 8 [...]. oftendit locum, tem­pus, & formā orandi lb. pray­ing well, and stood firme for the Liturgy of a reformed Church, but yet he thought the Orandum est in Templis--non ex dedicatione Ecclesiae ibi oratio facta Deo acceptior sed ex merito obedientiae prae [...]eptis Ecclesiae & ex elongatione a curis Seculi [...]b. 79. Church, to be the fit­test place for Gods seruice, for manie reasons which he recounteth: so that as he was no superstitious Pa­pist, so he was no fond Novellist, but an indifferent, so­ber, discreet, learned and iudicious Protestant.

Sect. 22. Of Implicite faith.

HE held that euerie good & perfect Christiā should beleeue not onlie implicitè, by relying on the Church; butDe Ver. Ser. pag. 111. secundam fidem formatā explicitè in par­ticulari plus, vel minus, secundum quod obligantur plus Deo, ex donis suis & opportunitate temporis so doe we.

Sect. 23. Of the certainety of salvation.

THat aDe Ver. Ser. pag. 176. It. de blas. p. 55. vertuous and godly man should be certaine of his saluation, though hee neede not to sweare it.

Sect. 24.25: Of Purgatory and Praier to Saintes.

LAstly, for Purgatorie and praier to Saints, & for the dead. It cannot be denied, but that in some places of his works, he speaketh of theIlli sunt in statu pae nae a­cerbissimae, quo nequeūt se i [...]vare. In Expos. Decal. pag. 102. dreadful paines of Purgatorie, and De redden­do pro corpo rali eleemosy na spirituale suffragium. De Ver. Scrip pag. 447. praying for the dead, and Lib [...]. Diuers. Trat. pag. 121 It [...] confess. [...] Euchar. Angl. edita. vnto Saints: but it seemeth that either hee was not If they bee dead parents I pray not for them. Lib. Di­uer. Trac. p. 3. For now is time of mer­cy and time of grace lb. 325 Eche mā shalbe deem­ed of God; such as hee founden is in the ending of his life. lb. p. 459. fully grounded in this opinion, whereat some of the graue Doctors of the Church haue stumbled; or ra­ther, that howsoeuer he had maintained it, yet vpon better aduise he changed his opinion: which I gather by these two Circumstances. First he writes Onnia dicta de Purgatorio, dicuntur solumm odo comminatorie tanquam pia menda­cia De Ver. Scrip. pag. 267. that all the sayings of Purgatorie, were spokē, by way of commi­nation, as it were so many religious lies to scarre the people from comming thither. Secondly, he diuides the Church into 3. parts: The Expos. in te Deum pag. 478. highest beth the Angels of heavē, the 2. beth Saints, De Vent. Scrip pag. 479 Be­ati in purgatorio, velut in vmbra pau. In Expos. Decal. p. 128. Sabbathum prefigurat qui­etem dormientium in purgatorio. De Verit. Scrip. pag. 479. dormientes, or pausantes, sleeping or resting in Purgatorie, the third is folke, that shalbe saved, here fighting in earth: of these three (saith he) and of none other, is made holy Church: and surely by this diuision, Popish Purgatorie is thrust cleane out of Dores. For there is little rest, and lesse sleeping there, if we beleeue them that haue come from thence, and told vs so. And by this reason, if the fier of Purgatorie be cleane put out, the smoke of it, that is praiers for the [Page 42] dead, must needs, in a verie short time vanish awaie. And as for praiers vnto Saints, most true it is, that in these Popular works of his, he mentioneth a praier, of Diuers. Trac pag 207. It in confessio ne de Eucharist. Anglice edita S. Cycily, vnto Saints and himselfe praied to the bles­sed Virgin Marie but I am This perswasion of mine is farther in­creased by these words of Wald. To, [...] pag. 204. Hostis omniū Sancto [...]um Wickliffe suf­fragia viuorū despiciens, au su nimio de­bacchatur in Sanctos, eos orare prohi­bens, festiuita tes corum et honores quos libet interdi­cens. But he, is ordinarilie so falle a repor­ter of his words that I knowe not how hee may be wel credited when hee speaketh the truth. perswaded, that he retra­cted these opiniōs in his latter & more learned works. If ever it be Gods pleasure, that his works which were cut and mangled, and scattered worse then Absyrtus limbes were in the Poet, may be brought forth and set togither againe, that we may haue the whole bodie of his learned & religious works, & be able to distinguish of the time, and order wherein he writ: then I say we should receaue due satisfaction in this point, sure I am that Quis rogo faceret scurtam mediatotem suum, vt Regis paratioris & Clementioris collequio potiretur? [...]anctiigitur in, Coelo licet non s [...] scurrae, sed incorporati Christo per gratiam Saluatoris tamen minus se habet in comparatione ad illum, quam scurra ad Regem terrenum. Hec Wickliffe, c. 30, Tertij Trial. Wald. To. 3. p, 213. Fryar VValden, maks him to speake verie irreve­rently against Saints, & Die S. Tho­mae Can [...]uariensis Archiepiscopi lo de Wickliffe dum in S Thomam (vt dicitur) eodem die in sua predicatione quam dicere preparauerat actiones & blasphemias vellet euo­mere, [...]epente iudicio dei percusius [...]ensit paralysim omnia m [...]mbra [...]sua generaliter in vasiss [...]. Os nempe quod contra Deum & lanctos eius locurum fuerat, a loco [...]suo mise­rabiliter distortum, horrendum cerne [...]tibus spectaculum exhibebat, lingua effecta mu­ta, confitendi vel restandi copiam denegabat. Wals. pag. 338. VValsinghā the Monke saies, it was the death of him: though I beleeue neither of both for the circūstance of there Relations, yet for the substance of the speech, it may be true, that he was not so earnest for praier to Saints, as formerly he had been. Thus having run ouer allmost all the noted cōtrover­sies, either in Doctrine or Discipline, by cōparing thē with the Articles of Religion, & Canōs of our church, [Page 43] and shewed his vniformitie, and conformitie with vs, almost in al points fully cōcurring (Which in Waldens iudg mēt are stour­ly maintained by Wickliffe as hath been before prou­ed. some few excep­ted [...]) for which, considering the times wherein, and the persons with whō, he liued, he may easily obtaine par­don of any indifferent reader. We come now, by Gods grace, vnto the third and last part of our first generall Division, to answere such obiections, as either Father Parsons, or the Apologists haue made, in the same or­der as they are propoūded by them, and first I beginne with Father Parsons; His obiections are in nomber. 6.

The 9. Chapt.

The 1. Obiection of Father Parsons.

IF a Bishop or Priest, should giue holy orders, or cō ­secrate the Sacrament of the Altar, or minister Bap­tisme, whiles he is in mortal sinne,Pag. 487. it were nothing a­vaileable.

The Answere.

IF it vvere not for reuerence vnto Father Parsons yeares and learning, which are to be honoured in a mans professed enemie, (though it be contrarie to their rules) I should surely thinke, that this were an er­rant lie, sophistically and malitiouslie inforced, not ari­sing naturally out of his wordes. For his wordes are plaine, admonishing Priests of their sacred functions, and holy liues he writeth thus: Nisi Christia, nus fuerit Christo vni tus per gratiā n [...]n habet Christum sal­uato [...]em, nee sine falsitate dicit verba Sacramenta­lia licet prosint capacibus: oportet enim Sacerdotem conficientem, [...]sse membrum Christi & vt Sancti loquuntur quodammodo ipsum Christum, De Ver. Ser. pag. 138. V [...]lesse the Christian [Page 43] Priest be vnited vnto Christ by grace, Christ cannot be his Sauiour, nee sine fa [...]sit ate dicit verba Sacramentalia, nether can he speake the Sacrament all words without ly­ [...]ng, licet prosint capacibus though the worthy receiuer be hereby nothing hindered frō grace. Then which words, what can be said more plaine? Here is there Sophistry; VVickliffe after his vsuall manner, noting the foule a­buses of the Church, & Church men, Accusantes p [...]eudo —. Sa­cerdotes sta­tim censen­tur hostes Ec­clesi [...] De Ver Scrip. p. 460.inueies against notorious and scandalous offenders, whether Bishops or Priests; as notable Priests Sin [...] ­en much in a­voutry Lib de 7. Peccat. 33. Praelati male viuentes [...]ūt Haeresiar [...]h [...]e vel Archi [...]hae­retici. De Ver Scrip. p. 602. & 605. Pecca­ta Cleri causa ruinae regni. Ib. 473. Vehe­menter Eccle: siam. Christi destruit me [...]i­ores esse Lai­cos quā Cle­ricos. Ib pag. 423. adulterers, or Fornicators, and guilty of any such crimes, as wherehence offence and scādale might grow vnto the Church of God; wishing that such, continuing For Recto­res Ecclesiae non sunt sta­tim iudicandi lb. pag. 430. such, and hauing Proposito quod sit form cator, vel alio notorio crimine irretitus De Verit. Scr. 413. thrise beene warned thereof, by order & due forme of Law, might be remoued, and better put in the place: because they were De Verit. Scr. pag. 368. percussores fratrum, that living so in open sin did consecrate, or minister, willing the people, not to par­take with their sins, lest they should bee [...]f they did anie manner of waies seeme to countenāce or conceale the saults of so notorious offenders in the Clergie. partakers of there punishments; and in some such case, it might be, that God might abhor the peoples Sacrifices, for the wicked Priests sakes, as he threatned the Jews he wold do, and this is a very dangerous opinion, is it not?

The 2. Obiection.

Parsons in his 3. C [...]uers. pag. 488.It is against Scripture, for any Ecclesiasticall Mini­sters, to haue any temporal possessions at all.

The Answere.

THis accusation is without all peraduc̄tu [...]es false. For what were the landes and goods of Bishops, Cathedrall Churches, or otherwise belonging to Religious houses, which were giuen, Deo Regum & Regno [...]um est rimari ra­di [...]itus vtrū eleemosynae quas contule­runt pauperi­bus secundum formam legis diuinae Legis Ecclesiae sint expensae. De Verit. Script▪ pag. 466. Interest Regū & aliorum­rectificare e­leemosynas progenitorū suorū lb. 466. Da [...], Ecclesia talem legem fi [...]ijs vel Nepotibus, ac honestioribus propinquis eius qui construxit vel do­tauit Ecclesiam lb. pag. 455. & Eccle­siae, were they not The law of the Realme beholdeth the thing that is giuen and pretended, that is i [...] the thing, that is giuen, be of lands or goods, the determi­nation thereof, of right belongeth in this Realme to the Kings lawes, whether it be in spiritual men or temporal, to the Church or to other, De fundamentis Legum Angliae l. 1. c. 32. It. The goods of spiritual men be Temporal in what manner soeuer they come to them, & must be ordered after the Temporal law, as the goods of [...]ēporal [...] men must be lb. Temporal, Possessions? And yet are rightfully held, according to VVickliffs tenure, by Ec­clesiasticall Ministers; and long might they and peace­ably enioy them for him, in as ample manner as euer they did, so long as they did see thē well imployed, ac­cording vnto the will and purpose of the Donours, wil­ling nothing contratie to Gods wordes. I speake of Bi­shops lands, or lands of Cathedrall Churches▪ For as for the lands belonging to so Non credo, quod grandis constructio Monasteriorum, & a dificiorum, velcumu­latio Temporalium, vnigeneri, alio nobiliori depauperato fortifi [...] at Rempublicam; sed infirmat- Quia (si non fallor) omnis tales dotationes generis Clericorum, omnes tales impe [...]ta [...]nes Caenobiorum-fiūt ex turpi luc [...]o & questu illicito, Reipublicae infectio. lb. alias dixi, quod minus malum fore t Vt ex propriata forent omnia temporalia qui­bus Ecclesia Anglicana est dotata, vt exeis darentur stipendia Lai [...]is l [...]teratis, necessari [...] is ad officium Regis & Secula [...]ium dominorum. De Verit. Scrip. pag 465. many Chauntries, Col­ledges, Abbayes, Friaries, Priories, Monasteries, and other Religious Houses, he was absolutely of opinion, that it were great pietie, for Religious kings to dispos­sesse them wholly of them, [...] and giue them gentifaci­enti iustitiam, to good and godly vses, [...] and [...] woulde to [Page 46] God, this had beene in K. Henry the eighths minde, when he pulled downe the Monasteries, either to haue turned them into Colledges, & nurseries for learning and religion, into Hospitals, Almeshouses, Spittels, & such like religious Maisons de Dieu, or which, though I mention last, yet considering the state of the Church and the Policie of our aduersaries, I should thinke fit with the first to be recōmended vnto a Religious king, and vertuous Nobilitie, to the maintenance of a Col­ledge of writers, Collators, Comparers, and in briefe such a Colledge, as might in short time, with good or­ders, be able to match & perhaps overtop, al that rab­ble of Jesuited Colledges thoroughout Christēdome. Because I haue euer beene of VVicliffes minde, in this point, that Si quis labo­rat in negoti­js communi­bus. S Matris Ecclesiae, viuat de communi stipendio. De Verit, Scrip. pag. 436. those which are employed in cōmon affaires of the Church should haue publike maintenance & allow­ance. But the children of this world, are wiser then we, Vt iugulent homines, surgunt de nocte Latrones, vt te [...]p­sum serues, Horatius [...] Cur Patres Londini haud edidistis? Pos­seuinus in Ap­pend. ad Ap­paratum. non expergiscere? If the Diuel be so readie to sow tares in our bookes, shal not we bee as readie to purge them out of our writings? should not we, be as diligent, to restore, as they are to take away, from the the workes of the ancient Fathers? I speake this, to a­waken my selfe and others, that we may stirre vp these godly motions in the hearts of the people, if by anie meanes it may be brought to passe. Of the Cleargies promptnes & zeale to set forwarde so publike and pro­fitable a busines, which the necessities of the times, & importunitie of our aduersaries doe in a manner [...] call for at our hands, I doubt not; but alas, they that should The liuings of Byshops, & other Clergie men, are so greatly im­paired or pa­red rather, by I knowe not whose default. helpe others, are scarcely able to mainetaine them­selues [Page 47] and the outwarde state and face of the Church (which vnlesse it bee maintained with some Maiestie, and reuerence of the people will soone decay, and be disfigured) is so cleane changed, vt non cognoscas ean­dem esse: yet well fare the Papists for mainetaining the outward discipline of their Church, though corrupted with much impietie and blasphemie. They know, that it fareth not with vs, as it did with the Christiās, in the Primitiue Church: we of the Cleargie want the gifte of miracles, to draw the people vnto vs, and the people haue not the gift of charitie, to draw vs vnto them: but this shalbe my comfort, non simale nunc, & olim sic erit.

The 3. Obiection.

NO Prelate, ought to excommunicate anie person,Parsonsin his 3. Conuers. p. 488. Part. 2. except he knowe him first to be excommunicated by God.

The answere.

HEre I suppose the Read the answere of the. Venetiās against Paul the 5. his ex­cōmunicatiō [...] Venetians, wil step forth, & and iustifie VVickliffes assertions: for (if I be not deceaued) they write the very same words. who knowes not, that excommunications as wel as other Ecclesiasticall ordinances, maie be Patet quia saepe excommunicantur multiimprouide Wickliffe referēt Tho. Wals. pag. 302. He spake­chiefly against those excommunications which were thundred forth ad impediendum homines audire verbum Dei. lb pag. 303. abused by inferi­our [Page 48] officers; as Archdeacons, Officials, Chauncellors, and Commissaries, yea and sometimes by Superiours, as Bishops, Archbishops, or the Popes holynes. Some there are, and euer wilbe, that will corrupt the integri­tie of the Church Discipline; with a varice, by [...]lli tanquam pontifices, Scribae & Pha risaei ne dum carnes sed os­sa comedunt; non arida ir­rigant verbo dei; sed secare & frangere sa tagunt medul losa. In Expos Decal. p, 130. praying not only vpon the flesh of there vnderlings, but even by breaking and crushing the bones, by the thunder of there Excommunications: some by rashnes, proceeding, sine De Ver Scr. pag. 612. debito examine, without due examination: some of Ad terrendū homines Lai­cos In Expos. Decal. p. 123. pride, to be feared of the people; whereas the greater Excommunication (for of such I speake) should begin in Gods name, and end in his feare.

The 4. Obiection.

Parsons in his 3. Conners. pag. 488.SO long as a man is in deadly sin, he is nether Bishop, nor Prelate.

The Answere.

STill our aduersaries plaie the notable Sophisters, First wee wil see the occasion ministred vnto him. of speaking these or the like words, then wee wil consider the manner of speaking of them, & lastly con­sider the words themselues, and the consequence or il­lation. The occasion giuen vnto him, of inueying so sharply and eagerly against the manifest and manifold abuses of the wicked Prelates of the Church, was this. He liued in a very corrupt time, when the tares had so far ouer-growne the good corne, that he stood doubt­full where to begin his reformation: whether with the [Page 49] head, or with the taile, with the inferiour sort of Cler­gie men, or with the Superiours: but he resolued with himselfe in the end, that it was best to begin with the Prelats and Heads of the Church, whom he saw as al [...]he world besides, positos in maligno altogether for the most part, set vpon wickednes, admonishing them e­very where of their duties, which they had so cleane forgotten, that whereas the Holy Ghost had made thē overseers ouer the flocke, they did as it were so manie woolues, or mastie curs, woorie them, or els fleese thē, nothing caring for to feed them, by leading them into the pleasant pastures of Gods word; yea, as it maie ap­peare by his writings) they did altogither They held that a Byshop needed notto preach see Lib. de Verit. Scr [...]pt p. 331. refuse to preach vnto them, They pur­sue t [...]ue men for preaching Christs Gos­pel. Lib. Misc. pag. 35. persecuting & prosecuting the true Preachers of Gods word, and they did not only offende them selues, but incouraged others of the inferior sort, to do the like, by their wicked examples: De Verit. Scrip. p. 351 & in Expos. Decal p. 34. giving Holy orders, vnto men of vnholy life, & vnable for their skill and knowledge to governe the people, committed to their charge, in peace and godlines; bestowing their benefices for Ab ista sen­tentia nimis coecatur: Ec­clesia, & Prae­la [...]i confere­tes beneficia. De Verit. Scr. pag. carnal respects, not for mens worthines, or me­rits, defrauding the poore of their almes. Whē he saw ( [...] saie) this Canker or spiritual Gangrene, fretting and festring the soundest parts of the Church, what could he do lesse then he did? to exhort them, to t [...]ke avvaie these scandals, our of church, to reforme these abuses. His words of exhortation (which is the 2. point, that we are to obserue) are these, mistaken by the aduersa­rie, for they are no other, then such as are frequent in the works of the Holy Fathers; that Nomen non facit Episcopū sed vita. De Verit. Scr. pag. 443. it is not the name, but the life that makes a Bishop; that Quicun (que) nomine tenus Sacerdos, vel Episcopus qui non compen­sat illi nomi­n [...]ipsius no­minis rationē non est ve [...]e Episcopus, vel Sacerdos. De Verit Script. pag. 443. if a man haue the [Page 50] name of a Prelat, and do not answere the reason thereof in sinceritie of doctrine, and integritie of life; but liue scandalously and in mortal sin, that he is but a nomine­tenus Sacerdos a Bishop or Priest in'name, not in truth; but that hereby wee should inferre a contempt of the Cleargy in general, and condemne al Bishops & Pre­lats, is not the meaning (I am sure) of Iohn VVickliffe, if his He writeth against them that wil not honour their Prelats. Lib. Mi [...]cel p. 260.writings may be credited against their false surmi­ses, and improbable coniectures: Reformation is that which he sought, which God (evermore blessed be his name) did afterwardes so establish in this kingdome, that the like againe, is not to bee shewed for discipline and doctrine, throughout all the reformed Churches in Christendome; by taking awaie, not the things thē ­selues (Abusus non tollit rei v [...]um for that were to cut downe al the vines, for some few dro [...]ken men sakes) or as the wise man spea­keth, to wring the nose of the Church too hard, till the bloud come againe; but by taking away the abuses from the things▪ or from the persons, which is the happiest kinde of Reformation.

The 5. obiection.

Parsons in his 3. Conuers. part 2. p. 488.TEmporal Lords maie according to their owne wils and discretions, take awaie the goods from a­ny Church me [...], whensoeuer they offend.

The answere.

[Page 51] VVHo saith so Father Parsons? Wicklyff, no, if you meane that the King, and the 3. estates of this land, should take awaie the lands of Religious houses, so generally offending, by miscon­uerting them to the maintenance of their vnnecessa­rie orders, and wicked liues; J graunt the proposition to be true, and Hi traditores populi, militāt cum hoste hu­mani generis & proditoriè i n vestimè tis ovium tra [...] dunt exercitui Diaboli pop. Christianum: ideo tota cō ­munitas in surgeret con­tra illos. In Expos. Decal. pag. 79. according vnto his meaning, vrged in more then in one, or two places. The Colleges of Moonks, were the Colleges that hee speakes against, and the Vniuersities of Friers the Vniuersities which he impugned. For otherwise hee himselfe passed tho­rough out all degrees in this famous Vniuersitie, not without manifest and open proofe of his learning, and reward of his industrie: (for hee was both Scholler and fellow in Merton ColledgeMaster of Balliol Coll. Vide Registrū sociorū Coll. Merton & Chartā quan­dā Coll. Ball. Scholler, Fellow, and Master in diuerse Colledges, here in Ox­ford. Now as for the p [...]blike revenues of Bishops, and the lands of Cathedral Churches; he thought it might stand with equitie, reason and lawe, Common, Ciuile, and Canon, that wheras Christian Princes and Tem­poral Lords, were the Donours of those large possessi­ons, which they did giue and assigne to such Bishop­ricks, or such Cathedral Churches, for the honour of God, the saluation of there own soules; and the reliefe of the poorer sorte, especially of the Cleargie, they should haue Interest Re­gum & aliorū rect ficare e­leemo`ynas p ogenitorū suo [...]um De Ve [...]it. Script. pag 466. some interest in them to see them well bestowed. And who knows not, that the king receiues vnto him selfe an For the chiefe Lord­ship in this land of al Tē poraltiesboth of Secular mē and Religious pertaine to the King of his general goue [...]ning. In Suppl. porrecta Parl pag. 10. Homage in the one, and a right of Visitation in the other; if they offend Triplex monitio debet praecedere, & post obstinatu [...], nō occupa­bit primatum. De Ver. Scrip. pag. 431. notoriously and [Page 52] scandalouslie, and afterIn defectu spiritualis praepositi quodindubie nō obu [...]at vlli legi.tbt 461. lawful admonition wil not re­dresse the abuses of their lands, or reforme the wick­ednes of their manners, the King may by his Regaltie (as he proueth verie strongly) punish the offendors, & take away theirMen of the Church had. free licē to trespasse if the King might not be reaue their temporalties when they sinneden greeuously-when lawful cause exciteth in Supplic­ad parl. pag. to. Temporalties, by his Archbishops, or other Ministers, This Iurisdiction is vnited to this imperial Crowne, and which lawful­ly had beene, or might be exercised within the Realme. My L. Cook in his 5. booke of Reports pag. 8. and this is all that can be saide a­gainst VVickliffe, in this point, all which (as you see) is nothing, By the old custome of this Realme, al men great and smal, shal receaue Iustice in the Kings Court, and this custome is confirmed by the Statut of Marleb. c. 1. De Fundam. legum Angliae. l. 1. c. 7. but that which is most reasonable, iust and conformeable vnto the f Lawes and c [...]stomes of this land.

The 6. Obiection.

Parsons in his 3. Conuers. pag. 488.TYthes are meere almes, and may be detained by the Parishioners, and bestowed where they wil at their pleasures.

The Answere.

THat Tythes are meereTithes giu [...]n by Title of spiritual alms Lib. de 7. pec. Mort. pag. 25. De Verit. Scr p124, 196, 413 almes, hee holdeth euerie where, it was his errour: but that they may be detai­ned by the Parishioners, and bestowed where they wil at their pleasures, is [...]o vnt [...]ue, as nothing in the worlde can be more. That Tythes are meere almes, I say, it was his errour. He trusted too much vnto the Commō Lawyers, whose iudgment hee seemes to follow in ma­ny [Page 53] things verie commendably, as namely in See before defense of the Kings Ecclesiastical and Temporal power & Re­galty. They hold(See M. Car­letons booke of Tithes. if I be not deceiued)These opinions of theirs I finde in the booke de fūd legum Angliae That in the new law the paying of the tenth part is by a law, that is made by the Church [...] That Tithes are due by the law of nature —that spiritu­al men which minister vnto the people spiritual things ought for their mi­nistration to haue by the law of reason a competent liuing of thē they minister vnto lb. p. 165 that Tythes were not due vnto any particular Church, before the Councel of Lateran; but that men might bestowe thē, where they would, & so VVickliffe following them, said that within few yeares before his time, men paide their Tythes & Offerings at their own free will, to good mē & able, to great worship of God, to profit & fairenes of Holy Church fighting on earth. but, (with reuerēce be it spo­kē vnto that honorable Professiō, & vnder reformatiō, of my opinion, if J thinke a misse) I am of the same o­pini [...]n, that Master In Lib. de decimis. Charlton a country man of ours and Hospinianus in Lib. de origine bonorum Ecclesiasticorum. Cap. 3. pag 123. Etsi leuiticum Sacerdotium abolitum sit, & sacra legalia cessarint, manet tamen ministerium Euangelij, quod absq [...] ministris ordinarijs non poterit consistere. Hospinian a learned German doth out of Anti­quitie maintaine, as most consonant vnto the Analo­gie and proportion of Scripture; to wit [...]that [...] Tithes, that is to saie the Tenth part, is, was, and euer more shalbe due, vnto the Priests and Ministers of the Gos­pel, ante legem, in lege & post legem, before in, and since the law, as the fitest ordinarie meanes, for the mainte­nance of the Clergie; else parishes being so vnequally diuided at the first, and Impropriation [...] foūded in Po­perie, and continued in Protestancie, growing so fast vppon vs, if the Minister should haue noe more, but a tenth part (which is his ordinarie maintenance) the At Strat­ford of the Auen the Minister (as I am informed) payeth wel nigh as much, if not more then he receaueth by reason of a Chauntrie annexed vnto the Church. minister maie reach vnto them, the bread of life, & meane while starue himselfe, for wāt of materialbread [Page 54] But to returne vnto Iohn VVickliffe, & to examine his opinion more strictly about Tythes or Almes, call thē by what name you please, for my particular I account them duties, and liuelode, and as the Common Lawe cals them the Ministers free-hold; to the great confusi­on of Parsons, and al that wrangling Sect, I doubt not, but to demonstrate this point very cleerely vnto you, that VVickliffe was as earnest, for the maintenance of the Cleargie, and as bitter an inveigher against al Scribit con­tra auferen­tes predia Ec­clesijssiue Reges, siue a­lios; excipiū ­tur tamen pie auferentes a malis. De Ver Scrip p. 445. Si­moniacal Lay-Patrons, or Temporall Lords detaining the right of the Church as anie of them: Ad Parochi­anos pertinet in salu [...]em a­nimae Deci­mas ac oblati­ones idoneo ministrare. De Vet. Scrip. pag 435. that hee tels thē in expresse wordes, that it is in Salutem anim [...], it is as much as their soule is worth to paye their Tithes duly and truely, vnto the Parson; and that in case the people, standing, (as they doe to this day, in many pla­ces, too ill affected vnto the Ministery) should either at their pleasure, or vpon displeasure [...], with d [...]aw there Oportet Sa­cerdot [...]s Chri sti subtrahere verbum Dei ab indisposi­tis 2. si popu­lus fuerit sic obstinatus & inobediens S. matriEccle siae quod pro­hibeat vel nō ministret vitae necessaria suo Euangelistae. De. Ver. Scr. pag. 435. temporal almes, he may with draw his spiritual alms from them. But perhaps you will replie & say, Tythes are indeede to be paide vnto good Ministers and prea­chers, but what shal we pay them vnto one, that wee know to be a lewd companion, a verie varlet, an open drunkard, adulterer or Fornicator, or a murderer of mens soules, aswel as of their bodies? Yes verily, in VVickl [...]ffes iudgement, Proposito qnod sit fornicator vel alio noto [...]io crimine irretitus. De Ver. Scrip. p. 413. vnlesse the fact be very noto­rious indeed, such lb. pag. 420. as the people know per iudic [...]um ope­rationis, by their liues and manners (Laici non debent iudicare de vita vel opere praelatorum & hoc praelato­rum est. lb. pag. 420. for it is not for them otherwise to iudge their Minister) they haue not [Page 55] iudicium Iurisdictionis; and although they may iudge their liues, yet they ma [...]e not in any sort take away the Tythes quite and clea [...]e from the Church; but It is lawful to parishioners to withhold their Tithes for open for. nication of their Curate and turne thē into better vse. In suppl. ad parl. p. 14. His meaning is this as hee in­terprete [...]h him self in the same place; that if the Priest be reproued of God for his sinnes (that is for great and open sinnes) he should be put out of his office, & the Sacrifices shoulden not be youen to him, but taken fro him, as God commandeth fro the high Priests Hely, & a nother true man walking in Gods waies, as did Samuel, should be ordained to receaue [...]such Sacrifi­ces. lb p. 12. seque­ster thē, as it were for the next Incumbent in this wise. The partie delinquent is either so vitious a man of life or doctrine, as that there is no hope of his amendmēt; or els hee hath cōmitted some such fact, as wilful mur­der, or Treason, whereby he is ip so facto depriuable in Law; or finallie he is one that seemes to bee corrigible: the two former are to be remoued or degraded the mi­nisterie, the later sort of offenders, are thus to bee pro­ceeded against: Laici—tenentur Praela [...]o prodere Clericum taliter criminosum De Verit. Scrip. pag. 428. cōplaint must be made vnto the Or­dinarie, (after he hath been Rect [...]tes Ecclesiae non sunt statim iudicandi lb. pag. 430. three times charitably in­formed, and admonished of his fault by the Parishio­ners, and Deficiente correctione Praelati. [...]b. pag. 430. there followes no amendment) if the Ordi­narie refuse to punish, or winke at his offences, so scan­dalous vnto the Church of God, the Mandentu [...] Episcopo castig andi lb. pag. 453. Bishoppe of the Diocesse, must be informed thereof: or if he refuse to giue satisfactiō vnto the Parishioners, the Archbishop must be interested in the cause; and if Nus­quam foret necesse Laicos Clerum corripere, si praelati plenè corriperent se & suos secū ­dum regulam Scripturae De Verit. Scrip. pag. 456. neither Ordi­narie, Bishop, nor Archbishop will right them, then maie the Ad sustinendum istam legem Eccle­fiae ordinantur Reges & potentes in Sa [...]culo, vt deficiente Clero ab eius completione, suppleatur per-brachium saeculare. lb. p. 4 [...]9. king by his royall auctoritie, either in per­son, or by his Temporal Officers and Ministers, heare [Page 56] Examinatiō of abilitie and not abilitie being not ta­ken from the ordinarie.-It shalbe iudg­ed by the Kings Lawe, when a benefice shalbe said void and when not—The King is Patron Para­mōt of al the benefices within the Realme, & he is bound to see his sub­iects haue right in that behalfe within the Realme and that in that case from him lieth no appeale. De fundam Legum Angliae 1. c. 36. & determine the offence (though the offence be of that nature, that it properly belong vnto their conu­sance, by Reges nedum habcnt capitale domi­nium super bona Pseudocler. sed & super corpus quia aliter non foret talis eius ho­mo ligeus lb. pag. 453. Debent punire tales notorios tanquam laicos, vel amplius-aliter non haberent Reges in Regnis suis plenae pacis custodiā lb. pag. 453. els the King should not be able to doe right to his subiects De fundam. leg pag 125. punishing the offender either in bodie or goods. But as VVickliffe saith, the Au [...]erre a Clerico bo na fortunae est paena mitissima—punire per charitatem, per ablationem temporalium, vel dignitatis officij est puni [...]e misericor diter citra dignum. De Ver. Scr. pag. 430. mildest course is by taking awaie the tithes from him, not frō the Church, (for that were against his owne rule) because [...]b pag. 415. Decimae praed [...]ales non debent subtrahi, cum ad Ecclesiam perti­neant, in cuius damnum, factum praepositi nō redundat, lest many good Ministers should be punished for one lewd Clergie mans fault. And this the The Kings Regaltie askes by old statute, that the King may in many in case take Temporalties fro Clarkscontra Frat mend. pag. 49. King may doe, ashe proueth very stronglie, out of all the Patet in Sciptura quomodo Do­mini Temporales habent potestatem ad rectifican dum Sacerdotium-quia sapiens Sa­lomon cum Sacerdote a Deo constitu [...]o ad regni sui stabilimentum laudabili [...]er ita fe­cit multo magis in Nouo Testamento de Sacerdotibus Caesareis Quo [...] Reges & Principes ad cause Regnorum gubernacula ditauerūt—quia principum est curare v [...] omnes Sacerdotes sua [...]fficia exequantur-secundum Leges Regni, Iuris Ciuilis & Ca­nonici alias rei De Ver Scrip. pag. 469. lawes that are, and by the example of the wisest king that euer rained. Now because there cā be no smoke, without some fire, I wil in a word or two informe you of the groūd of this their accusation, & how they were misled, or VVick­liffe mistaken in this point, and so dismisse our aged Fa­ther Parsons with his threefolde, or rather manifold peruersions. VVickliffe in all his bookes and treatises, [Page 56] doth euerie where commend a kind of Ad hoc va­dit tota mea [...]entētia quā impugnant, vt viz. Cle [...]ici sint pauperes in facto, v [...]lin animo, vel v­trin (que) [...] & om­nino quod ca­uea [...] ab aua­ritia, & fastu seculi, cum a­lijs malitijs quae sequūtur De Ver. Scrip pag. 570. Qui perfecte lin­quunt omnia iudicabunt mundum. lb. pag. 512. De. mundi contē ­ptu & pauper tate Euange­lica lb. p 196. Evangelicall pouertie, perswading Cleargie men to renounce the vaine pompe, and glorie of the world, and to lead (if it were possible) an Apostolical or Evangelical life, to be cōtent or Cōtra frat. mend. pag. paide if we han lif elode & to be hiled with, that is, with food and raiment, this estate to Priest (in those daies vnmarried) he Status pauperiei [...]st status perfectissimus viatori InExpos. Decal. pag [...] 50. Creuit Eccle sia magis secundum pauperem statum De Verit. Script. pag. 465. commēdeth as the better; yet he approued wel enough of vsing the things of this world, and he himselfe enioied Tythes, went De Verit. Scrip. p 192. Inter alia peccata de quibus time [...], hoc est vnum prae [...]puum, quod consumendo in ex­cessiuo victu & vestitu bona pauperum, deficio, dandum exemplum alijs. lb. Quod aut cō munem vitam viuendo frequenter auide & lau [...]e manduco dolenter profiteor, cum si il­lud hypoc [...]itice simulate volue [...]e, testarentur contra me socij commensales lb. well ap­parelled, and kept a good table, of that which was his owne. For I read not of anie great gifts that he had gi­uen him, of anie man Temporal, Lord, State or Poten­tate. Perhaps being so wel acquainted with the Com­mon Lawyers, he was the likelier to keepe his own. So that to conclude this point, he did not Amor temporalium remouendus De Ver Scr. p. 462. Omnia mala introduct [...] in Ecclesiam per affectionem inordinatam temporalium. [...]n Expos. Decal. pag. 150. Omnes homines, de­bent praecise secundum mensuram illam vti bonis temporalibus secundum quam promo­uent ad aeterna. De Ver Scrip. pag. 450. actually debar Ministers from hauing, but from ouer much affecting the things of this world, which were to be renounced per cogitationem & affectum, in minde and affection: and so forsooth for vrging this doctrine and taxing there a­buses, he was Accusantes pseudo Sacerdotes statim censen­ [...]ur hostes EcclesiaeDe Verit. Scrip. pag. 460. thought to bee a sore enemie to all the Cleargie, and a sharpe inuaier against Tithes. And thus much shall suffice for an answere vnto all indiffe­rent [Page 58] Parsons, concerning Father Parsons lewd and fri­volous obiections: it remaineth that we proceede to discusse and examine our Apologists reasons, vvhich may seeme to some men more forcible, because there proofes are fetched from our own writers for the most part: for that which is alleadged as out of VVickliffes works, I do shrewdly suspect to be verbatim taken out of VValdē, See both their Prefa­ces and Pro­testations, & you shal finde thē alike true which is as true in his reports of VVickliffe as Niceph [...]rus Callistus is in his Ecclesiasticall stories, both of them professe great sinceritie in words, & yet in deed haue neither truth nor honestie in their words.

The 1. Obiection of the Apologists.

Apol. Tr. 2. Cap. 2. p. 106.HE seemed to contemne all Temporal goods, for the loue of eternal riches, adioined himselfe to the Beg­ging Fryars, approuing their pouertie, and extolling their perfection.

The Answere.

HE did not only seeme, but in effect as farre forth, a [...] became a sanctified and regenerate man, did Certus sū si vixero in con­fessione [...]orū vs (que) ad mortē & habeam cō summatā con uersationem correspondē ­tem quod re­linquam mun dum vel tem­poralia, per carnis & mū di crucifixio­nem. De Ver. Scrip. p. 188. cō ­temne all Temporall goods, and that for the only loue of eternal riches. This is a grieuous imputation, or ra­ther commendation, if you consider the duty of Nemo excu­satur ab hac paupertate De Ver. Scrip. pag. 516. eve­rie good Christian, and the holy profession which he makes in Baptisme. For saie, VVickliffe perswaded al o­ther men to be as himselfe was, that did neither He is most to praise that least setteth by this worlde and perfectliest, loueth heauen. De. Ver. Scrip. pag. 346. set, [Page 59] nor settle his affections vpō 'the world, which preached against Couetousnes because he had heard S. Paul call it Idolatrie; against an inordinate and preposterous af­fection of the temporal things of this life, because the Fathers and Scripture are against it, & what of al this? How many Sermons, Epistles, 'and Postels of Jesuites and Friars are extant, which doe commend the same doctrine vnto vs [...], with exquisite and emphaticall per­swasions, allusions, and amplifications. So that hither­to we see, there is no harme done. That which follows out of Stow the old, that he adioined himselfe to the Begging Fryars, is taken out of Walsinghā which was Stowes Auctour, and VVickliffes too great enemie to be beleeued. Master Stow, not to defraud him of his iust praise, was a paineful Citizen, by trade a Taylour, by his industrie a Chronicler, so well minded to the publike good, that for fault of better writers, he tooke vpō him at the first to record such things as happened in that Metropolis and chiefe Cittie, and being some­what encouraged in his labour, hee tooke vpon him to deduce the Historie of the whole Island, from the first beginning, and to contract al our stories into one smal volume. But here his learning failed him: for being not able M. Io. Stow a paineful wri­ter, but not so iudicious, for want of the knowledge of the Latine tong, wherof he was vtterly ignorant as himselfe inge­nuously pro­fessed vntome and therfore was compel­ed to haue his latine bookes translated for him, to his ex­ceeding great cost and char­ges the grea­ter was his cōmendations to vnderstand his Auctors, how should he iudge them? And not iudging them, how could he write or cite anie thing out of them, iudicioussie, pertinentlie, and as became an Historian? I spare to speake, what I know, concerning his books; his reuerend old age, and incredible zeale to the common good, shalbe to me in­steed of so many garments, to couer his historicall im­perfections. But to come to the point, thus our Apolo­gists [Page 60] do reason; Master Stow out of his trāslated Wal­singhā saies that VVickliffe was of the order of the Beg­ging Friars, and Walsinghā was a Lyar, ergo Answere Cuius contrarium verum est, we wil beleeue Walsing­ham an other time for this tricke. For he was so far frō euer being of that order, that neuer was East more di­stant from West, or blacke opposite to white, then he was to their disordered orders. If you please not to be­leeue me, take your eies in your hands, and read these two Viz. His com­plaint to the Parliament, & his Treatise a gainst the or­ders of the begging F [...]i­ [...]rs. Treatises, and then saie who is the Lyar.

2. Obiection.

Apol Tr. 2. Cap. 2. p. 106.HE held that Ecclesiasticall Ministers should begge.

The Answere.

ANswere as before Cuius contrarium verum est, he held that Ministers should not beg. Sith Io. Wickliffe against the orders of Friars Chap 5. p. [...]24. beg­ging is damned by God, both in the Old and in the New Testament. Read againe the Printed wi [...]h this Apologie 5. Chapter of his booke, against the orders of Friars.

The 3. Obiection.

HE condemned lawful oathes, savouring therin saith Osiander of Anabaptisme.

The Answere.

I now see it verified of Lutherans and Protestants, & of all other writers, Canus ob­serues this out of Vopiscus. which Vopiscus obserued of Historians, nullum non Historicorum mentitum, that the best historians by trusting other writers or repor­tets, may deliuer an Against their wills It is an other thinge menti [...]i to lye and mendaciū dicere to re­port a lye af­ter another man the first al good men should ob­hor [...]e from the secōd, the best cannot be fice vntruth now and then. Os [...]ander was a good Historian, but hee neuer read VVickliffes works; or if he had seene some of them, he saw not all. For in his Latin Exposition vpon the It is the 2. c [...]mmande­ment in his account. third commande­ment, and his Scribit con­tra propositi­onem incom­pletam & pen dulam, intelli­gendam cum sensu suo sini­stro De Verit. Scrip. p. 282. booke of the Truth of the Scripture, he doth plainly shew the contrary [...], condemning only al Equiuocall, amphibological, Vagae & per consequens falsae propositiones. [...]b. pag. 282. mixt, & wandring pro­positions, whether with oath, or without oath, willing men not for a Nemo menti [...]etur quocun (que) leu [...] mendacio▪ pro saluatione vitae propriae, vitae proximi, vel pro saluatione infinitotum mundo [...]um, vel alicuius boni possibilis. De Ver. Scrip. pag. 242. world of world [...], or for the Non est mentiendum prosaluatione proximi. lb. pag 264. saluation of infinite soules to lie, that is to equiuocate (as he inter­preteth it) much lesse to sweare an vntruth, that is to fortweare. His treatise againstDe aequiuocis iuramentis & fallacibus vitandis. lb pag. 284 God teaches to sware by him in need and not by his creatures. Contra Fra [...]r­mend. pag. 55. Equivocatiō, is a most profound, learned, and iudicious worke; and worthy to be put in print, if it were an entire discourse of it selfe, where If he be the Auctor of the Treatise tending to mit [...]ga [...]n de [...]guised by these Letters P.R. which goe as al his writings doe the cleane contrarie waie. Parsons may see, that hee hath not so much as a smal starting hole left, to put his head in vnsought or vnstopt.

The 4. Obiection.

HE taught, that all things come to passe by absolute necessitie.

The Answere.

I hope our Apologists neede not to bee sent backe a­gaine to schoole, or to their Schoolemen, to learne this distinction, that al things that shall be, bee in re­spect of God and his decree necessarie, though in re­spect of vs they be not so, from whom the knowledge of Gods will, in this behalfe, is purposely hidden, be­cause we should not disesteeme or neglect praier, and other ordinarie meanes for our Saluation. He telleth vs, that Gods promises and threatnings are Deus nemini promittit poe­nam vel pre­mium, nisi sub conditione tacita, vel ex­pressa De Ver Scrip. p. 383. conditio­nall, & that as God hath appointed the end, so he hath appointed the meanes of our Saluation but notwith­standing this necessitie, these are his very words,In Expos. Decal. pag. 81. quā ­vis omnia futura de necessitate eveniāt; Deus tamē vult quod bona servis suis eveniant, per medium guo oratur.

The 5. Obiection.

HE defended humaine merits, as the damnable Pelagian held them, in so much that Melanch­thon saith accordingly of him. Verily he did not vnderstand, nor hold the iustice of faith.

The Answere.

THis obiection is taken for the former part out of VValden, for the later out of Melāchthō, though I haue cleerely z demonstrated the negatiue out of his owne words: yet because the later part of the ob­iection hath more edge in it then ordinarie, because he seemed to haue read some of VVickliffes works, for an­swer to him, I say, that ether he read some of his works which he made when hee was butWickliffe wrot n [...]t two or three hun­dred volunes at one time, he bettered himselfe by writing, as S. Austine con­fesseth of him selfe scriben­do discens f [...]r bere. And therfore noe maruel if wri­ting so much because as th [...] same Father saith in multi loquio non deest falsilo­quium, there be somthings that at the first seeme improper and exorbitant whi [...]h are [...]uspiciously set downe in the iudgment of our writers, and are malitiously construed by the aduersarie newly conuerted, which might peraduenture sauour of follie, or of a bad spirit; or els that hee was cosened by some spurious and bastard Treatises, which were broached in his name, and laid to his charge, an imputation,I could f [...]ll a huge vo [...]ume with instances, in this point declaratorie of their old and wonted impostures: but for the present, I wil alleadg only the Treatise de Cardinalibus Christi operibus, imputed to Cyprian, or one of his time, wheras in the publike Librarie at All-soules it is euident that Arnaldus Bonauillacensis writ it who liued Anno Dom. 1160. not proper to VVickliffe alone but common to him with many of the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church.

The 6. Obiection.

HEe taught a seditious doctrine,Apol. Tract, 2. Cap. 2. p. 107. and mother of all re­bellion, teaching that there is no ciuill Magistrate, while he is in mortall sinne, and that the people may at there pleasure correct Princes, when they doe offend.

The Answere.

IF VVickliffe doe teach any such doctrine, he is vtter­ly to be condemned by our Church, and to be refor­med in that point: but if they belie not his words, he admonisheth the king & all other inferiour officers & Magistrates, as he did Bishops earst while, that he bea­reth not the sworde in vaine, or hath his office for nought, but to doe theDamna [...]i sūt de iure poli­si potestatem datam e [...]s a Domino non exercent. De Verit. Scrip. pag. 456. office of a king, wel and truly, to see his Lawes executed, and iusticeKings are bound to see their Subiects haue right De fundam Legū Anglioe l. c. 36 sincerely ad­ministred; and if he happen to be defectiue in his duty, by suffering the sword of iustice to rust in the scabbard, and his people to perish for want of gouernment; then he telleth him, that he is not properly and truly a king, that isPerdens no­men officij & ordinis in ef­fectu. lb. pag. 513. in effect and operation, which words are spokē by way of exhortation: but so farre was he, fromThis crime of rebellion and treason, was obiected vnto him in his life time De Ver. Scrip pag. 179. & p. 570. which he answereth very fully lb. mu­tinie himselfe, or perswading others to rebellion, that I dare bee bolde to speake it, that neuer any man of his ranke, for the times wherein he liued, did more stoutly and valiantlyHis maine argument is out of the common Law of this land, quia a liter non haberent Reges in Regnis suis plenae pacis custodiam. maintaine the kings Supremacie, in all causes, as wel as ouer al parsons Ecclesiastical and ci­uil, against al vsurped Primacie, and forraine Iurisdict­ions, and his maine reason was this, (to omit al others) elseThe King should [...]ot be able to doe right to his subiects. De fundam legum, Angliae l. c. 36. He writes di­rectly and plainly against those th at saie Rex Angliae non est Rex totius Angliae sed Regulus paruae partis super residuum vero mortificatum est Papa Dominus -verunta­men non disputandum (inquiunt) de ista materia, quous (que) [...]uerit in effectu potentius sta­bilita sed tole [...]ndae sunt iniuriae Dominorum Secularium, quovs (que) arisent opportuni­tas temporis. [...]b. pag. 424. This he takes to be treason and against this he writes. he should not be King ouer al England, but regulus [Page 65] parua partis a pettie gouernour of some small parts of the Realme. And as touching hisHe noted thē of Treason in many points for giuing our gold to Al [...]ēs, and [...]omtimes our enimies for enabling the Pope to fight with the King, with his owne [...] money, di [...]abling the King by [...]eser­uations, proui­sions, dispen­sations, Colla­tions, & presē ­tations of so many barba­rous [...]ud e'& vnlettered straingers, who neuer saw ne came to see their parishioners. finally by threatning the King, that if they might not haue what they would they would goe out of the land & come againe with bright heads And (as he'saies) looke whether this be treason or no? Contra Frat. mend. Cap. 27. pag. 45. pag 358. rebellious followers, & mutinousHe that set the writing vpon the d [...]re at Paules was one walter Disse a Friar Carmelite: therin he shewed the abhominable liues of Sodo­mittie treason a [...]d murders of the Friars; he had preached the same before in London and was readie to iusti [...]ie his accusation and therfore I see little reason whie it should be caled a Libel. Wa [...]sg pag. 358. Libellers (if euer there were any such as the Apologists recite out of Stowes Walsingham) I trust it is not imagined or looked for, that he should be bet­ter attended on thē Christ was, which had followers of al sorts; sōe which followed him for bread; some to see the miracles that he did, some to take him in his words and so it might fare with VVickliffe and his schollers. But (if I be not deceiued) the matter of rebellion & se­dition is wholly mistaken, and wrongfully imputed to Walsingham recitans opiniones haere [...]icas lo. Ball do [...] uit, inquit, & peruer [...]a d [...]gmata pe [...]fidi lo. Wickl [...]ffe pag 292. See the Catholike di­u [...]ne in his pretended answere to S Ed. Cook pag. 308. Iohn VVickliffe, out of whose works (I speake of as ma­ny, as haue yet come vnto my hands) though you rack them to the worst there is not so much as the least sus­pition to be drawne of words tending to disloialty: but I read inFroissard vol. 2 pag. 80 Y estoit vngfol prestre de la Conte de kent, qu [...] appelloit tehan [...]alle, & pour les folles parol­les [...]l auo [...] este mys en p [...]'on devers l' larceu [...]que de Cantorbie p [...]r [...]rois fois lb. esto­ient bien soixante m [...]lle, & avoientvng Souuerain Capitaine, qui [...] appelloit Watre T [...]llier: auecques luy estoient & de sa compaignie Iaques Straw, & Iehan Balle, lb. p. 80. Fraissard of one Iohn Ball, one of Bals Priests for ought that I know, who drew multitudes of people after him, & was the chiefe cause of that great rebellion of the Commons, vnder the cōduct of VVat [Page 66] Tyler; and Iacke Straw, which Il-preschoit & leur disoit Bonnes gens les choses ne peuuent pas bien aler [...] n Angleterre, ne yront iusques a tant, que biens yront tout d [...] com­mun, & quil ne sera ne villa­ins ne gentil [...] hommes, & que nous soio [...]s tous vniz & que les. Seigneurs ne soient plus grans maistres, que nous &c. lb. Lan [...]il trois cens quatre xx & sept. lb. taught this doctrine to condemne al Laws, despise the Cleargie, and to rebell against there Soveraigne, because there was an equalitie of al men, and communion of al things, which is pure Anabaptisme, or Diabolisme rather; and because he liued about the time of VVickliffe, therefore this foule and monstrous heresie is by a malitious kinde of Vide Tho. Walsingham pag 29 [...]. mistaking, laid to VVickliffes charge, which was as lo Ball seditionem excitat, ad wicklif­fianorum inuidiam, ex illa secta & proditione prodijsse quidam fingunt, falso equidem & ignoranter-Tunc sparsa Wicklefi doctrina-sed vt in omni nouitate ac mutatione fieriso­let, at (que) ho [...]iernis temporibus factitatum est, nūciata luce Euangelij, & libertate Christi­ana, insana plebs scelerum impunitatem & omnium in Ecclesia at (que) Rep, ordinum per­ [...]urbationem sperat. Auctor Antiq Britannicarum pag. 2 [...]9. far from preaching anie such doctrine, as they [...] are frō any truth, sincerity or ingenuity, that affirme it, as hath beene obserued by one very iudicious in collecting the Antiquities of our Land.

The 7. Obiection.

Apol. Tract. 2. Cap. 2. p. 108.He was more giuen to scoffing, and prating, then be­came a sober Diuine.

The Answere.

This fault was obiected vnto him in his life time, whervnto heshapeth this modest& most Christiā answere.Testis sit mi­hi Deus ego principaliter. intendo ho­norem Dei & vtilitatem Ecclesiae, ex veneratione Scripturae & ex obseruantia Legis Christi; quod si surrepserit cum ista intentione sinistra intentiovan [...]e gloriae, questus se­culi, et zeli vindict [...]e, ego de h [...]c d [...]leo & per dei gratiā praecauebo. De Ver. Scr. p. 145. God is my witnesse, that I principally intende [Page 67] his glory, and the weale of the Church, by seeking to honor the Scripture, and obserue Christs Law: & if it hath, or shall so happen at any time, that with this good intent of mine, there creepe in, any sinister intent of vaine glorie, covetousnes of the world, or desire of revenge, I am sorry for it, & will hereafter by Gods grace amende that fault. What could be spoken more ingenuouslie, soberly or Christianly? But were it true, that they saie, yet were it not as true, that Clodius accusat machos, Catilina Ce­thegum? they wereProprium est haereticis alios no [...]are huius criminis cum deficiant argumentis lb. pag. 188. guilty of the same, or worse crimes, for did he notPlus attendit hodiernus dis­pu [...]ants vt ad­quisito [...]ubtili­tatis nomine videatur con­cludi respon­denti quam vt ad Dei gloriā et v [...]ilitatē Ecclesiae Dei gloria de­claretur non sic [...]ancti Do­ctores De Ver Scrip pag. 15. note the Diuines of his time, for giving themselues to much toIb. pag. 188 railing and scolding, more me­vetricum [...]orsethen Cot-queanes, & Verbalis cōtentio est in doctrina Scripturae invtilis In Expos. Decal pag. 17. to such brawlings of words as doe ingēder nothing but strife, not tending to edification, or if it Contentiones verbo [...]um non ae dificant nisi in Gehennam Ib. pag. 135. were it was but to edifie men to Hell?

The 8. Obiection.

IT appeareth by Master Foxe, that VVickliffe was an v­suall dissembler of his faith,Apol. Tract. 2. Cap. 2. p. 18. and that to preuent dan­ger of trouble, he did vsually practize the same.

The Answere.

[Page 68] HE was so farre resolued in the cause of Religion, that hee was readie toNon sum su­spect [...]s de for­midine istarū conclusionum patebit per Dei gratiam quod non ti­meo responde re sibi & suis complicibus, vel in facie, vel, in scholis De Ver Scrip pag. 183. It quod si de­us dederit mi­hi cor docile, perseuerantē constantiam, & [...]ha [...]i [...]atem ad Christum, [...]d eius Eccle­siam, & ad mē bra Diaboli Ecclesiā Chri­sti lani antia, & vt p [...]ra cha ritate ipsos corripiam, quam gloriosa causa foret mihi presentem miseriam finiendi? Ib. pag. 380 die almost for euerie Article of Religion, that he maintained against them, and so con­stant and professed an enemie to al disfēblets & Equi­vocators, that therefore he professeth of himself, that he treated that point more largely, because he took [...] himselfe to be wronged in the highest degree, to haue thisVide Walsingham pag. 206. imputatiō laid vnto him, as to be calledDe Ver. Scrip. Cap. 13. Magi­ster Aequivocorū Aequivocatorum & Aequiuocorū Aequivocātiū. And he did not only thinke himself hap­py (if it should so haue pleased God toVolo in Scriptis dare sententiam ex qua imp [...]titus sum quam volo vs (que) ad mortem defendere, sicut credo omnes Christi­anos debere Wals. pag. 206. lb. pag. 518. He was so constant in the defense of the truth which he taught ita vt cano placeret quod iuu [...]ni complacebat Walden To. 2. pag. 270 die for religi­ō) but he perswaded others to the like martyrdōe, shew­ing, that in the cause of faith, there is no dissimulatiō to be allowed. Finallie, the words I cōfesse are in Fox, but not Foxes. For he had them from LyarHoc eodem modo, idem versipellis I. Wickliffe delusit suos examinatores, viz ponen do inte lectum in suis nesandis propositionibus wals. p. 209. Memo [...]atus hypocrita. lb. Vide Martyrol. Fox. pag. 433. Walsingham, he is but the reporter, & you might haue had his iudg­ment of al such writers, that he thought they did him The said Articles of his are nether in number so many, nor yet in nature so grosse, as those Cardinal enimies of Christ perchance doe giue them out to be: if his books whom they abolished or rather thought they had abolished were remaining to be conferred with those blemishes which hey haue wrasted to the worse, a [...] euil wil neuer said the best. lb. pag 424. much wrong, by such imputations, as would easilie haue appeared, if his works were at this day extant (as thankes be to God many of them are, and more may happen to be discouered in good time) to conuince his [Page 69] coniectures) to be more then probably true, and there assertions to be more then coniecturatiuely false.

The 9. Obiection.

HE invaied against the Church, for that he had been depriued by the Archbishop of Canterburie,Apol. Tract. [...]. Cap. 2. p. 105. from a certaine benefice.

The Answere.

WHere was that benefice? say in Oxford, and because hee was depriued of that benefice, hee wrote against the Church: by the like reason, because he was preferred to an other benefice ia Lecester-shire, where he died, therefore hee shoulde not haue inuaied against the Church, the argument is Topical. But our Apologists haue not framed their ac­cusation aright, they shal doe wel to mende their bill, and to say, that he inuaied against the Church, because he was depriued ofEx Chron. D. Albani vide Fox pag. 425. his benefice, against Colleges be­cause himself could not get to beMat. Parke­rus Arch: lib. Antiquitat. Britann. pag. 258. ex alijs. head of a Colledge, againstCreditur Wickliff dixis­se contra E­piscopo [...], quia vt dixit Rob. Saresburien­sis Episcopus in Magna Sy­nodo Cantuar Cleri, Vigor niensis Episco patum non a [...] ­ [...]ecutus suerat quem optauit. Walden. To. 1. pag 326. Bishops because he could not get the Bishop­ricke of VVorcester: Here are three crimes obiected a­gainst one man, and verily I thinke one as true as the other: for though he euer helde a reuerend opiuion of Bishops & Prelats, as there was reason why he should, touching only theThe greatest fault which he found with the Clergie, was for admitting or instituting vnsufficient men in liuings, such as were rudes and barbari Transmarini, the number wher of vppon Certificate made was many. Episcopus propter nullum bonum p [...]ssibile, obedi­ret etiam papae, preficiendo ineptum Ecclesiae, vel minus idoneum De Ver. Scr. pag. 342. faultes of the diseased Cleargie, [Page 70] which were then as sicke as euer Rome was, neither a­ble any longer to endure the maladie, nor the remedy [...] yet I would gladly haue the proofe of these things con­firmed vnto me, by anie Auctor, saue a Moonke or a Friar, and then it maie be I shal beleeue it; though if e­ver a Religious Clarks Protestatiō, were to be credited, hee protesteth that hee did, as neere as euer hee could, both write, and speake and do al thingsDe Verit. Scrip. p. 145. & pag 15. ad honorē Dei & vtilitatem Ecclesiae, for the glory of God and the bene­fit of his Church, which wordes hee oft repeateth, spea­king them as became a professed Diuine withFarre from that vniust imputation of Walden, that he did simplici du­plicitate and duplici simpli­citate, animos hominum trā [...] formare. To 3 pag. 14. single­nes of hart, and simplicity of minde, far from al damna­ble hypocrisie and dissimulation.

The 10. & 11. Obiections.

MOst blasphemously, he affirmed that euerie Crea­ture was God, & againe that [...]od could not choose, but obey the Diuel.

The Answere.

Bellar. in Prae­fat. Gretser. in defens. pag. 8.THese obiections are taken from Bellarmine & some other Jesuits, & it was wonder they did escape both our Apologists and Father Parsons; but belike they did not thinke them to bee true, els doubtles they woulde haue vrged them: For answere wherevnto, it seemeth vnto mee, that the former obiection doth assoile the latter, for holding that euerie Creature was God, be­like he distinguished the tearme God, into God abso­lutely [Page 71] spoken, and God cum signo, or adiectione Dei acceptio duplex—abso­lute. Dominus Dominorum; quando con­trahiturvel specifi [...]atur, per signum detrah [...]ns, sig nificat quod­cun (que) bonum quod quis plus diligit. In. Ex. p of Dec. p. 46. with a signe or addition, & so in truth he doth; & in this sence it might bee true, that such a made God, might of its owne nature, being (as all reasonable Creatures are) sin [...]ul, should obay the Diuel: but I wil not play the So­phister. He had a more deepe, profound, Theologicall or Omnes veri­tates leges in essentia diui­na, sicutomnīa sunt Deus. lb. pag. 21. Deus est mandatum quod praecipit lb 4 Omnis res secūdum esse intelligi­bile est Deus. Me [...]aphysicalspeculatiō about this matter, which was plainly de [...]iuered in his booke de Ideis, which book is not yet come vnto my hands, and therfore I cannot answere the obiection, otherwise then he doth himself, by vt d [...]ctum est in materia de Ideis lb 21. referring you vnto that Materiae de vniuersalibus sūt tā necessa riae quod sine earum notitia nemo fit sapi­ens lb pag. 29. learned book of his. The doctrine I am perswaded in his vnderstanding is found & true, though not fit to be vttered before the people, and though I do rather admire then conceiue it, & do therefore choose rather wholy [...] to omit it [...] for a season, then vnperfectly to deliuer it: yet I cannot omit to giue him this [...]estimony, that about the nature, persons, & properties of God, about the matter of Predestinatiō, Prescience, or Prouidence, he is most religiously & pi­ouslie affected, quo magis miror & therfore I cānot but wonder, that he should run into so Asthey charg him with. monstrous & soule absurdities. But to leaue this, and to answere that alike monstrous, but more blasphemous obiectiō, that God must needes obey the Divell, which scarce any Diuel of Hel would dare to vtter, I know not whence they haue taken this obiection, which hath no colour nor ground in the world in it, vnlesse it be out of these words of his, which I professe are his, and wel they maie be, that be­cause hee saith, that Com in Psal pag 155. God is a great king aboue all his Creatures, that lb. pag. 48. all Creatures are made by God to serue him, that the lb pag. 112. Devil is clepid Gods Angel, for hee maie [Page 72] doe nothing but at Gods suffering, that he serueth God in tormenting of sinfullmen; that Ib. pag. 468. Christ is Victor of the Divell, & lb. pag. 93. helpeth vs against the [...]iend: thence belike our Jesuits Of this infe­rence a man maie saie as Walden did somtimes of an illation of Wickliffes si deductio ista scintillam ha­bet ingenij, quid sit inge­niū hominis nō noui To. 3. p. 56. infer, that God must needs obay the Di­vel. A good wit I confesse, may go far, and such haue our Jesuits, or els they greatly belie one another, but I doubt whether euer they shalbe able to infer so foule and irreligious a Conclusion: out of so faire and religi­ous premises.

The Conclusion.

THus hauing shewed and proued vnto you, that this same Iohn VVickliffe, a man so much spoken against by al sorts of men is so innocent and free from al there foule heresies and monstrons absurdities, that he hath rather declared himselfe, to be a Cōformitan vnto the doctrine, and discipline of the Church of England: or rather, that the Church of Englād at this day, sincere­lie professing the Gospel, doth teach & preach no new Doctrin, as our Apologists would haue you to beleeue; but thē very same doctrine, which was many hundred yeares ago retained and maintained here in England, by sundrie learned Diuines, and embraced gladly by al Fuerunt eo tēpore & plu­res alij huius nefandae do­ctrinae sequa­ces & discipuli non in qui­buscun (que) vil­lis aut Ciuita­tibus sed in ip­sa Vniuersitate Oxoniae Wal [...] pag. 305 Hee might haue added and in the Vniuersity not the mean­est but the Chancellour and Proctors and sundry others as appeareth by records. Lon­gelat (que) per [...]patrias populum maculando suam predi [...]ationem dilatauit, ita ut poenema iores prouinciarum corum sequerentur errorem, Wals. pag 281. In fide & fide [...] articu­lis plurimi claudicabant [...]b Visus est absorbere [...]ordanem & omnes Christianos mergere in Abyssum. lb. pag. 256 Dixit publice et ptaedicauit. Rectoribus Ecclesiarum non valenti­bus prohibere cum ob fauorem popalarem qui libentissimè cum audiebant, & le peri [...]u­lo mallebant exponere, antequa [...]vel prohiberetur praedicare. Wals. pag. 304. of al sorts, Noblemen, Gentlemen, Cleargie men, [Page 73] Lay men, men, and women: which though it were then challenged for a new doctrine, as was somtimes Christ & his Apostles; yet both it was the very same doctrine, which was from the beginning, and shalbe vnto the end of the world, as he himselfe sometimes Si in hoe sim Catholicus sū cerius—quod sententia quā tenco per or­gana Dei vel ante aduentū Antichrist [...], vel postea de­fendetur, quia super omnia vincit veritas verbi Deivt dicitur 3. [...] ­drae De Ver. Scrip. p. 200. prophe­cied, & the Popish doctrine to bee convicted of plaine nouelty, and newnes, by almost the very same reasons and arguments which our Protestant writers do now inforce against them, and therfore no maruell, though the Papists now a daies, notwithstanding there pretē ­ced and vsurped notes of Antiquitie, Vniuersality and Iknow not what els, do begin to thinke vpon a course, how either to abolish all ancient written books out of o ur Libraries, or els to banish al ancient truth out of their books, by their new inuēted Purgatory of books, which I may be bold to speake it, hath done farre more paine to Christendome within these 40. or 50. yeares, then their fire of Purgatorie hath done since the time of its first being: a verie lewd and damned course, and which if it should not please God, and that speedely to stirre vp the harts of Godly Princes, Religious Clarks, and rich Seculars to emploie some learned and paine­ful students, in discouerie the misteries of this their dā ­nable art of corrupting al manner of good writers, ei­ther profane, or diuine, vnder colour of correcting thē [...] in processe of time, the Jesuits sole Actors of al lewde parts, by printing and reprinting the Fathers workes, so oft as they are like to doe, in goodly paper, faire let­ters, and glorious annotations, whereby they haue be­witched the whole world, wil in al likelihoods, by their, more thē Syrenical enchantments, Circean sorceries [Page 74] and Diabolical charmes, make al writers both new and old to speake whollie for them; and when they haue so filed and framed them vnto their purposes, and made them speake nothing, but the language of Ashdad, thē be assured, [...]ura, [...]eriura, secretū prodere noli, that they wil sweare, and forsweare their Index Expurgatoriusses, deny there Colledge of Censors, and make the world beleeue, there was neuer any such thing, for feare least they should rise vp in iudgement against them, to con­vince them of so many wilful forgeries, treacheries, & foule corruptions, by waie of addition, detraction, op­position; and that you may know them to bee cunning Arithmetitians, by their so often v [...]ed Rule of falshood. But my hope and trust is in the good grace of the Al­mightie, that the learned & iudicious Cleargie of this land, which are most interested in this business, will a­midst their sondry and waighty affaires of the Church, in that there Reuerend assembly in Convocation, take some speedy course, against this damned crew, and ex­ecrable Colledge of Censors, for preuenting of farther mischiefes, which are likely to ensue. There is no coun­try in al Christendome, where the Gospell is sincerelie professed, which hath the like opportunity of effecting this busines; such and so manie are our written copies, commended as God would haue it, by the mouthes of our aduersaries, so great the number of iudicious and paineful students, that would account themselues hap­py, if they might be imploied in transcribing, or com­paring the bookes of the ancient writers. In fine God hath put the occasion into our hands, the daies are hi­therto peaceable, and quiet, and long may they so con­tinue, [Page 75] the king Religious and learned, the Noble mē & Diuerse gen­tlemē of good marke, haue offered large summes to the effecting hereof. Nobility & gentrie willing and forward, our enemies audacious & bold, the The charges would not cō [...] to 200 [...] per annum. charges not great, scarce to be spokē of, the time not lōg, within the which it might be It may be ful­ly finished within 4. or 5 [...] yeares; if this were once done our con trouersies would haue an easier end. fully fini­shed, the Glorie Gods, the benefit his Church, both which I haue, doe, and wil for euer seeke vnfainedly, ac­cording vnto my place, dutie, and profession.

Deo soli sit gloria.

Iohn VVickliffe life collected out of diuerse Auctors.

THis Iohn Wickliffe was borne in the North, where vnto this day, some of his name and family (as I vnderstand by others) doe yet remaine: brought vp in Oxford in that Merton Coll. Colledge which hath iustly had the preheminence a­boue all the Colledges, & most of the Vniversities in Chri­stendome, for the nomber, and excellency of men learned in all faculties, qualified with extraordinary gifts, both for Church and Common-wealth: such as were, (to omit other Faculties) in Divinitie, Bacon, Burley, Scotus, Occham, Peccham, Bradwardine, with diuerse others [...] and by example of these, as­wel as by the strict Discipline of that House, this Io. Wickliffe, nothing inferiour vnto any of the former, either in quicknes of apprehension, sharpnes of wit, shortnes of deliuery, great­nes of industrie, stoutnes of courage, and variety of all kinde of good learning; and aboue them all in a full knowledge of the truth of the Gospel, and constant defense of the same, vnto the ende: amidst so many troubles, vexations, accusations, imputations and c [...]lumniations so many denun­ciations, excōmunications, Anathemaes and Curses solemn­ly pronoūnced against him, at London, and at Oxford, by Arch­bishops, Bishops, and Popes; so that he was neuer free from their curses, which God (evermore blessed be his name) tur­ned into blessings, as may appeare, by the sequeale of his life and doctrine. He was beloued of all good men for his good life, and greatly admired of his greatest aduersaries, for his learning and knowledge, both in Diuinity & humanity. He writ so many large volumes in both, as it is almost incredible, He seemed to follow, in the whole course of his studies the methode of the Schoole men: and amongst them hee was a [Page] professed follower of Occham; by reading of whose learned bookes, and sundry others which liued about the same time, or not long before; such as were Bradwardine, Marsilius, Guide S. Amore, Abelardus, Armachanus, and that true great Clearke Rob. Grosthead. God gaue him grace, to see the trueth of his Gospel, and by seeing of it, to loth all superstition and Po­perie. Of Occham, & Marsilius, he was informed of the Popes intrusions & vsurpations vpon kings, their Crownes & dig­nities: of Gu. de S. Amore, and Armachanus, hee learned the sundry abuses of Moonkes and Friars, in vpholding this vsur­ped power: by Abelard and others he was grounded in the right faith of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, by Brad­wardine, in the nature of a true sole-iustifying faith, against merit-mongers and Pardoners, Pelagians, and Papists. Finally by reading Grostheads workes, in whō he seemed to be most conversant he descried the Pope to be open Antichrist, by letting the Gospell to be preached, and by placing vnable & vnfit men in the Church of God. He passed thorough al de­grees in this famous Vniversity very commendably, writing and speaking many things against the then corrupted do­ctrine of the Church of Rome. His many Positions were chiefly directed against the Orders of the Begging Friars, which were his professed enemies, and all forraine and v [...]ur­ped Iurisdiction of the Pope. By which meanes he purchased vnto himselfe the favour of all good men. The reason was this; he li [...]ed in a time, when the Friars orders, by their mani­fold disorders were become exceeding odious, and the Popes Iurisdiction by Provisions, Reservations, and Collations ve­ry intolerable. This made way vnto those excellent Statutes Lawes and Acts of Parliament of Praemunire, against Pr [...]vi­sors, and the Abuses of Begging Friars, which so bridled and restrained the Popes auctority that he could but litle prevaile here in England during the raigne of K. Edw. the 3. & Rich. the 2. In making of these lawes Wickliffe had a great stroke, maintaining verie learnedly and stoutly the Kings Iurisdi­ction, [Page] Crowne, and dignitie, by the lawes Ciuil Canon and Common. And for this reasō he was by one King sent Em­bassadour into forraine parts, & by an other consulted here at home. He vrged the Common law most of al other lawes for maintenance of his opinion, wherein hee tooke great de­light, and had good directions from time to time from the reuerend Iudges and Sages of the law. He was not so much hated of the Clergie, but hee was as much fauoured by the State Temporal. He was openly defended by King Edward and that noble Duke of Lane aster, and secretly abetted and maintained by King Richard whose Chaplaine he appeared to haue beene, notwithstanding hee shewed him but little countenance outwardly during his minoritie. Twise was he conuēted before the By shops, and thrise summoned to ap­peare. The first time hee escaped by the Duke, the second time by meanes of a messenger that came from the Queene. The third time he voluntarily abse [...]ted himselfe, because he knewe the Byshops had plotted his death by the waie, deui­sing the meanes and encouraging men thervnto. Notwith­standing al their deuises and plotts, he liued a longe time without death, bonds, banishment or imprisonment, both writing, teaching, and preaching, opēly in their Schooles & Synagogues, drawing both Prince and people, Schollers & others, and al the world almost after him. He begun to de­fend his opinions when hee was verie yong, and continued tel he was verie old, constantly retaining and maintaining the same, some few excepted which he reformed; and refin­ed more and more, as he grew in yeares and knowledge. He was Doctor of Diuinitie almost 30. yeares, and for some fewe yeares Parson of Lutterworth in L [...]cester-she [...]re. He had some­times before beene fellow of Marton, and Master of Ballioll Colledge & (as some write) beneficed in Oxford. He began to be famous, about the yeare of our Lord 1360. & died in the yeare of grace 1387. in high fauour both with God & men. In his life time. [...] finde but of one or two that wrot against him, which also demeaned themselues very respectfully, & [Page] as became Diuines. But after his death manie, I may saie, the whole host and [...]ost of Moonks and Friars beganne to praie most cowardly vpon his dead corps, disgo [...]ging to praie macks and the verie gaule of bitternes agaînst his parson & doctrine. But amongst al others, Frear Walden, hath both shā ­fully and wrongfully belied him in sundry passages of his workes; as partly doth appeare by my Apologie, and farther (God willing) shalbe manifested, against all such as shall a­vouch the conrarie.

FINIS.

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