Error.

DIst. 13. Parag. 1. Gratian sayth, that if a man be set in the brakes of .ij. euyls, he may choose, & do the lesser. By which doctrine Origene his fall is allowed: who being commaunded eyther to offer his body to the lust of a Verlet, or else to burne incense before an I­doll, did commit the latter, for auoyding of the fyrste: which were a doctrine more licentious, than any of the Cynicks.

Error.

QVest. 16. Paragr. 3. Potest etiam alter. Post. c. Di­lectio. Gratian there talking of prescription, sayth to this sense: That when a man doth purchas a [Page] chattell reall, or any other goods, moueable or vnmoue­able, and at the time of purchasing thereof, suppose y^e same by lawfull title conueyed to him, the which not­withstanding afterwards, he vnderstandeth & beleueth to be otherwise: may, for all that iuste information of his conscience, procede forth on in his possession and ti­tle, vnto time prescriptible: which is a doctrine con­trary to all reason and conscience.

Error and Follie.

2. QVest. Sepe contingit. Where he sayth, that if theft be committed or done in a monasterie, the doer wherof is vnknowen: the purgation must be done in this sorte: that at Masse all must communi­cate vnder this obtestation: the body of our Lorde be this day in triall agaynst thee. Oh abuse and tempting of God. I could recite false allegation of Scripture: and horrible exposition of the same. False fathering on the fathers. Which thinges I omit, vntill my next la­bours. &c. bycause my purpose is to be only summarie and briefe at this time.

Contrarieties.

DIst. 4. C. Statuimus, cum duobus sequent. There Gratian entreating of Fast in Lent, doth say, that the cleargy ought to beginne the same, straight vp­on Sexagesima, according to the ordinaunce of the El­ders. Contrary thereto is the Custome. And yet the Cleargy is not sayd to sinne, as appeareth in the same [Page 11] Dist. Paragr. vlt. Distinct. 23. c. In nomine. Nicholas the Pope ordayned by that Decrée, that the Popes ho­linesse, should be chosen not onely by the Cardinalles, but also by other religious Clearkes. But contrary to it, the same election is onely done by the Cardinals: as appeareth Tit. de elect. per totum. &c. Vbi periculū Dist. 63. c. Obeuntibus. Pope Innocent did appoynt in a Councell holden at Rome, that Byshops shoulde be chosen, not only by the Chanons of the mother church, but also by other religious Clearkes: but nowe con­trary to the same, the Popes reserue the prouision of y^e dignities: as of Byshops, Archbyshops, Patriarches, Abbots, and such like, to himselfe. The age of persons that receyue orders now a dayes in the Popes Church, althoughe it be done according to the will of the title, De aetate & qualitate ordinandorum in Clement, yet is contrary to the .77. & .78. Dist. Let this as touching the Chanons, suffise, for briefenesse sake, whiche I in this behalfe busily endeuour. Is this the boke that we must beleue as the Gospel? Be these the mates to Ca­nonicall Scriptures? Is not this to be repugned that repugneth it selfe? Or is it to be estéemed or credited,Distinct. 19 c. Sic omnes as if it were spoken of Peters owne mouth? As they for their selues craue credite? Vndoubtedly if Peters ser­mons or epistles had bene as various and contrary, as Hereticall, and hypocritical: as lewde and licentious, as the contentes of these Decrées manifestly are, the fathers would neuer haue receyued the same as Cano­nicall, but reconed them among the Apocrypha. And yet dare the Popistes presume to count them Canoni­call, and of as greate force, as the wordes of Peter. The change ling brother to the gospel And these doe they thrust into heartes and consciences of men, vnder the glorious names of Church, Fathers [Page] Councels,Why Popi­stes flie to Cannons. Peter, Paule, and spirite of God: onely to the intente that they may throng in after, and wring in with their errors, supersticions, and myssegouerne­ment. To this end hath Gratian bene occupied in their Church. To this ende hath before him, the Heretiques deuisers of the elder Apocrypha writings, ben of their father the Diuell vsed. Wherefore he is their Ape or sonne, that can so handsomely imitate and folow them. Therefore I pray thée gentle Reader, let him attayne to equall honour with the rest of that preasse.

And as for Peter his brother, authour of the foure bokes of the sentences: and therfore commonly called by the name of Master of Sentences, he hath many faultes, as they themselues confesse, and haue condemned at Paris. To wéete, in his firste boke 4. In the second as many: and .3. in the third: but in the fourth .15. Which in all make .26. What they are, I ouerpasse: bycause there is none that is studious, but knoweth the same. And surely howe bad so euer Peter Lombarde his Di­uinitie is (as it is bad inough in many places more) yet it is much beter than the fruite of Gratians trauayle: for that it preacheth Iustification in Iesus Christ, by faith and obedience to the Gospel. So that it is no mar­uell, that in iudgements and opinions of the Popistes among themselues, in Councels general, in writings, volumes & scholes, they are so deuided and at square: for those braunches must brawle, that borne are vpon such a brawling body.

If M. Stapleton hath reason or authoritie to saye, that a Calfe signifieth Luther, I do (better) say that this monster in the scutchion of this trée doth signifie Gra­tian and Lombardes works, persons, and Hell hound harmonte. Of whiche monster before I doe speake. [Page 12] In these foure lines I aunswere Staphilus, that hys Calfe signified their Calues of Rome.

Peter Lombarde came to the pride of his estimation 20. yeares after his brother Gratian: who (as before I sayd) was in his ruffe Anno. 1120. The which two twē ­ties put together, make .1140. In the meane seasō, that these two men thus flourished with their works, there happened to be borne in the Countrey of Albania, An­no. 1126. of a base woman, thys monster: the which is a man childe, and a dogs whelpe, wholly furnished with all their members growing togither by their backes, whose faces stande cleane contrary wayes. The appli­cation whereof I will not stand now on, lest I should séeme enuious agaynst thē, or vayne in preaching that to thée, which thou gentle Reader, being a childe and scholler, brought vp in Natures schole, long since hast learned, canst confirme by experience of the like, & by the case present apply. Therfore I passe frō this that thou art more perfect in, to the braunches which thine expectation and attentiuenesse do iustly call for. Wherein regarde two things: Heresies, of their auncestors, the elder He­retiques, & of their owne proper deuising.

Sacramentarie Donatistes.

Anno. 331. THe Heresie of the Donatistes, hath had two speciall maintayners and nourishers of the same, called by the name of Donatus. Aug. lib. 2. con. Cresc. c. 1. tom. 7. August. de here. Hae. 69 to .6. The lat­ter, had to syrname A casis nigris: he was the moste contentious and sternest in this cause. For the first was a Numidian, as the same authour declareth, who at the beginning moued this contention and scisme, in the Church at Carthage, agaynst Caecilianus, chosen, maugre his will, Byshop. But at the laste, this enui­ous and ambitious quarrell, turned to an Heresie, (for commonly such broyles are not without part takings) and to diuers perillous sectes and phanatical factions: which among other lores (for they had not one onely as Augustine noteth) taught.

De Baptis. contra Do­na. li. 4. c. 20 De vnico Baptism. c. 14. contra Petill. liter. li. 1. c. 1.2.3. That a good Minister consecrateth and maketh a good and profitable Sacrament, and an euill Minister a naughty vnholy Sacrament, and vnprofitable to the receyuer.

All which happened about the raignes (as Hierom noteth) of Constant and Constantine the Emperours, to wéete, Anno Domini. 331. or there about: some say after.

I meane not, that it so then began, as that nowe it should be ended. For that deuotion, which hath al­wayes receyued the erroures of euery age, with other filthinesse also dronke the same: or else howe coulde Babylon be a cage of foule spirites?Apoca. 18. And doth ex­pressely teache it, to those that will viewe and marke their doctrine, if but lightly. For Gratian testifieth in [Page 13] the Decrées that Pope Gregorie hath written to all Churches in the kingdome of Italie and Dutche lande,Popish Do­natisme. Dist. 81. c. Si qui presbi­teri. on this wise. Si qui Presbyteri sunt Diaconi vel Sub­diaconi, qui in crimine fornicationis iaceant, Interdi­cimus eis, ex parte Dei omnipotentis, & sancti Petri authoritate, Ecclesiae introitū, vsque dum peniteant & emendent. Si verò in peccato suo perseuerare malue­rint: nullus vestrum eorum praesumat audire officiū: quia benedictio eorum vertetur in maledictionem: & oratio in peccatum. &c. The which to interprete, mea­neth thus.

If any Priest, Deacon, or Subdeacon, doth rest in fornication, we on the behalfe of almighty God, & by the authoritie of Sainct Peter, forbid such the entrance into the Church, vntill they repent and amende. But if cōtrarywise they had rather abide in this their sinne, then, loke that none of you presume to heare any suche mans seruice: for their blessing wil turne to a cursse, & their prayer to sinne. &c. In which words it is euident, howe playnely they conclude with their predecessours Donatistes, persuading as the other Donatistes doe, that prayers, seruice, sacramentes, yea and blessings, which in their owne nature be otherwise good, for wāt of a good Minister, léese not onely their effecte, but also are hurtfull to the receyuer.

The reason why this doctrine of the Donatistes, is of the olde fathers condemned for an heresie is (to let other passe) Quia spem baptizādorum auferunt a Do­mino Deo, & in homine ponendam esse persuadent. Augustinꝰ contra liter. Petilian. lib. 1. c. 3. Vnde fit omnino, vt non incerta, sed prorsus nulla sit salus. That is: Bycause they take away the hope of suche as are baptized, from the Lorde God: and per­suade to bestowe the same vpon man. Wherof it com­meth, [Page] that not onely our saluation is vncertayne, but also none at all.

Epistola. 48.And agayne Augustine in another place sayth, Quid enim aliud & vos, quam vestram iusticiam vul­tis constituere, quando non dicitis iustificari, nisi eos qui a vobis potuerunt baptizari. Which interpreted, meaneth: And what else doe you (O Donatists) but ad­uaunce your owne righteousnesse: when as you saye, none are (that is) profited by the sacra­ment. iustified, but suche as haue bene baptized of you. The olde Donatistes therefore, whiles they brag themselues, to be onely the Church, and therefore ho­lier than the rest (for that was the only cause, why they sayd, the sacraments were better with them) aduaunce themselues, & saying that the sacrament worketh with them bicause they are of the Church, & not with those y^e are out of the Churche, take from God the fayth due to him, and by the Sacramente ought to be applyed to him, are therefore Heretiques. And the Popistes con­sequently, doing the like, are also such.

Obiection.But they alwayes ready (as Cain) to pourge them­selues, will happly say, the Donatistes were worthyly condemned for heretiques, in hauing suche opinion of their Sacramentes, not being of the Church.

Aunswere.Graunt we (for argumentes sake) that the Popists are of the Church, yet, in that, that they thinke, the sacramentes are the holier, bycause that they of the Church ministred them, they departe from Christes Church, and are Donatistes. For it is all one, whether a Catholique or a Donatist say, they make an effectual Sacrament, for that, that they are of the Church. And such saying is cleane contrary to the nature and insti­tution of a Sacrament, which is alwayes holy, and is therfore a meane or medicine to make vs holy: as bap­tisme [Page 14] in opening the Church to vs, and the Lords sup­per, in applying Christ to vs by fayth.Distin. 32. c. Praeter hoc. Parag. Ad hoc. Wherefore I maruel the Romanists would say, as Gregorie in the a­foresayde Chapter hath sayd: considering they all con­clude, it maketh the receyuer holy, and especially Car­dinalis Alexandrinus sayth, that baptisme so iustifieth a man, that if he died immediatlie therevpon, he shall be quite from all punishment. It is therefore agaynst the truth and naturall reason, that the thing of suche force, shoulde so by the euyll Minister, sometime hys subiect, or pacient be marred. Yea and it differeth not to say, that an Heretique defileth the Sacrament, and maketh it hurtfull: or that malus Catholicus (I vse the wordes of D. Bellam.) a naughty and euyll Catholique doth euen so: for both conclude that the holy instituti­on ordayned to a holesome end, is become vnholesome, yea, hurtful, which is the Gospel of the Donatists their predecessors. I pray thee gentle Reader,☜ Nota. vnderstand my meaning. I entreate of the sacraments which Hereti­ques or naughty Christians minister in the forme of y^e Church, and sacramentall maner of Christes institu­tion. For if they that are wythout, (whose Church al­wayes is the Ape of Christes spouse, cōunterfaicting hir, as a light person doth an honest matrone) minister not according to that institution & sacramental forme, it is not to be called a Sacrament. But I reason wyth the cleargie of Rome, as Augustine doth with the Do­natists cleargie: And that only so farre as their church retaineth Christes institution and sacramental forme, and no further (for otherwise I were in another predi­cament) which sith I may not departe fro. I leaue to entreate of their Sacramentes, vntill a place more fit and méete therefore.

[Page] Distinc. 32.Some possible will thinke to stoppe a gappe with the Decrée of Alexander, (Gratian sayth the seconde) praeter hoc autem praecipiendo. Popes brawle. &c. and sette him a­gainst Gregorie in the aforesayde Chapter. But Gre­gorie is too well ayded, for he hath Pope Leo in the Chapter Manifestum. Pope Martine in the Chapter Non liceat: 1. Quest. 1. Ibidem. and many other Canones. I maruel with what spirite these Popes speake, that thus iarre. Is this the Harmonie? Surely if eyther I were of mind or purpose to pricke their Musicke out, thou wouldest thinke it were a blacke chauntes, or a concorde of Di­uels. But y^t their sentence, opinion, & agréement with the Donatistes, Dist. 32. c. Preter hoc. Par. ad hoc. may out of this barking better appere, mark what Cardinalis Alexandrinus recounteth of D. Bellem, who seruing in place of a bad minstrell, after much and long tempring and tuning, playeth this bad brawle.Concorde of the various Canons. If the question be asked (sayth he) touching the minister of the Sacrament, then must you marke tvvo kindes of them: namely, he is eyther an Heretique, or else a naughty Catholique, that maketh and consecra­teth the same. Then such persons haue no effect of the Sacrament as touching themselues: for as the Hereti­que vvanteth the same, so in like manner the naughty Catholike, (be he tollerated by the Church or not) hath no effecte thereof so long as he is in deadly sinne: as al suche offenders intermedling vvith holy thinges are. But if the question be asked, for the behalfe of the re­ceyuer, then thus destinguishe the same. Eyther he re­ceyueth the Sacrament of an Heretique, Scismatique, or naughty Catholike. If of the hand of an Heretique, then ansvvere that it is done either knovvingly, or ig­norantly. If ignorantly, then, bycause he vvas proba­bly ignorant, that the minister vvas an Heretique, he [Page 15] doth enioy the vertue of the Sacrament by fayth. If he receue the same of an Heretike vvittingly, in the time of necessitie, bycause there is no other, & peril of death is at hande, then the Sacrament of Baptisme can onely be receyued of him: and he ministreth both Sacrament and effecte. And so must the aforesayde chapter of A­lexand. Praeter hoc, be vnderstode in the ende. But if there be no necessity, then no Sacramente muste be re­ceyued of him. For vvho so receyueth, sinneth, & hath no auayle nor effecte thereof. If the question be asked of a Scismatique or naughty Catholique, thē ansvvere according to the distinction abouesayd. &c. Here, thou mayst gather the summe of the doctrine and minde of the olde Canons, as touching this their error. Where­fore none can denye, but the Popes cleargie agréeth with the Donatistes, as this harmonie of Bellamere, de­clareth. Then, as the olde Donatistes, deuising that the Sacrament did depende on the soundenesse and holy­nesse of the minister, doe therby conclude, that he was the roote of the grace (I allude to their ignorance) there­in giuen: So also the Popes cleargy, in teaching those to be boyde of the effect of the Sacrament, that receiue the same of the hande of him that is knowen to bée naught, or an Heretique, doe the like. Agaynste the which, and also that doctrine, which sayth the effect of the Sacrament of Baptisme is receyued of the Hereti­que or naughty man, which is vnknowē, bicause fayth then in ignorance worketh deserte, heare Augustine. Contra. lit. Petiliani. li. 1. c. 1. Ait enim (Petilianꝰ) conscientia namque dantis atten­ditur, qui abluat accipiētis. Quid si lateat dantis cōsci­entia, & fortasse maculosa sit? Augustine agaynst the Popistes. quomodo poterit acci­pientis abluere conscientiam? Si quemadmodum dicit conscientia dantis attenditur, qui abluat accipientis? [Page] Si enim dixerit ad accipiētem non pertinere, quicquid mali latuerit in conscientia dantis, ad hoc fortasse va­lebit illa ignorantia, vt de conscientia baptizatoris sui non possit nesciens maculari. Sufficiat ergo vt alterius cōscientia maculosa cum ignoratur, non maculat, nun­quid etiam abluere potest? Ibidem. c. 2. Vnde igitur abluendus est qui accipit Baptismum, cum dantis polluta conscien­tia est, & hoc ille qui accepturus est ignoret, praesertim cum addat & dicat. Nam qui fidem a perfido sumpse­rit, non fidem percipit sed reatum. Ecce slat perfidus baptizaturus, at ille qui baptizandus est, perfidiam e­ius ignorat, quid eum accepturum esse arbitraris, v­trum fidem, an reatum? si dixeris fidem, concedes pos­se fieri, vt a perfide fidem quisque percipit, non reatū, & falsum erit illud quod dictum est: qui fidem a per­fido sumpserit, non fidē recipit sed reatum. Inuenimus enim fieri posse, vt etiam à perfido, fidem quis accipi­at, si perfidiam dantis ignorat. Non enim ait: qui fidem à perfido manifesto vel cognito sumpserit, sed qui fi­dem inquit à perfido sumpserit, non fidem percipit sed reatum, quod vtique falsum est, quando quis à la­tente perfido baptizatur. Si autem dixerit, etiam cum baptizator perfidus latet, non ab eo fidem percipit, sed reatum: rebaptizent ergo illos, quos ab eo baptizatos esse constiterit, qui diu apud ipsos cum scaelerati latue­rint, Ibidem. c. 3. & postea proditi conuictique damnati sunt. Eo quippe tempore quo latebant, quoscunque baptizaue­runt, non eis potuerunt fidem tradere, sed reatum, si quisquis fidem à perfido sumpserit, non fidem percipit sed reatum, ergo baptizentur à bonis, vt possint fidem percipere non reatum. &c.

So sayth Bellem.The sense wherof is. For regarde is had (sayth Pe­tilian) to the conscience of y^e minister, that must purge [Page 16] or make cleane the receyuers. But what if the consci­ence of the minister be secret, and yet perhaps vnpure, howe can he wash cleane the receyuers conscience? It being (as Petilian sayth) the conscience of the minister that must purge the receyuers, is to be regarded.So sayth Bellem. But if he will say, that the euyl what so euer is hidde in the minister his conscience, toucheth not the receiuer: then perchaunce to this, is that ignoraunce auayleable, that thereby such an ignorant person cannot be defyled by the baptizers euyll conscience. May it therefore onely suffise, that the defiled conscience, when it is vnknowē, stayneth not, or doth it not also clense? Whence is he to be cleansed that receyueth Baptisme, when as the ministers conscience is vnpure? And it is vnknowen to the receyuer, the rather,So conclu­deth Bellem for that Petilian addeth & sayth: For he that receyueth Baptisme at a dysloyall hande, receyueth not the Sacrament, but hurt. Put the case. Here standeth a naughty person, ready to bap­tize: but he that is ready to be baptized, knoweth not the same, what iudgeste thou he shall receyue at that ministers hand? the sacraments effect, or iudgement? If thou dost say that he receyueth the sacrament, then is it graunted a man may receyue it, and no euill, of a naughty minister: and so shall that be false, which is sayde: For he that receyueth Baptisme at a dysloyall hande, receyueth not the Sacrament but hurte. Against Bellem. So sayth Bellem. We haue found forsooth (sayth Augustine) that it is possible for a man to receyue the effecte of the Sacramente at a naughty mans hand, so that he be probably ignoraunt thereof: for Petilian sayth not, he that receyueth the Sacrament of an open and manifeste naughty person, but simply, he sayth, he that receyueth the Sacramente of a naughty man, receyueth not the effecte, but hurt. [Page] Which muste algates be false, when the naughtinesse of the minister is not knowen. But if he will say, that when the baptizers naughtinesse is vnknowen, he thē also receyueth not the Sacrament, but hurte: then let them baptise those agayne, which were baptized of the naughty minister, whose secrete naughtynesse at laste brake out, and was thereof conuicte and condemned. For in that time, in the which their naughtynesse was secrete, they coulde baptize none, bycause they were naught, though secrete, (if it be true, that he whiche is baptized of the naughty, receyueth not the Sacrament but hurt) therfore let them be nowe baptized of such as are good, that they may receyue the Sacramente, and no hurt.

Hitherto Augustine agaynst the Donatistes: who doth therin so playnly reason agaynst Pope Gregorie, Alexand. the other Popishe Canons, and D. Bellem, that they are condemned by his iudgement, for Hereti­ques. And that the more manifest of the twayne. For whereas the Popistes will teache when the holy mini­ster doth make an holy sacrament, or the contrary, they will séeme to do it, not as Donatistes: and yet they do it more playnely than they, so that the prouerbe is true in them: Sorex perit suo strepitu: the Rat is bewray­ed by his owne noyse. In that they by Bellams distinc­tion graunt, that which Augustine is fayne by drifte & pursute of argument, to driue the elder Donatistes vn­to. For vpon their generall proposition, their field was so large, that they might distinguish and limite as they lyst. But Augustine chaseth them so harde to the wall, that they are berefte of that scope. For in these his for­mer words, he driueth this yssue, that they must graūt eyther none to be baptized within their Church, or else [Page 17] that such as are baptized of y^e secrete naughty minister,The Popists manifest Donatistes. They graūt thumaior. are notwithstanding his naughtinesse baptized, & haue the effect of the sacrament, not hindred therby. Thus in sum, he proueth their reason false, & opinion heresy. No naughty person cā minister y^e sacrament w^c effect: But euery minister is a naughty person, Ergo no minister can giue y^e sacrament with effect. Then must both these Donatists saue their cause, by distinguishing their quid dity, of an open naughty man, & secret naughty man: y^e which the Popists do to Aug. hand, & therfore are more manifeste. Then he replyeth thus. But euery secrete naughty minister, can minister the sacrament & effect, though he be naught (for secretnesse purgeth no mans conscience) ergo, a naughty Priest may minister the sa­crament & the effect, by your own saying.The Cano­nistes boxed at August. hande. Thus the Ca­nonists receiue the foyle, & are at Aug. hands boxed to­gether with the elder heretique Donatistes: for he pro­ueth, y^t the sacrament & the effect therof worketh, caused by God, & not by the minister. That the which doctrine of Augustine may stand assisted by another, heare the testimony of Optatus Mileuit. Episcop. who flourished as Hierom saith,Hierome. in Catalog. in the raignes of Valentinian & Va­lent. which was about the yeare of grace .368. who was also in that time an earneste enimie to Parmenian, an Archdonatist, as his .6. bokes declare. In which works (talking of the effects of baptisme) he sayth:Mileuitan. lib. 5. Has res v­nicuique, non eiusdem rei operarius, sed credentis fides & Trinitas praestat: that is, the which things (to wéete, the effectes of Baptisme) are done therein, by the holie Trinitie, and the fayth of the receyuer, and not by the minister of the Sacrament. S. Chrisostome is not here to be omitted, whose authoritie & iudgement also shall ouerthrowe these Donatistes, & driue backe the iudge­ment of the forsayde reuerende Fathers: who answe­reth [Page] as it were to a secret obiection of the people of Constantinople, made as touching such as were bapti­zed,Homelia de regressu ex Asia. in y^e time of the disordred estate of their church, du­ring his exile in Asia, in this maner. Sed multi inqui­unt, te absente baptizati sunt: & quid tum? Nihil mi­nus habet gratia, non claudicat donum Dei, praesen­te me baptizati non sunt: sed praesente Christo bapti­zati sunt. Nūquid homo est qui baptizat? Homo dex­teram porrigit, sed Deus dexteram gubernat. Noli de gratia dubitare charissime, quia donum Dei est. Attē ­de diligenter quae dicuntur. Si forte aliqua causa sacra explicāda est. Cum obtuleris preces & subscriptā acce­peris sacrā, non requiris quali calamo subscripserit rex, neque in quali charta, neque quali quòue attramen­to, sed vnum solummodo quaeris, si rex subscripserit. Sic in Baptismo: charta conscientia est, calamus lingua sacerdotis, manus gratia est spiritus sancti. &c. that is: But say they, many haue bene baptized since thy de­parture. And what then? the grace is not diminished: the gifte of God is not maymed, they are baptized, not in my presence, but in the presence of Christ: is it man that baptizeth? The man in dede reacheth oute his hand, but God gouerneth the same. Doubt not dearly beloued of the grace, for it is the gifte of God. Marke what is spoken. If perhaps any holy Scripture is ex­pounded. When thou shalt offer thy supplication to the Prince, and receiuest it agayne subscribed: thou askest not, with what penne the Prince subscribed the same, neyther in what parchimente, nor doest thou also en­quire of the yncke: but this thou onely demaundest, whether y^e Prince hath subscribed or not. So is it like­wise in Baptisme: the conscience is the paper, the mi­nisters tong is the penne, the grace of the holy Ghost, [Page 18] is the Princes hande. These fathers also haue on their sides the sacred Scriptures, to proue God onely to be y^e worker of the effecte in all meanes vsed, both for plan­ting and increasing of the Church, be it eyther in dys­pensation of worde or sacramentes. As Paule sayth to the Corinthians: Ego plantaui, Apollo rigauit. &c. 1. Cor. 3. I Paule haue planted, Apollo hath watered, but God doth giue the increase: neyther is he then any thing that planteth, neyther he that watereth, but God that giueth the increase, he that planteth, & he that watereth is all one. &c. Where now is their truth, where is their brag of the perfect fayth, & boast of their holy Church, y^t erreth neuer. If Augustine be of the true Church, the Popistes are Apostataes. If Optatus and Chrisostom be true teachers, then they are Heretiques: if y^e scrip­tures are true, then are these Popists false. Yea where is also their harmonie, their fayned agréement and cō ­cord? Is it that the Canons of Alexand. Leo, Grego­rie and Martine their Popes, thus brawle and disagre not onely eche with other, but also with the truth? For if they agrée, it is as Donatists. If they teach any thing in this behalf, it is as the Donatists. Yea if they know their roote, it must be of the Donatists. Biel lib. 4. dist. 5. con. 2. & ibidem. Neyther can it preuayle, for the purgation of their Churche to bring Biell, Beatus Thomas, Duraud, Richardus, Scotus, & P. de Palu. of opinion, contrary to the Canonists and other of their Diuines,Peter Lomb a Donatist. whome Biell alleageth in .4. li. No not though they brought the whole Vniuersitie of Paris, condemning Peter Lombard for an Heretique, being of opinion with Bellem, Lomba. lib. 4. Dist. 13. Sic illi ve­ro. C and Cardinall Alexan­drinus, writing thus. Illi vero qui excommunicati sunt, vel de Haeresi manifeste notati, non videntur hoc Sacramentum posse conficere, licet Sacerdotes sint. &c. [Page] That is: but it séemeth that such as are excommunica­ted, or manifestly noted of Heresie, can not consecrate this sacramēt (that is the Euchariste) yea, although they are Priests. &c. For that wil make rather to their open shame, sith those Diuines and Canonistes, thus stan­ding in the heresie of the Donatists, bene Papists (not Protestantes) birdes of their owne nestes.

Wherfore they must first proue (if they will purge them selues of Heresie and discord) that they agrée with the Scriptures and fathers, and also among themsel­ues in the truth, or else must they denie their Doctors: that is, that Peter Lombarde is none of their Church, that Bellem. is none of their Churche, that Cardinalis Alexandrinus is none of their Church, that the Popes Leo, Gregorie, and Martine were not possessoures of Peters perfect chaire: or at the least accuse Gratian for falselye fathering the Decrées on them: which if they them selues do, who shall afterward credite the same? not I.

Matrimonie Tatians.

Anno. 175.177. in Ca­talog. IN the time of the raygnes of the Emperours Marcus Anto­nius verus and L. Au. Commodus (as Hierome saith) ruffled one Ta­tian, a Sirian borne. Eusebius saith in the .xij. yeare of the raygne of the same Antonius Verus, which was about the yeare of our Lorde .175. Some other write that it was in the .14.02.15. yeare of the same Em­perours raigne, which is of the yeare of our Lord .177. [Page 19] or there aboutes. This man being first a professour of Rhetorique, gayned thereby no small glory.Euse. eccles. historia. li. 4 cap. 28. The ac­quaintaunce of Iustine the martyr (whose scholler in Christian Philosophie it séemeth he was) stode him in good steade. For so long as he liued, he flourished in Christes Church, as a sound Christian: But after his death, of a membre of Christ, he became a rottē branch and an Apostatate. So that we may say of him, though in this world he suruiued Iustine, yet that he liued and died with him. For immediatly vpon his death, puffed vp with pride of his eloquence, he broke credite wyth the Church, & became an Archeheretique and father of the secte called Encratitôn, that is Abstayners, a poy­son, Irenaeus sayth,Li. 1. c. 30.31. drawen partly from the Valentini­ans, partly from the Gnostiques, partly from the Mar­tionistes.

The Heresie of the Encratistes, after the death of their first founder Tatianus, In Catalog. In eccl. hist. li. 4. c. penu. was by one Seuerus well settled and so furthered, that after him also, they are called as Hierom sayth, Seueriani. A part of the Here­sie was this, as Eusebius recounteth oute of Irenaeus. Vitandas nuptias praedicarunt, The doc­trine. antiquam Dei forma­tionem reprobantes, & sensim eum repraehendentes, qui maris & foemellae generationem fecit. that is, They taught the shunning or eschewing of mariages, dysa­lowing Gods auncient fashioning of man, and priuy­ly therein rebuking him, that appoynted the generatiō of man and woman. Augustine addeth:Hares. 25. Nec recipiunt in suorum numerum, comugio vtentem, siue marem, siue foeminā. They admitted none to be of their num­ber, that vsed mariage, be he man or woman. Nupti­as damnant, & omnino eas pares fornicationibus, aliis­que corruptionibus faciunt: For they slaunder Mari­age: [Page] making it equall with fornication and other fyl­thynesse.In Galat. li. 3. cap. 6. Hierome noteth, that to confirme this their doctrine (Omnem coniunctionem maris & foeminae im­mundam esse. All copulation of man and woman vn­cleane) they vsed to alleage these wordes out of Paule: He that soweth in the fleshe, shall thereof reape corrup­tion.

The summe of Tatian.This doctrine of Tatiane (which in effecte is, that they are cleaner, holier, and perfecter, that abstayne from mariage, than the reste that vse the same, and therefore commende the vowed and single life, aboue the natural couplement, teaching as I noted oute of Hierome, Omnem maris & foeminae coniunctionem immundam esse. That al copulation of man and wo­man is vncleane,) is by the Church of Christ, for two speciall causes that follow and depend of the same doc­trine,The reasons why it is an Heresie. condemned. Firste, for that they that so blame and discommend that holy institution of Matrimony, which God alone hath ordayned and commaunded in Paradice before mans fall, and Christ hath in Cana of Galile honoured with his fyrst miracle and presence, doe set God to schole, Sensim cum repraehendentes qui maris. &c. Secretely finding fault with him, that ap­poynted the copulation of man and woman.

Secondly, bycause they make God not the author thereof, but the Diuell: which they do plainely but on this wise. Whatsoeuer God commaundeth, yea if it be to kyll man, woman and childe: yea if to robbe the E­gyptians of their proper goodes, yet he that perfour­meth his wyll and order, doth not sinne or commit vn­cleanenesse, but worketh vertue and holynesse, for that our vertue and holynesse consisteth in obeying of him: and whatsoeuer we doe contrary or besides, is no ver­tue. [Page 20] But syth they say to marry, and man and woman therein to ioyne, is to cōmit vncleanenesse: which if it were vnpure in nature, yet, for that God hath institu­ted the same, it is then sanctified: therefore the fathers conclude, that the Tatianists deny God (whose wil can not be vncleane) to be the authour therof, and say it is of the Diuell, who is the roote of all impurenesse. For Clemens Alexandrinus taketh it so: who aunswering to a parte of Tatians worke entituled,Clemens. 3. Stromat. De perfectione secundum seruatorem writeth thus: Nam cum rursus permisit simul conuenire propter Satanam & intem­perantiam, pronunciat eum qui pariturus erit, serui­turum duobus Dominis: per consensum quidem Deo, per dissentionem autem intemperantiae, & fornicati­oni, & Diabolo: For when he (that is Paule) licenceth man and woman after seperation for Prayer, eftsones to méete together, for feare of Sathan and incontinē ­cie, he therein declareth, that they whiche shall so obey his doctrine and counsell, shall serue two masters. By their consent, in the same seperation and continence, God: & by the breaking of that consent,Ibidem. intemperance and the Diuell. Thus far Tatian. To the which Cle­mens. Haec autem dicit Apostolū exponens, sophisticè autem eludit veritatem, per verum falsū confirmans: intemperantiam enim & fornicationem diabolica vi­tia, & affectionē quoque nos confitemur. These things Tatian writeth, expounding the Apostle: but he doth subtilely scoffe the truth, and confirmeth by a lie, that which is sounde. For we graunt that intemperaunce and fornication are Diabolicall vices, and naughty af­fections. &c. In this discourse of Clement and Tatian, it is euident, that the fathers, when they say that Tati­an teacheth that matrimonie is of the Diuell, meane [Page] it, bycause he sayth, that therein incontinency and for­nication is commaunded: which are the wil of the Di­uell, for else I think Clemens, hauing so good occasion agaynst him, woulde haue reasoned more strictely, as touching these wordes: per dissentionem autem, intē ­perantiae & fornicationi & Diabolo. &c. By breaking their consent of continencie, they serue intemperance, fornication and the Diuell. For he had therein great occasion to note, that they thereby obey God, & not the Diuell, & that therfore matrimonie differeth from for­nication, which is the institution of the Diuel.

The Popists doctrine.It ensueth now to consider, whether the Popishe Donatists are infected also with this heresie of Tatian, or no: which I will briefly (in one worde as it were) de­clare. The Popes angelical doctor, if the additions in the supplement of his third part be gathered out of his owne works (as it is noted) Thomas Aquinas, canoni­zed (for his good demerites) a Sainct, teacheth: that Ma­trimonie is vncleane, & that for the vnpurenesse there­of, the minister in holy orders, ought by abstayning from a wife, to kepe him holy & cleane. These are his wordes.In add. 3. partem. q. 53. ar. 3. Sacer ordo de sui ratione, habet ex quadam congruētia, quod matrimonium impedire debeat: quia in sacris ordinibus constituti, sacra vasa & sacramenta tractant. Et ideo decens est, vt munditiem corpora­lem per continentiam seruent. &c. that is: There is in holy orders, that of their speciall nature and requisite­nesse therevnto due, ought to hinder and forbidde ma­trimonie: bycause that they which bene in the same or­ders, doe handle the consecrated vessels and holy Sa­cramentes. And it is therefore behoueable, that they should kepe bodyly cleanelinesse, thorow a single lyfe, and abstayning from mariage. &c. Much after the same [Page 21] sorte Pope Innocent sayth.Distinct. 82. c. Proposu­isti. Neque eos ad sacra officia fas sit admitti, qui exercent etiam cum vxore carnale consortium: quia scriptum est: Sancti estote, quoniam ego sanctus sum, dicit Dominus Deus vester. Nor let it be lawfull for them to be admitted to holy offices or roumes, which vse carnal company with their wiues: bycause it is writtē: Be you holy, for I am holy, sayth your Lorde God. In the which doctrine it is euident, howe Mariage is discommended and counted vnpure. Wherefore their holy greaselings muste not vse the same, for polluting the Sacramentes and consecrated stuffe. For he that sayth, that a maried man may not touch a Chalice, or such like consecrated stuffe, as here Aquinas teacheth, meaneth that it is not, bicause he is a man, but bycause he is coupled in mariage, that de­fileth. Is not then Aquinas a Tatian, that sayth, Ma­trimonie defileth the man coupled therein, and the man the holy things? And secondly, doe not then the Thomists also, y^t which Irenaeus saith of Tatian, Vt supra. Sensim reprehendentes eum. &c. They priuily therein repre­hende him, that appointed the generation of man and woman: for he might haue deuised a more holye waye for generation? And doe they not consequently condē ­ning the same for naught, or be it, that they do but dis­alowe it, appoynte it rather to the Diuell, who is pro­perly and onely the authour of al naughtinesse and vn­cleanelinesse: than to God, from whome no such order can procéede?

But here the Popistes wyll obiecte,Obiection. that the olde Tatians did condemne matrimonie in all men: & they do but dysalowe it in a certayne sorte. To aunswere of the which shift, (for it is no reason) I will procéede thus. First prouing that it is an heresie,Answere. not to leaue matri­monie [Page] indifferent. Secondly, that they dysalowe it in all men,1. Timoth. 4. and count it vnholy. First of all marke, that the question is not, whether the Popists are further o­uer the shooes in this errour than are the Tatians, but whether they are in it at all. For although it be a more horrible errour, to discommende or forbyd matrimonie in all men: yet to doe the like to a fewe or special sort, is also an heresie, albeit it séemeth y^e gentler. For those seducers that Paule speaketh of, who shall haue their consciences marked with an hote burning yron,1. Timoth. 4. & shal forbyd to marry, are not sayd, that they shal forbid this sorte, or that sorte, but simply forbid to marry: so that as therein Tatian the elder is foretolde, so likewise his babe yong Tatian and that Church: for I dare say they found no such doctrine in Luthers bokes. Let vs mark the words more déepely. Paule in y^e thirde chapter gaue Timothe instruction, of good byshoppes and ministers duties: and in this fourth, he is bent especially in these wordes, to paynt out, what naughty and ill ministers and teachers shall doe, as it were by Antithesis to giue it more life: and willeth among other things, that he shoulde assertaine the brethren, what intollerable bur­thens the erronious spirites in the latter dayes shall bring in, without care, loue and regard of the congre­gation, and weakenesse of the flocke, and that in hipo­crisie. For as the nature alwayes of Heretiques stuf­fed with false harts, and heresie, is, seming holy in out­warde appearaunce, wolues in shéepes skinnes, so they themselues will not set their handes to any suche bur­then. Vnto this sense doth Origen vpon the wordes of Christ fytly speake with the sayde texte of Paule:In Mathe. Hom. 24. Re­praehendit huiusmodi praeceptores, qui non solum quae docent, non faciunt, sed etiam crudeliter & sine mise­ricordia, [Page 22] & non secundum aestimationem virium vni­uscuiusque audiētis, sed maiora, virtute ipsorum iniū ­gunt. Vtpote qui prohibent nubere, & ab eo quod ex­pedit, ad immoderatam immunditiam compellunt: that is, Christ reprehendeth such teachers which do not onely, not that whiche they teache, but doe also cruel­lye and without compassion, not according to due esti­mation of euery of their auditours strength, enioigne greter things, thā they are able to beare: as they which forbyd to marry, restrayning that which is expedient, compell men to immoderate vncleanenesse. Thus far Origen: by whose wordes it may euidently appeare, that it is a doctrine contrary to the truth of the Scrip­ture, an heauy burthen and doctrine of wicked spirites and tirannes to forbid mariage, or restrayne it, not on­ly in all men, but in any man that can not abstayne. When as certayne in the generall councell at Nice, which beganne Anno. 315. woulde haue mariage for­bidden to the cleargie men alone, as vncleane: then Paphnutius (as Sozo. li. 1. cap. 23. sayth) start vp saying, Concubitium cum propria vxore castitatem esse. that it is chastitie for a man to accompany with his owne wife: wherevnto the whole counsell agréed. Eaque in re nihil statuit, sed eam in vniuscuiusque arbitrium, nō necessitatem reiecit. And determined nothing thereof, but left it indifferent to euery mans owne wil. S. Paul also leaueth it frée and restrayneth no man there from: onely he sayth to the woman, quae nubat, in Domino nubat she that marrieth, let her marry in the Lorde. Wherefore the true doctrine is, to let matrimony re­maine in al men indifferently, that those that wil, may marry, euen of the cleargie. And so it shoulde séeme it was practized. As in .56. Distinct. c. Osius. There is .7. [Page] Popes rehearsed that were Deacons, Priestes, and Subdeacons sonnes. &c. Therefore the fyrst poynte is playne,Mariage must be free that matrimonie is to be lefte indifferent. And that it is doctrine (as beforesayd) of erronious spirits, to restrayne the same in any wise.

This notwithstanding, all the Popes kingdome, that is his cleargie, (for they are his proper and imme­diate subiects) as the Monks, Chanons, Nunnes, with all seculare Priestes and Regularies, could not be to their orders and rules admitted, vnlesse matrimonie contracted and now and then solemnized, were broken and also forbydden and restrayned, as in libr. 6. c. quod votum: and in the Decretalls de conuers. coniug. per totum, may appeare. Of these the very Church and kingdome of the Pope, immediatly consisted. So y^t all men whome he could peruert with his error, were one­lye admitted to his immediate iurisdiction. And yet though this cursed Cowes hornes were so shorte, that he coulde not sequester all men, but onely those shaue­lings, from matrimonie, is he therefore of any better minde, yea holier or sounder, than Tatian was, who admitted none to his speciall sorte, but such as would not marrie? Pardie his will was so. For if a married man was chosen a byshop, he must put away his wife, sweare continencie, & his wife must become a Nunne, though she were his first wife. I woulde aske this que­stion: whether they counted them not the holier that vowed chastitie and abstayned matrimonie. Aquinas sayth yea, Then whether they wished not, yea & taught all men to pursue the same holy estate as beste: which if they did, then they condemned matrimonie. But if it was not such a thing, that they wished all men to em­brace, as an estate holier than matrimonie, they then [Page 23] deceyued those that embraced the same, aboue al other conditions and estates of calling and life, for the best. Of whome there is no small number, as in the Chap­ter of Psallians hereafter shall appeare. But it is most euident, that they so did, seing they prayed that al men might leade that single life: as their Collect, on the day of the Natiuitie of S. Mary the Virgin (wherein they make mention also of S. Edith) declareth: They pluc­ked therein the congregation forwarde,Legend. 135. to imitate our Ladies sole life. Also their Legenda called Lombardica in the Legend of S. Mathevve, bringeth in Mathevv extolling Ephigenia hir single life aboue Matrimonie. A notable lye. And in the Legende Omnium Sancto­rum. Besides that they extoll Virginitie, with foure principal commendations, they with the fift beate ma­trimony flatly downe. Thus, Primo sunt sponsae Chri­sti. Secundo, comparantur Angelis. Tertio, Legend. 158. illustrio­res sunt fidelibus vniuersis. Quarto, multis gaudent priuilegiis. Quinto, praeferuntur coniugatis. That is. First, the abstayners from mariage are the spouses of Christ. Secondly, they are cōpared to Angels. Third­ly, they are more excellent than all other of the fayth­full. Fourthly, they enioye many priuileges. Fiftly, they are preferred aboue the maried persons. Marke in these wordes, whether matrimonie and those that liue in that state, be not blamed, reprehended and con­demned as vnpure, or at the least lesse holy.To the first. The first point is, that they that abstaine frō mariage, are Chri­stes spouses: the which (if it so be) it muste be bycause they are not maried. Then must one of these two poin­tes followe, that they that are married, are eyther no spouses of Christ, or not so fully coupled to Christ, as the abstayners are. Wherin matrimonie is both con­demned [Page] and abhorred.To the se­conde. The seconde is, if they that ab­stayne are compared vnto Angels, then it must folow, that matrimonie is to be abhorred, bycause man there­by is abased.To the third. Thirdely, if the abstayners are more ex­cellent than al other estates of the faythfull, then what profiteth it me to be a Christian, if I be not an abstay­ner? Surely little or nothing: Wherevnto I wil say as Clemens Alexandrinus sayth.3. li. Stroma. Quid vero, non etiam iusti veteres creaturam cum gratiarum actione partici­pabant? Aliqui etiam liberos susciperunt cum conti­nenter versati sunt in matrimonio? Et Heliae quidem corui alimentum afferebant, panes & carnes. Quineti­am Samuel Propheta armum quem exijs quae cōme­debat reliquerat, allatum dedit edendum Sauli. Hi au­tem qui se eos dicunt vitae institutis excellere, cum illo­rum actionibus ne potuerunt quidē conferri. That is: What I pray you, did not the righteous elders vse the Clemens hath crea­turam. woman with thankes giuing? and some of them after sacred and continent vse of matrimonie, enioyed chil­dren? And to maried Helias the crowes brought foode, bread and flesh. And did not that maried Prophete Sa­muel giue to Saule to eate of a shoulder remayning of the former repast? But these mariage shunners, that thinke themselues in that estate of their life to excell them, shall not be equall ne able to be compared wyth their workes. Fourthlye, if they, bycause they are not maried,To the fourth. Legend. 158. shall haue those speciall priuileges (which be as the booke sayeth) They alone shall sing the prayses of God and the Lambe, in the vvorlde to come: They shall haue the selfe same apparell, that Christe hath, What shall the maried doe? and shall vvalke nexte vnto the same Lambe. Doe they not herein say, that these abstayners shall be best accepted with Christ, chiefest in office, and lyke to [Page 24] him arayed: which all shal happen to them, bicause they are not maried? Is this to the encouragement of men to marry? Is this to the cohonesting thereof? Is this to teach matrimonie to be equallie holy with abstay­ning, as Paphnutius did? But heare their last poynt. Fiftly, the abstayners are preferred before the maried.To the fyft. Why? bycause they abstayne from mariage. Returne we nowe with due consideration of all these things, & then tell me, whether that matrimony is not condem­ned and dysalowed in all men. Perhaps they wil say, they doe not simply discommende mariage, but in re­garde and comparison of abstayning there fro. Is not that to discommend mariage? for is not euery thing re­iected in the cōparison of another, condēned? Omnis cō ­paratio odiosa. Euery comparison is odious: which is vnderstanded as touching y^e thing, y^t is forsakē. Where then is Paphnutius saying? and the generall councels consent, to wéete,It is chasti­tie to ioine in mariage. concubitus cum propria vxore ca­stitas est, as before is declared. Peraduenture they wil say, that they do yet preferre it, before fornication and adulterie. What shall this their liberalitie meane (con­sidering that Thomas Aquinas sayth in y^e place aboue mentioned, that y^e maried minister, is by mariage vn­cleane: and therefore polluteth the Sacramentes and holy vessels) but that mariage, is in regarde of fornica­tion, the lesse vncleanenesse: the which is as muche to say, as that it is lawfull in the ordinance and institu­tion of God. (as Tatian sayth supra) Seruire intempe­rantiae & fornicationi, & Diabolo: To serue intempe­rance, fornication, and the Diuell. For if the acquain­taunce of man & woman in mariage, is vncleanenesse, (as Aquinas and the places aforesayde declare) then it must be all one with fornication: sith the déede it selfe, [Page] & agentis & patientis, and the effect that commeth of it in matrimonie, is all one with that, which is in forni­cation. Wherfore it is most euident, that they condēne Matrimonie in all men: though they can restrayne it but in a fewe. And the onely difference they make of matrimonie & fornication, is, that in the one it is law­full for a man to be vncleane, and in the other not. Wherby they extoll continencie, none otherwise than Tatian (for the condemning of matrimonie) doth. As Epiphanius noteth,Epi. li. 1. to. 3. Haer. 46. Continentiam vero hic praedicat, Nuptias autem scortationem & corruptionem putat: asserens nihil differre à scortatione, sed idem esse: that is: Tatian extolleth abstayning from mariage, which he thinketh to be whordom and vncleanenesse: saying that it differeth little therefro, yea to be the same. But let vs returne to S. Thomas, who expressely teacheth, that the Priest must abstayne from mariage, leaste he lose his cleanenesse and holynesse by the same. So as the Popistes can not deny, but that he is a Tatian, for that he being facultatis Theologiae Doctor, doth teach it not Scholasticè, or argumentatiuè, but doctrinaliter in his conclusion. Wherefore without all controuersie S. Thomas must at the leaste be infected or encōbred with the Tatianistes heresie. If (as it may fortune) that they will say, he is not an Heretique, as ful simply the facultie of the Diuines in Paris would saue and purge his credite, which by no meanes they shall iustly do, sith that of their special Doctors holdeth o­pinion, that Woman is not the Image of God.

Diuorcing Montanistes.

THe time when as the Here­sie of the Cataphrygians sprang,In An. 174 189. is diuersly written of among the au­thours. For where as Epiphanius saith, it began about the .19. yeare of Antonius Pius: contrary to that Eusebius sayth, it rose in the elea­uenth yeare of Marcus Antonius Verus, which is of y^e yeare of our Lorde Iesus Christ. 174. Other say that it was in the seauenth of Commodus, which is of the same our Sauiour. 189. The cause and maner where­of, Eusebius most playnly declareth to be, on this wise.Eu. li. 5. c. 16 It is said y^t in Mysia a city of Phrygia there is a streate called by the name of Ardabau, in the which one Mon­tanus, who but of late arriued at the christian fayth, in the time of y^e Procōsulship of Gratus in Asia, surprized with the immoderate desire of gouernment, gaue him selfe open to the Diuel, and being distraught & madde, began to speake in traunce of minde, as if it were vn­der colour of Prophecying, agaynst the auncient cus­tome and tradition of succession vsed in the Church. &c. The which Sectaries of their first authour Montanus, are called Montanistes, (or if thou haddest rather) of the countrey soyle where this wéede first grew, thou mayst call them Cataphrygians. There were diuers aduaun­cers and setters forwarde of this Heresie, as Theodo. Alcibiades, Themistona, Alexander. &c. wyth diuers other.

Among diuers errors which they taught,The doc­trine. Lib. 5. c. 18. this is al­so mentioned of Eusebius. Hic est qui coniugia dissol­uere docuit, that is: This Montanus is he that hath [Page] taught that Matrimonie may be losed and broken of. Which notwithstanding, he did not w^tout some colour of reason. For in the same place, he sayth: Ostendimꝰ igitur primas istas prophetissas: ab eo tempore quo spiritu impletae fuerunt, maritos suos reliquisse. We haue shewed heretofore, that those firste Prophetesses, from the first time that they were filled with the same Phanaticall spirite, forsoke their husbandes to whome they were coupled. The which wicked dede Montanus alowed, teaching, that for zeale of vowed religion, it was lawfull so to doe.The summe. The summe therefore is, that it was lawfull for a woman, bycause of zeale and vow of religion, to forsake hir husbande.

The reasons why it is condemned. Mark. 10.This doctrine for diuers reasons is condemned. Firste, bycause it is directe contrary to the decrée of Christ. Quod Deus coniunxit, homo non separabit. Secondly, bycause, that if it be so that Matrimonie cō ­tracted, and wherof fayth is plighted (per verba de prae­senti, by wordes sufficient of the presente time) may be dissolued, then they do wholly dishonour and prophane the christian religion: wherevpon the firmitie of euery contracte in fayth plighted, standeth.

The Popes doctrine.Here then it resteth to declare, howe the Popish Tatianistes agrée also with Montanus, and teache his Gospell Pope Alex. the third (as the Decretall Epi­stles recorde) writeth thus to the Byshoppe of Exon. Cōmissum & infra.Ex. de spon. c. Cōmissū.Significauit nobis fraternitas tua, quod quidam cuidam mulieri de contrahendo matri­monio fidem dedit: & se cum ea infra biennium per verba de praesenti cōtracturum praestito iuramento fir­mauit. Nunc nutem priuata lege ductus, ad frugē me­lioris vitae suspirat. & infra. Fraternitati. t. tali. rō. quod tutius religioni iuramenti seruata: prius contrahere: [Page 26] & postea si eligerit ad religionem migrare, si tamē post dispensationem: copula non dinoscitur interuenisse carnalis. That is: Your brotherhode hath assertayned vs, that a certayne man promised a woman, that he would contracte matrimonie with hir: and that with­in two yeres next folowing, he would by words of the present time perform the same with hir: he assured hir by an holy oth. But now rather regarding his priuate estate, he doth pursue the cōmoditie of a better life. &c. Thus we doe aunswere to your brotherhode, that the surest way is (for auoyding of Periurie) firste to con­tract matrimonie, and afterwardes (if he so choose) to en­ter into religion, if that there appeare after the same contract, to haue bene no carnall copulation.☜ The Roma­nistes agre­ment with the Dona­tistes. Letting further circumstances passe, I pray thée reader marke two special instances in this case of contracte: and the minde of the sayde man, at both instances. First is, when he swore & made a solemne othe to contract ma­trimonie with hir, and make hir his wife, (for that is y^e nature of verba de praesenti.) In which time his minde was simple to do as he spake: which if it was not, what néeded Pope Alexander to haue caused him for saue­garde of his othe, after to contracte? If before that, he had forsworne himselfe? as vndoubtedly if he meante not as he swore, he had already done. But, that when he swore, he swore with intent to marry: both y^e Let­ter of the Decretall, the Doctors themselues therein, and case, are playne. The seconde instance is, when he according to his oth, did contract matrimony. At which time of contract, if he wil (seruare Iuramenti religione) kepe his oth without Periurie, his minde must be as it was at the time of his othe made: namely, that those words spoken de tempore praesenti, might be so meant [Page] as spoken. Which if it was not then so meant, at the time of pronouncing, as at the time of swearing, then (as before I sayde) he is wylfully periured: bycause he promised to contract matrimonie, which is not perfor­med, vnlesse his hearte meane the pronouncing of hys mouth.In addi. ad 3. q. 45. ar. 4. For Aquinas sayth: Consensus exterioribus verbis expressus, absque interiore consensu nullū ma­trimonium facit. That is: Consent giuen by outward words and not inwarde consent, is no contract of ma­trimonie. Yea, and then, the Pope counselling him to sweare with a mouth hipocritically consenting, and an heart disagreing and meaning contrary to his words, shoulde be authour of that mans renouncing of God and All hallovves, if he then swore by any of their Re­liques. But that he perfourmed his othe, contracted very matrimonie, and made hir his wife, both Pope Innocentius, Cardinalis Alexandrinus in Lectura. Ab Panor. Dom. Anto. super eodem, with the reste of the glossers & Doctours conclude. Yea, albeit, that he then should haue secretly meant, immediatly to haue entred into religion. Wherefore, seing that they were man and wife onely by contract, as also the .c. Omnes res per quascunque. 27. q 2. c. Matrimo­nium. Et ideo non soluit illud separa. corp. sed volun­tatis. Ibidem. c. Coniuges. &c. Matrimonium quidem non facit coitus, sed voluntas. Carnall copulation maketh not matrimonie, but the will of the contracters. Coniuges verius appellantur a prima desponsationis fide, quam­uis adhuc ignoratur inter eos coniugalis concubitus. They are of right called man and wife, from the time of their first trouth plighting: although as yet, they are vnexperimented of the sacred bedde. And many other places of their Canons declare. Then hath not y^e wyfe right of hir owne body, but hir husbande: neyther the husbande ouer his owne, but the wife. As Paule decla­reth [Page 27] saying: Likevvise the man hath not povver ouer his ovvne body, but the vvoman. 1. Cor. 7. Therefore Pope A­lex. hath here taught Montanus heresie, declaring that it is lawefull for this man, though he be not his owne man, but his wiues, to depart from his wife, if he wil enter into religion and vowe chastitie, which Monta­nus counselleth and teacheth his Prophetesses to doe: as before is declared. And this thing Pope Alex. doth not reasoning scholasticè, or argumentatiuè: but au­toritate suprema diffinitiuè. The aforesayde Chapter of Alex. doth also well serue to my purpose layd in the Chapter before going, to proue him a Tatian: But I remit it to thy applying, gentle reader.

Here the blinde moles of our time, both in nature,Obiection. and wyll sightlesse, will (keping themselues in the darke earth) roote vp the holesome hearbe of truth, roo­tes (if they can) and all. Or at the least, heaue at them by false argument. And bycause the sayd Decretall E­pistle of Alex. hath: Si tamen post desponsationē. &c. If notwithstanding it appeare that there hath not ben carnall copulation betwene them after the contracte, they will therevpon defende him to be no Montanist: for that Montanus Prophetesses had (as they wil gesse) copulation carnall: and after that, seuered they them selues from their husbandes. Which the Churche of Rome (say they) admitteth not, as also here the Decre­tall séemeth to meane. And therfore will conclude, the Montanistes had mariage bycause of copulation: But in this case there is no matrimonie, bicause there is no copulation. Which shift is onely in effecte to say, that this partie, who standeth in the case of the Decretall,Answere. hath not exercised that office in mariage, payde that debt, and vsed the right, which he might, ought & was [Page] lawful to do. For it is proued before in y^e thrée chapters alleaged, that assone as the parties haue consented, to hold and to haue eche other, they then from that time, are husband and wife: though copulation followe not. By reason wherof, thei can not conclude: thei haue not coupled their bodies togither: Ergo, they are not man and wife: no more than if the Pasquil should say: Pope Ioan hath coupled hir body with hir Cardinall or Se­cretarie, or horse keper: Ergo, they are man and wife. For as by y^e latter conclusion, we shuld make a whore Pope, an honest maried wife: so by the first we should estéeme the blessed Virgin no wife: bicause she neuer ioined hir body.Ibidem. &c. which is contrary to the chap. Beata Maria. Seing then mariage beginneth, and is full & perfecte matrimonie, from the giuing of the consent, & speaking of y^e words (de praesenti) then must also y^e right of matrimonie, and due to maried persons in that mo­ment begin, and forth on holde. I meane the righte of eche of their bodies apertayneth to the other thence­forth, according to Paules doctrine afore specified. For as S. Thomas sayth: Et si matrimonium non est essen­tialiter, In sup. ad. 3 q. 48. art. 1. ipsa coniunctio carnalis: tamen est quaedā asso­ciatio viri & vxoris in ordine, ad carnalem copulā &c. That is: Although matrimonie doth not essentially consist in the entercourse it selfe of the persons bodies: yet is it a certaine coupling of the man and wife in or­der and disposition to the same. So that as sone as they consent, eche of them are inuested with the right ouer the others body. Whereby he cannot, as the Decretal sayth (Priuata duci lege) be persuaded with considerati­on of his priuate estate or person, for that he is not Mo­nodicos, at his owne pleasure or liberty, as Paule, saith in the place of the Corinthes afore mentioned: Vir nō habet potestatem sui corporis, sed vxor. &c. And so [Page 28] likewise, the man hath not power ouer his own body, but the wife. So that, that wil wherwith once she or he moued by priuate care, of eyther of their own persons or estates, might haue vowed, willed, and at pleasure & libertie consented, is altered, made bound, and becom­meth by the contracte, such a subiect, that it dependeth, (as touching the altering of the state, of eyther of their bodies or mindes) vpon the yea or nay of the person en­tituled and befaythed therewith. (S. Thomas) De illis tantum bonis potest esse votum, In sup. q. 64 art. 4. quae nostrae subiacent voluntati, qualia non sunt ea, in quibus vnus alteri te­netur: & ideo in talibus non potest aliquis votum e­mittere, sinc consensu eius, cui tenetur. Vnde cum cō ­iuges sibi inuicem tencantur in redditionem debiti, per quam continentia impeditur, non potest vnus absque consensu alterius continentiam vouere, & si vouerit, peccat, & non debet seruare votum. &c. In those onely things, doth a vowe holde, which bene simply subiecte to the vowers owne wil. Of the which sort, those thin­ges are not, in the which we are indebted and in daun­ger to other. And therefore of such things no man can promise or vowe: withoute the consente of the other partie, to whome the right appertayneth. Hence there­fore is it, that bycause man and wife holde ech to other (as in a Reciprocal sort) in a mutual debt and payment thereof, by the which continence is broken,A phrase of a Tatian. the one can not without the others consent, vowe chastitie. Which if he yet shoulde, he sinneth, and ought not to kepe hys vowe. &c. Thus far Aquinas. I doubt not but now that these two things playnly appeare. 1 First, that the right of the maried persons ouer ech others body, beginneth and taketh hold, immediatly vpon the consent giuen, & wordes (de praesenti) spoken. 2 Secondly, that of consent [Page] matrimonie doth onely and essentially consist, though there were neuer copulation had therin. So that if we graunt that the elder Montanistes had carnall copula­tion in their mariages, and that the case of the Decre­tall had none: yet bycause mariage is the consent and not the acte of. &c. by the which consent once giuen, the right of their bodies is transferred to eche other: yea though there followe no copulation: therefore Pope Alex. for vowe of religion seuering them that are ma­ried (as are the consenters, though abstayners) must be a Montanist. And the most shift is, to say that he is not with the vulgare people, so open & manifest, as the el­der, who is more gentler of the twayne. But what néede I to aunswere the same friuolous shift, conside­ring, that the same clause, Si tamen. &c. wherein Pope Alex. forspeaketh the mutuall accesse of their bodies, is not added to the intent, to declare that matrimonie thereby is made: but onely to this ende, that by not v­sing his wife, he may séeme stil to abide in his purpose of entring into religion, and not to starte therefro: as otherwise, he enioying his wiues body, should doe by that déede, which is directe contrary to the purpose of abstayning, which the religious men vow. For as Do­minus praepositus sayth,Sup eodem. The sense of the Decre­tall. though the yong man (in the case of the Decretall) meant to enter into religion: as yet he had not firmly and wholly determined the same, nor vowed it. Wherfore y^e Pope willed him, least that the two yeres in this vncertaine and variable debating should ouerslippe him, and so should incurre Periurie, to contract matrimony, and betrouth himself according to his othe. The which notwithstanding, he afterward might enter into religion and vowe if he woulde. The clause, Si tamen, which therevpon followeth, is then [Page 29] onely added, bycause he thereby should declare, that he starteth not from that purpose: and as they call it (non conuolat ad vota directè contraria continentiae,) did not establish himselfe in the state of matrimony: which is direct contrary to their Tatian rules and religion, as S. Thomas in the authoritie nexte before alleaged sayth.

If they shall obiect, that in the case of the Decretall the woman consented to relinquishe the right: and in Montanus doctrine, the seperation and vowe is done without any such consent: then to answere the same, I alleage that the true meaning and interpretation of the same Chapter (according to the cōmon opinion of the Doctors) is otherwise: who alleage it, to proue that the party maried, may performe his vowe made before copulation. And maugre the will of the other, & wyth­out y^e consent enter into religion:Distin. 32. c. Scriatim. as the same D. prae­positꝰ Cardinal. declareth thus: Distingue post Gemi. & Car. Quandoque coniuges contraxerunt non tamen est copula consummatū, & tunc alter inuito alio etiam remanente in saeculo potest religionem intrare, & remanens in saeculo cum alio cōtrahere, & est casus ex­tra de sponss. c. Commissum. ibidem de conuer. con­iug. c. Ex publico. That is, distinguished after the opi­nion of two Doctours Gemi. and Card. that somety­mes the husbande and wife haue contracted, and not v­sed copulation, & then the one may without the others leaue, yea, though repugning and tarying in the secu­ler and worldly estate, enter into religion. And the partie remaining behinde in the seculer estate (they cal it the world) may marry. As a speciall case in the chap­ter Commissum, &c. & Ex publico, declare. In y^e which allegation appeareth how the same chapter or Decre­tall [Page] Epistle of Alex. is vnderstanded. And to make the practise of these Popists more plaine, I wil here briefly rehearse the case of the same chapter Ex publico, by the sayde Doctours alleaged,Ex. de cōuers. which is thus. The same A­lex. 3. writeth to the Byshoppe of the Diocesse of Brixien. whome he deputeth his delegate in this mat­ter: that by a certayne publique instrument it appea­reth to him: that whereas the Byshop of Verone toke in hande to determine and ende a cause of matrimony depending betwene a certayne man, one A. on the one partie, & a certayne woman, one M. on the other partie:A faythfull Bishop against a false Pope. All men were not of the Po­pes minde. he, by his diffinitiue sentence approued y^e ma­trimonie: and therevpon enioyned the woman, that she should betake hir to hir husbande, and vse hym with all wifelike and mariageable affection. The which thing sith she denied to doe, she was, by the same Byshop ex­communicated. The which notwithstanding, we com­maunde thée (sayth the Pope) albeit she is maried to the same man, and yet remayneth (as she sayth vntouched of him) that if it appeare that he hath not had companie with her, and that she will enter into religion, taking of hir, sufficiente warrantize or suretie, that she shall within the terme of two monethes, either go to hir hus­bande, or leauing him, choose religion: then absolue hir from the sentence of excommunication wherein she standeth: in such wise, that if she wil enter into religiō, they shall restore eche to other the giftes on eyther side giuen & receyued. &c. It is most playne that the Pope Alex. so fauoreth y^e vowed life, y^t although the parties are by god (who worketh the consent of the minde) cou­pled togither, yet he dare seperate them, contrary to the fayth of Christian religion, wherein it is plighted and fastened. Surely Paul dareth not doe so. For he sayth: [Page 30] Let not the maried persons defraude ech other,1. Corinth. [...]. vnlesse it be perhaps for a season, and that by both their con­sentes. Agayne Vnusquisque ergo, in quo vocatus est, fratres, in hoc, maneat apud Deum. that is: Brethren let euery man abyde before God, in that estate of life, vnto the which he is called. But it is no maruell that this Pope spake so, for he had not the spirite that Paule spake by, as their diuers behauiour declareth. For Paul called to the office of the Apostleship of the Gentiles, neyther shouldred with Barnabas, Apollo, Crantz. 6. or anie o­ther. Contrarywise the L. Alex. shouldred out Victor, Pascall, Calixte, Innocente (or foure other, by what name so euer the writers name them) all called therto by Gods ordinarie meane, the Emperour. Paule, for the quietnesse of the congregatiō, remitteth of his very right:Plat. Sabellie. Decad. 1. Lib. 7. Sigess. Contin. Alex. for his honor resisteth Fredericke the Em­perour by force of Armes. Paule honoureth all estates of Princes, and humbleth himself before Agrippa. &c: But Alex. rideth from the Citie of Totiacū to Linge­rim, with Levves the French king, & Henrie of Eng­land wayting vpon foote as his Pages, leading hys Horsse by the brydle, the one on the right, the other on the lefte hande, in great pompe and iolitie: yea, and causeth the Emperour to lye prostrate before his féete.Sabell. Ibid

But to returne to our purpose: it behoued the Pope so to councel and entice al men by right and by wrong to the vowed life, bycause, that many withstode him: as the sayde Byshop of Veron did. Also bycause that else, he should séeme to condemne the abstayning life in others, and restrayne the same in the cleargie, in whome he (aboue all others) alowed the same, and com­pelled those that should receyue orders to enter into.

Finally then to conclude, for as much as Pope A­lex. [Page] teacheth the departure of the man from the womā in the c. Commissum: Decret lib. 3. tit 3.123. & the woman from the man, in the sayd c. Ex publico: when as gladly the man would kepe his wife in the one case, and the wife hir husband in the other case: and that bycause, they will professe themselues a Monke, or a Nunne: which is an hereti­call secte, as shall be declared hereafter. No indifferent reader can denie, but that the Romanistes or Popistes holding his steppes, are Montanistes: breaking Gods ordinance, and dishonoring the Christian fayth, wher­on the same contracte is plighted.

Pelagianes.

In epistola ad Ctesiph. Epistola. 106. THe Heresie of the Maniches, was the ground (as Hierome wry­teth) to this which arose of Pelagiꝰ, also called by sirname Brito, or Bri­ton, for difference sake of Pelagius Tarrentus, as Augustin declareth, who being a man of a moste hote & earnest zeale, was first a godly and good Christian: promoted to diuers dignities by the Church, is in Sy­ria likewise made Monke. But afterwardes fell from the Church and became an Archeheretique: and began to sowe the séedes of that wéede, about the yeare of our Lorde, as Prosper sayth .415. But as Martianus sayth, 414. in the .5. yeares of Honorius and Theodosius the Emperours raygnes. In diuers places, in the East, in Fraunce,Lutzubburg. Rome, and thence, he himselfe came into this realme of Englande to eare our lande wyth the same. [Page 32] The principall and chiefest aduauncers of this sect, to let other passe, was Celestius & Iulianus as Augustine declareth: and are of the same Celestius (who is very famous therein) called Celestianes. And in this realme, (besides Pelagius himself) one Seuerianus and Agrico­la his sonne, set forwarde the same, about the yeare of our Lorde, as Prosper declareth .432.

The Heresie, that first tooke hold of Pelagius, Their Heresie. Aug. liber. 1. q. 2. epistola. Pelag. c. 13. Ibidem. Liber. 4. c. 2. Et de gratia & libro arbio tr. ad valent. c. 5.6. &. 15. Prosper de ingratis. was y^t he taught that mā notwithstanding Adams fall, had not lost his frée will: but fully and naturally enioyeth the same. Of this, as of their first beginning & where­of they are most famous, I call them in their blazone Freevvill Pelagianes: and not bicause it is their onely sole heresie. For out of it, there springeth diuers: but speciallye tvvo notable errors, no lesse horrible then hurtfull: As first, concerning originall sinne, secondly Iustification. Of which two perillous braunches, and ranke roote, bicause I determine to intreate, I wyll procéede on this maner. First setting & laying a parte the doctrine of y^e olde Pelagianes in order as they stand, I will secondely couche seuerallye the doctrine of the yong Pelagians (the Montanistes before gone) next af­ter euery of their fathers faults: so that by ech of them, fo coupled togither, thou better mayst marke howe the yong Cockatrice croweth after the elders note. En­tring thus vpon the error of frée will.Free will.

Pelagius dicit in libro de libero arbitrio. Habemus possibilitatem vtriusque partis a deo insitā, Aug. de gra­tia Christi q. Pelag. & Ce­left. c. 18. velut qua­dam (vt ita dicam) radicem fructiferam atque foecun­dam, quae ex voluntate hominis, diuersa gignat & pa­riat, & quae possit ad proprij cultoris arbitrium, vel ni­tere flore virtutum, vel sentibus horrere vitiorum. Pe­lagius (quoth Augustine) sayth in his worke that he [Page] made for frée will in this wise. We possesse a certayne ablenesse and possibilitie to both wayes. Which God hath planted in vs lyke (as I may say) vnto a certayne fruitfull roote, which of mans owne will bringeth forth and beareth diuers fruites. And the which euen at the pleasure of the tylther thereof, can eyther be comely & beawtifully arayed with flowers of vertue, or else doe the contrarie, by bearing bryers or wéedes. Whereas in the former part of this treatise I vsed to gather the summe of y^e Heresie, I shall not néede here in this place to doe so now: for that it is summary, brief and playne ynough. But as I before promised, so I will here an­nexe the opinion of the Popists, after suche maner, as they accusing and confuting one another, shall both bewray their Felowes, and condemne themselues. The yeare, anno. 1563. there came forth a booke printed in the shop of Ziletus at Venetia intituled de quadripar­tita Iusticia. The bispops accuseth Soto the Emperour confessor, also the Deane Ruard. Lusitane. Li. 1. c. 25. The author whereof is one Lusitanus Ly­riensis Episcopus, who hath dedicated y^e same his worke to the late Councell holden at Trent. In the which he accuseth Dominicum Soto the late Emperor Charles y^e fift his Confessor or Ghostly Father, and Ruardum Tapperum Deane of Louaine, of this heresie of Pela­gisme, on this sort. Magis ergo placet modo sententia Aúgustini Hippo. episcopi, & Gregorij Ariminensis, quam alia opposita, nec soli sunt Augustinꝰ & Grego­rius, sed multos habent asseclas grauissimos quos me­morabimus. Nunc recens plurimū reuerendus Domi­nicus Soto Philosophus & theologus doctissimus, & in studijs bonarum scientiarum plurimū versatus in suo opere de natura & gratia, multis innixis rationibus censuit. The Popishe Pelagianisme Absquè auxilio speciali gratiae posse hominem bene moraliter agere. Vt interius latius ponitur atque [Page 33] explicatur ex ipso. Quantum autem pertinet ad que­stionem presētem, refert Gregorium Ariminēsem in eo quod Gregorius negat vllum esse opus bonum, ante­quam in vltimum finem referatur, qui est Deus. Addit quoque Sotus quod non immerito Scholae omnes the­ologorum Gregorio reclament. Againe, Ad dicta doc­toris Ruardi, Lusitanus cöt, quadripart. Iusti. li. 1. c. 7. quae profecto non placent iam nunc di­camus in speciali. Docet itaque in tertia propositione, quod voluntas praeuenta à deo per amorem finis, in re­bus fidei imperare potest mediorum inquisitionē, dis­quirere, quod sit conuenientissimum, & eligere quod commodissimum iudicauerit. Docet in quinta, quod voluntas sic praeuenta si plura sint media vtilia post in­quisitionem libere elegit, aut potest eligere, medium si­bi magis conueniens. Docet in .6. quod fidelis homo in lumine fidei diuinitus accepto, sic praeuentus po­test cogitare, cognoscere, credere ea quae sunt fidei, operare opera salutis, & alijs habitibus vti. Vt decla­rat statim antequam illam sextā conclusionem ponat in forma. Docet in septima quod homo non fidelis, sed sufficienter instructus voluntate per pium affectum à domino preparata, potest velle credere. Et intelligit, vt declarat, quod omnia ista potest in potentia propin­qua voluntas ita praeuenta & preparata sine alio auxi­lio prius natura voluntatē flectente quā voluntas ipsa credere velit, imperare, aut eligere sine alia motione speciali, cum solo auxilio generali. Vt volūtas praeuen­ta per piam affectionem, per suos habitus à Deo, per a­morem finis, sit iam sufficiens principium ad creden­dum, ad vtendum suis habitibus, ad praecipiendum de medijs inquirendis atque eligendum cum sola generali influentia: tanquam ad credendum ad bonis habiti­bus, iam habitis vtendum, ad praecipiendum de medijs [Page] & ad eligendum, Non indigeamus vllo modo imme­diate adiutorio gratia Christi sed solū mediate, id est vt det nobis illa principia, piam affectionem, amorem fi­nis, bonos habitus. Cum enim ille doctor positis hijs principijs in voluntate, seu in homine, non requirat auxilium speciale gratiae dei. Vt voluntas velit secun­dum illa principia operari, & operetur atque dicat ge­neralem influentiam ad id sufficere: manifestum est: quod ad opera volūtatis & illorum principiorum: Ex­cludit necessitatem gratiae Christi immediatae &c. The which in our tong meaneth thus. Augustines & Gregorie Ariminensis, The Papistes else had wrec­ked on their carcasse long agoe. iudgemēt better liketh me than the other that are contrarye to the same. Ne yet are Augustine and Gregory alone of the same minde: but they haue on their sides many, yea and those worthie champions, of whome I will make mention. Now ve­ry lately the reuerende M. Dominick Soto an excellēt Philosopher and diuine, and very muche exercised in the studies of good artes,Soto a frier Pelagian. in his worke intituled de Na­tura & gratia persuaded by many reasons, is of this minde. That man of him selfe, without any speciall helpe and grace, is able to worke that thing which is morallie good, as hereafter is declared out of his owne worke. But as touching that which belongeth to thys present question, he doth rehearce the sayde Gregorie Ariminens. in that matter: wherein the same Grego­rie denieth, that any worke is morally good, before it be referred to the vttermost end and mark, which is God. And further,Gregorie Ar­minensis, a­gainst Soto, The Popes scholes He­retiques. the same Soto addeth, that all the Scholes of the diuines are (not without cause) against Grego­rye therein. But nowe let vs speake in speciall to the sayings of Doctor Ruard, the which truely done no­thing lyke. For in his thirde proposition he teacheth [Page 33] thus. That a mans will preuented of God, by loue of the ende, can in matters of fayth gouerne and rule the inquisition and searching out of the meanes, finde out what is most méetest, & choose that which he shall iudge most commodious. In the fyft conclusion, he teacheth y^t a will so preuented, if in any profitable meanes after reasoning and searching had, appeare: may of it selfe freely, or is able, to choose that of those meanes, which is most fyttest. In the syxt conclusion, he teacheth that a faythfull person, who is in the light of fayth, giuen him from aboue, can so preuented, thinke, knowe and be­leue the things appertayning to fayth, worke the wor­kes of saluation, and vse the other habites, or naturall qualities, as he immediately before the fashioning of of his sixt conclusion declareth.A Turke may beleue if he list. In the seauenth he tea­cheth, that an Infidel (but one sufficiently learned) his will firste prepared by God through a godly affection, can of himselfe haue the will to beleue.Lusitan. ex­poundeth Ruarde. And he vnder­standeth (as himselfe declareth) that mans will so pre­uented and prepared (as aforesayd) can without any o­ther helpe and ayde, of hir owne facultie, power and abilitie worke all these thinges: nature fyrst bowing the will, before wil hir self listeth to beleue, to rule, or choose, without any other special motiō, by the only ge­neral ayde. So as mans wil preuēted by a godly affec­tion, by his habites or qualities from God, by loue of the ende, should nowe be a sufficient beginning to be­leue, to vse the sayd habites, to order the searching out of commodions meanes, and to choose them by an one­ly general influence. As though to the acte of beleuing, to the vsing of good habites and qualities already re­ceyued, to the searching out of meanes and choyse ther­of, mans will by no meanes néeded the immediate & [Page] direct ayde and grace of Christ: But that Christ should after a sorte, farre of, all onely lay that ground, a god­ly affection, a loue of the ende and good habites or qua­lities.The applica­tion to the Pelagian. Whereas therefore, this Doctour (those begin­nings set in mans will) requireth not the grace & spe­ciall help of God, that will forth on, may lust to work according to the same beginning: in this he trauayleth to shew, that the cōmon generall influence of nature, is thereto sufficient. So that it is manifest, that he ex­cludeth from the workes of mans will and their begin­nings, the immediate necessitie of the Lorde Iesus Christes grace.

Thus hast thou heard (gentle reader) how Lusita­nus a Byshop and father of the counsell, indicteth, yea and conuicteth Dominicus Sotto, by his owne wordes a felon. For what playner confession can be had of a­ny Pelagians mouth, than to saye as Sotto before hath sayd (vnlesse Lusitanus béelye him) that man of hym­selfe withoute any speciall helpe and grace, is able to worke the thing which is good.Soto a flat Pelagian. Is not this all one with that which Pelagius sayth? That mans will, that fer­tile trée, can eyther flourish with vertues, or doe other­wise with vice, at the tilthers owne pleasure? And no lesse doth he to Ruard Tapper the Deane of Louaine, at whose face he so aymeth the vowe and bolte, that it seemeth, he, by his ouertaking of the Pelagians, is of y^e twaine,Ruardus a Pelagian. the brimmer marke. For, which of the olde Pe­lagians, hath bene so impudent to say, that if a Turke and Infidell knew, and had learned the Articles of the beliefe withoute boke, he might beleue then in Iesus Christ, if he listed, or if he would: as Ruarde in his .7. conclusion declareth? Although he (for shame I gesse) addeth this, that he must be prepared by God through [Page 34] a godly affection: the which in effect is no more to say, but the Turke who vnwares is a sléepe in his dronken error, being waked after his slumber, tolde or aduised that he was dronke, may, now at his own wil, receiue from the officers hande, eyther the swéete comfortable water of the Gospell Iesus Christ, being taught what it is, or else his first strong wine. So that the vttermost that he graunteth to God, is no more, but to be as the waker of the slumbring man, being nowe neyther dronke nor sober. But be it that they teach God to pre­pare so the minde of man, as that he worketh therein an alteration, yea, a forwardenesse in the man, as a ground layd, wheron he may further builde, if he wil, or if he wil not: are they not yet Pelagians? yes truly: vnlesse they will graunt, that all our will and déedes to God, muste be continually gouerned and stayed by Gods special grace in Iesus our Christ. For otherwise howe could it be true that our Sauior hath sayd? Sine me nihil potestis facere. without me ye can do nothing.Ioan. 5. For the Pelagians themselues, though they graunt so much, are yet Pelagians and Heretiques: as S. Hierom noteth. Ita Dei gratiam ponunt Pelagiani, In Epistola ad Ctesiph. vt non per singula opera nitamur & regamur eius auxilio, sed re­ferunt ad liberū arbitriū & ad praecepta legis, ponentis illud Esaiae: Legem Deus in adiutoriū posuit, vt in eo Deo referendae sint gratiae, quod tales nos condiderit, qui nostro arbitrio possumus eligere bona, & vitare mala. On this wise doe the Pelagians, place the grace of God, that we are thereby, not in all, but in some of our workes, stayed and gouerned by the helpe thereof, but they referre the same to our frée will, and to the commaundements of the law, pleading the authoritie of Esay: the lord hath giuen a law for the ayde of man: [Page] So that then we shal prayse God, for that he hath crea­ted vs such, as can by our owne fréewil, choose good and eschewe the euill.

That the Pelagians graunt as much in our wil, to the grace of God, as Tapper doth, it is euident.

If they nowe (conuicted with the manifestnesse of their heresie) will say, it is not their Churches doctrine, but Schole doctrine, what shal thei in so saying meane? Whence commeth their Church men, but from their Scholes? If it be so that they are learned, as they bragge, where haue they learned it? Not at Geneua, not at Franckfort. &c: if in their owne scholes Louain, Paris or such like, whose those scholes be, and what doc­trine therin is taught, Soto and Tapper declare. Soto sayth, all the scholes are on his syde, Lusitanus wyth Aug. Greg. Ariminensis, and the valiant host of cham­pions following them, are their professed enimies. Wherfore sendeth Soto his bokes out of the schole do­res? To what ende doth Deane Ruarde sende his doc­trine from his vniuersitie of Louaine, approued wyth the glorious priuileges of schooles and Monarches? But bicause they will haue their Church doctrine (and not schole questions) knowen to simple men: other­wise, they were but braggers & vaynglorious persons. Whereof I would our Popists by their foresayd shift, should rather than I, accuse thē. Be not amazed, gētle reader, to heare this their distinction of schole doctrine and Church doctrine, which is as much to say, as schole truth, and Church truth. But stay a while, let me with thy pacience, somewhat digresse, and thou shalt briefly see y^e factions of their scholes, wherin they are brought vp, and whence they bragge them selues to be good Schole men.

[Page 35]The chiefest founder of them, and the only father that made their vnnaturall concorde for Diuinitie,The faction of the Popistes schooles. as the arbour declareth, was Peter Lombarde who is partely receyued of his children, partly refused, as the 26. errors (wherof the vniuersitie of Paris hath condem­ned him) declareth. From him the rest of the Diuines come. Some are of the faction of those that are called Terminalles, some Reàlles, some Formals, some Tho­mistes, some Scotists, some Occamistes: yet al these wil be Catholique diuines, and in the truth, though they are thus in their factiōs deuided one agaynst another. Qui Thomam sequuntur, Eras. con. Lat. a Scoto & Gersone dissen­tiunt, eos penè pro Haereticis habent. They of Thomas faction disagrée, both from Scotus and Gerson, coun­ting them almost for Heretiques. And this thing they doe within the schole walles very quietly,A mocke. and brother­lie: though they warre abrode, as Erasmus sayth.In Encheridij Epistola. Sed quid futurum arbitramur, si Turcis vt Christum am­plectantur. Occamos, aut Durandos, aut Scotos, aut Gabrieles, aut Aluaros proposuerimus? Quid cogita­bunt aut quid sentiēt (sunt enim illi vt nihil aliud cer­tè homines) vti audierint illas spinosas & inextricabi­les quaestiones, de instantibus, de formalitatibus, de quid ditatibus, de relationibus? presertim vti viderint de ijs adeo non cōuenire, inter magnos illos religionis professores: vt frequenter vsque ad pallorem, vsque ad conuitia, vsque ad sputa, nonnun (quam) vsque ad pugnos, inuicem digladientur. Vbi praedicatores pro suo Tho­ma, cominus atque eminus pugnantes. Minoritas con­tra subtilissimos & seraphic os doctores iunctis vmbo­nibus tuentes. Alios vt Nominales, alios vt Reales lo­qui. &c. What thinke we (sayth Erasmus) would come to passe, or be done, if we, persuading the Turkes to [Page] Christian religion, should offer them, the Occamistes or Durandians, the Scotistes, Gabrielistes, or Aluaristes to peruse?The schole doctrine. What would they thinke or iudge, (for they are, as no more, so men) when they shal sée these knotty and vncleaneable subtilties, of Instaunces, of Forma­lities, of Quiddities & Relations? Especially when they shall sée so much discorde amongst those their chiefeste professours of their religion, that oftentimes they que­stion hotely amongst themselues,The schole concorde. Frier Rush moderator. Tantara tan­tara tantara tara. euen to reprochfull wordes, spitting one at another: yea, and nowe and then, the matter come to fystes? There, vpon the one side, the preaching Friers, in their Thomas his quar­rell, first skirmishing farre of wyth shotte: at last ad­uauncing, set on to the push of pyke and handgrypes: Vpon the other side the Minorits coupled to their tar­gets, shield and defend their most subtile and Seraphi­call Doctours, nowe calling by the name of Nominals nowe Reals &c. as aboue. Where so many factions, sectes, & part takings are, all chalenging the name of Catholiques: and of all, some muste lye, who can (ha­uing care for his soule health) iustly commit himselfe, to their credite? Seing they hauing so many factions, neuer would open the same as yet, to the simple, to whome it appertayneth to know, vnto what part, they shall for reason and truthes sake encline. Howe daun­gerously and with what care, ought we to take their workes into our hands,Homer. odiss. or reade the same? But eyther as Vlisses passed the Maremaydes, or else liued within the Witches Circes dores? Wherfore it were wel, to­warde the discharge of their credit and simple dealing, that those men that of late haue fayned names, and be­lied sectes on others, should truly set so out their owne in their proper termes, so as the simple may know the [Page 36] schole from the Church, or which part of their schole is of their Church. Of the doctrine whereof,In li. ante. 60. annos edit. Lutet. Rupertus Gallus, a man of no lesse holinesse than gret learning, about .300. yeares past, was by vision ascertayned, that the Diuines then, of their Churche, were like vnto a man, that hauing at his backe plenty of good and hole­some breade, not withstanding mambled a flint stone, that he helde in his hande. Now to returne.

But that the credite of Erasmus (that Phoenix of our age) may be without question (omitting Picus Miran­dula, Nicholaus Clemangis, The authour of this worke retourneth. In lib. contra Luth. art. 36. Catherinus Compsanus episc. with others that find fault with these seas & fac­tions of their diuines) I wil rehearse (returning to my place from whence I first departed) the opinion of M. Shacklock his Roffensis, which maketh mentiō both of the discord of the schole men, & heresie of their Diuines in this verie point. Hoc dixi propter Patres, quorum sententiam sequi malui, quam Scholasticorum. Roffensis a­gainst the Popistes. Cum in hac re mutuo sibi pugnent. Patres enim asserunt, ne­minem posse quic (quam) boni velle, line speciali▪ Dei auxi­lio, nec sufficere generalem illum influxum. Non­nulli contra Scholastici sic contendunt, hunc sufficere, vt quis absque illo auxilio benè moraliter agere, & bonum facere possit, non solum ex genere, verum etiā quod debitis vndique circumstantijs ornatum fit. At si Scholasticorum argutias aduersus Patres, admittimus, sequetur etiam, vt absque hoc auxilio. Pharao quantū ­uis indurati cordis suisset, & ij qui traditi fuerunt in re­probum sensum, potuissent bene moraliter agere,The Fathers agaynst the Popistes.mi­hi sane credibile non est. (that is) I say so, bicause of the fathers, whose iugement I had rather follow, than the schole men, the which in this poynte striue eche cleane [Page] contrary to other. The Fathers alleage, that no man­nes will can wishe good wythout Gods speciall ayde: and the generall influence, is not sufficiente thereto. Contrarywise, many schole men, so reason, that the sayde generall influence, is of it selfe sufficient, wyth­out the same speciall helpe. So that mans will of it selfe, is able to exercise it selfe morally wel. And to do that which is not onely generally good, but also adour­ned wyth all kinde of circumstances. But if we shall admit & allowe the schole mens subtilties, agaynst the fathers iudgementes, it would then also followe, that Pharao, although he had an hardened heart, and those that are turned ouer into a reprobate sense, shoulde be able likewise to doe so, which truely séemeth to me, not to be credite worthy. Thus farre Roffensis: who ma­keth so playne the matter of the schole mens discorde among themselues, and falsenesse of their opinions in this point, as that I néede not further to instructe thée thereof.

Yet that notwithstanding, I thought it my parte gentle reader, before I ende this poynt, to make thée priuy to two things. One is, that although the schole­men say, that man of his owne frée will, can worke & do that which is good: Yet for al that, some of them wil not graunt, but man for the entraunce into heauen, must obtayne grace.Euen wyth the Pelagians Bycause, though his déede is (bo­nū, tamen non meritoriū) good, yet it is not meritori­ous. In this they go iust togither with y^e Pelagians, as out of the same authoritie of Hierome, ad Ctesiphon. appeareth. But this is talked of, vppon the poynte of shame: and as I may say at a deade lifte. The seconde is,More than the Pelagians howe that they goe beyonde the olde Pelagian, who sayth, that a man hath néede, and is to be ayded and [Page 37] instructed, by the law, as is before in y^e same authority of Hierome alleaged. Cōtrarywise, they conclude, that he hath dictamen naturale, rectae rationis, cui se possit naturaliter conformare voluntas. That man hath in him a natural instruction, of right reason, to the which, will can naturally conforme himself. As if thou mark, (to let others for briefenesse passe,) Roffensis in the last authoritie, thou shalt well perceiue.

The first braunch of this roote is now to be intrea­ted of: that is, their error and ignoraunce of originall sinne, which must nedes be in the Church of both these Pelagians: bycause that they erre in, and be ignorant of the doctrine of man, his abilitie, and vnabilitie, as I may say, his pouertie and wealth. Wherout must née­des come and procéede, the doctrine and knoweledge of his originall sinne and debte. This therefore is their error.

Pelagius per offensam praeuaricationis Adae, Secundum Conc. Aura­siac. non totum secundum corpus & animam in deterius dicit hominem commutatum, sed anima libertate illaesa du­rante, corpus tantummodo corruptioni credit obnox­ium. That is: Pelagius sayth that by the offence of A­dams transgression, the whole man is not both in body and soule, chaunged and become worse: but that the body alone, (the soule remaining yet sound, and in his libertie vntouched) is subiect to corruption. In y^e which wordes, well mayste thou (gentle reader) sée, that he is ignoraunt of originall sinne: bycause he erreth in the effect that followeth the same, the want of willes liber­tie. Iudging Adam sound in himself, he thinketh that the same transgression worketh corruption, onely in the bodies of vs his heires: which he supposeth, we on­ly of the whole man receyue from him. And therefore [Page] falsely teach the soule his frée will to remaine. For if they did knowe, that the soule of Adam, had after the fall, bene thereof vtterly spoyled, they coulde (conside­ring his wife was knowen of him, but after his fall,) not, but conclude: that we haue suche poore and spoyled soules, as we receyued of his ouerthrowen estate. Vn­lesse they wil say, that y^e soule commeth not (extraduce) of the roote of that running vine Adam. Of al which in déede it is most playne, that they are ignoraunte. The sūme therfore of their doctrine which I meane here to note) is: that originall sinne, is not any thing in any of vs: but in Adam: (as touching the empairing of the power of mans soule) & yet they graunte, that we haue a blemishe or hindraunce thereby, which according to their true meaning,Hilar. Arcla. August de reliq. Pelag. mai rather be called a punishmēt: that is, a banishment from heauen: & must haue entry of some other (for that corruptible bodies can not enter there, being in corruption, which they say we haue by Adams transgression) as afore may appeare. And out of Augustine we may gather,Ep̄istola. 89. y^t they taught man to be borne without sinne, so that then y^e first sinne, which in this life he cōmitted, was his originall sinne. And then it must folow, that sinne is in vs, but by imitation, not propagation. Attend now gentle reader: for here accor­ding to my promise I wil ioyne the Popists doctrine:The Popistes doctrine. so, as in one word, both the errors shal apeare playne. The same Dominicus Soto (of whō before I spake) that worthy Hercules of the Popists,Soto agaynst Pighius. assaulteth egrely, one Albertus Pighiꝰ Campensis one of their most famous Goliathes, De natura et gratia. li. 1. c. 9. in this maner. Igitur sunt hoc aetatis, qui quamuis non omnia, partem tamem horum argumen­torum contra vetustam opinionem opponentes, ab ea defecerunt, dicētes non esse in singulis hominibus pec­cata [Page 38] singula originalia: sed vnum illud quod commi­sit protoplastus: esse originale delictum cuius omnes rei sumus, & à quo denominamur peccatores. Horum primicerius Albertus Pighius, vir profecto & pius & doctus, qui nihilo secius malè de hoc audit, quasi pec­cata in nobis originalia omnino inficietur. &c. (that is) There is also of this our age, some that denye, though not all, yet part of the argumentes: who opponing a­gaynst the auncient opinion, haue reuolted therefro: saying that euery mans owne synnes, is not his origi­nall sinne: but only that one sinne, which our first fa­ther committed, is our originall sinne, wherof we are all gilty, and whereof we are called sinners. The En­signe bearer of these men is Albertus Pighius: a man truely both godly and learned: yet notwithstanding herein, is euill spoken of. As if he wholly should denie any originall sinne to be in vs at all. &c. In the which wordes it is manifest, that Soto iudgeth euery man to be pure and frée from sinne, vntill he hath himselfe cō ­mitted sinne: and that counteth he the originall sinne of euery man. And condemneth Pighius, for teaching the contrary: namely, for that he sayth men are coun­ted sinners from the roote Adam. And therfore Soto agréeth with that last opinion of the Pelagians, allea­ged out of Augustine. Controuersia­rum Ratispo­nensium con­trouersia. 1. Ac iux. exē ­plar. apd. Ca­rol. Iuill. Lutet. impres­sū. An. 1549. Fol. 32. b. But Pighius though he sayth (as Soto reciteth) that we are called sinners of Adam, as he sayth to Pope Paulus tertius▪ Cuius vnius reatu, om­nes constricti nascimur peccatores, à quo nos liberat, & absoluit regenerationis in Christo gratia. (That is,) By the offence of which one Adam, al we obliged, are borne sinners, from the whiche, the grace of regene­ration in Christ, deliuereth and fréeth vs: Yet vn­derstandeth he, thys naming of vs, to be sinners, [Page] borne sinners, obliged in Adam, and to haue néede of the grace of Christ: none otherwise. But that it, which was culpa in Adam, is in vs, rather poena than culpa. Wherein he agréeth with that opinion which is firste appoynted to the Pelagians. Ibidē. Fol. 8. a. Vnlesse he be contrary to his conclusion. Sed vnde carentiam eius iusticiae, aut ad­ultis nobis, aut paruulis propriè peccatū demonstrent, & nos esse debitores illius iusticiae, nihil habent. Immo id ipsum euidenti veritate aduersatur. But howe it shoulde come to passe, that the wante of that originall righteousnesse, should be either of vs that are of yeres, or to the babes counted properly for sinne, and that we are debitors thereof, they can not shewe. Yea, the same is rather contrary to the manifest truth. Vnlesse he be contrary to his conclusion, Nulla lege posse par­uulos obligari. Ibidē. Fol. 9. a. Fol. 8. or to any other of his conclusions in the first .31. leaues,Discord of the Doctors for original sin. (which if he be) or else vnderstand not himselfe (as it is most like) then must some take the payne as a good Constable, to agrée that eluishe skull with their braynes. That muste not be Biell, although otherwise,Lib. 2. distinct 30. q. 2. Peter Lom­bards opiniō. Anselm. opi­nion. he hath taken great trauayle. For Peter Lombard (one of the soundest of all the reste) who sayth and that well, that originall sinne, is a disease of our nature gotten from Adam. &c. Also for Anselmus whose opinion is, that it is wante of originall righte­ousnesse. &c. To accorde them, eche with others, as also D. Alexandr. Scotus, Thomas, Bonauenture, and di­uers other, agaynst whome, that godly Pighius & wor-Goliath standeth. Otherwise thinking as wel of them selues, as Pighius did of himselfe, they must deuise something, of their owne braynes as he did: bycause their Church hath not determined the same.Lib. p̄dict. Fol. 2. a. As Albert Pighius sayth in these wordes: Quid verò sit ipsum [Page 39] peccatum orìginis, & in quo consistat eius propria ra­tio, ecclesiastica definitione certum non est. &c. that is, Our Church hath not yet determined, what originall sinne it selfe is, or wherein the proper reason therof cō ­sisteth. God woteth, there must néedes be small know­ledge of our iustification in Christ, when their Church preacheth not a certayne doctrine, of the first growing and arysing of our accompt, nor teacheth what or how much therby it is. For as they acknowledge not y^e bon­dage of mans will,Iustification. ne yet the impairment of his whole nature, sithens the fall: so likewise, they both erre in the doctrine of iustification. But first the olde Pelagi­ans, thus as I can briefly gather out of S. Augustine.

Dicimus inquit sanctos veteris testamenti perfecta hinc Iustitia ad aeternam transisse vitam, id est,Lib. 1. contra Litteras Pela. c. 21. Lib. 4. c. 2.studio & obseruatione virtutum transiisse. We saye, quoth the Pelagians that all the Prophetes, Apostles and Sainctes of the time of the olde Testamente, haue departed hence and entred into the euerlasting lyfe by perfecte righteousnesse (that is) by the endeuor and ke­ping of vertue. In sūme therfore this is their doctrine, (as I may gather the same out of sainct Augustine in both those places alleaged) that Iustification is a cer­tayne vertue or qualitie in our selues, by the which, we are in our selues iustified, and not all onely in Christ.

To the which verye well the Popes Church & doc­tors agrée:The Popistes doctrine. Tomo. 2. art. 8. & especially the generall councell of Trent holden Anno. 1547. As Ruarde Tapper the Deane of Louaine (of whome before we spake) testifieth thus. Quare rectissime definitum est in concilio Tridentino: sessione quinta, capite. 7. Quod cum iustificamur, Fol. 30. non modo reputamur, sed verè iusti sumus & nominamur, & Anathema eū censit, qui inhaerentē iusticiā negat. A­liquanto [Page] post, Fol. 37. Ruard figh­teth with Pighius. Ex quibus patet, quod nullā habet pro­babilitatem doctrina Alberti Pighij, qua dicit quod in Christo iustificamur coram deo, non in nobis: non nos­tra, sed illius iustitia, quae nobis iam cū illo cōmunican­tibus imputatur. That is. Wherfore the generall coū ­cell of Trent hath most perfectely determined in .5. ses­sion the .7. chapter. that when as we are iustified, we are not so onely reputed, but we are truely iust and so called. The same generall councell holdeth him accur­sed, which shall deny, that righteousnesse stickerh not in vs. And somewhat after he sayth. Whereout it ap­peareth, that the doctrine of Albertus Pighius, hath no probabilitie therein. In which he sayth, that we are be­fore God iustified in Christ, and not in our selues, nor by our owne, but his righteousnesse, the which is now imputed and reckened to vs, that holde in communion thereof in him.

Lusitanus a­gainst Pighiꝰ.Also the sayde Lyriensis the Popes Achilles before spoken of, assaulteth the same Pighius in the same his worke before mentioned, defending the same error of the Pelagians against Pighius, as Soto for originall sinne, and as Ruarde last before, for the point of Iusti­fication was. After this sort. Hunc errorem ex parte secutus est Albertus Pighius, qui sicut prius docuerat, omnes homines peccatores nasci in Adam, non quasi a­liquod proprium peccatum seu culpā contrahant in se­ipsis, Lusitanus and Pighius vnderstand not Pighius alike. sed ex sola imputatione peccati Adae. Ita pos­terius docuit homines iustificari in Christo, formaliter à peccatis, non per aliquam iustitiam, quam in seipsis accipiant realiter, sed per solam imputationem Iustitiae Christi. Id ergo asserit Pighius, simul docens cum Cal­uino, quod in Christo, iustificamur in deo, non in no­bis, non nostra, sed illius Iustitia, quae nobis cum illo, [Page 40] iam communicantibus imputatur: & quod propriae iustitiae inopes, extra nos in illo doceamur iustitiā quae­rere, à cuius iustitia per imputationem sumus iusti. &c. That is Albertus Pighius foloweth this error after a sorte. Who as before he taught, that all men are borne transgressors in Adam, not as though they did worke any fault, or speciall offence in themselues, but onely by the accompting of Adams sinne to them: Euen so, last of all, he hath also taught, that men are in Christ formallie iustified from their sinnes: and not by anye righteousnesse, which they in thēselues really receiue: but by the only accompting of Christes righteousnesse vnto them. That is the same which Pighius ascertey­neth, and togither with Caluin teacheth:He belieth Caluin. that in Christ we are iustified in God, not in our selues, by hys & not by our righteousnesse, y^e which is accōpted ours, parta­king therof in him: & that we lacking righteousnesse of our owne, are taught to seke the same without our sel­ues in him: by whose imputed to vs, we are made righ­teous. &c. In which fray that Lusitanus & Ruarde haue against Pighius, it is euident, what they defende: namely, that man is iustified in himselfe, by himselfe and not by Christ, in Christ, as Pighius sayth. Where­fore by al likelihode, they holde him accursed, by y^e same councell of Trentes authoritie. But of what force their cursse is, they being Pelagians, Pighius (as I gesse) foreseing, spared not to speake the truth, in this point, as in the same his foresayde worke, in secunda contro­uersia, may appeare.

If thou arte minded to sée more of their discorde reade M. Sententiarum distinct. 19. Li. 3.19. Fayth iusti­fieth. Tho super 6.2. ad Cor. suꝑ. 11. super. 1. Cor. 1. supꝑ. 3. c. ad Titū. lect. 1. c. ad Timoth. c. 1. lect. 3. super. Iacob. 2. In the which pla­ces, [Page] the sayde maister of the sentences and S. Thomas proue, that Sola fides, fayth alone iustifieth. Such a mightie God is our God, that openeth sometime the Diuels mouth, in those whome he doth possesse, to cō ­fesse the truth: yea if Balaam be blinde with the affec­tions, the mouth of his Asse.

Coluthians.

Lib. 2. tomo. 2. Haer. 69. Lib. 1. c. 4. Haer. 65. EPiphanius speaketh of one Col­luthus an Heretique, whose scho­lers were called Colluthiani. Also Theodoretus, speaketh of the same name: which sect I thinke is the same that Aug. remēbreth. These men taught as the same Augustine sayth, Deum non facere mala: contra illud quod scrip­tum est, Ego deus creans mala: that God did not work the yll: contrary to the saying that is writtē, I am the God,In the table of Luthers of­spring. that worketh the euill. This doctrine doth Sta­philus and Stapleton, teache in the explication of their Arbor, and in their booke.

Gnostiques.

ABout the yeare of our Lorde 137. as Nicephorus, Eusebius and Theodoretus Cyri Episco. do wit­nesse, one Carpocrates did (among other Heretiques) first spring, of whome, Eusebius sayth, the sect of the Gnostiques did arise. Of which [Page 41] minde also Irenaeus is. The horrible doctrine and fyl­thie maners of them was vniuersallie suche, as that we iustlye maye iudge, the Popistes to be extraught of that house and lygnage. The thing notwithstanding that I intende to match, & set them in viewe eche with other, is the maner and rite that they vsed, whereof both Irenaeus & Epiphanius speake: that they had Ima­ges painted, and also cast of Golde, Siluer, and other mettall. Whereof they sayde some, were the Images of Christ, made vnder Pontius Pilate, according to our Sauiours lykenesse. Some, the Images of Plato, A­ristotle and Pythagoras. Before those, vsed they to doe reuerence, after the maner of the Heathen. What the maner and doctrine of the Popistes, in this case is, the bookes of master Doctor Harding and M. Martiall, so euidently doe declare, as that (it concurring with the practise of the Church, whereof no man is ignoraunt) I néede not to rehearse any wordes more speciall, than euen so to referre thée, to the same writers. This here­sie hath had so good successe, that euery Realme hath their speciall Idoll, as S. George and S. Denise. Eue­ry corporation his, as the Marchaunt Taylors of Lon­don, S. Iohn Baptist: the Grocers, S. Anteline. &c. and euery man his speciall, and that for euery miserie and euill.

Anthropomorphites.

A Certayne Syrian called as Epipha­nius sayth Audius, Haeres. 50. Lib. 4. c. 10. or as Theodoretus sayth Audaeus (Augustine calleth them Vaudianos) dyd sowe this errour vnder Valentinian the Emperor: or else in the [Page] time of Arius and Councel of Nice. The Monkes of Egypt were fauourers of this heresie, who of the same are called as in their blazon. They taught that God had the shape of man, and was in limits and members comprised as man is.

Theodor. IbidThough the Popistes teach not in their pulpettes this doctrine, ne yet in their volumes: yet how grosse so euer this error is, in their dedes teach thei the same: which is the second kinde of preaching. Who hath not seene the picture of God the Father alowed, paynted, carued, cast and so forth, occupied in their Churches, and worshipped?

Chazinzaries.

Nicephor. lib. 18. c. 54. THese Heretiques, spring from those that are called Monosophytae with whome they in al things agree. But are worshippers of the Crosse, and therefore are called Chazinzaries of the Crosse: which among thē is called Chazus. In our dayes these may be called Martialistes of M. Martiall. Agaynste whome and his heresie, viewe the learned aunswere of M. Archdeacon Calfhill: and for the popish crosse con­secration, loke in the Chapter Saincters.

Angelici.

Aug. Haer. 39. WEre certayne Heretiques, inclined (Augustine sayth) to the vvorshipping of An­gels. Which secte though in Epiphanius time were worne out, yet the Popistes haue recey­ued the same, as S. Michael the Archangell his feaste [Page 42] declareth. The office of which day, appoynted in the Popistes Church, serueth for the honour of all other Angels:c. 154. as Bilethus in his Rationale Diuinorum de­clareth: who calleth it the feast of all Angels.

Collyridianes, or Mary men.

THere were certayne Heretiques so called, as Epiphanius recordeth, who remayned about the partes of Arabia. Lib. 3. to .2. Haer. 79. They were earnestlye gyuen to the ho­nouring of our Lady, and vsed at cer­tayne prescribed times to spred a cloth vpon a stole, and therevpon to set certayne great Loa­nes, called Colluridas to the same ende. With these he­retiques the Popistes agrée. In that they catholiquely or generally worship our Lady, as vsus Sarum bindeth them. And particularly, as they were wont on Myd­sommer, to haue light, and the table spred and furni­shed with great Loaues, and victualles all night long, before the Images of S. Iohn and our Lady.

Messalians.

VNder the raygne of Valentinian, Lib. 3.4. de Haer-fabulis. the heresie of the Messalians did sprout forth, as Theodorete witnesseth. They taught that Baptisme, shaued from the receyuers, their sinnes like a rasour. This, is roote to the Popistes doctrine, that Sacramentes conferre grace. With these Messa­lians S. Thomas Aquinas doth agrée in these wordes: Per Sacramentum Baptismi omnia tolluntur. &c. By [Page] the Sacrament of Baptisme, all sinnes are takē away. D. Smith also in the second boke of his buckler,Cap. 2. & .3. conclu­deth therein.

Valentinians.

Lib. 1. c. 18. IN the yeare of our Lorde .146. or there about, did this secte swarme. They vsed (as Irenaeus sayth) after baptizing of their schollers, to poure oyle on them. Hence the Popistes learned their lesson also of the like practize at Baptisme.

Sarahaites.

THese were auncient Heretiques whose fashion was to abyde in caues, rockes & woodes, clothed with Skinnes of beasts, and girded with witthes. And wandering barefoted, vsed to tye thor­nes at their girdels, to knocke them as they went, vp­on their bare héeles. Those were examples of the Po­pistes Pilgrimes and Flagellatores: euen as they are to vs, the example of the Sarahaites. Agaynst whome S. Augustine ad fratres in Heremo. Ser. 21.

Apostoliques.

Haeres. 40. SAinct Augustine doth make mention of these Heretiques. But marke (gentle reader) I praye thée, howe duely this kinde of Heretiques [Page 43] chalenge birth right ouer the Popistes. Compare the children by this their parente. The Father chalenged arrogantly aboue all other, this name Apostolique. The Childe thundereth it out, and wil haue no Péere: Also menaceth in the name of Peter and Paule. The Father would not admit to his communion, Monkes and Priestes maried, or possessing any thing for their propre goods (as the Church of Christ sayth Augustine hath many.) The Childe diuorceth them and suche as were once of his communion, he thrusteth them out therefore. If the Childe doth not resemble the Father: if he degenerate: or if he be any thing vnlike him, it is in that, he is ouer the shooes in his fathers humor, and more egerly feedeth the same.

Catharistes.

BE certayne Heretiques▪ Haer. 38. (after S. Augustines minde) that suppose them­selues the holier, bycause they marrie onely once.Lib. 1. tit. 20. Parte. 3. q. 66. in addition. This doctrine the Popistes teach in the Decretals, S. Thomas in the summe, and D. Martine in his boke.

Marcionistes.

FAmous is the name of Marcion, Tom. 3. lib. 1. Haer. 42. of whome (among the rest) Epiphanius writeth, and (amongest other thinges) witnesseth of this rite of his Church:1. Parte. trac. 1. c. 4. That vvomen did Baptize. The Popi­stes [Page] agrée therewith, the practise declareth. And loke Manipulus Curatorum, for the doctrine.

Sodomites.

IT is not to be thought, that the people of Sodō, haue not their ofspring in this age. That do exercise both Bug­gery & vvhoredome: & that as no fault: or at the lest, as a light one. The which thing y^e Popists haue don, although not in writing, yet in déedes, and that commonly. And to let speciall factes oureslippe vs. The Statutes Annis regni Regis. H. 8.25.28.31. made and continued agaynst Buggerie, after that in .32. of his raigne made perpetu­all, declareth what both the Prince & the Realme fea­red. &c. And let wise men construe to what reason and purpose, so good an estatute was .1. Mariae repealed. And as for whoredome, the worlde knoweth, whileste the stalles of those geldings stode, what filthynesse hath bene there. The cleansing of sinkes, vaultes, and such like places bewrayed it not a little. Yea, about .3. or .4. yeares past, at the spoyled house of Waltam Abbey, there was found out a trough mured in the wal of the Abbots oratorie, full of yong childrens bones. Vn­doubtedlye, although the Cannons call whoredome a trifling sinne, yet they esteme murder more.

Bysleepers.

BE certayne kinde of Heretiques, as M. Staphilus and Stapleton talke of: and are [Page 44] such, as for tender loue of pure holinesse and Angelical virginitie, haue their ginnes and close whéeles in the wal, to tourne their Lordes Cockes into the roustes of their Ladies Hennes. Of the which,Libr. Monast. Germa. c. Cel­la Dei. Fol. 35. the Countie Pala­tine speaking of the Norbertins, giueth example to this effect. Least the Monkes should lacke the ribbe vvhich once God toke avvay from man, and after restored a­gayne vvith greater gayne, they builte nighe their Co­uent, an house of religious vvomen, vval to vval: and called the same Paradize.

Lady Liers.

THese come of Scotus, and Franciscus de Marionis, both in one heape deadely belying our Ladie: in that they say,Tom. 2. tract. 1 c. 4. she was borne without the vncleanenesse of originall sinne: whose confutation reade in Cardinall Caietane.

Lady Dawers.

ALthough the history of our Sa­uiour Christes precious death and pas­sion, and the necessary circumstaunces therof, is by all foure Euangelists tru­ly set forth, in the testament of the same our only Redéemer, and as wholly ther­in taught, as our saluation requireth: yet this notwith­standing, the superstition of the Popistes, is come to this ripenesse, that they dare presume to adde a Codicil [Page] to the same Testament. The which contayneth, howe that at such time as our Sauioure fainted, vnder the heauy Crosse (the burthen whereof Simon Cyrenaeus shoulders after that felt, euen to the place of Christes Life and Death) our Lady there faynted, and fell in sowne to the grounde. In which place a Churche was built.To. 2. tract. 13. And also from Passion Sonday vntil their Palme Sonday folowing, they (which belike wil dawn our La­dy) kepe a yearly feast. Agaynst the which sée Caietane.

Mercy Marrers.

WHere as Dauid and also Hierome say in the Psalme: Abyssus Abyssum inuocat: One bottomelesnesse cryeth out vpon another, appoynting God to be a bottomelesse mercie. And in ano­ther Psalme Dauid sayth: Si iniquita­tes Domine obseruaueris, quis sustinebit? Etenim a­pud te propiciatio est, & copiosa redemptio. &c. Lord if thou shalt marke iniquitie, who shall holde out? But with thée there is pardon, and plenteous redemption. The which places (omitting further authorities) doe e­uidently declare, that God will not for his debts which appertayne to oure credite, call an audite of the vtter­most farthing. Yet contrary to this most comfortable doctrine, the Popistes teach: that he will caste vs into prison, vntill he hath the laste pennie of his duetie. As Caietanus witnesseth in these wordes.To. 1. tract. 20. q. 1. Ibidē. trac. 23. Poenam canoni­cam poenitentibus iniunctam si in hac vita non imple­atur, exolui oportet in alia futura vita. If the Peni­tent doth not in this life pay his penaunce, it must be [Page 45] payed in the life to come. A moste pestilente and vglie heresie, which they learne of the Diuels: who say, that after they haue a certaine time in exile and punishmēt satisfied for their sinnes, they shall retourne agayne to ioy: Where then is manifolde mercy, if paynes are price of our pardon?

Plenarie Pardoners.

THese arise of Franciscus de Marionis, Plenarie par­doners. who teacheth, that the sinnes for whiche we stand bounde, either in this life or in Purgatorie, maye by the Pope,Tom. 1. tract 8. of hys owne authoritie and plenarie power be pardoned. This Heresie is confuted by Caietane.

Fayth Flyghters.

WHereas S. Augustine sayth:De verbis do­mini secundū Lucam. Ser. 30. Quia & Baptismum quod semel adhibetur per fidem mundat. For Baptisme also once ministred, doth clense bi faith. The which reasō ought also of al other sacra­ments to be vnderstod. Yet notwithstanding y^e same, y^e Popistes haue a sacramēt of Confession, (if it be a sa­crament) in y^e which they wil not haue faith necessarily exercized, as Caietanus sayth:To. 1. tract. 18. q. 4. Fo. 32, b. Non est necessarium Poenitentem ipsum habere fidē se esse absolutum. It is not necessary that the Penitent himselfe should then haue beliefe that he is absolued. Vnto this also doth M. Hosius Hatchet agrée. By which doctrine it is euident, [Page] that they fray out of the consciences of men, all liuing fayth, wherby the liuely application of the sacraments of the Church of Christ, is atchieued and wrought.

Prophaners.

WHereas our Sauiour hath com­mitted to his church, vnder the name of the keyes of Heauen, the sentence of excommunication, thereby to admitte or seclude any man from the kingdome of God:Lib. 3. c. 2. con. Literas. Par­menian. Ser. de Ana­themat. the which (as Augustine decla­reth) ought not to be done for euery light cause, to the contempt therof, neyther as an occupation or custome: but (as Chrisostome also sayeth) of great loue and as a constrayned déede: yet not withstanding, how the Po­pistes prophane the same, it is euident. For as the foole in the play, doth lightly vse his dagger to euerye trifle and iest, so they (as plainely appeareth by their Camera and Consistorie, which is their stage) doe. The which doctrine,c. vlt. & aūcte Dei. pris. they drawe out of their Cannons. Lyn­vvood de sentētia excōmunicationis, and such like pla­ces, wherby they haue it of like estimation, as Aesopes frogges their beame. In that, is it not to prophane it?

Saincters.

AS it was very straunge in the Primi­tiue estate of the gospell, to haue or sée any Ima­ges, so was it much more straunge, to haue any creature called on in prayer. And in the policie and cō ­mon wealth of the Iewes, the same was wholy abhor­red. [Page 46] Neyther was that maner in the beginning of the church, vnder the lawe of nature.Sap. 14. For as Salomon sayeth: Rich men becomming tiraunts ouer their vn­derlings and subiectes, appointed in those dayes of idle wealthinesse, their dead children and friends to be wor­shipped: and for the memorie of such, erected Images: neyther had euery one an Image that would, but such as the rich and mightie men (whom I might call Nem­rods) accorded on. This custome so grewe on, as, not only it was y^e nourisher of Idolatrie, but a meane that common treasures were augmented: by reason that the licence giuing of erecting suche Images, belonged to the Senators. &c. As for example, in Athens & Rome. This practize y^e tiranne of Rome hath (although in dede clarkly cloked) left in the Decretals.Titt. de reliq. et. venerac. sancto. And in Innocen­tius to this effect. Although that euerie man may pray to any man departed this life, of vvhom he had opiniō of holynesse in the tyme of his life: yet appertaineth to the Pope to faincten (for by this he had gret reueunes) and canonize those, that shal be vvorshipped: be it ey­ther by publique or priuate office or seruice: or by publique and hallovved Image. If thou markest (gētle reader) this marchaundize of the Pope, thou shalt ap­perceyue, how gaine hath plucked into the church, the abuse of the olde Gentiles. And here I will anexe (ac­cording to my promise) the maner of consecration of the crosse (although it semeth to serue rather for y^e place of Chazinzaries) for this ende, that by it, which sée­meth most out of doubt and feare of superstition, thou mayest sée, how in the residue of Images and this, they in their consecrating, serue superstition, and not me­morie of their pretended misterie. If the priest be not at Masse, then he muste put on his surplice and stole, [Page] and begin thus: first sprinkling it with holye water. Adiutoriū &c. domine exaudi &c. dominꝰ vobiscū. Ora­to: Exsacerdot. Romani vsus. Let vs pray. We pray thee O Lorde holy father al­mighty and eternall God, that thou vvouldest vouch­safe to ble✚sse this vvood of the crosse. That it maye be an healthfull medicine to mankinde, a massiuenesse of faith. Also a comforte, protection and defence a­gainst the cruel dartes of the enimies. Through Christ our Lord. &c.

Let vs pray.

BLe✚sse O Lord, this thy crosse, by the vvhich thou hast berefte and taken the vvorld out of the pos­session of the Diuill: and by thy death haste ouercome the informer of sinne, vvho reioyced in the first mans trangressions, concerning the forbidden tree. Bl✚esse àlso O Lorde and make ho✚ly this seale of thy holye passion, that to thy enimies, it may be a let, and to thy beleuers make it a perpetual succour, amen. Then ho­lye water must be cast once yet againe, with this pra­yer. Let this vvoode be sanctified, in the name of the Fa✚ther and the Son✚ne, and the holy ✚ ghost, that suche as pray and bovve for the Lordes sake before this crosse, may find health to their bodyes and soules, tho­rovve Christ. &c. Amen.

Catholiques.

BE those that so discant out of harmo­nie vpon this worde Catholicos, that they will haue those people their Church, who are y^e mul­tude [Page 47] and most vniuersall number. Which is as much in consequent to say, Whores, Baudes, Sodomites, Infi­dels and al that vvalke the broad vvay. This is in e­uery of their mouthes.

Visiblers.

ARe those that holde opinion, that the church of Christ, is alwayes visible, and to be discerned of the worlde, and is neuer hid from the view of man. This doctrine the author of the ap­pologie of priuate masse hath.

Mysterie Mongers.

ARe of Durandus, that interpretateth vveathercocks, belles, cappes, and tippets, to a misterie and secret sense. Looke in Rationale diuinorum Durandi.

Aaronistes.

ARise of Pighius Hierarchie, that wil haue the ministerie in the Church of the Gospell,Lib. 2. c. 4. be after the fashion of Aaron his Leuiticall order.

Popistes.

BE those that saye,Lib. 4. c. 8. in fine. the Pope can not erre from the faith: as Pighius hath taught in his [Page] Hierarchie, Pigh. against Caietane. condemning Cardinall Caietane. There­fore obey they his commaundements, with vttering his spirite, and weare his liuerie coates, be he neuer so farre distant from their territorie.

Gospell facers.

Pighius lib. 1. c. 4. BE those, that by crying out on the auc­thoritie and name of the Church, disgrace the gospell, and diminish the authoritie thereof.

Politique Popistes.

ARe those, that wil all men, one­lye for temporall and worldly causes, vniformitie, and comely sight, to com­pose themselues to their manner and fashion of religion.Sozo lib. 1. As in time paste Iulian the Apostatate in his dayes did. And in Germanie the Interim.

Coniurers.

MAny of the olde Heretiques hold opinion, that all creatures, as well the onely Vegitatiue, as reasonable, are naught. Some say, they were created naught. Some say, they are vnholy, bi­cause they are the dwelling temple of the Diuel. &c. The Popistes haue this doctrine: as the fruits of their practize do declare. For they coniure the [Page 48] Diuill, out of the creatures that they vse for their ser­uice. Yea out of the children, that come to baptisme thus, after the maner of the Church of Rome. Ex sacerdo­tal. I con­iure thee vncleane spirite, In the name of the Fa✚ther, and of the Son✚ne, and of the ho✚ly ghost, that thou goe out and departe from this seruaunt of God. &c. And this déede, agreeth with the doctrine of S. Tho­mas. But perhappes thou mayst be seduced in this coniuring case, for that ignorauntlye thou mayst sup­pose, that children borne vnperfect, (bicause of the pro­pagation of sinne originall in them,) haue the Diuell in them. Wherefore to make the case plaine of their drifte. I let thre here another coniuring practize, that they vse of creatures, in whom sinne neyther is by pro­pagation nor imitation, and of such whose nature can not sinne. I coniure thee thou creature oile, by God the Father ✚ almighty, vvho made heauen and earth, the sea and all that is therein. Get thee hence and flye a­vvay all thou povver of the enimie. All armye of the Diuill. All incursion and all fantasie of Sathan, from this creature of oyle, that it maye be to all those that vse the same, health both of minde and bodye. In the name of God ✚ the father &c. This their practize be­wrayeth their doctrine.

Hallowers.

OVt of the aboue sayde heresie of Coniurers, doth this procéede: that the creature after the comming out of the Diuell, is to be halowed. For the which cause, the Popish prieste in baptisme, doeth bealch or blovve on the childe: [Page] smere him and poulder him, that the Diuell coniured out, should not retourne againe. As S. Thomas in the place last before alledged, teacheth. And Epistola de consecratione &c. per totum. Dist. de consecratione.

Creature Swearers.

WHere as Ieremie by the spirite of God, reprehendeth the Israelites for swearing by creatures, the Popistes notwithstanding doe teach, that it is lawefull to sweare by creatures: to wéete, vpō reliques, a consecrated host, and suche like:2.2. q. 89. art. 6 as S. Thomas, and the Decretalles vn­der a speciall title, do declare.

Tyme Seruers.

ARe those, that serue not all the yere, but some parts therof, with their Matrimonie Sacrament: and that is, for the hatred they bare vnto it: ap­pointing more holinesse in their time, than in matrimony Gods holy institu­tion, this is common & néedeth no reciting of authoritie.

Formalistes.

BE those, that teache formes, and ydle apparayling of things, with maners and cir­cumstances, that edifye not, but are imperti­nent. [Page 49] As in building of a Church,Drrand. lib. 1. c. 1.2. that the first stone muste be layed by the .B. and that they must cast holy water ouer the ground. Also, that the first stone must haue a crosse grauen on it. That the head therof stand to the east: and an infinite number of such like toyes.Ex. de tempe ordinando. Furthermore in orders giuing, that no patche of the pratling (I woulde saye of praying) be omitted. For thē orders are not giuen: And y^e like happeneth if their tooles of that toye, be not touched: as Caietane sayeth,To. 1. Tract. 26 and also Ray. c. Veniens de presbit. non bapt.

Primacers.

ARe those, that teache the Pope to be Lorde ouer the whole world, glo. et doct. in prohemio. F. And that he may absolue any man from his alege­aunce, promise, debt and duetie, of his (as they call it Plenitudine potestatis) meere or full power: whether the same be, of sub­iectes to their Princes, or wife to her husband, or such lyke. Inno. art. 9. q. 3. per principalem. C. de qua. praes­cript. L. Bene Azenone. C. de praeci. Imp. l. quoties. Lin­vvood tit. de sententia excommunicationis. Caietane. Tom. i. tract. 25.

Simoniackes, or quid vultis Dariers.

[Page] ARe they, that for money breake all discipline of the Church: and do let sinne, and y^e punishmēt therof be ouer­passed. Whereby riche men may sinne payne lesse, but poore men shall be pun­nished. I may liken thē to the hunters of the Castor, that perillous beast. For when as those hunters find the Cueles or genitals of the beast, which he purposely byteth of for his sauegarde, they let the noysome body goe, for the filthy parte: Euen so, besy­des that, that the Popistes for the crimes of such offen­ders, take of their filthie Mammon so greate a grype, that nowe and then they leaue them gelded of their good: yet notwithstanding, bycause the noysome na­ture is not corrected, the man stil following the same, falleth into their handes: and then hauing no moe ge­nitals to lose, must satisfy in body, who afore by pursse escaped. The doctrine of this Heresie is taught in the Decretalles.Ex. de poenàs & remissi. And it shall be necessary to annexe some parte of the wares of the Pope, and price thereof, as they goe for, and are solde in his shoppe or Camera at Rome.

Lecheríe.

A Pardon for Lecherie done by a Clearke, whether it be eyther wyth a Nunne, in or without the Cloyster, or with one of his kinne, or aliance to him: or with his God daughter,A reasonable chapman. or any other: he shall pay aswell for one as for all these togither .36. Turnois and .3. Ducats: and therwith be dispensed to [Page 50] haue orders and benefices ecclesiastical. But if among these crimes, he aske a pardon for Buggerie (the sinne agaynst nature) or done with beastes, so that he may then be also dispensed for orders and benefices, y^e price then is .90. Turnois .12. Ducates .6. Carlines. If onelie pardon be asked for the sinne agaynste nature or done with beastes, with a dispensation and inhibition, he payeth .36. Turnois .9. Ducats.

A pardon for a Nunne that hath often played the good fellowe both without and within the Cloyster, with a clause that shall enioy the dignities of that order, yea to be Abbesse, y^e price therof is .36. Turnois .9. Ducats. A pardon that a priest maye kepe a Concubine in his house continually: and retaine his benefice and orders also, is had for .21. Turnois. 2. Ducats. There be like cases in lay men.

Murder.

A Pardon for the sonne y^e hath killed his father, his brother or sister, is in euery of these cases al one. 4. Turnois. 1. Duckat. Carlines. 8. If the father or mother kill their owne childe, the price is no more but so. If a woman drincke to destroy hir childe, the price is. 4. Turnois. Duckatte. 1. Carlines. 8. Thus I might procéede for all sinnes done agaynst the x. Commaundements of almighty God: agaynst coū ­cels, Sinodes, Decrées, & Decretals. But it shall suf­fise to touch this, and omitte the other for briefenesse sake.

Patrines.

BE those that contrary to the commaundement of Christ (to wéete, put vp thy sword Peter into thy sheath) teach Pe­ter to drawe it againe: and make of shéepe keping Peter, a temporall Magi­strate,Lib. 5.1. tit. Lorde and warriour. Vide Pighium.

Armurers.

ARe those that teache men to de­fend either body or soule: and to arme thēselues with creatures. As a halowed written gospell, the length and breadth of the nailes & crosse: a Masse: a Fry­ers Cowle and suche lyke. For the proufe of the writ­ten gospell, of the nayles, the worlde doth know it ve­rye well: and of those same are in my handes to be séene, yet: for more proufe, loke the Breuarie of the Franciscanes: Among the which I finde this, Francis­cus rogauit deū et impetrauit, vt nullus in habitu, pos­fit male mori. S. Frauncis asking of God, obtayned of him, that none clothed in the holy habite of his order, should dye an euill death. Againe. Quicquid homo e­dit post auditionē missae, magis proficit & cōuenit Na­turae quā ante. In auditione homo non senescit, nec de­bilitatur: sicut ex ligno vitae, Adam non infirmaba­tur, nec vita eius breuiabatur. Whatsoeuer a man ea­teth in the daye after he hath heard masse, it shall doe him more good, and better agrée with nature, than be­fore. Also in the time of Masse hearing, a man shall [Page 51] neyther waxe weaker, nor elder, no more than Adam (marke their ignoraunce of scripture) by eating of the trée of lyfe. As touching suche kinde of harnesse and Philtres the Basilides, Carpocrates, and suche other Gnostiques, were occupiers and deuisers: of whome Euseb. writeth. So likewise Theodoret. and Epiphan. Lib. 4. c. 7.

Spirituall kindreders.

IF thou gentle reader, loke in the Ambrey of the Popes holy wisedome, in the title de cognatione spirituali, thou shalt finde out a spirituall kindered (for so the title doth call it) which groweth out of two contrary rootes: the flesh and the spirite. A meruellous thing it is to sée it, for two reasons. First in this: that as the mother which bare the childe (the throwes of whose trauaile maketh the birth certayne, which is as it were y^e preching of Na­tures truth) is of the kinde or bloud thereof, after the maner of a mother, and therefore enioyeth the same Natural name: Euen so, by the doctrine there taught, the sureties that holde the childe at baptisme and bis­shopping, are forsooth Pater & mater spiritualiter. Brother not in Christ but Pope. c. Martinus. Fa­ther and mother spirituallie: And their children are brethren and sisterne to the babe baptised. Yea and as a speciall case in the same title declareth of Lotharius and Theberga, the wife of the man who was suretie, is of kinde (though she Christened not the childe) to the same childe hir husband christened: and can not (which is the second maruell) marry with the Father of the same babe, they both being frée from their first mari­ages, [Page] no more than the spiritual childe can, with any of his godfathers or godmothers childrē. The dreame that they builde this on, Panormitanus in place be­fore alleaged doth saye, is: Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua & spiritu sancto: Except a man be borne of wa­ter and the holy ghost. Wherein thou mayest sée, how like blinde Sodomites, they grope after a newe kin­dred, and forget the very birth in the holy ghost, who is the wombe for the childebirth of the Church. Which newe birth in these wordes ment, sith it commeth not by the suretie, but rather by the water: and not alone by the water, as the worde (&) declareth, but chiefely by the spirite, which in the outwarde sacrament is to be loked for: marke whether they minde any thing else, but an holy (I wil not say superstitious) tirannie: a craftie hindering and contemning of matrimonie: and an estéeming and worshipping of Elements. And besides this, in sequestrating this kindred from matri­monie, they euidently declare, that it is not Christes spirituall kindred, which the holy ghost worketh in all the faithfull, without the which it is not lawefull for any of the same stocke to marry. For S. Paule sayeth: Nubat, sed in domino. Let the woman now a widow marry,Hierom con. Iouinian. but in the Lorde: that is, with a spirituall brother. Let vs (gentle reader) praye to God, that for Christes sake, he will sende his Angell, to kéepe these Sodomites out of Lothes house. Amen.

Halfe Communion Manichees.

THe faction of the Manichees sprang in the yeare of our Lorde God, as Eusebius sayth 281. being the .3. yeare of the Emperour Probus [Page 52] raigne. But Epiphanius sayth the .276. yeares:Lib. 7. c. 31. after some Historiographers accompt as the same Epipha­niꝰ testifieth .246. The author wherof was one Manes, Lib. 2. to. 2. as Eusebius calleth him. Augustine commonly calleth him Manicheus, which by interpretation is to saye,Euseb. ibi. madde: as he was, (Eusebius sayth) of Nature. After the preaching of his error, and receyuing of the same, he chose vnto him .12. disciples imitating Christ. Epi­phanius sayth .22. Out of the which, he chose thrée moste speciall. Thomas, Herma and Adda. And they were the most trustie and famous Abbetters thereof. Their doctrine was large, and extended to the infection of all our Christian religion. But that which I intende to intreate of, is their abuse in the administration of the Lordes supper, the holye communion.

Their accustomed maner, was to minister y^e fame vn­der one kinde: y^t is to say, the bread only.Manich. com­tannion. In sermo. 4. Quadrag. Ex. Petr. de Soto. Lect. 10. And vsed not to receyue the cup. As Leo the Pope declareth in these words: Cumque ad tegendā infidelitatem suā nostris audeant interesse mysterijs, ita in sacramento per cō ­munionem se temperant, vt interdum lateant. Ore indigno corpus Christi accipiunt, sanguinem autem redemptionis nostrae haurire omnino declinant, quod ideo vestram volumus scire sactitatem, vt vobis huius­modi homines et hijs manifestantium indicijs, & quorū deprehensa fuerit sacrilega simulatio, notati & proditi, a sanctorum societate, sacerdotali auctoritate pellan­tur. De talibꝰ. n. beatus Paulus Apostolus ecclesiam dei proinde monet, dicens: Rogamus autem vos fratres, vt obseruetis eos, qui dissensiones & offendicula praeter doctrinam quam vos didicistis faciunt, & declinate ab illis. That is to say: And when as the Manichees, for the clocking of their vnfaithfulnesse, dare presume to [Page] be present at our mysteries, they so behaue themselues in the communion of the sacramentes, as that nowe and then they escape vnknowen. With their vnwor­thy mouthes, they receyue the body of Christ, but they wholy withdraw themselues from the drinking of the bloud of our redemption. The which thing we would that your holynesse should vnderstande, that such men by those markes of their declaration espied, and whose sacrilegious hipocrisie shall be betrayed, maye by the authoritie of the ministerie, be separated from the so­cietie of the holy ones. For of such, the Apostle S. Paule hath necessarily forewarned y^e church of God, saying: But vve praye you brethren, that you vvatch those, that make discention, and vvorke offences, besides the doctrine that you haue learned, and eschevve them.

In the which wordes of Leo, these two things bene manifest. First, that it was the peculiar maner and religion of the Manichees, to vse onely the breade, the first part of the sacrament. Secondly that in Leo his time (which was about the yeare of our Lord .464) both partes were vsed in the church of Rome. And so to do, was the speciall rite.

The maner of Rome.The doctrine of Rome, & the behauior of their church in this case, is plaine & manifest. For who hath not had experience, of y^e same their sacrilegious withholding & robbing of the people of that part of the cōmunion? Yea Aquinas sayth: y^t it is not decent for the lay man to receyue y^e same.Part. 3. q. 80. art. 12. Solus sacerdos Eucharistiam nō sine sanguine fumere debet: caeteros autem sub vtraque speciae communicare non decet. That is, the priest on­ly must receyue the sacrament, not without the bloud: but it becommeth the rest to communicate vnder one kinde. And Caietane, commenting vpō the same place [Page 53] of Aquinas, frameth thrée questions. The first, that we are not bound by the commaundement of Christ whē we communicate, to communicate vnder both kinds. The second, that it is not more profitable for the com­municants to receyue in bothe kindes, than in one onely. The thirde is, that it is not expedient for the church, that the people shoulde doe so. But the practise of this is so common,Lib. 4. dist. 12. q. 2. Art. 3. dub. 1. In inflitutio­nibus. Lectione. 10. that I passe ouer to rehearse Bi­ell, or any other of them. And therfore ende here with y^e saying of their Peter Soto. Donemus igitur illis, fuis­se vsū vtriusque speciei, quod testimonium illud Ge­lasij Papae confirmat, & aliud Leonis in sermone quarto quadragesimae: de quo superius diximus: Vbi Manichaeos dicit, speciem vini non sumere: ostendens aperto, id contrarium fuisse consuetudini catholico­rū. Demus igitur hoc haereticis. That is: let vs graunt to the protestants, that the vse of the church was to mi­nister in both kinds: the which, the testimonie of Ge­lasius the Pope, and of Leo in his .4. sermon for Lent, (of the which before we haue spoken) doeth approue: wherein he sayeth that the Manichees custome is, not to vse the wine: declaring that y^e same was cleane con­trarie to the custome of the Catholiques: let vs then giue that custome to heretiques. But bicause I am here entred into the matter of the sacrament of the ho­ly communion, I will annexe the speciall contrarie­ties and heresies as touching the same.

Caparnaites or Naturall Bodiers.

BE those, that teach that the very body of Iesus Christ, fleshe, bloude and bone &c. as it [Page] was borne of the virgine Marie, is in the Sacrament eaten. This though it may be proued by those argu­ments which are called Atechnois, that is, by the depo­sing and testimonie of euerye simple Popist: yet I thinke it best to declare their doctrine by their au­thors.Parte. 3. q. 75. art. 4. Aquinas sayeth: Hoc quod conficimus, corpus ex virgine est: That which in the sacramēt we make, is the bodye receyued of the virgin. And afterwarde: Non solum caro, Ibid. 76. art. 1. sed totum corpus, scilicet ossa, nerui et alia huiusmodi. That is: not only Christs flesh, but also all his whole body: to wéete, bones sinewes and such like. And D. Gardener sayeth in his booke against the reuerend father M. Cranmer: Christ giueth truly (in the sacrament) to be eaten, Folio. 274. Folio. 81. the flesh he spake of be­fore, taken of the virgin Mary. &c. For the scripture speaketh of Christs body vvhich vvas betrayed for vs, to be giuen vs to be eaten. &c. The practise of their Church agréeth with that doctrine. For by the Cautele of their Masse, the priest must haue his thought whol­lye bente to doe that in the person of Christe, which Christ in his institution did. And al the pith of that pa­geant, lieth vpon this worde Meum. Which of force must be to consecrate that body which he, at his insti­tution had.

Newe Sacramentaries.

Folio. 69. AGainst the which: Doctor Har­ding in his late worke is. As also Gar­dener is (though he spake the same) in another place, against the same in these wordes. We receyue not in the Sacra­ment Christes flesh that vvas crucified, [Page 54] being so a visible, & mortal flesh: but Christs flesh glo­rified, incorruptible, impassible, a godly and spirituall flesh. Wherout it appeareth, that whilest D. Gardener (& Harding) would haue an other flesh, than that which was crucified to be in the sacrament, that they varie from the first opinion and practise of their church. And in that, that M. Gardener will not haue: that fleshe vvhich vvas crucified, being so a visible flesh in the sa­crament, & yet would haue very flesh therein, it is eui­dent y^t besides that he falleth frō the elder Popists: he is an hererique, in y^e nature of Christs body in heauen: bicause he maketh it an inuisible body, which can not be accident to our substaunce, though it shall be, (as in him, it already is) glorified. But thus muche briefely, remitting thee for the rest, to the plée of the reuerende father the B. Sarum and D. Harding.

Quantitiners.

GArdener sayeth: vvhen vve speake of Christes body in the sacrament, Lib. 3. folio. 76. vve must vnderstande a true bodye, vvhich hath both forme and quantitie. And therfore such as cōfesse the true Catholique faith, they affirme of Christes body al truth of a natural bo­dy &c. And afterwarde he sayeth. So as if Christ be present in the sacrament, vvithout al forme and quā ­titie, then is he there neyther as God nor man. Against which doctrine of quantitie & forme of Christes body in the sacrament, al their doctors are. Among other Biel writing thus, alleageth.Lib. 4. dist. 11. q. 1. Et dico notanter corpus tale non tantum, quia non est in sacramento quantum: cū [Page] ibi non sit extensum nec circūscriptiuè: vt priori dist. tactum. &c. And I speake notingly or effectually in this saying: A body of suche qualitie and not michel­tie: bicause that in the sacrament, there is no michel­tie or quantitie. When as therin is not any largenesse of bodye or compasse for the limmes. Also D. Smith who in that field fought as he thought for M. Gardener in that quarrel of the sacramēt, is against him in this point of quantitie and forme.Fol. 106.

Fashioners.

THe elder Popistes say, that Christ is not in the Sacrament according to dimension: that is laying out of hys limmes, or placing and ordering of the same: as Aquinas testifieth thus. Dic­tum est autem, quod corpꝰ Christi comparatur ad hoc sacramentum, non ratione quantitatis dimensiuae, sed ratione suae substantiae. Part. 3. q. 76. ar. 3. Ad. 3. obiect. It is sayd before, that the body of Christ is compared to this sacrament, not according to the measure or parting out of the parts of the same, but according to the reason of the substance. And ther­fore Smith sayeth: that the bodye of Christ is thus in the Sacrament in substaunce sacramentallie. So that the hande is in the substaunce,In his asserti­on & defence canon. 44. Fol. 55. the head is in the sub­stance, and so likewise of the rest of the members. And that they be not distinct and in déede locallie placed the one from the other, but be so confounded in the Sacra­ment, that wheresoeuer the one is, there is the other. The contrarie therto Maister D. Gardener teacheth in the .3. booke thus.Fol. 69.70. The partes of the vvhich (talking of [Page 55] the bodye) be in themselues distinct one from ano­ther. And bicause it else shoulde be (as he gesseth) a monstrous body. He therfore concludeth that it is mea­sured out according to the quantitie and placing of his members and limmes.

Bread Spoylers.

BE those, that say that the words of consecratiō spoken, there remayneth no part of bread nor of wyne: but that which is eaten, is flesh and bloud. Im­possibile est (saith Aquinas) post conse­crationē remanere in sacramento, cum Christi corpore, substantiam panis et vini. Part. 3. q. 75. ar. 2. It is impos­sible there should rest in the sacrament after the conse­cration therof, the substance of bread & wine, with the body of Christ. Against the which, Caietanus the Car­dinall, finding himself agréeued with the diuines,To. 2. tract. 2. c. 3. sayth thus. Hoc caput falsissimum est, quod Theologi di­cunt, corpus Christi corporaliter & praeceptibiliter su­mi: quoniam & spiritualiter et non praecipiendo (siue sensu siue intellectu) sed credēdo, corpus Christi sumi­tur in Eucharistia, sacramentales autem species corpo­raliter et perceptibiliter sumuntur. That is a moste false doctrine which the diuines teach: namely that the body of Christ is corporallie and sensible receyued in the sacrament: for that, that spirituallie and not sen­sibly (eyther to sense or vnderstanding) the bodye of Christ is in the sacrament receiued by only beléeuing: but it is the sacramentall kindes of bread and wyne, that are receyued, both sensiblie and corporallie.

Accident rotters.

Parte. 3. q. 77. art. 5. VErie variable and contrary is the doctrine of the Popistes vpon this question, whereof the moulding, rot­ting, wormes & ashes of their burned hostes come. Aquinas confuteth .iij. opinions. The firste is of those that say, that the wormes come onely of the ayre rounde a­bout. The .ij. of those that say, that the olde substaunce of bread and wyne before by the wordes of consecrati­on affrighted and frayed away, retourne and corrupt. The .iij. (which he counteth somwhat probable) that it commeth of a new matter and substance of bread and wyne created by God for the purpose. Of this laste iudgemēt is D. Smith saying thus.Folio. 64.105. I say that the con­secrated vvyne turneth not into vinegar, nor the con­secrated bread, mouldeth not, engēdreth vvormes, nor is burned, nor receyueth into it any poyson, as long as Christs body and bloud are vnder the formes of them: vvhich do abide there so long, as the naturall qualities and properties of bread and vvine tarry there in their naturall disposition and condicion, that the bread and vvine might be naturally there (if they had not bene chaunged into Christes body and bloud) And also as long as the hoste and consecrated vvyne, are apte to be receyued of man and no longer: but goe and departe thence by Gods povver as it pleaseth him. And then a nevv substaunce is made of God, vvich turneth into vineger, engendreth vvormes, and mouldeth, is bur­ned, feedeth men and mice, receyueth poyson. &c. Re­tourne [Page 56] we now to Aquinas:Ibidem. who at the last addeth his iudgement, which is the straunger, bicause the ange­licall doctor teacheth it. It is, that they engender not in the sacrament after any of the afore sayde sortes: but looke vvhat could be engendred of the foresayde sub­staunces before consecration, the same (sayth he) after­vvard is by miracle engendred of quantitate dimensi­ua panis & vini (that is,) of the firste disposition of the matter of bread and wyne.

Marcus Antonius sayth, that the accidents brede the same. Postremo si omnes excutias panis partes, pro­prietates omnes, nihil proprietatis decessisse comperi­es, sed manere in accidentibus. Appellatur panis, ma­net effigies quae erat, manet pondus, color durat, gustus est idem qui fuerat, denique corrūpuntur. Last of all if thou wilt search in euery part of the breade, & all the properties therof, thou shalt finde that all properties therof are abiding in the accidents. It is called bread, the shape which before it hadde, remayneth, it holdeth waight, it kepeth color and yeldeth the olde tast, finally it rotteth.Fol. 300. & 400. &c. And the same Marcus Antonius (I should say) M. Gardener in his boke, is of the same opinion also in these wordes. And shortly to ansvvere this au­thor, it is not sayde in the doctrine of transubstantia­tion, that there remayneth nothing: for in the visible forme of bread, remayneth the proper obiecte of euery sense truely, that is sene vvith the bodily eye, is truely sene, that is felt is truly felt, that is sauored is truely sa­uored, & those things corrupt, putrifie, nourish, & con­sume after the truth of the former nature. The diuer­sitie of the opinions of Smith & Gardener, being both of one age, and sworn brethren in this field against the reuerend father Cranmer, ariseth of this: that D. Gar­dener [Page] leaneth toward S. Thomas, Lib. 4. dist. 12. q. 1. and D. Smith to Bi­ell a sententiarie, and are thus by reason of their di­uers teachers, diuers.

Estians.

THis poore worde (Est) is diuers wayes canuassed, shaken and taken a­mong thē: for Marcus Antonius taketh it substātiuely,Fol. 171. for (Is): after the simple maner of the worde it selfe. Sexta con­sideratiō est leuis: nam catholici simplicitatem sermo­nis sequuntur, vt sit omnino quod Christus esse dicit, qui quum de vna substantia pronūciat, illam esse cor­pus suum verbis Christi inhaerentes: illam catholici, vnam esse profitentur, & quam Christus declarat, vi­delicet corporis sui. &c. The sixt cōsideration is of no waight. For the Cathoilques followe the playnenesse of the wordes, taking wholly it to be the same, that Christ hath sayde it is. Who sith he hath spoken the wordes of one onelye substaunce, and that it is his bo­dy, they professe it is one substaunce, and the same that Christe spake of (to wéete) his bodye. In this saying of Marcus Antonius, thou mayest sée (is) onely taken for it selfe as it soundeth. But D. Gardener, that Pro­teus sayth,Lib. 2. fol. 333. that (is) is taken for made: Which speach, breade is the bodye of Christ, is as much to say, as is made the body of Christ &c.

Vncertaine demonstratours.

[Page 57] NO lesse contrary are those Po­pistes,Fol. 24. b. and repugnante in the demon­stration that this word (Hoc) meaneth: for Antonius saith thus. Hoc est corpus, substantiam significare corporis, nec de pane cui nihil erat simile quicquid in­telligi. &c. This saying this is my body, doth signifie the substance of the body, neyther is it al vnderstan­ded of the breade, with the which the body hath no re­semblance. And so likewise M. Gardener sayth.Fol. 102. When Christ sayde (this is my body) there is no necessitie that the demonstration (this) should be referred to the out­vvard visible matter, but may be referred to the inui­sible substance. And the like he hath in another place.Fol. 284. Fol. 27. & 70. But M. Gardener in the Diuels sophistrie hath for­gotten this doctrine, and the wise mans counsel: Men­dacem memorem esse oportuit. It behoueth a lyer to haue good remembraunce: for there he sayth. Christ spake plainely (this is my body) making demonstrati­on of the breade, vvhen he sayde this is my body. Fol. 53. But as M. Gardener is against himselfe, so is M. D. Smith against him in the same point.

Metamorphistes.

THe common opinion of the elder Popistes is, that the body of Christ in the sacrament is made of bread:Fol. 29. with the which M. D. Gardener in many pla­ces, agréeth, saying: the Catholique Church acknovvledging Christ to be verye God and verye man, hath from the beginning vpon these textes [Page] of scripture, confessed trulie Christes intent and effec­tuall miraculous vvorke to make the bread his body and the vvyne his bloude. Fol. 165. &c. And againe he sayth, those many hostes, after consecration, be not many bo­dyes of Christ, but of many breads one body of Christ. (Also) for he gaue that he had consecrated, Fol. 333. and gaue that he had made of bread. Furthermore shevveth me that of bread is the body of Christ. And that of breade is made the body of Christ. But M. Gardener that séeketh to contrary the truth, contrarieth himself, agreing with both alike,Fol. 228. thus. And Christ maketh not himselfe of the matter of the bread, nor maketh him­self so oft of bread, Fol. 89. a nevv body. &c. Againe, in vvhich misterie it vvas neuer taught (as this author vvillingly misreporteth) that Christs most precious body is made of the matter of bread, but in that order exhibited, and made present vnto vs. Part. 3. q. 75. And in this latter opinion he is become a Thomist: secretly graunting that, which openly and playnely they would not. So playing wi­ly beguily, he beguileth himselfe.

Iudaistes.

SAinct Thomas saith, that euil per­sons and the reprobate, eate the verie body and drinke y^e very bloud of Christ in the sacrament.Part. 3. q. 80. art. 3. Non modo iusti, sed peccatores, Christi corpus sacramenta­liter suscipere valent. So that Iudas thereby recey­ued the body and bloud of Christ.Ibi. 81. art. 2. So likewise D. Gar­dener S. Thomas scholer, as his maister taught, so say­eth. For the learned man vvill ansvvere, that an euill [Page 58] man by force of Gods ordinaunce, in the substance of the sacrament, receyued in deede Christes verie bodye there present, vvhole Christ God and man. But hea­ring Hilarie, Augustine and other fathers,Super Mathe. sermone de Sacramento fidel. Feria se­cunda Pasch. pleading hard matter of nullitie against this mariage, better aduised, doth in another place remember himselfe on this wise. But as vve receyue him in the sacrament of his flesh and bloude (if vve receyue him vvorthylie) so dvvelleth he in vs naturally. &c. Wherin it is plaine, he meaneth that the vnworthy receiuer receyueth him not. But D. Smith solde to sinne, reclaimeth not him­selfe, running forward out of the way, leapeth ouer hedge and ditch, neuer staying to consider the wayes that he hath trode, sayth:Fol. 136. that the vnrepentant sinner hath Christes body (yea) and spirite in him.

Mice feeders.

IF the doctrine of the Canno­nistes shoulde be true, the Mice in our dayes might be happy: and specially the Church Mice. For some of them waying that euill men receyue Christ in the Sacramente, fleshe, bloude and bones: and that by the consecration, he is to the sub­stance of bread. &c. so tied, that he may not (who would not else dwell with Beliall nor abide with sinners) a­starte, but muste be touched of them and remaine with them, do conclude that a Mouse, Ratte. Glos. super. c. Qui bene non custodiūt. De Consec. dist. 2. &c. may eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of Christ in the sa­crament, being holyer and purer than the wicked are. F. Perin is of this opinion, in his boke, and asketh with [Page] the Canonistes what inconuenience can come there­of. And S. Thomas is also on that part. Here D. Gar­dener, Fol. 75. yet awakened by the last iobbe that Augustine gaue, stādeth for the truth, saying: that no creature can eate the body and bloud of Christ but onely man.

While Tariers.

Fol. 64.65. DOctor Smith sayth that Christ fli­eth vp into Heauen so sone as the bread is chavved in the mouth or chaunged in stomack. But D. Gardener forsaketh here the Popistes in the plaine fielde, both D. Smith his sworne brother, say­ing,Fol. 59. there vvas neuer man of learning, that I haue read termed the matter so, that Christ goeth into the sto­make of the man that receyueth, All papistes fooles quoth winchester. and no further. For that vvhich is vvritten cōtra Stercoranistas, is nothing to this teaching, nor the speache of any glose if there be any such, vvere herein to be regarded. And in di­uers other places of the same worke against M. Cran­mer, appeareth: which thou shalt finde (gentle reader) in M. Cranmers boke. Fol. 60.64.65.

Deuotion satisfactours.

SAint Th. sayth, that the Masse is a satisfactorie Sacrifice, by the deuotion of the priest and offerer,Part. 3. q. 79. ar. 5. fit satisfactoria illis pro quibus offertur, vel etiam offe­rentibus, secundum quātitatem suae de­uotionis. [Page 59] And before that. Sed in satisfactione magis attenditur affectus offerentis, quam quantitas oblati­onis. That is: the sacrament is satisfactorie for those, for whome it is offered, or also for the offerer, according to the quantitie of the offerers deuotion. For in satis­faction regard is rather had to the affection of the of­ferer, than to the quantity of the oblation. D. Gardener sayth agaynst it,Fol. 92. M. Cranmer burdening the Popists with the same. Which maner of doctrine I neuer read, and I thinke my selfe it ought to be improued, if any such there be, to make the deuotion of the Priest a sa­tisfaction.

Satisfactories Reall.

DOctor Smith sayth, the sacrifice of the Masse, is the sacrifice that appea­seth Gods wrath,Fol. 24.148.164. and is our satisfaction and reconciliation. Priestes do offer for our saluation to gette heauen and to a­uoyd hell. What is to offer Christs body and bloud at Masse? to purchas thereby euerlasting life, if it be not the Masse to be a sacrifice, to pacifie Gods vvrath for sinne, and to obtayne his mercy. Fol. 4.37. This also M. Garde­ner confuteth on this wise. The onely immolation of Christ in himselfe on the Altare of the Crosse, is the very satisfactorie sacrifice for reconciliation of man­kinde to the fauour of God. And I haue not read the daylie sacrifice of Christes moste precious bodie to be called a Sacrifice satisfactorie. But this speach hath bene vsed in dede, that the priest should sing satisfac­torie, vvhich they vnderstode in the satisfaction of the Priestes duetie. &c.

Reiterators.

Fol. 431. DOctor Gardener sayth: that Christes Sacrifice by him done on the Crosse is reiterated. And then vve must beleue the very presence of Christs body & bloud on Gods bords, and that Priests do their sa­crifice, and be therefore called and named sacrificers. Fol. 436. Agayne. The Catholique doctrine teacheth the dayly Sacrifice to be the same in the es­sence that vvas offred on the Crosse once.

But this variable man is agaynste him selfe for the truth in another place thus. This is agreed and by the Scripture plainely taughte, that the oblation and Sacrifice of our Sauiour Christ, vvas and is a perfecte vvorke, once consummate in perfection, vvithout ne­cessitie of reiteration, as it vvas neuer taught to be rei­terated, but a meere blaspheming to presuppose.

Propitiators.

THese arise of D. Gardener, who a­gréeth with S. Thomas, That the Sa­crament is a Propitiatorie Sacrifice, thus.Folio. 437. The acte of the Priest done accor­ding to Gods commaundement, must needes be Propitiatorie, and prouoke Gods fauour, & ought to be trusted on. &c. The confuter whereof is the same D. Gardener in these wordes:Fol. 92. For vndoub­tedly Christ is our satisfaction vvholly and fully, vvho hath payed our vvhole debt to God the father, for the appeasing of his iust vvrath.

Venialistes.

ARe they that teach that this sa­crament doth purge veniall sinnes on­lie:Dist. 32. c Prae­ter hoc. Parag Ad hoc. as Barth. Brix. the glosser of the De­crées sayth. And Pope Pascasius in the same Chapter the which Iodd. Fan. and Archydiacon therevpon sayth: Venialia tantū, venial sinnes alone.Fol. 432. And Cardinalis Alexandrinus sayth also so, with D. Gardener.

Mortalistes.

BE those, that say it taketh away mortal sinnes also.Part. 3. q. 79. art. 3.4. Of which sect S. Tho­mas is. Et sic hoc sacramentum habet vir­tutem remittendi quaecūque peccata. &c. And so this Sacramente hath force and strenght to make strayght and blotte out all kinde of sinnes.

Breadworshippers.

DOctor Smith sayth, that the figure of the bread and wine is to be worshipped,Fol. 145. b. D. Garde­ner sayth: Adore it, vvorship it, there is not to be sayd of the figure: so likewise Marcus Antonius. Fol. 202.272. Fol. 176.

Iacobites.

THe Heresie of the Iacobites dyd spring aboute the time of the raygne of Heracletus the Emperour. And as Ni­cephorus writeth,Nicepho. li. 18. c. vlt. Ibi. c. 5.2. neere vpon the yeare of our Lord Gods incarnation .625. of one Iacob a Syrian borne, an obscure person and of no fame, who for the same his vnlenesse was called Zanzalus. Ib. c. eod. This man comprised a secte out of the former heresies, which is as it were the sinke of all the filthynesse of the former ages. And ha­uing made a medley of the errors of Arrius and Apo­linaris doctrine, as touching the humanitie and natu­res of Iesus Christ our blessed Sauior, did also in out­warde ceremonies and adiaphorois expresse the same. For alwayes the behauiour of any sect is to be fashio­ned outwardly according to the inwarde doctrine: for else were the fashion monstrous, and not naturall. Therfore vsed they alwayes by their Church rites, to preach the same effect of Christes humanitie and na­tures.Their doctrin And the lyuelyer to expresse that Christ recey­ned not our nature, a perfect soule and perfect body of Abrahams seede, they vsed in the time of the admini­stration of the holy communion, the mysteries of the same very flesh and very bloud of Iesus Christ, not to deliuer common breade leauened to the Communi­cants, least they should seme with y^e catholique church by the vse of the common breade leauened, to con­fesse that Christ receyued, and they in those mysteries deliuered, a common body of our common nature, lea­uened as sayth Nicephorus: Lib. 18. c. 53. Iidem ipsi re diuina fa­ciendo [Page 61] azymo non pane vtuntur. Lib. 18. c. 53. &c. And straight vp­on it he sayth, Vnam ea re in Christo naturam desig­nantes: that is. The same Iacobites in their ministra­tion vse paast (or starch) not breade, therein declaring one only nature in Christ. What rite and ceremonie the Popistes accustome in this matter, it is euidente, and so manifest, that I nede not to remember y^e same, but rather iust occasiō to lament that euer we learned such a lesson of such teachers But happly they wil say that they teach no such doctrine as the Iacobites dyd: which is as much to say, as they can not tell, or remē ­ber not what they teach. Be thou mindefull (gentle Reader) of the doctrine which D. Gardener the newe Sacramentarie teacheth. Gardener sayth. They gyue in the Sacrament the flesh of Christ, but such flesh, as is of a God: and a spiritual flesh and inuisible, he sayth Christ hath in heauē, which inuisibilitie is not proper to our substance, nor to Christ in our substaunce if he hath the same. And vndoubtedly when he ascended, he caried a visible body: and vnlesse he lefte it in the clou­des, he entred his fathers mansion therein, and ther­in aduocateth for vs: exercising as our priest that part of his Liturgie. And also the immortalitie of our sub­stance and the glory of the same, wherby it is in Christ already made spiritual: taketh not away the substance of the same, nor the visibilitie of the same. But Christ at his appearing shall be visible, as it is sayd.Apoc. 1.6. Ecce ve­nit in nubibus & videbit eum omnis oculus, & qui eū pupugerunt: beholde he commeth in the cloudes, & al eyes shall sée him, & so shal they that haue pricked him. Yet if it so were that Christ had a body in heauē, of an inuisible substance: is not for all that, our fayth, and our hope better stirred vp by remembring in the com­mon [Page] bread his common body, once receiued of vs, and nowe made a glorified body: than by a wafer and sin­ging sop an other body? If a man should bring a pore Hinde of the countrey, a boxe of wafers at his cōming from y^e plough to cromme his potage with, he would thinke his body as little strengthened by such mocke-bread, as we may thinke our soules edified by y^e same.

Psallianes.

Haer. 57. THose Heretiques which Augus­tine ad quod vult Deum, calleth by the same name of Psallians (which is a Si­riacke worde) he sayth, may also be cal­led (Euchitai) that is, beades men: or as we may say,Lib 3. to 2. Haer. 80. liplabourers, for much praying, or ra­ther pratteling sake. Epiphanius counteth them Mes­salians, and writeth of them and their sects vnder that name.Lib. 4. c. 11. They did rise as Theodorete writeth (differing therein from Epiphanius) in the time of the raigne of Valent. the Emperor: & about the yeare of our Lord 367. The captaines of which sect was Dadoes, Sabas, Adolphius, and others. Whose guise and behauiours though it séeme at the first shewe holy, yet it is an he­resie, as Augustine noteth, thus.

Tantum. n. orant, vt eis qui hoc de illis audiunt incredibile videatur. Nam cum Dominus dixerit, o­portet semper orare & non deficere. Et Apostolus, si­ne intermissione orate, quod sanissime sic accipitur vt nullo die intermittantur certa tempora orandi. Isti ita hoc faciunt nimis, vt hinc iudicentur inter Haereticos nominandi. Dicuntur Euchitae opinari Monachis non [Page 62] licere manibus sustentandae vitae causa laborare: atque ita se ipsos Monachos profitentur, vt tum ab operibus vacent: The Psallians vse so muche to pray, that it may séeme incredible to the hearer. For where as our Sauiour sayth, that we ought to pray continuallie, & not to ceasse. And the Apostle sayth, pray without in­termission, which surely is to be vnderstanded, that no day shoulde passe without some exercise of prayer: these men doe accustome, to ouer pray so muche, that therby they are accompted in the beade roll of Hereti­ques. And it is also sayde, that they iudge it not to be lawefull for Monkes to laboure for their liuing: and therefore many of them professe themselues Monkes for easie liues sake.

In these words thou mayst (gentle Reader) apper­ceyue, that men abstayning from the affayres of thys life, and honest trades, eyther by colour of sole prayer, or also for that cause, be Heretique Psallians, and not Monkes. And their assemblies, factions of such Here­tiques, and not Colleges of Christians. Of the which sort the Popes Church hath many, thronging out of y^e foure chiefest Regular, irregular professions.Volat. 21. One is S. Basile, the other S. Augustine (with lie & al) the third S. Frauncis, the fourth S. Benedicte. Of whom (in dede) commeth the first ruled orders or vowed life & scismes of these sects, which ben many. In the entreatie wher­of I wil procede thus. First declaring certaine of their orders for men. Secōdly for womē. Thirdly the diuers concorde of their ordered discorde among themselues, wherein sith breuitie will not suffer me to be curious, I doubt not but thy gentlenesse will discharge my cre­dite therein.

Benedictines. Anno. Domini. 530.

Volat. ibid. Polydo. de In. Lib. 7. c. 2. COme of Benedictus Nursinus, Ab­bot of the Monkerie of Cassinenss. who with his sister Scholastica, first inuented this heresie of regular life, when as the Mōks afore time hitherto, serued Christ without any such bondage of vowe and rule, as after followed. The extent of the reuenewes of Benedictes Abbey aforesayde, amounted to the yearely summe of 40000. That is reco­ning euery Flor. but at. 4. sbil. 8000. poū des the yeare. Florences. Their wéede is in these latter dayes a shauen Pate, a blacke Cowle, and vnder it a white Gowne: they weare bootes: and their Abbots haue a Byshops Crosier caried before them. In whose rule a­mongst other things is contayned, That he vvhich doth not kepe the rule, and is bounde thereto, muste knovve that he is damned of God. Metr. Krantz. Lib. 8. c. 4.

Cluniacke order. Anno. 920.

THis rose about that season vn­der Pope Iohn the tenth, in the coun­tie of Burgundie (some say of one Od­do) other some of one Berno Gallicus, and are partly conformed to the order of Benedictus. Volat. ibid. Sabel. Aene. 9. Lib. 1. For yet & a good while after they knewe no other. Of later time they weare a garment of Oxes haire, and a long Scaplar.

Humiliators order. Anno. 1017.

[Page 63] ABout this time Henry the Em­perour, the thirde of that name,Volat. Lib. 21. bani­shed diuers Mediolaners: and of them rose this sect. In the time of Pope Be­nedict the eyght,He vsed to ride in his life time. who as Platina sayth was séene to ryde vpon a blacke horse, after his death about the place where his treasure was hid. Pope Innocent the third and diuers other Popes, approued this order, and graunted it their protection.

Camaldulensium order. Anno. 1030.

THen one Romualdus Rauenatus, Polydo. de I [...]. Lib. 7. c. 2. Sabelli. En. 9. Lib. 2. beganne the same order, which hath a certayne affinitie with the Benedicti­nes ▪ And wheras before time the Mon­kes vsed their coates & cowles of what colour they them selues listed.Volat. li. 21. This Heresiarch appoynted his seruauntes and fellowes, a white Cowle (and none otherwise) to weare.

Vallis Vmbrosian order. Anno. 1060.

ABout this time one Iohn Gualbertus a Florentine began this sect,Volat. 22. Polydo de Ins. Lib. 7. c. 2. which hath hys cer­tayne agrement with the Benedictes. Gregory the seauenth in his time allowed the same.

Chanons Regularie Anno 1070.

ABout this time one Abbot Arnulphus, began that order in the dayes (as some recken) of Pope Alexander the seconde, a victorious [Page] Champion,Polydo de In. Lib. 7. c. 3. who ouercame Cadolus Byshop of Par­menion (chosen Pope as his better) in the plaine field. Their wéede is a Sarplar of blacke, tied vnder their arme.Metrop. Lib. 7. c. 50. They are as it were the Bollimon of Monkes and Priestes, or as Krantz calleth them, Regularum irregulatio, the misserule of Rules.

Grandimontenss. order. Anno. 1080.

Volat. Lib. 21. Polydo. de In. Lib. 7. c. 2. ABoute that time one Stephanus Gallus, who vsed to weare nexte hys bare body, vnder a black cowle, an ha­bergeon, did excogitate this sect out of the Benedictines. That crafty Monke Gregorie the seauenth, after the accōpt of some writers, being Pope, and Scholler as they say, in Necromancie.

Carthusian order. Anno. 1095.

Pla. Aemil. 5. Pol. Lib. 7. c. 3. Krantz Me­trop. lib. 5. c. 19 &. 25. CAme of one Bruno a Coloner, who toke occasion of a certaine Doctor (that being dead, & his Corps in the Church abyding the obsequies, cried out, I am damned by the iust iudgement of God) to deuise the same out of the Benedicts. These eate onely fysh, and no fleshe, and vowe silence by rule.

Cistertiene order. Anno. 198.

[Page 64] ONe Ardinus or as Polydor sayth,Polydo. de In. Lib. 7. c. 2. Krantz, Lib. 5 c. 19. Arding an English man, and Robert Molismensis began this order of Mon­kes as Volateranus & Sigebertus say, Paschalis secundus then being Pope: at whose death the Euening or shut­ting in of the night, sodaynly became so bright for an houres space together, as that the Moone which then was at the full, was altogether vnapperceyued. They weare redde shoes, a shirt ouer their gowne, and their Abbots a Crosier.

Bernhardes order. Anno 1113.

THis order S. Bernhard they say began, and framed that secte out of the dysorder of the Cistertiens. They weare a black Cowle.In vita Bern­hards. This order went so wel forwarde, that in his life time there were .160, houses thereof.

Duytch Lordes.

ABout the foresayd time,Polyd. li. 7. c. 5 began the order of the Teuthoniks, common­ly called Duytch Lordes. For they are for the moste parte Gentlemen borne, whom in this place I remember, that in them thou mightst call to minde the warrelike rowte of religious Ruffians. They weare a white mantell, & a blacke Crosse vpon it. It is law­full for them to haue a beard. The founder therof was one Gaufredus de Aldemaro. Volat. Lib. 22. Tyr. Li. 12. c. 7. This was done in the dayes of Innocentius the seconde, who bycause at hys [Page] own lust and pleasure he vsed to alter the estate of the Churches in Syria, Tyr. Li. 14. c. 4 stirred vp great contention and scismes among the byshops there.

Premonstratenss. order. Anno. 1140.

Volat. Pol. Lib. 7. c. 3. THe authour thereof was one Nobertus Lotharing, Byshop of Laudane, who ordeyned them white Chanons to weare a white cowle. They are called Chanons Regulars exempted.

Wilhelmites. Anno. 1170.

Sabelii. En. 9. Volat. Lib. 21. THese be a kinde of Heremites raysed vp by one good Iohn of Mātua. Their wede is black. Some appoynt it to one Guilihelm. by­shop of Aquitane.

Carmelites or white Friers. Anno. 1175.

Polido. de. In. Lib. 7. c. 3. THe white Friers firste began a­bout this time in Syria. They fayne thē ­selues to be folowers of Helias in Car­mell Mount. They vse a blacke weede, and a white Mantle or Cope. These two sectes began in the dayes of Alexander the thirde, of whose goodnesse (in part) I entreated before.

Crosse Friers. Anno. 1197.

Volat.THis order called Cruciferers, that is to say Crosse cariers, beganne in Italie, the same time [Page 65] they trauayled barefooted and bareheaded, they lod­ged on the earth, and were girded with hempe. This was in the dayes of Pope Celestinus the thirde.

Barefoote Friers. Anno. 1205.

SAinct Frauncis the Frier of Asininas, Volat. 21. libre the sonne of one Peter Barnardine, did de­uise this order and sect of religion, called Gray Friers, Begging Friers, Too many na­mes for true men. Sa. En. 9. li. 9. Barefoote Fri­ers, Minors or Franciscanes: preaching in a Cowle, of whome before I mencioned. The colour wherof was Millers Graye: on their heades was shauen a large crowne. Their Girdle must be full of Knottes. They goe a limlyfting in the countrey for their lyuing. &c. Innocentius the thirde (in whose dayes they arose) ap­proued them. This same Innocentius is he,In Phil. of whome Abbas Vspergens. sayth that he vsed to say thus: Ey­ther the Pope must take from Philip his Crovvne, or Philip from the Pope, his Apostolique Miter, Keyes, and svvorde. And therfore crieth out agaynst Rome:Pol. de In. li. 6 c. 14. Thou hast that thou long thristedst for O Rome, soūd thy triumph, for thou hast ouercome the world by wic­kednesse not by religion. This swarme excéeded the number of .60000. in the dayes of Sabellicus.

Trinitie order. Anno. 1214.

VNder the same Pope thys order began by one Iohn Matta & Felice an An­cherite. Their apparell and wéede is white,Volat. Pol. de. In. li. 7 c. 21. a crosse on their breast half red, halfe blewe.

Dominicke or blacke Friers. Anno. 1225.

THis order was deuised of one Dominicus, Polydo. de In. Lib. 7. c. 4. & therfore are called Domi­nicks, preaching or lying Friers, blacke Friers, begging Friers. They weare a black cowle. By the meanes of certaine of this broode, Henry the Emperor was poysoned in y^e cuntrey of Berna. Pope Gregorie .ix. helde the chaire of Rome whē as they sprang. This Gregorie is he that compiled the fiue bokes of Decretall Epistles. This Pope promised life euerlasting to as many of the Emperour Fredericks subiectes,Plat. Aen. 9. Li. 6. Volat. 21. as would fight agaynste their Lord. Sabellicus declareth that in his time there were .4143. houses of his broode. This thing shoulde séeme true, as wel bycause of the credite of the author, as otherwise: and especially bycause that Helias, Io­annes and Albertus did by battayle striue who should be successor to S. Dominicke in his Abbey: which they would neuer haue done, vnlesse that their kingdome were already big and rich, yea and was likelier to be larger and richer.

Bonne Hōmes.

Polydo. de In. Lib. 7. c. 4. THis sect first began here in England, at a towne called Ashering, in the raygne of King Richarde of Cornevvall, whose sonne built the Monasterie. They vse girt cowles and blewe hoodes.

Sabelli. En. 9. Lib. 7. Polido. de. In. Lib. 7. c. 4.Ladyes order. Anno. 1280.

ONe Tudent of Florence began this order, Their apparell is blacke.

Celestine order.

THis secte arose of one Celestinus Eserimnensis, who was the fift Pope of that name He beganne the same or­der after his consecration. And after the sixte moneth of his enthronization retourned thither agayne. But by the craft of Boniface his successor; otherwise called Caie­tanus, who hiering false harlots in the night times to speake thorow trunks to him as by oracles, persuaded him to returne for his soules health to the Heremites life. Whervpon he resigned his Popedome.Plati. in vita Celest. Notwith­standing, he was deceiued of his purpose: for his sayd successor by treacherie, caused him to be shutte vp as prisoner, in the castle called Fumonis, where the siely soule ended his life miserably. This Caietane is that glorious Monarch and Pope, who one solempne day apparelled in his Pontificalibus, played the parte ap­pertayning to his office, & blessed the people with the Apostolique blessing. And on an other adourned in the Emperours robes, had as appertayneth vnto the Emperour a naked sworde caried before him: and sit­ting cryed aloude, beholde here two swordes. But af­terward by Gods iust iudgement, this ambitious and couetous man (if it be lawefull to call him man) dyed miserablie in the prison,Plat. vnder captiuitie of the faction of the Gibellines.

Iesuites order. Anno. 1367.

THis order then began of Iohn Colombi­nus & of Frauncis Vincentius of Sennens. who instituted their followers to gette their liuingVolat. Sabel. Polydo. de. In. Lib. 7. c. 4. [Page] with their trauayle and sweate,Vol. Sab. Pol. de. In. li. 7. c. 4. gathering this broode but here and there, from house to house, arayed in cō ­mon, and not speciall attire. But when Vrban then Pope, sawe them differ so muche from other Monkes, both in vow, profession and holy labouring life, he cal­led them to Rome, not so muche approuing them, as corrupting them. For then he prescribed them a white Cowle, a square hoode hanging downe to their shoul­der, and are girt with a girdle of a Pissel, wearing on their bare féete wodden pattens, and that they should weare a cloake made of fine woll of Canusium. They were at the beginning called Apostoliques, and not in holy orders,Apostoliques vt supra. but gaue themselues onely to prayer.

S. Saluieurs. Anno. 1415.

Volat. Blondus. Plat. THis secte began vnder Pope Iohn the xxiij. of that name: a man more fitte for the warre and fielde, than for the Church. Their coates and scaplers are white, and haue on their vp­permost garment a speare.

Montoliuetes order. Anno. 1420.

Pol. de. In. li. 7 c. 2. ABout that time one Bernard Ptolomeus broched this order, cladde in a white wéede: the same was afterwarde approued by Pope Gre­gorie the twelfth.

Minimorum order. Anno. 1455.

[Page 67] FRanciscus Siculus began this or­der in Fraunce:Volat. & considering that old Frier Frauncis did call his Minors, that is, the lesser of al orders: thinking to shewe a countenance, as humble as his, he calleth this secte Minimorum, which is to say, lesser than the least of al orders:Pol de. In. li. 7. c. 5. which in effect is no order. These men vowe (beside Mysoga­mian) not to eate flesh, but to liue with rawe fruites, and not dressed meate. I doubt not Christian reader, but these sectes of the Popes Psallians rehearsed, are sufficient to cause thée to iudge and determine of the rest. For I haue mentioned these onely, because they séeme the chiefest and purest: whereof the aduersarie may best affie himselfe, and bragge of the deuisers thereof. Not bycause there is no more, or that the rest are not the horribler: or such as the parties themselues lothe to think on. Therfore I omit ouermuch to trou­ble thy eares, or moue tediousnesse by rehearsing. The Disciplinals.

• The shadovved vayle.
• Hierusalem brethren.
• Chrovvched Friers.
• The order of the vayle of Iosaphat.
• The Heremite Friers.
• The reformed Carmelits.
• The Sclauonites.
• Saint Anthonies order.
• The Sheere brethren.
• The order of the Svvor­ders.
• The order of Starred Monkes.
• The order of Starred Friers.
  A Rowte of Religions.
• The order of double Crosse brethren.
• The order of Constanti­nopolitanes.
• The Gregorians.
• The order of Wenclaus.
• Nolharts brethren.
• Saint Sophies order.
• [Page] S. Iames vvith the svvord.
• S. Iames vvith the shell.
• S. Helenes brethren.
• S. Mary Magdalene.
• S. Hierome Heremites.
• S. Ambrose Lordes.
• The order of font Eue­rarde.
• Iosephs order.
• Sepulchre order.
• The order of the Keyes.
• The order of the Hunga­rians.
• The Specularies.
• The order of the Thebans
• The order of Sarabites.
• Recluses.
• The vayle of Cavvline.
• The Sambonites.
• The vale of Scholars.
• Paules brethrē of Galatia.
• Honofreans.
• Rufus Monkes.
• Nevve Niniuites.
• Cellites.
• The Haborites.
• Chaptre brethren.
• Begarts order.
• The Frisonarie congrega­tion.
• Reformed Iustines.
• S. Paules Heremites.
• S. Iohns Heremites.
• The holy Ghost order.
• S. Peter order.
• S. Loyes order.
• S. Victor order.
• S. Thomas order.

And diuers other moe, which being rehearsed woulde make vp the full accompte of an hundreth. But as touching their Psallians sects for women, I wil write so much as shall be also necessary for thee to gesse, as by parte, the whole, and none otherwise.

S. Scholastica Nonnes. Anno. 536.

BEnedict otherwise called Benet (of whome we haue made mention hereto­fore) had a sister called Scholastica, who learned of hir brother Benet the way & maner of hatching and brooding (among [Page 68] women) swarmes of religion. Their vayle, cloke and cowle is black: They weare also a wimple, as al the rest do.

S. Agnes. Anno. 1105.

ABoute this time one Agnes a Virgin be­gan this religion at Ierusalem.

Chanonisses.

THis order beganne and sprang of the Chanons Regular. Their Mantels are black, and their Rochets white.

Carmelitiss.

BRocardus the generall of the Car­melites, clocked togither this flocke of Hennes to his rule. Their Mantels are white, their vnderclothes blacke. Their Sainctes be Sibilla and Sibilli­na, Angela Archangela, Ioanna & Ka­therina.

Austen Systers.

THe Augustine Friers, bycause they would not clock without Hennes fayned a rule of Monica Augustines mother, and gathered a couent of wo­men, as their brethren of all sorts did. They weare a black girt Gowne, and white Kirtels. Their principall Sainctes are Helene and Clare.

Begynes of S. Frauncis.

THese be the Gray Sisters of the third order of S. Frauncis rule, that trotte from place to place to sick mennes beddes, prowling and getting howsoeuer they may in sicknesse and health, for their Couent.

S. Katherine Nonnes.

THese people are clothed in the colour of the Dominicks. They are at the solemnitie of their profession, maried w^t a ring. It first began at Senna.

Norman Systers.

BE those that were wonte to be in euery good towne, and pray for their founders soules.

Penitent Whoores.

THe authour therof was one Iohn Tes­seran a Franciscan of Paris, who assembled cō ­mon women together, and made a religion & rule of them.

Nonnes of the rosarie of our Lady.

A Dominicke Frier firste deuised this secte: and their order is to say on their beades a certaine mber of Lady Psalters: which being done they call it the Rosarie.

Of the ten vertues of our Lady.

THese Nonnes vse many coloures: their Vayles are blacke: their Kirtels are white: their [Page 69] Scaplars are red: their Mantels are gray. This secte first deuised the Chaplette, that is, to repeate. 10. Aue Maries, a certaine number of times.

S. Brigides.

THis Brigide was a noble wy­dowe of Suetia, who ordayned this secte, wherein Monkes and Nonnes dwell together. The women haue the vpper roome, and the men the neather. They haue a ginne or turning whéele in the wall, wherewith properly they may conuey the one sorte from the other.

I will of these orders for women also let passe a great number, hoping that thou (gentle reader) wilte take this for a sufficient rehearsall, seing I mind but summarily & briefly, as it were with the fingers ende, to touch the same. That thereby thou mightest sée the Popes Psallians in both kindes of men. Iudging by the practise, the doctrine. Now briefly marke the con­trarieties, and diuersities of such of them, as proceede out of the chiefest sectes: from the which though once they procéeded as out of the roote, yet they varie and are other sectes in themselues, whereby thou mayest iudge of the harmonie of their religion, séeing they are thus fallen from their founders, and disagrée in them­selues.

White Monkes & Nonnes spreading into

• Clariualenss.
• Bernardines.
• Premonstratenss.
• White Gilbertines. And such like.

[Page]Blacke Benet Monkes spreading into

• Harmonie of the Popes Regulars.
  Valisumbrensers.
• Camaldulenss. who weare white.
• Grandimontenss.
• Cluniacks.
• Montelmenss. And many others.

There is great discorde about the rule of Benet: by­cause the sectes agrée not what he hath commaunded or not. As Frier Angelus de Clauasio saith in his sum­ma Angelica, and therefore néedeth the Popes exposi­tion to appease them.

Augustine Monkes and Nonnes spreading into

• Blacke.
• Blevve.
• Russet.
• White. And many other.

The rule of this sect was chaunged by Pope Leo de Carato. Anno. 1401. Sabel.

Dominicks Monkes and Nonnes, wherof the two first sectes varie from the tertiaries. And this rule ne­deth the explication of the Pope.

Minorite Monkes and Nonnes spreading into

• Obseruancers.
• Conuentuals.
• Reformates.
• Collectans of y^e Gospel, & of the Hoode.
• Amedees.
• Tertiaries which contayne men and women together.

Saint Clares order spreading into

• Obseruantes.
• [Page 70] Reformates.
• Vrbanes.

Frier Clauasius declareth, that Pope Eugenius the fourth allowed hir rule, in the which fiue thinges are vnder payne of deadly sinne commaunded The first is Obedience to the Abbesse. The seconde is, Wilfull pouertie. The third, Abstayning from Mariage. The iiij. Election of the Abbesse. The fift, to be cloystred. &c.

Carmelites Monkes and Nonnes deuided into

• Recluses.
• Begintes.
• Conuerses.
• Donates. And so forth.

Besides Camaldulensers, Iohannites, Iesuites, Car­thusians & many other moe, whome for tediousnesse I omit to rehearse.vi. de rel. do. 4 Religionum glo. ibid. For euē the Popes their selues were ashamed of this diuersitie, Quia diuersitas religionum inducit confusionem, bycause the diuersitie of religi­ons bring confusion, as euidentely maye appeare by their sects and scismes therein. And therefore restray­ned the inuenting of any more. As Boniface the eight sayth, Gregorie the tenth in the seconde Councell hol­den at Lyons dyd. For God stirred the heartes and weakened the wits of men long before that Councell of Lyons (which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1273,) to seeke the truth. And therefore many men mused at the varietie of these. Locustes (whereof Iohn in the Apoca­lips prophecieth,Apoc. 9. In Ep. de Mo. & Sacerdote which came out of the smoke of the bottomlesse pit) as Anshelmus Auelburgensis about y^e yeare of our Lorde .1150. testifieth of his age and time. But to (returne to our purpose.) There is none of all these orders of the Regulars aboue rehearsed, but as [Page] sone as they are professed, are by and by become Eu­chites or Psallians, euen of bente vowe and purpose: both in the supersticious vse of prayer, and abstayning from working for their liuing. For euery religious person, is bound to the obseruance of Canonical hou­res (which in number are .7.) to wete, the .j. the .iij. the .vj the .ix. with Mattens, Euensong, & Complin, both in the cōmon seruice vsed after the maner of the Church of Rome, c. fin. 92. Dist. et. c. 13. de voto The discorde of cōmon ser­uice. and those of the vse of Sarum, vse of Yorke, & vse of Bāger: though these last are more stuffed with prayer to our Lady & Saints, thā that of Rome. But y^e Monks say these houres neyther after y^e vse of Rome, nor Metropolitane Church, but with certaine special Himnes, Versieles, Antiphonies & Collects of their re­ligion,Gl. in. Cle. de celeb. Miss. rule & profession. And therefore make not one kinde of Psallians, but so many kindes, as they haue diuersities of prayers,Henr. Gan. in quo alibet. Clauasius in summa. orders, & rules of life. All which the houres & seruice must they not omit, for then they shuld incur deadlie sin. Yea or if any vse at their plea­sure to change the same for other prayers rehearsed in their steade. And if he shuld happē by negligence, y^t he should omit in saying or singing of the same, any part thereof, he is bound to make his accoumpt and num­ber vp,Pet. de Pal. in 4. dist. 15. eyther with a Pater noster, or Psalme, or else he sinneth. And the like if he say them not in their due houres: or one in anothers houre. Therfore must the Regulars rise at mydnight to say Mattens, at the vp­rising of the sunne to say the first houre.Clauasius in summa. Pol de. In. Lib. 6. c. 2. &c. and so forth on, the rest, to the honour of our Lady, after the insti­tution of Vrban the Pope, and discharge of their rule. Whereby it is euident, that they doe a thing almoste incredible. Following the aduise that Petrus de Palu­de giueth, to pray an hundreth times by day, and an [Page 71] hundreth times by night, the obseruance of their rule and rite of their Romish Church, become Psallians, with whome as they agre in Battologia, liplabouring and pratling, so they also doe in a loytring life, and in aduouching of the same doctrine, as so the Psallians did. Witnesse of Gabriel Biel, Sup. 4. dist. 16. q. 4. prop. 1. who graunteth that all strong of limme, and labourlike beggers, ought to worke, or otherwise not to eate. Which notwithstan­ding he sayth that Friers, Monkes, and the rest of this broode ought, though they are no preachers nor church ministers, yet by almes to be prouided for & not work: bycause, Non solum his modis seruitur Ecclesiae, sed e­tiam deuotis orationibus, et caeteris exercitijs spiritua­liter, his. n. acquiritur gratia Ecclesiae, placatur ira dei & impetrātur omnia necessaria corpori & animae &c. Vnde tota Ecclesia est vna respublica, ergo quisquis vsibus Christianis necessaria erogauerit, vbique ea quae sunt sibi necessaria accipit. &c. that is. That y^e Church is not only serued by preaching and administration of the Sacraments, but also by deuout prayers, and such like spirituall exercise. For by the same grace is obtai­ned for the whole Church: Gods wrath is appeased, & all things necessary both for body and soule are obtay­ned.A falshode. Wherefore syth the whole Church is a common wealth, it is requisite that whosoeuer layeth out any thing for the state of the whole, should euery where re­ceyue succour for his néede. The which reason how vn­able it is to holde water, any man may aperceiue, that considereth how the reason, in the latter parte, (which is as a Metaphor brought frō Syndico a general Proc­tor) fayleth, as well bycause the godly exercises in the first parte supposed, are not (if the rest were graunted to be good) founde in the Cloysters according to all the [Page] essentials and circumstances thereto requisite & ther­in supposed: as also bycause that though it may hap­pen, that the way and meanes howe the general pro­curer shal prouide for his nede, may be left to his own consideration, yet the wayes and meanes how a chri­stian ought to prouide,2. Thess. 3. is not so. According to Paules doctrine: Qui non laborat, non manducet. He that la­boureth not, let him not cate. Whose doctrine, yea, & example is to be folowed.Biel ibidem. Although y^e Alexius (as Biel sayth) forsoke his wife & patrimonie, went a begging throughout the worlde. Although Benet abode thrée yeares in a caue, not working, but liued of the almes of a Monke of Rome, yea, notwythstanding that the Church of Rome hath licensed, warranted, and defen­ded, these Drones and Caterpillers of the Common welth, or any other example of Dominick or Erauncis. The which Frauncis rule they their selues followe, euen as they list, which is in dede nothing at al. What and howe farre they dare presume to breake the other rules, be thei elder, or be they later, it may wel be iud­ged: Sith this that is one of the last and of the chiefest and principall of rules, is broken and marred. Of the which it shall not be out of the way, so to entreate, as seing the marring of the same, thou thereby mayste perfectely viewe the state of all the other. In reading whereof I pray thée be so indifferent,Franc. Lamb. Auinioniens. c. 1. as I for my part shall be in the describing of the same: and iudge the best thereof.

In the beginning of their rules thus standeth it written. Regula & vita Fratrum minorum haec est. Domini nostri Iesu Christi sanctum Euangelium ob­seruare. that is. This is the rule and estate of the lyfe of the Friers Minors, to obserue the holy Gospell of [Page 72] our Lord Iesus Christ. And in the ende: Sanctum E­uangelium Domini nostri Iesu Christi, quod firmiter promisimus, obseruabimus. that is. As we haue pro­mised, so will we kepe and firmely holde the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. Pope Nicholas the third,Lib. 6. de ver­borum sig. c. Exiuit. extol­leth the same rule very highly thus. Haec est apud deū & Patrem munda & immaculata religio. &c. that is: This is the pure and vndefiled religion with god and the father. &c. By reason wherof I iudge, that after S. Frauncis in an earnest desire & pursute of euerlasting life,Volat. Lib. 21. had tried by foure yeares space the life in the wil­dernesse, as also the prowling life of beggers, suppo­sing to finde (among all) some maner of life whereby he might attayne to the holiest, was admonished to liue and be contented with the cōmon rule of all chri­stians: the Gospell of the Lord Iesus. For in his Te­stament S. Frauncis testifieth, that he was admonished by oracle and commaundement from the Lord, that he should liue according to the rule of the sayde Gospell. As if Christ should say. Frauncis, distract not thy mind to this or that estate of life, thinke not sometimes to become a Carthusian, somtime a Bernhardine, or such like. For the rule of righteousnesse consisteth in the Gospell, the common rule and religion of all Christi­ans. After the like sorte Antonius Heremita was ad­monished, aboute Anno Domini. 350. & persuaded (as Petrus Parissiēs. Cantor. sayth) to receyue the Gospels rule. And therefore when any Monkes came to hym for rule of life, he offred the same Gospell to be onely folowed by them: & infecting them therewith, thought (as I iudge S. Frauncis after him did) to make them Gospellers and preachers of the same to all men. And the rather, bycause there were fewe true teachers in [Page] S. Frauncis time. He therefore bound them to that of­fice:4. exiuit. prescribing almost the forme of their sermons (as the sayd Pope Nicholas sayth.) Habetur in eadem re­gula etiam, The Francis­canes must preach. quod in praedicatione quam Fratres faciūt fint examinata & casta eorum eloquia: ad vtilitatem & edificationem populi, annunciando eis vitia & vir­tutes,What.poenam & gloriam. that is. In the same rule of S. Frauncis, is also contayned, that the sermons of those Friers shoulde be of due examined stuffe, true matter and pure: to the perfect edifying of the people, instructing them of vices and vertues, of payne & glo­rie.They must possesse little. And by the like considering of the couetousnesse of the Monkes, of and before his time, whom the Coun­cel of Cabilion (which was about the yere of our Lord 800. in y^e gret Charles his dayes, could not restraine: but that they would persuade men to bequeath landes and goodes. &c. to their Monasteries: whereby it was like it would come to passe (as it afterwardes did) that the Cleargie should be Lords of all,Math. 4. and then hauing the Diuels offer, might fall downe and worship him, ordayned that they shuld take no money, be no gathe­rers of goods or patrimonie. But hauing meate and drinke. &c. should willingly driue forwarde the Gospell of Iesus Christ in such pouertie, least that while they are Philochremator, that is, studiers for lucre, the worke of the Lord, and building of the house shuld be vndone.Hagg. 1. Which Haggei the Prophet crieth agaynst: & therfore they are bound to work with their own hands for their liuing as the same Pope Nicholas in y^t place aforesayd declareth. But this good zeale of Frauncis toke small effect, for it sared therwith, as it doth wyth good hearbes, that sette in a dry sommer and deawlesse dayes, sone wyther. I so say, bycause that the Popes [Page 73] holynesse strayght way caught it by the ende, pearced the roote, and by expounding the purpose of Frauncis peruerted the religion. Gregorie the .ix. Nicholas the third, and Clement the fift, eche in his time began to approue, expounde, and ordayne Frauncis: or rather misforme him: as by the example of the vnnaturall chaungelings of these late yeares appeareth. Where Frauncis would haue obediēce to God in Iesus Christ sworne, there must they sweare obedience to Francis. In place of folowing the rule of the gospel, they must folowe the Popes explication. In steade of such edify­ing and pure Sermons, they muste preach Legende lies, Ouidius Metamorphosis, an ouerworne Gos­pell or Epistle in Latine, and Canonicall houres. And for working for their liuing, they muste loyter. For a poore Couent or Cloyster, a Kings palace and wealth. Finally, in steade of the putting out of one pore hand for a pennie, holde a hoode of a pecke. Well, thereby declared they (to the wise man) their couetous hearts and larger consciences. Wherefore I dare aduouch if Frauncis sawe those that chalenge his name, in these dayes, he woulde, marking their fatte chéekes & softe handes, say they are no Franciscanes, but Psallians. And marking their continual pratling, and smal prea­ching, also say they are no Franciscans but Psallians. But for all their deformities, he would last of all, say they are Cerberus whelpes: and their Couent a ken­nell for the same. If the Franciscanes of our dayes are mysseshapened: If that godly be so peruerted, that they are become rather the Heretiques of their founders than folowers, what ought a man then to iudge of the rest: if the same rule of Frauncis or any other more were good. And as touching such orders whose rule & [Page] profession is naught in the erection and first foundati­on of the same: and was neuer good, I neede not to speake at al. If therfore these regular professours, be­fore briefly passed ouer, would examine their Dortour chéere, Canonicall houres and loytring life, I doubte not but that they all would say, that they loked as like Psallians in our time, as the Psallians in Augustines time, and they all in them, loked like Heretiques.

Encratites.

Haer. 25. Epiph. lib. 2. to. 1. Haer. 47. SAinct Augustine folowing the iudge­ment of Epiphanius, counteth this secte of the Encratites a scisme or factiō of the Ta­tianistes: appoynting the Tatians for the chiefe head and fountayne of the same. The accompte of their firste rysing, is conteyned in the Chapter of Tatians, as in their roote of whom they first about the yere of our Lord .175. sprang.

Their name doth euen at one worde declare, what doctrine thou shouldest loke for at their handes. They are called Encratites, which signifieth abstay­ners.Aug. ibidem. Nec recipiunt (sayth Augustine) in suorum numerum coniugio vtentem, siue marem siue foemi­nam, non vescuntur carnibus, easque omnes abhomi­nantur. that is. They receyue not into their Couent, eyther man or woman maried, they eate no flesh, but detest all kindes thereof.

With the which doctrine and maner of those En­cratites, the foresayd Regulars, so in euery poynte a­gréed, as they may well graunt that Augustine hath meant of them: whatsoeuer he writ as touching the Encratites. For the aboue sayde Regulars receyued [Page 74] none to be of their nūber, but mariage forswearers: do not the Encratites so? They also are bound by pro­fession to detest al flesh: and doe not the Encratites so? These Carthusians vowe neuer to eate flesh:De. In. li. 7. c. 2. euen so all Monkes, or the most parte of Benets rule doe. Po­lydorus Virgilius doth giue them a pretie scoffe: that eyther the most parte of Monks eating flesh continu­ally agaynst their profession, are Heretiques, or are continually sick. Yea and these holy charterlings are such despisers of Mariage, that if a maried woman come within their cloyster,Tatianisme. it must be washed and clē ­sed after hir with holy water: as by good proufe it hath bene sene. But the common prouerbe is wythout all doubt true in them: sée sport, not sée, no iest.

Carpocratians. Anno. 173.

ABout the yere of our Lord God 173. in the .xj. yeare of the raigne of Ha­drian the Emperour: as Theodoretus, Eusebius and Nicephorus declare, gods Church was assaulted wyth the egre Heretiques Saturninus, Basilides and Carpocrates, of which latter commeth this secte called Carpocratians, Irenaeus. lib. 1. c. 24. whereof I entreate in this Chapter. These sectaries were so puffed vp with pride, that they (as Irenaeus de­clareth) sayd some of them were like to our Sauioure Iesus in obseruing of righteousnesse, & in knowlege. And also that, parte of them was more excellent than Peter and Paule. Li. Conformi­tatum. Fol. 2. Impress. Me­diolan. Anno. 1510. The same doctrine doe the Francis­canes teach in these wordes. Franciscus ad litteram fe­cundū Euangelium obseruaunt, non transgressus api­cem vnum & iotam. Et solam ipse cum suis habet re­gulam. [Page] &c. S. Frauncis hath perfourmed the holy Gos­pell iust with the letter,Fol. 5. not breaking any one iote or pricke. And in another place: Omnes virtutes sancto­rum, tam vaeteris quam noui testamenti, in Francisco posita sunt vnitiuè & coniunctiuè. that is. Al the ver­tues of the holy fathers, especified both in the olde and newe testament, are all wholly & togyther in S. Fran­cis. Also in the .8. leafe he sayth. Franciscus similis Adae Abel, Enos, Enoch, Noe, Abrahae, Isaac, Iacob, Ioseph, Mosy, Aaron, Phinees, Iosua, Iob, Samsoni, Iephite, Gedeoni, Samueli, Eliae, Elizeo, Ionadab, Esaiae, Iere­miae, Iob, Thobiae, Ezechieli, Danieli, Micheae, Petro, Iohanni Baptistae, Iohanni Euangelistae, Iacobo, Bar­tholomeo, Paulo, in summa omnibus Sanctis. And in many other places thoroweout the whole boke, which I omitte.

Priscillianistes. Anno. 382.

PRiscilianus of the Countrey of Spaine, or as Hierome sayeth, of Galatia, did beginne his famous faction vnder the raygnes of the Emperours Gratian and Valen­tinian, which was about the yere of oure Lorde God .382. First in Spaine, Haer. 70. then after, in Fraunce. They taught, that they should not tel nor open the secrets of any man be they neuer so filthie, vnrighteous or perillous: as Augu­stine noteth thus. Iura periura, secretum prodere noli. that is. Sweare and forsweare, the secrete thing forth shewe not: and this was percell of their doctrine. The selfe same doctrine the Popistes haue in these wordes of Cardinall Caietane. To. 1. tract. 21. Nullatenus licet confessori re­uelare [Page 75] peccatum confitentis,, etiam deliberatam occi­dendi summi Pontificis voluntatem habentis. that is.Et in sūmula Parag. Confes. It is not by any meanes lawfull for a ghostly Father to reueale the offence or wicked purpose of his ghostly childe, no, not if his purpose were stoutely stayed to kyll the Pope himselfe. The practize of their Church doctrine is partly touched by Fabian entreating of the death of King Iohn. But very largely and truely,In parte Fab. set out by the no lesse learned than painefull brother M. Fox, in his Actes and Monumentes of Martyrs. For when as a Monke of Svvinsted in Lincolneshiere cal­led Simon (the sonne of Simon Magus) hadde determi­ned to poyson the foresayd King with wine, wherin a Toade had (by him pricked) vometed by such tormente hir venime, and did before hande confesse to his holy Abbot the same his purpose. The same Abbot moste trayterously kepte secrete the same from the Prince: yea, & that more is, heartened the Monke to the same murther of the Prince, and of himselfe, first drinking therof to him. For which good déede, the Monke should haue a perpetuall Masse for his soule. But who can loke of such rootes for other frutes?

Iewish Blastians.

EVsebius maketh mention of one Blastus, Lib. 5. c. 14.15.19. who was (as by him may be ga­thered) about the yeare of our Lord god 174. a man infected with the Heresie of Valentinian. And as Theodoretus wit­nesseth, he was an elder in the Church of Rome. Ter­tulian speaketh of him vnder y^e name of Blastrus. His mate in this his errour was one Florinus. But that which I intend to write of, is that which the same Tertulian [Page] testifieth.In fine Lib. de praesc. Her. Blastus latenter vult Iudaismum in­troducere. &c. that is. The same Blastus indeuoured himselfe secretely to bring into the Church of Rome y^e Ceremonies of the Iewes. By the which saying of Tertulian, it is to be apperceyued, that the Church of Christ counted it Heresie, to vse any one of the Leuiti­cal Ceremonies, or to conforme hir selfe to the maner and fashion of that Church. Of the same minde also y^e general councel of Laoditia about .300. and odde yeres after our Sauiour his birth was. Yea, and the church of Rome was once hir selfe of that minde agaynst the Asians. But she stayed not long therein. For behol­ding that hir estate and countenance of religion, was in the outwarde glory baser than Iewe and Gentile, did shewe hir selfe with a new attire: fashioned part­ly after the Iudaisme whiche she before abhorred, and partely after the Gentilitie of the Egyptians, Ioannes Boe­mus. lib. 2. c. 12 Durand & Beleth. ꝑ totū. Act. 15. Greti­ans and Romanes. The which was not lawefull: no not for the Iewes to do. For as the Apostles in the ho­ly Synode at Ierusalem, did strike oute the Iudaisme which false brethren wold haue brought in among the beleners of the Gentiles, so did they also commaunde them to abstaine frō the Ethnisme of their forfathers. Whiche notwithstanding this, hath the Churche of Rome broken. Thus hath she reuolted. Thus is the thing lawefull by hir authoritye, whiche is other­wise vnlawefull.S. Thom. 1.2. q 103. art. 4. Nam Gentilitatis ritus repudiaba­tur tanquam omnino illicitus, & a Deo semper prohi­bitus. Ritus autem Legis cessabat tanquam impletus per Christi passionem vtpote a Deo in figuram Chri­sti constitutus. For the rite of the Gentiles (sayth S. Thomas) was of y^e Church altogither refused, as whol­ly vnlawfull and alwayes by God forbidden. But the [Page 76] rites of the lawe did ceasse, as by the passion of Christ accomplished: namely ordayned of God for a mysterie of Christ. Wherefore in viewing of this ornament of the Church of Rome, thou must (gentle Reader) mark, first those things that she had from the Iewes, wherin she agréeth with the heresie of Blastus. Secondly those that she had from the Gentiles: wherin she is become a Gentile. For although they are applied to Gods re­ligion, so farre as they can apply the same: yet by no meanes are they incorporated: bicause Gods religion is such as alwayes abhorred the Ethnicke rites. The which thing thine owne trauayle, (with the helpe of Durandus and Belethus and Boemus, their owne wri­ters,) easily may doe. And therefore I omitte the same for shortnesse sake. Which also causeth me to ouer­passe a gret number more of hyr toyes and trimming.

Masse.

Anno. 235.

POntianus a Romane ordayned the Confiteor to be sayd of the priest before Masse.Nauclerus. Gen. 8.

Anno. 426.

Celestinus a Campanois appointed the introite to the Masse.Volat.

Anno. 443.

Leo a Thuscane lengthened the Cannon wyth Sanctum Sacrificium. &c. and Igitur Oblationem. Sigebertus. Pol. de. In. li. 5. c. 10. &c. vnto Placatus.

Anno. 513.

Synmachus a Sardinian, Volat. aboute that time By­shop, fashioned the Masse (cloughted by many of hys predicessors) into a forme and more perfect sorte.

Anno. 583.

Sigeb. Pelagius the second a Romane ordayned the Pre­faces to the Masse.

Anno. 593.

In Decret. Gregorius a Romane added the Kyrieleison nine tymes to be sayde, the Alleluiah, the Offertorie, and the thrée Postlacions in the Cannon.

Anno. 690.

Sergius an Antiochen cast to y^e Masse Agnus Dei.

Anno. 731.

Sigebertus. Gregorie the third ioyned the clause, Eorum quo­rum solemnitas hodie. &c. to the Canon of the Masse.

Anno. 768.

Stephanus the third prouided that Gloria in excel­sis should be euery Sonday song at Masse.

Anno. 772.

Adrianus a Romane, least, passing deuicelesse (as touching this thing) he might séeme to be barrayne in the birth of Antichrist, was deliuered of .ij. twinnes, those repetitions or doublings in the Offertorie.

Anno. 1215.

Ex Lib. 3. c. Sane. Honorius a Romane ordayned, that the Hoste at Eleuation should be worshipped, and that he shuld be caried with light and such like to the sicke.

Anno. 1484.

Math. Pal. Innocentius the eyght gaue licence vnto the Nor­vvaies, to consecrate without wine.

Orders, dignities, and degrees.

Anno. 283.

Dist. 24. c. Subdiacon. GAius a Dalmatian ordayned that Priestes should be consecrated in their offices, whether that [Page 77] they were Ostiaries, Lectors, Exorcistes, Acoluthes, Dist. 24. c. Subdiacon. Subdeacons, Deacons, Elders or Byshops.

Anno. 295.

Marcellinus an Apostatate Byshop, appoynted that there shoulde be .xxv. Paroches and euery one to haue his gouernour to baptize the Gentiles and bury the deade. Whervpon, about .800. yeares after,Polid. li. 4. c. 9 the de­uice of Cardinals sprang.

Anno. 714.

Gregorius the seconde a Romane, commaunded that no man should mary with his Gossip.Tom. 1. Concil.

Fasting.

Anno. 220.

CAlistus or Calixtus the seauenth Pope be­ing a Romane borne,Dist. 76. c. Ie­iunium. appoynted the dayes called Angariae, that is the Imbre foure times in the yeare.

Anno. 406.

Innocentius an Albanian ordayned that Sater­day should be fasted.De Consecr. 3. c. Sabba. vero.

Anno. 421.

Bonifacius a Roman ordained y^t the Saincts éeues should be fasted, wheras before his time it was not so.Pot. li. 6. c. 4.

Anno. 593.

Gregorie a Romane added foure dayes to the be­ginning of Lente: he forbad milke, chéese,Ibidem. c. 6. butter and egges.

Holy dayes.

Anno. 318.

SIluester a Romane ordayned at the requeste of Constantine, the feast of Petri ad vincula. Ibidē c. 8.

Anno. 537.

Sigeb. Vigilius a Romane ordained the feast of Candle­masse.

Anno. 626.

Honorius a Champanois ordayned the feast of the Exaltation of the Crosse.

Anno. 828.

Plat. Sab. Gregorius the fourth a Romane, at the request of the Emperour appoynted the feast of All Sainctes.

Pol. de. In. li. 6 c. 8. Volat. Ibidem.Anno. 1002.

Iohn the .xviij. ordayned the feast of All Soules.

Anno. 1260.

Vrbanus the fourth, ordayned the feast of the Sa­crament, called Corpus Christi day.

Anno. 1471.

Extravagan. Sixtus the fourth apoynted the dayes of presenta­tion and conception of our Lady, of S. Anne & Ioseph.

Mariage

Anno. 386.

Dist. 82. SIritius a Romane did fyrste tirannously for­bid mariage to the Priestes.

Pol. li. 5. c. 4. Gregorie the .ix. about the .1075. yeare of our Lorde toke it wholly away.

Burying.

Anno. 220.

Plat. CAlisius the .xvj. Pope, hallowed speciall places (which we call Churchyardes) for burying.

Consecrations.

Anno. 220.

Polid. li. 5. c. 6. & Libr. 8. c. 1. CAlisius or Calixtus the .xvj. Pope, a Romane borne, first consecrated & dedicated a Church vnto [Page 78] the honour of our Lady, which he did in the countrey beyond Tyber.

Anno. 269.

Foelix being Byshoppe,Plat. Sab. did ordayne that Altares shuld be consecrated.

Anno. 283.

Gaius a Dalmatian appoynted that Christians shoulde bring of their firste fruites to the Altare,Pol. li. 6. c. vlt. and that there they should be hallowed after the maner of the Iewes.

Dedications.

Anno 609.

BOnifacius the fourth a Martian, Blondus. lib. 9 Diacon. lib. 18. this man altered the temple which M. Agrippa builded to al the Ethnicks Gods, vnto the Church of All Sainctes.

Anno. 621.

Bonifacius the which was a Champanian, Sigeber. Sab. did be­stowe the Church and Altares, on Théeues for their Sanctuaries.

Church Instruments and vtensiles.

Anno. 202.

ZEpherinus a Romane borne,Pol. lib. 6. c. 12. Plat. ordayned that thenceforth the sacrament of Christes bloud shuld not be ministred any more in woodden vessels, but in glasse.

Anno. 227.

Vrbanus the .xvij. Pope ordayned that from his time forward the Communion Cup (which then was wood or glasse) should then be siluer or golde.Gratian.

Anno. 256.

Stephanus a Romane, and aboue .xx. the .iij. B. or­dayned [Page] certayne Vestimentes and apparel for the mi­nistration,Pol. de. In. li. 6 c. 12. after the maner of the Iewes Priests, and for the Altares.

Anno. 258.

Volat. Sab. Xistus the second of that name, an Athenian, was B. and in number .24. he appoynted that thenceforth it should not be lawefull for a Priest or Leuite to weare their gay Vestiments, but in an holy place.

Anno. 318.

Plat. Sab. Siluester a Romane bestowed on the Church, both linnen Albes and Corporalls.

Anno 406.

Pol. lib. 6. c. 11. Innocentius an Albanian deuised that the Pax shuld vpon feastful dayes be caried about to be kissed: and that the cleargie men should kisse one another.

Anno. 420.

Isiodor. Volat. Sozimus a Gretian, about that time. B. apoynted the Paschal taper on Easter éeuen to be hallowed.

Anno. 463.

Hilarius a Sardinian first published the Cannons for lawe,Sab. Volat. and appoynted the Churche to be trimmed with golde and siluer.

Anno. 593.

Volat. Sab. Gregorius a Romane deuised the lightes in the Church, and maner of the Quéere.

Anno. 606.

Plat. Sabinianus a Thuscane endued the Church wyth the deuise of the Lamps continually to burne, and the practizing of Belles.

Anno. 608.

Bonifacius the thirde a Romane, who firste obtay­ned the name of Pope & vniuersall Byshop,Pol. lib 5. c. 6. enriched [Page 79] the Church Altares with a licence to weare faire lyn­nen couerings.

Possession Temporalties.

Anno. 227.

VRbanus the .xvij. Byshop ordained and li­cenced the cleargie men to receyue temporall pos­sessions.Pol. lib. 6. c. vl.

Anno. 265.

Dionisius appoynted and set out to euery Mini­ster his parish and Church,Pol. lib. 4. c. 9. commaunding them to be contented therewith.

Peculiaritie or exemption.

Anno. 241.

FAbianus a Romane ordaynrd that Priestes should be impleaded only in the ecclesiastical cour­tes: and that none should accuse them but their like.2. q. 7. c. Sicut.

Annoyling.

Anno. 318.

SIluester a Romane deuised that Byshoppes should be annoynted after the maner of the Leuiti­call Priestes.Pol. lib. 5. c. 3.

Anno. 406.

Innocentius an Albanian appoynted that y^e oyle which before was for the Byshops proper vse,Sigeb. should nowe be also for the sicke. &c. Some appoynt it to Foe­lix the fourth an hundreth yeares sithens.Volat.

Translation.

Anno. 253.

[Page] Tom. 1. Concil. COrnelius a Romane, about that time By­shop, at y^e request of Lucina a noble lady of Rome, translated or conueyed the bones (if they happened on them) of Peter & Paule vnto a more honorable place: wherby he was the first beginner of the Ceremonies or right of Translation.

Primacie.

Dis. 17. c. Syn­nodum. MArcellus, who as Platina writeth, succeded Marcellinus the Apostata, decréed that no acte, by whome soeuer appoynted, should be of any force, vn­lesse it should by the authority of the Byshop of Rome be confirmed.

Anno. 336.

3. q. 6. c. Dudū Iulius a Romane ordayned, that the Councelles shuld not be called togither or celebrated without the Byshop of Romes consent.

Anno. 406.

9. q. 3. Nemo Iudicabit. Innocentius an Albanian exempted to sea of Rome from the subiection of being iudged & construed of other.

Seruice.

Anno. 368.

DAmasus a Spaniard apointed that the Psal­mes should be tossed from side to side:Pol. Lib. 6. c. 2. and that at the ende of euery Psalme, Gloria Patri. &c. should be song.

Anno. 404.

De Cons. dis. 1. c. Apostolica. Anastasius a Romane about that time was con­secrated Byshoppe, he ordayned that thenceforth all people, as well of the cleargie as of the laitie, shoulde hearing the Gospell, stand and yelde curtesie.

[Page 80]Anno. 426.

Celestinus a Campanian apoynted that the Psal­mes shoulde be song after the order of Antiphonies. Sab. Sigeber. In ꝓhē. 5. part. He also deuised the Graduale. Durandus sayth, Am­brose deuised the same.

Anno. 445.

Leo a Thuscan found out (by the aduise of Mam­mertus Byshoppe of Vienna) the petie Procession,Pol. lib. 6. c. 11. or Iacke gangs.

Anno. 413.

Symmachus a Sardinian decréed that on Sonday,Plat. and on euery birth day of Sainctes, Gloria in excelsis should be song.

Anno. 530.

Agapetus a Romane decréed that those Processi­ons should goe rounde about the Church euery Son­day.Volat. Plat.

Anno. 537.

Vigilius a Romane layde out for euery holy day proper and fit lessons.Isiodor.

Anno. 556.

Pelagius the firste a Romane deuised the Canoni­call houres,Pol. lib. 6. c. 2. Plat. who first applyed the Masse for Anniuer­saries or yeare mindes of the deade.

Anno. 583.

Pelagius the seconde ordayned the seauen sorts of Letanies.Sigebertus.

Anno. 593.

Gregorius a Romane deuised the manner of the Quéere, the Antiphonies to the Masse,Greg. lib. 4. E­pist. c. 88. Pol. li. 8. c. 1. and the large or honourable Processions. He was the first that pro­noūced pardon to such as on chosen and special dayes resorte to Church.

[Page] Plat. Volat. Vitellianus a Champanois, brought in, (himselfe being a Musitian) the artificial singing and harmonie of Organs and instrumentes.

Anno. 707.

Poly lib. 6. c. 13. Constantinus a Syrian, bycause the Images had as simple right, so vnquiet possession and small fauor with their Landlordes, decided the cause that hitherto hong before his predecessors variable: graūting them licence, to be paynted in the Porch of S. Peters church at Rome.

Anno. 731.

Plat. Gregorie the third ordayned the Images to be ho­noured and worshipped.

Anno. 796.

Pol. lib. 5. c. 10. Leo the thirde a Romane ordayned the thrée Pro­cession dayes before the Ascention. Also the burning of Frankencense after the maner of the Gentiles and Iewes.

Anno. 1050.

Blondus. 3. dec. 2. Leo the ninth a Germane drewe a paterne for the Church to sing the Himnes and songs for Sainctes.

Anno. 1086.

Poly 6. c. 2. Vrbanus the second, ordayned the .vij. Canonicall houres, to the honour of our Lady.

Anno. 1315.

Poly. 6. c. 12. Iohn the .xxij. he deuised that the Sanctus bel shuld be tolled thrice euery day, at which, the hearers should straight crouch and say the Aue Maria.

Baptisme.

Anno. 369.

[Page 81] DAmasus a Spaniarde ordayned the Crossing with Chrisme on the browe at Baptisme.Tom. 1. Concil.

Confirmation.

Anno. 318.

SIluester a Romane, deuised the confirmation of Infantes: we call it byshopping.Plat. Sab. To. 1. Concil. Some appoynt it to Meltiades, and other some to Eusebius.

Excommunication.

Anno.. 772

ADrianus a Romane deuised first the Seales of leade, called Bulles.Poli. lib. 8. c. 2.

Let this summarie abstract, be to thée (gentle rea­der) a sufficient demonstration and teaching, how the Popes from time to time haue bredde this their mon­strous religion, and clowted comelynesse.

Rethorians.

THe ancient Philaster and af­ter him August. (out of him) make mention of one Rhetorius, who helde a maruelous vaine opinion, to wéete: Omnes haereticos recte ambulare & vera didere. That al the heretiques walked aright and sayd the truth. Which though perhaps he did, eyther by expounding of their meaning, or such like sorte to couer their shames withall: yet for that he concluded to that effecte, he is an Heretique with eyther of them in their seuerall errors. How much honestie so euer he would doe them: he hath thereby dishonested himself. Euen so the Popistes in these our dayes, think that it [Page] standeth much with their honors, that they should de­fend the Apostasie of their Church of Rome, for whose sake they stick not to damne themselues: I know not by what compact. For albeit that their Churche follo­weth the Heretique Antropomorphites and Angell men, Catharists and Colliridians, Chazinz [...]ries and Coluthians, Montanistes and Messalians, Donatistes and Pelagians, with the rest of the .24. errours of the old Heretiques,To. 1 tract. 30. yet dare they say with Caietane: Pro­prio sensu ac germano sacrarum Scripturarum. Eccle­sia semper vtitur in sacris Canonibus. That their Church doth vse in the Cannons the proper and natu­rall sense of the holy scripture. Which saying being true: of these conclusions one must follow: that they are eyther Heretiques of sound Canons, or else y^t they liuing and teaching according to their Cannons, are the Heretiques of hereticall canons. For as it is most euident: that there is but one truth: so is it (without al doubt) playne that they varie therefro. Ruardus and Roffensis agrée not: Lusitanus and Soto concord not: neyther are they in vnitie with Pighius. The elder age of the Popistes, is against the Popistes of this time: And y^t Popistes of this age against themselues. Gardener againste Smith, and also against himselfe, Smith against Gardener. Not for the standing of a ta­ble, kneling, sitting or wearing, but (amōgst other) for the large doctrines of Fre vvill, originall sinne, Iustifi­cation, and Sacrament of Christes body: Of the which latter point they haue many contrarieties, & errors: although it be the waightiest ware of their pedlers pack: For the which they haue embrued themselues with the bloude of Gods Sainctes: who of right they ought to haue spared, and first haue tourned their ti­rannie [Page 82] to themselues, and haue fierd there owne folk, or at least haue agréed with themselues, before that they woulde compell other to agrée to their discorde: which I ouer passe, sith it is more playnely proued be­fore, than eyther order or neede in this place require againe. The proufe whereof perhappes may cause (the astonished at their horriblenesse) to demaunde howe it then could come to passe that the same should continue till this day, neyther God, nor man hewing it downe. To the which I answere, as touching Gods will wor­king therin (for that the cause therof is not wholly re­uealed) we must say with Paule: O altitudo Sapientiae &c. O déepenesse of Gods wisedome. Notwithstan­ding the secretnesse whereof: yet that suche a thing should be, Paule and Iohn the Euangelist, with many other witnesse. The which Iohn calleth it by the name of Babylon the great Citie: vnder which name Peter (as the Popistes expounde the last chapter of his first Epistle) meaneth Rome. Partly for the present diuer­sitie and cōfusion (For Babylon by interpretation sig­nifieth so) of the Gentiles superstitiō there vsed: part­lye for that in the spirite he did with Iohn foresée the confusion of Christian religion, that shoulde spring thence to infect all christendome. As the auncient and effeminate Babylonians did in their dayes the whole worlde. And though the worlde neuer gaue stroke thereat, what then? it standeth with his nature, to foster and set forwarde superstitions, and to spare no cost. No not their wiues earings nor ornamentes, and birth right of their heres. Yea pardie at the buil­ding of Gods tabernacle they will not deale so frank­ly, as to spare the same. An easier religion it is, to be saued by Symon Magus méere grace & plenitudine [Page] potestatis and fulnesse of power (leade his scholer ne­uer so loose a lyfe) then by fayth in Christ which de­maūdeth in obedience a holy life: which to the carnal & grosse world is vnsauerie, aswell for that he can not abide the spiritualnesse of faith: as also for that, that holynesse is against his decayed nature, it also is a­gainst his courage to be brideled, or obey. Possiblye the author of the Apologie for the priuate Masse, Ho­sius and the other of that broode, will thinke: that I graunte their plea of quiet possession: whereby they will prescribe against the truth: I confesse nothing lesse: but rather muse that they so fondely reason.

For the Church of Christ in this ease, is much like vnto a familie or flocke, whose right of long tyme wrongfully with holden, though all the flocke doth not with open mouth clayme: yet if anye one heire of of nighest kinne stande for the same and obtaine, the quiet possession of the defendāt is empaired. Euen as the Popistes is, wherby they cannot, Bona fide possi­dere, without mistruste of forged title prescribe and possesse, another mans right and place. And God in all ages hath stirred vp some good members, & heires of grace to pursue the right of the Church. As Anno 313. the Counsels of Nice and Mileuitane stode against the appeales to Rome. Innouation of Prayers. Su­preame authoritie. And for the Mariage of Priestes. Secondly, Anno Domini. 430. the sixt general coun­cell of Carthage (which endured fiue yeares) agaynste the supremacie. Also Pope Innocentius the first, for the mariage of Priestes. Thirdly Pelagius the Pope. Iohn Maxentius, Anno. 513. agaynste the supremacie. Fourthly Pope Gregorie the first. Anno. 600. against the supremacie. And the sixt Councel of Constantino­ple, [Page 83] for Priestes mariage. Fyfthly, Anno. 700. S. Hulderich resisteth Pope Nicolas in the case of Prie­stes mariage. Sixtly, Anno. 800. Clemens Scotus, of the Vniuersitie of Paris, agaynst Boniface, for y^e ma­riage of Priestes, and agaynst Images. Seauenthly, Anno. 940. the first Ottho the Emperour agaynst the supremacie & pride of the Popes. Eyghtly, Anno. 1050 Lupoldus Byshop of Mentz agaynste Leo the ninth, for the supremacie. And Nicetas for the mariage of the Cleargie. Ninthly, Anno. 1120. the cleargie of Englād and Germanie, for their wiues. Tenthly, Anno. 1213. Fredericke the seconde Emperour agaynst the Popes tirannie. Eleuenthly, Anno. 1329. the whole kingdome of Fraunce agaynst the Pope and his Court. Twelfth­ly, Anno. 1400. Thomas Rhedonenssis, Nicolaus Cu­sanus, and Aeneas Siluius (before he was Pope) against the pride of the Pope, and for Priestes mariages. Fi­nally, in this last hundreth yeare, God hath raysed vp Laurentius Valla, Hierome Sauanorola, & the Earle of Mirandula, wyth innumerable many moe of wor­thy Champions, of whome some haue foughte vnto their knées in bloud for the right of the Church, whose doughty dintes done, cause this trée to wyther (as thou maist view) and to be without al hope of further frute. Euerye man according as God hath lightened their heartes, hath dealt in the right of the Church: by rea­son wherof the Popists can not (as I before said) plead prescription. Nor we be so blinde, as to thinke the re­ligion of the Protestants to be a new doctrine, which through all ages hath bene thus defended (though I touch but a fewe, by many more) as I am readye to proue. Wherfore it is a very loude lie, to say that Lu­ther begonne the same. All which notwithstanding, [Page] God hath reserued the vtter ouerthrowe of the same trée,The authour satisfieth his promis made in the begin­ning, for con­tinuance of the Church. to the breath of his owne mouth, (which appro­eheth nowe at hande) least flesh and bloud should glo­rie in so valiant a conquest. Thus much therefore to them that demaund, why neyther God nor the worlde did hewe downe this trée, nor stocke the roote. The summe wherof is, that he was pleasant and did agrée with the supersticious and filthy nature of the world: & that God though he hath caused his church to strike from time to time thereat, yet hath reserued the same to a greater punishment and seuerer iudgemente. As he also hath done Mahomet the eronious trée without y^e Church, which both are nourished with the water of ignoraunce. Euen as so to be, is the maner of Here­tiques. For if either Simon had wel receyued the doc­trine of the holy ghost, or Iudas of the Messias, it is not to be thought that they would haue departed from the Church: Falling when they séemed to stand, deceyued by arrogancie, which I may properly call ignorance. The which sith it was so néedeful for the beginning of this trée, is by the aforesayd Babylonians, the Popists, vsed as a no lesse necessary pollicie, and licoure for the maintayning and watering of the same. Neyther doe the Popistes misseresemble their brother Mahomete whose religion writtē vnder the olde Arabical tong, & cōmaundement of not interpreting & expounding the same, beyonde the literall sense, hath vnder mighty and thundering termes, being otherwise senselesse and spiritlesse, ruled the poore sely soules, as Iupiters blocke amongst a number of frogges. He is counted a learned Priest, that can reade his seruice playnely and turne it into the Sclauonian. &c. tong. The which estimation of such learning doth rather of right ap­pertayne [Page 84] to the Mahomet Priests, than to the Popi­stes, of whom the greater part can not write nor spell in their mother tong their own names, much lesse ex­poūd their Latin Portus, or reade beside their owne. Surely the Romishe cleargies ignoraunce was such, that within these fiftie yeares (as common reporte is) they sayd in the vniuersitie scholes, when gréeke wor­des hapned to hand, It is Gréeke and can not be read. And what Latin they did vnderstand, write or speake, it is to common nowe to minde. And yet were they proude in this their ignoraunce. But I may not let passe to remember what gréeuous and haynous Here­tiques they were counted that did read, & much more that expounded or talked of the scriptures, in their mo­thers tong. Wherefore sithens they were wholly vn­séene in all good letters, language, and learning, (as wel shéepe as shepheard) it is no maruell though they fell into error, no more than if blinde guides or wan­derers in the dark, shuld do into the pit. For whereas none can giue good counsell, the citie decayeth, as it did in the dayes of Roboā the sonne of Salomon, who asking coūsel at the mouthes of the vnskilful, by folo­wing the same, peruerted the common wealth, & made scisme in the church of Israel. And if after those dayes it happē Elias or any other of the Prophets to speake the truth, in the folish eares of that ignorant and per­uerted people, then the husbandman with his forke, (who is winged as thou séest) is redy at hand to strike. Ah alas what a pitiful muster is now before my eyes, of those whome that subtil serpent (as touching the bo­dy hath slayn) and as a raging tirant iniuriously mur­thered, supposing to set forwarde his tillage by bloud­shead, as by Iudas he beganne. But Iesus Christ our [Page] Lord, hath set their soules with him on high, out of whose ashes many rise in this our age, to fight against this trée, wherof the ouerthrow is at hand, which God for Iesus sake hasten. Amen.

Of the toppe of the Tree.

AS the loue of God toward vs, or his displesure for our sinnes hath alwayes bene pronounced by vocall meanes in his Church: so hath he likewise through all ages almost, preached the same in cer­tayne examples or paternes. His loue by mercyfull, his wrath and horrible displeasure by meanes right terrible. Yea, & when we are eyther so deafe that we care not to heare, or that our eares are so tender, that they list not abide the breath of truth, for amendment: then pleaseth it him to preach to our enimies, y^t those that cannot also heare for wāt of true teachers, may anticipate and go before them that can and list not heare, in amendment, and in repentance of life. And as the same examples are, after diuers & sundry sortes manifested: so likewise the table or mat­ter wherein he depainteth or carueth out the same, is not alwayes one. Sometimes it is in the Skie: as Constantine the gret viewed (some say) in heauen, the shape of a Crosse, a signe and sermon of Gods kinde­nesse ensuing.2. Mac. 10. So armies fighting, and such like, haue bene doctrines of his dreadful displeasure. Sometime it is in the earth and frutes, as well of the ground, as also of creatures wombes, which being deliuered, in their right shape and forme, are tokens of his louing [Page 85] kindenesse towards vs continued. But otherwise be­ing monstrous, eyther in hauing more limmes than néede requireth, or wanting to satisfie the néede of na­ture, or else hauing all, be notwithstanding missefor­med in fashion or colour, yea or mysseplaced: are af­ter their maner, eyther signes to vs (oute alas) of hys anger, or lessons of our blindenesse, and to vs often ti­mes of both. As our ruffed pigs and calues haue here in England, of late dayes (I feare me) bene of both to vs. For al be it that the tokens that God oftentimes doth shewe from heauen to the earth, are nowe & then truely expounded, for the vse and common case of all y^e world: yet is it not but to be construed as a common rule, that the monsters of England, concern properly that land: As those of other realmes, do the people of y^e proper soyle: which is speciall to them. But bycause that heauen is the common goale or base appoynted for vs all: These therein shewed, doe (circumstaunces considered) concerne so many, as thinke to attayne and get that same. And it is an opinion no lesse probable than common, that the huge monsters breadde in the intralles and depthes of the maine seas, as long as they containe themselues in the same, are not any speciall preachings to any one countrey: bycause the high seas are in Nullius bonis appertayne to no man or countrey properly. But if that they remoue thence and are cast vp or ariue in créekes, shoares, or riuers of any countrey: then by common assent, they abode or preach to their hostes something, God tourne it to good.

Vpon consideration wherof, I haue placed in the vppermost toppe of the trée, this vglie shape. A thing [Page] wherin the horrible confusion of Rome, is sufficiently and properly preached, and cōtayned in a little sūme: euen as the floure, frute, or séede, doth in a very small bulke, or codde, comprise the vertue of the roote, stock and braunches being many.

The de­scription. ROME the mother of the world, is scituate in I­talie, through the same there runneth a famous riuer called Tybre: vpon the which, there was in the yere of our Lord .1496. found this horrible monster, the shape whereof is thus. The head and mane of an Asse. The body throughout is scaled, excepte the breastes, belly and wombe, and those are the partes of a woman. The right hand is the foote of an Elephant, the left is the hand of a man. From the buttocks there issueth a Dragons tayle, and at the ende thereof, a Dragons heade. Vpon the one hippe there is an olde mans face. The right foote is the foote of an Oxe: and the left, is of an Eagle, or of a Gryphon.

The inter­pretation.But for as much as it hath pleased God to carue and shape the same, amongest the entiere lompe and heape of nature, onely out of, and from the territorie of Italie, and of all other parts, from the chiefest part thereof. And to fashion that various and diuers mon­strousnesse, into one body: It can not but be confes­sed, that it doth appertayne both onely to Rome, and also signifieth a body politique, risen in that cun­trey, to a maruellous and most horrible confusenesse. The kingdomes of the Medes, Daniel. 7.8. Persians, and Mace­dons. &c. is by the holy ghost foreshewed to Daniell, in the shape of bodies naturall. And it standeth also with the maner of Paules speach, to call the Churche by the name of a body,1. Col. 4. Vnum corpus sumus, We are [Page 86] all one body, sayth he, speaking of euery Christian in the Church. So in the Apocalips of S. Iohn, Ioan. 12.13. the holy ghost also foresheweth Antichrist, the eldest sonne of the Diuel, sometime by a woman. And his kingdome by a beast of many heades. And sometime by a Cat of the mountayne rising out of the seas. And in that this monster is the body of a woman, whose ende natural is to beare children: it muste surely preach vnto vs, that Church so deformed. For the Church of Christ also is figured by Esay and Iohn, Esai. 49.54. Ioan. 12. in the person of a woman: bicause of the birth and regeneration wherein the children of God are dayly borne a newe in Christ: euen as the natural sonnes of Adam are dayly misse­shapened in the church of Antichrist, into the societie of the mysticall body of sinne and perdition.

The Heade is oftentimes taken in the scriptures for the Magistrate, or chiefe Soueraigne.Heade. Then whō or what people an Asses head signifieth in this place,Ose. 1.1. Sam. 15.1. Cor. 11. Deut. 20. Deut. 22. Mat. 21. Ezech. 13. thou mayst, gentle Reader, easily iudge. Nature tea­cheth vs, that out of an Asses hed, there procedeth but Asselike instruction (that is) doctrine worldly, carnall, foolish, slouthfull, wanton and gentyle. As the Scrip­tures doe accorde therto: so the same we finde, in the Church of Rome, as the thinges before specified de­clare.

The Scriptures vse this worde Ceruix, Necke. Iob. 13. Deut. 32. (which is the Necke) for pride and stubbournesse, which therfore in this monster signifieth the proude and stubbourne mindes, that they in their blinde errors haue, against the truth and very seruice of God.

The Scales, wherwith the body is couered,Scales. signifi­eth their friendes and Alies of the worlde, ayding and [Page] succouring the same.Iob. 41. Apoc. 10.13. For in Iob we may sée the same sense. The sea, is the worlde, as the Apocalips decla­reth: And then consequently, the fyshes, the people, and the Scales are their defence that they haue and vse. So that thereby the Pope and his members are signified to be defended and succoured of the worlde after the maner of the same.

Breastes. Stomack. Bellie.The Breastes, Stomacke and Bellie, signifie the Cardinals, Priestes, and religious rablement. And the reason is: bicause these partes are dearest, finest and most necessarie of and to the body, and to y^e frute that cōmeth of the same. So is their learned cleargie, instructers and féeders of their blinde scholers figured therein. And the two breastes are the works of Lom­bard and Gratian: whence they drawe their diuers nouriture and foode. Also it betokeneth thë volupte­ousnesse that they are in, and vse euen past honest and ciuill shamefastnesse: for the same was found as na­ked from couering,Psalme. 17. 1. Cor. 6. as they whome it signifieth, are voyde of grace. Ready to be vsed of the whole world.

The right hande.The right hande is (as beforesayde) the foote of an Elephant. This beast is very huge, cruel, & of might and courage strong. And therefore the auncient war­riours vsed them in the fielde, agaynst their enimies, to breake both the frontes, and ranges of the valiant souldiors, [...]. Mach. 8. set in the vauntwardes of their Phalanxes, or Squars of pietons or footemen. And bycause of his strength, they vsed to place vpon him more men than one, in seates builte for the purpose. And though he was very slowe of pace, yet he did not easily w^tdrawe himselfe from the ground that he once had gained, no though he were withstode or assaulted by great force. [Page 87] Neyther was he pliant in his legges, bycause he wan­ted ioyntes therein, and therfore could not be taught to bowe, as mules, horses & such creatures are, wher­by also his legges are the stronger and the sturdier.

And the hande in Scripture signifieth mens dée­des, and outward life. As Pilate washed his hands,Math. 2. Samuel. 14. to declare and dissimule the innocencie of his déede. So Dauid sayth to the Thecknick: Nunquid manus Io­ab tecum? is not the hand of Ioab with thée (which is) the work or déede. And the same interpretation might I proue by the like authorities out of both Testamē ­tes: so that the hande must signifie the déedes of that mysticall body politique, being mighty, cruel, sturdy, stubborne, presuming vpon, winning & conquering all men, not easily yelding ouer the aduauntage got­ten. And in that, that it is the right hande: it muste signifie their cleargie, and Canons. For as the right hande is most worthiest in his place: so it is also the hande, wherewith a man doth most nimbly, strongly, readily, & most accustomably, doth his worke, & pur­pose. But whether their decrées haue bene the same, and done the like, it may easily appeare to him that calleth to minde, the horrible cole curses, of bel, boke, and candle, which the consciences not all only of séely men, but euen the imperial thrones, and crownes of Emperours, haue trembled and quaked at for feare: neyther could their puissance, resist the assault of that Eliphants foote, nor yet recouer the damages done thereby, vntill this day. This right hand is their spi­ritualtie, and grieuous missegouernemente of their cleargie, which is more excellent than the left hand:The left hande. for that is their ciuil power, soueraigntie, and might, [Page] ouer and by the Laytie. And if thou aduise thée wel, y^u shalt, gentle reader, assure thy self that some myste­rie is in this. That God hath placed the mans hande vpon the left syde, and spoyled the right syde thereof. Vndoubtedly to declare by a mans lefte hand, a lefte faythgiuer, promise breaker, and dissembler. For he with whome the Pope hath kept touch, or assurance, hath eyther bene to sharp, or to hote for him. Yea, and the light breaking of his promises, hath ben a doctrine authoritie and example, for subiects to doe the like, to their soueraignes and princes.

The right foote.The Right foote is the foote of an oxe or such like. And it hath his diuers signification. For the foote is y^e basest and least honoured of the members of the body. Secōdly, it is such as is subiect to al the powers & mo­tions of the minde & other partes of the whole man, & is (as I may say) the page or groome. Thirdly, it is the membre, that stayeth, and whereon the whole man doth stande: wherefore in this body politique, it must for the basenesse and inferioritie, for the subiection to the superiours, and for the sustayning and holding vp of others, the worthier partes, signifie, in the righte foote, the basest sorte of the spiritualtie, and in y^e lefte, the basest sorte of their laitie. For Ieremie doth meane by the foote,Ierem. 12. the baser or weaker sorte of men. But of what maner or qualitie, this their rablement of sub­iectes, both ecclesiasticall and lay are, the sundry kin­des of féete doe declare. The Oxe foote doth signifie their simple and doting Portifarie priestes, Charte­rers, Soulemongers, and such like, their Nuns, Si­sters, Anchoresses, and the reste, Pardone preachers, Ghostly fathers, Decretaries and Summistes, with [Page 88] an infinite rablement of Idiotes. For by an Oxe, is signified the blockishnesse of fooles, and dullerds: such as they are which in that kingdome do giue and occu­pie themselues in their contemplation, and amaze thēselues in the milne of their inextricable subtilties, and tiersome quiddities.

The Left foote which signifieth their laie subiects,The left foote. is the foote of a Griphon. The former parte of which beast is an Eagle, the hinder an Oxe, this is one of the fore féete of the Gryphon, wherewith he seazeth vpon his praie, as the Eagle doth: and signifieth those that in that body politique, giue themselues to the life actiue, and are gatherers, rakers togither, Extor­tioners and gréedy guttes. Such are their Bullistes, Dataries, Copistes, Somners, Notaries, and the like: who in this parte, by Auarice vpholde the body: as their cleargie doth in the other part vpholde the same by ignoraunce and folishnesse.

But some perchaunce will obiecte that the estate of the Churche of Rome is not suche nowe, as in all poyntes it hath bene. In déede I graunte that sithens the complaynte of Germanie, Englande, and Fraunce, and their deliueraunce from the tirannie of the same, it is, will it, nil it, somewhat amended: Neyther doe I so applie and interpretate the partes, that I haue hetherto from heade to foote, gone on, as that it should be the full declaration of all the whole thereof, or for all the whole time of the continuaunce thereof. For there resteth, the olde mannes heade vpon the hippe, and the tayle with the Dragons head at the ende thereof, which stand vpon the hinder part of the body:Heb. 9. and doe signifie according to holy Scrip­ture, [Page] the time of the declination and latter age of it: wherfore thou hast hitherto but heard what it was in the beginning and chiefe royaltie therof: Now hear­ken what it is toward the drawing on, & the end there­of. And first the heade is of an olde vplandish man (as it did foreshewe) the which signifieth that the teachers therein, must somewhat conforme themselues to rea­son, and become more natural than their predecessors: And that also the doctrine of this body politique in this latter time, muste be altered from the doctrine that the first head did teach, being then both gentyle and worldly, according to the nature of the Asse: and become somewhat more naturall, and truth like, than it at the first was, according to the nature of a man, which his head sheweth. And yet forasmuch as thys heade hath his place vpon the hippe, loking downe­warde, it must signifie the same doctrine to be earthly, and not heauenlye, euen so muche differing from the heauenlye, as there is difference, betwene the right place of the heade, and the hippe, betwene the Church of God and of Hipocrites. So that a confor­mitie in naturall doctrine and humaine wisedome, must be one meane, to stay and sustayne that Church in the latter age thereof.

Esai. 9.19.The Tayle in this hinder part of the Church doth by authoritie of Scripture, signifie their flattering, and false preaching Prophets, teachers and writers, whose penne and tong stirreth and writeth for gaine, and picke thereby a quarrell, at their good benefactors pursses, & almose box: being the second proppe to stay pthe same Church with.

And forasmuche as there shall wante no power of [Page 89] Sathan to the sustayning therof,Psa. 73.90. Esa. 17. Apo. 12. there is at the end of the tayle a Dragons head: which in Scripture is also taken for the Diuell himselfe, & for the Tirans of this world, wicked and bloudthristie persones, that then suppose themselues to haue done their duetie, when as they may embrue themselues with the bloude of the Saintes of Christ.

These men if they can not preuayle with their carnal and natural reason: then they vse flatterie, if not so: then tirannie: which are thrée meanes, so puissant, as that they might if it were possible, o­uercome the elect therby. But be not dismayed gen­tle Reader, lay thy hope vpon Christ our Sauiour. And although his truth preached in this monster, doth agast & astonne thée: yet for that this (the same) was cast vp in that riuer deade (and therefore must signifie an ende, conquest, and full deliuerie of this worlde, and Gods sainctes therefro) reioyce, and with a liuely voyce preasse to the Heauens warde, wherein thy ioyes shall be full,Apo. 12. and with the sainc­tes already deliuered in fayth say: Nowe is salua­tion and strength, and the kingdome become oure Gods, and the power his Christes: for he is caste downe which accused them before God day & night: and they ouercame him by the bloud of the Lambe and by the worde of their testimonie, and they lo­ued not their liues vnto death, reioyce you heauens and reioyce you therein. Saluation, glorie and ho­nour, be ascribed vnto the Lorde our God,Apo. 19. for true and righteous are his iudgements, bycause he hath iudged the greate Whore, which dyd corrupte the earth, with her fornication, and hath auenged the [Page] bloud of his seruauntes, of hir hande: Alleluiah. Prayse the Lorde, good Reader, with thy whole soule, and helpe me for Iesus sake with thy feruent prayers.