A confutation of a popishe, and sclaunderous libelle in forme of an apologie: geuen out into the courte, and spread abrode in diuerse other places of the realme. VVritten by VVilliam Fulke, Bacheler in Diuinitie, and felowe of S. Ihons Colledge in Cambridge.

The aunswere.

The very title of your argumentes de∣clareth, of what force youre argumentes are. Your reasons are tenne in noumber, whiche if thei were all graūted to be true yet foloweth not this conclusion, that our Churche hath no agreance, with the Pri∣mitiue Churche of Christe, excepte you would affirme, that all the doctrine of the Primitiue Churche, were comprehended in these tenne poinctes. Again your owne Popishe Churche differeth, in these tenne poinctes, as muche from the Primitiue Churche, as ours, therefore by your owne Logike, I will conclude, that your Popish churche, hath no agreance with the church of Christ. 1. For neither you haue all thin∣ges common, 2. neither dooe you sell your houses, and landes, to putte the price in common. 3. Neither doe you make diuisi∣on to euery manne, accordyng to his ne∣cessitie. 4. Neither are all mēbers of your

Churche so prouided for, that none dooe begge. 5. Neither doe you baptise onely in the name of Christe. 6. Neither dooe you giue the holy ghost, by laiyng on your han∣des. 7. Neither dooe you restore theim to health, whom you annoincte with oile, be∣yng sicke. 8. Neither dooe you make open confession of your synnes. 9. Neither dooe you celebrate the Sacramente, after sup∣per. 10. Neither dooe you abstaine from bloodde, and strangled, therefore by your owne reason, you haue no agreance with the Primitiue Churche of Christe. Or if you maie haue any agreance, these diffe∣rences notwithstanding, why maie not we the same differences, nothyng lettyng vs, haue sufficient agremente therewith? You see that either your argument is no∣thyng worthe, or els you haue as little a∣greance with the Primatiue churche, as we. Your only refuge is this, that it is not necessary for you, to haue any agreance with the primitiue Churche. And that is the opinion of all Papistes, whiche is dili∣gently to be noted, that you disclaime of al title of the Primitiue Churche, whiche you holde, was but an infante, and by ad∣dition

of your doctrine, and Ceremonies, is growne to bee of womannes state. As though Christ maried his Churche, when she was vnder age, and so the matrimonie was not ratified, and consumated, before the Pope had nourtured her in his schole, vntill she came to yeres of discretion. For it is as lawfull for me, so to inferre vppon your allegorie, as for you so to allegorise of her.

But that you maie the better vnder∣stande, what we meane by the primitiue Churche, I putte you out of doubte, that none of vs doeth attribute vnto her, suche long limites, as you doe in your argumen∣tes, gathered out of the Doctours: where you alledge the seconde counsaill of Nice, as a determination of the primitiue chur∣che, whiche was holden almoste eight hū∣dred yeres after Christe. Of whiche thing you were not ignoraunt, but you thought it was sufficiente, to fill vnlearned eares, with greate blastes, voide of all reason, or truthe. Wherefore, when wee appeale to the Primitiue Churche, wee meane the Churche of the Apostles, and their succes∣sours, so longe as thei continue in the doc∣trine

of the Apostles, whereof triall is to be made, by the Canonicall writynges of the Apostles. That wheras you accuse vs for departyng frō your churche, as though we were of no Churche, wee defende our selues to be of the true churche, seyng wée retaine the faithe, and doctrine of the pri∣mitiue Churche, whiche without all con∣trouersie, was the true churche. Now as I haue shewed you, what we accompte to bee the primitiue churche, so muste I de∣clare, in what thynges wee are bounde to consente, and agree with the same. For whiche purpose, we must marke this dif∣ference, whiche I suppose, no Papist is so farre paste shame, to deny: namely, that in the primitiue Churche, some thynges were necessarie, and immutable, some thynges againe were temporall, and vari∣able. Of the firste sorte is the doctrine, and Sacramentes, of the latter sorte are Ce∣remonies, and politike constitutions. To the doctrine no manne maie adde, no man maie diminishe, no manne maie alter, a∣ny thyng thereof. The Sacramentes be∣yng, as Augustine calleth theim, the visi∣ble woorde, bee of the same nature with

the doctrine. On the other side, Ceremo∣nies, and publike constitutions, mate bee reteined, or chaunged, as thei make beste for edificatiō, for order, and for comelines. And of this latter sorte, are all those thin∣ges, whiche you alledge, in which we dif∣fer from the primitiue churche. But yet, so longe as we holde still the same faithe, and the same Sacramentes, whiche are lefte to vs by the primitiue Churche, all reasonable men will iudge, that notwith∣standyng your reasons, wee haue suche a∣greance with the primitiue Churche, as may proue vs to be members of the same. For it is the vnitie of faithe, and Sacra∣mētes, not of Ceremonies, and constitu∣tions, that ioigneth vs vnto the bodie of Christe, as witnesseth sainct Paule to the Ephesi. iiij. One faithe, one baptisme, one God. &c. Now let vs particularly consider your tenne differences.