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 Papiste.

The fowerth consideration is, that the receiuyng of this new booke of seruice, is a condemnation of the olde, wherby is taken away 5. of the. 7. Sacramentes, the reall pre∣sence of Christes body in the Sacramente

of the alter, the sacrifice of the masse, many traditions of the Apostles, as the holiyng of the Fonte, oile and Chrisma in Baptisme and Confirmation, the making of the signe of the Crosse, praiers for the deade and vn∣to sainctes. All sacramentall, and godly ce∣rimonies, frequented in the vniuersal chur∣che of Christe, and brougt into this realme with the faithe of Christe by S. Augustine, and here by hym established, as suer signes and tokens of christian faieth, like as the holy. S. Bede witnesseth in his firste boke de gestis Anglorum, in the 25.29.30. chapiters, beside that all the foresaide thinges haue been alwaie approued, vsed, and allowed throughout the vniuersal church of christ. And therfore saieth S. Augustine all these thinges whiche haue been receiued in the vniuersall Churche of Christe, and appro∣ued by the vse, and consente therof, ought not to be ouerthrowen, nor yet to be chaū¦ged by the iudgemente of one priuate per∣son, be his learnyng and liuyng neuer so good, nor yet by the Bishoppes of any one prouince or countrie, when thereby they shoulde breake the vnitie of Gods spirite, whiche is the chief treasure in his Churche,

commended by our sauiour Christe vnto his Apostles, wishynge and praiynge the same vnitie to be amongest theim, whiche was betwixt him and God (Ioan 17) the fa∣ther. The Apostle S. Paule tought the Co∣rinthians aboue all thinges to obserue this vnitie, and willed the Romaines that with one minde and one mouth they shoulde glorifie God. And in the Epistle to the E∣phesians, he besought theim most entirely to obserue this vnitie. Again. S. Augustine saieth, these thinges whiche the vniuersall churche doth teache, therfore are to be ob∣serued and kepte of all menne, because the churche which is the spouse of Christ, hath the full aucthoritie of her husband Christ, and suche gouernement also of the holy ghost, that she cannot consent, but to true thinges, nor she cannot commaunde but onely suche thinges whiche are both holy, holsome and good. And farther the same S. Augustine saieth, that in the ministratiō of the Sacramentes, and in the manner of praiyng vsed of Preestes, there must be an vniformitie obserued in Christes catholike Churche, that by their Lawe and maner of praiyng there may be established the lawe

of beleuyng. And lest that the lawe, and maner of praiyng being chaunged, may al∣so bring foorthe a chaunge and alteration of faieth, like as it hath so proued in thys realme. Beside that S. Ambrose doth thinke that there can not bee the faieth, where Schisme is, for albeit that schismatikes may haue faieth towardes God, yet they cannot haue faieth towarde the Churche of God, whom they suffer to bee dismembred, and discerped in peeces. For wheras our sauiour Christe suffered for his Churche, and the Churche is the mysticall bodie of Christe, how therfore may thei haue faith in christ, by whom his Passion is made frustrate, and his mysticall bodie drawen in peeces. And therefore woulde not we shoulde chaunge an order set, or a custome of Christes chur∣che. For albeit saieth he, the reason or cause of a custome may be sought for, yet must it be so sought for, that the custome thereby be not infirmed or broken, for the searche may not bee made vnto destruction, but vnto aedification, wherby thou maist bet∣ter obserue the custome when thou arte as∣sured of the cause and reason therof. I do praise thee (saieth Tertuliane) whiche firste

doeth beleue the custome to be obserued, before it hath learned the cause and reason why and wherfore.