T. Stapleton and Martiall (two popish heretikes) confuted, and of their particular heresies detected. By D. Fulke, Master of Pembrooke hall in Cambridge. Done and directed to all those that loue the truth, and hate superstitious vanities. Seene and allowed

CAP. VII.

Of pilgrimage and reliques, of Church seruice, of Altars, of Church ornaments & holy vessels, of the ecclesiasticall ••on∣sure, and of holy water.

The 22. difference is pilgrimage to holy places, especially to Rome. In deede we finde that peregri∣nation to Ierusalem was esteemed of many, and great resort to Rome, of the wiser sort not for the holinesse of the places, but for the frequence of godly & lear∣ned men then liuing in those places. Otherwise for the holynesse of the place, S. Hierom ad Paulinum, whether M. Sapleton sendeth vs, doth sufficiently de∣clare

what was to be esteemed of it.

Non Hierosoly∣mis fuisse, sed Hierosolymis bene vixisse laudandum est. It is no praise to haue beene at Hierusalem, but to haue liued well at Hierusalem.

And speaking euen of our owne countrye, he addeth.

Et de Hierosolymis & de Bri∣tannia aequaliter patet aula coelestis. The court of heauen is open equally, from Ierusalem and from Britain. A∣gaine: Beatus Hilarion cùm Palestinus esset & in Palestina viueret, vno tantùm die vidit Hierosolimam, vt nec contem∣nere loca sancta propter vicinitatem, nec rursus dominum lo∣co claudere videretur. Blessed Hilarion when he was a Palestine borne, and liued in Palestine, sawe Ieru∣salem but one day only, that neither he might seeme to contemne the holy places because of neerenesse, nor againe to shut vp the Lorde in a place.

And be∣cause Master Stapleton maketh pilgrimage a matter of faith, he sayth further: After hee hath shewed how many excellent men neuer came at Ierusalem, &c.

Quorsum inquies haec tam longo repetita principio? Videlicet ne quicquam fidei tuae deesse putes, quia Hierosolymam non vi∣disti. Thou wilt say, to what ende are these thinges fetched from so long a beginning? verely, that thou shouldest not thinke any thing to be wanting to thy faith, because thou hast not seene Ierusalem.

Thus Hierome, albeit it was much vsed, yet iudged pere∣grination vnto Ierusalem, to be a matter of small importance.

By Chrysostom sayeth, Hom. 5. de beato Iob: that if strength of body did serue, & that he were not let∣ted with the charge of his Church, he would haue tra∣uelled to Rome, to see the cheines wherewith Saint Paul was bound. And this Stapleton wil warrant, to haue beene done without superstition. I would faine knowe howe he will discharge this saying of his in the same homely, eyther of superstition, or of an excessiue commendation.

Si quis me coelo condonet om∣ni, vel ea qua pauli manus vinciebatur catena, illam ego honore praeponerem. If any man coulde giue mee all

heauen, or else that chayne, wherewith Saint Paules hande was bounde, I woulde preferre that chaine in honour.

Excuse this if you can, so it be not with a rethoricall exornation, for y^e you cannot abyde. Ne∣uerthelesse, the same Chrisostom sheweth, y^t it was not needefull for obtaining remissiō of finnes, to take in hande any pilgrimage.

In Epist. ad Phil. Hom. Non opus est in longinqua peregrinando transire, nec ad remotissimas ire nationes, non pericula, non labores tolerare, sed velle tantum∣modo. There is no neede to go a pilgrimage into farre countryes, nor to go to the furthest nations, nor to suffer perils nor trauels, but onely to be willing.

Now let the wisedome of the Papistes take heede, as he admonisheth the wisdome of the Protestantes, that they charge not Chrysostome with the heresie of sola fides, or licentious libertie, more then wee checke him for superstition. The like of remission of sinnes, without pilgrimage, he sayeth: Hom. de. Anima & edu∣catione Samuelis, which is as contrary to y^• draffe of po∣pish pilgrimage, as the peregrination vsed in this day is out of vse with vs. For Papists were wont to make pilgrimage a meritorious worke, and many had it in penance persuaded by their ghostly father, they could not otherwise haue remission of their sinnes, except perhaps by a Popes pardon, with a commutation of penance. Concerning the place of Augustine, which he citeth Ep. 137. It proueth no ordinary pilgrimage then in vse, but onely sheweth Augustines deuise in a case of such doubt, as he coulde not finde out the trueth betweene one that was accused and his accuser, that it was not amisse they shuld both trauell to some such place, where miracles are sayed to be wrought, if happely there in such place, the trueth might be re∣uealed by miracle.

And yet I confesse not vrged by any thing Staple∣ton sayth, that Augustine else where speaketh of pe∣regrination to Rome in Psal. 85.

Quales isti princi∣pes venerunt de Babylone? Principes credentes de saeculo,

principes venerunt ad vrbem Roman, quasi caput Babylonis, non ierunt ad templum imperatoris, sed ad memoriam piscato∣ris. What are these princes that came from Babylon? Princes of the world that beleeue, the princes came to Rome, as to the head of Babylon, they went not to the temple of the Emperour, but to the memorie of a Fi∣sher.

To conclude, as there was vsed Peregrination to Ie∣rusalem, and other places to the memories of Martyrs, so was there neuer any pilgrimage to images, which is the greatest pilgrimage of Papistes, within the 600. yeres mentioned, wherein Papists differ as much from their practise, as we, and more also.

The 23. difference is the reuerence of reliques, vsed within the 600. yeres, as witnesseth Basil, Chrysostome and other. The reliques or bodyes of the Saints we re∣uerence, so farre as we haue any warrant out of the ho∣ly Scriptures. Neither did those auncient fathers, (al∣though immoderate in that kinde of reuerence) yet make idols of them, nor set them bare to be seene or handled, and worshipped, but laide vp in the earth, as I haue before shewed out of Cyrillus: Lib. 10. Contra Iu∣lianum. But what inconuenience grewe by that exces∣siue esteeming of the dead bodyes of the Saints, Sozo∣menus sheweth

Li. 7. ca. 10. Pauli Constantinopolitani Epis∣copi corpus in Ecclesia repositum est, id quod & multos verita∣tis ignaros, praesertim mulieres, ac plures è plebe, in eam opinio∣nem induxit, vt Apostolum Paulum ibi conditum esse putent. The body of Paul, Bishop of Constantinople, was bu∣ried in the Church, which thing brought many igno∣rant of the trueth, especially women, and many of the common people into this opinion, that they thinke the Apostle Paul to be buried there.

But whereas in the end he wold haue vs restore so many holy reliques of Abbeyes and Churches, as haue bene spoiled and pro∣phaned, it is needlesse, seeing the Papistes can make as many when they list. Euen by the same cunning that they make some of the Apostles to haue two or three

bodyes a piece, beside heades, armes, ribbes, and other partes in infinite places, whereof he that will heare more, let him reade Caluines booke of reliques, and credite him but as a reporter of that, which all the world is able to reproue him of, if he would wilfully feigne any thing.

The 24. difference is Alters, for proofe whereof he bringeth Chrysostome, and Augustine, which speake of Alters, whome also he confesseth to call the same tables, but that neither in matter nor fourme, they were like Popish Alters, but tables in deede made of boordes, and remoueable, and standing in the middest of the Church, I haue shewed sufficiently in mine aun∣swere to Doctor Heskins, lib. 3. cap. 31. by which it is proued, that the Papistes and not we, differ from the primitiue Church in this point.

The 25. difference is Latine seruice, which he would proue out of Bede by the bookes that Gregorie sent to Augustine, which could be none other but Latine. But howe proue you that those bookes were seruice bookes? or that if they were seruice bookes, thei were not tran∣slated into the vulgare tongue? As for the fortificati∣on of this piece, by the elder times he referreth vs to Doctor Hardings proofe against Master Iewels chal∣lenge. And to the same Bishops learned replie, doe I referre the reader for ouerthrowe of the same feeble fortresse of Harding.

The 26. difference is of Alter clothes, Church vest∣ments, &c. Such Alter clothes and such vestments as Christ vsed in the celebration of the holy sacrament, we thinke not onely to be sufficient, but also most conuenient, for the administration of the same. Ne∣uertheles, if any other vestments, without superstitiō, be appointed by lawful authoritie, we thinke no strife or contention is to be raised for so small matters.

But let vs see, of what antiquitie he will make the holy vestments. First Tertullian Lib. de Monogam, ma∣keth mention of Infulas, the vpper garment of the

Priest. But he might vnderstand Tertullian (if he were disposed) to vse that terme but in derision of them, that when they would be proude against the Cleargie, they alledged, that we are all Priestes, &c. but when we are called (saide he) to the same seueritie of discipline with the Cleargie, deponimus infulas & pares sumus, we put off our Rochets, and we be pri∣uate men. This infula was the apparell of the Hea∣then Priestes, to which he alludeth, when he scoffeth at them, that in dignitie would be Priestes, but in disci∣pline Lay men. The Albe which is spoken of Con. Carthag. 4. Can. 41. was nothing like your Popish Albe, but a white garment, which was vsed in signe of dignitie, and was forbidden of the Deacons to be worne, but onely in time of the oblation and reading Saint Iohns Petalum, if he could tell what to make of it, he would not call it generally a pontificall vest∣ment. Saint Iohn was a poore Pontifex, to goe in pontificalibus. The rich garment which Constantine gaue to the Church of Ierusalem, if it had bene a cope, (as he saith) it had bene an vnhandsome garment to daunce in, as the storie saith, it came into the handes of one that daunced in it. The admonition that he giueth to such as sleepe in Church goodes, meaning belike, such as haue their beddes garnished with olde copes, were more meete to be made to some of his be∣nefactours, that sleepe in Abbeyes, and yet will not awake out of them.

To conclude, although there is some mention of garmentes, applied specially for the vse of diuine ser∣uice, yet the Popish tragicall trumperie of this time, differeth as much from them in forme and vse, as they doe in time and age.

The 27. difference is of holy vessels: such vessels as are comely and decent for the ministration of the sa∣craments, we haue without superstition, which begin∣ning to growe in the auncient times, the Fathers did rather reproue then foster.

Gregorie Nazianzen, whome he citeth in his Oration aduers. Arrianos, & de se ipso, speaking of the ministring vessels that might not be touched of many, meaneth Allegorically of prophaning the mysteries of Christi∣an religion, alluding to the prophanation of the ves∣sels of the Iewish temple by Nabuzardan and Bal∣thasar, as his words doe plainely shewe. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. What ministring vessels not be touched of ma∣ny, haue I deliuered to the handes of the wicked, ei∣ther to Nabuzardan, or to Balthasar, which rioted wic∣kedly in holy things, and suffred punishment worthie of his madnesse.

Chrysostome reproued the preposterous superstiti∣on of the people, which durst not touch the holy ves∣sels, but yet feared not to defile them selues with sinne,

In ep. ad Eph. H. 14. Non vides, &c. Doest thou not see, those holy vessels? Be they not alwaies vsed to one pur∣pose? Dare any man vse them to any other purpose? Nowe art thou thy selfe more holy then these vessels, and that by much. Why then doest thou pollute and defile thy selfe?

He hath forgotten Exuperius Bishop of Tholosse, which caried the Lordes body in a wicker basket, and his bloud in a glasse, when he maketh so much adoe about holy vessels. Hier. ad Rusticum, Acacius Bishop of Amida is commended for melting the ves∣sels of the Church of golde and siluer, to redeeme pri∣soners from the Persians.

The 28. difference, is the shauen crown•• of Prie∣stes, for antiquitie whereof, he citeth Eusebius in Pane∣gyric.

Vos amici Dei sacerdotes lōgae talari veste & corona insig∣nes. Ye friends of God, ye Priests seemly by your long side garment and crowne.

Verily he is worthy to be shorne on his poll, with a number of crownes, that vn∣derstandeth this of a shauen crowne. If nothing else could haue driuen him from this dreame, at least he should haue remēbred the solemne disputation where∣of he spake immediately before in Beda, li. 5. ca. 22. by

which it appeareth, that y^• Greekes were shorne square, and not round, and therefore Eusebius speaking to Greeke Priestes, would neuer haue called their square tonsure a crowne. But the wordes of Eusebius put all out of doubt. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. O ye friendes and Priestes of God, which are clothed with the holy long garment, and the heauenly crowne of glorie, and with the diuine vnction and the priestly robe of the holy Ghost, &c. Is there any blocke so senselesse, to thinke that he called a shauen head the heauenly crowne of glorie? Who seeth not, that in commendation of the spirituall dignitie of the Ministers of the Church, he alludeth to the Aaronicall attire of the Priestes of the lawe?

The next testimonie is out of the tripartite historie, that Iulian the Apostata to counterfet religion, shore him selfe to the hard eares, therefore religious men were then shorne There is no doubt, but the Cleargie, and such as professed sobrietie and modestie, vsed to poll their heades, whereas the licentious multitude de∣lighted in long haires, which shearing or polling after grewe to a ceremonie, & from a ceremonie to a super∣stition: but small mention of the ceremonie there is, within the 600. yeares, and that toward the latter end of them. But where he compareth the scoffing that the Turke might make at the blessed passion of Christe, with such pleasant railing as Protestantes vse against their Friers coules, and shauen crownes, he sheweth in what blasphemous estimation he hath such vile dung of mens inuention, to compare it with the onely price of our saluation.

The 29. differēce is holy water, for antiquitie wher∣of he alledgeth two myracles, the one out of Bede, li. 1. cap. 17. of Germanus, which with casting a fewe sprin∣kles of water into the sea, in the name of the Trinitie, assuaged a tempest. The other of Marcellus Bishop of

Apamea, which when the temple of Iupiter could not be burned with fire, after praiers made, commaunded water signed with the crosse, to be sprinkled on the Alter, which done, the diuels departed, and the temple was set on fire, & burned. But these miracles wrought by water, proue not an ordinarie vse of holy water in the Church, in those times, as for the counterfet decree of Alexander the fift Bishop of Rome, is a worthie wit∣nesse of such a worshipfull ceremonie. In the end of this chapter, he inueigheth against a newe tricke, which he saith, y^• preachers haue to make their audience cry, Amen. Cōparing it with the applause and clapping of handes, vsed in the olde time, but misliked of godly fa∣thers, Chrysostome and Hierome. So that for the prea∣cher to pray to God, an•• to giue God thankes, whereto the people aunswereth ••••en, it is counted of Staple∣ton a newe tricke, and yet it is an auncient, as S. Paul 1. Cor. 14. vers. 16. But to make such a loude lye, that Sathan him selfe the father of lyes (I suppose) for his credites sake would be ashamed to make, in his owne person. Videlicet, that To teares, to lamenting or to bewayling of their sinnes, no Protestant yet moueth his audience. It is an olde trickes of a cankared stomaked Papist.

Notes

• Stapleton.
• Fulke.