Tvvo treatises written against the papistes the one being an answere of the Christian Protestant to the proud challenge of a popish Catholicke: the other a confutation of the popish churches doctrine touching purgatory & prayers for the dead: by William Fulke Doctor in diuinitie.

TO THE READER.

3 A Friend of mine, very studious of the truth and zelous of Gods house, one that lear∣ned to beleue first, and then sought to vn∣derstand afterward (which I take to be the naturall order of a christian schoole, where faith must in most matters direct reason, and leade the way to vnderstanding) asked of me, as of one whome he hartely loued, and knew to be studious in such matters by my trade of life, vpon what groundes the Churches doctrine, and the Christian peoples faith of Purgatory, and prayers for the departed, stoode. I aunswered him then presently, as I could, and shortly after (as his further request was) in writing, somewhat more at large. The which my doing though it was both rude and

short, yet he so measured it, either by loue, as it commonly hap∣peth, or else by a singular facilitie, whereby he misliketh nothing that is meant well, that he made it common to many moe then I would my selfe. For though I was well contented, that the simple people or any other should take profite or pleasure by my paine, yet ••onsidering the matter to be full of difficultie, and to rea••h to Gods iudgements in the world to come, I called to my minde the saying of Nebridius,* 1.1 who (as S. Augustine reporteth of him with whom he was very familiar,) being much studious and in∣quisitiue of the secret po••ntes of our faith, would be excedingly offended, to heare a man aske of a matter of importaunce, a briefe declaration: his saying was, that he loued not a short an∣swere to a long question. VVhereby, I was me thought in a ma∣ner admonished, that my treatise though it satisfied my friend, and displeased not other, yet could not, written both hastely and briefly, serue so long and large a matter. I did feare with all, to enter, in this my lacke of yeares, iudgement, and knowledge, into the search of such secretes as I kn••w, by that light vowe that I made of the matter before, the orderly proceeding in the cause would driue me vnto: I did learne of auncient Irenaeus, that such doctrine ••nd mysteries may be safely had, and without all feare of errour,* 1.2 taught by holy Priestes and Bishops, Qui cum episcopatus successione, charisma veritatis certum, s••cun∣dum placitum pat••is accepe••unt. VVho haue receaued with th••ir ordinary succession in their pastorall seat, the gracious gift of vnderstanding the truth. And these are they (sayth he in the same place) which may without all daunger to them selues and their hearers, expound vnto vs the holy Scrip∣tures. Other men doubtles (which this miserable age of ours se∣eth not, that measureth all thinges by a fond flourish of lear∣ning, whereof ••et there was neuer lesse store) can not, nor must not be so bold, though their giftes were many moe, & study mu••h longer then mine. And to confesse the truth in deede, I was som∣what loth (such was my foolish feare then) to fall in hand with that matter, which being well and to the bottom ripped, I percea∣ued, of all other causes in the world, most to touch the very sore of heresie, and therefore might to me procure the hatred of such, whose loue otherwise I could be content, either to keepe or

winne. Besides that, I saw the contention of the contrary part, se∣king to make some answere to such thinges as might in this cause most greeue their mindes, or marre their matter, shoulde driue me from that course of study, which otherwise in quietnesse I would most gladly keepe, to serue truth and defende my cause, which once of freedom and good will taken in hand, must after∣ward of duety and necessitie be vpholden. Notwithstanding all these thinges, good reader, which might most iustly hold me back, yet now my friendes request, the case and condition of this pre∣sent time, and my duety towards my mother the Church, may of good reason, and must of necessitie chaunge my former intent, & remoue my priuate study to the benefite of the common cause. Therfore being at length by iust occasion wholy minded to serue as well as I could that way, I thought good these late months, to make a more full declaration of that thing, which at my sayde friendes request, I had so briefly touched before. That as then when he first had it of me, it onely serued him for his owne con∣tentation, the pleasuring of his singular and secret friendes, and the helpe of some simple whome he knew deceyued by ouer light looking on so graue matters, so nowe (good Christian reader) I trust it may helpe in common, not onely such as haue been caried a way by the guile of heresie, but other that are much subiect to the daungerous flattery of this present time: with whome, pleasure euer ioyned to the protestantes doctrine, often more preuaileth, then the preachers persuasion. Be bolde to charge any of our aduersaries, make he neuer so great accompt of him selfe, with the force of trueth heere expresly proued both by ar∣gument and authoritie: if it holde him not, he shall (I am sure) brast out with impudencie, and not lose him selfe by reason, iust dealing, or honestie. And if it be proued to touch with safetie the poison it selfe, let no man doubt to vse it for a preseruatiue, in this common infection of our time and countrie. For it were no reason, any man shoulde practise with the poore people priuy∣ly, in such thinges as he were not hable to mainteine before their pilloures and preachers openly. And for that hatered which I may procure to my selfe by mine owne trauell, it shall not much moue me: for I shall either be partaker thereof, as a common praise in these euill dayes to most good men: or els if I be not

worthy so much, I will learne to beare it as some parte of punish∣ment & satisfaction for my sinnes. I may not bye frendship with flatterie, nor mannes loue with forsaking Gods trueth. Of such thinges then I will not make much reckening: but my principall care is, that in writing or wading in so deepe matters, I keepe the streight line of the Churches truth, which, in the exceding rash∣nesse of these darke dayes, a man may quickely lose. And there∣fore to make sure, I humbly submit my selfe, to the iudgement of such our maisters in faith and religion, as by Gods calling are made the lawefull Pastors of our soules. Of whome I had rather learne my selfe, then teach other: if either they had occasion and opportunitie to speake, or I might of reason and duetie in these miserable times holde my peace. Farewell gentle Reader, and if I pleasure thee by my paines, let me for Christes sake be partaker of thy prayers.

At Antwerp the Second of May. 1565.

3 WHether this occasion of your writing were true, or only pretendid, it is all one to our purpose. But where you com∣mende your freinde, for that he learned to beleeue first, and sought to vnder∣stand afterwarde, which you take to be the natural order of a Christian schoole, if you had shewed where you learned that methode, his cōmendation should haue been the greater, and your iudgement the weightier. For we learne by Saint Paule, a contrary order, namely first to heare the worde of God preached and expounded, and then to beleeue it. Rom. 10. For God by the riches of his grace, hath abounded towardes vs, in all wisedome and vnderstanding, and hath opened vnto vs, the mysterie of his will, according to his good pleasure, so that after we hearde the worde of trueth, the Gospell of our saluation, we haue thereby beleeued, and so are sealed with the holy Spirite of promise, laboring and praying, that those which

haue receaued the first grace of knowledge, and vnderstan∣ding, may daily more and more, increase in the same, that they may be full filled with knowledge of Gods will, in all wisedom & spirituall vnderstanding. Col. 1. And as for that blinde faith, which must be thrust vppon mens consciences, to be accepted before they see what grounde it hath, we leaue it, as meete for sect masters and heretikes, and in no wise to be admitted by the Disciples of Christ, who calleth all men to heare him, and vnderstand him. Matt. 15. Mar. 7. But faith (say you) in most matters must direct reason. But I say, reason in all matters must be subiect to faith. For the naturall man with all his reason, neither doth, nor can per∣ceaue the things of the spirite of God, for the eye hath not seene, nor the eare hath hearde, neither haue entred into the heart of man, the thinges that God hath prepared for them that loue him, but God hath reueiled them to vs by his spirite. 1. Corinth. 2. And this is the thing that deceiueth you (Maister Allen) which more like a maister of prophane artes, then a good student of holy Diuinitie, can put no difference betwene carnall reason, and spirituall vnderstan∣ding. For that knowledge and vnderstanding of Gods holy mysteries, conteined in his word, whereuppon our faith is grounded, we haue, not by light of naturall reason, but by reuelation and opening of Gods spirite. But omitting this matter, as touched by the way, with two other pages fol∣lowing, as containing nothing materiall to be aunswered, I will come to the third leafe and second face, where you promise an orderly proceeding in the matter you take in hand. Which order of yours, if you had not professed your selfe to obserue, men might haue taken your hochpot, to be such as your matter would bring forth, & that the trea∣ty of Purgatory should be like the troublesome state ther∣of: but when you are not content, to haue your methode counted to be of the nature of your matter, but you will needes make boast of an orderly proceeding, in so disor∣dered a cause, you must not be offended if your confusion in steade of order, be sometime discouered.

Howbeit the want of order were a small fault, if the

matter were pregnant and certaine. But what assurance shall other men haue of your doctrine? when you your selfe affirme, and haue learned (as you say out of Irenaeus) that such doctrine and mysteries, may not be safely had at such a mans hand as you are, but onely of holy Priestes and Byshops, which with the succession of their office, haue re∣ceiued a sure and certaine gift of truth according to the pleasure of their father. It is the duety, not onely of a good teacher, but euen of a good Christian, to say with the Psal∣mist: I haue beleued, and therefore I haue spoken. If you beleue not these matters, why haue you vttered them▪ ••f you beleue them, then be bold to shew vs your grounds, out of the word of God. For other perswasion, then ••uch as is grounded vppon the hearing of Gods worde will ne∣uer of Christians, be counted for true beliefe, so long as the 10. chapter to the Romanes remaineth in the Canon of the Bible. But I knowe your meaning: you affect the prayse of humilitie and modestie. For wauering and vncertain∣tie in faith among Papistes is counted mod••stie, but this modesty is soone forgotten, and this boldnesse nowe vtter∣ly refused, in the next leafe ••ollowing, is not onely resu¦med by your selfe, but also enioyned to others. Be bolde (& blush not you might say, though you should for shame) to charge any of our aduersa••••es, &c. A sodaine chaunge he that euen now, neither can nor must be bolde, although he h••d many more giftes then he hath, and studied much longer then he hath done, to expounde the holy Scrip∣ture, without daunger to him selfe, and his hearers, be∣cause he hath not the certaine gifte of truth, with ordinary succession: by and by is growne to such a full perswasion of truth, expressely proued by argument and autho••itie, that men must be bold vppon his warrant, to charge all his aduersaries, either to be helde thereby, or else with no ho∣nesty to escape his handes. A man would maruaile, to be∣holde this speedy alteration, if he did not vnderstand the true difference, betwene the certaine faith of a Christian, and the obstinate blindenesse of an hereticke. For when he compareth his opinion with the authority of Gods word

where vpon true faith is builded, he will not, he can not, he must not be bolde, to vnderstand the scriptures, he wanteth that certaine gifte of truth: but when he remembreth that he can not deceiue others, nor retaine the glory of con∣stancy him selfe, by doubtfulnesse and vncertainty: then he ••aunteth & braggeth, of the force of his feeble arguments, and vnsufficient au••horitie. But concerning the place of Irenaeus, by him alleged, I must admonish the reader, that his meaning was not, that euery one that succedeth in a Byshoppes seate, hath as necessarily annexed to his see, that certaine gifte of veritie, wherby, he may expound the Scrip∣ture without error, as (maister Allen perhaps woulde insi∣nuate) But that some in the first age of the Church, as they succeded the holy Byshoppes and elders that were ordai∣ned by the Apostles, in place and office, so also it pleased God their father, that they shoulde succede in the like gifts and namely in that excellent gifte of interpretation of the Scriptures, which was but extraordinarie, and for a season. For if it had been an ordinarie thing, that euery Byshop by succession, shoulde receiue that gifte, there shoulde neuer haue been any heretike Byshops, as there haue been many: and againe, that prerogatiue, which Maister Allen him selfe will affirme, to be peculiar to the Byshop of Rome, shoulde be made common to euery other blinde Byshop, where so e••er he sat, which were a great absurditie in popery it selfe. And as for the gift of the interpretation of scriptures, God g••ueth it still though not in such full measure, nor cōmon∣ly without ordinary meanes allowed in the Scripture, as reading, comparing, praying, neuer the lesse, with as full persuasion in matters concerning Gods honour & our sal∣uation by his holy Spirite, as euer he did bestowe the same in any age. And as for the helpes of learning requisite for the same, as knowledge of the tongues and rationall scien∣ces, there was neuer greater sto••e in the church of Christ, son Christ his time: ye if we shall iudge by the writings and stories of all ages (vnlesse we will be as impudent as maister Allen) we must say, there was neuer so great store of lear∣ning in any age, as (Gods holy name be praised) there is now

in these our dayes, in menne professing Christian religion: with what conscience can maister Allen affirme? that there was neuer lesse store of learning then in this age, when euen in remembraunce of men that are aliue, there was a great deale lesse store then is nowe, but in their fathers and grandfathers time, there was almost nothing but rudenesse and barbarousnesse, euen with the same conscience, that soone after he affirmeth that pleasure is euer ioyned to the Protestants doctrine, which more preuaileth then the prea∣chers perswasion. If you had meant Master Allen that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding, which they tast of, that by the Protestants doctrine haue learned that they are iustified by faith. Phil. 4. Rom. 5. and to that perpetual ioy in the holy Ghost, whereunto we are exhorted by the Apo∣stle. Phil. 4. wherein the kingdom of God consisteth. Rom. 14. we willingly would haue consented, that such pleasure is alwayes ioyned to the Protestants doctrine: but seeing it is more like, you speake of carnall pleasures, I must say thus much to confound your blasphemous tongue, and to dashe out your slaunderous writing: let the worlde witnesse that heareth our doctrine, and God iudge that seeth our hearts, whether carnall pleasures be ioyned to our teaching, which daily preach with all vehemency and earnestnes, vnfained repentaunce, mortification, deniall of our selues, bearing of the crosse, hatred of this world, amendment of life, holines and righteousnes, and that vnder paine of euerlasting dam∣nation. And whether pleasure more then the godly perswa∣sion of the preachers, preuaileth to winne professors of our doctrine, if it be not so clearly seene in this Church of Eng∣land, by the meanes of the great peace and tranquilitie, we haue through Gods singular goodnes, vnder the happy go∣uernment of our Soueraigne Lady enioyed these many yeares: looke to those Churches of God in Fraunce, and the lowe countryes of Germany, which within these twen∣ty yeares haue bene for the most part planted, growne vp, & flourished altogither vnder the heauy crosse and most sharp persecution, what carnall pleasure hath allured them? what worldly voluptuousnes hath and doth still intise them, in so

great multitudes to embrace this doctrine? whereof if they tast neuer so smal, they see present daunger of death or losse of all their goods with banishment. Surely, this is the Lords doing, and it is marueilous in our eyes. But to conclude: this man, if he can not haue loue and praise for his valiant enter∣prise, yet by patient bearing of hatred and reproch, he ma∣keth full account of satisfaction for his sinnes. O miserable conscience of the Papistes, which haue no peace with god through faith in his infinite mercy, but seeke to satisfie the streightnes of his eternall iustice, by such beggerly shiftes as these, which also he is so vncertaine whether they wil serue his turne, that he feareth lest he lose al his labour, if he hap∣pen to lose the streight line of the Churches truth, which in these darke daies, a man may quickly lose. What say you M. Allen? is it so hard a matter to keepe the streight line of the Churches truth in these darke dayes? Why? Where is the citie builded vpon an hill that can not be hidden? Where is that visible and knowne Church which can not erre? If that which was wont to be the only rule of truth among Papists faile you, try an other rule of the Protestants, and as Augu∣stine exhorteth you, search the word of God in the holy Scriptures, and then vndoubtedly you shall finde the truth and the Church also, that is the piller of truth, though the dayes be neuer so darke, or your eyes neuer so dymme: if with like humilitie you would submit your self to the iudg∣ment therof, as you pretend to doe to the ministers and pa∣stors of your faith and religion. The Lorde if it be his will, open your eyes, that you may see the truth, and geue you grace when you see it, that you striue not against it, to your owne destruction.

Notes

• * 1.1

  August. Epi. 23.
• * 1.2

  Libr 3. Cap. 43.