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FAther Parsons that worthy Jesuit in his k 1.1 booke of the three conversiōs, or rather as he hath made thē, perversions of England, woulde faine make vs to beleeue; that the points wherin VVickliffe agreeth with the Papists, against vs, are many, and farre more thē the former, wherein he ioineth with the Protestants against
them. And our Apologists say, that l 1.2 after his revolte, hee retained stil sundry Catholike points. I knowe not how ••ur Apologists wilbe able to iustifie their saying, sure I am, it wil pinch on the Parsons side.
FOr the nomber of the Sacraments, he held that there were but two. True it was,* 1.3 that some time after his Conuersion, when he began to see and know the truth, being not fully instructed in all points at the fi••st (for his conuersion was wrought by degrees the elder he grew the more he loathed, and detested there abhominable heresies) he names 7. Sacraments: but. posteriores cogitationes sunt sapientiores his after opinions, were better thē his former, els why did their m 1.4 Church condemne him for an Hereticke in this point.
* 1.7He held against the Chrisme in Baptisme, saying; that Christ contented himselfe with pure water, so doe we.
p 1.8HE held, that corporal Vnction, or the last anoin∣ting, or anealing, was no Sacrament, so do we.
q 1.9HE held that Popish Confirmation, with oile & vaile, and I know not what fooleries, was a Re∣lique of the Diuels, but r 1.10 such Confirmatiō as was agreeable with reason he allowed.
HE preached against the f 1.11 pretiosity, speciosity, and miraculositie, and sundry other sophistications a∣bout images, being of opinion, that it were better to banish them t 1.12 cleane out their of Churches, alleadging that noted saying of Epiphanius: and where as the Pa∣pists say, they commit no Idolatry, u 1.13 for they worship not the Image, but that, which the Image represents: first he shewes, that the Idolatrous heathen men were wont to make this apologie for themselues; but how∣soeuer they dissembled the matter, sure he was, that uu 1.14 betweene there gazing vpō the Image & thinking vp∣on that, that was thereby represented, it was an easie matter for some kinde of Idolatrie to creepe in. And of the same opinion are we.
HE holdes the Distinction of sinnes thus; x 1.15 some sinnes are called little sinnes, in comparison of greater, and y 1.16 venial, because Gods sonne forgiues them, so doe we.
HE heldz 1.17 vocal Confession to a Priest, not to be necessa∣rie ina 1.18 case a man a were truly contrite and sorrow∣ful for his sinne, with ful b 1.19 purpose of amendment: vn∣lesse the party offending, do finde himselfe verie much grieued, in which case he counselleth him, to repaire c 1.20 vnto a Priest that hath cunning and good living; & so farre this doctrine is iustly ratified, by the Canons of our Church and pittie it is, that it is not oftner vsed.
HE wrote against their, ¶ 1.21 new found penance, and penall Satisfactions; assuring vs, that a man might not doe sufficient penance for one deadly sin, so do we.
SHar••ly he inveied against their b 1.22 vaine sellers, or distributers of Pardons and Indulgences, and other Ghostly deeds; shewing that this treasure, c 1.23 was not in earthly mans power to deale; but d 1.24 wholie in Christes disposition; and that the e 1.25 parting of this blisse, was pro∣per to God only: and the••efore f 1.26we should not trust to the
Pope, but to God; g 1.27 not to beleeue his Buls, but the h 1.28 Bul of everlasting pardon, which is our Lord Iesu Christ, so do we.
FOr fasting, he held as we do; that i 1.29 abstinence with prudence was needeful, that is, (as he expoundeth himselfe) k 1.30 measureable fasting, both of bodie and soule; of the body from meates, of the l 1.31 soule from sins, was requisite; but neuerthelesse he held absolutelie, a∣gainst there m 1.32 foole-fasting, that is, fasting from flesh, to glut themselues with fish; or n 1.33 excesse of fasting, that is, to goe about to fast more then mans nature would permit, by seeking too much to euen Christ or o 1.34 Elias, by so doing.
HE speake against there forced vowes, of Chasti••e, Pouerty, and Obedience: shewing, how there Cha∣stity was turned * 1.35 into Lecherie, and sin against kinde; there q 1.36 Pouertie into riches; there "Obedience, into disobedience, and flat rebellion against Christ, and his Lawes.
TOuching Matrimonie, thus stood the case in his time, the Priests were vnmarried: but neuerthe∣lesse, he held that the r 1.37 Bishops and Priests of both the Primitiue and East-Churches were married, & that he saw no cause, why the Priestes of the Latin Church f 1.38 should be forbidden marriage; that the forbidding of it, caused many t 1.39 to liue lust full life and easie, and fall in∣to sin against kind••; that who so forbids it, u 1.40 is enemie of God, Saints in Heaven, and al mankinde: because uu 1.41 true chastitie, is as wel to be found in wedlock, as otherwise; and this is our verie tenet.
1 1.42HE held against vnlawfull divorces, so doe we.
HE helde likewise against y 1.43 false and vnnatural z 1.44 dis∣pensations for mariage, in case of neerenes of bloud.
HE held against damnable a 1.45 Aequiuocatiō and lying, & that the Pope nor no man else could absolue thē from lying, or wilful periurie, or breach of their b 1.46 oaths of allegeance.
HE held that the Kings Maiestie, hath power within his Realmes,--to whom the Chiefe gouernment of all Estates of this Realme, c 1.47 whether they be Ecclesia∣stical, or Ciuil, in al causes doth appertaine, and is not, nor ought to be subiect to any forraine Jurisdictiō, ac∣cording to the 37. Article of Religion; not intending hereby, (as slaunderous Jesuits doe giue out) to giue the Prince, the ministring of Gods word or Sacramēts, or to make and establish what Religion he list, as if we Englishmen d 1.48 had prostituted (so the lewd Jesuit spea∣keth) both our souls, and bodies vnto the King.
AGaine, he held the riches and goods of Christiās not to be common, as touching the right, title, and possession (as the Anabaptists now, & a cer∣taine e 1.49 Bald Priest in his time did hold) notwithstan∣ding, by f 1.50 a ¶ 1.51 Christian charitie, they were to be made cō∣mon, as he teacheth.
AGaine hee helde against g 1.52 the perilous custome of swearing, against fallacious, blasphemous & h 1.53Ac∣guivocall Oathes; not against swearing: the con∣trarie is most euident throughout al his bookes, and as cleere as the Sunshine in a faire Sommers day, & this is an Article of our Religion.
For Excommunications he held the same with our l 1.54 Church; that the partie excōmunicated, being deliuered vp once vnto Sathan, by the Church, ought to be taken of the whole multitude of faithfull, as an Heathen and Publican, vntil he were openly re∣conciled by Penance, and receiued into the Church, and this made him write, against the abuses of Excom∣munication: viz: that those greater k 1.55 Excommunicati∣ons were thundred forth too often, too suddainly, vpō no dew information, and for no good end.
HE held a reuerend opinion of the bookes l 1.56 Apocry∣pha. For the governmēt of the Church by Archbi∣shops, Bishops, Archdeacons and Officials, he was (to my seeming) a plaine conformitan. There were noe doubt of it, some Reuerend, learned, and vncorrupt Prelats in his time: and therefore he obserued this rule in all his sharpe Treatises against the Cleargie: parcere personis, dicere de vitijs, to note the abuses in general, without ¶ 1.57 naming anie man in particular to his dis∣grace. & for Rites and m 1.58 Ceremonies, such as were lau∣dable and approueable by the Church, he himselfe ob∣serued, and wished others so to do▪ Lastly, though Hee were soule and bodie, for n 1.59 preaching and teaching the people, yet he held it a matter of no necessitie, but of indifferēcie, for the Priest to preach vnto the Lay-peo∣ple by weekes, or months, or otherwise in their discre∣tions; so the people were wel taught: likewise he was not so seuere and sharpe an inueier against Non-Resi∣dents, as to allow them no time of absence, or recrea∣tion, by inculcating and thundering in there eares Christs pasce, pasce, pasce, feed, feed, feed: for he shew∣eth, that a man may be absent vpon occasion, from his liuing, either at the o 1.60 Vniuersities, or elsewhere, for the encrease of his knowledge,p 1.61 deputing a sufficient man
in his place, and liuing wheresoeuer, a godly, and ver∣tuous life: and for q 1.62 continual feeding, he shewes the difference betweene corporal food and spiritual food, the one a man of a strong bodie and complexion can∣not wel want twise a day, the other a man may want manie daies and weekes; yet hee thinketh it not conve∣nient that they should so do, if it might be otherwise. Finally, he was not for hedge Priests, such as our Fami∣lists, which refuse the Church, as prophane, and chuse the open fields, or there houses, for their disordered cō. venticles and meetings: he loued preaching & r 1.63 pray∣ing well, and stood firme for the Liturgy of a reformed Church, but yet he thought the f 1.64 Church, to be the fit∣test place for Gods seruice, for manie reasons which he recounteth: so that as he was no superstitious Pa∣pist, so he was no fond Novellist, but an indifferent, so∣ber, discreet, learned and iudicious Protestant.
HE held that euerie good & perfect Christiā should beleeue not onlie implicitè, by relying on the Church; butt 1.65 secundam fidem formatā explicitè in par∣ticulari plus, vel minus, secundum quod obligantur plus Deo, ex donis suis & opportunitate temporis so doe we.
THat au 1.66 vertuous and godly man should be certaine of his saluation, though hee neede not to sweare it.
LAstly, for Purgatorie and praier to Saints, & for the dead. It cannot be denied, but that in some places of his works, he speaketh of theuu 1.67 dreadful paines of Purgatorie, and x 1.68 praying for the dead, and y 1.69 vnto Saints: but it seemeth that either hee was not z 1.70 fully grounded in this opinion, whereat some of the graue Doctors of the Church haue stumbled; or ra∣ther, that howsoeuer he had maintained it, yet vpon better aduise he changed his opinion: which I gather by these two Circumstances. First he writes a 1.71 that all the sayings of Purgatorie, were spokē, by way of commi∣nation, as it were so many religious lies to scarre the people from comming thither. Secondly, he diuides the Church into 3. parts: The b 1.72 highest beth the Angels of heavē, the 2. beth Saints, c 1.73 dormientes, or pausantes, sleeping or resting in Purgatorie, the third is folke, that shalbe saved, here fighting in earth: of these three (saith he) and of none other, is made holy Church: and surely by this diuision, Popish Purgatorie is thrust cleane out of Dores. For there is little rest, and lesse sleeping there, if we beleeue them that haue come from thence, and told vs so. And by this reason, if the fier of Purgatorie be cleane put out, the smoke of it, that is praiers for the
dead, must needs, in a verie short time vanish awaie. And as for praiers vnto Saints, most true it is, that in these Popular works of his, he mentioneth a praier, of d 1.74 S. Cycily, vnto Saints and himselfe praied to the bles∣sed Virgin Marie but I am e 1.75 perswaded, that he retra∣cted these opiniōs in his latter & more learned works. If ever it be Gods pleasure, that his works which were cut and mangled, and scattered worse then Absyrtus limbes were in the Poet, may be brought forth and set togither againe, that we may haue the whole bodie of his learned & religious works, & be able to distinguish of the time, and order wherein he writ: then I say we should receaue due satisfaction in this point, sure I am that f 1.76 Fryar VValden, maks him to speake verie irreve∣rently against Saints, & g 1.77 VValsinghā the Monke saies, it was the death of him: though I beleeue neither of both for the circūstance of there Relations, yet for the substance of the speech, it may be true, that he was not so earnest for praier to Saints, as formerly he had been. Thus having run ouer allmost all the noted cōtrover∣sies, either in Doctrine or Discipline, by cōparing thē with the Articles of Religion, & Canōs of our church,
and shewed his vniformitie, and conformitie with vs, almost in al points fully cōcurring (h 1.78 some few excep∣ted••) for which, considering the times wherein, and the persons with whō, he liued, he may easily obtaine par∣don of any indifferent reader. We come now, by Gods grace, vnto the third and last part of our first generall Division, to answere such obiections, as either Father Parsons, or the Apologists haue made, in the same or∣der as they are propoūded by them, and first I beginne with Father Parsons; His obiections are in nomber. 6.
Part. 2. c. 9. p. 489. Then belike Friar Walden wil proue a notable liar, whichmaketh Wickliffe to hold almost al the opiniōs that wee doe thowgh hee charg him be∣sides with ma∣ny vntruths.
Tract. 2. Cap 2. Sect. 4. pag. 108.
I note the same of Wick¦liffe, which M. Wottō ob∣serues of Lu∣ther, that hau∣ing beene a lōg time kept in thedarknes of Poperie, he could not by & by discern the truth in al points Wott. pag. 29.
Art 45.46. 47.48. Damn∣per Oxon & Syn. Const.
Videtut SS. Doctoribus quod super∣fluit in sacramento ordinis ponere plures quam duos gradus, scilicet Diaconos, vel Leui∣tas, & Presbyteros, siue Episcopos, cum nec dignitas ministerij
Nec auctoritas facit eui∣dentiam, quod in statu Cleri debent isti••••es gradus; scilicet Clericus 1. tonsurae. Acolytus & Subdiaconus approbari, ••mo irrationabile & infundabile videtur, quod Ecclesia militās s•• cum istis tribus Ordinibus onerata. Artic. 55. Oxon. damnat•• vide Walden To. 2. p. 200
Articul. 43. in Synodo Cōst. damnat.
Si corpora∣lis vnctio fo∣ret Sacramē∣tum vt modo fingitur: Christus & sui Apostoli eius promulgationem non tacuissent. Art. 58. Oxon. damnat. vide Wald. To. 2. pag. 268.
Quantum adoleum quo Episcopi vn∣gunt pueros, & poplum lineum quod complexum est capiti, Videtur quod sit ritus leuis, infundabilis ex Scriptura, & quod ista confirmatio introducta super Apostolos, blasphem, in Deum. Artic. 8. In Synod. Const. dā∣nat.
Walden, To. 3. pag. 105.
Praedicandū est cōtra pre∣tiositatē spe∣ciositatem. & a¦lias sophistica¦tiones quibus illudimus peregrinos potius prop∣ter pecunias exhauriendas quam propter religionem Christiin pro∣prijs agendā In Expos. De∣cal pag. 48. Diabolus act∣ione infideli∣tatis illud it plures, putantes quando{que} esse miraculum, vbi est purê deceptio. lb. pag. 48.
And accord∣ing to his doctrine not long after Will, Neuil, Lewys Clifford, Io. Clanwow, Ric. Styry, Tho. Latymer. and Ioh. Montagu turned out the Images out of a certaine Chappel. Wals pag. 3••8.
Adorò illam nomine Sancti: Si•• dixerunt infideles In Expos Decal. pag. 48.
In mora imaginandi latet venenum Idololatriae lb pag. 48.
Lib Miscel. pag. 182.
Lib de 7. peccat Mor••. pag. 1. Wald. To. 2. p. 254.
Confessio vocalis facta Sacerdoti, in∣troducta per Innocentium non est tā necessaria Artic. 9. con deninat. in Synodo Cōst
Si h••mo fuerit debite contritus, omnis confessio exterior est sibi superflua & inutilis. Arti••. 9. Lond damnat.
Two manners of perfit Penance, Shrift and amendment. Com. in Psal. pag. 129. Shrift that is hallowing in our harts, lb. pag. 367. Shrift, that is forsaking of sinne. lb. pag. 363. ¶Graue & infundabile est, Presbyterum audire Confessiones, Populi modo quo Latini vtuntur, Wickliffe. 3 Ser. Dom. in monte. Wald. pag. 223.
Lib. Miscell. pag. 247.
Papa mo∣dernus erube seere debet de ist a moder na penitentia sine fundatione posita, cūm non licet mortalibus & Apostolis difficultare legem Dei, vltra hoe quod ip••emet limitauit. Artic. Oxon. damn. 47. Though a man liue neuer so long he might not. &c. Lib. Miscell. pag. 163.
Li. Mis. p. 28.
Li. Mis. p. 26.
De Thesau∣ris Ecclesiae dispositio Christi De Ver. Scr. p. 471
De blas. p. 51
lb. pag. 53.
Fatuum est credere In∣dulgentijs Pa¦pae & Episco∣porū. Art. 42. Lond. Cond.
Lib Com. in Psal. p. 173.
Li. de 7. Pece Mort pag. 28.
Lib. Miscell. pag. 247.
Debemus ie∣iunare a pec∣cato Lib de Ver. Scrip. p. 8
Foole-fast∣ing is glutto∣nie Lib de 7. Peccat, Mort. pag. 28.
lb. p. 29.
In operibus humanitatis debemus sequi Christum faciendo operibus suis proportiona∣lia--debemus ie iuna••e a peccato 40. diebus et iuxta possibilitatem naturae, a superfluo corporali cibo. De Verit. Scr. pag. 8.
Lib. Miscelli: 64 lb. p. 63,
Friars studi∣en to be rich Vita Sacerd. pag 59. They robb men by beging. Touch a great Cup of Gold or Syluer, but not a peny or farthing Reg. S. Franc. pag. 76. The King•• garment for goodnes not better then theirs. lb p 77. haue chambers for Dukes or Earles--with lewels--and mikel hid treasure lb. 77 They magnifie more o∣bedience to sinful men then to Christ. Reg. S. Franc, pag. 77.
In Primitiua Ecclesia ordi∣nati sunt con∣iugati Epis∣copi. De Ver. Ser. pag. 370. Orietales Sa∣cerdotes vxo∣rati. lb p. 406, et in Expos. Decal. p. 116. Oftendit quo modo Sacer∣dotes possint effe vxorati. De Ver. Scrip. pag 407. & lb. Miscell. pag. 63.
lb. pag. 63.
Lib. Miscell. pag. 63.
lb. p. 63.
lb. pag. 65.
Lib. Miscell. pag. 54. Quo ad diuortium divulgandum cautelae innumerabiles adinuentae. In Expos. Decal. pag. 117.
Eiusmodi dis, pensationes creditur Ec∣clesiam nimium perturbare De Ver. Scrip. pag. 399.
Dispensations for marriages in case of neerenes of bloud gainful. Lib. de 7. Pecc. Mort. pag. 33.
Vide Capitu lum 15. de Ve rit. Scrip. vbi rem prolixe tractat.
lb. p. 207.
Aliternon haberent Re∣ges in Regnis ••uis plenae pa∣cis custodiam De Ver. Scrip. pag. 453. 37. Article of Religion.
Iac. Gretse∣rus. Angli & corpora & a∣nimas suas Capiti suo Sae∣culari prosti∣tuerunt in de∣fē••. Bel p. 1261
Io. Balle. see Froissard.
Omnes homi¦nes debent charitatiue habereomnia in communi De Vet. Scrip. pag. 449.
See the 38. Article of Re¦ligion
Lib. Miscell. p. 124.
lb p. 125. & De Ver. Scrip p. 252, 253, & 284. In Expos in Decal pag. 63 The 39. Artic of Religion.
De Ver. Ser. pag. 614 Art. 33. of Rel
Scribit con∣tra leuiter ex communican tes De Verit. Scr. pag. 368. Contra ex∣communica ti. ones iniustas In Expos. Dec pag. 124. dā∣nantes alios fine debito ex amine, De Ver. Scrìp. pag. 612. Excommunicatio non inuenta propter decimas., lb. pag. 437 ad ter∣tendum homines Laicos In Expos. Decal. pag 123.
Quos decre∣u••t Ecclesia nec damnare nec explicite canonizare cum satis sit pro sua mili∣tia habere 22. Libros de vet Testamento. De Ver. Scrip pag. 110.
He writesa∣gainst those that wil not honor their Prelats Lib. Miscell. p. 260 shewes howe we should ho¦nour them In Expos. De∣cal. pag. 93.
He names not any one of his aduersa. ties, Monk or Friarthrough out al these books that I haue seene of his.
That which he blamed was that plus appretiabantur Tradi••. quam Scripturam sacrā De Ver. Scrip. p. 96. That they did Traditiones Lucrationes preponderare legi dei. lb. pag. 359. pe
Shewing that to preach Gods word is highest Seruice Lib. de 7. Pecc, Mor••. pag. 19. quod praedicatio sit praecipuum opus Episcopi Lib. De Ver. Scrip. p, 331. Maior quam Eucharistia, lb. 345. Necessario in Archi•••• iscopo & Episcopo lb. 347. Au∣dacter assero quod non sit Episcopus nisi praedicet aliquo tempore lb. 392. lo, 21. 15. 16.
Licet Rectoriad tempis collige••e semen fidei in scholis Theologi•• is extra parochiā De Ver. s••r. pag. 437.
Pascat eos continue in sancta sacerdotal•• conuersatione in sub. fritu••i••donca preparatione & opportuna pro horis. congruis absentiae rectificatione Ib.
Cum-pastus spiritualis nō debet este tā continuus, sed maioris effica ciae ac perma∣nentiae quam pastus corpo∣reus, sufficit quod horis congruis in anno pascat subditos lb.
Necesse, & v∣tile est orare. In Expos. De∣calogi. est spi∣ritualis Tyri∣aca contra Diabolum lb. 8••. oftendit locum, tem∣pus, & formā orandi lb.
Orandum est in Templis--non ex dedicatione Ecclesiae ibi oratio facta Deo acceptior sed ex merito obedientiae prae••eptis Ecclesiae & ex elongatione a curis Seculi ••b. 79.
De Ver. Ser. pag. 111.
De Ver. Ser. pag. 176. It. de blas. p. 55.
Illi sunt in statu pae nae a∣cerbissimae, quo nequeūt se i••vare. In Expos. Decal. pag. 102.
De redden∣do pro corpo rali eleemosy na spirituale suffragium. De Ver. Scrip pag. 447.
Lib••. Diuers. Trat. pag. 121 It•••• confess.•• Euchar. Angl. edita.
If they bee dead parents I pray not for them. Lib. Di∣uer. Trac. p. 3. For now is time of mer∣cy and time of grace lb. 325 Eche mā shalbe deem∣ed of God; such as hee founden is in the ending of his life. lb. p. 459.
Onnia dicta de Purgatorio, dicuntur solumm odo comminatorie tanquam pia menda∣cia De Ver. Scrip. pag. 267.
Expos. in te Deum pag. 478.
De Vent. Scrip pag. 479 Be∣ati in purgatorio, velut in vmbra pau. In Expos. Decal. p. 128. Sabbathum prefigurat qui∣etem dormientium in purgatorio. De Verit. Scrip. pag. 479.
Diuers. Trac pag 207. It in confessio ne de Eucharist. Anglice edita
This perswa¦sion of mine is farther in∣creased by these words of Wald. To, •• pag. 204. Hostis omniū Sancto••um Wickliffe suf∣fragia viuorū despiciens, au su nimio de∣bacchatur in Sanctos, eos orare prohi∣bens, festiuita tes corum et honores quos libet interdi∣cens. But he, is ordinarilie so falle a repor∣ter of his words that I knowe not how hee may be wel credited when hee speaketh the truth.
Quis rogo faceret scurtam mediatotem suum, vt Regis paratioris & Clementioris collequio potiretur? ••anctiigitur in, Coelo licet non s•••••• scurrae, sed incorporati Christo per gratiam Saluatoris tamen minus se habet in comparatione ad illum, quam scurra ad Regem terrenum. Hec Wickliffe, c. 30, Tertij Trial. Wald. To. 3. p, 213.
Die S. Tho∣mae Can••uariensis Archiepiscopi lo de Wickliffe dum in S Thomam (vt dicitur) eodem die in sua predicatione quam dicere preparauerat actiones & blasphemias vellet euo∣mere, ••epente iudicio dei percusius ••ensit paralysim omnia m••mbra••sua generaliter in vasiss••. Os nempe quod contra Deum & lanctos eius locurum fuerat, a loco••suo mise∣rabiliter distortum, horrendum cerne••tibus spectaculum exhibebat, lingua effecta mu∣ta, confitendi vel restandi copiam denegabat. Wals. pag. 338.
Which in Waldens iudg mēt are stour∣ly maintained by Wickliffe as hath been before prou∣ed.