An ansvver of a true Christian to the proude challenge of a counterset Catholike. By VVilliam Fulke Doctor in diuinitie

The nynth article may be deuided into nyne demaundes.

1 And for the necessary vse and execution of the foresayd of∣fices, they must further be asked, what Sacramentes the Protestants ministred for the space of a thousand yeares togither, in which they confesse their congregations to haue bene neare or else wholy hidden.

THey ministred those Sacramentes which Christ did institute, namely the Sacrament of baptisme, and the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, at such times as the cruell tyrannie of you Papistes did not hinder them, to come togither for such purposes.

2 VVhat correction they kept and discipline for offenders.

THey did vse such discipline as was vsed in S. Cypri∣ans time, when persecution hindered not the free course of it. As he doth often complaine in the pla∣ces aboue rehearsed. They did admonish secretly, before witnesses, and when persecution stayed them not, they did also excommunicate.

3 To whome they did preach their Fayth.

TO such as woulde geue them hearing, as VVickleue to the Englishmen: Iohn Hus to the Bohemians: VValdo to the Frenchmen, and so of the rest.

4 How did they reproue heresies?

THey reproued heresies, by the worde of God, and pa∣tient sufferinge of your tyrannie: the one you may reade in their workes, that are yet extant of VVick∣leue, Bertrame, Hus, &c. The other in histories of your owne writers.

5 VVhere did their principall Pastors sit in Iudgement?

I Might aske you where the Apostles did sit in iudgement and you are neuer able to shew me, for I reade as one sayth: that they stoode often to be Iudged, but I neuer reade that they sat in iudgement vpon others: And so I aunswere of the principall Pastors of our Church, especially in time of persecution.

6 VVhere did they gather as in Councells to try the trueth of doubtfull matters?

AS God gaue them respight, from your tyrannie, they had conference one with an other: and as for doubtes, they tried them by the worde of God, and not by number of voyces, as you do in your coun∣cells, as for the places where they met, is nothing at all ma∣teriall, at Prage, at Lyons, at Merindol, &c.

7 How might Christian men, iustly offended with some of their brethern, haue sought out your officers or Congregation, to make complainct of him?

YOu are void of all reason that in a persecuted church, will require all thinges to be so formall and orderly, as in time of peace and quietnes, I could choke you with putting like cases of your Church. If a number of Papistes be carried prisoners into Barbarie, or Turkey, what Sacraments, what discipline, what Iudgement haue they a∣mong them, if one be offended with his brother how shall he come to your officers, or to your Church to complaine. In such cases where the ordinary authoritie of the Church is hindred by persecution, or otherwise, the rule of S. Paule. 1. Cor. 5. may serue and ought to be obserued: If any that is cal∣led a brother be a fornicator, or couetous, or an Idolater, or a ray∣ler, or a drunkard, or an extorcioner with such one eate not. So that if a Christian be iustly offended with his brother, he ought to absteine from his company. And if he may haue ordinary au∣thoritie, he may complaine further.

8 Or how if it had liked any man to haue ben baptized of them, or to haue receiued the communion of them, or to haue bene married of them, or to haue ioyned them selues in Fayth and Religion to them, how might I say that secret, contemptible, and vnknowne company, be founde in this case?

HE must haue sought them out as well as he could, & if he had bene perswaded, that they onely ministred the Sacraments, & Ecclesiasticall rites, sincerely, ac∣cording to the word of God, it were no great mat∣ter for him to find them, seing he knew by whom he was so perswaded, and of them might also be informed where he should haue them. I maruell you are not ashamed to demaūd these questions, as though it were materiall to discusse, whe∣ther of vs hath the Church, to haue the Church so manifest,

that euery man may see it. Doe you not remember how ma∣ny schismes haue bene euen in the popish church, more thē twenty, and sometime two Popes at once, sometime three, & sometime fower, which of them should a simple Papist take for head of the Church, especially in the 22. schisme, which lasted 39. yeares: one Pope sitting at Rome, an other at A∣uinion, either hauing his court, either hauing and making Cardinals, either cursing other. Or in the 23. schisme, when the question was of one of the highest pointes in all popery, and is not yet throughly decided among them: Whether the Pope be aboue the Councell, or the Councell aboue the Pope. In the time of these schismes how might a man haue founde out, which was the true Church, which was Christes vicare in earth, which had the right Sacraments and Sacra∣mentalls, to which Popes court should he appeale, where did the principall Pastors sit in iudgement, &c. How should coun∣cells be gathered, which Pope shoulde confirme their actes, &c, When you are able to aunswere these questions, for your owne church, then you may better require them of ours. As for that secrete, contemptible, and vnknowne company of our Church, in the sight of the world, was neuerthelesse ma∣nifest, glorious, and knowen to our Sauiour Christ, and the liuely members of his body.

9 If therefore you can shew me, that any man euer sought Iu∣stice or knowledge of trueth, sacrament, or faith, or any helpe of Saluation at the Protestants secret and close con∣gregation, or any other where, but of Gods knowen Catho∣like Church, I recant.

ALthough it be to litle purpose to aunswere this de∣mande, because it is no reason to say, these thinges hath not bene, because chronicles make no mention of them: yet that all men maye see, how farre you ouershoot your selfe, I wil partely satisfie your request. Charles the great sought knowledge of the trueth of the sacrament of Bertramus. Iohn, Duke of Lancaster, and diuers other noble men were instructed in our Religion by VVickleue. The land

of Bohemia, was conuerted by Iohn Hus, and Hieronym of Prage, and sought the sacraments of them. Finally, you al∣wayes forget the Greeke church, which you do not accompt parte of the Catholike church, and yet you can not deny but men haue sought Iustice, sacramentes, faith, &c. of it. There∣fore if a man might trust you vpon your worde, you recant.