A reply to Fulke, In defense of M. D. Allens scroll of articles, and booke of purgatorie. By Richard Bristo Doctor of Diuinitie ... perused and allowed by me Th. Stapleton.

¶TO THE READER.

IT may serue greatly to thy edification (gentle Reader) as it also perteineth much to my purpose in this booke, to let thée vnderstande, that where as there are two wayes of finding out Christian truth when it is in controuersie, the one by trea∣ting of euery matter in particuler, the other by giuing certayne generall rules that are infallible: Twelue or thirtéene yeres agoe M.D. Allen, hauing amongst other learned Catholikes of our time and countrey on this side the sea, opened and defended in print most perspicuously and substantially, cer∣tayne speciall articles of the Catholike saith: and béeing driuen not long after by sicknes to séeke to the ayre of his natiue soyle, did in the short space of his abode there, deale also the other waye with many Gentlemen, confirming some, and setting vp agayne others, by most euident and vndouted rules of truth, which were alwayes common for the most part among Catholikes, but the weight of them déepely considered of very few, and the number of them as yet neither by him nor by any other bound vp together. Onely to one gentleman requesting so much, he gaue a copie of them, suche a one as of extemporall and priuate writing might be looked for.

It is now nine yeres since I heard the same of his own mouth, what time I came first into his blessed familie, and was present very often when amongst vs he discoursed familiarly vpon the said rules, to such liking of my part, that I left him not vntill I had intreated him to take his penne one morning, and out of his memorie to frame me also a copie. Which copie a friende hauing séene here with me, who afterward was sent home into our lords haruest, in a letter from thence desired instantly to be made par∣taker therof, affirming that he saw how medicinable it would be to many soules, I communicated the matter to the Author of it. He béeing wholly occupied him selfe in publike teaching of Di∣uinitie, would haue me who then had more leasure, though for

skill not worthy to beare his booke, to deuise somewhat vpon those and the like rules, which might in print be published to the world: not as though the very bare rules, as in the foresaid co∣pies, were not conuenient and sufficient, specially for men of in∣telligence and that willingly would be informed, but that by the declaration and confirmation of them the rude also and obstinate might be induced. And this was the occasion of my Motiues in the ende of the yeare 1574. and also of my Demaundes in the beginning of the yeare 1576, which I made vpon the motion of certayne, who desired to haue the Motiues printed agayne, be∣cause the first impression was for the greater part taken and de∣stroyed by the aduersaries.

And now after all this, the last yeare 1577. commeth foorth from one W. Fulke an heretike, a pretended answere to the first copie aboue mentioned, or to some extract thereof, ioyned with another like answere of the same Authors to D. Allens booke of Purgatorie, and to my handes it came a fewe wéekes agoe, euen * 1.1this late Christmas. Sith which time reading it twise o∣uer, I finde, that he neuer so much as once mentioneth either my Motiues, or my Demaundes, and much lesse doth he euer goe a∣bout to infringe any of my probations therein conteined. And yet notwithstanding this depe silence,* 1.2 in one place he bewrayeth him selfe to haue knowen of them, where he glaunceth at the di∣uine worke of a certayne healing which I reported in my Mo∣tiues,* 1.3 and sayth, As you haue myracles now in Flaunders of the honest woman of the olde Baily in London. Although other∣wise also who can thinke it possible for him to haue heard no∣thing (at least when he sought to print his) of bookes written so late of the same matter, and so well knowen to the Superinten∣dent of London and innumerable others of that side, whiche also any man that had séene the copie that Fulke answereth, might easily conceiue to procéede from the same Author, and me onely to be his scholar, howbeit I also not obscurely professed as much, where I said:* 1.4

[The preiudices and euidences for the Catholike faith against all heresies, are innumerable and superable: and my chaunce it hath bene, through the mercifull prouidence and goodnes of God, to liue certayne yeres in companie with Catho∣like men of great vertue, wisdome, and knowlege, blessed of God

most liberally with his graces, such as our miserable countrey is not worthy of: whose dayly familiar talke of such things I haue vsed to heare, as to my great admiration, so likewise with all diligence and attention. And what I haue through such com∣munication at sundry times, or of my selfe at other times, by meanes thereof obserued, I purpose as memorie shall serue me, and God assist me, béeing thervnto both iustly moued, and ear∣nestly required, in this booke at once to vtter it in part.]

If I may say what I do ghesse hereat, I suppose that it should still haue lyen by him,* 1.5 as it hath done (he saith) these eyght or nyne yeares, and neuer haue bene put in print, but only for shew of an answere to my Motiues and Demaundes, specially séeing that, where as D. Allens writing was called onely by the name of Articles, this man at euery Article hath also printed the worde Demaundes, because euery Article consisteth of certayne Demaundes: by meane whereof I knowe already my selfe, some that are deceyued, and thinke it to be an answere vnto me, yet in trueth it toucheth not me at all, neither maketh any iuste answere to D. Allen, but all so simply and so féebly, that he is fayne to set it out without priuiledge, as also his other booke agaynst Purgatorie,* 1.6 though that booke was authorized (he saith) almost two yeares ago, wherein I knowe not whether we may beléeue his bare worde, for many causes easie to be here noted, and one namely, for that he thus writeth in the same: We be∣leeue that * 1.7 the Catholike Church hath no chiefe gouernour vpon earth but Christ, vnto whom all power is giuen in hea∣uen and earth. Well, if it haue authoritie, at the least with∣out priuilege it hath it, and his former booke neyther hath pri∣uilege nor authoritie. and yet out it commeth, by permission at the least, to make forsooth a face and showe of somewhat for a time, and if after it chaunce to be of some Catholike dasht out of countenaunce, then the shame to be no mans but onely Fulkes.

All which considered, I doubted a while, whether it were good to returne him an answer, or no, least peraduenture I should but lease my labour, & rather to expect yet somewhat longer, whe∣ther any do answer my Motiues or Demaunds, as by aduise out

of England, I haue nowe more then this tweluemonth wayted therevpon. Yet my resolution hath bene, séeing that abundans cautio non nocet, to put out my hande a litle, and take of his vi∣zard, that being playnly discouered, euery man may beholde and abhorre his foule fauour, and beare me witnesse that he had bene better to kéepe in, not onely those nine yeres and two yeres, but also for euer, following rather the ensamples of those other two brethren mentioned in his preface to the Reader, of whom the one purposed to haue answered the booke of Purgatory himself, but afterward vndertooke rather the printing of Fulkes answere: the other learnedly began the answering of it, but was, he kno∣weth not how, letted from the accomplishing of the same. So hath Satan hitherto hindred the setting abrode of this answere (sayth he of his owne) but God hath now at length brought it forth: I doubt not (he addeth) but to his glory, and the confusion of satan in his members the Papistes. As I also doubt not, but God in déede hath brought it forth, to his glory, and to the confu∣sion of heresie, so, that satan had done more politikely, to haue hindred still, if he could, the setting abrode of it, such stuffe it con∣teineth. Better stuffe we should haue had, if better had they had.

Well, séeing that M.D. Allen is otherwise and better occu∣pied, I, who haue already succéeded him in his Articles, and do owe vnto him (at one worde) all duetie, both for the publike, and namely for my priuate, will here with the helpe of God, laye so much of Fulks wares open, out of both his bookes, that although my meaning is directly against his first booke, yet my treatise shall appeare to be a iust reply to both his bookes.

[ 1] First therefore I will shew briefly, how he confesseth, that out of the true Church is no saluation,* 1.8 to this ende, that when as in my processe it shall be manifest, that he and his felowes are out of the true Church, and that we haue the true Church, both they may clearely sée in what case they stand, and their felowes may looke in time vnto their reconciliation.

[ 2] Secondly, I will shewe somewhat more at large, for what space he graunteth the true Church to haue continued in sight and knowledge of the world, and what persons and companies to haue bene of it: to the ende, that neither he nor no man else being able to proue that we agrée not with those times and per∣sons

in substance of religion, or haue gone out of the vnitie of their communion, it may euidently be séene, that we likewise at this time be of the same true Church, and he with his fel∣lowes to be without the true Church, because they be out of our Church.

Thirdly, for as much as on the other side he could not denie, [ 3] but that he and his agrée not with the saide true Church, I will shew, how he is fayne to holde that the true Church may erre, and that he chargeth it then with the same errours, with the which he chargeth vs now: to the end that thou mayst sée, that for all those surmised errours, he hath not any iust cause to de∣nie vs the true Church, which he giueth to them that with vs were in the same errours.

Nay, I will further declare in the fourth place, that he char∣geth [ 4] them with diuers errors, wherewith he neither can nor doth charge vs: that it may much more appeare, that we haue the true Church nowe, if they so much worse then we, had the true Church then.

Fiftly, I wil report the reason for which (by his saying) they [ 5] had the true Church then, notwithstanding their errors: to the end, that where thou shalt sée it to be such a reason as agréeth to vs nowe as well, thou mayst perceyue, that he must no lesse graunt vs the true Church now.

After this I will note briefly his zeal towards Caluin and [ 6] others that in déede are, or at least be vnfaignedly thought of him to be of his Church at this time, how that he can not in any wise beare any thing to be spoken agaynst them, whereas yet he not onely can beare, but also him selfe speaketh so much agaynst the olde auncient Church, and the members thereof. And in consideration hereof my Catholike zeale must do no lesse (as béeing in déede with all other Catholikes of this time, a member of the very same auncient Church in olde time) but answere for the said Church, shewing in euery particuler, how vnworthily and vniustly he chargeth it with erring. Which I will in like maner do for the Church also of later times, defen∣ding it likewise against all his like accusations of it.

Seuenthly, I will declare, howe that, séeing manifestly the [ 7] true Church, Councels, Fathers, and all other euidences of

Christian Religion, to make cléerely against him and his, he is faine, and nothing abasht at the matter, to take exception a∣gainst all, by the bare name and colour of Onely Scripture: and therein behaueth him selfe so boldly, as if the holy Scripture were as manifestly with him, as all the other are manifestly a∣gainst him. Where also because, like an other Phormio homo confidens, he prouoketh vs to a disputation of Scripture, I will make him a reasonable offer.

[ 8] Eightly, I will most cléerely shew, how that, not withstan∣ding all these great crakes and bolde facinges of his, he hath not for all that in these two bookes alleaged so much as one text of Scripture that maketh any whit against vs. And to that pur∣pose, I will aunswer all his allegations: first, concerning One∣ly Scripture to be credited: next, concerning the Church, whe∣ther it can erre, and whether we haue it or they: then, concer∣ning Purgatory: and last of all, concerning all other matters that any where he mentioneth by the way.

[ 9] Ninthly, I will likewise shew, whereas he maketh himselfe so sure of Scripture, that he holdeth the testimonies of Coun∣cels and Fathers to be no confirmation of trueth, and allea∣geth them sometimes notwithstanding: although because of his so holding, I might neglect those allegations, yet I will shewe (I say) that of all which he alleageth, no one, neither expoun∣deth any Scripture, nor beareth any other testimonie with him against vs. Which wil be a plaine demonstration of that which I proposed here aboue in the second Chapter, to wit, that wée haue still the true Church, because we still so throughly and en∣tirely agrée with them, who by his owne confession had in their time the true Church.

[ 10] Tenthly, because all D. Allens Articles are in effect contai∣ned in my Motiues and Demaundes, I will examine what he answereth, not to my probations (for to them, or any one of them, he lightly answereth not, as I say afore) but euen to the bare titles of them. And for as much as his answeres will soone appeare to be no answers, I will examine, whether at the least∣wise he obiecteth any thing to the purpose: to the end, that when thou shalt sée that all is so litle or rather nothing at all, thou maist perceaue, that God for his Churches glory blinded them,

to send such a booke abroade.

Which thou shalt againe more plainely perceaue in the ele∣uenth [ 11] Chapter, where I will lay forth his marueilous grosse and palpable contradictions, yea and in great numbers also.

And againe, as plainely in the twelft Chapter, where I will [ 12] display certaine straunge and detestable positions of his, and al∣so his ignoraunce in the Scriptures and other learning Theo∣logicall. To the which I might but for prolixitie ioyne many ensamples perteining to a falsarie, putting him in minde with∣all, of his horrible blasphemies, as him selfe also must confesse them to be, because he can not auoide it but that the Church a∣gainst whom he hath poured them, is the true Church.

In the conclusion, I will amongst some other things aduer∣tise [ 13] the Reader, what more may be desired for the full iustifying of the booke of Purgatorie, though this much be ynough and su∣perabundaunt. but, for iustification of the Articles, that no more can be desired.

But now, let vs come to the perfourming of these our pro∣misses.

Ar. and Pur. in the margins, signifie the page of Fulkes bookes against the Articles and a∣gainst Purgatorie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  an. 1578 stylo R.
• * 1.2

  Fulke li. 2. p. 107.
• * 1.3

  Moti. 5. fol. 19.
• * 1.4

  Mot. f. 2·
• * 1.5

  Fulk to the Reader.
• * 1.6

  Ibidem.
• * 1.7

  Pa. 450 VVhat if the Church vvere in Englande only: or one vvere king of al coun∣treis some∣time vvher it is?
• * 1.8

  See the con¦tentes more at large in the ende of this booke.