A Copy of a challenge, taken out of the confutation of M. jewels sermon made by john Rastell. Imprinted at Antwerp by Aegidius Diest, xx. januarij. Anno M.D. LXV. cum PRIVILEGIO. A CONCLUSION TO THE READER, with a challenge annexed. THUS much unto a singular Friend. but, to take my leave of the also (Reader), and to shut up all this matter, with some coclusion well worth the remembering, I think it very good and profitable, to set forth also a solemn challenge, thereby to give our adversaries an occasion, to show forth their Scriptures, councils, Doctors, etc., and to declare their deep knowledge in answering for themselves, whose art we have experience of, in devising of objections against other. Which enterprise and venturing of mine, as it will be most subject unto their eye, and consequently unto their prying and examining: so have I taken unto me, the counsel of a perfect wise man, and well practised, which hath taught me, how to proceed against them, that I need not to mistrust my boldness. For thus he saith in his book of proverbs, a book of good authority and instruction, Do not answer a fool prover. 26 according to his foolishness, lest thou be made like unto him. And in the next sentence following: Answer (saith he) a fool according unto his foolishness, that he may not seem to himself to be wise. To follow now therefore, this double and good counsel, of not answering, and yet answering a fool, I will set forth vuto thee (Reader) two challenges, to play the fool with a fool in the first of them, that he may behold his artificial wisdom: and in the second, not to agree with him in his folly, because I will refuse his ways and order. But how may one answer a fool according unto his folly, or what hope is there of any vantage, if that way be taken with him? Marry, like as some mad men (I have heard say) have been meetly well brought to themselves, when an other hath stared and gaped upon them, all counterfaicting an owtragiouse behavior: so undoubtedly against fond questions, it is a profitable way of replying, to put the like again unto mad adversaries, and cause them to behold the absurdity. For, as the fault which an other maketh, doth more sensibly appear unto us, than the like of our own using, although ourselves be nearest to ourselves: so, to declare the absurdity of the challenge, which M. jewel with much opinion of wisdom pronounced against all catholics: let one of a like proportion to his, be made forth unto him, that he may consider, the well favorednes of his own work, when the like example of it, shall greatly mislike him. Now, if there were not so good likelihood and reason, why this counterfaicted challenge (so to call it) should be uttered profitably: yet the wiseman so plainly either counseling or licensing us, To answer a fool according to his foolishness, his authority is sufficient enough for me, to bear me out in this my doing, and to say, that, if I play the fool, your example M. jewel hath moved me unto it. I say therefore: 1 If any learned man of all our adversaries, or if all the learned men that be alive, be able to bring any one sufficient sentence, out of any old Catholic doctor or father, or out of any old general Council, or out of the holy Scriptures of God, or any one example of the primitive church, whereby it may be clearly and plainly proved, that there was any dry communion in the whole world at that time, for the space of six hundred years after Christ: 2 Or that there should be no celebration of the Lord his supper: except there be a good number to communicate with the priest, that is, four or three persons at the least, though the whole parish have but twenty of discretion in it: 3 Or that any Bishop than did swear by his honour, when, in his visitation abroad in the country, he should warrant his promise to some poor prisoner priest under him: 4 Or that any bagpipers, horse-coursers, jailers, or alebastars, were admitted then in to the clergy without good and long trial of their conversion: 5 Or that any Bishop then, refused to wear a white rochet, or to be distincted from the laity, by some honest priestly apparel: 6 Or that any Bishop then, not satisfied with the prisoning of his adversaries, did cry out and call upon the princes, not disposed that way, to put them yet to most cruel death: 7 Or that the communion table (if any than were) was removable up and down, hither and thither, and brought at any time in to the lower parts of the church, there to execute the Lord his supper: 8 Or that any communion was said upon good friday: 9 Or that Gloria in excelsis should be song after the communion: 10 Or that the Sacrament was ministered then, some time in loevebread, some time in wafers, and in those rather without the name of jesus, or the sign of the cross, then with it: 11 Or that Quicunque vult and Crede of Athanasius was appointed to be song only upon high days and principal feasts: 12 Or that at the communion time the minister should wear a cope, and at all other service a surplice only, or, as in some places it is used, nothing at all, besides his common apparel: 13 Or that the words of Saint Paul, 1. Cor. 11. should be ordinarily readen at the time of consecration: 14 Or that they used a common and profane cup at the communion, and not a consecrated and hallowed: 15 Or that a solemn curse should be used upon Asshewensdaye: 16 Or that a procession about the fields was used in the rogation week, to know thereby, rather the bounds and borders of every lordeshipp, then to move God to mercy, and stir men's hearts to devotion: 17 Or that any Bishop then, gathered benevolence of his clergy, to mary his daughter to a gentle man or merchant, or to help him, in the setting up of his household: 18 Or that the man should put the wedding ring upon the fourth finger of the left hand of the woman, and not of the right hand of her, as it hath been many hundred years continued: 19 Or that any man than did read it in open schools, or preach it out of pulpits, or set it forth in print, that Saint Peter was never at Rome: 20 Or that in the time of contagious plagues, when, for fear of the infection, none will communicate with the sick person, the minister might alonely communicate with him, with out breach of Christ his institution, and that the decree (of no communion to be made without three at the least) should in such cases be forgotten: 21 Or that the people then, were called together to morning prayer by ringing of a bell: If any man alive be able to prove any of these articles, by any one clear, or plain clause, or sentence, either of the Scriptures, or of the old Doctors, or any old general Council, or by any example of the primitive church, I promise, that I will give over, and subscribe unto him in that point. And of this, I for my part, will not only not call in any point (being well assured of the truth therein) but also will lay more matter to it. wherefore beside all that I have said already, I will say further, and yet nothing so much, as might be said, If any one of our adversaries be able clearly and plainly to prove, by such authority of the scri ptures, the old Doctors, and Counsels, as I said before, 22 That the Bishop of Rome was called Antichrist within the first. ujc. years after Christ: 23 Or that the people was then taught to believe that the force and strength of their faith, made Christ his body present to them in the Sacrament, and not any virtue of words and consecration: 24 Or that the residue of the Sacrament unreceaved, was taken of the priest or the parish clerk, to spread there young children's butter thereupon, or to serve their own to the with it, at their homely table: 25 Or that who so had said, in the Sacrament is the true and real body of Christ and not a figurative body only or mystical, should been therefore judged a papist, and brought up before high commissioners: 26 Or that it was lawful then to have but one communion, in one church, in one day: 27 Or that images were then, cut, hewed, mangled, and reviled, though it were answered that they are not holden for Gods or Saints, but kept only for memorial sake of Christ himself or any of his faithful: 28 Or that bishops then, threw down Christ and his saints images, and set up their own, their wives, and their childernes pictures, in their open chambers and parlours: 29 Or that our Saviour in his last supper delivered his body, to many more than his twelve apostles: 30 Or that judas Machabeus in causing sacrifice to be offered for the dead, added in that point unto the law, and offended God, and is no more to be followed in that doing, then Loath and David are in their incest and adultery: 31 Or that a Bishop being a virgin at taking his office, did afterwards yet commendably, take a wife (so to call an harlot) unto him: 32 Or that after the first wife's death, which he had before holy orders received, any priest took a second or third unto him, with a toties quoties the later wife departing left him in hot fiery passions, that he needed an other to cool him: 33 Or that any preacher of those days, moved young men and women in open Lutherus in Postillis sermons not to blush or be ashamed of desiring the one the other, no more than they would be ashamed of spitting or any such natural action: 34 Or that it was at those days the right way to knowledge, every man to read by himself the Scriptures, and neglect all kind of tradition: 35 Or that the lent, or friday, was to be fasted, for civil policy, and not for any devotion: 36 Or that Palmesonday was solemnized without bearing of bows conmonly called palmebowes: Or that Christmassdaye, was without a mass, or asshewensday without ashes, or Candelmasdaye without bearing of Candles: 37 Or that the Nativity of S. John Baptist was kept holy and the Eve fasted, and neither the nativity neither the assumption of our blessed lady kept holy, with a special fast upon the eves: 38 Or that they did pray unto God upon the feast of S. Michael, saying (grawnt that our life may be defended on earth by them, by whom, thou art always waited upon in heaven) and nevertheless taught the people, that it was injurious to Christ and his mediation, to ask for help at any others hands, than his: 39 Or that they should use the sign of the cross in baptism only and not at the consecrating of Christ his body: 40 Or that they were not heretics which threw down altars erected unto Christ: 41 Or that any bishop than was married upon Asshewensday: 42 Or that any goodman then, did write, that the government of women was monstrous: 43 Or that, est, in these words, hoc est corpus meum, is to be taken, for significat: 44 Or that the lay people communicating did take the cup one at an others hands, and not at the priests hands or the deacons: 45 Or that there was any controversy then in religion, which being decided by the Bishop of Rome, the contrary part was not taken for heresy, and the maintainers of it accounted heretics: 46 Or that any than was put in the Calendar for a Martyr, which was hanged by just judgement, not for any cause and matter of faith, but for evident and wicked felony. 47 Or that any ecclesiastical persons were deprived then of their benefices or excommunicated out of church and living, for that they refused to swear against the authority of the bishop of Rome. Or that any such oath was used to be put unto any man, at that time: 48 Or that any friar of threescore years, obtaining afterwards the Rome of a Bishop, married a young woman of. nineteen. years: 49 Or that any Bishop than preached to be all one, to pray on a dunghill and in a church: 50 Or that any but heretics refused to subscribe to a general and lawful council, gathered and confirmed by the Bishop of Rome his authority. (These be the highest mysteries, and greatest keys of their religion, and without these their doctrine can never be maintained and stand upright.) If any one therefore of all our adversaries, be able to avouch any one of all these articles, by any such sufficient authority of Scriptures, doctors, or Counsels, as I have required: as I said before, so say I now again, I am content to yield unto him, and to subscribe in that point (which I would never do, nor might do unto an heretic, knowing that my faith must not hang upon the event of disputation, yet seeing I have begun to play the fool with a fool, therefore I use this term of subscribing, as I do learn it of master jewel.) But I am well assured, they shall never be able truly to allege one sentence. And becaufe I know it, therefore I speak it, lest any happily should be deceived. And thus far forth to the imitation of master jewel, Factus sum insipiens, vos me coëgistis. But what now might any protestant think of this challenge? will he not mislike with me, that among so many articles, as I rehearse with great solemnity, so few are of weight and substance? will he not be moved at the very heart, that for indifferent matters and reasonable ceremonies, I shall require yet, to have their proof, out of the first six hundred years after Christ, and out of general councils, or ancient doctors, or else make an exclamation against the keeping of them? will it not grieve him, that I stick upon terms, which, can never be found in the compass of the primitive church, which if their principles were true, would follow yet well enough of them? And that leaving the principle, I press him with the particular word of some conclusion, will it not anger him? Can he take it for indifferent dealing, that I reckon up some ones private opinion, and make as although it were the general determination of all the protestants in the world? And when I have gathered up a number of articles, of which the greater part containeth indifferent or simple matters, to conclude of them all, in one sum, without order or distinction, and boldly to say: (These be the highest mysteries, and greatest keys of their religion, and without these, their doctrine can never be maintained and stand upright) can the protestant hearing or reading this, if he have any spirit of truth or honesty, think that I were to be trusted in any point, with the teaching or guiding of the ignorant? yet, I assure you, (mark it who will) M. juells most glorious challenge, hath no better reason or substance in it. for of so many his o'er and interrogatories, to make a show and colour, of great copy and store of matter, I see not three of them, which be not, either of scholepoyntes and quiddities (without discussing and examining of which, the Catholic faith continueth plain enough) or else about orders and ceremonies (of which the governors of the church, have the making or removing in their discretion. Now therefore, if this manner of our challenge be misliked, I am glad, that in answering a fool according to his foolisshnes; I have given warning to the Reader, not to make of every rare thing and much praised, a jewel, and to be ware ever of great faces set upon small and simple matters. As on the other side, if for M. jewels sake and honour, this my challenge, framed after the example of his, shall stand for a reasonable one and tolerable: let me be answered then in the particulars, and except I do reply again, and that speedily, I with others, will yield unto him. Yet now, because the wiseman hath said, not only, answer a fool according to his foolisshnes, but rather and before this warned us, with, do not answer a fool according to his foolishness, lest thou be made like unto him: I will not therefore rest, and stay upon the foresaid challenge, but come forth with an other, full of great and principal matters: neither will I be like the protestant, and trouble the reader with questions of small importance, but of substantial and necessary articles, concerning the orders of this present life, or the hope of the life everlasting. I make for the Catholics honour this challenge, and provoke him that can, to encouter me I except none, though I like not all, (for who would be matched with the bold and blind brothers, willingly?) but I trust, who so ever replieth, he shall be superintended so wisely, that his answer shall not come against me, but with good authority and privilege. I say therefore: If any single one of our adversaries, or they all conmunicating together, can prove by any suficient testimony, out of Scriptures, Doctors or councils. The Catholic his Challenge made of great and weighty articles. 1. That for the space of six hundred years after Christ his ascension (by which hundreds only, they would be tried, in examining of verities) It was unlawful to make avow to God, of chastity, obedience, or poverty: or that breakers of such vows, were esteemed above others, as singular witnesses of the liberty of Christ his true Gospel. 2. Or that it was abominable then, to make to him any special sacrifice, besides the sacrifice of our thanks in words and figures, for his benefits, with remembrance of Christ his passion for us, and besides the offering of our, souls and bodies to the service of his majesty, with mortifying of our affections and evil desires. 3. Or that there was no priesthood then, according to the order of Melchisedech, or that priests have not a singular sacrifice, which they must offer for the sins of the people. 1. OR that the Baptism, which Calvin in his institutions, which are apoyneted to be readen of the priests of England Christ instituted, is no better than the circumscision of the old law: 2. Or that baptism is a sign only of our profession, and that our sins are not truly and in deed, forgiven us in it: 3. Or that the Sacrament of Confirmation, is an invention only of man, and that no spiritual strength cometh unto us, by signing of us with holy oil, and imposition of the bishops hands: 4, Or that Christ delivered in his last supper a figure only of his body to be eaten of his Apostles: 5. Or that the power of forgeaving or retaining sinmes, which Christ gave to his Apostles, and by them to lawful priests, is nothing else but a comforting, or a fearing of men's consciencies, by the promises or menacies of the scriptures. and that in deed priests can not (as ministers under God) forgive sins and offences, which by absolute authority is proper unto God alone, and no others: 6. Or that to confess our sins to a priest, with sorrow of heart and contrition, and to labour by fasting, prayeing, alms deeds, and hard discipline, to help forward towards the making up of a full satisfaction and perfect, is injurious unto Christ his passion and merits, and a superstitious and thankless travail: 7. Or that the knowledge and understanding of scriptures is sufficient licence enough to instruct and teach others: and that there is no such difference between the clergy, and the laity, but that the laity hath before God, as good and great priesthood as the clergy: 8. Or that a temporal and Christian Prince, were he man, woman, or child, had then, or may have now, the authority of a supreme head in Christ his church and over the church: 9 Or that faith only justifieth, after one be baptised and sanctified: 10. Or that all the justice and holiness which good men of those days had, or now shall have, is but an Imputative justice, and such as pleaseth God to accept, but in deed is not true and right justice: 11. Or that the keeping of the forty days fast of lent, was allowed then for temporal policy or bodily healths sake only, and had no commandment from Christ, or his Apostles: 12 Or that in most extremity and at the very point of death, aneyling of Christians was abhorred of Christians, and the keeping of the Sacrament forbidden, which is our true viaticnm and voyage provision: 1. OR that the calling upon Saints in heaven, was accounted then, blasphemy: 2. Or the setting up of Christ his cross, or any holy Sancte his image, was preached to be ldolatrie: 3. Or that the visiting of their tombs, & kissing their relics, was thought to be a superstitious vanity: 4. Or that the miracles worked at their chapels, or memories, were attributed then, at the first tidings of them unto the duyel his subtlety: 1. OR that to pray for the souls departed, was thought repugnant unto the Scriptures: 2. Or that to offer sacrifice, and give alms for their souls health, was accounted impiety. 3. Or that the last wills and testaments, of founders of alms howsen, Colleges, and Monasteries, were broken concerning their temporal goods and legacies, and that no part thereof, did come to their own blood and family. These be such articles as are directed, first against the proper honour and glory of God almighty: secondly, against the grace of Jesus' Christ, and profit of all Christians in the world: thirdly against the dignity, estimation, and honour of all Saints: fourthly against the profit of the souls departed, by debarring their commodities. so that in all states, worlds, and persons, Christ thorough these articles is proscribed. And again in these articles, the foundation, estimation, and perfection of their Gospel and preaching consisteth, so that without these, or worse than these, they could not be so singular and unlike other Christians. If therefore, any of all our adversaries, be able with sufficient authority, to prove these articles, or conclusions of theirs, out of the Scriptures, use of primitive church, Doctors, or Counsels: either he shall be proved, manifestly to misconstrue and misuse Scriptures, doctors or counsels: either else he shall be praised for his labours, and followed with a free will and submission. Let this be the challenge, and let us obtain an answer unto it. for, if the catholics pressed with such questions, which for the most part deserved no answer, have not refused to show their faith, and give reason of it unto their adversaries: (although the lack of conference with their fellows, of free printing, and open uttering of their books, might with reason have stayed them from their purpose, and not have moved to change their country for the matter) how much more cause and reason is it, that they, which are so favoured in their procedings, should not let to stand unaunswered, such principal questions, as are moved against them, nor go at that time backward, and flee from the quarrel, when most of all, they should show themselves, and spread forth their cunning and sincerity. And yet if these foresaid articles are to many, for their leisure: or if they seem to much particular, for their profit, which would not be espied: or if the answering unto them should be said to be forbidden by wise heads: (for a rumour may soon be made to feign, that it serveth to a saction, to make such challenges, and combats) Let me be quietly suffered then, to speak a few words and indifferent, such as to which every religion must agree, if with any reason it will be credited. The heretics (sayeth Tertullian) Libr. de praescr. adversus haereticos. make a show of Scriptures, and by this their boldness, straytwayes some they move. Now in the very conference itself and meeting together, they weary the steadfast and sure men, they catch and intrapp the weak, and the indifferent they dymisse, and let go with grudges and scruples. But this way must be stopped up against them at the first, and they are not to be suffered to dispute and reason upon the Scriptures. And why so? Marry, for good cause (sayeth Tertullian.) For some one heresy doth not admit certain Scriptures, and those which it doth allow and receive, it turneth unto her purpose, by putting unto them, or taking away somewhat from them. Some again are so presumptuous, and take so much upon them, that they will not acknowledge that for Scripture, by which they may be convicted. Ergo, we must not appeal unto the Scriptures, (sayeth he) and the trial is not to be appointed in them, by which the victory is either none, or uncertain, or not very sure. For allthowgh the conference upon the scriptures should come to that pass, that it would leave both sides alike: yet the order of things required that to be first and foremost proponed and put forth, of which only it is to be disputed at this tyme. that is to say. Quibus competat fides ipsa: cuius sint Scri pturae: à quo, & per quos, & quando, & quibus sit tradita disciplina, qua fiunt Christiani: who they are unto whom the faith itself belongeth: whose are the Scriptures: of whom: and by whom: and what time, and unto whom the trade and instruction was given, by which men are made Christians. For, where it shall apperet hat the truth of the Christian discipline and faith is: there shall be the truth of the Scriptures, and of the expositions of them, and of all the Christian traditions. Thus have I englished more at large, out of Tertullian, that it might the better be considered of thee (Reader) whether he speaketh rea son or no: and whether in any disputation to be instituted, or any challenge to be appointed, these articles, which Tertullian specifieth, are not principally to be debated, and examined: and whether this trade and manner of arguing do serve to the maintaining of any stomach: which is so natural (as I may say) and so reasonable, that you can not devise a more indifferent. To use it therefore to mine own comfort and others, and yet not to departed from the manner of a challenge, thereby to recompense our adversaries, I say: 1. If any of our adversaries be able A most short and profitable consideration, to go before eve every chaienge or to make of it, by itself alone, a just challenge. to show by any sufficient or likely argument and testimony, that they have any true Christian faith at all among them: (for faith cleaveth unto authority, which they can never show for themselves, etc. 2. Or that the Scriptures have been delivered unto them, or that they are the right keepers of them: 2. Or if they can tell from whom they have received their Gospel, other than papists: 4. Or by what successors, from the first, either maker, or chief preacher of their Gospel, it hath come unto them: 5. Or at what time, they received it: 6. Or if they can show but the foundations only, or proportion of some church, house, communion table, communion book, or any other thing never so small, by which it might be gathered, that a true an apostolic religion was extant to be seen within the six hundred years after Christ, as void of ornaments, ceremonies, reverence, distinction of places, and dignities, Sacraments, and solemnities pertaining to Sacraments, as theirs is: These are the most best and easiest questions, for the capacity of a sensible man, and most meetest to be asked of these great followers of Antiquity (as they say themselves.) If therefore any of our adversaries, can name, either the places, or the persons, where their religion stood of old time, or from whom, by lineal descent, it hath come to their churches, and ministers: I promise for myself, and others also: either to prove their predecessors heretics, or to yield with a good will to their succession, if they bring it downward from any Apostle. I have said: And in the mean while, until their answer be devised: I will continue in that faith, which lawful bishops of England received of Saint augustine a monk, and our Apostle, which, by the almighty power of God, converted our realm from Idolatry to Christianity which received his faith of Saint Gregory the great, and the first of that name: And Saint Gregory learned it of his predecessor Pelagius the second: Pelagius again received it of Benedictus the first: from Benedictus than we go upward to joannes. III. to Pelagius. I. to Vigilius, to Silverius, to Agapetus, to loannes the second, to Bonifacius the second, to Foelix the first, to joannes. Ito Hormisda, to Symmachus, to Anastasius the second, to Gelasius, to Faelix. III to Simplicius, to Hilarius, to Leo. I. to Sixtus. III. to Caelestinus, to Bonifacius. I. to Zozimus, to Innocentius, to Anastatius. I. to Siricius, to Damasus, to Faelix the second, to Liberius, to julius, to Marcus, to Silvester, to Melchiades, to Eusebius, to Marcellus, to Marcellinus, to Caius, to Eutichianus, to Faelix. I. to Dionysius, to Sixtus the second, to Stephanus. I. to Lucius, to Cornelius, to Fabianus, to Antherus, to Pontianus, to Vrbanus, to Calistus, to Zepherinus, to Victor, to Eutherius, to Soter, to Anicetus, to Pius, to Higinus, to Telesphorus, to Sixtus, to Alexander, which was the first that appointed making of holy-water, which received the Catholic faith of Evaristus, which received it of Anacletus, which received it of Clemens, which received it of Saint Peter, which received it of Christ, which is God most true and blessed for ever. Amen. Far well. Rom. 16. Deus autem pacis conterat Sathanam sub pedibus vestris velocitet. Quoniam viri S. Theologiae peritissimi Angli apud me fide dignissimi, perlegerunt hunc librum johannis Rastelli, & per omnia catholicum esse censent, dignumque qui typis excusus à popularibus eius Provintiae nempe Anglicanae legatur. puto ipsum tutò posse imprimi. Ita testor Cunerus Petri de Brouwershaven Lovanij Pastor S. Petri indignus. 11. novem. 1561