AS the Apostle requireth of euery Christian, that hee should be readie to giue a reason of his faith: so is it expected that we of the ministrie should of our doings, especi­ally since of vs many are hardly censu­red by some of our brethrē, & not wel reported of many of the people, for yeelding our obediēce vnto those, lōg since imposed, but late exacted cere­monies. In regard wherof, as in my for­mer Sermon, I spake vnto you of the lawful vse of the white linnen garmēt, vsed by the auncient Fathers in the time of Diuine seruice in the Church: [Page 2] so am I at this time according to my promise, to entreate of the lawfull vse of the Crosse, which on the baptised is imposed. In the hādling of the which, that I may the more distinctly pro­ceed; first I will shew vnto you, that since the Crosse is no part of the sub­stance of Baptisme, that therefore they that are baptised with it, or without it, are in respect of the substance of Bap­tisme, perfectly baptised. Secondly, that the ancient Fathers in their times, vsed to signe with the Crosse them that were baptised. Thirdly, we will consi­der of the reasons, that moued the Fa­thers so to do. Fourthly, we will shew, that since there are two kinds of Cros­ses (as the Schoole-men speake) the one manent, the other transient; the one materiall, the other acreall, that somewhat in the Fathers times, but much more since they both haue been sinfully abused, the one to Idolatrie, the other to superstition. Fifthly, that therefore they of our Fathers, and o­ther reformed Churches did not ill, which haue wholy taken away the vse [Page 3] of the Crosse, which in former ages was so sinfully abused. Sixthly, that yet we of the ministrie well may, since by the gouernors of our Church it is im­posed, signe our baptised with the sign of the Crosse, as the Fathers did, so it be freed from superstition, the opinion of merit, and necessity. Lastly, I will seeke to free my selfe from that vntrue imputation, with which the compiler of the abridgment of the Apologie of the Ministers of Lincolne Diocesse, The abridge­ment of the Apologie of the Ministers of Lincolne Dioces. pag. 25. to the Kings Maiestie; amongst many o­ther reuerēd in their place, doth brand me, either for a dāgerous corrupter of the purity of doctrine, or a broacher of a Popish errors in that in my for­mer Sermon vpon this text I said, that Austine, to whom Gregory the great did write, was the conuerter of our English nation. Of these briefely, and first of the first. That the Crosse is not of the sub­stance of Bap­tisme; there­fore not abso­lutely nece [...] rie.

In the holy Sacrament of Baptisme, some things are of the essence, sub­stance, and being of Baptisme (which if in Baptisme they be wanting, then it is not, nor may well be called the Bap­tisme [Page 4] of Christ) as to be baptised with water, and to be baptised in the name of the Father, Sonne, and of the holy Ghost: these Christ ordeined to be of the matter and forme of his Baptisme, without which Christs Baptisme can no more be said to be, then an house without his forme & matter, or a man without a soule and body. This Basil acknowledged when to the question whether it were a sufficient Baptisme to baptise in the name of the holy Ghost only, [...]asil de Spiritu [...]ncto cap. 12. he answereth no: For (saith he) the tradition giuē in the liuing grace must continue immoueable, for he which hath freed our life from corruption, hath giuen vnto vs his regenerating power, which power hath a cause which cannot be expressed, hidden in this Sacrament; yet bringing health vnto our soules: wherefore to adde or to detract from it, is euen a fall from eternall life. Where marke to baptise in the name of the holy Ghost only, is not a sufficient Baptisme: secondly the tradition must continue immoueable: thirdly to adde or detract from it, is to fall away from [Page 5] eternall life. Zanchius tra [...] in 5. cap. ad Ephes. cap. 2. The same witnesseth Zan­chius, of our moderne writers most iu­dicious. If any be baptised in the name of the Father, leauing out and omitting the name of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost; the same is not signed with the Baptisme of Christ: and then, as the said Zanchi­us in another place speaketh, Idem lib. 1. d [...] cultu Dei ex­terno. He that is baptised with a Baptisme not ordeined of God, as hee hath not the true outward signe of the Couenant, no more shal he en­ioy the thing it selfe, or the benefits of the Couenant; there is but one Baptisme. Ephes. 4.5. That therefore is of the essence & sub­stance of Baptisme, which Christ or­deined, vnto which nothing may bee added as part of the substance; nor from which nothing that is of the sub­stance may bee detracted: for then it leaueth to be the Baptisme of Christ, and it becommeth the Baptisme of man, whose stampe it beareth.

Other rites there are vsed in Bap­tisme, which are not of the substance of Baptisme, neither may they bee so reputed. Wherof some may be vsed in the Church of God, others may not. [Page 6] Of the first sort are, whether the bapti­sed is to be dipped vnder the water, or to haue water powred or sprinckled on; whether to bee thrise dipped or once; whether to bee signed with the signe of the Crosse, or not to be signed, and such like of these rites, although some are rather to be vsed then other, and are in their nature to be preferred before the other, as sundry Ierom. in E­ [...]es. cap. 4. [...]mbros. de Sa­ [...]am. lib. 2. [...]p. 7. Chrysost. Ioan. hom. 4. Basil. de spi­ [...]t. sanct. c. 27. [...]rgor. Nyss. [...]ap. Sozom. the Fa­thers do so sentence, commending the dipping vnder the water before the sprinckling on, as more agreeing to the primary institution, and practise of the Church; and more liuely expres­sing our burial in Baptisme, and rising vp vnto newnesse of life. Yet other, whose iudgement we are not to con­te [...]ne, ^b [...]st. Eccl lib. 6. [...]p. 26. [...]ncil. Tol [...]t. 4. [...]p. 5. aduise vs to follow the cu­stome & practise of the Church in which we liue, ^c Thom. in 4. [...]nt. dist. 3. shewing that in the vnity of the faith, these diuers customs of the Church do not hurt: nay ^d Gregor. Epist. [...]. 1. Epist. 41. [...]andro. that they are all well and truly baptised, although with the same rites, they are not all baptised: for as Linwood herein well speaketh, ^e [...]yprian. epist. [...] 4. Epist. 7. [...]inwood de [...]is. thou must not vnderstand that it is of the ne­cessitie [Page 7] of Baptisme, that the baptised bee dipped; for Baptisme may well be perfor­med, either by the manner of powring or sprinckling on water, especially when the custome of the Church approueth it, or there bee some necessitie in it, either for want of water, or weaknes of the baptised, or feeblenes in the Minister, not well able for to dippe the child. The truth of which may the better appeare, if wee atten­tiuely consider, Act. 2.4. how those three thou­sand in the storie of the Acts were bap­tised, surely in probability of reason not by dipping vnder the water, but rather by powring or sprinckling on of water.

Other rites also there are, which al­though they be not of the Papists, re­puted to bee of the substance of Bap­tisme, but rather de solemnitate (for his better grace and credit, Joan. Pech [...] apud Linwo [...] de baptisme▪ that so the peo­ple might conceiue better, and more reuerētly of it) as exorcising and blow­ing on the baptised, the giuing to him salt, the touching his nose and eares with spittle, the anoynting of his brest and shoulders, the oyling of the crown [Page 8] of his head, the often crossing, the gi­uing to him a white garment, a bur­ning taper, and such like. Yet because these much haue corrupted the simple, pure, and naked institution of Christ, & made the people to haue in greater reuerence these deuised ceremonies, then Christs blessed Sacrament; such superstitious fansies of men, were wor­thily abandoned out of the Church, & in the ministring of this Sacrament, not thought fit to be continued. And yet since many of the fauorits of Rome, haue not reputed these rites, to bee of the substance or necessity of Baptisme, but that only which our Sauiour in his Gospell instituted; declaring in many their writings, that there was a time when in Baptisme these were not vsed, & diuers times when these diuers rites were brought into the church; for they were not all borne and hatched in one day: it hath been the iudgement of the Church of God, that they which haue been baptised in the Church of Rome (notwithstanding those her many su­perstitiōs in this Sacrament vsed) haue [Page 9] in respect of the substāce of Baptisme, been truly baptised, and ought not a­gaine to bee baptised of vs: Zanch. expli­cat. ni 5. cap. a [...] Ephes. cap. 7. obseruat. 49. so Zan­chius, They do impiously and vnskilfully which either in the Church of Rome, or in our Churches (hee meaneth the refor­med) do cause them that are rightly bap­tised, againe for to bee baptised. Thus then you see that the Crosse in Bap­tisme, is not of the substance of Bap­tisme, for Christ remembreth it not in the institution of Baptisme, neither is it mentioned in the story of the Actes, where yet many are said to bee bapti­sed: but added after as a conuenient rite. This therefore if any wanted, yet were they fully baptised, & if any had it; yet then had they nothing more of the substance of Baptisme, then the o­ther: and therefore they both were rightly & fully reputed to be baptised.

Now are we in the second place to shew vnto you, That the au [...] cient Father signed the baptised with the signe of the Crosse: that the auncient Fa­thers in their times, vsed to signe with the signe of the Crosse, them that were baptised. For the proofe of this, you shall haue not two or three witnesses, [Page 10] but a full Iury; not forced to speake that which they neuer meant, but free­ly deliuering their owne meanings; nor speaking at randome of the Crosse in generall, but properly in particular of the Crosse in Baptisme; of whom the first is Basil surnamed the Great, who seeking to proue that some rites were to be receaued from the tradition of the Apostles, which are not expressely set downe in the letter of the word, and yet then were in vse in the Church of God; [...]sil. de spirit. [...]ct. cap. 27. amongst other nameth this first: In Baptisme to signe with the signe of the Crosse, those which haue their hope in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. In which marke first that he saith, that to signe with the signe of the Crosse, was from the tradition of the Apostles: secondly that it was then in vse in the Church of God. [...]in. Martyr Orthodox. [...]ons. Quaest. [...]3. The second is Iustin Martyr, who, to the question why Christians, when they prayed turned to the East, gaue for answere, because that (in the opinion of men the Sun there rising) was the more worthie part, as (saith he) with the right hand in the name of Christ [Page 11] we consigne those that need this signe, be­cause it is more honorable then the left. Where marke 1. That the Minister did signe the baptised. 2. With the right hand. 3. That hee reputed this signe somewhat needfull. The third is Ter­tullian (whom Cyprian honored as his Master) he speaking of Baptisme and the Lords Supper saith, The flesh is wa­shed, that the soule may be clensed; Tertul. de [...] surrect. car [...] the flesh is anoynted, that the soule may bee conse­crated; the flesh is signed that the soule may be sensed; the flesh is shadowed by the imposition of hands, that the soule may be illightned by the spirit; the flesh is fedde with the body and blood of Christ, that the soule may be satisfied with God. In which you may obserue that the party that was baptised with water, was also sig­ned with the signe of the Crosse. The next is Origen, who in an exhortation he maketh to his hearers to liue a god­ly life, saith, Origen, in 38. homil. 2 [...] Let not Sathan say this man was called a Christian, & was signed with the signe of the Crosse in his forehead: but he doth my will, and he hath my seale in his heart: behold, he which renounced me and [Page 12] my workes in Baptisme, hath againe made himselfe a seruant in my workes, and a­gaine obeyeth my lawes. Where most plainely Origen sheweth that the bap­tised in his time were signed with the signe of the Crosse in their foreheads. About the same time Arnobius, reue­rend amongst the Christians, & of re­nown among the Gentiles, saith, Since Christ is risen from the dead, [...]ob. com­ [...]t. in Psal. and ascen­ded vp to heauen; wee his Apostles and Disciples with all that beleeue, haue the signe of the Crosse in good; so that our vi­sible and inuisible enemies may see in our foreheads his signe, and bee ashamed. In which we may obserue that all that be­leeued were signed in their foreheads with the signe of the Crosse: secondlie that the Apostles, Disciples, and all the faithfull reputed it as good: lastly that by it the enemies of Christianity since Christ was risen and ascended, were done to shame. The like witnesseth zealous Cyprian, who sheweth that they which were baptised in the Church, were offered to the Church by their go­uernours, [...]. ad Inba­ [...] de hae­ [...] [...]aptiza [...]d. and by prayer and imposition of [Page 13] hands enioyed the holy Ghost, and were consummated by the Lords signe. Where note hee calleth the signe in Baptisme the Lords signe. Secondly, that in the end or after the Sacrament of Baptisme it was administred. To the same pur­pose Athanasius, whom Basil calleth the Physition of the Church diseases: Basil. Epist. [...] who hath perswaded the barbarous nati­ons in their sauage countries, Athanasius [...] humanitat. [...] verbi & ei [...] corpor. aduē [...] to lay aside their cruelty, and to thinke of peace; but the faith of Christ and the signe of the Crosse? Where note that by their Bap­tisme, the barbarous nations were con­uerted from their sauage crueltie vnto peace. In like manner Ambrose: Ambros. cen [...] ment. in Epi [...] ad Rom. cap [...] Hee cānot be holden of the second death which, is signed with the signe (or mystery) of the Crosse. For the preaching of the Crosse of Christs, is an argument that death is con­quered. A little after: He cannot therfore bee holden of death, because hee hath the signe that death is conquered for him. Where hee sheweth that the baptised cannot be holden of the second death (except they make themselues vnwor­thy Christs merit; because they haue [Page 14] the Crosse in Baptisme, a signe that death is conquered for them. So Chrysostome hauing before spoken of the rites, vse, fruits, and effects of Bap­tisme, which it should worke in the re­generate of God, [...]rysostom. in [...]an. homil. 24. saith, Not only that Baptisme is called the Crosse, but the Crosse is called Baptisme. With the for­mer accordeth learned Hierome, who in his Commentaries vpon Ezechiel, saith, [...]eron. com­ [...]nt. in E­ [...]h. cap. 9. In the auncient letters of the He­brewes, the which the Samaritans do vse vnto this day, the last letter called Tau, hath the likenes of the Crosse, which is made on the forheads of Christians, and with which Christians often signe them­selues. In which we may obserue, first that this Crosse is made by other, the Minister that baptiseth: secondly that it was made in the foreheads of Chri­stians. Next vnto Hierome, and which liued with him in those daies, is Austin, who speaking to those which were to be baptised, [...]ust. de Ca­ [...]zand. ru­ [...] cap. 20. saith, with the sign of whose Passion and Crosse, thou art now to bee signed, yea and all Christians are signed. And in his tract that he maketh vpon [Page 15] Iohn, he further saith. Idem tract. in Ioan. 118. The which signe of the Crosse, except it bee made either vpon the foreheads of them that beleeue, or vp­on the water, in which they are regenera­ted: nothing is orderly done. Where note that they that came to bee baptised, were signed with the sign of the crosse: secondly on their foreheads: thirdly that Austine did thinke that if this signe were wholy omitted, that all was not well done. The last of the twelue, & latest in yeares is Gregory the Great, who briefely thus: Gregor. mag [...] Euang. h [...]m. 22. In the vpper dorepost of the house, we sprinckle the blood of the Lambe; because we carry the Crosse of his Passion in our foreheads. Thus then by the verdict of these twelue most reue­rend and renowned Fathers, you haue it found; that in their times and before, they that were baptised, were also at the same time signed in their foreheads with the signe of the Crosse: this was then the practise of the Church, Vpon wha [...] reasons th [...] Fathers sig [...] the baptise with the si [...] of the Cro [...] and this without the known contradiction and gain-saying of any, was then vsed. Now let vs in the third place consider, by what reasons these Fathers were [Page 16] moued, to signe with the signe of the Crosse, them that came to be baptised. Was it because the Fathers thought, that the Apostles either by their en­sample shewed, or word of mouth de­liuered, that the baptised were so to be crossed? Surely Basil said Basil. de spi­ [...]t. sanct. ca. 27. Cyprian. ad [...]bianum. that it came from the traditiō of the Apostles; August. de [...]erbis Apost. [...]r. 8. Idem [...]ctat. in Iob. Cy­prian, that it was the Lords signe; [...]gust. Ianua­ [...] Epist. 118. Au­gustine, that it was Christs Crosse, which he would haue set in our foreheads; and those reuerend Fathers by their verdict before giuen, shew, that in their seuerall Churches, and therefore by some pro­bability of reason, generally in the whole Church of God (for it is vnlikly, that that which was vsed by them, was disused by other) that the baptised were signed with the sign of the crosse. Now those rites which are not expressely remembred in Scripture, and yet are in all the world obserued, either were by the Apostles themselues commended to the Church, or in some generall Councell concluded. But yet I dare not deliuer for a word of truth, that this was the mo­uing reason, which carried the Fathers [Page 17] to signe their baptised with the signe of the Crosse. What then? was it be­cause that in the Apostles times first, and after in the daies of these Fathers, many both of the Iewes and Gentiles (for amongst many such the small nū ­ber of Christiās were enforced to liue) reproachfully vpbrayding, that they put their trust in him, which was han­ged on the Crosse; that the Fathers to shew to those scorners, that that which they reproached as their shame, they reputed their glory, they signed their baptised with the signe of the Crosse? So Austine speaking to those reproa­chers of the faith of Christians: August. de v [...] bis Apost. [...] 8. We haue an heart, but not such as yours is, neither are we ashamed of him that was crucified, but in the part where the sign of shame is, there we haue his signe of the Crosse. And the same Austine in another place, Idem com [...] in Psal. 56. the Iewes disdained that that title, hee was King of the Iewes, was written ouer his head; they were ashamed to haue him their King, whom they could crucifie; for they did not yet see, that that Crosse on which they should fasten him, should bee in the [Page 18] foreheads of Kings. And in another place the same Austine shewing vnto Christians, how they should behaue themselues towards such reproachers of their crucified Christ: [...]ugust. com­ment. in Psal. [...]. Frontosus esto, bee not ashamed, when thou hearest thy Christ reproached: prorsus esto frontosus, be of a bold and vnshamed forehead; why dost thou feare thy forehead, which is ar­med with the Crosse of Crist? And againe speaking of himselfe, [...]em in Psal. [...]1. he saith, So farre am I, from being ashamed of the Crosse of Christ, that I haue Christs Crosse, not in an hidden place, but I carry it in my fore­head. And generally, in another place, speaking of that which is done of all Christians: [...]m tractat. [...]an. 3. Wee do carry his signe in our foreheads, of which wee need not bee asha­med, if we carry it also in our hearts. His sign is the lowest step of his humility. The wise men knew him by a Star, yet he would not haue the Star, but his Crosse, to be his sign in the foreheads of the faithfull. Thus then you see, the reason why principal­ly the Fathers were moued, to signe their baptised with the signe of the Crosse, and that in their foreheads, the [Page 19] very seat of shame: that the Iew, Gen­tile, the vnfaithfull might vnderstand, that Christians were not ashamed of their Christ that was crucified; but ra­ther reputed his Crosse, the very toppe and crowne of all their glory. Another reason there is, that whereas these Fa­thers saw, how hard a matter it was to make the meane of the people, to vn­derstād this mystery of their saluation, and how prone the nature of mā is, not only to ascribe to other, that which is only due to Christ; but euen also not to know, or knowing to forget, that which Christ had suffered for them; the Fathers signed their baptised with the signe of the Crosse, that by this signe, they might bee remembred, to ascribe the whole and summe of their saluation; not to the water in which they were baptised, nor vnto any other thing that they should do, or is done to them, but vnto the only merit & worth of Christs death and passion. This may appeare by Austin, who saith, August. in P [...] 4 [...]. not with­out cause, wee carry the signe of Christ [...] Crosse in our foreheads, euē that by it we [Page 20] might remember that Christ was cruci­fied for vs. This by Ambrose who spea­king of the question ministred to the baptised, [...]mbros. de Sa­ [...]ament. lib. 2. [...]p. 7. and there answereth, saith, Thou wast asked dost thou beleeue in God the Father almighty, thou saidst I beleeue; and thou wast dipped vnder the water, that is, thou wast buried. Againe thou wast asked dost thou beleeue in our Lord Iesus Christ, and in his Crosse; thou saidst I beleeue, and thou wast dipped vnder the water &c. Thus the baptised at his Bap­tisme, was not only asked whether hee did beleeue in Christ, but (that hee might the better know, from whence the good came he receaued by Christ) whether hee did beleeue in his Crosse. For as in another place hee saith, the fountaine Marah it is bitter, [...]m de his qui [...]terijs ini­ [...]tur cap. 3. but it be­came sweete when Moses cast in the wood of Christ. It is the preaching of the Crosse of Christ, that maketh al our bitter waters sweete. [...]ysostom. in [...]th. hom. 55. So Chrysostome: The Passion of our Lord is the beginning and head of all our blisse, by which we liue, by which wee are: let vs therefore with a ioyfull mind, carry with vs the Crosse of [Page 21] Christ, as the crowne & cause of all which maketh for our good. Thus then you see the reasons, which moued those aun­cient Fathers, to signe their baptised with the Crosse; either because they somewhat thought that the Apostles, either by their ensample, or word shewed, that the baptised were to bee signed with the Crosse: or that they might shew to the Iewes and Gentiles, that they were not ashamed of their Christ that was crucified: or that they might the better teach their hearers, to ascribe the whole of their saluation, to the only merit and worth of Christs bitter death endured on the Crosse. These were the thoughts, and this the practise of that godly antiquity, whose piety and wisedome as we cannot but reuerence; so let vs follow them in all peace and patience, well weighing the reasons, that should moue vs to abhor their pathes.

Now notwithstanding all that hath been shewed, That the Crosse hath been sinfully abused to I [...] latry and superstition. out of those Fathers for the Crosse in Baptisme, wee will shew, which is the fourth thing we proposed [Page 22] to proue: that whereas there are two kinds of crosses, the one manēt, the o­ther transient, the one materiall, the o­ther aereall; that somewhat in those Fa­thers times, but much more since, both those kinds of crosses, haue bin sinful­ly more or lesse abused, the one to Ido­latry, the other to superstition. I must heere confesse vnto you that many strange things are recorded by the an­cient of the Crosse materiall. As that in the time of Cyril, [...]zomen. hist. [...]cle. lib. 4. c. 4. Bishop of Ierusalem there should appeare in the aire a signe of the Crosse, of that brightnes and greatnes, that by the sight thereof, ma­ny vnbeleeuing Iewes and Gentiles were conuerted to the faith: as that to Constantine should appeare in heauen, [...]seb. de vita [...]stant. lib. 1. [...] 22. [...]omen. lib. 1. [...]. 3. the signe of the Crosse, and that from thence he should heare that in that sign hee should ouercome: the which when according to the voice and vision fol­lowed, [...]seb. d [...] vita [...]stant. lib. 3. [...]. 48. [...]om. lib. 1. [...] 4. he caused a Crosse to be made of gold, and beautified it with many precious stones, and set it ouer the en­trance to his Palace; nay hee further caused the Crosse, to be richly embro­dered [Page 23] in his chiefe standard, which in battaile was carried before him; yea and on the armour of his souldiers, Idem lib. 1. cap. [...]. which warred vnder him. And when aereall crosses appeared, on the gar­ments of Arcadius & such which were with him, Prosp. de pro­miss. & prae­dict. Dei: par [...] 3. cap. 34. going to warre against the Persians, for the wrongs they had done the Christians of Armenia: after his re­turne with conquest from the battaile, hee caused his money to bee coyned with a Crosse. Thus the Crosse made his entrance into the Palace, standards, armour, and coyne of Princes; and after into the cities, high waies, yea and ho­lied places; and for Christs sake, but to the dishonor of Christ, Jerom. Epist. 27. cap. 3. Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 4. & hurt of mens soules, got that reuerend estimation amongst men; that in fine it they ado­red (as Sozomen saith they did the stā ­dard of Cōstantine in which the Crosse was pictured) to it they fell downe, and kneeling kissed it, making their praiers to it, as to Christ. Thus lea [...]ing Christ, they cōmitted spirituall wh [...]ore­dome with his Crosse, and contrary to the expresse command of God, nade [Page 24] themselues a grauen image for to wor­ship it. The which all may appeare, if we cōsider what Darandus reporteth, to be the practise of their deuotion on Easter day; [...]rand. ratio­ [...]. lib. 6. [...]. 77. for when their golden and gemmified Crosse (which with them had stood couered from the time of Christs Passion, vntill the time suppo­sed that he rose) was once vncouered, then in their blind and deceiued de­uotion, the people bare-foot, came creeping to it, saluting it, adoring it, offering to it, and humbly kissing the basest parts of it, reputing this their Idolatrie, the greatest worship they could do to Christ.

Now as this materiall and manent Crosse, was thus sinfully abused to Ido­latry: so was also the Crosse aereall and transient fouly abused to superstition. For whē some of the Fathers, had some­what largely spoken of the power of the Crosse, as [...]ng. Quaest. [...]st. 114. that by it the diuels were terrified, and driuen away, the oracles of the Pagans for feare of it durst giue no answere: [...]thanas. de [...]n. verbi. that by it all enchantmēts lost their force and witcheries their effectes: [Page 25] then at euery turne, and at euery work, whersoeuer they were, or whatsoeuer they tooke in hand, were it belonging to God, or man, or brute beasts, or o­ther senselesse creatures; they crossed themselues: reputing nothing wel be­gun which was not first begun with a Crosse, nor nothing well ended, which was not ended with a Crosse. Neither was this the error only of some of the people, but of the Fathers, some, (o­therwise deuout and pious) did not only giue way to these superstitions of the people, but were in part the exhor­ters and furtherers of many, vnto this blind, needlesse, and superstitious de­uotion. So Chrysost. in Matth hom. Chrysostome hauing spo­ken before of the Crosse, inferreth: Wherfore in our parlers, & on our walles, and on our windowes, yea and on our fore­heads, and soules, with great care and stu­die let vs set the Crosse. Idem ad P [...] Antioch. ho [...] 21. Jdem t [...] 5. quod Chr [...] stus deus. I [...] in Psal. 109 [...] To the same he perswadeth his hearers in diuers other places. In like māner Hierom in an Epi­stle he writeth to Demetriades; Hieron. D [...] metriad. E [...] 8. cap. 6. Do thou aftē arme thy forehead with the sign of the Crosse, lest the destroyer of Aegypt find [Page 26] place in thee. And the same to Eust [...]chi­um, Idem ad Eu­ [...]och. Epist. 22. [...]ap. 16. whatsoeuer thou doest, wheresoeuer thou goest, let thy hand make a crosse. Now with the times, did this supersti­tious deuotion encrease amongst the people and clergie. In so much that in these later yeares, no Church was con­secrated but with a multitude of cros­ses, no praiers said, no Sacraments ad­ministred, but they were begun, conti­nued, ended with many crosses. Yea their breaden God, as Durandus wri­teth, whilest that Sacrament was mini­stred, was signed with the Crosse twen­tie fiue times. Vnto which signe was attributed that vertue, that Durandus affirmeth, [...]urandus ra­ [...]onal. lib. 14. [...]ap. 45. [...]dem lib. 4. [...]p. 42. by vertue of the Crosse made, and words said, the bread in that Sacra­ment was transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ. Thus whereas at the first it was but once or seldome made, after it was often; whereas they signed to put the baptised in mind, that they should not bee ashamed to confesse Christ crucified, but should in the merit of his Passiō place the cause of all their blisse: after they ascribed the vertue [Page 27] and holines to the outward signe, that without it, they thought nothing was sanctified, nothing cōsecrated, nothing sufficiently fenced, from the power and malice of the diuell. So great supersti­tion & will-worship fansied by man, but not approued by God, did after follow & accompany the Crosse. Thus haue you heard that both these kinds of crosses haue bin sinfully abused, and by whom; & that although the aereall Crosse was rightly vsed by the Fathers at the first: yet that now they haue mul­tiplied one into many, filling euerie place, and euery act, full of needlesse and superstitious crosses.

Now it followeth that we shew vn­to you, That the vse of the Crosse may bee dis­used. that since the Crosse hath been so foulie abused, that therefore they of our Fathers and other reformed chur­chers, did not ill which haue wholy a­bandoned the Crosse, that in for­mer ages hath been so sinfully abu­sed. 2. Reg. 18. For if Ezechiah be commēded for commanding the brasen Serpent to be broken, which yet God had appointed to be made, after it was continued se­uen [Page 28] hūdred yeares: why may not with their praise, vpon the same reason of I­dolatrie, Christian Magistrates remoue out of the Church and houses of God, those crosses & crucifixes which were deuised and fansied by man? Surely not so commaunded of God, as was the brasen Serpent. [...]om. Aquin. [...]nauentur. If here they shall insist, for their excuse, that they do not wor­ship the Crosse or Crucifixe, but Christ which in the Crucifix is remembred; what do they in this alledge for them­selues, but that which the Iewes might for their calfe, and the Gentiles did for their Idols? For vnder the forme of the calfe the Iewes thought to worshippe that God which brought them out of the land of Aegypt; therefore to the calfe they sange, These are thy Gods which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt: and Austin speaking of the Gentiles: [...]ugust. com­ [...]ent. in Psal. [...]3. The Heathen say that they do not worship that which is visible, but the Godhead which there inuisibly dwelleth. In this therefore the Papist, Iew, and Gentile agree. But to thē all, not I but [...]asil replieth. [...]sil. in Psa [...] [...] vers [...] How ridiculous a thing is [Page 29] this to beleeue, that the heauenly godhead is fastned to an image, and there vnder an Image to worship it? When it was obie­cted by the heathen that Christians did worship crosses, Arnobius replieth, Arnob. co [...] gent. lib. 8. We doe not worship crosses, neither doe we ad­uise you so to do. In like manner Cyril to Iulian: Cyril. cont [...] Julian. lib▪ we deny that the signe of the Crosse is worshipped and adored of Christians. The reason of their answere appeareth, be­cause as Gregory Nyssen speaketh, Gregor. N [...]orat. fun [...] Placillo. hee which adoreth a creature, although he do it in the name of Christ, yet hee is a wor­shipper of images; hauing giuen the name of Christ, vnto an image. By the same reason Basil proueth Arius to be an I­dolater, because he worshipped Christ, and yet reputed him to bee but a crea­ture: he that shal call the only Son of God, Basil. con [...] Sabellium Arrium. the worke of God and a creature, and shall after worship him; in that they wor­ship a creature and not a Creator, graecis­mum inducunt, they bring in the Idolatry of the Gentiles. Thus then by the iudg­ment of these Fathers, none may in the name of Christ, or for Christs sake wor­ship a Crucifix, worship a Crosse: for it [Page 30] is but a creature, neither is the diuine Godhead fastned to an Image, as the Iew and Gentile thought, neither can it be shewed, that Christ would haue himselfe in a Crosse or Image to bee worshipped. Wherfore our Rulers did well, by taking away the causes of the peoples error, to reduce them to the worship of the true and only God: and by defacing the Crosses, with which the blinded world committed spiritual whoredome, to take away y ^e reproch of our faith, for which both Iew, Turke, & well affected Christians were offended with vs. This, in this very case Athana­sius approueth, [...]as. Anti­ [...] Princip. [...]t. 16. saying, lest any of the vnfaithfull Iexes doe reproue that in vs, that we worship the Crosse, wee may (the two peeces of the wood being seuered, & the forme of the Crosse vnformed,) cast them away from vs, as vnprofitable wood. In like sort, as the world may see, in our liturgy and Sacraments, and in the common vse & practise of the people, the aereall Crosse in a manner is aban­doned. [...] in E­ [...] p. 5. The reason of this Zanchius alledgeth, propter introduct as supersti­tiones, [Page 31] & opinionem necessitatis, because they were superstitiously abused, and thought so necessarie, that without thē, many thought nothing well done. When the Hemerobaptists did euery day wash thē, to wash away their sins, Epiphanius laughed at their folly, Epiphan. lib. [...] cap. 18. contra haeref. and shewed, that al y ^e water in the springs, riuers and sea, was not able to do away their sinne: the reason of his speech he there giueth, because it was not done ac­cording to reason, nor by the command of God: euen so we say to them, which are so deuoted to their many crosses, these shall not be able to driue away the di­uell, or do away your sin: because they are not done according to reason, nor by the command of God. Lest there­fore they should beare the blame of the deceiued people, and heare from the Lord, for their often crossing, What euill hath this people done, that you should suffer, nay bring so great a sin vpon them? in an holy obedience to God, they caused them to leaue this superstitious practise, of the deceaued world. Thus thē as diuers ancient rites [Page 32] sometime vsed in baptisme, were put out of vse, & that by the Fathers which liued in the first six hundred yeares, as the tasting of milke, hony, wine, men­tioned in Tertullian: so may also this of the Crosse, Che [...]nisius ex­ [...]en. Cencil. [...]rident. can. [...] 3. de ritibus [...] administ. [...]acrament. aswel as they by Che [...]nisius iudgement be disused; if either by rea­son of circumstāces it be not found so profitable as it was, or that the reason ceaseth for which it was ordeined, or y ^e cōtrary to y ^e purpose for which it was ordeined, [...]sil de spirit. [...]act. cap. 27. it be abused to superstition. Yea, although it were a grāted truth, y ^t it came not frō man, but frō y ^e tradition of the Apostles: for as other rites either instituted, or put in practise by the A­postles thēselues, [...]ug. epist. 118. as the feasts of loue, the receauing y ^e Sacramēt after supper, the greeting one another with a kisse, haue long discontinued & left to be v­sed in y ^e Church: euē so may this of the Crosse, although it were vsed of the A­postles thēselues: but of this too much, because it is a doctrine receaued of all.

[...]et the Mi­ [...]ers may [...] the bap­tised with th [...] signe of the Crosse. Now let vs come to that which in the sixt place wee proposed, that wee of the ministrie, since it is so enioyned [Page 33] by the Gouernours of our Church, well may, as did the Fathers, notwithstāding the contrary vsage of other Churches, signe our baptised with the signe of the Crosse. For since the Fathers in their times, signed their baptised with the signe of the Crosse, & that vpon good and approued causes; why may not that which was lawfull for them, be lawfull for vs? keeping our selues within the same bounds and limits? Surely that, which the first and renowned Fathers, in all their seuerall Churches put in practise, as though it came from the A­postles themselues, we cannot reiect as superstitious; or disauow as vnlawfull and naught. Nay rather herein we sus­pect our contrarying thoughts, & sup­pose y ^t we may be deceaued, & that they may (being nearer the times of Christ and his Apostles) in things of this na­ture better see the truth. Nay since the Crosse is a rite meerely in the generall indifferent, since it may serue to decen­cy and order, & as a badge of our pro­fession: how may I or other of the like mind and conscience with my selfe, in [Page 34] this refuse the order of our Church, vp­on our priuate spleene and fansies? let not him that vseth it not, cōdemne him that vseth it. If not to thee, yet to mee, except I would giue the lye vnto my cōscience, it is indifferēt. Surely Chem­nisius writing of the rites which in the Sacraments are vsed, for order and de­cency sake, & of those outward things indifferent, [...]mnisius ex­ [...]en Concil. [...]dent. in [...] 13. saith, It must not be permit­ted to euery man, without the iudgement and consent of the Church, of his own wā ­tonnes & wil, to leaue out, or alter any rite or ceremony that is vsed in the Church. For although other Churches doe not vse to baptise with the Crosse, yet are we in things of this nature, to follow the rites and orders of the Church in which we liue, & not the orders of those to whom wee are not subiect, except we will become troublers of the peace of our Church, an offence vnto other, and cause other to be offēded with vs. The seueral Churches of God without blemish or derogation to other, may in these rites vse their liberty accor­ding to the rule of Paul, as Chemnisius [Page 35] in the same place speaketh. And as Lin­wood inferred when in some Churches the baptised was dipped vnder the wa­ter, in some had water sprinckled or powred on: Linwood de baptisme. that it was not of the neces­sity of Baptisme that the child should bee dipped: so maiest thou, (in that some Churches doe signe the baptised with the signe of the Crosse, others do not) hereby vnderstand that the Church of God, doth not repute the Crosse, to be of the necessity of Baptisme. Yet doth the Church in which we liue, for order sake, cōmand the vse of the Crosse vnto vs. Should we for this, forsake the peo­ple of our charge? and leaue the mini­strie vnto which God hath called vs? by what warrant? this was not the coū ­sell of Beza, Cartwright, and other im­pugners of this & the like ceremonies; but rather to walke in our calling, and in patiēce to beare the burden of these dislikes. If this had bin absolutely euil, this they might not, nor would not haue perswaded. And if they thought it lawfull, but not expedient nor con­uenient; our Gouernours in their great [Page 36] experience should better know, what is fitting the state of our Church than they. If they do not, as thou supposest, yet how maiest thou leaue thy lawfull and needful duty, which God hath en­ioyned and requireth of thee, in that thou wilt not vndergoe with the good of many that which thou thinkest is not expedient? If thou farther saiest, that the Crosse hath bin most supersti­tiously abused, we say the same yet be­ing freed from superstition and the o­pinion of merit, holines and necessity; why may it not be continued with vs, especially since that which is vsed of vs, is far vnlike that which is vsed of the Papists? For they make the Crosse in Baptisme a needfull ceremonie; wee a conueniēt: they signe the baptised and the water oftē; we once: they put some religion and holines in the signe; wee put none: they crosse the baptised be­fore he receiueth his Christendome; we after, and after he is receiued as a mem­ber in the Church: they to driue out the diuell, and by that signe to feare him from returning; wee that it might [Page 37] be an honorable badge, to remember vs with all boldnesse to confesse Christ crucified, and to repute the cause of all our happines, the merit of Christs Pas­sion endured on the Crosse. Well may therfore the Crosse be vsed of vs, which hath been most superstitiously abused by them. And so much the rather, be­cause that by this signe thus remaining with vs, (since all other vse of the crosse is in no vse with vs) wee may stop the mouthes of the slaundering Papists, which say that wee are enemies to Christ, and to his Crosse: because our Rulers haue broken downe his Cruci­fixes and Crosses, and because the peo­ple do not (as their Fathers did) signe themselues with the sign of the Crosse. For this signe thus vsed in Baptisme, sheweth that wee are not enemies to Christ nor to his Crosse, but to their I­dolatry & superstition. And although we do not liue among the Iewes and Pagans, which seeke to shame vs be­cause we put our trust in him, that was hanged on a tree: by this Crosse to shew them, that that which they re­proch [Page 38] wee repute our glory: yet since this is a doctrine needfull for all sorts to learne, that not in the minister or water, but in the blood of Iesus, they attaine the washing away and remissi­on of their sinnes; since of this many of the people are very ignorant, not only by the word and Sacraments, the bles­sed meanes of God, but by this signe also the people may be remembred as thought the anciēt Fathers, that Christ died for them on the Crosse. [...]hrysostom. in Matth. hom. 55 [...]mbros. de Sa­ [...]a. lib. 2. cap. 7 Neither lacketh this cause the approbation of many reuerend of our moderne wri­ters. For although Beza to Grendal did there reiect the Crosse, [...]eza Epist. 8. [...]indallo. because it o­pened a gap to that great superstition and Idolatry, which among the Papists ensu­ed, and would haue it therefore with the brasen Serpent vtterly abolished: yet the fame Beza in his after thoughts wri­ting vnto Francis Ba [...]dwin, I know that some hauing taken away the adoration of the Crosse, haue yet retained some vse of the signe of the Crosse. Let them vse as it is fit their liberty: and to the same in an­ [...] place, there was a time in which [Page 39] there was some vse of the signe of the Crosse, against the contemners of Christ crucified, and let it be long and willinglie vsed of Christians for an outward signe of their religion. Where marke he saith that it is meet that they should vse their liberty in the vse of the Crosse. 2. That it was of good vse against the contem­ners of Christ crucified. 3. that hee would willingly haue it long cōtinued, as an outward professiō of true religiō. Likewise Bucer speaking of the Crosse, Bucer. this signe not only because it hath been of auncient vse in the Church of God, but because it is a very plaine signe, presentlie remembring the Crosse of Christ; I iudge it not vndecent, or vnprofitable, if it bee purely vnderstood, and religiously taken; without any superstition, or seruitude of the element, or of common custome. To the same purpose Chemnisius; such rites we do not without cause love and re­teine, in the action of Baptisme, Chemnisius ex [...] amen Concil. Trident. de [...] ­genere tradi­tionum. Idem de Sa­crament. nu [...] which do signifie and illustrate the doctrine deli­uered in Scripture concerning Baptisme. In another place; we ought to oppose our selues against those rites which fight [Page 40] with the word of God. Or when the opini­on of holines, merit, and necessity is attri­buted to them. Likewise Zanchius spea­king of the rites in generall vsed by the Fathers in Baptisme, [...]ch. ex­ [...]at. in 5. ad [...]es. cap. 7. these I dare not re­proue in those Fathers, first because the scope of the Fathers in those rites was ve­ry good, to imprint in the minds of the faithfull the remembrance of Baptisme. Secondly, because in them was no super­stition or opinion of necessity; and thirdly because they were not ridiculous and foo­lish. Thus then you haue heard by the testimony of Beza, Bucer, Chemnisius, Zanchius, of whom some haue not the vse of the Crosse in their Baptisme, that yet, it is lawfull for vs, to signe our bap­tised with the Crosse, so that it be done purely without superstition, & so that in it we do not place any holines, me­rit, or necessitie. Wherefore if there be any that scornfully reiecteth the iudg­ment of these auncient and moderne writers to them not I but Austin spea­keth: [...]gust. in Psa. [...] 1. Thou worshippest God that was crucified; hee that doth not vnderstand reprehendeth the Crosse of Christ; there [Page 41] is nothing more proud, thē the sicke which derides his medicine.

Thus haue you heard that which we proposed about the Crosse in Bap­tisme, That Austi [...] was the co [...] ­uerter of o [...] English, but not Brittish nation. briefely and therefore somewhat obscurely handled. It remaineth now, that wee make answere to that vntrue imputatiō, with which either the com­piler, or the vnconformed Ministers of Lincolne diocesse, in that abridgment of their Apologle to the Kings Maie­stie, Pag. 25. doe brand mee (with many other well deseruing of the Church of God) either for a dangerous corrupter of the purity of doctrine, or a broacher of a popish error: in that in my former Ser­mon vpon this text, I named Austin to whom Gregory the Great did write, the cōuerter of our English nation. The words I acknowledge to be mine; but by these I deny, that the puritie of doctrine is corrupted (and I suppose, you thinke it needlesse thereon to insist) or that any popish error is broached. The truth of which, that you may the better vnder­stand, I must take as granted from you, which is a knowne truth; that this part [Page 42] of the Iland, was not alwaies called Anglia, [...]ydor. [...]linshed. [...]aston. [...]w. [...]da. [...]das. [...]ian. [...]llinshed lib. [...]ap. 2. & 5. [...]lliam Mal­ [...]bury. nor the nation English; but that in the times before, it was called Britannia, & the people Britaines. The which may appeare by the testimony of all our country stories. For whereas about the yeare of Christ 447. Vortiger a Christned King of the Britaines, had called for his succor against the Scots and Picts; the Angles, a people in Ger­many, which then were Pagans and strangers to the faith; they shortly af­ter hauing seased by treachery on the person of the King, and killed at a parle four hundred of his Nobles, extorted frō him Kent, Sussex, Northfolke, Suf­folk, for thē & their people to inhabit; who after drawing new colonies from their countrie, by force so far preuailed against the Britains, that they enforced them into Wales and Cornwale, ter­ming them Welshmen, that is, stran­gers, and calling these parts of this I­land which they conquered after the name of the country from which they came, Anglia, and themselues An­ [...]i. Thus with the Britaines then was [Page 43] banished the faith of the Britaines, the Gospell of Christ; and then was esta­blished in the parts conquered by thē, Gentilisme and Paganisme, Hollenshed 5. cap. 19. the ido­latry of their country; which so there continued the space of one hundred forty seuen yeares, till Gregory the Great sent this Austine with other to cōuert this English nation to the faith. To this all our Stories giue witnes, Iohn Fox and Monuments lib. [...] as­well moderne as auncient, as reuerend Fox, Polydor, Hollenshed, Grafton, Pabi­an, Stow, Beda, Galfrid; Polydor. li [...] Holinshed [...] 5. cap. 14. Beda bist. [...] lib. 1. cap. 12 Galfrid. bi [...] cap. 4. Testi [...] v [...]rit, temp [...] de vita Di [...] Functius C [...] nolog. William M [...] ­mesbury. and to this not only our coūtry stories, but that which is recorded by strangers, Testis verita­tis temporum, Functius, Blondus, Carion, Diaconus de vita Gregory, with many other. Since therefore there are so ma­ny that giue witnes, that the English nation from Paganisme to the profes­sion of Christ, was conuerted by this Austin sent from Gregory, this is no popish error (as it is vntruly sugge­sted) but an English truth. Nay I bold­ly speake that the reprouer of this speech, cannot proue by the testimony of any author either domestical or for­ren, [Page 44] that the English in this Iland had publikly receaued the faith, before this Austins cōming to Ethelbert, Fox lib. 2. [...]s Actes Monu­ [...]ts. [...]enshed lib. [...]p. 2. the first Christned King of the English nation. What then moued this compiler in such hast to terme so knowne a truth by the name of a popish error? It may be he thought, that I and the Papists had taught, that Christianity was not professed in this Ilād before this time. But where I pray you do the Papists a­uouch this? their errors in matters of faith and story I confesse are many, but that they haue in this thus erred, I did neuer reade, [...]na de vita [...]ibery An. nay I haue to induce mee to the contrary. For Platina reporteth that Lucius King of the Britaines, [...]ist. lib. 1. [...]. with many of his people in the yeare of Christ 156. was baptised by Fugatius, and Damianus, which Eleutherius Bi­shop of Rome hither sent. Not long af­ter, [...]a de vita [...]lini primi. [...] bist. lib. 1. as the said Platina witnesseth, when Pelagius a Britaine borne (against whō Ierome and Austin haue learnedly wri­ten) had corrupted this Iland and di­uers other places, with the Pelagian heresie; Celestinus the first sent Germa­nus [Page 45] a learned Bishop hither, to reduce and confirme the people in the faith. Yea Caesar Baronius writeth, Caesar. Baro [...] annalium 2. Anno 303. Beda hist. A [...] lib. 1. cap. 7. that the persecution, moued by Diocletian a­gainst the Christiās, inuaded this Iland, in which amongst other, Alban, after canonised for a Saint, was martyred: Caesar Baron [...] annalium 3. Anno 359. and that all the Brittish Bishops by the command of Constantius the Empe­rour, gathered in a generall Councell at Ariminum, (except three whose po­uerty was great) refused the mainte­nance which the Emperour allowed, and did chuse rather to liue at their owne charge: Parsons of th [...] three conue [...] ­sions of Eng­land part. 1. yea Parsons that hath written of the three conuersions of this Iland, remēbreth two former, maketh this of Austins the last. By which it may appeare, that although this Au­stine was the first that conuerted the English, yet by y ^e witnes of the Papists themselues, Christianity was professed publikely in this Iland, four hundred yeares and better, before that Gregorie the Great was: but yet not then by the English, for they had not then set foot in this Iland, but by the Britaines, the [Page 46] auncient inhabitants of this land. The which may more euidently appeare, in that this Austin, [...]a hist. Angl. [...]e. lib. 2. [...].2. [...]fridus suo [...]tan. li. 8. c. 4 [...]is veritatis [...]p. de vita [...]noth ab. [...]llinshed lib. [...]ap. 21. as Beda and others re­porteth, desiring conference with the Brittish Bishops, who seuen in number together with an Archbishop presen­ting themselues vnto him, and of him proudly contemned, or not regard­fully respected; they retired them­selues and neuer would after, haue fur­ther speech or communication with him. Thus then before this Austins time, there were in this Iland not on­ly Christians, but Christian Bishops (which did not fetch their Palles from Rome) but yet then among the Bri­taines, not English. For as then the name of Angli was not heard of in the Church of God. This is that Ter­tullian saith, [...]tul. aduers. [...]daeos. the places of the Britaines vnto which the Roman forces neuer came, they are subiect vnto Christ. This is that Origen reporteth, [...]igen. in E­ [...]ch. homil. 4. that Britaine hath receiued Christian Religion. This is that which Chrysostome witnesseth, [...]rysost. Ser. de [...]ntecost. before in Britaine they did eate mans flesh, but now there with fasting they doe feede their [Page 47] soules. And in another place, Idem tom. 5. quod Christus sit Deus. the Brit­tish Iland which is placed not in this sea, but in the very Ocean, hath felt the power of Gods word, there are Churches foun­ded, there are Altars erected. This is that which Arnobius confesseth, Arnobius in Psal. 138. that Gods word runneth so swiftly, that when so many thousand of yeares, God was only knowne in Iuda; now within a few yeares, he is not vnknowen vnto the Indians on the East; nor yet to the Britaines on the West. Athanas. Apo [...] ­logia 2. cont [...] Arrian. This is that Athanasius acknow­ledgeth, that in the great Coūcell at Sar­dica, by the command of the most religious Princes Constantius & Constance, more then three hundred Bishops by their ver­dicts acquitted him: amongst which were the Bishops of Spaine, France, and Brita­ny. This is that, Idem Epist. Jouinian. that he writeth to Ioui­nian; that he taught the same faith, which the Fathers assembled at Nicon did ac­knowledge, and vnto which all Churches, in all places gaue witnesse; whether in Spain, Britany, France or Italy. To these I might adde sundrie other, the autho­rities of the auncient Fathers Greeke and Latin; but by these you may vn­derstand, [Page 48] that long before the time of Gregorie the Great, the faith of the Bri­taines, but not English (for of them in those former times no mention is made) was famous amongst all the Churches of God. Wherefore I would aduise those my brethren, which are so ready to find fault with others, more aduisedly to consider of this and other their positions, before with so blacke a cole, they note their brethren for set­ters abroach of Popish errors. Now here that you may the better know in this cause, the difference betwixt the Papists & our writers; you must briefe­ly vnderstand, that this is not questio­ned betwixt vs, whether Austin was the first that taught the English Christi­anity in this Iland: all do acknowledge that Ethelbert was the first of the Sax­on Kings, that heere was Christened: neither was the Church of the English knowen to bee a member of Gods Church, before those daies. Neither is it questioned betwixt vs, whether this Austin was the first that preached Christianity in this Iland: for among [Page 49] the Britaines Christianity was many hundred yeares before. Their, and our records, and the mouth of antiquitie, commending the faith of the Britaines doth witnesse the same. But this is in question betwixt vs and them, as reue­rend Fox in his second booke of Actes and Monuments sheweth, whether the Britaines and Christians in this Iland, first receaued the faith from Rome, or else where. The which although I will not take vpon mee at this time to de­cide, yet vpon these reasons (iudge you what I say) I thinke that the Britaines first receaued Christianity, not from Rome, but from some other place. For although all antiquity doth acknow­ledge, which we cannot gain-say, that of the Britaines, Lucius was the first Christened King: yet as Christs religi­on was long before in Rome, before the Emperours embraced it, and were baptised: so might Christianity be long before in this Iland, before the Prince receaued it, and by his publike autho­rity gaue countenance to it. Joan. Fox A [...] Monum. lib. [...] For we find recorded in our stories, that in the time [Page 50] of Tiberius, Camden William Mal­m [...]bury. Stow his a­bridgement. this Iland receaued the faith, by the preaching of Ioseph of A­rimathea, who with others was sent out of Fraunce by Philip the Apostle, to preach the Gospell, who continued and was buried in the place after called Glassenbury, as Henry the second in his Charter, after the recitall of many for­mer and auncient Charters doth ac­knowledge: if then the Gospell was receaued by the preaching of Ioseph, then not from Rome. The which may seeme heerein the more probable, in that the Brittish Bishops with whom the remembred Austin desired fur­ther conference; [...]eda hist. eccle. [...]ngl. lib. 2. c. 2. [...]estis verit. [...]empor. de Di­ [...]th. abbat. [...]ollinshed lib. [...] cap. 21. would haue no fel­lowship with him, which came com­mended from Gregory then Bishop of Rome: neither could be perswaded to leaue many their positions, rites, and customes, which agreed with the East Churches, but were differēt from those then in vse in the Church of Rome. [...]da. [...]trus Cluna­ [...]sis Epit. Ber­ [...]d [...]. [...]inshed lib. [...]ap. 21. Surely in the keeping of the feast of Easter, as the fast on Saturday, they fol­low not the guise and custome of the Church of Rome, but rather the East [Page 51] Churches; which feasted on Saturday, and in those times kept their Easter, Socrat. hist. eccl. lib. 5. c. 21. not on the same day, as Victor of Rome vrged, but on the day, vsually kept and obserued of the Iewes: which all the Churches of God at first so kept; and which in all probability was first com­mended to them by Ioseph, or by Si­mon Zelotes, Nicephor. hist. lib. 2. cap. 40. the second Bishop of Hie­rusalem, the first founders of Christian religion in this land. Thus then you see, in that Ioseph of Arimathea was the first that first preached Christianity in this Iland; in that the Brittish Bishops would haue no fellowship with Au­stin, that came commended from the Sea of Rome; in that, in many rites and customes, the Christians in this Iland, were different from the rites, customes, and vsages of the Church of Rome; and agreed in thē with the East Churches, and with that, which the Apostles and Ioseph of Arimathea did therin, whilest they liued: it may probably be presu­med, (since there is nothing of mo­ment that makes to the contrary) that not from Rome, but from the East [Page 52] Churches, the Britaines in this Iland, first receaued the faith. Now what re­maineth, but that you fairely take, that which hath been spoken; that wee all, in all our censures, would suffer out zeale to bee guided with knowledge, knowledge to bee moderated with loue; that in our praiers, desires, and best endeuours, with a good consci­ence we would seeke for the peace of our Hierusalem, the Church and kingdome in which wee liue: so shall wee prosper, & it shal alwaies, what­soeuer betide vs, go well with vs, Amen.

Sit Deo Gloria.