about faith manners may be proued What doth follow but that some vnwritten verities and traditions are found which haue equall authoritie with diuine Scripture Is not this argument in good forme Are not the premisses thereof certaine which euen our enemies doe grant May traditions be termed sleeuelesse for which your owne Taylors or Doctours make such glorious winges that therby they fly vp to the throne of diuine Truth 20. But I will not bestow on your suggesting Minister a sleeueles garment but rather grant him a Coate with foure sleeues for his Metaphore by which he maketh the Church Scriptures daughter many Churches as S. Irenaeus writeth (b) l. 3. c. 4. in his time had neuer read any word of Scripture yet did they flourish by keeping the Tradition of Christian doctrine in their hartes Was the Scripture the Mother of these Churches I see not which way you will draw their pedigree from the Scripture except in your next writings you make Scripture Grandmother who hath bin yet scarse 3. yeares a Mother The Church of the old Testament was some thousand yeares (c) 2000 yeares from Adam vnto Moyses before Scripture the Church of the New did flourish many yeares before any Ghospell was written who euer saw or heard a daughter borne before the mother A Sonne before the mother I haue heard of yet he as Man according to which Nature he was her Sonne was not before her So that the Church Child of Scripture a daughter before the Mother is the Pallas of your braine which some Vulcans sharp hatchet hath holpen you to be deliuered of And thus much of your no lesse ridiculous then impious iestes against the authority of the Church 21. After your light skirmish with Scoffes followeth a graue battery of the Churches custome to pray for soules in Purgatory with the Canō of Scriptures (d) Lett. a pag. 80. vsque ad 93. by which you will proue her doctrine in this point to be a Satanicall figment disgracefull vnto the great mercy of God euacuating the Crosse of Christ The places by you alleadged are many but either so triuiall and knowen togeather with the Catholikes answeres or else so ridiculously applied wrung wrested to your purpose that their very sound is able to breake a learned mans head and make him scratch where it doth not itch for want of an answere To giue some few examples What say you (e) pag. 86 shall not Hel gates preuaile against vs and shall Purgatoryes muddy wall hedg vs in Hath the soule of Christ gon downe into the nethermost Hell yet made no passage through the suburbes of Hell Hath he bound the strong Man that he should not harme vs and will he now torment vs himselfe or set we know not whō to do it Thus you Who will not wonder that Purgatoryes wals fall not to the ground with the storme of these your windy interogations shall I make the Logicall Analysis of your Rhetoricall Arguments They be three Ethymens I think The first the gates of hell shall not prauaile against the Church ergo there is no Purgatory The second the soule of Christ went down to the nethermost Hell ergo no Purgatory can be found The third Christ bound the strong Man and took his fortresse ergo Purgatory must vanish away 22. I think Aristotle would be grauelled in these argumēts to find the Mediū to ioyne your extremes togeather For what force hath Christs binding the strong Man that he may not harme his children to proue that God may not chastize them for their sins either by himselfe or another in this world or in the next as he pleaseth when they haue don amisse and committed lesser offences that deserue his lighter displeasure When you say that Hell gates shall not preuaile against vs it is hard to ghesse who those your vsses are Perhaps you meane the Elect Predestinate among whom you number your selfe Let it be so Can you deny but many of your Predestinate and Elect are for robbing and stealing and other such crimes locked vp in London Goales what shall not Hell-gate preuayle against them and shall the wall of a prison mue them vp hath the soule of Christ gon downe into the nethermost Hell and made no passage through New-gates Limbo where sometimes your elect are kept Hath he bound the strong man that he should not harme and shall now a hangman put thē to death You perceaue I hope the vanity of your inferences 23. Let vs heare you preach againe and build a ladder for your elect to passe without Purgatory into Heauen They that dy in the faith say you (f) p. 100 haue peace towardes God they that haue peace towards God are iustified by Christ they that are iustified by Christ are free from the Law and being free from the Law quis accusabit who shall lay any thing to their charge Thus you dispute Where I could lay both folly and falshood to your charge but seing your Protestāt faith freeth you from the Law both of Reason consciēce quis accusabit who dareth accuse you though you write neither wise nor true word I could cast your Elect into Hell from the first step of your ladder For they that dy in the faith haue not peace towards God except their faith be ioyned with good workes S. Iohn (g) Apoc. 14. giuing the reason why the Saintes rest after life saith Opera enim illorum sequuntur illos which you English for their works follow them euen at the heeles But your Protestant faith is so light footed or light headed rather to belieue you shal be saued your charity so heauy heeled to do the good works by which men must be saued that an eternity of torments may passe before your workes ouertake your faith 24. I might also fling them downe from the highest step of all where you say they are free from the Law if you vnderstand it in Luthers sense (h) Tom. 1. Ep. Lat. ep 3◠ad Philippū that though they commit whoredomes or murthers a thousand tymes aday they need not care the bloud of Christ freeth them from the lawe doth not this doctrine togeather with the Authour deserue to be flung into the lowest Hell But if you vnderstand freedome from the law in the Catholick sense that the spirit of Christ maketh that yoke easie and the burden light that in the spirit of loue we may keep the law with great ease as S. Iohn saith (i) 1. Ioan. 5. his commandemcnts are not hard I dare say your Protestants faith hath litle of that spirit that dilateth the heart to runne the way of Gods precepts (k) Psalm 118. that it will neuer be able to get vp this ladder And let thē be indeed iust let them be Saints that keepe the law you obiect that against them that doth cleerely proue a Purgatorie for them in the next life Yea say you but they haue some drosse to
take to your self the Nody you layd on our expositions you seeme in a manner to graunt all to witt that the speach of Christ was indeed senselesse wherein you would fayne haue Maldonate ioyne with you (k) Let. p. 38. you cite him vpon a sentence of Christ saying in this sort Haec oratio hominibus absurda videtur qui non intelligunt Maldonatus sup Matth. 19.14 this speach seemeth absurd to those that vnderstand it not why then say you should this prouerbiall amplification sound soe vncouthly in your eares you would be loath I should serue you with a Non intelligis vnder Maldonates seale But Sir I must by your leaue serue you with Non inuenis vnder the seale of truth Do you consider whether you may not serue your Minister out of whose Note-bookes you copy these falshoods with a Mentiris Maldonats true words vpon the sentence of Christ (l) Matth. 29.24 that it is easer for a camell to passe through a needells eye then a rich man to enter in to the kingdome of heauen are these Absurditas saith he vt videbatur aut potiùs admirabilitas huius sententiae in causa fuit vt quidam Cameli nomine nauticum funem quo Anchorae alligantur intelligerent The absurdity as it seemeth or rather the admirabilytie of this doctrine caused some interprete Camelum a Cable rope by which shippes ryde at Anker Which wordes of Maldonatus make not for you but rather against you We deny not but the doctrine of Christ and his speach may seeme absurd to carnall men by occasion of the height and admirability of his doctrine which the capacity of humayne vnderstanding reacheth not vnto as Maldonatus saith but that the speach and wordes of diuine wisdome should indeed be absurd for want of sense or mystery conteyned in them that he should expresse a truth in a disiuÌ„ctiue speach one clause whereof is senseles which no wise and graue man vseth to doe this absurditie I say and superfluitie of speach we take it a great blasphemy in you to suspect in the doctrine of Christ 25. Hence is answered the Question you make (m) p. 27. It was an old prouerb say you when I went to schoole Veritas non quaerit angulos How commeth it to passe that S. (n) c. 3 29. Markes exposition to wit that the synne against the holy ghost shall neuer be remitted is such a mote in your eyes that you are gauled to the quick that he should decide the question To this I reply with another question how commeth it to passe that the text of S. Matthew being larger in wordes then that of S. Marke is such a beame in your eye that you would haue the same broken in peeces till it be no greater then S. Markes mote The reason is I feare because the partition of Eternity into this world and of the world to come to be two places for remission of synnes is a payre of spectacles through which you must needs see Purgatory except you willfully shut your eyes Is not this quaerere angulos to seeke corners to leaue the open field of S. Matthewes larger sentence seeking a Commentary in S. Marke more retyred and concise speach Seeing S. Matthew is more diffuse in wordes we do him wrong denying them a more copious sense when they may beare it S. Matthew deuideth what S. Marke confoundeth in one the two partes of eternity which in S. Matthew are manifest in S. Mark are hidden how then can S. Marke be thought an expositor of S. Matthew who fouldeth vp what the other layeth open 26. I hope Syr you perceaue this Catholike exposition of Christs wordes or deduction of Purgatorie from them is in it self most sutable with the wisdome of so graue an Author specially backed with the authoritie of so many worthy Fathers expounding them with vs against your mens fancie If S. Augustine changed (o) l. 6 cont Iul. c. 11. vel 23. l. 1. retract c. 23. his exposition of a passage of S. Paul which he had constantly taught before because he perceiued the same was against S. Hilary Gregory Sanctos notosque Doctores Ambrose and other holy and knowne Doctors of the Church Melioribus saith that euer-admired doctor intelligentioribus cessi I yeilded vnto those that were better and more intelligent then my selfe How dare you so peremptorily presume vpon your new deuised exposition contradicted by many not warranted by any ancient Father How did you not feare to lay vpon an exposition receaued generally for many ages in the Church the title of Nody yea to say that the same is backed by noe exemplar proofe besides Hobgoblins (p) let p. 42. 27. What S. Augustine said vnto Iulian the Pelagian who branded the doctrine of original sinne with the title of a Manichean fable may be retorted vpon you that disgrace Purgatory with the style of Satanicall figment Hauing brought six or seauen Fathers for that point of Catholike doctrine he concludeth in this sort saying vnto him (q) l. 1. con Iulia. c. 2. vel 4. finding you in your writings non antelucano conuiuio temulentum sed insano conuitio turbulentum not so much tipled with wine taken next your hart as distempered with senslesse rayling against truth I haue not brought you into Zenocrates schoole where drunken Polemo was made sober but haue summoned you vnto the quiet and venerable assembly of holy Fathers (r) Sanctorum PatruÌ„ pacificum honorandumque consessum Let not my labour be lost behould them that looke on you who sweetly and gently looke on you what sonne are we Maniches are we Hobgoblings or Nodies What can you answere What eies will you lift vp against them You will say you did accuse none of them by name of this errour But what will you do when they shall answere we had rather your rayling teeth should teare our name then our fayth by the merit wherof of our names are written in heauen What sillogismes will you frame What will Aristotles logicke avayle you wherein you would faine shew your selfe skilfull that you may seeme an artificiall disputer against vs Will you dare to drawe your blade of brasse the leaden poyniards of your arguments (Å¿) TuoruÌ„ argumentorum vitrea acies vel plumbei pugiones in their presence What weapons will not tremble and sheuering for feare fall out of your hands (t) Quae abs te arma non fugient nudumque destitueÌ„t dauntted with the maiestie of soe graue a Senate Thus S. Augustine THE FOVRTH CHAPTER THE CHVRCHES PERPETVALL TRADITION to pray for Saints in Purgatory in the next life VVHERE your iâ—sts against the Churches Authorities and Scriptures against this Tradition are answered THAT short and pithy Treatise which you sought to disgrace with froathy lynes alleadged (a) l. 1. p. 1. c. 1. §. 4. for Purgatorie the custome of the Church to pray for the dead and their reliefe in the holy Sacrifice
of the Altar which custome he proueth was perpetuall euen from the blessed Apostles S. Cyril Arch-bishop of Ierusalem liuing in Constantine the Great his time writeth of that practice in this sort (b) Cathec mystag 5. When we offer vp sacrifice we pray for our deceased Fathers and Bishops and finally for all men departed amongst vs for we belieue that this is a great help for the soules of them in whose behalfe we offer that holy and fearefull sacrifice which is layd vpon the Altar S. Chrysostome (c) hom 79. ad populum Antiochenum saith as much that it was not vnaduisedly decreed by the Apostles that in the fearefull Mysteries there should be a commemoration of the dead for they knew the dead receiued great benifite vtility therby But most clearely S. Augustine (d) Serm. 42. de verbis Apostol There is no doubt saith he but that by the prayers of holy Church and by the healthfull Sacrifice and by almes the soules of the deceased are released that God may deale more mercifully with them then their sinnes haue deserued for this being deliuered by our Fathers the vniuersall Church doth obserue 2. Behold prayer for the reliefe of the dead receaued from the Blessed Fathers Apostles practized by the vniuersall Church in that her most florishing age whose authoritie to impeach is the badge of heresie whose custome to condemne is insolēt madnes What say you to this Argument Syr Edward Sometimes you labour to proue that this was not an Apostolicall Tradition nor a perpetuall and vniuersall custome of the Church you bring (e) pag. 76. 77. argument vpon argument fiue or sixe one vpon the back of another which it were lost time to set downe For when your swelling pregnant Mountaines come to their Childbirth they are deliuered of a feely mouse the force of your argument consisting in this testimony of Polydore Virgil that Purgatorium aliquando incognitum fuit serò cognitū Ecclesiae vniuersae it was a great while before Purgatory was hard of and but of late knowne to the vniuersall Church I know I might pose you to finde nay sure I am you cannot finde those wordes in Polydore A signe that when you conceiue your noble and worthy lynes you haue Ministers note-bookes before you which is the cause they are so false foule rather resembling a Minister then a Knight some of that crew as it may seeme had summed the substance as he thought of Polydors discourses in that place you cite (f) De inuent l. 8. c. 1. which sume you trāscribe into your Letter as Polydors owne wordes though Polydore in truth speaketh not one word of his owne concerning Purgatory but meerly relateth of Roffensis whome you also bring such is your beggary making two distinct Authours of one 3. Roffensis then must beare the brunt of this battayle whome you quote (g) pag. 77. saying that the Greekes knew not Purgatory vnto this day Nay further he propoundeth this chalenge Reade he that list the ancient Greekes commentaries and he shall finde either little or no mention at all of Purgatory But in this your English Edition you omit that which you haue in your latin Original Quantum opinor as I now think or ghesse sayth that Byshop which is lesse then a new nothing to hang on your sleeue For though Roffenfis at that tyme (h) art 18. aduersus Luth. had such a thought not hauing then so fully perused the Grecian Fathers yet afterwards in that very booke when he commeth to speake of Purgatory (i) art 38. he doth affirme the contrarie in expresse tearmes Whereas Luther did obiect (k) Graeca Ecclesiae Purgatorium non credit manens Catholica that the Greeke Church did not belieue Purgatorie he maketh this answere I take it you meane the vulgar multitude of that Nation not the Fathers of the Grecian Church for that the Grecian Fathers fauour Purgatorie the workes they left behind them doe witnesse then he bringeth diuers authorities in proofe of his Assertion And againe Luther obiecting that Purgatorie could not be proued out of Scripture he doth reply that to pray for soules in Purgatorie is a most ancient custome of the Church adding (l) Cùm Purgatorium à to◠patribus tam Graecis quà m latinis affirmetur art 38. circa principium that seeing so many Fathers both Greeke and Latin auer Purgatorie it is not likly but that truth was made knowne vnto them by sufficient proofes out of Scripture Behold the swelling waues of your Syllogismes which occupy a whole page of your booke now are ended in froath in a silly surmise of Roffensis which vpon mature and exact perusall of the ancient Fathers he doth himselfe peremptorily gaine-say 4. But put case Polydore Virgil or Roffensis had said what you desire could his words way downe in any iudicious ballance S. Augustines cōtrary assertion Especially about the custome of the Church in that age wherein this glorious Saint liued S. Augustine against Polydors or rather your Ministers Serò that Purgatorie is but of late he hath à Patrihus traditum that it is deliuered from our Fathers which Fathers S. Chrysostome declareth to haue bene the Apostles against the emphasis of non vniuersae not the vniuersall he hath the contradictory vniuersa obseruat Ecclesia the whole vniuersall Church doth practice prayer for the relief of some dead Now you haue the whole army of the Christian Church in all ages set in battayle array against you the blessed Apostles with Pykes as I may say of diuine Authoritie standing in the forefront You say (m) Counters p. 24. the Apostles long since lent you a brydle to curbe the motions of swelling pride Si quis se existmet scire aliquid nondum cognouit quemadmodum oporteat eum scire This bit of sobriety if you had it euer in your mouth it may seeme that wine hath washed it downe so tamquam equus sine intellectu you runne against this glorious army You giue a double assault one with Iestes Scoffs deriding Catholikes for the reuerence they beare vnto the Churches authoritie Secondly you bring places of Scriptures which to your fancy seeme to condeme Purgatory and the custome to pray for the reliefe of the deseased First you begin u to iest at the saying of that Treatise that it is insolent madnes to contradict in this sort the custome of the Church pulchrè dictum say you this is your Ladies A. B. C. the Church is as much beholding to you as was Pythagoras to his Schollers insteed of ipse dixit you will haue ipsa dixit Thus you write And truly from such a Poet as your selfe what could we expect but such irreligious iestes who perchance take your pen to write about Theologicall questions when you are in the same case your Father Enuius euer was when he set himselfe to make Heroicall verses 5. For what man that hath any bit either of
chiefest Bishops or Patriarks of the East were either Authours or their fautors This was the cause that often the Orthodoxall Bishops of Greece in defence of truth were forced to fly for succour to the Romaine as did Athanasius and Paulus the one Patriarke of Alexandria the other of Constantinople and others (h) Sozom. l. 1. c. 7. To end which dissentions by his Authority Supreme vnder God vpon Earth ouer the flock of Christ he hid procure that Councells might be called in Greece the discipline of the Church requiring that Councells meete examine the cause and punish offenders where the fault was committed Soe that the cause why those Councells were kept in Greece not in Rome was the Purity of the one neuer falling into Heresie and the infelicity of the other neuer to be without inuentours of such monsters 15. This sinceritie likewise of Doctrine as Ruffinus noteth (i) Ruffin in expositione Symboli is the cause that the Church of Rome did neuer add any word or syllable to the Creed but kept the same entyre without addition which saith he happened not in other Churches because other Churches hauing had heresies sprong vp within their owne bowells did add some wordes to the Creed to crosse and meet with such errours which the Romane neuer did nor had need to doe seeing no heresie had neuer beginning in it Thus Ruffinus wherefore seing the Roman Church caused those Councells to be held in Greece confirmed the same afterwards and their Creeds to be receaued through the whole Church who cā deny but we had those foundations of Faith more principally from the Roman then any other Church the Principall Sea from whence saith (k) l. 4. ep 8. S. Cyprian Priestly dignitie one great Pillar and Foundation of Christianity did flow Vnto which Tertullian (l) Praescr c. 31. Irenaeus (m) l. 3. c. 3. Optatus (n) l. 2. cōt Parmen Epiphanius (o) Haeres 27. S. Augustine (p) Epist 165. being vrged by Heretikes did fly as vnto the head deriving Scriptures Creeds and all other Ecclesiasticall traditions from them Wherefore I must thinke that many sick and sory feathers were in that Ministers head that caused you to call them rather Grecian then Roman Plumes though so light a word as Plumes applyed to so graue matters as Scriptures Creeds and Councells doth sauour of the leuity of your phrase 16. This leuity you shew in the prayses you giue to the Church no lesse then in the reproaches Thus you preach Who is he say (q) Lett. p. 67. you that saith not of the true Church with Augustine Non parua Ecclesiae auctoritas well doth her Modesty well doth her fidelitie deserue honorable esteeme she taketh not vpon her to controule the holy Scripture her Mother from whom she drew her first breath she openeth not her mouth till her mother hath deliuered her mynde she commeth not of her owne head with any sleeuelesse arrant Thus you discourse describing the Spouse of Christ and Mother of Christians as a mannerly young Mayd brought vp in Luthers schoole You demaund who is he that doth not say with S. Augustine Great is the authority of the Church And yet you your self are the Man who call that Authority of the Church which S. Augustine in that very sentence reuerenceth as great and venerable idle and sleeuelesse like the Butcher that called for his knife he had in his mouth These are S. Augustines wordes (r) De cura pro mortuis c. 1. We read in the Books of Machabees that Sacrifice was offered for the dead but if this were no where read in the old Scriptures yet ther is no small authoritie of the vniuersall Church which shineth in this custome Behold S. Augustine calleth Doctrines deliuered by the Church without expresse Scripture great shining which you reuile and contemne 17. Thus you contradict the saying of S. Augustine whilst you would seeme to applaud it yet is not this contradiction so witlesse as is your Assertion impious that Doctrines and Decrees of the Church not deliuered in Scriptures are sleeuelesse the perpetuall virginity of the B. Mother after her sacred birth of the Sonne of God you seeme so to beleeue that you would stop your eares against any that should dispute therof (ſ) Lett. p. 39. but where is this written in Scripture what is it but a perpetuall traditiō of Gods Church S. Augustine sayth (t) de Baptism cont Donatist l. 2. c. 7. that it cannot be clearly proued out of Scripture that Heritikes returning to the Church should not be rebaptized yet the Church hath forbidden the same Shall we tearme this prohibition sleeuelesse That these and these bookes be Canonicall and the other Apocriphall where it is taught in Scripture Now he doth not see that Scriptures are the chiefest points of our Faith contayning the fountaine and as it were principles of faith Doe but read your learned Authour Hierome Zanchius who will giue a newer tune then that your Minister piped vnto you That Authour famous in your Cōgregations teacheth (u) Tom. 4. l. 1. de lege Dei that diuers vnwritten traditions concerning doctrine and manners are in the Church which are not only profitable (x) Non solum vtiles Ecclesiae sed ferè necessariae saith he but in a manner necessary which haue their beginning from the holy Ghost which we must reuerence and obey else we contemne the Authority of the Church which is a thing saith he very displeasing vnto God how then doe you preach that the Church neuer openeth her mouth till Mother Scripture haue deliuered her mind 18. I confesse that this your Authour goeth a step backward saying that these vnwriten traditions are not of equall authoritie with the written word (z) Paris authoritatis non sunt cum verbo in sacris literis reuelato but therin he doth cleerely contradict himselfe For the Canon of the Scripture being as he confesseth an vnwritten tradition how can any thing contayned in Scripture be more certaine then some vnwritten traditions are Can any man be more certaine of a truth proued out of Scripture then he is that his proofes are indeed Scripture One may see this doth imply in termes Wherefore great cause had your Doctour Field (a) Of the Church p. 238. to grant that Papists haue good reason to equall their Traditions to the written word if they can proue any such vnwritten verities and his proofe is pregnant because not the writing giueth things their authoritie but the worth and credit of him that deliuereth them though by word and liuely voyce alone 19. Now put these two sayings of your two Doctours togeather and make an argument for traditions let Doctour Field giue the Maior vnwritten verities can they be proued are equall to the written word let Zanchius add the Minor but diuers vnwritten verities and traditions profitable and in a manner necessary for the Church both
and iust Key Wherefore let your Minstrell whosoeuer he was that piped you this Key to sing and play S. Augustines doctrine vpon Lyra's ditties let him haue the reward your ridiculous excuse doth deserue to be thought Asinus ad Lyram 30. And truely this Father doth so often cleerly and peremptorily auouch the Charter of the Machabees which confirmeth Purgatory to be sacred that I wonder any man that had read his workes as you would seeme to haue done could vndertake to proue the contrary which attempt would haue no other issue then you haue brought yours vnto Shame and Contempt When he makes the Catalogue of Canonicall bookes (t) l. 2. de Doctrin Christian c. 8. doth he not ranke these with the rest That no man can thinke them by his list lesse Canonicall then the other did not this Father subscribe to the Councell of Carthage where those bookes were canonized as euen M. Crashaw doth graunt (v) Serm. p. 80. with whome I might ioyne Doctor Field Reynolds Perkins and many other Protestants (x) See the Protest Apolog. tract 1. sect 10. subdiuis 11. who yield vnto these bookes the warrāt of the Councell for their Sacred authority 31. I can but pittie you who write your learned lynes with Ministers notes before you whose lyes when they are once in your bookes you will be angrie they be not thought yours such is your assertion (z) Lett. pag. 63. opposit to your best Authors that the Councell of Carthage did not admit the Machabees into the Canon in proofe whereof you say that our owne Canus doth confesse that had they beene so ratified it had bene neyther for Gregory nor for any other to haue afterwards doubted of them Shall I tell you the plaine truth This is not the testimonie of Canus that learned Diuine but of Canis your Snarling Curre Canus hath in that place two sayings so mainely opposite to both yours as no Logitian can deuise more perfect contradiction by the rules of Art 32. First he saith expresly (a) l. 2. de loc Theol c. 9. hanc nostram conclusionem docet Concilium tertium Carthaginense This Conclusion that the Machabees are Canonicall is taught by the third Councell of Carthage which saith he though but a Prouinciall Councell was confirmed by Leo the fourth and by the Councell of Trullum This is contradictorie to your first assertion that the Councell did not admit those bookes and against your other that had they admitted them our Gregory might not haue doubted of their Authority in that very place and paragraph you cite he sayth b Id modò in dubium vocare non licet quod D. Gregorio Eusebio reliquis licuit aliquando dubitare It was lawfull for Gregorie Eusebius and others to doubt therof that being but a Prouinciall Councell but now we may not doubt therof after a Generall indubitate definition of the Church Can East be more opposite to West light vnto darknes then the sayings of Canus found in his booke vnto those you report as his Do you thinke to win creditt by your Cur that gredily licks vp all manner of foule and false stuffe from Ministers trenchers And whereas your Snarler saith (c) pag. 36. that S. Augustine granting the Iewes did not admit the Machabees held it small reason for after-Ages to intertaine them in highest esteeme I wonder if that be true you say that you can cite S. Augustine without a Prompter that you had not in promptu at your fingers end the known saying of that Father wherwith he knockes this puppie on the head not the Iewes but Church of Christ saith he libros Machabaeorum pro Canonicis habet (d) l. 18. de Ciuit. c. 36. doth intertaine the Machabees for Canonicall bookes which is the highest esteeme any writings can haue 33. The same doth S. Augustine teach in the testimony by you cited in his bookes against the Epistle of Gaudentius (e) l. 1. c. 31. which I said in my Treatise made against you His wordes are these The Iewes do not admit the booke of Machabees as they do the Law Prophetts and the Psalmes yet is it profitablie intertayned by the Church if it be read and heard soberlie These wordes sayd (f) Ouerth pag. 135. I signifie that the Christian Church admitteth these bookes as Canonicall euen as the Lawe and Prophets were Canonicall with the Iewes And though this my inference doth so displease you that you say no sober setled braine will stumble vpon such a sense (g) pag. 35. yet truly I see no reason why any man should thinke you were sober that stumble vpon such a Censure For by that testimony it appeareth that the Christians gaue that Authority to those bookes which the Iewes did not grant vnto them that the Church did set them vp in the throne from which the Synagogue had kept them which was the Imperiall throne of Sacred Authority otherwise S. Augustines opposition the Iewes did not but the Church doth were vaine For the Iewes did admit the Machabees into the number of Hagiographicall bookes which were read for edification of the People So that if the Christian Church doth admit them into higher Authorities then the Iewes that must needes be the highest of all seeing euen the Iewes did place them in the degree next the highest 34. You rage saying (h) pag. 35. that I infer S. Augustine to speake against his mynde who neuer meant that Canonicall Scripture is receaued with a Si which is necessarie to be acknowledged though it fall out by default to be Sapor mortis ad mortem But neither did I nor S. Augustine say that the bookes are receiued with a Si but that the bookes receaued are profitable to them that read them with a Si. The bookes saith he are receaued profitably if soberlie they be read So that the receauing of the bookes is absolute but the books absolutely receaued do not profit the Readers without a Si sobriè except they be read with sobrietie Had you read S. Augustines wordes with S. Augustines Si you would not so grossely haue missed the finger of his and my meaning Are not thinges most diuine and heauenlie taken without a Si very dangerous and hurtfull The most sacred Sacrament of the Altar the fountaine of grace doth not benefite the soule without a Si dignè except it be worthilie taken which wanting it is Sapor Mortis ad Mortem 35. And if when a man is vnworthie of that Celestiall food the Church may keep the same from him why may she not also keep the Scriptures translated into vulgar tongues from People whome she doth prudently thinke will not make benefit thereof Nor haue stomack to digest so strong and solid meat except it be first masticated by the Preachers mouth Why may she not examine their sufficiencie for the one as she doth their worthines for the other yet you say (i) pag. 35. that S. Augustine neuer dreamed of
this world is forgiuē in the world to come that they may not be afflicted with eternall torments Thus he Now is S. Augustine doubtfull either of Purgatorie or of the exposition of this place for pardon in the next world Hath this Doctour in his vnfoulding the words of Christ turned vp Nody Or rather your Minister that dealt your Cardes vsing foure false and deceiptfull trickes concerning this testimony of Viues may he not be thought to haue turned vp for you all the Nodies and Knaues in the bunch 8. But this your gaming Metaphore is not so iniurious to these Blessed Saintes as it is blasphemous against the holy Ghost whose thrice venerable writings did you reuerence in your hart more then the follies of your owne braine your pen would haue trembled to haue called that exposition Nody which so many graue Fathers without the contradiction of any do peremptorily affirme to containe his meaning What can be sacred and certaine amongst Christians if an vnlearned Knight may be permitted to deride that which the most famous Deuines and Fathers of former ages do deliuer as an vndoubted verity and Gods infallible word It is true that Fathers to proue this or that Catholike verity may sometimes bring places of Scripture that haue other sense yea perhaps the sense that one or other doth giue may not be the best although the doctrine therby proued be true which is to erre according to the Analogy of the Place not of Faith A distinction you vnderstand not yet when many Fathers of the Church agree in the same exposition of Scripture without the Contradiction of any the same is to be thought the vndeniable sense of that place For which cause Caluin cannot be excused of hereticall rashnes (h) Caluin comment in c. 10. Io. who dareth expound this Text of Scripture Ego et Pater vnum sumus I and the Father are one of vnity of Consent and Will not of nature and substance adding that the Ancients did abuse the same to proue the Consubstantiality of the Sonne of God Happily the text cannot be so strongly vrged but Caluin◠Arrianizing wit may find some plausible euasion to escape the force therof Yet seing the vniforme consents of Fathers haue canonized that meaning of the wordes he can not be a true Christian that will not neyther was Caluin that did not submit his Iudgment therunto For the vniforme consent of Fathers doth not require that euery one none excepted should expresly teach the same doctrine for then scarse in any point could this vniforme consent be proued seeing all write not of the same point but it sufficeth that many haue taught it in diuers ages without contradiction of the rest and such is the exposition of this place for Purgatory and for the dead in the next world Neither is S. Chrysostomes exposition you brought (k) Lett. p. 41. contrary vnto this that the synne against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiuen in this world nor in the world to come that is Non effugient poenam they shall surely be punished in this wold and in the world to come For first it is not sure and certayne that vniuersally all such synners are punished in this world Many tymes they florish prosper and spend their whole liues in great worldly ioylity as diuers Persecutors Sodomites Apostata's haue done which you name as synnes irremissible and call their Authors Synners in grayne Besides synne neuer to be remitted is more then to be punished in this world and in the next For as you heard S. Augustine say some endure temporall punishments in this life only and some in the next life only some in both so that one may be punished both in this and in the world to come and yet haue his sinne forgiuen at last The meaning then of S. Chrysostome is they shal be punished in this world without pardon and in the next likewise without remissiion Whence it doth follow some may be punished in the next with Purgatory Clemency as Boaethius speaketh (l) Lib. 4 praef 4. So that this exposition as I said though it be not taught expresly by euery Father yet is it not contradicted by any These things Syr you should consider before you speake you should wipe away Tobacco smoke from your eyes when a Card is turned vp before you cry Nody least often as now you haue done you lay the foule Epithete on the holy Ghost indeed that true King of Harts who moued those Fathers to expound the wordes of Christ for the remission of sinnes in the world to come 9. You oppose against our Catholike expositiō another deuised by your self or your Ministers wherin you do greatly delight You will grant sinnes pardoned in the next world and yet not yield one penny to our Purgatory box In this world say you (m) Lett. pag. 50. 51. sinnes are fully pardoned quoad remissionis applicationem by the application of pardon vnto them and the selfe same sinnes may and shal be pardoned in the next per remissionis promulgationem by the proclamation of pardon This distinction you thinke is the (n) p. 32. fiue fingers which you imagin will carry away the Set from the Fathers yet I dare say a man that hath bin conuersant in Scriptures will iudge it no better then Nody First because it is a new deuise not backed by the authority of any Father which therfore may iustly be suspected For Scriptures are to be expounded according to the traditions of our ancestors not by our owne fancies as the Goulden paire of Grecian Doctors Basil and Gregory did who durst neuer follow therin their owne iudgments as Ruffinus o recordeth neither would you Scripturarū intelligentiam non ex propria praesumptione sed ex maiorū scriptis authoritate sequebantur whose wit and learning is not to be paralelled with theirs were you as humbly conceited of your self as you haue cause Secondly because you neither do nor can bring any expresse testimony of Scripture to confirme this your new fancy nor any text that may giue the least colour or probability vnto it You cite the words of S. Iohn that the vnbelieuer is already condemned yet say you he must come to a second doome so is it with the belieuer Albeit he hath full remission granted (p) c. 3. v 18 and his pardon sealed in this life yet he must haue the same proclaimed at the generall Goal-deliuery in the world to come in which sense he may as truly be said to haue his sinnes pardoned as the other his condemned 10. Thus you preach very learnedly as you think though God knowes to little purpose For first you neither do nor can tel what is the first doome the vnbelieuer vndergoeth by which he is damned in this world and after which he must come to a second The ancient Fathers expound that place not that he is indeed sentenced in this world but is said to be condemned and iudged
Diuinity in his head or Christianity in his hart or Sobryetie in his tongue would haue accused Catholiks for esteeming the Ipsa dixit of the Church as much as the Pythagorians did the Ipse dixit of their Maister Why should not this Ipsa the Mother of Christians the Spousesse of the Holy Ghost this Pillar and Foundation of truth this daughter of God the Father washed with the bloud of his sonne that she might in her doctrine haue no blemish of errour Why should not her word I say be more esteemed of by her children then the saying of Pythagoras a Pagan Philosopher was with his Schollers I perceiue you do loue more then belieue the Feminine Gender perchance you suspect in the Church the fault you lay vpon that Sexe (o) Counters p. 52. with some ryme let them say with what reason Mulier nihil scit nisi quod ipsa cupit This makes you loath to submit your Iudgment vnto Ipsa dixit But you may be sure that the Dixit or Saying of the Church is neuer (p) vt maneat vobi cum in aeternū Ioan. 14. without the dixit of Gods spirit her Maister She hath the warrant of her Spouse that he will make her wordes good he that heareth you heareth me (q) Luc 10. to which her Commission he subscribeth with a dreadfull Curse He that heareth not the Church let him be to thee as an Heathen (r) Luc. 18. Oh what glorious Fathers and Doctors could I name famous in former ages for Sanctity and learning that submitted their Iudgment to the sayings of the Church put their fingers to their mouth when she did gaine-say that they thought true prostrating their learned penns to be euer at the deuotion of her Censure How highly did they esteeme her Dixit her Iudgmēt her Word Let S. Augustine speake (l) de Baptis cont Donatist l. 17. c. 33. vel 53. I dare with the conscience of a secure voyce affirme saith he what in the Gouerment of our Lord Iesus Christ is established by consent of the vniuersall Church And againe (m) de Baptism cōt Donatist l. 4. c. 6 If he say something that doth say We follow what we receaue from the Apostles how much more strongly do we say we follow that which the Church did euer hold what no disputation could ouerthrow (n) Contra epist Fundam l. 5. what a Generall or plenarie Councell hath defined Thus S. Augustine doe you see what a Pythagorean Dixit what vncontrollable Authoritie he granteth to the Church 6. As litle Iudgment or Piety do you shew in your iest at the Ladies A. B. C as though the authoritie of the Church were not the Alphabet and Christ-Crosse-Row in which all Christiās ought and all ancient Christians did learne to reade and belieue the Scriptures The forenamed S. Augustine the Phenix of witts the Mirour of learning did he not learne in this booke Ego vero saith he Euangelio non crederem nisi me Ecclesiae commoueret Auctoritas Truly I would not belieue the Ghospell did not the Churches authoritie moue me vnto it Why should any Lady or Lord Maister of Arts or Doctor disdaine to spell the Ghospell of Christ by the same letters such learning sanctity vsed 8. Shall I tell you your protestant Ladies (*) Has linguas qui nesciunt saepe necessariò hallucinantur VVhitak de sacra scriptura pag. 523. A. B. C For the old Testament those Hebrew Characters now you begin to learne (o) Counters p. 7. and the Greeke letters for the new which if they be ignorant of I assure them according to your (p) Nullū nos editionem nisi Haebraicū in vetere Graecā in nouo Testamēto authenticam facimus VVhitak controu 1. q. 2. p. 128. Churches Principles they cannot reade so much as a sillable that they may be certaine is Scripture They may reade the English translation you will say that is Scripture I deny the same to be Scripture except it be conformable to the Originall wherof those haue no meanes to be sure that cannot read nor vnderstand the two aforenamed learned tongues in which they were primarily written If you say they must belieue it vpon the word of your Church (q) Multi nesciunt literas tamēfidēsanā retinent expraedicatione pastorum Whitak de sacra scriptura p. 588. you bring them back vnto ipsa dixit and make them reade the letters of Christianitie in your Ministers horne booke Were it not better to stick to the Catholicke Ladies A. B. C. that fayre Christs-Crosse rowe which our famous auncestors did learne Cleaue to the authority of that Church which begun in the Apostles by perpetuall Succession of Bishops is deriued vnto this age * Illam Scripturā dicis non esse quam esse dicit vniuersa Ecclesia ab Apostolicis sedibus vsque ad praesentes Episcopos certa successione perducta l. 28. cont Faust c. 2. 8. But suppose one would be scholler to your Church hath she so much skill or any warrant not to erre as we may be sure she will not teach vs amisse Your selues say (r) The whole militant Church may erre as euery part therof Fulke in his answere to a Counterfayte Cath. p. 86. that she may erre and teach vs damnable doctrine For which when at the day of iudgment we shal be called to accompt to say our lessons we may be laughed to skorne loose the eternall reward and be punished for euer As it is insolent madnes to contradict the custome of the true Church (ſ) August Epist 118. ad Ianuarium so is it desperate madnes to follow the directions of such a Church which though we religiously belieue exactly obserue euen vnto death yet may we be perpetually damned But the Ladies of your Church learne forsooth of the spirit they trust to Ipse dixit who will teach them which is the Scripture They are the sheep of Christ and know his voyce from that of strangers These are your Ministers faire promises yet I dare giue them my word though they haue the best spirit that euer possessed any man of your Church notwithstanding they may erre damnably mistake Scripture think that to be true translation which is indeed erroneous Had not Luther the first fruites of the Protestants spirit yet he erred most grossely that euen Zwinglius his fellow-witnes against the Pope doth giue this testimony against him (t) tom 2. l. de sacrament p. 412. Thou Luther doest corrupt the word of God thou art seene to be a manifest corrupter of the holy Scriptures 9. What translation or spirit of your Church may your Ladyes trust if Luther be soe corrupt as this your faithful witnes doth depose I see no remedy for them if they meane to be saued frō the deluge of errours but to fly to your Arke of Noe printed at Venice (u) Counters p. 8. wherein you were shipped when my booke came to
your handes your sheep must learne in an hebrew grammer to vnderstand their pastors they must nibble on those rootes of Iurie which you who haue tasted of them compare to the fyery thunderbolts in Gelons belly wherewith it would be great pittie that your rare creaturs should be troubled And if this Arca cannot saue them nor assure them which is truly translated Scripture let them fly to the true Arke of Noe the Caholike Church to which Luther did foresee his turbulēt spirit raysing discord amongst Christians would force them that truly desire to be saued finally to fly to for rest (x) lib. de veritate Corpor. Christi contra Zwingliū Yf saith he the world continew long the multitude of interpretations will force vs to receaue againe the decrees of Councells and to fly vnto them to conserue vnity of Faith 10. This is the Felicitie of Catholike Ladies to be already shipped in this Arke that by the worde of the Church they know certainely which is the letter of Scripture which your Ladies like stray-sheep must seek on the top of craggy Mountaines as you terme (z) Counters p. 7. the hebrew language not without eminent daunger of an eternall downefall loosing therin tyme they might haue better spēt in works of charitie prayer seruice of God And put case which is morally impossible they find out assuredly the true Hebrew rootes the true text of Scripture yet would they be as much to seek to spel put the leters togeather to make the true sense What confusion is knowne to be in your Church concerning this point that as Irenaeus noted (a) l. 1. c. 5. Cùm fint duo veltres deijsdem eadem non dicunt of ancient heretikes one shall searse fynde two that will spell the same sense out of the same wordes These foure words Hoc est corpus meum this is my body conteyning not aboue fourteene letters you haue deuised aboue fourtimes forty expositions (b) 200. expositions of those fower wordes printed ann 1577. apud Bell. de Euchar. l. 1. c. 8. so different as the Authors of the one damne the fauourers of the other to Hell What shall your poore Ladies do in this combat they may rashly perswade thmselues that this or that exposition is the best but certaine of any thing they can neuer be till they admit the Catholike Ladies A. B. C. the Churches authority learning of her the sense of whom they tooke the text 11. But you go on with your scoffes Me thinks say you (c) Lett. p. 67. I see you playing Demetrius your craft is going to decay therfore you cry Magna Diana Ephesiorum or which is all one in effect Magna Ecclesia Romanorum Thus you You need I feare the remembrance Zeno gaue to a talker that was often laughed at for his folly Loqui lingua in mentem intincta to speake with your tongue dipped in wit not in Wine we do not in defence of Purgatory cry Magna Diana Ephesiorum nor only Magna Ecclesia Romanorum but Magna Ecclesia Christianorum the great Church of Christians in all ages Whē was the Church of Christ greater and according to the Prophesies vniuersally spread ouer the world if not in S. Augustines time When did Christian learning and piety more florish then in those daies And yet euen thē Purgatory was vniuersally belieued Praier for soules of the deceased practized in the whole Christian world as you haue heard S. Augustine witnes what is Magna Ecclesia Christianorum if this be not 12. But you haue a salue worse then the sore to wit that you take it when we name the Church we haue still reference to the former assertion that the Roman Church is of more Principality then the rest Do you call that assertion ours did we inuent that Title think you Former you may well tearme it for how ancient do you take this doctrine to be S. Irenaeus a most ancient Bishop and Martyr who liued immediatly after the Apostles dayes doth giue the former Stile to the Roman Church planted by the most glorious Apostles Peter Paul (d) l. 3. c. 3 Ad quam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem cōuenire Ecclesiam with which euery Church must agree because of her more powerfull principality which Principality you cānot imagin what els it may be besides the Primacy of Peter to whom Christ did make (e) Matth. 16. Ioan. vlt. subiect all other Pastors and Churches by the light of which singuler priuiledg bestowed on this Church in her first Pastor she doth shine velut inter ignes Luna minores 13. And in this respect the Roman Church may be tearmed Diana by which is vnderstood that cleare star whose beames do chase away the darknes of the night which beames the dogges (f) Pierins in Hieroglyph l. 5. de Cane◠who therby see the shadow of their vggly selues cannot endure but weare and wast away themselues with barking at it Heretickes in all ages haue bin condemned by the iudgment of the Roman Sea by the light of her authority they were forced to see the deformity of their hellish pride which hath bin the cause that they haue still waged warre against her And when with their vnited tayles they could not bring fyre inough to burne her Temple by which like Herostratus they thought to eternize their names they haue not ceased with their deuised heades and tongues to rayle and barke at her till some of them burst This consideration moued S. Augustine to say (g) De vtilit cred c. 17. that the Catholik Church deriued from the Apostolike sea partly by Authoritie of Councells partly by the consent of the world partly in the maiesty of Miracles had obtained the height of Authoritie frustra circumlatrantibus haereticis heretikes on euery syde still barking in vaine against her In which kenell your Snarler hath not the least mouth soe that in this age no lesse then in former the verses are found true applyed to the Roman Church Sic latrant sed vasta volat vox irritaventis Et peragit cursus surda Diana suos They bark but wind drowneth their clamours base Diana chast houldes on her heauenly pase 14 Heere may we gather that you vnderstand not well your selfe when you say that we haue receiued neither Scriptures nor the Creeds nor the first foure Generall Councells nor any foundations of faith from the Roman Church perhaps your reason was because these Councells were held not in Europe but in Greece and therefore you call them Grecian plumes Wherein you are grossely deceaued and litle perceaue how highly you commend the Roman Church whiles you seeke to disprayse it For the cause why these Councells were kept in Greece and not in Rome as it is most honorable for the Roman Church so is it little for the credit of the Grecian Those heresies against which such Councells were called did spring vp in Greece often times the
Multitude take away Necessitie of a constant faith That both the wicked may enioy the freedome of their Nature with due feare of their authour and the iust haue sufficient comfort in miserie with no losse of their merit Should God still punish the wicked as they offend their libertie would be in a manner extinct should God still miraculously help his distressed seruants the constancy of their faith would want scope to deserue glorious rewards 10. Now in what age since the comming of Christ hath either piety more needed a spur or impiety a curb then in this we liue in The wolfe is sayd (r) Bartholom Anglicus l. 17. to be so stifnecked and greedy of his prey that he neuer looketh back but when thunderclaps from heauen afright him When did such a troupe of stifnecked wolues voyd of conscience and feare of God range so vncontrouledly ouer the Christian world as now they doe though in the clothing of sheep vested with the name of Christians Why then should we bynd the hands of God that he may not send downe Miracles vpon the world which doth so need them That he may not scarre rauenous wolues with thunderboltes from heauen in these dayes as well as in former ages Strike terrour into their harts causing them to looke back and consider their wicked courses ne fortè sit Deus least perchance there be a God whose Iustice followeth thē at the heeles ready to strike them with a dreadfull death when they least imagine The stifest-necked wolues the prophanest heretikes when they heare the Miracles done in the Church so great and so witnessed as those we stand vpon are I make noe doubt but sometimes they tremble and though they set a good face on the matter yet their harts pant in their brests 11. These Syr Edward perchance may be the Melancholy fitts that Lipsius his story caused in your harte which to driue away you read his booke rosting crabbs by the fyre side with a pipe of Tobacco in your hand still calling for more wine till your sobrietie being wholy spent you breake forth into the former ridiculous Narration of Miracles which sobrietie it selfe say you would smile to see Lipsius so seriously tell I would wish Syr when your smiling sobriety hath gotten a more stayed countenance you would in sober sadnes set downe what conditions or witnesses are required to make a historie credible Which of the conditions do fayle in Lipsius relations In what other histories they are found if they want in his 12. Lipsius doth (ſ) Praefat. ad Lectorē Acta Regesta legimus ex ij◠selegimus quae dignissima videbantur protest that he read the gests and records out of which he chose those which he iudged most worthy of the print will not men sayth he belieue these things done in the sight of many cōfirmed by sworne witnesses oftentymes by the Magistrats seales and that which is chiefest such stories as our religious Ancestors recorded before this doctrine which contemneth the worship of Saints was sprong vp If they will not take my word let them send and inquire that they may belieue They will find more then I haue written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though they be to speake with Plato as hard as horne yet they will become soft and yield stroken with the maiesty of Miracles which as S. Augustine saith are introductions vnto faith But if any man after such inquiry be not moued to belieue such credible histories I may apply that vnto him of Homer Thou hast eares to heare that wants both wit shame And in his other Treatise of the Miracles of Sichem he doth alledg yet more authenticall witnesses to proue the credibilitie of his relations protesting that he wrot relations most diligently sifted and inquired into things done (t) Virgo Aspric c. ◠In oculis uribusa omnium nostrum gesta concursu plausu fructu gentium celebratae saith he in the eyes and eares of vs all famous not by report only but by the concourse and applause of Countries by help and redresse of miserable multitudes that found fauour in that sacred Chappell what certainety can there be in humane things if these histories be not certaine thus he 13 If bare deniall without proofe stubburn incredulity without reason prophane iesting without sobriety may make histories witnessed by the consent of learned iudicious and pious Nations what place will be left for humane history or diuine faith or religious piety in humane kind Haue not heathens in former times may they not at this present ouerthrow the credit of the Miracles of Christ by these engins What can be said within the compasse of humane credibility for the certainty of those stories wherein Christianity is grounded which may not most clearly be proued in defence of these That these were don openly that whole multitudes did behould them so were these That many times those were wrought his enemies being present the like did happen in many of these Miracles which the enemies of the Church did see with their eies and somtimes feele in their bodies That those were written with such circumstances naming the time the persons the places and other particularities that it had bin most easie for Christes enemies who then liued to haue controlled such miracles had they bin false with the like particularities doth Lipsius report the Miracles of our Lady that if they were faygned our aduersaries might haue easily conuinced them of falshood which they neuer did nor will euer be able to do 14. The story of Iohn Swickius who lost his best Nose could any falshood be more conspicuous if he still kept a good nose on his face Lipsius telleth (u) Virg. Hall c. 7. the yeare of our Lord whē the same did happē not thirty three yeares since within your remēbrance the place where he liued in Brussells Souldiar vnder Captaine Oliuer Temple famous for his Military skill who did twice in vaine assault the Towne of Hall that story was so knowne that this Swickius was often derided by his fellowes who in merriment would send him to our Lady of Hall for his nose How easy would it be to trace the steppes of this story and find the falshood thereof were it a fable So that this iesting at Miracles done in our Church so credibly reported ouerthroweth the bulwarke of humane authority which Christianity doth presuppose and openeth a wide gapp for Atheisme and Infidelity to enter and trample vnder feet the Miracles of Christ and misteries of our faith 15. And that our aduersaries either Infidelity or impudency or folly in this point may the better appeare consider I pray you that by this dealing they so crack the credit of all humane relations that they haue left no meanes to themselues to make any history they can tell credible as I will seek to make plaine vnto you by a late example Your friend M. Crashaw hath lately written or turned into English
vpoÌ„ White I suppose your pen would not stumble vpon such manifest falshoods as these are Who knoweth not that S. Augustine vpon whose honesty you presume that he did bring no other fayth then his Maister gaue him in charg did enter into England with the banner of the holy Crosse carried before him in the labell whereof was a siluer Picture of our Sauiour as Bede writeth (u) l. 1. c. 26. 33. You aske what will become of Images if Gregories doctrine be admitted I answere first they shal be reuerently kept set vp in Churches as bookes to instruct ignorant people whence when the Bishop of Marsils in France had cast them out as you Protestants vse to doe S. Gregorie did seuerely reproue him for the same (x) Greg. lib. 9. ep 9. ad Serenum Massilien Secondly they shal be carried in Processions and the people following shall deuoutly worship and honour the persons represented in them in which sort your owne Bale (z) Imaginem Diuae Virginis circum ferri per misit Bal. Act. Rom. Pontif printed at Basil 1558. p. 44. sequent doth witnes that he caused the Image of the Blessed Virgin to be carried in Procession about Rome to diuert Gods anger from the Cittie then infected with Pestilence (a) Vide vitam Gregor apud Surium Tom. 2. Thirdly Christans shall goe in Pilgrimage to the Images of Saints namly the Blessed Virgins Which deuotion he will stirre vp people vnto by graunting Indulgences to them (b) Vbi supra pag. 46. Peregrinationes ad Statuas pro plebis deuotione per indulgentias confirmauit as the Protestant Friar doth confesse Finally people shall prostrate themselues before them not as vnto God but before them shall worship and adore Christ whome by his Image they remember either as an Infant in his Mothers armes or as crucified or glorious in heauen which manner of honouring Images by adoring their prototype in them this Pope doth expresly teach (c) Non imaginem vt Deum colimus nec quasi ante Diuinitatem ante illam prosternimur sed illum ad oramus quem per imaginem recordamur What more deuotion vnto Images doe Catholikes shew then this Is it not strange any man should auerr that Gregorie did disclaime from our Catholike worshipping of Images or that his doctrine lighting on Images would breake them and their worship into peeces 34. Secondly if Gregories doctrine be preached in England the Popes Supremacy you say must be gone And why Syr I pray you Perchance your reason is because he did detest the tytle of Vniuersall Bishop in Iohn of Constantinople calling it prophane sacrilegious antichristian (d) Greg. l. ep ep 32 36. This I know is your common obiection which Catholikes haue often answered Will you belieue your owne Protestant Historian (e) Carion in Cronico l. 4. pag. 567. that sayth that Gregorie did tragically declame against that title in Iohn of Constantinople yet did he allow and practise himselfe the same Supremacy that title did import Will you heare another (f) Andreas â—riccius an excellent learned man (g) So tearmed by Peter Martyr in his common places part 4. p. 77. who giueth you our Catholike answere telling that you mistake Gregories meaning for that title of vniuersall Bishop lieth open vnto a double acception First it signifieth the sole and only Bishop of the world in which sense saith (h) l. 1. de Eccles c. 10. p. 576. this Protestant Gregorie spake against it amplifying exaggerating the blasphemie contained in it SecoÌ„dly vniuersall Bishop may signifie the first Bishop vnto whom the other be subiect and to whome the care of the rest and of their Churches appertaine in this sense Gregorie did neuer say that title did not in rigour agree to the RomaÌ„ Bishop nay he did practise that authoritie himselfe and thought the same was committed to S. Peter yet did he not thinke that either S. Peter or himselfe was the forerunner of Antichrist Thus he Shewing that you and your Ministers may be thought willfully peruerse who stil florish with this obiection notwithstanding so cleere an answere and so many testimonies of S. Gregorie for the Primacie For doth not he expresly teach that the Romaine is the Head and Mother of all Churches (i) l. 11. epist 54. Speculationem suam toti orbi indicere apud Conturiatores Cent. 6. colum 425. that it appointeth her watch ouer all Churches that euen Constantinople it selfe is subiect to the Romaine Sea (k) l. 7. ep 63. that there is not any Bishop in the world which oweth not obedience to the Romaine which may not be reproued and punished by him if he doe amisse (l) Si quae culpa in Episcopis inuenitur nescio quis ei Episcopus subiectus non sit l. 7. ep 64. In which speach he doth saith Caluin (m) l. 4. institut c. 7. sect 12. more then any where else vaunt of the greatnes of his Primacie 35. Now this Rock of the Romane Supremacie whose pate doth it bruise whose head doth it crush in peeces but that Serpents which hath lately rent as you ridiculously vant (n) Lett. p. 103. the Bishop of Romes slipper that it hath no sound sole whereon his triple-crowned Supremacie may tread I should meruaile that your proud heads should stoupe so low as the sole of the Popes slipper did I not knowe that it is the nature of Serpents to be byting as the heele Suppose you deuoure at last this slipper with the parings of the Popes great toe (o) Counters p. 40. whereof you seeme to say that we make great account yet the force to bruise the Serpents head being not in the shoe but in the naked sole of the foote as Naturalists write (p) Rupert l. 3. de Trinit c. 20. Perer. in cap. 3. gen v. 15. Sinuda mulieris planta viuacissimum serpentis vel leuiter pressit this bare truth alone that the Roman Churches Supremacie was generally belieued of Christians more then a thousand yeares agoe planted amongst the English in their originall conuersion vnto Christ This cleere and vndeniable verity confessed euen by the enemies of that Sea is able I say to strike dead the heresie of this age which more then any other creeping vpon the ground and on her belly (q) Super pectus tuum gradieris terram comedes Gen. 3. busied in worldly and veneriall things hisseth at this point of Catholike religion 36. Now as for the meritts of good workes the third point wherein you say we haue S. Gregorie against vs your owne auhors write that he did highly magnifie the workes of Supererogation Monachisme Satisfastions Vowes (r) Carion in Cronico l. 4. pag. 567. giuing too much to freewill and good workes (Å¿) Osiander Cent. 6. pag. 28â— This Saint saith that in heauen there shal be differences of dignities (t) l. 4. Moral c. 41. Qui alium