Zuinglian because in that point he could be prejudicial to the Pope yet being taken and bound in the conclusion did yield and acknowledged Christ to be really present in the Holy Sacrament not less against his will than the Devils heretofore being overcome with Miracles called upon the Name of God Let it be so we treated of the Scripture before the Controversie now is on the Sense of Scripture we will search out this from the following words My Body which is given for you my Blood which shall be shed for you as yet Calvin's side is the hardest ours is easie and plain what would ye have more Search the Scriptures ye say well the Scriptures agree St. Paul is for us The Words Clauses and whole Connexion do reverently repeat the Bread and Wine a singular Miracle Heavenly Food Flesh Body and Blood There is nothing enigmatical nothing overclouded with obscurity of words yet our Adversaries persist neither do they make an end of Bantering what do we do Antiquity may be heard I think and Antiquity of time may bring forth that which we cannot see betwixt one another other they do not bring it they say they are betrayed they call the Scripture pure they are averse to mens Comments on it as treacherous and disingenious we urge the Word of God they obscure it we call Saints to witness as Interpreters they withstand them in fine so they order it that unless you will side with the guilty you must not give your judgment at all and so they behave themselves in every Controversie they undertake of infused Grace of inherent Justice of the visibility of the Church of necessity of Baptism of the Sacraments and Sacrifice of the Mass of the merits of the Just of Hope and Fear of the disparity of Sins according to their aggravations of the Authority of Peter of the Keys of Prayers of Evangelical Mysteries and so of other things And we Catholicks have cited a great many weighty Texts of Scripture and discussed them in Books Colloquies Churches they have eluded them we have hinted on the Commentaries of Greek and Latin Writers they have winked at them what then Dr. Martin Luther or certainly Phillippus or to be sure Zuinglius hath faithfully published it or without doubt Calvin or Beza Can I think any Bodys Nose so stopt as not to smell out this deceit wherefore I confess I ardently desire the University Schools that openly I may raise those accomplish'd Souldiers out of their Ambush not to charge them in the hundredth part with my force for alas what is mine but defeat them with the Prevalent and Invincible Truth The Third Reason WHen the name of a Church was heard the Enemy grew pale yet I have devised something which I would have you consider that you might know the ruine and decay of Falshood you are sensible that in the Scriptures both Prophetick and Apostolick there is an honourable mention made of the Church that 't is called the Holy City the Fruitful Vine the High Mountain the Direct Way the only Dove the Kingdom of Heaven the Spouse and Body of Christ the Firmament of Truth that Assembly in which Christ hath infused all things necessary to Salvation against which Catholick Church the Gates of Hell shall never prevail that which whosoever opposes although he Preaches Christ with his mouth does no more injoy him than the Publican or Gentile he dares not contradict me with his roaring he would not seem to resist the Church which the Scripture so often Commemorates he hath craftily retained the name he has carried the day by his definition of it for he hath delineated a Church with these Properties which may be hidden quite remov'd from the senses and Phoenix like may be expos'd to view at a certain time to a very small number and those supernaturally inspir'd they may comprehend her Body Air-like in their understanding and may discern the Members of her Society with the subtile Eye of the Intellect as they may Cuckows Persecuted and Destroyed by their Young ones Where is your Candour Where is your Sincerity What Scriptures What Interpretations what Fathers draw out such a Church with their Pencil There are Epistles of Christ to the Churches of Asia of Peter of Paul John and other Epistles to divers There are many Churches in the Acts of the Apostles begun and propagated what are these Are they visible to God alone and holy men or to Christians of all sorts but Necessity hath no Law For how is it after 15 Ages they find no Town Village or House hath imbibed their Doctrine until that Diabolical Monk had Debauch'd a Devoted Nun by Incestuous Matrimony or Zuinglius the Fencer had Plotted against his Country and the Stigmatiz'd Vagabond had settled at Geneva they are compell'd to expose a Church to view in Caves if they will have one and Adopt them Sons which they never knew nor ever any man saw unless they trace the Foot-steps of their Ancestors who are plainly demonstrated to have been Hereticks as as Aerius Jovenianus Vigilantius Helvidius Iconomachi Berengarius Waldenses Lolhard Wickliff Hass from which several Poysonous Fragments of Opinions went a begging don't you wonder if I did not fear those Meteors which if I can but come to the day-light I will easily dispel for this is our time for Disputation Tell me do you subscribe to the Church which flourished in Ages before Yes Let us then survey Nations Countrys and Times in our mind To what To the Congregation of the Faithful of whom their Names are not known but 't is evident there are a great many how is it evident by God Who promulgated it We who are divinely inspired They are Stories how can I believe them If you are fervent in Faith you should know this so as to live by it When you my Advocates behold these wiles Can you through modesty refrain from smiles That all Christians be enjoyn'd to incorporate themselves into this Church and beware lest they be killed with the Sword of the Spirit to Worship Peace in the House of God to trust to this Pillar of Truth and lay aside all Controversies about it and from henceforth to be cast out as Gentiles so many men to be bound in Chains wheresoever she is Who do these belong to that only thing is in suspence where where is their Church She is reserved for Saints only and those that are Predestinated for Salvation how is it That if any one will Lampoon the Government he may be absolved from the offence so that he fall into the Presbyterian Perswasion and Apostatize from the Church When I found my Adversaries to insinuate such things which was a Custom in no Age of the Church before I was an Orphan to the thing yet put in a word for need and comforted my self with your Wit and Judgment and promised my self so to do until by their own Concessions you would discern their Stratagems and then as Ingenious
and lmbowel its very Body their only Buoy to Posterity exenterating its most goodly and specious parts For the seven Books of the Old Testament to connive at small things were spew'd out by the Calvinists and the Epistle of St. James and five others by the Lutherans with the like Hickups of indigestion about which there was one while a Controversie To these our Modern Presbyterians add the Book of Hester and in a manner the Three Chapters of Daniel which the Anabaptists their contemporaries long since Hiss'd out and derided How modestly did St. Augustine who concluding his Holy Catalogue did not lay down the Hebrew Alphabet for a Rule as the Jews did nor a private Spirit as the Sectaries did but that Spirit which Christ infused into his Church which Church indeed is the Trustee of this Legacy not the Testatrix as some Hereticks do object This Trust the Council of Trent embraced and was challenged by more Ancient Councils The same St. Augustine could not draw into the Scheme of his knowledge why the Book of Wisdom which is now and was then in force as Authentick and Canonical both by the Suffrages of the Church Succession of Ages by the Testimony of the Ancients and Inspirations of the Faithful should be struck out of the Canon with a Rash and Unadvised Censure What would he say now if he should have survived so many Lutheran and Calvinistical Artificers of the Bible who with their Polite and Elegant File have extenuated the Old and New Testament neither have they excluded the Book of Wisdom only but many others out of the Canonical Predicament That whatsoever came not from their Anvil that by a Phrensical Decree was spew'd out as Monstrous and Abortive To this so Dire and Unconsecrated a Sanctuary who have recourse to they indeed although they are extolled in the mouths of their Scullions do make Sale of their Benefices Declaim against Catholicks in their Sermons prepare Axes Racks Tormentilio's and Crosses yet they have been overcome abject disgrac'd vanquish'd and defeated forasmuch as having passed their Sentences as Authoriz'd Judges they obliterate Scripture it self if any part agrees not with their Stomach who is there even ordinarily Learned would fear such Rabbet-like Enemies Which Enemies when they are besieg'd by a Ring of such Learned men as we are will run to their old wiles as it were to Familiar Devils and should not be Entertain'd with Victorious Hummings but Disgraceful Hissings I ask of them for instance By what Right they Maim and Rend the Body of the Bible They answer They do not cut out the true Scriptures but cull out the Supposititious Who is their Judge The Holy Spirit For this answer is prescribed by Calvin that he might escape the Sentence of the Church by which Spirits are tryed Why therefore do you torment one another when all glory in the same Spirit The Spirit of the Calvinists receive Six Epistles which do not please the Spirit of the Lutherans yet both trusted in the Holy Spirit The Anabaptists term the History of Job a Fable interwoven with Comical and Tragical Laws How do they know The Spirit teaches them so Castalio a Debauch'd Rascal esteem'd the Mystical Song of Solomon which the Catholicks admire as the Paradice of the Soul as the hidden Manna as Rich delights in Christ no more than a Song on his Mistriss a Love-colloquie with the Ladies of the Court Whence did he draw it From the Spirit In the Revelation of St. John where every point doth express something Magnificent and Lofty as St. Jerome says yet Luther Brentius and Kemnitius curious Criticks desire it should be Authoriz'd Who would they ask The Spirit Luther with a Preposterous Zeal places the Four Evangelists by themselves and preferring them before the Three Epistles of St. Paul doth moreover Decree that the Gospel of St. John should be denominated True and Singular and good Reason for it because in it he made the Apostles partakers of his Contentions who teach'd him so to do the Spirit But yet that Frier did not scruple to touch the Gospel of S. Luke with a petulant stile because the good Works of Vertue are too often commended in it Who told him so The Spirit Theodorus Beza dared to Traduce that Mystical Expression out of the Twenty Second Chapter of St. Luke This is the Cup the New Testament in my Blood which Cup shall be poured out for you as Corrupted and Depraved because these Sentences admit of no other Exposition than of the Wine of the Cup being chang'd into the real Blood of Christ who told him so the Spirit Lastly when every one intrusts all things to his Spirit they do asperse the Holy Spirit with horrible Blasphemy whoever doth these things do not they betray themselves are they not easily Confuted are they not bridled and restrained without difficulty by a Consistory of such Learned Men as you are O! ye Academians May I fear to dispute with those who have not only with the most Treacherous Infidelity laid hands on Humane Writings but Divine I pass by those things which they have misconstrued although I can accuse them of things inexcusable I submit that to my Friend Gregory Martin who is Skilful of Languages who will perform it more Learnedly and Accurately than I and to others who as I am inform'd have it on the Anvil I Prosecute Crimes more heinous and of a worse nature I have found out Learned Banterers who with rash Incursions have Invaded Gods Prerogative and in many places have inveighed against it as Corrupt Imperfect False and Surreptitious Some parts they have Corrected some they have Carped at and some they have Rooted out quite Hence all the Turrets which they were Fortified with were chang'd into Lutheran Spirits as it were into Castles of Phantasms that they should not be Gravell'd when they should Quote the Scriptures infested with their Errours which indeed they can no more clear themselves of than Sup the Sparks or Eat the Stones For this Cause my first Reason was Vehement and Just that when it had delineated our Adversaries party despersed and vanish'd it might add Courage to all Christians who exert their Wits in these Studies to Fight for a Crown of Glory against the residue of our overthrown Enemies The Second Reason ANother thing which hath inflamed me to a Combat and to bring such Ammunition Musquets and Blunderbusses with me is our Adversaries policy big with Fraud and barren of Prudence in explaining the Scriptures presently ye will touch at this ye Philosophers and therefore I sought out you for my Auditors We ask of our Adversaries for instance who they follow what new Sect they entered into that they exclude Christ out of the Mystical Supper If they Quote the Gospel we appeal to it the words with us are This is my Body this is my Blood which expression seem'd so prevalent with Luther that he desired to be a
and Impartial Judges turn their Snares laid against us upon themselves The Fourth Reason A Weighty Query there was in the Infancy of the Church concerning Lawful Ceremonies which has distracted the minds of a great many which now by the Congregated Council of Apostles and Elders is solved the Sons believed their Fathers the Sheep their Pastors commanding them in these words It hath pleased the Holy Ghost and Us. The Four General Councils which were of so great Authority that before a Thousand years a singular Honour was paid to them as to the Scriptures were followed for the rooting out of Heresie which in divers places sprung up in those ages I will not wander any farther for even at home the same Councils have their respect and value in the Parliaments of this Kingdom I will cite these things and call thee to witness O my dear Country England as thou dost reverence those four General Councils so do thou pay Supremacy to the Bishop of Rome Successor of St. Peter Scan the bloody Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ on the Altar beseech the blessed Martyrs and all the Heavenly Saints that they may pray to Christ for thee Restrain the feminine Apostates from Whoring and publick Incest Moreover I do espouse the Councils of other times and namely that of Trent as equally authentick with the Gospels and when occasion serves I will prove it Being fortified therefore with the strong and exquisite safeguard of Councils why should not I enter the Field when I see where my adversary will incommode himself Moreover I will produce most evident demonstrations that cannot be wrested and axiomes that cannot be deny'd perhaps they 'll endeavour to prolong the day with a circumlocution of words but by ingemous men if I knew them well neither Eyes nor Ears would be prepared for them which if any one shall be so mad as to oppose himself against the Senators of the whole World those great beyond exception Holy Learned and Ancient I will willingly behold his Face who when I shall demonstrate things to you will leave the rest to your judgment In the mean while I 'll admonish you He that in a full Council rightly and duely Summoned abrogates any thing of weight or moment seems to me to be a man of no Conduct no Wit and not only unskilful in Divinity but Policy If ever the Spirit of God illuminated the Church that was the time of sending down the Deity when the Religion Maturity Knowledge Wisdom and Dignity of all the Churches in the World concentred in that City and all means used both Divine and Humane to search out the truth when they might implore the Spirit to Establish it wholesomely and prudently But now there appears some head of an Heretical Faction he steels his Forehead bears the Nose of a Rhinoceros and scurrilously treats his Judges what Sports what Pranks will he show up starts Luther who could say he preferr'd himself before the Councils The Suffrages of two good and Learned men viz. his and Philips were enough in case they agreed in the name of Christ O Circles Kemnitius is found out who examin'd the Council of Trent according to the approbation of his own giddy Brain what did he gain by it Disgrace whereas he unless he had been cautious had been Buried with Arrius The Council of Trent by how much the older it grows so much the more it daily and yearly flourishes Good God! What variety of Nations what choice of Bishops in the whole World What Splendour of Kingdoms and Common-wealths What Marrow of Divines What Sanctity What Tears What Fastings What Academical Flowers What Tongues How great Subtilty How great Labour What Infinite Reading What fruitfulness of Virtues and Riches adorn'd the Sacred Tabernacles I heard the High Priests rejoycing and amongst them Anthony Arch-bishop of Prague by whom I was ordain'd Priest the most Eminent and Prudent men that have been in that School this many years so that they could receive no better a kindness of Ferdinand Caesar to whom they were much obliged than that they came Legats out of Pannonia and return'd with this gratuity Aluimus vos in Schola optima being invited hither for the Publick Faith Why did not our Adversaries come and contradict them against which they Croaked like Frogs out of their holes They say to Huss and Jerome that they broke their promise Who did The Members of the Council of Constance 't is false for they made none neither had Huss been burn'd in the Hand but that he was a man perfidious and turbulent recalled from banishment which Sigismund the Emperour published an Edict for when he was condemned to dye but the Articles being violated he lost all hopes of his pardon Head-long Malice deceived Huss for being commanded when he had dispersed his Tragedy in Bohemia to reside at Constance he despised the Prerogative of the Council and demanded security of Caesar. Caesar signed it the Christian World re-signed it which was greater than Caesar. The beginning of Heresie could not taint the mind it perished but Jerome of Prague came privately to Constance protected by no body appear'd before them submitted and was received graciously he went freely where he would he was pardon'd he abjured Heresie relaps'd and was burn'd Why do they so often agitate one example of six hundred Let them read well the Annals Did not Martin Luther himself that scandal of God and Man prefer Augusta before Cardinal Caietan and often counterfeit the Letters of Maximilian And again in the case of Wormatius when he had offended Caesar and many other Princes of the Empire was not he safe by Caesars word at last did not the heads of the Lutherans and Zuinglians Charles the Fifth being present an Enemy to Hereticks Lord and Conqueror did not these a treaty being made Exhibit their Penitent Confessions to the Synod and they went away safe No other ways had the Trent Summons provided very ample Proposals to our Adversaries but they would not make use of them notwithstanding 't is boasted of in Corners that I seemed wise when I could pronounce 3 Greek words he leaves the most faithful way of Interpretation who puts a linguist in the place of a faithful Judge since they so love the Salvation of Souls as to grant the like liberty to the Catholicks We do not do what Huss did we fly unto Court at the word of a Prince But where I began there I 'll end mine are general first last and intermediate Councils with these I 'll fight my Adversaries may expect a Dart from my Bow which they can never pull out Let Satan be overthrown let Christ live The Fifth Reason AT Antioch in which the noble Sirname of Christian was first assumed did the Doctors Eminent Divines Prophets and renowned Preachers flourish Of this sort God beheld posterity the Scribes and Magi the Learned in the Kingdom of God
When therefore Rome had corrupted its Faith so earnestly celebrated when it ceas'd to be what it was before At what time under what Pope after what manner by what force with what encrease did another Religion invade the City and the World What Votes what Ryots what Lamentations did it beget All the rest of the World were asleep while Rome Rome I say had new Sacraments a new Sacrifice and a new Model of Religion on the Anvil Is there no Historian either Latin or Greek far nor near would lay this unto his Commentaries Therefore this certainly is evident if we do believe any thing much History and various the Messenger of Truth the life of memory would fluently speak and repeat it those things which they do obtrude no Modern relation can authorize in the Church The Historians are for me and my Adversaries Incursions very cold which cannot move any one unless 't is first received all Christians of all times fell into gross Treachery and into the Lake of Hell till Luther Ravish'd Bora. The Eighth Reason BUt most excellent Men when I consider the monstrous opinions of men concerning Heresies I had some with me which will come in the way to be Confuted I may condemn my self of Sloth and Madness if I should fear the faculty or force of any one in trying me Let him be Ingenious Eloquent let him be Active let him be well Read in Books he will necessarily seem dry when he shall Defend things so impossible he shall be disputed with if he refuses these of God of Christ of Man of Sin of Justice of the Sacraments of Manners I will see whether they dare to affirm those things which they think and those things which they accounting as necessary do divulge as the Scripture viz. God is the Author and cause of my Sin Willing Suggesting Effecting Commanding Labouring and Governing the Diabolical Counsels of the Wicked It was the proper work of God so was the calling of Paul the Adultery of David and the wickedness of the Traytor Judas This Monster which sometime Philip was ashamed of yet Luther from whom Philip had it as an Heavenly Oracle extoll'd it with wonderful praise and his Scholar for that he did not much differ from the Apostle St. Paul I will ask also of what Spirit Luther was whom the English Calvinists term a Man Divinely inspired to enlighten the World when he took this from the Litany of the Church Holy Trinity one God have mercy one us By and by I will go to the Person of Christ I will see what they would have to themselves there Christ the Son of God Son of the God Calvin God of himself Beza he is not begot of the Essence of the Father also their are two Hypostatical Vnions constituted in Christ one of the Soul with the Flesh another of Divinity with the Humanity There is a place in St. John I and my Father are one he doth not shew Christ God of the same Substance with the Father but my Soul also saith Luther hates this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go forward Christ from his Infancy was not perfect in Grace but in the Dowries of the mind as other men he grew older becoming more wise by use so that the Youth Laboured with Ignorance which is as much truly as to say he was contaminated with Original Sin and Vice but know those things which are more horrid Christ when Praying in the Garden sweat Water and Blood was amazed with the sense of Eternal Damnation he cry'd out with a loud Voice without Reason without Spirit a sudden Voice with the Impetuosity of Grief which being not well Premeditated he severely rebuked Is there any thing more Christ when he was Nailed on the Cross cry'd out my God my God c. He was Kindled with the Flames of Hell he sent out the Voice of despair no otherwise affected than if he was in everlasting Death also they add what they can to these Christ they say Descended to Hell viz. being Dead tasted of Hell no less than the Souls of the Damned unless that they were restored by him For even as corporal Death profits nothing so the Soul also ought to struggle with everlasting death and after this manner weigh our wickedness and punishment and lest any one should by chance think that this crept into Calvin through neligence the same Calvin calls all them if any of them revolv'd that Doctrine of Comfort damn'd Knaves O the times you have nourish'd this Monster that delicate and Royal Blood which Sprung out of the torn and cleft Body of the Lamb every drop of whose Blood by means of the Dignity of the Host could redeem a 1000 Worlds profited nothing to manking unless the Mediator of God and Man Christ Jesus had made also the second Death the Death of the Soul the Death of Grace partaker of Sin alone Execrable Blasphemy Bucer will seem modest in respect of this madness altho he is impudent who accounts the Grave Hell in a symbol by a vain preposterous repetition and Tautology rather The English Calvinists have recourse to Calvin their Idol part to Bucer their great master part also have murmured against this article lest it should cause any more trouble since that 't was exempted from the Symbol without noise that also was attempted in a Conventicle at London I remember Rich. Cheney who was there told me so a very Old Man who had been injuriously Fin'd by the Plunderers abroad and could not enter into his Fathers House So far concerning Christ what concerning Man The Image of God was quite raz'd out in man no spark of good was quick in him his whole nature as to all the parts of his Soul was so extremely rever'd that truly he was not at all Holy there is nothing else within him but coruption and contagion To what purpose are are these things That they who got Glory by Faith only wallowing in the Dunghil of their filthiness may accuse nature despair of virtue and disburthen Precepts Hither Illyricus the chief of the Magdeburgenses added his direful opinion of Original Sin which he would have to be the inward substances of the Soul for those since Adams Fall the Devil procreates and makes like himself This also is trivial in this case all sins are alike so lest the Stoicks should revive they are weighed by God the Judge altho God that just Judge should add a heap to our Burthen rather than an easement and should heap up that which is not in the thing when he is just The Cook who killed a Dunghil Cock when there was no need of him did no less offend against God the righteous Judge than that Assassinator who Beza like being disguis'd in Drink killed the Duke of Guise a Prince of great worth with his Hand Gun than which Exploit the world never saw any thing in our Age more Dolorous and Lamentable But perhaps they which are in this state