of Christ by the Euangelists and Apostles as by his Pen-men or Notaries How is the Scripture diuided in respect of that authority it hath in prouing So it is diuided into the bookes which are Canonicall and those which are not Canonicall but Apocryphall Which doe you call the Canonicall Books Syst Theol. pag. 169. item p. 173. Hi constituūt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Those which are of vndoubted authority in prouing the Articles of Faith or which are the Square and Rule of our faith for Canonicall is deriued from Canon which signifieth as much as a Rule or Square Of what sort are the Canonicall books Of two sortes either of the Old or of the New Testament Which Books of the Old Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scripture of the old Testament is diuided into foure rancks Syst The. pag. 182. the first containeth the fiue Bookes of Moses the second those Bookes which are called Historicall as these Joshua Iudges Ruth the two Bookes of Samuel the two Bookes of Kings the two Bookes of the Chronicles the Bookes of Esdras Nehemiah Ester The third Bookes which are written in verse which are called Poeticall as these Job the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbs of Salomon Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs the fourth comprehendeth the Prophets which are either greater Prophets in number foure or lesser to wit twelue Which Bookes of the New Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scripture of the New Testament is diuided into the History of the Euangelists the Acts of the Apostles the Apostles Epistles and the Prophecy or Reuelation of John Which are called Apocriphall or not Canonicall Syst Theol. pag. 190. Which are not of infallible truth and authority in prouing the Articles of faith and consequently which are not the Rule and Square of our beliefe but containe precepts of life and historicall instructions Which are those Apocryphall Bookes Among the Bookes of the Old Testament as wee haue before said there are some found not to bee Canonicall such as the Booke of Tobias Iudith Wisedome which falsly is ascribed to Salomon Ecclesiasticus or Syracides the third and fourth bookes of Esdras all the Bookes of the Maccabees Baruch with Ieremy his Epistle the Prayer of Manasses the fragments of Ester the additions to Daniel as is the Song of the three Children the Historie of Susanna the Historie of Bell and the Dragon None of all these Bookes are to be found in the Hebrew tongue in which Language onely God would haue the Bookes of the Old Testament to bee written neither were they written by the Prophets or any person immediately called of God Neither doth Christ the Euangelists or the Apostles cite them at any time and to conclude there bee many vntruths in them Wherefore when the Papists vrge any thinge out of these Bookes against vs wee must answer that those Bookes containe not the infallible Word of God and consequently that they haue no firme force or validity in prouing How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the matter it handleth Into the Law and the Gospell for that part of Gods Word is called the Law wherein wee are taught what we ought to doe but the Gospell is that part of Gods Word wherein we are taught what we ought to beleeue and consequently wherein wee haue the remission of our sins promised vs by faith in Christ I haue heard sufficiently touching the diuision of the Word of God J pray you also instruct mee in the proprieties of it That will I willingly doe so I first admonish you that hereafter wee shall alwaies take the holy Scripture for the Canonicall Bookes onely and not at all for the Apocryphall VVhat is the first proprietie of the holy Scripture The first propriety is that it deriues all its authority from God alone Syst Theol. pag. 171. not from the assembly of godly men which is called the Church How proue you this I proue it by these reasons first the testimony of God hath not any authority from men The Scripture is the testimony of God alone Ergo. It hath none authority from men yea the most holy men that bee and consequently not from the Church which is nothing else but a company of godly and sanctified men The force and pith of the argument you shall finde 1 Ioh. 5.9 If wee receiue the witnes of men the testymonie of God certainely is greater Secondly that must needs be before the Scripture in naturall order of which the authority of the Scripture dependeth But the Church is not before the Word of God Ergo. The Maior proposition is euident because that which dependeth of another must needs come after that on which it dependeth The Minor is thus prooued That which is gathered gouerned regenerated by the Word or by the Scripture that is in order after the Scripture But the Church Ergo. The Maior is plaine the Minor is prooued by 1 Pet. 1.23 Wee are regenerated and borne anew by the word of God Iames 1.18 He hath begotten vs by the word of truth Ioh. 17.20 Which by their word shall beleeue in me Thirdly the foundation of any building depends not on the roofe or vpper roomes which are built vpon the foundation but contrarily those same vpper roomes and the roofe depend vpon the foundation but the Word of God is the foundation Ergo. The Maior is plaine in it selfe The Minor is confirmed by that Ephes 2.20 You are built vpon the foundation of the Profits and Apostles Obict The Papists obiect to vs that place 1 Tim. 3.15 Where the Church is said to be the pillar and ground of truth Whereto we answer Answ that this argument is sophisticall or a fallacie commonly called a Dicto secundum quid a dictum simpliciter For the Church is not called the piller and ground of truth in regard of it selfe but in regard of Christ the head who is that corner stone And further it is so called in regard it is the keeper of the Scripture Syst Theol pag. 181. forsomuch as God hath made the Church onely to haue to doe with the treasurie of his Word and in the Church as on the piller and doore of his house or pallace he hangeth those holy Tables which euery man must go thither to read No otherwise then the Magistrate hangeth vp on pillars and gates of his Court Tables containing in them his Lawes and Decrees to the end that his Subiects may there reade them as in a publike place Lastly the Church is called the Pillar of Truth in this respect because that God vseth the testimony of the Church as his instrument and meanes for the proposing teaching and expounding of the holy Scriptures vnto men for the Ministers of the Church are the conseruers of truth and the interpreters of the Scriptures yet not so as if the authority of the Scripture did depend on them but because God vseth them as his seruants and Ministers to propound and to beate into the memories of
earth the state of the Church was a most corrupt state so that beside Christ and his Apostles there were very few members of the true Church yea and before Christs birth a little Mary Ioseph Zachary and Elizabeth and a few more which lay so secret that there was no shew of them to any man made vp the true Church Such like vnto these was that estate of the Church those 600 yeares vnder the Papacie of which time there was expresse prediction before Reuel 12.6 that the time to wit should come that the Church should be obscure as it were hid in the wildernesse But therefore can any conclude that there was no Church No surely no more then it doth follow This man is hid therefore hee is not a man There were in that most thicke darkenesse of Poperie and vnder the Kingdome of that Antichrist of Rome Syst Theol. pag. 408. true members of the Church although by reason of that cruell tyranny of the Pope they lay hid neither was there so few of them as the Papists faine which at that very time vnder Popery had the pure doctrine and the Sacramēts but there were very many of them euen whole Countryes that were not defiled by the corrupt Doctrine of the Papists as the Albin genses and the Valdenses and they of Picardie who propagated the holy Truth in Bohemia and Polonia in spite of all the Popes resistance As also a hundred yeares before Luther Et si Papatus non sit ecclesia voluit tamen Deus in Papatu seruare ecclesiam Theod. Beza there were the Hussites Brethren of Bohemia who maintained the true Doctrine of the Gospell as those times would giue them leaue Yea and further in all and euery of those yeares there were by Gods working continually raised vp Witnesses and Teachers who openly and before all shewed their detestation of the Pope and Popish errours which Witnesses of the Truth euen in the time of Papacie they are all gathered together in a Book most worthie the perusing which wee ought alwaies to oppose to the Papists which hath for its Title Catalogus testium veritatis that is A Catalogue of the Witnesses of the Truth The third Note the Papists doe make vniuersality Obiect because forsooth the Church dispersed ouer all the world Syst Theol. pag. 404. ought to be Catholike I answer That the Papists here doe contradict themselues when they say the Church of God must be Catholicke and yet the Romish Church must bee that Church of God which is all one as if I should say the Church must be the vniuersall Dantiscan Church or the vniuersall Cracouiun Church or a particular vniuersall Church for to be the Romish Church and to bee a particular one is all one Againe wee answer that we do not denie that the Church ought to bee Catholike in that sense wherein the word is vsed in the Creed as afterwards it shall be made plaine And we say that our Church hath alwaies beene and now also is Catholike because that after the Apostles had gathered the Church out of all Nations there did alwaies from time to time remaine some reliques of the true Church in all Nations although those reliques were hid and obscured as that book Catalogus testium veritatis which we haue a little before cited doth testifie that in the very time of Poperie there was alwaies in Greece Italy Spaine Germany Bohemia Polonia some found that opposed and resisted the Pope But whereas the Iesuites obiect vnto vs that in America and in the East Indies there are no Protestant Preachers of the Gospell as yet but all Papists and especially Iesuites labouring the conuersion of the people I answer them first that the Pharisies also did runne about both by Sea and Land to draw men vnto their faith and yet for all that their Religion was not true Secondly I say that the Papists haue slaine moe in the Jndies then they haue conuerted as you may see by a place which I haue cited in my Politiques l. 1. c. 4. that in a very short time a hundred and fortie thousand men were murdered by them Thirdly I am sure the Diuell also goes a compassing the whole world and seduceth many yet is he for that neuer a whit the better Fourthly I auerre that our Ministers also haue taught the true Gospell in America inasmuch as Caluin sent thither two Ministers of the Church from Geneua the one whereof was Joannes Lerius who committed that story to writing And at this day there are Orthodoxe Ministers in the East Jndies which doe publikely preach the true doctrine of the Gospell carried ouer thither by the Merchants of the Low-Countryes And doubtlesse toward the end of this world the true Religion shall be in America as God now is preparing the way for it by the English and Low-Countrie Merchants that that of Christ may bee fulfilled Matth. 24.14 The Gospell shall bee preached throughout the whole World that it may bee a witnes to all Nations For GOD in in all his workes is wont to effect a thing successiuely and therefore first hee sends vnto those Nations some light of his Essence and his Truth by the Papists and afterward will make these things shine more cleerely vnto them by the true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel Obiect The fourth note the Papists say is vnitie and good agreement Solut. I answer Vt est ecclesia Dei vna sic est Diaboli vna Babylō Aug. Consent and vnitie is but so farre a marke of the Church as the consent is in truth and goodnesse and not in euill and falsehood for such an agreement in euill and falsitie is among the very Deuills and what greater agreement and consent then among robbers so also among the Turkes there is very great consent so that Mahometisme is farre and heare by them propagated yet doth it not hence follow that Mahometisme is the true Church Secondly I answer that in our Church there is great consent in the truth for howsoeuer after Luthers time there arose many Churches the Diuell being alwaies busie to cast his plots against the true Church and to stirre vp in it diuers Sects yet the Orthodoxe Professours are at good agreement about the Articles of Faith as that excellent Booke called the Harmony of Cōfessions doth testifie wherein it is manifestly prooued that there is exceeding great consent betwixt the Churches of France England Scotland Bohemia and those which are in Germany neere vnto Rhene and in other Provinces For that disagreement which is betwixt the Lutherans and the Orthodoxe Professours doth not straight way quite dissolue the vnity which is betwixt the members of the true Church Thirdly I deny that there is so great agreement in the Romish Church as they boast of for it can bee easily showne that the Popish Writers agree not in any one Article among themselues as it doth appeare out of Bellarmine who ordinarily disputeth against other Papists alleageth
lost when this Kingdome shakt off his tyrannicall yoake and therefore for regaining hereof Reu. 16.13 hee blowes ouer whole Iesuites like Apricocks heretofore here and there one succored in a great Mans house now you may haue them in euery Countrie village I. D so that wee may say I feare me of them as Rob. Grosthead a good B. of Linâ— in Hen. 3. dayes said of the Popes Legats So many disguised daily come into the Realme that the very names of them recited wold be tedious for any man to heare Fox Mar. p. mihi 326. swarmes of these Locusts into England where sitting theeuishly in blind corners of our streets they entrap the simple folke and lurking in their secret dens of darknesse they ensnare the poore and wauering minded making them being once caught in their grin Mat 21 15 two times more the Chidren of darknesse then they themselues are Which indeed how can it otherwise fall out sithence their doctrine and their doings bee both of darknesse The Doctrine of the Papists a doctrine of darknes Their doctrine as it is a hotchpotch of beggerly rudiments like a beggers cloake full of patches some of Iudaisme some of Turcisme some of Paganisme some of Pelagianisme and in some what is it else but a Vt quicquid passim in variis regionib est sordiuÌ„ tandeÌ„ per diuer so flumina in mare vnum deportatur it a quicquid blasphemia ruÌ„ in variis ac diuersissimis sectis reperitur totuÌ„ id confluxit in RomanaÌ„ colluuiem Tilleman Hesbus compound of errours so in nothing more does it bewray it selfe to be raked out of the pit of darknesse then that it will not abide the light of Gods Word to bee tryed by For what 2 Cor. 6.14 Communion hath darkenesse with light are not these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heereupon well knowing what would betide them Iuel Apolog pag 116. The ReligioÌ„ of Papistrie is like a Curtaine made to keepe out the light B.R. if the Gospell should cleerely shine forth in al mens hearts they muffle the vnderstanding of the simple people giuing them to wit that all is Oracles that they speak not giuing them once leaue or leasure yea which is more interdicting them to search the holy Scriptures with the Act. 17.11 Noblemen of Beraea and to see whether those thinges bee so as they speake them Let our late worthies who haue descried the imposture of the Church of Rome let them speake in this case and heare their verdict Nos luci fidimus saith blessed Apolog. ecclesiae Anglic pag. 147. Iewell isti tenebris Wee trust and desire to bee tried by the light of Gods Word they put their confidence in darkenesse Vt latro crucem ita isti horrent verbuÌ„ Dei Iuel wherupon it is that a thiefe stands not in more feare of the Gallowes then they doe of the Scriptures We labour to plant knowledge in all saith the reuerend and my much honoured My Lord of Chichester in his Preface to his Booke entituled Directions to know the true Church Lord of Chichester and are desirous that euery man may know the things needfull for his saluation they labour to hold all in ignorance their hope is not in the goodnesse of their cause for they see the ruines of Babylon falling eueryday onely their care is to blind you and keepe you Ignorant Jf the light of knowledge might freely shine to the world Popery would soone bee ashamed of it selfe saith D D. Halls Que vadis p. 3â— 1. Edâ—â— another worthy in our Church And not to bee infinite in this kinde M. Anton. de Dominis who was once welcommed by vs from the Tents of Antichrist and is ours still if couetousnesse the roote of euill and hypocrisie the colour of good hath not put out both his eies confesseth in that little book wherein he expresseth the reason of his departure out of the Ch. of Rome the Prodromus to his larger and more fruitfull labours that this closing vp of the Scripture from the people gaue him occasion to suspect their Religion and to feare his estate and to thinke on conuersion freely professing there in these tearmes Scripturae summa apud nos ignoratio M. Anton. de dominis Archiep. Spalat that there is nothing whereof the Papists are more ignorant then of the Scriptures Nay a certaine Bishop of Italy was not ashamed to tell Claudius Espencaeus Master Sheldon ex Claud. Espenc Coment in cap 1 Epist ad Titum a famous Pontifician that the learned men of Italy it selfe were afraid to study the holy Scriptures least thereby they should become Heretiques and that therefore they employed themselues in commenting vpon the Popes Law bookes Decrees and the Decretalls the which Booke though full of lies contradictions impertinences yet because it is the Popes booke it must bee respected whilest the holy Scripture lieth as it were in the streets neglected And therefore to barre their â—educed followers vtterly from this godly exercise of reading they beare them in hand that to reade the Scripture is very perillous Quia experimento manifestuÌ„ est si sacra Biblia vulgari lingua passim sine Discrimine permittantur plus inde ob hominum temeritatèm ditrimenti quam vtilitatis oriri idcirco c. Index lib. prohibit confect a deput Concilii Trident. reg 4. Quid quod populus non solum caperet fructum ex Scripturis sed etiam caperet detrimentum acciperet enim facillime occasionem errandi tum in doctrina fidei tum in praeceptis vitae morum Bellarmin Lib. 1. de verbo Dei cap. 15. see DD. Hakewells Answer Likewise to D D. Car. second letter Pag 11. and the cause of erring from the faith Sed execratione ac detestatione dignior est ista vox quam responsione Hiper de quotid â—lectione S. Script lib. 1. pag. 175. Wicked impostores as if God our heauenly Father who hath made his Will and Testament and hath reuealed it by writing vnto vs his Children would not haue it Vehementer ab istis disseÌ„tio qui nolint ab idiotis legi diuinas literas in vulgi linguam transfusas fiue quasi Christus taÌ„ inuoluta docuerit vt vix â pauculis theologis possint intelligi siue quasi religionis Christanae prasidium in hec situm fit sinesciatur c. Erasm in Paracles ad Christian philosophiae studiuâ— read and vnderstood bâ— vs Blasphemous wrethes â— if God who can neither bâ— deceiued nor deceiue caâ— sing his holy Will to be peâ—ned both as touching hâ— owne Worship and also â— touching the meanes of maâ— Saluation and that so poweâ—fully and yet plainely witâ— all that hee should seeke herâ— by to Neque adeo 〈◊〉 humanus suit Deus vt voluerit huius rei ignorâ— tione per omnes aetates homines torqueri cum 〈◊〉 que vllum in Sacris Scripturis passus est esse locuâ— quem si accuraté pensitemus interpretari non posâ—mus Aug. Steuchius in Genes cap. 2. entrap
But as for those obstinate wretches furious spirits branded with the marke of the Beast and therefore firebrands of hell too too headstrong in their erroneous opinations as the Lord gaue them vp to a reprobate sense that they should not receiue the loue of the truth and so be saued and they now fry for it So assure your selues if yee insist in their steps and resist all good admonitions you can neuer flye their Mat. 23.33 punishment For it is iust with God that those which haue beene Quos similis culpa coinquinat par quoque paenâ— constringer Gregor pares culpa shall be also pares pana Bee partakers of their sinnes you shall certainely be sharers in their punishment O then yee Mat. 3.7 generation of Vipers bee forewarned of the heauy vengeance to come Doe not with the deafe Adder alwaies stop your eares to all godly and Christian admonitions but take them at length to heart and say not with your selues Wee haue had ranke Papists to our Fathers we haue had such as haue derided and mocked your Orthodoxe Religion for our patternes and presidents for I dare boldly affirme in the words of our Sauiour that vnlesse yee repent and be conuerted you shall likewise perish Be not like them in Saint Austine Verum est quod dicitis to professe all true that wee say Non est quod respondeatur and that you haue nothing to say against it Aug. Vincent epist 48. Sed durum est nobis traditionem Paretum relinquere but it seemeth a hard thing vnto vs to forsake the faith and tradition of our Fathers For consider it well in your hearts why should your Fathers examples mislead you into errour O what a senselesse part is this in you Mast Scots Phylomythologie p. 41. Your Fathers faults and errours to allow And not much rather to reforme your owne By shunning the defect which they haue showne Shall the vaine conceit of your Fathers worth Ezech 20.18.19.20 Quos Christus vocat secum in aternum mansuros pater forsaÌ„ reuocat secum in aeternuÌ„ arsuros vid Bern Epist 2. weigh downe Gods holy Word Will you conferre nay preferre man to God If the Fathers of your bodies leade you one way and Father of Spirits bid you goe another haue you not learn'd to obey God rather then men will you not grant that which reason hath alwaies held for certaine and grounded truth Demosth contra Aristocrat Viuendum est legibus non exemplis Goe to then thinke not to shrowd your doings with your Fathers exemplarie dealings For as it is well vttered by the Heathen Oratour Jmpudens est Oratio dicere sic factum est But let the bright and cleere Law of God shine in your hearts let it dwell in you plentifully in all wisedome here the Word of God from others Si non dedignentur legere malè mihi sit ita enim in tanta causa iurare ausim nisi tandem capiantur Petr. Mart. Loc. com c. 6. clasi 1. sect 14. reade it by your selues Ab eo speranda est intelligentia qui pulsantibus aperiet querentibus demonstrabit petentib non denegabit Hilar. in Ps 125. Multum domini de tua bonitate praesumo quoniam tu ipse docet petere quarere pulsare tu domine qui iubes petere fac accipere consulis quarere da inuenire doces pulsare aperi pulsanti confirma nie infirmum restaura nie perditum suscita mè mortuum c. August Meditat. cap. 39. sect 9. pray to God for a right vnderstanding of it marke it well ponder it in your heart and examine all your tenents and courses by it and then the Lord opening your eyes to see your owne mis-doings and your Fathers mis-leadings you will confesse your Fathers follies wherein you haue liued and professe to leaue them with all speedie reformation in new obedience vnto Gods holy will and Commandements And this I pray God that of his infinite goodnesse he will grant vnto you that so by the conuersion of your soules his holy Name may be glorified his Angels gladded his faithfull confirmed â— our hearts comforted and the borders of Christs Church enlarged and that for the merits of Chrst Iesus his onely true naturall Sonne our alone all-sufficient Sauiour and Redeemer Amen An Apologetique to tâ— Christian Reader for the worke in and about the Translation Gregor Nazian Monostich Horat. Carm. l. 3. od 6. Reu. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hinc omne principium liue reâ— exitum Of all thy studies and intentions seâ— That God the Alpha Omega be DA veniam Scriptis remembring that of the â—postle 1 Cor. 12.7 The maâ—festation of the Spirit is giâ— to euery man to profit withâ— The Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—â— is the gâ— and graces of the â—pirit of 〈◊〉 are bestowed vpon vs noâ— bee wrapt vp in a Napkin 〈◊〉 hid in the earth but for maâ—festation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereupon the aâ—ent Greekes well expressed 〈◊〉 and light by one common na◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch shews in the â—â—futation of that common M◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what our Sauiour spake with a primary direction to his Apostles Vos estis lux mundi Yee are the lights of the world may in a secondary application be affirmed of euery Christian or else Saint Paul would not say Among whom yee shine as lights in the world Now least any one should exempt himselfe therefore euery one is put in the â—ext 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as there are none furnished with all gifts so there are none but they haue some gift and the doner will looke for his owne with aduantage As euery man therefore hath receiued the gift so let him minister thereof to others for the good of others Looke not euery one on your owne things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but euery one on the things of other A good lesson for this incroaching and Monopolizing world wherein euery man is for himsefe as the prouerbe saith and as the Apostle The Attestation of a friend touching this Booke inserted in a Letter to the Translatour In your Translation you haue laboured that they that will read may haue delight and that they that are desirous to commit to memory might haue ease and that all into whose hands it commeth might haue profit 2 Maâ— 2.25 Adam Airay S.S. Theol. Bat. M.D. Esquire To his good Friend T.V. WHat Thou do'st teach by others heretofore Hath likewise bin But yet by no man 〈◊〉 To the true life That by thy godly care Thou and thine Authour equally doe share Thou praisest him Translating but if he Vnderstood English he would more praise thâ—â—e Thou to our Nation ha'st his Doctrine showne Which to our vulgar else had not â—eene knowne As much by this thou get'st as ere he wanâ—â— England praise Vicars Dâ—ntâ—k her Keâ—keâ—man Mich. Drayton 〈◊〉 â—postle complaineth Euery man seeketh his owne things none â—he things of
their oppositiōs cōtradictions to thēselues this may further appeare by Joh. Pappius and Matthias Illyricus his Book of the Sects Dissentions cōtradictiōs among Popish Doctours printed at Basil 1565 whereunto the Papists haue not as yet answerd Andr. Chrastouius likewise hath written a Booke hee cals Bellum Iesuiticum The good agreement the Iesuites haue among themselues who neither is as yet confuted In the Bodleian Library at Oxford That same Book of Chrastouius was printed at Basil in quarto 1593 and it containes 205 Iesuiticall contradictions Which is that bare or secondary propriety of the Church To the Church of the New Testament Syst Theol. pag. 404. this propriety doth also agree that it is Catholicke and that first in respect of places not because it possesseth many Kingdomes but because it is scattered ouer the whole world and not tyed to any one certain place to any determinate countrey or city Secondly in respect of men because it doth consist of men of all sorts gathered out of the condition of al men of all Nations Act. 10.35 Thirdly in respect of times because it shall continue all times euen vnto the end of the world as it is said Matt 28. I will be with you euen vnto the end of the world Fourthly in respect of vnitie because the Catholicke Church is at all times but one to wit in the vnity of doctrine and consent in that doctrine And thus much we haue spoken of the proprieties of the Church Now if we shall examine and try the Popish Church by these proprieties it will appeare to bee no pure Church but to be very corrupt euen as a rotten apple is an apple corrupted and no otherwise then a man that is infected with the plague is a man but no sound man And that the Popish Church is not the pure Church I will prooue it by two manifest reasons the first An idolatrous Church is not the true and pure Church but such a one is the Popish Church Ergo. The proposition is euident because God doth abhorre nothing more then Idolatrie therefore hee saith Flie from Idols and No Idolater shall be saued The assumption I confirme thus That Church which giues that honor which Dauid giues vnto God the Creator in the very same words vnto the creature to wit the Virgin Mary that same Church is idolatrous But the Church of Rome doth so goe now that the Church of Rome doth attribute that honour which is due vnto God vnto the Virgin Mary I proue it by a most euident testimony out of that same Psalter of Marie the Virgin which was compiled by Bonauentura who liued 250 yeares agoe and canonized of the Pope of Rome so that hee is accounted among the Saints and the title of a Seraphicall Doctour which is more then Angelicall giuen vnto him This same Psalter was by the permisson of the higher powers printed in Latin at Brixia and Bononia in Italy eight yeares since being before printed at Ingolstadium in the Dutch tongue some 20 yeares agoe in the Preface whereunto it is expresly said that it was compiled the holy Ghost inditing and dictating it And further that very Psalter is in speciall vse in the Romish Church but especially it is currant among the Monkes of Saint Bennets Order which are called Cistercians Now in this Psalter all those things which Dauid attributes to the high most mightie God Ye haue this Psalter in Bonauētures works printed in seauen Tomes at Rome 1588 vol. 6. pag. 502 in Latin in English yee haue diuers passages of it and amongst the rest these in Foxes Martyrology printed 1583. fol 1600. Missale Roman edit Salmanticae A D. 1588. feria 6. in parasceue p. 223. are by them put vpon the Virgin Marie as Psal 51. Haue mercy vpon me O Lady and cleanse me from all mine offences But that of all other is most blasphemous which they apply vnto her out of the Psal 109. according to that distinction The Lord said to my Lady sit thou mother mine at my right hand where Mary is made the mother of God the Father as though the Father had beene incarnate and made man that I may not say further that to be set on the right hand of God is to haue a like power and equall glory with God himselfe Againe that the Romish Church is an Idolatrous assembly I prooue it out of the Romish Masse booke where in the Seruice appointed for Good-Friday it is said that the Priest so soone as he hath put off his shoos then approacheth to adore the Crosse shall kneele 3 times before hee kisse the Crosse and then afterward the Ministers of the Altar they must also kneele and three times adore the Crosse II. Arg. That Church which approueth manifest crimes is not the pure Church but the Church of Rome is such Ergo. The Proposition is herein manifest for that the Papists themselues doe yeeld sanctity and holinesse of manners to be a note of the Church The assumption I cōfirme 1. for that the Pope doth dispence for Incest Sodomy and other most grieuous crimes See the Taxes Fines or Nundinations of the Court of Rome described at large in Musculus his Common Places 2. It is confirmed out of Costers Enchiridion Coster Enchirid c. 5. propos 9. where you shall finde it written that a Priest committing fornication or keeping a concubine in his house does not so grieuously sinne as he that doth marrie This doth Gretzer allow of in his History of the Iesuiticall order pag. 115. Most truly wrote our Coster Gretzer Ingolstad A.D. 1594. that a Priest should not so grieuously offned if hee should commit Fornication as if hee should marry And he addeth Yea it is truly spoken that a Priest doth lesse sinne in committing Adultery then in marrying a Wife Bellar. 2. lib. de Monach. cap. 30. Jt cannot truly be said of a Nun that hath vowed continencie that it is better to bee married then to burne for both in her is euill to be married and to burne yea worse it is to bee married then to burne whatsoeuer our aduersaries say to the contrary that it is written 1 Cor. 7. It is better to marrie then to burne Here that is worthy marking which Sleidan sets downe in his first booke that a certaine Italian Bishop Casa by name hath written a whole Booke in the praise of filthy Sodomy Where wee may note for a conclusion that although all those things be granted to the Papists which they most gloriously dispute about the Church yet they can gaine nothing hereby because they ought to make it plaine first vnto vs that the Popedome is the true Church which in that they haue not as yet prooued nor shall euer be able to proue it they doe but delude themselues with a vaine title of the Church And whereas they say that it is absurd before the point of the Church bee discussed to take in hand to dispute of
world which his right hand hath not before determined either to doe as in all good things or suffer to be done as in all sinfull actions as S. Austin very fully and learnedly proueth in his Enchiridion to Laurentius Conclus It was Themistocles his commendation in Thucydides that hee could 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex tempore and on a sudden speake to any point and counsell alwayes for the best For my selfe I must confesse I am none of those ready wits yet thus much I haue beene bold out of some former acquaintance with this point of doctrine to write raptim on a sudden to this question for your satisfaction which I trust also will bee sufficient to perswade any ingenuous man that is only tainted with Popery and not branded with the marke of the Beast for there is no hope of such to think and conceiue wel of the truth of our doctrine If I had had my tooles about mee I should haue made it a more perfect worke but you know I am far from my bookes Such as it is it is yours and I am yours to vse in all Christian offices T.V. Aug. de lib. arbit l. 2. c. 20. Tu tantùm pietatem inconcussam tene vt nullum existimes tibi bonum vel sentienti vel intelligenti vel quoquo modo cogitanti occurrere posse quod non sit ex Deo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or The Heads of a plaine and profitable method of Teaching shadowed and pointed at WHereas there bee now in vse two wayes of deliuering the precepts of any Art according to the doctrine of Plato the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a longer the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shorter way in the setting downe of these few rules following I haue made choice of the later because I am sure I haue only to deale with intelligent men or schollers to whom as the old saying runs Verbum sat one word is as good as a thousand I. Preloquution if the matter require vnder which Coherence auoid affectation I meane not only an affectation of big words and phrases but also of a farre fetcht entrance into the Text as hee that in euery Sermon he made whatsoeuer the Text was would bee sure to begin alwayes at the beginning of the world II. Partition into as few parts as you can Auoid curiositio As for example if I were to handle those wordes of Christ Weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues I would not diuide them thus The parts are sixe I. Weepe II. Weepe not III. Weepe not but weepe IV. Weepe not for mee V. Weepe for your selues VI. Weepe not for mee but for your selues for feare I should seeme rather to play with the Text then to diuide the word aright III. Interpretation if terms or words bee ambiguous Auoid needlesse criticismes as if I were to open the name of Paul I should say it came from Pi in Hebrew which signifies â—s and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek that is tibia Master Selden hath intermixed many needlesse Criticismes in the History of Tithes obserued and exploded by diuers Worthies so that I shall not need to say any thing but onely pray for him that the pride of his heart in worm-eaten learning and his malice against the Ministers of the Gospel which he hath discouered by thâ—â— Booke though couertly and aliud agens may bee forgiuen him and that the sin of many close-fisted sacrilegious Patrons which detaine the Churches * Of the point before the famous History saw the light DD. Carleton now L. Bishop of Chichester Tithes proued due to the Ministers of the Gospel by diuine right Sir Hen Spelman De non temerandis Ecclesijs M. Eburne The Maintenance of the Ministery M. Robarts The Reuenew of the Gospel Tithes M. Gosthwick The truth of Tythes To the point and person too S. Iam Sempill Sacriledge Sacredly handled DD. Tillesley Animaduersions on the famous History DD. Sclater The Ministers portion and question of Tithes Reuiewed M. Montague Diatribae on the History M. Nettles Answere to the Iewish part of M. Selden Right and think they haue gotten a very good pretence for so doing by the writing of that Booke bee not one day laid to his charge It is a wonder to see what adoe the Friers make with the first word in the Angels salutation Aue Luc. 1. First say they Aue is as much as sine vae making it come of a priuitiua particula in Greeke and vae in Latine Secondly they find the name of our great Grandame in it because Eue wrought mans destruction and Mary mans Saluation therefore the Angell doth most fitly begin the Salutation with Aue which Anagrammatiz'd is Eua. Ioan Picus in his Heptaplus findes I know not what Mysteries in the first word of the Bible Berescit by transposing and conioyning the Letters diuersly as though he were ringing changes hee pickes out three wordes the intellectuall Celestiall and corruptible and withall this sentence Pater in filio per filium principium fine siue quietem creauit caputignem fundamentum magni hominis foedere bono All this as he conceiues dissults out of the resolution and comâ—osition of the first word in Genesis IV. Collection of Doctrines or conclusions out of the seuerall parts as they shall naturally arise auoid straining as Christ bid some body loose Lazarus and let him goe ergo the Ministers haue power to loose and absolue sinners it is Sixtus Senensis his Collection Moses saith that the Stars were created to bee signes Ergo the Astrologer may come to the knowledge of mens fortunes and of particular euents by the Stars it is Sr. Chrystopher Heydons Collection Abraham paid Tythe to Melchizedech of all the spoyles euen of the spoyles Ergo the spoyles onely it is Mr. Seldens Doctrine God made man after his owne Image Ergo Images are to be suffered in Churches The Sun is greater then the Moone by many degrees Ergo the Pope is aboue the Emperour Dauid saith Praise God in his Saints Ergo wee may pray vnto the Saints Christ said to Peter thy faith shall not faile Ergo the Pope of Rome cannot erre These and the like inconsequences are meere wrestings of the Text. And so it is likewise when a Parable is vrged beyond the scope and drift of it very common among Popish interpreters V. Probation 1. By authoritie of Scriptures opening them along if need be 2. By arguments or reasons illustrating them some way as you can Auoid prolixitie That 's S. Austins counsell Lib. 4. de doct Christ 22. and his reason is Quando prolixa est oratio in vno genere minus detinet auditorem and therefore hee would not haue a Preacher stand long vpon any point when it is once vnderstood of the people but slide into another I haue heard of a Preacher that stood vpon a short Text seuen yeeres together and I haue read I am sure of one Thom. Hasselbachius that was