without any scarre Nick. I pray you what likenesse is there between Sacer dotes and Scortatores yet as I haue heard my master say in one Edition of the new Testament set out at Coleyn in steed of these words h 1. Cor. 6.9 Neque Scortatores regnū dei possidebunt he hath found it thus printed Neque Sacerdotes regnum dei possidebunt I hope you will not challenge the Printer for allusion to your olde trade I perswade my selfe it was his misprision though some haue thought hee did it to cry quittance with his wiues Confessour I hope this was more then the change of one poore sillable the tayle of the g being the same with a Romane s and a running o. not vnprobably to be supposed to haue lost the head of a d. through hast of a speedy pen. To put vt for at is no such capitall crime Ma. You should rather demand of him what likenesse there is between 34. and 42. 169. and 168. 176. and 172. Such errours are so frequent in his booke that it must of necessity cause wrong quotations yet in my conscience I do not thinke the Doctor was accessary to these or the like scapes wherewith his lines doe abound T is like the Printer thought hee had no great good match of your booke Had hee not misdoubted the currant sale thereof hee would haue had a more vigilant eye ouer the presse this his presage made him put i Pag. 63. N. 43 lin 6. giue for deny k Io. lin 8. Indeleble for vndeniable l Pag. 92 N. 3. Edition for Reddition m Pag. 101. N. 13. Deuised for deuided n Pag. 52. N. 29 long for low o Pag. 129. N. 6. Ioyned for moued p Pag. 180. N. 27 Burned for drowned q Pa. 40. N. 15 was for his old seruiceable attendant As. The surplusage and defect of many other words giues vs iust cause to suspect either the Printers care or the Authors skill so that you may well winke at such small faults as the scape of a Monosyllable or two Iab Why r Pag. 42. should he make his Inference in Latin writing in English what English Author vseth that idle manner of Writing but himselfe Min. As if a Schollar being in his owne Element may not be easily carried away with a strong imagination that he is in the Schooles especially writing to a Schollar about Theologicall questions This I haue many times obserued in the Knight that it is yrksom vnto him to write any thing Verbatim which hath passed his penne before neither doth hee without vrgent necessity render that authority in English which hee hath quoted in Latin All wittes haue not the patience alike to endure the repetition of the same things and such for the most part take that first which first offereth it selfe and may bee dispatched with fewest Characters taking vp the least roome Ma. Whether his Inference were in Latine or English it is litigium de forma I am sure he vouched S. Hieromes ſ In praef lib. Sal authority that the Church read the book of Machabees for the edification of the common people but receaued them not amongst the Canonicall Scriptures for the authorizing of Ecclesiasticall decrees which was as much as the Knight intended by secluding them from the Canon of Faith Iab This is nothing to the purpose t Pag. 43. to proue S. Augustine did reiect them who might bee contrary to S. Hierome in this point not beeing then defined by any generall Councell Ma. S. Hierome contrary to S. Augustine Is not this goodly Rhetorique to draw the Ladies to build their faith vpon the writings of the ancient Fathers Is there any more then one truth Either the booke of Machabees is Canonicall or not You say S. Augustine auerrs it wee proue that S. Hierome Lyra Brito Rabanus Caietan c. deny it Whom shall your Creatures beleeue Will you suffer them to haue such reeling and tottering Consciences Iab u Pag. 44. Caietan whom he citeth iumps not altogether with your conceit and though he did his sayings are not oracles with vs. Min. This kind of disputing will neither get you a Miter nor a Cardinalls Hatte Set you so light by the head-men of your parish Good Dctour let vs know to whose verdit you will stand dare you say to S. Augustines are all his sayings Oracles in your Church Nay saith x In Act. Apost cap. 1. p. 9. a. Lorinus Augustinus incertum putat an Iste Theophilus idem sit cui Lucas Euangelium et Acta nuncupauerit Atqui res certa videtur The Diuines of y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Trinit l. 9. c. 2. in Marg. Louane lay Sophistry to his charge So likewise writeth your Iesuite z Comment in Iohan. 6.53 Maldonate Augustini et Innocentij primi sententia fuit quae sexcentos fere annos viguit in ecclesia Eucharistiam etiam infantibus necessariam esse quae tandem ab ecclesia reiecta est The opinion of Augustine and Innocentius the first which was receiued in the Church well nigh sixe hundred yeares was this that the Eucharist was necessarily to bee ministred vnto Infants which at length is reiected by the church Negare non possumus saith a In Thom. disp 154. cap. 2. 3. Vazquez praedictam opinionem fuisse Augustini et Fulgentij a qua non multum Gregorius Magnus abhorret tamen meo iudicio probabilior eos nulla alia paena quam damni id est priuatione beatitudinis puniri Albeit we cannot deny that b Ser. 14. de verb. Apost et l. 5. cont Iuliā c. 8. Aug. and Fulgentius did teach that Infants dying without Baptisme did presently descend into the place of the damned to be sensibly tormented in hell-fire yet notwithstanding in my iudgement it is more probable that they vndergoe no other punishment then the losse and priuation of beatitude The like censure doth c Concor Euang tom 1. lib. 7. ca. 8 Barradius passe vpon Euthymius Hocloco saith he Euthymius non recte de Virgine sanctissima haec scripsit Non credidit sicut Zacharias c. Procul a Christiano pectore et auribus huiusmodi sint verba Thus doth your Church spunge out the opinions of the ancient Fathers vpon whom you seem so stedfastlie to relye Ma. Then it seems the matter is not great what S. Augustines opinion was touching the Legitimation of the Machabees seeing his words are no Oracles euen with the Doctors of the Romish Church and the rather because the booke according to Iabals confession was not then naturalized by the consent of any Occumenicall Couacell Nick. This is a prettie slight The Fathers are but as feathers when they doe not stick to the Popelings I trow Saint Hierome shall find more fauour at your hands Iab Saint d Pag. 43. Hierome may seeme to speake acoording to the opinion of the Hebrewes as hee vseth to doe not in
his owne Ma. This shift is fetch'd beyond the circumference of all probable Appararance Hee speakes in the e In Pref. lâ—b Salomonis present not in the preterperfect tense of the Church then being Legit ECCLESIA sed eos inter Canonicas Scripturas non recipit Yea by way of toleration he deliuers his minde permissiuely thus Legat Ecclesia ad edificationem plebis yet with this Limitation non ad authoritatem dogmatum Ecclesiasticorum confirmandam f De Ciuit. Dei lib. 18. cap. 38. Yea S. Augustine himselfe confesseth that one and the same man may write some thinges historica diligentia which though proceeding from himselfe may serue ad vbertatem cognitionis and other things ex inspiratione diuina which must be receiued ad authoritatem religionis Iab Those g Pag. 43. wordes come short of your summe to proue your Protestant distinction of the Canon of Manners and Canon of faith Ma. I grant Saint Hieromes sentence doth not deliuer these wordes in so many explicite sillables yet doth it necessarily imply as much in the implicite sence The Church readeth them for the edification of the people therefore they are in the Canon of Manners and serue to the bettering of knowledge The Church receiueth them not amongest the Canonicall Scriptures Therefore they are not in the Canon of faith as tending to th' authoritie of Religion Iab Euerie booke h Ibid. that may bee read for edification in the Church may not bee termed a rule of Manners What is iust with the rule of Manners is certainly good But actions aacording to these bookes wee speake of the Knight granteth may bee wicked For example to kill himselfe is a thing vnlawfull yet it is conformable to those actions that he saith are praysed in the Macchabees How then can they bee the Canon and Rule of Manners Min. Besides the Primarie and Diuine Canon of Manners properly so called I meane the Canonicall Scripture which is absolutely to bee receiued as wholy authenticall by and in it selfe there is also a Subordinate Ecclesiasticall rule which by vertue of Concordance is so farre to bee admitted for a rule as it is consonant to the first Thus the Macchabees from i So we call that awedge of Gold wherein there is some drosse the best and greatest part which is certainly good may deriuatiuely receiue the Denomination of the Canon of Manners albeit some little portion thereof be not leuelled and squared according to the first vnerrable squire This Deuiation though it exclude not the reading of the rest which may serue as a Subsidiarie promoter of edification yet can it not but debarre the whole from the Supremacie of k In Apocriphis etsi inuenitur aliqua veritas tamen propter multa falsa nulla est Canonica authoritas Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 23. Canonicall esteeme Ma. Sir It is your courtesie thus to explane your selfe Yet vnder correction you doe not well to flie after the Doctors Lure It is sufficient for you that Saint l A Diuo Hieronimo extra Canonicos libros supputantur inter Apocripha locantur c. Ad Hieronimi limaÌ„ reducenda sunt tam verba Conciliorum quam Doctorum Caietan ad fin comment in l. hist Vet. Test Hieromes vndeniable testimonie hath explaned Saint Augustines Si Sobriè by which though the toleration of the Macchabees bee permitted yet the Canonization is vtterly m Maximè propter istos Martyres Machabaeos disanulled It belongeth to his taske to prooue them to bee of the Diuine Canon which hee shall more easily attempt then accomplish seeing Saint Augustine himselfe confesseth that the Ancient Iewes vtriusque tabulae custodes did not receiue them as they did the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes So that it will bee a point of no small difficultie without some Night-Ghosts reuelation to shew by what warrant or meanes the Church of Christ was after moued to adopt them Iab I could n Pag. 58. ioyne with Saint Augustine other Fathers no lesse ancient then hee canonizing the same bookes but his testimonie may suffice alone which bringeth with it the authoritie of the Church in his dayes Nick. Alas poore Doctor Bragge this is but a coppie of your countenance you will make but a mean liuing by singing Solus cum Solo I trowe Master Vicar wil bee able to vie fathers as fast as you Your Mastershippe may perhaps finde a Counter for the Post but you dare not for your eares bee in at the Payre Ma. Verily I thinke Clichtoueus was more then halfe a Prophet hee doth so visibly deschipher the guise of our Disputant as if hee were here present o Iudocus Clictoueus in Epist ad Franciscum Molinum Alij sunt saith hee qui non nisi suo credunt consilio quod semel asseruerunt volunt oraculo solidius vt haberi Alij autem authoritatula vna aut vnius scribentis dicto vt equus capistro retinentur caeteros aspernaentur qui ea de re aut dixerunt aut scripserunt Min. Sir it is faire play to till this gamester on by reseruing the best card till the last tricke The Ancient records of the Church shall be produced when they shall strike all dead for the present I thinke I shall sufficiently discharge my part if I make good the Knights argument out of S. Augustines ground to ratifie our conclusion Ma. Herein shall you not bestow your paines amisse Min. Then thus p Counters pa. 41 In Holy Canonicall Scripture there is no Diuine precept or permission to bee found that either to gaine Immortalitie or to escape any peril we may q Placuit vt hi qui per ferrum aut praecipitium sibi ipsis mortem inferunt nulla pro illis in oblatione commemoratio fiat Concil Bracaren 1. ca. 34 make away with our selues But Razias mentioned in the Macchabees is commended for a fact of this kind Ergo r His non adhibetur fides in quibus etiam contra fidem librorum Canonicorum quaedam leguntur Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 18. cap. 38 they are not Canonicall Iab It was Å¿ Pag. 49. farre from Saint Augustines grauitie to read the Macchabees with so little Sobrietie as to thinke that Razias was praysed for killing himselfe t Pag. 51. writing against the Circumcellians hee doth often teach and largely prooue that Razias was not commendable for that fact which the Scripture did report not prayse Min. I will not presse you with tautologies neyther would I willingly bring Lyram ad Asinum vnlesse you were a better Musitian Lyraes record is extant that u Lyra in 2. Mach. cap. 14 the Scripture of that Booke which is receiued by the Church to be read for the Information of Manners doth not seeme to reprooue Razias but rather to commend him for killing himselfe c. Iab This is x Pag. 51. false and against the minde of Saint Augustine who
with the loathsome staines of Heathenish Idolatry If words will carry it wee will roll in our figures as well as you Iab Oh what x Pag. 95. glorious Fathers and Doctors could I name famous in former ages for sanctity and learning that submitted their iudgements to the sayings of the Church Ma. O what a glorious Church were your Antichristian Synagogue did it not dissent from that primitiue purity of doctrine whereunto those famous Doctors and holy Fathers did subscribe then were it insolent madnesse in any to reiect her authority Iab Little y Pag. 96. Iudgement or piety doe you shew in your iest at our Ladies A. B. C as if the authority of the Church were not the Alphabet and Christ-Crosse row in which all Christians ought and all ancient Christians did learne to read and beleeue the Scriptures S. Augustine the Phoenix of wits the Mirrour of learning did hee not learne in this booke Truly saith he I would not belieue the Gospell did not the Churches authority mooue mee vnto it Min. Sooner shal you perswade vs that a foule noysome Stye is a faire princely pallace then that your Romish Seminary is that Church of which S. Augustine spake And yet must that holy Father bee z Non disputas ad idem rightly vnderstood He spekes there of his Introduction to the faith not of the Foundation thereof Being before a Manichy he could not of himselfe haue found the way out of the darknesse of that blind heresy vnlesse the Catholique Church had lent him her hand to conduct him to those Christall streames by the a Ecclesia proposuit Euangelium Euangeliu composuit fidem vertue whereof his eyes were opened and his mynd enlightened He had beene like enough to haue passed by that Liuing fountaine without regard had not their b Causa sine qua non direction who had made triall of the soueraignty therof persuaded him to make his repayre thither for the like successe Wherefore he should haue bene very vngrateful for so irrequitable a benefit had he concealed the meanes whereby that his so great happines was so luckily occasioned What good he receyued from the Church he freely acknowledgeth yet is he not so vniust as to make his requital with the Scriptures c Non dicit Nisi me Ecclesiae authoritas Moueret sed Commoueret wronge Yea so farre is he from subiecting those infallible Oracles to the Iudgement of Men that in the fourth Chapter of the same d Aug. Cont. Epist funda booke he challengeth the Manichyes to produce Scripture for their opinionatiue error with protestation that he would then forsake the name of the Church the Consent of people and Nations and returne vnto them So that howsoeuer the authority of the Church was an allectiue inducement to drawe him to the Ghospell yet was the Ghospell a farre more potent instrument in the founding and setling of the spirituall edifice of his faith vppon the solidity whereof he did principally and most confidently depend Ma. If it had not bene for the tydings of the little e 2. Reg. 5.3 Mayd Naaman had not gone to the Prophet in Samaria by whose praescript he was healed Shall we therefore saye that she had any hand in the curing of his leprosy No doubt her courtesie was not forgotten but the mayne homage and rewarde was offered to the man of God Had it not bene for the f Ioh. 4.42 Woman the Samaritans had not come vnto Christ but they heard him speake before they knew him to be Christ then loe they beleiued not because of her wordes but because themselues had heard him Iab The g Pag 57. 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 sheepe of Christ and knowe his voice from that of strangers Theise are your Ministers faire promises Yet I dare giue them my worde though they haue the best spirit that euer possessed any man of your Church notwithstanding they maie erre damnably mistacke Scripture thinck that to be true translation which is indeed erroneous I see h Pag. 98. no remedy for them if they meane to be saued from the Deluge of errours but to fly to the Arke of Noe printed at Venice Your sheepe must learne in an hebrew Grammar to vnderstand their Pastors they must nibble on those rootes of Iury wherewith it would be great pitty your rare Creatures should be troubled Min. As touching our translations of the Bible though they admit a variety of style and phrase yet they concurre in a Sympathizing vnity of matter and sence They all accord in one issue without contradiction they all direct by one and the same waye to one and the same end so that the most vnlearned if he haue not a desire to goe astray cannot tread amisse There being but one choice of truth proposed there is hardly any possibility of being deceiued The Ladyes are not ignorant with what princely Cost and Care that Worke hath bene lately reuised by such graue learned and industrious persons who for knowledge in the originall tongues were best esteemed and for their sincerity least to be suspected Wherefore this hauing past the test of strictest discusse being allowed by the Church and vncontrolled by the most prying and Censorious aduersarie they are assured of the infallible truth thereof By the sweetnes of the fruite they euidently see that it sprang from a sound Roote by the illumination of the i 1. Ioh. 2.20 spirit which leadeth into all trueth by the ministry of the worde of God ratifyed with the k In Euangelijs omnis veritas omnis manifestatio veritatis Origen agreement and explaned with the perspicuous reasons of the Scripture it selfe by the efficacy thereof in captiuating their vnderstandings vnto the diuine will and their carnall affections to the regiment of a supernaturall lawe by often reading which begetteth experience and by hearty prayer which hath a promise of effectuating their zealous desires they are infallibly sure that their translation is true and their vnderstanding agreable to the rule of faith Moreouer the principles of faith with are absolutely and necessarily to be knowne beleiued and practized of all men are there blazed with such a l Aug de doct chris l. 2. c. 9. radiant lustre that without affected ignorance they are obuious to euery eye Though perhaps the genuine interpretation of some places of lesse consequence be sometymes mistaken yet is not the foundation raced so that their error is neither pernicious nor damnable Ma. If our Ladyes thus furnished in their mother tongue hauing no recourse to the hebrew text be in such danger of errour in what a pittifull plight are those creatures who are tyed to their vulgar latin translation which they vnderstand not How shall they trye the spirits of their teachers hauing so crooked a rule which they know not how to
that brought it Harry the Portar Idem de eodem VVHen Chance came in he seem'd to bring a prize Nick look'd and found a fardle full of Lies And when he tooke it Chance did wag his tayle Praesaging that the Groome should Iabal quaile When Dogs bring popish Libels tween their gills T is time for Groomes to exercise their quills THE CONTENTS of the seuerall Chapters of this Booke CHAP. 1. Pag. 1. THe Libellers malice fraud and folly detected CHAP. 2. Pag. 71. The Machabees vnthronized CHAP. 3. Pag. 103. Purgatories deduction Logically and Theologically disprooued CHAP. 4. Pag. 150. The Scriptures authority and sufficiency warranted against Praier for the dead and other Romish traditions CHAP. 5. Pag. 206. Lipsian Miracles morterized CHAP. 6. Pag. 246. Great Gregories proud Delegate dismounted and popish pretended deuotion vncased Dialogue Betweene the Maior of Queenboroughe Minister of Queenboroughe NICK Groome of Queenboroughe Iabal Rachil Libeller A CVRRY-COMBE for a Cox-combe CHAP. I. The Libellers malice pride fraud and folly detected Ma. WHat honest Nick Welcome into Sheppy How fares the noble Knight and all the true Trojans at home Nick. I thanke God Sir all well My Master remembers his loue to your Worship to you Master Vicar and to all his friends in these parts Min. We are much bound to him for his kinde remembrance but I wonder what winde driues you hither we may strew greene rushes for you I thinke you were neuer heere since Master Maior tooke his oath Nick. Sir you are in the right but such troublesome guests come soone enough like foule weather before they be sent for Ma. Nay say not so Nick the worst dogge in your masters house cannot come vnwelcome to Queenborough Nick. That 's more of your kindnesse then our merit but I pray you what 's the reason the bowling greene is so emptie vpon so faire a day Min. Why man there is a great Faire at Sittingburne thither they are all gone tag rag and long-taile Nick. Then I feare I am come at an ill time Ma. Why so Nick. My master hath sent me for the pyde nagge hee would haue him runne in Iames parke lest hee spoile himselfe this drie season besides I haue appointed the Smith to bee heere in the afternoone Now if the Castle-keeper bee gone to buy Hobby-horses too I am in a faire case Min. To put you out of doubt vpon my knowledge he is ridde out more then an houre and a halfe since Nick. Then it is likely to be darke night before he finde the way home Ma. Assure your selfe of that it is a forfeit for a Sheppy-man to come from a Faire till Sunne set Nick. See the ill lucke and the worst is I know not how to spend the time all this liue-long day Ma As if I haue not a good dish of Oysters and a cold pye at home to hold you tacke Nick. Many thankes good Master Maior but in very deed I brake my fast so well with our old Gardiner at Vpberry before I came out that I shall haue little mawe to any meate till night Min. Then what will you doe Nick. On my little honestie I know not vnlesse some good bodie would lende mee a Play-booke to make my worship laugh Ma. Faith Nick I doe not remember any such in my custodie but our Searcher lent me a merry book which came to his hands the last weeke Min. Sir you meane that squibbing pamphlet against Sir Edward Hoby which I borrowed of you yesterday morning Ma. The very same I would you would take the paines to fetch it Min. That labour shall be saued we neuer parted companies since we met Nick. Now if you bee kinde gentlemen let vs sit downe yonder vpon a Secretum silentium magis disputationibus conuenit ne sermo interpâ—llâ—tur a tanta vltro citroque cuntâ—um hominum frequentâ—â— sirepitu Pennylesse Bench and suruey it Ma. Agreed for I thinke wee shall haue no bodie in hast come to trouble vs. Nick. What may the title of the booke bee and who is the Author Min. He may be Nicholas nemo for ought I know he discouers himselfe only by the marke of b Conscia splendâ—ntâ—in formidat noctua solem I. R. Nick. I dare lay a good wager it is that Ishmael Rabshacheh whom my Master so hampred in his CouÌ„ter-snarle my minde giues me it is the same Gurgullio whose late arriuall makes him so much merriment Min. Not vnlike hee hath wonne the spurres for an arch-rayler The most rauing and brauing Paf-quil that euer I read Had he gotten any prize by his last worke you should haue now seene him out of his maskers sute he stands close behinde his picture if it passe currant he will then peepe out otherwise he will hide his head in a Bench-hole Ma. But is this the fashion of professed c Illi saciem velant qui se pudenda dicere cognoscunt fatentur se non dicenda dicere Laur. Val. de volupt lib. 3. Diuines to broach Positions which they dare not justifie with the subscription of their names and being namelesse themselues to perbreake persons of note Nick. Doe you wonder at that As if old purse-takers will present themselues in their owne likenes without vizards and scarfes Ma. Indeede that were the next way to the Gallowes but surely this kinde of cunning ioyned with so great scurrility which in my little view I discouered would make me shrewdly suspect their d Non sic Phidias qui clypeo Mineruae imaginem suam insculpsit sinceritie who are so intemperate in their owne affections and regardlesse of better mens credits Min. This is the Catholike charitie and soule-gaining patience practised now adayes but he is not without his shifts That he concealeth his name it is his e Page 26. humilitie as regardlesse of worldly respects That hee is so tarte it proceedeth from his zeale of the cause not any hatred of the person Ma. In my opinion he needs not feare any great applause for the extraordinary skil of his work T' is well if he scape in this learned age without reproof· But to make zeale the Patron for his f A trimme Minion one of a merry scoffing wit Frier-like Steph. Winton against G. Ioy. page 2. personall trumps is intollerable hypocrisie Min. Could he shew any such sparkes of personall disdaine flying from Saint Augustines penne there were yet some little hope that hee hath at least a dramme of that Primitiue Spirit but you shall heare how he contradicts himselfe g Preface Dedicatorie Saint Augustine saith he did endeauour to curbe the motions of anger seeking to ouercome his Aduersaries not by returne of iniurious reproaches to disgrace their persons but by cleare Demonstrations of the victorious truth Ma. Then is hee as like Saint Augustine as an Owle to an Iuie bush Nick. And could hee single out no body but my Master to make the Anuill of his malice I doubt hee hath
c Pag. 29. boldly suruey the Knights Hell or Letter against Purgatorie The d Pref. Iudicious Reader will not wonder that your rude hammering with heauie reproaches on the Rocke of truth doth fetch out some liuely sparks of iust disdaine Nick. What! contemptible aduersaries e Quod efficit tale magis tale scolding feminine Antagonists rude hammering Iust disdaine so blunt at the first dash are these your Doway salutations T is well Master Maior we haue your companie to keepe the peace Out of doubt the Doctor hath pissed on a nettle his Nurse was too blame she should haue giuen him more stamp'd Grunsill in his milke hee is so exceedingly troubled with the fret Ma. Surely Sir with your fauour I see no such reason for your contemptuous disdaine If you stand vpon your Schollershippe I dare say our Vicar hath gone as long to Schoole If vpon your place I would you should know I am not the meanest man in my Corporation Or if the opinion of your wit haue blowne vp the emptie bladder of this your swolne conceit here is honest Nick a boone Lad one that f Nouit is lepidas audire et reddere voces knowes how to take and returne a iest as well as the best youth in the Parish I dare vndertake hee shall hold you play to the last cast alwaies prouided that there doe no g Pref. smoakie mists of personall Scoffes against the Knight his Master vampe from your marish mouth for then hee will bee as hot as a toste you shall find hee will carrie no coales if once you touch his copie-hold Min. Then shall we not need to decline this suruey h Singulis pro persona dignitate orationem assignauinius th'opponent being thus fitted ad omnia quare whether he be material facete or verbal he shal be met withall vpon equall termes with his owne weapons in his owne kind Wherefore Domine IABAL rem aggredere what i pag. 29. Folly and Falshood can you discouer in the Knights Letter to T. H Iab If k pag. 30. lying killeth the soule what are the Knights leaues but a dead letter wherein there are grosse and inexcusable corruptions of the most learned of the Ancient Fathers concerning a point of highest importance to wit the Canonicall authoritie of the Booke of Macchabees where Purgatorie and other points of Catholike Doctrine which you peremptorily denie are directly proued Ma. I cannot blame you for so high esteeming the Booke of Macchabees If that Lock bee once cut off your strength for the maintenance of Purgatorie will soone faile If that Cesterne yeeld you no water your tongue will cleaue to the roofe of your mouth for want of that moysture which now makes it so glibbe your Prayer for the dead will bee then soone put to silence and enforced to begge Patronage from the Legends Well I doubt not but you wil be driuen from that Holde before this combate be at an end In the meane season you may doe well to acquaint vs with the grosse and inexcusable corruptions wherewith you charge the Knights Letter as iniurious to the most learned of the Ancient Fathers Iab His l Pag. 34. Letter to proue that the Machabees were Canonicall in Saint Aug. Iudgment saith in this sort It is not our surmise that Saint Augustine seemeth to signifie so much who elsewhere to wit in the Booke De Mirabilibus sacrae Scripturae doth plainly and determinately saie That they are not of the diuine Canon Ma. Nay good Doctor let vs haue faire play Shew mee where hee endeauours to proue that the Macchabees were Canonicall and we wil be easily intreated to yeeld you the bucklers hee pleades and proues the contrarie throughout his discourse Besides it is no honest dealing to insert a Parenthesis into your Aduersaries text These wordes to wit in the Booke De mirabilibus sacrae Scripturae beare the counterfeit stamp of your owne will The Knight saith only that Saint Aug. elsewhere excludeth them from the Diuine Canon for proofe whereof hee doth in the same page cite his words Contra Gaudent and for the better passage hereof he premiseth a testimonie out of the booke De Mirabilibus written Anno Domini 627. which he margents with Saint Augustines name as being to bee found only amongest his tomes Iab m Ouerth pag. 134. Was not Sir Edward thinke you here bobbed by the Bachelor or some Lecturer He n Ouerth pag. 133. citeth the Booke de Mirabilibus by their directions as Saint Augustines which all learned men with one consent discard from the number as a Booke of no account Can o Ouerth pag. 134. any staine to his Knighthood be greater then to bee thought so notorious a Falsifier of so great and learned a Father euen in print Min. Is this so inexpiable an errour that no satisfaction may redeeme I had thought his manie reasons alleadged in the Counter-snarle would haue giuen content to any judicious eye but I perceiue malice will hold the least aduantage with tooth and naile Iab Did p Pag. 34. he only note in the margent where that Booke and sentence might bee found and not resolutely auerre in his text that it was plainly and determinately his saying Min. I must be your Eccho He did only note in the margent And you must know there is great difference betweene a cursorie marginall note and a resolute textuall assertion It might haue sufficed you that that Booke was very neare a thousand yeare old long as he tels you before Luther was born and of such esteeme that it was annexed to his writings who was then most eminent So ancient a testimonie could not but giue a great Shake to the Macchabees Iab But q Pag. 34. why did hee cite it for Saint Augustines against his conscience and knowledge as hee since confesseth Min. You may as well aske Ludouicus Viualdus why in the very text of his Tractate De Veritate Contritionis pag. 31. he citeth the same father for a saying taken out of the Booke De duodecim Abusionum gradibus saying Haec Augustinus whereas in the 42. page of the said Booke hee maketh this acknowledgement of the same worke Hic liber à quibusdam ascribitur Hugoni de Sancto Victore Alij vero tribuunt Cypriano You might haue done well to haue taken him to schoole and taught him neuer to haue cited that Booke without that tedious Appendix So should Augustine haue beene well attended with a man or two still waiting at his heeles Ma. Verily the good man would haue taken it ill at his hands who should haue laid Ignorance or Fraude to his charge To haue taxed him with r Pag. 37. Reseruations and Equiuocations in his writings about matters of Religion to deceiue his lesse warie Readers had beene an irrecompensable wrong Yet is hee in the same praedicament with the Knight Euerie penne especially in marginall directs is not patient at
denies it expressely y Pag. 49 neyther is Lyraes Doctrine to the purpose Min. If you grant that Saint Augustine was one of the principall Doctors of the Church then listen a while to Ludouicus Viualdus z De veritate cōtritiouis fol. 52. De Razia saith he nobilissimo milite legimus in 2. lib. Mach c. quòd scipsum a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animose ac magnifice in mortem dederit cuius mors commendatur ac landibus extollitur A DOCTORIBVS CATHOLICIS eo quod ob reuerentiam Dei atque ob salutem boni publici consummata fuerit We read of Razias c. Whose death is commended and highly extolled by the CATHOLIQVE DOCTORS Ma. Was this the opinion of Catholique Doctors in Viualdus his age then it seemes Saint Augustine was either not well vnderstood or not reputed in that ranke or that those Doctors haue since changed their mindes Howsoeuer the Minor viz. that Razias is commended for that fact hath the warrant of the Catholique Doctors as also of Ludouicus and Lyra maugre the spurning of your Wilde Asses b Pag. 62 Colt Therefore the conclusion that the Macchabees are not Canonicall must by vertue of Augustines ground bee returned with the c Pag. 46. Goose and Woodcock vnto your owne keeping Nick. Saint d Ibid. Augustines Eagle hath alreadie pick't out their eyes and put them to flight they beginne to droop and hang the wings so that they will haue little maw to shew their heads any more on this Coast Iab Is e Pag. 58 it not credible that some fathers who denie these bookes were ignorant of the Churches warrant rather then Saint Aug. so rash and presumptuous as to canonize them without it Ma. Lord what shift the Doctor makes to get loose his strugling makes mee remember the complaint of an f Laurent Valla de volup l. 1. elegant writer which may well beseeme Master Rachils eares Quid facias prauis ingenijs quae tergiuer santur manifestis rationibus repugnant nec se à veritate capi sinunt Min. Nay on my word hee begins to deale more plainly then I expected For whereas before he did set Saint Hierome and Sant Augustine at oddes making no more account of Caietans pearles then ordinary pebbles it is to be attributed to the chollericke fit wherewith he was ouertaken But now vpon better and more mature deliberation hee speakes by the book and tels vs that some Fathers deny these books Yet heerein he is not well aduised in that to free S Augustine from rashnesse and presumption hee sticks not to charge the rest with ignorance Ma. In very deede Doctor you are an vngratious child not worthy of your Mothers blessing Wil you make the Fathers of your Church ignorant in the warrant of your Church Shall they bee admitted to teach others in doubtfull controuersies of faith who are themselues to seeke in the Canon of Hagiographicall Scripture which is the ground of faith I cannot thinke that if the foure first generall Councels had receiued these books into the Canon they would haue beene eyther so ignorant or so rash and presumptuous as to haue disallowed them Iab Why g Pag. 50. should not the Bookes of Machabees be sacred though they prayse Razias for this fact as well as the Booke of Iudges where Sampson is praysed who did the like If this be Saint Augustines sentence which the Knight cites out h Ibid. of Lyra that hee did that fact by speciall instinct of the Holy Ghost who doth not see that your argument to proue the Machabees not to be Scripture is not worth a rush Min. Whether Saint Augustine were of this mind or no the Knight referred it to Lyraes report who there relates as he i Counters p. 45 sayth eyther the verie words or the receiued sence The Knight doth not peremptorily take vpon him to iustifie the words to haue proceeded from Augustines pen hee only presumed so farre vpon the Readers patience as to write out what Lyra there wrote without any distinction of Character touching the general opinion of the commendation of Razias his fact wherein as Lyra k Lyra in 2. Mach. cap. 14 speakes some thought Saint Augustine did beare a part Nick. Whether it were Augustines assertion or Lyraes relation it was sufficient to proue the Minor viz. That Razias his murther was there praysed But how will you answer the like of Sampson which Iabal bringeth out of the Booke of Iudges this maie seeme to inferre a secret addition to Augustine his ground Where hee sayth No Canonicall Booke doth commend or praise killing ones selfe Iabal by way of supposition annexeth this clause viz. without speciall instinct of the Holy Ghost Ma. Master Vicar you thinke Beggars haue no Lice VVho would haue looked for this from the Groome It is fit you should stop this gap Min. Had Razias killed himselfe by that speciall instinct then would not Saint Augustine haue ventured to censure this fact as worthie reproofe but as you say he proues against the Circumcellians that Razias was l Pag. 51. not commendable for that fact which the Scripture did report not praise Besides the text ascribes it to his own choice saying Eligens potius nobiliter mori that he chose rather to die m 2. Mach cap. 14. vers 42. nobly Thomas Aquinas also frees the spirit from that motion in this verdit Quidam saith hee seipsos n Secund. 2 Quaest 64. art 5. ad Quint. interfecerunt aestimantes se fortiter agere de quorum numero Razias fuit non tamen est vera fortitudo sed magis quaedam mollities animi Thus doth hee brand it as an aberration from true fortitude which defect is not incident to that spirit which leades into all truth Ma. You may spare your paines for anie further proofe the Doctor I thinke is of your minde in this It pleased him by occasion of that report which the Knight laid vpon Lyraes penne touching some mens construction of Augustines sence and Razias his fact to play the Questionist and to make a doubt of that wherein it seemes by his silence hee holds himselfe now satisfied Nick. Then cannot the Booke of Machabees bee sacred which both by euidence of the text and th' assent of the Catholique Doctors doth prayse Razias for that whch true fortitude doth disclaime and Canonicall Scripture disallow Iab Truly Saint Augustine o Pag. 52. doth so often clearly and peremptorily auouch the Charter of the Machabees which confirmeth Purgatorie to bee sacred that I wonder any man that hath read his workes wil vndertake to proue the contrarie When he makes the Catalogue of Canonicall Bookes doth not he ranke these with the rest Did hee not subscribe to the Councell of Carthage where those Bookes were canonized Ma. This is that which the Knight did wisely foresee and cautelously labour to preuent Hee feared least his aduersarie might be ouer-swayed
by mistaking of the word Canonicall which is sometimes taken largely to signfie aswel the Bookes that might concerne the Rule of Manners as those which serue for the foundation of the doctrine of Faith in which sence your Father and Councell are to be vnderstood whereas the same word in the strict and proper signification doth only comprehend the Bookes which agree with the Canon of the Hebrewes according to the generall consent of the Ancient Fathers of all Churches before the dayes of Saint Augustine To this end hee sent no worse p Letter to T.H. pag. 62. Messenger to cleare this doubt then a person eminent both by name and place I meane that famous Cardinall Cajetan Ne turberis Nouitie saith he Si alicubi reperias libros istos inter Canonicos supputari Cum hac distinctione poteris discernere dicta Augustini scripta in Concilio Prouinciali Carthaginensi Hee tels you that they are thus to be vnderstood as also that none but Nouices in the writing of the Ancient Fathers will trouble themselues by making any question in so apparaÌ„t a truth Nick. Iabal hath well requited him for his paines I trow he hath sent the Cardinall away with a flea in his eare If Caietan had beene Pope hee would haue beene twice aduised before he had so rudely reiected his Oracles My fellow Iack Footeman would haue no great Maw to carry a Message to such a currish Swaine from whom hee expects no better entertainment Min. Caietan I wis had more wit in his little finger then Iabal in his whole body Beati Pacifici was his aime Should such hot-spurres as our Nouice haue beene made Arbitrators there would haue beene such a broyle amongst the Fathers as would not be easily reconciled For if you take away this fauourable most probable distinction you should soone see a field pitch'd betweene q Vide Admon praefix Concord Bibliorum per haered Wecheli Cyril Cyprian Origen r Si quid extra haec inuenitur inter adulterinos libros numerandum est Greg. Nazian Nazian zene Å¿ Anthonin Summ. maior Parâ— 3. tit 18. cap. 6. § 2. Hierome t Alij libri sunt qui non Canonici sed Ecclesiastici a maioribus appellati sunt eiusdem ordinis Tobiae Iudith et Machabaeorum libri Ruffi in Symbol fol. 575. Ruffinus Epiphanius u Sunt Canonici veteris testamenti libri viginti duo lâ—teris baebraicis numero parâ—s Aâ—ban ex Synopsi Athanasius Eusebius and Gregory on th' one side discarding them and Augustine the Councell of Carthage Trent on th' other part defending them When this pitch'd battel should haue beene fought the Romanists might haue sought our valiant Sanga vnder the Trundle-bedde till the hurly burly had beene at at end vnlesse they had pluckt him out by the heeles no perswasion would haue drawne him to shew his face they are all so peremptory and plaine against the Canonizing of these Apogriphall bookes This was not vnknowne to the Cardinal who was thereby induced to thinke that S. Augustine tooke the word Canonicall in the larger sence as comprehending the Ecclesiasticall writings within the verge thereof Ma. Had it beene an error an the Iewes not to haue receiued these bookes as they did the Law and the Prophets I cannot thinke but that Christ or his Apostles would surely haue reproued so notable a crime seeing they were not meale-mouthed in the reprehension of lesser faults And whereas we receiue this maine benefit by the Apostacy of the Iewes that therby the world seeing them enemies vnto the Messias cannot but giue the greater credence to the bookes of th' old Testament without suspect of partiality which otherwise might haue beene doubted the adopting of these other Apocriphall into the Canon were as much as in vs lieth to vilifie th' authority of their authentique records who may not improbably be thought to haue taken in those that were adulterine as well as to haue degraded those that are found to haue beene diuine Min. If all other reasons were mute me thinkes the Author Matter and Manner of the history might well make an ingenuous person very sparing in the defence The Author if wee may credit the x Vide Zanch. de diuin attrib lib. 4. ca. 4. enlarging Epitomizer of these bookes is y 2. Mac. 2.23 Iason Cirenaeus a z Spiritu sancto inspirati loquuti sunt sancti Dei homines 2. Pet. cap. 1. v. 21. heathen man for-sooth a fit Secretarie for the Court of heauen It seemes pen-men were then as scanty as sometimes a 1. Sam. c. 13. v. 19. Smiths in Palestine This must needs bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which requireth so much b 2. Mac. 2. v. 26. watching sweating and pains in the refining Calamus Scribae velociter scribentis would haue eased all this toyle which is not to bee feared where the Omniscient spirit is the Dictator As touching the matter it is wouen in a webbe of such palpable contradictions that a man who regardeth his credit would be sorry at his heart to bee taken tripping in such contrary tales One while c 1. Mach. c. 6. v. 16. Antiochus died for griefe in Babilon Another while hee was slaine in the Temple of d 2. Mac. c. 1. v. 13. Nanea where his head was cut off And yet is not Antiochus out of his paine As if he had as many liues as a Cat you shal see him stalke once more vpon this historicall Stage and then at last fall downe and dye with a most noysome stinking smell consumed with e 2. Mach. c. 9. v. 9. Ducit ad inferos â— educit wormes Indeede I must needs say he is very modest in the deliuery He writes not f Math. 7. v. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one who had the custody of the mint to warrant the mettle whereunto he had put his stampe but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pleasure and recreation of the reader Had he had the warrant of the spirit hee would haue spared the labour of begging fauor and suing out a pardon for which hee is faine to crowch to the Readers gentlenesse Ma. Then had the holy Father S. Augustin good cause to say that they are receiued profitably if they bee read Soberly For if they should bee read with a precipitate opinion as Canonicall Scriptures in the strict sence the many leakes which are transparant in them would goe very neere to sinke th' authority of the rest Iab It appeareth by that testimony against the Epistle of Gaudentius that the Christians gaue that authority to those h Pag. 55. 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. Augustins opposition The Iews did not but The Church doth were vaine Ma. The
opposition if any stands not in the degree but rather beareth the sence of a preuention For as much as the Iewes from whom the old sacred records were originally deriued would not enter them into the Diuine Canon it could not but occasion many considerate Christians vtterly to cashere them For the auoiding heereof S. Augustine seeing they might tend to some good vse tells vs that albeit the Iewes did not receiue them as Canonicall yet the Church receiued them not vnprofitably if they bee read soberly He saith not that the Church receiued them into higher authority then the Iewes but as books which might serue to as good purpose if they were read warily amongst vs as they did among the Iewes Neither doth hee say Recipienda est Scriptura Machabeorum as implying an vndeniable necessity but recepta est non mutiliter as noting a voluntary acceptance vpon a probable end with th' addition of this Prouiso if they be read soberly which howsoeuer you otherwise deeme cannot be fitly spoken of Canonicall writ which is necessarily to be embraced and is alwaies profitable to the Church which euermore bringeth Sobriety to the reading thereof neither is it any lesse behoofull to the Church though it be peruerted by reprobates to their owne damnation But as for humane writings the case is otherwise they are then onely receiued profitably by the Church when they are read warily A good man by attributing too much to an vnwarrantable ground of which sort the sacred writ affoordeth none may make a faulty inference which mooued Saint Augustine to insinuate that there are rocks by which he would haue vs warily to saile Nick. What if wee admit for disputation sake that S. Augustine deliuereth this as his resolute opinion in Iabals sence I would gladly learne what reason hee can yeeld why this should ouer-sway the ioynt iudgement and consent of so many far more ancient Fathers who teach the contrary Iab i Pag. 59. Caluin doth allow him the style of the best and most faithfull witnesse of Antiquity how can hee then be excused from great temerity if heerein he erred Ma. Errare humanum est The spirit of God alone is free from errour The k It was lawful to contradict the Fathers and doubt of them Guido de Haeres c. 7. Church euen in his daies was somewhat clowded with the mists of superstition Had he not an Eagles eye he could hardly haue discouered those beames which Antichrist had then laid in the way It was hard if not impossible for one man to discerne euery mote which then houered in the aire of the Papall regiment Iab l Pag. 60. This sentence may suffice alone to giue any Iudicious eare to vnderstand your opposition with S. Augustine Ma. Wee honour his memory as a blessed Saint from whose pen the Church of God hath receiued ineffable good and wee account it not the least part of our happinesse that for one seeming testimony which you wrest to serue your owne turne wee are able to shew a million to right our cause Iab Can you deny that S. Augustine taught our Catholique doctrine concerning the point of Merit m Pag. 62. Doth he not say that as the wages due to sinne is death so the wages due to righteousnesse is life eternall And againe The reward cannot go before merits nor bee giuen before a man be worthy thereof yea that God should be vniust if he that is truly iust be not admitted into his kingdome Can any Catholique speak more plainly then he doth of Merits Min. These places doe not any whit crosse our doctrine against merit The Analogy which he makes betweene Sinne and Death Righteousnesse and life consisteth not in the quality of Desert but of the n Deest gratiae quiâ— quid meritis deputas Nolo meritum quod gratiam excludit Bâ—â—n super Caen. Ser. 67. effect Augustine saith not that the wages of righteousnesse which is Heauen is as due as the wages of sinne which is death th' Analogy is in regard of the consequent effect to signifie that heauen the wages which is due to righteousnesse shall as truly bee bestowed vpon the faithfull as Hell or Death shall bee inflicted vpon the wicked For if wee consider th'equality of desert and condignity there is according to the doctrine of S. Augustine a threefold disproportion One in respect of the Rewarder whose rewarding of sinne with eternall torment is the proper act of Iustice in it selfe Whereas his rewarding of Righteousnesse vpon them whom he hath accepted vnto Grace is only the Iustice of his mercifull o In illis opera saa glorificant In â—â—les opera non sua condemnant Fulgen. ad Mon. lib. 1. promise Secondly in respect of the Subiect for the Sinne which a wicked man committeth is properly his owne but the righteousnesse of the Regenerate is the gift p Opera bona habemus non ex nobis nata sed à Deo donata Fulg. ibidem of God so that the reward of death is more properly due to sinne then is the reward of life vnto righteousnesse Thirdly in regard of the obiect because the sinne of the wicked is perfectly imperfect but the righteousnes of the most godly is imperfectly perfect that is but a stained goodnesse wherefore there cannot be an equall condignity in both Ma. We grant that the reward cannot goe before merites nor bee giuen before a man bee worthy thereof but Iabal must learne that these merits are q Mors eius meritum meum Aug. in Manual c. 22. Christs by the Imputation whereof we that are altogether vnworthy of our selues are made through Gods gracious acceptance of his sonnes obedience worthy of this reward Otherwise Non sunt condignae passiones our greatest sufferings are not worthy of the least degree of glory which shall bee reuealed to the sonnes of God r Ephes 2. v. 8. Gratia enim saluatis estis saith the Apostle For you are saued by Grace through Faith and that not of your selues Min. Fulgentius makes the case plaine in this golden sentence Å¿ De praedest 〈◊〉 Montâ—tum lib. 1 Vnus Deus est qui gratis et vocat praedestinatos et iustificat vocatos et glorificat iustificatos and againe t Ibid. Sicut gratiae ipsius opus est cum facit iustos sic gratiae ipsius erit cum faciet gloriosos u Aug. in Psal 83. Debitorem se ipse Dominus fecit saith S. Augustine non accipiendo sed promittendo non ei dicitur Redde quod accepisli sed quod promisisti God hath made himselfe a Debtor not by receauing any thing from vs but by the passing of his promise vnto vs wee say not to him Render that thou hast receiued but giue that which thou hast promised And the same x Tract 3. in Iohan Father Non pro merito acciptes vitam aeternam sed pro gratia Thou shalt not receiue life eternall for merit but for grace Nick.