can faine or imagin But I vvill bee so bold as to take this meanes from theÌ„ and then I vvill aske them hovv they knovve that the nevve and old testameÌ„t are not meere fables and fictioÌ„s as the Atheistes say that they are For they are of opinion that the Romaine Church maye deceue bee deceeued and therfore they vvill not beleeue her for the number of canonicall bookes nor for the meaning of scripture hovv then can they credit her vvhen shee defineth that the old and nevve testament are holy scripture her authoritie is one and the same in the affirmation of this and of other thiges if theÌ„ they beleeue her not in those thinges they caÌ„ not beleeue her in this For as if the Astrologer saye that to morrovv shall be rayne that vvith in three monethes ther shall bee rayne I caÌ„ not beleeue this to bee true for his assertion vnlesse I also beleeue that bicause his authoritie is the same and yet I maye beleeue rather that vvithin three monethes vvee shall hauerayne theÌ„ that to morrovv vvee shall haue rayne bicause that in it selfe is more likely so if vvee beleeue one thing vvhich the Romain Church affirmethe and not another vvee beleeue not any thing bicause shee sayeth so but ether for the probalitie of the thinge or for some other reason vvhich pleasethe vs. Vvherfore seing that out reformers beleeue not the Romain Church in all pointes it must neede follovve that they can not beleeue that the old and nevve testament are holy scriptures bicause shee sayeth so but for some other imaginations vv ch they haue for if they belecued this bicause shee sayeth so they vvould beleeue other thinges also vvhich shee auouchethe bicause her authoritie being the same deserueth the same credit in the one and in the other But let vs suppose that they beleeue that the old and nevv testament are holy scripture bicause the RomaiÌ„ Church sayeth so yet bicause they affirme that the Romaine Church maye lye and hathe also lyed loudly in many importaunt matters it follovveth that they haue herby no assuraunce of Scripture bicause as the Church in their opinion hathe erred in other thinges so may she in this if she may peraduenture she hathe erred and so they haue no assuraunce of scripture They vvill saye peraduentur that they are assured by tradition froÌ„ tyme out of mynde vnto this present that those bookes are holye Scripture bicause our forfathers euer esteemed them soe But nether can this bee a sufficient vvarrauut bicause they are vvont to saye that all thinges necessarie to bee beleeued are conteined in scripture and that therfore they vvill beleeue no traditions And if they beleeue that these bookes are holy scripture bicause by tradition so it is deliuered vnto them vvhy do they not beleeue the real presence and the Sacrifice of the Masse Vvhy coÌ„temne they the Fast of lent Images holy vvater the signe of the crosse such like vvhich vvee haue by the same tradition by vvhich vve haue the scriptures Yea seing that Tradition is nothing else but an opinioÌ„ or custome of the Churche not vvritten in holy vvritte but yet deliuered by the handes of the Churche from tyme to tyme and from Christians to ChristiaÌ„s euen vnto the last age and Christians if the Churche can erre she may allovv of euil traditions and so traditions also may bee erroneous coÌ„sequently can be noe sufficient vvarrant vnto the Reformers for the authoritie of holy scripture They vvill say peraduenture that they beleeue most voices and therfore seing that all the vvorld allovveth these bookes for holy scripture they vvill ioine vvith them in this opinion bicause the voice of the people is the voice of God but nether can this voice assure theÌ„ for ether they vnderstand by this commoÌ„ voice the voice of the vvholle vvorld or the voice of the Christian vvorld if they meane the voice of the vvholle vvorld theÌ„ haue they moe voices against them then for them bicause the greatest parte of the vvorld vvas euer Pagane if they meane the ChristiaÌ„ vvorld then in deed the most voices are for Scripture bicause the Catholike Church vvhich allovveth of scripture vvas is and shal be the greatest part of Christianitie but bicause they saye that this Church may erre they can haue no assuraunce of scripture by this voice They vvill saye peradueÌ„ture that they belceue that scâ—ipture is the vvord of God bicause their ovvn Churche vvhich is the true Churche affirmeth it to be so But nether vvill this shifte serue their turne Bicause first of all they caÌ„ not proue their Churche to bee the true Churche not their Pastours to be the true Pastours Bicause their Church hathe not the markes of the true Churche hauing nether succession from the Churche planted by the Apostles vvhich should make it Apostolique nether hauing euer possessed the greatest parte of the knovvn vvorld vv ch should make it Catholike and being so farre froÌ„ being one that it is diuided into coÌ„trarie sectes so farre also from being holy that it leadeth to all vice and Atheisme yea hauing all the Markes of heresie as my second booke demonstrateth As for their pastours they can not proue their mission as also is proued But if I should graunt them that their Church is the true Church yet by their Churches vvarraunt they can haue no assuraunce of Scripture bicause they are of opinioÌ„ that the true Church maye erre and consequeÌ„tly their Church also maye erre and if it maye erre in other thinges it may erre in this and if it may erre in this peradueÌ„ture it hath erred in this and so they haue no assuraunce of Scripture Vvherfore laying a side the Churches authoritie as insufficient in their opinion I demaund vvhat assuraunce they haue of scripture They can not alleage Scripture to proue scripture bicause no part of scripture affirmeth that the bookes called Scripture are the vvord of God dictated and indighted by his spirit And if Scripture did affirme it selfe to be holy Scripture yet vvere not that a sufficient vvarraunt for as I may doubt vvhether the bookes called Scripture be the vvord of God so may I doubte of that testimonie vvhich scripture giueth of her selfe vnlesse by some other meanes I bee assured that these vvritinges are the vvord of God They vvill say peraduenâ— that the very maiestie of the phrase of Scripture and the diuine matters and mysteries vvhich it conteinethe do argue that it is the vvord of God But this ansvvere is also insufficieÌ„t bicause to a vvordly man or Prophane Philosopher the stile of Scripture seemeth base and barbarous and the mysteries seeme to bee nothing else but dreames and imaginations the histories seeme tales and the matters seeme ether follies or impossibilities and so they vvould seeme vnto vs also vvere it not that vvee haue a reuerent conceite of them bicause vvee beleeue them to bee the vvord of God Vvherfore Iulian the Apostata Celsus Porphirius Apion
that his fayth might not fayle and bicause he hathe suprem authoritie vvhich all Catholike Bishops haue euer acknovvledged he hathe called many Councells and determined many controuersies and vvhilest the Church euer standeth to his Iudgement vvhich neuer yet vvas contrary to it is selfe she enuoyethe great peace and vnitie in faythe and religion vvher as the ghospellers bicause they haue noe visible head could neuer call Councells neuer aggree vppon any one point of religion vvhich vvas before in controuersie and neuer shall hereafter bicause matters of religiō are hard and therfore vvher ther-are many heads there are many opinions vvhere are many opiniōs there are many cōtradictions so no peace nor vnitie bicause noe one supreme visible iudge to determine And as for vvant of a visible Iudge they can not appease dissensiōs after they are arisen so can they not preuēt them For if ther be noe visible Iudge euerie Cock-brain may preach his ovvne fancies for true fayth and religion and no man shall controlle him nor condemne his doctrine nor forbid his preaching bicause if ther bee no visible Iudge no man hath the authoritie so the gapp is open to all false prophetes vvho may enter into the nevve Church thicke and three fold bicause noe man therin is of authoritie to forbid them vvhence it follovveth that if vve accept of the nevv religiō and incorporate our selues to the nevv Church vve expose our selues to all false prophetes vvho may preach vvhat they please bicause no man hath authoritie to controlle them THE SECOND BOOK CONTEYNETH A SVRuey of the Markes of heretikes vvhich are proued to aggree so fitly vnto the professours of the nevv religion that if euer ther vvere any heretikes they are heretikes The first chapter handleth the first marke of an heretike vvhich is his breach vvhich he maketh out of that Church vvhich is commonly counted the true Christian Church THEY say commonly that although the deuill disguise him self neuer so much yet by one marke or other he bevvrayeth him selfe For although sometymes hee inueste him selfe in the habit of a younge gallaunte or of a mortifyed religiouse man yea although in out vvard shovve he transforme him selfe into an angell of light yet so it happeneth and I think bicause God vvill haue it so that by one marke or other he is discouered For ether his staring eyes or stinking sauour or horned head or forked feet or base voice discryeth this gallaunt creature to be not as he seemeth but as he is indeed a fovvle and deformed mēber of the deuill vvho though he shrovvd him selfe vnder the goodly name of a christian and vvrapp lapp him selfe from top to toe in the innocent habit of a pastour Vincent Lytin ◠contra proph heres nouit c 36. vvhich is scripture and the vvord of God yet by one marke or other yea not by one only but by many he descrieth him selfe to be as he is an heretike And the reason is bicause the counterfet neuer attayneth vnto the perfection of the currant and arte though she may imitate nature yet shall she allvvayes be vvanting in one thing or other The counterfet gold of the Alchimistes hath a great resemblaunce vvith the true gold but ether the sound or vvayte or operation vvill proue the old prouerbe to be true that all is not gold that glisters Appelles paīted grapes on a boyes head so liuelie that the byrds pecked at them but yet arte came short of nature for if the boye had been painted as vvell as nature frameth her vvorkes the byrds vvould not haue been so imboldned yea the grapes vvanted some thing for at least by pecking the byrds perceiued that all is not grapes that seemeth so Lysippus could in marble stone make so goodly a portrait of a man that he vvould shevv euery bone vaine and vvrincle vvith all proportion but the vvant of life and motion vvell declared vvhere in arte vvas enforced to yeeld to nature Vvherfore let the heretike counterfett neuer so coningly let him vse all the arte possible to shevv him selfe a sincere and true Christian yet the counterfet must come shorte of the currant and arte must yeeld to nature and hee in one point or other vvill bevvray him self to bee no true christian vvhich he professeth him selfe to bee but a faythless heretike vvhich he vvould not seem to bee And the first mark by vvhich he is bevvrayed is his breach vvhich he maketh out of the Church and Christian societie For as the vvandring sheep vvas once of the fold and the rebell vvas once a subiect and the bovve cut of once liued and florished in the tree so heretikes especially Arch-heretikes vvere at least for the most part once sheep of Christes fold subiectes of his kingdome and members of his body the Church Vvherfore sainct Ihon giues vs this mark to knovv an heretike by Ex nobis prodierunt l. Io. 8. sed non erant ex nobis They vvent out from vs but they vvere not of vs. That is they liued amongest vs for else they could not haue gone out yet so that they vvere not vvorthy our company and therfor as rotten bovves are soone broken of so they vver soone shaken of and took occasion to go from vs vvho before for their euill life in desert vvere none of vs. Or else to follovv another exposition Aug tract 3. in cp 10. they vvere emongest vs in out vvard shevve bicause they frequented sacraments vvith vs but they vvere heretikes in mynde and so none of vs and therfore they vvēt out from vs. They vvere in the Church but as euill humours in mans body and therfor vvere to be expelled bicause they vvere hurtfull to the body and no part of the substaunce For commonly heretikes liue some tyme secret befor they open and disguise them selues and so before they vvēt out from vs openly they vvere none of vs secretly Or else according to another interpretation they vvere once amongest vs and like true Christianes liued vvith vs Aug tract ◠〈◊〉 10. but euen then vvhen they vvere by present fayth and iustice mēbers of our Church God forsavv by his diuine foresigt that they vvould not continevv amongest vs and therfor they vvent out from vs bicause euen then vvhen they vvere amongest vs they vvere none of vs finally to perseuer vvith vs not that God his presciēce vvas the cause but bicause he forsavv vvhich vvas to be that is that they vvhich vvere as yet of our societie vvere of their ovvn free vvill to leaue vs and so in God his foresight vvere finally none of our company So that one euident marke of an heretike is that he makes a breache out of the body of the Churche of vvhich hee ether vvas or seemed to bee a member The same marke sainct Paule giueth vs also to knovve an heretike vvhen he sayeth that Some shall depart from the fayeth 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. and that some are accoustumed to
against certain hereticall Bishops that sayed that Christs diuinitie suffred on the crosse for he vvhen he hard that they vver come to speake vvith him coÌ„maunded his man presently after their entrauÌ„ce to vvhisper him in the eare vv ch being doon accordingly Alamundarus started at the vvhispering and seemed astonished The Bishops thinking that his man had told him some euil nevves demaunded vvhat it vvas at vvhich he vvas amazed My man sayeth he telles me that Michael the ArchaÌ„gell is dead Tush Tush sayed they that nevves can not be true bicause angels can not dye Can not Angells dye sayed Alamundarus and thinke you that God his diuinitie could suffer Anno 1554. Melancthon in his book of common places and in diuers other places hath these propositions l. cont Stanâ— ep ad Elect. The sonne of God according vnto his diuinitie prayed vnto his father for his Kingdom glorie and inheritaunce The diuine nature of the sonne Ep. 2â— tract pag. 994. vvas obedient to his father in his Passion The like saying hath Beza yea and Caluin also Is not this to deny Christes diuinitie and coaequalitie vvith his father For vvho but an inferiour prayeth â—â—is Kemn epud Bel to 1. l 3. de Christo in initior Lut ser de 〈◊〉 Domini â—0 â— Vvho but an inferiour obeyeth The Lutherane Vbiquetaries also vvho affirme that the diuine attributes are really coÌ„municated vnto Christes humain nature and that in such sorte that the humain nature vvas immense and omnipotent as the diuinitie vvas destroye Christes diuinitie vvilest they extoll his humanitie for by this doctrine it follovveth that Christes diuinitie vvas nothing else but his humaine nature deified really turned into diuinitie seing that humain nature can not in this manner participate of the diuinitie it follovveth that Christ is not true god bicause he hath not true diuinitie For allthoughe by incarnation man vvas God and so consequentely immense and omnipotent by a certaine communication vvhich diuines calle coÌ„municatio idiomatum Yet the humanitie could neuer really be the diuinitie nor omnipoteÌ„cie nor any other diuine attribute And to come to Caluin Li cont Valentinct Genâ—lem he sayeth plainly that the name of god aggreeth to the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per excellentiam by excellencie Vv ch if it be so then god the sonne is not so Excellent a god as the Father and consequently no god at all He also in diuerse places auoucheth that Christ is not god of god as the Nicen Councell calleth him li 1. Inst c 1â— 9.19.23.31 he denyeth that by eternall generation God the sonne hath his essence from his father yea sayeth he in the last place quoted in the margent the essence of the sonne is no more generated then the essence of the father To vvhom in this point subscribeth our countriman vvhitaker in his booke against ffather Campian pag. 1â—3 O blasphemie of them that vvill needs be counted reformed Christians better vvere it to deny Christ flatly then to professe his name and yet vnder hand to disgrace him for dissembled religion is double iniquitie Is not Christ God of God the father then is he some other God hath he not his essence from his father Then is he not the sonne of God bicause the sonne takes his substaunce from his father Is not the sonnes essence generated then is not the sonne begotten of his fathers substauÌ„ce then is he not consubstaÌ„tiall to his father but rather of another nature coÌ„sequeÌ„tly ether a creature or another God The diuines grauÌ„t that the esseÌ„ce diuinitie absolutelie vvithout addition is not to be sayed to be generated for then it should be generated in God the father also but yet they affirme that God the sonne is God of God and begotten of his father and that by eternall generation he receiueth vvith out all imperfectioÌ„ his essence from his father and consequently that the essence is generated not absolutedly but in the sonne else vvere hee not a sonne nether should he be coÌ„substantiall to his father Ep duabus ad Polon Pet. Mar. duab ep Kem. l. de duahus nat Mel. loc c. de filio The same Caluin accompanyed vvith diuers others bothe Caluinists and Lutheranes affirmeth that Christ accordiÌ„g to his diuinitie vvas Preest and mediatour To vvhom Ievvel in his booke against Harding subscribeth Ievvellus ae 17. vvhere he sayeth that in Christ ther vvere tvvo natures the diuinitie and the humanitie and that the humanitie vvas offered in sacrifice but the diuinitie played the preest and offered vp this sacrifice Se here another blasphemie Is Christ preest according to his diuinitie Did his diuine nature offer vnto the father the sacrifice of the humain nature then certes Christ vvas not only as man but also in respect of his diuinitie inferiour to his father for the Preest is inferiour to the God to vvhome hee offereth sacrifice bicause in oblation of a sacrifice he acknovvledgeth God the supreme excellencie and so vvas ether a creature or a lesser God and so noe God at all The ancient fathers diuines do graunt that the same Iesus Christ vvas Mediatour betvvixt God and man and God also to vvhom Mediation vvas made by reason of his tvvoe natures subsisting in one person for a Mediatour like a meane must participate of bothe extremes and therfore sithe man had offended and God vvas offeÌ„ded the Mediatour must be God man participaÌ„t of bothe for God only could not satisfie bicause he could not suffer maÌ„ only could not satisfie bicause his satisfactioÌ„ vvould haue been less theÌ„ vvas the iniurie vvherfore it vvas necessarie that one vvho vvas bothe God man should make this mediatioÌ„ and satisfaction And so the same Iesus Christ God and man satisfied but not as God but as man and he as the person offended receiued also the satisfaction but not as man but as God In like maÌ„ner the same Christe Iesus vvas the Preest the sacrifice and the God to vvhome this sacrifice vvas offered And so Christ vvas the preest but not as God but as man for in this only respect Christ had a superiour to vvhoÌ„ hee might offer a sacrifice Christ also vvas the sacrifice but as man for his humaine nature only suffered And Christ also vvas he to vvhome the sacrfice vvas offered but as God for so hee vvas noe lesse offended and iniuried by mans sinne then god the father I referre the Reader to a booke vvhich one Aegidius Hunnius a Lutherane hath vvritten against Caluin in vvhich he declareth hovv Caluin still expoundeth the old and nevv Testament in fauour of the Ievves Caluinus ludaizans as thoughe the places spake not of Christe and therfore this man calleth his booke Caluinus Iudaizans Caluin playing the Ievve Tell mee novv gentle Reader vvhether these men as they say do attribute all vnto Christ vvhoe as thou hast harde doe despoyle him of his greatest titles of honour that is God the
Greatest vvho tooke in as good parte the vvidovves mite as the ritchest Offringe But yet I vvould not haue your Maiestie to esteeme of this my booke only as of a bare bundel of papers bicause I present you vvithall that hūble harte and sincere affection vvhich a subiecte can beare or ovve vnto his Soueraigne and vvith my affection I offer my selfe as your Maiesties most lovvly faithfull seruaunte vvhich is a guifte so great be the giuer neuer so vile that the great King of heauen requireth yea desireth no more at our handes but esteemeth that vve giue all vvhen vvee giue our selues and that vvee giue noe litle vvhen vvee giue our All bee it neuer so litle Nether is my presēt it selfe to bee misprised nether can it of such a Prince bicause the booke is not my present it is but the boxe the present is that vvhich it conteineth And if your Maiestie demaund of me vvhat that is I ansvvere not gold nor Iuorie of India not ritch and orient pearle for vvith such treasures your England like an India aboundeth but it is that vvhich is more vvorth and vvhich your India only vvanteth and vvhat is that It is religion the vvorship of God the Saluation of your soule the safetie of your Subiectes the health of the body of the Realme of vvhich you are the Heade the strength of your Kingdome the peace of your people and the ritchest pearle of your crovvne This is the subiect of my discourse these are the contentes of my booke and this is my guifte and present vvhich amongest so many guiftes vvhich by so many and so mightie Princes are presented vnto your Highnes I offer vvith all humilitie hopīg yea persuading my selfe that such a guifte as Religion can not but be gratefull vnto that Prince vvho is the Defendour of the faith Protectour of Religion And bicause this vnhappie age hath been more frutefull then profitable in deuising of religions in so much that as all is not golde that glisters so novv all is not religiō vv ch is called soe least I may be thought to offer Counterfet for currante and heresie for true religion it is the Catholike Religion most noble Prince vvhich I present and vvhich my booke conteyneth and by many argumentes as occasion serueth not only proueth but also conuinceth to be the only sincere and true Christian religion and vnmasking the nevv religion by a seuere yet syncere Examination declareth it to be nothing else but errour and heresie though vnder the painted face of a Reformed Religion it hath deceiued some parte of the vvorld and especially your litle vvorld England vvhich the Poete chose rather to calle a vvorlde by it selfe separated from the greater vvorld then a parte or parcel of it bicause like a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and litle vvorld it conteineth compendiously and in a lesser roome vvhich also is a grace all commodities and perfections vvhich in the greater are dispersed But bicause I ame more in examining and refuting the nevv religion then in confirming the olde bicause the good corne grovveth easilie vvhen the vveedes are extirpated I entitle it a suruey of the nevv religion And if your Maiestie demaund of me vvhy I dedicate such a booke vnto you I can not vvante an ansvveare bicause I can not vvante a reason Flauius Vegetius vvill tell your Highnes that it hathe beene euer the custome to dedicate bookes to Kinges and Emperours as he him selfe did to Valentinian th' Elder bicause sayeth he nether is any thing vvel begōne vnless after God the King fauour it nether doe any thinges beseem Kinges better then bookes vvho as they gouern all so if it vvere possible should knovve all For as in the head vvhich guideth the vvholle bodie are all the sences so a Prince the head of the people should be indevved vvith all sciences and as the Sonne bicause it illuminateth the planets vvhich vnder it rule and guide the inferiour vvorld is replenished vvith more light then they so the King vvho is the Sonne of his ovvn vvorld and Kingdome from vvhom not only the people but inferiour Princes also are to receue their light and direction should be illuminated vvith a greater light and knovvledge then any of his subiectes and therfore Cirus vvas vvonte to say that he is not vvorthy an Empire vvho is not better and vviser then the rest vvhich also in effecte King Salomon surnamed vvise affirmed vvhē he gaue that holsome counsayle to his fellovv-Kinges Sap. 6. Si delectamini sedibus sceptris ô Reges populi diligite sapientiam vt in aeternum regnetis If you be delighted in thrones and scepters ô Kinges loue you vvisdome that you may raigne for euer and to signifie this by an Embleme God him selfe gaue his people for their first King no other then Saule vvho vvas higher then the rest of the people by the head and shoulders And seing that your Maiestie is not only a Kinge but a learned King also as by many monumentes of your rare vvitte and learning vvhich the learnedst admire doth plainly appeare to vvhom ought I of dutie to consecrate this my vvorke but to such a King vvho for his authoritie can protecte it and for his vvisdome can Iudge of it Yea the verie subiect of my booke vvhich is religion seemed to require of right no other Patrone then your most Excellent Maiestie vvho by office and Title are the protectour of Religion the champion of the Church and Defendour of the Fayth This common congratulation also not only of your ovvne litle vvorld but also of all the Christiane vvorlde this vniuersall ioy these triūphes these bonefyers vvhich the french-man calleth feux de ioye haue moued and stirred mee vp to shevv some signe also of my affection and ioye vvhervvith my harte is so full that my toungue can not be silent All reioise most Gracious Prince at your Coronation as though it concerned all and the hope vvhich is generally conceiued of your Graces Bountie hath not only passed your seas but the Alpes also The vvorlde admires the svveet prouidence of the Almightie tovvardes your Maiestie vvhoe euen from your infancie hath protected you from many imminent dangers as thoughe he had reserued you as no doubte hee did for the crovvne of England The vvorld expected ether ciuil vvarres or foraine inuasions after the deathe of her Maiestie of late memorie bicause the Heire apparaunt vvas not named and though all men had their eyes and expectations and desires also fixed on your Highnes person yet they feared that vvhich they desired and hoped not vvithout feare and yet cōscience directing your Nobles and God gouerning their cōscience vvithout any bloud shed vvithout contradiction yea vvith great applause of all your Highnes is placed peaceably in your Regall throne and vv ch is rare England vvas so inamoured vvith your Princely vertues and so moued by your vndoubted Title that shee sent for you as for her louing spouse and hath betrothed
Epist â— ad Mâ—r ellinuÌ„ such souldiours such subiectes as our Religion requireth and Princes shall raigne securely and their kingdomes shall flouriâ—h more happilie then Platoes common vvelth And bicause ReligioÌ„ good or badde beareth a great svvay in the rule of mans life the Professours of the nevve Religion must needes be more prone to disobedience and rebellion then vvee bicause Religion vvhich serueth for a bridle to vs is a Spurre to them Vvherfore by Catholikes all your Predecessours haue been serued vvith great fidelitie both in vvarre and peace and your glorious Mother if she vvere liuing in Earth as she is better liuiÌ„g in Heauen vvould not lette to vvitness vvhat affectioÌ„ she hath found amongest the English Catholiques and vvould vvarraunt your Grace that they vvill neuer bee false to the Sonne vvho haue been so true to the Mother But if your Highnes doubte of our fidelitie vve vvill bynde our selues by corporall oathe to obey your lavves in all temporal causes and to defend your Roial Person your Deare Spouse our Gracious Queene and your tovvardlie Children our Noble Lordes vvith the laste droppe of our bloud and this our oathe vve shall be contented to diuulge to all the Princes of Europe yea all the Christian vvorlde And as your Grace may accounte of vs as of your surest so not of your fevvest nor vveakest subiectes for notvvithstanding this longe persequution vvee are so many Apalog c. 37. that as Tertulian sayed to the Paganes of the Christianes of his tyme vve fill your Courtes your Vniuersities your Cities your Tovvnes your Villages yea your prisons not for theftes or murders but for Religion only vvee haue lefte the Churches to the Ministers bicause in them is practised and preached a Religion vvhich our consciences can not brooke Yea a greater parte are vvee then any particuler secte in your Maiesties Realme and vvee are linked in Religion to all Catholique Princes and countries about you vvho vvill bee more louing neighbours if they see that vvee their bretherne synde this desired fauour at your Graces handes and the noblest and mightiest of them vvilbe more desirous to ioyne in mariadge vvith your Royall posteritie vvherby hovve your Kingdome shal be strengthned and your Dominions enlarged your Princely vvisdome easilie perceueth and you haue an example in the noble Hovvse of Austria Your Noble Brother of Fraunce that novv raigneth may be a president in this matter vvho though he vvas once an enemie to the Catholique Religion yet findeth more faythfull correspondence in his Catholique subiectes then in all the rest and by permitting bothe is serued of bothe and serueth him selfe of bothe Thirdly moste Gracious Soueraigne to admit the Catholique Religion or at least to permit it is your greatest safetie for your conscience For as you are a Prince so are you a Christian Prince and therefore a champion cap. 4.9 and as the Prophet Esaie sayeth a Foster-father of the Church and as the Kinges of Fraunce euen from Clodoueus the first Christian Kinge of that Realme haue beene called Christianissimi for their good offices tovvardes the Catholique Church Genebrar l s. Chron. Baron to 9. Annal. and the kinges of Spaine From Ferdinande yea from Alphonsus yea as some thinke from Recaredus for extirpating Arianisme and propagating the Christian faythe Geneb l. 4. Chron. Sleid l 3. Georg. Lilius in Chr. Angl. are surnamed Catholike so the Kinges of England froÌ„ King Henrie the Eight your Graces great vncle for his Catholike lerned booke writteÌ„ agaiÌ„st Luther other his most honourable seruices vvhich he perfourmed for the Catholike Church are called Defendours of the Faithe that is the Catholike faith Wherfore your Maiestie first bicause you are a Christian King Secondly bicause youâ— are a Defendour of the faithe are to see that the right vvorship of God and the true Christiane religion be practised in your Realme This the honour of God vnder vvhom you raigne this the good of his Church vvhose Champion you are this the saluation of your people vvhose King you are this the spiritual health of the body of your Realme vvhose head you are requireth For if in any couÌ„trie it be true that the inconstaunte people changeth vvithe the King in England it is moste true as vve haue seene by diuerse changes of religion in this Vnhappie age and so in your Maiestie it lyeth to saue or not to saue your people vvhich so admireth your authoritie and Princely vertues that your vvill is their lavve and your lavv their rule of religion And vvhere can your Grace finde a securer hauen for the Saluation of your selfe and your subiectes then the Catholike Church In vvhich soe many Martyrs haue dyed so many Doctours haue taught and preached so many virgins haue liued in flesh like Angells and so many sainctes haue vvrought so straunge and vvonderfull miracles by vvhich so many heresies haue been condemned so many Councels called so many Ecclesiasticall lavves enacted and such goodly order and discipline established For vv ch so many monasteries Churches Colledges Vniuersities and hospitalles haue beene builded fouÌ„ded In vv ch so many Emperours Kinges and Princes haue liued raigned dyed and as it is to bee hoped also haue beene saued and against vvhich so many cruel persequutours in vaine haue raysed forces and vsed tormeÌ„tes and so many heretikes haue raged and railed vvhich is descended froÌ„ the Apostles can proue a continuall succession of her pastours and religion from them vnto this daye Vvheras the nevv Church began but yesterdaye and her Preachers vvith her vvho also can not proue their mission nor distinguish them selues from false Prophets vvhose doctrine hath all the markes of heresie and is rather Antichristian then ChristiaÌ„ plucking at Christes Diuinitie spoiling him of many Honourable Titles to vvit Redeemer Spiritual Phifitian Lavv-giuer Aeternall Preest Iudge of the quicke and dead equalizing euery Christian vvith him making him an ignoraunt desperate and damned man vvhich hath nether Preest nor sacrifice nor in effect any sacrameÌ„t no prayer not so much as our Lords prayer no nor a sermon according to their doctrine nor any of the essential partes of Religion vvhich is blasphemous in many pointes against God iniurious to State and Authoritie fauourable to vice and bending to Atheisme all vvhich pointeâ— I haue proued in this booke But if youâ— Maiesties pleasure or leisure be not such as by perusing this booke to informe your selfe vvhich is moste likely to be the true Christian religion if it shall please your Highnes to commaund a conference or disputation vvhich hathe euer beeâ— the vsual meanes to determine coÌ„troueâ—sies as appeareth by the disputation oâ— Helias vvith Baals Prophetes â— Reg 18.10 8. Act. 7.9 17. 18 19. 20. Aug ep 47. Ruf. l. hist of Christ vvith the Ievves of Sainct Paule vvith levves and Gentils and of the ancieâ— doctours in Councels and out of Councels vvith Ethinkes and heretiques youâ— Maiestie shall finde diuers of your
did vve not appreheÌ„d in them Good that is pleasure or profit So that the baÌ„gers of our vvill proceed only from mistaking of badd for good and the errours of our vnderstanding proceed not from any prones vvhich vvee haue to vntruthes but from mistaking of apparaunte for true verities And this is the cause moste gentle Reader vvhy I haue made so exacte a Suruey of the nevv Religion bicause I knovv thy vnderstanding to be so naturally inclined to truth and so auerted from all vntruthes and errours that to lay open vnto thy vevve the manifold and grosse absurdities vvhich it implyeth is to refute them and to make them knovvne vnto thee is to dissuade thee from theÌ„ For truly I finde many pointes of this religion so opposit to light of reason that I dare anouch that noe man can be ether Lutherane or Caluiniste vnless he vvante vvitte or hauiÌ„g vvit enter not into coÌ„sideration or be caryed avvay vvith passion or partiall affection I vvill not deny but that many a good vvitte may be found amongest the Professours of this Religion but yet I saye that these good vvittes if they layed a side passioÌ„ and partialitie vvould vouchsafe also to enter into due consideratoon could be nether Lutheranes nor Caluinistes bicause to euident vntruthes the vnderstaÌ„ding can giue no assent nor approbation And vvhat more euident vntruthe then Lutheranisme or Caluinisme First of all their preachers can say no more for proofe of their authoritie or doctrine then Simon Magus Ebion Cerinthus Basilides Nestorius Eutiches Arius Vvicleph or any other heretike could haue sayed and enerie false prophet hereafter may saye preach he neuer so absurdely as I haue demoÌ„strated in my first booke moste euidently For nether can they proue their mission to be ordinarie by succession nor extraordinary by miracle and so if you giue eare to them you must bynde your selfe to harken to all false prophets vvhâ— vvill say and svveare that they are sent froÌ„ Christe and if you put them to the proofe of their mission they vvill say you are partial vvho reiecte them and yet receiue Luther and Calum vvhâ— can not proue their missioÌ„ But no man can vvith any shovve of reason admitte all false Prophetes bicause some of them teach contraries ergo he can not haue reason to receue Luther and Caluin as the true Messengers and ministers of Christe and consequently he can not in harte receue them bicause the vnderstanding can not approue a thing for vvhich she hath no probable reason Secondly their doctrine if it bee vvell considered is as euidently false as that vertue is vice or blacke is vvhite but the vnderstanding as is allready proued can not approue manifest false-hood and euident untruthes ergo noe man of vnderstanding and consideration can admitte Luthers and Caluins doctrine Novv that their doctrine is euidently false I can not only euidently but also easilie proue For to a Christian it is euident supposing the veritie of Scripture that heresie is errour and falsehood but in my second booke I haue demonstrated that all the markes of heresie aggree as fitly to this nevv doctrine as to Arianismen any olde heresies ergô to a Christian it is euideÌ„t that this nevv doctrine is errour and consequeÌ„tby it can not bee approued by a Christian of Iudgement and consideration bicause the vnderstanding can not giue asseni to an open vntruth It is euident also to a Christian that Antichristian doctrine vvhich is dishonourable and repugnaunt to Christe can not be true but Lutheranisme and Caluinisme is altogether opposit to Christe bicause it pulleth at his diuinitie and makes him nether Redeemer nor spirituall Phisitian nor lavv maker nor eternall Preest according to Melchisedechs order nor Iudge of the quicke and the dead but rather aequali Zeth euerie Christian to him in grace and sanctitie and maketh him ignoraunt fayneth him also to haue despayred at length bringeth him to hell and damnation and hateth all â—inges vvhich haue beene beloued of him or belonging to him all vvhich the third booke conuinceth ergô a Christian of vvitte and consideration can not in harte brooke such a religion In like manner to a Christian yea to euery man that beleeues that ther is a God and religion it is euident that Religion can not stande vvithout Preestes sacrifice sacrameÌ„tes prayer but it is euident also that in the nevve religion none of these essential partes of religion can be found especially according to the doctrine of the same Religion as my fourth booke maketh manifest ergô a Christian of vvit and devve consideration can not aepproue it for true Religion Likevvise it is euident to reason that all lavvful authoritie is of God that Princes lavves bynde that their tribunals are iuste and lavvfull and that correspondeÌ„ce betvvixte the Prince and subiectes and betvvixte one subiect and another is necessarie to vphold societie to vvhich God and nature encline vs all vvhich is proued in the fifth booke but the reformed doctrine despoileth Princes of authoritie bringeth their lavves and tribunals in contempte and ruineth all Societie at is euidently also proued in the same booke ergo a man of common sense and iudgement vvho entereth also into a devve consideratioÌ„ can not vvith harte admit of this religion Lastelie as euident it is that this nevve religion is absurd as that God is not the autour of sinne and the only sinner that he is not vnreasonable cruel or Tyrannicall but according to the reformed doctrine all these blasphemies are verified of God as my sixte booke teacheth ergo the reformed doctrine is euidently absurde Vice also and Atheisme by light of reason are euidently Knovvne to be repugnaunt to reason vvherfore seing that this nevve Religion leadethe to all vice and Atheisme and that by many pointes and principles of the doctrine of the same as is in my seuenth and eight booke demonstrated it is an euident absurditie euidently repugnaunt to reason and consequently can not be approued by a man of reason and consideration bicause the understanding can no more assente vnto â—n euident vntruth then can the vvill affecte and like of euil as euil as I haue allready proued Vvherfore most gentle Reader if thou bee a Catholike and vouchsaffe to peruse my booke I hope thou shalt bee more confirmed if thou bee a follovver and professour of the late and nevv religion vvhen thou seest the fovvle absurditie of thy ovvne religion and the plausible veritie of the Catholike I hope thou vvilte reiecte the one imbrace the other bicause my booke vvill make manifest vnto thee bothe the one and th' other At least as this I intended so this I haue endeuoured And if my intended purpose be vvell brought to passe God vvas the Principal Agent I only his vnvveldy instrument and so he only is to be praysed if ill myne is the faulte yet such as I hope shal be excused bicause it vvas not voluntarie If thou reape commoditie by my labours I counte
doltes and Asses that Appelles vvas but a blurting painter that Cicero vvas but a railiÌ„g Rhetorician that Virgil Ouid vvere but riming Poets Vvhose eares could abide such coÌ„tumelies Think then indifferent reader hovv fovvle mouthed the heretiques of this age are vvho thus miscall the ancient fathers renovvmed for their skill in interpretatioÌ„ of scriptur and other learning as appeareth by their learned commentaries homelies and other vvorkes Think hovv arrogaÌ„t these men are vvho preferre them selues before all ancient fathers euen in that learning vvhich vvas their profession and for vvhich they haue been for many hundred yeares as famouse as euer Cicero vvas for eloquence Aristotle for Philosophie or Virgil Ouid for Poetrie But vvhilest they contemne the authoritie of ancient fathers vvhat greater authoritie do they bringe but vpstarte and vnlearned ministers Vvhilest they reiect the fathers as meÌ„ vvho mighterre are they godds or angells are not they men as the fathers vvere and not vvorthy to be their men seruauntes to cary their books after them But novve accordiÌ„g to my promise I vvil declare the first pointe by me proposed to vvit hovv in reiecting fathers they cracke their ovvne credit For these fathers vvere learned graue vvise gloriouse in vvorking miracles and great in bearing of authoritie in the Churche of God Their profession vvas preaching teaching and interpretiÌ„g of scripture in vvhich arte they are ancient and famouse for many hundred yeares Some of theÌ„ vvere schollers to the Apostles others succeeded immediatly the Apostles schollers The nevv Apostles are nevv and yong vvho beganne but the other day to study and to interprete scriptures and peraduenture many of them vvould neuer haue bene able to make a sermon had they not the helpe of the fathers commentaries homelies Let then the indifferent reader be iudge vvhether the religioÌ„ vvhich the fathers taught and professed or that vvhich these nevv Apostles haue deuised be likest to be true and vvhether it be not more probable that they preached teached according vnto scripture rather then our nevv and later Bible-clerkes Truly to say that a Luther Caluin Zuinglins Beza is herin to be preferred before Austines Ambroses Hieromes Gregories vvere as absurdly spoken as if one should preferre the painters of these dayes before Appelles or the Phisitions of this age before Galen More ouer vvhere these fathers vvent ther alvvaies vvente religion vvhere they vvere Doctours that vvas the Churche of Christe vvher they vvere pastours ther vvas allvvayes the folde of Christe of them coÌ„sisted all the general councells by them vvere the ancient Canons decreed and old heresies condemned all the Bishoprikes seas and Churches by them vvere gouerned and by their meanes erected They vvere the men vvho in all ages opposed them selues against heretiques as true pastours against the rauening vvolues vvho had only the coate of shepheards against them their people vvere raysed all the persecutions as against the only Christianes their actions their offices in God his Church their bookes their miracles their liues their deathes do fill Ecclesiasticall histories the vvriters vvherof intending to vvrite the begining progress of the Christian Church vvrite only of the Romaine and Catholike Churche the pastours and Doctours vvherof vvere the ancient fathers So that vvhilest our reformers refuse the authoritie doctrine of the fathers they cut them selues from the Church of Christe bicause that the fathers as all histories monumeÌ„tes declare vveÌ„t euer together and they ioyne in parte vvith all old heretikes vvhoÌ„ the fathers by doctrine and censure euer condemned bicause in one heresie or other they aggree vvith them all as shal be in the next booke demonstrated and they let not to coÌ„fesse vvith Tobie Matthevv that no man can read fathers and beleeue them imbrace this nevv religion Read Genebrard gentle reader and thou shalt see hovv in the end of euery age he setteth dovvne a catalogue of all the ancient fathers vvho vvere counted the only true pastours as allso a liste of all the heretikes them the Catholiques vvhich novv liue professe to follovv as the heretikes of this age vvill confesse those infamous heretikes the reformers adore embrace their doctrine as I shall proue hereafter in the second booke Iudge thou then vvhether the Church and Christian religioÌ„ be vvith these reformers and reuilers of fathers or vvith the Catholiques vhom they haue Nicknamed Papistes This argument of the fathers authoritie put Luther many tymes to his trompes and sometymes afflicted him vvith no litle scrouples but bicause he had a large coÌ„science he svvallovved them vp Praefat l. de abrog missâ— priuata in tyme digested them all Hovv often say eth he did my trembling harte beat vvith in me and reprehending me obiect against me that most stronge argument Art thou only vvise Do so many vvorldes erre Vvere so many ages ignoraunt Vvhat if thou errest and dravvest so many into errour to be damned vvith thee aeternallie And in an other place To. 5. annâ—â— breniss Doest thou a sole man and of no accounte take vppon thee so great matters Vvhat if thou being but one man offendest If God permit such so many and all to erre vvhy may he not permit the to erre Hether to apperteyn those arguments The Churche the Churche the fathers the fathers the Councells the custome the multitudes greatnes of vvise men Vvhom do not these hilles of argumentes To. â— in Gal. these cloudes yea these seas of examples ouer-vvhelme And yet again this scrouple assaulteâ—h him Some sayeth he vvill say vnto me The Churche so many ages hath so thought and taught So haue thought taught all the primitiue Churches and Doctoures most holymen much more great and more learned then thou Vvho art thou that darest dissent from all these and obtrude vnto vs a diuerse doctrine Thus God moued Luthers hart vvhich might haue been a sufficient calle to haue recalled and reclaimed him but he being obstinate thus put this motion by Vvhen satan thus vrgeth and conspireth vvith flesh and reason the conscience is terrified and despaireth vnless constantly thou retourn to thy selfe and say vvhether Cipriane Ambrose Austin or Peter Paule and Ihon yea an angell from heauen teach other-vvise yet this I knovve for certain that I counsayle not men to humane but diuine thinges Art thou sure Luther vvhen thou hast so many Se Reinolds in his refut c. â— and so learned fathers against thee Darest thou preferr thy ovvne particuler iudgment before their common consent Yea layeth M. Vvhitakar Luther in some case may prefer him selfe before all the fathers a thousand Churches For vvhen his doctrine is according to scripture then is it to giue place to noe fathers But this is as much to the purpose as the patch beside the hole bicause the coÌ„parison is not betvvixt fathers and scriptures vvhich are to be preferred bicause the fathers allovved and alleaged scripture euen for those pointes of doctrine for vvhich Luther
Christe is the authour of this lavve vvhich surpasseth all lavves greater is his honour renovme then euer vvas the honour of Plato Licurgus Romulus yea Moyses or any other Vvherfore the prophet Esaie recounting other titles of honour devve vnto Christ Isay 13. amongest others calleth him a lavv-maker Dominus iudex noster dominus legifer noster dominus Rex noster The lord is our Iudge The lord is our lavv-maker the lord is our King If he be our Lavve-maker he may make lavves to bynde vs if he be our iudge he may pronounce sentence against the transgressours and if he be our King he may punish vs yea if he had called him only our King it had been a sufficient argument to proue him a lavv-maker bicause the principall meanes for a king to rule his subiects are his lavves and ordinaunces Micheas speaking of the promulgation of Christs lavv at Hierusalem in Penthecoste sayeth c 4. That a lavve shall proceed from Sion the vvord of God from Hierusalem c. 2. c. 4 â— The same Prophecie hath Esaie in the same vvords and addeth that IlaÌ„des shall expecte his lavve By vvhich it is playne that Christ is a lavv-maker vvhoe hathe perscribed lavves and therfore vvhen he gaue his Apostles authoritie to baptise and preach Mat. vfâ— hee bad them also to teache the Gentiles to keepe all those thinges vvhich hee had commaunded See the first chap of this booke And yet our ghospellers vvho bragge that they giue all to Christe despoyle him of this honourable title and auouch that hee vvas a redeemer only but noe lavve-make Luther sayeth plainly that it is the office of the lavve to commaund 〈◊〉 â— Gael Fol. â—18 threaten and terrifie but the office of Christ is only to imbrace sinners vvho haue traÌ„sgressed the lavve Ibidem Yea sayeth he If vve make Christ an exactour of the lavve vve confound Christ and the lavve and make him the minister of sinne â—ol 〈◊〉 Vvherfore thus he concludes vvith this exhortation Quare Chrestum recte definias non vt Sophistae lustitiary qui faciunt eum nouum legislatorem qui abrogata veteri lege nouam tulerit illis Christus est exactor tyrannus Vvherfore define thou Christe ae right not as the Sophists doe and the Iustitiaries so he calleth Catholikes bicause they affirme inherent iustice and auouche that good vvorkes are necessary vvho make him a nevv lavve-maker that hath abrogated the old lavv and enacted a nevv to them Christ is an exactour and a tyraunt Hovv theÌ„ I pray thee vvouldst thou haue vs to define Christ Ibidem hee sayeth that as it is the arte of Christians not to care for lavves nor to imagin that they bynd in coÌ„scieÌ„ce so is it an hard arte vvhich I sayeth hee my selfe can hardly learne to define Christ after this manner â—â—idem But yet this great Logician at lenght giueth vs this definition of Christ Christus autem definitiue non est legislator sed propitiator saluator But Christe definitiuely is not a lavv-maker but ae propitiatour and Sauiour By vvhich doctrine it is playne that Luther is of opinion that Christ came not to terrifie vs or to exacte any lavve at our haÌ„des but only to embrace the transgressours so that they beleeue only that hee is their Redeemer from the lavve vvhich doctrine hovve it openeth the gapp to vice I shal hereafter declare See the seueÌ„tâ— booke here I only note that Luther despoyleth Christe of the title of a Lavvmaker and auoucheth that hee nether made lavve nor exacteth any lavve at our haÌ„ds vvhich hovve iniuriouse it is to Christ may appeare by the comendation vvhich I have giuen to Christ and his lavve Caluin putteth this difference betvvixte the old and the nevv lavve l â— Inst c. 11. §. 17.19 that the old promised grace and glorie vvith this condition if vve keepe the coÌ„maundements but the nevv lavve promiseth these things absolutely vvithout that condition So that Caluin thinkes that glory and saluation is promised by Christ vvhether vvee obserue the lavve or noe and coÌ„sequently he thinkes that no lavv byndeth vs vnder payne of damnation Vvhence it follovveth that Christe nether exacteth nether prescribeth any lavve vnder payne of damnation and so is no lavve maker And the same Caluin after that he had discoursed of Christian libertie vvhich hee sayeth consisteth in a freedom from all lavves l. 3. Inst c. 1â— 3.10 concludeth thus vve conclude that they are exeÌ„pted he speaketh of the faythfull from all lavves Vvhence it must needs follovv that Christe is noe Lavvmaker for vvhere there is no obligation there is noe lavve as shal be proued herafter vvhere noe lavve there is noe Lavv-maker and therfore if Christe exacteth noe lavve at our handes and byndes vs to none he can by noe right haue the name of a Lavv-giuer or Lavv-maker Let the Prophet Esaie therfore looke hovv he calleth Christ our Lavv-maker c. 33. legifer yea let Christ him self correcte and amend that saying of his Mandatum nouum do vobis vt diligatis inuitem I giue you a nevv lavv and commaundement that you loue one another A nevv lavv sayeth sainct Austine Christe giueth vs l â— cont ep par c. 2. bicause although it be old as being coÌ„maunded in the old lavve yet it is nevv ether bicause Christ hathe annexed nevv grace vnto it vvhich in the old lavv it had not or bicause by this grace annexed it makes vs nevv creatures vvho before vvere olde by sinne l. c. const Apost c. 12. or else sayeth S. ClemeÌ„t it is a nevve lavv bicause Christ hathe renevved it Let him also remember his office better vvhich as Luther and Caluin say is not to prescribe or exacte lavves but to imbrace the transgressours He forgot therfore his office vvhen hee bad vs Keept the commaundementes if vve vvill enter into life Mat. 5. vvhy hee corrected the olde lavve commaunding vs not only not to kill but not to be angry not only to loue our freends but our enemies also See See vvhat open iniurie against the playne texte of Scripture yea and against all reason also these men are not a frayed to offer vnto Christ in taking from him the title and office of a Lavvmaker for if he could make no lavv he vvas inferiour to the meanest Prince in the vvorld vvho established a common vvelth his Churche but hathe no authoritie to coÌ„maund his subiects vvho instituted Sacramentes yet could make noe lavv to bynd vs vnto theÌ„ and therfore vvhen he threatneth damnation to them that vvill not receiue his baptisme 10 â— and protesteth that vve shall haue noe life vnlesse vve eate his fleshe drinke his blood to â— vve may boldly contemne such peremptorie commaundementes bicause if Christ bee noe Lavv-maker he could make noe lavv and vvhere noe lavve is there is noe obligation and vvhere is noe obligatioÌ„ all meÌ„ are as
opinion contrition vvhich is inherrent in vs can not be our Iustificatiō bicause they saye that there is noe inherent grace nor iustice And if before this faythe of theirs God should by infusion of grace iustifie them yet vnlesse they had a reuelatiō they could not especially vvith such assuraunce beleeue it bicause the vnderstanding can not giue assent vvithout some apparaunce of truthe They vvill saye that Christes iustice is theirs so that they vvill apprehend it by faith and so they are iust by that iustice if they vvill beleeue so but nether vvill this shifte serue their turne For before they beleeue this Christes iustice must bee theirs and by it they must bee iuste bicause that is the obiecte of their beleefe and the vnderstanding must see it to bee so before shee beleeue soe vvherfore seing that before this faithe of theirs Christes iustice is not theirs and they also are not yet iuste it follovvethe that they can not so longe as they are in their vvittes beleeue that they are iuste bicause this veritie must appeare to the vnderstanding before shee can beleeue it and therfore if before faithe they bee not iuste they can neuer beleeue so For as the sicke mā must bee vvholle and sound before hee can beleeue that hee is so bicause it is not in his povver to beleeue that vvhich is not or vvhich at least appeareth not soe a sinner can not on a sodaine vnlesse hee haue some reason for it beleeue assurdly that hee is iust And therfore if this assured faith bee necessarie to arise after our fall taken by sinne it is impossible to rise again after that vvee are fallen And to make the matter yet more playne as if the only remedie for a sicke man to recouer his healthe vvere to beleeue that hee is vvell it vvere impossible for him to recouer bicause vvhilest his disease remaineth hee can not beleeue that hee is recouered hauing noe reason to thinke so but rather the contrarie so if the only meanes for a sinner to recouer bee to beleeue in the middest of his sinnes that hee is iuste it is impossible for him to recouer bicause hee can not vvith harte thinke so hauing no reason for it but rather to the contrarie Hence I gather tvvoe thinges to be noted First that if a sinner bee iustified by beleeuing that hee is iust then is hee iustified by a lying faithe bicause hee be leeueth that vvhich is not and if you saye that so soone as hee hathe beleeued so hee shal be so that is not sufficient for yet it follovveth that hée beleeueth that hee is iust before hee is iuste bicause iustice follovveth faythe so he is iustified by a false and lying faithe The second thing vvhich I note is hovve malitiously and yet hovve couertly the deuill by his members seeketh our damnation For not content by theyr doctrine to haue induced vs to all sinne hee taketh a vvaye the meanes of rising again from the state of sinne denying penaunce to bee necessarie yea affirming in Luther that contrition is a mortall sinne and auouching in Luther and Caluin bothe Supra yea and in all theyr Schollers that the only meanes for a sinner to bee iustified is to beeleeue vvithout all staggering and vvith all possible assuraunce that his sinnes are forgiuen vvhich beleefe being impossible as is allready proued bicause it is not in the vnderstandings povver to beleeue vvhite to bee blacke or that a man is iuste vvhen noe probabilitie of it appeareth it follovveth that vvhen a sinner is fallen it is impossible for him to rise againe bicause it is as impossible for him to beleeue that hee is iust before hee see some apparaunce of the same as for a sicke man to beleeue that hee is recouered and vvell at ease vvhen hee is in the middest of the fitte of an hoate ageue or in the panges of deathe And so our reformers do not only tumble vs headlong into the very depth of sinne but hold vs there in perpetuall duraunce vvithout hope of libertie bicause they require at our handes an impossibilitie vvhich is in the midst of our sinnes to beleeue that vvee are iust and electe hauing no probabilitie of the same but rather great euidence to the contrarie vvhich is as impossible for vs to beleeue vvith harte as it is for the sicke mā to assure him selfe that hee is vvell vvhen hee is in the middest of his fitte THE EIGHT BOOKE CONTEINETH A SVRuey of their doctrine vvhich leadeth vnto Atheisme and contēpt of religion A SHORT PRAEFACE IRELAND is famous for that it breeds noe toades nor venimous serpents and Ingland hath been of longe tyme esteemed happie bicause it hath no vvolues but in steed of vvolues it hath been of late yeares vnfortunate for engendring of a certaine monster called Atheists begotten by heresie vvhich hath more vvasted and depopulated the coūtrie then all the beares and vvolues of the desert or monsters of Africa could haue doone if they had been all turned loose into the lande For they could only haue made their pray vppon the bodies of men beastes but these monsters called Atheistes haue made hauocke of mens soules They could only haue disturbed the temporall state and ciuil peace these haue ruined Christi◠anitie and brought religion into cōtempte vvhich is the principall blisse of the soule in this life Of these monsters there are tvvoe kindes bothe feirce cruel but the one more sauage then the other The first denyeth flatly the diuinitie and therfore moste properly is called an Atheist that is vvithout a God The second confesseth God and God head but yet is of opiniō that it litle skilleth vvhat honour you giue him or vvith vvhat vvorship of religiō you serue him of this kinde are our Machevellians vvhoe square out religiō according to state and make noe more account of Scripture thē of Aesops tables and so that they may liue and establishe a temporall state care not vvhat religion florishethe bicause they counte it but a peece of pollicie to keepe men in avve and order Against these monsters I must arme my selfe and chaunge my vveapons as I channge my aduersarie and by reason only I vvill confound these as I haue by scriptures reason authoritie and all manner of argumentes refuted heretikes And for as much as my generall drifte proiecte in all these bookes is to make heresie odiouse I vvill shevve also in this laste booke hovve Atheisme is engendred of heresie that by this viperouse and monstrous brood vvee may haue a greater gesse of the breeder The first Chapter declareth hovve certaine points of the Reformers doctrine open the gapp to a deniall of the diuine maiestre and his God-head VVhat God is it is so hard to Knovv that nether the light of reasō nor faithe nor bothe lights ioined together are able to discouer this veritie Vvherfore Trimegisthus being once demaūded this obscure question gaue as obscure an ansvvere to vvit that God is
and others contemned scriptures bothe for the Phrase and matter and esteemed no more of them then vve do of Aesops fables They may ansvvere mee peraduenture and novv I knovv not vvhat else they can ansvvere that the spirit assurethe them that these bookes no other are the holy Scripture But against this spirit I haue disputed at large in the â—rst booke and third Chapter and so I might referre the reformer and the reader vnto my argumentes vvher vvith in the afore sayd place I haue refuted this phantasticall spirit yet to ease them bothe of that labour I vvill in a vvorde reiecte this ansvvere by reiecting this spirit I vvill aske of him that thinkes him selfe moste deeplye inspired vvhy bee beleeueth this his ovvn priuate spirit rather then the common spirit of the Churche especially seing that it is more like that God vvil more amplye communicate his spirit to his Churche then to a priuate man and if the Churche may be deceued as they say shee may not vvith standing that Christ promised her a spirit vvhich should teach her all veritie Io. 14.15 vvhy maye not euery priuate maÌ„ doubte at least least his ovvne priuate Spirit bee a lying and deceiuing spirit hee ansvvereth that his spirit assures him that it is a true spirit But hovve dothe it assure him by vvhat reasons miracles or reuelations by no such meanes saieth hee it dothe assure me but yet I ame sure Vvhy art thou sure if nether for reasons nor miracles nor reuelations then art thou sure only bicause thou thinkest thy selfe sure And so did Suenlkfeldius thinke him selfe sure of a right spirit vvhen he denyed all scriptures and vvould bee ruled only by the invvard spirit and yet hee for all his suernes vvas deceued and consequently so mayst thou bee thoughe thou thinke thy selfe assured And do not all heretiques thinke then selues to bee inspired vvith the right spirit As they therfore are deceued So mayst thou bee vnlesse thou haue some certaine rule and Iudge suche as the Churche is to acertaine thee of thy spirit If novve some infidel or atheist vvould deny the old and nevve testament to bee holy scripture hovve vvouldst thou conuince them vvhat a Catholike could saye for the proofe of scripture I haue allready declared I demaund therfore vvhat thou vvho takest vppon the to bee a reformed Christian couldst alleage for the authoritie of Scripture Vvouldst thou alleage the Churches definition or tradition or common coÌ„sent hee vvould saye Tushe tell mee not of Churche Tradition Fathers Councels all these by your ovvn confession maye erre and haue erred in other as great matters as this and therfore this can bee no sufficient vvarraunt Vvouldst thou saye that scripture giueth testimony of her selfe that shee is Scripture hee vvoulde aske thee vvheare and thou shouldst not bee able to quote the place if thou couldst yet hee vvould say that Scripture is not to bee beleeued in her ovvne cause and that as hee doubteth of scripture so hee doubteth vvhether it bee Scripture vv ch affirmethe these bookes to be Scriptur Vvouldst thou say that the phrase of scripture argueth it to bee god his ovvn vvord Hee vvould tell thee that hee vvill shevve thee as good phrases in Tullie Liuie other ê“phane vvriters And if thou shouldst saye that thy spirit assures thee that these bookes are of Gods ovvn indighting hee vvould laughe at thee and tell thee that Suenkfeldius by his spirit denyed all scripture and that hee hathe no more assuraunce of thy spirit then of his Yea hee vvill come vppon thee vvithe the coÌ„mon spirit of the Romain Churche and tell thee that if that spirit maye deceue as thou sayest it maye muche more may thy priuate spirit deceue thee and all that vvill bee so mad as to beleeue thee And so if thou contemne the authoritie of the Romain Churche thou shallt bee able to assure him no more of Scripture then of a Robin Hoods tale If the Churches authoritie then bee reiected as insufficient vvee haue no probable assuraunce of scripture and so vvee may iustly doubte least it bee but some Apocriphal vvriting vv ch hathe hetherto been called the vvord of God to keepe fooles in avve And if vvee may doubte of the bookes of Scripture vvee maye as iustly doubte of the conteÌ„tes and so the mysteries of the Trinitie and incarnation Christes life doctrine Passion death and resurrection may bee called in question and soe Christian religion falleth and seing that after an Apostasie from Christianitie vvee haue noe reason to imbrace Turcisnie or the Iudaicall ceremonies much lesse the superstitions of Paganes and Idolatours adevve all religion and vvelcome Atheisme And thus thou seest gentle reader hovve contempt of Scriptur must needs follovv the contempte of the Churches authoritie vvhich being layed a side vvee haue not so much as probable assuraunce of Scripture or Christian religion Vvherfore let vs holde faste vvith the Catholike Apostolike and Romaine Churche and let vs neuer linke our selues in religion vvith the reformers vvho like Chammes contemne their mother the Churche least vvee bee inforced to shake handes vvith Atheistes vvhose frendship vvee can not refuse if vvee breake amitie and league vvith the Romaine Churche as is most euidently demonstrated The fourth Chapter shevveth that in admitting some bookes of Scripture and reiecting others they open the gapp to contempt of all Scripture and religion Vve say commonly that a lyer had need to haue a good memorie for othervvise he being allvvayes ready to speake not as the truthe requireth but as he may best for the present serue his ovvn turne vvill bee in daunger to contradict him selfe and to varye in his ovvn tale for vvant of vvhich memorie the reformers do often eate their vvordes and goe from that vvhich before they stood vnto And amongest many other examples this may serue for one that they vvill needes receue scripture at the Romain Churches hand and for this point accompte her authoritie sufficient but their memorie is so shorte that forgetting them selues they vvill not accepte of the number of the bookes of scripture vvhich shee hathe deliuered vnto them althoughe they haue not any other vvarrauÌ„t of Scripture then they haue of the number of the bookes of Scripture vvhich is the Romain Churches authoritie I must therfore desire them better to remeÌ„ber them selues For if the Romaine Churche bee of sufficient credit to vvarraunt vs of Scripture vvhy is not her authoritie a sufficieÌ„t vvarraunt also for the nuÌ„ber of the bookes of Scripture Or if shee maye erre in the nuÌ„ber of the bookes of scripture she may erre also in scripture and so if they vvould remember them selues better and tubbe their brovves harder they vvould see plainly that ether they should take all or none of her bicause her authoritie is as sufficieÌ„t being one and the same to vvarraunt vs for the number of the bookes of Scripture as for scripture If they beleeue then that ther is scripture bicause shee
vvill vvith any reason persuade me to bee ether Turke or Ievve I may by authoritie bee of noe religion And thus Atheisme must needs follovv diuision in religion contempt of the Romaine Church The sixte Chapter shevveth hovv their vvant of a visible head giuethe a great aduantage to Atheistes and such as mocke at all religion IN the first booke and last chapter I haue declared at large hovve necessarie a visible head is in all societies and especially in the Church of Christe and I haue also demonstrated that ther is no suche visible head in the Synagogue of the reformers vvhence I haue inferred that amongest them it is lavvfull for euerye heretike to preach vvhat doctrine hee vvill and no man shall cōtrolle him Novve I ame to deduce another conclusion to vvit that thus also the gate and gapp is opened vnto Atheistes and godlesse and irreligious persons vvhich I can do easily and vvill doe in a vvord For if a visible head bee vvanting euery man may preach and imbrace vvhat religion hee vvill as in the alleaged place I haue proued and seing that if this head bee vvanting ther is noe certaintie for any religion but only the priuate spirite and bare scripture vvhich are altogether vncertaine In the first booke ch 2.3 as before is proued it vvill follovv that a man shall haue no more reason to imbrace one religion thē another yea hee shall haue noe probable reason to induce him to any religion at all and consequentlye he may take good leaue to bee of no religion And thus he may argue in forme and figure If ther be no visible head to determine by authoritie vvhat religion is to be imbraced euery man may be of vvhat religion he vvill and no man can controlle him and so I also may vse my libertie in choosing my religion as vvel as another And seing that if the authoritie of a visible head be layed a side I haue no more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause all religions alleage the same reason vvhich is no reason to vvit bare scripture sensed by the priuate spirite and I can not possibly be of all bicause they be contrarie to one another I may by good reason refuse to bee of any religion and noe man can controlle me for it if there bee no visible head vvho can proue that hee hathe authoritie to determine of religion And so he that forsaketh the Catholique Church vvhere only this visible head is to bee found hath leaue and licence to bee of vvhat religion hee vvill yea to be of no religion at all bicause leauing that hee hathe noe more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause hee hath no other reason then bare scripture sensed by a priuate spirite vvhich is not sufficient as is proued in my first booke and third chapter yea leauing the Catholike Churche he can not haue any probable reason to induce him to any of these nevv religions as I haue proued in my first booke and fifte chapter and seing that God nether can nor vvill commande him to bee of a religion for vvhich hee seeth no reason nor motiue vvhich is sufficient to induce a reasonable man as in the same place is proued hee maye vvith reason after hee hath lefte the Catholike Churche ioyne vvith Atheistes vvhoe are of noe religion The seuenth Chapter shevveth hovv the Reformers in denial of the real praesence do ruine Christian religion and call all the other mysteries of faithe in question SAcrifice is a thing so highly pleasing and acceptable vnto God that he vvill haue none to be pertakers vvith him in such honour but reserueth it as an homage devv only to him selfe and proper to a diuine maiestie 1. Reg. 15. Yet obedience is more gratefull vnto him then all the Hecatombs and Sacrifices in the vvorld bicause by sacrifice vve consecrate vnto his seruice the liues and substaunce of brute beastes but by obedience vvee make a burnt-offering and Holocaust of our ovvne soules resigning our desires and vvilles yea our ovvn selues vvholly vnto his vvill and pleasure But vvhilest this obedience resteth in the vvill thoughe it be very meritorious yet hath it not the full complement of perfection bicause so longe as the vvill hathe reason to persuade her the lesse thankes she deserueth for obeying but vvhen this vertue reachethe to the vnderstanding and maketh reason against sence and aboue reason to yeeld to more then reason can reach vnto then hath this vertue the topp of her perfection But this perfection shee hath not of her selfe bicause of her selfe she can only submitte the vvill vnto the commaundement of the Superiour but she is fayne to borrovv so much of the Theologicall vertue called Faithe vvhose propertie is to make the verie vnderstanding to stoupe vvithout any reason to yeeld to thinges for vvhich ther is noe reason bicause they are aboue reason Many such thinges ther are in Christian faithe vvhich seeme to sense senseless to reason vnreasonable and to humaine faithe incredible and as farre as mans reason can see euen to diuine povver impossible Emongest the vvhich three are the most principall and to humain reason most incredible to vvit the Trinitie in vv ch vvee beleeue that three are one that is that three persons are one God The incarnation in vv ch vvee cōfess that tvvoe are one that is tvvoe natures in Christe the one diuine the other humaine are one and the same person the blessed sacramēt of the altare in vvhich vve acknovvledge that bread and vvine by the vertue of Christes vvorde are changed into his body and bloud and that one body is not only in one but in diuers places at one and the selfe same tyme But as these three are the hardest to conceue of all the mysteries of Christian fayth so hath our blessed Sauiour giuen vs more plaine and euident testimonies of them in his holy vvritte then of any other vvhich are more easilie to be conceued For the blessed Trinitie vvhat more pregnaunt proofes can vve desire then vve haue in sainte Matthevv Going therfore teach you all nations in the name of the father cap. vlt. and of the sonne and of the holy ghost Vvhere the ancient fathers note that three are named to signifie three distinct persones and yet Christe biddeth his Apostles to baptise in the name not names of these three to signifie that these three are one God And that the father is God euery leafe almost of Scripture dothe testifie that the sōne is God many places most manifestlye do beare vvitnes Rom. 1.9 Tit. 2.3 Iuda 2. Mat. 1◠Act. ◠testimonie That the holy ghost is God S. Peter averreth vvho hauing demaunded of Ananias the reason vvhy hee vvould lye vnto the holy ghost auoucheth that he lyed not to mē but to God vvherfore S. Paule sayeth that vvee are the temple of the holy ghost and seing that to God only temples are erected if vvee bee his temple
after his resurrection he appointed saint Peter his vice-gerent in earth that still the Churche might haue a visible iudge to vvhom she might repayer in all her difficulties Io. 21. For after his resurrection he appeareth to his Apostles and singling out sainct Peter from the rest he demaundeth of him three tymes not only vvhether he loued him but also vvhether more then the rest and finding in deed that he did so and that consequeÌ„tly he vvas the fittest for the cheefest thing in a pastour is loue he maketh choise of him before the rest and comitetth vnto him the charge of his sheep in so ample manner that he excepteth none but giueth him authoritie ouer all both lambes and sheepe that is lesser and greater Christianes euen Apostles Bishops vvho all must acknovvledge Peter for their pastour if they vvill be the sheep of Christ For as sainct Bernard noteth l. de consid vvhere ther is no distinction there is no exception And seing that after sainct Peters death the Church hath noe lesse need of a visible pastour then before it had as Christe left him for his vicegerent soe in him did he appoint a coÌ„tinuall succession of his successours that the Church might allvvayes be prouided of a visible pastour And therfore as bishops are the successours of the other Apostles so some one must succeed sainct Peter and must haue that superioritie ouer other Bishops vvhich sainct Peter had ouer the Apostles And truly to omitt other proofes noe man more likely to be this man then the Bishop of Rome For in the Sea of Rome saint Peter did last of all reside there he dyed and there before his death he appointed Clemens vvho refusing Linus succeeded and after him Cletus after him Anacletus after him Clemens and so forth euen vnto ClemeÌ„t the eight vvho novv in Rome residing ruleth the Churche not only of Rome but of all the christian vvorld Vverfore the Bishops of this Sea vvere euer called the vicars of Christ and successours of sainct Peter they haue euer called generall Councells and confirmed the same they made generall lavves to vvhich all bishopsyea all Christians acknovvledged themselues bounde and obliged they haue excommunicated Bishops and Emperours vvhersoeuer they liued thinking none that are Christianes to bee out of their iurisdiction they haue taken appellations from all partes and shevved them selues in all these actioÌ„s supreme pastours not of Rome only but of all the vvorld and yet vvere neuer counted vsurpers and therfore sithence that saint Peter must haue a successour and that needs ther must be one visible Iudge vnder Christe to vvhom in all doubtes vve must repayr the Pope of Rome is likest to be hee or else if any one be more like then let the aduersarie name him And if they name any other but him I vvill auouch that the Church hathe been vvithout an head these 1600. yeares for all this vvhile neuer any executed that office but hee S. Hierom I ame suer tooke the Bishop of Rome to be the man for he in a doubte and controuersie of the highe mystery of the Trinity flyeth vnto Damasus Bishop of Rome Epistolâ— ad Dam. not that he vvas learneder then sainct Hierom but bicause he Knevv that for sainct Peter consequently for his successours Christe prayed that he might not erre Luc. 22. but rather confirm his bretheru A pastore sayeth he praesidium ouis flagito Of my pastour I demaund the helpe devv to a sheep Novv then let our nevv Christianes if they be the Church of Christ vvhich euer had a visible head tell vs vvho is their supreme Iudge and pastour They vvill saye peradueâ—tur that Christ him self is their Iudge and pastour and that they need no other bicause as he planted his Church so still he ruleth the same But this shifte vvill not serue the turne for Christe novve conuerseth not visibly amongest vs and so beside him the visible Church must haue a visible head as hether to she hath euerhad And altoughe Christe still remayneth our highe preest Io. 10. doctour and pastour yet he offerreth not sacrifices immediatly but only by his vnderpreestes nether doth he teach vs by his ovvne voice Ephes 4. or reuelations but by doctours vvhom Sainct Paule sayeth hee hath appointed nether doth he feed vs by his ovvne hand but by the hande of inferiour pastours vvho minister his Sacramentes vnto vs and deliuer his vvorde in the true meaning by vvhich the soule liueth Mat. 4. Vvherfore besids him the Church being a visible body must haue a visible head else vve may say of it as once Epaminondas sayed of a great armie vv ch vvanted a Generall Video pulcherimam bestiam sed sine capite I see a very fayre beast but vvithout a head And the reason herof is bicause a head and Iudge in the Church is necessary to decide controuersies in religion vvhich arise all most euery age yea â—ome tymes often tymes in the same age sith then vve can not novv haue accesse to Christ beside him vve must haue a visible Iudge vvhich Christe him selfe vvell knovveing presently after he had left vs appointed S. Peter as his vicegerent as is all ready proued I demaund then of all the professours of this nevv religion especially of them in Ingland vvho is their Iudge in controuerlies of religion They can not say that Scripture is this Iudge bicause scripture is but a vvritteÌ„ lavv vv ch can not speak nor interpret her selfe and therfore if the controuersie bee vvhich is scripture or vvhat is the meaning of it scripture can giue noe senteÌ„ce yea I haue demonstrated in the second Chapter that bare scripture is no sufficient Iudge in any matter of religion Suprâ— They can not alleage the spirit to bee this Iudge as is euidently proued in the third Chapter nether vvill they confess that the Pope fathers or councels are this Iudge and if they vvould all they vvould condemne them as is declared in the fourth Chapter Peraduenture they vvil be Iudged by their founders Luther Caluin and such others But first these aggreed not nether one vvith another nether vvith them selues for vvhat one affirmeth another denyeth and vvhat one of them taught one yeare he corrected the next but and if they had aggreed yet vvere they no sufficient Iudges bicause they can not proue their mission as is proued in the first Chapter and so are not to be admitted for lavvfull Iudges vnlesse vve vvill admitt also all false prophets Vvho theÌ„ is this Iudge to vvhom in controuersies they repayr and by vvhose iudgement they square out theyr religion They vvil say percâ—â—â—nce that the Prince is this Iudge But this is as vnlikely and as flatte against scripture and practise of the Churche as any thing can be And although her Maiestie of late memorie and her Father before her did chaleng as devv vnto them authoritie in cause Ecclesiasticall of vvhich I dispute not at this tyme
yet I am sure they vvould not entermeddle in matters of religion to giue sentence vvhat is the meaning of scripture vvhich bookes are canonicall and vvhat opinions are hereticall and contrary vnto god his vvord no more then they vvould entermedle in ministring of Sacramēts or preachīg of Gods vvord For they knevve full vvell vvhat Iosaphat that good king sayed ◠par 19. to vvit that Amarias the high preest vvas to rule in matters of religion and Captain Zabadias to menage matters belonging to the Kings office And ozias may be a sufficient example vnto all princes ◠par 26. vvho vvas stricken vvith a leprie for vsurping the preests office in incensing Vve read in deed that Christ commaunded Saint Peter to feed his sheepe and to gouerne his Church Io. 21. Act. 2◠Ephes 4. preests also and pastours haue the same charge committed vnto them yea the prophet Isaie sayeth that Princes are Nurces furtherers and fauourers and defenders of the Church Is 49.38.60 but he neuer calles them rulers of the Church nor Iudges in religion Vvherfore saint Ambrose Bishop of Milā vvriting to his sister sayeth that he told Valentinian the Emperour vvhat belonged to his office in these vvordles Ep. 13. Trouble not they self O Emperour as to thinke that thou hast any Imperiall right to meddle in diuine matters Extolle not they felf but if thou vvilt raygne longe be thou subiect to god It is vvriten giue to god vvhich is belonging to god and to Caesar vvhich belongeth to Caesar Vnto the Emperour pallaces appertain vnto the preest Churches The charge of the publique vvalles is commited to thee but not of sacred and holy things A sentence vvorthy to be set in a tablet of gold and to hange about a Princes neck And truly if Princes vvere Iudges of religion vve must chaunge religion at their pleasures and so vve should haue allmost as many religions as Princes Much lesse can the parlament be Iudge in religion for that cōsisteth of temporall men and although in Englād the lordes spirituall are ioyned vvith the temporall yet are they all ruled by the prince And vvher I pray you doth scripture vvarraunt vs that the parlament is our Iudge in matters of religion yea vve see that parlamentes varye in religion and so they can giue noe certain sentence for religion In Fraunce the Parlament is Catholike and is content to be subiect to the Pope and in no vvise vvill meddle vvith matters of religion In King Henries tyme the eight of that name the parlament enacted six Catholike articles In King Edvvards tyme the parlament allovved of another religion in Queen Maries tyme of another and in Queen Elizabethes tyme of another If then the same man had liued in all these princes tyme as many haue doone then if the Parlament be Iudge he must in cōscience thoughe religion be but one haue chaunged fovvre tymes his religiō else had he been fovvre tymes an heretike and as often traytour Yea I thinke if the parlament vvere demaunded to define vvhich bookes of scripture are canonicall and vvhich is the true meaning they vvould ansvvere that such matters belonge not vnto them But they vvill ansvver that the parlament is Iudge vvhen it is conformable to scripture as it is at this present but vvas not in Queen Maries tyme. Thus they may ansvver but vvith hovve litle reason it vvill easily appeare For ether the parlament precisely or the parlamēt aggreeing vvith scripture is this Iudge If they graūt me the first then must vve in conscience chaunge religion as often as the parlamēt chaungeth decrees If they graunt only the second then is the parlament noe infallible Iudge yea no Iudge at all for yet vve must haue a Iudge to Iudge the parlament and to determine vvhen the parlament follovveth the vvord of God else shall vve neuer be satisfyed And vvho I pray you is this Iudge Novve I see not vvhom they can name vnless it be my lord of Canterbury or the ministerie of England or of all countries vvhere their religion florisheth But then I demaund of them first vvhere they read in Scripture that their Clergie is an infallible Iudge in matters of religion They vvill say that the scripture commaundes vs to giue credit to our pastours True but if I deny that they are true pastours they can not proue them selues to be soe bicause they can not proue their mission as in the first chapter is proued most euidently Secondly the Clergie of England since King Henry the eight hathe chaunged religion diuers tymes and this nevve Clergie vvas neuer yet constant in fayth for one vvholle year together yea they aggree not amongest them selues and so can be no assured and infallible Iudge Thirdly ether the Clergie of England is Iudge in matters of religion bicause it is the Clergie of Englād or bicause it is the Clergie of a vvholle countrie or bicause it conspireth vvith the vniuersall Clergie of their religion If they graunt me the first then doth it folvvith vve must haue a Iudge to Iudge the parlament and to determine vvhen the parlament follovveth the vvord of God else shall vve neuer be satisfyed And vvho I pray you is this Iudge Novve I see not vvhom they can name vnless it be my lord of Canterbury or the ministerie of England or of all countries vvhere their religion florisheth But then I demaund of them first vvhere they read in Scripture that their Clergie is an infallible Iudge in matters of religion They vvill say that the scripture commaundes vs to giue credit to our pastours True but if I deny that they are true pastours they can not proue them selues to be soe bicause they can not proue their mission as in the first chapter is proued most euidently Secondly the Clergie of England since King Henry the eight hathe chaunged religion diuers tymes and this nevve Clergie vvas neuer yet constant in fayth for one vvholle year together yea they aggree not amongest them selues and so can be no assured and infallible Iudge Thirdly ether the Clergie of England is Iudge in matters of religion bicause it is the Clergie of Englād or bicause it is the Clergie of a vvholle countrie or bicause it conspireth vvith the vniuersall Clergie of their religion If they graunt me the first then doth it follovv that only the Clergie of England is this Iudge and so all other countries must be subiecte to the Inglish Clergie to vv ch they vvill neuer aggree If they graunte the secōd then euery Clergie of a vvholle countrie is iudge and so vve shall haue as many religions al most as countries and although the nevv Clergies of Ingland Germany Scotland Holland Geneue are cōtrarie the one to the other yet the people of euery country must acknovvlege them as Iudges in religion and so must imbrace cōtrarie opinions If they graunt the third I must desire them to aggree all amongest themselues before vve stande to their iudgement