down so many fathers and reasons as partly I haue alleaged to the contrary and might haue alledged many mo But their meaning is plaine enough For although S. Augustine and that Councel of Carthage and others say that all those bookes are canonicall yet wee must vnderstand them according to their meaning They diuided all the scripturs that went in the name of scriptures but into two parts Those which they called Apocrypha De ciuit Dei lib. 15. ca. 23 lâ— b. 3. cap. 25 Euseb had many fables as may appeare by saint Augustine now all the rest they called Canonicall so that they comprehend vnder that name all that Eusebius and others do vnderstand both by such bookes as were without all controuersie receiued of al men and such as were not generally receiued of all but well liked of many And they comprehend all these in one name not only because that in comparison of the other that were fabulous these were good but also because they were read commonly of them although not for establishing of anie doctrine as before I haue shewed yet for reformation of manners And that S. Augustines meaning was not to make like account of all appeareth not onely by that rule which himselfe setteth downe in that very chapter after he hath reckoned vp those Bookes canonicall Those canonicall bookes which are generally saith he receiued by the common consent of all Churches De doctrinâ— christiana li. 2. cap. 8. 30 are to bee preferred before them that are reiected of many but of those whom we call Apocrypha Origen Athanasius Epiphanius Melito Hierome Ruffinus and many other haue doubted but also by his practise For it will appeare how that somtime himself doubteth of some of them which we deny to be canonicall namely of the Machabees hee writeth thus against the second Epistle of Gaudentius the Donatist Lib. 2. cap. 23 This peece of Scripture of the Machabees the Iewes do not so account of as of the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes vnto the which the Lord giueth testimony as vnto his own witnesses saying Al things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes of me but it is receiued of the Church not without profite if it bee read or heard soberly Wherin first I note that the Iewes with whom the word of God was kept before it came to vs did not account it canonicall Secondly note how he magnifieth the witnes of the scriptures which are indeede canonical calling them the Lords owne witnesses And thirdly how coldly hee intertaineth the bookes of Machabees saying the church readeth them and that with profit if they be read soberly by reason of some good examples in them But yet more plainely in his Bookes of the citie of God Lib. 18. c. 36. The reckoning of time from the restoring of the Temple is not found in the holy Scriptures that are called Canonicall but in other writings amongst which are the Bookes of the Machabees which the Iewes reckon not canonicall but the church doth bicause of the extreame strange sufferings of some Martires Wherein wee see how that S. Augustine saith that wee knowe not the story of those times after the temple was built by any canonicall writer but yet by the Machabees wee know it therefore the Machabees are not canonicall And yet the church accounteth them saith he canonicall because of the examples of the Martyres in them As if he would haue saide Although those Bookes be not indeede such as you may build your faith vpon yet they are for some things worth the reading Which two places I stoode vpon the rather because Bellarmine alledgeth them De verbo de lib. 1. cap. 15. especially this latter as a speciall pillar to hold vp those Bookes of Machabees But howe truely let the Reader iudge Arg. 3 Their third and last argument is taken from that authority which they imagine the Church hath to approoue or disprooue Gods word And therefore is it so often repeated by Bellarmine handling this point That the Councell of Trent hath allowed such Bookes De verbo dei lib. 1. De ecclesia So that hee iumpeth right with that which most blasphemously Eckius hath set downe that twice within few lines he liked so well of it That the Scriptures are not authenticall or canonicall without the authoritie of the church And Canus setteth himselfe to make a full discourse against them that say Lib 2. de locis Theol. ca. 6 That the Scripture needeth not the approbation of the church And thus they must reason The church hath allowed those bookes to be canonicall which you call Apocrypha according as did also the ancient fathers therefore they are canonicall Answere That the weakenesse and wickednesse of this argument may appeare let vs first consider who is the Author of the holy scriptures which the Apostle declareth as plainly as can be when he saith 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration from God Therefore the scripture is the word not of man but of God Secondly let vs see how this word came to vs whether by tradition of the church or by special reuelation Which also is plainly answered by saint Peter saying 2. Pet. 1.21 that prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost What will we then say shall we imagin that God would direct by his holy Spirite the mouthes of his seruants to speake but not their pennes to write God forbid Thirdly the men whome it pleased God to vse as his meanes in setting downe this word were knowen vnto the church of that time wherein they flourished and their calling so confirmed vnto the godly that without all doubt or wauering they receiued those writings as Gods word because they knew the authors thereof to be directed by Gods spirit And this is the difference that the ancient fathers doe make betweene those Bookes of scripture whose authors were knowen and their bookes alwayes receiued and therefore called Canonicall that is such as deliuer rules for life and doctrine that are infallible and those other that are called Apocrypha because either it was not knowen who wrote them or else it was not knowen that they were indued with such a spirite as they could not erre in any thing And therefore their Bookes were not receiued of the church then Is it not then intollerable pride in the church of Rome to commaund silence vnto God himselfe and not to suffer him to speake but when they giue him leaue and to proclame it vnto the world that euen his word is not of credite vnlesse it be by their approbation and allowance of the same And yet thus doe they say when they affirme that the Scriptures are not Canonicall but by the approbation of the Church Yea some make them no better than Esopes Fables if the Church allowe not
we derogate anie thing herein from the power of the spirit whose direction if we could follow we should neuer do amisse but impute it to our owne weaknes ignorance corruption whereby it commeth to passe that euen the godly many times grieue Gods spirit and suffer him not to haue his perfect worke Other arguments also they haue but they haue scarce any shew of truth and therefore I thinke them not worthie answering for their places out of the fathers doe commend the faith of Rome that then was and their constancie in the same but what is that to this degenerate church of Rome that now is of the church whereof we may say as one saith of their citie that a man will seeke Rome in the midst of Rome So a man will seeke the church euen in the midst of their most shewe of religion and yet not finde it Of the markes of the Church or how wee may know the true Church CHAP. 9. THE PROTESTANTS WE must iudge of the tree of the church by the fruits that she bringeth foorth that is by the faith or religion that shee teacheth the confession or profession of the same that she maketh the exercise of the same that she vseth but we cānot iudge truely of these her fruits but only by the scriptures as in the fiue first chapters hath beene shewed therfore the true and infallible tokens or markes of the true church are to be had out of the word of God or the Scriptures THE PAPISTS NOwe the Papistes will haue their church to bee the true church because shee hath by vniust claime a good name to bee called Catholike Name catholike Antiquity Continuance Greatnesse Succession because shee is ancient and hath lasted long she is great and hath alwayes borne fruit such as it was for these are the first fiue notes reckoned vp by Bellarmine Lib. 4. de notis eccles and indeede their chiefest which especially they rest vppon And may not an euill tree haue all these properties Yes verely And as for the rest of his marks in the iudgement of an indifferent Reader they will neuer be accounted true markes of the Church excepting those notes wherein he seemeth to consent with vs to try the church by the word namely by holinesse of doctrine Because I haue in another treatise shewed I trust sufficiently that those markes of the church which they make greatest account of neither are any true markes and that we may make as good claime to them as they can it shall now be sufficient briefly to passe ouer this point and with one or two arguments to answer this question The scripture the true note of the true church Those markes of the church whereby wee may truely know the church and not be deceiued those I say onely are the true markes of the church But the scriptures onely are such Therefore they onely are the infallible markes The maior or first proposition no man will deny And that the Scriptures are such may appeare by infinite testimonies De pec merit remiss lib. 1. cap. 22. Saint Augustine saith it can not deceiue nor be deceiued And against the Donatists de bapt lib. 2. cap. 6. calleth the Scriptures the holy wey-scales or ballances Cap. 1. And in his booke de bono viduitatis he saith that the holy scripture doth set him his rule how to teach And to be short writing vpon saint Iohns Epistle he saith that Against deceitfull errours In Ioh. epist tractatu 2. God would set a strength or stay in the scriptures And Chrysostome saith vpon Genesis Hom. 12. in Genes that the Scripture wil not suffer him to erre or go astray that heareth it And therefore Gregory Nazianzene sometimes calleth the Scriptures The Kings high way Matth. 24. And our sauior Christ although he foretold the danger of error a litle before he suffered yet doeth hee not giue the Disciples any such markes whereby they should know the true Christ or true church as the Papistes speake of but he earnestly commendeth his word vnto them Ioh. 14.15 23. 15.7 And feruently prayeth vnto his father to sanctifie them with his trueth Ioh. 17.3 17 namely with his word for he knew that to be the way to keepe them from errour By all which it appeareth that the scriptures onely are accounted that perfect rule not only by the iudgement of the fathers but also by the practise of our sauiour Christ But most plainly S. Chrysost saith Opere imperf hom 49 That the true Church can be knowen only by the Scriptures I know that Bellarmine answereth this place in his 4. booke de verbo Dei ca. 11. after two sorts First that the booke sauoureth somwhat of Arianisme But in these words what Arianisme can Bellarmine finde Yea Bellarmine himselfe doth in other places alleage this booke But his second answer I confesse is very forcible For he telleth vs that in a booke printed of late that place is left out Haue they not thinke you answered the place strongly when they haue thrust it quite out of the booke If they had vsed Chrysostome onely in this sort yet were it too bad dealing but it may appeare by Franciscus Iunius his preface before the booke called Index Expurgatorius that they haue left few of the Fathers vncorrupted I would to God therefore that this and such other gelding and falsifying of the fathers by that deceiuing church of Rome which seekes to make them al say as she doth could stir vp the christiā princes that professe religion in a godly care to prouide for the safetie and maintenaunce of religion and the trueth thereof in time to come Which in my iudgement can not well be perfourmed except that to preuent the credite of those falsified copies which within short time are almost onely like to remaine because the ancient which are the truest wil be worne out the godly Princes by common consent woulde take some speedy order for printing of al the fathers according to the ancientest and most pure copies that might be found The second argument is this Whatsoeuer notes do not teach it to be euidently true that the church whereof they are the notes is the true church of God may deceiue and therefore are not certaine notes of the true church But such are the notes that the Papists would haue vs to beleeue therefore they are but deceitfull notes De verbo de◠lib. 1. cap. 2. The maior or first proposition is most true and may well bee prooued out of that axiome or rule that Bellarmine setteth downe saying De notis eccles li. 3. ca. 3. That the rule of the catholike faith must bee sure or certaine The minor or second proposition is Bellarmines owne confession euen in the selfe same words that I haue set downe Therefore it followeth necessarily that we must not trust the notes of the catholike church set downe by them CHAP. 10. Before I beginne
of them O blasphemie intollerable if this their argument might bee allowed then the church of Rome which falsely challengeth to bee the church Caus 15. Quaest 6. ca. Autoritatem Dâ— st 34. c. sector dist 82. presbyt would soone prooue their abhominable Idolatries and heresies to be true religion And therefore doe they challenge this authoritie and striue for it And the Pope sometimes dispenseth against the Apostle as their Canonists doe note and sometimes a Councell dispenseth against the apostle and all this is to challenge vnto their church this prerogatiue that it may deale with Gods word as it will When Gregorie the thirteenth pope of that name confirmed the order of the fellowship of the blessed virgine Marie a new deuised order and come vp since the order of Iesuites in his Bull hee confirmeth and ratifieth all such priuileges as they haue or shall haue Notwithstanding anie Constitutions or Ordinances Apostolike or whatsoeuer may be against it Did you euer reade or heare any speake more like the beast mentioned in the Apocalips Apoc. 13.5 6 who had a mouth giuen vnto him that spake blasphemies But to be short I will against their argument oppose this Whatsoeuer scriptures are not giuen by inspiration of God spirit and by the godly receiued into the canon of the scripturs those are not the word of God though they haue the approbation of the latter churches but such are the Bookes which wee call Apocrypha which the councell of Trent would make of like authoritie with the canonicall Scriptures therefore those Bookes are not the vndoubted word of God And howe can any body imagine that that which once hath beene not canonicall can by continuaunce of time and confirmation of men become canonicall or that which God hath not vouched woorthy to bee his word in times past that nowe at the last he should acknowledge the same as though hee were nowe chaunged or had repented him of his former opinion Admit once this doctrine of theirs and farewell all certaintie in religion For men will wander from one thing to an other as wee see in the kingdome of darkenesse and Poperie where there is no ende of deuotions deuised and inuentions of men So that that which was good christianitie in the dayes of Christ and of his Apostles is nowe holden to be farre from the perfection of a godly life vnlesse wee doe helpe it with our will-worshippings and by the obeying the preceptes of the church Nay graunt them this and then that worde written that wee haue it shall speake nothing but Romish so that whatsoeuer is the meaning and true sense of the scriptures yet God must be taught to speake as the church of Rome will haue him De verbo dei lib. 4. cap. 11. To this ende tendeth that common axiome receiued of them all and vsed by Bellarmine The true sense of the Scripture hangeth of vnwritten traditions So that beleeue them and they will easily confute any aduersaries For first they alow for scripture what they will Secondly that which they must needes confesse to bee Scripture must bee expounded by their vnwritten Traditions That I say that is written by that which is vnwritten the certaine by the vncertaine Like to Procustes his bed which who so lay in it if he were too long he was cut shorter if he were too short he was stretched out longer So must all be made fit to their traditions Seeing therefore the Canonical Bookes haue so manifest a testimonie not onely of the godly but euen of the aduersaries themselues and the credite of the Apocrypha by so great authorities is suspect I will conclude with belâ— armines words That he is not well in his wit that not regardâ— ng â—â— e Scripture the surest and safest rule wâ— ll refeâ— re hâ— mself to the iudgement of the inward spirâ— t which is often deceitfull and alwayes vncertaine as in truth the Papists do For they will make you beleeue that because they are guided by the holy Ghost they cannot erre in their traditions This rule then of Gods written word in the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament being set downe as a rule most sure to trâ— e all doctrines with let vs now proceed to examine other matters in controuersy among vs when I shal first haue answered a common obiection wherein all the most ignorant sort especially of Papists doe maruellously trust and triumph and doe therewith deceiue others such as them selues are How shal I know the scriptures say they to be the scriptures but by the authoritie of the Church I will not answer although I might very well that absurdly they call that in question whereof there is no doubt among vs. For neither we nor they denie Gods word It is knowne of all it is receiued of vs all Therfore they put case of that there is not neither is likely to be amongs vs. But for their sakes that are ignorant I answer plainely and shortly out of Saint Augustine Coâ— feâ— li. 6. cap. 5. Thou Lord hast perswaded me that they are blame worthie not who haue beleeued thy bookes which thou hast so setled almost in all nations but they that haue not beleeued them And that I should not heare them if perchance any would say to me How knowest thou that those bookes the scripture are giuen to mankinde by the spirite of one very and most true God Yea Saint Augustine there confesseth that when he was but a nouice in religion yet was he perswaded that God would neuer haue made the whole world so to reuerence the Scriptures but that he meant to be beleeued in them and to be sought out by them We see then by saint Augustine that not onely that common account that the whole world not the Church onely maketh of the Scriptures should be sufficient to stop our mouths for asking that question but also that he flatly telleth vs that God would not haue vs to heare such faithles and fruitles obiections But I know they will by and by come vpon me with that place of Augustine Cont. epist 〈◊〉 c. 5. I would not beleeue the Gospel vnlesse the authoritie of the Church should moue me thereto Out of which they will perchance conclude as grosly as you heard Eckius hath done That the Scripture it selfe hath no credite but as the Church will bestow it vpon the same But Melchior Canus a learned Papist doth gather otherwise out of that place and doth in deed truely answere this common obiection for vs out of the said words of S. Augustine concluding thus Therefore it teacheth not Locor Theo lib. 1. cap. â— that beleeuing the Gospel is grounded vpon the authoritie of the Church but onely that there is no sure way whereby either Infidels or Nouices in faith may come to the holy Scriptures but the consent of the Catholike Church Yea he hath taught a little before in that Chapter that although to haue faith
certaine external meanes and helpes are required yet those moue vs nothing without the working of Gods holy spirit And he much misliketh of them that teach that our faith must rest vpon that point That we beleue that the church is true or cannot erre For therevpon he gathereth this absurditie that our faith should be grounded vpon the truth not of God but of man He also plainly affirmeth that if a man should aske how the faithfull do know that God hath reuealed that which they beleeue they cannot answere by the authoritie of the Church but it is by the inward light of Gods spirit that they know the same If now thou aske me how I know the Scriptures to be the Scriptures I answere out of Canus not by the authority of the Church but by the motion of Gods spirit and witnesse thereof If thou vrge that place of Augustine Canus telleth thee that they who are become Christians are not so brought to beleeue the Scriptures but onely Infidels and Nouices in religion So that this place serueth nothing to obiect against vs who professe Christianitie alreadie and beleeue the worde which the Manichies did not of whom and to whom Saint Augustine there writeth But we had neede out of that place to admonish you that in respect of that reuerence which with one consent al that professe Christianitie doe yeeld vnto the scriptures you would be ashamed so to depraue and despise them so to abuse and reiect them at your owne pleasure as you alwayes haue done You make vnlawfull that which God hath mad lawfull as for example It was lawfull in the Apostles time for euerie Priest Dion Carth. 1. Tim. 3. Bishop and Deacon to haue one wife but now by the appointment of the Pope they may not haue a wife sayth a friend of your owne a bird of your owne nest So that not the scripture or the will of God but the worde of the Pope must be the rule of our life so that whereas Augustine for the Church beleeued the scriptures you for your Churches sake controll the scriptures and disobey them And for the establishing of that vndue honour which they would bestow vpon the most happie mother of Christ the virgin Mary Marke the boldnesse of Durand a great piller in the Popish Church Rathon◠di◠li. 4. rub 6. who writeth thus Although it is said in the Scriptures that Christ rising did first appeare to Marie Magdalen yet it is more truly beleeued that first of all he appeared to his mother Is it not plaine how that to establish their foolish toyes he giueth the lie to that word that is onely true O grosse boldnesse Seeing therefore this worde hath not onely testimonie within vs which is the strongest witnesse but also with so great consent is knowne to be Gods worde be ashamed now to call it into question or to put it to the triall of the Church by which the Papists alwaies vnderstand the Romish Church whether it shal be allowed for currant or not For in deede this blasphemous sense which as I haue shewed euen their owne friends can in no wise like of is now the cōmon exposition of those words of S. Aug. I will not beleeue the scriptures vnlesse the Church of Rome do allow the Bookes for Canonicall and expound them as she shall thinke good And thus much to answer this their common obiection What the Catholike Church is that is mentioned in the Creede CHAP. 6 THE PROTESTANTS VVE say with the Apostle Saint Paul that the catholike church which is spoken of in the Creede s. Tim. 3. Is the house of God the pillar and ground of truth And with the fathers that it is the companie of all the faithfull of all times and of all places And with Saint Iohn The Bride of the Lambe Apoc. 21 9. and the bodie of Christ And therefore that the wicked and faithlesse are not of this Church nor can be counted of this companie THE PAPISTS BVt the Church of Rome to get a Catholike Church admit good and bad to be of their Church namely reprobates wicked Bellar. de Eccle. li. 3. cap. 2. and vngodly ones Neither do thinke that they neede any inward vertue to bee of their Church but onely that they professe religion and be vnder the Pope Well may they in some sort seeme to haue a Catholike Church because all is fish that comes into their net but holy apostolike it shal not be nor Catholike as in the Creed is meant Wherein this is worthie to be reproued in them that whereas they crie out in worde and writing The Catholike church of Rome and vnlesse you beleeue the Catholike Church you cannot be saued And for proofe hereof they alledge this article I beleeue the Catholike church yet when they should tell vs what this Catholike church is wherevnto we must so necessarily be subiect they onely paint vnto vs I know not what Romish Church The catholike church in the Creed and the Romish contrary which is no more like the true Catholike church than that church of Israel when it was started aside from the true worship of God was like to the true church of God that remained amongest the people of the Iewes as by these few reasons may appeare The catholike church is One One that is to say one companie and vnited and knit togither by one spirite and the selfe same graces but the reprobate and vngodly who fill vp a place in the Romish catholike church neither are one company with the Saints nor vnited to them by the same spirit and graces to be partakers of the communion of Saints Therefore that catholike and the Romish catholike Church are not all one Secondly that Church is Holy Holy and that not in part but perfectly euen without spot or wrinckle Ephe. 5.26.27 For in our Creed we doe not speake of the church that is but that shal be not that which we see with our eye but by faith not that which is perfected but hoped for which we shall not in deede behold with our eyes Reuel 21 vntill it come downe from heauen as saint Iohn speaketh of the heauenly Ierusalem Apoc. 11 which as witnesseth saint Ambrose doth represent the Church that shall bee after the ende of the world Apoc. 21 Of which minde is also saint Augustine But the Romish catholike church is of omnigatheroms as people goe to faires or markets of all sorts and qualities And although a man haue not one good thing in him not one crum of honestie hee is good enough to make vp a number in the Church of Rome but such a church is not holy and therefore not that that is mentioned in the Creede Thirdly that church is catholike Catholike that is as all the godly haue acknoledged it the mother of all Christians the companie of all the saints both in heauen and vpon earth But the Romish catholike church
the catholike faith Not the authoritie of any man not the loue that he beareth him not his wit eloquence or philosophie But despising all these stedfast and setled in faith doeth make reckoning that hee must hold and beleeue onely whatsoeuer he knoweth the catholike church of olde beleeued Hee confirmeth also that heresies are for the triall of the godly by S. Paul 1. Cor. 11.19 with a long and liuely description of such as are wauering and doubtfull in faith maruelling much at their madnes that content not themselues with the rule of faith The Papists are possessed with this mad spirit which of old once hath beene receiued but day by day seeke new things and delight alwayes to put something to or to change or to take somewhat from religion Not remembring that it is a heauenly doctrine which once to be reuealed sufficeth but as if it were an earthly institution which cannot be perfected but by continuall mending or rather controlling it This chopping chāging in religion he proueth to be dangerous by three other testimonies of scripture Prouer. 22.28 Eccl. 8 17. Eccle. 10.8 but especially insisteth vpon that of Saint Paul 1. Tim. 6.20 O Timothe keep that which is committed vnto thee and auoide prophane and vaine babling and opposition of knowledge falsly so called And sheweth what is meant by this word depositum What is meant by That which is committed to thee That which is committed that is that which thou art trusted with not that thou deuisedst that thou hast receiued not inuented a matter not of thine owne wit but of an others teaching not for thy priuate vse but for to deliuer to all A thing brought to thee not brought forth by thee wherein thou maiest bee not the Author but the keeper not the teacher but the scholler not the leader but the follower This as pure gold must be kept pure without corruption It must be beautified and fitted but in any wise we must So teach that wee haue learned Wee must teach no new thing Growing in faith but no changing that when we speake after a new manner yet we bring no new matter Yet we must grow and the faster the better So that it bee but growing and not changing In the very same doctrine the same meaning the same vnderstanding Euen as children grow in their body but are the same that they were But if any partes or members should be added or turned into another shape it were a monstrous thing Such and no other must be our growing in religion to no other but to more perfection in the same which hee also maketh manifest by the example of wheat Which being sowen by our fathers in the primitiue church must bee husbanded and dressed by vs but the seede must not bee changed Yea in these plantes of religion we maie nay wee must vse all diligence to trimme them and dresse them but to change them to mangle or maime them it is great wickednesse Yea they must still keepe their Fulnesse sincerity and property He seemeth to haue prophecied of the mischiefes of popery For doe but once giue libertie to this deceit of cutting or corrupting the Scriptures and religion is in danger to bee quite ouerthrowne If some maie bee cut off nought will be left if some maie bee mingled nought will bee pure and sincere The true church keepeth safely her owne But the Church of Christ is a carefull and warie keeper of doctrines lefte vnto her shee neuer changeth any thing diminisheth it not addeth nothing Shee cutteth not of thinges necessarie Shee putteth not to thinges needelesse Shee doeth not leese her owne shee will haue nothing that belongeth to others Yea and in all her Councels the church did nothing else but set downe that in writing which before was knowen onlie by tradition and vtter by newe termes The councels taught nothing in faith new Teachers of newes must bee auoided matters of faith not new We must also by all meanes possible shun and auoid such as bring not the catholicke and vniuersal doctrine which hath continued one and the same from age to age by one vndefiled tradition of the truth and shal continue for euer without end And this newnesse of wordes the Apostle calleth prophane because it hath in it nothing holy nothing religious These prophane nouelties therefore we must auoide for to receiue them is the maner not of catholikes but of heretikes The words thus included I was loath to leaue out because the Papists bragge much of them as though they did mightily conuince vs to be heretikes And yet if a man do well consider of them hee may iustly doubt whether they be Vincentius his words or added since because they are brought in so impertiuently to his matter and nothing in all the booke either afore or after that soundeth that way But admit that they are his words it is no hard matter to prooue this in very many of the doctrines of the church of Rome bicause therein they do iumpe and drawe in one yoke with the olde heretikes of whome the stories mention by whome how and when they beganne But they will tell vs their doctrines were not condemned by any councel which they professe And how could they when they that taught them had gotten the soueraignty ouer princes and prelats Yea he whom they call the catholike king as in some respects they may truely not because he loueth catholike religion For in a man of so excessiue greedinesse intollerable pride and vnnaturall crueltie as many of his practises and purposes shew him to be what religion can there be but because hee scarcely can coment himselfe with the whole world this man I say vsurpeth Nauarre and intrudeth himselfe into the kingdome of Portingal And yet so long as he ruleth them their parleaments or councels dare not no they can not proclame him to be an vsurper or an intruder into other mens right although hee is so neither would our sauiour Christ haue regarded any thing this defence that the Scribes and Pharises and Priests of the Iewes might haue vsed In what coun◠el was that condemned that we teach but on the contrary he telleth that by their power and authoritie they shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men and suffer not them that would enter Math. 23.13 And so did the Church of Rome What heresie hath beene at any time but it hath beene vnder some certain name in some certayne place at some certaine time And no man doeth maintaine any heresie but that hee first separateth him selfe from the consent of the vniuersality and antiquitie of the catholike church As hee prooueth by the examples of Pelagius Celestius Arrius Sabellicus Nouatianus Simon Magus Priscilianus Yea but Heretikes doe alleadge Scripture for al in a maner that they say and therefore are they the more dangerous And that practise did Sathan vse before against our sauiour Christ But how then shall catholike men know
is nothing else then it is that is it signifieth the bodie of the Lord. Col. cum Trypho Iud◠o. Which exposition I haue from himselfe who saith in an other place That Christ hath deliuered vs bread for the Remembrance of his bodie that is taken vp into heauen Where he doth not onely shew the Sacrament to be a Memoriall of Christs bodie which here is to be proued but also that his bodie is absent and in heauē in that he saith it is for a remēbrance of his body that is taken vp And in the same book afterwards the same father saith that By the dry and moist nourishment the bread wine we are admonished of those things which it is said Christ hath suffred for vs. Where by calling thē nourishment that of our bodies for such nourishment belongeth to thē he plainly denieth any alteration of the substance in those visible signes and then further sheweth the true vse of the sacramēt which is to admonish vs of Christs suffring for vs. Out of Iren. he allegeth these words How shal they know Iren. lib. 4. cap. 34. that that bread wherin thanks are giuē is the body of their lord but that Iren. did not dream there of any Transubstantiation it is plaine by his wordes that folow immediately when he faith that the Eucharist consisteth of two things the earthly and the heauenly If the bread were transubstantiate it could not be called an earthly thing Moreouer hee writeth in that place against the heretikes that sayd there was another God the father besides him that made all things Nowe he inferreth if they should say true howe shall they knowe that that bread is the bodie of their Lord Whereby it appeareth that his purpose is here not to shew what is in that bread but which Lord it representeth vnto them As the verie next wordes in that sentence declare which are these If they say not that he is the sonne of him that made the world so that the chiefest force of this reason after Irene his true meaning is in this word Their Lord. And besides to call the signe by the name of that which it signifieth the bodie of Christ for the sacrament of the bodie of Christ is verie agreeable vnto the Scriptures but such maner of speaches are but a weake proofe for transubstantiation Next commeth in Tertullian but so maimed mangled that thereby maister Bellarmine proclaimeth vnto the world that he meant nothing lesse than to haue the truth knowne Out of him hee alledged these wordes Con. Marcionem li. 4. neer the ende The bread which he tooke he made his bodie saying this is my bodie A man would thinke this were a very plaine place but Bellarmine dealeth falsly herein For when Tertullian hath spoken for him what he would haue him then he stoppeth his mouth least he marre all For the very next wordes are that is the figure of his bodie Nowe let vs take the whole sentence together and so trie what hee can make of it The bread which hee tooke hee made his bodie saying this is my bodie that is the figure of my bodie And after also to shew what he meant by that he saide he made it his bodie he deliuereth it in other termes he calleth it his bodie If then maister Bellarmine will aske how the bread can bee made his bodie Tertullian telleth how Li. de Euch. 3. cap. 18. Sacramentally or figuratiuely So that this bold question of maister Bellarmine commeth out of season like a triumph before the conquest His fourth witnesse that he produceth Cyp. de coena domini is Cyprian whose wordes are these This bread which the Lord did reach to his disciples being changed not in shape or forme but in nature by the omnipotencie of the worde is made flesh This testimonie hee esteemeth as the club of Hercules that no man can withstand De Euch. li. 2 cap. 9. and therefore in another place alledging it he sayth thus This testimonie cannot bee answered although the aduersaries haue often assayed to answere it Let vs then examine a little this vnanswerable place And first it is confessed by Bellarmine that that booke is not Cyprians and therefore the father of that booke is vncertaine but yet wee will not denie it but answere the place if we can How the bread is made flesh hath beene sufficiently declared in the answer to the former arguments so that all the hardnesse is in this howe the bread is chaunged not in forme but in nature First that is true in respect of the vse that it is put to For as it is a sacrament and representeth vnto vs our nourishment in Christ so must it truely nourish our bodies it beeing chaunged in vs to that ende and nowe not the accidents but the substaunce of bread can worke this nourishment And therefore if wee take nature for substaunce it may well so be expounded and agree with that which Iustinus Martyr sayeth as before is saide And admit that nature doeth here signifie substaunce let vs see what they can prooue by it They say the substance of the bread ceasseth and is quite taken away But Cyprian sayeth the bread is but chaunged in nature but still it remayneth bread you see for hee so calleth it Therefore because he vttereth it in such a maner it is most certaine that he meaneth not by that worde nature the substance of bread but something else Nature therefore is somtime taken for the disposition or for the propertie or vse of a thing as the authour of the booke of Wisdome sayth Sap. 7.20 That God had giuen him knowledge of the nature of beasts In like maner Rom. 1.26 Ephes ◠.3 Iam. 3.7 We were by nature saith saint Paul the children of wrath And saint Iames saith The whole nature of beasts hath beene tamed by the nature of man So that this word nature very often doth not signifie the substance And here it cannot signifie the substance of the bread because the substance of it cannot be changed but that it must also be annihilated or broght to nought therfore he speaketh but of the vse or propertie of it that it is altered And doctor Chadsey a learned Papist as was any in Oxford in his time doth confirme this my answer For when Peter Martir disputing against D. Tresham had pressed him with an authoritie of Theodorets Dialog 1 which was this Christ hōnored those signes which we see with the names of his bodie and blood yet not changing the nature but to nature adding grace And he as it seemeth not liking well of D. Tresham his answer this Doctor Chadsey disputing another day tooke vpon him to answer such places as master Martyr had before alledged against master Tresham and amongst others he answereth this place out of Theodoret thus I say that Thodoret meaneth as other fathers doe who when they say that the nature remayneth they meane the propertie of the
in the Eucharist is no killing or shedding of bloud But on the contrarie a man may thus reason The celebrating of the Passeouer was not in euerie respect a figure of the Eucharist For the Passeouer must haue the sprinkling of blood which might not be sprinkled but by the Priest only as appeareth 2. Chron. 30.16 where that solemne keeping of the Passeouer by king Ezechiah is described and 2. Chron. 35.11 where it is declared how zealously Iosiah performed the same seruice And in that respect onely is it to be counted a Sacrifice for that onely belonged to the Priests to doe so as no other but the Priests might doe it All other things might be and were performed by others But the Eucharist they all with full mouth confesse to bee vnbloodie and therefore in this thing wherein onely the Pascall Lambe may be accounted a sacrifice it is no figure of the Eucharist So the celebrating of the Passeouer euen in that point wherein it is a sacrifice doeth nothing proue that sacrifice which the Romish church would teach in the Masse And see how vnnecessarie an argument this is In the celebrating of the Passeouer there was a bloody sacrifice therefore in the Eucharist must bee a bloodie sacrifice This consequence the Papists themselues will not graunt and yet it is as good and necessarie as that of theirs In celebrating of the Paschall Lambe there was a sacrifice therefore in the Eucharist there must bee a sacrifice For this principle that master Bellarmine doeth set downe That celebrating of the Passeouer was en expresse figure of the Eucharist if it proue the Eucharist to haue a sacrifice it doth also proue it to haue a bloodie sacrifice for otherwise the Lambe or Passeouer was not an expresse figure of the Eucharist If therefore the Papists will denie that it is a bloudy sacrifice why should we grant it to bee a sacrifice vnlesse they can alledge better reason than this that is taken from celebrating the Passeouer And thus much for the second argument Argument 3 The third argument that master Bellarmine bringeth he sayeth hee neuer read answere to it and this it is The blood of the olde Testament Exod. 24. Cap. 8. was the bloud of a sacrifice alreadie slaine and offered therefore the blood of the new Testament is so Answere But this blood of the new Testament is the blood of Christ as himself faith This is my bloud therefore he was the sacrifice offered vp in the Supper It is true that when Moses said This is the bloud of the couenant that God hath made with you the beast for sacrifice was alreadie slaine but that it must needes be so in the bloud of the newe testament there is no necessitie and therefore that argument must bee denied First because master Bellarmine maketh the especial thing in this couenant to be that the bloud was shed before the words were spoken whereas the principall part in deed is that the couenant must be established by bloud And therein Moses directed them to Christ in whose bloud the couenant of grace is established with Gods people Which the Apostle to the Hebrews doth rightly consider of Heb. 9.8 and therefore looketh not to the time wherein the sacrifice was slaine but to the matter wherby the couenant was established Secondly the order which Moâ— ses doth vse and the Apostle obserueth out of him as a verie materiall point is of vs to be marked For first the couenant was made betweene God and the people then it was raâ—â—â—â— by the blood euen so because Christ must needs make this couenant and set downe thâ— s hâ— s last will and Testament therefore his blood 〈◊〉 must of necessitie bee after the 〈◊〉 of this his last will so that although that blood of the 〈◊〉 Testament was 〈◊〉 before the words were spoken yet it is not needfull it should so bee in the newe Testament Nay it can not so bee because hee must maâ— e this conâ—â—â—â— whilest yet hee was â—â—â— e and no other coulde make it for him Then do hee confirme 〈◊〉 by his bloâ—â— shedding which was afterwardes vpon the crosse whereof that bloud of the olde Testament was but a shadowe And thus I trust iust cause appeareth to denie his argument And then that which followeth that Christ therefore must be sacrificed in his last supper without 〈◊〉 further labour falleth to the grâ—â—â—â— As for the fiue sundrie arguments alledged by him in the â—â— th Chapter of the aforesaâ— de booke it is no marâ—â—â—â— though master Beâ—â— armine make no great account of the same For he cannot proue out of them that Christ in hâ— s last supper did offer vp his owne bodie to God ◠〈◊〉 2 3â— and his blood in forme of breed and wâ—â—â— His arguments are taken out of the story of Hely the 2. out of the Prouer. 9.1 2 The third out of Esay 19 21. The fourth out of Esay 66 21 â—â— d Ier. 33.17 18 the fifth out of Dan. â— 11 12 and 12 11 Read the places who so will and it shall easily appeare that they serue not to proue that which Bellarmine would and therefore I passe them ouer thus briefly But the mighte argument the wâ—â— ght whereof well beare downe all before it is taken out of Malachy I haue no pleasure in you saith the Lord of hostes neither will I accept an offering at your hand For from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name 〈◊〉 great among the Gentiles and in euery place incense shall 〈◊〉 offred vnto my name and a pure offering for my name 〈◊〉 great among the heatheÌ„ saith the Lord of hosts Which place to be vnderstood of a sacrifice properly so called 〈◊〉 not of spirituall sacrifices master Bellarmine will proue by sundry arguments The first is drawne from the Hebrew word which the Prophet vseth there which master Bellarmine will not in any wise haue to be vsed but for those sacrifices that are properly so called And yet in this very booke a little before Cap. â— he confesseth that sacrifice that is called by the same name to be But as a part or as it were the sâ—â—â— ce of another sacrifice And that answer did then as he thought serue his turne to stop the mouth of Kemnitius But now hee will haue it not onely to be a sacrifice but euen a most proper sacrifice But by that word and 〈◊〉 that place we are taught that the sacrifices of Christians shal be the true sacrifices not consisting onely of outwarde shew but hauing that 〈◊〉 seasoning and true sâ—â— ceritie which through Iesus Christ shal be acceptable vnto God And that singlenes of heart was signified by that Mincha which was commanded to be offered by the people of God with their dayly sacrifices Therefore the name proueth not strongly inough the sacrifice for which it is brought His second argument is taken out of that worde Cleane
sacrifices wherein he striueth much to proue Howe 〈◊〉 talked 〈◊〉 that our spirituall sacrifices of prayers thankesgiuing yea of our selues and all ou◠obedience cannot bee cleane Wherein although he saith truly of our workes as they are in themselues considered yet are they also called Cleane first in respect of the fountaine of regeneration from whence they proceed in regard whereof although they bee not simpl◠e cleane yet in comparison of the workes of them that are secure in their wickednesse they are cleane Secondly because God accounteth them as cleane for Christs sake Thirdly in respect of that whereunto the workes of the regenerate doe tende for though they cannot attaine to perfection yet doe they firme for it And 〈◊〉 this sort Dauid confesseth some may be Cleane Psa ◠4 3◠Who shall climbe vp into the hal of the lord or who shal stād in his holy place He that hath innocent hands and a cleane heart To this Esay Esay 1.16 1. Tim. 2.8 exhorteth Be you cleane And of this speaketh the Apostle Saint Paule In euerie place lifting vp pure hand or cleane hands And if M. Bellarmine do not content himselfe with this cleannesse he will find that euen the sacrifice of the Masse it selfe for which he striueth so in this place seeing the vertue therof must somewhat depend vpon the goodnesse and deuotion of the Priest as he saith wil not be found verie cleane De Missa li. 1. cap. 4 because the sacrificer is manie times verie vncleane His third reason is taken out of the words that are in the beginning of the text alleaged Out of which he will proue that it must bee a new sacrifice and such as was not before but our spirituall sacrifices haue beene alwayes therefore the Prophet cannot meane of our spirituall sacrifices It will neuer be proued that the Prophet speaketh of such a sacrifice as neuer was But the Iewes trusted too much in their externall Sacrifices yea though they were not such as God commaunded that they should be But on the contrarie God telleth them that euen among the Gentiles whom they despised thinking that no good could be amongst them I say among them should be offered not such polluted and vncleane things as the Priests were content to take of the Iewes to offer to God but a Cleane offering euen such an offering as was the bodie of their shadowes the truth of their figures and the substāce of their ceremonies in respect of him that brought the offering that is they should serue the Lord with a sincere and single heart And this is the cleane sacriffce that Malachie meaneth which was acceptable alwayes and alwayes shall be Fourthly Bellarmine imagineth that God by Malachy setteth the contempt and dishonouring of God done by the Leuiticall Priests against the honour that he shall haue among the Gentiles Be it so What then The Iewes sayth he dishonoured God in a visible sacrifice therefore the Gentiles also must honour him by a visible sacrifice otherwise the dis◠onor done by the Iewes is greater than the honour done by the Gentiles I denie his consequence for they dishonored God but in a corner of the world but the Gentiles worshipped him from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same and herein standeth the force of the comparison as by the wordes plainely appeareth Fifthly he supposeth that the Priestes of the olde lawe are compared with the Priestes in the Gospel but there is no such matter as the wordes declare But to wring and force wordes to see what may be gathered out of them rather than to search what their true meaning is doth bring but small credite to their cause and weake proofe to their doctrine His last argument to prooue this place of Malachie not to belong to a spirituall sacrifice is out of the fathers where in my iudgement hee sheweth his weakenesse more than in his other reasons or else a worse humour For although that Iustinus Martyr whom hee first alledgeth Col. cum Tryph. Iudaeo doeth in trueth affirme and wee denie it not that Malachie sayeth that the Eucharist is a sacrifice yet that hee speaketh not of a sacrifice properly so called Bellarmine must needes confesse except he speake agaynst his owne conscience if hee consider what hee sayeth long after in that booke namely that Euerie one that is called by the name of Iesus Christ are in deede made Priests to God as God doth testifie saying In euerie place cleane and acceptable sacrifices shall bee offered Which sacrifices also what they are he afterwards testifieth prayers and thanks giuings What can be more plaine But this especially is to be remembred that not Priests only but euery Christian doth by Iustines wordes offer vp these cleane offerings and therefore that hee speaketh of spirituall sacrifices Irene his second witnesse maketh little for his purpose for euen immediately before the words whereby Bellarmine woulde prooue the Eucharist to bee a sacrifice after the proper signification of the worde hee sheweth that God hath no delight in sacrifices or burnt offerings but in Faith obedience and righteousnes And after that he taught his disciples to offer to God the first fruits out of his creatures Iren. lib. 4. cap. 32 not that hee needed any thing but that they should neither be vnfruitful nor vnthankfull And so he tooke bread and gaue thanks and eat as is by Bellarmine alledged Can any thing be more plaine He first sheweth that God regardeth not those reall sacrifices that I may so terme them then he sheweth that the Eucharist is a sacrifice of thankesgiuing And as in the words alledged by Bellarmine it is an offering of the first fruits of his gifts Cap. 33. that giueth vs our nourishment and in the next chapter he expoundeth the incense so alledging the wordes of Malachie In euerie place incense shal be offered vp by that place of the Apocalips Apoc. 5.8 that the incense was the prayer of the Saints so we see that prayers and praises are the sacrifices that he speaketh of these are spiritual and not reall sacrifices And as for Tertullian Tertul. whom in the 3. place he bringeth forth as he hath nothing for him in the place by him alledged Tert. cont Marcion li. 4 so yet he plainly expresseth in another place what hee vnderstandeth by that cleane sacrifice that Malachie speaketh of Exam. Con. Trid. 2. part namely Sincere praier out of a pure conscience Which place being alledged by Kemnitius against the councel of Trent Bellar. to shift it off as boldly as vntruly he affirmeth that Tertul. doeth not expound Malachies place where he nameth the cleane sacrifice but where he nameth the incense But the place of Tertullian plainly sheweth the vntruth of his answere for Tertullian speaketh thus In euerie place a sacrifice shal be offered in my name and a cleane sacrifice euen sincere prayer out of a pure heart So that
not will or choice in themselues to doe things we should neither deserue punishment for euil doing nor haue reward for well doing Thus haue I truely faithfully deliuered vnto thee good reader the cause that maketh this and other of the ancient fathers especially before Pelagius to write so plainelie for free will De fide Or. thod li 2. cap. 7. As also may wel be gathered out of Damascene For when as yet there were none sprung vp that did attribute too much to free wil as afterward the Pelagians did but there were on the contrary many that did wholy take al wil from man no maruel if they did wholy oppose themselues against the daunger which they sawe present before their eies And therefore they did teach as they did to whom also we giue our right handes of fellowship and consent in doctrine Gal. 2.9 What wee say of mās will as Iames Cephas and Iohn did vnto Barnabas and Paul For we also doe teach that man though by his fal he lost his freedome of wil to him and his posterity yet his wil he lost not but still had it and hath it Whereby very readily and willingly he runneth vnto euil But hauing his wil renued by Gods spirit it is then good so much as it is renued it loueth good and would faine do it Ad Bonif. cont◠a. 2. e◠i st Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 18 and in that sence wee also saie with saint Augustine that it is free that is willing and readie but yet not free that is not able to performe that good which we would by reason of the infirmitie of our new man the corruption of our nature and the manifolde intisementes and tentations whereby we are withdrawen from holy obedience And now if the first fathers did not so plentifully set forth mans weakenes as they did his wil or power to do things it is no maruell because they neither knew Pelagians nor papistes but them that erred in the contrary opinion And this being wel considered of maie serue I trust to answere to whatsoeuer they can alleadge out of the fathers for free wil may teach vs that they cal it free not as it is able but as it is willing to do good eschew euil De corrept gra cap. 2. De gra libero arbitrio lib. 2. cap. 9. And therfore saint Augustine saith Men are driuen to the ende they should doe not that they should doe nothing And for this cause saint Bernard saith That a man may not be called or can indeed be good or euill vnlesse he be willing And saint Ambrose or whosoeuer wrote the bookes of the calling of the Gentiles There is no kinde of vertue that may bee had either without the gift of Gods grace or the consent of our will But of an infinite number of such like places let these few be sufficient to teach vs that they ment not to extol the power of mans wil but to lay the fault in man if he refuse the graces offered and to stirre vp men willingly and readily to receiue them and stedfastly to keepe and holily to vse them And thus much generally for the true vnderstanding of all the testimonies of the fathers that are alleadged by maister Bellarmine not only in his fift booke Cap. 25 26 27 28. de gratia libero arbitrio but also those other that he hath in his sixt booke where he especially handleth the question of free wil Cap. 11. in things appertaining to godlines Whereas before he indeuoured to proue it in moral vertues But because that in the former he did lay the foundation of that which in the sixt he teacheth and al belonged to that end Namely to the question of free wil which in this chapter I am to handle therefore haue I thought good to answere in this one place whatsoeuer he saith tending to that end As for his foure arguments out of the scriptures which he bringeth in the sixt booke Cap. 10. the answere to them I trust may be gathered of that is already answered Sauing only that the first and third require a more special answere For his second argument in this sixt booke is al one with the fourth in the fift booke And his fourth and last in the sixt is like the first in the fift booke His first argument in the sixt booke is taken especially of the word Cooperarii Worke men togither with God for so the greeke word doth signifie not Fellow-helpers 1. Cor. 3. as the common latin translation hath as though God could not without vs worke Wel let vs see his argument We are workemen togither with God therfore we haue freewil say they But we may more iustlie conclude on the contrary therefore we haue not freewil as the papists teach it selfe able to doe good or auoide euill For that is it that is in question We willingly confesse that we being regenerate haue a willingnes to good and a mislike of euil but we say that we cannot performe this our good desire And therefore seeing we cannot worke but as workemen togither with God it is most euident and plaine that our will hath not that power that the church of Rome teacheth it to haue to be freely moued to good And therefore wel saith S. Augustine That we will God worketh without vs De gra li. arb t. cap. 17. but when we will and so will that we also doe he worketh togither with vs. But without him either working that we may will or working with vs when we will we haue no power to the good workes of godlines And by this also appeareth the answere to the other argument which I saide was not before answered We are saith M. Bellar. holpen by God in praier or in any good worke therefore we haue free wil. If we remember how they teach that a man being once holpen and stirred vp by Gods grace is afterwards freely able to doe good hauing his wil thus reuiued or rather vnfettered a mā would not thinke M. Bellar. to be in earnest in such argumentes Suppose you should vndertake to beare a burden far heauier then you could carry and another much stronger than you taketh it vp and beareth it you also laying your hands to the same to helpe as you can Wil you say you are able to beare it because your hand also touched it Euen such is our ability in keeping Gods commaundements Or as children when they are first taught to goe Their mother lifteth them vp that they maie put their legges forwarde holdeth vp their coates that they be no hinderance to them yea helpeth them to step forward There is nothing in the childe but only that it would faine goe but it hath not strength to perform it Is it now any reason to say the child is able to goe because the mother doth thus helpe it No no seeing Gods helpe is such that he worketh both to wil and to
goe amongst the wil-worshippings especially if wee consider the practise of inuocation in the popish church For although now to make some faire shewe of their doctrine they will teach vs De beatitud sanct li. 1. ca. 17. that the saints Are not the immediate intercessours vnto God for vs but obtaine our requestes of God through Christ as maister Bellarmine teacheth yet it cannot be denied that men and women haue had confidence in the saint it selfe haue vowed and performed their vowes vnto the same for their deliuerance haue praied vnto the same for helpe Act. Mon. pag. 1117. 1443. And these men haue not beene reproued no they were thought to haue a good deuotion and to merit thereby but some haue beene accused of heresie for not praying in their trauell to the virgin Mary Yea they haue published a blasphemous thing called the Psalter of the Virgin compiled by Bonauenture in which whatsoeuer in the Psalmes and some other scripture is spoken of the Lord is most wickedly by them applied vnto the Virgin Mary whom they call lady Yea to be short it is almost as full of blasphemies as of words An infinite number of their owne prayers might bee brought against them out of their owne bookes to testifie against themselues of that superstitious confidence which they haue had in the creature and yet would they now perswade the world that they neuer meant they should make intercession to God for vs but by Christ but in trueth they made them rather gods than mediators As when the virgin Mary is willed to command her Sonne and to shew her to be his mother Or when vnto her they pray thus In al our trouble and distresse help vs most holy virgin Mary And thus haue I thought good briefly to examine their proofes out of the scripture and to take away that shew of reasons that they made out of Gods word I might haue brought their owne fellowes to testifie against them that whilest they will seeme to alleadge scriptures they doe but wrest them In Enchirid. cap. 15. De Theol. loci li. 3. cap. 3 For Eckius a stowt Papist doeth frankely confesse that the inuocation of saints is not expresly commanded or taught either in the olde or new Testament But Melchior Canus better learned than hee doeth say that neither plainely nor yet couertly it is contained in the Scriptures And therefore we see that they doe alleadge Gods word but to blinde mens eies as though they had some warrant out of it not because they thinke their arguments pâ— ooue that which they teach Seeing therefore their doctrine is so quite voide of all warrant out of Gods word and that which they do seeme to bring is so weake and wrested as may appeare I trust I may conclude with Tertullian that this commaundement De praescrip aduersus haer aske and yee shall receiue agreeth to him that knoweth of whome to aske euen of him of whome somewhat was promised that is of the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Now for the second point which is Christ our onely mediatour that Christ Iesus is this only mediator between God and man to offer vp our prayers vnto God Wherein our aduersaries do not deny but he is the mediator but they had wont to tell vs Eckius in Ench. cap. 15 that he is the onely mediator of redemption and yet they rob him also of that office by the Popes pardons and such baggage but there may be many mediators of intercession say they But master Bellarmine hath found out another shift namely that they are but intercessours by Christ as before I haue shewed But howe doeth master Bellarmine prooue that the saints make intercession by Christ for vs. Hee hath not so much as one word out of scripture for it neither yet out of any ancient father His onelie proofe is out of saint Bernard who liued eleuen hundred yeeres and more after Christ Is this a doctrine to be receiued now as catholike that hath so long beene buried in silence and will not yet perchance be very well liked of Indeede that Christ is our mediatour he prooueth well but that which he would especially haue vs to beleeue is left without witnesse as I haue shewed De beatitud sanct li. 1. ca. 17 Well then I will take it as a thing granted by master Bellarmine that Christ is onely our immediate mediatour to God and no saint no angel or any other creature which thing the scriptures prooue plentifully And I will by Gods grace shew also that they may not be mediators by or to Christ for vs. First there is no warrant for it in the word and therefore it must not be receiued of vs whose rule for life and religion the word â—â— st be Secondly I haue shewed that the saints departed haue not faith and therefore they can not pray Thirdly to ioyne them with Christ in the office of Mediation doeth shewe that they feare that either hee can not by himselfe perfourme that office which God hath laide vppon him and that is blasphemous Or that hee will not at our request do it vnlesse hee be intreated by others Seeing hee hath died for my sinnes shall I doubt whether hee will heare mee if I doe pray If hee bid mee aske seeke knocke and promiseth thou that I shall haue finde and to open will hee not bee as good as his worde Hebr. 2.17 In all thinges it became him to bee made like vnto his brethren that hee might bee mercifull 18 and a faithfull high priest in thinges concerning God Ebr. 4.15 that he might make reconciliation for the sins of the people For in that he suffred and was tempted 16 hee is able to succour them that are teÌ„pted Our high priest is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need Let vs I saie our owne selues come vnto him in this assurance that he will not faile to heare and helpe vs. For he calleth Come vnto me all yee that are weary and laden and I wil ease you Matt. 11.28 Shall we be afraid to draw nigh vnto him that calleth vs so louingly Or shall wee thinke that wee shall neede to sende mediatours to intreate him that sendeth his embassadours to vs to intreate vs Nowe we are embassadours for Christ saith saint Paul as though God did beseech you through vs 2. Cor. 5.20 wee pray you in Christes steede that you bee reconciled to God Let vs therefore saie with S. Augustine or whosoeuer it was that writ those bookes that goe in his name Lib. 2. cap. 1. Of the visitation of the sicke I speake more safely and sweetely to my Iesus than to any of the holie spirites of God Yea this grosse and absurd persuasion Saint Chrysostome in many places seeketh to remoue as they that do read his