Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	canonical_a	church_n	receive_v	6,086	5	6.1495	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08326	An antidote or treatise of thirty controuersies vvith a large discourse of the Church. In which the soueraigne truth of Catholike doctrine, is faythfully deliuered: against the pestiferous writinges of all English sectaryes. And in particuler, against D. Whitaker, D. Fulke, D. Reynolds, D. Bilson, D. Robert Abbot, D. Sparkes, and D. Field, the chiefe vpholders, some of Protestancy, some of puritanisme, some of both. Deuided into three partes. By S.N. Doctour of Diuinity. The first part.; Antidote or soveraigne remedie against the pestiferous writings of all English sectaries	S. N. (Sylvester Norris), 1572-1630.	1622 (1622)	STC 18658; ESTC S113275	554,179	704

as they ought to do which ignorance of theirs partly proceedeth from the weaknes of our Vnderstanding partly from the depth and sublimity of the misteryes proposed partly also from the vnsearchablenes of Gods wayes and secrecy of his vnacquainted motions of which Iob sayd If God come vnto me I shall not see him and if he depart away from me I shall not vnderstand it Wherfore Iob. 9. ●● Field lib. 4. cap. 7. seeing No man as M. Field doth witnes proueth a thing doubtfull by that which is as much doubted of as it selfe No man can be assured of the true sense and signification of Scripture by the internal working of God in his hart which is as much to be doubted of and alike hard to be discerned as the very sense it selfe and meaning of the Scripture 23. Secondly we are counsailed Not to belieue euery 2● Io● 4. ● spirit but to proue the spirits if they be of God But if the spirits must be brought to the touch-stone of triall if they must be approued and iudged by some other well knowne vndoubted authority they are not themselues the triall and Iudge of our differences Nay suppose we were assured of the inspiration assured of the holy Ghost speaking in our harts yet that speach is inuisible that motion inuisible that iudgement inuisible it cannot heare the causes examine the arguments or pronounce any desinitiue VVhita●●● adu St●pl l. 2. ● 6. sentence at all by which the contentious may be silenced the innocent acquited the guilty condemned The testimony of the spirit sayth Whitaker being priuate and secret is vnfit to teach or refell others if vnfit to teach vnfit to refell then wholy vnfit wholy vnable to cleare doubts decide Controuersyes or end the quarrells of the pa●tyes in strife 24. Thirdly The rule and guide of our beliefe ought to haue some neere affinity and connexion with that which it guideth The measure as the Philosophers teach must be alwayes proportionable to the thing measured But the inward inspiration hath no such affinity and proportion with our Catholike fayth because that is secret this publique that particuler this vniuersall that meerly interiour and working only in the hart this exteriour Hooker of Ecclesi Policy lib. 1. sect 14. lib. 2. sect 8. lib. 3. sect 8. pag. 149. 147. lib. 2. sect 7 pag. 116. VVhitak aduers Staplet lib. 2. c. 4. pag. 330. p. 29● Zācb in his confess cap. 1. Brent in prolegom Kemnit in exam Conc. Tri. Aug. l. con ep Fuxdā c. 5 de vtil cre ●en c. 14. also and professed by the word of mouth In so much as that cannot possibly be a competent rule or proportionable measure to mete or square out the misteryes of our sayth Fourthly M. Hooker a Protestant of no smal account constātly auoucheth with whō M. Whitak other sectaryes heerin agree that the outward letter sealed with the inward witnesse of the spirit is not a sufficient warrant for euery particuler man to iudg and approue the Scripture to be Canonicall the ghospel itself to be the ghospell of Christ but the authority of gods Church as he acknowledgeth is necessarily required therunto Therefore neither are they sufficient to iudge of the sense or meaning of the Scripture for that saith S. Augustin which we obey and belieue testifying this book to be the Ghospell the same must we belieue witnessing this to be the sense of the Ghospel because it were no lesse then madnes to repaire to the Catholike Church for the approbation of Gods word run to her rebells for the sense of his word to her publick censure for that their priuat iudgment for this yea a meer madnes to thinke that euery Sectary should be indued with a diuine spirit to interpret holy writ and that the whole Church of Christ all her pastours and doctors ioyntly vnited should be depriued of the same 25. Fyfthly The ordinary way by which God instructeth vs in matters of belief is by publik preaching Fayth saith S. Paul is by hearing it is to be receaued from the lipps of the preists from the mouth of Saints Ad Rom. 10. vers 17. Malae 2 Luc. 1. Ad Ephes 4. from the pastors and teachers whome Christ hath appoynted in his Church and not from priuate reading of Scripture ioyned with the secret inspiration For that noble man of Aethiopia the Eunuch disigētly perused the oracles of God and wanted not without doubt the inward operation of the holy Ghost being so religious as he had bin on pilgrimage at Hierusalem to adore and Act. 8. v. 30. 3● so deuout as he read the Scriptures riding in his chariot yet when S. Philip asked him Trowest thou that thou vnderstandest the things that thou readest he said And how can I vnlesse some man shew me Therfore besides the outward reading inward working a publike interpreter and expounde● is necessary for the true vnderstanding of holy writ 26. Sixthly The standing to the Iudgment of the hidden Spirit is the very roote of dissention and fountaine of discord in the vain chalengers and boasters therof it affoardeth euery sectary his priuate weights his particuler forge to coyne and allow what doctrine he pleaseth it licenseth the members to controle their heads the schollers to contradict and chang their masters Tertul. de praescript cap. 420 principles which Tertullian reproueth in the Heretiks of his dayes saying That hath bin lawfull to the Valentinians which was lawfull for Valentinus that to the Marcionites which to Marcion of their own accord to alter and innouate their belief Of their owne accord he sayth because the teaching of the holy Ghost is vniforme and the same he could not be author of such chops and changes of such schismes diuisions And yet they al pretended as our Ghospellers August tract 4● in Ioan● La●●h ep ad Antwerp tom 2. Germ. Ie● fol. 10● do his heauenly illumination There are innumerable sayth S. Augustine who do not only boast that they are Videntes or Prophets but will seeme to be illuminated or enlightned by Christ but are Heretikes And Luther the ring-leader of Protestants conformably writeth There is no Asse in this tyme so so●rish and blockish but will haue the dreames of his owne head and his opinion accepted for the instinct of the Holy Ghost and himselfe esteemed as a Prophet Whence it commeth as he immediatly before complayneth That there be as many sects Osiand in confut Script Melancth contra ipsum edit l. cont Nicticor Aug. ep 222. ad Cōsent and Religions among vs as there be men That such variances arise betweene the professours of the same Religion as Osiander a Protestant telleth vs That among the Confessionists only there were twenty different opinions concerning the formall cause of iustification and that euery one is affirmed to be deduced and proued out of the word of God by the holy Ghost surely as they imagined secretly

Traditions Both false depositions both wrongfully imposed crimes A wrongfull crime it is that we traduce the Scriptures as vnperfect We graunt with Vincentius Lyrinensis Vincen. Ly●●nen cap. 2. that the Canon of Scripture is perfect a perfect light and lanterne to our feet a perfect rule and direction of sayth if as he noteth the line of Propheticall and Apostolical interpretation be leuelled according to the square of the Ecclesiastical and Catholike sense As great a wrong that we cleaue to humane and vncertaine Traditions We anker on such as are diuine certaine and infallible authentically warranted by the rules himselfe approueth to descend from Christ or the Church his holy and vndoubted Spouse 17. A like wrongfull crime M. Sparkes fastneth vpon Sparks p. 82. 83. vs when he sayth That we preferre the authority of the Church the wife before Christ the husband that we make the written word of God inferiour in authority to the Church and to haue his Canonicall credit from thence Sure you are as Salomon censureth a guilfull witnesse who furnish your cause Prouerb cap. 14. Testis fidelis non mentitur Profert mendaci●● dolosus testis Io. 4 3. Reg. 3. with such shamefull lyes When many belieued in Christ induced by the speach of the Samaritan woman was her authority prefe●●ed before Christ When King Salomon decreed the infant for which the two harlots contended to belong to her whose bowells were moued at the sentence of his death did he make her therby the mother of the child or declare her to be the mother who was the mother indeed So when we imbrace Gods written word by the externall approbation and testimony of the Church answerable to that of S. Augustine Ego Euangelio non crederem c. I would not belieue the Ghospell vnles the authority of the Church moued me thereunto we extoll not the Aug con ep Fund cap. 5. voice of the Spouse before the voyce of Christ. Nor the Church when it defyneth any booke to be Canonicall Scripture doth giue it thereby diuine and Canonicall credit Bils part 4. pag ●81 Rem cont 1. pag. 619 6●9 Field l. 4 Stapleton cont 5. de po● Eccles quaest ● but commaundeth that to be receaued by others as Canonicall which hath in itselfe Canonicall authority 18. Lastly our Aduersaryes arme themselues with the weapons of the Fathers and M. Bilson marshalleth six togeather in a rancke S. Athanasius S. Chrysostome S. Cyrill S. Ambrose S. Augustine and Vincentius who conformably mantaine the sufficiency of Scripture in all necessary points of fayth Many other to the like purpose are alleadged by M. Reynolds and M. Field To all which I answere First that the Scripture is taught to containe all things necessary to saluation as the vniuersal ground Cyril l. 12. c. vltimo Chrys ho. 3. in 2. Thes 2. Vincent aduersus prophan hae nouit c. 2. Bafil ep 80 Cyril de rect fide ad Regi Hieron in Psal 86. Aug. l 3. con lit Petil Tert. lib. cont haer Athan. l. cont Gent. Aug. l. 2. cap. 9. Rein in his conf c. 2. diuis 2. Aug. l. 10. de Gen. ad lit c. 23. Bils 4. par p. 582. 583. Field in appen 2. p. §. 8. Aug. l. 4. c. 24. Dio. l. E●c bier c. vlt. Orig. in 12. Leuit. bom 8. in cap. 6. epist ad Rom. seed or roote from which whatsoeuer we belieue may either mediately or immediatly be gatheted as S. Cyril and S. Chrysostome auouch Secondly as it teacheth and directeth vs to the authority of the Church and doctrine of her Pastours by which euery point is of may be particulerly and clearely explained Thus Vincentius and others are to be interpreted Thirdly it is affirmed to containe all thinges and that nothing besides the Scripture is to be admitted to wit no priuate customes or particuler Traditions not agreeable or repugnant to the writen word as S. Basil S. Cyrill S. Hierome S. Augustines meaning is in his booke against Petilian Fourthly the Fathers often acknowledge the sufficiency of Scripture to conclude euen in plaine and expresse wordes certaine maine principles of our fayth as that God created all thinges of nothing of which Tertullian against Hermogenes That Christ is the true God That Idolls are not God of which Athanasius writeth Or they teach it clearely comprehends the chiefe articles of our Creed and ten Commandments of which S. Augustine only speaketh in his booke of Christian doctrine so often quoted by M. Reynolds 19. Besides which many other things are necessary to be imbraced as by Fathers Reason and Scripture I haue already conuinced and therfore will close vp my whole discourse with one or two sentences of S. Augustine and Origen S. Augustine sayth The custome of the Church in baptizing Infants is not at all to be belieued vnles it were an Apostolicall Tradition M. Bilson and M. Field haue no other shift to trauerse the euidence of this place then by accusing it of some secret corruption But what was he corrupted also in his booke of Baptisme against the Donatists where he repeateth it againe Was Dionysius was Origen corrupted too who sayth The Church receaued a Tradition from the Apostles to minister Baptisme also to Infants Was this other passage of S. Augustine corrupted likewise Aug. de Bap. con Donat. l. 5● c. 23. It is an article of faith to belieue this Baptisme to be valide Orig. in c. 3. ad Tit. teste Pamphilo in Apol. pr● Orig. of the validity of Baptisme ministred by Heretikes The Apostles commanded nothing hereof yet the custome which was opposed herein against Cyprian is to bebelieued to proceed from their Tradition euen as many things be which the whole Church holdeth and are therfore well belieued to be commanded of the Apostles although they be not written I may then conclude with Origen He is an Heretike who professeth himself to beleiue in Christ yet belieueth otherwise of the truth of Christian fayth then the definition of Ecclesiastic all Tradition containeth 20. Notwithstanding to reproue our Aduersaries and satisfy all indifferent Readers that we fly not to the succour of Traditions for want of proofes out of holy writ I will vphold the right of our cause in euery ensuing Controuersy as I promised in my Preface by the irreprouable testimonies of Gods written word THE THIRD CONTROVERSY WHEREIN The Reall Presence is maintayned against D. Bilson and D. Sparkes CHAP. I. AS the vnspeakable riches of Gods infinite loue in no mystery of our fayth appeareth more bount●full then in the true and reall Fresence of Christs sacred Body conteyned in the holy Eucharist so the vnsatiable malice of our deadly enemy no where more hatefully bewrayeth it selfe then in seeking to abolish this most blessed dreadfull and admirable Sacrament For besids the Armenians Messalians Grecians and Aquarians Althons de Cast l. 9. adu haer v Eucharist Aug. de haer Epiph haer 26. whose errours

made Before Iudgment after Iudgment or at the tyme of Iudgment You cannot say before Iudgmēt For such as we are found in the last moment of this life such are we summoned before the tribunall seate of God according to many passages of holy Scripture which S. Gregory in his dialogues gathereth togeather according to Greg. l. 4. dial c. 39. 1. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 5. ad Rom. 2. ad Gala. 6. Marc. 13. v. 36. v. 17. the expresse words of S. Paul which I shall quote in the next Chapter And according to that of S. Marke where God sayth he shall find in the houre of death some sleepy some breeding and beginning to do well Woe be vnto them Neither can this Purgation be either at or after Iudgmēt For the Iudgment of God is according to truth therfore such as Protestants are presented before his throne such are they iudged They are presented before him not wholy purged but tainted with the corruption the last actions of life draw as they faine from the poisoned fountaine of Nature Therfore they must be iudged guilty of sinne defiled with those filthy dregs And whereas you obstinatly also defend that the wages of all sin without Fayth Fulk in c. 1. Ep. 1. ●● sect 5. and Repentance is eternall death no sentence of remission but the irreuocable doom of euerlasting damnatiō ought to be pronounced against all that dye of your profession vnles you repeale the Law of God recorded by Salomon Eccles c. 11. vers 3. Where the tree falleth there it shal be or cōtrary to the decree of our inexorable Iudge allot tyme to belieue and place to repent after the warfarre of this life is ended to them Field vbi supra that haue their sinnes as M. Field sayth remitted in the first moment of the next Cypr. l 4. Ep. 2. Orig. hom 6. in E●●●d Aug. in ●0 hom hom 16. Dan. 7. vers 10. 28. Lastly the Fathers do not only require an instant but longer space of punishment after this life according to the remaines of sinne S. Cyprian sayth One thing it is a long tyme punished for trespasses to be amended and purged by fire another to abolish all faults by suffering for Christ Origen All must come vnto the fire all to the forge c. If any one bring a little iniquity that little like lead ought to be consumed with fire and if more heauy or leady metall he is more burned that more may be wasted and melted forth S. Augustine discoursing Amb. in c. 12. Luc. Tertul. ● de anima c. 17. Greg. Nazian orat in S. lumina Lactan. l. 7. cap. ●1 Eus Emis hom 3. de Epipha Hilar. in Psal 118. of that propheticall speach mentioned by Daniel A fiery and violent floud ranne before the face of our Lord Some sayth he in the next life shall passe thro●gh a fiery lake and horrible shallowes full of burning flames as much as shall remaine of the drosse of sinne so long shall the delay of passage be S. Ambrose So long is euery one exercised with noysome paynes vntill he pay the punishment of his faulty errour Tertullian S. Gregory Nazianzen Lactantius Eusebius Emissenus and S. Hilary haue many worthy sentences to this purpose which cannot be interpreted of M. Fields momentary Purgation nor of the guilt of sinne which without repentance deserueth damnation but either of the punishment due to former faults or of the saultines of lesser sinnes which are of their owne nature veniall or pardonable the chiefest points I intended to proue in this Chapter the confutation of Obiections I referre to the next THE SECOND CHAPTER WHEREIN Praier for the Dead is defended against the foresaid Doctors M. Field and M. Fulke PVRGATORY Praier for the Dead are lincked together in such mutuall dependency the one with the other as S. Isidore teacheth by the proofe of the latter by necessary consequence the former ensueth Because if our praiers releeue the soules departed they cānot be in state of happinesse for then they should not need Isido l. de diuin offi c. de Sacrif them nor in the state of damnation for then our indeauours could not auaile them Therefore in the state of Purgatory they suffer punishment for their former misdeeds from which they be freed by the Praiers Almsdeeds and other charitable workes of the faithfull vpon earth as the Holy Ghost witnesseth in the booke of Machabees 2. Machab c. 12. v. vltimo 1. It is a holy and behoouefull cogitation to pray for the Dead that they may be released of their sinnes Which although our Aduersaries discard as no Canonicall Scripture yet they ought to credit it as much at least as Liuie the Roman or Thucidides the Grecian Historiographer they ought to reuerence it as the allowed testimony of a graue ancient and most worthy writer worthy to out-countenance all the base vpstarts of our latter age worthy to be accounted Cyp. de exhorta Martyrij Ambr. l. 2. de Iacob c. 10. 11. 12. Hier. in prolog in Machab. Aug. l. 18. de ciu Dei cap. 36. Concil Carth. can 47. Field in appen 1. p. fol. 69. Eccles c. 7. Eccles 38. Cyp. ser de Eleemosy Amb. in l. de Tobia cap. 1. Basil in orat de auaritia Aug. in Spe●ul Tob. 4. Beda in fine Comment in l. 1. Reg. Gen. 50. by S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierome S. Augustine and by the third Councell of Carthage One of the Diuine Secretaries and Pen-men of the holy Ghost In so much as S. Augustine inclineth not only as M. Field writeth to this opinion but expresly resolueth The bookes of Machabees not the Iewes but the Church esteemeth Canonicall Likewise it is written Mortuo ne prohibcas gratiam Restraine not thy fauour from the Dead Moreouer My Sonne power forth thy teares vpon the Dead c. And In his departure make his memory rest in peace Tobie also whose booke S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Basill S. Augustine admit into the Canon of Scripture counsaileth Place thy bread and thy wine on the Sepulcher of the Iust and do thou neither eat nor drinke thereof with sinners 2. Hence it appeareth it was an ancient custome amongst the Iewes to make a feast at the funeralls of their friends to inuite the poore and faithfull persons thereunto who by the charity and Almesdeeds bestowed vpon them might pray for their soules And it is most likely the ancient Patriarkes and Prophets intended this reliefe to their deceased friends whom they with Praier with Fasting with griefe and sorrow so many daies lamented as was otherwise vnfitting vnlesse it had beene addressed as Venerable Bede well noteth to the benefit of their soules 3. The Patriarch Ioseph 77. daies mourned the death of his father Iacob The men of Iabes Galaad 7. daies continued a fast at the solemne buriall of Saul Ionathas Of whose death when King Dauid the Royall Prophet heard he wept fasted and

Proueth Inuocation of Saints to be lawfull against D. Reynolds D. Field and D. Fulke pag. 255. The 14. Controuersy Establisheth the lawfull worship of Images against D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes pag. 276. The 15. Controuersy Maintaineth Purgatory and Prayer for the dead against D. Field and D. Fulke pag. 296. The 2. Chapter VVherin Prayer for the dead is defended against the foresayd Doctours M. Feild and M. Fulke pag. 316. THE FIRST BOOKE THE FIRST CONTROVERSY DECLARETH That neither the Holy Scripture by it selfe nor by any meanes the Protestants do assigne can be Iudge of Controuersyes AGAINST Doctour VVhitaker Doctour Reynolds and all other Protestants CHAP. I. THe extreme miserable refuge of al guilty persons who either mistrust the equity of their cause or feare the weaknes of their owne defence hath euer been to decline the barre of indifferent tryall and cleaue to the succour of some such Tribunall as will not or cannot giue sentence against them This was the wonted fraud of all ancient Heretikes this was the retraite of the Iran l. 3. cont haer Tertul l. 8. depraescrip Basil l. de Spir. sanct cap. 27. Aug. l. 1. cont Max. VVbitak cōt 1. q. 5. c. 8. Reyn. in bis cōf c. 2. diuis 2. p. 45. c. 8. diuis 1. p. 396. c. Bezainan noui Test 1556. in c. 10. Matth. in c. 22. Luc. Iran l. 1. c. 10. 20. 29. Aug. l. 32. con Faust c. 19. 21. Philast c. 36. Euseb l. 4. hist c. 29. Epiph. haer 30. Valentinians Eunomians Marcionists and the like This was the voice of Maximinus the Arian Bishop as S. Augustin reporteth writing against him And this is now the common cry of M. Whitaker M. Reynolds and their fellow-Sectaryes who will not stand to the generall arbitrement of Fathers Doctours Councells Historyes or former Churches not to the prescription of tymes presidents or approued customes not to any roll record or monument of antiquity They only appeale in all matters of Controuersy to the sole and silent maiesty of Gods sacred Stile and that for two chiefe and principall causes The one is to cloke couer their new deuises vnder the mysteryes of holy Writ The other with a cunning and guilefull sleight to auoyd indeed all manner of triall not to admit any Iudge at all For as long as they reserue in themselues this singular power to construe and expound Gods word as they list to receaue or reiect what Scriptures they please let vs produce any euidence against thē neuer so cleare they wil either cloud it with some colourable answere or wrest it to another sense or charge it with corruption as Beza doth in the Greeke text in many places or vtterly discard it as no Canonicall write as Heretikes vsually do such Oracles of God as condemn● their errours 2. Alleadge for example the old Testament against the Marcionists against the Manichees the new the Acts of the Apostles against Tatian Cerinthus against the Ebionites the Epistles of S. Paul they peremptorily deny these books of Scripture Pose Faustus the Manichee with these Ad Rom. 1. v. 3. Aug. l. ●0 con Paust c. 2. 2. Iac. 24. Cent. 2. c. 4. col 17. words of the Apostle to the Romans The sonne of God was borne of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh his reply saith S. Augustine is the booke is forged it is not Paules Proue against the Centurists out of S. Iames That by workes a man is iustisyed not by fayth alone they discredit the authority of his Epistle saying It is an adulterous and bastard Epistle Alleadge in like manner against M. Whitaker Intercession of Saints out of the vision of Iudas Machabeus concerning Onias he answereth His dreame of Onias I let passe as VVhitak in resp ad Ration c. Camp VVhitak ibidem Cyp. l. 3. ep 9. Ambr. l. 4. de side cap. 4. Aug. l. ad Oros Clem. Alex c. 7. strom VVhitak de sa Scrip. cont 1. q. 1. cap. 14. Orig. l. 2. de princ c. 1. Dionys Areop do Cal. hier ● 2. Cyp. ep ● 55. Aug. de doct Christ l. 2. c. 8. de ciut Dei l. 18. c. 36. a dreame As though God had not often reuealed to Ioseph diuers of his Prophets many thinges in their sleep Vrge him out of Ecclesiasticus with the liberty of Free-will he answereth That place of Ecclesiasticus I little regard neither will I belieue the liberty of Free-will albeit he affirme it an hundred tymes Then S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Augustine Clemens Alexandrinus were of light beliefe who credited this worke as the reuealed write Presse him at length with prayer for the dead out of the bookes of the Machabees he still replyeth I discouer in them a human Spirit a human wit a human confession all thinges human Then Origen Dionysius S. Cyprian S. Augustine were much deceaued who descryed in them the character stile and spirit of the Holy Ghost 3. But graunt our Aduersaryes admitted all those bookes of holy Writ the Church approueth or that they would be tryed by them we both imbrace yet I say the Scripture alone cannot be Iụdge or Vmpire between vs. Which that I may more strongly euince proceed more smoothly without rubb or incombrance in so waighty a question before I come to the period or full point of our variance I will briefly premise some certaine positions of our consent and agreement We accord then with Protestants 1. That the Scriptures are a diuine and infallible rule of faith yet not the sole and only rule as they affirme 2. We graunt with them that nothing is to be belieued The state of the question explained Deutr. 17. v. 9. contrary and repugnant to those oracles of God no traditions reuelations or interpretations whatsoeuer 3. We teach that the vniuersall iudgment and generall definitions of the Church are alwayes leueled and directed according to the inerrable prescript of holy Writ Therefore at her Oecumenicall Consistoryes she placeth They shal teach the● according to the law the Bible in some high eminent and honourable seat as the chiefe and speciall guide of her counsayles decrees 4. We yield that the letter of Scripture or to vse their phrase of speach that God speaking by that letter may improperly be tearmed the voice of our supreme Iudge in such manner as I shall explicate heereafter But our maine difference and dispute is whether it be such a voice and sentence of his as when any doubt or Cōtrouersy ariseth about the meaning of his word it may without any further externall and open declaration for of inward Inspirations in the Chapter ensuing giue a finall euident certaine and irresistable decision of all such doubts controuersyes to euery humble diligent skillfull and pious Reader and conferrer of places Our Aduersaryes say it is we say it is not proposing our arguments in this manner 4. The Scripture is the written word or outward rule by which

● Tim. 2. v. 5. Aug. l. 2. de pecca orig c. 28. Aug. praefat in E●ar 2. Psa 29. Aug. de Ciuit. Dei ● 10. c. 20. Cyr. in Apol pro 12. Capitibus Chrys in c. 6. ad Haeb. Fulgent l. de incarna gratia Christi Amb. l. 3. de fide c. 5. Idem inquit Sacerdos idem hostia Sacerdotiūtamen sacrifi●um humanae conditionis officium est c. Nemo ergo vbi ordinē cernit huma●● conditionis ibi ius diuinitatis as●ribat a Physitian yet you cannot say he ministreth physike by his skill in law but by the art of physike so our high Bishop our mercifull Redeemer who sacrificed himselfe vpon the Altar of the Crosse was as I say both God and man If you inquire according to what nature he offered this Sacrifice or vsed mediation in our behalfe then we reply he accomplished them in his humane nature and not in his diuine which S. Paul by the instinct of the holy Ghost and the Fathers with him manifestly declare 6. S. Paul auerreth There is one God one also Mediatour of God and men man Christ Iesus He did not say as S. Augustine here obserueth Christ Iesus but Man Christ Iesus to denote the nature by which he was mediatour expressely inferring By this therefore a Mediatour by which he was man and a litle before Not by that by which he was equall to his Father In his explications vpon the Psalmes What is it to be a Mediatour betwene God and men Not betweene the Father and men but betweene God and men What is God The Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost What are men sinners wicked mortall Between that Trinity and mens infirmity iniquity a man is made Mediatour not wicked but yet infirme In his booke of the Citty of God Christ is a true mediatour in as much as he assumed the forme of a seruant whereas in the forme of God he receiueth the Sacrifice with his Father with whom he is one God S. Cyril S. Chrysostome Fulgentius I let passe S. Ambrose only I ioyne with S. Augustine the Father with the Sonne the ornament of Italy with the glory of Afrike who affirmeth The same is the Priest and the same the Host Neuertheles the Priestood and the Sacrifice is the office of humane condition And a litle after Let no man therefore where he seeth the course of humane property there ascribe the right of diuinity 7. But you will say the knot of his Maiesties difficulty is not yet vnloosed For suppose he prayed sacrificed and satisfyed for our sinnes according to his manhood how could his prayer his sacrifice his satisfaction amount to such infinit value the nature of man being finit and all his actions finit I answere that this proceeded from the dignity of our Sauiours person which being not the person of man as Nestorius wickedly held but the sole sacred diuine person of the Sonne of God it dignified and ennobled the actions of his humane nature which it sustayned and made euery one of such Rom 5. 20 inestimable price as they farre surpassed the summe of our trespasses that where sinne abounded grace might more abounde For as the basenes of the person who iniureth another increaseth the nature of the wronge so the worthines of him that satisfyeth enhaunceth the valour of satisfaction Hence it commeth that the recompence made by a Prince is more esteemed then that which is exhibited by a priuate person and the outrage attempted by a base companion against a Prince more hainous then the iniury which a Prince committeth against one of meane condition Therefore Aristotle in his Ethicks sayth Arist. 5. Ethic. c. 8. Arist 1. Metaph. c. 1. If a Magistrate strike another he is not to be stroken againe but if any man strike him he is not only to be stroken againe but seuerly also to be punished Where by the basenes of the offender and worthines of him that is offended he exaggerateth the grieuousnes of the crime and greater desert of punishment So on the other side in the way of recompence and satisfaction the excellency of him that satisfyeth and submitteth in our behalfe maketh the submission farre more acceptable because Aristotle saith The Clem. 6. in extra vnigenitus de paeniten remis Proclus hom de Chri. natiuitate in Concil Ephe. c. 7. ●om 6. Amb. praf in Ps 35. Leo epist 83. Vniuersitatem captiuorū Cyp. ser de rat cir cūcisionis 1. Tim. 2. v. 6. Ephes 5 v. 2. Philip. 2. v. 8. Chrys ho. 7. in eum loc Cyr. cate che●i 13. Haeb. 5. v. 7. actions are to be attributed to the persons that worke Wherefore seeing it was the diuine person of the Sonne of God which by the operations of his humanity prayed sacrificed and humbled himselfe to his Father he aduanced his prayers his sacrifice his humble submission and euery action he atchieued in his manhood to be in morall estimation truly accounted of infinit and vnspeakable worth 8. He purchased for vs by his merits and satisfaction as Clement defineth an infinite treasure He payed sayth Proclus such a price as did equall the debt of sinne euen in the axact nor me or rule of iustice He disbursed as S. Ambrose auerreth gold so pretious a ransome so rich as it was able to wash away al sinne able to redeeme sayth S. Leo the whole multitude of cap. iues Not through the benignity only of Gods fauourable acceptation but by the worthynes as S. Cyprian writeth of our Redeemers oblation who with so great authority entred the holy places c. Where he deriueth the excellency of his oblation from the great preheminence of his person who offering and submitting in our behalfe not only the actions of his humanity but himselfe also his owne diuine and sacred person morally deriued as much worthinesse to his workes as there was true reuerence and dignity in himselfe Which maketh S. Paul so often repeate He gaue himselfe a redemption for vs He deliuered himself for vs an oblatiō and hoast to God He humbled himselfe being made obedient Where S. Chrysostome sayth As much highnes and dignity as he had so much humility likewise did he vndergo And S. Cyrill Iesus offering himselfe the price shall he not app●ase the wrath of God conceaued against men Yes yes The Apostle againe auerreth it He was * Our Protestāts perniciously corrupt those words say ing He was heard in that which he feared to proue that he feared the payns of hell O horrible blasphemy S. Chrys the rest in eum lolum ●uar in 3. par disp 4. sect ● heard for his reuerence That is for the reuerence which was due vnto him being the Sonne of God as S. Chrysostome S. Anselme Hugo de Sancto Victore and Theophilact interprete it And S. Paul seemeth to insinuate immediatly adding And truly whereas he was the Son of God for that great dignity of his person

Ignatius that men euen then in the next age after Christ began too studiously to loue and reuerence the state of Virginity 3. Concerning the preheminence and merit of Martyrdome they record the like howbeit M. Doctour Field with his wonted procacity outfacingly deposeth The Century writers reproue not the Fathers for any such errour as the Papistes do maynteyne touching the force of martyrdome c. Touching the merite satisfaction and expiation of sinnes which they fancy to be in the bloud of martyrs of which impiety the Father Ignatius in ep ad Antioch ad Her● ad Tarsen Field in his 3. book c. 21. fol. 1. ● Cent. 2. c. 4. Col. 64. Clem. in strō Igna. in ep ad Smir. ad Antioch Polycar neuer thought Deale once sincerely M. Field I pray belie vs not gaynesay not that which is euident in the Centuristes We allow not any merit satisfaction or expiation of sinnes in the bloud of Martyrs but in the noble resolution of their mind and in the heroicall act of sheeding their blood And of this the Century-writers so vndoubtedly controule the auncient Fathers as he is past all shame who goeth about to deny it I will produce their sayinges and referre them to the iudgement of any not ouerpartiall sectary First chronicling the vnfitting speaches as they terme them because they fit not their errours with which the doctours of the first two hundred yeares garnish the resplendent crowne of Martyrdome thus they write They the Fathers of the next age after Christ beganne to thinke too honourably of Martyrdome in so much as they attribute vnto it a certaine expiation of sinnes For Clemens expresly sayth Martyrdome is a cleansing or expurgation of ossences with glory and Ignatius in diuers of his Epistles speaketh very daungerously of the merit of Martyrdome Then proceeding Cent. 3. c. 4. col 85. Tertul in Scorpiaco in Apologia in lib. de anima Origen Homil. 7. in lud Cypr. l. 2. epist. 6. to the Fathers of the third hundred yeares to Tertullian Origen and S. Cyprian All the Doctours say they of this age extoll Martyrdome beyond measure For Tertullian doth almost equall it with Baptisme Filth or dregs sayth he are washed away by Baptisme but spots are made white with Martyrdome And īn his Apology Who when it cometh to passe doth not long to suffer that he may purchase the grace of God that he may obteine all pardon from him by the satisfaction or recompense of his bloud for to this worke all sinnes are forgiuen And in his booke of the soule Yf thou diest for God thy bloud is the whole key of Paradise But Origen much more insolently then Tertullian preferreth Martyrdome before Baptisme and holdeth vs to be made more pure by that then by Baptisme Likewise that by Baptisme sinnes passed are scowred forth but by Martyrdome future are killed he sayth that Diuells cannot appeach the soules of Martyrs for so much as they are rinsed in their owne liquour clarified in their death washed in their bloud Cyprian also affirmeth immortality to be gayned by the bloud of Martyrs And in his booke of exhortation to Martyrdome he aduenturously teacheth Martyrdome to be a Baptisme greater in fauour more subly me in power in honour more precious then the Baptisme of regeneration In the Baptisme of water the remission of sinnes is receaued in that of bloud the Lawrell of vertues Hitherto the Centurists word by word who if they reprooue not the Fathers for the same errour which we maintaine if they assigne not to the excellency of martyrdome out of the Fathers writinges Merit Recompence Satisfaction Expiation Purging Cleansing forgiuenes of sinnes clarity whitenes immortality glory the laurell of vertues the key of Paradise which openeth the gates of heauen then let M. Feildes shameles wantones in denying be accounted hereafter well aduised sobernes in excusing these thinges 4. Other Protestant writers although they treate not of Martyrdome in particular yet of merit in particular they accuse the auncient Church Bullinger auoucheth Bulling vpon the Apoca. ser 87. fol. 270. Humfrey Ies part 2. pag. 530. Bell in his downe fall pag. 61. The doctrine of merit satisfaction and iustification of workes did incontinently after the Apostles time lay their first foundation Doctour Humfrey It may not be denied but that Irenaeus Clement and others haue in their writings the opinions of freewill and merit of workes Doctour Whitgift Almost all the Bishops of the Greke Church Latin also for the most part were spotted with doctrins of freewil of merit of inuocation of Saintes c. Some wrāgler may cauill as Bell the Apostata doth that the merit which the primitiue Church allowed is not the same which we defend but the merit of impetration only as though merit were not a thing quite different from impetration 1. The begger doth impetrate he doth not merit his almes The hired seruant meriteth he doth not impetrate his wages 2. Merit ariseth from the worthines of desert impetration from the earnestnes only of request 3. That is grounded in some title of iustice or clayme of right this in meere prayers and supplications directly excluding the right of clayme 4. That hath intrinsecall reference to a due reward or payment presupposing a dignity in the worke this to a liberall gift without any respect to the value of the worke wherefore seeing S. Gregory Naziazen sayth that for good workes we may exact reward not as grace but as a plaine debt seeing the rest auow with Nazian ora 3. in hap him that we deserue heauen as the stipend or crowne of our workes they cannot be wrested to be vnderstood of impetration but of true and proper merit or else the Magdeburgian Protestants with their english Collegues were to blame in reprehending the Fathers for that kind of merite which for impetration no doubt they would neuer haue done 5. Neuertheles it is obiected that eternall life is the free ad Rom. 6. v. 23. 1. Io. 5. v. ●1 Abbot in his defence c. 5. very often gift of God imparted by grace bestowed vpon vs of mercy That it is proposed in scripture vnder the condition of an inheritance which befalleth to children without their desertes I graunt all this yet I find that as it is affirmed to be giuen by grace so also to be gotten by violence as it is called a free gift so a price or reward as a goale of mercy so a crowne of iustice as an inheritance belonging to children so a payment hire or wages purchased by workmen deserued of labourers Aug. ep 105. de correp gra c. 13. in en●h c. 107. lib. arb c. 8. 9. Therefore we ought not so to adhere to one text or manner of speach that we defeate the force of the others as Protestants are accustomed but we must allot to euery one the life and vigour of their natiue signification We allow therefore that our happy life is a