him He hath set fire and water before thee reache out thy hande vnto which thou wilt They doe herein shewe their ignoraunce if the matter bee waighed for all men knowe this booke is not autenticall nor numbred among the canonicall Scriptures therefore Sainct Hierome saith it is Apochrypha That is to say a thing that is hidden secrete or darke whiche hath no certaine authour or whiche is not autentike that is asmuche to saie as of aucthoritie or bookes which were not receiued by a common consent to be read and expounded publikely in the Church neither yet serued to proue any pointe of christian religioÌ„ saue in asmuch as they had the consent of other Scriptures canonicall to confirme the same or rather whereon thei were grounded But lette vs graunte that it is Canonicall what get thei by it For it maketh nothyng for their purpose For before we declare how it maketh nothyng for their matter we must consider of man what he was before he fell what he was after he fell and what he is when he is regenerated and newe horne againe of the spirite by the will of god If you marke this texte well you shall easily perceiue that he speaketh of man as he was before his fall in his firste estate of his creation and being in his originall innocencie and righteousnes And that doeth sainâ—te Augustine saie whose woordes are these Freewill before the fall was an vpright freewill before which fire and water was laied of God and the first man did reache his hande to whiche he would he did choose fire and forsooke water Sée the righteous iudge the same which man beyng free did choose he did receiue he would haue euill and the same did followe hym Againe he saieth I saie that free-will was in that man whiche was created firste For he was so made that nothyng could with stande his will if he woulde haue kepte Goddes commaundementes but after that he had synned through freewill he did caste vs all that come of his stocke into necessitie Againe he hath these wordes The fault whiche followed the synne and whiche is the punishemente hath tourned libertie into necessitie Againe Man vsyng free-will not well did bothe loose it and hym selfe And in an other place he hath these woordes Verum est magnas arbitrij liberi vires homo cuÌ„conderetur accepit sed peccando amisit It is true saith he that man when he was made did receiue greate strength of freewill but he loste it in synnyng These aucthorities of saincte Augustine doe sufficiently declare how the place that thei alledged out of Ecclesiasticus ought to bee vnderstanded for there doubtlesse the wiseman speaketh of man as he was firste created in the estate of innocencie not as he was with his posteritie after his fall whereby as Augustine saieth All men haue loste their naturall possibilitie and ablenesse and their naturall or originall innocencie And so oughte all the doctours to be vnderstanded when soeuer thei speake of free-will in man for thei speake of that freewill that was in AdaÌ„ before his fall And therefore sainct Augustine when he saith Ad ValentinuÌ„ Si noÌ„ est liberum arbitrium vt mundum iudicat deus If there bee no freewill how shall God iudge the worlde He meaneth there that God shall iudge vs all by his iustice in that freewill that we had in Adam before his fall whiche some men in his tyme did vtterly deny any freewill to bee in Adam at all vpon occasion whereof he saied these wordes to staie the contentions that then was For in an other place he openeth his full mynde and iudgemente saiyng Cum autem de libera voluntate recte faciendi loquimur de illa scilicet in qua homo factus est loquimur That is When wee speake of freewill of doyng well we speake and meane of that freewill in whiche man was first made before his fall And hereto sainct Hierome agreeth writyng vppon Ieremie when he saieth these woordes And therefore the heretiques bee wonte to promise felicitie and to open vnto synners the kingdome of heauen saiyng Thou maiest followe the maiestie of GOD and bee without synne sithe that thou hast receaued the power and strengthe of freewill and the vnderstandyng of the lawe whereby thou art able to obtaine what soeuer thou wilte And so the saied heretiques doe deceiue the poore simple and ignoraunte persons and specially women whiche beyng loden with sinnes are ledde to and fro with euery winde of doctrine deceiuyng by their flatterie all them that giue eares vnto them Here we see that sainct Hierome doth call them all heretiques that saie that men be able by their freewill to dooe bothe good and euill They do further obiect and saie that if man hath not that power of his owne strength to kepe the whole lawe and performe it why then are we commaunded to kepe it vpon paine of dampnation and if for not keepyng wee shal bee punished then are wée punished wrongfully and God shall seeme to bée vnrighteous to giue vs a lawe and to require performaunce of vs of the same when it is not in our powers and freedome to obserue it as â—e commaundeth And againe what neede so many exhortations to turne to hym to beleue hym to heare to repente to amende our liues c. if we haue not a wyll and power of our selues to doe al this And againe God saueth no man againste his will. As to the firste in that God giueth his lawe vnto vs to bee obserued and requireth of vs due fulfillyng of the same and for not doyng of it he will punishe vs he is in all this a iuste and righteous god And in that wée can not fulfill the lawe as it requireth the fault nor hardnesse of it to be kepte is not of God nor yet of the law it selfe for the lawe of it self is easie and so are all the commaundementes of GOD and if any difficultie or hardnesse bee in them it commeth not of the nature and propertie of the commaundementes of God giuen â–ª vnto vs but of the corruption of our owne nature Therefore sâ—inct Paule setteth foorthe this in plaine wordes saiyng What soeuer the law coulde not fulfill in as muche as it was weake because of the fleshe that same did God performe sendyng his sonne in the similitude of synfull fleshe and by synne dampned synne Two thynges are to be learned in Saincte Paules woordes Firste that it commeth not of the lawe that men are not able to fulfill it but of the imbecilitie and weakenesse of the fleshe Secondlie we doe learne that God doeth by his sonne Iesu Christe supplie the same that by reason of the weakenesse of our fleshe wee bee not able to fulfill God therefore is not vnrighteous to aske the performaunce of his commaundementes at our handes although we can not satisfie it accordyngly No more then if I were bounde to paie one
God sithe that Christ the wisedome of the father doeth name hym first when he saieth Render vnto Caesar that parteineth vnto Caesar and vnto God that parteineth vnto god Might I not by the same reason proue that the virgine Marie is inferiour vnto all the Apostles sithe that in the Actes Luke doeth rehearse and name her last but that will they neuer graunt sith that they will haue her to bee the Queene of heauen the mother of mercie c. Howbeit where thei saie that he is alwaies named firste it soundeth like a lye for in the Epistle to the Corinthians hee is named laste and also in the Epistle to the Galathians he is named after I meane where Saint Paul doeth proue by many argumentes that he is nothyng inferiour vnto hym But it appeareth most manifestly that Peter was in no higher aucthoritie then the other Apostles sith that beyng sent of them vnto Samaria with Iohn he doeth obeye Yea when Paule dyd rebuke hym to his face bicause that he walked not vprightly he did geue place vnto hym It is moste plaine and manifeste then that the blessed Apostle Sainct Peter neuer acknowledged suche supremacie as the Antichriste of Rome doeth moste tyrannously vsurpe nowe a daies much lesse that he woulde haue set foorth hym selfe for the supreme head of the vniuersall Churche of Christe The .xxxvij. Chapiter ¶ The true Church of Christe is but as a witnesse to the worde of God addyng nothyng to it nor takyng ought from it THerefore we conclude that the true catholique Churche doeth acknowledge none other head but onely our Sauiour Christe contentyng it selfe with his holy worde addyng nothyng vnto it nor taking ought awaie from it For sith that the faithfull congregation béeyng inspired with the same spirite that they were inspired withall which did leaue the scriptures vnto vs by writyng doeth but as a witnesse receaue aucthorize and alowe the bookes of the olde and newe Testament accordyng to the saiyng of our sauiour where he saieth And ye shal be witnesses vnto mee of these thynges it is not to be thought that the faithfull will euer passe the boundes and limittes of true witnesse bearyng or that they will adde any thyng vnto the knowen trueth whiche they beare witnesse vnto or take any thyng awaie from it Else might they moste deseruyngly bee numbred among those that dyd beare false witnesse againste Christe Againe sithe that the faithfull congregation is subiect to Christe and that the Scriptures that be conteined in the Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament are his letters pattents and the Sacramentes his seales verylie the true Church of Christe will in no wise alter the Scriptures nor chaunge anye thyng in the ordinaunces and lawes that parteine to the sacramentes For as if a subiect knowyng the letters of his Prince and also his Seale shoulde bicause that he knoweth them well and aloweth them to be his presume and take vpon him to counterfeict his princes letters or seale he should be no true subiect but a felone and traitour euen so if the Churche bicause that she knoweth the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament to be the true and infallible worde of her Lorde and Sauiour and the Sacramentes to bee his seales should presume or take vpon her to alter Gods worde I meane the Scriptures that bee conteined in the Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament or to counterfeict the Scaramentes that is to say to minister them otherwise then her Lorde and maister hath instituted and appointed in his word she ought not to be called the true Church but the most traiterous harlot of Antichriste What ought we then to iudge of the whorishe Churche of the malignant whiche doeth not onely acknowledge an other heade besides Christ but also doth most vngodly presume and take vpon her to alter and chaunge the holy and sacred Scriptures and to peruerte the right vse of the Sacramentes Shal the Sheepe bicause they knowe the voice of their shephearde presume to alter and chaunge it or take vpon them to alowe the voice of a straunger and to set it foorth for the voyce of the true shephearde Moreouer it is not vnknowen that the true Churche is the spouse and wife of the Lambe but it is not the propertie of any true and faithfull wife when her husbandes Testament is made and confirmed or alowed to adde anye thyng to it or to alter and chaunge any thyng in it though she knoweth neuer so muche and aloweth it to be her husbandes Testament Sithe then that the scriptures and worde of God conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament are euen the Testament of the onely begotten Sonne of God our Sauiour Iesu Christ who is the onely head and husband of the true catholique Churche without all doubte the faithfull congregation will neuer presume to adde any thyng to it or to alter and chaunge any thyng that is conteined or comprehended in it For sith that though it be but a mans Testament yet if it be once alowed no man ought to despise it or to adde any thyng to it How much more ought we to take heede that we adde nothyng to the euerlastyng testament of the only begotten sonne of God or that we chaunge nothing that is conteined and comprehended in it Besides all this it were a foolishe thyng to saie that the sonne is able to beget his father or his mother it is euen as folishe a thyng to saie that the Churche whiche is begotten a newe by the worde and hath all the aucthoritie that she hath from the worde of the liuing God is able to aucthorize or alow any maner of doctrine whiche is not Gods worde for Goddes word or that she is able to make lawes decrees and statutes at her owne pleasure and after her owne phantasie and afterwarde to set them foorth for the infallible worde of god For if the Churche can make or fourge a newe worde then can she beget her selfe of newe Who sâ—eth not that it were one of the greatest follies in the worlde to say or affirme any such thing Therfore to put al men out of doubte ye shall vnderstand that as the Sunne is cleare and bright not bicause that men doe iudge it to be so but rather men do iudge it to be so bicause it is so in deede and can iudge of it none otherwise euen so the holy Scriptures conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament are the infallible worde of the liuyng God not bicause that the Church doeth iudge and alowe it to be so but rather the true catholique Churche doeth iudge and alowe it to be so bicause that it is so in deede and can iudge of it none otherwise no more then the cleare and bright eyes can iudge of the light and brightnesse of the Sunne of the whiche the blynde can geue no
that Moyses did passe all men in humanitie gentlenesse and mercie The meanyng of the Prophete then is this that God was so offended with the people that he woulde not spare them though Moyses and Samuell whose praiers he was want to heare aboue all other should make intercession for them The like in a maner haue we in the Prophete Ezechiell where the Lorde speaketh on this maner If Noah Daniell and Iob were in the Citie as truely as I liue they shall deliuer neyther sonnes nor daughters but saue their owne soules in their righteousnesse As if he should saie though Noah Daniell and Iob were then aliue againe thei should not deliuer their owne sonnes and daughters but should saue onely their owne liues in their righteousnes my wrath and indignation is so kindeled against that stiffenecked people And so the afore alledged place of Ieremiah ought to be vnderstanded For the wordes are as muche as if he should saie Though Moyses and Samuell were nowe aliue and shoulde stande before me makyng intercession for this people as thei were wont to doe yet would I not for their sakes withdrawe my plagues from this wicked and frowarde generation I woulde not heare them nor geue eare vnto their praiers but woulde in my furie vtterly destroie this rebellious and stiffe-necked people Reade and marke diligently the circumstaunces of both places and ye shall finde that it is the true sence and meanyng of them As for the place that thei doe bryng out of Genesis saiyng that Iacob doth pray that his name and the name of his forefathers Abraham and Isaac may he called vpon his posteritie It helpeth their matter nothyng at all For the meanyng of the holy Patriarche is not that his posteritie should call vpon him or vpon his forefathers Abraham and Isaac for helpe and succour but that his posteritie might be named after hym and also after Abraham and Isaac thereby to declare that the coueuaunt that God had made with Abraham Isaac and Iacob dyd parteine vnto them And therefore whensoeuer the faithfull Israelites did make their praiers vnto God they did alwaies beseche hym to remember his seruauntes Abraham Isaac and Iacob puttyng hym in remembraunce of the couenaunte wherein he had promised that he woulde for Abraham Isaac and Iacbos sake shewe mercie fauour vnto them But howe litle they dystruste in the merites and intercessions of their forefathers it is easy to see in the prophete Esay for there the whole Churche crieth out saiyng Abraham knoweth vs not neither is Israell acquainted with vs But thou lorde arte our father and redéemer Therefore be at one with vs againe for thy Seruauntes sake that are of the generation of thine heritage To be shorte whensoeuer they did name in their praiers their forefathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob it was not for any helpe that they looked to haue at their handes but for to put God in remembraunce of the couenaunt that he had made with them and with their posteritie for euer But nowe that we haue our Sauiour Iesus Christe in whose blood the couenaunt is both established and sealed vp In whose name should we set foorth or offer vp our praiers vnto God but in his only Moreouer that same maner of phrase that Iacob did vse is often times founde in the scriptures as when Esay saieth Then shall seuen women take holde of one man and saie wee wyll laie all our meate and clothyng together in commune Tantum nomen tuum innocetur super nos Only that thy name maie be called vpon vs that is to saie onely let vs be called thy wiues or after thy name that yet it maye be saide that we are suche a mans wiues They be also wont to bryng in the dreame of Iudas Machabeus whiche is made mention of in the Machabees where it is written that Iudas Machabeus did shewe vnto his Souldiers that he had séene in a dreame Onias Ieremiah holdyng vp their handes towardes heauen and praiyng for the people Doth not this saie they proue sufficiently that the dead sainctes doe praie for vs First I doe aunswere that the booke out of the which this place is alledged is not authentike nor yet Canonicall as Sainct Hierome proueth All men maie see what aucthoritie that booke ought to haue in thinges that perteine to our saluation For firste of all they cannot denie but that it is an abridgement of fiue bookes that one Iason Cireneus had written which whether he was a Iewe or a gentile no man is able to tell For the booke was set out and written in the Gréeke tongue and not in the Hebrewe Moreouer whā the holy ghoste doth set foorth any thing vnto vs for an infallible doctrine or an vndoubted trueth he is not wont to vse any excuse as the authour of this booke doth Last of al what wisedome were it to grounde any doctrine parteinyng vnto the faith vpon a dreame did hee not thinke also in his sleepe that Ieremie did deliuer him a golden swoorde yet when he awoke he had no suche thyng I might therefore conclude that as Ieremiah did deliuer hym a golden swoorde so he with Onias dyd praie for the people But Ieremiah did deliuer hym no swoorde in deede but only in a dreame Whereby it foloweth that the prayng of Onias and of Ieremiah was dreamishe also But let vs graunte that it was so as Iudas Machabeus did dreame yet we doe not reade that Iudas Machabeus and his hoast did by and by direct their praiers vnto them or that thei dyd desire them to praie and make intercession for the hoastes of the Israelites whiche shoulde within a whyle ioyne in battaile with the hoastes of the enimies But we reade that thei al praied with their Captaine vnto God saiyng O lorde thou that diddest sende thyne Angell in the tyme of Ezechiah kyng of Iuda in the host of Sennacherib didst slea an hundred fourscore and fiue thousandes sende nowe also thy good Angell before vs O Lorde of Heauens in the fearefulnes and dread of thy mightie arme that they which come against thy holy people to blaspheme them may be afraide Here maie we sée that Iudas Machabeus notwithstanding his gaie dreame did trust onely in the Lorde vnto whom onely his praiers he directed and not vnto Oniah nor yet vnto Ieremiah folowing in this the example of all the holy Patriarches and Prophetes that were before hym They do so abhominably wreast all the other places of the Scriptures whiche they be wont to alledge for the mainteinyng of their Idolatrous inuocation of Sainctes that a man will be ashamed to stande in the confutyng of them All their refuge at length is that the sainctes were hearde whiles they were aliue For it is written Our Fathers called vpon thée were helped they trusted in thée were not confounded If say they they were hearde when they were yet compassed about with
Gods promises Now the maister and teacher of trueth the aucthour of light the well and fountaine of wisedome knowledge and vnderstandyng This is he that doeth pourge and cleanse vs from all filthines and ouersprinckleth vs with his sanctitude and holines that we may be made the worthy temples of almightie god This is he that with his effectuall wateryng doeth make vs fruictfull vnto righteousnes for to bryng foorth aboundauntly the fruictes of our faith that our heauenly father may be glorified through our good workes conuersation and outwarde liuyng For the whiche cause he is many tymes called water as in these places of the prophete All ye that are a thirst come vnto the waters Againe I will powre water vpon hym that is a thirste and Riuers vpon the drie lande Wherunto the saiyng of Christe doeth agree where he biddeth them that bee a thirste to come vnto hym and to drinke of the waters of life Although he be other whiles so called for the efficacie streÌ„gth power and vertue that he hath to pourge and make cleane where the Lorde promiseth in Ezechiell to washe his people with cleane waters The same is he that consumeth and burneth awaie the inordinate lustes concupiscenses of our flesh kyndelyng our heartes with the diuine loue of GOD and of heauenly thynges wherefore he is called by God right fyre Finally this is he that by his inspiration doeth make vs wholie to liue vnto God so that we be no more ledde by our owne sensualitie but folowe onely his motion and guidyng Therefore is it saide of Barnarde verie well Quid bonus in nobis spiritus operatur monet mouet docet monet memoriam mouet voluntatem docet rationem That is to saie what good doth the spirite or holy Ghost in vs he doth warne moue and teache he doth warne our remembraunce he doeth moue our willes and teache our reason Therefore if there be any goodnesse in vs it is the fruicte of his grace and vertue But all our giftes without hym are méere darkenesse of the mynde and wicked peruersenesse of the hearte And as I doe beléeue that all the giftes and benefites that we doe receaue of God through his onely begotten sonne our sauiour Iesu Christ are by this holy spirite printed grauen and sealed vp in our heartes and myndes so do I beléeue that all the Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament were written and sette forthe vnto vs onely by his diuine inspiration and that the doctrine that is conteined in them without all other is sufficiente vnto Saluation as the blessed Apostle doeth testifie saiyng Continue in the thinges that thou hast learned whiche also were committed vnto thée seyng thou knowest of whom thou hast learned them and for as muche also as thou haste knowen the holy Scriptures of a childe whiche bee able to make thee wise vnto Saluation through the faithe whiche is in Christ iesu For all scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue to amende and to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of God maie be perfecte and readie vnto all good workes Wherevnto Chrisostome doth agree saiyng what soeuer is required vnto saluation all the same shall ye finde in the holy scriptures And in an other place He hath at his tyme saieth he reueiled and opened his woorde by the preachyng that is committed vnto me And this is the preachyng the Gospell doeth conteine all thynges bothe present and to come honor godlinesse faithe to be shorte he hath comprehended all thynges in the woorde of his preachyng Againe he saieth what so euer is required for our saluation is alreadie conteined in the holy scriptures he that is ignoraunte shall finde there what he maie learne he that is stubborne and a synner maie finde there scourges of the iudgemente to come he that is troubled maie finde there ioyes and promises of euerlastyng life thorowe the beholdyng of whiche he maie be stirred to good workes Sainct Augustine saieth reade the holy scriptures wherin ye shall finde fullie what is to bée folowed and what to bee auoided Athanasius also saieth the holy scriptures saieth he beyng inspired from God are sufficiente to all instruction of the truthe Lyra one of the Popes owne doctours hath these wordes Like as in a merchauntes shippe are carried diuerse thinges necessarie for mans life So in the holy scriptures are conteined all thynges needefull to our saluation Who so euer then doeth affirme and saie that the doctrine of the holie ghoste whiche is conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testamente is not sufficiente vnto saluation and that besides it wee haue neede of mens traditions and doctrines as though without them we could not haue in the sacred booke of God a sufficient instruction in thynges that pertaine to life euerlastyng Or who soeuer saieth affirmeth that this holy spirite doeth teache and set for the any other worde or doctrine then is conteined in the sacred bookes of God I dare boldely affirme that the same man is not lead with the same holie spirite who is the lorde and giuer of life and who procéeding from the father the sonne should leade vs into all truthe and bryng into our remembraunces whatsoeuer Christ our Sauiour the heauenly wisedome of the father hath taught and set forthe for the saluation of mankind but with the spirite of errour I meane with the spirite of sathan the deuill who to the vttermoste of his power causeth men to contemne despise and sette at naught the holie commaundementes of almightie God that thei maie set vp their owne traditions and dreames and all vnder the title name and colour of the holie ghoste Wherefore it is moste needefull and necessarie that wee haue alwaies before our eyes the saiyng of the blessed Euangeliste saincte Ihon where he saieth Dearely beloued beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether thei bee of God or not Also S. Chrisost. saith agréeyng with the same Many saith he do boast of the holy ghost but they that do vtter and set out their owne phancies and dreames do pretende him in vaine for as Christ doth witnesse that he speaketh not of him selfe but out of the lawe the Prophetes Si quid praeâ—er Euangelium sub titulo spiritus obtrudatur ne credamus Quia sicut Christus legis Prophetarum impletio est ita est spiritus Euangelij If any thyng be brought vnto vs vnder the name of the holie ghost saieth he besides the Gospell let vs not beleue it For as Christ is the fulfillyng of the lawe and the prophetes so is the holie ghost the fulfillyng of the Gospell For without that spirite we haue neither eares to heare nor eyes to see it is that spirite that openeth and no man shutteth The same shutteth and no man openeth The same spirite opened the sicke womans hearte that she should
middest of this peruerse and crooked generation whiche contenting themselues with the heauenly doctrine of the holy ghoste which is conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament The .xxxv. Chapiter ¶ Christe is the heade of his Churche and not the Pope I DOE acknowledge none other head then our Sauiour Christ as it is written that God hath made him aboue al thinges the head of the congregation whiche is his body and the fulnesse of hym that filleth all in all thynges Wherby all the faithfull doe gather that he onely can be the head of the Churche whose body the Churche is But the Churche is the body of Christe onely therefore Christe onely can be the head of the Churche Againe in a nother place it is written And he is the head of the body of the congregation which is the beginnyng and firste begotten of the dead but who is the beginning and first begotten of the dead sauyng onely our sauiour Christe We may well say then that he onely is the head of the Church Moreouer sainct Paul saieth that as the husband is the head of the wife so Christe is the heade of the Churche beyng the sauiour of the body These wordes are plaine and do manifestly declare that he onely whiche is the sauiour of the bodie can be the head of the congregation and Church but it perteineth only to christ to be the sauiour of his body Therefore Christ onely can bee the head of the faithfull congregation and Church Moreouer who woulde not iudge that woman to be an aduoutresse that had twoo heades that is to saie twoo husbandes All men woulde counte that woman to be a moste filthy and stinkyng harlot Sainct Hierome therfore saieth these wordes Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tuae idest Cathedrae Petri communione consoâ—ior I followyng no firste nor chief man but onely Christe am ioyned as a fellowe in communion vnto the blessed that is to saie to Peters chaire Marke here S. Hierome saieth he knoweth no firste no chief heade no not the Pope hym self but onely christ Againe he saieth not I am bounde to thy commaundementes but I am ioyned as a fellowe in communion vnto the blessednesse Sainct Gregorie also saieth Quid tu Christo vniuersalis ecclesiae capiti in extremi iudicij responsurus es examine qui cuncta eius membra tibimet conaris vniuersalis appellationae supponere What aunswere wilte thou make vnto Christe the head of the vniuersall Churche when thou shalt be examined at the last iudgement that thus goest about by the name of vniuersall bishop to make all his members subiect vnto thee Sainct Chrisostome to pull downe the pride of suche as will exalte theim selues aboue their heade Christ saith whosoeuer desireth primacie in earth in heauen he shall finde confusion Neither shall he be accounted among the seruauntes of Christ that will once intreate of primacie What shall we saie then of that whorishe Churche that besides Christe the onely heade and husbande of the faithfull congregation dooeth acknowledge that Antichriste of Rome to bee her heade preferryng his lawes decrees statutes and durtie traditions before the wholesome doctrine of our Sauiour Christe As for the argumentes that the Popes dearlynges are wont to bryng in for to proue their fleshly Idoll to be the supreme heade of the Churche thei are so childishe that I marueile that thei be not ashamed to alledge them First for a foundation of their doctrine they bryng these wordes of Christe Thou arte Peter and vpon this rocke will I builde my churche And I wil giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Doeth not Christe promise here plainly saie thei that he will bothe builde his Churche vpon Peter and also giue hym the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen Againe be not these the woordes of Christe Thou art Symon the sonne of Ionas thou shalte be called Cephas Here maie we see that Christe did appoinct Peter whose successours all the holy Popes and Bishoppes of Rome are to bee the supreme heade of his congregation and Churche For what should be his meanyng els when he saith And thou shalt be called Cephas Did not he also say that he would builde his Church vpon him In déede I maie saie of you as Barnarde saieth Successores omnes cupiunt esse imitatores pauci Euery one couetteth to bee successours of the Apostles but fewe are followers of them ¶ The .xxxvj. Chapiter ¶ All the Apostles had equall power to bynde and to loose with Peter and the keyes were equally deliuered to them all BEcause no man shall thinke that this our doctrine is a newe founde doctrine as the enemies of all truthe are wont liyngly to call it I will bring certaine aucthorities of the faithfull Fathers of the auncient Catholike Churche whiche shall make this matter so plaine that any man excepte he will obstinately be blinde still shal be able to espie out all their knauerie First I will bryng Sainct Cyprian vpon these woordes And I will giue thee the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen who writeth after this maner In the persone of one man the Lorde did giue the keyes vnto all the Apostles for to signifie the vnitie of theim all For truely the other Apostles were euen the same that Peter was they were indued with like felowship of honour and power but he did beginne with vnitie that is to saie with one that thereby it might bee signified that there is but one Churche of Christe wee learne by this that the keyes were giuen to all the Apostles as well as vnto Peter Sainct Origene saieth Hoc dictum tibi dabo claues regni coelorum caeteris quoque commune est Et quae sequuntur velut ad PetruÌ„ dicta sunt omniae communia This saiyng to thee will I giue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen is common to the reste of the Apostles and the woordes that followe as spoken vnto Peter are common vnto all Saincte Hierome also saieth Dices super Petrum fundatur ecclesia licet ad ipsum in alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat cuncti clauis regni caelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesiae fortitudâ— solidetur Ye wil saie the Churche is founded vpon Peter Notwithstandyng in an other place the same thyng is doen vpon all the Apostles and all receiue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and the strength of the Churche is founded equally vpon them all Saincte Ambrose to the same purpose saieth Our Lorde saied vnto Peter Féede my sheepe Whiche shéepe and flocke not onely blessed Peter then receiued but he receiueth the same together with vs And all we haue receiued the same together with hym Saincte Augustine hath these woordes Cum Petro dicitur omnibus dicitur amas me Pasce oues meas These words of christ louest thou me Feede my sheepe when thei
iudgement euen as the vnfaithfull and reprobate can geue no iudgement of the worde of God nor yet alowe it Whereby we maie then conclude that the certitude veritie and infalliblenesse of Gods worde doeth not depende or hang vpon the opinion and iudgement of men but that it doth altogether depende of the holy spirite of God whiche by his owne force vertue and strength doth verifie it and constraineth the faithfull to alowe and receaue it as the bright and cleare beames of the Sunne doe compell the eyes to confesse that the Sunne is cleare and bright For the shéepe of our Sauiour christ doe both heare and vnderstande the voice of their shephearde and not the voice of a straunger And all the Prophetes haue prophecied and taught and the apostles also haue been verified and aucthorized by the vertue of hym that spake in theâ— so that all the whole worlde could not withstande it It is nowe easie to see that the true catholique Churche of God though she knoweth which is the true worde of god and which is not and that by the inspiration of the same holy spirite that they were inspired withall whiche did leaue vnto vs by writyng the holy and sacred Scriptures that be conteined in the olde and newe testament I meane the canonical bokes of them both for as Sainct Chrisostome saieth Ergò suam erga homines amicitiam innouare volens quasâ— longè absentibus literas mittit conciliaturus sibi vniuersam hominum naturam Therefore god mindyng to renewe his fauour towardes man sent his holie Scriptures as it were his letters thereby to reconcile to him selfe all mankynde â–ª Ireneus saieth Apostoli tunc euangelium praeconiauerunt Postea verò per dei voluntatem illud in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum Then the Apostles preached the Gospell and afterwardes by Gods will thei deliuered the same to vs in writyng to be a foundation and a piller vnto our faith But here to speake of the Papistes obiections howe that the Churche was before the worde it shal be superfluous to waste paper and Inke in so fruictlesse a question For we say generally the worde was before the church for Moyses wrote the worde of God that he spake to Adam of the séede to come So saieth Sainct Paul God spake in olde tymes many waies and in sundrie sortes vnto the fathers And saint Chrisostome saieth God the creatour of mankynde from the beginnyng spake vnto men by hym selfe in his owne person We speake not so precisely and nicely of Gods worde written in Paper For so it is a creature corruptible and shall consume and perishe as other corruptible creatures doe But the worde of God whiche we speake of endureth for euer Saincte Hierome thereto agreyng saieth these wordes Quomodo aeternae erunt scripturae diuinae si mundus certo fine est terminandus Verum est quidem quod librorum pelliculae cum ipsis literis abolandae sunt Sod quià subiungit dominus verba mea verò noÌ„ praeteribunt proculdubio quod illiâ— apicibus pollicetur erit aeternuÌ„ That is to saie in englishe thus How shall the holy scriptures be euerlastyng seeyng the worlde shall haue an ende True it is that the Parchement or leaues of the bookes with the letters and all shal be abolished But forasmuche as our Lorde addeth my wordes shall neuer passe doubtlesse the thynges that are promised by the same letters shall laste for euer ¶ The .xxxviij. Chapiter ¶ The true Churche is knowen by the worde of God. SO that the woorde of GOD enduring for euer is it that the holy catholike and true Church is knowen by and euer hath been Therefore sainct Augustine saith Exore veritatis ecclesiam agnosâ—o participem veritatis By the mouthe of the truthe I knowe the churche that is partaker of the truth And againe he saieth I would the Churche should be shewed not by the decrees of men but by the heaueÌ„ly oracles or wordes of God Wée muste seeke the Churche in the woordes of Christ whiche is the truthe and beste knoweth his owne bodie The holie Scripture sheweth vs the Churche without doubtyng In the holie scriptures the Churche is plainly knowen We muste knowe the Churche by the holie Canonicall scriptures as we knowe the heade Sainct Chrisostome also saieth Nullo modo cognoscituÌ„r quae sit vera ecclesia nisi tantuÌ„modo per scripturas It is not any wayes knowen which is the true Churche of Christ but only by the scriptures S. Augustine saith Non audiamus haec dico haec dicis sed audiamus haec dicit dominus Ibi quaeramus ecclesiam ibi discutiamus causam nostram Let vs not heare these wordes this saie I this saiest thou But let vs heare these woordes thus saieth the Lorde There lette vs seeke the Churche there let vs discusse our cause I will not haue the holy Churche to bee shewed by mans iudgement but by Goddes woorde Saincte Ambrose also doeth saie these wordes Ecclesia fulget non suo sed Christi lumine The Churche shineth or is knowen not by her owne light but by the light of Christ which is by the worde of God. These testimonies of the godlie fathers of the Catholike Churche dooe flatly declare that the Churche is knowen onely by the worde of God and not by mans decrees nor statutes therefore the true Churche doeth not take vpon her to adde any thing vnto it or to take ought away from it she doth not presume to forge newe articles of our faithe and to sette forthe news lawes and decrees for Goddes holie woorde but she contenteth her self with the worde lawes and ordinaunces of her true husbande and heade Iesus Christe Therefore that whorishe churche of Rome whiche moste presumpteously forgeth daiely newe lawes and Articles of our faithe settyng forthe euen with fire and sworde the fonde doctrines and inuentions of men for the true and infallible woorde of the liuyng GOD mainteinyng openly that their Churche is aboue the woorde of GOD and that it is of more force and greater aucthoritie for these are their owne woordes set out in their owne bookes A doctrina Romanae ecclesia Romani pontificis sacra scriptura robur trahit authoritatem The holie scripture taketh strength and aucthoritie of the doctrine of the Romain Churche and of the Bishoppe of Rome Againe in the same booke he saieth I meane Siluester Prierias maister of the Popes palaice Indulgentiae authoritatae scripturae non innotuere nobis sed authoritate Romanae ecclesiae Romanoâ—umque pontificum quae maior est Pardones are not knowen to vs by the aucthoritie of the Scriptures but by the aucthoritie of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishoppes of Rome whiche is greater then the aucthoritie of the scriptures These I saie boldely can in nowise bee the true spouse of our sauiour Iesu Christe but the abhominable
and stinckyng harlotte of Antichriste Thei haue alwaies in their mouthes this saiyng of saincte Augustine non crederem Euangeli◠nisi me ecclesiae catholicae authoritas commoueret I would not beleue the Gospell excepte the aucthoritie of the Catholike Churche moued me These fewe words haue thei tossed to and fro to presse out of them that is not in theim and would seme to goe aboute to proue the creature aboue the creatour that made all thynges But as S. Augustine saieth he beleued the Gospell because of the Church so likewise he hath said Exore veritatis ecclesiam agnosco participem veritatis By the mouthe of the truthe I knowe the churche that is partaker of the truthe But whereas thei would seme to goe aboute to proue by Augustines woordes that the Churche is aboue the worde of God their folie herein is easily espied if wée consider the cause that moued Augustine so to speake The Manichees would needes goe about to proue and make men to beleue that the Epistle of Fundamētus was of as good aucthoritie as the Epistles of Paule Peter Iames or Ihon. And that their Manicheus was the Apostle of Christe Augustine aunswereth theim and saieth he can not bee so easily perswaded by the same reason to receiue the Epistle of Manicheus as the Epistles of Peter and Paule c. He giueth a reason why for because saieth he in receiuyng of them thei had the aucthoritie testimonie and commendation of the Catholike Churche but Fundamentus Epistle hath no aucthoritie nor testimonie but onely of the Manichees theim selues whiche were openly shutte out from the Churche whiche by no meanes can be in equall aucthoritie with the aucthoritie of the Churche So if wée marke Augustines woordes well wée shall easily perceiue that he maketh not the Churche iudge of the scriptures nor yet graunteth any aucthoritie to the church ouer the scriptures but onely as witnesses and testimonies whiche bee the true canonicall scriptures from the Apochriphes and counterfecte Scriptures as this Epistle of the Manichees And that this is the true meaning of sainct Augustine one of their owne doctours and a Papiste for his life saieth vpon these woordes of sainct Augustine before recited Errare cos qui ijs dem Augustini verbis abutuntur ad probandum quod Papae vel cōcilium vel ecclesia possit immutare quae ab Euangelistis Apostolis sunt tradita That is to saie they do erre whiche vse the same wordes of sainct Augustine to proue that the Pope or Counsaile or the churche maie alter or chaunge what so euer haue been deliuered by the Euangelistes and Apostles No◠wee maie not gather herevpon that the aucthoritie of the churche is greater then the aucthoritie of the scriptures because that there bee many founde whiche dooe take the holy scriptures for authenticall as moued by the aucthoritie of the Churche In deede to them the Churche séemeth better then the holie scriptures but thei bee farre otherwise of them selues Els Moyses should by the same reason bee of greater aucthoritie then Christe because that many beleued in Christe moued by the aucthoritie of the scripture of Moyses as Christ saith If you would beleue Moyses ye would beleue me also We reade in Iohn thus And of that citie many of the Samaritans beleued in Christe vppon the woorde of the woman whiche bare witnesse and saied For he tolde me all thynges that I haue doen. Accordyng vnto this argument the aucthoritie of the synfull woman was more then of Christe and so it was in deede at the firste of more reputation with the people of the citie to whom Christe was yet vnknowen But of it self it was not so nor afterwardes whē thei hearyng the doctrine of saluation of Christe hym self thei saied vnto the woman Now we doe not beleue because of thy woordes for we haue heard knowen that this is verely the sauiour of the worlde Sainct Ihon shewed Christe vnto the people yet he was not greater then Christe In sainct Peter we doe reade in this wise Likewise ye women also bee subiecte vnto your husbandes that thei also whiche dooe not beléeue the woorde maie be wonne without the worde through the conuersation of the woman c. Ergo whereas the vnfaithfull husbande is stirred vnto the faithe of Christe by the regarde of the conuersation of his wife whiche he seeth is honeste chaste faithfull and obediente whereas he coulde not bee moued by the preachyng of the Gospell maie we gather that the conuersation of the woman is better or greater then the Gospell In deede so it appeareth but it is to hym whiche is still vnfaithfull not vnto hym which doeth acknowedge the trueth of the Gospell and the aucthoritie of God. The Churche had in tymes paste greate estimation of holy conuersation whereby many were brought vnto the faithe of Christ and the aucthoritie of the church did them good But yet it was not of it selfe better then the truth of the Gospell ¶ The xxxlx Chapiter ¶ Of the office and aucthoritie of the Churche and how i◠maie erre and how it cannot erre THE Churche we graunt as part we touched before hath three offices touchyng the worde of god The first and formoste of them is that as a witnesse she keepeth the holie bookes of the Canonicall scriptures But thereby it can not be proued that it is lefull for her to peruerte or alter any thyng in the saied holie bookes As publique and priuate writynges are committed to Scriueners or Notaries to be laied vp and kepte of them And yet none will saie he maie alter any thyng of those writynges The seconde office is to preache and publishe the wordes committed vnto it by God but it maie publishe nothyng but what is taught by the worde to them deliuered as a common crier who although he publishe the decrees of Princes and Magistrates yet he is not aboue the decrees of Princes and Magistrates but his whole office is faithfully to pronounce all thynges as he hath receiued them of the Prince addyng nothyng to it nor takyng ought awaie The thirde office is sithe that she is indued with the spirite of God it must therefore discerne and trie the sincere and vncorrupte bookes of holie scriptures from the counterfecte and Apochriphas So many can descerne the true and proper writynges of Plato and Aristotle So we can descerne God from the deuill and yet are we not to be compted equall with God much lesse can we thinke that we doe excell hym Now we haue saied somewhat of the office of the Churche I will also declare the whole aucthoritie that she hath by the woorde of GOD. The aucthoritie then of the true Churche of our Sauiour Christe doeth moste chiefly consiste in fower thynges First this true and faithfull Churche hath aucthoritie to choose and ordeīne ministers as wee learne by the example of the Apostles and of the Churches that bee spoken
of in the booke of the Actes but this must bee doen accordyng to the rules and canons of the Apostles If they be blamelesse the husbande of one wife vigilante sober and apte to teache c. Secondlie it hath aucthoritie to teache by the lawfull ministers I meane by these ministers that are lawfully chosen with the laiyng on of handes accordyng to the rule and Cannons of the Apostles And these ministers ought to teache and set foorthe none other thyng then thei haue receiued of the Lorde hauyng alwaies before their eyes the saiyng of Christ our Sauiour Docete eos obseruare quaecunque precepi vobis Teache them to keepe and obserue all thynges what soeuer I commaunde you And the same it is that we call Potestatem clauium The power of the keyes which as it hath been sufficientlye declared before consisteth in preachyng free remission of synnes vnto the faithfull and true repentaunte synners and eternall condemnation vnto the vnfaithfull and vnrepentaunte Whiche thyng if it bee duely dooen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our Sauiour Christe taketh no lesse effecte then if it were doen in heauen And vnder this doe we comprehende the aucthoritie that the churche hath to excommunicate open synners and to receiue them again if thei shewe true tokens of repentaunce and of amendemeÌ„t of life Thirdely the true and faithfull Churche hath aucthoritie to minister the sacramentes by the ministers thervnto lawfully appoincted so that it bee doen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our sauiour Iesu Christe vsyng suche tymes and seasons as thei shall thinke moste expediente for the same Fourthly and laste of all it hath full aucthoritie and power to examine the doctrines and to trie the spirites whether thei bee of God or not as it is manifeste and plaine by these saiynges Lette twoo or three Prophetes speake in the Churche and let other iudge Againe Proue all thynges and holde that whiche is good Saincte Ihon saieth Dearely beloued try the spirites whether thei bee of God or not But this triall muste bee doen with the touchestone of Gods woorde whiche with the holie ghoste ought to be the chiefe president in all Sinodes and Counsailes So saincte Augustine saieth againste Maximinus these woordes Nowe neither ought I to alledge the Counsaile of Nice nor thou the counsaile of Ariminum to take aduauâ—tage thereby for I am not bounde to the aucthoritie of the one nor thou restrained to the determination of the other Sed scripturarum authoritatibus non quorumque proprijs sed vtrisque communibus testibus res cumre causa cum causa ratio cum ratione concertet But by the aucthorities of the Scriptures not peculiar witnesses vnto either of vs but common and indifferent vnto vs bothe let one matter with an other cause with cause and reason coÌ„tende with reason Saincte Hierome therefore saieth Omni studio legende nobis sunt scripturae in lege domini meditandum die ac nocte vt probati trapezite sciamus the scriptures are to be read of vs with all diligence and to meditate daie and night in the lawe of the lorde that we maie become perfecte exchaungers to knowe the false counterfecte doctrine froÌ„ the true doctrine of Christe Sainct Origene also hath these woordes Sensus nofiri enarrationes sine scripturis testibus non fidem habet Our iudgemente and expositions without witnesse of the holie scripres haue no credite Thus wee maie plainly see that all our matters muste bee tried by the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptures So farre foorth doth the aucthoritie of the true Churche extend which as it can not erre as long as she taketh gods word the holy ghost for her guide so assoone as she forsaketh Gods worde and the guidyng of the holie ghoste she falleth into all kinde of errours at length doeth become the Synagogue of Satan the Church of the malignaunt the stinckyng haâ—lot of antichriste Howbeit the whole vniuersal Church doth neuer so fall awaie from the truthe of Goddes woorde but that God dooeth alwaies preserue vnto hym selfe a certaine number whiche will neuer agree nor consente vnto vngodlinesse and from whom the spirite of trueth is not taken awaie And because that these bee vnknowen of the worlde as thei that lacke the outwarde tokens and signes of the true Churche of Christe whiche are the preachyng of Gods worde and the ministration of the sacramentes and the vse of true discipline accordyng to the institution and ordinaunces of the Lorde are commonly called the inuisible Churche not bicause that men are inuisible whiche thyng can not be as long as they bee here conuersaunt vpon the earth but bicause that thei be only knowen and seen of God who knoweth onely who be his who be not And this faithfull congregation whether it hath the outwarde signes of the true Churche of Christ or not as long as it beareth aboute this body of synne is subiect to many infirmities but for Christes sake thei are not imputed for when it is saide that it is without spot or wrinkle that is to be vnderstanded by imputation through Iesus Christ our sauiour And therefore it is called the glorious congregation And I doe also beleue with sainct Augustine that this catholique Churche is the Barne floore of the Lorde and that in it vntill the daie of iudgement Chaffe shal be mixed still with the Wheate My meanyng is this that in the Church both good and badde true beleuers and hypocrites are conteined together in the felowship of the sacramentes and that it shall be so vnto the worlds ende Whiche thyng we doe learne by the parable of the good seede and of the Darnell and of the Nette that is cast into the Sea and whiche doeth drawe of all kynde of fishes vnto the shore But we must in the meane while beware that we do not because of the Chaffe Darnell and rotten fishes seuere and diuide our selues from the Churche as the wicked Anabaptistes doe which for euery triflyng matter do diuide them selues from the Churche though the worde of God bee neuer so finely nor sincerely preached and the Sacramentes moste rightly ministred according to the institution and ordinaunce of the Lorde Why do we not rather folowe the godly counsell of the blessed Martyr of God S. Cyprian that he geueth vnto vs Although saith he Darnel Tares are seen to be in the church yet our faith and charitie ought not to be letted that bicause we do sée Tares and Darnell to be in the Church we shoulde therfore forsake the Church but rather we ought to endeuour our selues that we may be good corne that when the good corne is gathered into the Garners of the Lorde we maie receaue a rewarde of our labour and worke Also in a great house there be many vessels not only of Golde and Siluer but