to theÌ„ iustly with S. Aug. l. 4. de Symb. c. 10. All coÌ„gregations heresies is a concubine and an â—â—hoore who cannot blushe and be ashamed as experience teaches Did not Luther translate the new testament in the German tongue but so wicked pernicious corrupt and erroneous that it ministred sedition mutination and rebellion of the people against the higher powers By this simple women tooke on them the reading of the Scripture and their notes with such feruour of the spirit with contempt of all learned men to preach and exhort publickely contrary to the inhibition of S. Paul who ought to keep silence hold their peace where men are In the same manner did not the sighing-puritane-sisters of Edin brough and other cities in Scotland after this Ghospelling conuersation at four a clock when they were rypest of vnderstanding take vpon theÌ„ to read the Scriptures I hope it falls to them by ignorance and blindnes of mynd so long as they read that bible bable as was prophesyed of Peters-wyfe who will neuer mend but euer grow worse and wòrse For are not their Rabbies in that same conformity with the old Hereticks about the Scripture who were condemned of the ancient Fathers for depraueing the Scriptures denying of sundry books as the Aebionits who denyed S. Paul epistles as witnes S. Iren. l. 1 cap 26. S. Epiph. haeres 3 Lykewyse was not the Manicheans damned for denying the Ghospell of S Mâ—tthew as witnes S. Aug. lib. 33. contra Faust cap. 3 7. Lykewyse the Alogians were condemned for the denying of S Iohns Euangelist and his Apocalyps S. Aug Haer. 30 Lykewyse the Marcionists and Arians for denying the Epistle to the Hebrewes to be S. Pauls as witnes Tertul. de praesc Iten lib. 1. cap. 29. Epiph. Haer. 41. S. Hier. in praef in epist ad Tit. Or the same opinion is the moderne Rabbins with the old Hereticks concerning the Scripture to repudiat reiect the bookes of Moyses here upon is Luthers doctrine Serm. de Moyse saying let not Moyses be thrust on vs we in the new testameÌ„t will neyther regard nor hear him Againe idem Luther calles the old testament no word of God belonging to Christians for Moyses appertayneth nothing to vs. Againe in his booke de decem praec lib. 2. cont Rusticos Thow seditious preacher affirmes sayth he that the old TestameÌ„t is to be obserued preacher I say not to me but to the Iewes preach thy Moyses not a title or Iot of Moyses belongeth to vs yea not the law concernes vs but the Ghospell yea not the ten coÌ„mandements belongs to vs. Lykewyse Luther Serm. de Phar. Publ in proaem noui testam Not vnfitly did I admonish the reader in my prologue of the new testament that they should abolish this opinion to be four Ghospells for I haue sayd that the Ghospell of Sainct Iohn was most acceptable and true Lykewyse he sayes in Assert in prologo the bible buble-bable togeather with the Scripture is nothing but fables Lykewyse Ochinus denyeth the whole new testament Iacob Carion in Chron. an 1556. pag. 151 printed at Basil And lykwyse Ochin lib. 2. dial pag 154. 155. 156. saies that we ought to belieue no more theÌ„ the S â—â— of the old testameÌ„t to him subscrybeth Cal taxing the Euangelists and Apostles lib 4. inst cap. 8 § 4. saying if they be Apostles let theÌ„ not bable what they lift Lykewyse Calu. in Iohn cap. 19. v. 23.24 sayth that the Euangelists wrest allegations and depart from the right meaning of them in cap. 2. Matth. v. 18. in 3. Matth. v. 13 in 5. cap. Matth. v. 17. Caluin accuseth them to speake a bruptly many senteÌ„ces in their wrytings to tearme things improperly and to vse many improper wordes Whereupon Caluin sayd that he could neuer be persuaded that the sixt chapter of S. Iohns Euangelist was euer his To this effect is not these books called Apochrypha in summa the translation of the Byble in the vulgar tongue is the cause of a thowsand errors for sayth not Broughton in his aduertisement to the counsell of the corruptions of the Byble an 1604. That the whole originall text of the new TestameÌ„t was peruerted in aboue 8. hundrith and 8. places and that it was nothing inferior to the Turkish Alcaron Lykewyse in Hampton conference pag. 45 c. The Inglish Bybles are euill translated altogeather And them of Geneua the worst of all they containe partiall vntruthes and are full of seditious notes to much intending to mutiny and rebellion allowing dissobedience to Kings and full of taxing of Kings OBIECTION LOng since of some Fathers some bookes of the Scripture were put in doubt as Iudith Tobie Wisdome and the Epistle to the Hebrews the second of S. Peter Iude Apocalyps c. Therefore with vs also it is lawfull to doubt of them ANSVVER THe sequel is nothing for albeit Thomas did once doubt of the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ it followeth not that he should euer doubt and albeit ther was no book of Scripture which was not walled with the Apostolicall authority and tradition yet-notwithstanding in the beginning of the Church were suspected and doubted whyle by litle and lytle by inspiration of the holy spirit things were made more clear so that these books which before haue ben doubted of haue now of the vniuersall Church abtayned diuyne authority and so consequentely they are no more to be doubted OBIECTION THe Counsell of Laodice omits and leaneth out those books of the old Testament because they were not in the Canon of the Hebrews ergo what the counsell hath not acknowledged neyther we acknowledge for cannon Scripture ANSVVER IDeny the consequence for the Fathers in that Counsell haue not reiected these books as not holy neyther canonicall but they haue not numerated them amongst those books which are read in the Church because of the coÌ„uerted Iews who almost liued Iudaizing of whom Phrygia was full from the tyme of the Apostles and therfore the holy Byshops in that counsell would not atteÌ„pt to read those bookes in the Church which they had not in the Canon of the Hebrwes Secondly if no booke be Canonical but these which are in the Canon of the Hebrewes the new Tastament shal be ieiected for it is not in their Canon OBIECAION GRegorius lib. 19. Mor. cap. 17. as coÌ„cerning these bookes of the Machabees we do not speake vnciuilly if by beside the canonical books which are made for the edification of the Church we shall produce any testimonyes Ergo these books are not canonicall ANSVVER HE denyeth not these books to be holy which are rehearsed in the Canon of the Church seing it could not be hid and vnknown to the holy man of God that 200. yeares before blessed Innocent Pope and the counsell of Carthage had spoken of the Machabees as canonicall Scripture But he speaketh of the Canon of the Hebrwes in which these bookes were not nombred neyther
of S. Iames for Apochripha to conuince him of this error it cannot be done by the Scripture neyther of himself because he is iudge in his own cause neyther is he to be belieued by the reuelation of his priuat spirit for all do make for confirmation of his opinion therefâ—re to conuince him rightly they must haue recourse to the tradition of the Church as sayes S. Aug. Serm. 191. de temp We receaue the new and ould testament in the nomber of bookes the which by authority of the Catholik Church is delyuered to vs. Moreouer this other argument is to be obserued for the Church from the beginning of the world till Moyses two thowsand yeares was without Scripture only ruled by traditions and rites of the sacrifice In the new testameÌ„nt Christ hath written nothing neyther commaunded to wryte but well he sayth Marc. 16. vers 15. Preach you the Euangely to all creatures in which mission no precept is giuen of writing for saluation depends vpon the word of God and not vpon books neyther the written Scripture nor reuelation or prophesie c. For that cause Iraen lib. 3. cap. 4. wryteth that some nations in his tyme had the fayth of Christ and yet no Scripture Where is it found in the Scripture to reiect traditions But this is the cause why you withstand all traditioÌ„s for these being banished easily you may peruert and glosse the Scriptures and apply them to your own myndes which traditions of the holy Church staÌ„d out against you for the clearing of the verity and will not suffer the Scriptures to be corrupted with your fansies which corrupt interpretations permitted and suffered we shall see you follow traditions and consequently your owne inuentions to be for holy Scripture for the first part is probable for Caluin himself approueth the traditions of the Iewes commenting in the 104 Psal sec 18. Many things remayned amoÌ„gst them by successiue tradition which were godly and necessary for them of the which no mention is made in the Scriptures Out of which place it followeth that Caluin willingly would Iudaize and as concerning the following of their owne senses in reiecting the traditioÌ„s of the holy Ghost to erect their own traditions contrary to the written word I would most willingly be satiefyed by what reason eyther spirituall or morall why you Puritans vphold and set vp traditions as the pillar of repentance denigrate and made black and sinners to stand there to the spectacle of the whole Church with the showing of their heades at the crosse bound with yron chaynes in tyme of Market your sackcloth at the Church doore and carting of poor women thorow the city of whom haue you learned to punish fornicators by this ignominious punishement Others by the purse and to pardon some who are fatt and to execute rigor vpon the poor From whence haue you receaued that tradition in your prayers to hould your noses in others tailes and to ly groaning on the ground after the manner of the Iewes From vvhence is that tradition to fast on sondayes and feast on frydayes and to work on Christmas day and other Sainctes dayes and to obserue monday suter sonday for holy day These a thowsand more are the Puritanes traditions of their owne inuentioÌ„ vvithout any Scripture or vvritteÌ„ word and yet not vvithstanding they vvill abolishe and condemne all traditions and yet vvill set vp and authorize traditions of their owne authority contrary to the law of God and all Scripture and tradition of any age before passed OBIECTION THe Lord sayth Deut. 12. vers 32. What I coÌ„mand thee do thow that vnto the Lord only neyther shalt thou add any thing neyther diminish Therefore traditions are superfluous and in vaine ANSVVER IF this argument were auaileable neyther the Prophets nor the Apostles ought to haue writteÌ„ any thing after Moyses for vvhat the Prophets haue vvritten are not conteyned in Moyses neyther vvhat the Euangelists Apostles haue wryten are contayeed in the old testament but generally and implicite In lyke sorte traditions are contayned in the Scripture implicite vvheÌ„ Christ sayd Luc. 10 v. 16. Who heareth you heareth me Therfore the sense of these vvordes vvhich sayth that thou shall add nothing nor diminish is that thou shalt add nothing repugnaÌ„t vnto those things vvhich are commaunded in the Scripture In this same sense sayth S. Paul Gal. 1. v. 8. Whether we or an Angel froÌ„ Heauen euangelise to you otherwise then that which we haue euangelized let him be accursed For that praeposition praeter is asmuch to say as coÌ„trary for otherwaies should he be contrary to himself who added many things as his epistles witnes And lykewyse S. Iohn after he had written the Apocalyps and Euangely who threateneth the same curse should fall in the same sentenceÌ„ in adding to his Epistles in which are many precepts traditions which are not contayned in the Apocalyps and Euangely c. OBIECTION THE Scripture is a Rule to belieue therefore it ought to contayne all things which are to be belieued ANSVVER THe Scripture is a Rule to belieue but not adequat and a right Rule because the right Rule is the word of God whether written or delyuered by Tradition OBIECTION THese things are written that you may belieue that Iesus is the Sonne of God and that belieuing you may haue lyfe in his name But all things writen serue to belieue in Christ therefore all beliefe is written ANSVVER SAinct Paul sayes that Abel Enoch Noe Abraham Isac Iacob Heb. 11. had vndoubtedly true fayth yet they had no Scripture writen Againe the primitiue Church at least tenne yeares after Christ had no Scripture written who will say but that they had true faith Againe these are not conteyned in the written word to vvit the consubstantiality of the Trinity the procession of the holy Ghost the virginity of the most blessed Virgin Mary the baptising of children and the not rebaptising of them who are baptised of Heretickes the breaking of the Sabaoth keeping of Sonday the obseruing of Easter the receauing of the Sacraments fasting the eating of blood strangled meares prohibeted in the Law and EuaÌ„gely Act. 15 But I would know of the ProtestaÌ„tes what Scripture they haue for women to singe Psalmes and to glosse on the Scriptures in the Church at home and in the tauernes What Scripture haue you for your pillary crosse steeple repeÌ„tance seat carting and showing of poore women for the sinne of fornication for these things you haue no Scripture but must build vpon traditioÌ„s eyther true or false QVAESTIO XVIII Of the certitude of Hope WHerefore doe the Papists deny that our Hope is with certitude seing it is written that Hope maketh vs not ashamed but bringeth with it certitude and confidence Luth art 10 11. Caluin lib. 3. instit cap 2. § 16. ANSVVER WHat certitude assured hope can the Protestants haue in our Sauiour if they defend and abyde in the principall poincts of their
the Priestes keepe wisdome and they shall aske the law at his mouth and not of the reading of the Scriptures which rashnes S. Hier. epist. 103. reprehendes that euery one will chalenge Scripture this the chatting old wyfe this the doting aged this the babling sophister this euery one presumes to teach before he learne And lykewyse Tert. de Prasc sayes all are swelled vp all do professe knowledge yea euen very hereticall women how male pert and bould they are to teach and dispute in Scriptures therefore to auoyd these absurdities it is not lawfull to reade the Scriptures OBIECTION CHrist gaue thanks to his Father that he had hid these things from the wyse and prudent and had reuealed them to babes Matth. 11. which doth manifest the greater ostentation of Gods diuine righteousnes mercy and light of the Ghospell therefore the Scripture is no lesse commended to the vnlearned of spirituall vnderstanding then to the iudgement of the prudent and wyse but the Papists doe interdict the people this knowledge in reading the word of God in remitting them to the Doctores of their vniuersities ANSVVER I Admit the antecedent and deny the subsequēt for by litle ones is not vnderstood the vnlearned people but the humble and meke that is not puffed vp with vaine science such were the Apostles and Disciples fishers who altogeather were not vnlearned in that whole three years they were conuersant with Christ the Master of veritie who by his diuine doctrine illuminated their mynds and vnderstanding to haue knowledge of the Scriptures But such little ones were not old-doting-foles prating-old-wyfes Barbers Smythes c. who hauing alwayes false passadges search not the vnderstanding of them but prate bable and read them in their shopps esteeming more of their owne iudgement then all the Doctors and vniuersities in the world OBIECTION THE Scripture is the booke of the faithfull Therefore it is to be read and is plaine to euery mans mynd and vnderstanding ANSVVER I Graunt it is but not to be expounded of all because S. Ambrose calleth it the Priests booke neyther was it without a cause that the bookes of the old Testament were most surely kept in the Temple by the Priestes as relates S. Aug. lib. 16. de cruit cap. 13. And therefore the Priestes bookes are not bookes for the vulgar people OBIECTION THEY shal be all taught of God Ioa. 6. v. 45. Therefore there is no need of any other Doctor for the people then the Scripture ANSVVER I Deny the consequent for it is not there signifyed that all people shall vnderstand all Scriptures without any externall Doctours of God by his inspiration as they dreame but he sayes all shal be taught of God in the last tymes which doctrine is fulfilled by Christ and after him of the holy Ghost in powring in his Pastores of the Church true faith So that this doctrine of Christ and true faith is publickly denounced by the Catholicke Church whereby euery one may be taught in the knowledge of God and not by naked reading of the Scripture For the assumption maketh against themselues To what end are ministers and preichers admitted amongst the Protestantes if all men by reading the Byble may be sufficiently taught in the knowledge of God of God by inward inspiration and of his owne reading aswell as by their preaching OBIECTION THe Scripture is the Key of knowledge but this Key ought to be knowne to all Ergo. and the Scripture ANSVVER ORigine lib. 4. de princ cap. 2. sayes that the inter pretatiō of the church is the key of knowledge drawne from the self same Scriptures but the Scripture it selfe is not the Key of knowledge because the Scripture cannot warrant it self withour the authority of the Church and this authority and spirituall interpretation of the Church is the spirituall Key of knowledge and not the reading of Scripture OBIECTION THe reading of the Scripture bringeth consolation of the spirit to the people therefore it is good and necessary to be read of the vulgar for consolations cause ANSVVER IT is true but not to the purpose for there are many other things which giue consolation to the spirit as the expositions of the Scripture Sermons Meditation receiuing of the Sacraments and not the naked reading of the Bible Otherwise if it be of necessity how shall the poore miscrable and idiots who can not read haue any consolation for the word of God consisteth not only in externall sound but in the true sense and vnderstanding OBIECTION CHrist commanded the Iewes to search the Scriptures Iohn 5. vers 39. And the same lykewyse is commanded to Christians to try the doctrine of fayth according to the rule of scripture and that they may iudge of his interpretation ANSVVER THe word search both in Latin and Greeke may be in the indicatiue and imperatiue moode if it be in the indicatiue as D. Stapeltō saies the sense is you diligently inquyre the Scriptures and yet will not belieue that there you doe fynde of me and these were the bookes of the old Testament for there were none other then writiē If it be in the imperatiue Christ hath not here spoken to the vulgar sorte but to the Scrybes Psiests Leuites and Pharisies with whom was the Key of knowledge who had their dayly conuersation in the Scriptures the which for probability Herod affirmeth whill he assembled the Scrybs Matt. 2. to inquyre of them where Christ should be borne OBIECTION THe Beronenses doe search the Scriptures after the preaching of S. Paul and are commēded that they bestowed thēselues dayly in searching the Scriptures cōcerning those things which were affirmed by Paul and Silas Therefore it is necessary to read the Scriptures ANSVVER THe Beronenses search the Scriptures after the preaching of the Apostles not as doubting of the word but diligently attending least with new doctrines cōtrary to the scriptur they might also be deceaued for as yet the Beronenses had not made professiō of Christ name neyther were they boūd to credit the Apostles except their doctrine had ben proued with myracles or els by testimony of Scripture But farr other wayes the reformed vse to do who will mix their priuate interpretation with the Scripture repugnant to the Scripture Church in raysing new opinions and renewing old damned Heresies OBIECTION LVther de ser Arbit Teaches and constantly affirmes that the Scriptures in thēselues are easy of vnderstanding and need no interpretor yea all men are taught of God and his spirit need not to be taught of any other Therefore as they are facill in vnderstanding so should they be cōmon to all men without interdiction ANSVVER WHere difficulties are it is not plaine neyther facill to all men but the Scripture is full of difficulties for it is the storehouse of Gods Secrets Ergo. Moreouer the disciples hearing Christ disputing about the mysterie of his body And because they were his disciples should haue better digested Christs words thē the people
Geneua in Sauoye their preachings They neuer saluted Ierusalem nether is their reformed faith farr spred abrode nether hath it ben in Asia Africk Grece Egypt nether in many Kingdomes of Europe and farlesse through the world nether to the middest of it And although the Church as they say is old and aged yet their Synagogue is more apparant to be at an end Diuisions and sectes are futer tokens of anâ— end for their own diuisiones and daily mutations are prognostications of an end for the Euangellist sayes Luc. c. 1. euery Kingdome diuided in it self shal be desolat this desolation appeares rightly in the propagation of sectes for some are Sacramentaries In what nomber of sectes the reformed fallin whil they forsake the Catholick Church some Confessionistes some fierce some slacker some contra-deuills some hellishe deuills some two Sacramentaries other thre Sacramentaries some superintendents some Luther-Caluinists some anti-Caluinists some new-Pelagians some new Manicheans some Puritans some Gomaristes contra-Puritanes Arminians c. What a rable and a degenerat crew of sectes ech one hath the new reformed Church and the new no faith In vaine they wold be called Catholickes wher Sathan hath his dominioÌ„ it tendes to desolation and are not ashamed to claime the Catholik name to them and the Church of Christ Where Antichrist hath his desolation abominable confusion of sectes And therefor their religion reformation and faith is nether religion faith nor Gospel The Protestants sayes without warrandes Ther exception here can not be omitted vndiscouered in that they affirme and say them to hold the same doctrin which begann at Ierusalem ther vpon to assume to them the Apostolicall and Catholik faith This exception is in vaine for when soeuer any heretik did appare he sayd and affirmed the same Christ answer e our Catholik beg nnâ—g but euill proued here vpon Christ â—eencounters their folish-cauilling-lies who hath not placed the doctrine but the beginning of the Euangelicall preaching to take place at Ierusalem for he sayes Trew doctrin is noâ— knowne but preaching and to preachers beginning at Ierusalem to wit the self preachers for the doctrin is not knowne except by preaching as the Apostel sayes how shall they belieue in him in whome they haue not heard and how shall they heare without preaching therefor the preacher and the doctrine must beginne first at Ierusalem The preacher the doctrin most beginne at Ierusalem Which the new reformed preachers haue not done therefor their doctrin and reformed faith is nether Apostolical nor Catholick All Churches hath one beginning of the Apostolicall preaching beginning at Ierusalem For all particular Churches haue one originall and commun beginning to wit the Apostolicall pr aching beginning at Ierusalem and after by the same Apostles spred abrod in diuerse nations It â—est now after so many ages that albeit the Churches of the other Apostles hath perished not w h standing only Peters the Prince of the Apostles to wit the Church of Rome Rome Church standes by singular priuiledge of God that in it is livly authoritie by the singular benefit of God to remain Wher many yeares he teached and in it ended his lyf which as S. Aug Epist 162. ad Glorium sayes hath euer bene resident with the authoritie of the apostolicall chayre And theirfor for verification of our mission doctrin and faith we make manifest and declare one originall to be of the Apostles for Peter him self first of all other hath preached in Ierusalem and also from this seate when as yet the seates of the other apostles weer extant The church of Rome is cheif of all other seates when the Apostles wer a-liue All the fathers defended ther originall by this church Trew faith should be vndouted in all thinges not with standing as cheif of all others and hereto many holy fathers and the trew Senatours of the world haue inferred and induced punctually the orignall of their churches against the heretikes of their tyme. As Tertull. de praesc haeret 2. con lib 3. c. 3. Epiph. haret 27. aug 4. The fourth reason is that the trew Catholick faith ought to be vndoubted in all things the which the Church proposes to be belieued so that it is most certain to vs the thing which we are commanded to belief to be such lyke for other wayes it should not be trew faith because faith is the substance of things hoped this is the trew proper and sure fundament and an argument of nothing seene Heb. 9. and this is the trew definition of our Catholik faith and the vndoubtenes there of to depend on the Church But the Reformed faith of Luther and Caluin is not vndoubted and first I proue The ProtestaÌ„ts faith is full of doutes because in matters of greatest importance and moment of faith they disagree one from the other extremly For Luther omitting many to touche a fewe discrepants in his booke de capt bap printed anno 1520. about the beginning doth acknowledge only one Sacrament if we do speke sayes he according to the custome of the Scripture Luther and Caluin varie in the number of the Sacraments notwithstanding after he takes occation for the tyme to place three bapt the Lords supper and pennance Far other wayes disputes Caluin in his Parnassus lib. 4. instit cap. 18. § 19 whil he reckneth two Sacraments saying besides these none other is institute of God and yet the Church of the faithfull ought not to acknowledge any other Notwithstanding a little after in the same booke Order a Sacrament acknowledged of Caluin cap. 19. § 31. he sings an other thing placeing order amongst the Sacraments ther rests imposition of handes sayes he which in trew and lawfull ordination I graunt to be a Sacrament Bread wyne to be turned in to the body blood of Christus is Luthers opinion Againe Luther in his book de abroganda miss pri plainly teacheth that Christ when he sayd this is my body and this is my blood changed the bread into his body the wyne into his blood likewyse in his Serm. de Euchar. it is not there bread sayes he and wyne but only the species of bread and wyne Caluin called bread wyne Sacramentall symboles Contrariwise Caluin denyed his body and blood corporally and essentially to be in the Eucharist but only spiritually and sacramentally as lib. 4 instit c. 17. § 5. for that we confesse him to be no other way in the Sacrament thaÌ„ by the eating of faith neither can he no other wayes be presupposed who in his first § sayes bread and wyne sayes he are signes which do represent the inuisible foode that we receiue of the flesh and blood of Christ by faith Morouer how variable and inconstant is Luther in the other artickles of the faith Luth. is so variable in the artikles of our faith that in one artkle he is noted of 36
consequentlie froÌ„ god him self for as S. August sayes he shall not haue god for his father that will not haue the church for his mother OBIECTION OVr faith is pure reformed and is Catholik forasmuch as it is free of the errors and superstitions of the papistis and therefor this our reformation is to be preferred and is more Catholik then the papistes faith is ANSVER TOo late hast thou spruÌ„g vp vaine boaster that with these vaine wordes and suchlyk illusiones thow labores to seduce and blind so many learned men in the church of God or perchance thou thinkest them to be children lying in craddles that in singing of such triflinge songs thow canst mak them slumber or rather stumble The protestants reformation admittes no power spirituall or temporall What puritie â—s in yowr faith how reformed and how long catholike that more iustlie it may be called deformed and the in bringer of all deformatioÌ„ and distruction of all ecclesiasticall powere the which reformation admits no policie and no ecclesiasticall forme but damnes the rites of all former ages Derides the cannones of the Church They deride the canons of the Church and Scoffes at the fathers mockes and scoffes the holy fathers howsoeuer they weer neere the tyme of the Apostles for euidence doth not Cal. lib. 3. instit cap. 4. § 38. condemne all the ancieÌ„t fathers whose bookes ar extant in speaking of satisfaction and that in his fourth booke of instit cap. 12. § 20. sayes he Caluin condeÌ„nes the ancieÌ„t fatheres and presseth them to haue sown superstition in the Church In all he will not excuse the ancient fathers but that they haue sowed the seede of superstition and haue giuen occasion to Tyrannie which therafter a rose in the church and than furth with beganne the superstitious obseruance of Lent thus he and thus is the beginning of the reformation and the puritie of the gospell to bolster heresie for treuth and veritie It may be called a renouation of old damned heresies harken good frends and I shall declare the assumtion and the effect of this reformatioÌ„ first the trew church of God visible in all the countries of the world in this reformed churches opinioÌ„ to haue perished and to remaine and a byde in som certaine places of the world obscure and hidde of this mynd was the Donatists as witnes Opt. meleu lib. 2. cont parm and S. Ang. lib. de Vnit. Eccl. cap. 12. this same doctrin of reformed faith The Church to haue perished was the old heretikes opinion with the reformers hath Caluin teached that the church of Christ hath perished and remaines inuisible aganst the plain tenor of the Scriptur Cal. lib. 4. cap. 2. § 2. Secondlie the Arrianes taught the sonne not to be aequall to the father in deitie as witnes Epiph. heresie 69. The sone is not equall with the father And the same groundes hath Caluin for his reformation lib. 2. inst c. 14. § 3. God is the author of sinne Thirdlie Florinus held opinion God to be the author of sinnes as Euseb lib. 5. c. 20. And the same opinion is stoutly defended of Caluin lib. 1. iust cap 18 § 4 5. lib. 1. cap. 15. § 16. Man is instified by onlie faith Fourtly man to be iustifyed and saued by only faith and not by workes was the opinion of Simon Magus and Eunomius as S. Aug. haer 54. Iren. lib. 1 cap. 20. The same doctrin teaches Luth. in Serm. de piscat Petri We should come only with Ysaac sayes he that is with faith and the seruantes and asses that is workes it behoweth to leave them below and a syde And in an other Sermon in that subiect Sic Deus dilexit munduÌ„ if thow com sayes he with Sackes full of good workes it behoveth thee to lay theÌ„ down otherwayes thow canst not enter into heauen And Caluin ther mak his bragg in his thrid book of inst cap 11. § 14. Now plainly the reader doth behold sayes he with what oequitie the Sophisticall papistes do cauill and iudge our religion when we say Aman is iustified by only faith Man hath no freewill Fyftlie Manicheus condemned and denyed frewill as S. Aug. haeres 49. The same hath Luther renewed as in his book of Servill will cont Eras and suchlyk Cal. lib. 2. cap. 2. § 4. This name of frewill hath euer beene extant with the Latines but with the Grekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word much more arrogant Mariadge and Virginitie is alyk in merit Sixtlie Iouinian made Mariage alyke in dignitie and merit to Virginitie and plainly to haue taught fasting and abstinence to be of no merit as S. Hier. obserues lib. 1. 2. cont Iouian These same subiectes teaches Luther and Caluin Luther in his epithalamio and Cal. lib. 4. c. 12. § 19. cap. 13. § 3. what if I should repeat the erroneous opinions of the Albigenses Waldens Wiclif Hussites Abailardes Baerâ—â— garians Almarik and suchlyk abominable sectes condemned long since of the Church and of all generall counsells accursed and yet not withstanding these are the patrones The old heretikes ar the patrones of the newe heretikes and Rabbies of the reformed who weer renewers of Heresie inuentors of noualties whose begininge and progresse is knowen to be wrapped in errore and superstitioÌ„ while they think to be free ar snared in blindnese of vnderstanding and in hardnes of hart They ar blind through the hardnes of ther hart and indured goeth headlonge to perditioÌ„ as reprobated of God through the hardnes of their own hart and therfore if any maÌ„ censure and iudge with equitie the reformed they haue no faith no religion no name but the name of particular men as Caluinists and Lutherans and of suchlyk monsters already condemned And therfore for conclusion let the catholik RomaÌ„ faith liue and reigne to whose campe I admon she all aduersaries not to approch for treuely it is plesant and delectable to be a protestant but more Secure to die a Catholik therfore let euery good Christian eschewe and flee from the Lutherans and Galuinistes who ar particular sectes seing each Gentell reader flee the heretikes for they promise much and porforme but little one of them promisseth with Faustus Manicheus to giue a new illumination and a new reformation euery on of them endeuoreth to draw the into his sect but take heed and be warned and cry with S. Hieron epist ad Damas Meletius Vitalis and Paulinus also Luther Caluin and Rotman and all other sectaries doe say that they haue the trew and Christian faith so said the heretikes of old so sayes the moderne perchance aman might beleue if one said it but two and three do say and they all do lie what hunting mak they to mak a proselite and a child of hell o tymes o maneres o monsters what absurdities followeth this new reformation as is rehersed that Christian men are
is out of a malignaÌ„t spirit and a synne against the holy Ghost to attribute the myracles wrought by the Saincts of God vnto the power of the Diuell OBIECTIO IN Belzebub in the power of the Diuels the Papists cast out Diuels worke myracles Ergo their myracles are of the Diuell and not of God ANSVVER THE proposition is false for if at the touching of the relyckes of Sainctes or in visiting their Sepulturs Chapells or to goe pilgrimagie to their relycks and places or make prayers and inuocations to them or applications of the Sacraments in honour and deuotion towards them the myracles wrought and done in the Catholycke Church are to be attributed and ascrybed to the power and vertue of the Diuell Of this proposition should followe two great absurdities First that the Diuell with all power and force should honour Christ and his Sainctes which is most contrary by the absurditie for then the Diuell should distroy himself and his kingdome in promoting the worshipe and honour of God and his Sainctes vnto whome he will giue none nor acknovvledge any due eyther to God or his Sainctes Secondly that the name of Christ his Saincts should serue for the working the workes of the Diuell and the diuyne power and vertue of God should serue to the obsequie of the Diuell Which assertion by the absurditie is horrible blasphemy against the holy Ghost OBIECTIO WHen those and such lyck myracles fall out they are not to be attributed and ascrybed to come of the Sainctes or of their merytes or by their intercessions or praeyers but because it fortuned so ANSVVER IT is an open blasphemy eyther to speake or thinke to straine the bodyes and soules of men to the course of the planets and to the hid influences of the heauens so that Leo affirmes Epistol ad Astoricensem VVho followeth these there is no more place left for him in the Church of God because sayth he who once haue giuen themselues vnto the constellations and persuade themselues after their owne opinion departe and cut themselues from the bodye of Christ Vnto this the counsell of Braccar cap. 1. If any belieue that the souls and bodyes of men are astricted and gouerned of the fatall signes with the Priscilianists let him be accursed Moreouer myracles and prodigious thinges oft fal out and are wrought when the relyckes of the Sainctes are of the people reuerenced and applyed and when these Sainctes are inuocated by their ernest deuotion and to beare witnes of their reuerence and honour to Gods Saincts they receaue the holy Sacraments euen then especially myracles are done rather then any other tyme therefore seing at the deuotion of the people the application of the relykes of the Sainctes myracles are done they cannot be attributed to come of fortune or influeÌ„ces of the planets but of God the author of all goodnes and the gouernour of this world for if the fishe-poole Probatica in Ierusalem had vertue giuen to it to cure diseases at a certayne season of the year by the descending of an Angell mouing the water which vertue and working of myracles in the Probatica of IerusaleÌ„ cannot be attributed to the influences of the planets neyther to fortune but to God and mediatly to the ministery of the Angell euen so myracles done by the relyques of his Sainctes or at their Sepultures or Alters cannot be attributed to fortune or any fatall starâ—e but to God and by the mediat miniâ—tery intercession of his Sainctes by whose ministery God is honoured QVAESTIO VII The Pope is taken of the reformed for Antichrist WHerefore doe the simple and ignorant Papists obey the Pope in maâ—ters of religâ—on seing he is but a man anâ—â—â—uely Antichrist Luther ass art 27. Smalchald de pot paâ—ae Caluin in 2 Thes cap. 2. Illir de primat papae ANSVVER VPon this proposition I demaunde and aske wherefore doe your mynisteres of your Churches in spirituall things in vvhatsoeuer Kingdome The Protestants minysters are subiect in matters of faith to lay-men or Comonwealth they are in obey men and that lay-men of no ecclesiasticall function neyther of ecclesiasticall authority Is not this euident and known to all Europe how the Caluinistes of Ingland gaue their homage sure obedience in matters of faith vnto Queene Elizabeth and instituted hir head of their reformed Synagogue lykwyse by hir ordinances and statutes we know and vnderstand that these mynisters were compelled The minysters made Queen Elysabeth head of the Church swore obedience in maters of fayth contrary to their owne conscience The scripture forbyds wemen in church matters The hereticks wrytes against the lawfull temporall gouernment of wemen and bound to diuerse ecclesiasticall ceremonies repugnant to their iudgments and yet of necessity must rest contented and also must subiect themselues obedient to her statutes What absurditie what basenes what indignity and what madnes of mynd to giue to a woman the primacy of the Church whom the Apostle 1. Timoth. cap. 2. v. n. 12. commaundes to learne with silence with all subiection who is neyther permitted to teach neyther to rule ouer a man How much more preposterous to rule the charge of the Church For if Buchanan and Knox writ books against the regiment of a woman in which bookes they excluded his maiesties mother of happy memory from the temporall gouernment and as a thing most vnworthy that a woman should haue any temporall gouernment ouer man How much more indecent to rule ouer Preists in the Church of God In the begynning of this heresie both in Ingland and Scotland so long as the two most Catholyck Maryes Princesses liued the Heretickes opposed wrot against their gouernement in temporall things vvhich was by the law of God Hereticks doe allowe the gouernement of wemen for their purpose and nature lavvfull for them Notvvithstanding when Queen Elizabeth obteined the crowne then it vvas lawfull for her to rule not only in temporall thinges but also in ecclesiasticall causes as head of the Church Therfore it is farr lesse strange It is not against the law of God or reason to obey a man neyther contrary to the tenor of reason neyther to holy Scripture to be subiect to a man then to a vvoman howbeit in lay-men this prehemineÌ„ce was neuer giuen of our Lord neyther was it euer permitted to them to haue the primacy of his Church For if as the Protestants sayes Christ neuer commited the iuriâ—diction of his Church to lay men vvhy are the Papists so simple and ignorant to obey a man in matters of religion May it not be ansvvered with the lyke humanity vvhat is his Maiesty King of great Britany a man or no I hope they will not call him a Prophet neyther Euangelist The King of Britanie is not a prophet nor an apostle nor an angel but a man neyther Patriarch nor Angell yea a man and head of the Church vnto whom all his good dutifull subiects are
7. Brent in prolog cont a sotum Cent. Madeb lib 4. cap. 7. ANSVVER I Say no counsell eyther particuler or generall or whatsoeuer Prelates or Byshopes are assembled haue any infallible authority to defyne themselues without the authoritie and approbation of the Byshop of Rome No counsel may of it self define matters of faith without the head Diuers counsels haue erred which we proue manifestly with reason seing suchlyke sometymes without his authority haue erred as the counsell of Ariminense in which counsell were six hundrith Byshops with Arius in which it was defined by thē that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 homousion should not be vsed as an vnproper word which is to say that Christ Iesus in his Godhead is not to beheld consubstantiall to his Father Lykwise the Counsell of Millan which confirmed the Heresie of Arius Neyther this should seeme to any a maruell that two such great Counsells are dispysed and reiected because they are imperfect and lame without a head neyther doe such Counsels represent the vniuersall Church but only the body of the Church without a head Therefore it is not to such lyke coūsells The promises of God are to the head not to the body not to no particular member that the infallible promises of Gods diuyne assistance in defining matters of Faith are promised and effected but only to the head who by lawfull ordination hath receaued from Christ immediate power and authority to defyne matters of faith as head of the Church So that the body cannot defyne any thing without the head In the head is the sensitiue power to rule the body seing in the head are the sēsitiue powers of the body Therefore the body is vnder the gouernement of the head and not contrariwyse the body to rule the head Moreouer whatsoeuer counsell hath ioyned to it the authority and approbation of the Byshop of Rome is of infallible authority whether it be general prouincial The counsel of Ierusalem is a paterne to all other lawfull counsels or national because the decrees and definition of the counsell of Ierusalem are called the decrees of the holy-Ghost who cannot erre In which counsell it is sayd it is seen good to the holy Ghost and to vs. Act. 15. v. 28. For this cause all other counsels lawfully assembled may say the same words representing the vniuersall Church because that counsell was the forme and exemplar of all other counsels lawfully gathered with the authority of the head As also because no lesse necessary is the assistāce of the holy ghost in these letter dayes then he was in those dayes but now more necessary because of the greater breaking out of Heresies Greater reasōs are in these tymes to gather coūsels then were in the dayes of the Apostles which shall deny our Lord that hath bought vs bringing on themselues swift damnation not knowing what they professe and lyuing lyk brute-beastes only seaking their pleasures and liberty without contradiction of a superior power For which causes generall counselles are vsed to be ordayned that they may suppresse and extinguish such new nouelties and Hereticall opiniōs which from the beginning of the Church by generall counselles with the head as chief Pastor and vicar of Christ haue byn damned accursed So that aswell by Scripture as reason it concludeth that whatsoeuer counsell is gathered lawfully and hath the authority of the Pope Counsels approued by the Pope are infallible is infalible that in one word I shall make it euident that euer in the Church that auncient costume hath bene that whatsoeuer decreetes of a Synode were concluded were euer sent to the Byshop of Rome to be confirmed Counsels remit their decree and examination with the Hereticks books to the Pope to be censured by his iudgement and approued So that S. Aug. Epist 90. beareth witnes of the counsell of Chartage wrytting in these wordes to Innocent Byshop of Rome saying vnto our most blessed Father and honourable brother Holy Innocent Pope VVe Aurelius Mundinus Rusticanus Fidentius and the rest who were present in the Counsell at Carthage and after cōmemoration of those who were present and of those things which were decreed in the counsell against Pelagius they add these words following Lord and holy Brother we haue thought good to intimate to thy charity what we haue done that the authority of the Apostolick seat may be annexed to the statutes of our iudgementes and meaning for the defence of the saluation of many and the correction of the peruersitie of some others as also the Heretical booke of Pelagius and the answer of the Catholyck Fathers we haue sent vnto thy holynes to be adiudged The same lykewise This infallibility is ascrybed to the assistance of the holy Ghost S. Aug. doth witnes in his epist 92. 95. for we doe not ascrybe this infallibilitie to the Byshopes and Fathers gathered togeathe in the counsell for that they are many or learned men but to the promise of the assistance of the holy Ghost as Matth. 18. v. 20. 28. v. 66. Which assistance of the holy Spirit we belieue you not to haue in your synodes wherin lyke manner men are foūd This holy Ghost no Heretycks are assisted with where also is found men and noe Angels The Protestant counsels are left without determination and worse then they be good Luther sets at nought all counsels and condemnes the Canons of Nyce and not Angels neyther Prophets nor Euangelistes but very men with whome the spirit of dissention makes matters indeterminate and without conclusion amongst you And moreouer wherefore giues your Bretheren such obedience and are in subiection vnto your pseudo Byshops as to a spirituall and higher power and accept of their decrees seing they are lyke our Catholicke Byshops in name mortall men whose lyues are knowne to all men Therefore we haue attributed infallibility of the counsels to the assistance of Gods holy spirit and not to man which if Luther in his booke of counsels would haue behoulden with a pure eye would not haue broken out in that bitternes to accurse and blaspheme the counsels with which he sets at nought the Canones of that holy counsel of Nyce which in all former tymes hath been esteemed soe venerable in the Church of God tearming all the articles of this counsell to be but haye stubble and strawe Kemnitius will examine the counsell of Trent after his spirit To augment this did not Kemnitius a Lutherā a prophane temerous fellowe wryte the examen of the counsell of Trent in which was so many learned men and all are tryed and examined of him In which doing they not only violate and transgresse the diuyne law of God which law commaundes all men to seek the knowledge of the law of the mouth of the Priestes Hereticks trāsgresse the law of God and imperiall ordinances of man as Mal. 2. but also the humane law of Martian the Emperour which commaundes
were they in lyke authority with the Iewes whih after the vniuersall Church did authorize by the holy Ghost for authentical Scripture vpoÌ„ which authority S. Austen feared not to confirme the prayer for the dead as holy Canonicall Scripture with the Church OBIECTION LOng since of many it was doubted of the Epystle to the Hebrewes the second of S Peter the last of Daniel c. Therefore for this doubt they are not to be adiudged Hereticks who now eyther reiect them or put them in doubt ANSVVER THe consequent is denyed because the lyke raeson should follow in the lyke doubt whether they are to be baptized agayne whome Heretickes haue baptized which S. Cyprian with some others haue thought meet to be don And whether the Moysaicall law is to be obserued of Christians yea also who belieued of the Gen tils whereupon the counsell of Ierusalem was moued about these Heresies Lykwyse whether the grace of the Euagely did appertayn to the GeÌ„tils or to the Iewes only as is disputed in the Act. Apost cap. 11 For albeit the Church retayne all tymes the same one fayth yet notwithstanding by progresse of tyme and occasions as the church increaseth in her nomber so things pertinent to fayth may be amplifyed and made more ample then it was in the beginning For the Church at no tyme euer receaued for an opinion of Faith that which before she had once reiected Now those books once censured and approued by the Church it is not lawfull more to doubt of them and are in as great authority and veneration as the others bookes of Scriptures be for example For as a piece of gold in the beginning is suspected to be false and conterfeyt yet if afterwards it be tryed by the touch-stone of the Goldsmyth and found sufficient and approued of the Magistrat is receaued of the whole people goeth currant as other quoyne and is no lesse worth then any other peace of gould which was neuer suspect euen so these books of Scripture c. QVAESTIO XVII Of Traditions WHerefore are the Papists so simple as to belieue some thinges which are not expresly contayned in the Scriptures VVich they call traditions Calu. lib 4. inst cap. 8. § 8. Brent in prolog Kemnit in exam Conc. Trident. ANSVVER IT may be demanded in lyke manner wherfore Caluin lib 4. inst cap. 3. § 19. Alloweth and commendes traditions for in the ordination of the ministers of the Church he commandes as a precept the imposition of handes yet notwithstanding seing there is no commandement extant in the Scripture he himself protestes it to be necessary as his owne wordes recorde Albeit sayth he there is no commandement extant for the imposition of handes yet we doe see it to be in perpètuall vse from the Apostles and therfore that same diligent obseruation of theirs ought to be to vs as a commandement So that Caluin who before denyed traditions doth allowe of them as necessary in the ordination of the ministery whome for entrance we see led with the spirit of coÌ„tradictioÌ„ For I say that not only these things which plainly are conteyned in the Scripture are to be obserued but also many traditions and obseruations which haue flowed and comed from Christ his Apostles which are to be retayned necessary as it were in a manner the written word it selfe Because it is found in the Scriptures Christ and his Apostles to haue delyuered many things which are not written For in the 16 of S. Iohn Christ sayes I haue many things to say to you but you caÌ„not beare them now In which wordes he signifyeth that many things are necessary and needfull to be known to the Apostles which things out of doubt he made knowne when he appeared to them the fourty dayes speaking of the Kingdome of God his Church and of the gouernement of the Kingdome of grace and what the Apostles haue heard out of doubt they haue delyuered to the Church for her cause these were coÌ„municated of our Lord to them which although they be not expressed in the Scriptures yet by tradition are delyuered Of which S. Paul speaking to the Thess epist 2. cap. 2 v. 14. stand and hold fast sayth he the traditions which you haue receaued whether by word or by our Epistle that is to say the doctryne delyuered to you whether by the preaching viua voce or by an epistle written to you Which place these venerable fathers expoundes of traditions as S. Basil lib. de S. S. Chry. Oecom Theoph. and S. Aug. epist 174. to that now sayth he which I haue rehearsed it fal so that Homousion is not found in the writteÌ„ word and yet as an article of fayth the word is defended Lykewyse the Father is called vnbegotten which is not read in the Scriptures The Symbole of the Apostles is by tradition not by the writteÌ„ word Lykewyse the obseruance of Sondy for the Saboath the baptizing of infantes â—he receauing of the SacrameÌ„t fasting And S Luke acknowledgeth that he hath receaued by tradition what he hath written in his Euangely For if you reiect traditioÌ„s why not also the whole wrytten Scripture by what reason is there only four Euangelists and no more And wherefore are they receaued that neuer sawe Christ and these Euangelists reiected who did see heare and were conuersant with him as Nicodem S. Thomas Thaddeus S. Peter Bartholomewe and others who haue wrytren Euangelyes and yet their written Euangelyes are reiected and these other foure are receaued who neuer did see Christ And with vs you belieue theÌ„ which are not expressed by any written word but only belieued to be true Euangelists by tradition What can be more sayd for verification of the truth then the wordes of the Apostle 2. Thes cap. 2. v. 14. Which wordes all tend for the commendation of our belief Of which S Basil l. de S. S. cap. 29. I account it Apostolicall to continue and belieue firmely the vnwriten word To whom all the Fathers are conformable For when the old Heretickes as Gnostes Marcion Cerdone Arius Eunomius Aerius Nestorius c. opposed themselues against traditions disdayning and denying them were with the whole consent of the auncient Fathers condemned as Heretickes as witnes Iraen lib. 3. Tert. de praescript S. Basil lib. de S. S. cap. 27. Epiph. Haer. 53. S. Aug. lib. 5. cont Maxim Now brother Asill what can be denyed against traditions what argument haue you for your defence for you accept no Scripture as canonicall ergo yow must proue Scripture by tradition and the other Scripture which you reiect is named apochrypha and in so doing you must allow tradition and so on euery side tradition conuinceth you and yet ye wil be oppugners and denyers of tradition I demand this if you were to conuince any man of Heresie for denying the Canon of Scripture what argument would you vse to conuince him As for example Luther in the Preface of the new testament decreed to reiect the epistle