an Heretike for all Heretikes doe as much But Maister T. W. for I will not misname you by H. T. dic sodes tell vs in sooth and sadnesse Do Heretikes beleeue the scriptures I in my poore ignorance haue heretofore thought that Heretikes beleeued erronious and false doctrines repugnant and contrary to the scriptures and that therevpon this argument would haue holden water viz. that they which beleeue false doctrines doe not beleeue the holie Scriptures which containe nothing but new doctrine but Heretikes beleeue false doctrines ergo they beleeue not the holie Scriptures Tell vs also will Heretikes haue the sphere of their faith extended solie and wholie to the worde of GOD set downe in holy writ Then this saying of Tertullian which in my poore ignorance I haue thought that neuer any misliked vnlesse hee were an Heretike will not goe for currant Aufer deniquae haereticis c. Take away from Heretikes Tertul. deresurrect carnis whatsoeuer the Ethnikes haue thought and taught that they may trie their questions Onelie by the Scriptures and they cannot stand For how can this bee that they which beleeue the Scriptures cannot stand if their doctrines bee tried onely by the scriptures But you will say that Heretikes professe that they beleeue the scriptures But is this all one with you for Heretikes to profeâ—â—e the beleefe of the scriptures and in Tiâ— 1. 16. deede to beleeue them Saint Paul saith that some professe to know GOD and by workes do denie him Some also professed themselues to bee Iewes that is to say worshippers Apoca. 2. 9. of GOD as you doe now professe yourselues to bee Catholikes and some to bee of the societie of Iesus when both they were and you are the synagogue and of the societie of sathan Some professed themselues to bee Iohn 8. 39. 40. the Children of Abraham which did not the workes of Abraham but their faither was the diuell as our Sauiour Christ told them Euen so Heritikes may professe Psal 44. that they beleeue the Scriptures when indeede they beleeue them not but reiect the truth of them and beleeue false and damnable doctrines repugnant vnto them Heretikes bee theeues which endeuor to steale away the truth from the people of whom Saint Chrysostome saith Qâ—i sacra non vtitur scriptura sed ascendit aliunde Chrysost in Iorm hom 58. idest non concessa via fur est Hee is a theefe that vseth not the scripture hee saith not that beleeueth the scripture but clymeth into the sheepefold by an other way which is not allowed Of the true sense and exposition of the Scripture I haue intreated at large before Onely now I will ioyne this issue with you vpon these words of Saint Hierome recorded 24. Quaest 3. Haeâ—sis by Gratian in the decrees Quicunque aliter scripturam intelligit c. Whosoeuer expoundeth the scripture otherwaies then the sense of the Holie Ghost by whome it was written doth require although hee haue not departed from the Church yet hee may bee called an Heretike Let them with good will of vs and you that shall soundlie bee prooued to expound the Scriptures other-waies then the sense of the Holie Ghost requireth bee called accounted condemned and punnished Heritikes yea your Expositions bee so false and for ours true that some Papists and euen some of your sweete bretheren the Iesuites are forced by the euidence of Apa Cathel part 2 lib. 5. cap. 17. 18. 19. c. truth to forsake yours and to approoue ours as M. D. Morton hath learnedly and largely declared What you or any other Heretikes say of our Religion beleefe and expositions wee little regard as long as you cannot prooue them to bee hereticall and wee are by the worde of GOD well assured that they bee orthodoxall As touching the book of the Canticles of Sollomon we by the Scriptures doe beleeue that it is the worde of God Saint Paule speaking of the Scripture contained in the canonicall bookes of the old Testament and receiued by the Church of Israell saith that the whole Scripture is inspired of God But this booke of the Canticles was with the other books both of Sollomâ—n and of the rest of the old Testament receiued by the Church of Israell therefore by Saint Paules 2 Tim. 3. 16. iudgement it was inspired of God and so consequently the worde of God as well as others But if we did ioyne herein either with some wicked Anabaptistes now or with some old Hertikes heretofore who haue denied this book to be of the Canon of the Scripture as Phylastrius writeth some did whose opinion we abhorre yet from this particular Jn Catall cap. 133. you could not inferre the proofe of your article being generall that the Protestants know not what they beleeue But herein you do as soundly and substantially reason as Bellarmine and others of you do that because the Enuch did not vnderstand that obscure propheticall speech of Isaias which hee was reading when Philip came to him therefore hee vnderstood nothing in the Prophet Isaias Yea and that all the Scripture is so hard and obscure that it is not expedient for the lay people to read it Concerning the alteration of the Sabbath wee gather by the Scriptures and thereby do beleeue that it was made by the Apostles 1. Cor. 16. 2. Apoca. 1. 10. As your owne fellowes of Rhemes in their annotations vpon these places do confesse And therefore the Sabbath we now obserue is warranted by the Scriptures As for that idle speech of yours of generall and perticuler beleeuing thinges in the Scripture little pertinent to the proofe of your article I answer briefly that although neither all Protestants nor Papistes haue perfect and distinct knowldge of all the Scripture Yet God hath so manifestly expressed therein all thinges needfull to our saluation that it is a most perfect rule of faith and life as is before out of Beda alledged although some men blinded by sinne and mallice do not see them no more then men blinde in body see the cleare light of the Sunne nor doe rightly vse this right rule giuen of God vnto them Chrisostome saith Quaecunquâ— necessâ—ria sunt manifesta sunt Whatsoeuer In 2 Thess Hom. 3. thinges are necessary are manifest Againe Scripturae et seruâ— c. The Scriptures are easie to bee vnderstood both of seruants and misticall people of widdowes In Math. Hom. 1. and boyes and to him that is very Ignorant And whereas you would haue the Councels Doctors and Church the rule of our faith and life bring such like plaine places out of the Scriptures and Doctors for the proofe of it then we wil yeeld vnto you As touching the Apostles creed we acknowledge it to be a briefe abridgement of the especiall and principal points of Christian faith doctrine yet there bee some truthes which are not particularly expressed in the same But whereas you say or rather falsely slaunder that the
the one saying and some the other so weake that some alledge the one and some the other and I haue not read any one that doth vse them both T W. in a discourse of this matter alledged the former words of the Angell and Ecchius the latter To the which I will briefly answer By the Angel is ment Iesus Christ the Angell of the couenant as Malachie calleth him and the Angell of the great councell of God So doth Aloisius Lipomanus that great Catholike Bishop of Verona both out of Cyrillus and of him-selfe expound it in these Cyrillus Alois Lipoma catena in Genes 48. words Cyrillus Iacob pueris benedicens deum paâ—rem nutrientem se Angelum liberantem nominat illum nempe Angelum qui Angelus magni consilij ab Esaia dicitur quia omnis benedictio omnis gratia non aliter quà m à deo per Iesum Christum in homines descendit ConsideraÌ„dum quòd dictio hagoel vel redimens vel qui redimit propriè reddi potest quo loquendi modo clarissimè filius dei mundi generalis redemptor denotatur Et si diâ—igenter aduerseris tacitè propheta domini sanctissimam inuocat trinitatem patrem scilicet spiritum S. sub nomine dei bis repititi vnigenitum verò dei filiuÌ„ sub nomine Angeli Angelum verò intelligit redemptorem verbum diuinum saluatorem nostrum vel auxilij aispensationis diuinae ministrum ipse inquam ille benedicat pueris istis That is Cyrill Iacob blessing thy children doth name God both the father which did nourish him and the Angell which did deliuer him to wit that Angell whom Esay calleth the Angell of great counsell because all blessing and all grace descendeth no other wayes from God vpon men but by Iesus Christ Wee must consider that the word Hagoel may bee translated either redeeming or he that redeemeth by which phrase of speech the sonn of God the generall redeemer of the worlde is most manifestly signified and if thou dilligently marke thou maist perceiue that the prophet in secret sort calleth vpon the most holy Trinitie to wit the father and the holy Ghost vnder the name of God twise repeated and the onely begotten sonne of GOD vnder the name of the Angell For by the Angell he vnderstandeth the redeemer the word of GOD our Sauiour or the minister of GODS helpe and dispensation euen he I say blesse these children Hitherto Lipomanus who with that ancient Father Cyrill truely vnderstand by this angell Iesus Christ and not any other ministring spirit or created Angell And therefore this place proueth the inuocation of Christ but not of other Angels By the other words Let my name be called vpon them c. Iacob meant nothing else but that Manasses and Ephraim Iosephs sonnes should bee counted amongst his sonnes to make vp the twelue tribes of Israel And euen so Frier Lyra doth Lyra in 48. cap Genes truely expound it in these words Inuocetur super eos nomen meum quia vocati sunt filij adoptiue Iacob facti sunt capita duarum tribuum sicut alij filij Iacob that is Let my name be called vpon them because they were called the adopt sonnes of Iacob and were made the heads of two tribes as were his other sonnes This phrase of speech is so vsed in other places of Scripture as Isa 41. In that day seuen women shall lay hold of one man saying we will eate our owe bread and we will weare our owne garments onely let thy name be called vpon vs and take away our reproch Whereby is meant that hee should bee their husband and they counted and called his wiues The like phrase is 2. Sam. 12. 28. Hierem. 7. 10. c. And therefore that this exposition of this place whereby they go about to proue inuocation of Saints is a priuat and false exposition any man may easily perceiue And this is the more euident for that some great Papists are forced to confesse that inuocation of Saints is not commended nor commaunded in all the Scriptures There is one Francis Hamilton a Scot a Papist and fugitiue prior of S. Iames at Herbipolis in Gemany who in a discourse concerning inuocation of Saints writeth thus Porro libenter hîc concedimus disertis scripturarum verbis ipsam inuocationem sanctorum non commendari Quibus enim cuius authoris cuius libri cuius instrumenti Noui an veteris commendantur Sancti commendatur oratio quam pro nobis ad deuÌ„ faciunt vt ipsos inuocemus atque vt pro nobis orent rogemus Francist Hamiltonius de Iunocat Sanct. demonstrat priore in appendice pag. 3â— 81. nullo loco commendatur Vbi consulatur locus demonstrari non potest Sed neque couâ—eniebat vt aut commendaretur aut consuleretur nascentis maxime ecclesiae exordiis ne plures sibi deos more gentium fingere aut constituere existimarentur christiani quando etiam in suspitionem Idolatriae venerunt duÌ„ sub specie panis vini verum deum colerent 83. praecepta ne est Non est praecepta c. that is Moreouer we doe heere willingly graunt that inuocation of Saints is not commended to vs by expresse words of the Scriptures For by what words of what authors of what booke of which testament the new or the old Saints are commended prayer which they make to God for vs is commended but that wee should call vpon them and that wee should intreate them to pray for vs is in no place commended No place caÌ„ be shewed where it is counselled Neither was it couenient that it should be either commended or counselled especially in the beginning of the Church arising lest christians should be thought to make vnto themselues after the maner of the gentiles moe Gods seeing they were suspected of Idolatry for worshipping the true GOD vnder the forme of bread and wine 83. Is it commaunded It is not commaunded Hitherto the words of this Papist Hamilton by which it appeareth that inuocation of Saints is not commaunded nor councelled in the Scriptures and therefore they doe wrest them and bring a priuate and faulse exposition to them which seeke to proue it by them You quoate also in the margent Apoc. 1. 4. whereat a man might well wonder that you would quote a place so impertinent for this purpose but that it is euer vsuall amongst you and your fellowes in such sort to abuse the word of God The words of Saint Iohn be these Iohn to the seuen Churches which are in Asia Grace be with you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seuen spirits which are before his throne and from Iesus Christ c. What meaneth this man to alledge this for inuocation of Saints will he by these seauen spirits vnderstand the Saints either he knoweth little or he cannot be ignorant that this is expounded of the holy Ghost who although he be in person one
and beleeued of which to giue fol. 251. the reader a taste I will set downe two or three It is there sayd that Iohn Damescene hauing his hand cut off for writing letters against the Emperour the same was suddenly set on againe to write a praier which he had made to fol. 254. the Virgine Marie Also that a theefe which vsed to fast the vigiles of the feastes of our Ladie and vsed to pray vnto her beeing hanged by the space of three daies could not die for the Virgine Marie susteined him on the gibet infinite such other fables swarme in that booke And wee may wonder that men of any wisedome knowledge or iudgement should bee deluded and mocked with such false fained reliques as were and are in Popery as with Saint Peters finger at Walfingham as bigge as if it Erasmus in Colloquio peregriergo Blondus de Roma instaurata lib. 3. prope sinem Holingshead in Henry 8. p. 946 Caluinus admonitione de reliquijs had beene of some Giant and also the virgin Maries milke there which seemeth by Erasmus to haue beene the white of an egge and chalke mingled together and a vessell of the same at Rome as writeth Blondus the bloud of Hales the which was prooued and declared at Paules Crosse by the Bishop of Rochester in king Henry the eights daies to haue beene clarified honey coloured with saffron In Geneua there was worshipped for the arme of Saint Anthonie that which afterward was prooued to bee the pisle of a Stagge for a peece of Saint Peters scull that which was found to bee a pumish stone But this will not bee beleeued of this writer and of his fellowes because Caluin did write it But why Caluin should write and publish euen in the French tongue in Geneua such a thing of Geneua vnlesse it were true which the Inhabitants thereof might know to bee false I see no reason it could purchase no credit to him or to his doctrine But why might not that as well bee true as the things before alleaged or as that which Gregorius Turonensis who liued sundry hundreth yeares past writeth Gregâ—â— Turoâ—ens lib. 9. ca. 6 that there was found in a boxe of reliques of a certaine Sainct rootes of trees the teeth of a Mole the bones of Mice and the clawes of Beares which were worshipt for holie reliques But of these iuglings I will write no more at this present GOD may giue occasion hereafter more largely to intreate of them At these things we may wonder but yet wee doe not ouermuch meruaile and wonder at them for that the spirit of GOD by Saint Paule hath foreshewed vs that the time would come when men shold 2. Timoth. 4. 4 turne away their eares from the truth and bee giuen to fables and that the comming of Antichrist should bee by 2. Thessal 2. 9. the effectuall working of sathan with all powre and signes and lying wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnes amongst them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might bee saued therefore GOD should send them a strong delusion to beleeue lies that all they might bee damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Whereas you request that hee that shall answere this your pamphlet will doe it briefely orderly and seriously I will indeuor to doe the two last as GOD shall inable me But concerning breuitie I will vse my libertie and peraduenture more largely lay downe your absurdities then you would bee willing I should doe But whereas you say that you make this request for that you perceiue that the Protestants cannot answere with breuitie because their Religion lacketh both certaintie and perspicuitie I say that with one breath you doe vtter two vntruthes The first that wee cannot answere with breuitie which how vntrue it is let it be tried first by the briefe and pithy answeres of that great learned man Doctor Fulke who answering many of their bookes which yet to this day stand vndefended how briefely and pithily hee answered the same let any man that hath but a graine of indifferent iudgement consider and iudge And particularlie I referre them to his answere to Rishtons challenge and to Allens booke of Purgatorie both in one volume yea many times in his writings hee called them from long and impertinent discourses to short syllogismes wherevnto â—ee could neuer bring them How closely that pretious Iewell and excellent ornament of this Church of England did hold himselfe to the matter and how vnlike hee was to Doctor Harding in his long discourses and digressions who in his booke intituled A detection of lies c. discoursed two hundred and sixe whole sides of paper onely in preambles and prefaces before hee once stept into his matter as Maister Iewel truely told him let the vpright Preface to the defence of the Apology edition 2. reader indifferently iudge The like I may say of that worthie man of famous memorie Doctor Whitakers who how briefely soundlie and learnedlie hee hath answered Campion Saunders Duree Stapleton William Reynolds Bellarmine any man that hath an incorrupt eye may see and discerne And if T. W. bee the author of this pamphlet as I nothing doubt but hee is he may remember that one which had conference with him did write a briefe Epistle vnto him and did therein set downe short sillogismes concerning the controuersies of praier to Saints and the sacrifice of the Masse and required to haue the like short syllogismes set downe of him for the defence of his assertions and could not receiue one but along tedious discourse concerning praier to Saints which was confuted and neuer defended But whether answeres be briefe or long it maketh no matter so that they be learned sound and true to the effectuall confuting of the errour and satisfying of the reader Now as touching certaintie which you say but doe not shew that our Religion lacketh I answere and auouch that our Religion is farre more certaine consonant and agreeable to it selfe then the doctrine of the Church of Rome is the which if I do not effectually proue hereafter in place more conuenient I will not require any man to vse your owne words to accept or affect it But with what forehead can this man charge our doctrine with want of perspicuitie seeing hee cannot bee ignorant how obscure darke and intricate the popish Religion and doctrine is as may appeere by their manifold both curious questions and intricate distinctions which be their chiefe shifts to elude the plaine truth And if any would see how darke the doctrine and writings of Papists are let him looke into the Schoolemen Tho. Aquine Io Scotus Alexander de Hales Gabriel Biel and many such other amongst whom he may finde as much certaintie vnitie and perspicuitie of doctrine as hee may in hell But how we study for perspicuitie and seeke to make all matters plaine both in our preachings and
and a pure oblation to wit simple praier from a pure conscience S. Ierome expoundeth it thus Dicit orationes Hierom. in Maâ—ach cap. 1 sanctorum domino offerendas esse non in vna orbis prouincia Iudâ—ae sed in omni loco i. Hee saith that the praiers of the Saints shall be offered to God not in Iudea one onely prouince of the world but in euery place But I wil forbeare to write any more of the peruerse exposition of this place and will referre the reader to that most learned conference Cap. 8. pa. 454 146. 562 of that excellent ornament of this Church of England Master Doctor Reynoldes with Iohn Harte where he shal finde this place fully discussed and Cardinall Allens reasons which hee braggingly called validae planè bona strong and very good fully confuted Which booke I meruaile that neither this challenger nor any other of our Iesuites could as yet finde leasure to confute I might alledge many moe places most falsely expounded by these Romanistes bâ—t I will forbeare them and will shew you one place out of the 26. of Ieremie trimly applied by Bonauenture a Seraphicall Doctor a Bishop a Cardinall of Rome and a Saint De vanitut Scient cap. 64 Benauâ—nt part â— operum in exposi missae fol. 100. G. canonized by Pope Sixtus the fourth who did as holy an act in Saincting of him as hee did in building nobile admodum Lupana a noble stewes in Rome as Agrippa a Papist writeth Bonauentures words bee these Septimo eleuatur Corpus Christiad ostendendam bonitatem Christi Quae enim maior bonitas quà m quod Christus dignatur captiuus esse in altari vnde ipse dicit in persona Hieremiae prophetae Ecce ego in manibus vestris sum quod bonum rectum est in oculis vestris facite mihi Nota quod dum aliquis dux propter suos captiuus tenetur non dimittitur nisi det magnam pecuniam Sic nec nos Christum captiuum dimittere debemus nisi remissionem peccatorum nobis tribuat regnum coeleste abeâ— accipiamus Eleuat orgo sacerdos Corpus Christi in altari q. d. Ecâ—e quem totus mundus capere non potest captiuus noster est Ergo eum non dimittamus nisi quod petimus prius obtineamus that is Seuenthly the body of Christ is lifted vp to shew the goodnesse of Christ for what greater goodnesse is there then that Christ vouchsafeth to bee prisoner vpon the Aultar whereupon he saith in the person of Hieremiâ— the Prophet Behold I am in your hands that which is good and right in your eyes doe yee vnto me Note that when any captaine is kept prisoner for his people hee is held prisoner and not let goe vnlesse hee giue a great summe of money So also wee ought inot to let Christ our prisoner goe vnlesse he giue vnto vs forgiuenesse of sinnes and that wee receiue of him the kingdome of heauen Therefore the Priest doth lift vp the body of Christ vpon the Aultar as though hee should say behold hee whom the whole world is not able to containe is our prisoner therefore let vs not let him go vnlesse wee doe first obtaine of him that which wee require This place I thought good the more largely to lay downe that the reader may see what diuine doctrine these Romish Saints haue deliuered how finely they haue applied the scriptures By this doctrine Christ is prisoner in the Masse and hee must not be let goe vntill he haue paied his ransome And this is substantially proued out of Ieremie chap. 26. where Ieremie hauing preached the word of God and denounced his fearefull plagues against Iuda and Ierusalem the Priests and people tooke him and went about to kill him to whome Ieremie spake saying The Lord hath sent me to prophecy against this House â—erem 26. 12 and against this Citie all the things that yee haue heard therefore now amend your waies and your workes and heare the voice of the Lord your God that the Lord may repent him of the plague that he hath pronounced against you As for me behold I am in your hands doe with me as you thinke good and right But know yee for certaintâ—e that if yee put me to death yee shal bring innocent bloud vpon your selues vpon this Citie and vpon the inhabitants thereof For of a truth the Lord hath sent me vnto you to speake al these words in your eares Is not this place finely expounded and applied and doth it not substantially prooue that Christ is in the Priests hands at Masse when he holdeth him ouer his head belike goeth about to kill him as they did Hieremie Indeed by their doctrine they teare him with their teeth and deuour him Yea the Popes themselues in their Canon law by which they rule the Church do most falsely absurdly expound the scriptures as for example God made two great lights Genes 1. 16 the greater light to rule the day and the lesse light to rule the night By the Popes exposition the greater light is the Popes authority and the lesser is the Emperours dignitie and therevpon gathereth that as the sunne is fourtie seauen times greater then the Moone so the Popes powre is as much greater then the Emperours De maâ—orit cap. solit and the glosse there God saith to Ieremy Behold Ierem. 1. 10 this day haue I set thee ouer the nations and ouer the kingdomes to pluck vp and to route out and to destroie and throwe downe to build and to plant by the Popes exposition of these wordes all Kings and Monarches are the Popes vassals and that hee may aduance whome hee will and put downe whome hee list De maiorit ibidim Christ cured the withered hand of a man vpon the Sabboth Mat. 12. 13 daie By the Popes exposition heereof hee would prooue that hee is to bee tied by no lawe 25 Quest 2. Cap. ideo permittente Whereas it is sayd Behold here two swordes by the Popes exposition it is prooued Luk. 22. 38 that both swordes as well temporall as ecclesiasticall doe belong vnto him Where Saint Paul saith The spirituall 1. Cor. man iudgeth or discerneth all things by the Popes exposition all men and matters are to bee iudged by him but hee is to bee iudged by none De maiorit Cap. vnum solit Infinite such other places there are so falsely and absurdly expounded and applied that sundry Papists yea euen the Iesuites themselues be now ashamed of them Thus wee see how these Romish diuines and Saintes haue handled and expounded the word of God of whom that may be wel sayd and verified which Polidore Virgil a fauorer of the Romish religion writeth of the popish Lawiers and canonists Vide non secus isti iurisconsulti aliquoties Polido Virg de inuent rerum lib. 4. cap. 9. detorquent sacras scripturas quò volunt ac sutores sordidas solent dentibus extendere
Protestants deny three articles of our creed and the Puritanes fiue I say that you affirme much and proue little But first you might well ynough haue forborne this distinction of Protestants Puritanes for although some haue differd in some outward matters concerning ceremonies externall orders in the Church yet these all greatly agree and consent in all points of the doctrine of faith and Articles of Christian Religion Neither do I know any that deserue so well of this name of Puritanes as you who glory that you after Baptisme bee pure from all sinne and for actuall sinnes after committed can make so full satisfaction to God for them that hee can request no more of you as hereafter I will shew and therefor it is you that may well be called Puritanes of whome that saying of Sollomon may be well verified There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceit and yet are not washed from their filthines Prou 30. But let vs come to the examination of your proofe of this your absurd and slaunderous assertion The first you fay is the Catholike Church Credo Ecclesiam sanctam Catholicam doe wee deny this Article Why doe wee then not onely print it and rehearse it in our Creed but also expound it in our preachings and Catechising I haue said before that which may seeme sufficient concerning this matter andd article yet the better to satisfie the Christian Reader and to stop the mouth of this malicious accuser I say againe that by the holy Catholike Church mentioned in the Creede is ment the company of all Gods elected and faithfull people whome he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth to be vessels of his mercy and heires of his kingdome of glory which is the body of Christ and he the head the spouse of Christ and he the bridegrome the house of Christ and he the foundation the flocke of Christ and hee the shepehard And this Church wee confesse to bee Catholike that is to say vniuersall both in respect of time for that it consisteth of all them that are written in the booke of life which haue bene from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end thereof and also of place for that it is not now contained in any one country Act. â—o 35. but as S. Peter saith In euery nation be that feareth God and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him and is a true meÌ„ber of this Catholike church That this is the holy Catholike Church which we confesse and beleeue wherof the prophane wicked hypocrites and reprobates bee no part besides that which I haue said before I will further proue it by the holy Scriptures and ancient Fathers Saint Paul saith Let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp Ephes 4. 15. vnto him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increace of the body vnto the edifying of it sefe in loue Againe Christ loued â—he Church Chap. 5. 25. and gaue himselfe for it that be might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word that he might make it to him selfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame These things belong onely to the elect people of God who shall raigne with him in his eternall kingdome of glory For they onely be the body of Christ knit together in him sanctified here to bee without spot or blemish hereafter The Apostle to the Hebrues saith Whose house we are if we Heb. 3. 6. hold fast that confidence and that reioycing of hope vnto the end Where he sheweth that they belong to the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar and 1. Timth 3. 15 stay of truth which vnto the end hold fast their confident faith and hope of Gods glory wherof they reioyce which belongeth onely to the faithfull and chosen children of God This is that Church whereof he speaketh after But Heb. 12. 22. ye are come vnto the mount Sion and to the citty of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men To whom can these Galat. 4. things pertaine but onely to the Ierusalem which is aboue the mother of vs all which is the holy Catholike Church that we beleeue Hereunto I will adde a few sayings of the Fathers Saint Augustine saith Corpus huius capitis Ecclesiaest non quae hoc loco est sed quae hoc loco pertotum orbem terrarum nec August in Psal 81. illa quae hoc tempore sed ab ipso Abel vsque ad eos qui nascituri sunt vsque in finem credituri in ChristuÌ„ totus populus sanctorum ad vnam ciuitatem pertinentium quae ciuitas corpus est Christi cui caput est Christus The body of this head is the Church not which is in this place only but that which is in this place through the whole would neither that Church which is at this time but that of them which from Abel shall be borne vnto the end and shall beleeue in Christ eueÌ„ the whole company of Saints pertaining to one citty which city is the body of Christ wherof Christ is the head And in another place Ille caput est nos membra sumus tota ecclesia quae vbique diffusa est corpus ipsius est cuius Idem in Psa 62 est ipse caput Non solum qutem fideles quâ— modo sunt sed qui fuerunt ante nos qui post nos futuri sunt vsque in finem seculi omnes adcorpus eius pertinent cuius corporis ipse caput est qui ascendit in coelum He is the head wee are his members the whole Church which is dispersed euery where is his body whereof he is the head And not onely the faithfull which be now but also they which haue beene before vs and which shall be after vs vnto the end of the world all pertaine to his bodie of which bodie hee which hath Idem de Catech rud c. 20. ascended into heauen is the head Againe Caelestis Hierusalem ciues sunt omnes saâ—ctificati homines qui fuerunt qui sunt qui futuri sunt All sanctified men which haue beene which are and which shall bee Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Cyprian saith Ecclesia nunquam à Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. Christo discedit ii sunt ecclesia qui in domo Dei pâ—rmanent The Church neuer departeth from Christ and they bee the Church which continue in the house of God Againe Jdem de
you prooue little The GOD of patience and consolation giue vnto Rom. 15 5. vs and you that wee may bee like minded one towards an other according to Christ Iesus that we may all with one minde and one mouth praise God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Whereas you say that we haue no argument to prooue that we haue the true Church true religion and true faith but such as al heretikes haue euer vsed I answere that wee haue that argument and proofe for these things which although Heretikes haue falsely pretended as popish heretikes now do yet the Godly learned Fathers haue sincerely vsed And that is the holy word of God the only touchstone of truth and piller of the Church for as the Church 1. Tim. 3. 15 in one respect is the piller of truth as Saint Paul saith so in another the truth is the piller and prop of the Church as Chrysost in illum locum ho mil. 11. Math. 4. 4 7 10. Math. 19. 4. ibid. 22 29. Luk. 24. 27. 32 44 46 Rom. 1 2. 3 21. 4 3. Chrysostom saith For by what meanes els haue the Godly and learned Fathers in all ages confuted heresies and proued the Church but by the scriptures by them our Sauiour Christ foyled the diuell and put him to flight By them he answered the Pharisies By them he confuted the Sadduces By them he proued himselfe to be the promised Messias and Sauiour of the world By them Saint Paul confirmed the Gospel which he preached By them hee perswaded the Iewes those things which concerned Christ Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Act. 21. 23. ibid. 18 2 8 Prophets By them Apollos confuted the Iewes with great vehemencie shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ By them the Godly and learned Fathers confuted and confounded the Arians and other Heretikes whom you here name as by their bookes and particular sayings it euidently appeareth Athanasius speaking of the Godly Athanas de de cretis Nicen. Synod pag. 528 decrees of the councell of Nice against the Arians writeth thus Atque harum rerum non aliunde nos quà m ex scripturis persuasionem habemus that is We be perswaded of these things by no other meanes but by the Scriptures Epiphanius saith In Scripturis sanctis Trinttas nobit Epipâ— contra pâ—â—umaiomachos haeres 7â— annuÌ„tiatur ac creditur citra curiositatem c. The Trinity is in the holy Scriptures preached vnto vs without curiositie beleued And that by theÌ„ al doctrines are to be confirmed al errors and heresies to be confuted they plainely and plentifully shew Tertullian saith that if Heretikes Tertul. lib de resurrec carnes Eâ—iph contra pâ—ulum Samosa haeres 66 Basii epist 80. bee brought to examine and try their questions onely by the Scriptures they cannot stand Epiphanius saith that wee are not to discusse questions by our owne wittes and reasons Sedex Scripturarum consequentia By the consequeÌ„ce of the Scriptures Saint Basil saith Let vs stand to the arbitrement of the Scripture inspired of God and with whome bee found doctrines agreeable to those diuine words let the truth be iudged to be with them Constantine sayd vnto the Bishoppes in the Nicene Councell The Euangelicall and Apostolicall bookes and the Oracles of the Theod. lib. 8. cap. 7 sol 284. Prophets doe plainely instruct vs of GOD wherefore laying away all enimitie and discord let vs take the explication or resolution of the questions in controuersie out of those saying inspired of GOD. So saith Saint Augustine Verum nos sacris literis accommodemus auditum c. August in Euang Ioan. tract 60. August de cura pro mortuis cap. 2. Let vs hearken vnto the holy Scriptures and according to them let vs helpe by the grace of God to dissolue this question And againe Non secunduÌ„ opinionem c. We must consider of this matter not according to yâ— commoÌ„ opinion but according to the holy Scriptures of our religion And of yâ— Church he saith thus Sed vtrum ipsi ecclesiam De vnitate ecclesiae cap. 16. teneant non nisi diuinarum ScripturaruÌ„ canonicis libris ostendant but whether they haue yâ— church let them shew by no other meanes but by the Canonical books of the diuine Scriptures Chrysostom saith yâ— we cannot know Chrisostom in Math. Homil. 44. which is the true Church of Christ Nisi tantummodo per Scripturas but onely by the Scriptures Therefore by the Scriptures proue your doctrine and shew your Church Math 4. But you say the Arians others Heretikes alleadged the Scriptures whereunto I adde that so did the Diuel also but in such sort as you and your fellowes doe in mangling them falsly expounding and applying them as I haue in some part before shewed I am conteÌ„t to ioyne this issue with you that they with be proued to depraue detort mangle and falsly expound and apply the scriptures be heretikes and to bee condemned with these old heretikes whome you here name To whome whether you or we bee more like let the vpright Reader indifferently iudge The Arians seeing that they could haue nothing out of the Scriptures fled as Athanasius saith vnto the Fathers and euen so do you The Arians vsed subtill distinctions Athanas tomâ— 2. to elude and shift of the truth and so do you They denied the person of Christ and you deny the office of Christ in not acknowledging him to be our onely Prophet and teacher whose onely voyce wee must heare and obey nor the only King and head of his Church nor our onely high Priest with the sweet smelling sacrifice of himselfe once for euer offered to redeeme and reconcile vs vnto God nor our only mediator to make intercession for vs. The Arians did cruelly persecute the true Christians Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 17. Socrates lib. 1. cap. 17. zozo in lib. 4. cap. 27. Gregor Nazi anz artic ad Arianos and so do Papists when power is in their hand to doe it The Arians when they could not preuaile against that excellent man Athanasius fell to raile vpon him and to slaunder him accusing him of adulterie murther and sorcerie and euen so do you now deale with such as for their godlinesse and learning may well bee compared with Athanaesiuâ— I meane especially Caeluin whome the Author of that vnlearned libell and beastly booke intituled A quartron of reasons of Catholike religion c. is not ashmed 5. reasoÌ„ pa. 30. to call a seare backt Priest for Sodomie O thou shamelesse man or rather monsterlart thou not ashamed to slaunder and belie such a man of whome they that knew him did truly write of him ipsâ— Ã quo potuit virtutem discere virtus Theo Beza that euen virtue it selfe might as it were haue learned vertue of him How doest thou know that Caluin was such a man I assure my selfe
mulieribus quas ad confessionem admittunt Scelestissimè fornicantur Luk 2. cap. 37. 1. They Priests do often most wickedly commit fornication with the women of there parishes which they admit to confession The like writeth Marsilius Patauinus in his booke intituled Desensor Pacis part 2. ca. 6. pag. 286. To your sixt accusation I answere that we exclude and banish our Sauiour Christ neither from the Sacrament of his supper nor from the hearts of the faithfull but acknowledge that as by faith hee dwelleth in the one so by Ephes 3 17 2. Cor. 13 5 the same hee is receiued of the Godly in the other Your false and grosse doctrine of Transsubstantiation which the Greeke Church neuer beleeued and the Latine Church lately defined as Erasmus saith wee iustly reiect and condemne â—râ—s Anno â—â— in 1. Cor. 7 We exhort men when they come to receiue that holy mysterie the Sacrament and pledge of our saluation in Christ to examine themselues and so to eate of that bread and drinke of that cup For hee that eate haâ—d drinketh vnworthily 1. Cor. 11. â—8 eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords bodie But if as you say sinfull liues consorte not with his sacred mysterie I meruaile how your Priests liues consorted with it which how holy they were I will shew hereafter Lastly you charge vs with a new negatiue religion wholy standing vpon negation of Sacraments ceremonies rites lawes customes and other practicall points of the Catholike Church wherevnto I answere that we deny nothing that God hath commanded in the holy canonicall Scripture the which as I haue before shewed is the onely rule of our Religion and life Indeede wee deny and defie your trifling traditions and vnwritten vanities and inuentions with the which you haue gone a whoring as the Prophet saith If you can shew that wee deny any thing which Psal 106. 39 God hath commaunded as wee can plainely prooue that you doe then spare not to charge vs with a new negatiue religion You deny the sufficiencie of the Scriptures and that all doctrine necessarie to saluation is contayned in them You deny the same Scriptures to bee in the vulgar tongue for all Gods people to reade and heare to their comfort You deny praier and the publicke seruice of God to be in the same vulgar tongue You deny Christ to bee our only mediator between God vs. You deny the Cup of Christs supper to Gods people You deny the lawful authority which Princes haue ouer their people subiects in all causes ecclesiasticall and temporall You deny mariage to ecclesiasticall ministers whereby what great and horrible wickednesse you haue caused I will hereafter declare You say we bring in for fasting feasting for praying playing c. Concerning your fasting consisting in a superstitious obseruing of times and diuersitie of meates and tending to the honouring of Saints and satisfying Gods iustice for your sinnes we deny it But fasting purely vsed according to Gods word to humble our soules before God to mortifie the wicked affections of our sinful flesh we allow and especially that great and principall fast in abstayning from sinne whereof Saint Augustine speaketh in these words Ieiunium autem magnum generale August in Ioan traâ—l â—7 distinct de consecra cap. Ieiunium est abstinere ab iniquitatibus ab illicitis voluptatibus seculi quod est perfectum ieiâ—nium in hoc seculo The great and generall fast is to abstaine from iniquities and vnlawfull pleasures of the world which is the perfect fast in this world Chrysostome saith Ieiunium dico abstinentiam à vitiis I say that fasting which is to abstaine from vices Chrysost in Genes hom 8. Hereby let it be discerned who doe most truely fast In deede I know that it is your manner much to glory in your writings and speeches of your outward fasting from meates as the Pharisee in the Gospell did who gloried Luke 18. 12. that he fasted twise a weeke which neither God in his law had required nor the Apostles of Christ for any thing wee reade vsed Whereby wee may note that true Godlines neither is to bee measured by such outward abstinece from meates nor is alwaies ioyned with it Iohn Matth. 11. 18 Baptist vsed greater austerity in his diet and abstinence from meates then our Sauiour Christ did yet was his life nothing so holy Iohns Disciples vsed more fasting Matth. 9. 14. then the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ did Yet it is not to be doubted but our Sauiours Disciples liued as godly or Tertul de Iâ—iâ—nio adueâ—s Psichicos Hierom. in Aggaeum cap. 1. pag. 230. more then they did The Montanists Heretikes were greater fasters then were the true Christians as Tertullian sheweth And S. Hierome writeth that they obserued three Lents in a yeare and yet were Heretikes condemned by the Church of God although then fauored by the Bishop of Rome as Tertullian sheweth in the beginning of his booke against Praxeas The Iewes vsed such great abstinence and fasting that they brought weakenes and sickenesse to their bodies as Saint Hierome writeth who neuerthe Hierorymus ad Algaesiam quast 10. lesse were enemies to our Sauiour Christ The Moscouites which neuer acknowledged the Popes authority be as great fasters as Papists are And so also be the Turkes And therefore these men neede not to boast so much of 1. Tim. 4. 8. their fasting Saint Paul saith that bodily exercise profiteth little but godlines is profitable to all things hath the promise of this life present that which is to come Howbeit as I will not deny but that there may be lesse fasting and more feasting then were requisit yet that there is more feasting and superfluitie in fare now especially in ecclesiastical persons I thinke it will be to hard for this man to proue Whence came these phrases As fat as an Abbot he hath a face like an Abbot and an Abbey Lubber but of their immoderate fare and feeding And how these men were giuen to gluttony excesse I will shew at this time but by one example Giraldus Cambrensis in his Book intituled Speculum Ecclesiae writeth that the Abbot and Monkes of Saint Swithens in Winchester came to King Henry the second hunting at Gilford in Surrey and fell downe in myre and durt before him pittifully crying out The King asked them what was the matter They answered that their Bishoppe had taken three dishes of meate from their dinners and suppers He asked them how many he had left vnto them They answered tenne but from the foundation of their house they had vsed daily to haue thirteen dishes at a meale The King turned to his Nobles and said By the eyes of God for that was his oath I thought their house had beene burnt and now I see it is but a matter concerning their paunches And then turning to the Abbots and Monkes
First that the grace of God whereby we are saued is giuen Hier. et Auguâ— aduersus pelag according to our merites Secondly that the law of God might be fulfilled of vs. Thirdly that we haue free-will and sayd that therefore grace was giuen vnto men that what things they might doe by free-will they might the more easily do them by grace I haue heard that there Hier. aduersus Heluidium was an Heritike called Heluidius reproued by an ancient learned father for foolishly thinking that the greeke bookes of the new testament were corrupted which both our Rhemists in their preface of the new testament by them set forth and others also of the same crewe do openly auouch I haue heard of certaine heritikes called Angellici so named for worshiping Angells and of others called Augu de heres cap 39. â—rencus lib 1. cap 35 Epâ—ph heres 79. Collyradiani condemned for worshiping the Virgine Mary And yet they did not call her Queene of heauen Empresse of hell the gate of Paradise their hope c. They did not pray vnto her saying lube deum pecâ—ator bus misereri i. Command God to be mercifull to sinners nor monstrate esse matrem iure matris impera i. Shew thy selfe â—â—nauent in Psâ—lâ—â—rio â—eaâ—â— Viâ—ginis to be a mother rule or command Christ by the authority of a mother but onely they offered a cake in the honour of her Whether these be not now taught and maintained for Catholike doctrines in the Romish church let the indifferent reader vprightly iudge Now to conclude and make an end I would exhort this gentlewoman and all others of her sect and opinion to take heed in the name of God how they resist the truth of God which in his great mercy hee hath reueiled vnto vs and that they doe not wilfully shut their eyes against it nor maintaine false and damnable doctrines which they bee neuer able by the word of God to defend Let them consider the grosse blindnesse and ignorance of former ages when such fables â—egâ—nd Festâ—ual c. and lies were published and preached as they be now ashamed of them and the booke of God was as good as lost the light thereof being kept vnder the bushell of a strange tongue by meanes whereof the people had no instruction nor comfort of it but sate in darkenesse and shadow of death were carried away after creatures and led after dum Idols as the Apostle sayth 1. Corr. 12. 2. Now is the word of God truely translated and sincerely preached the truth of God published and Popish heresies Ioh. 3. 19. effectually confuted and confounded Light is come into the world loue not darkenesse more then light We haue the Heauenly Manna of Gods holy word among vs bee not like the vnthankfull Isralites loathing the same and desiring to eate againe Onyons and Garlike in Aegipt But search diligently the holy scriptures make them the rule of your religion and line to leade your life by Proue all things hold that which is good and abstaine from all appearance of euill The God of all mercie roote 1. Thess 5. 21. out all errors and Herisies and giue free passage to his holy word lighten the eyes of the ignorant strengthen them that be weake treade downe sathan vnder our feete and giue vs grace to bee like minded one towards another according to Iesus Christ that with one minde and one mouth wee may glorifie God euen the Father of our Iesus Christ So be it Amen Amen I receiued aboue two yeares past out of Lankâ—shire this writing here following which I haue haue set downe in the same words forme and orthography as I receiued it and can yet shew it Thus it beginneth with this title Notes of dissention c. D. BVckley in answeare to the 12. articles c. fol. 17. 18. 19. noteth that the Waldenses Albingenses Boemia and many such other c. Were the true church of God were killed for the word of God and haue washed their roabes in the bloud of the Lambe and now haue beauty for asshes the oyle of ioy for mourning c. B. ante o. e. A. ante d. a. A. ante l. i. Vide Coupers Dixionary in these words Boemia Adamitae Albingenses Albanenses Boemia is a Realme called Beame inclosed with the bounds of Germany hauing on the East Hungary on the South Bauier on the West c. They vary from the Catholike faith in sundry opinions and do scorne aâ—l ceremonies In some places there the priuely obserue the sect of the Adamites and Waldenses the act of lechery whereof it is written in the words Adamitae c. 2 Adamitae or Adamiani were heretikes which tooke their beginning of a Piâ—ard who came into the Land of Bohemia And sayd that hee was the sonne of God and named himselfe Adam and hee commanded all men and women to goe naked and that whosoeuer desired to company carnally with any woman should take her by the hand and bring her to him and say that he feruently desired her company and then would Adam saie goe together and increase and multiplie This heresie began the yeare of our Lord 1412. in the time of Sigismundus the Emperour and men suppose that it dureth yet not only in Boemia but in other places also 3. Albingenses were the heretikes which began by Tolouse in Fraâ—ce the yeare of our Lord 120. which held the heresies of the Albanenses touching soule Baptisme God and the generall Resurrection Moreouer that it was not lawfull for the christian men to eate flesh 4. Albanenses were certaine Heretikes in the yeare of our Lord 1120. This sect held sundry heresies one was that the soule of man after his death was put into an other body an other that Baptisme was of no effect The third that there were two Gods one good and an other euill And that of the good proceeded good things and of the euill God euill things the 4. that in heil were none other paines then be in this world the 5. that the generall iudgement is past and that there is none to come the 6. that it is lawful for any man to sweare the 7. that man hath no free-will The 8. that the matter whereof the world was made was not made of God but is co-eternall with God the 9. that there is no originall sinne also that sinne commeth not of free-will but of the diueâ—l the 10. they denied that the body should eftsoones arise at the day of iudgement the 11. they abiected all the olde testament as a vaine thing and of none authoritie An Obiection SEe these seuerall opinions of two of your Doctors Buckley and Couper of the manner of beleefe of doctrine of the aboue named Martirs who Buckley pag. 18. saith haue washed their roabes in the bloud of the Lambe therefore iudge as to your owne selfe shall seeme best Begardy were women impeccabiles that is without sinne Buckley pag. 17 vide acts â—o