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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43256	The touch-stone of the reformed gospel wherein the principal heads and tenents of the Protestant doctrine (objected against Catholicks) are briefly refuted. By the express texts of the Protestants own Bible, set forth and approved by the Church of England. With the ancient fathers judgements thereon, in confirmation of the Catholick doctrine.	Heigham, John, fl. 1639.; Kellison, Matthew, attributed name.	1676 (1676)	Wing H1370E; ESTC R216621	50,365	158

are to be loosed by 〈◊〉 Peter and by the Pastors that suc●eed him in the Church See more Deut. 17.8 Aggeus 2.1 2. Cron. 19.8 Vnto the end 2. ●hes 2.15 ¶ The holy Fathers that affirm the ●●me are S. Gregory NaZ In orat ●●cus●t Tertul. lib. de praescrip adversus har S Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. S. Aug. lib. 1. cont Crosc cap. 33. and lib. cont Fund cap. 5. Vincent Lyr. in suo commonit And S. Anselm lib. de incar cap. 1. writing to Pope Urban saith thus unto him Vnto n● other is more rightly referred to be corrected whatsoever ariseth in the Church against the Catholick faith c. They affirm III. That the Scriptures are easie to be understood and that therefore non● ought to be restrained from readin● of them COntrary to the express words otheir own Bible 2. Pet. 3 1● Where S. Peter speaking of S. Pau● Epistles saith In which are som● things hard to be understood whi●● they that are unlearned and unstabl●● wrest as they do also the other Scri●tures unto their own destruction B● all unlearned Reformers both rea● and are allowed to read those hard things yea the Book of Apocalyps also yet harder without any restraint to man or woman which yet they understand not therefore they wrest them as also other Scriptures to their own destruction Acts 8.30 And Philip said understandest thou what thou readest And he said How can I except some man should guide me Where first may be noted that this Noble Eunuch freely confessed he could not understand the Scriptures without an interpreter to expound them albeit he was a great and serious student in them and withal a holy and humble man as S. Hierom noteth of him Epist ad Paulin. de stud Script And next that he saith Except some man guide me So as he fled not to his private spirit nor yet to conferring of place with place as our Adversaries do Therefore the Scriptures ●re not easie Luke 24.25 and 27. Christ called ●wo of his Disciples fools and slow of ●eart c. And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself How then are the Scriptures so easily to be understood of the unlearned when Christs Disciples themselves could not understand them till first they were expounded to them Rev. 5.1 c The Angel speaking of the Book sealed with seven seals wept much because no man in heaven nor in earth was able to open the Book neither to look thereon A strange case to read in Scripture it self that the book of Scripture should be shut with so many seals but much more strange that even in S. John and the Apostles time none could be found neither in heaven nor earth able to open the same nor to look thereon which every Apprentice now adayes without 〈◊〉 difficulty will undertake to do See more 2 Pet. 1.20 Mat. 13.11 and 36. Luke 24..45 1 Cor. 12.10 Luke 8.10 54. Luke 2.50 2 Tim. 3 7. 1 John 4.6 John 5.35 Psal 119 18. and 34. Rev. 5.1 c. ¶ The holy Fathers that affirm the same are S. Iraenus l. 2. Cap. 27. Origen l. cont Cels S. Amb. Epist 44. ad Constant Where he calleth it A sea and depth of prophetical riddles S. Jer. in praefat comment in Ephes 5. And S. Aug. epist 119. cap. 21. saith The things of Scripture that I knew not are many more then those that I know So S. Greg. hom 6. in Ezech. and many other Fathers confess the same of themselves S. Denis Bishop of Corinth cited by Euscbius lib. 7. hist Eccl. 20. saith Of this Book of Scripture this is my opinion that the matter thereof is far more profound then my wit can reach unto They affirm IV. That Apostolical Traditions and ancient Customs of the Church not found in the written word are not to be received nor to oblige us Contrary to the express word of their own Bible 2 Thes 2.15 Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or by Epistle Hence it is clear that some Traditions were delivered to the Thessalonians by word of mouth and those of equal authority with what was written if not of more for the holy Ghost doth name them first as they were indeed the first in being yea it is certain that before the new Testament was written the Apostles delivered all by Tradition and word of mouth Therefore Apostolical Traditions are to be received and do oblige us 2 Thes 3.6 N●w I command you brethen in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye with draw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us He saith not I councel you but I command you But these men rejecting all Traditions walk disordered therefore they break the Apostles commandment Yea they stand not but are fallen they let go what the word it self doth will them to hold and therefore in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ let all good men withdraw from them 1. Cor. 11.2 Now I praise you bre●hren that you remember me in all ●hings and keep the Traditions as I ●ave delivered them unto you But these ●eject all Traditions therefore needs must S. Paul speak thus unto them Now none of my brethren I dispraise you for that you forget me in all ●hings and keep not the Traditions as 〈◊〉 have delivered them unto you Lastly if nothing at all be to be be●ieved but onely that which is left us written wherein should the Church ●ave exercised herself from Adam to Moses the space of two thousand six ●undred years See more 1 Tim. 6.3.20 2 Tim. ● 13 2 Tim. 2.2 John 20.30 and ●1 25 and 16.12 1 Cor. 11.16.34 〈◊〉 ep John 12.3 ep of S. John 13. Acts 16.4 and 15.28 ¶ The Fathers that affirm the same ●re S. Iraeneus l. 3. c. 4. Origen in cap. ● ad Rom. S. Damas l. 4. c. 17. S. Chrysost in 2 Thes 2. And S. Basil de Spiritu sancto saith some things 〈◊〉 have from Scripture other things fr●● the Apostles both which have 〈◊〉 force unto Godliness S. Chrysostom 4. in 2. Thes faith It is a Traditi●● seek thou no further They affirm V. That a man by his own understandi●● or private spirit may rightly jud●● and interpret Scripture COntrary to the express words their own Bible 1. Cor 12.8 a●● 10. To one is given by the spirit 〈◊〉 word of wisedome to another the wo●●● of knowledge by the same spirit to ●nother the working of miracles to ●nother Prophesie to another discerni●● of spirits to another kinds of tongue● to another the interpretation of tongu●● but all these worketh that one 〈◊〉 the self same spirit dividing to ev●●● man severally as he will Where 〈◊〉 Apostle in express words opposeth 〈◊〉 refelleth this unsavory doctrine tea●●ing that the gift of prophesying or truly to interpret the holy Scripture

for any trust or confidence that is to be put in them as the Gentiles did of old who reposed their hope and trust in their Idols but because the honour that is exhibited to them is referred to the Prototypes represented by them c. Thus for the Councel And who can be so ignorant or malicious as to say this is Idolatry ¶ Thus much have I thought good to add in this place for the instruction of the ignorant and unlearned people who use to stumble at the doctrine of the worship of Images because indeed they understand it not And what is said for the worship of them may also serve for the lawfulness of making them since the one supposeth the proof of the other L. That no man hath seen God in any form and that therefore his Picture or Image cannot be made COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible Gen. 3.8 where God appeared unto Adam walking in the garden of Paradise in a corporal form And Gen. 28.12.13 to Jacob standing above the ladder whereon the Angels ascended and descended For we must know that it is onely the outward shape and form of the thing which is expressed either in this or the like Image and not the inward substance thereof which is not possible for any Painter or Carver to expresse which though it expresse not all that is therein yet that which it expresseth is a truth and thus may God be expressed to us Yea why may not God be expressed by Picture or Image in the same form and manner wherein he hath manifested himself to mortal eyes Ezod 32.11 God appeared and spake unto Moses face to face as one man speaketh to another To the Prophet Isa 6.1.5 Sitting upon a Throne To Daniel 7.9 Sitting wearing garments and having hair on his head like pure wool How then can any wise man doubt but that that thing may be lawfully set forth or expressed in an outward Image which necessarily must be conceived by an inward 1 Kings we 3. 22.19 I saw the Lord sitting on his Throne and all the Host of Heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left But perhaps they will say that God commands us to hear his word and the Histories which spake of his apparitions but not to paint them I answer That seeing we learn by our eyes as well as by our eares there is no reason why that may not be painted before our eyes which may be preached to our ears Again seeing we may finde the aforesaid Visions and Histories in the Bible why may we not as wel see them painted in pictures as written in a Book of white paper LI. That blessing or signing with the sign of the Crosse is not founded on holy Scripture COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible Revelation 7.3 Where one Angel said to four other Angels Hurt not the earth neither the Sea nor the Trees till we have sealed we read signed the servants of our God in their foreheads Again Mark 10.16 And he took them up in his arms put his hands upon them and blessed them Therefore signing and blessing is founded in holy Scripture Luke 24.50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany and he lift up his hands and blessed them Therefore c. ¶ See the Fathers that affirm the same Dionys Areopagita cap. 4.5.6 Eccles Hier. Tertul. lib. de corona milit Origen in Exod. cap. 5. hom 6. ● S. Cyril Cat. 1. S. Basil lib. de spirsanct cap. 38. S. Chrysost bom 55. in Mat. cap. 16. LII That the publick service of the Church ought not to be said but in a language that all the people may understaend COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible Luke 1.8 And it came to pass that while he executed the Priests Office before God in the order of his course according to the custome of the Priests Office his lot was to burn Incense in the Temple of the Lord and the whole multitude of people were praying without at the time of Incense Where it is to be noted 1. 1. That this was then the common custom 2. All the people were without and the Priest within how then did they understand him Therefore the publick service of the Church may be so said as all the people understand it not Levit. 16.17 And there shall be no man in the Tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an attonement in the holy place untill he come out and have made an attonement for himself and for his household and for all the Congregation of Israel Therefore c. I shall not need to produce the authorities of Fathers for this point when the practice of the whole Christian world for these many hundred years together hath been directly contrary to our Reformers herein against which to dispute as S. Aug. saith were insolent madness See the Rhe. Test 463. But against this they will object out of Scripture this their probablest place 1 Cor. 14.16 When thou shalt bless with the spirit how shall be that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest For thou verily givest thanks but the other is not edified Hereto I answer that there be two kinds of prayer or giving of thanks in the Church The one Private which every man sayes by himself alone The other Publick which the Priest saith in the name and person of the whole Church As concerning private prayer no Catholick denies but it is very expedient that every man pray in his own tongue to the end he may understand what he sayes But for the publick prayers of the Church it is not necessary that the common people understand them because it is not they who pray but the Priest in the name of the whole Church For as it was enough for the people of the old Law to know and understand that in such a Sacrifice consisted the worship of God although they had not so clear an understanding of every thing that was done therein as hath been said even so in the new Law when the people assist at the Sacrifice of the Masse acknowledging thereby that God is worshipped that it is instituted for the rememb●rance of Christs death and passion although they understand not the Latine tongue yet are they not distitute of the utility and fruit thereof besides rhe help of the pious ceremonies therein which do instruct them in the whole And indeed this place by them alleadged serveth nothing to the purpose but rather against them seeing it proves that the common service of the Church was not then in a tongue which every man understood but in another language which was not so common unto all For S. Paul saying How shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at the giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest shews that such giving of thanks was not accustomed to be

appeared unto many c. 2 Maccab. 15.12 Onias the High-Priest after he was dead appeared to Indas Macchabaeus alive The like did Samuel unto Saul What shall we say then to those that will deny a truth so clear For some such my self have met withall See more Luke 16.27 28. Ioan. 11.44 Luke 7.15 and 22. Matth. 9.25 Mark 5.42 ¶ See S. Bede l. 5. cap. 13. hist of England and S. Gregory in his book of Morals in sunory places XXXI That the Saints deceased know not what passeth here on earth COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible Luke 16.29 Where Abraham knew that there were Moses and the Prophets Books here on earth which he himself had never seen when he was alive as S. Aug. witnesseth lib. de cura pro mortuis cap. 24. Therefore the Saints deceased know what passeth here on earth John 5.45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust But how could Moses dead two thousand years before accuse those that were then living if the Saints deceased know not what passeth here on earth Like unto this is that Revelat. 12.10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven c. The accuser of our brethren is cast down which accuseth them before our God day and night Now the devils cannot accuse men day night before God but they must first know whereof who then will for shame deny that to Saints and Angels which must needs be granted to the very devils 2 Kings 6.12 we 4. Kings O King Elisha the Prophet that is in Israel telleth the King of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber Hence I thus argue if the light of Prophecy could extend it self so far as to make known see and understand things so secret yea even to inward thoughts who can with reason deny that the light of glory can do the same in the souls of the blessed The like is proved out of many other places of Holy Scripture as 2 Reg. 5.26 where the Prophet Elizeus being afar off saw all that passed betwixt Naaman and Giesi his servant Saint Paul was wrapt into the third Heaven and saw that which was not to be told to man 1 Cor. 12. S. Stephen saw from earth Christ sitting at the right hand of his Father Acts 7. The rich-glutton saw from hell to heaven as Protestants confesse how then say they that the Saints cannot know or see from heaven to earth And without some reciprocal knowledge there could be no communion at all between the Saints in Heaven and the saithful on earth the which is an article of our Creed which notwithstanding the continual passage of souls thither doth convince See more Matth. 19.38 Revel 2.26 Luke 22.30 Acts 5.3 1 Kings 28.14 Eccles 4.6.23 ¶ See Eusebius serm de Annunt S. Hier. in epitaph Paul S. Maximus sorm de S. Agnete XXXII That the Saints pray not for us COntrary to the expresse words of their own Bible Revel 5.8 The four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of Saints Lo how among so many divine and unsearchable mysteries set down in holy Writ without exposition it pleased God that the Apostle himself shold clearly open this point unto us saying which odours are the prayers of Saints that so our adversaries may have no excuse of their errour Therefore the Saints pray for us 2 Machab. 15.14 Then Onias answered saying This is a lover of the brethren who prayeth much for the people and for the holy City to wir Jeremiah the Prophet of God Ancient Origen hom 18. in Joan. saith it appeareth that Saints departed from this life have care of the people as it is written in the Acts of the Macchabees many years after the death of Jeremy Jeremiah 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my minde could not be towards this people Hence S. Hierom. in his Commentaries and S. Greg. lib. 9. of his Morals cap. 12. do gather that Moses and Samuel after their death both could and did sometimes pray for the same people for otherwise it should be absurd to say Though Moses and Samuel stood before me c. Baruch 3 4. O Lord almighty thou God of Israel hear now the prayers of the dead Israelites we read of the dead of Israel And Theodoret paraphrasing upon the Prophet Baruch interpreteth this place as Catholicks do Therefore the dead of Israel prayed for the living Revel 2.26.27 And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron Since Jesus Christ therefore imparteth his power unto them upon nations therefore they may with Jesus Christ pray for those over whom they are thus established So S. Augustine expoundeth the same writing upon the 2. Psal We read also in the 16. of S. Luke that the rich Glutton in hell prayed for his brethren that were on earth If therefore the Saints in Heaven pray not for us their brethren on earth then we may say that greater is the charity of the damned then of the saved But this were too absurd to say A conclusion which S. Aug. draweth from this very place ¶ See S. Aug. ser 15. de verbis Apost S. Hilar. in Psalm 129. S. Damascen lib. 4. de fide cap. 16. With many others XXXIII That we ought not to beseech God to grant our prayers in favour of the Saints or their merits nor do we receive any benefit thereby TWo wayes there are of praying by the mediation of the blessed Saints The one by beseeching God to grant our desires in favour of them and their merits The other by expresly praying them to intercede and pray to God for us Both being impugned by our Reformers we will prove them out of their own Bible The proof of the first is contrary to the expresse words of their own text Exod. 22.13 Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swarest by thine own self and saidst unto them I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven c. And our Lord repented we read was pacified of the evil which he thought to do unto his people See how plainly Moses prayed to God by the mediation of the holy Patriarchs A form of prayer so pleasing to him as having said a little before that for their sin of Idolatry he would consume them the memory of his holy Servants being but laid before him he presently pardoned them Therefore we may beseech God to grant us our prayers in favour of them Theod. quaest 67. in Exod. writeth that Moses not thinking himself sufficient to appease God by himself added the intercession of the holy Patriarchs And the like doth S. Aug. quaest 149. in Exod. 2 Chron. 6.16 Now therefore O Lord God of Israel keep

witnesseth in his Epistle ad Marcellam Philip. 2.20 That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven things in earth and things under the earth Now that is the Name of Jesus which either is pronounced by anothers mouth printed in a book or painted and engraven in an image but at any of these we are commanded to bow the knee Again if images ought not to be worshipped we may not whatsoever the Apostle saith bow our knee at the Name of Jesus seeing words as Aristoile saith and as the truth is are signs representative of the things they signifie and are the images of the ears as the others are of the eyes Num. 21.8 And the Lord said unto Moses Make thee a fiery Serpent and set it up upon a pole and it shall come to passe that every one that is bit when he looketh upon it shall live Hence are evidently proved divers things against our Reformers 1. That God commanded the making of this image 2. The setting of it up for a sign 3. He promised that the lookers thereon should assuredly receive succour and help 4. He warranted the making the setting up the beholding and the reverencing thereof to be exempted from breach of the first Commandment by working so many and so manifest miracles at and before the presence thereof Therefore an image may be made may be set up may be looked on and reverenced as Doctour Saunders most learnedly concludeth in his Treatise of Images ¶ See Fathers that affirm the same S. Amb. serm 1. in Psal ● 18. S. Aug. lib. 3. de Trinit S. Greg. lib. 7. epist 5 ad Joan. Finally S. Basil saith in Julian citat in 7. Sinod I honour the Histories of Images and do publickly worship them for this being delivered us from the holy Apostles is not to be forbidden S. Chrysostom in his Mass turned into Latin by Erasmus saith The Priest boweth his head to the Image of Christ S. Damascen lib. 4. cap. 17. saith The worshipping of the Cross and of Images is a Tradition of the Apostles But before I conclude this point I desire to solve a few objections which usually our Reformers bring against the Honour of holy Images The 1. Objection Is taken out of 2 Kings we 4. 18. where King Ezechias broke down the brasen Serpent whereof we last made mention seeing it to be the cause of Idolatry Answer This indeed is a common place from whence our Adversaries collect sundry false and sophistical arguments to wit from the abuse of any good thing to destroy it utterly together with the right use thereof But by the same Argument they may as well collect that the Sun and the Moon should be taken out of the Firmament because they were worshipped by the Gentiles for Gods Likewise that the holy Bible should be burnt because many a one draweth damnable Heresies forth of the same to his own perdition Yea this silly Argument borrowed from the abuse of things serves very fitly to prove the quite contrary thus Images have been sometimes abused therefore they were good in themselves for those things which are evil by abuse onely must needs be good being well used Their 2. Objection You give that honour to Images which is due to God alone worshipping adoring and creeping to them as to God Answer We say the contrary which thus we prove The difference of honour proceedeth principally from the minde and not from the exterior bowing or demeanour of the body For if I prostrate my selfe before an Image or kiss the same well knowing the while that it is no God nor reasonable Creature but onely a remembrance of God towards whom I desire to shew mine affection God knoweth how far off mine honour is from that honour which is due to him alone As contrariwise If I lay prostrate at Christs feet indeed kissed them knocked my breast held up my hands unto him called him the Son of God yet all this while think him not to be so in my heart mine honour truly should be no honour at all but a very contumely and affront unto Christ Adde hereto that the words which betoken honour adoration worship and the like are in a manner confounded in all languages but the heart from whence the honour proceedeth knoweth well the difference of every thing D. Saunders de Imag. pag. 10. Their 3. Objection It is expresly forbidden by God himself to fall down before any Image or to worship it Answer Some of our Reformers themselves do honour the Sacrament of Christs Supper which they teach to be an Image or representation of Christs body and bloud And seeing they believe no other substance to be in the Sacrament besides bread and wine nor will give the honour of latria as we call it thereunto it follows invincibly that they do worship or honour some Image Now as they would not for all this have us to judge or call them Idolaters even so let it please them for their own sakes to spare us For as they do not place or stay this honour in the bread and wine but from thence refer it to Christ himself so do we transfer all our honour from all Images unto the first form or pattern nor suffering the same to rest or end in the Image which we honour Sander ibid. pag. 52. Their 4. Objection An Image is a Creature and no God and to set up a Creature to be worshipped or adored is flat Idolatry Images are set up in Churches not specially to the intent that the people should worship or adore them but partly to stir up our minds to follow the example of those holy men whose Images we do there behold So that the worship and reverence which is there given to Images is given as it were by a consequence rather because it may be lawfully given than because it is principally sought to be given As for the Idolatry which is objected we are to understand that the word is compounded of Latria and Idolum and is as much to say as the giving of Latria or of Gods honour unto an Idol But our Images are no Idols nor the honour we give unto them that of Latria how then can it be said that Images are set up to be used to Idolatry Besides for further eviction of a Reformer that should charge me with Idolatry for reverencing a Picture or Image I would before his face break a Crucifix or tear a Picture of any Saint in pieces and throw the pieces into the fire and this not out of any contempt or scorn of what the Crucifix or Picture represents but to satisfie him that I gave them onely an inferiour relative kind of honour and used them as helps to my memory And then would shew him the Councel of Trent Session 25. in these words Images are not to be venerated for any virtue or Divinity is believed to be in them or for any thing that is to be Petitioned of them or