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
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
AN APOLOGIE FOR THE RELIGION established in the Church of England BEING AN ANSWER TO T. W. HIS 12. Articles of the last edition In this impres sion recognized and much inlarged Also Answers to three other writings of three seuerall Papists By ED BVLKLEY Doctor of Diuinitie Prouerb 14. 15. The foolish will beleeue euery thing but the prudent will consider his wayes Lamenta 3. 40 Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. Chrysost in Genes 〈◊〉 â— Quocirca diuinae Scripturae vestigia sequamur neque â—â—ramus eos qui temerâ— quiduis blaterant i. Let vs follow the steps of the holy Scripture and not endure or abide them that rashly babble euery-thing AT LONDON Printed by George Eld for Arthur Iohnson and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the white Horse ouer-against the great North doore of S. Paules Church 1608. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON KNIGHT LORD Keeper of the great Seale of England Chamberlaine of the Countie Palatine of Chester and one of his Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell grace and peace be multiplied WHen I consider right Honourable the estate of England in these our dayes I cannot better compare it then with the estate of the kingdome of Iudah vnder K. Iosias expressed shortly yet effectually by Sophonie the Prophet who liued preached in that time For as then God gaue to that people that worthy godly King who zealously 2. King 25. rooted out Idolatrie and planted Gods true worship agreeable to his law so God in great mercy hath giuen vs our most gratious Queene Elizabeth by whose godly meanes Idolatrie hath beene abolished Gods true religion and seruice restored his holy word truly and sincerely preached and peace and tranquilitie among vs long maintained And as in those daies vnder King Iosias notwithstanding that godly and zealous reformation there was great wickednes among the people as the said Sophonias sheweth For there were then which worshipped Sopho. 1. 5. vpon the rouffes of their houses the host of heauen and which worshipped and sware by the true and onely God Iehoua and by Malchaâ— their Idoll and 6. such as were turned backe from after the true God and sought him not nor inquired after him and 8. that did weare strange apparell and others that filled their maisters houses with robbery and deceit 9. and such as were frozen in their dregges and said in 12. their hearts the Lord will neither doe good nor euill And Ierusalem was then a filthie and spoyling Chap. 3. 1. 2. citie which heard not Gods voyce receiued not instruction trusted not in the Lord and drew not neere vnto her God c. Euen so how these sinnes abound at this time in this land I thinke there are but few but doe see and none that truely feareth God but doth lament To omit other sinnes here mentioned as then there were which worshipped Iehoua the onely true God and Malcham their Idoll euen so there be now not a few which to please the Prince and State pretend outwardly to like of religion established and yet inwardly in their hearts fauour Idolatrie and wicked worshippings repugnant to the same And as then many were turned backe from after God and sought him not nor inquired after him euen so now there are many which be reuolted from Gods holy worship agreeable to his word and vtterly forsake the holy assemblies where Gods word is truly preached the Sacraments are according to Christs institution rightly ministred and Gods holy name faithfully called vpon These with Lots wife looke backe vnto Genes 19. Numb 14. Sodome and are with the Israelites in heart turned back into Egypt desiring rather to eate onions and garlike there then to feed vpon the heauenly Manna of Gods blessed word Of these thus turned backe from seeking after God they be most dangerous which being deceiued themselues endeuour by all meanes both by speaking and writing to seduce and deceiue others Such be the Seminarie Priests and Iesuites who although they be at this present time at leastwise in outward apparance at deadly fewd among themselues writing most bittely one against another yet they all agree in resisting Gods truth seducing the simple and in labouring most earnestly to set vp againe their Dagon of the Masse fallen downe before the Arke of Christs Gospell To this end they write lewd lying and slanderous Pamphlets wherein they traduce the truth and faithfull fauourers thereof deceiue the ignorant and confirme in error their ouer affectioned fauorers who without triall or examination ouer rashly receiue and ouer lightly beleeue whatsoeuer is broached by them Of these lying Libels there came one to my hands a yeere past and more pretended to be printed at Antwerpe 1600. wherein is boldly affirmed but faintly proued that we haue no faith nor religion that of vs both the learned and ignorant of the Greeke and Latine tongues be Infidels that wee know not what wee beleeue that we are bound in conscience both neuer to aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes and also to auoide all good workes that we make God the author of sinne and worse then the diuell These and such other shameles assertions and false slanders when I read it came into my heart that Master Thomas Wright with whose spirit I had beene acquainted was the venter of this ware In which opinion I was afterward confirmed for that both some of his fauourers could not denie it and in a written copie therof taken in a search in Shropshire and sent vnto me these two letters T. W. were set in the end of it This lewd Libell although in respect of the matter voide both of truth and learning deserued rather to be despised then earnestly answered yet because the author of it thinketh so highly of himself and so basely and contemptuously of vs giuing out in certaine written conferences which he hath dispersed abroad in this land and some faithfull men haue seene that wee be vnlearned and so giuen to wordly affaires that we bestow no time or but little in studie I although the meanest and vnmeetest of many was moued to wtite this answere thereby to confute these calumnies to cleere the truth to confirme the faithfull and if by Gods gracious blessing it might be to reclaime and reforme the ignorant and seduced Whereof I haue the lesse hope for that as they imitate those wicked Israelits which refused to hearkeÌ„ turned away their shoulder stopped their Zach. 7. 11. eares that they might not heare made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the law the words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by his Prophets So they doe fully follow the peruerse Pagans which most obstinately refused to read godly bookes written by Christians as that ancient eloquent Christian Lactantius in these eloquent words declareth Non est apud me dubium Constantine Imperator Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 1.
discerne the absurdities of an vntrue religion Vertuous and well inclined affections which are the base of quiet secure and religious consciences abhor and detest such principles as either dishonor God abase mans nature occasion sinne fauor iniquity or any sort diminish deuotion or piety And therefore all the insequent articles shall stand vpon these two foundations to wit that the Protestants religion debarreth the wit from right vnderstanding the true faith and the will from following of any vertue or godlinesse Answere YOu wonder that any man in England endued with a good iudgement conioyned with a religious conscience can either accept or affect the Protestants new coyned gospell But why doe you not shew what is the new coyned gospell which the Protestants preach and professe The Gospell is the good and ioyfull message of our saluation through Gods mercies purchased vnto vs by Iesus Christ This Gospell God preached to Adam that Iesus Christ the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents Genes 3. 16. head This he renued to Abraham saying In thy seed shall all the nations of the world bee blessed This Gospell was Genes 22. 18. preached by all the Prophets who beare witnesse vnto Christ that through his name all that beleeue in him shall Act. 10. 43. reciue forgiuenesse of sinnes Now if you can prooue that wee preach or maintaine any other gospell then this then you may well call it a new coyned gospell if otherwise take heed you doe not belch out blasphemie in calling this old and true gospell of Iesus Christ a new coyned gospell And let the Christian reader which tendereth his owne saluation well consider who they be that coine a new false and counterfeit gospell Doe not they which teach vs to ascend into heauen by the bloud of Thomas Becket coyne a In the Popish Primer printed 1557. new and false gospell Tu per Thomae sanguinem c. which they Englished in Queene Maries dayes thus By the bloud of Thomas which hee for thee did spend make vs Christ to come whither Thomas did ascend Againe Iesu bone per Thomae merita nostra nobis dimitte debita O good Iesus for the merits of Thomas Becket forgiue vs our sinnes Doe not they which teach vs to seeke to bee deliuered from the fire of hell by the merits and prayers of Saint Nicholas maintaine a new coyned gospell Thus they prayed Quesimus vt eius meritis precibus à gehennae incendiis In the same Primer liberemur Grant wee beseech thee that by his merites and prayers wee may bee deliuered from the fire of hell Do not they which say and beleeue of an Agnus dei that is to say a peece of waxe and balme consecrated by the Pope Tollit omne malignum peccatum frangit vt Lib. 1. Caeremo titul 7. pag 91. Christi sanguis angit It taketh away all euill it breaketh and strangleth sinne as doth the bloud of Christ doe not they I say coine a new false and blasphemous Gospell Yes surely for to attribute remission of sinnes or any part of saluation to the merits of any other but onely of Iesus Christ crucified is to coine a new and false gospell for it is not that gospell of God which hee promised afore by his Rom. 1. 2. Prophets in the holy scriptures which is concerning his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord c. To conclude this point I say woe woe vnto them that accept or affect any new coined gospell Script Brita Centur. 4. p. 308. How your Friers went about aboue 300. yeares past to bring in a new coyned gospell which they called the euerlasting gospell and said that it excelled as much the Gospel of Christ as the Sunne in brightnesse excelleth the Moone and the kirnell the shell Maister Bale out of the Bookes of that execellent man William de Sancto amore who in those dayes did withstand their diuelish deuises did largely declare And whereas you wonder that men indued with iudgment and a religious conscience could affect or accept the gospel that we preach which you falsely call a new coined gospell we may well wonder that any man that hath any sparke of knowledge or conscience should beleeue these foresaid false gospels Wee may also wonder that men indued with reasonable soules and senses being the handy worke of God should bow downe and worship a stone and stock which hath neither soule nor life hath eyes and seeth not eares and heareth not c. and is the workemanship of mans Psal 115. 135. hands especially being so plainely and expresly forbidden in Gods commandements infinit places of the scriptures We may wonder that any man should be so mad as to worship and thinke that which he doth eate to be his God and maker which is so absurd that euen Tully not without Cicero de Natura dâ—orum lib. 2. reason could say sed ecquem tam amentem esse put as qui illud quo vescitur deum credat esse Doest thou thinke any man so mad as to beleeue that to be his God which he doth eate yet into this madnesse by a spirituall phrensie be these men fallen Wee also may wonder that they should beleeue such false fables and lying miracles as abound in poperie as for example to cast the dung of their abhominations vpon their faces That Images did speake did sweate did roll their eyes did bleed that the head of a dog being cut off from the body by theeues which vpon Saint Katherines day came to rob a Priest who was a deuoute Inter sermones discipuli Serm. de S. Katherin worshipper of her did still barke That the Virgin Mary did for many yeares in a Nunnery keepe the keyes and supply the place of one Beatrix whilest shee went away and played the whore These and many such absurd fables were preached published printed and beleeued as may appeare by Sermones discipuli Antoninus the Archbishop of In promptu discipuli Florence stories Mariale Summa praedicantia the festiuall Vitas patrum and that monstrous booke the Legend written by Iacobus de Voragine Archbishop of Genua Which Supplementum Chronicorum Bergomens li. 13. fol. 205. yet was in so great reputation with them that it was published in print in the English tongue when the holy Bible was suppressed and had this title set before it The golden Legend for as gold excelleth all other mettals so this booke excelleth all other bookes to the which title that worthy and right worshipfull Knight Sir Andrew Corbet of blessed memory did adde these words In lying and so of a false blasphemous title made it a most true title Yea I haue a booke in English in Folio translated out of French and printed in London in King Henry the eights daies Anno 1521. intituled The flower of the Commandements fully fraighted with such sottish and worse then old wiues fables which yet in those daies were preached
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
hundred yeares last past it hath beene in which that Apostasie from the faith is come which Saint Paule by the spirit of God foreshewed 2. Thes 2. 3. 1. Tim 4. 1. and the euent hath proued by Mahometisme in the East and Papisme in the West During which time although the Church hath beene driuen into the wildernes and the Apoca. 12. light of true doctrine which is the soule of the Church hath beene eclipsed yet they haue neuer vtterly perished For in all ages God in mercy hath reserued a remnant according Rom. 11. 5. to the election of grace by whome the light of his truth hath beene preserued and in whom those admirable promises of his mercy haue beene performed These haue beene not proud Popes treading vpon Emperors necks deposing them from their Crownes and Kingdomes raysing bloudy battels and pouling and spoyling Christian countries with greeuous and horrible exactions and deuises as might be shewed not carnal Cardinals Princes peeres hauing 200. and 300. benefices a peece as Gerson Gerson tom 1. de defect Virorum ecclesiast Nicol. Clama de corrupto statu ecclesiâ— Hebre. 11. 36. and Clamagis Parisian Doctors before named doe affirme not Popish blind prelates Abbats Monkes priests c. wallowing in all worldly wealth and for the most part in great filthines of life as hereafter I will shew but such as the Apostle speaketh of that haue beene tried by mockings and scourgings yea by bondes and prisonment which were stoned hewen asunder tempted slaine with the sworde wandred vp and downe in sheep-skinnes and in goates-skinnes destituted afflicted and tormented whome the world was not worthy of which wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dennes and caues of the earth Such were these good people in the time of the foresaid apostacie the Waldenses and Pauperes de lugdunâ— dispersed in diuers countries as namely Calabria Sauoye Prouence in France of whom many both long ago in sundry places and diuers times were burned as it is written in the old booke called Fasciculus Temporum and also Actale 6. fol. 84. of late yeares were most cruelly and vnmercifully persecuted in Merindoll the valley of Angrone Luserne and See acts and monuments tom â— Ibidè fascicul temporum Saint Martin Such were they that were called Begardi of whom to the number of 114. were burnt at Paris as the foresaid booke Fasciculus Tempo sheweth Such were they that were called Albigenses inhabiting especially about Tholossa in France of whom by the procurement of that false Frier and superstitious Hypocrite Dom nicus VinceÌ„t Bellua Spec. Histor lib 2â— cap. 103. Auton hist part 3. titulâ— 19. cap. 1. Sect 4. Crant an metropo lib 8. cap. 18. liâ— 10. cap 9. an hundreth thousand were destroyed as writeth Bernardus Lutzenburgus anno 180. were togither burned as both Antoninus the Arch-bishop of Florence writeth and Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Such were they of whom Albertus Crantius writeth which in Sueuia publikely preached that the Pope bishops and prelates were heretikes and Simoniakes that the begging Friers did peruert the Church with their false preachings for the which they were persecuted and some burned Such were they in Bohemia and Morauia in great number with whom Aeneas Syluius who was Pope called Pius the second hauing had conference writeth thus of one of them Finitis sermonibus istis assurrexit vnus de primoribus Thaboritarum Aeneas Syluius epist 130. pag. 677. animo satis inflato quid tu nobis inquit apostolicam sedem tot verbis amplificas Nos Papam Cardinales auaritia seruos nouimus impatientes inflatos tumidos ventri ac libidini deditos ministros scelerum diaboli sacerdotes Antichrsti â—raecursores quorum deus venter est pecunia caelum That is when thâ—se speeches were ended there did rise vp one of the chiefe of the Thaborites and with an hautie mind said What dost thou amplifie to vs in so many wordes the Apostolicall seate wee know that the Pope and the Cardinals bee slaues to couetousnes impatient proud arrogant giuen to the bellie and filthie lust the ministers of wickednes the priests of the diuell and the forerunners of Antichrist whose God is their bellie and whose heauen is money such also was Arnoldus Brixianus Frosard fol. 54. persecuted by that proud English Pope Adrian the fourth anno 1155. Iohn Rochetailada burnt at Auinion by Pope Clement the sixt 1345. Michael Cesenas burnt 1322. Iohn Wickliffe who died 1387. and after his death his body was burnt Two Franciscan Friers burnt at Auinion by Pope Polychron lib 6. Polidor Virg. lib. 19. Innocent the sixt 1354. Two others burnt at London 1357. William Swinderby burnt 1401. William White burnt 1428. Peter Clarke and Peter Paine 1432. persecuted and forced to flee into Bohemia Thomas Rhedonensis burnt at Rome 1430. Matheus Pâ—lmerius burnt at Florence as witnesseth Sabellicus Dulcinus of Nouaria and Margaret his wife Anton part 3. titull 22. cap. 10. Sahâ—ll Eâ—ne 10. lib. 4. burnt about the yeare of our Lord 1304. Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage burnt at Constance 1415. 1416. Hieronimus Sauonarola burnt at Florence 1499. These and many such other that might bee produced with their faithfull fauourers and followers were the true Church of God in whome his mercifull promises were performed These are they that haue mourned in Zion that haue lamented Isa 61. 3. Ezech. 9. 5. Apoc. 6. 9. 19. and cryed for all the abominations that haue beene done in Ierusalem or rather in Rome that were killed for the worde of GOD and for the testimonie which they maintained and which came out of great tribulation and Apoca 7. 14. Isa 61. 3. haue washed their robes in the bloud of the Lamb. But these now haue beauty for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garments of gladnes for the spirit of heauines and are trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord in Apoca. 6. 9. whome he is glorified they bee now vnder the altar and are in the presence of the throne of GOD and serue him day and night in his temple and hee that sitteth on the throne doth dwell among them neither doth the sunne light on them neither any heat But this man will say 7. 15. that these were condemned and punished by the Church for heretikes I confesse they were so euen as the Prophets of God Christ our Sauiour and his holy Apostles were before them condemned by the Prelates and Priests of the Church of Israel which carried the countenance of the Church of God as much and more rightly then the Pope and his prelates now doe Neither were these so few in number but that by confession of some popish writers the Romish false faith was sometimes in danger to haue bene subuerted by them Wernerus a Charterhouse Monke Fascicu Tempo aetat 6. fol 7. 8. of Colen in his fore-said booke called Fasciculus temporom writeth thus Fuerunt
nihilominus postea quidam subtilissimi Fascicu Tom. a tat 6. fol. 78. haeâ—etici qui istam haeresim Waldensium defendere conabantur plura regna populos deceperunt that is notwithstanding there were afterwards some most subtill heretikes which went about to defend this heresie of the Waldenses and deceiued or rather truely instructed many kingdomes and nations And againe hauing made mention of certaine Popish doctors in those daies as Hugo Cardinalis c. hee hath these words Quos diuina bonitas 1233. misit pro fidei defensione alioquin tota pene fides perüsset propter Fol. 80. haeret corum multiplioitatem subtilitatem simul potentiam that is whome God sent for the defence of the faith for otherwaies it had like wholy to haue perished by reason of the multitude subtiltie and powre of heretikes It appeareth by the testimonie of this Popish Monke that in those daies there were verie many of them whom hee falsely calleth heretikes And whereas these detested the enormities and abominations of the Church of Rome and maintained the same substantiall and fundamentall points of doctrine that wee doe as it appeareth by the articles obiected vnto them that they did how doth this man say that our religion was not these 1500. yeares in the world It was in the world but hated of the world which hated Ioh. 15. 18. 19 Christ yet was it constantly confessed euen to death of them whome God the Father hath giuen to Christ out of Ioh. 17. 6. 9. the world Hereby it may sufficiently appeare that the Synagogue of the Iewes hath not been more constant in continuance nor more ample in place then the true Church of Christ hath beene In deed it may bee that the Synagogues of the Iewes haue continued in some certaine places more constantly then the true Churches of Iesus Christ haue done Yet herevpon it doth not follow that either Gods admirable promises haue not beene performed or that the true Church hath perished It is not the Synagogue of the Iewes but the true Church of God that is clothed with Apoca. â—2 1. Christ the Sonne of righteousnes treadeth vnder her feete earthly things which be mutable as the moone is adorned with the doctrine of Christs twelue Apostles which is forced Chrysostom in psal 114. to flee into the wildernes Chrysostome saith well Ecclesia est tabernaculuÌ„ à deo fixum non ab homine ab vno loco in alium fugit sed non à pietate ad impietatem fugit that is The Church is the tabernacle which God hath pight not man shee fleeth from one place to another but shee neuer fleeth from Godlines to impiety and wickednes As Barrabas found here more fauor with the prelates and priests of Iudah and Ierusalem then Iesus Christ the Sonne of God did So the Popes and Iewes Synagogues haue found more fauor and more quietly rested in this wicked world then the true Church of Iesus Christ hath done As euen in Rome the Iewes professed open enemies of our Sauiour Christ haue had and yet haue their synagogues and liue paying their tributes in as great quietnesse and safety as the Curtizans Whores of Rome doe which pay yearely to the Pope twenty thousand duckates It is written in the pontificall Cornel. Aprip de Vanitate Scient cap. 64. that at the coronation of the Pope and in his procession to the Church of Laterane the Iewes vse to meete him and making curtesie do offer the law to him to whom hee giueth a gentle answer But whereas the foresaid Arnoldus Brixianus a great learned man reproued the errors enormities of the Church of Rome Adrian the fourth our proud Platina in Adriano 4. countriman who rebuked the Emperour for holding his wrong stirrop would not go vp the Church of Laterane to Platina in Honorio 2. be consecrate vntil he were driuen out of Rome There was also one Arnulphus in Rome a Godly man whom many of the inhabitants thereof acknowledge for a true disciple of Christ that was there murthered by the priests for inueighing Platina in Paulo 2. Sabellicus Ennead 10. l. b. 7. against their wickednes Also in a towne neere Rome called Pole the Lord therof with many others were counted heretikes for saying that none of them which followed Peter were the true vicars of Christ but such as followed the pouerty of Christ These Pope Paulus the second persecuted contumeliously intreated as Platina Sabellicus do write Hereby wee see that it is a thing more allowable in Rome to deny Christ as the Iewes do then to meddle with the Popes triple crowne or to reproue his pride enormities This our doctrine of performing Gods admirable promises not in proud Popes and wicked worldlings but in the faithfull which feare God tremble at his word and are for the most part hated and persecuted in the world doth neither shew the path to Atheisme nor open the gap to Machiuilian deuises which by the testimonie of some Papists themselues are no where sooner learned then in that schoole wherein T. W. the author of this slanderous libell hath beene as I suppose too much and too long trained I meane the schoole of Iesuites of whome William Watson a Popish secular Priest in his booke of Quodlibets lately published Quodlib 1. art 9 pag 21. Ibidem doth thus write Many Atheal paradoxes be taught in the Iesuites conclaue or close conuenticles Aga. Questionlesse the Iesuits want neither art nor euill will nor yet malitious meanes to effect it as hauing vsed from the beginning more Machiuilian deuises and Atheal practises in secret conference by their inferior agents with schismatikes yea and with our common aduersaries then with catholikes Againe It must Quodlib 4. art 4. pag. 112. needes follow that there is not a Iesuite in al England this day but hath a bitter smack of father Parsons impiety irreligiosity treachery treason and Machiuilian Atheisme Againe neither Machiuel nor any that euer yet was in Europe came neere Quodi 9. art 7. pag. 314. vnto the Iesuites for Atheal deuise to preâ—eâ—t he stopples of their stratagems and to further their proceedings Againe But I call them Iesuiticall that is the faction of the Iesuites In the appendix to the Quodli pag. 346. by abbreuiation to auoide circumlocution in one word expressing them to bee a factious seditious ambitious auaritious treacherous traiterous Machiuilian Atheâ—ll consort that abusing the rules of their society c. By the iudgement of this Popish Priest let the good Reader consider who they bee that shew the path to Atheisme and open the gap to Machiuilian deuises The Pamphlet The learned Protestants are Infidels 2. Article WHosoeuer buildeth his faith voppn his owne priuate and singular exposition of Scripture is an Infidel But all learned Protestants in England build their faith vppon their owne priuate exposition of Sripture Ergo all the Protestants of England
deliuering to the Corinthians the supper of our Sauiour Christ according to the institution which he had receiued of Christ deliuered not onely the bread but also the Cup to the whole Church of Corinth which I suppose you will not say were all Priests 1. Cor. 11. 25 26. 27. This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this Cup yee shew the Lords death till hee come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the Cup of the Lord vnworthily shall bee guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Paschasius expoundeth these words thus Bibite ex hoc omnes hoc est tam ministri quam reliqui credentes Drinke ye all of this that is to say both ministers and the rest that beleeue The glosse as it is alledged Cassan de vtraque specie by Cassander thus Bibite ex hoc omnes scilicet sine personarum acceptione Drinke yee all of this that is all without respect of persons So doth Chrysostom Omnibus vnum corpus Chrysost in 2 Cor. hom 18 Theoph in 1. Cor. 11. proponitur poculum vnum One body and one Cup is propounded to all So saith Theophilactus Tremendus calix pari cunctis conditione traditus est The fearefull Cup is in like sort deliuered vnto all Yea this absurd exposition of theirs is contrary to the practise of the Primitiue Church and to all antiquitie as might bee shewed and of some Papists is confessed But to proceede and to shew how they handle other places I will ioyne two places togither because they doe often alleage them together to prooue the Popes supremacie ouer the whole Church of God dispersed ouer the whole world The one Hosea 1. 11. Then shall the Children of Iudah and the Children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselues one head The other place is Iohn 10. 16. There shall be one fold and one shepheard These places bee alleaged Ioan. de Paris de potest regia Papali ca 3. by Pope Pius the second Epist 288. by Iohannes de Parisijs by D. Harding c. expounding the same not of D. Hard. confut Apolog. cap. 3. dâ—â—s 2. Christ but of the Pope to be this one head and one shephard The which what a priuat and false exposition it is I neede not greatly to shew it is so plaine and apparent The Hieron in Oseam cap. 1. first place of Hosea Saint Hierome expoundeth thus Haec omnia fient quia magnus est dies seminis Dei qui interpretatur Christus i. All these things shall come to passe because it is the great day of the seede of God which is expounded not the Pope but Christ so also doth Frier Lira Congregabuntur filij Iudae idest Apostoli c. There shall assemble Nicol Lira in Oscam cap. 1. together the Children of Iuda that is to say the Apostles and the Children of Israel that is to say the heathen conuerted together that is to say in one Church and shall appoynt vno them-selues one head that is to say one Christ So doth S. Augustine de ciuitate Dei lib. 8. cap. 28. Whose words for shortnes sake I omit The other place is so plaine that a Cobler by hearing or reading of it may perceiue that our Sauiour Christ spake it of himselfe and not of the Pope He saith I am the good shepheard and knowe Ioh the 10. 14. mine and am knowne of mine I lay downe my life for my sheepe Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall be one sheepefolde and one shepheard Therefore doth my father loue me because I lay downe my life that I might take it againe Who is so blind as seeth not these words to be spoken of our Sauiour Christ him-selfe and not of the Pope Yet that doughty or rather doltish Doctor Iohannes de Parisâ—â—s is not ashamed to say that it is not to bee vnderstoode of Christ but of some other Minister which should rule in his place His words be these Congregabuntur filii Iuda filii Vbi supra Israel vt ponant sibi caput vnum Ioan. 10. fiet vnum ouile vnâ—s pastor Quod quidem de Christo intelliginon potest sed de alio aliquo ministro qui praesit loco eius i. The Children of Iuda and the Children of Israel shal be gathered together and shall appoynt them-selues one head and Ioh. 10. There shall bee one fold and one shephard which cannot bee vnderstood of Christ but of some other minister that must rule in his place Behold the absurdity of this saying and exposition and let this cauiller who in his questions and challenge so disdainefully despiseth our learning consider what a blind ignorant and vnlcarned Doctor and writer this was that so absurdly expoundeth this place and contrarily to the plaine words denieth them to be vnderstood of our Sauiour Christ and blasphemously attributeth that vnto the Pope which is onely proper and peculiar to Nic. Lirâ— in Ioha cap. 10. Iesus Christ Frier Lira was of better iudgement who writeth thus Fiet vnus pastor idest Christus i. There shall be one pastor that is to say Christ I will shew another place or two in like manner expounded for the proofe of the same matter In the booke of the ceremonies of the Church of Rome the which I wish were in English that our English Catholikes might see the goodly ceremonies and orders of the Church it is thus written Papa in nocte Lib. 1. Caerem titul 7. natiuitatis domini benedicet ensem quem postea donat â—â—cui principi in signum infini â— potentiae pontifici collatae iuxta illud data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terra Item dominabitur à mari vsque ad mare à flumine vsque ad terminos orbis terrarum i. The Pope in the night of the feast of Christs Natiuitie blesseth a sword for a signe of the infinit power giuen to him which hee afterward bestoweth vpon some Prince according to that saying All power is giuen to me both in heauen and in earth also He shall rule from the sea vnto theÌ„ sea and from the flood vnto the ends of the world Are not these sayings thinke you finely expounded of the Pope whereof the one our Sauiour Christ himsefe spake In Concil Lâ—teron sub Leâ— 1â— pag. 671. and the other the Prophet Dauid prohesied of Iesus Christ him-selfe And the former of these places Stephen the Archbishop of Patraca applied vnto Pope Leo the 10. in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope him-selfe who thankefully accepted it and suffered it to be published and printed and so to this day was neuer by any Papist disliked By these places any man may discerne and iudge whether this Romish prelate be not that
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
God the enemie of God Answer IN this fourth article the Sylogisme promised is not performed but in steed thereof here is an accusation that we know not what we beleeeue nor why we beleeue Your proofe before I haue examined and what we beleeue I haue declared whereof the rule is not our owne fancie as you say shew not as the rule of your faith and life is the Popes folly as hath been in part shewed You say we haue no rule whereby to know what is the matter of faith We haue the word of God contained in the canonicall Scriptures of the old and new Testament and is that no rule I pray you what doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie but a rule and why be Thom. Aquinas in 1. Tim. 6. the scriptures called canonical but because they be the rule of our faith life Thomas Aquinas saith Doctrina enâ—m Apostolorum Prophetarum dicitur canonica quia est regula intellectus nostri The Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called canonicall because they be the rule of our vnderstanding Dauid when he said thy word is a light Psal 119 105. vnto my feete and a lanterne vnto my pathes what did hee but make that same the rule direction and guide of his faith and life when Moses said Now therefore hearken O Israell vnto the ordinances and to the lawes which I teach you Deut. 4. 1. to do that yea may liue go in and possesse the land which the Lord God of your Fathers giueth you ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you neither shall take ought therefrom that ye may keepe the commaundements of the Lord your God which I commaund you what did he but make Gods word declared to him and written by him the rule of Iosâ— 1. â— their faith and life When God said to Iosua Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therin for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe What did he but make his written word the rule of his faith and whole life When Abraham said to the rich man condemned in Hell They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them what Luk. 16. 29. did he but shew that the writings of Moyses the Prophets were the only rule which his brethren should follow to auoyd damnation and consequently to ataine eternall saluation Chrisostom saith Ne igitur multorum opiniones habeamus Chrisost in 2. Col. hom 13. sed res ipsas inquiramus Quomodo autem non asurdum propter pecunias alijs non credere sed ipsas numerare supputare pro rebus autem amplioribus aliorum sententiam sequi simpliciter praesertim cùm habeamus omnium exactissimaÌ„ trutinam gnomonem ac regulam diuinaruÌ„ inquam legum assertionem Ideo obsecro oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quidnam huic vel illi videatur deque hijs à scripturis haec omnia inquirite c. i. Let vs not seeke the opinions of many men but let vs search the things themselues for how is it not absurd not to beleeue men concerning mony but that we wil count it for matters of greater waight to follow simply the minde and opinion of others especially seeing we haue the most exact ballance square rule the doctrine of Gods lawes Therefore I request and beseech you all to leaue and forsake what seemeth good to this or that man of these matters Idem in Genes homil 58. Jdem hom de Adam Heâ—a search ye al these things by the Scriptures The same Chrisostom hath these words Vides in quantan absurditateÌ„ incidunt qui diuinae scripturae canonem sequi nolunt sed suis cogitationibus permittunt omnia i. Thou seest into how great absurdity they doe fall which follow not the rule of the diuine Scriptures but permit all things to their owne fancies and deuises And againe Satis sufficere credimus quicquid secundum preâ—ictas regulas Apostolica scripta nos docuerunt vt prorsus non opinemur catholicum quod apparuerit praefixis Then is not the doctrine of the Church of Rome Catholike sententiis contrarium we beleeue that that is sufficient enough whatsoeuer according to the foresaid rules the writings of the Apostles haue taught vs so that wee doe not at all iudge that to bee Catholike which shall appeare to bee contrary to the foresaid rules Theodoret saith Thedor dialog 3. pag. 268. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. We haue learned from the holy Scripture the rule of doctrines Saint Augustine saith Sancta Scriptura nostrae doctrinae regulam August de bono viduitatis cap. 1. figit â—ne audiamus sapere plusque oportet The holy Scripture doth set a rule to our doctrine that we may not presume to bee wise abue that we ought to be Beda hath anexcelent saying hereof which is recorded in Gratians decrees Beda 8. quest 1. Neâ— sufficere Nobis sacris literis vnica est credendâ— pariter viuendi regula praescripta The onely rule both of faith and also of life is prescribed vnto vs in the holy Scriptures This rule wee haue and will you say this is no rule If you haue a better rule let vs knowe it Whereas in your second cogitations vpon these your forcible reasons you affirme that some say the sphere of their faith is extended soly and wholy to the word of God set downe in holy writ and how-so-euer you pitty our poore ignorance and say that herein wee do no more then all heritiks doe yet wee bee not abashed to professe our selues to bee of this number and desire to haue our faith ranged and restrained within the circumference of this Sphere of the holy Scriptures and herein if our poore ignorance do not deceaue vs wee thinke that we ioyne with S. Paule who being by Tertullus falsely charged with heresie as wee now are answeared in these words But this I confesse vnto thee that after the way which they call herisie so worshippe I the God of my fathers beleeuing Act. 24. 14 all things which are written in the law and Prophets In which words Saint Paule expelleth that acusation of herisie with this argument He that beleeueth all things that are written in the law the Prophets is not to be accompted for an heritike but I beleeue all this written in the law and in the prophets Therefore I am not to bee accounted for an heretike But in the profound knowledge of this writer this was but poore ignorance and a sillie reason For what Heretike saith he beleeueth not so much And so Saint Pauls reason by this mans deepe diuinitie is not worth a rush For Tertullus might haue replied and sayd that notwithstanding his beleeuing all that is written in the Law and Prophetes hee was
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
the canonicall Scriptures from the which if they bee found to decline and swarue their iudgements are not to be followed But your meaning is that the Pope with his Councell is the supreme vmpire and iudge in matters of controuersie and the infallible interpreter thereof How they haue most falsly interpreted the Scriptures I haue in some part shewed before and that hee who is a partie and whom a great part of Christendome doth accuse to bee Antichrist and guilty of most grieuous crimes as of impietie idolatrie tyrannie ouer the Church sacriledge treason c. should bee iudge in this his owne cause is against all law and reason It is written in your owne Canon lawe Si Vide Brutum Fulmen 16. quâ—st consuctudo in glossa Distinct 40. Si Papa in gloss Papa cum aliquo causam hâ—bet non debit ipse esse iudex i. If the Pope haue matter with any other he ought not himselfe to be iudge And againe Quando Papa est in statu qui plerisque est offendiculo scandalizat EcclesiaÌ„ nec est corrigibilis tunc non potest esse iudex quia videtur malè sentire de fide i. When the Pope is in that state that he is an offence to many and scandalizeth the Church and is incorrigible then he cannot bee iudge because he seemeth to be of an euill faith And euen so not onely we do but also many of his owne fauourers haue iustly accused the Pope to be You vainly and falsly exaggerate controuersies and irreconciliable iarres as you terme them among vs in essentiall points of faith But why doe you not particularly expresse some of those essentiall points of faith Surely because you cannot I confesse there hath bin in our Church some controuersie concerning externall ceremonies and forme of gouernment as there hath beene heretofore betweene good men as betweene Peter and Paul betweene Paul and Barnabas betweene Anicetus Bishop of Rome Galat. 2. and Polycarpus betweene Chrysostome and Epiphanius and many others who all were godly men agreeing in vnity of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God But you that are so eager in traducing our iarres cannot see your owne manifold and vnreconciliable iarres and controuersies among your selues As betweene your Schoolemen namely your Thomists and Scotists differing in sundrie matters of moment as not onely Erasmus hath declared but also Iohn Bishop of Rochester hath affirmed Also betweene Assert Luth. art 36. pag. 339. your Dominican and Franciscan Friers about the conception of the virgin Mary debated not onely by words but also by blowes which controuersie was neuer yet decided but in the Councell of Basil which the Papists count a schismaticall Councell and in the same was the false doctrine approoued to wit that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without sinne You cannot see your iarres betweene your great Maister of Sentences Peter Lumbard who iustled Saint Paul out of the schooles and your Sorbonist Doctors of Paris which found and condemned 26. errors in him nor the iarres betweene Ambrosius Catharinus Archbishop of Minorien and Dominicus de Soto confessor to Charles the fift concerning assurance of Gods grace predestination originall sinne freewill and induration of a sinner as in their bitter bookes one against another about these matters appeareth nor the iarres betweene the said Catharinus and Cardinall Caietane whome Catharinus chargeth with 200. errors of which he writeth thus Quae vt non solum euidenter falsa meritò culpari possent veruÌ„ etiam vâ— Christianâ— religioni perniciosa c. Which may be worthily reproued not onely as euidently false but also as pernicious to Christian religion I might mention many mo iarres among the Papists and namely betweene the secular Priests and Iesuits as appeareth by their bitter bookes one against another and particularly that of Willam Watson a secular Priest lately published in print against the Iesuits which this cauilling exclamor cannot espy who can see a moate in our eyes but cannot behold great beames in their owne but for shortnes sake I omit them at this present onely the learned may see how that great Rabbi Rob. Bellarmine iarreth with all other his pewfellowes and in very many essentiall points of doctrine dissenteth from them and controuleth them Whereof also Iohannes Pappus hath made a large collection Here in your later edition and addition you make a particular declaration of our iarres in matters of religion but all grounded vpon your owne baâ—e words without any allegation of places and testimonies whereby they should be confirmed and the reader perswaded and satisfied But you thinke your bare assertion will be sufficient for that your fauourers whome you haue with a strong delusion bewitched will take your naked asseuerations for sound probations You say that wee goe about to bleare the peoples braines with I know not what vnity and conformity in matters of faith c. But who haue not onely bleared but also starke blinded the braynes of the people heauen and earth can witnes euen they that haue taken away the key of knowledge haue kept the light of Gods word vnder the busshell of a strange tongue and haue taught ignorance to be the mother of deuotion as before is declared But let vs come to the particular iars which you say are amongst vs. The 1. is the kings supremacy the which you say all sound Puritans in the world deny and defie The which is a most false slander for there is neither Protestant nor such as it pleaseth you to call Puritans so farre-forth as I know and beleeue but as they deny and defie the Popes wicked supremacy which he hath vsurped and wherby he hath tyranized ouer the Church of God and Soueraigne Princes so they doe vnfeynedly confesse and acknowledge the kings Supreme power and authority in his kingdomes and dominions in all causes and ouer al persons both ecclesiasticall and temporall or politicall They all say with Saint Paule that euery soule ought to bee subiect to the higher powers whether they be as Saint Chrisostome saith Apostle or Euangelist or Prophet or whatsoeuer he be for this subiection doth not ouer-throwe God-linesse They all confesse that it belongeth to his royall dignity to see and procure not onely iustice to bee executed and peace mayntained but also that God bee truely and sincerly serued according to his will reuealed in his word And that he ought to suppresse and punish the transgressions not only of the first table of Gods commandements but also of the second in abolishing all Idolatrie superstition and wicked worshippinges and in remouing and punishing those that doe commit them They all confesse that he is next and immediatly vnder God subiect to the censure of none vpon earth If you know any Protestant or Puritaine that teacheth or writeth otherwaies alleage their wordes and produce the places But you say that Caluine whome it pleaseth you to call the Puritanicall Patriarke thought not well of King Henry the eights supremacy I answere
onely perfection of men to acknowledge themselues to be vnperfect Wherefore lette vs not glory of all integritie but lette vs vnfainedly confesse our owne iniquitie and euen in the best workes we do flee vnto Gods mercy in Christ IESVS who hath loued vs and washed away our sinnes in his owne bloud to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one onely God bee all praise laud and glory now and euermore Amen The Pamphlet The Protestants haue either no faith at all or lye most damnably in denying that a man assisted by GODS grace can keepe the Commaundements 3. Article VVHosoeuer knoweth God keepeth his commandements But all true Protestants know God Ergo all true Protestants keepe his commandements The Maior is expresse Scripture qui dicit se nosse deum mandata eius non custodit mendax est in eo veritas non est Hee that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and truth is not in him The Minor no Protestant doubteth of for this knowledge of God is nothing else but a liuely faith wherewith all zealous Protestants as they say are indewed Hence from manifestly it followeth that either most zealous Protestants lacke a liuely faith and so are Infidels or if they haue a liuely faith and deny that they keep or can keepe Gods commandements they are damnable lyars of they chuse the first they are Pagans Heretikes or Iewes if they take the second they are damnable seducers impostors in religion consequently their faith is false Answere THis Syllogisme according to Saint Iohns meaning is wholy true The Apostles purpose is to shew that the knowledge of GOD in the faithfull ought not to bee idle but effectuall and fruitfull in godlinesse and holy obedience working a care and conscience in them to keepe Gods holy commaundements by dilligent endeuouring both to auoid all wickednesse which he forbiddeth and to yeelde that holy obedience which hee requireth The which they that do not but liue prophanely wallowing in wickednesse and committing vngodlinesse with greedinesse and yet make a profession of the knowledge of God as too many do their profession and knowledge is in vaine For as Saint Iames saith if any seeme religious â—am 1. 16. and refraineth not hâ—s â—ongue but deceiueth his owne heart that mans reliâ—ion is in vaine So if any seeme to haue the knowledge of God and liueth loosely and wickedly hauing no care to frame his life to the obedience of Gods commandements his religion profession and knowledge is in vaine For not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord Math. 7. 21. shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth my fathers will which is in heauen But your meaning is that by keeking of Gods commandements is vnderstood an absolute and perfect fulfilling of them in yeelding without any transgression at all that ful and perfect rightecusnes which God commandeth The which neuer did any man 1. Peter 2. yeeâ—d but onely the man Iesuc Christ who neuer did sinne and in whose mouth was neuer guile This your doctrine of the perfect fulfilling of Gods law in this life is false and you in maintaining of it shew your selues to be blind and proud Pharisies not knowing either the perfect righteousnes of God nor the corruption of our nature against the which I reason thus Whosoeuer sinneth transgresseth and breaketh Gods lawes and commaundements but all men doe sinne Therefore all men transgresse and breake Gods lawes and commaundements The first proposition is manifest for S. Iohn saith sinne is the transgression of 1. Iohn 3. 4. the law The second proposition cannot with any face bee denied Salomon saith there is no man that sinneth not Saint 1. King 8 46. Rom 3. 23. Iames â— 2. 1. Iohn 4. 8. Paul saith all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God Saint Iames saith in many things we sinne all Saint Iohn saith â—f we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs. Moreouer S. Paul saith as many as are Galat. 3. 10. of the workes of the law are vnder the cursse for it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in al things which are written in the booke of the law to do them Where Saint Paul doth reason after this sort Whosoeuer doth not continue to doe all that is written in the booke of the law are vnder the cursse but there is none that continueth to doe all that is written in the booke of the law Ergo there is none but is vnder the curse The first proposition Saint Paul proueth by a place of the law Deut. 27. The second Saint Paul taketh as a thing graunted and not to bee denyed that there is no man which continueth to doe all that is written in the booke of the law to do it the which if it be not graunted Saint Paules argument is nothing worth for it might be said that some doe fulfill the law of God and therefore are not vnder the curse So that which seemed to Saint Paul absurd to be denied is now denied by these absurd and blind Pharisies Furthermore Saint Paul saith That which was impossible to the law in as much as it was Rom. 8 3. made weake because of the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinful flesh and for sinne hath condemned sinne in the flâ—sh Doth not S. Paul here shew that whereas wee could not be saued by the law God hath sent his sonne in the flesh to saue vs And he declareth why we could not be saued by the lawe because the weakenes of our sinfull flesh is not able to yeeld that perfect righteousnes which the law of God requireth the which if we could doe we should liue therby For God saith which if a man doe he shall Ezech. 20. â—1 liue in them And that euen they that are regenerate with Gods spirit doe not perfectly fulfill the law and keepe Gods commaundements it is most euident by Saint Pauls confession of himselfe I am carnal sold vnder sinne I allow Rom. 7. 14. not that which I doe for that I would I doe not but what I hate that I doe It is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me But I find no meanes to performe that which is good For I doe not the good thing which I would but the euil which I would not that dâ—eâ— I finde that wheÌ„ I would doe good euil is present with me I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death If S. Paul that elect vessell of God which was taken Act. 9. 15. 2. Cor
Tim. 5 11. because they haue broken the first faith The which is to be vnderstood of the first profession of faith in Baptisme not of the latter vow of single life as the Papists falsely and foolishly expound it From this faith all they doe fall which turne either on the right hand to false doctrine or on the left hand to wicked life Many other waies faith is taken but this question is of that true liuely and iustifying faith which is the faith of Gods elect whereby Christ Tit. 1. Ephes 3. dwelleth in their hearts and they receiue nourishment and life from him This faith may be couered by temptations and falles as fire in the night with ashes but neuer vtterly extinguished For they in whome this true faith is are like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will Psal 1 3 bring forth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall not fade And they that trâ—st in the Lord shall bee as mount Psal 125. â— Sion which cannot bee mooued but remaineth for euer They thâ—t by thâ—â— faith are built vpon the rocke Iesus Christ Math. 16. 18 hell gates shall neuer ouercome them Christ saith He that beleeueth iâ— the Sonne of God hath euerlasting life Hee that hearetâ— my word beleeueth in him that sent mâ— hath euerlasting Ioâ— 3. 36. chap â— 2â— life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed roÌ„ death to life He that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Chap. 6. 35. Ephes 1. 13 Saint Paul saith Wherein after ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance for the redemption of that libertie purchased vnto the praise of his glory These places sufficiently shew that that faith which is common to all Gods elect and proper only to the elect can neuer perish nor bee vtterly lost in them And this true comfortable doctrine bringeth no vaine securitie nor openeth the gap to any libertine sensualitie For they that by this faith haue tasted how sweete the Lord is cannot but loue and feare God and greatly delight in his commandements And that faith which swimmeth Psal 112 1 in meÌ„s lips but is not printed in their hearts nor shineth by Godlines and good workes in their liues is a dead faith and is no more that true faith whereby we liue vnto God then a dead man is a man To conclude this matter although we distinguish betweene iustification and sanctification yet wee acknowledge that they be inseparable and the one doth necessarily follow the other For whosoeuer are iustified by Gods grace and mercy through faith in Christ Iesus be also sanctified with Gods holy spirit to abhorre that which is euill and to cleaâ—e to that which is good to serue God in truâ— holinesse and righteousnes all the daies Rom. 12. 9. Luk 1 75 of their life And therefore we teach that they which without repentance persist in sinnne wallow in wickednesse and commit vngodlinesse with greedinesse haue no faith nor haue any assurance of the remission of their sinnes but may be assured that the wrath of God hangeth ouer them and â—f they doe not truely repent and bring forth fruites worthy amendement of life will fearefully fall vpon them So that you might haue spared your vaine and foolish exclamations concerning Epicures Heliogabalus Bacchus and Venus which are more honoured in Rome as hereafter I will shew then allowed of vs. For of whome did Mantuan the Italian Carmelite Frier an 100. yeares past De calamitat tempor lib. 2 write this but of your Popes and his fauourers Neglecto superum cultâ— spretoque tonantis im erio Baccho indulgent Venerique ministrant Neglecting the worship of God they serue Bacchus and Venus Concerning the fourth point of doctrine of keeping Gods commandements I haue spoken sufficiently before Onely now I say that our doctrine tendeth hereunto to shew vs our misery by transgressing of them that wee may thereby bee mooued to hunger for Gods mercie in Christ and although we cannot perfectly fulfill them for in many thingâ— we sinne all yet we ought according to the Iamet 3. 2 measure of Gods grace giuen to vs haue a care and conscience to walke in them and to frame our liues to the obedience of them Whereas fiftly you charge vs that wee deny the Sacrament of Penance thereby to make men careles how they liue I answer that although we deny your penance to be a Sacrament because it hath no outward visible signe and reiect your clancular confession your absurd absolution and your surperstitious or rather blasphemous satisfaction thereby to answere Gods iustice and discharge your sins yet we truly teach the doctrine of repentance as it is deliuered vnto vs in the word of God We teach men to come to the knowledge of their sins by the law of God which is the Rom 3. glasse to shew vs our spots the first step to repentance then to lament their sinnes whereby they haue offended their gracious God and mercifull father to confesse their sinnes with remorse of conscience both to God and men whom they haue offended and especially wee call vpon men for amendement of life in bringing forth fruits worthie of repentance without the which there is no repentance One part of which amendement is satisfaction to our brethren for iniuries committed and restitution of goods vnlawfully and vngoldly gotten As touching our iniuries against God wee plead not our owne satisfaction but craue Gods mercie in Christ Iesus who is our onely satisfaction and by whom only we seeke to haue remission of them Whereas you say that your confession rubbeth the sores of sinne and causeth remembrance of them I say that this more truely and effectually is wrought by the preaching of Gods word whereby sinne is more shewed and the wrath and iudgements of God against sinne are more threatned and thereby the conscience more pricked 2. Sam. 12. 7 and wounded then by your confession So Dauid was brought to repentance for his foule sinnes of adultery and murther by Nathans preaching and thundring Gods iudgements against him and not by his secret confessing So the people hauing heard Peter preach the worde of Act. 2. 37 De poeâ—itent dist 5. cap. in poeâ—itent iâ— gâ—ossa Concil tom 1 part 1. P. 155. Socrat. lib. â— cap. â—9 Sâ—zomen lib. 7 cap. 16 God were pricked in their hearts said vnto Peter the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe This is Gods holy ordinance the other a plant which God hath neuer planted but an inuention of man as euen your own Canonists against your Schoolemen doe confesse And what wickednes hath come of it the ecclesiasticall historie partly sheweth and God who seeth all secrets knoweth Your owne Aluarus Pelagius Bishop of Sylueus in Portugale in his booke de planctu ecclesiae writeth thus of your confession and confessioners Saepè cum parochâ—anis
heresie to whom you seeke to liken vs first I answere generally that neither whatsoeuer an heretike hath holden is to be counted heresie for there hath beene no heretike but he hath held some truth nor whatsoeuer a Godly father of the church hath maintained is to be esteemed for truth and verity for it is not vnknowne that the ancient Godly fathers had their infirmities and were subiect to some errors The which although by particuler examples might be declared yet at this present I will spare them Therefore a doctrine is not simply either to be reiected because an Heritike held it nor to bee imbraced because a Godly father maintained it But if it be agreeable to the word of God it is to be receiued if it dissent from it though an Angell from heauen deliuer it wee are to refuse it But Epiph heress 75. Augu. de her cap. 53. perticulerly to come to those persons here named I doe confesse that Aerius was an Heretike in maintayning the horrible heresie of Arius wherewith Epiphanius and Augustine do charge him But whereas they did obiect vnto him the denying of praier for the dead first I say that they doe not conuince and confute him by the scriptures And therefore let this Gentlewoman or some of her fauorers performe that which they haue ommitted and plainely proue this doctrine of praying for the dead by the holie canonicall scriptures and then wee will grant the deniall of it to be an herisie and Aerius for the same to haue beene an Heritike Secondly I say that that praier for the dead which Epiphanius and Augustine do meane neither doth prooue purgatorie nor is the same which the Papists doe Heres 75. now vse Epiphanius rendring a reason of their praiets for the dead doth not say that they praied for them that they might haue remission of such sinnes as were not here forgiuen them nor to make satisfaction for their sinnes and to release them out of the paines of purgatory for the Greeke Church whereof Epiphanius was neuer to this daie beleeued purgatorie but hee giueth this reason thereof that they which bee aliue should thinke and hope that they which bee departed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conses lib. de cap. 12 c. hence do liue and are not perished but bee and liue with God but they that bee and liue with God be in heauen and not in purgatory So Saint Augustine praied for his mother and yet beleeued that shee was in heauen so Saint Ambrose praied for Theodosius the Emperor and yet assured himselfe of his saluation For these be his words of him Absolutus certamime fruitur nunc Theodosius luce perpetua c. Theodosius beeing now freed from fight enioyeth eternall light continuall tranquility and glory in assemblie of the Saints Then Theodosius was not in purgatory The ancient Church also praied for the Virgine Lituâ—g Christ Mary for the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles and Martirs whom I hope this Catholike gentlewoman will not beleeue to haue beene in purgatory And therefore that kinde of praier for the dead which in the ancient Church was vsed was rather a commemoration of them and thanksgiuing for them then a petition to deliuer them from the fained fire of purgatory and so prooueth neither pick purse purgatorie nor that popish praier for the dead which is now vsed and maintained And thus much touching Aerius You also say that you haue beene told that Vigilantius was aboue a thousand yeares past condemned for an Hetike for denying praier vnto Saints But take heede you bee not ouer oredulous lightly to beleeue whatsoeuer a prating Priest or iugling Iesuite doth tell you lest you be deceiued as Eua was You should haue demanded how and where it doth appeare that Vigilantius was condemned for an Heritike for denying praier vnto Saintes Neither Epiphanius nor Augustine in their bookes of heresies doe condemne him or make mention of him Indeede Saint Hierome did write a bitter booke against him which I haue twise read ouer Yet cannot I perceiue that hee chargeth him with denying praier vnto Saintes neither doth Hierome make any defence thereof but seemeth rather to maintaine the contrary Affirming in these word that Martires are not to be worshipped Quis O insanum Hier. Contra. Vilgilani caput Mâ—rtires aliquando adorauit 1. For who oh thou foolish head at any time hath worshipped Mâ—rtires Indeede I confesse that Vigilantius denied that the Saints in heauen praied for vs one earth the which Saint Hierome aloweth But it is one thing for the Saints in heauen to pray for vs and another for vs to pray vnto them Though the former could bee prooued as by the holy scriptures it cannot yet the other is not there vpon to be inferred or graunted Lastly I say that if Vigilantius whom many Bishoppes of his time did fauour did deny praier to Saints yet vntill you haue effectually both confuted my reasons afore set downe and proued your doctrine by the scriptures wee will neither condemne it for Heresie nor count him therefore an Heretike As touching the Nouatian heretikes who denied repentance to them that after baptisme did fall wee abhorre their heresie and wish that the papists were as free from the poyson of them as we be The Nouatians gloried in their merites and so doe the Papists The Nouatians condemned second marriages and so doe Papistes in some in that one may not bee a priest that hath beene twise married The Nouatians re-baptised those that after Baptisme did fall and publikely offend and so doe papists in corners baptise such as haue beene baptized in our Churches which is an error condemned aboue a thousand yeares agoe You would haue vs to bee like Eustathius in denying pilgrimages to holy places But it will appeare that wee bee as vnlike as the papists bee like vnto him and in sundrie points doe ioyne hand in hand with him Sozomenus writeth of him that he was Monasticae Conuersationis Lib. 3 cap. 14. author 1. An author of Monastical life that is of Monkery And both there in an Epistle or preface before the CouÌ„sel called Gangrense in the which Eustathius and his doings Tom. 1. cons were condemned hee is charged with these things First that he had caused wiues to leaue their husbands and professe chastity wherevpon husbands and wiues sometimes fell into whoredome Secondly that dispising common vsuall garments he tooke new and strange habits Thirdly he caused seruants vnder a pretence of religion to forsake their Maisters and children their parents And women vppon the same pretence to sheare and cut of their haire Lastly that Priestes which were married were to bee despised and the Sacraments which they ministred were not to be touched Against this last error the fore-said Councell thus decreed Si quis cernit presbiterum coniugatum c. i. If Concil Gang. cap. 4. Tom. 1. Consil any make difference of a Priest that is married as though by