alleadge M. Bellarmines reasons though not alwayes because he is accounted learned amongest vs and also commeth after others so that he hath seene what others haue and hath taken out of them what he liketh And as in all this treatise my endeuour is to proue I trust with some good effect that the doctrine of the church of Rome is not catholike so that it may the better appeare I haue towards the end set downe an abridgement of Vincentius Lyrinensis whereby I trust the meanest that seeth it shal be able to iudge how they make an vniust claime to the catholike religion And although I know my own wants and could rather submit my selfe to be a scholer vnto many than a teacher almost of any yet because I know not how my minde giueth me that this manner of writing may do some good especially among the vnlearned that are desirous to be taught I thought my duetie forced me to take this in hand though I want many helpes and meanes that other haue And to whom should this my labour such as it is be due rather than vnto you next after that place where I did sucke as it were my first milke of learning and laid almost the foundation of that knowledge such as it is that God hath indued mee withall By your good liberalitie I confesse my selfe to be the better inabled to do any good be it neuer so little that I can do in the church of God To your Worships therefore I confesse this my trauell to be due as a simple token of my sincere heart which would haue yeelded a better remembrance if my abilitie could haue affoorded it And the rather do I dedicate this Booke vnto your W. Company that you seeing the meaning of bestowing your exhibition which is to bring vp Labourers in Gods haruest teachers in his church to be in some part performed in me who first in Oxford receiued your liberalitie as I doubt not but you haue seene much more plentiful fruit in many other you may the more willingly continue your godly course and not be weary of your wel-doing Accept in good part I pray you this simple gift and if you see in it but my desire to doe good giue glo◠y to God to whose good grace I commit you and yours and my selfe to your good prayers From my house at Ryton in the Bishoprike of Durham Anno 1595. ⧠A necessarie Table of all the principall matters contained in euery chapter of this Booke THAT the Scriptures or word written is onely Gods word and not traditions Chapter 1 That this word is sufficient Chapter 2 The Scripture a sure rule Chapter 3 Scriptures easie Chapter 4 That onely the canonicall bookes of the old and new testament are this written word or Scriptures Chapter 5 What the catholike church is that in the creede is mentioned Chapter 6 That the catholike church mentioned in the articles of our creede is not visible or to be seene Chapter 7 The church here militant vpon the earth may erre Chapter 8 Of the markes of the church or how we may know the true church Chapter 9 What a sacrament is what is the effect of it or what it worketh how many sacraments there are Chapter 10 Of the sacrament of Baptisme Chapter 11 Of Confirmation Chapter 12 Of the Lords supper and Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ and namely of transubstantiation Chapter 13 That the wicked receiue not in the sacrament Christs body and bloud Chapter 14 That the cup ought not to be denied to the lay people which thing the papists do Chapter 15 Against their sacrifice of the Masse or of the altar as they call it Chapter 16 Of true and christian repentance and of the Popish Sacrament of penance Chapter 17 Of lawfull calling into the ministerie and against the sacrament of Orders as they call it Chapter 18 Of matrimony that it is not a sacrament and that it is lawfull for all Chapter 19 Of anoiling or extreme vnction that it is not a sacrament Chapter 20 Of originall sin what it is and whether concupiscence be sin or not Chapter 21 Of the works of infidels and such as are not regenerate Chapter 22 Of Baptisme whether it doe extinguish and kill in vs originall sinne or not Chapter 23 That we haue not of our selues free wil or power to deliuer our selues from sinne Chapter 24 That by our workes we cannot bee iustified and against the doctrine of merites Chapter 25 Of iustification by faith and what faith is Chapter 26 That good works are necessary duties for all christians to perfourme Chapter 27 Of prayer to whome and how we should pray Chapter 28 Against Images in churches or anie where else for religions cause Chapter 29 What fasting is and of the true vse of fasting Chapter 30 Of Purgatorie Chapter 31 An Abridgement of Vincentius Lyrinensis with obseruations vpon the said Author Chapter 32 An exhortation to christian magistrates for to defend this truth Chapter 33 FINIS That the Scriptures or written word is onely Gods Word and not traditions CHAP. 1 THE PROTESTANTS The rule of faith life BEcause it is confessed of al that gods worde must bee the rule and square of our faith and life of our religion and conuersation It is very meete that first wee enquire what is this word of God And wee affirme What is gods word that that onelie which is contained in the Bookes of the old and new Testament is the very true word of God First bicause we are so often earnestly charged not to adde any thing to it or to take any thing from it Secondly this is prooued by the practise of the godlie of all times The Iewes most religiously kept the word written with great sinceritie and made it the Touchstone to try their actions by and by it they reformed such things as were amisse in religion especially As in Iehosaphat Ezechias Iosias and others it may appeare Christ also and his Apostles confirmed that which they taught out of the Scriptures yea they confirmed and expounded the Lawe Mat. 5. and preached no other gospell thā that which before was promised by the Prophets Rom. 1.2 And accounted them accursed that shoulde preach any other Gal. 1.6 7 8 9. Lastly the Fathers of the purer times of the Church did not only with open mouth submit their writings and doctrines to the iudgement of the Scriptures but also they tried doubts established all trueths and confuted all heresies onely by this word written THE PAPISTS BVt the Church of ROME not suffering herself to be hemmed in within so narow lists Prou. 22.28 hath remoued the ancient bounds which their fathers made and faineth that God who hath hitherto had but one voice now in our dayes shoulde speake with two tongues What is gods word in the Ro. church For they make Gods word to consist of two partes namely of the word written which we
cal the Scriptures and vnwritten which they call Traditions Traditions And the traditions say they were either deliuered by the Apostles themselues to some special men and therfore are called Apostolike or else are set downe by the Church and for that cause called Traditions of the Church Traditions equall with the word Now traditions are made equall and to be receiued with as great reuerence as the Scriptures euen by the Councel of Trent Ses 4. decre 1 Preferred before the word the most modest Papists But there are others who in their excesse of impietie preferre the trâ— ditions before the word written and make them of greater force than it as Pighius in his Ecclesiasticall hierarchie Eccl. Hierar lib. 1. cap. 4. Thesi 9. In his preface Wolfgangus Screckius Nay in that he wil by traditions haue all doctrines tried he manifestly subiecteth the pure written woorde of God to the prophane deuises of man BVt to take away the proppes of this their ruinous building let vs see what grounds or foundations for so Melchior Canus a learned Papist termeth them they lay of this their doctrine Obiection Melchior Canus in his common places of Diuinitie and Bellarmine in his controuersies lib. 3. cap. 3 Bellar. lib. 4 〈◊〉 of Gods worde dâ— written and others also set this downe as a most neceâ—â—â—rie principle That the Church is more ancient than the Scriptures As in trueth the Church was more than two thousand yeres before there was any written word of God in bookes and therefore Bellarmine inferreth That the Scriptures are not simply necessary Answere First this ground doeth not vpholde that which is in controuersie among vs. For they shoulde prooue traditions to bee a part of Gods worde so that without them Gods word could not bee counted perfect And to proue that they tel vs that it was more than two thousand yeeres before the woord was written Which maketh nothing for them vnlesse they can shew vs that this word which is now written is not that same that before was deliuered by tradition vnto the fathers of that old world For the question betweene vs and the Papists is not of the maner of deliuering Gods word whether it were deliuered by word or by writing but of the matter namely whether Gods word be any thing else than that is written in the old and new testament which we deny but they affirme it because the word was so long time vnwritten yet the church was not then without the word So that because the word was reuealed after an other manner the Papists wil haue it another word Whereas in trueth that same word that was from the beginning Iohn 1.1 what word that is that is written is that verie word of God that was so long after the beginning written for the Iewes and is now deliuered vnto vs. Wee must therefore take heede that they deceiue vs not by the double signification of the word Scripture which sometime expresseth the manner of deliuering the word namely by writing and so we confesse the scripture was not so ancient as the church by mo than two thousand yeares but sometime the word Scripture signifieth the word it selfe which is deliuered vnto vs as it is commonly now taken and in this place must so be vnderstoode And so hath the word written beene from the beginning That is to say that the selfe same word which God by word of mouth as we say and by tradition did teach the patriarkes hee afterwards did cause to be written which word wee call the holy scriptures And further also we must remember that one manner of deliuering the word of God Diuerse maners of deliuering the word at diuerse times is fit for one time and an other manner of deliuering it for an other time As may appeare by that which hath beene said how that God hath in his infinite wisedome seene it needefull to deliuer it one way afore the Lawe in an other sort vnder the Lawe and the Gospell although not in like measure in both these latter times So that this argument cannot stand good The scriptures haue not beene written in the first age amongst the patriarkes therefore they are not necessary now amongst vs in these dayes to whom God hath by them reuealed his word Which argument is strongly confuted by Chrysostome that learned and ancient Father In Matth. hom 1. But to these men who are as Tertullian calleth the Heretikes of his time lucifugae scripturarum De resurrect carnis such as shunne the light of the scriptures and flee from it I may say as the same Tertullian speaketh in an other place De prescript Beleeue without the Scriptures that yee may also beleeue against the Scriptures Let them seeke the desert of their owne deuises and follow the trod of their owne traditions to finde out some couert for their superstitions but let vs content our selues to dwell in the cities of the Lawe the Prophets the Gospel and the Apostles which are the Scriptures and not goe out of them In Mich. li. 1 as Saint Ierome speaketh For euery word of God is pure Prou. 30.5 6 hee is a shield to those that trust in him Put nothing to his word lest he reprooue thee and thou be found a liar That this VVorde is sufficient CHAP. 2 THE PROTESTANTS This word is sufficient NOw this written word of God because it is sent vs froÌ„ that most gratious God that hath loued vs and chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laide Eph. 1.4 that we might be holy with out blame before him and is brought vnto vs by that most excellent Prophet In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss 2.3 and therefore can teach vs Heb. 3.2 who also is faithful and therefore wil deale truely with vs yea who so heartily loueth vs that hee died for vs and therefore doubtlesse will be careful to teach vs what behooueth vs to knowe Seeing also the Apostle saint Paul doeth testifie that he kept nothing backe that was profitable Acts 20.20 27 but shewed them all the councell of God We therefore beleeue the Scriptures to be written Ioh. 20.31 that wee might beleeue and beleeuing might haue eternall life 2. Tim. 3.16 And that the whole scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse 17 That the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes that is that the Scripture is so sufficient and perfect that it hath no want it needeth no supply nothing must be added THE PAPISTS BVT the Church of Rome knowing that Tertullian wrote truely De resurrect carnis That Heretikes if they be made to proue that they say by the Scriptures can not stand do find fault that they should be so straitly limited and tethered that
that with diligence the scriptures must be searched and without loathsomnes yea with reuerence receiued But that wee may the more easily and euidently see how little these fathers do make for them it is necessary to see with what purpose and to what end these say that they do write of the hardnesse of the scriptures Namely not to discourage men from reading of them but to stirre them vp to more diligence and carefulnesse in reading them As may appeare by the earnest and vehement exhortations which the ancient fathers doe make not onely to all men generally Hom. 9. in epist ad Coloss but euen to lay men in particular and especially Heare saith Chrysostome all yee lay men that are present and that haue wiues and children howe the Apostle commandeth euen you especially to reade the Scriptures and not to reade them only as it were by chance but with great diligence with many other such like exhortations in that place as also in many other of his writings Saint Hierome in sundry of his epistles vnto godly women exhorteth them to diligent reading of the same he also to intice them to be conuersant therein dedicateth vnto some women som of his treatises vpon the scriptures Yea and in his preface vnto Paula and Eustochium two women before his first booke vpon the epistle to the Ephesians which is the place out of which Bellarmines second argument out of Hierome was fetched doth highly commend the study and knowlege of the scriptures And in his preface vnto his second booke doth extoll Marcella for her diligent study therein Hom. 20 in Ios preferring her before himselfe Thou wilt say saith Origen the scriptures are hard yet it is good to reade them And wisheth that we all would doe as it is written namely Search the Scriptureâ— â—â—â—nelius Agryppa reporteth 〈◊〉 S 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in the first Nicene councell it was decreed that no christian man should be without a bible in his house And Chrysostome exhorteth euen lay men and that very earnestly to get them Bibles Hom. 9 in Coloss or at the least the new Testament So then wee see to what intent the Fathers tell vs that the Scriptures are hard namely because they would not haue vs to be careles in the study of them and negligent or to imagine when wee knowe somewhat that we neede knowe no more but as Hierome would haue vs to doe Epistol ad Pâ—â— liâ— um We must cracke the nut if wee will eate the kernell We must take paines to get knowledge assuring our selues that wee can neuer learne too much because wee can neuer knowe enough And saint Augustine in his Confessions saith Liâ— 6. cap. â— they ought to bâ— read of all But the Papists in complaining of the hardnes of the scriptures shoot at an other marke that is to make the simple people afraide that they meddle not with it that they reade it not neither yet heare it read vnto them So that besides the other slaunders wherewith they seeke to staine Gods word proclaiming it not to be sufficient but that it wanteth many things and may be wrested to any fence they adde this also that it is hard and therefore dangerous for them that are not learned to reade it And this is the very cause why they speake so much of the hardnesse of the scriptures as not onely their writings and words proclaime in all places but also their cruell executions against such as haue had in their mother tongue For libr. ◠〈◊〉 is and Momun in the beginning I say not the bible or the New Testament but euen the Lordes prayer or the tenne commaundements which they would seeme to allow vnto the people Gregory Nazianzene doth write In Apologâ—â— that some ancient men amongst the Hebrewes report of a custome which the Iewes had which he also commendeth which was that some places of the scriptures were not permitted 〈…〉 body to reade before they were fiue and twentie yeeres old but the rest of the scripture they should learne euen from their childehoode Where note that they make no difference of any state calling or sexe but of age onely and that when they were fiue and twentie yeares olde they might reade any parcell of Scripture But the Papists permit not any parcell of the scriptures to the lay people nay hardly to their priests but onely as they will followe such sence thereof as they appoint Yea I haue knowen bachellors of diuinity admitted to reade some booke of the master of sentences as the vse then was when they proceeded so that this was their conclusion They are hard therefore you shall not reade them That the scriptures are so hard as they are Papists to be blamed for hardnesse of the Scripture by their and to so many none are to bee blamed but the church of Rome that so much complaineth of their hardnesse but in trueth are sory they are so easie as is most plaine to see first in that they would not haue them in the mother tongues but when they see there is no remedy but that the scripture will be published whether they will or not they send vs a Testament from Rhennes Translations so full of Hebrew Latine and Greeke wordes turned into English letters that all the world may see that they meane nothing lesse than that they that reade it should vnderstand it And yet they cry The scripture is hard Secondly they are the cause of the hardnesse of the scriptures when in the most plaine places that are they will not suffer men to follow that sence which the words themselues and the circumstances both before and after doe affoord Interpretations but they must haue their interpretation from the church of Rome without whose approbations they must neither trust their own eies for seeing nor their eares for hearing neither yet their wit for vnderstanding of any thing When they change the very sence and wordes and where they finde Lord they put Lady as in that blasphemous booke called the psalter of the Virgine Marie they doe through the whole psalmes and some other places When the first promise that was made of that blessed seede that should breake the head of the serpent they apply as much as they dare vnto the Virgine Marie when these wordes shall be currant stuffe to proue worshipping of the Saints departed In as much as yee haue doone it to the least of these my brethren Math. 25.40 yee haue doone it vnto mee which are spoken of our goodnesse to Gods needy creatures aliue as Eckius imagineth in his common places De vener sanct when I say the people are taught thus to vnderstand the scriptures must they not needes bee hard Lastly the greatest cause of this hardnesse is that the people are not acquainted with them for they are forbidden to reade them nay Forbidding to reade scripture it hath beene death to haue them found with the
down so many fathers and reasons as partly I haue alleaged to the contrary and might haue alledged many mo But their meaning is plaine enough For although S. Augustine and that Councel of Carthage and others say that all those bookes are canonicall yet wee must vnderstand them according to their meaning They diuided all the scripturs that went in the name of scriptures but into two parts Those which they called Apocrypha De ciuit Dei lib. 15. ca. 23 lâ— b. 3. cap. 25 Euseb had many fables as may appeare by saint Augustine now all the rest they called Canonicall so that they comprehend vnder that name all that Eusebius and others do vnderstand both by such bookes as were without all controuersie receiued of al men and such as were not generally receiued of all but well liked of many And they comprehend all these in one name not only because that in comparison of the other that were fabulous these were good but also because they were read commonly of them although not for establishing of anie doctrine as before I haue shewed yet for reformation of manners And that S. Augustines meaning was not to make like account of all appeareth not onely by that rule which himselfe setteth downe in that very chapter after he hath reckoned vp those Bookes canonicall Those canonicall bookes which are generally saith he receiued by the common consent of all Churches De doctrinâ— christiana li. 2. cap. 8. 30 are to bee preferred before them that are reiected of many but of those whom we call Apocrypha Origen Athanasius Epiphanius Melito Hierome Ruffinus and many other haue doubted but also by his practise For it will appeare how that somtime himself doubteth of some of them which we deny to be canonicall namely of the Machabees hee writeth thus against the second Epistle of Gaudentius the Donatist Lib. 2. cap. 23 This peece of Scripture of the Machabees the Iewes do not so account of as of the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes vnto the which the Lord giueth testimony as vnto his own witnesses saying Al things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes of me but it is receiued of the Church not without profite if it bee read or heard soberly Wherin first I note that the Iewes with whom the word of God was kept before it came to vs did not account it canonicall Secondly note how he magnifieth the witnes of the scriptures which are indeede canonical calling them the Lords owne witnesses And thirdly how coldly hee intertaineth the bookes of Machabees saying the church readeth them and that with profit if they be read soberly by reason of some good examples in them But yet more plainely in his Bookes of the citie of God Lib. 18. c. 36. The reckoning of time from the restoring of the Temple is not found in the holy Scriptures that are called Canonicall but in other writings amongst which are the Bookes of the Machabees which the Iewes reckon not canonicall but the church doth bicause of the extreame strange sufferings of some Martires Wherein wee see how that S. Augustine saith that wee knowe not the story of those times after the temple was built by any canonicall writer but yet by the Machabees wee know it therefore the Machabees are not canonicall And yet the church accounteth them saith he canonicall because of the examples of the Martyres in them As if he would haue saide Although those Bookes be not indeede such as you may build your faith vpon yet they are for some things worth the reading Which two places I stoode vpon the rather because Bellarmine alledgeth them De verbo de lib. 1. cap. 15. especially this latter as a speciall pillar to hold vp those Bookes of Machabees But howe truely let the Reader iudge Arg. 3 Their third and last argument is taken from that authority which they imagine the Church hath to approoue or disprooue Gods word And therefore is it so often repeated by Bellarmine handling this point That the Councell of Trent hath allowed such Bookes De verbo dei lib. 1. De ecclesia So that hee iumpeth right with that which most blasphemously Eckius hath set downe that twice within few lines he liked so well of it That the Scriptures are not authenticall or canonicall without the authoritie of the church And Canus setteth himselfe to make a full discourse against them that say Lib 2. de locis Theol. ca. 6 That the Scripture needeth not the approbation of the church And thus they must reason The church hath allowed those bookes to be canonicall which you call Apocrypha according as did also the ancient fathers therefore they are canonicall Answere That the weakenesse and wickednesse of this argument may appeare let vs first consider who is the Author of the holy scriptures which the Apostle declareth as plainly as can be when he saith 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration from God Therefore the scripture is the word not of man but of God Secondly let vs see how this word came to vs whether by tradition of the church or by special reuelation Which also is plainly answered by saint Peter saying 2. Pet. 1.21 that prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost What will we then say shall we imagin that God would direct by his holy Spirite the mouthes of his seruants to speake but not their pennes to write God forbid Thirdly the men whome it pleased God to vse as his meanes in setting downe this word were knowen vnto the church of that time wherein they flourished and their calling so confirmed vnto the godly that without all doubt or wauering they receiued those writings as Gods word because they knew the authors thereof to be directed by Gods spirit And this is the difference that the ancient fathers doe make betweene those Bookes of scripture whose authors were knowen and their bookes alwayes receiued and therefore called Canonicall that is such as deliuer rules for life and doctrine that are infallible and those other that are called Apocrypha because either it was not knowen who wrote them or else it was not knowen that they were indued with such a spirite as they could not erre in any thing And therefore their Bookes were not receiued of the church then Is it not then intollerable pride in the church of Rome to commaund silence vnto God himselfe and not to suffer him to speake but when they giue him leaue and to proclame it vnto the world that euen his word is not of credite vnlesse it be by their approbation and allowance of the same And yet thus doe they say when they affirme that the Scriptures are not Canonicall but by the approbation of the Church Yea some make them no better than Esopes Fables if the Church allowe not
we derogate anie thing herein from the power of the spirit whose direction if we could follow we should neuer do amisse but impute it to our owne weaknes ignorance corruption whereby it commeth to passe that euen the godly many times grieue Gods spirit and suffer him not to haue his perfect worke Other arguments also they haue but they haue scarce any shew of truth and therefore I thinke them not worthie answering for their places out of the fathers doe commend the faith of Rome that then was and their constancie in the same but what is that to this degenerate church of Rome that now is of the church whereof we may say as one saith of their citie that a man will seeke Rome in the midst of Rome So a man will seeke the church euen in the midst of their most shewe of religion and yet not finde it Of the markes of the Church or how wee may know the true Church CHAP. 9. THE PROTESTANTS WE must iudge of the tree of the church by the fruits that she bringeth foorth that is by the faith or religion that shee teacheth the confession or profession of the same that she maketh the exercise of the same that she vseth but we cānot iudge truely of these her fruits but only by the scriptures as in the fiue first chapters hath beene shewed therfore the true and infallible tokens or markes of the true church are to be had out of the word of God or the Scriptures THE PAPISTS NOwe the Papistes will haue their church to bee the true church because shee hath by vniust claime a good name to bee called Catholike Name catholike Antiquity Continuance Greatnesse Succession because shee is ancient and hath lasted long she is great and hath alwayes borne fruit such as it was for these are the first fiue notes reckoned vp by Bellarmine Lib. 4. de notis eccles and indeede their chiefest which especially they rest vppon And may not an euill tree haue all these properties Yes verely And as for the rest of his marks in the iudgement of an indifferent Reader they will neuer be accounted true markes of the Church excepting those notes wherein he seemeth to consent with vs to try the church by the word namely by holinesse of doctrine Because I haue in another treatise shewed I trust sufficiently that those markes of the church which they make greatest account of neither are any true markes and that we may make as good claime to them as they can it shall now be sufficient briefly to passe ouer this point and with one or two arguments to answer this question The scripture the true note of the true church Those markes of the church whereby wee may truely know the church and not be deceiued those I say onely are the true markes of the church But the scriptures onely are such Therefore they onely are the infallible markes The maior or first proposition no man will deny And that the Scriptures are such may appeare by infinite testimonies De pec merit remiss lib. 1. cap. 22. Saint Augustine saith it can not deceiue nor be deceiued And against the Donatists de bapt lib. 2. cap. 6. calleth the Scriptures the holy wey-scales or ballances Cap. 1. And in his booke de bono viduitatis he saith that the holy scripture doth set him his rule how to teach And to be short writing vpon saint Iohns Epistle he saith that Against deceitfull errours In Ioh. epist tractatu 2. God would set a strength or stay in the scriptures And Chrysostome saith vpon Genesis Hom. 12. in Genes that the Scripture wil not suffer him to erre or go astray that heareth it And therefore Gregory Nazianzene sometimes calleth the Scriptures The Kings high way Matth. 24. And our sauior Christ although he foretold the danger of error a litle before he suffered yet doeth hee not giue the Disciples any such markes whereby they should know the true Christ or true church as the Papistes speake of but he earnestly commendeth his word vnto them Ioh. 14.15 23. 15.7 And feruently prayeth vnto his father to sanctifie them with his trueth Ioh. 17.3 17 namely with his word for he knew that to be the way to keepe them from errour By all which it appeareth that the scriptures onely are accounted that perfect rule not only by the iudgement of the fathers but also by the practise of our sauiour Christ But most plainly S. Chrysost saith Opere imperf hom 49 That the true Church can be knowen only by the Scriptures I know that Bellarmine answereth this place in his 4. booke de verbo Dei ca. 11. after two sorts First that the booke sauoureth somwhat of Arianisme But in these words what Arianisme can Bellarmine finde Yea Bellarmine himselfe doth in other places alleage this booke But his second answer I confesse is very forcible For he telleth vs that in a booke printed of late that place is left out Haue they not thinke you answered the place strongly when they haue thrust it quite out of the booke If they had vsed Chrysostome onely in this sort yet were it too bad dealing but it may appeare by Franciscus Iunius his preface before the booke called Index Expurgatorius that they haue left few of the Fathers vncorrupted I would to God therefore that this and such other gelding and falsifying of the fathers by that deceiuing church of Rome which seekes to make them al say as she doth could stir vp the christiā princes that professe religion in a godly care to prouide for the safetie and maintenaunce of religion and the trueth thereof in time to come Which in my iudgement can not well be perfourmed except that to preuent the credite of those falsified copies which within short time are almost onely like to remaine because the ancient which are the truest wil be worne out the godly Princes by common consent woulde take some speedy order for printing of al the fathers according to the ancientest and most pure copies that might be found The second argument is this Whatsoeuer notes do not teach it to be euidently true that the church whereof they are the notes is the true church of God may deceiue and therefore are not certaine notes of the true church But such are the notes that the Papists would haue vs to beleeue therefore they are but deceitfull notes De verbo de◠lib. 1. cap. 2. The maior or first proposition is most true and may well bee prooued out of that axiome or rule that Bellarmine setteth downe saying De notis eccles li. 3. ca. 3. That the rule of the catholike faith must bee sure or certaine The minor or second proposition is Bellarmines owne confession euen in the selfe same words that I haue set downe Therefore it followeth necessarily that we must not trust the notes of the catholike church set downe by them CHAP. 10. Before I beginne
of them O blasphemie intollerable if this their argument might bee allowed then the church of Rome which falsely challengeth to bee the church Caus 15. Quaest 6. ca. Autoritatem Dâ— st 34. c. sector dist 82. presbyt would soone prooue their abhominable Idolatries and heresies to be true religion And therefore doe they challenge this authoritie and striue for it And the Pope sometimes dispenseth against the Apostle as their Canonists doe note and sometimes a Councell dispenseth against the apostle and all this is to challenge vnto their church this prerogatiue that it may deale with Gods word as it will When Gregorie the thirteenth pope of that name confirmed the order of the fellowship of the blessed virgine Marie a new deuised order and come vp since the order of Iesuites in his Bull hee confirmeth and ratifieth all such priuileges as they haue or shall haue Notwithstanding anie Constitutions or Ordinances Apostolike or whatsoeuer may be against it Did you euer reade or heare any speake more like the beast mentioned in the Apocalips Apoc. 13.5 6 who had a mouth giuen vnto him that spake blasphemies But to be short I will against their argument oppose this Whatsoeuer scriptures are not giuen by inspiration of God spirit and by the godly receiued into the canon of the scripturs those are not the word of God though they haue the approbation of the latter churches but such are the Bookes which wee call Apocrypha which the councell of Trent would make of like authoritie with the canonicall Scriptures therefore those Bookes are not the vndoubted word of God And howe can any body imagine that that which once hath beene not canonicall can by continuaunce of time and confirmation of men become canonicall or that which God hath not vouched woorthy to bee his word in times past that nowe at the last he should acknowledge the same as though hee were nowe chaunged or had repented him of his former opinion Admit once this doctrine of theirs and farewell all certaintie in religion For men will wander from one thing to an other as wee see in the kingdome of darkenesse and Poperie where there is no ende of deuotions deuised and inuentions of men So that that which was good christianitie in the dayes of Christ and of his Apostles is nowe holden to be farre from the perfection of a godly life vnlesse wee doe helpe it with our will-worshippings and by the obeying the preceptes of the church Nay graunt them this and then that worde written that wee haue it shall speake nothing but Romish so that whatsoeuer is the meaning and true sense of the scriptures yet God must be taught to speake as the church of Rome will haue him De verbo dei lib. 4. cap. 11. To this ende tendeth that common axiome receiued of them all and vsed by Bellarmine The true sense of the Scripture hangeth of vnwritten traditions So that beleeue them and they will easily confute any aduersaries For first they alow for scripture what they will Secondly that which they must needes confesse to bee Scripture must bee expounded by their vnwritten Traditions That I say that is written by that which is vnwritten the certaine by the vncertaine Like to Procustes his bed which who so lay in it if he were too long he was cut shorter if he were too short he was stretched out longer So must all be made fit to their traditions Seeing therefore the Canonical Bookes haue so manifest a testimonie not onely of the godly but euen of the aduersaries themselues and the credite of the Apocrypha by so great authorities is suspect I will conclude with belâ— armines words That he is not well in his wit that not regardâ— ng â—â— e Scripture the surest and safest rule wâ— ll refeâ— re hâ— mself to the iudgement of the inward spirâ— t which is often deceitfull and alwayes vncertaine as in truth the Papists do For they will make you beleeue that because they are guided by the holy Ghost they cannot erre in their traditions This rule then of Gods written word in the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament being set downe as a rule most sure to trâ— e all doctrines with let vs now proceed to examine other matters in controuersy among vs when I shal first haue answered a common obiection wherein all the most ignorant sort especially of Papists doe maruellously trust and triumph and doe therewith deceiue others such as them selues are How shal I know the scriptures say they to be the scriptures but by the authoritie of the Church I will not answer although I might very well that absurdly they call that in question whereof there is no doubt among vs. For neither we nor they denie Gods word It is knowne of all it is receiued of vs all Therfore they put case of that there is not neither is likely to be amongs vs. But for their sakes that are ignorant I answer plainely and shortly out of Saint Augustine Coâ— feâ— li. 6. cap. 5. Thou Lord hast perswaded me that they are blame worthie not who haue beleeued thy bookes which thou hast so setled almost in all nations but they that haue not beleeued them And that I should not heare them if perchance any would say to me How knowest thou that those bookes the scripture are giuen to mankinde by the spirite of one very and most true God Yea Saint Augustine there confesseth that when he was but a nouice in religion yet was he perswaded that God would neuer haue made the whole world so to reuerence the Scriptures but that he meant to be beleeued in them and to be sought out by them We see then by saint Augustine that not onely that common account that the whole world not the Church onely maketh of the Scriptures should be sufficient to stop our mouths for asking that question but also that he flatly telleth vs that God would not haue vs to heare such faithles and fruitles obiections But I know they will by and by come vpon me with that place of Augustine Cont. epist 〈◊〉 c. 5. I would not beleeue the Gospel vnlesse the authoritie of the Church should moue me thereto Out of which they will perchance conclude as grosly as you heard Eckius hath done That the Scripture it selfe hath no credite but as the Church will bestow it vpon the same But Melchior Canus a learned Papist doth gather otherwise out of that place and doth in deed truely answere this common obiection for vs out of the said words of S. Augustine concluding thus Therefore it teacheth not Locor Theo lib. 1. cap. â— that beleeuing the Gospel is grounded vpon the authoritie of the Church but onely that there is no sure way whereby either Infidels or Nouices in faith may come to the holy Scriptures but the consent of the Catholike Church Yea he hath taught a little before in that Chapter that although to haue faith
certaine external meanes and helpes are required yet those moue vs nothing without the working of Gods holy spirit And he much misliketh of them that teach that our faith must rest vpon that point That we beleue that the church is true or cannot erre For therevpon he gathereth this absurditie that our faith should be grounded vpon the truth not of God but of man He also plainly affirmeth that if a man should aske how the faithfull do know that God hath reuealed that which they beleeue they cannot answere by the authoritie of the Church but it is by the inward light of Gods spirit that they know the same If now thou aske me how I know the Scriptures to be the Scriptures I answere out of Canus not by the authority of the Church but by the motion of Gods spirit and witnesse thereof If thou vrge that place of Augustine Canus telleth thee that they who are become Christians are not so brought to beleeue the Scriptures but onely Infidels and Nouices in religion So that this place serueth nothing to obiect against vs who professe Christianitie alreadie and beleeue the worde which the Manichies did not of whom and to whom Saint Augustine there writeth But we had neede out of that place to admonish you that in respect of that reuerence which with one consent al that professe Christianitie doe yeeld vnto the scriptures you would be ashamed so to depraue and despise them so to abuse and reiect them at your owne pleasure as you alwayes haue done You make vnlawfull that which God hath mad lawfull as for example It was lawfull in the Apostles time for euerie Priest Dion Carth. 1. Tim. 3. Bishop and Deacon to haue one wife but now by the appointment of the Pope they may not haue a wife sayth a friend of your owne a bird of your owne nest So that not the scripture or the will of God but the worde of the Pope must be the rule of our life so that whereas Augustine for the Church beleeued the scriptures you for your Churches sake controll the scriptures and disobey them And for the establishing of that vndue honour which they would bestow vpon the most happie mother of Christ the virgin Mary Marke the boldnesse of Durand a great piller in the Popish Church Rathon◠di◠li. 4. rub 6. who writeth thus Although it is said in the Scriptures that Christ rising did first appeare to Marie Magdalen yet it is more truly beleeued that first of all he appeared to his mother Is it not plaine how that to establish their foolish toyes he giueth the lie to that word that is onely true O grosse boldnesse Seeing therefore this worde hath not onely testimonie within vs which is the strongest witnesse but also with so great consent is knowne to be Gods worde be ashamed now to call it into question or to put it to the triall of the Church by which the Papists alwaies vnderstand the Romish Church whether it shal be allowed for currant or not For in deede this blasphemous sense which as I haue shewed euen their owne friends can in no wise like of is now the cōmon exposition of those words of S. Aug. I will not beleeue the scriptures vnlesse the Church of Rome do allow the Bookes for Canonicall and expound them as she shall thinke good And thus much to answer this their common obiection What the Catholike Church is that is mentioned in the Creede CHAP. 6 THE PROTESTANTS VVE say with the Apostle Saint Paul that the catholike church which is spoken of in the Creede s. Tim. 3. Is the house of God the pillar and ground of truth And with the fathers that it is the companie of all the faithfull of all times and of all places And with Saint Iohn The Bride of the Lambe Apoc. 21 9. and the bodie of Christ And therefore that the wicked and faithlesse are not of this Church nor can be counted of this companie THE PAPISTS BVt the Church of Rome to get a Catholike Church admit good and bad to be of their Church namely reprobates wicked Bellar. de Eccle. li. 3. cap. 2. and vngodly ones Neither do thinke that they neede any inward vertue to bee of their Church but onely that they professe religion and be vnder the Pope Well may they in some sort seeme to haue a Catholike Church because all is fish that comes into their net but holy apostolike it shal not be nor Catholike as in the Creed is meant Wherein this is worthie to be reproued in them that whereas they crie out in worde and writing The Catholike church of Rome and vnlesse you beleeue the Catholike Church you cannot be saued And for proofe hereof they alledge this article I beleeue the Catholike church yet when they should tell vs what this Catholike church is wherevnto we must so necessarily be subiect they onely paint vnto vs I know not what Romish Church The catholike church in the Creed and the Romish contrary which is no more like the true Catholike church than that church of Israel when it was started aside from the true worship of God was like to the true church of God that remained amongest the people of the Iewes as by these few reasons may appeare The catholike church is One One that is to say one companie and vnited and knit togither by one spirite and the selfe same graces but the reprobate and vngodly who fill vp a place in the Romish catholike church neither are one company with the Saints nor vnited to them by the same spirit and graces to be partakers of the communion of Saints Therefore that catholike and the Romish catholike Church are not all one Secondly that Church is Holy Holy and that not in part but perfectly euen without spot or wrinckle Ephe. 5.26.27 For in our Creed we doe not speake of the church that is but that shal be not that which we see with our eye but by faith not that which is perfected but hoped for which we shall not in deede behold with our eyes Reuel 21 vntill it come downe from heauen as saint Iohn speaketh of the heauenly Ierusalem Apoc. 11 which as witnesseth saint Ambrose doth represent the Church that shall bee after the ende of the world Apoc. 21 Of which minde is also saint Augustine But the Romish catholike church is of omnigatheroms as people goe to faires or markets of all sorts and qualities And although a man haue not one good thing in him not one crum of honestie hee is good enough to make vp a number in the Church of Rome but such a church is not holy and therefore not that that is mentioned in the Creede Thirdly that church is catholike Catholike that is as all the godly haue acknoledged it the mother of all Christians the companie of all the saints both in heauen and vpon earth But the Romish catholike church
deified it is not This seemeth to bee all one with the heresie of Nestorius who taught that Christ had a defiled bodie But afterwards maister Bellarmine perchaunce not liking very well of his first answere seemeth to me to haue chaunged his opinion as after shall appeare But here in my iudgement he is of another minde than Durand hath learned of Pope Innocentius of the which I spake before in the comparison For there Durand sayth that it miraculously ceaseth to be Christs bodie But if we apply this similitude brought by Bellarmine it should seeme that he will haue Christs body to remaine but not to be hurt as the deitie which is euerie where coÌ„tinueth and yet is hurt of nothing But if he be of one minde with Pope Innocentius and Durand I would then faine know where that bodie of Christ that ceaseth to bee in that Mouseaten host doth rest or what becommeth of it But in the ende of that Chapter because manie sayth he mislike that Christes bodie should bee eaten of Mice or beasts When he was an infant he might so be and therefore why may hee not much more now in another shape and when he cannot bee hurt thereby bee eaten of them Before he said he could not bee eaten Nowe hee sayth he may Whereby it appeareth he knew not well what to say These straights are they brought vnto whilest they seeke to maintaine that their doctrine of Transubstantiation See of this point Bell. de Euch. li. 1 ca. 9. in the beginning Now beside these and many other absurdities which follow this doctrine of transubstantiation as that Christ hath his owne body the darknes and hardnes of that doctrine is such as that the schoolemen cannot agree vpon it how Christs body should bee in the forme of bread Whosoeuer should read the third book that master Bellarmine writeth of the Eucharist wherein he endeuoureth to establish this doctrine De Euch. li. 1. cap. 6. shall find it too hard for them that haue many yeares professed learning to vnderstand their subtilties in this point And who then can imagine that our sauiour Christ would deliuer vnto his Church for Sacraments which should bee common to all those things that should containe such hidden mysteries as the verie learned men cannot vnderstand De doct Christ li. 3. cap. 9. Nay Bellarm. thinketh it absurd so to thinke or that saint Augustine would haue commended our Sacraments as most easie when all the learned finde these popish opinions to be most intricate and hard We haue seene the absurditie of this doctrine now let vs view the weaknesse of the proofe In the scriptures for the most part they can finde but one place Take eate this is my bodie Tit. Transub Ioh. 6.51 For that which Eckius in his Enchiridion alledgeth out of the sixt of saint Iohn his Gospel The bread which I will giue is my flesh his owne friends thinke it not worth citing for this poynt For what a reason is this The breade which I saide before came downe from heauen is my flesh therefore the Sacramentall bread is transubstantiated into the bodie of Christ But for those wordes This is my bodie alledged out of the three first Euangelists and saint Paul because they are the verie rocke and refuge which at all needes they haue recourse vnto for helpe of this their doctrine of Transubstantiation it would be somewhat particularly examined Sundry arguments therefore I haue to induce me to affirme that this place can not proue transubstantiation The first is this If these words This is my body do proue transubstantiation then is that doctrine proued by plaine and expresse wordes of scripture But by expresse words of scripture that doctrine cannot be proued therfore that place proueth not TraÌ„substantiation The truth of the first proposition is apparant because either the plaine and literall sense of these wordes prooue that doctrine or else it is not proued therby And the minor or 2. proposition is not mine but it is the words of Mel. Canus a learned Papist of D. Chadsy De locis Theol. li. 3. cap. 3. Disp cum Pet. Mart. de Eucharistia Therfore the first being true and the second being by them confessed the conclusion must needes be strong against them The second argument maister Bellarmine will affoord me The Sacraments are instituted and appointed by such wordes as may giue least occasion of errour or doubt for this Bellarmine proueth in many words De Euchar. li. 1. ca. 9. and by many reasons But so to expounde this place that Transubstantiation should be forced out of it bringeth many obscurities and doubts therefore Transubstantiation is not to be prooued out of these wordes The first proposition is Bellarmines as I haue sayd and therefore I neede not proue it That so to expound the wordes This is my bodie that Transubstantiation should be proued out of it is to make Christ speake very obscurely and doubtfully appeareth by their manifest wringing and wresting of the place For the word This spoke by Christ Bellar. de Euchar. li. 1. cap. 11. when he had the bread in his hand they will not haue to be vnderstood of the bread no nor of the bodie of Christ but somthing contained vnder the forme of bread as Bellarmine out of Thomas of Aquine and out of Guitimund teacheth And I pray you when shall the people vnderstand what that third thing is that is contained vnder those formes But why should I looke for this at the hands of the vnlearned seeing that the learnedst can not shew what this is Are not such darke deuises the cause of many errours Where now is I pray you that plainnesse and aptnes of speach in the institution of a sacrament which before Belarmine commended Not in such vnsauorie subtilties Bellarmi de â—â—â—â— ar li. 3. cap. 8. Yea it is by him flatly confessed that although in respect of that regard they haue of the councels and the Church their Diuines agree herein yet in the maner thereof they disagree verie much But what should I stand vpon this point cap. 9. Bellarmine which in the first booke of the Eucharist doth make his argument against Luther of the easinesse and of the plainnesse of the wordes that belong to the institution of the Sacrament proouing that of necessitie they must so be least thereby men should take occasion of errour or doubting and condemneth Luthers doctrine as obscure as though hee had beene then in a sound sleepe and nowe were well wakened li. 3. cap. 8. In his third booke he commendeth their doctrine vnto vs concerning the Sacrament because it is exceeding hard and condemneth ours because it is so easie that euery bodie may vnderstande it Well to be short thus I reason The wordes of the institution must be taken in the plainest sense or meaning But that sense that is wrested out of them for Transubstantiation is not plaine Therefore that sense of those
receiueth only them that acknowledge the bishop of Rome to be their head If then they dare not affirme the pope to be the head of them that are in heauen I trust they will not from henceforth charge vs to be iniurious to the church of Rome if we affirme it not to bee the true catholike church If they reply that the church may bee called catholike in other respects than in that only which I haue mentioned I graunt it But the question amongst vs in deed is whether the church of Rome be the true catholik church which euen by our creed we are bound to beleeue Which the papists affirm therfore would haue the world to imagine that we despise the catholike church which is mentioned in the creede when we vpon iust causes depart from that Romish church which hath set it selfe these many yeares against Gods church As for the principal arguments wherby they would proue that they say do nothing touch the catholike church which is the thing in question but only the state of the church in this life and therefore are not worthie the repeating But among other absurdities which they are forced to grant for to defend this their vntrue assertion this is blasphemous although they all defend it That some of the members of Christes bodie shal not be saued As though there were not vertue inough in Christ to quicken all them that are grafted into him whereas in truth He that hath the sonne hath life That is also absurd that if the wicked and reprobate bee of the church of Christ as they say theÌ„ they are members of two bodies for they are of the church malignant as they must needs confesse which is as false as that one hand may belong to two men Lastly how absurd is it that the catholike church should acknowledge the Pope for her head Shee is a citie or house she can therefore haue but one foundation shee is a fruitfull Vine shee can haue but one roote she is a Doue she can haue but one mate shee is Christs bodie she can haue but one head shee is the Lambs bride she can haue but one husband The fouÌ„dation of this house the roote of this Vine the mate of this Doue the head of this bodie Eph. 1. 5. the husbande of this wife is Christ Although most impudently the Bishop of Rome and most blasphemously doe take vppon him to be the husbande to that wife also C. quoniam de Immunitate 6. or else to take Christs wife from him We saith hee being vnwilling to neglect the vpright dealing or iustice of vs and of the Church our spouse What greater blasphemie than this can there be Saint Paule sayeth 2. Cor. 11.2 I haue prepared you for one husbande not for two and he nameth him to be Christ who though he bee absent yet is he also present absent in flesh but present in power and spirite and so will he bee alwayes with his Math. 28.20 Iho. 14.16.17.18 euen vnto the end of the worlde So that the church hath no neede of that ministeriall head that cannot bee but in one place at one time seeing Christes spirit is his Vicar in his church Ter. prescipt which can be in all places at once as the church is scattered in many places through the whole world That the catholike Church mentioned in the Articles of our beliefe is not visible or to be seene CHAP. 7 THE PROTESTANTS BEcause the Catholike Church mentioned in the Creed is that heauenly Ierusalem that is mother of vs all Gal. 4.26 and comprehendeth as S. Augustine saith not onely that part that wandreth vpon earth Enchir. ca. 56. froÌ„ the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same but that also that is in heauen And the company of Christians for the time in earth is not the vniuersall Church but is only a smal part therof In the preface to his booke of Images as Sander a papist coÌ„fesseth It followeth that that Church which is spoken of in the Creed is not that small flocke that waÌ„dreth here in this world And so consequently that that catholike Church because the farre greatest part thereof is in heauen and so not to be seene cannot bee seene of vs. And for that cause are wee taught to say I beleeue the holy Catholike Church but things that are seene are not nay cannot be beleeued For faith is the ground of things that are hoped for Heb. 11.1 and the euidence of things that are not seene Therefore either must we denie I beleeue the holy Catholike Church to be an Article of our faith or else must it bee confessed that the Catholike Church is inuisible THE PAPISTS BVt that whorish Romish Church which hath nothing to commend hir but an outward painting that consisteth of worldly glory wher as the glory of Christs true spouse is chiefly inward and a shew of succession in the chaire of them that were knowne to be good men Psal 45 5â— but not in their faith and godlinesse least that men should seeke to know the Church by the word which is that only infallible mark that our sauior Christ giueth Iohn 10.3 4 5.27 Ephe. 2.20 De vnitate Eccles cont Petil. ca. 10 and likewise Saint Paule to the Ephesians and Saint Augustine doeth highly commend the same so that if hee erre from the true Church seeing Christ hath giuen him so good a marke of her he confesseth himselfe to bee too blame for it Least that I say men should occupie them selues in this word written seeking to finde the Church there this seducing sinagogue doth beare vs in hand that the true Church must be glorious to the eye and easie to be seene and that there is no other Catholike Church but such a one And then they knowe that there is not in all the worlde such a one that maketh so faire a shewe to bee found but onely that of Rome which is liuely described by Saint Iohn Reuel 17. in the Apocalips And although this is a common principle in the Catholike Church and in euery bodies mouth That the Catholike church is visible which Campion in his third reason and Turrian against Sadeel Camp rat 3. doe manifestly affirme Yet I know not how it commeth to passe that euen the greatest pillars of poperie do not so much as define the Catholike church and deale as I thinke in this question verie fearefully as may appeare not onely by Melchior Canus in his fourth booke Loc. Theolo de eccle milit â—â— b. 3. cap. 12. but especially by Belarmine who appointing a whole Chapter for proofe of this point yet dareth not in the verie title of the Chapter set downe that is in question that is to say that the catholike Church is visible for so they say but onely this is the title of that chapter that the Church is visible Which if he meane it of particular Churches we say
virgin Mary might not baptize as Epiphanius noteth haeres 97. and so prophane that holy sacrament in altering Christes institution But rather we say with Tertullian de paenitentia Wee are not washed that wee may cease to sinne but because we haue ceased to sinne seeing in heart wee are washed Which words because Bellarmine lib. 2 de effect sacrament cap. 10. can not answere he full wisely maketh as if hee neuer sawe them and saieth nothing vnto them And nowe to returne to the Obiection Howsoeuer saint Augustine esteemeth of the necessitie of Baptisme he teacheth with vs the true vse of Baptisme against the Papists euen in the booke alleaged by Bellarmine speaking of the infants hee saieth thus Lib. 1. ca. 26. They stand in neede of those benefites of the Mediatour That they beeing offered by the Sacrament and charitie of the faithfull and so beeing incorporate into the body of Christ which is the Church may be reconciled vnto God that they may bee made in him liuing safe deliuered redeemed and lightened Marke that Saint Augustine most plainly ascribeth vnto the sacrament to offer and incorporate vs into the church but to God not to the sacrament to quicken saue deliuer redeeme and lighten vs. And seeing we see that S. Augustine in the place alleged by Bellarmine maketh nothing for him but in the same booke in an other place maketh much against him let vs see what other of the ancient Fathers doe gather out of that place of saint Iohn whether they reason out of it as Bellarmine doeth Chrysostome out of this place sheweth Homil. 24 in Ioh. that in that water spoken of there is represented vnto vs our Buriall Mortification Resurrection life and addeth As it is an easie thing for vs to bee dipped in and being pulled out to breathe againe euen so is it for God to burie our old man to put on vs the new man And hereby thou mayest vnderstand that the vertue of the Father the Sonne and of the holy Ghost fulfilleth all these things What can be more plaine than these words of Chrysostom to teach vs that this working vertue is ascribed vnto God and nothing at all to the Sacrament Theophilact in Ioh. 3. as the Papists teach vs. And yet Theophilact is more plaine Euen as in this bodily seede Gods grace worketh all euen so in Baptisme the Water is but an vnderling and it is the Spirite that worketh all So that I cannot see how this ancient Father if he had directly spoken against this popish doctrine whereby they ascribe so much vertue vnto the Sacrament coulde haue vsed if hee had liued in our time more effectuall wordes to reprooue the same If then wee graunt that that place speaketh of Baptisme as many of the Fathers haue thought yet that which the Papistes inferre thereupon followeth not for wee see the working of grace is onely attributed to the spirite of God contrary to that they doe teach Bellarm de Sacrament lib. 2. cap. 3 For they will needes haue vs to beleeue that the Sacrament it selfe by receiuing of it giueth grace But good reasons may be yeelded why by water in that place the water of Baptisme can not be meant First because our sauiour Christ spake there to Nicodemus who knew nothing of the principles of religion and therefore Christ teacheth him that we haue not in our selues any thing to worke our saluation but wee must be borne anew It is vnlikely that our sauiour Christ would instruct him of the necessitie of baptisme who as yet neuer knewe the promises which in baptisme are sealed vp vnto vs. Secondly Verse 6. Christ going about afterwardes to explane his meaning in the next verse maketh mention of the spirite onely and not of the water whereas if he had spoken of baptisme and had made it of such absolute necessitie that in no case a man might be saued without it hee would not haue left it out in that place especially where hee sheweth how we are borne anew Thirdly that which is done in the sacramentall water may very well be perceiued both of them that feele it and of them that see it or heare it but this new birth that is spoken of in that place how it is wrought a man can not perceiue as our sauiour Christ telleth vs Therefore by likelihoode Verse 8. not the water of baptisme is there spoken of but that water which God promiseth by his Prophet Ezechiel and is called Ezec. 36.24 the cleane water because of that notable cleansing and holinesse which no materiall water be it neuer so excellent can worke but onely Gods cleansing spirit that is The cleane water there spoken of And this is the onely argument out of the scriptures which Bellarmine hath for the necessitie of Baptisme But in his second booke where he speaketh of the sacraments in generally what force they haue hee alleageth some moe Lib. 2. cap. â— de Sacram. as that of saint Iohn the Baptist Hee speaking of Christ baptizeth with the holie Ghost and with fire Matth. 3.11 His reason is sufficiently answered by gathering it into an argument Christ baptizeth with the holy Ghost therefore baptisme of it selfe giueth grace For the question among vs is what vertue is in the Sacrament it selfe and he telleth vs what Christ can do in it As if he should say Christ when hee healed him that was borne blind made clay of spittle and bade him go wash in Siloam Ioh. 9 therefore the clay put vpon the eies and the water of Siloam by their vertue made him to see Mar. 16.16 Againe He that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued By this wee may as well conclude that faith saueth which in any wise the papists like not of as that baptisme saueth for it is said of both indifferently But let vs marke his argument againe that we may see how hee prooueth his assertion Hee that is baptized shall be saued therefore the sacrament of baptisme hath of it selfe that vertue to saue For this is it that hee must prooue But see how weakely hee performeth it First whereas Christ promiseth saluation to them that beleeue and are baptized Bellarmine draweth these words to declare how this saluation is wrought in vs which is not here handled Secondly Christ speaketh here of beleeuing or faith which directeth vs vnto him in whome our saluation that is promised in the word apprehended by faith and sealed vp in the sacraments is performed and perfected that is Christ Iesus And how doth this prooue the vertue of the sacrament in it selfe The like is to be saide of that place that he bringeth out of the Actes Actes 2.38 Amend your liues and bee baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes As for his last place out of the scriptures which is out of Peter marke I pray you how he seeketh to hide the trueth saint Peter saith
bread I trust then it will not bee anie heresie for mee to expounde nature the properties of the bread seeing doctor Chadsey a catholike doth it We see then that this vnanswerable argument that he made so great account of and bragged that it could neuer be answered is long since fully answered by one of his owne friends he knew not of it Ciril is his fift witnes not that learned father that was bishop of Alexandrie but another that was B. of Ierusalē Ciril Ierus cathec Mistagog 4 whose books are but lately set forth by thēselues that now bring him in for a witnes therfore we may doubt whether he be wel delt wtal Out of him he aledgeth 3. places He once turned water into wine shal he not be worthy to be trusted that he turned wine into bloud Beholde here sayth maister Bellarmine a reall change And why so I knowe he will answere because it was so in the water for it was really changed into wine and therfore also saint Iohn Iohn 2 11 who reporteth the storie saith it was a myracle Now to change wine into bloud is as great a miracle and therefore it is likely that if there had bin any such miracle wrought some or other would haue noted it for a miracle seeing so many haue spokē of that matter namely three Euangelists and S. Paul Master Bell. knoweth that the fathers vse many times to speake verie hyperbolically and to amplify with excessiue speaches the matters that they would set forth as here this Ciril doth yet we must not gather thereof such a real change in the wine as I haue said was in the water but this is spoken to win that at our hands that he in that place moueth vs vnto that we should not thinke the sacramentall wine to bee but bare wine His second witnesse for maister Bellarmine is after in that place Vnder the forme of bread the bodie is giuen and in forme of wine the bloud Wherupon maister Bellarmine againe insulteth thus Behold the accidents of bread which remaine We grant it but not the accidents or shew of bread only but the substance also and that he hath not yet denied therefore let vs see his third place Knowe this for a certaintie that this bread which is seene of vs is not bread though thy tast perceiue it to be bread In deed hee speaketh here farre otherwise than the auncient fathers doe in that hee sayeth It is not bread For there is not one of the fathers for at the least six hundred yeeres after Christ that euer spake so but this man onely And therefore howsoeuer he amplifieth the matter in wordes to bring vnto the holy Sacraments due regarde which the fathers at those times vpon great causes did much endeuour Catec Mist 3 yet he is not to be thought to haue meant otherwise than that hee sayd before that it is no more common bread For although if they regarde but the taste they shall finde no change yet that sacrament is an authenticall seale of our faith which assureth vs that Christ is spiritually giuen vnto vs. And thus much briefly of these authorities that men may see that they are not so very plaine that infallible arguments may be gathered out of them But now I must needes speake somewhat of the Author And first for the Booke it selfe Lib. Eccles hist ◠ca. 23. out of which these places are alleaged it seemeth to me that saint Hierome hath somewhat burnt it in the eare when he saith that hee wrote it when hee was but a yong man noting thereby perchance his yong and slender iudgement And of himselfe Ruffinus saith Lib. 2. ca. 40 That hee did change sometime in faith and in Communion often And Socrates in his Ecclesiasticall history saith of him that being summoned to answere some accusations that were laid against him he fearing to come to his triall for two yeares together appeared not and therefore was deposed What reason then that wee should be content to stand to his triall for matters in question that was himselfe afraide to be tried by the learned men of his time Or that hee who was deposed from his seate by them that best knew him yea and that as it seemeth by Ruffinus his saying of him for some heresie should now sit as Iudge yea or else be allowed as witnes in so weighty matters As for saint Ambrose De iis qui initiantur mist cap. 9. whom next he alleageth he maketh not against vs. He saith indeede that the bread is that which Nature hath formed but that Blessing hath hallowed Which is nothing else but that which hath beene answered before that it is not common bread but as Theodoret saith Theod. Immutabili◠dialog 1. the Nature not being changed to Nature is Grace added And that this is S. Ambrose his meaning is most plaine not only by that which he afterwardes saith in that very chapter Before the blessing of the heauenly wordes an other thing is named after the consecration the bodie of Christ is signified but also most euidently in his bookes of the Sacraments Lib. 4. cap. 4. where speaking of the change that is in these visible signes hee vseth these wordes If there bee so great vertue in the worde of the Lorde Iesus that the thinges that were not beganne to bee how much rather can it worke that they the visible signes in the Sacrament bee that which they were and be changed into an other thing By which hee can meane no other but a sacramentall change because hee flatly affirmeth that these signes are that which they were The first place that hee alleageth out of Chrysost is this It is he that doth sanctifie these things the outward elements and change them In Matth. Hom. 83. but that hee speaketh of a sacramental change only his owne wordes a litle before in that place do prooue For in teaching how that by these sensible creatures he deliuereth vnto vs things not sensible hee bringeth his example of Baptisme wherein I know they wil not say the water is transubstantiated And yet Chrysostome maketh no difference betweene it and the sacrament of Christes body and blood but that in them both in like sort by sensible creatures insensible graces are deliuered But most plainely in an other place doeth he confute that which the Papists woulde force out of these wordes namely the change of the substance of the bread saying Before the bread is sanctified Ad Caesarium monachum wee call it bread but the diuine grace hauing sanctified it by the Priest it is freeed from the name of bread and is vouched worthy of the name of the Lordes body although the nature of the bread abide in it Whereby wee see the change that hee speaketh of is in the vse not in the substance of the bread In the latter place Chrysostome saieth thus Doest thou see bread De Euchar. in encaenus doest
Gods Church much more then a thousand yeeres after Christ neither that fulnes of comfort that wee learne by the bread wine that Christ is vnto vs both meate and drinke that is the perfect and sufficient foode of our hungry and thirstie soules haue robbed the lay people of the one halfe of the Lordes supper proclaming thereby vnto the world that they are disobedient against Christes commaundement iniurious to his people and that in steede of the continuall and auncient practise of the Primitiue Church they establish their owne new deuise Lo what cause haue they to bragge of their ancient faith And for the vpholding of this their doing against both Trueth and Antiquitie they bring some reasons Fisher sometime bishop of Rochester in his booke against the assertions of Luther Artic. 16. to defende that it was lawfull for the church to alter the institution of Christ and therefore to take awaie the cup from the lay people alleadgeth the example of the Apostles who are saide to baptise in the name of Christ only whereas the sacrament of baptisme Acts 8.16 10.48 Matth. 28.19 was commaunded In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost But to bishop Fisher the papist I oppose Bellarmine the Iesuite and a papist who writing of the sacrament of baptisme Lib. 1. cap. 3. plainelie denieth that the Apostles baptised in the name of Christ only and largely proueth it and sheweth that where it is saide that they baptised in the name of Iesus or in the Lordes name the meaning is that they baptised in the faith of Iesus or by his authoritie or with baptisme which he instituted or in his name but not in his name only So that this reason which Fisher maketh for to proue the authoritie of the church heerein De Euch. lib. 4. cap. 28. is verie sufficiently answered by Master Bellarmine It is therefore needefull hee shoulde make a supplie of some other argument to proue that seeing hee hath taken that weapon out of their handes Let vs therefore see how hee mendeth the matter The church saith hee may ordaine and prescribe those thinges that belong not to the substaunce of the sacramentes and are not ordered by the word of God But the rite of eating vnder one kinde or vnder two is such Therefore it maie bee ordered and prescribed of the Church These are his verie wordes this is his argument whereof the maior or first proposition as himselfe saith is most true and therefore wee graunt it but the minor which is that to eate in one kinde or in both kindes is not of the substaunce of the sacrament or ordered by the word of God that is most false And because it containeth two pointes I will brieflie touch them both Where he saith it is not of the substance of the sacrament whether we receiue in one kinde or in two it is in my iudgement euen against all reason and testimony of antiquity and the very nature of a sacrament For the sacrament must needes consist of matter and forme The matter is the bread and wine I speake of that which Irene calleth the earthly matter Iren. li. 4. ca. 34 To the forme of this Sacrament belong these wordes He brake breade and gaue them and saide take eate Math. 26.26 27 this is my bodie Hee tooke the cup blessed and saide drinke yee all of this c. Yea and neither of these can be wel omitted but that therby we are the lesse occasioned to meditate of the efficacy of Christs death passion For as the breaking of the bread that it might be giuen to vs that our bodies might be nourished thereby is a representation of Christes body which was for vs tormented so the drinking of the cup is the representation of the shedding of Christs bloud for vs. Moreouer let vs consider what is that which they would haue the material part or rather a substantial part in this sacramēt To receiue the sacrament as appeares by the censure of Collen Expl. dialog 9 expl Theol lib. 7. and Andradius but in what kinde it is receiued is not materiall say they Marke their boldenesse In the institution there is not one word that willeth vs in such generall termes to receiue the Eucharist or Sacrament but expresse wordes to will vs to Take and eate the bread and to drinke of the cup and yet that which God doth not mention they will haue to be of the substance of a sacrament and that which is expresly set downe in the word they may chuse whether they wil doe it or not But how doth Bellarmine prooue that the rite of communicating in on or two kindes De Euch. li. 4. cap. ◠8. belongeth not to the substance of the sacrament The vse of a thing saith he that is permanent is not the substance of it but the communicating is the vse of the sacrament which sacrament is a thing permanent Therefore the communicating in one or two kindes is not the substance of it The whole force of this argument consisteth in that which is chiefly in question amongst vs that is whether the sacrament is a thing permanent or not And we vpon iust cause deny it And therefore his argument is a plaine fallacie called the begging of the thing that is in question and can bee no strong reason against vs. By a thing permanent they vnderstand that the Eucharist is not onely a Sacrament as they say their other sacraments are and as baptisme is in respect of the vse and receuing of it but also that it being consecrated once to be a sacrament continueth so to bee whether it be receiued or not Which opinion they holde stiffely for the maintenance of their adoration and carrying it about For they teach it still to bee a sacrament howsoeuer they vse it Out of which absurde principle hee gathereth this false and detestable doctrine that they may change this point of Christs institution as they will But wee knowing that the Sacraments are onelie helpes for our infirmities and instituted to supply our wants and that the eating of the bodily foode in the Sacrament and so applying it to the nourishment of our our bodies is that which representeth vnto vs most liuely our receiuing of Christ by a true faith to the nourishment of our soules detest and despise those captious and curious subtilties whereby the papistes doe seeke to defend their wonderfull boldnesse in changing the very institution and in breaking the expresse commaundement of Christ Wherein wee haue for our warrant the worde of Christ which biddeth vs eate and drinke and therefore it can not be but arrogant presumption for man to forbid that which Christ hath commaunded howsoeuer hee will pretend that it is not of the substance of the Sacrament We haue also the practise in the primitiue church which is testified by Isichius In Leuit. lib. 2. cap. 8. which vsed for to burne that which
there is no sacrifice vpon a table but onely vpon an altar De missa lib. 1. cap. 17. Yet master Bellarmine roueth againe with his vncertaine proofes The fathers saieth hee speake of priests therefore they will haue a sacrifice in the eucharist And why may not the fathers vnderstand priests as wee doe in our booke of making of ministers and in our booke of common prayer who succeede in the publike ministery in the church the priests of Leui Leuit. 10.11 Deut. 17.5 mal 2.7 not in sacrificing for the sacrifices are ended but in teaching for that was also the priests office and is now the office of them that we sometime call priests And yet we although we vse the name do not alow that popish sacrifice which Bellarmine would haue And why then should this be holden for a good argument The fathers speake sometimes of priests Therefore the eucharist is a reall sacrifice or a sacrifice after the proper signification of that word As for that which hee hath in the eighteenth chapter of that his first booke of the masse is almost all one with that which hee saide in the fifteenth chapter and therefore it is answered before But his last proofe Chap. 19 whereby hee will out of the fathers prooue a sacrifice is as himselfe saith vnanswerable vnlesse we do vtterly reiect the fathers The fathers desire not to be credited against the trueth They were men they might erre Onely Gods word is perfectly true And therfore as wee do them no wrong to trie and examine their doctrine by that rule and square that cannot deceiue How the fathers are to be receiued so if it be not agreeable to that word of trueth wee must rather confesse all men to be liars than swarue one iote from that perfect way And therefore it is not absurd if wee leaue the fathers when they goe without their guide of Gods written word or speake without their warrant of Gods infallible trueth So that although wee are content to shew how the father 's wrested by them either must or may be vnderstoode that by that meanes wee may pull from them that visard of antiquitie consent of fathers wherewith they cloke and colour their dangerous and deceitfull heresies yet we receiue the fathers but as men and therfore no masters to giue vs new lawes but yet men of excellent gifts in their time and alwayes worthy of much reuerence and honour But yet this is not a good argument The fathers haue somctime written this or haue done this Therefore it is true or it is good But let vs view his vnanswerable argument If the eucharist were not a sacrifice the fathers would not haue offred the same for peace safety and sundry such things but they did therfore it is a sacrifice Marke howe hee prooueth that they did offer the eucharist for such things Hee first alleageth Chrysostome in his homilies to the people of Antioch Hom. 79. Hom. 7â— and then also vpon Mathew most notably belying that father as though he spake thereof the sacrifice in the eucharist whereas the first whole Homily is altogether of praier and Chrysostome there sheweth that they pray in deed for the whole world and for sundry persons but of standing at the altar not a word And therefore master Bellarmine belieth that father And in the second place Wee pray first for them that are possessed the second for the penitent c. Is this good dealing to auouch that that ancient father saith in those places that the Eucharist was offered for such things Other falsifications of these very places I omit as not much materiall When I heard his great cracke I imagined this shot would haue made a great breach but it is like to doe no hurt at all Then for that which he alleageth out of same Augustine that the Eucharist was offered by one for freeing a certaine house from euill spirites De ciuit Dei lib. 22. cap. 8. It is true that he reporteth such a thing and addeth That hee prayed as earnestly as he could that that vexation might cease First it is not saint Augustine himselfe that doth this but another and this fact is not either commended or allowed to be wel done of saint Augustine But they wil answere The euill spirits left the house And therefore the euent prooueth the fact to be good Not so but it is an argument of Gods might and mercie that can and will by euill or the abuse of good meanes bring to passe good things Secondly it may iustly be doubted whether saint Augustine did impute this effect vnto that sacrifice that he speaketh of or the earnest prayers that were made for it Yea it seemeth rather that he imputeth it vnto the sacrifice of prayer than any other sacrifice Moreouer it seemeth that as in the dayes of saint Paul there were that were baptized ouer the dead either to declare their hope of the resurrection or to testify their dying vnto sinne or for such other considerations so in these dayes of S. Augustine some vpon such occasions would celebrate the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ by that assurance and pledge of Gods loue to stirre vp and confyrme their faith that with more earnestnesse and faith they might craue Gods helpe But if master Bellarmine would haue this to be a catholike doctrine that hath but one or few examples he will haue Vincentius Lirinensis flat contrary to him Confess li. 9. cap. 12. So that also that is alleaged of the oblation for his mother it can not bee denied that there were at that time some such abuses creeping into the church of God concerning that charitable superstition that I may so terme it of prayer for the dead of the which some had good liking some liked not But out of them it is hard to establish a strange doctrine in Gods church and such as Gods word is not acquainted withall But euen by that booke of S. Augustine it is plaine and namely by the next chapter to the place alleadged that S. Augustine did not once thinke of any propitiatory sacrifice that was in the masse And I would also desire the indifferent Reader to iudge how litle such matters sauour of the maiestie of that spirit which is seene in the scriptures Bellarmines last sort of arguments are drawen from reason The first is grounded vpon this principle De missa lib. 1. cap. 20. there is no religion without an externall sacrifice which is most false for God when he seeth his people to whom he commanded those external sacrifices to repose themselues too much vpon them doeth not onely reiect those sacrifices which himselfe appointed but also teacheth wherein true religion consists Isa 1.15 16. and Mich. 6.8 Yea marke the whole scriptures it wil appeare that faith obedience are the especiall things that god requireth of vs that the sacrifices directed therto His second argument taken from reason is this The
will the commentaries and expositions of the most ancient Fathers Cyril Chrysostome Augustine Theophilact and others they shal not finde that any of them haue out of this place taught the sacrament of penance The words themselues teach vs that God hath giuen vnto his church authoritie and power to preach forgiuenes of sins to them that are of a contrite and broken heart and the danger of sin to the impenitent as Peter Lombard himself one of the first establishers of this Popish sacrament confesseth saying that God hath giuen to the Priests power To binde and loose that is Lib. 4. dist 18 Non aâ— tem to shew that they are bound or losed Which is agreeable to that that S. Luke of our sauiour Christ saith Luc. 24.47 that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Ierusalem As for any particular reckoning vp of sins which they call Confession auricular or forift in the eare of the Priest without which secret Confession saith Andradius Orthod eâ—plic lib. 8. pag. 658. This diuine sacrament could not long haue beene kept or as for Satisfaction that should be wrought for our sinnes by vs or our meanes these things can not bee gathered out of the wordes alleadged Nay if that authoritie committed to the ministery wherof saint Mathew and S. Iohn speake be to be expounded by the words of saint Luke Matâ— 16.19 Ioh. 20.23 as I haue shewed that Peter Lombard doth Popish shrift and satisfaction are quite ouerthrowen thereby seeing that this losing is the preaching of the forgiuenesse of sins in the name of Christ that is not for any Satisfaction that wee can make but in respect of that Satisfaction that Christ hath wrought It is therefore a wonder to see how boldly and confidently out of this Text they will auouch that out of these wordes are plainly prooued the actes of the absolued Bellar. de poenitent lib. 1. ca. 10. that is Confession and Satisfaction which must needs be in him that is loosed to be from his sins Is this to preach forgiuenesse in the name of Christ Secondly I finde not in the primitiue church any such doctrine of that their sacrament of penance as nowe is taught Indeede they required Confession but especially to God as throughout the auncient fathers wee may see and namely in Tertullian his booke of repentance which is by the Papists violently drawne in to bee a witnesse for them but can say nothing that will doe them good in this cause And although the fathers doe also sometime allowe of Confession to man and that priuately yet did they neuer teach such necessitie therof as that without it sinnes might not bee forgiuen or that the mortall sinnes for those onely must bee reckoned in Christ cannot bee forgiuen vnlesse the Priest haue them declared vnto him Marke the writings of the Fathers howe farre vnlike they are to the bookes of our Popish Cleargie and Romish writers in our dayes Tertullian Anibrose Augustine and others haue made whole bookes of this title De paenitentia of penance or repentance Chrysostome also hath made of that matter eleuen Homilies yet out of these auncient fathers this Popish doctrine of the sacrament of Penance cannot bee prooued but that the teachers thereof are forced here and there to get some peeces of sentences to make some shewe of proofe And this verie shadowe of proofe is good enough to deceiue the ignoraunt and such as delight in darkenesse as the likenesse of men made of stone or other stuffe set vpon the toppes of castels and holdes make the enemie in the night afraide for they think they are all men in deed which in the day when they may bee viewed doe easily shew what they are namely stockes or stones If Saint Ambrose had knowen any such Sacrament might not he writing two bookes of that matter I meane of repentance especially against the Nouatians who denied vnto such as offended after baptisme any hope of pardoÌ„ although they repeÌ„ted might not he I say haue had from that sacrament of the church if the church had then knowen any such sacrament a strong and vnanswerable argument against Nouatus or his followers for denying a Sacrament of the church yes verily But he vsed no such argument because there was not then any such Sacrament Nay the matter was not agreed vpon many hundreth yeares after Saint Ambrose his time For as it appeareth by Gratian de poen dist 1. c. quamuis who liued about the yeare one thousand one hundred and fiftie the matter was not then agreed vpon but there were many and diuerse opinions whether confession and satisfaction were necessary for this Sacrament some affirming others denying it and Gratian saith that on both opinions there were wise and godly men and therefore hee leaueth it indifferent Which could not haue beene if that their Sacrament of penaunce had before beene perfected Therefore as Andradius doth truelie gather out of that historie of auricular confession banished out of the Church of Constantinople by Nectarius Orthod expl li. 8. pag. 663. for a villanie committed by him that was appointed to heare confessions that therefore they were vsed of olde although most falslie he teacheth that it beganne with the christian church and as vntruelie applieth it against Kemnitius who denieth not but secret confession hath of olde beene vsed but not as in the popish church so if it were a thing to bee forbidden by man we maie boldely saie it was not ordaâ— ned by God but by man it was abolished as appeareth by the ecclesiasticall history And whereas Andradius saith Socrat li. 5. cap. 19. that the sacrament of penance began wiâ— h the christian church Socrates in that place is directlie against him who telleth vs that it beganne after Nouatus his heresie was published which was about the yeare of our Lorde 220. For because the Nouatians would not communicate with them that denied their profession in the persecution raised by Decius the bishops therefore agreed amongst themselues and appointed some one to whom they might acknowledge their sins So that heere we see against Andradius that that confession which being viewed is not like the popish shrifte is more then 200 hundred yeares yonger then the Christian church Moreouer as of al other sacraments so of this also the papists teach that it doth giue grace and worke that grace that it doth signifie Bellar. li. 1. de paenit cap. 10. which grace is then when the outward signe is vsed powred by God into them that receiue the said signe In which respect as I take it is that grosse absurdity set downe by Roffensis Artic. 10. cont Lutherum That a sinner commeth oftentimes with faith and without grace to the sacrament who assone as hee hath receiued the sacrament both he and his faith by grace are quickned To say nothing of this popish paradox and far from al true
argument The apostle speaking of Christs loue to the church his spouse sayth He gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it Ephe. 5.25 26 27 by the washing of water in the worde that he might make it vnto himselfe a grorious church not hauing spot or wrinkle c. Now if I should expound this place Ezec. 47. by the 47. Chapter of Ezechiel vnto the which the apostle may verie well seeme to allude I knowe this exposition would be thought newe and singular But yet as this exposition hath nothing in it against the rule of faith so by saint Ieroms interpretation of that place of Ezechiel it seemeth to be warranted For by the waters mentioned in that place hee vnderstandeth that which our sauiour Christ taught as also both hee and Primasius doe expound this place of the apostle As water say they washeth the bodie Ierom Primasius vpon Ephes 5. so teaching doeth cleanse the soule And so the apostle doth seeme to expound himselfe when hee sheweth that this washing is in the worde And thus this place serueth no more for his purpose then the rest For none of them proue that baptisme taketh away all sinne But admit that saint Paule speaketh in that place of baptisme yet this place will not serue to proue that they would haue it For then the apostle teacheth vs how the church of Christ I say that complete and whole bodie of Christ is sanctified namely by himselfe in the worde whereof baptisme is the sacrament So that therein appeareth how or rather by what meanes the bodie of Christ his wife and spouse shall be without spot and wrinkle but not in what maner or in what compasse of time euerie particular member of this bodie shall be freed from sinne which is in controuersie amongst vs. But to ende this first argument As this doctrine of the Romish Church sauoureth of Pelagianisme so master Bellarmine and his fellowes borrow weapons of the Pelagians to fight withall For saint Augustine doth note this place amongst those which the Pelagians did alledge to proue that man may be without sinne De perfect iust cont Celest But more plainly writing to Boniface hee writeth thus Lib. 4. cap 1 The Pelagians doe say that men by baptisme are perfectly renued and bring for proofe the witnesse of the Apostle to the Ephes 5. Not one ape is then liker another than are the Pelagians and Papists both in their doctrine and in their proofe of it But of all such testimonies I may say with saint August Some of them exhort them that do runne De perfect iust cont Celest that they run as they shoulde some other shewe to what ende they should runne And thus much for his first argument His second argument is this Arg. 2. of M. Bellarmine The Scriptures say that our spots defilings or pollutions and our iniquities are taken away therefore in baptisme all sinne is taken away For by these wordes is signified saith hee the verie corruption of sinne His argument is not good For we confesse his antecedent namely that these things are taken away as before hath beene shewed But it followeth not thereupon that by baptisme all sinne is taken away wee acknowledge also that Christ is made vnto vs Sanctification but in deed this holinesse wee say is not in this life perfected 1. Cor. 1.30 Begun it is in Gods children which walke not after the flesh Rom. 8.1 but after the spirit But doe what we can we had need alwayes to pray as our Sauiour Christ taught his apostles Forgiue vs our trespasses as saint Augustin doth often teach vs De perfect Iust Celest De Amiss gratiae li. 5 cap. 8 and namely in the end of his booke of the perfection of Iustice which place I the rather note because most vntruly master Bellarmine writeth that saint Augustine in that place saith That the vnwilling motions of concupiscence are so farre from being sinne that a man neede not for the forgiuenesse of them say Forgiue vs our trespasses But saint Augustine affirmeth the contrary For hauing alleadged that place of S. Iohn 1. Iohn 1.8 If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs then he addeth that if any will say that the apostle speaketh there of concupiscence that concupiscence if it be not consented vnto is not sinne He putteth a subtill difference which I would haue our aduersaries to marke that they may know that S. Aug. counteth that but a subtill shift And then he sheweth that we do somtimes somewhat consent to the lusts of that sinne because otherwise we needed not to say Forgiue vs our trespasses So that we see saint Augustine maketh that a reason to prooue that concupiscence often preuaileth because wee haue neede so to pray And thus we see how cleane contrarie to all shew of trueth master Bellarmine falsifieth saint Augustine Which I would wish the simple to consider of For many times either himselfe is so deceiued or else hee seeketh to deceiue his Reader But to returne to his argument this we say that euen here in this life Gods children begin to haue a mislike of sin a loue of godlines yea and also by the assistance of Gods good spirit increase therin But this shal not be perfected in vs vntill we be deliuered from this bodie of death Rom. 7 Vpon Iohn tract 41 and that made the apostle to crie out as he did And therefore saint Augustine saith that none in this life can be without sinne yet sinne is diminished in the life of them that do profit but consumed it is in the life of the perfect meaning after this life when corruption hath put on incorruption who then would allowe of this reason The verie filth and corruption of sin is taken away therefore it must needes be taken away here by baptisme Whereas on the contrarie we are called children of God because at the first not in faith onely but in life also we are beginners and weake and must growe stronger and stronger in both Arg. 3 His third argument In circumcision the flesh onely was cut away not by imputation onely Master Bellarmine verie vnskilfully doeth match togither things not of like nature For as Circumcision is the cutting off the foreskinne so is baptisme the washing of the bodie But this is nothing to the effect of the Sacrament to tel vs what the externall thing doth of it selfe Out of that that hath beene said it is not hard to answer his 4. 6. 7. 8 and 9. arguments if wee remember that God beginneth in vs holines here which shal be perfected else where But in the meane time for his Christs sake hee accepteth our vnperfect holinesse for perfect and forgiueth euen the many and great sinnes of his children As for his fift argument Bella. De iustificat li. 2. cap. 7. Rom. 5.19 which in another place he saith
time are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. And if all we can suffer here haue no comparison with that glorie what infinite goodnesse can wee imagin our works may haue And whereas the Scriptures in this matter of iustification do take all the glorie from our workes Rom. 3.26 27.28 and giue it vnto God they so part stakes betweene God and their good workes that their workes being holpē but in part that is but a little by grace doe woorthily deserue eternall life So it seemeth that they will not be much beholding to God for their saluation as the indifferent Reader may soone perceiue Who if they continue in this their blasphemie Aug. in Psal 31. praefat and bragge thus of their merites they shal without question fall from grace And if they will needs seek to establish their owne righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 they can not be partakers of Gods righteousnesse And if they will not haue it by faith without the workes of the lawe Rom. 3.28 they can neuer haue it Yet to say our owne workes cannot saue vs Act. Monum Fox lib. c. 1117. hath bin counted heresie Now that our aduersaries are in this point so stiffe vpon so small a ground it being so necessary a point of religion that without true knowledge thereof they cannot be saued I cannot but maruell For besides that which before I haue said of the imperfection of our works which is confessed by themselues for Andradius confesseth that the Iesuits of Colen say that it cannot be Orthod explic lib. 5. that we can loue God perfectly and sufficiently in this life besides that imperfection I say which is in any thing that we can do which cannot answere for that perfect righteousnes which God iustly may require of vs there are sundry other great reasons to induce vs to detest that doctrine as a thing most dāgerous for christians to giue eare vnto Luc. 17.9 Our sauiour Christ when he hath by the parable of the seruant taught vs that it is our duetie to do that which he commaundeth vs he addeth this So likewise yee 10. when you haue done all those things that are commanded you say we are vnprofitable seruauntes wee haue done that was our dutie to doe If then it be our dutie to keepe Gods commaundements yea and that not once but that so long as wee liue In luc li. 8. wee must doe it as Saint Ambrose saieth In luc ca. 17. and if as Theophilact saith that wee are bounde to keepe all Gods commaundements I would faine learne of some of our aduersaries howe the doing of that thing which wee alwaies ought to doe can satisfie Gods wrath for neglect of such dueties as we haue not done and such sinnes as wee haue committed contrary to Gods lawe for if now I keepe the commaundement it is my duety nowe and alwayes to doe it Can this then bee any recompence to satisfy God for such times as I haue omitted my duetie It cannot be it hath no likelihoode of trueth Nay if he worke not saieth Theophilact hee is woorthy of many stripes Luc. 17. and if he worke let him content himselfe that he is not beaten Therefore let him not seeke for reward or honor for it Therfore seeing euery worke that wee do is a sacrifice that then must be offered a duty that then must be performed and that also very short I warrant you of that wee should performe if it were well sifted how can we say that such a worke can merite eternall life Or if that worke can but serue that duety that then is required what recompence shall wee make for all other our sinnes For it is a question amongst themselues whether Christ by his death did take away any sinnes but only originall sinne For Ambrose Catharinus an archbishop In his booke de Incruento sacrif and a great man at the Councell of Trent doeth plainely write that Christ died onely for originall sinne As for actuall sinnes they must be taken away by masses and such helps saith he Now if we had no other hope but such paltry popish deuises to take away our sinnes wherein we continually offend we were the most miserable of all creatures But to returne to the wordes of our sauiour Christ Out of them we may reason thus If our most perfect obedience be but duety it is not merit but it is but duety therefore no merit This whole argument is necessarily to be gathered out of the words themselues as you see the forenamed fathers doe testifie Which place also is very strong against their most blasphemous doctrine of their workes of supererrogation For if all wee can doe Against workes of Supererrogation Cap. 20. bee scarce our owne dutie then can it not serue for others to satisfie for their sinnes And yet is this doctrine defended by them as by Nichol Burne in his booke yea and by master Bellarmine who is so little ashamed thereof that as it were a doctrine that must needes be graunted vnto him he endeuoureth thereby to prooue that we may keepe Gods lawe A man saieth he may doe more than God commaundeth De iustificat lib. 4. cap. 13 therefore much more may hee fulfill the law Now if you will knowe the mystery of this great abhomination it is this as they tel vs. Whereas some men say they haue beene so godly that they haue done mo good workes than they needed these are as it were the treasure of the church which the Pope may at his pleasure bestow And so he doth for the pardons and indulgences haue their vertue from these workes So that if there bee no such workes then the Pope like a false merchant hath deceiued the world for many yeeres as still he doeth For his pardons Agnus Dei his grana benedicta and such baggage haue no vertue but from their workes of supererrogation And here I can but wonder at the whorish forehead of the church of Rome in this thing Shee can in no wise abide the imputation of Christes righteousnesse for our iustification shee may not heare of it All Popish Writers write against it And yet their doctrine of merites especially of the workes of supererrogation what is it but the imputation of other mens merites as they think to satisfie for vs and for our iustification Shal Christes righteousnesse imputed to vs be absurd to teach and to teach the imputation of mans workes a sound doctrine We may see by this that in the church of Rome that doctrine is best that is most gainefull For the Pope can gaine but little worldly wealth by preaching the imputation of Christes righteousnesse vnto vs But by this doctrine of the workes of supererrogation hee gaineth much For because it is the treasure of the church whosoeuer will haue thereof must pay well for it to the church that is to the pope But howe doth master Bellarmine proue that we
readinesse to heare vs. Yea many times men speake the words of prayer neither considering what they aske or howe greatly they stande in neede to be heard or to whom they speake or with what boldnesse they may come vnto him in respect of his abundant mercies But because this is rather the fault of the men than of the doctrine I will not meddle with it But yet I cannot but maruell at master Bellarmine De bouis operibus in particulari lib. 1. ca. 9. who thinketh that a man needeth not in prayer to haue such fayth as that he is assured thereby that God will heare him but onely a generall perswasion of his power will c. Against which daungerous doctrine I will for this time onely say thus much Our faith the more particular it is the stronger it is and the stronger it is the better holde shall it take of Gods mercies and the more readily obtaine at Gods hande Therefore still weaknesse of fayth is reprooued Iames. 1.6 And saint Iames willeth vs to pray in fayth without wauering But this their generall or hystoricall faith is sufficiently confuted if we compare it with that exceeding great and particular perswasion of Gods goodnesse which the Apostle did feele in the eight to the Romans where hee assureth himselfe that no bodie can condemne him no neither yet accuse him Rom. 8. nothing can separate him from Gods loue which his particular faith also appeareth in many other places and did make him pray with assurance And thus I haue I trust proued that wee must pray to God onely I can aske these things saith Tertullian of none but of him In Apolog. ◠Tim. 2.5 of whome I knowe I shall speede for it is onely he that giueth it And that by one onely mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus And wee must pray in humilitie and yet faithfully Because although our prayers are not of themselues worthie to bee heard yet Christ shall offer them vp vnto God as a sweete perfume Apoc. 8.3 as saint Iohn in the spirit of prophecie did see Against Images in Churches or any where else for Religions cause CHAP. 29 THE PROTESTANTS ANd as wee must haue one onely God in whome we must trust to whō onely we must pray so we dare not make vnto our selues any Image of God or of any creature to doe any kinde of worship vnto the same For first God hath commanded vs that wee should not haue anie grauen thing no nor yet the likenesse of any thing in heauen in the earth or in the waters to worship it Then also mans great weakenes maketh vs afraide to haue them Because more easily we wil worship the thing that we see thē that which we see not Thirdly the godlie among Gods people did alwaies carefully take heed therof coūting it a thing most vnlawfull Lastly the best teachers of truth Christ his apostles did neuer cōmēd thē to vs but rather the contrary Which doubtlesse they would haue done if they had bin needefull THE PAPISTS BVt the Papists whom neither Gods commaunment can restraine neither experience that teacheth euē fooles can admonish though they may dayly see if themselues were not like their Idols hauing eyes and see not eares and heare not the manifest and manifolde superstitions that by them are crept into their Churches and although they want all warrant of the word and haue no example of the purer times of the primitiue church to induce them thereto yet doe they dailie set vp those dangerous stumbling blockes in their churches I mean◠the Images before which men doe pray vnto which men doe bowe and kneele and serue And that they might the easlier lead men and women to superstition they will sometime make them to wag their head moue their eies fome at the mouth or shew other such signes that they are either pleased or angry with such as come to them And if in anie article of their religion then sure in this in my iudgement they haue a most miserable defence seeing they cannot commend their Images as thinges commended to them of God or vsed of the Godly They can only plead not guilty Our Images are not Idols We worship them not with any vnlawful worship And so all that they can doe is to excuse themselues from being Idolaters No it is more then they can doe considering howe God hath forbidden them and good men haue detested them Are they not carelesse thinke you of their owne or other mens saluation that will commend that to the people as good and necessary whereof when they haue spoken the best they can they cannot truely saie it is not euill But let vs see by what arguments they will proue that images are not euil images I saie that haue anie worship done vnto them For such images as are not in danger to be worshipped we speake not against First they put a difference betweene an Idol and an image saie that an Idol is a false likenes of a thing an image doth truely represent thinges vnto vs. Bellar. lib 2. de Imag. c. 5. First in matter or substance they will confesse that there is no difference betweene them For both are made of gold siluer wood stone or such like Secondly in forme they agree for they are like some man or woman Thirdly they are of like might or power either against mise or rats or dust and cobwebs and alike able they are or rather vnable to helpe themselues or others Fourthly the vse of the Idols that the gentiles had De preparat Euang. lib. 3. and that the papists haue is all one For Eusebius sheweth that the gentiles did vse their Idols as bookes to learne by them God himselfe and his power Contra gent. lib. 1. and to expresse and set forth the inuisible things of God by their images And Athanasius a little before him affirmeth the same For he reporteth that such as were the wiser sorte of them said they were as bookes or letters wherein they might read and learne to know God And are they not vsed in the popish church to be laie mens bookes Let themselues speake We desire in this cause no other witnesses Why then saith Athanasius in the place before alleadged what is there in the image that doth represent God Is it the matter What neede was there then that a shape should be giuen vnto it Or what need we seeke that in few places that is in many For stone wood gold and such like maie easlier els where be found then in churches Is it the forme the likenesse of men or other creatures Why then shoulde it not bee thought that men themselues or other creatures shoulde more liuelie represent God than their image Is it the cunning or workemanship Then men that deuised this skill maie rather teach vs than the image which they made Thus we see how this ancient writer doth confute soundlie not only the opinion that
haue too good experience heereof For meekenesse some call it but I take it to bee an excessiue want either of care or courage in the Lordes cause hath brought these countries to that passe that the sinnes of the countrey as murder whoredome thefts and spoiling do abound more than euer they did for many yeeres As for recusants not men onely and women but euen in sundry places the children also either may not or will not come at the church And that more is and to be wondered at there are that dare reprooue them that will perfourme that duety And yet the church of Rome hath not much to brag of this their plentifull haruest as in many of their bookes they doe for it is full of filthy weedes For euen the better sort of them rest vpon I knowe not what name of conscience without any reason of their religion or ground of their faith And they being deceiued through their ignorance doe fall into the pit which false teachers as ignorant almost as themselues haue made to catch thē in And though amongst thē that do professe religion there are too many that doe know too little yet for them to seeme to haue a better perswasion in religion than the common sort who haue scarce so much knowledge as the common sort hath to ground their religion vpon is a great skorne Yea many there are whose conscience as it is thought will serue them some to take their neighbours horse cow oxe or sheepe by stealth some to beare with and winke at such as doe such things and yet their conscience will not suffer them to come to the church Others haue conscience that will suffer them to liue in continuall whordome and to lead a most filthie life euen almost in the sight of the sunne but to shew themselues dutifull to God and man it will not suffer them Seeing therfore that as in a sore if the surgeon forbear to search it to the quicke it doth but corrupt and putrifie so in this our malady nothing hath so much increased the same as too much lenity there is now no other way to mend that is amisse but by some due punishments to beate downe the pride of the obstinate and to restraine their insolencie I meane not that life or limme of anie should be touched for religion only vnlesse perchaunce the word of God expreslie doe commaund it for as mildnesse hath been a precious ornament to her maiesties person So I am well assured that it hath beene as a strong pillar to vpholde her estate Prou. 20.28 For mercie and truth preserue the king and his throne shal be established with mercie yet would I haue manie pittied rather than one That is that one or some few should rather be punished than whole multitudes by too much gentlenesse should be imboldened to follow that which is euil Neither are the punishments for religion by our law of such qualitie as that there is iust cause to complaine of the rigour of the same although the papistes that they may seeme to haue a great number of martyrs and confessours with manie a loude lie crie out against the crueltie that is vsed amongst vs. Restraint of libertie only would not in the late time of persecution in Queene Maries daies haue beene thought crueltie when most sharpe and vncomfortable imprisonments and in the ende cruel death was thought too little for them that could not be charged with any thing but onely dissenting in religion from the Church of Rome The paiment of a little money would then haue beene thought an easie redemption for the libertie of conscience and these are the most grieuous punishments that our lawe in such case hath set downe And that these chasticements should nowe with some seueritie be executed it is high time when as so many vpon a meere will or to please some other will not sticke to reuolt from that holy profession which once they followed Yea it seemeth vnto me a necessarie policie that that penal statute against recusants should more seuerely be executed not onely to haue the greater treasure in store for the necessarie defence of the realme but also to withdrawe from hollow hearted subiects that wherewith they do either vnmeasurablie inrich and furnish themselues against that euil day which so long they haue looked for or in the mean time relieue bad persons to be trumpets of rebellion For howsoeuer those lying spirits blow it abroad that catholiks for so they falsely tearme them are in most cruell maner persecuted in England for religion yet it is most certaine that there are an infinite number of knowne and stubborne recusants among vs that feele no smart at all Which thing also I would wish that by some meanes they might bee made publikely to confesse therby to confute and confound the shamelesse slaunders of their lying masters And such as are imprisoned can not iustly complaine of want of anie thing necessarie vnlesse it be libertie They are not forced to lie vpon the ground or to sit vneasilie in the stockes They are not loaden with boltes and fetters or anie other way cruelly handled as many good men were in the dayes of our late persecution No no we willingly leaue those cruel torments to the bloudie papists to that purple Harlot that sitteth at Rome who is euen drunken with the blood of the saints and hath a delight to torment and make hauocke of the people of God Lib. 2. To such as Dinothus in his storie of the warres of Fraunce speaketh of For hee reporteth that when the papists that sauage generation had woonne Aurasia they spared no sexe no age no estate no not sucking babes they deuised new those cruell torments for to kil only cannot suffice that catholike humor And towarde women when they were dead they passed the limits I will not say of christianitie or of humane modesty but they shewed themselues more beastly thā beasts And that they might the rather be incoraged impudently to commit all these excesses they had a fit watchword for their purpose which did both shew their meaning and with what spirit they were guided which was this I curse god thrice O catholike watch word It seemeth they were at defiance not with good men only but with God also Of like beastly cruelty also and shamelesse despiting of the dead bodies the same authour writeth in the verie latter end of that his second booke euen such as anie man excepting Romish catholiks would be ashamed to commit But the more shameles in crueltie that they are the more like them selues For if we will beleeue euen their owne stories we shall find that they alwaies made litle accoumpt of that which is pretious in Gods sight Such crueltie I say beseemeth that popish crue but we hate and detest the same We are content if they be not dangerous to the state that they liue at ease and in libertie also so long as it confirmeth not themselues in their errour