Epist â— ad Mâ—r ellinuÌ„ such souldiours such subiectes as our Religion requireth and Princes shall raigne securely and their kingdomes shall flouriâ—h more happilie then Platoes common vvelth And bicause ReligioÌ„ good or badde beareth a great svvay in the rule of mans life the Professours of the nevve Religion must needes be more prone to disobedience and rebellion then vvee bicause Religion vvhich serueth for a bridle to vs is a Spurre to them Vvherfore by Catholikes all your Predecessours haue been serued vvith great fidelitie both in vvarre and peace and your glorious Mother if she vvere liuing in Earth as she is better liuiÌ„g in Heauen vvould not lette to vvitness vvhat affectioÌ„ she hath found amongest the English Catholiques and vvould vvarraunt your Grace that they vvill neuer bee false to the Sonne vvho haue been so true to the Mother But if your Highnes doubte of our fidelitie vve vvill bynde our selues by corporall oathe to obey your lavves in all temporal causes and to defend your Roial Person your Deare Spouse our Gracious Queene and your tovvardlie Children our Noble Lordes vvith the laste droppe of our bloud and this our oathe vve shall be contented to diuulge to all the Princes of Europe yea all the Christian vvorlde And as your Grace may accounte of vs as of your surest so not of your fevvest nor vveakest subiectes for notvvithstanding this longe persequution vvee are so many Apalog c. 37. that as Tertulian sayed to the Paganes of the Christianes of his tyme vve fill your Courtes your Vniuersities your Cities your Tovvnes your Villages yea your prisons not for theftes or murders but for Religion only vvee haue lefte the Churches to the Ministers bicause in them is practised and preached a Religion vvhich our consciences can not brooke Yea a greater parte are vvee then any particuler secte in your Maiesties Realme and vvee are linked in Religion to all Catholique Princes and countries about you vvho vvill bee more louing neighbours if they see that vvee their bretherne synde this desired fauour at your Graces handes and the noblest and mightiest of them vvilbe more desirous to ioyne in mariadge vvith your Royall posteritie vvherby hovve your Kingdome shal be strengthned and your Dominions enlarged your Princely vvisdome easilie perceueth and you haue an example in the noble Hovvse of Austria Your Noble Brother of Fraunce that novv raigneth may be a president in this matter vvho though he vvas once an enemie to the Catholique Religion yet findeth more faythfull correspondence in his Catholique subiectes then in all the rest and by permitting bothe is serued of bothe and serueth him selfe of bothe Thirdly moste Gracious Soueraigne to admit the Catholique Religion or at least to permit it is your greatest safetie for your conscience For as you are a Prince so are you a Christian Prince and therefore a champion cap. 4.9 and as the Prophet Esaie sayeth a Foster-father of the Church and as the Kinges of Fraunce euen from Clodoueus the first Christian Kinge of that Realme haue beene called Christianissimi for their good offices tovvardes the Catholique Church Genebrar l s. Chron. Baron to 9. Annal. and the kinges of Spaine From Ferdinande yea from Alphonsus yea as some thinke from Recaredus for extirpating Arianisme and propagating the Christian faythe Geneb l. 4. Chron. Sleid l 3. Georg. Lilius in Chr. Angl. are surnamed Catholike so the Kinges of England froÌ„ King Henrie the Eight your Graces great vncle for his Catholike lerned booke writteÌ„ agaiÌ„st Luther other his most honourable seruices vvhich he perfourmed for the Catholike Church are called Defendours of the Faithe that is the Catholike faith Wherfore your Maiestie first bicause you are a Christian King Secondly bicause youâ— are a Defendour of the faithe are to see that the right vvorship of God and the true Christiane religion be practised in your Realme This the honour of God vnder vvhom you raigne this the good of his Church vvhose Champion you are this the saluation of your people vvhose King you are this the spiritual health of the body of your Realme vvhose head you are requireth For if in any couÌ„trie it be true that the inconstaunte people changeth vvithe the King in England it is moste true as vve haue seene by diuerse changes of religion in this Vnhappie age and so in your Maiestie it lyeth to saue or not to saue your people vvhich so admireth your authoritie and Princely vertues that your vvill is their lavve and your lavv their rule of religion And vvhere can your Grace finde a securer hauen for the Saluation of your selfe and your subiectes then the Catholike Church In vvhich soe many Martyrs haue dyed so many Doctours haue taught and preached so many virgins haue liued in flesh like Angells and so many sainctes haue vvrought so straunge and vvonderfull miracles by vvhich so many heresies haue been condemned so many Councels called so many Ecclesiasticall lavves enacted and such goodly order and discipline established For vv ch so many monasteries Churches Colledges Vniuersities and hospitalles haue beene builded fouÌ„ded In vv ch so many Emperours Kinges and Princes haue liued raigned dyed and as it is to bee hoped also haue beene saued and against vvhich so many cruel persequutours in vaine haue raysed forces and vsed tormeÌ„tes and so many heretikes haue raged and railed vvhich is descended froÌ„ the Apostles can proue a continuall succession of her pastours and religion from them vnto this daye Vvheras the nevv Church began but yesterdaye and her Preachers vvith her vvho also can not proue their mission nor distinguish them selues from false Prophets vvhose doctrine hath all the markes of heresie and is rather Antichristian then ChristiaÌ„ plucking at Christes Diuinitie spoiling him of many Honourable Titles to vvit Redeemer Spiritual Phifitian Lavv-giuer Aeternall Preest Iudge of the quicke and dead equalizing euery Christian vvith him making him an ignoraunt desperate and damned man vvhich hath nether Preest nor sacrifice nor in effect any sacrameÌ„t no prayer not so much as our Lords prayer no nor a sermon according to their doctrine nor any of the essential partes of Religion vvhich is blasphemous in many pointes against God iniurious to State and Authoritie fauourable to vice and bending to Atheisme all vvhich pointeâ— I haue proued in this booke But if youâ— Maiesties pleasure or leisure be not such as by perusing this booke to informe your selfe vvhich is moste likely to be the true Christian religion if it shall please your Highnes to commaund a conference or disputation vvhich hathe euer beeâ— the vsual meanes to determine coÌ„troueâ—sies as appeareth by the disputation oâ— Helias vvith Baals Prophetes â— Reg 18.10 8. Act. 7.9 17. 18 19. 20. Aug ep 47. Ruf. l. hist of Christ vvith the Ievves of Sainct Paule vvith levves and Gentils and of the ancieâ— doctours in Councels and out of Councels vvith Ethinkes and heretiques youâ— Maiestie shall finde diuers of your
meaning of scripture vvhich seemeth to haue more difficultie then that the Churche and her common spirit vvhich Christe promised her â—â— 1â— 1â— should chalenge vnto her such authoritie Giue vs therfore true scripture and vve vvill reuerence it as the vvord of God but corrupte this scripture by putting a false sense and signification to the letter as the reformers do and then vve vvill not acknovvledge it for the vvord of God bicause it explicateth not his mynd and meaning but rather vve detest it aboue all other vvords vvritings vvhatsoeuer bicause in that it beareth the name of the vvord of God and yet is not it is the most pernicious vvord that is For as the sovvrest vyneger cometh of the best vvine so the moste pernicious vvord is the letter of scripture corrupted and misinterpreted If then our aduersaries vvill haue scripture to be iudge in controuersies of religion let them alleage true scripture that is the letter vvith the true meaning of vvhich not euery priuate spirit but the common spirit of the Church must be iudge as shall herafter be proued But if they vvill make the bare letter to be iudge vvee deny first that the bare letter is scritpure and then vve auouch that the bare letter is noe good rule nor lavvfull iudge of religion bicause the letter of scripture may haue diuers senses and may serue euery heretike for his purpose as before is declared and so can be no rule nor iudge vvhich bothe must be assured and certaine To this they ansvver that scripture is so easie that the meaning is euident to euery one that hathe eyes to see it so he may as easilie see the conformitie of their religion vnto the rule of scripture For as vvhen the measure is knovvn it is euideÌ„t hovv long the cloth is vvhich is measured by it so scripture as they say being easie it is most euident vvhen religion is true bicause it is euident vvhen it is agreable and conformable to the assured and knovvne measure of scripture by vvhich all religioÌ„s are to be squared out and measured But that scripture is not easie to be vnderstood it is easily to be proued and so this ansvvere is as easilie to be reiected â— Pet. 3. For first scripture her selfe confesseth her ovvn obscuritie For sainct Peter in his epistle vvhich is a parte of scripture auoucheth that in S. Paules Epistles vvhich our reformers vvill not deny to be another part of scripture are certain hard things hard to be vnderstood vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also the rest of the scriptures lib. de fid op c. 14. to their ovvn perdition And saint Austine saieth plainly that those hard thinges are his commendations of faith vvhich the ignoraunt euen from the Apostles tyme did so miscoÌ„ster as though his meaning had been that only faith vvithout charitie and good vvorkes doth iustifie Act. 1â— The Eunuch could not vnderstand Esaie vvithout an interpretour Psal 1â—8 Dauid cryeth for vnderstanding at Gods hands before he dareth aduenture to search the lavv Luc 24. the Apostles could not vnderstand scripturs till Christ opened their sense and eyes of vnderstanding and yet our reformers are so eagle-eyed that they can see clearly and that at the first sight into the darkest and obscurest place of scripture The ancient fathers affirme that scriptures are obscure and amongest them sainct Hierome sayeth that the beginning of Genesis and the end of Ezechiel Ep. ad Paul in tymes past vvas not permitted to be read of any till he vvere thirtie yeares of age and vvhy but for the obscuritie vvhich might rather deceue theÌ„ direct the yonger sorte l. 2. con c. 14. S. Austine that great light of the Church miraculous vvitte vvho vvhen he vvas but tvventie yeares of age vnderstood the predicameÌ„tes of Aristotle at the first sight thought nether so highly of him selfe nor so basely of scripturs as to thinke him selfe able by reach of vvit to attain vnto the profound sence and meaning of them but rather though he had studied them more dayes nightes then our ministers haue done dayes only Ep. 3. ad Vâ—lus yea or houres and had vvritten more for the interpreting of scripturs then euer they read yet saieth he So great is the profunditie of them that I might euery day make profit in them if I should vvith greatest leisure greatest studie and a better vvitt endeuour to come vnto the knovvledg of them only and that from my tender youth vnto crooked olde age And in his bookes vvhich he vvrote vppon Genesis in his tractes vppon sainct Ihon and diuers other partes of scripture he moueth many doubtes and difficulties Prafat assert â—rt daâ— and yet Luther sayeth that scripturs are more playn and easie then all the fathers commentaries Petrus Lombardus commonly called the master of senteÌ„ces Liâ— â— d. 12.1 p. q 65. saint Thomas other diuines armed vvith philosophie and furnished vvith the schoole literature apply not vvithstanding all their vvittes to the explicating of the first chapter of Genesis and the creation of the vvorld in the first six dayes 〈◊〉 Hexamâ—â— as also saint Basil saint Ambrose others doe And yet Luther boldly affirmeth that no parte of scripture is to be called our counted obscure l. de seruâ— ar bit Saint Gregorie Nazianzeen and saint Basil studied scriptures for thirtene yeares together and yet durst not svverue a iotte from the interpretation of the auncient fathers Ruff. l. 11. c. 4 Saint Hierom not vvithstanding that he vvas so vvel seen in the Greeke and Hebrevv tongue ep tot â—â— and other both prophane and sacred literature yet vvent he as farre as Alexandria to conferre vvith Didimus Vvho also ronning after a cursorie manner ouer al the bookes of scripture fyndeth such difficultie in euery one as though he vnderstood this only in scripture that he vnderstandeth not scripture or as though this only in scripture vvere easie to be vnderstood that Scripture is not easie ending vvith the Apocalipse thus he concludeth Apocalypsis Ioannis tot habet sacramenta quot verba parum dixt pro merito voluminis laus omnis inferior est in verbis singulis multiplices latent intelligentiae The Apocalipse of Ihon hath as many sacrameÌ„ts as vvords I haue sayed litle for the merit of the volume all prayse is inferiour in euerie vvorde there lye hiddeÌ„ many senses and meaninges And yet Luther and Caluin and commonly Puritanes and Protestants auouch scripture to be facile and perspicuous that by the ovvne light you may see it and see into it and neede noe more helpe of an interpretour theÌ„ of a candle to see the sonne vvhen it shineth in the midde-daye But if this doctrine be true vvhy is ther such contention amongest the Reformers for the true explication of diuers places of Scripture Vvhy did the fathers and vvhy do the Reformers make so large commentaries vppon
doltes and Asses that Appelles vvas but a blurting painter that Cicero vvas but a railiÌ„g Rhetorician that Virgil Ouid vvere but riming Poets Vvhose eares could abide such coÌ„tumelies Think then indifferent reader hovv fovvle mouthed the heretiques of this age are vvho thus miscall the ancient fathers renovvmed for their skill in interpretatioÌ„ of scriptur and other learning as appeareth by their learned commentaries homelies and other vvorkes Think hovv arrogaÌ„t these men are vvho preferre them selues before all ancient fathers euen in that learning vvhich vvas their profession and for vvhich they haue been for many hundred yeares as famouse as euer Cicero vvas for eloquence Aristotle for Philosophie or Virgil Ouid for Poetrie But vvhilest they contemne the authoritie of ancient fathers vvhat greater authoritie do they bringe but vpstarte and vnlearned ministers Vvhilest they reiect the fathers as meÌ„ vvho mighterre are they godds or angells are not they men as the fathers vvere and not vvorthy to be their men seruauntes to cary their books after them But novve accordiÌ„g to my promise I vvil declare the first pointe by me proposed to vvit hovv in reiecting fathers they cracke their ovvne credit For these fathers vvere learned graue vvise gloriouse in vvorking miracles and great in bearing of authoritie in the Churche of God Their profession vvas preaching teaching and interpretiÌ„g of scripture in vvhich arte they are ancient and famouse for many hundred yeares Some of theÌ„ vvere schollers to the Apostles others succeeded immediatly the Apostles schollers The nevv Apostles are nevv and yong vvho beganne but the other day to study and to interprete scriptures and peraduenture many of them vvould neuer haue bene able to make a sermon had they not the helpe of the fathers commentaries homelies Let then the indifferent reader be iudge vvhether the religioÌ„ vvhich the fathers taught and professed or that vvhich these nevv Apostles haue deuised be likest to be true and vvhether it be not more probable that they preached teached according vnto scripture rather then our nevv and later Bible-clerkes Truly to say that a Luther Caluin Zuinglins Beza is herin to be preferred before Austines Ambroses Hieromes Gregories vvere as absurdly spoken as if one should preferre the painters of these dayes before Appelles or the Phisitions of this age before Galen More ouer vvhere these fathers vvent ther alvvaies vvente religion vvhere they vvere Doctours that vvas the Churche of Christe vvher they vvere pastours ther vvas allvvayes the folde of Christe of them coÌ„sisted all the general councells by them vvere the ancient Canons decreed and old heresies condemned all the Bishoprikes seas and Churches by them vvere gouerned and by their meanes erected They vvere the men vvho in all ages opposed them selues against heretiques as true pastours against the rauening vvolues vvho had only the coate of shepheards against them their people vvere raysed all the persecutions as against the only Christianes their actions their offices in God his Church their bookes their miracles their liues their deathes do fill Ecclesiasticall histories the vvriters vvherof intending to vvrite the begining progress of the Christian Church vvrite only of the Romaine and Catholike Churche the pastours and Doctours vvherof vvere the ancient fathers So that vvhilest our reformers refuse the authoritie doctrine of the fathers they cut them selues from the Church of Christe bicause that the fathers as all histories monumeÌ„tes declare vveÌ„t euer together and they ioyne in parte vvith all old heretikes vvhoÌ„ the fathers by doctrine and censure euer condemned bicause in one heresie or other they aggree vvith them all as shal be in the next booke demonstrated and they let not to coÌ„fesse vvith Tobie Matthevv that no man can read fathers and beleeue them imbrace this nevv religion Read Genebrard gentle reader and thou shalt see hovv in the end of euery age he setteth dovvne a catalogue of all the ancient fathers vvho vvere counted the only true pastours as allso a liste of all the heretikes them the Catholiques vvhich novv liue professe to follovv as the heretikes of this age vvill confesse those infamous heretikes the reformers adore embrace their doctrine as I shall proue hereafter in the second booke Iudge thou then vvhether the Church and Christian religioÌ„ be vvith these reformers and reuilers of fathers or vvith the Catholiques vhom they haue Nicknamed Papistes This argument of the fathers authoritie put Luther many tymes to his trompes and sometymes afflicted him vvith no litle scrouples but bicause he had a large coÌ„science he svvallovved them vp Praefat l. de abrog missâ— priuata in tyme digested them all Hovv often say eth he did my trembling harte beat vvith in me and reprehending me obiect against me that most stronge argument Art thou only vvise Do so many vvorldes erre Vvere so many ages ignoraunt Vvhat if thou errest and dravvest so many into errour to be damned vvith thee aeternallie And in an other place To. 5. annâ—â— breniss Doest thou a sole man and of no accounte take vppon thee so great matters Vvhat if thou being but one man offendest If God permit such so many and all to erre vvhy may he not permit the to erre Hether to apperteyn those arguments The Churche the Churche the fathers the fathers the Councells the custome the multitudes greatnes of vvise men Vvhom do not these hilles of argumentes To. â— in Gal. these cloudes yea these seas of examples ouer-vvhelme And yet again this scrouple assaulteâ—h him Some sayeth he vvill say vnto me The Churche so many ages hath so thought and taught So haue thought taught all the primitiue Churches and Doctoures most holymen much more great and more learned then thou Vvho art thou that darest dissent from all these and obtrude vnto vs a diuerse doctrine Thus God moued Luthers hart vvhich might haue been a sufficient calle to haue recalled and reclaimed him but he being obstinate thus put this motion by Vvhen satan thus vrgeth and conspireth vvith flesh and reason the conscience is terrified and despaireth vnless constantly thou retourn to thy selfe and say vvhether Cipriane Ambrose Austin or Peter Paule and Ihon yea an angell from heauen teach other-vvise yet this I knovve for certain that I counsayle not men to humane but diuine thinges Art thou sure Luther vvhen thou hast so many Se Reinolds in his refut c. â— and so learned fathers against thee Darest thou preferr thy ovvne particuler iudgment before their common consent Yea layeth M. Vvhitakar Luther in some case may prefer him selfe before all the fathers a thousand Churches For vvhen his doctrine is according to scripture then is it to giue place to noe fathers But this is as much to the purpose as the patch beside the hole bicause the coÌ„parison is not betvvixt fathers and scriptures vvhich are to be preferred bicause the fathers allovved and alleaged scripture euen for those pointes of doctrine for vvhich Luther
and the lavve of grace in all vvhich See the first booke sint chapter as I haue declared in the laste chapter of the first booke vvere Preestes and they also diuerse according to the diuersitie of lavves Vvherfore if Christe hathe planted a Church and in it established a lavv and religion certainly he hath also appointed a succession of Preestes bicause they euer goe together and haue such a connexion that the one can not stande vvithout the other For if there be noe Preests to offer sacrifice and to minister sacramentes and to interpret the lavve no shevv or face of religion can remaine and as vvell may a Kingdome florishe vvithout a Prince or magistrate In the first booke and sixt chap. as religion vvithout Preests and bishops Vvherfore as I haue proued before in the lavve of nature the first begotten of euerie familie vvas a Preeste in the lavve vvritten the tribe of Leuie vvas deputed and dedicated vnto Preesthod Ios l. 2. cont App. In vvhich tribe ther vvere inferiour Preests so many that Dauid vvas fayne to deuide them into tvventy fovvre rankes vvhich also conteyned a great number There vvere also Leuits vvho had inferiour offices And ther vvere highe Preestes vvhich succeeded one after anothers deathe to the number of fovvre score odde â—os li. 22. Aut. c. 2. and the laste highe Preestvvas Finasius vvho liued vntill the Citie of Hierusalem vvith the Temple vvas beseeged and ruined by Titus Vespasian These Preestes and Leuites loosing their office vvith the abrogation of the old lavve Christe Iesus vvho gaue vs a nevve lavve appointed a nevv Preesthood of vvhich hee him selfe vvas the first Preest and the principall and the only high Preest to vvhom no man succeedeth in the same authoritie and therfore sainct Paule putteth a difference herin betvvixte the olde and the nevve lavve that in the olde lavve many highe Preestes vvho succeeded one another vvere necessarie bicause one dying another vvas of necessitie to succeed least the Church should vvante an highe Preest but in the nevv lavve there is but one highe Preeste Christe Iesus and he is sufficient bicause thoughe hee dyed yet he rose again and neuer gaue ouer the office but still offereth sacrifice and still ministreth sacraments See the third booke sixâ— chap. by the hands of his vnder-Preestes So that he only is the highe Preest of the nevv lavv and none but he bicause no man succeedeth him in the same authoritie But here the aduersarie vvil insulte and say vnto me that I haue affirmed that vv ch hee desired for if Christe bee the only highe preest of the nevv lavve vvhat neede vvee any Popes Bishops and Preests Thus he argueth but vvth hovv litle reasoÌ„ a blinde man may see For as it is no good argument to say that novv in Ingland and Scotland and Ireland can be but one King at once therfore ther muste bee noe viceroyes nor Deputies nor Chauncelours nor Treasures nor Dukes nor Noble men vvhoe are the Princes Officers and Princes in their kinde vicegerentes also some in more ample some in lesse ample maÌ„ner so it is noe good argument to saye that Christe is the only highe Preest of the nevve lavve Ergo ther are noe other Preelts but he for he may haue many vicegerentes vvho also are true Predsts in their Kind And so the Pope maye be his supreme Vicare in earthe and other Bishops and Preests may be inferiour Vicars and Preests also subordinate in iurisdiction vnto the Pope Yea seing that the high Preest Christe Iesus hathe vvithdravvne his visible presence froÌ„ the Churche and executeth not visibly and immediatly by him selfe his preestly function it vvas necessary that to his visible Churche he should leaue a visible succession of Preests vvho should rule and minister vnder him and for him in his absence not as his successours but as his vicegerents and ministers for as noe Preest noe Churche so noe visible Preest noe visible Church Vvherfore vvhen Christe vvas to bid his Church fare vvell he instituted his Apostles Precsts Mat 26. giuing them authoritie to consecrate 10 20. 10.21 and to offer sacrifie and after his resurrection giuing them povver also to absolue from sinnes and appointing Peter as the highe Preest and Vicare vnder him selfe Iesâ— 22. Can. 2. vvhich to denye vvere not only to coÌ„tradicte the Councell of Trent vvhich defineth that in the place alleaged Christe made the Apostles Preefts but also to contemne and condemne the vvholle Schoole of ancient interpretours yea the vvholle Christian vvorld vvho haue so interpreted the places alleaged This Preestly function the Apostles in their tyme did exercisein preaching teaching baptising confirming and offerring Sacrifice also vv ch is the proper function of a Preest Yea their Disciples did the same Act. 1â— for S. Luke sayeth that they ministred vnto our Lord that is sacrificed as the Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth and as Erasmus him selfe trassateth yea as the maÌ„ner of speach also importeth For if they had only preached or ministred SacrameÌ„ts vvell might they haue been sayed to haue ministred to the People but not so properly vnto our lord vnless they had offered sacrifice vvhich is proper to him Sainct Paule sayeth that Timothie vvas ordained bishop by imposition of hands of the Presbiterie 1. Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 〈◊〉 in c. 5â— Isa that is a company of bishops and he affirmeth that he him selfe imposed his haÌ„ds vppon him vvhich imposition of hands is in greeke called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as S. Hierome vvitnessethe signifiethe giuing of holy orders Tit. 〈◊〉 The same sainct Paule vvriting vnto Titus sayeth that he lefte him at Creta that he should constitute and ordaine Preests in euery citie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same sainct Paule vvith Barnabas Act. 10. ordained to the people Preests in euery Church by imposition of hands as the greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth Act. 20. The same sainct Paule as sainct Luke reporteth sent to Ephesus called the elders of the Churche that is Preests for to them he sayed Looke to your selues and vnto your flocke 1. Tim 〈◊〉 And of Preests he speaketh vvheÌ„ he sayeth Preests vvhich do rule vvell are vvorthy double honou Iaeâ— 5. And againe Against a Preest receiue no accusation Of Preests also speaketh Sainct Iames vvhen he sayeth If any bee diseased among you let them call for the Preests of the Churche And bicause our ghospellers see that by these places it is manifest that in the Apostles tymes Preests vvere ordeined they are enforced for other vvise they could not coÌ„ceale this from the People to translate elders for Preestes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbiter Prestre Prete Preest notvvithstanding that the greeke vvorde yea the Latin frenche and Italian soundeth as much as Preest in Inglish Of Bishops Preestes and deacons vve haue mention in the
rable of their ministers vvho are no more Preests then they vvere that made them l. â—raesâ— Vltra med The like ordination and institution of ministers Tertulian recordeth to haue beene practised by the heretikes of his tyme Their ordinations sayeth he are light rashe inconstaunte one vvhile they make ministers of Neophits another vvhile of lay men and those vvho are tyed to the vvorld another vvhile of our Apostataes that they may bynde them vnto them by glorie vvhom they can not by veritie Vvherfore one Bishop they haue to daye another to morâ—vv to day he is made a Deacon vvho to morovve is Reader to day he is a preest vvho to morovv is a lay-man for to lay men they inioyne preestly functioÌ„s If then they haue noe Preests they haue none vvho hathe authoritie to minister sacraments to offer sacrifice and to preach vnto the people and so can haue noe religion bicause Preests and religion must euer go together Thus sainct Hierom reiecteth refuteth the sect of Luciferians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucif Hilarius sayeth he vvho vvas the head of the Luciferians vvhen being a Deacon he departed from the Churche and he alone vvich his companions as he thinketh became the only company and Churche of the vvorld can nether consecrate the Euchariste hauing nether Bishops nor preests nether can he giue baptisme vvithout the Euchariste For then Baptisme the Euchariste Confirmation vvere giuen together and novv he being dead his secte and Church is dead vvith him bicause he being but a Deacon could ordanie noe Clerke to succeed him and that is noe Churche vvhich hath noe preest Thus he argued against the Luciferians and the same argument do I make against all the nevv sects of this age you haue noe true preests by your ovvne doctrine nether in deed can you haue any bicause all your ministers vvere ordayned vvithout order that is vvithout consecration and imposition of Bishops hands and they haue their authoritie from them vvho being lay men could nether haue it them selues nor giue it to others and seing that religion and preests of necessitie did euer go together as is all ready proued you hauing noe true Preests can haue noe true religion and so your preachings bishopping and supping or coÌ„municating and your administrations of other sacraments Baptisme only excepted vvhich in necessitie lay men yea vvoemen may minister are noe more actes of religion then if the same vvere doone by players vppoÌ„ the stage bicause you haue noe more preestly authoritie then they haue so haue noe true religioÌ„amoÌ„gest you but only an apish imitation and a Stage-play of religion The second Chapter proueth that religion can not stande vvithout a true sacrifice and that the reformers haue no true religion bicause they haue noe Sacrifice MAN being composed of soule and body is to serue his Creatour vvth bothe therfore must not only beleeue vvith harte but must professe also his beleefe vvith touÌ„gue must not only prayse god in spirit but must vse his mouth also as a troÌ„pet to souÌ„d out this prayse nether must he pray vvith soule oÌ„lie butvvith lip pes also he ought not only to huÌ„ble his mynd in prayer but to bovve and bende his knee and body also and he is not only to mynde and meane vvell but he must also doe vvell Mas. â— to glorifie his father vvhich is in heauen to edifie his brother in earth Vvhich thing is soe deeply imprinted in the mynds of men that ther vvere neuer any ether religious or superstitious vvhose invvard deuotion did not breake forthe into some outvvarde signes or ceremonies by vvhich vvas manifested outvvardly and by some action or gesture of the body vvhat vvas in vvardly coÌ„ceiued and concealed in the mynde And amongest all the externall vvorshipps and outvvard signes of invvard deuotioÌ„ and religion sacrifice vvas euer counted the principal vvhich therfore as Sainct Austine noteth l. 10. cin â— 4. vvas neuer offered but ether vnto God or to some creature vv ch vvas esteemed of as God And therfore all nations of vvhat religion soeuer they vvere haue euer vsed to offer sacrifice as thoughe they thought that they gaue not vnto their God his right honour and vvorship vnless they should offer vnto him one sacrifice or other l. 〈…〉 Plinie reporteth that the people of Sabea offered as sacrifices vnto their Gods all maner of spices but myrhe vvher vvith that countrie aboundeth others haue offered fruites and hearbes of the earth others brute beasts others haue sacrificed childreÌ„ men vnto their Gods vvherin thoughe many superstitions and abominable idolatries vvere committed yet thereby appeareth that noesooner the harte of man is possessed vvith religion true or false but it thinketh of one sacrifice or other aduersâ—â— Colotem In so much that Plutarke sayeth that a man shall sooner hitte vppon cities vvithout vvalles hovvses Kings lavves coynes Schooles and Theaters then vvithout TeÌ„ples and Sacrifices l. quod non patest suauiter viui secunduÌ„ Epis. and therfore sayeth he Epicure vvho in deed serued noe other god theÌ„ his belly and consequently had no other Church then his Kitching noe other Preests then his cookes and no other sacrifices then his dishes offered notvvithstanding sacrifice vnto the Gods for feat of the multitude And as these bicause they had the light of nature offered sacrifices but bicause they vvaÌ„ted light of faithe offered them to false Gods and vvith much superstition so the true vvorshippers of God vvho vvere indevved vvith the true light of faith offered sacrifice vnto the true God In the first booke and last chap. Adam as I haue allready proued vvas a preest therfore did noe doubt offer sacrifice to appease Gods vvrath conceiued against his faulte although the Scripture maketh no meÌ„tion of it Gen. 4. Abelâ—â—s the Scripture vvitnesseth being a Pâ—â—â—st vvas not content to bear a harte full of reuerence vnto God but to make manifest the invvard religion of his mynde he killed the first borne and fattest of his flocke offered them to God as a sacrifice and God respected Abel and his oblatioÌ„s Noê also so soone as the Fludde vvas fallen builded an Altar vnto God and vppon it he sacrificed and offered holocausts and burnt-offerings of the cleane beasts Gen. 8.17 and fovvles vvhich he had preserued from the furiouse vvaues of that vniuersall deluge See the first booke last chap. The like did Abrahame Melchisedech Iob and many other Patriarches and true seruaunts of God vvho liued vnder the lavve of nature as is also in the place alleaged proued and de-declared In the lavve vvritten the vse of offering sacrifice vvas more frequent and the sacrifices and the ceremonies vvhervvith they vvere to bee offered vvere determined by Gods ovvn mouth as appeareth by the booke of Leuiticus and other parts of scripture And for this purpose especially God commaunded Salomon to build that stately Temple and vvould haue noe sacrifice offered
from a heard of beastes And bicause the olde and ancient sages knevv vvell hovv much it imported to haue lavves in a common vvelthe they deuised meanes to moue the people to a great and highe coÌ„ceite of lavves that they might the more vvillingly embrace them and more diligently put them in execution Zoroastes vvho prescribed lavves to the Bactrianes and Persians made Oromasis the autour of them Trismegistus vvho gaue lavves to the Aegiptians sayed that a God enacted them Minos of vvhoÌ„ the people of Crete receiued their lavves tolde them that Iupiter vvas the inuentour of them Charondas to bring the Carthaginians to a reuerent conceit of his lavves auouched that hee vvas taught them by Saturnus Licurgus vvho ruled the Lacedemonians fathered his lavves vvher vvith hee ruled them vppon Appollo Solon vvho deuised lavves for the Athenians affirmed that they proceeded from Mineruas brayne Plato vvho set dovvne lavves for the Sicilians and Magnesians protested that Iupiter and Appollo had inspired him Moyses vvho promulgated the lavv vnto the Ievves told them that God vvas the autour of them as in deed hee vvas and shevved them a table in vvhich an Angells hand had vvritten them And christe Iesus the authour of the nevve lavve protested that he vvas sent by his father and that the lavve and doctrine vvhich hee preaching vvas not his but his fathers vvhoe sent him And truly good reason had they to imprinte in their subiectes myndes a reuerent conceite of lavves bicause nothing is more soueraine nothing more necessarie in a common vvelth then lavve Lavves are certaine conclusions of the aeâ—ernall lavve of God and nature they are like sinnevves vvhich bynde knitte the subiectes together they are the life and soule of this ciuil body they are rules squares of humaine actions they are bridles and curbes of humaine appetites they are dumme Magistrates vv ch looke to good orders they teach the subiectes their dutie keepe them in avve and order maintein peace vphold iustice reuenge iniuries defend the innocent chastice the nocent praeserue good subiectes from receiuing euil and hinder the bad from offering euil vvithout the vv ch noe discipline can be kepte no good order obserued noe peace established no iustice mainteined Novve let vs see vvhat esteeme the reformers make of lavves and vvhat good counsaile their doctrine affordeth vs to excite and stirre vs vp to the obseruation of lavves l. 4 Inst 〈◊〉 §. 5. Caluin pronounceth thus the lavves of men vvhether they be made by the Magistrate or by the Church although they be necessary to be kepte yet therfore doe they not by them selues bynde in conscience §. 2â— And for an example he affirmeth that the Apostles nether did nor could make any lavve in their first Councel Act. 15. but only promulgaâ—ed the libertie that Christe had giuen and added not as a lavve that bynds but as an admonition §. 27. that of charitie to their vveake brethren they should absteyne from thinges offered to Idols from strangled and from blood And after vvards againe hee repeateth that although it be necessary for gouernment to haue lavves humain and Ecclesiasticall in the Church §. â—â— yet they must not be thought to bynde vs in conscience So that Caluin is of opinion that althoughe the lavves of the Church and of Princes and magistrates ought to be kept for order sake or for feare of offence and scandale yet they binde vs not in coÌ„science And hee giues the reason l. 5. c. â—◠〈◊〉 10. bicause sayeth he If vve once graunte that men can bynde our consciences by their vvill and lavv Christe loseth the thaÌ„ke of his so great liberalitie to vvit in redeeming vs from the bondage of the lavve and our consciences their profit The same is Luthers opinion as is related before in the first Chapter of this booke I vvill not stand novve to refute this paradox partely bicause I haue proued all ready in the place last mentioned that vve are bound in conscience to obey all lavvfull superiours and consequently that their lavves do bynde our coÌ„sciences partelye bicause the absurde sequele of this doctrine vvhich by and by shall appeare sufficiently confuteth it nether vvill I repeate vvhich I haue allready declared to vvit that obligation of lavves is nothing repugnant to Christian libertie bicause vvee are not therfore sayed to bee freed from the yoke of the lavve bicause the lavve bindeth vs not but bicause vvee haue receiued grace from Christe to fullfill the lavve and so it can no more tyrannize ouer vs in commaunding more then vvee are able to performe I vvill therfore dravve to vvards my conclusion vvhich is that the alleaged doctrine of Caluin bringeth all lavves in contempte and looseth the bridle to all malefactours And first of all I must tell Ihon Caluin that in denying lavves to bynde in conscience hee taketh a vvay all lavves bicause it is the essence of a lavv to be able to bynde the subiecte and in this only it differeth from counsale exhortation and admonition Secondly Caluin by this doctrine abrogateth all promises and contractes euen of matrimonie vvhich are particuler lavves And therfore if to saye that lavves bynde in conscience bee to despoile Christe of the honour of a redeemer and man of Christian libertie then is it also iniurious to Christe and mans libertie to be bound in conscience to keepe promises and to obserue contractes euen vvith vviues Thirdly the commauÌ„dement also of parentes and maisters are particuler lavves and consequently vvee are not bound in conscience to obey our masters or pareÌ„tos and so one of the tenne commaundementes must bee blotted out bicause if vvee bee not bound to obeye our parentes vvhich is one of the cheefeste honours vvhich vve can giue them vvee are not bound to honour our parentes Yea by this doctrine it follovveth that the tenne commaundementes bynde vs not in conscience vvhich thoughe our aduersaries vvill not sticke to graunte as vvee shall see in the nexte booke yet vvhoe seethe not vvith vvhat absurditie Lastly at the least vvhich yet is not the least absurditie this doctrine bringeth all lavves in contempte for as the vvilde and vnbroken colte litle careth if you should tye him vvith heares or threedes bicause hee knovveth that suche baÌ„des are not of force to hold him so vvhen men are once persuaded that lavves of Princes bynde them not in conscience they vvill make litle scrouple to traÌ„sgresse them and so lavves are brought into contempte And although feare of the penaltie or punishement vvhich the lavv layeth on them may make them sometymes to keepe them for feare of punishement Yet vvhen they can escape the ministers of iustice eyes or handes or auoid by subtile shifte or open force the payne of the lavve they vvill make noe scruple of transgressing the lavve for vvhy should they make conscience of that vvhich toucheth not conscience But Caluin vvill saye that they ought not vvithstanding to keepe lavves for order sake and
A SVRVEY OF THE NEW RELIGION DETECTING MANIE GROSSE ABSVRDITIES WHICH IT IMPLIETH Set forth by Matthevv Kellison doctor and Professour of Diuinitie Diuided into eight bookes Math. 7. Nunquid colligunt de spinis vuas aut de tribulis ficus Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles 2 Tim 3. Vltra non proficient insipientia enim eorum manifesta erit omnibus They shal prosper no further for their follie shal be manifest to al. Printed at Dovvay by LAVRENCE KELLAM at the signe of the holie Lambe 1603. Approbatio VISIS trium S. Theologiae Doctorum Anglorum testimonijs quibus testantur hunc librum cui titulus A Suruey of the new religion à Rdo. D. Matthaeo Kellisono S. Theologiae Doctore Professore conscriptum nihil continere quod fidei aut bonis moribus aduersetur sed plurima quae ad fidem Catholicam stabiliendam Sectariorum errores profligandos faciunt dignum censui quem ego calculo meo approbarem Astum Duaci 25. Julij 1603 Georgius Coluenerius S. Theologiae Licentiatus Professor librorum in Academia Duacena visitator TO THE MOSTE HIGHE AND MIGHTIE Prince IAMES the first by the grace of God King of England Scotland Fraunce and Ireland Defendour of the Faithe YOV vvill meruaile peraduenture most dread Soueraigne hovve a Preeste vvhose very name hath novv of longe tyme been odious in your Realme of England dareth bee soe bolde as to appeare in the presence of so Mightie a Prince sitting in a throne of Maiestie and terrour crovvned vvith a Diademe of greater glorie then hetherto hath stoode vppon the Kinge of England his head holding in his victorious hande a nevve Scepter by vvhich he commaundeth all the Bretaigne Ilandes like a Neptune is Lorde of the Ocean sea vvhich honour vvas reserued for your sacred Maiestie the first King Iames of Englād the only King Iames of Englād and the only King of Scotland and England And it vvill seeme straunge vnto your Highnes to see one of my coate condition amid the congratulations of all the Princes of Europe saluting you vvith so longe a Proeme and euen then vvhen their honourable Legates haue so great and so importaunte affaires to communicate vnto your Maiestie from their Lordes and Maisters to intrude into your Chamber of Presence so rude a Messenger and euil-spoken Legate of myne vvho speaketh only by signes of vvritten vvordes and demaundeth audiēce in his maisters name vvho is fayne to send bicause he dares not come not that he doubteth of your Graces Clemencie or his ovvn Innocencie but bicause such as he is hauing been for so longe a tyme forbidden all accesse both to their Prince and countrie he dareth not approche so neare vnto your Gracious prefence though he bee assured that you are as milde a Prince as mightie and novve as mightie as any Prince of Europe Yea I may bee thought peraduenture to vvante both Face forhead vvho nether blush nor ame abashed to present so great a Prince vvith so litle a presēt as is a booke of Paper ill printed bicause in a straunge Countrie and as ill indighted bicause by one vvho hath liued longer out of his countrie then in it and euen at that tyme also vvhen all the Princes of the Christiane vvorlde present your Highnes vvith the rarest and ritchest guiftes vvhich sea and lande can afforde But if it shall please your Highnes to giue eare to your lovvest subiecte he vvill not doubte but to cleare him selfe of all these three inciuilities vvhich maybe supposed to haue been by him committed and he vvill counte it noe small honour to be permitted to speake for him selfe before so Potente a Prince and dares auouch it to be no dishonour for your Highnes to stoupe to so lovve a subiecte bicause Princes vvho by ascending can mounte no higher as being in temporall Iurisdiction next vnto God by condescending to their subiectes do arise in greatnes bicause therin only they are greater then them selues in ouercoming them selues And from the first the Emperour Adrian vvill excuse me vvho commēded vnto Minutius his Proconsul of Asia as a thing of importaunce ne nomen condemnaretur sed crimen that the name should not be condemned but the crime For Tert. Apol◠c. ◠saythe Tertulian against them that hated Christians in vvhom they could finde no other thīg to hate but the name christian vvhich they should haue loued S◠nominis odium est quis nominis reatus quae accusatio vocabulorum nisi aut barbarum quid sonet aut infaustum aut maledicum aut impudicum If the name he hated vvhat is the guilte of the name vvhat accusation is ther of vvordes vnlesse they sound of barbarisme or vnluckines or maledictiō or vnchastnes And therfore if Preest-hood be no offence the name Preest is deuoid of harme and if Preesthood be noe treason a Preest in that he is a Preest can be no traitour Vnlesse vve vvill accounte Christe and his Apostles traytours vvho vvere Preestes and the first Preestes of the nevv lavve esteem after the same manner of all the ancient Preestes both of Englād and other countres vvhome Kinges and Emperours haue honoured as their vvorthy and haue loued as their moste faith-full subiectes vvho vvere so farre from being enemies to the crovvne that from their handes all Christian Kinges almoste haue hetherto receiued their cōsecration crovvnes and Scepters As for the second supposed or rather presumed inciuilitie that is so farre from deterring mee at this tyme that I thinke novv to be the very tyme vvhen the Legates of the Kinges of earthe in their Lordes Masters name vvish you a longe and a Prosperous Raigne to salute you frō the Great Monarche of heauen vvhose Legate I ame in that I ame a Preest though a miserable sinner in that I ame a Manne and your Maiesties lovvest subiecte in that I ame an English-man Nether can I thinke that the Legate of the great king of heauen vvhose Legacie you shall vnderstand a none your Highnes vvill pardon such Highe speeches bicause it is the manner of Legates to vse them for their Masters honour shal be denied audience of your so gracious Maiestie vvhen the Ambassadours of the Kinges of earth vvho are but his Viceroyes Lieutenauntes and Tenauntes at vvill are harde vvithe so fauourable a countenaunce and such attentiue eares And if I vvere neuer so base yet is novve the tyme of Coronation vvhen it is lavvfull for your basest subiecte to congratulate your nevv and highe dignitie and vvhen the poorest man in the Realme hath as good leaue to crie Viue le Roy God saue King Iames as any noble manne or Pere of your Realme Nether is the thirde obstacle any obstacle at all bicause although my present be small and your personage great yet to accept of a subiectes litle present is not to diminish but to a grandize your Greatnes bicause in that you are greater then your selfe and likest the
Greatest vvho tooke in as good parte the vvidovves mite as the ritchest Offringe But yet I vvould not haue your Maiestie to esteeme of this my booke only as of a bare bundel of papers bicause I present you vvithall that hūble harte and sincere affection vvhich a subiecte can beare or ovve vnto his Soueraigne and vvith my affection I offer my selfe as your Maiesties most lovvly faithfull seruaunte vvhich is a guifte so great be the giuer neuer so vile that the great King of heauen requireth yea desireth no more at our handes but esteemeth that vve giue all vvhen vvee giue our selues and that vvee giue noe litle vvhen vvee giue our All bee it neuer so litle Nether is my presēt it selfe to bee misprised nether can it of such a Prince bicause the booke is not my present it is but the boxe the present is that vvhich it conteineth And if your Maiestie demaund of me vvhat that is I ansvvere not gold nor Iuorie of India not ritch and orient pearle for vvith such treasures your England like an India aboundeth but it is that vvhich is more vvorth and vvhich your India only vvanteth and vvhat is that It is religion the vvorship of God the Saluation of your soule the safetie of your Subiectes the health of the body of the Realme of vvhich you are the Heade the strength of your Kingdome the peace of your people and the ritchest pearle of your crovvne This is the subiect of my discourse these are the contentes of my booke and this is my guifte and present vvhich amongest so many guiftes vvhich by so many and so mightie Princes are presented vnto your Highnes I offer vvith all humilitie hopīg yea persuading my selfe that such a guifte as Religion can not but be gratefull vnto that Prince vvho is the Defendour of the faith Protectour of Religion And bicause this vnhappie age hath been more frutefull then profitable in deuising of religions in so much that as all is not golde that glisters so novv all is not religiō vv ch is called soe least I may be thought to offer Counterfet for currante and heresie for true religion it is the Catholike Religion most noble Prince vvhich I present and vvhich my booke conteyneth and by many argumentes as occasion serueth not only proueth but also conuinceth to be the only sincere and true Christian religion and vnmasking the nevv religion by a seuere yet syncere Examination declareth it to be nothing else but errour and heresie though vnder the painted face of a Reformed Religion it hath deceiued some parte of the vvorld and especially your litle vvorld England vvhich the Poete chose rather to calle a vvorlde by it selfe separated from the greater vvorld then a parte or parcel of it bicause like a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and litle vvorld it conteineth compendiously and in a lesser roome vvhich also is a grace all commodities and perfections vvhich in the greater are dispersed But bicause I ame more in examining and refuting the nevv religion then in confirming the olde bicause the good corne grovveth easilie vvhen the vveedes are extirpated I entitle it a suruey of the nevv religion And if your Maiestie demaund of me vvhy I dedicate such a booke vnto you I can not vvante an ansvveare bicause I can not vvante a reason Flauius Vegetius vvill tell your Highnes that it hathe beene euer the custome to dedicate bookes to Kinges and Emperours as he him selfe did to Valentinian th' Elder bicause sayeth he nether is any thing vvel begōne vnless after God the King fauour it nether doe any thinges beseem Kinges better then bookes vvho as they gouern all so if it vvere possible should knovve all For as in the head vvhich guideth the vvholle bodie are all the sences so a Prince the head of the people should be indevved vvith all sciences and as the Sonne bicause it illuminateth the planets vvhich vnder it rule and guide the inferiour vvorld is replenished vvith more light then they so the King vvho is the Sonne of his ovvn vvorld and Kingdome from vvhom not only the people but inferiour Princes also are to receue their light and direction should be illuminated vvith a greater light and knovvledge then any of his subiectes and therfore Cirus vvas vvonte to say that he is not vvorthy an Empire vvho is not better and vviser then the rest vvhich also in effecte King Salomon surnamed vvise affirmed vvhē he gaue that holsome counsayle to his fellovv-Kinges Sap. 6. Si delectamini sedibus sceptris ô Reges populi diligite sapientiam vt in aeternum regnetis If you be delighted in thrones and scepters ô Kinges loue you vvisdome that you may raigne for euer and to signifie this by an Embleme God him selfe gaue his people for their first King no other then Saule vvho vvas higher then the rest of the people by the head and shoulders And seing that your Maiestie is not only a Kinge but a learned King also as by many monumentes of your rare vvitte and learning vvhich the learnedst admire doth plainly appeare to vvhom ought I of dutie to consecrate this my vvorke but to such a King vvho for his authoritie can protecte it and for his vvisdome can Iudge of it Yea the verie subiect of my booke vvhich is religion seemed to require of right no other Patrone then your most Excellent Maiestie vvho by office and Title are the protectour of Religion the champion of the Church and Defendour of the Fayth This common congratulation also not only of your ovvne litle vvorld but also of all the Christiane vvorlde this vniuersall ioy these triūphes these bonefyers vvhich the french-man calleth feux de ioye haue moued and stirred mee vp to shevv some signe also of my affection and ioye vvhervvith my harte is so full that my toungue can not be silent All reioise most Gracious Prince at your Coronation as though it concerned all and the hope vvhich is generally conceiued of your Graces Bountie hath not only passed your seas but the Alpes also The vvorlde admires the svveet prouidence of the Almightie tovvardes your Maiestie vvhoe euen from your infancie hath protected you from many imminent dangers as thoughe he had reserued you as no doubte hee did for the crovvne of England The vvorld expected ether ciuil vvarres or foraine inuasions after the deathe of her Maiestie of late memorie bicause the Heire apparaunt vvas not named and though all men had their eyes and expectations and desires also fixed on your Highnes person yet they feared that vvhich they desired and hoped not vvithout feare and yet cōscience directing your Nobles and God gouerning their cōscience vvithout any bloud shed vvithout contradiction yea vvith great applause of all your Highnes is placed peaceably in your Regall throne and vv ch is rare England vvas so inamoured vvith your Princely vertues and so moued by your vndoubted Title that shee sent for you as for her louing spouse and hath betrothed
by one that knovveth Brute beastes as soone as they are able to nibble vppon the grasse can chuse the hearbes vvhich are most conuenieÌ„t for them as though they vvere cunning herbistes and you shall seeldome or neuer see them dye of surfitting or mistaking one hearbe for another not that they knovve the vertues of Simples but bicause God hath giuen them an Instincte of Nature to take that vvhich is aggreable to nature The byrdes of the ayre Keepe a certaine and a most conuenient tyme for breeding and building and their nestes they build as artificially as if they vvere Carpenters by occupation and their youngones they feed vvith that discretion as if they vvere experte Nurces The spider vvill not yeeld to the Fisher vvho as coningly vveaueth his vvebbe placeth it as craftilie to take the flye as he doth his netteto take the heedles fishes The Bee vvhen the vvinde riseth taketh claye in his mouth leaste the vvind haue to great force ouer his litle body I vvill say nothing of the so vvell ordered common vvelthes of Bees and Antes nor of the staunge operations of other liuing creatures bicause of them I ame to treat in diuers places of my booke Plantes and trees seeldome or neuer deceiue the husband man but after the dead of vvinter all vvhich tyme they also seemed dead they send forthe first theyr leaues and aftervvardes their bloomes as messengers to fortell the fruites vvhich for his labour in pruning them they meane to bestovve vppon him And neuer shall you see them budd in the middest of vvinter but in the spring only vvhen the ayre is so vvarme that their yonug ones can take no harme not that they knovve the moste conuenient tyme but bicause God vvho Knovves it hath engrauen such an inclination in them But more bountifully hath the Allmightie dealte vvith man then vvith any other corporall creatures bicause he is more noble then them all and is an abridgement of all for to him he hath giuen vnderstanding to knovve his God his Good his Ende and Felicitie and a vvill also to desire and pursue the same And least his vnderstanding should banger in approuing falshood for truth and veritie he hath engrauen in it a naturall propeÌ„sioÌ„ to veritie and least his vvill should embrace euil and badde for good she also hath the like inclination to good In so much that as the eye seeth nothing but light or colours and the eare heareth nothing but sounde so the vnderstanding aymeth only at truthe and the vvill desireth nothing else but good and as the eye can not perceue sound nor the eare colours so the vnderstanding can not giue his assent to a knovven vntruthe and the vvill can not affecte euil as euil Hence it is that vve can not vvith harte thinke that the crovve is vvhite or the svvanne blacke bicause this is a knovven vntruth and vvhere nether the truth nor falsehood is apparaunt there vve doubt and suspend our Iudgement vvhich is the cause vvhy vve nether iudge the sandes of the Sea nor the starres of the skye to bee eueÌ„ or odde in number bicause vvee haue no more reason to thinke the one then the other The vvill in like manner can not affect a knovvn euil as euil bicause her obiecte is Good lib. de diuinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. â— and therfore Dionisius Areopagita sayed that no man intendeth euil as euil but euen then vvhen he embraceth vice vvhich is the greatest euil he aymeth at some apparaunt good of pleasure or profit vvhich he imagineth in that euill Vvherfore all knovven Goodes such as knovvledge vertue Faelicitie are euery man desireth and loueth euen in his enemie vvhom he hateth though he like not of the difficulties vvhich are to bee deuoured before he attaine vnto them Vvho novve vvould thinke that man ether should or could approue errours and heresies for true doctrine and falle in loue vvith vice in vvhich is no true goodnes to be liked But nothing is so good vvhich may not bee abused God hath giuen man freevvill not to sinne but to merit vv ch if hee had not his vvel-doing vvould deserue no God a mercie and his euil deeds should be vvorthy no blame bicause they vvho of necessitie do othervvise then beseemes them are rather to be pitied then blamed And yet from hence proceedeth all iniquitie from vvheÌ„ce vertue merit and laudable actions should haue had their source and beginning He hathe grafted in our nature passions of loue feare anger and such like that by loue vvee might imbrace Good by feare auoid euil and by anger chastice vice and euil and yet vvhilest vve giue passions the head and bridle passions rule reason is ouerruled man is ouerthrovvn and ruined by that by vvhich he should haue stoode He hath imprinted in vs a naturall loue and liking of Beatitude in so much that no man is so barbarous vvhoe if you aske him vvhether he vvill be happy or noe can or vvill say noe vvith harte and mynde Vvherfore sainct Austine sayeth l. â—â— Trin. c. â—â— that the Iester vvho promised that he vvould tell euerie one the thing vvhich his harte desired had hit the nayle on the head if he had sayed omnes beati esse vultis miseri esse non vultis you vvill all be happie miserable you vvill not bee and yet vvhilest by this naturall propension vvee seeke for faelicitie in honours ritches pleasures vvhere it is not and not in God vvhere it is that is made our bane vvhich should haue beene our good And so God hath bountifully bestovved on vs vnderstanding vvholly bent to truthe and only to truth and yet by abuse that is made the fountaine of all errours vvhich should haue been the of-spring of verities For vvhilest like Aesops dogge vve snatch at the shadovve insteed of the flesh that is seek after truth in those thinges in vvhich is no truth at all but only a shovve and shadovve vve make our naturall propension vvhich vve haue to truthe a cause of our errour vvhich should haue been our best direction and vvith as great a vehemencie vve embrace our errours as vvee are propense prone to truthe euen as that dogge the more greedily leaped at the shadovv the more desirous he vvas of the flesh And hence proceed Idolatries superstitions sectes and heresies to vvhich vve vvould neuer giue so obstinate an assent did vve not imagin some truthe to bee vvhere only is deceite and errour He hath giuen vs also a vvill vvholly bente to Good and altogether auerted from euil and yet vvhilest vvith those foolish byrdes vvee pecke at Appelles painted grapes that is seeke after good in pleasures ritches and honours vvhere is but a painted hevve of good vve embrace vice our greatest euil insteed of our greatest good and so much the more greedily by hovv much vve are more inclined to Good And hence proceed fornicatioÌ„s aduouteries theftes and murders vvhich vve vvould neuer desire so vehemently
iudge of all in interpretation of scripture and vvill be iudged of none l. â— cont haer â— 2 This intolerable pride self loue of their ovvne opinions Sainct Ireneus auoucheth to bee a common disease amongest heretiques Vnusquisque sayeth he fictionem quam à semetipso adinaenit illam esse sapientiam dicit seque indubitate incontaminate sincere absconditum scire mysterium Euery one sayeth that his ovvne fiction vvhich he hath deuised is vvisdome and that he vndoubtedly incontaminatly and sincerely doth knovv the hidden mysterie A rius that famous or rather infamous heretike not for spoiling Dianaes temple but for robbing Christ of his diuinitie vvas so vvise in his ovvne conceipte Nic l. 8. c. 7. l. 4 c. 12. that he thought none of the ancient fathers vvorthy to be compared vvith him Aetius another souldiour of Lucifers baÌ„de vvas vvonte to say that he knevv God as vvell as he knevv him selfe Theodoreth l 4. her fab Manicheus bragged that he vvas not only an Apostle of Christe Aug. cont ep fund but also a Paraclete Nestorius eloquent indeed though not so svveet in vttering Socr l. 2.3.22 as forvvard to come to the vtteraunce took such pleasure therin that he had noe mynde to read the ancieÌ„t fathers But to leaue the olde and to come to our nevv-borne heretikes you shall see that in this selfe loue and liking of their ovvn opinioÌ„s they degenerate not a iotte from their ancetours Luther seing him selfe oftentymes to be pressed vvith the old fathers authority preferreth his ovvne priuate opinion before their common sentence and decree and blusheth not a vvhit at the matter Li cons. â—â—gem Angl. Nihilcuro sayeth he si mille Augustini mille Cipriam mille Ecclesiae contra me sentiant I care not if a thousand Augustines a thousand Ciprianes a thousand Churches thinke othervvise then I do Pro l. lib constatutâ— Eâ—clesiae And in a nother place Doctrinam meam sayeth he nolo iudicari à quoquam necab Episcopis nec ab Angelis ommbus volo per eam Angelorum iudex esse I vvill not haue my doctrine iudged of any nether of Bishops nor of all the Angells I vvill by my doctrine be iudge euen of the Angels And againe in another booke of his L do sâ—râ—â—â— arbierâ—â— Ego sayeth he in hoc libro non contuli sed asserui assero net penes vllum iudicium esse volo sed omnibus suadeo vt praestent obsequium I haue not conferred in this booke but I haue affirmed and I affirm nether vvill I that any man iudgè herof but I counsayle all to obey myn opinion But especially he triun pheâ—liâ—n another place of the afore sayed booke vvhich he vvrote against Henry the eight I oppose sayeth he the ghospel but expounded as hee pleaseth against the sayinges of fathers and Angeles as though Angeles vver in opinion coÌ„trary to the ghospell Here I stand here I remain here I glorie here I triumphe here I insulteagainst the Papistes Thomistes Henricistes Sophistes and all the sayings of men though neuer so holy See hovv this man pleaseth him self in his ovvn opinion and hovv he preferreth it before all men and Angeles For all though he vvill seeme to preferre only the ghospelle before them yet seing that the controuersie is not betvvixte scriptures fathers bicause the fathers reuerenced scriptures more then euer Luther did but vvhether Luther or they expounded scripture most righthy hee in deed preferreth him selfe before all the fathers that euer vvere and in conceipt triumpheth ouer them all but before the victorie Caluin also in this selfe pleasing opinion shovveth him self as bragging and Thrasonicall as Luther for his harte and conteÌ„deth vvith him vvho shall stout it most l. 4. Inst. â— 9 Nulla Conciliorum sayeth he Pastorum Fpiscoporum nomina nos impedire debent quo minus omnes omnium spiritus ad diuini verbi regulam exigamus No names of Councells Pastours Bishops ought to hinder vs from examining the spirits of all men by the diuine vvord And in another chapter of the same book c 〈…〉 explicating those vvords of scripture This is my body in a contrary sense to the Lutheranes he sayeth that he having by diligeÌ„t meditatioÌ„ examined those vvordes doth imbrace that sense vvhich the spirit telleth him Mat. 26. and leaning to this sayeth he I despise thevvisaoÌ„ of all meÌ„ vvhich can bee opposed against mee See see the pride of an heretike may not Luther and euery false prophet say that he hath vsed diligence and that the spirit telles him the contrary Vvere not the fathers as diligent as Caluin as Vvise as learned and as vertuouse vvho expounded those vvordes in their proper sense No no one Caluin in his ovvn conceipt surpasseth them all and his opinion and priuat spirit must take the place and vpper hand of all the Austines Ambroses Gregories Hieromes of all the Councells yea and Churches allso all though they vvere thousands in number Virg. Aeneid 9. Ouid. meo 1. Of these mens priuate spirits may be sayed that of the Poet Sua cuique Deus fit dira cupido Euery ones cruel lust is his God Sibi quisque profecto est Deus Euerie one truly is to him selfe a God For these men especially vvho preferre their priuat opinions before Fathers Councells Churches yea and Angells also Vvhat do they but adore the idolls of their ovvne imaginations as their God Truly these men vvhich are not sicut caeteri homines like other men at ether goddes or beasts and that by the sentence of Aristotle the prince of Philosophers For if by this philophers verdit solitarie men or rather haters of societie vvhom the Grecians vse to call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee other gods or sauage beasts vvhat are these men vvhoe flying allvvayes the company and common consent of Christians vâ—ill go alone in all their opinions and symbolize or sorte them selues vvith no men But this it is to leaue the Catholike Church vvhich vvhen the heretike forsaketh he bidds adevv to all fathers councells antiquitie and commoÌ„ consent vvhich only are to be founde in this Charch and must of necessirie stande post-alone and stick to his priuat spirit opinion against all the ChristiaÌ„ vvorld I vvould saint Bernard had been to deale vvith these singular spirits but bicause he is ridde of these troublesom companions vve vvill at least alleage his vvords vvhich he once vsed against one Petrus Abailardê° possessed vvith the same euill spirit vvho sayed that man vvas not deliuered by Christe from captiuitie of the deuill and although sayeth he the doctours of the Church think the coÌ„trary yet other vvise it seemeth vnto me Vvhat sayeth sainct Bernard shall I deem more intolerable in these vvords Epist â—â—0 blasphemie or arrogancie Vvhat more damnable rashnes or impietie Vvere it not more meete that such a mouth should be bobbed and beaten vvith stones then refuted by reasons doth
dull pate and such like names for pressing him vvith the authoritie of fathers thus he decideth the matter Hencricus dicta patrum inducit pro sacrificio missario c. Henrie for his massing sacrifice bringes in the sayinges of fathers Here say I that by this meanes my sentence is confirmed for this is it vvhich I sayed that the Thomisticall asses haue nothing vvhich they can alleage but a multitude of men and the ancient vse But I against the sayings of fathers men angells and deuills put dovvne the ghospell vvhich is the vvorde of the aeternall maiestie here I insult ouer the sayings of men thoughe neuer so holy so that I care not though a thousand Austines and Ciprianes should stand against me Thus one Martin Luther braueth them all thus this good child reuerenceth and respecteth his ancient fathers for as I sayed in the last chapter although he seemeth only to preferre the scripture yet seing that they admitted and alleaged scripture also the question is vvhoe hath better skill in expounding scripture and if vve beleeue this man all the fathers might haue gone to schoole to him in expos a. 6â— fol. 167. Zuinglius vvill not be behind Luther in this matter They affirme sayeth he and vve deny that the masse is a sacrifice Vvho shal be iudge of this controuersie The sole say I and the only vvord of God But by and by thou beginnest to crye The fathers the fathers haue thus deliuered vnto vs. But I bring to thee not fathers nor mothers but â— require the vvord of God Caluine desireth to be counted modest but herin also he could not conteine him self l. â— Inst ca. 8. â— 10. Vvhen the aduersaries obiect to me sayeth he that this vvas the cusstome I ansvverre that the old fathers in this matter vvanted both lavv and exemple vvere caryed avvay into an errour vvhilest they attributed to much to the name of poenaunce and the common peoples opinions And again I ame litle moued vvith those things vvhich occurre cuery vvhere in the vvritings of fathers concerning satisfaction I see truly many of them yea I vvill speake simply as it is all allmost of them vvhose bookes are extant vvere in this matter deceâ—ued and spoake hardly And in another booke of his he calles the fathers of the councel of Trent hogges asses in Antid can â— Peter martyr calleth papistes Patrologos not Theologos 〈◊〉 votis for alleaging fathers Doctour Humphrey in the life of levvell perceiuing that levvell had offered to much vvhen in the heat of his sermon he vvas content to be tryed by fathers sayeth that he might haue vsed a better defence for him selâ—e then the authoritie of fathers Vvhoe sayeth hee if they teache contrarie it litle skilleth for vvhat haue vve to do vvith fathers vvith flesh bloud or vvhat perteineth it to vs vvhat the false Synods of bishops do decree Vide â—undem in praefat in Orig. Beza calleth Athanasius Satanasius and the fathers of the Nicen Councell blind sophistes ministers of the beast and staues of Antichrist â—â—ont PapatuÌ„ And althoughe Luther affirmeâ—h that sainct Gregorie the great vvas the last good Pope yet Bibliander calleth him in derisioÌ„ the Patriarch of ceremonies Melancthon condemneth him for allovving of the sacrifice of the masse for the dead praef ep Zuiâ—â— gl Mel. Paulus Vergerius vvrote a booke of the toyes and fables of Gregorie Horne in his booke against Abbot Fecnam calleth this sainte to vvhome vve English men ovve noe lesse then our conuersion from paganisme to christiantie a blind bussard Cent 1. pag. 66 72 Cent. â— par 678. Bile the cronicler sayetâ— that this saint sent Austin the monke to plante in England his Romish religion but yet sayeth he Latâ—mer is much more vvorthy to be counted Englands apostle bicause Austine brought nothing but mans traditions masse crosses letanies vvheras Latimer vvith the hooke of truth cut of these superstitions Vvhitaker in his booke called reprehension Pag. 8â— sayeth that the fathers for the most part vvere of opinion that Antichrist is but one particular man but in that as in many other things theâ— erred The like respecte they bear to generall Councells in vvhich the vvisest and grauest fathers of the Church vver allvvayes assembled Luther in his booke of Councels calleth them Sicopâ—ants and flaterers of the Pope and sayeth that the canoÌ„s of the Councell of Nice vvhich Constantine reuereÌ„ced and honoured vvith his presence are hay stravve stickes and stubble Ibidem Yea in this councel he findeth a playn coÌ„tradiction bicause the councell forbiddes all Eunuches to be promoted to preesthood and yet commaundeth preestes to liue chastly As though only they vvho are gelded could liue chast and as though ther vvere no mean betvvixt vviuing and gelding Yea sayeth Luther l. â—â—nt Regem Angliae if all the decrees of councells vvere povvred into theee vvith a pipe yet vvould they not make thee a christian l. 4. Inst c. 9. sect 8. Caluin vvill examine all councells by the vvord before he vvill giue any credit vnto them and seing that the fathers in councells examined their decrees by scripture also Caluin vvill make an examination vppon their examinatioÌ„ and so vvill bee Iudge of them all But least I vveary the reader vvith to longe a catalogue of reuiling speeches of these contumelious chammes and parricides I report me vnto the indifferent reader vvhether they deserue not the punishment of parricides vvho so scoffe taunte contemne and reuile their forfathers But my meaning vvas not to condemne them vppon vvhom God his sentence must passe my drifte is herby to shevv hovv much in reuiling fathers they crack the credit of their religion and hovv vvithall in reiecting this authoritie they open the gapp to all heretikes and heresies And as concerning the first point it is vvell knovvn that antiquitie vvas allvvayes reuerenced old age vvas euer respected olde coynes priced ancient statues admired old vvritings esteemed and in all artes the moste ancieÌ„t professours of the same bear the bell a vvay In painting Appelles hath the credit aboue all painters in statuary vvorks Lycippê° in comedies Plautus and Terence in Tragedies Seneca in histories Liuie Salust Iustine in Poetrie Homer Virgil Ouid in Rhetorick Demosthenes and Cicero in Philosophie Plato and Aristotle in Diuinitie Peter Lombard sainct Thomas of Aquin Scotus and such other subtile schoolmen And shall not the ancient fathers and doctours of the Church vvho by their arte professed exposition of scripture be reuerenced and credited in their arte before oure vnlearned and vpstart ministers shall antiquitie giue credit to Poets and painters and not to Doctours interpretours of scripture Vvhat is this but to preferr ê“phane literature before religioÌ„ Philosophie before fayth diuinitie paganisme before Christianitie yea Poetes painters before Doctours fathers of the Church If any one novv should say that Plato and Aristotle vvere but
doth and all the Luthers in the vvorld can not proue that all the fathers held any one opinion against scripture but the question must be vvhether Luther or all the fathers did best vnderstand the scripture and therfore if Luther hold against the fathers in exposition of scripture he preferreth him selfe before them all As for example Luther alleageth scripture to disproue free vvill all the fathers alleage scripture to proue it and Luther expoundes scripture one vvay they another else they could not both alleage scripture for contrarie doctrine Vvherfore if Luther sayeth that he expoundeth scripture truly and therfor cares not for all the fathers he preferreth his ovvne iudgment before them all and so can not ansvvere that argument grounded in the fathers authoritie nor comfort him selfe vvith this that he forsooth hath the vvord of God vvhich is aboue theÌ„ all And so Luther must giue vs leaue to come vppon him vvith his ovvn argument vvhich he shall neuer ansvver The Church from the begiÌ„ning hathe taught and expounded scripture other vvise then thou doest so many Austines Ambroses Ciprianes Councells and ages haue preached other vvise Are they all deceiued hast thou only found out the truth What if thou rather arte deluded Thou art but one they are many thon art of late they of ancient standing thou a sinner they saintes thou some scholler but they vvere learned doctours thou hast a vvitte but all their vvittes vvere of a greater reach thou seest some thing but so many eyes must needs haue a greater insight Thou hast studyed scripture but they more thou hast vvatched at thy booke but they in night-studie haue spent more oyle then thou though thou peraduenture more vvine theÌ„ they thou alleagest scripture for thy doctrine they for the coÌ„trarie And so their iudgemeÌ„t must be preferred before thine coÌ„sequeÌ„ly theirs shal be the true doctrine they the true Pastours theirs the true Churche so ours novv is the true Christiane religion vvee the right Christianes vvho aggree vvith those fathers and the Church of vvhich they vvere pastours and preachers and Luther and the reformers vvho vvill haue noe parte vvith the fathers are no members of the true Churche bicause the ancient fathers and the true Churche vvere neuer yet separated but alvvayes vvent together The first point being proued vve vvill come to the secoÌ„d in vvhich I shall proue that in reiecting fathers they open the gapp to all heretiques vvho may say vvhat they vvill as the reformers do if that authoritie be contemned But first it shall not be amisse to declare vvhat authoritie the fathers haue vvhether they haue infaillible assistaunce of God to expound scriptures righthly for if they haue not nether are Catholiques assured of their fayth by their authoritie nether do the heretiques open the gappe to heresies by reiecting their authoritie vvhich if it be not infallible may it self also authorise and countenaunce heresie Ephes â— Sainct Paule sayeth that God hathe prouided vs of some Apostles some Prophets others Euangelists others Doctours Pastours to the consummation of saintes to the vvorke of the ministerie vnto the edifying of the body of Christ that if for the instruction of his Church Vvhere the first place is giuâ—n to Prophets Apostles and EuaÌ„gelistes vvho vvrote the scripture in the second place follovv doctours and pastours bicause their office is not to vvrite scripture but to interpret it And the reason is yeelded vvhy these doctours are giuen vnto vs least that vvee should vvauer like childrem and be caryed about vvith euery vvind of the doctrine of men Ibidem Novv if all the pastours and doctours vv ch vve call fathers should of could erre then vvere they not appointed to keepe their sheep from vvaÌ„dering rather should they be the cause of their errour for the sheepe must here the voice of their pastours and so if the pastours erre the sheepe must erre vvith them if they vvander the sheepe vvho knovv nothing but by their pastours can not keepe the right vvaye And if thou saye that in case of errour the people must leaue the pastours I demaund of thee hovv they shall knovv vvheÌ„ the pastours erre vvho knovve nothing but by the voice of their pastours And suppose they should leaue their pastours then is the frame of the body of Christes Church dissolued and the members are separated from the head and the Church is a headless body then do they leaue the salte by vvhich they should be salted and preserued from corruption in religion Mat. 5. Then do they leaue the ligt by vvhich they should be illuminated Mat. 2â— And hovv then is that true vppon Moyses chear sit the Scribes and Pharisies do those thinges vvhich they saye are the pastours of the Church of lesse authoritie then the pastours of the synagogue If they can erre then is it not true vvhich Christe sayed vvhoe heareth you heareth me vnless you vvill say that Christe allso may erre in them and vvith them But our heretiques vvill say that all the fathers are men I graunte it but they are men directed by the holy ghost and Christ vvas a man and yet not only as God but as man also he could not erre and the vvriters of scripture as Moyses and Salomon and the prophetes of the olde lavve and the Apostles and Euangelistes in the nevv lavve vvere men and yet they erred not nor could not erre vnlesse vve vvill call scripture in question But vvhere saye they read you that the fathers haue the infallible affistaunce in exposition of scripture Vvhere I read that they are light that they are salte that they are pastours to vvhom vvhen vvee harken vve harken to Christ Mat. â—â— Io. 21. Vvher I read that vve must doe vvhat they say vvhere I read that the Church caÌ„ not erre vvhich must follovve her pastours vvhere I read that the Church vvhich learneth all of her pastours is a piller of truthe 2. Tim. â— But some fathers haue erred I graunte it but neuer all aggreed in one errour together neuer all the fathers of all ages yea not all of one age for to these also vve must harken haue conspired in an vntrutrh And I demauÌ„de of our reformers Vvhether they bee not men also And I thinke they vvill not denye it If they be men I aske vvhether they can not erre in expounding scripture If they can then haue nether they nor others by them any assuraunce If they can not erre bicause euery one of them hathe the spirit Then say I that more probable it is that so many spirits of the fathers conspiring in one can not erre then that noe particuler and priuate spirit can erre especially seing that these priuate spirites are diuerse and contrarie and vve haue noe more assuraunce of one then another Iudge novv gentle reader vvhether that the Catholiques religion vvhich is conformable vnto the fathers and pastours of the Churche be the sincere christian religion or
an heretike by Vvherfore Ireneus sayeth that by succession vve confound all heretikes Supra Sainct Austine sayeth that it is the thing Lib. cont ep fund c. 4 l. dâ— vtilit cred c. 17. vvhich holdeth him in the Catholike Church bicause sayeth he that Church in vvhich is this successioÌ„ is the rock against vvhich the gates of hell can not preuail If therfore our nevv Christianes vvill discharge them selues of this marke of an heretike vvhich is vvante of succession let them shevv vs as Tertulian demaunded of the heretikes of his tyme the catalogue of their Bishops and the origen of their Churche that if in the same vve finde them to be descended from the Apostles vve may acknovvledg them as true Christians if vve finde that they are not descended from so noble a race vve may hisse them out of the Church for heretikes But I ame sure they caÌ„ shevv noâ— succession bicause they are the first them selues and can as soone name their predecessours as they can finde out Lutheranes before Luther caluinistes before caluin I vvill not deny but that they can deriue some pointes of their doctrine froÌ„ Simon Magus and other ancient heretikes but this succession proueth them also to be heretikes as is before demonstrated but a succession from that Church vvhichvvas commonly counted Christian they can not shevv yea they can not shevv vs a succession of their doctrine from any ancient heretikes but are them selues the first of their familie succeeding to none but sent and ordayned by them selues See the first booke first chap. borne prodigiously of theÌ„ selues ChildreÌ„ vvith out fathers and schollers vvith out masters for although they borovv their heresies of other heretikes yet they iumpe vvith no heretikes in all points but ether adde or detracte so succeed in all poincts to none Vverfore though sometymes they vaunte that they succeed the Apostles and the primatiue Church yet some tymes the truthe breaketh from theÌ„ against their vvills as it doth from the deuil vvhen by coniuration he is compelled to tell the truth and then they confess them selues to be the first of their familie but this confession hangeth them Oecolampadius they call the first bishop of Basil and Caluin the first of Geneua Latimer the first Apostle of Ingland and knokes of Scotland And Martin Luther the most ancient of them all is not afrayed to saye that he vvas the first man that manifested the ghospell and the truthe vnto the vvorld In prafaâ— disp Lypsiâ— Audemus dicere sayeth hee à nobis primo diuulgatum esse Christum Vve dare saye that Christ vvas first by vs made knovvn vnto the vvorld He hathe piggs in his belly therfore he speakes in the plurall nuÌ„ber but he hath noe braynes in his head nor blood in his face to blush vvith all and therfore he dares be bold to say that he is the first man that promulgated the christian lavve Art thou the first thou vaunting compagnion modestie vvould yeeld at least to the Apostles So he vvill peraduenture but at least sayeth he I ame the first after them O monstrouse and Luciferian pride and novv not Luther but Lucifer Art thou the first after the Apostles Vvhere then vvas the Churche all this vvhile Vvhere vver ethe Pastours and Doctours of the same Vvhere vvere the Austines Ambroses Gregories Hieromes Vvas ther none all this vvhile to haue been imployed but God must needs expecte till an Apostata fryar leaped out of a Cloister and maryed vvith a Nonne notvvithstanding that bothe had promised chastitie before god and man by a solemne vovve But they haue a shifte or tvvoe by vvhich they thinke to auoyd this argument of succession The first is this our doctrine say they is Apostolicall and vve are the Apostles successours bicause vve preach conformable to that doctrine vvhich they haue left in the ghospells epistles by them vvritten But this shifte vvill not serue See the second chap. bicause this is to make bare scripture Iudge of their doctrine as all heretikes haue euer doon vv ch not notvvithstanding as is in the first booke demonstrated is noe certain rule to square fayth religion by Vvherfore they haue yet another ansvveare in store vv ch is this They graunte that the Apostles once plaÌ„ted a true church true religioÌ„ and established true pastours but soone after this Churche fayled degenerated froÌ„ that it vvas into the Synagogue of the deuil vv ch they call the Papisticall Churche and possessed the vvorld for many hundred yeares till at length Luther the man of god builded this Church agayne renevved the religion and appointed nevv pastours so say they vve succeed to that Church vvhich the Apostles founded not by a continuall succession but by an interruption of many hundred yeares But aske them vvhat yeare of our lord vnder vvhat Emperour or Pope vppon vvhat occasion this Church fayled then they can not giue you a resolute ansvver Luther in the Assembly at Wormatia publikely auouched that the Church fell in the tyme of the Councel of ConstaÌ„ce in vvhich Vvicleph vvas condeÌ„ned Tom. 9. l cont Papatum The same Martin not allvvayes myndfull of euery vvord vvhich he hath spoken in his book vvhich he vvrote against Papacie sayeth that this Church fayled a thousand yeares after Christe and his reason is biccause the Apocalips sayeth that Satan for a thousand yeares shal be tyed and so for six hundred years he hath been loose l. de Capt. Babyl In another place he sayeth that saint Gregorie vvas the last good pope and that since that tyme the Church and pastours are degenerated Yet the same man perceiuing hovv litle aggreemeÌ„t is betvvixte his religion and that vvhich vvas practised euen in the first age and tyme of the Apostles hovv vnlike his ministers are to those ancient preestes and fathers Act 15. he sayeth that the Apostles them selues erred in their Councel holdeÌ„ at Hierusalem or else sayeth he vve all sinne novv in eating blood-puddings vvhich they forbad not knovving absurde companion as he vvas or not acknovv-ledging that the precept vvas but for a tyme to coÌ„tent the Ievves As for the Councell of Nice vvhich vvas vvith in 300 yeares after Christe he auoucheth that the canons and articles of the same are but Stravv and Stubble â—â—prâ— vvhich epithetons he giues also vnto saint Iames his epistle Ep. â—d Sadol Caluin sayeth that Bonifacius the Pope vvas the first that vvas made suprem head of the Churche by Phocas the Emperour and so he thinketh that then the Churche first degenerated yet the same man in his preface to the king of Fraunce Prafat Inst. ad Regem Galliâ— in locis postreâ—â—â—â—ditu sayeth that the Church fell not till the tyme of the Councel of Basil Melancthon sayeth that Pope Zozimus vvas the first Anti-christ and that since ther vvas neuer any true Bishop of Rome But first this disagreement of the tyme
called Ievv and gentile the Grecian and the barbarous and all natioÌ„s vnder the sonne vnto his faith Churche and religion Vvherfore this Church almost from the beginning euen vvhen it vvas confined vvith in Hierusalem Act. 2. coÌ„teined Parthians Medes Persians Mesopotamians and as the scripture sayeth allmost all nations vnder the sonne And vvhen the holy Spirit descended vppon the Apostles and Disciples in firie tongues Ibidem and gaue them the guifte also to speake all languages that vvas to signifie that the Church of Christ vvas not to speake Englishe only or Scotishe and Flemishe only but all languages Vvherfore God promised our Sauiour Christ that he vvould giue him not England only not Scotland Flanders and Germany only Psal 2. but all nations for his inheritaunce Psal 71. Psal 81. And he auoucheth that his Church shall rule from Sea to Sea and that all nations hall haue access vnto it Mat. 28. And so accordingly Christ gaue authoritie to his Apostles to preach vnto all nations Vvherby I gather that the Church of Christ is not to bee a particuler sect confined vvith in any straites and corners of the vvorld but rather an ample Kingdome reaching ouer all the vvorld Symb. Apost Niceph. And this vvee professe in our Creed vvhen vve say that vve beleeue the holy Catholike Church For Catholike is as much to say as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vniuersall l cont ep fundamenti c. â— Vvhich name sayeth S. Austin holdeth me in the Churche And vvhy bicause he knevv it to bee a signe of the true Christian Churche vvhich neuer yet aggreed to any hereticall sect Ibidem li de verae rel c â— l de vtil credendi c. 7. ether of the Manichies of vvhich once he vvas one or of the Donatistes or Pelagians or any other And this sayeth saint Austine is so manifest a marke of the true Churche that heretikes them selues ambitiously affecte the same but yet if you aske for the Catholike Churche they point to ours knovving in their conscience that ours only is in deed Catholike â—â— â— 2. l. 2. And so saint Austin and Optatus refuted the Churche of the Donatists by this argument especially bicause it vvas confined vvith in the limites of Africa And Pacianus saieth that so soone as certain singuler Sect-masters deuised nevve religions Ep. â— ad So. phr and vvere called by particuler names the true Christians to distinguishe them selues from particuler sectes tooke the name Catholique euen from the beginninge as appeareth by the Creed vv ch the Apostles made vvhich name soundeth nether of Marcion nor Cerdon nor Apelles nor ValeÌ„tinus nor Neâ—torius nor Arrius l. cont Iudeos c. 1â— nor Luther nor Caluin And Tertulian so longe as he remained Catholike him self confessed that the true Churche vvas that vvhich vvas diffused throughe out all the vvorld Yea he sayeth that in his tyme the true Christians not vvithstanding the violence of persecution filled the Paganes Cities Apol. c. 37. Ilands Castles Courts Senats and only lefte their temples to them selues but noe soner vvas this man become an heretike but he affirmed most absurdly that the Churche might consiste of three persons though they vvere of the laitie li de exhor cast c. 7 l. de pudic c. 21. Vvhich he did partely bicause he vvould make vp a Churche of Montanus Prisca and Maximilla to vvhom he had vnited him selfe partlie to deliuer in him selfe froÌ„ the name of an heretike to vvhich hee savve him selfe subiect bicause he vvas novve of a particuler sect So that it is sufficiently proued that the Churche of Christe is Catholike that is a Societie professing one fayth in all countries yea and ages also cap. â— according to that of Vincentius Lirinensis In Ecclesia Catholica tenenduÌ„ quod vbique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum In the Catholike Churche that is to be holden vvhich euery vvhere alvvayes and of all hath been beleeued For that sayeth hee the name Catholique importeth Novve let vs see vvhether the Romain Church faythe or rather the Church of the reformers be the Catholike consequently the Christian Churche for these tvvoe Catholike ChristiaÌ„ euer vveÌ„t together And here I require noe diuines nor Philosophers to be Iudges in this matter only let me haue meÌ„ that haue eares or eyes I desire noe more For the eye vvill easilie Iudge vvhether of these tvvo Churches bee most like to bee Catholike The Romaine Churche vvhich the aduersary calleth Papisticall hath florished in all ages and in the most parte of the vvorld as all histories vvill testifie And novve at this daye our faythe and Churche one and the same is diffused throughe out Spaine Fraunce Italie Portugall and a great parte of Flanders and Germanie yea it reacheth euen to the Indianes and other nevv found countries conuerted by the Benedictines See the first booke first chap. Iesuites and other religious men And so it is Catholique bicause being one and the same it hathe euer possessed all ages countries and still dothe euen to this daye As for the reformers Church and faythe I see noe signe of a Catholike Church in it For first it began not an hundred yeares since In the fifte chapter as before is demonstrated Secondly it neuer yet possessed the vvholle vvorld nor any great part of it as the eye vvill beare vvitnesse only it hathe gotten entertaynmeÌ„t in certayne partes of the vvorld as England Scotland Holland and some Cantons of Germanie Thirdly it is not one Church nor faythe that possesseth all these places but many yea scarce one religion filleth one shire or citie Vvherfore allthoughe England vvere all the vvorld and this age all ages yet vvere not their religion Catholike bicause it is not one faythe and religion in all the shyres of England nor all the yeares of this age for in Englande are many sectes and religions and they also different from the nevve faythes of other countries for there is great difference betvvixte them and the Lutheranes in Germanie Hugonots in Fraunce and Gues in Flanders Nether is it sufficient for any of them to say that their faythe is Catholike bicause all are inuited to it and coÌ„maunded to accept of it for so euerie sectmaster may saye of his religion and I haue proued that the true Christian faythe Church and religion is Catholike in that it being one possesseth all ages and countries Vvherfore to conclude seing that the Church or rather Churches of the reformers neuer possessed all ages and countries yea neuer one and the same filled any one countrie it follovveth that their Church is not Catholike and consequently not the true Christian Church and so they are no true Christians but heretiques and singuler sectmasters if euer there vvere any bicause in that they are of particuler sectes they vveare the same Badge vvhich Donatistes Arians Nestorians and such like haue vvorne before them and for vvhich they
against certain hereticall Bishops that sayed that Christs diuinitie suffred on the crosse for he vvhen he hard that they vver come to speake vvith him coÌ„maunded his man presently after their entrauÌ„ce to vvhisper him in the eare vv ch being doon accordingly Alamundarus started at the vvhispering and seemed astonished The Bishops thinking that his man had told him some euil nevves demaunded vvhat it vvas at vvhich he vvas amazed My man sayeth he telles me that Michael the ArchaÌ„gell is dead Tush Tush sayed they that nevves can not be true bicause angels can not dye Can not Angells dye sayed Alamundarus and thinke you that God his diuinitie could suffer Anno 1554. Melancthon in his book of common places and in diuers other places hath these propositions l. cont Stanâ— ep ad Elect. The sonne of God according vnto his diuinitie prayed vnto his father for his Kingdom glorie and inheritaunce The diuine nature of the sonne Ep. 2â— tract pag. 994. vvas obedient to his father in his Passion The like saying hath Beza yea and Caluin also Is not this to deny Christes diuinitie and coaequalitie vvith his father For vvho but an inferiour prayeth â—â—is Kemn epud Bel to 1. l 3. de Christo in initior Lut ser de 〈◊〉 Domini â—0 â— Vvho but an inferiour obeyeth The Lutherane Vbiquetaries also vvho affirme that the diuine attributes are really coÌ„municated vnto Christes humain nature and that in such sorte that the humain nature vvas immense and omnipotent as the diuinitie vvas destroye Christes diuinitie vvilest they extoll his humanitie for by this doctrine it follovveth that Christes diuinitie vvas nothing else but his humaine nature deified really turned into diuinitie seing that humain nature can not in this manner participate of the diuinitie it follovveth that Christ is not true god bicause he hath not true diuinitie For allthoughe by incarnation man vvas God and so consequentely immense and omnipotent by a certaine communication vvhich diuines calle coÌ„municatio idiomatum Yet the humanitie could neuer really be the diuinitie nor omnipoteÌ„cie nor any other diuine attribute And to come to Caluin Li cont Valentinct Genâ—lem he sayeth plainly that the name of god aggreeth to the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per excellentiam by excellencie Vv ch if it be so then god the sonne is not so Excellent a god as the Father and consequently no god at all He also in diuerse places auoucheth that Christ is not god of god as the Nicen Councell calleth him li 1. Inst c 1â— 9.19.23.31 he denyeth that by eternall generation God the sonne hath his essence from his father yea sayeth he in the last place quoted in the margent the essence of the sonne is no more generated then the essence of the father To vvhom in this point subscribeth our countriman vvhitaker in his booke against ffather Campian pag. 1â—3 O blasphemie of them that vvill needs be counted reformed Christians better vvere it to deny Christ flatly then to professe his name and yet vnder hand to disgrace him for dissembled religion is double iniquitie Is not Christ God of God the father then is he some other God hath he not his essence from his father Then is he not the sonne of God bicause the sonne takes his substaunce from his father Is not the sonnes essence generated then is not the sonne begotten of his fathers substauÌ„ce then is he not consubstaÌ„tiall to his father but rather of another nature coÌ„sequeÌ„tly ether a creature or another God The diuines grauÌ„t that the esseÌ„ce diuinitie absolutelie vvithout addition is not to be sayed to be generated for then it should be generated in God the father also but yet they affirme that God the sonne is God of God and begotten of his father and that by eternall generation he receiueth vvith out all imperfectioÌ„ his essence from his father and consequently that the essence is generated not absolutedly but in the sonne else vvere hee not a sonne nether should he be coÌ„substantiall to his father Ep duabus ad Polon Pet. Mar. duab ep Kem. l. de duahus nat Mel. loc c. de filio The same Caluin accompanyed vvith diuers others bothe Caluinists and Lutheranes affirmeth that Christ accordiÌ„g to his diuinitie vvas Preest and mediatour To vvhom Ievvel in his booke against Harding subscribeth Ievvellus ae 17. vvhere he sayeth that in Christ ther vvere tvvo natures the diuinitie and the humanitie and that the humanitie vvas offered in sacrifice but the diuinitie played the preest and offered vp this sacrifice Se here another blasphemie Is Christ preest according to his diuinitie Did his diuine nature offer vnto the father the sacrifice of the humain nature then certes Christ vvas not only as man but also in respect of his diuinitie inferiour to his father for the Preest is inferiour to the God to vvhome hee offereth sacrifice bicause in oblation of a sacrifice he acknovvledgeth God the supreme excellencie and so vvas ether a creature or a lesser God and so noe God at all The ancient fathers diuines do graunt that the same Iesus Christ vvas Mediatour betvvixt God and man and God also to vvhom Mediation vvas made by reason of his tvvoe natures subsisting in one person for a Mediatour like a meane must participate of bothe extremes and therfore sithe man had offended and God vvas offeÌ„ded the Mediatour must be God man participaÌ„t of bothe for God only could not satisfie bicause he could not suffer maÌ„ only could not satisfie bicause his satisfactioÌ„ vvould haue been less theÌ„ vvas the iniurie vvherfore it vvas necessarie that one vvho vvas bothe God man should make this mediatioÌ„ and satisfaction And so the same Iesus Christ God and man satisfied but not as God but as man and he as the person offended receiued also the satisfaction but not as man but as God In like maÌ„ner the same Christe Iesus vvas the Preest the sacrifice and the God to vvhome this sacrifice vvas offered And so Christ vvas the preest but not as God but as man for in this only respect Christ had a superiour to vvhoÌ„ hee might offer a sacrifice Christ also vvas the sacrifice but as man for his humaine nature only suffered And Christ also vvas he to vvhome the sacrfice vvas offered but as God for so hee vvas noe lesse offended and iniuried by mans sinne then god the father I referre the Reader to a booke vvhich one Aegidius Hunnius a Lutherane hath vvritten against Caluin in vvhich he declareth hovv Caluin still expoundeth the old and nevv Testament in fauour of the Ievves Caluinus ludaizans as thoughe the places spake not of Christe and therfore this man calleth his booke Caluinus Iudaizans Caluin playing the Ievve Tell mee novv gentle Reader vvhether these men as they say do attribute all vnto Christ vvhoe as thou hast harde doe despoyle him of his greatest titles of honour that is God the
say that he had a supernaturall and infused scieÌ„ce by vvhich se savve clearly the mysteries of Christian faythe vvhich vvee beelevve by vvhich hee forsavv all future thinges euen the day of iudgement and penetrated so the harts of men that hee knevv euery mans cogitatioÌ„ 〈◊〉 11. And this the Prophet Esaie insinuateth vvhen he sayeth that the spirit of vvisdome and vnderstanding shall rest vppon him to vv ch S. Paule subscribeth vvhen he calleth Christ the treasure hovvse of God his vvisdome Gâ—l â— And this knovvledg Christ obteyned not by studie labour but by infusion euen from the first momeÌ„t of his conception and therfor vvhen hee vvas but tvvelue yeares olde and had neuer beene trayned vp in Schoole or Vniuersitie he disputed so learnedly vvith the Doctours that they vvere all astonished at his vvisdome Lue. 8â— Io 7. And noe meruayle for hee vvas the vvisdome of his father and the vvord of God and his humaine nature vvas the booke in vvhich god his vvorde vvas as it vvere vvritten by Incarnation vvith an abbreuiation and so must needs bee the treasure hovvse of God his vvisdome and as it vvere the Academie of all sciences This is the opinion vvhich Catholikes haue of their highe Preest chefe Doctour and master Christ Iesus But the ghospellers and nevv Christians of this age haue nor so honourable an opinion of him but rather like proud Disciples they vvill correcte this their Master Conc. de nat Domini Hom Dom. 1. post Epiph. and accuse him of grosse ignoraunce Luther vvill stand to it that Christ knevve not vvhen the day of Iudgement vvas to happen yea that some tymes he vvas ignoraunte of other matters Zuinglius Bucer and Beza are of opinion that Christ profited in knovvledge by litle and litle and Knevv not yester day Iren. l. c. 17. Amb l. 5. de fide c 7. libers in Breu c. 19. vvhat he knovves to daye Vvherin they imitate the Gnostickes and Agnoits the authour of the booke of Christs infancie vvhich recordeth that Christe vvent to Schole and learned his A. B. C. Caluin in his iarring Harmonie vppon the Euangelists Isid l 8 etym. c. 5. Calu in Har. Luc. 2. explicating those vvords of sainct Luke And the child encreased and vvas comforted in Spirit sayeth plainly and repeates it tvvise or thrise that Christ profited not only in apparaunce but verily and invvardly in grace and knovvledge and vvas ignoraunte also of many things eueÌ„ as other men are sauing that ignoraunce in men is a paine of sinne and a parte of originall sinne in Christe it vvas not so Calu. in Har. Mat. 24. And in the same booke hee sayeth that Christ as man knevv not the day of Iudgement not only bicause he knevve it not to tell it to others but also bicause he could not informe him selfe of the same The like songe Caluin singeth in the same Harmonie handling that place vvhere Christ is sayed to haue prayed to his father to free him from the Chalice of his Passion â—arne in c. 26. Mat. if it vvere possible for there Caluin often repeats that those vvordes issued out of Christes mouthe ere he vvas avvare and that feare and greefe did so perturbate his mynd that hee knevve not vvhat he sayed and therfore corrected him selfe by and by O arrogaÌ„cie more then Luciferian Psâ— 19. 〈◊〉 9. Dareth the potte accuse the potter of vvant of skill or dareth the creature accuse the Creatour of ignoraunce and the Christian condemne Christe of follye errour and inconsideration If hee bee vvorthy hell that shall saye foole to his brother Mat. â— hovve manye helles deserueth Caluin that in effecte vvith the same contumeliouse vvordes myscalleth Christe him selfe But saye they Christ him selfe sayeth that hee knevv not the daye of iudgement Mar. 〈◊〉 ergo hee vvas ignoraunte of it I graunt he sayed so but his meaning is to bee taken And the ancient fathers rather then they vvould saye that Christ vvas ignoraunt they vvould seeke to interpret those vvordes so as they might not seem to derogate vnto him Greg. l. 4. ep 〈◊〉 Some therfore sayed that Christ sayeth that hee knovveth not that daye bicause he vvas ignoraunt of it in his members Amb. in 19. Luc. Naz orat 4. Theol. others say that he ment only that he knevv it not by humain knovvledge but yet denied not but that he knevv it by reuelation Hier. Chrystheoph in c. 24. Mat. others saye that he sayed he Knevv it not bicause it vvas committed to him in such secret that he might not reueale it and so knevv it not to reueale it vnto others Hier in c. 24. Mat. yea some rather then they vvould make Christ to be ignoraunt auouched that those vvords vvere foisted in by the Arrianes to proue Christ to bee but a creature and pure man Luc. 2. They obiect also that sainct Luke sayeth that Iesus encreased in age grace and vvisdome before God and men But this argument is as easilie ansvvered for some expound those vvordes thus Christe encreased in age verilye and before God and men but in grace and vvisdome only in outvvard apparaunce before men others saye that hee encreased in grace and vvisdom that is in actioÌ„s of grace and vvisdome bicause as he came to riper yeares so he made more remonstraunce of his grace and vvisdome by meritoriouse operations and actes of vvisdome vvhich vvere in deed meritoriouse gratious vvise and vvere esteemed such before God meÌ„ But yet they haue not doone Ether sayeth Caluin Christ knevv that it vvas possible to escathe deathe Cal. Harm Mar. 14. or he knevve not If he Knevve vvhy doubteth hee If hee knevve not then vvas he ignoraunte Thus the deuill laboureth in his members and ministers to make the vvisdome of God ignoraunte To this therfore vvee must also giue an ansvvere and that vve shall as easily For Christ knevv that it vvas absolutely possible to auoid death and therfore sayed to his father all thinges are possible to thee he knevv also that supposing his fathers vvill and commaundement Mar. 14. he vvas to dye yet thus he spake and thus he prayed to shevv him selfe true man and to declare that according vnto the fleshe he feared deathe yet absolutely according to the vvill of his superiour parte he vvas resolued to die as appeareth by those vvords follovving But not as I vvill but as thou vvilt As if he had sayed as I ame flesh and blood and according to naturall affection I feare deathe as it is repugnaunt to nature and in this respecte I vvould fayne escape it but yet bicause it is thy vvill ô father is expedient yea necessary for mankinde I ame most vvilling to dye and therfore not my vvill that is the desire vvhich as I ame fleshe and blood is coÌ„mon to mee vvith other men but thy vvill bee doone to vvhich the vvill of my superiour and reasonable parte
to euery magistrate and teÌ„porall superiour vvhom he callethhumaine creatures bicause their authoritie is in teÌ„porall and humain thinges And therfore he addeth as it vvere to specifie vvhat he meaneth by the humain creature vvhether it be to the King as excelling or to Rulers sent from him c. Yea hee bids vs obey not only gentle and courteouse masters but euen those also vvhich are harde to please And this obedieÌ„ce these Apostles commaund vs to giue to Princesalthough they be infidels if othervvise they be lavvfull for vvhen the Apostles vvrote there vvere noe Christian Princes and faithe is not necessarie to iurisdiction nether is authoritie lost by the only losse of faithe But yet this must be vnderstood vvhen Princes commaund vvith in the limits and sphere of their iurisdiction for othervvise if they coÌ„maund vs any thing against God or conscience vve must ansvvere them as the Apostles ansvvered the Ievves Act. 4. vve must obey God before men Bicause Princes are appointed by God and so can coÌ„maund nothing vvhich is against God or if they do vve must obey the supreme Prince before the inâ—eriour and the King before his viceroy Eâ— Eâ—sâ—â— Vvherfore sainct Policarpe although he refused to obey the Proconsul vvho commaunded him to do that vvhich vvas against God religioÌ„ and conscience yet he sayed Vvee are taught to giue to principalities and Potestates ordained by God that honour vvhich is devv to them and not hurtefull to vs. This being so theÌ„ that Princes haue authoritie to commaund and to bynde also in conscience to obedience and that from God vvhose ministers they are and by vvhome as the vviseman sayeth Kinges do raigne and the lavv makers decerne vvhat is iuste Prâ—◠〈◊〉 it remaineth that vvee examine our aduersaries doctrine in this point that vve may see vvhat they giue to superioritie authoritie higher povvers But peraduenture some vvill thinke that this is a vaine examination bicause they are so farre from suspicion of detracting from Princes authoritie that rather they seem to graunte them to much Luther affirmeth that Bishops and Prelates are subiect to the Emperour euen in Ecclesiasticall causes A◠〈◊〉 and that Ecclesiasticall iurisdictioÌ„ is deriued from the temporall And vvhen Catholikes in Ingland refuse to go to the Churche bicause profession is made there of a religion contrarie to theirs the reformers vrge nothing so much as that vve must obey Princes and their iniunctions But this they doe only vvhen Ecclesiasticall povver calleth them to an accounte or vvheÌ„ the Princes lavves doe fauorize their doctrine for then they flatter Princes and preferre their authoritie before the Church not bicause in hatte they reuerence their authoritie but bicause by their povver they vvould establish their heresie Soe Arius by the meanes of Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia first in sinuated him selfe to CoÌ„stantia the Sifter of ConstaÌ„tine the great Ruff. l. 1. â— 11. and by him he getteth audience of Constantine him selfe and by flattery and dissimulation be procureth a commaundement from the Emperour to Athanasius to receue him againe into the Church And aftervvards he crept by this meanes into credit vvith Constantius the Ariane Emperour and sonne to Constantine by vvhome he banished Catholike bishops called many councels and propagated his heresie in so much that saint Hierome sayeth Ariâ—â— vt orbem deciperet Ep. ad Ctesiph forerem principis ante decepit Arius that he might deceue the vvorld first deceiued the fister of the Prince They curried fauour also vvith luliaÌ„ th' Apostata and they offered their seruice â—heod l. 4. c. 3. to Iouinian the Emperour but he vvould none of their proferd seruice knovving that they vsed to â—latter Princes for promotion of their heresies So that one Themistius a Philosoâ—her vvas vvont to say that heretikes adore the Purple not God are as mutable as Euripus Luther backed also by the Duke of Saxonie contemned the Popes legate vvho sought to reclaime him and preached confidently those heresies vv ch othervvise he durst not haue doone and perseuered obstinately in theÌ„ also vvhich other vvise peraduenture he vvould not haue doone Prafat Inâ—â— ad Reg. Gaâ— Caluin sought by a flattering epistle to procure fauour and credit vvith the king of Fraunce and our Inglish Protestauntes by the fauour of our late Prince vvhose guiftes of nature they abused gotte credit amongest the people graced heresie vvith her roiall crovvne And to vvinne this fauour they vvill not sticke to flatter Princes yea to adore them and to giue them higher Titles and greater povver then euer God bestovved vppon them In king Edvvards tyme vvhen the state fauoured them they acknovvledged him Supreme head not only in temporall but also in Ecclesiasticall causes In Queene Maries tyme bicause that Princesl vvas not for them theÌ„ vvoemen could not gouerne but in Queene Elizabeths tyme bicause they had insinuated them selues into her Protection then vvoemen might gouerne as vvel as men and so they are the beste temporizers in the vvorld But if you marke their proceedings or dectâ—â—ne you shall see that they honour not authoritie but loue their heresies vvhich if Princes vvill not like then they conteÌ„ne and despise all authoritie and vvill not let to make a mutinie and stirie vp the subiects to rebellion to â— p st duâ— Edista Caesarea Luther exhorteth the Germaines not to take armes against the Turke bicause the Turke for pollicie consaâ—le integritie and moderation excelleth all 〈◊〉 Princes And in the same place he called the Emperour Charles the fifâ—e a roâ—â—â— and fraile carcase And in his booke againâ— the king of Ingland he calleth him all â—â—naught l. cont Reg. Angl. l de potestaâ—â— seculari by the name of blocke heade sâ—â—le and so forthe In another booke he not only inueigheth agaiust Princely aâ—thoritie but hee also calleth them fooleâ— knaues tyrauntes In another bookevv hee vvrote against the tvvoe edicts of 〈◊〉 Emperour he calles the Princes of thâ— Empire fooles madmen furiouse teâ—â— tymes vvorse then the Turke Sur. an 1â—2â— Of vvhâ—â— doctrine and example Thomas Munsâ—â— taking holde vvith an hundred thousaâ— Rustickes troubled all Germaine and one Franconie he destroied tvvoe hâ—dred nyntie three monasteries The lâ— therane Princes also armed vvith this 〈◊〉 ample of Luther tooke armes against the Emperour therby vvere the cause that the Turke surprised many holdes Sur 1530. â—â—66 and stronge fortes of the ChristiaÌ„s And vvhat stirres the Caluinistes and other sectes haue made in Fraunce Scotland and the lovve countries all the vvorld knovveth and Flaunders to this day â—eeleth And truly this contempte of lavvfull Princes this disloyaltie and rebellâ—on is altogether according to their doctrine o. â— Luther in his commente vppon the first Epistle of saint Peter sayeth plainly that he vvill not be copelled nor bound to obey any prophane magistrate bicause he vvill not loose his libertie vvhich is to bee freed in conscience from all Princes
opinion contrition vvhich is inherrent in vs can not be our Iustificatiō bicause they saye that there is noe inherent grace nor iustice And if before this faythe of theirs God should by infusion of grace iustifie them yet vnlesse they had a reuelatiō they could not especially vvith such assuraunce beleeue it bicause the vnderstanding can not giue assent vvithout some apparaunce of truthe They vvill saye that Christes iustice is theirs so that they vvill apprehend it by faith and so they are iust by that iustice if they vvill beleeue so but nether vvill this shifte serue their turne For before they beleeue this Christes iustice must bee theirs and by it they must bee iuste bicause that is the obiecte of their beleefe and the vnderstanding must see it to bee so before shee beleeue soe vvherfore seing that before this faithe of theirs Christes iustice is not theirs and they also are not yet iuste it follovvethe that they can not so longe as they are in their vvittes beleeue that they are iuste bicause this veritie must appeare to the vnderstanding before shee can beleeue it and therfore if before faithe they bee not iuste they can neuer beleeue so For as the sicke mā must bee vvholle and sound before hee can beleeue that hee is so bicause it is not in his povver to beleeue that vvhich is not or vvhich at least appeareth not soe a sinner can not on a sodaine vnlesse hee haue some reason for it beleeue assurdly that hee is iust And therfore if this assured faith bee necessarie to arise after our fall taken by sinne it is impossible to rise again after that vvee are fallen And to make the matter yet more playne as if the only remedie for a sicke man to recouer his healthe vvere to beleeue that hee is vvell it vvere impossible for him to recouer bicause vvhilest his disease remaineth hee can not beleeue that hee is recouered hauing noe reason to thinke so but rather the contrarie so if the only meanes for a sinner to recouer bee to beleeue in the middest of his sinnes that hee is iuste it is impossible for him to recouer bicause hee can not vvith harte thinke so hauing no reason for it but rather to the contrarie Hence I gather tvvoe thinges to be noted First that if a sinner bee iustified by beleeuing that hee is iust then is hee iustified by a lying faithe bicause hee be leeueth that vvhich is not and if you saye that so soone as hee hathe beleeued so hee shal be so that is not sufficient for yet it follovveth that hée beleeueth that hee is iust before hee is iuste bicause iustice follovveth faythe so he is iustified by a false and lying faithe The second thing vvhich I note is hovve malitiously and yet hovve couertly the deuill by his members seeketh our damnation For not content by theyr doctrine to haue induced vs to all sinne hee taketh a vvaye the meanes of rising again from the state of sinne denying penaunce to bee necessarie yea affirming in Luther that contrition is a mortall sinne and auouching in Luther and Caluin bothe Supra yea and in all theyr Schollers that the only meanes for a sinner to bee iustified is to beeleeue vvithout all staggering and vvith all possible assuraunce that his sinnes are forgiuen vvhich beleefe being impossible as is allready proued bicause it is not in the vnderstandings povver to beleeue vvhite to bee blacke or that a man is iuste vvhen noe probabilitie of it appeareth it follovveth that vvhen a sinner is fallen it is impossible for him to rise againe bicause it is as impossible for him to beleeue that hee is iust before hee see some apparaunce of the same as for a sicke man to beleeue that hee is recouered and vvell at ease vvhen hee is in the middest of the fitte of an hoate ageue or in the panges of deathe And so our reformers do not only tumble vs headlong into the very depth of sinne but hold vs there in perpetuall duraunce vvithout hope of libertie bicause they require at our handes an impossibilitie vvhich is in the midst of our sinnes to beleeue that vvee are iust and electe hauing no probabilitie of the same but rather great euidence to the contrarie vvhich is as impossible for vs to beleeue vvith harte as it is for the sicke mā to assure him selfe that hee is vvell vvhen hee is in the middest of his fitte THE EIGHT BOOKE CONTEINETH A SVRuey of their doctrine vvhich leadeth vnto Atheisme and contēpt of religion A SHORT PRAEFACE IRELAND is famous for that it breeds noe toades nor venimous serpents and Ingland hath been of longe tyme esteemed happie bicause it hath no vvolues but in steed of vvolues it hath been of late yeares vnfortunate for engendring of a certaine monster called Atheists begotten by heresie vvhich hath more vvasted and depopulated the coūtrie then all the beares and vvolues of the desert or monsters of Africa could haue doone if they had been all turned loose into the lande For they could only haue made their pray vppon the bodies of men beastes but these monsters called Atheistes haue made hauocke of mens soules They could only haue disturbed the temporall state and ciuil peace these haue ruined Christi◠anitie and brought religion into cōtempte vvhich is the principall blisse of the soule in this life Of these monsters there are tvvoe kindes bothe feirce cruel but the one more sauage then the other The first denyeth flatly the diuinitie and therfore moste properly is called an Atheist that is vvithout a God The second confesseth God and God head but yet is of opiniō that it litle skilleth vvhat honour you giue him or vvith vvhat vvorship of religiō you serue him of this kinde are our Machevellians vvhoe square out religiō according to state and make noe more account of Scripture thē of Aesops tables and so that they may liue and establishe a temporall state care not vvhat religion florishethe bicause they counte it but a peece of pollicie to keepe men in avve and order Against these monsters I must arme my selfe and chaunge my vveapons as I channge my aduersarie and by reason only I vvill confound these as I haue by scriptures reason authoritie and all manner of argumentes refuted heretikes And for as much as my generall drifte proiecte in all these bookes is to make heresie odiouse I vvill shevve also in this laste booke hovve Atheisme is engendred of heresie that by this viperouse and monstrous brood vvee may haue a greater gesse of the breeder The first Chapter declareth hovve certaine points of the Reformers doctrine open the gapp to a deniall of the diuine maiestre and his God-head VVhat God is it is so hard to Knovv that nether the light of reasō nor faithe nor bothe lights ioined together are able to discouer this veritie Vvherfore Trimegisthus being once demaūded this obscure question gaue as obscure an ansvvere to vvit that God is
intended conclusion vvhich I maye doe vvith as muche breuitie as facilitie For if God bee the autour of all sinne then if vvee maye gather vvhat the tree is by the frute hee is of a malitious nature as is before proued and if hee commaund vs impossibilities and punishe vs vvith Hell fyer for not fullfilling them then is hee vnreasonable cruel and barbarous And if vvee once make this conceit of God as vvee must needes if vvee beleeue the aduersaries opinioÌ„ then must our hartes of necessitie bee cold in religion and vvorship of God For vvho can bee induced to vvorship loue and honour such a God in vvhome is nothing vvhich is amiable nothing vvorthy honour vvel may vvee feare him for his crueltie but loue him and honour him from the harte vve can not And so religion fallethe The third Chapter shevveth that in contempte of the Churches authoritie they bring all religion in contempte IT is a maxime and almost an article of faithe receued amoÌ„gest the reformers that the true Churche vvhich once vvas hathe erred grosselye in no lesser matters then faithe iustification merit freevvil vvorkes satisfaction purgatorie prayer to Sainctes vvorship of images nuÌ„ber and vertue of Sacramentes Sacrifice such like Yea they confess that the Romain Church vvas once the true Church but thy adde vvith all that aftervvardes it erred grossely and fell sovvlye novv of the Church of Christ is become the Synagogue of the deuil This is the cause vvhy vvhen vvee vrge the authoritie of the ancient and present Churche for the proofe of the reall presence free vvill prayer to saintes sacrifice of the Masse they ansvvere vs that the Church vvas but a congregation of men vvhich hathe erred in these and other matters And therfore Luther careth not for a thousand Churches and Caluin Beza and others despise all the Councelles and ancient fathers as appearethe by their vvordes vvhich are related in the first booke and the third and fourth chapter So that vppon the bare authoritie of the Churche they vvill not hange their faithe as they saye least they hange their soules bicause the Churche as it maye bee deceued so it maye deceue I demaund of theÌ„ therfore vvhat assuraunce they haue of scripture and by vvhat meanes they come to the knovvledge of it A Catholique vvould say that he beleeuethe these bookes to bee the vvorde of god bicause the Catholike Church vvhich is it the piller of truthe vvhich by the sonne of God vvas promised a spirit vvhich should teach her all veritie 10.14.15 l. on t epist fund c. â— hath cuer so beleened and defined Vvherfore saint Austine sayeth that hee vvould not beleeue the ghospel vnlesse the Churches authoritie mâ—ued him not that the Church maketh scriptures or giueth them their truthe and veritie for that they haue of God vvho vvas the indighter of them but bicause vvee can not knovv vvhich is Scripture vvhich is not but by the voice of the Church to vvhich only in this matter the ancient fathers vvere vvont to harken as Ireneus l. 2 c 2 3. 4. l prâ—esc de expos Symb. l. 2 c 1. 46. l. 4. c 11. Tertulian sainct Hierom Leo the first and dâ—uers others of vvhom Nicephorus maketh mention Vvherfore the first Toletane Councel in the one and tvventith canoÌ„ accurseth theÌ„ vvho accept of any other Scriptures theÌ„ those vvhich the Catholique Churche receiueth Hee vvould alleage for an argumeÌ„t that Christemade Peter his successour the Pope supreme pastour of the Church and commaunded him to feed his sheep lo. 2. and seing that a principal office of the shepheard is to shevv them suche pasturs as are most holsom for them it perteineth to the â—uprem Pastoure of the Churche to tell vs infallibly vvhich are the true scriptures for vvhen hee declareth vv ch are the true Scripturs he shevves vs our pasture the place vvher vvee are to graze and vvhen hee expoundethe them hee feedethe vs. And seing that the Pope of Rome is this Pastour as is proued in the last chapter of the first booke it follovveth that vvee must receue that for scripture vvhich hee allovveth of as scripture He vvould alleage also the antiquitie of scriptures for a profe of their sinceritie l. 2. cont Ap. 〈…〉 prabar Euangel in Apolog c 19. 20. 24. bicause Moyses vvhoe vvas the vvriter of a great part of the old testament as Iosephus Tertulian and Eusebius affirme by many handred yeares vvas more ancieÌ„t then all the vvritâ—rs of the Romains and Grecians also vv ch therfore deserue great credit reuerence 1 Tuse bicause as Cicero sayeth in his Tusculane questions to Antiquitie noe lesse is devve Hee vvould confirme this argument by another of no lesse efficacie to vvit that these bookes haue beene conserued so many thousand yeares not vvithstaÌ„ding so many captiuities of the Ievves and persecutions of the Christians vvhich argueth that God vvho vvas the Authour of them had a speciall care of them and a vigilant eye vnto them as vnto his ovvn vvord and vvriting Hee might alleage also the coÌ„formitie of those booke vvhich vvere indighted of diuers at diuers tymes and yet haue in them no contrarieties and vvere translated out of Hebrevv into Latin by 70 Interpretours â—nstin orat paroen ad geÌ„â—â—â— diuersely disposed vvho yet not vvithstanding soe aggreed as if all their traÌ„slations had been copied out of one For vvhich causes euen the Gentils Paganes them selues haue borne great respect vnto these vvritinges not daring to mingle them vvith their ê“phane vvritinges bicause as Iosephus and Eusebius affirme some that haue atteÌ„pted it l â—â— Aut. c. 1. â— l. â— praeparâ— â— by the diuine and secret povver haue beene very sharpely and seuerly punished all vv ch is vvarraÌ„ted by historie traditioÌ„ This a Catholike vvould saye vvith great applause and no lesse probabilitie for the authoritie of scripture But vvhat vvould or vvhat could our reformers saye vvould they saye vvith the Catholike that they beleeue them to bee holy scripture bicause the Church sayeth so â—â— Hostâ— l. 3. â—â—nt Brent Luther in deed sayeth that hee in this point beleeuethe the Churche and Pope and good reason hathe hee bicause of vvhoÌ„ did hee receue the scriptures vvhen hee began first to preach his nevv doctrine but of the Romaine Churche vvho cuer had the custody of them euen since the tyme of the Apostles And hovve could he knovve that the ghospel of the Nazarens of sainct Barnabas Euseb l. â— c. 25. and sainct Thomas vvere not as rrue scripture as the ghospel of sainct Matthevve and other Euangelistes but that the Romain Churche allovved of these and not of those For this cause some of them do saye that in this point they must needs beleeue the Pope Romain Church bicause they caÌ„ not in deed haue any probable knovvledge of Scripture but by this meanes as shall appeare by the refutatioÌ„ of all other meanes vvhich they
can faine or imagin But I vvill bee so bold as to take this meanes from theÌ„ and then I vvill aske them hovv they knovve that the nevve and old testameÌ„t are not meere fables and fictioÌ„s as the Atheistes say that they are For they are of opinion that the Romaine Church maye deceue bee deceeued and therfore they vvill not beleeue her for the number of canonicall bookes nor for the meaning of scripture hovv then can they credit her vvhen shee defineth that the old and nevve testament are holy scripture her authoritie is one and the same in the affirmation of this and of other thiges if theÌ„ they beleeue her not in those thinges they caÌ„ not beleeue her in this For as if the Astrologer saye that to morrovv shall be rayne that vvith in three monethes ther shall bee rayne I caÌ„ not beleeue this to bee true for his assertion vnlesse I also beleeue that bicause his authoritie is the same and yet I maye beleeue rather that vvithin three monethes vvee shall hauerayne theÌ„ that to morrovv vvee shall haue rayne bicause that in it selfe is more likely so if vvee beleeue one thing vvhich the Romain Church affirmethe and not another vvee beleeue not any thing bicause shee sayeth so but ether for the probalitie of the thinge or for some other reason vvhich pleasethe vs. Vvherfore seing that out reformers beleeue not the Romain Church in all pointes it must neede follovve that they can not beleeue that the old and nevve testament are holy scriptures bicause shee sayeth so but for some other imaginations vv ch they haue for if they belecued this bicause shee sayeth so they vvould beleeue other thinges also vvhich shee auouchethe bicause her authoritie being the same deserueth the same credit in the one and in the other But let vs suppose that they beleeue that the old and nevv testament are holy scripture bicause the RomaiÌ„ Church sayeth so yet bicause they affirme that the Romaine Church maye lye and hathe also lyed loudly in many importaunt matters it follovveth that they haue herby no assuraunce of Scripture bicause as the Church in their opinion hathe erred in other thinges so may she in this if she may peraduenture she hathe erred and so they haue no assuraunce of scripture They vvill saye peraduentur that they are assured by tradition froÌ„ tyme out of mynde vnto this present that those bookes are holye Scripture bicause our forfathers euer esteemed them soe But nether can this bee a sufficient vvarrauut bicause they are vvont to saye that all thinges necessarie to bee beleeued are conteined in scripture and that therfore they vvill beleeue no traditions And if they beleeue that these bookes are holy scripture bicause by tradition so it is deliuered vnto them vvhy do they not beleeue the real presence and the Sacrifice of the Masse Vvhy coÌ„temne they the Fast of lent Images holy vvater the signe of the crosse such like vvhich vvee haue by the same tradition by vvhich vve haue the scriptures Yea seing that Tradition is nothing else but an opinioÌ„ or custome of the Churche not vvritten in holy vvritte but yet deliuered by the handes of the Churche from tyme to tyme and from Christians to ChristiaÌ„s euen vnto the last age and Christians if the Churche can erre she may allovv of euil traditions and so traditions also may bee erroneous coÌ„sequently can be noe sufficient vvarrant vnto the Reformers for the authoritie of holy scripture They vvill say peraduenture that they beleeue most voices and therfore seing that all the vvorld allovveth these bookes for holy scripture they vvill ioine vvith them in this opinion bicause the voice of the people is the voice of God but nether can this voice assure theÌ„ for ether they vnderstand by this commoÌ„ voice the voice of the vvholle vvorld or the voice of the Christian vvorld if they meane the voice of the vvholle vvorld theÌ„ haue they moe voices against them then for them bicause the greatest parte of the vvorld vvas euer Pagane if they meane the ChristiaÌ„ vvorld then in deed the most voices are for Scripture bicause the Catholike Church vvhich allovveth of scripture vvas is and shal be the greatest part of Christianitie but bicause they saye that this Church may erre they can haue no assuraunce of scripture by this voice They vvill saye peradueÌ„ture that they belceue that scâ—ipture is the vvord of God bicause their ovvn Churche vvhich is the true Churche affirmeth it to be so But nether vvill this shifte serue their turne Bicause first of all they caÌ„ not proue their Churche to bee the true Churche not their Pastours to be the true Pastours Bicause their Church hathe not the markes of the true Churche hauing nether succession from the Churche planted by the Apostles vvhich should make it Apostolique nether hauing euer possessed the greatest parte of the knovvn vvorld vv ch should make it Catholike and being so farre froÌ„ being one that it is diuided into coÌ„trarie sectes so farre also from being holy that it leadeth to all vice and Atheisme yea hauing all the Markes of heresie as my second booke demonstrateth As for their pastours they can not proue their mission as also is proued But if I should graunt them that their Church is the true Church yet by their Churches vvarraunt they can haue no assuraunce of Scripture bicause they are of opinioÌ„ that the true Church maye erre and consequeÌ„tly their Church also maye erre and if it maye erre in other thinges it may erre in this and if it may erre in this peradueÌ„ture it hath erred in this and so they haue no assuraunce of Scripture Vvherfore laying a side the Churches authoritie as insufficient in their opinion I demaund vvhat assuraunce they haue of scripture They can not alleage Scripture to proue scripture bicause no part of scripture affirmeth that the bookes called Scripture are the vvord of God dictated and indighted by his spirit And if Scripture did affirme it selfe to be holy Scripture yet vvere not that a sufficient vvarraunt for as I may doubt vvhether the bookes called Scripture be the vvord of God so may I doubte of that testimonie vvhich scripture giueth of her selfe vnlesse by some other meanes I bee assured that these vvritinges are the vvord of God They vvill say peraduenâ— that the very maiestie of the phrase of Scripture and the diuine matters and mysteries vvhich it conteinethe do argue that it is the vvord of God But this ansvvere is also insufficieÌ„t bicause to a vvordly man or Prophane Philosopher the stile of Scripture seemeth base and barbarous and the mysteries seeme to bee nothing else but dreames and imaginations the histories seeme tales and the matters seeme ether follies or impossibilities and so they vvould seeme vnto vs also vvere it not that vvee haue a reuerent conceite of them bicause vvee beleeue them to bee the vvord of God Vvherfore Iulian the Apostata Celsus Porphirius Apion
sayethe so they must beleeue that ther are so many bookes of scriptures bicause shee also sayeth soe her vvord being as good for the one as for the other But as they are lyers so are they forgetfull therfore so contrarie in their tale that they vvill saye that they beleeue her in that but not in this vvher as rather it follovvethe that they beleeue her nether in the one nor in the other but onlye do giue credit to their priuate spirite imaginations affirming that to be scripture vvhich they imagin those bookes only to bee scripture vvhich their spirit liketh of Vvherfore Luther affirmeth that the booke of Iob is but a tale in ser con tit de libris vet noui test deuised to set forthe an example of patience before our eyes hee iesteth at the autour of Ecclesiastes saying that he vvanteth bootes and spurres and therfore rideth in his sockes as he did vvhen he vvas a fryar Praef. in nouum Test Yea he spareth not the nevve testament affirming that he liketh not of the common opinion vvhich allovveth of fovvre ghospelles and hee addeth that sainct Ihons is the onlye true and principal ghospel vvhence it follovveth that the other three are not authenticall For if they vvere then vvere all fovver of equall authoritie Prafat in Heb. and so saint Ihons ghospel vvere not the principal hee denyes that the epistle to the Hebrevves is Apostolical the like is his ceÌ„sure of the epistle of Iude and Iames. Praefat. li. 1. Inst c. 11. §. 8 l 2 c. 5. §. 18. l. â— c. 5. §. 8. Ant. sâ—ss 1â— Caluin reiecteth the bookes of vvisdom of Ecclesiasticus of Iudith of the machabees of Tobie And vvhy trulye for no other reason then that these bookes seem most coÌ„trarie to diuers points of their doctrine For other vvise seing that they can not discerne scripture from other vvritings but by the ceÌ„sure of the Romain Church as is proued in the last Chapter they haue noe reasoÌ„ to receue some bookes on her vvord and not all seing that she giueth the same testimonie of all But giue an Atheist this aduaÌ„tage and vvhat vvill hee say hee vvill tell the Reformers that hee seethe no other vvarraunt vvhich they haue for the epistle to the Romains then for the epistle to the Hebrevves and the epistle of saint Iames nor for saint Ihons ghospel more then for the other threeâ— nor for Genesis more then the first and second booke of the Machabies Tobie Iudith and Iob and that therfore if the reformers denye these hee vvill deny all the other bicause if the Romain Churches vvarrant for they haue no other vvarrant as in the former Chapter is proued bee not sufficient for some of these bookes it can bee no sufficieÌ„t vvarraÌ„t for any And so he vvill saye that you maye as vvell denye all scripture as some bookes of scripture or if you vvillnot he vvill denye it for you and ground him selfe in your ovvn doctrine And hee vvill yet goe farther auouche that if hee maye doubte of Scripture as vvhy not bicause ther is no other vvarraunt for it but the Romaine Churches vvord hee vvill doubte also of the contentes of Scripture and so hee vvill call in questioÌ„ Moyses Christe the Apostles the Trinitie the Incarnation the Passion of Christe and ResurrectioÌ„ and all the mysteries of Christian religion Vvherfore as you credit the Romain Church for scripture so giue her credit for the nuÌ„ber of the bookes esscripture bicause her vvord vvarraunt is as good for this as for that or if you vvill not beleeue her in this you can haue no assuraunce of any parte of Scripture and so you maye bringe all into question vvhence follovveth contempte of all religion as is before proued The fifte Chapter proueth that their dissension in religion openeth the gap to contempt of all religion NOthing is of more force theÌ„ religioÌ„ vvhich keepeth vs in avve bridleth our appetites ruleth our actions gouerneth our life and inculcateth vnto vs our dutie tovvards God and man And if there vvere noe other argument then the example of so many thousand martyrs vvho haue endured so exquisite tormeÌ„ts and so horrible deathes rather then they vvould denye their religion it vvere sufficient to beare vvitnesse for religion that it is of greater force then all the violence of the tyrauntes then all their engiues and instrumentes of crueltie yea then death it selfe But so the force of a riuer is great and so great that sometymes it ouer-throvveth hovvses and bridges and beateth dovvne all vvhich staÌ„dethe in the vvaye of his streame but yet diuide it into many litle brookes and a childe vvill resiste his force Euen so religion is of great force and efficacie and beareth a great svvaye in the life of man but yet if it bee diuided into diuers sectes it looseth force and vigour and vvheras vvhilest it remaineth vnited See the second booke chap. 6. it vvill not bee resisted vvhen it is diuided it is easilic coÌ„temned I haue already described the iarres and dissensions of the Reformers in matters of religion and by this marke I haue descried them to bee heretikes novv let vs see vvhat an aduantage this their dissention giueth to an Atheist and vvhat a vvide gap it openeth vnto Atheisme An Atheist out of these their diuersities of opinions maye easilie dravv this discourse I see sayeth hee or at least hee maye saye diuers sects and opinions diuers Synagogues and religions diuers conuenticles and congregations amongest you vvhich as they haue diuersnames so professe they diuers doctrines and follovve diuers Authours And some of them are called Lutheranes some Caluinistes vvhich are by a subdiuision parted into softe and rigorous Lutheranes and into Protestantes Puritans others are called Zuinglians others Bezites others Anabaptistes others Libertines others Brovvnistes others Martinistes others are of the familie of loue others of the daÌ„ned crevve And althoughe all these aggree against the Romaine Catholike and Apostolike Churche yet they disagree amongest them selues and althoughe they hold many and those also contrarie opinions yet they all vse one argumeÌ„t to proue their opinions to vvit Scripture sensed by their priuate spirit And so vvill this Atheist saye if I beleeue one of these sectes I must beleeue all bicause they alleage one proofe for their religion but seing that I can not beleeue all bicause they teache contrarieties least I do any partial vvronge in preferring one before another all hauing the same reason I vvill beleeue none of of them all nor none of their opinions And seing that they condemne the Catholike and Romain religion for a fardell of superstitions vvhich not vvithstaÌ„ding vvas euer counted the true Christian religion euen by the Paganes them selues vvho therfore persequuted it and haue noe reason to bynde mee to any of their religions vnlesse I vvill be bound to an impossibilitie that is to bee of all their religions and nether can nether
vvill vvith any reason persuade me to bee ether Turke or Ievve I may by authoritie bee of noe religion And thus Atheisme must needs follovv diuision in religion contempt of the Romaine Church The sixte Chapter shevveth hovv their vvant of a visible head giuethe a great aduantage to Atheistes and such as mocke at all religion IN the first booke and last chapter I haue declared at large hovve necessarie a visible head is in all societies and especially in the Church of Christe and I haue also demonstrated that ther is no suche visible head in the Synagogue of the reformers vvhence I haue inferred that amongest them it is lavvfull for euerye heretike to preach vvhat doctrine hee vvill and no man shall cōtrolle him Novve I ame to deduce another conclusion to vvit that thus also the gate and gapp is opened vnto Atheistes and godlesse and irreligious persons vvhich I can do easily and vvill doe in a vvord For if a visible head bee vvanting euery man may preach and imbrace vvhat religion hee vvill as in the alleaged place I haue proued and seing that if this head bee vvanting ther is noe certaintie for any religion but only the priuate spirite and bare scripture vvhich are altogether vncertaine In the first booke ch 2.3 as before is proued it vvill follovv that a man shall haue no more reason to imbrace one religion thē another yea hee shall haue noe probable reason to induce him to any religion at all and consequentlye he may take good leaue to bee of no religion And thus he may argue in forme and figure If ther be no visible head to determine by authoritie vvhat religion is to be imbraced euery man may be of vvhat religion he vvill and no man can controlle him and so I also may vse my libertie in choosing my religion as vvel as another And seing that if the authoritie of a visible head be layed a side I haue no more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause all religions alleage the same reason vvhich is no reason to vvit bare scripture sensed by the priuate spirite and I can not possibly be of all bicause they be contrarie to one another I may by good reason refuse to bee of any religion and noe man can controlle me for it if there bee no visible head vvho can proue that hee hathe authoritie to determine of religion And so he that forsaketh the Catholique Church vvhere only this visible head is to bee found hath leaue and licence to bee of vvhat religion hee vvill yea to be of no religion at all bicause leauing that hee hathe noe more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause hee hath no other reason then bare scripture sensed by a priuate spirite vvhich is not sufficient as is proued in my first booke and third chapter yea leauing the Catholike Churche he can not haue any probable reason to induce him to any of these nevv religions as I haue proued in my first booke and fifte chapter and seing that God nether can nor vvill commande him to bee of a religion for vvhich hee seeth no reason nor motiue vvhich is sufficient to induce a reasonable man as in the same place is proued hee maye vvith reason after hee hath lefte the Catholike Churche ioyne vvith Atheistes vvhoe are of noe religion The seuenth Chapter shevveth hovv the Reformers in denial of the real praesence do ruine Christian religion and call all the other mysteries of faithe in question SAcrifice is a thing so highly pleasing and acceptable vnto God that he vvill haue none to be pertakers vvith him in such honour but reserueth it as an homage devv only to him selfe and proper to a diuine maiestie 1. Reg. 15. Yet obedience is more gratefull vnto him then all the Hecatombs and Sacrifices in the vvorld bicause by sacrifice vve consecrate vnto his seruice the liues and substaunce of brute beastes but by obedience vvee make a burnt-offering and Holocaust of our ovvne soules resigning our desires and vvilles yea our ovvn selues vvholly vnto his vvill and pleasure But vvhilest this obedience resteth in the vvill thoughe it be very meritorious yet hath it not the full complement of perfection bicause so longe as the vvill hathe reason to persuade her the lesse thankes she deserueth for obeying but vvhen this vertue reachethe to the vnderstanding and maketh reason against sence and aboue reason to yeeld to more then reason can reach vnto then hath this vertue the topp of her perfection But this perfection shee hath not of her selfe bicause of her selfe she can only submitte the vvill vnto the commaundement of the Superiour but she is fayne to borrovv so much of the Theologicall vertue called Faithe vvhose propertie is to make the verie vnderstanding to stoupe vvithout any reason to yeeld to thinges for vvhich ther is noe reason bicause they are aboue reason Many such thinges ther are in Christian faithe vvhich seeme to sense senseless to reason vnreasonable and to humaine faithe incredible and as farre as mans reason can see euen to diuine povver impossible Emongest the vvhich three are the most principall and to humain reason most incredible to vvit the Trinitie in vv ch vvee beleeue that three are one that is that three persons are one God The incarnation in vv ch vvee cōfess that tvvoe are one that is tvvoe natures in Christe the one diuine the other humaine are one and the same person the blessed sacramēt of the altare in vvhich vve acknovvledge that bread and vvine by the vertue of Christes vvorde are changed into his body and bloud and that one body is not only in one but in diuers places at one and the selfe same tyme But as these three are the hardest to conceue of all the mysteries of Christian fayth so hath our blessed Sauiour giuen vs more plaine and euident testimonies of them in his holy vvritte then of any other vvhich are more easilie to be conceued For the blessed Trinitie vvhat more pregnaunt proofes can vve desire then vve haue in sainte Matthevv Going therfore teach you all nations in the name of the father cap. vlt. and of the sonne and of the holy ghost Vvhere the ancient fathers note that three are named to signifie three distinct persones and yet Christe biddeth his Apostles to baptise in the name not names of these three to signifie that these three are one God And that the father is God euery leafe almost of Scripture dothe testifie that the sōne is God many places most manifestlye do beare vvitnes Rom. 1.9 Tit. 2.3 Iuda 2. Mat. 1◠Act. ◠testimonie That the holy ghost is God S. Peter averreth vvho hauing demaunded of Ananias the reason vvhy hee vvould lye vnto the holy ghost auoucheth that he lyed not to mē but to God vvherfore S. Paule sayeth that vvee are the temple of the holy ghost and seing that to God only temples are erected if vvee bee his temple
Fourthly as in these alleaged cōuersions mutatiōs the afore named fathers make recourse vnto Gods omnipotēcie so do they in the mutatiō of this Sacrament prouinge that it vvas possible bicause God is omnipotent Sainct Ambrose sayeth li. de ijs qui initiātur c. 9. hee that of nothing could make something can hee not turne one thing Cipr. ser de Coena Domini into another And sainct Ciprian sayeth that by the omnipotencie of the vvord the bread is made flesh And vvere not these fathers madde to endeuour to explicate by so harde examples hovve God his omnipotencie vvas able to chaunge bread into Christes body and vvine into his bloud if the mutation vvere figuratiue only seing that the vintener vvithout omnipotencie can do the like in making an Iuie-bush of no signe a signe Fistly they admire herin our sauiours great charitie and bountie vvho is so liberall as to feast and feed vs vvith his ovvn flesh and bloud Ho 45. in 10. Vvhat shepheard sayeth saint Chrisostome feedeth his sheep vvith his ovvn blood And vvhat say I Shepheard many mother 's ther are vvhich vvill not bestovv their milke vppon their suckling babes but rather do put them forthe to nourcing but Christe dealeth not so niggardly but rather feedeth vs vvith his ovvn flesh and bloud and mingleth his substaunce vvith ours Novve if Christe hathe giuen vs only a bare signe of his flesh and bloud I see no such extraordinarie loue and charitie at least herin he shevveth no more yea not so much charitie as he shevved to the Ievves to vvhome he gaue manna from heauen in their extremitie vvhich vvas a more noble substaunce and a better figure then Caluins bread is Lastly the fathers note for a straunge thinge that Christe is eaten of vs in the blessed sacrament and yet nether diuided in vita apud Sur. nor diminished nor consumed This sainct Andrevv tolde Aegeas the Proconsul for a great miracle I sayeth he do offer dayly vnto the omnipotent God the Immaculate lambe of vvhom vvhen all the people haue eaten the lambe remaineth vvholle and intiere Ser de Coena Domini Hom 2. de Verb. Apost Sainct Cipriane calles this sacrament inconsumptibilem cibum meat inconsumptible Sainct Austine speaking of this Sacrament and of the murmuration of the Ievves vvho imagined that they should teare Christes flesh vvith their teeth sayeth thus sicreficeris vt non deficiat vnde reficeris so thou art refreshed that it is not deficient of vvhich thou arte refreshed And the reason is bicause Christes body is glorious and is receued vvholle of euery one and so is not deuided and vvhen the formes of bread and vvine perishe Christs body leaueth them and though one man receueth Christes body vvholle yet ther is neuer the lesse for another for hee also receueth it vvholle nether in this is there any greater difficultie then that 5000. Io. 6. men should bee fedd vvith fiue barly loaues tvoe fishes yet the reliques to bee as great or more thē vvas the feast novv if Christe be not really presēt in this Sacramēt but only as in a signe and figure it is no more meruaile that hee is not consumed then that the Kinges picture should bee burnt or broken and he receue no harme and if vvee eate him only spiritually by faithe vvhat vvonder is it that his substaunce is not diuided seing that faithe hathe no teeth to rent or teare him I could adde to these fathers vvho as I haue proued in the first booke ener vvent vvith the Churche Chap. 4. the practise of the Christian vvorld l. 1. de Eucharist c 20. vvhich for reuerence of this Sacrament as Cardinal Allen noteth hathe builded so goodly Churches errected so stately Aultars prepared so ritche vessels of gold and siluer to contein this Sacrament hathe caryed it in Procession and adored it vvhich honour and homage Christians vvould neuer haue giuen it had they thought that it vvere but bread and vvine or a bare signe or figure of Christes body So that if euer there vvere any truthe in the Churche this of the real presence is a truthe bicause the Scriptures are as plain for it as for any other mysteries of our faithe the fathers aggree in the exposition of the scripture for the real presence as they do in the exposition of scriptures against the Arrians for the defence of the Trinitie or against the Nestorians or Eutichians for the Incarnation the practise of the ancient Churche argueth noe lesse miracles vnlesse all bookes euen lately Printed lye vvere allvvayes as frequēt for this mysterie as for any the consent of all Christians conspireth in this article as vvell as in the Trinitie this the paganes knevv full vvel In Apol. c. 5.7 Pamel ibid. Euseb l 5 c. 1 vvho therfore called vs Anthropophagos and Infanticidas as vvitnessethe Tertulian And so if vvee haue any truthe of any article of our faithe this is an assured veritie and if euer ther vvere any heresie Caluins opinion vvhich denyeth this real presence is an heresie bicause the autours of this opinion vvere euer noted for heretikes as Berengarius Vvicleph and others before them and their follovvers had particular names as the Arians haue they vvere condemned by Councels and by that Church vvhich vvas commōly called Christian and they haue all other markes of heretikes set dovvne in the second booke as vvill easilie appeare by application of thē vnto Caluin and his follovvers Vvhen this opinion vvas taught the vvorlde vvondred at it and the Pastours and fathers of the Churche vvrote against it and they alleadged as plain scripture against this heresie as euer they did against Arianisme And so if euer there vvere any heresie in the vvorlde the denial of the real presence is an heresie Conferre novve gentle reader the testimonies vvhich Catholikes haue for the real presence vvith those vvhich the reformers alleage against it and tell mee vvhere is likest to bee the truthe Catholikes haue plainer scripture for it then they haue against it the fathers also vvho are interpretours of scripture stand for it the reformers stand against it Vvhich are to bee beleeued thinkest thou Vvhether all the fathers or all the Reformers yea or euery one of the Reformers bicause they aggree not and euery one vvilbe supreme Iudge by his priuate spirit They vvill say scripture must bee beleeued before ffathers but this is not the question for scripturs are plainer for the real presence then those are vvhich the reformers bring against it And fathers bringe scripturs to proue it as vvel as they do to disproue it so that the question is vvhether the fathers are liker to vnderstand the scripturs rightly rather then the reformers yea rather thē any one of the reformers in particuler But to dravv to my intended conclusion out of all this discourse I gather that vvee haue as plaine scripture for the real presence of Christes body and bloud in the blessed