THE TOVCH-STONE of the Reformed Ghospell Wherin sundry chiefe Heads and Tenets of the Protestants Doctrine obiected by them commonly against the Catholicks are briefly refuted BY The expresse Texts of the Protestants owne Bible set forth and approued by the Church of England With the ancient Fathers Iudgments thereon in confirmation of the Catholike Doctrine The fourth Edition augmented Out of thy owne mouth will I Iudge thee Luc. 19.22 Permissu Superiorum 1634. TO THE CATHOLIQVE READER HEALTH AND ENCOVRAGEMENT in his Holy Fayth COurteous Reader before thou peruse this litle Booke I would intreate thee to reade these ensuing points very necessary to serue thy selfe of with fruit and profit 1. The first point is that in the Textes of Scriptures alledged throghout this Treatise it is not specified out of which English Bible the said passages are extracted for as much as this were ouer troublesome vnto thee sith England hath set forth within these few yeares past a great number of seuerall sorts of Bibles much differing one from another So that our Aduersaries to whome I wish from very hart as I do to thee that this litle Booke may prooue profitable haue not all one sort of Bibles themselues Notwithstanding know for certaine that they are all faithfully taken forth of the Bibles in quarto octauo printed at London by Robert Barker anno 1615. So as if by chance any one shall shew thee some other Bible wherein they be not set downe word for word as heere thou findest yet rest assured and out of doubt that thou shalt find them so written faithfully cited out of the foresaid Edition of Robert Barker set forth by his Maiesties speciall Commandement 2. The second point is That thou admire the spleÌ„dor of Truth the which is such and so passing bright that notwithstanding our Aduersaries mayne and serious endeauours to obscure the same by so many varieties of TranslatioÌ„s by such a number of grosse corruptions and falsifications yet neuertheles their condemnation is so expressely set downe in this their owne Bible and is so cleere to all the world that nothing els is needfull heerto but that thou know to reade and haue thine eyes to behold the same at the opening of this their Booke This cannot choose but be an exceeding comfort vnto Catholikes agaynst their Aduersaries concerning the vprightnes of their cause to offer to be tryed and to confound them by their owne Bible the Translation whereof notwithstanding doth in a number of places and particularly in many of those that are in question swarue and differ notoriously from the authenticall Latin and to the incredible disparagement darkning and obscuring of the Catholique cause Neuer did yet nor I presume dare our Aduersaries offer to giue the like aduantage vnto vs as to stand to be tried by our Translations and that in aboue fifty maine Heads and Points of Doctrine that are this day in controuersy between vs. 3. The third point is That when thou shalt vrge or alleadge any passage in fauour of thine owne faith and doctrine if any one returne their charge be it by way of recrimination and blaming of the Roman Church or by alleadging some obscure texts and those ill vnderstoode to counterpoyze such as are brought by thee do thou shew them amiably that this is not to proceed in due order nor to deale with thee as they ought in oposing a passage darke obscure to confund another that is most cleare and euident For example when we set before their eies these few words as cleare as the Sunne at Noone day Take eate this is my body this is my bloud which shall be shed for you c. Marc. 14.25 they will straight suppose to haue found another important place yea and to haue giuen vnto vs the ouerthrow if they presently do reply that our Sauiour saith in S. Iohn 6.63 The flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake vnto you they are spirit and they are life a passage far more obscure then that which is in question which affirmeth nothing lesse then that which they pretend to prooue therby For how absurd were it to say that the flesh of Christ profiteth nothing And if as they themselues say we must interpret one passage by another then doubtles it is better to explicate an obscure one by one that is clere then one that is cleere by a passage obscure and that one text giue place to many rather then many giue place to one 4. The fourth point is That if they shall reiect any of the passages which thou producest pretending the same to be Apocriphall know that to preuent this obiection no such Scriptures as they cal Apocriphall are here produced alone but that allwayes there goe accompanied with them others that be Canonicall euen by their owne confession and so far forth as Apocriphall Scriptures shall and do agree with Canonicall they themselues by their owne Rule are bound to receiue them Which will also stop their mouth in their common pretence of Conference of places for rarely hast thou heere lesse then three or foure seuerall passages cited at large besides references for the proofe of euery seuerall point All our Aduersaries put togeather being neuer able in their defence to do the like that is to produce so many in number so expresse and cleere and for so great a number of Controuersies as are heere disputed and couched in so litle a Treatise 5. The fift point is that if they shall contend with thee not about the wordes themselues as being cleere but about the sense and meaning of them for such places I say as may be subiect to this cauill thou shalt forthwith haue recourse vnto that which the Scriptures call The Rule of Faith to wit vnto the euer-constant and vniforme IudgemeÌ„t of the Church and Ancient Fathers who in euery age since Christ haue vnderstood the points in question in that sense which Catholiques do An example wherof thou maist lay downe before them out of that learned Treatise intituled The Summary of Controuersies debating the question of the Blessed Sacrament Which thou hauing done bid them do the like and thou wilt yield vnto them a thing which they can neuer do in their defence So as no man of reason will reiect this Rule grounded so cleerly in holy Scripture and preferre the priuate interpretation of some silly Cobler before S. Chrysostome of a Baker before S. Basill of some Tinker before Tertullian or of any Nouellist whatsoeuer before the iudgement of the Church and the whole streame of ancient Fathers This point therfore being â—â— important shall be the first which I will fortify and proue by the word of God in this present Treatise I meane this Rule and therfore in no wise forget allwayes to inuolue thine Aduersary within this Rule as often as he shall become so vnruly and thou shalt be sure to get the victory 6. The sixt last point is That I heere protest in
whatsoeuer giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that not onely the bondes of sins but as well all other knots and difficulties in matters of fayth are to be loosed by S. Peter and by the Pastours that succeed in the Church See more Deut. 17.8 Aggeus 2.11 2. Chron. 19.8 vnto the end 2. Thes 2.15 ¶ The holy Fathers that affirme the same are S. Gregory Naz. in orat excusat Tertul. lib. de praescrip aduersus haer S. Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. S. Aug. lib. 1. cont Cresc cap. 33. lib. cont Fund cap. 5. Vincent Lyr. in suo commonit And S. Anselme lib. de incar c. 1. writing to Pope Vrban saith thus vnto him Vnto no other is more rightly referred to be corrected whatsoeuer ariseth in the Church against the Catholique fayth c. They affirme III. That the Scriptures are easy to be vnderstood and that therefore none ought to be restrayned from reading of them COntrary to the expresse words of their owne Bible 2. Pet. 3.16 where S. Peter speaking of S. Pauls Epistles saith In which are some thinges hard to be vnderstood which they that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures vnto their owne destruction But all vnlearned Reformers do both read and are allowed to read those hard thinges yea the Booke of Apocalyps also yet harder without any restraint to man or woman which yet they vnderstand not therefore they wrest them as also other Scriptures to their owne destruction Actes 8.30 And Philip said Vnderstandest thou what thou readest And be said How can I except some man should guide me Where first may be noted that this Noble Eunuch freely confessed he could not vnderstand the Scriptures without an interpreter to expound them albeit he was a great and serious student in them and withall a holy and humble man as S. Hierome noteth of him Epist ad Paulin. de stud Scrip. and next that he sayth Except some man guide me So as he fled not to his priuate spirit nor yet to conferring of place with place as our Aduersaries do Therfore the Scriptures are not easy Luc. 24.25 27. Christ called two of his Disciples fooles and slow of hart c. And beginning at Moyses and all the Prophets he expounded vnto them in all the Scriptures the thinges concerning himselfe How then are the Scriptures so easily to be vnderstood of the vnlearned when Christs Disciples themselues could not vnderstand them till first they were expounded to them Reuelat. 5.1 c. The Angell speaking of the Booke sealed with seauen seales wept much because no man in heauen nor in earth was able to open the booke nether to looke theron A strange case to read in Scripture it selfe that the booke of Scripture should be shut with so many seales but much more strange that euen in S. Iohns and the Apostles time none could be found nether in heauen nor earth able to open the same nor to looke theron which euery Apprentice now a dayes without any difficulty will vndertake to doe See more 2. Pet. 1.20 Mat. 13.11 36. Luc. 24.45 1. Cor. 12.10 Luc. 8.10 54. Luc. 2. 50.2 Tim. 3.7 1. Iohn 4.6 Iohn 5.35 Psal 119.18 34 Reuel 51. c. ¶ The Holy Fathers that affirme the same are S. Irenaeus l. 2. cap. 47. Origen l. cont Cels S. Amb. epist 44. ad Constant where he calleth it A sea and depth of propheticall riddles S. Hier. in praefat comment in Ephes 5. And S. Aug. epist. 119. cap. 21. saith The thinges of holy Scripture that I know not are many more then those that I know So S. Greg. hom 6. in Ezech. and many other Fathers confesse the same of themselues S. Denis Bishop of Corinth cited by Eusebius lib. 7. hist Ec. 20. saith Of this Booke of Scripture to wit this is my opinion that the matter therof is far more profoūd then my wit can reach vnto They affirme IV. That Apostolicall Traditions and ancient Customes of the Church not found in the written word are not to be receiued nor do oblige vs. COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible 2. Thes 2.15 Therfore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which yee haue bene taught whether by word or by our Epistle Hence it is cleere that some Traditiōs were deliuered to the Thessalonians by word of mouth and those of equal authority with what was written if not of more for the holy Ghost doth name them first as they were indeed the first in being yea it is certaine that before the new Testament was written the Apostles deliuered all by Tradition and word of mouth Therfore Apostolicall Traditions are to be receiued and do oblige vs. 2. Thes 3.6 Now I command you bretheren in the name of our Lord Iesus-Christ that yee withdraw your selues from euery brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he receiued of vs. Lo he saith not I counsell you but I command you But these men reiecting all Traditions walke disorderly therfore they breake the Apostles cōmandment Yea they stand not but are fallen they let goe what the word it selfe doth will them to hould and therfore in the name of our Lord Iesus-Christ let all good men withdraw themselues from them 1. Cor. 11.2 Now I praise you brethren that you remember me in all thinges and keepe the Traditions as I haue deliuered them vnto you But these reiect all Traditions therfore needes must S. Paul speake thus vnto them Now none of my brethren I dispraise you for that you forget me in all thinges and keepe not the Traditions as I haue deliuered them vnto you Lastly If nothing at all be to be belieued but only that which is left vs written wherein should the Church haue exercised herselfe from Adam to Moyses the space of two thousand six hundred yeares See more 1. Tim. 6.3.20 2. Tim. 1.13.2 Tim. 2.2 Iohn 20.30 21.25 16.12.1 Cor. 11.16.34.2 ep Iohn 12. 3. ep of S. Iohn 13. Actes 16.4 15.28 ¶ The Fathers that affirme the same are S. Irenaeus l. 3. c. 4. Origen in cap. 6. ad Rom. S. Damas l. 4. c. 17. S. Chrysost in 2. Thes 2. And S. Basil de Spiritu sancto saith Some thinges we haue from Scripture other thinges from the Apostles both which haue like force vnto Godlines S. Chrysost hom 4. in 2. Thes sayth If is a Tradition seeke thou no further They affirme V. That a man by his owne vnderstanding or Priuate spirit may rightly iudge interprete Scripture COntrary to the expersse wordes of their owne Bible 1. Cor. 12.8 c. To one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit to another the working of miracles to another Prophesie to another discerning of spirits to another kindes of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues but all these worketh that one and the selfe same spirit deuiding to euery man seuerally as
That no man hath seene God in any forme and that therefore his Picture or Image cannot be made COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Gen. 3.8 where God appeared vnto Adam walking in the garden of Paradise in a corporall forme And Gen. 28.12.13 to Iacob standing aboue the ladder whereon the Angells ascended and descended For we must know that it is only the outward shape and forme of the thing which is expressed eyther in this or the like Image and not the inward substance thereof which is not possible for any Painter or Caruer to expresse which though it expresse not all that is therein yet that which it expresseth is a truth and thus may God be expressed to vs. Yea why may not God be expressed in the same forme manner wherein he hath manifested himselfe to mortall eyes Therfore his Picture or Image may be made Exod. 33.11 God appeared spake vnto Moyses face to face as one man speaketh to another To the Prophet Isay 6.1.5 Sitting vpon a throne To Daniel 7.9 Sitting wearing garments and hauing haire on his head like pure woll How then can any wise man doubt but that that thing may be lawfully set forth or expressed in an outward Image which necessarily must be conceiued by an inward 1. Kinges we 3. 22.19 I saw the Lord sitting on his throne and all the host of heauen standing by him on his right hand and on his left But perhaps they will say that God commandeth vs to heare his word and the Histories which speake of his apparitions but not to paint them I answere that seeing we learne by our eyes as well as by our eares there is no reason why that may not be painted before our eyes which may be preached to our eares Againe seeing we may find the aforesaid Visions and Histories in the Bible why may we not as well see them painted in pictures as written in a booke of white paper LI. That blessing or signing with the signe of the Crosse is not founded in holy Scripture COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Reuelat 7.3 Where one Angell sayd to foure other Angels Hurt not the earth neither the sea nor the trees till we haue sealed we read signed the seruants of our God in their foreheads Againe Marc. 10.16 And he tooke them vp in his armes put his handes vpon them and blessed them Therefore signing and blessing is founded in holy Scripture Luc. 24.50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany and he lift vp his handes and blessed them Therfore c. ¶ See the Fathers that affirme the same Dionys Areopagita cap. 4.5.6 Eccles Hier. Tertul. lib. de corona milit Origen in Exod. cap. 5. hom 6.5 S. Cyril Cat. 1. S. Basil lib. de spir sanct cap. 37. S. Chrysost hom 55. in Mat. cap. 16. LII That Concupiscence remayning after Baptisme is truly and properly sinne though not imputed to the faithfull COntrary to the expresse words of their owne Bible Iames 1. 14.15 But euery one is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and entised Then when lust hath conceaued it bringeth forth Sinne and Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Heere 4. thinges are distinguished Concupiscence that is a power of couering prone to euill and her 3. motions Suggestion Delectation and Consent Now Concupiscence and her first motion S. Iames doth not call Synne but a Temptation to Sinne. Delight but not fully deliberate he calleth Sinne but not mortall the which only Consent causeth ¶ See in confirmation heerof S. Cyril l. 4. in Ioan. e. 51. S. Austine l. 5. cont Iulian. c. 3. 5. where he calleth Concupiscence not Sinne but the punishment of sinne besides the whole streame of Fathers LIII That Bishops and Priestes are not bound to liue a single life but may lawfully marry wiues COntrary to the words of their owne Bible Exod. 19.22 And let the Priests which come neere to the Lord sanctify themselues lest the Lord breake forth vpon them we read strike them Those also that were to eat the Paschal Lambe were commanded to haue their Loynes guirt Exod. 12.11 that is as S. Gregory expoundeth obseruing Continency hom 22. in Euangel In the New Testament S. Paul teacheth that a Bishop must be giuen to hospitality gentle sober iust Chast 1. Tim. 3. where insteed of the word Chast the Protestants in their later Editions translate of good behauiour therby to elude their state of liuing without wiues Also 2. Tim. 3.4 Thou therefore endure hardnes as a good souldier of Iesus-Christ No man that warreth intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier Which all the Fathers do vnderstand of liuing a single life and not to be entangled with wiues ¶ See Concil 2. Carthag can 2. Where it is expressely decreed that all Bishops Priests Deacons and those that handle the Sacraments be keepers of Chastity and to abstaine themselues euen from wiues S. Hieron l. 1. cont Iouin Apol. ad Pamach c. 3. Origen hom 23. in Num. Epiphan haer 59. Ambr. in 2. Tim. 3. and others LIIII That the publique seruice of the Church ought not to be said but in a language that all the people may vnderstand COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Luc. 1.8 And it came to passe that while he executed the Priests office before God in the order of his course according to the custome of the Priests office his lot was to burne Incense in the Temple of the Lord and the whole multitude of people were praying without at the time of Incense Where it is to be noted 1. That this was then the common custome 2. All the people were without and the Priest within how then did they vnderstand him Therfore the publique seruice of the Church may be so said as all the people vnderstand it not Leuit. 16.17 And there shal be no man in the Tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an attonement in the holy place vntill he come out haue made an attonement for himselfe and for his househould and for all the Congregation of Israel Therefore c. I shal not need to produce the authorities of Fathers for this point when the as practise of the whole Christian world for these many hundred yeares together hath byn directly contrary to our Reformers heerin against which to dispute as S. Aug sayth were insolent madnes See to Rhe. Test. pag. 46. But against this they will obiect out of Scripture this their probablest place 1. Cor. 14.16 When thou shalt blesse with the spirit how shall he that occupyeth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giuing of thankes seeing he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest For thou verily giuest thankes but the other is not edifyed Heer to I answere that there be two kindes of prayer or giuing of thankes in the Church The one
Priuate which euery man sayes by himselfe alone The other Publique which the Priest sayth in the name and person of the whole Church As concerning priuate prayer no Catholique denies but it is very expedient that euery man pray in his owne tongue to the end he may vnderstand what he sayes But for the Publike praiers of the Church it is not necessary that the common people vnderstand them because it is not they who pray but the Priest in the name of the whole Church For as it was inough for the people of the old Law to know and vnderstand that in such a Sacrifice consisted the worship of God although they had not so cleare an vnderstanding of euery thing that was done therein as hath bene said euen so in the new Law when the people assist at the sacrifice of the Masse acknowledging thereby that God is worshipped and that it is instituted for the remembrāce of Christs death and passion although they vnderstand not the Latin tongue yet are they not destitute of the vtiltty and fruit therof besides the help of the Godly Ceremonies therein which do instruct them in the whole And indeed this place by them alledged serueth nothing to the purpose but rather agaynst them seeing it proues that the common seruice of the Church was not then in a tongue which euery man vnderstood but in another language which was not so common vnto all For S. Paul saying How shall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at the giuing of thanks seeing be vnderstandeth not what thou sayest shewes that such giuing of thankes was not accustomed to be made in the vulgar tongue and requires or rather supposes that in the seruice of the church there should be some other to supply the place of the vnlearned that is one that should haue further vnderstanding of that tongue in which the seruice of the Church is said But had the Seruice bene in the vulgar tongue there needed no man to haue supplied the place of the Idior that vnderstandeth not So that S. Paul shewes most clearly that such seruice was not exercised in a vulgar tongue but in another which was not common to the whole people such as the Latin tongue is now in England as also throughout the whole East and yet was not in the contrary extreme that is to say wholy strange or vtterly barbarous And seeing our Aduersaires haue this place continually in their mouthes and thereby deceyue the simple people I would haue them to know that this text of S. Paul is greatly peruerted by the Reformers themselues For whereas the Greeke and Latin text hath He who supplies the place of an Idiot how shall he say Amen the Ministers of Geneua in many of their Bibles haue turned the same most deceitfully and maliciously thus He that is an idiot how shall he say Amen As if there were no differēce betwixt an Idiot he who supplyes the place of an Idiot Moreouer the thankesgiuing to which S. Paul sayth Amen should be answered is not at all practised in many of our Reformed Churches where neyther Idiots nor those that supply the place of Idiots do answere Amen as S. Paul willeth seeing they haue altered Amen into So be it which is plainly repugnant to his meaning as also to the practice of the whole Church For they can not say for their excuse that S. Paul wrote to those who spake in the Hebrue tongue for Amen is Hebrue since he wrote to the Corinthians who had their publike seruice in Greek and not in Hebrue A mayne argument that the word Amen ought to be retayned in all languages as it hitherto hath euer been amongst all Christians before the dayes of our Reformers in so much that the most learned S. Augustin writeth that it is not lawfull to turne Amen into any other vulgar language without the scandall of the whole Church Aug. epist 118. 2. de Doct. c. 20. To conclude I cannot but much meruaile at the simplicity of the common people who notwithstanding the great light of their reformed Ghospell see not the loosenesse and vanity of this their Leaders cauill For neyther the maysters or schollers are so senselesse I hope as to say that their own seruice consisting partly of the Psalmes of Dauid the hardest part of all the Bible and partly of lessons taken out of the old and new Testament is vnderstood of all the people present thereat since the greatest Diuines that euer were durst neuer say so much of themselues How wrongfully then do they wrangle with vs about this matter But perhaps they will say that thogh the simple people vnderstand not the hard places contayned in the psalmes and Seruice yet to their great comfort they vnderstand at least some part thereof euen so say we of our Masse and of our simple people who assist therat And so conclude as I began in the title of this Booke By thyne owne mouth I iudge thee naughty seruant A TABLE OF THE CONTROVERSIES handed in this Booke 1. COncerning the Rule of Faith Pag. 14. 2. Of the Iudge of Controuersies in matters of Faith pag. 21. 3. That the Holy Scripture is not easy to be vnderstood pag. 24. 4. Of Apostolicall Traditions Customes of the Church p. 29. 5. Whether one may iudge and interprete holy Scripture by his Priuate Spirit pag. 33. 6. Whether S. Peters Faith haue failed pag. 37. 7. Whether the Church can erre or hath erred pag. 39. 8. Of the inuisibility of the Church pag. 43. 9. Of the Vniuersality of the Church pag. 46. 10. Of the Vnity of the Church pag. 50. 11. Of S. Peters Headship p. 53. 12. Whether a secular Man or Woman may be head of the Church pag. 62. 13. Whether the Pope be Anti-christ pag. 66. 14. Whether none but God can forgiue sinnes pag. 69. 15. Whether Confession ought to be made vnto a Priest pag. 72. 16. Of Pardons or Indulgences pag. 75. 17. Whether the Actions and Sufferings of Saintes be profitable to the Church pag. 77. 18. Of workes of Supererogation pag. 80. 19. Of Freewill Whether lost by the fall of Adam pag. 82. 20. Of the Possibility of keeping Gods Commandments pag. 87. 21. Whether faith alone without workes iustifieth pag. 91. 22. Whether Good workes be meritorious pag. 94. 23. Whether faith once had may be lost pag. 97. 24. Whether God haue ineuitably decreed who shal be damned who saued pag. 99. 25. Whether euery one ought to assure himselfe of his saluation pag. 101. 26. Whether euery one haue an Angell Guardian pag. 104. 27. Whether Angells pray for men on Earth pag. 106. 28. Whether men may pray vnto them pag. 108. 29. Whether Angells can helpe men or Earth pag. 111. 30. Whether Saints deceased haue appeared to men on Earth pag. 113. 31. Whether they know what passeth heere on earth pag. 114. 32. Whether Saints pray for vs. pag. 118. 33. Whether we may alledge their merits in our behalfe p. 122. 34. Whether we may pray vnto them pag. 126. 35. Whether Reliques of Saints may be honoured pag. 130. 36. Of the blessing or hallowing of Creatures pag. 133. 37. Whether Children may be saued without Baptisme pag. 136. 38. Of the Sacrament of Confirmation pag. 138. 39. Whether Christs body be truly in the Sacrament of the Altar pag. 140. 40. Whether we ought so receaue vnder both kindes pag. 145. 41. Whether the Masse be a Sacrifice pag. 148. 42. Of Extreme-Vnctiō pag. 152. 43. Of Holy Orders and Ordinary Vocation and mission of Pastours in the Church pag. 155. 44. Of Vowes pag. 158. 45. Of fasting and abstinēce from certayne meates pag. 161. 46. Of Limbus Patrum and whether Christ descēded into Hell pag. 164. 47. Of Purgatory pag. 171. 48. Whether Images may be lawfully made pag. 178. 49. Of the worship of Images pag. 182. 50. Of making the picture of God the Father pag. 193. 51. Of the signe of the Crosse p. 196. 52. Whether Concupisence after Baptisme be sinne pag. 197. 53. Whether Bishops and Priests may lawfully marry pag. 199. 54. Of seruice in the Church in an vnknown tongue pag. 201. FINIS