quod in eis non bene intelligitur etiam temerè audacter asseritur heresies and other peruerse opinions infectinge and intanglinge our soules euen to the deepe pitt of confusion doe springe of noe other roote then when good scriptures are ill vnderstoode and the badd vnderstandinge therof is bouldly and rashlie applied S. Ambrose doth likewise declare the same sayinge Ambr. 3. ad TituÌ„ S. Hil. in lib. ad Const Haeretici per verba legis legem impugnant by the wordes of the lawe it selfe the heretiques doe impugne the lawe S. Hillarius also saith Neminem haereticorum esse qui se non secundum sacras scripturas praedicare eas quae blasphemat mentiatur there is noe heretique that doth not alleadge falsy the scriptures for his blasphemies Also he saith de intelligeÌ„tia heresis sit Lib. 20. de Trinit non de scriptura sensus non sermo fiat crimen heresie is of the vnderstaÌ„ding not of the scripture the fault is in the sense and not in the word Hiero ad Lucif vnto which agreeth S. Hierom Neque sibi blandiantur c. Lett them not flatter themselues if they alleadge or affirme any thinge of the scriptures when euen the deuill hath alleadged the scriptures for his purpose The scriptures saith he doe not consiste in readinge of them but in vnderstandinge of them Origines also declareth the same Orig hom 9. in Exo saying Non rarò c. Somtimes the diuill doth wreast godes wordes from many for that there is nothinge soe holie but the enemie of mankinde doth abuse the same to the destruction of man Tertulian also saith de scripturis agebant De prefâ—cript her de sciptuâ—is suadebant c. They pleade the scriptures they persuade the scriptures they inculcate the scriptures vnto this they moue some at the first dashe they wearie the stronge they coÌ„nfound the weake and men of indifferent iudgment they dismisse with scrupules Thus far Tertulian soe the Arian heresie the Macedonian the Nestorian Eutichian and all other old heresies would allowe nothinge but scripture and last of all these newe phantasticall heresies doe grounde all their turbulent spirittes and singuler maleperte and headie deuises vpon holie scriptures 2. For example Luther in his first booke against Zâ—uinglius saith that amoungest Zuingilans the Zuinglians themselues concerninge these 5. wordes there arose tenn seuerall sects of different religion I meane 270. sects of heresies in this time Lib de here fabulis hoc est enim corpus meum Stanislaus Rescius hath deuided the hereticall sects of this tyme into two hundred and 70. different heresies euerie one alleadginge scripture for his owne fancie Theodorus did reckon 76. heresies in his owne tyme. Aug. lib. de heres S. Augustine also did reckon 88. heresies vnto his owne tyme. And vnto Luther his tyme there were 290 sortes of heresies all which did alleadge scriptures Yea was there euer any heresie that did alleadge more scriptures for herselfe then that of the Arians did not the Iewes alleadge scriptures against Christ that he should not be holden for a Prophett saying Iohn 7. Scrutate scripturas vide quia a Galilea propheta non surgit search the scriptures saie they and behould that a prophett doth not arise from Galile and by scripture they did endeuour to proue that he was worthie of deathe Iohn 19. Wee haue a law say they and by our lawe he ought to die because he made himselfe the sonne of God Did not Iulian the apostate alleadge scripture as S. Cyrill saithe lib 10. in Iulianum for visitinge Martyrs Reliques alleadginge that place of S. Mathewe 23. that the Scribes Pharisies and Hipocritts are like to white monuments and they ought not to visitt them c. Also he alleadged many places of scripture as Math. 5. Ro. 12.1 Cor. 6. Math. 10. against the christians for repininge against him for takinge away their goodes but to beare all tyrannicall oppressions patientlie Did not Osiander a cheefe secretarie alleadge 20. different opinions touchinge the article of Iustification and at last he cited his owne opinion contrarie to them all 3. Of all these sectes it is saide Obscurum est insipiens cor eorum dicentes se esse patientes stulti facti sunt Their foolish hearte is darkned sayinge themselues to be wise but they be made fooles for heretiques can neuer haue the knowledge of the scriptures In maleâ—olam animam non introibit sapientia Sap. cap. 1 nec habitabit corpore subdito peccatis true knowledge shall not enter into a wicked soule nor lodge in a bodie subiect to sinne Therfore the prophett saithe Discam in via immaculata I will learne in an vnspotted waie and when heretiques through pride and malice haue most maliciouslie opposed theÌ„selues against the catholique church the piller and foundation of all trueth and haue sought by all wicked and malicious meanes to deface the same wee must not thinke they haue had any true knowledge or perfect wisdome for if once a foundation of a house or a rocke vpon which are builded manie chambers do fall all those chambers cannot stand vpp the catholique church is the firme rocke vpon which the faithe of euerie christian is builded if he once fall from the church he hath no faith nor any vnderstandinge of the scriptures and therfore S. Augustine saith he would not haue beleeued the ghospelll without the authoritie of the church which beinge inspired by the holie ghoast hath taught thinges which the scritures haue taught the contrarie as that wee should not obserue the old lawe nor obstaine from thinges suffocated or straungled and such like for the letter saith S. Paule killeth 1. Cor. 3. but the spiritt quickneth And as the letter in the old lawe not trulie vnderstoode nor referred to Christ did by occasion kill the carnall Iewe so the letter of the newe testament not truly taken nor expounded by the spiritte of Christe which only is in his church killeth the heretique who also being carnall and voide of spiritt gaineth nothinge by the scriptures but rather taketh hurte by the same Aug. to 10. de teÌ„pore li. de Spiritu litt c 5. 6. 2. Pet. 3. 2. Tim. 3. as S. Augustine auoucheth for in the newe testament saith S. Peter are certaine thinges hard to be vnderstoode which the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also they do the rest of the scriptures to their owne perdition of whom S. Paule himselfe saith alwaies learninge and neuer attayninge vnto the knowledge of the truth men corrupte in mind reprobate concerninge the faith but they shall prosper noe further for their folly shal be made manifest to all and as Iames and Mambres resisted Moyses soe they alsoe resiste the truethe 4. If Daniell after that God had reuealed vnto him thinges to come concerninge the militant church saith Ego audiui non intellexi I haue heard but I vnderstood not the Angell said vnto
be vsed but that and this he did to mantayne his opinion Also when his children kinge Edward and Elizabeth came to the Crowne and held contrarie opinions they caused contrarie translations to be published Fox ibid. Vulgar translations of scriptures profitts nothinge vnlesse wee knowe the true sense of them as for the true sense the protestantes giue vs no rule at all for the same For in England they cannott iudge of the controuersie of religion by the scriptures because they are bouÌ„d by their â—awes to beleue according to the will and decree of the parleament howse and of the kinge And in other protestant countries where the parleament or the wil of a prince is not of force there are so many sects and heresies as they cannot be reclaymed euerie one wreasting the scriptures to his owne priuate and fantasticall opinions for the Protestants doe not care for the vulgare translation vnles they may peruert the sense thereof according to their owne turbulent braines 8. Neither is there any people that doe reuerence and honor the scriptures more then those of the Catholick religion Which as S. Paule saith 2. Cor. 4. doth renounce the adulterating of the word of God wicked constructions deceitfull interpretations and sinister application thereof which is common to heretiques as Luther affirmeth that the roote of all heresies hath bene the scriptures yea he added that the scriptures ought to be called the booke of heretiques There is neither iott nor sillable in the scripture but the catholique church doth imbrace allowe the same as written and sett downe by the holie ghoast and although the priuate spiritt of some haue thought some bookes of the sacred scriptures not to be canonicall yet the whole catholique church hath receaued them hath taken awaie that doubte Touchinge the bookes of the old testament videlicet Iudith Tobyas the booke of wisdome Ecclesiastes the two first bookes of the Machabees and of Baruch as alsoe of the newe as the Apocalips the Epistle of S. Paul to the Hebreues the Epistle of S. Iames the 2. of S. Peter the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn and therfore the heretiques of this time doe not allowe those for that some in tymes paste haue doubted thereof Did not S. Tho doubt also of Christs resurrection and therfore ought he or wee doubt thereof still Christ hauing manifested his scarres and his woundes vnto him Euen soe though some learned men haue doubted of those bookes yet by the vniuersall consent of the church these bookes were made knowen to be Canonical scripture As concerninge the booke of Iudith the councell of Carthage vnder Aurelius Bishopp thereof Innocentius the first Geâ—asius with 70. Bishoppes the councell of Florence vnder Eugenius the 4. haue pronounced it to be canonicall as also of the booke of Tobie Ecclesiastes and wisdome As for the two bookes of Machabes the Canons of the Apostles the author whereof is said to be S. ClemeÌ„t in the ende thereof the two bookes of the Machabees are inserted as Canonicall those two bookes are confirmed by Innocentius the first and by the councell of Carthage and confirmed by the 6. Generall councell in such like manner the said 2. bookes are coÌ„firmed both by the two generall councells of Florence Aug. li. 18 de ciuit Dei c. 16. con Gaud. epist lib. 2. cap. 23. and Trentt and as S. Augustine saith that the Churche and not the Iewes doth allowe the Machabees for canonicall and not onlie S. Augustine doth produce wittnesse out of them but also Ireneus Tertul. Cyprian Chrysost and others soe as to doubte of these bookes is rather the infidelitie of the Iewes then the faith of the Christians especially when the Church hath once decreede the same and soe are all the rest of the said bookes made Canonicall by the Church and by her determination which is of greater force to allowe or disalowe of them as also of the true interpretation of them then all the priuate spirittes in the world vnto whome all priuate mens iudgment ought to submit themselues Basill the greate and S. Gregorie Naz. being the cheefest diuines amoungest the Grecians and hauinge cast awaie all other bookes they recollected themselues to studie the holie scriptures the true meaninge and interpretation thereof as Ruffinus testifieth Ruff. lib 2. cap 9. in Eccl hist they gathered out of the authoritie and comentaries of their predecessors not of their owne priuate presumption or proper imagination Gal 2. Aug. lib. 28 in Faust c. 4. 9. Did not S. Paule beinge an Apostle before he preached the Ghospell goe vpp to Hierusalem that he might confer with S. Peter Lucc 22. Iames and Iohn and especiallie with Peter touching the preaching and expoundinge of the Ghospell for that our Sauiour did praie particulerlie for S. Peter that he should not faile in his faith vnto whome he promised the assistance of his holie spiritt If this soe great a doctor beinge illuminated by Christe and receauinge his ghospell froÌ„ him did neuerthelesse conferr the same with S. Peter the foundation of the ecclesiasticall Hierarchy the Pastor of Christs sheepe the captaine of his armie the sonne that shineth in this hemispher of christendome and heade of the misticall bodie of Christe which is his church how much ought others to doe the like which haue not so much securitie nor soe good a warrant to be fauored and inspired of God as he had Howe can wee thinke or beleeue that heretiques can vnderstand the scriptures who haue not the spiritt of God to instruct them in the knowledge thereof For as no member of the bodie hath the spiritt of the bodie vnlesse it be vnited and ioyned to the bodie soe noe member of the misticall bodie of Christ which is his church hath the spirite thereof that is separated froÌ„ the same Wherevpon S. Augustine saith nihil magis debet christianus formidare c. there is nothinge that a christian ought to feare more Aug trac â—7 in Iohn then to be separated from the bodie of Christe for if he be separated and disunited from the bodie of the church he is not a member thereof and if he be not a member of the same he is not quickned by her spiritt and whosoeuer hath not the spiritt of Christe as the Apostle saith he is not his it is the spiritt that quickneth the flesh auaileth nothinge Therfore you beinge not in the Church vnto whome the spiritt of God is promised to direct her in all trueth and to guide her from all errors and heresies wee ought not to beleue that you haue the knowledge of the scriptures or the true vnderstandinge or interpretation thereof for it cannot stande with any reason or rule that this spiritt of trueth can be in turbulent mindes or malicious heades as hetiquees be Esa 66. qui non requiescit nisi super humilem mansuetum trementem sermones suos neuer resteth but vpon the humble and meeke
and tremblinge at his wordes and speeches Whether euery man ought to be iudge of the scripture and to rely altogether vpon his owne iudgment touching the interpretation therof being inspired by the holly ghoast concerning the same CHAPTER V. 1. THis is the assersion of William Whitakers in his booke against Cardinall Bellarmin for that saith he councells fathers and popes be men And the scripture auerreth all men to be lyeares and so no man can be assured his faith to be certaine and infallible Wherto I answer that no priuat man can be assured of the certitude of an infallible faith and therfore nott of the good spiritt rather then of the badde by whose suggestiō many are intoxicated with dangerous and damnable opinions for according to the Apostle 2. Corint Sathan often times transfigureth himselfe into an Angell of light and the fore the holy scripture willeth vs 1. Ioh. 4. Th 4. to be very carefull in discerning of the spiritts and nott to beleue euery spiritt for it is the holy catholicke church that wee ought to beleue and obey 1. Tim. 3. which the scripture beareth wittnesse to be the piller and firmament of trueth but it giueth no certitude or euidence of any priuat spiritt or pecular iudgment of any one in particuler and therfore the holy councell saith It seemeth good to the holy ghost and to vs Act. 15. which holy ghoast is said to be nott with euerie particuler man but with the church in generall and with those that haue charge and direction therof Ero vobiscum vsque ad consummationem seculi euen to the consummatiō of the world Matt. 28. And vnto S. Peter his successors is said I haue praid for you that your faith may not fayle Luc. 22. and seeing this priuiledg is giuen to S. Peter for the good of the church as the first and cheefe pastor therof vnder Christ and to no other in particuler as long as the church shall continewe the praiers and intercession of Christ shal not be frustrated And therfore S. Cypriā affirmeth the fountaine of all heresies to haue proceeded for that one priest for the time being one iudg for the time being vnder Christ is not regarded For which way saith he can heresies be preuented that they spring nott or being sprong already that they be nott extended or encreased wher there are so many masters as disciples so many iudges as barristers And for this cause S. Hierom saith against Iouinian amoungest 12. one is chosen that a cheef being ordained occasion of scisme should be taken away 2. The tables of both the testaments referred vs ouer to no particuler iudgment but altogether to the small decree and arbitrement of the high priest Deut. 17. as it is saied If there be any hard or doubtfull iudgment amongest you goe to the priest of the Leuiticall stocke and to the iudge that shall be ordained for that time and he shall enforme you of the trueth Whose lippes according to Malachias Mal. 2. shall keepe wisdome because he is the angell of the Lord of hoastes if he will not hearken vnto the Church Matt. 18. lett him be vnto you an ethnick and a publican And in the newe testament our Sauiour appointed one pastor aboue the rest vnto which he hath committed the feeding of his flocke which should haue beene friuolous if the flocke would nott receaue food from him Ephes 4. Afterwards he ordained pastors and doctors in his church which should be also a friuolous ordinance if euerie one should be a proper pastor and doctor to him self And although councells fathers and popes are men so the testimonies of the scriptures may also be taxed with the imputation of humane errors so were the Apostles and prophets men also yett wee ought to beleue them because the holly ghost was not a lyar that spake in them And so the ecclesiasticall councells fathers and popes being lawfully assembled together and assisted by the holly ghoast Matt. 28. which in such a case is promised vnto them did not erre 3. Another obiection they bring Ioan. 14. saying S. Peter was nott promised vnto the Church to direct the same butt the holly Ghost which should direct and instruct all the Apostles and nott S Peeter I answer that God promised the holie ghoast as an inuisible and internall doctor and director S. Peter his visible and externall doctor he left in his church And therfore S. Augustine saith Aug. in Ioh. 14. after promising the holly ghoast lett no man thincke that he shall so giue the holly ghoast vnto his church in his owne place is though him self also would nott be with the same for he auowtched he would nott leaue them orphanes but would come vnto them 4. And althoughe the holy ghoast was promised to instruct the Church in all trueth yett not without the Father and the sonne for their externall worcks are indiuisible for there is but one indiuisible substance and because the Church is a visible body so it ought to haue a visible viccar vnder Christ the inuisible head therof And therfore he saide vnto S. Peter Ioh. 11. Simon of Iohn louest thou me more then these feed my lambes which he repeated thrise first commending vnto him his lambes afterwards his litle ones the third time his sheepe and so expoundeth S. Ambrose in cap. vlt. Luc. 5. Nowe the power and iurisdiction which was promised vnto S. Peter Math. 16. that the Church should be builded vpon him that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen should be also giuen vnto him is accomplished and performed in the 21. of S. Iohn feed my sheep of whom he is actually made the generall pastor and viccar 6. And although the rest of the Apostles were lightes and priests and had authoritie also in the 20. of S. Iohn yet theirs was extraordinary which should end with them selues and whatsoeuer authority they had was by the sacraments by which they remitted sinne S. Peter had authoritie to bind and loose immediatly and by him the the Apostles as depending vpon him as S. Thomas saith in 4. dist 19. q. 1. art 3. and so he maketh a distinction of the two powers videl of order and iurisdiction the first was equally giuen to all the Apostles Iohn 20. and consequently to all priests but the secōd power was principally giuē to S. Peeter and from him to be deriued vnto the rest of the Apostles How heretiques would faine take awaie all tradition alleadginge for their purpose that of S. Math. 15. In vaine you worshipp me teachinge for doctrine mens precepts CHAPTER III. 1. THis is it saith S. Augustine that all heretiques doe bragge of Lib contr Maximū if I should aunswere all such trifles I should neuer make an ende saith he soe as he would not aunswere to this place for he saith that the traditions of the Apostles ought to be of as great force as the holie scriptures
scriptures to our auncestors to aske knowledge of them Interroga patres tuos Deut. 32. Eccles 8. dicent tibi c. aske thy Fathers and they shall declare vnto thee and thy auncestors Eccles 8. and they will tell thee Non te praetereat narratio seniorum ipsi enim c. Omitt not to heare thine elders for they haue learned of their parents that of them you may learne vnderstandinge Prou. 2â— Non transgrediaris terminos antiquos quos posuerunt parentes Doe not you transgresse the old limittes which your pareÌ„ts haue prescribed Are not the Rechabites praised for followinge the tradition and preceptes of Ionadab Haec dicit Deus exercituuÌ„ Hier. 35.18 pro eo quod obedistis praecepto Ionadab patris vestri c. Thus saith the Lord of hoastes because that you haue obeyed the precepte of Ionadab your father and haue kepte all his commaundements therfore the Lord of hoastes the God of Israell saith there shall not faile one of the stirpe of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab that shall stande in my presence 7. In the dolfull and damnable debate and discorde that Martyne Luther Caluine and others haue raised vp by which they plunged themselues and the worlde into such an intricat laberinth of errors and heresies where shall the poore silly sheepe haue resolution of their doubts but of their parentes and pastors which God hath placed in his churche to gouerne and directe his flocke from all errors shall not the children beleeue their fathers and the sheepe their pastors Wee must not only flie vnto the scriptures as S. Vincentius Lyrinensis saith Vincent 9 â—eres c. 1. but vnto traditioÌ„ of the catholique church notwithstandinge saith he in that place that the scriptures are of themselues sufficient yet saith he because all men doe not conceaue the loftines of the scripture a like but accordinge to euery mans phantasticall censure and humorous passion as soe many heades soe many mindes for men as they be deuided in sects or factions soe they deuide the sense of the scriptures Nouatianus Photinus Sabellius Donatus Arrius Eunomius Macedonius Apollinaris Priscilianus Iouianus and Pellagius haue eche of them grounded their proper heresies vpon the scripture Nan videas eos volare per singula quaeque sanctae legis volumina sacrae scripturae You may see them flie ouer all the bookes of the holie lawe both in publique and priuate in their sermons in their bookes in their banquettes in tauernes in the streate nothinge did they euer produce which was not shadowed by the scriptures for they knewe verie well that their errors coulde neuer be pleasing vnto the people without the scriptures with which as with sweete water they sprinckle the same euen as soure drincke is teÌ„pered with sweet honny so as when children drincke therof hauinge once felte the sweetnes they haue noe loathsomnes of it though neuer soe bitter But the more scripture they bring the more wee ought to feare them saith S. Vincentius and to shunne them Magnopere curandum est in ipsa Ecclesia Catholica vt id teneamus quod vbique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est For in the catholique church wee must alwayes beware that wee keepe that which is beleeued alwayes euerie where and of euerie body haec est verè propriè Catholica which is properlie and trulie catholique And in the 9. chapter he saith Quo quisque religiosior est eò promptius nouellis adinuentionibus contrariatur the more vertuous that a man is the more prompte ready he opposeth himselfe against newe inuentions and soe he saith our maister S. Stephen in his epistles to the Bishoppes of Affricke touching rebaptisinge of infants that were baptized by heretiques nihil innouandum est nisi quod traditum est Apud Cypri li. 2. cap. 7. the good and religious man would haue vs children to inuente noe religion but what wee haue receaued of our fathers and whose steppes he would haue vs to followe in all thinges 8. This said author expoundinge 1. Timoth. depositum custodi keepe in depositum what I haue left in your custodie the religion and the obseruation thereof that I deliuered vnto you shunninge prophane noueltie of voices he doth not saye shunn antiquitie or ancientie or continuance but noueltie and innouation of thinges nam si vitanda est nouitas tenenda est antiquitas c. For if wee oughte to auoide noueltie wee shoulde imbrace antiquitie if noueltie be a prophane thinge antiquitie is a sacred thinge keepe the depositum saith he which is giuen vnto thee and to the whole church to be kepte from theeues and enemies least they should sowe cockell or darnell amouÌ„gest the cleane wheate The depositum which you haue receaued not which you haue inuented The deposituÌ„ which is not coyned by thy witt but deliuered by my doctrine Not any mans priuate vsurpation but the common and vniuersall tradition in which you are not the author but the keeper not the instituâ—or but the follower not the mayster but the disciple The depositum saith he Catholicae fidei talentum keepe the talent of the catholique religion vnspotted Exod. 36. inuiolable and vndefiled by you saith he the rosarie of the spirituall tabernacle Pretiosas diuini dogmatis geÌ„mas exculpe fideliter comptè VinceÌ„tius cap. 27. adoâ—â—a sapienter adijce splendorem gratiam venustatem do you garnish turne faithfully and adorne with the pretious Iewell of the diuine decree doe you add therunto splendor grace and beautie 6. All this I haue alleadged out of Vincentius Lyrinensis word by word for his whole booke against heresies hath noe other obiecte but the tradition of our auncestors by which he confuteth and conuinceth the prophane noueltie of heretiques and their arrogant insolent ostentation of scriptures vpon which they grounde all their hereticall cauillation which as all our forfathers before vs soe wee after them doe finde by experience that the interpretation and meaninge thereof as they doe produce them is of greater difficultie then the controuersie it selfe the fathers did vrge them with a shorter way by askinge Hil. 2. ad Const Aug. lib. â— de trinitate cap. 3. quid prius posterius what is first and laste for that heresie is grounded in noueltie and euer cometh after the Catholique trueth first planted And for that euerie heresie pretendeth his heresie to be auncient and from the Apostles the fathers doe alleadge that this trueth muste not onlye be eldeste but also must haue continewed from tyme to tyme at the leaste with the greatest parte of Christians Tertul. li. aduers prax c. 20 And therfore Tertulian saith lib. De praescriptione quod apud multos vnum inuenitur non est erratum sed traditum that wherin moste men doe agree vppon it is not an erronious opinion but a common tradition For the Church of God is a most liuely ghospell for with the Apostles there was the Church of
vs by others neither doe wee presume to deliuer euerie phantasie that springes out of our owne braine least matters of religion should be thoughte to be mens fictions or inuentions Whether we prohibit the scriptures to be translated into the vulgar tounge CHAPTER IV. 1. TRulye the Catholique Church doth nott altogether forbide vulgar translations of holly Scriptures althoughe shee would not haue euerie bodie at his pleasure to read the same or to make glosses thereon The councell of Trentt in the table of prohibited bookes and 4. rule permitted the vse of the vulgar translations to them whome the Bishopp or inquisitor with the licence of the pastoure shall thinke to be such as will reade them to their edification and not to their damadge Malmsburie affirmeth out of S. Bede that there was somtimes permitted vulgar translations in Englande The French alsoe had their French Bibles a long time and soe the Englishe catholiques by permission from Rome had the newe testamente in English 2. After the retourninge of the children of Israell from Babylon the diuine office the holly scriptures were read vnto the people in the Hebrewe tounge not withstandinge the Siriac or the Chaldean language was their vulgar tounge for the Hebrewe was not al that time vulgare otherwise the people should not haue had neede 2. Esd 8.13 of an interpretor when the lawe was read of Esdras as alsoe when Moyses and Iosias did propose the same vnto the people Againe the Apostles did write their ghospell in noe other languadge but in Hebrewe Greeke and Latine for Peter and Iames did write vnto the Iewes dispersed throughout the whole world in the greeke tounge as S. Iohn did write vnto the Persians 3. In Affricke as longe as the Christian religion was there the latine tonge was in vse as S. Aug. and S. Cyprian doe wittnesse Aug. de doctrina Christiana who also say that the psalmes were sounge in that languadge and in the Masse Sursum corda habemus ad Dominum gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro c. Isid lib. 2. de diuinis officijs cap. 2. Conc. Toll 4. Bed lib. 1. hist suaegent VVal to 3. de sacramentalibus Rab 2. de instit Cler. Rup de diuinis officiis That the latine tonge was vsed in Spaine in their churches it is wittnessed by S. Isidorus aboue 900. yeares a goe it was also decreed in the councell of Tollet that order should be obserued in singinge the spalmes In englande aboue 1000. yeres the seruice was in latine as Beda and Thomas Waldēsis doe wittnesse In Fraunce also the same tonge was in vse in their churches as Alcumus de diuinis officijs doth witnesse and Amallaricus Treuirēsis de officijs ecclesiasticis who saith that in all the weast the office of the church was in latine In Germanie the same also was obserued as Rabanus doth wittnesse and Rupertus 4. The Apostles as Iustinus Martyr doth obserue did celebrate and singe the psalmes to the gentiles conuerted to the faith in the greeke tonge notwitstandinge there were diuers tounges as of the Parthiās Medes Elamitans and such like neither yet in the vulgar greeke but in the Atticke which was the more common and more learned soe that the languadge which the greeke priests doe vse at Masse sacrifice is not the same that the vulgar sorte did vse Gregorie the 7. denied the kinge of Bohemia licence to translate the holy Bible into the vulgar tonge soe denied Innocentius the 3. longe requested therunto by the Bishopp of Mentes for these good fathers would not haue such profound misteries of the scripture to be in contempte and subiect to the crosse sense of the vulgar sorte for some simple religious persons readinge the holy scriptures did read of godes eyes armes and feete and such like which indeede ought to be vnderstoode not litteraly Cassiod colla 10. c. 2. 3. 4. 5. but metaphoricallie and therupon thought God to be a corpulent bodye or palpable subiecte 5. Dauid George the Hollander by readinge the scripture alsoe in the hollandish languadge found that the trewe Church should neuer fayle and because he found by experience that noe other church continewed soe longe as the Church of Rome he denied Christ to be the true Messias so that beinge subuerted and carried away by the sectaries of these daies he thought the Church of Rome not to be the true churche vnto which rather then he would yelde any beleefe he denied Christ to be God and soe denied the church of Rome to be true the churche And a certaine wooman in Englande hauinge heard the 25. Chapter of Ecclesiasticus read by the minister against women said it was the word of the diuill and not the word of God Bell. to 1. l. 2. c. 15. 6. Who can giue greater euidence of the inconuenience of readinge the scriptures more then the heretiques of this time euery one groundinge their heresies and absurdities vppon scriptures falslie applied and ill vnderstoode wherfore reason it self without other aucthoritie should perswade the church to haue the scriptures and her seruice in a certaine languadg otherwise there could be noe vnitie or communication of churches for none either learned or vnlearned should frequent any churches or heare seruice but in his owne Countrie where he should heare his owne vulgare languadge neither could there be generall councells for all the fathers that comes thither haue not euerie one of them the gifte of tonges and therfore this is the cause that the Apostles for the moste parte did write all in greeke for that at that tyme it was the commonest languadge of all as Cicero saith Oratione pro Archia poeta the greeke tounge is read almost amoungest all nations but the latine is restayned within her smale bondes and limittes but when the Romaine Empire beganne to florish the latine alsoe florished especially amoungest the learned as in Italie France Spaine Affrique and in other nations and therfore in respect that it is now the commō language the scriptures and seruice of the Church ought to be in the same 7. If any reason should moue the church to haue the scriptures in the vulgar tonges it is for that the simple people should vnderstande them but they cannot vnderstande the psalmes nor the prophetts nor many other bookes of the scripture neither by readinge them take much fruite thereby but rather great harme for if they should read in the prophett Osee Goe and make vnto yourselues children of fornications the adulterie of Dauid the incest of Thamar the lies of Iudith and how that Ioseph made his brethren druncke and how that Sara Lia and Rachell gaue their hand-maides as concubines to other men they would ether despise the Patriarches or imitate them in those thinges and when they should see soe many contradictories accordinge to the litterall sense which the rude cannot resolue they woulde be in a confusion or bringe the scriptures to manifest contempt 8. Also in
from saint Peter to saint Damalus saint Cyprian from saint Peter to Cornelius saint Bernard from saint Peter to Eugenius saint August from saint Peter vnto Anastatius who was Pope in his time lib. contra epistolam fundamenti cap. â— Tenet me in Ecclesia c. The successioÌ„ of priestes from saint Peter the Apostle vnto whome Christe comended the feedinge of his sheepe vnto this present Bishop holdes me in the church the same alsoe doth saint Hierom proue For wee must note that such are true Bishopps in the churche who descende from the Apostles aswell by succession as by ordination but the sectes of Lutherans and Caluinistes haue neither succession from any lawfull Bishopps or lawfull ordination therfore they haue not succeeded in any Apostolique order or succession And for this cause as saint Cyprian said Nouatianus is not in the church Cyp. lib. â— epist 6. ad magnum nor oughte to be called a Bishoppe who despisinge apostolique tradition succeded noe Bishoppe and himselfe tooke that order vppon himselfe 8. The 6. 6. Note note is the vniuersall consent of the Catholique church in euerie point of doctrine of faith as it is said in the Actes Muâ—titudo credentium erat cor vnum anima â—na and contrariwise the errors alterations and dissentions of these sectes in euerie article of their faith as you may see in the first Chapters and 9. Lib. 9. c. 1. Lib. 2 c. 1. bookeâ— also in the 2. booke cap. 1. 7. Note 9. The 7. note is the sanctifie of this Catholique doctrine for the Catholique church is holie in her doctrine and profession as the councell of Constantinople saith which profession containes noe falshoode touchinge faith nor any iniustice touchinge good manners but these sectaries hould soe many absurdities against faith good manners The 9. book caâ— Aug. lib. 2. de ciuitate Dei as in the 1. li. Chapter 9. you may reade But the Catholique church containes noe error absurditie or turpitude nor doth it teach any thing against reason although it teacheth many things aboue reason and therfore saint Augustine saith Nihil in Christianis ecclesijs turpe flagitiosum there is nothinge in Christian churches that is either filthie or obhominable either wheÌ„ godes precepts be insinuated or miracles declared or giftes praised or benefitts asked 8. Note 10. The 8. note is the efficacie of the catholique doctrine in conuertinge the whole worlde vnto the standert of Christe and that by poore weake and sillle persons without armour or munition withoute feare of tormente or punishment only by praiers fastinge charitable woorks miracles and all good examples of hollines of life By these meanes all nations were conuerted to the catholique church from impietie and all wickednes vnto pietie and religion from beastlie pleasures vnto angelicall coÌ„tinency from the fleshe to the spirite from beinge loâ—ers of the worlde to despise contemne and forsake the same and to followe Christ their spouse But these sectaries subuerted many nations not by sounde doctrine or good examples of life but by terror and feare they caused many to forsake Christe and followe the worlde I am sure these holie Saincts that conuerted the world neuer drewe foorth any sworde when they preached I am sure when Sainct Vincent conuerted soe many when saint Aug. conuerted Englande to the faith beinge sent by saint Greg. or when saint Killian an Irishe saincte conuerted the Francks beinge sent from Conon Pope or when saint Patricke conuerted Ireland beinge sent by saint Celestine Pope they neuer killed or murthered burned or spoiled nor made the subiectes to reuolte against their princes or the princes to make tirannicall lawes against their subiects But Caluine and Luther did sowe their pestilent heresie by burninge and spoilinge kingdomes robbinge and ransakinge cittâ—es killinge and murtheringe manny millions of people castinge downe and razinge to the earth manny churches and monasteries rauishinge and deflouringe many Nunnes and Virgins and by bringinge euerie kingdome where the same was nourished to a pittifull confusion 9. Note 11. The 9. note is the hollines and sanctitie of life of such as founded our religion for the holie Patriarches Apostles Doctors Pastors and such as conuerted any countrie to the faith of Christ were mirrours and spectacles of all sanctitie and religion as saint August wittnesseth of the Mouncks of his tyme. Isti sunt Episcopi pastores docti graues sancti Aug. lib. demorib Eccl. c. 31. lib. 2. in Iulian. c. these were learned Bishopps and graue wise and holly pastors most earnest defenders of the trueth by whose planting settinge wateringe and buildinge the holy catholique church did increase but the sectaries of these times as in their doctrine they were most irreligious soe in their liues and manners moste wicked and abhominable In responsione ad libr. quem inscripsâ—rat Lutherus contra Zuing disputatione habita lipsie contra Eck. Luther in postilla super euaÌ„ super euaÌ„ Dominic Aduentus as the protestant authors themselues doe auerre The ministers of Tigur doe write that Luther sought nothing but his owne priuate gaine that he was insolent and stubborne and Luther himselfe confessed that his pretence was not for the loue of God In an other place he said that such as followed this newe gospell were farr woorse then when they were Papists more couetous and more giuen to reuenge Smidelinus in Coment 4. super caput 21. lucae said Lutherans doe peruerte all thinges that they turned fastinge into feastinge surfeâ—inge prayers into swearinge and blasphemies adding that Christe is not soe much blasphemed of the verie Turcks Erasmus also saith thaâ— this gospell neuer reformed any vice in these newe gospellers none that was an epiâ—ure became sober by it norâ— none that was cruell became meeke or gentle by it 12. The like censure the ministers of Madelâ—urge doe giue of them saying Madebur Centuria 11. cap. 11 Cen. 10. When these people were Papistes they were religiouslie addicted they were giuen to much praâ—ers deuotion and sanctifienge the saboâ—th daie they shewed great reuerence towardes churchmen parents were carefull in the education of their childrenn they were liberall and mercifull towardes the poore and there was great obedience in the subiectes The same Caluine wittnesseth Calu. inst lib. 4. cap. 10. scanâ— pag. 118. and in bis booke of scandalls he saith when soe many thousandes doe pretend the gosâ—pell fewe of them euer were refourmed of their wicked liues and hauinge lett the raynes loose to all wickednes Musc in cap. de decalogo de ministris verbis Luth. tâ— 5. Erasm ad fratres inferiores Germanicae they are not woorthy they should become Papists Musculus doth confirme the same Luther the first founder of this vnfortunate gospell said that such as followed the same were odibile genus hominum A hatefull kind of people and althoughe they speake of the gospel in their woorcks they are
it seemed the lightest was extended vnto that which was most sacred holie which those ympious sacrilegious and Sathannicall Bishoppes haue violated they cas◠the Eucharist vnto dogges not without manifest tokens of Godes diuine reuenge for those dogges beinge enkendled with rage and madnes insulted vppon their maisters Hi sancti corporis guilty of the holy body and toare them in peeces and some of them did cast forth out of a windowe a boxe of holy Chrisme to breake it but the angelicall hande by Godes protection preserued it from beinge broken amoungest the stones The like sacriledge the hereticks of our daies beinge misled by the same Sathanicall spirite doe cōmitt and perpetrate And hauinge recorded other wickednes of those hereticques in all these execrable procedinges said this blessed Author the Bishoppes and priests felt their greatest smarte soe that the Bishoppes and priestes beinge taken away the people would be vtterlye and easilye deluded and ouercome for how can the flocke defend themselues when a multitude be gouerned without a rector noe otherwise then the Pastor beinge taken awaye the sheepe would be a bootie for the wolfes by your wicked aduise the faithfull are disarmed the priestes are dishonored and spoyled of that reuerence which ought to be giuen vnto them in honor of his holy name by whome they were ordayned For they were made perfecte by him and worthie of all reuerence and therfore you abuse Godes vocation and with all hostilitie you proceedee vtterlie defacinge Godes worcke destroyinge by the engines and inuentious of your malice Psal 10. Godes diuine ordinance and therfore of you it is said Quoniam quae tu perfecisti ipsi destruxerunt for whatsoeuer thou ô God broughtest to perfection they brought to destruction What is more wicked then to exorcise the holy Ghoast to breake altares to cast the Eucharist vnto brutish beasts And in the 9. booke he saith Quid enim tam sacrilegum est quam altare dei in quibus vos aliquando obtulistis frangere radere remouere What is more sacrilegious then to breake to cutt and remoue thoses altares vppon which somtimes your selues did offer in which the suffrage of the people and the members of Christe are caried in which the omnipotent God is called vpon in which by your praiers the holy ghoast comes and descendes Vnde à multis pignus salutis aeternae c. from whence comes the pleadge of euerlastinge saluation the safeguarde of our faith the hope of our resurrection is receaued for what is the alter but the lodginge and seate of the body and blood of Christ All these you in your furie and rage haue either torne or brocken or remoued wherein hath Christe offended you whose bodie and blood dwelled there for certaine momentes You haue brocken Challices which carried the blood of Christe and conuerted the vse therof and forme into Lumpes exposinge them to a wicked sale and haue herein redoubled your villanie by sellinge them to filthie women pagans haue boughte them to tourne them for to make sacrifice to their Idolls O wicked acte ô vnspeakable villanie to take from God that which you haue dedicated to Idolls to robbe Christe to the end you might exercise more sacriledge What horrible feates haue you practised towardes sacred Virgins consecrated and dedicated to almightie God from whome you haue taken away they veyle of their dedication Thus farre this blessed Saincte Optatus Milleuitanus Caes tom An. Christi 362. as Cesar Baronius doth relate The like tyrannie was exercised and atchiued by Iulian the Apostate Emperor for he made an edicte which he diuulged in all places to robbe and spoyle Churches againste whom S. Nazian framed his speech thus Naz. oratione prima in Iul. Your edict was aswell priuatlie and actually executed as it was publiquely diuulged and proclaymed against sacred and religious howses For that I should let slippe the spoylinge and ransakinge of Altares takinge awaye of all religious ornaments and donatiue◠from sanctuaries and holy places which were a bootie vnto his vnsatiable and greedie desire which was putt in execution by wicked instrumentes his impietie and couetousnes instigatinge him thereunto he determined alsoe to depriue the Christians of all libertie and trust in the common wealth and to inhibitt them of all Councells marcketts assemblies and iudgmente neither could any haue the benefitt of thies thinges but such as woulde sacrifice to Idols O lawes and law makers and kinges who as the beautie of the heauens and splendor of the sunne yea as the brething of aire by common clemencie exposed to all and that truly superabundantly do you so make the vse of lawes equall to all free men and reuerenced of all that you decree to depriue Christians of it that beinge euen tiranically oppressed they may not be able to exact the penalties nor to sue any one for any wronge or extortion done against them For to practise these thinges the hangman yea that homicide said the said Sainct pretended iustice Matt. 5. Rom. 12.1 Cor. 6. Matt. 10. and did vse a collorable defēse of scripture in soe doinge For he alleadged the places of scripture that Christians ought patientlie to beare all wronges to suffer al iniuries rather then once offend any That wee should possesse nothing or haue any propriety and that we should despise and sett at naughte all thinges that either the eare doth heare or the eye doth see or the flesh can feele that wee should render good for euill if a man would strike vs vpon the one cheeke wee should turne the other and that wee should possesse nothinge but our Cloake Ruff. lib. ◠cap. 32. Annianus lib. 22. or our Coate with many such places 7. But that of all most to be deplored he inhibited Christians the schooles of Rhetorique or Grāmer wherfore the said Naz. did most bitterlie inueigh against him sayinge what reason haue you of all men most incōstant to goe about to take away from Christians the vse of learninge thus far S. Naz. against Iulian. Alsoe in the yeare of our Lord 366. when the Arrian heresie was promoted by the fauor of the Emperor Valens the said holy man made a most eloquēt Oration the title whereof is called Ad sancta Laminia when that heresie said he was guarded and adorned with the ymperiall crowne of Valens and soe like a sawsie princocke grewe soe insolente not vnlike the daughter of Herodiades beinge not contented with the gift of the head of one S. Iohn Baptist was made droncke with the bloode of many Bishoppes and holy people in the repressinge whereof the blessed Sainct shewed his great desire and as in the state of the Easte Church in those daies if the Lord of hoastes non reliquisset Hobis semen c. had not left some seede with vs wee had bene like to Sodom and Gomora and as they had S. Naz. and holy Basill so we haue most vertuous holy and learned Doctors to represse this wicked heresie
was he who threw downe the Image of Christ and permitted his owne Image to be reuerenced and worne about mens neckes And when a certaine familiar frind of his owne tould him that the people did so ymbrace his Image he answered him scoffingly and said If any man be offended therwith ether let him not behold the same or lett him pull out his eyes or goe hange himselfe 2. Wee for our parts do not reuerence the Crosse of Christ in respect of the torments of Christ and of his paynes but as those torments and passion were a remedie for mankind and a sacrifice gratefull vnto God as also an euident argument of his affection loue and charitie towardes mankinde and as the Crosse was the standarte of our redemption by which he destroyed him qui mortis habuit imperium that had the comand of death pacificans omnia sanguine crucis appeasinge godes wrathe by his death vppon the Crosse which he conceaued against mankinde Caluine herein doth imitate Iulian the Apostate who obiected vnto the Christians the adoration of the Crosse sayinge Crucis lignum adoratis imaginem illius in fronte ante domos pingentes Yow adore the crosse of Christ you make his Image in your fore-head you paint his picture before your howses who therfore may not whorthilie hate your wisest men or pittie your ignorant and silly sorte who at lenght are sallen into that callamitie that hauing forsaken the eternall God you passe vnto a dead Iewe thus far the said Apostate against the Christians Apud Cyrill Alex. lib. 6. in Iulianum 3. As for the catholick doctrine it doth teach that not only the crosse in qua Christus mortuus sed quaecumque crucis figura c. in which Christ suffred but any other figure of the crosse is to be honored reuereÌ„ced this is proued by the seuenth generall councell the 2. of Nice act 7. where the councell defined honor reuerence to be giuen to the tipe and forme of the holie Crosse much more to the Crosse it selfe for both of them are the signe of Christ crucified 2. Coloss This is proued by S. Paule sainge Christ wyped out the hand writinge of decree that was against vs and the same he hath taken awaie fastning it to the Crosse and spoilinge the principalities and potestates And in the first epistle he saith 1. Epist Coloss he reconciled all thinges by himselfe pacifyinge by the blood of his Crosse I meane his death which he suffred vpon the Crosse 1. Pet. 2. And as S. Peter saith Christ himselfe did beare our sinnes in his bodie vpon the tree Why should not then that blessed Crosse be reuerenced as the sacred Altar of that sacrifice the instrument of so great a triumph and redeÌ„ption And as Leontius said any thinge that belonges to our father or freind whome wee desire to behold wee reuerence and esteeme and wee kisse the same yea somtimes with weepinge eyes why then should not wee also with reuerence kisse the tree and Crosse which was the instrument of our redemption and approach vnto it with weepinge eyes If a captayne had frought a combate for the common wealth the ensigne or standart by which he had ouerthrowen his enemies would be houlden for a great monument and why should not the standart of Iesus Christ be highlie reuereÌ„ced by which he hath owerthrowen that enemie of mankind and obtained victorie against the power of Sathan Triumphans eos palam in ligno c. as hath bene written in the old greeke translation bringinge the Princes of darknes in a triumphinge manner vnder the standart of the Crosse Cyrill Epist ad Const Augustâ— Amb. de obitâ— Theodo Chris ho. 84 in cap. â—9 Ioh. s Ruf. li 12. hist c. 7. Euir l. 11 Paul Epi. 11. ad Seuer Sulp. l. 2 sacrae hist c. 18. Theod l 1 hist c 18. Sozom. l. 2 cap. 1 Damasc 4 de fid c. 12 Cyrill 10. 13 Nyse in vita Marcinâ— soror Paul Ep. 11. Hiero. Aug. l. 22. de ciui c. 8 Amb. in orat de â—bitu Theo. Euseb l. â— vita Cösl cap. 15. 4. This reuerence belonginge to the holie Crosse is proued by the inuention thereof by S. Helena as S. Cyrill of Hierusalem S. Ambrose Chrisost Rufinus Paulinus Sulpitius Socrates lib. 1. cap. 17. 1. Iustinianus imperator in nouella coÌ„stit 28. do write Truly had not that holie Crosse bene worthie of reuerence and honor neither Helena should haue bin moued with diuine inspiration to search for it neither by godes diuine prouidence should shee haue found it neither yet in the findinge of it those miracles should euer haue byn wrought as also since in all ages as the holie doctors doe auouche Damascenus Cyrillus Hierosolimitaenus Nyscenâ—s Paulinus Chrisostome Homilia quod Christus sit Deus in 5. Homil. Hierom epist 17. which not only made mention of the Crosse but of other relicks of Christ S. Gregorie in the 7. booke epist 126. did send a parcell of the Crosse vnto Recaredus kinge of Spaine S. Augustine doth testifie that a parte of the earth of the holie land beinge brought into Affricke did great miracles S. Ambrose doth declare that one of the Nayles of Christ his Crosse was fixed in the helmett of Constantine the great the same is testified by Eusebius 5. The veneration of this Crosse is proued by the wonderfull victorie gotten by Heraclius the Emperor in recoueringe the holy Crosse from the Persians which wheÌ„ it was restored to its former place many miracles were wrought therby as Paulus Diaconus In vita Heraclij Zonaras Cedrenus make mention and Sigibertus in Chronica for which cause the feast of the exaltation of the Crosse was instituted by the Church Mat. 24. Cyrill Aug. ser 130. de tempore Damasc l. 4 ca. 12. Cypr li. 2 ad Quir. cap. 1. Againe the signe of the Crosse is proued by S. Mathewe in the daie of Iudgment the signe of the Sonne of man shall appeare as Origines Chrisostome Theophilactus Euthymius Hillarius Beda Cyrill Hieroso S. Aug. doe declare and all the rest doe testifie the same S. Cyprian doth teach that the signe of the Crosse is so expedient as in old tyme the signe Tau Ezec. 9. which place S. HieroÌ„ expoundinge saith that in the beginninge the letter Tau was like a Crosse Origines Tertulian and Cyprian holde that such as were liuinge in any battayle were sett downe by this letter T. and such as were dead were described by this letter O. The reuerence of the Crosse is proued also by the reuerence that Constantine the great and other Christian Emperors did exhibite towardes the same as stamping it in their monies and gould puttinge it in their ensignes carryinge it before them and as holie Doctors doe say that in thinges naturall it is of great vertue Amb. ser 56. Ruf. li. 12. hist. 2. cap. 29. as Iustinus Apologia 2. Ambr. ser 56. for the signe
God which is readie to be offred to euery one that will imploie his best endeuour Soe auoucheth S. Augustine and S. Gregorie Ozius and other holie fathers To the intent therfore that you may take awaie all good indeuours from man in the buysines of his saluation and that wee should doe nothinge therin you take away all cooperation of man with godes grace and that grace it selfe without which wee can doe nothinge in the worke of our iustification you take it quite awaie sayinge that man hath not this grace inherent in him 2. lib. de capt To this purpose you say with Luther in his second booke of the captiuitie of Babylon that to teach that good workes are necessarie to saluation is deuilishe You say also with Caluine Calu. 3. de instit c. 19 that neuer any good workes were done of any saincte which did not deserue reproache And a little before he said that all our workes are pernitious and whosoeuer doth them is cursed And the said Luther in the 30. articles condeÌ„ned of Leo the Tenthe saith all the euill that wee doe is by the inspiration of God and that by sinninge wee doe well God beinge the cause of all euill as Caluine saith lib. 1. inst cap. 28. in so much saith he that not to sinne is sinne and to restraine any appetite or motion of any thought is to resist God and to sinne And so Luther saith in his booke Lib de ser arbit the more wicked you be the neerer you are to purchase godes fauour How damnable these articles be lett any Christian iudge that will open his eares to heare them I would euerie one would stoppe his eares from hearinge such horrible blasphemies so contrarie to holie scriptures and all honestie Noe prophane Philosopher or wicked heretique though neuer so damnable euer said the like And therfore these blasphemous and wicked articles are condemned by the whole Senate of Christianitie in the councell of Trent most worthilie Con. Trid. sess c. 11. cano 28. 21. because they be against comon honestie and against the holy scriptures in which many tymes the workes and endeuours of good people are comended and praysed as good and holie in which works there was noe sinne as it is said in Iob. In all these thinges Iob hath not offended Iob. 1. Lutae 1. and in the Ghospell of S. Luke it is said of Zacharias and Elizabeth that both of them were iust before God walkinge in godes comandements and righteousnes without grudge And as S. Paule saith 1. Cor. 7. if a virgin should marrie therein shee shoulde not sinne and in many other places wee are comaunded not to comitte sinne therfore the holie scriptures doe meane that wee may doe many good works by godes grace without sinne 5. Hereticks answere vnto these scriptures sayinge that the cause wherfore the scriptures saies that there are many good works of iust persons is because it is not imputed vnto them to damnation for the faith of Christ although say they they be sinfull I replie against that for the scriptures doe distinguish betwixt this which is to sinne and that which is to remitte sinnes or not to impute vnto vs the sinne which wee haue comitted as it is playne Scribo vobis vt non peccetis 1. Ioh. 2. Conc. Auranc c. 9. 18. 20. Hier. li. 3. contra Pelag. In Proemio super epist ad Philomen Ephes 1. Aug. sup Luc. 1. Amb de Spiritu litera cap 36. De natura gratia reg super CoÌ„c Trid. I write vnto you that yow should not sinne for if any man shall sinne wee haue an aduocate with the Father c. this trueth is confirmed by the tradition of the Church and the holie fathers It is also defined against Pelagius that without the grace of God a man cannot liue iustlie without sinne yet saith the councell by the grace of God wee may liue without offence Therfore S. Hierom saith Hoc inquit nos dicimus posse hominem c. And this selfe same wee saie also that a man maye liue without sinne if it please him accordinge to the tyme and place accordinge to the frailtie of his nature as longe as his mind is well disposed c. And the same he teacheth vpon that place of S. Paul Vt essemus saÌ„cti immaculati as S. Amb. sup Luc. S. Aug. and other saincts doe teach the like Protestants saie that a Christian though neuer so vertuous or so acceptable to God hath noe grace or vertue inherent in him because they would haue noe good acte to come from mâ—n by reason of that grace CHAPTER II. 1. THe generall Councell of Trent against this your heresie saith CoÌ„c Trid. sess 6. c. 7. The onlie formall and intrinsicall cause of our iustification is the iustice of God not by which he is iust himselfe but by which he makes vs iust by which wee beinge endued and inuested wee be renewed by the spiritt of our soule and not onlie that wee be soe reputed but that wee are trulie iust not only by name but by deede and the said holy councell hath these words Whosoeuer shal saie that men are iustified either only by remission of our sinnes or only by the imputation of the iustice of Christ excludinge takinge away grace and charitie which is diffused in their hartes by the holie Ghost which is giuen vnto them and by which the same grace doth lodge in them Anathema sit let him be anathema Thus farre the councell This also is proued by reason for when wee see a man to change his wicked life and vngodlie custome of sinne and to putt on the newe man which accordinge to God was created in sanctitie and iustice wee see so palpable a change in him that wee say Haec est mutatio dextrae excelsi From the right hand of the highest comes this alteration from bad to good from impietie to iustice from spirituall death to spirituall life but this true alteration and mutation cannot be without some feelinge or sparke of grace in man inwardly inherent in him The Maior proposition is proued by the gospell Wee are translated from death to life 1. Ioh. 3. Ezec. 36. and Ezeech I will giue vnto you a newe harte and I will put into the middest of you hart a newe spiritt and I will take away a stonie harte Coloss 3. and S. Paule saith Spoile yourselues of the old man with his actes and putt one the newe that is renewed in knowledge accordinge to the Image of him that created him And to the Ephesians 4. Ephes he said be renewed in the spiritt of your minde and putt one the newe man which accordinge to God is created in iustice and holynes of trueth I meane in true holynes and iustice and not in feined imputatiue iustice Iohn 4. This is proued by S. Iohn of whom it is said of the grace and iustice by
saith that the Christians would not haue praied for the dead if they had not bene instructed by the preceptes of Christ and his Apostles The said Vrbanus which was the cheefe instrument with Luther to sowe Lutheranisme in Sueth-land and in the Dukedome of Lumburge à parte operum in formula cautè loquendi when the Apostle reproued the Thessalonians for howlinge and cryinge after the manner of GeÌ„tiles for their dead he tooke not awaye the care or memorie for the dead De locis communibus c. 19. but confirmed the same The same Vrbanus affirmeth that Luther was of this opinion sayinge that it belongeth to Christian pietie that wee should commend vnto Christe by deuout prayers our Christian bretheren as it hath bene the custome of the church allwayes withall the doctors and holie fathers thereof The same Vrbanus further affirmeth in the place aboue cited that wee ought not to depart from the practise and beleefe of the fathers here in vnlesse wee will contradict the word of God 3. This Protestant citeth many fathers also to confirme his doctrine as S. Nazianzenus in the funerall oration vnto Cesarius his brother concerninge his mother and Gregorie Nissenus Chrysost homil 69. S. Ambrose of the death of Theodosius Emperor the councell of Affricke cap. 8. S. Aug. confess lib. 19. which praid for his mother and in the booke de ciuitate Dei cap. 9. in libro de cura pro mortuis agenda cap. 4. vid. in the booke which he did write for the care wee should haue for the dead in lib. de haeresibus haeresis 53. in lib. de cura pro mortuis habenda cap. 1. he writes that a certaine heretique did giue out that wee ought not to praie for the dead Idem locis communibus cap. 18 de purgator Idem prima parte Damascenus in sermone de ijs which departed this life in faith saith that the Apostles and disciples of our sauiour admonished vs that in the dreadfull and liuinge Sacrament wee should haue a speciall remembrance of the faithfull departed this life and saith that this is the receaued and generall decree of the catholique church and the obseruation and old custome of all christians for the which are cited the bookes of the Machabees Dionysius Areopagita cap. vltimo ecclesiasticae hierarchiae S. Nazian z S. Chrisostome S. Gregorie Nissen S. Athana and S. Basill The said Vrbanus also verie earnestlie proued that the Apostles of Christ taught the same out of Tertulian S. Athanasius and S. Ambrose He declared also that Asia and Muscouia doe praie for the dead 4. It is also manifest that the Greekes doe praie for the dead by the confession of the Greekes sent to the Lutherans of Germanie by Hieremie Patriarch of Constantinople Purgatory anno Domini 1579. Did not Christ praie his father for Lazarus that was dead Did not the widdowe of Naim praie vnto Christ for her child that was dead although shee prayed for restoringe him vnto life yet much more for remission of his sinnes doth not S. Iohn say Io. 1. cap vlt. There is a sinne vnto deathe there is another sinne also not vnto death of these as Oecumenus saith vppon that place they which die in deadlie sinne for them I say lest noe man praie S. Augustine sayes Aug. lib. de cura pro mortuis ageÌ„da that the soule departes from our bodies in one of these three degrees The first degree is of those that departe perfect and good The second of those that are imperfect and impenitent the third of those that are in a meane betwixt both neither altogether good nor altogether badd For the first wee neede not to praye of whome it is said Cum dederit dilâ—ctis suis somnum ecce haereditas Domini c. when it shall please God to giue the elect reste and quiettnes behold they possesse their inheritance c. I meane such as are hollie in deede either holye by their deathe as Martyres or such as otherwise in their liues shewe both to God and man extraordinarye holines and compleatt perfection of them there are fewe in respect of those Qui ducunt in bonis dies suos in puncto ad infernum descendunt that made themselues slaues vnto the apparent but false shewe of worldlie and transitorie goodes and in a moment they doe goe downe into euerlastinge damnation For the ioy of an Hypocritt is measured by an instant for which people wee may not praie for our sauiour said they receaued their rewarde in this miserable life with the richman But for the other in the third rancke wee praie as S. Dionis Areopag saies Diuinus sacerdos pro mortuis orans c. Dyonisius Areop c. 7. eccles hierar the diuine priest prayinge for the dead he praied for such as liued holie yet they hauing contracted some blemish by reason of their humaine infirmitie are detained in purgatorie and as S. Augustine sayes Aug. Euc. ca. 110. tom 3. our suffrages proffitts them that are in a meane betwixt good and badd of which kinde of people S. Paule saith saluus tamen fiet sed tamen per ignem he shal be saued 1. Cor. 3.15 Cypr. Ep. 52. but yet through fire Accordinge to which S. Cyprian saith Aliud est missum non exire inde c. It is not all one beinge sent to prison neuer to depart thence vntill the last fardinge be praied and to receaue presentlie the reward of faith and vertue it is not all one to be purged and clensed by the torments of a longe fire and to haue all his sinnes whatsoeuer already refined purged by sufferaÌ„ce And because wee doe not knowe certainlie the state of euerie one that departs this life S. Augustine saith Aug. lib. de curapro mortuis habenda Pro mortuis siue altaris siue orationum sacrificijs solemniter supplicamus quamuis non pro quibus fiunt omnibus prosint For the dead wee make our supplications aswell by the sacrifice of the alter as by our prayers althoughe euerie one receaues not proffitt thereby but such as when they liued merited the same but because wee doe not discerne what they be for whome wee ought to offer the same none such as are regenerated may be omitted vnto whome this benefit may or ought to be due for it is better it should be superfluous vnto them that receaues noe proffitt or harme therby then it should be wanting vnto theÌ„ which may reape benefit by it Cyrill Cathe mist 5. 1. S Ia. coli liturgia 5. But let vs further see what other holie fathers say S. Cyrill saith let vs pray for all that departed amoungest vs. S. Iames saith Dominum oremus lett vs make our prayers to our Lord that our parents and brethren which departed before vs Clemens Romanus lib. 6. coÌ„st apost cap. 30 may rest in peace Also S. Clement of Rome saith that the Deacon at Masse did praie for the
dead S. Athanasius saith If the soules departed receaued noe benefitt of the sacrifice of the bodie of Christ it should not be vsed for the commemoration of the dead Tert de Corona de varijs quaestionibus q. 39. Tertulian also saith Oblationes pro defunctis pro natalitijs annua die facimus Wee make oblations for the dead and doe obserue their anniuersarie dayes Ioh Damas de fide oratione S. Iohn Damascen hath these woordes the disciples and diuine Apostles of our Sauiour haue ordained that in the pure and tremblinge misteries which giue life there should be memorie of the faithfull departed which the Catholique Churche euer obserued and will obserue vnto the end of the world Paulinus Paulinus affirmeth the same epist 31. lib. 3. cap. 34. Gregor Nyss oratione Cathechesi c. 8. Hier. Ioh. cap. vlt. in fine Idem in Osee cap. 14. Hier. in Matth. ca. 3. Amb. in Psal 118. ser 3. ser 20. in fine id in Luc. cap. 12. Aug. in Enchi cap. 67. Aug. de ciuitate lib. 21. cap. 13. sequentibus de Genes against the Manichees lib. 21. cap. 20. lib. 8. quaest q. 1. Homil. 16. and in other places S. Cyprian li. 1. epist. 4. Euseb lib. 4. de vita Constantini cap. 91. Nicephorus lib. 8. cap. 26. Plat. in vita Sixti S. Aug. ser 34. de verbis Apostol who boldly affirmed that it is not to be doubted but that the dead are holpen by the prayers of the holie churche by the healthfull sacrifice and almes that are giuen for the soules of the dead And in another place he saith Aug. lib. de cura pro mortuis wee ought not to omitt our suffrages and prayers for the dead Purgatory 6. Lastly the councell of Carthage doth coÌ„firme this trueth whose wordes be these Poenitentes qui attentè leges poenitentiae exequuntur such as are penitent for their sinnes and performe the pennaunce that was enioyned vnto them if by chance they dye either by sea or land when as otherwise wee cannot helpe them lett vs remember them in our prayers and sacrifices S. Augustine praid for his Mother sayinge Pro peccatis matris meae deprecor te exaudi me c. I beseech thee to pardon the sinnes of my Mother by the cure of thy blessed woundes which hanged vppon the Crosse sittinge at the right hand of God that thou make intercession for vs. Aug. Confess This is proued by Scripture Isa 4. Malach. 3. Math. 12. 1. Corinth 3. Machab. 12. Psal 76. Luc. 11. Daniel 4. Philip. 4. Eccle. 4.6 2 Reg 28. Psal 118. Marc. 12. Apoc. 5. Math. 5. 1. Ioh. 5. Apoc. 5.3.13 This is also proued by soe manny apparitions of the dead made vnto those that were liuinge in this world desiringe them to praye for them Ecclesiast hist gentis Anglor of which S. Gregorie makes mention in the 4. bookes of his Dialoges and venerable Bede in his 5. booke cap. 13. cap. 14. and 15. also in his fourth booke cap. 25. Touchinge the Popes Authoritie in releasinge of soules out of purgatorie CHAPTER II. 1. THe learned deuines doe teache that the Pope dothe and lawfully may applie vnto the soules departed by his keies some parte of the churches treasure which consisteth of Christes satisfaction and the satâ—sfactions of other of his saincts by which they that are departed as they haue neede may receaue benefitt For the doe vnderstaÌ„ding whereof there are two things The one is a sentence of absolution definitiue pronounced vpon the person penitent The second is the recompence of the dept of sinne remitted by the said absolution through the application of the churches measure by the power of the officers keies none of these two ioyntlie can euer be exercised vpon any person not subiect though the one may For absolution cannot properlie be giuen nor be fruitfully receaued by any man not subiect to the geuers regiment But the application of the treasure may by the keies procure mercie for them that be in neede per modum suffragij so that Indulgence the Popes doe not absolue any man departed absolutly but only offeringe in the person of Christ to God the iudge of all the death of his owne sonne withall the aboundant price of his passion and grace and the satisfaction of his saincts for to procure mercie and helpe for the faithfull soules that are in that distresse of the furnace of purgatory as the like is done with great pietie in many other holy actions of religion Rof con Luth. continuallie practised in the church for the mutuall helpe one of another Col. 1. 2. Soe S. Paule saith I reioice in sufferinge for yow and doe accomplish those thinges that want of the passions of Christ in my fleshe for his bodie which is his church not that any thinge was wantinge to Christes passion or the merittes thereof for he sufficientlie satisfied the eternall father de rigore iustitiae in the rigor of iustice but that the aflictions and torments that the saincts doe suffer for the chuch should be added and ioyned vnto Christe his actions in his sufferance and troubles to encrease and augment the treasures of the church to be disposed and imparted to all the members thereof for allayinge and asswaginge the dreadfull paines due vnto our sinnes out of which treasures and riches soe many indulgences are granted by the cheefe pastors thereof For this purpose the indulgences nowe in the lawe of grace Genes 25. were figured by the iubily of the ould lawe vnto which agreeth the glosse of S. Ambrose vppon that place Suppleo reliquias pressurarum Christi in carne mea pro corpore eius quod est ecclesia I doe make vp the reliques and fragments that lacked of the passion and tormeÌ„ts of Christ in my owne fleshe for the churche For as some doe abound in good workes and satisfactions as S. Paule who reckoneth vpp his afflictions and glorieth in them 2. Corinth and Iob who saith that his pennalties farr surmounted his sinnes and our blessed ladie who neuer sinned and yet suffred soe great dolors soe other some doe want and are to be holpen by the aboundance of their fellowe members which entercourse of spirituall offices and recompence of the wantes of the one parte by the store of the other is the ground of the indulgence which the churche daylie dispenseth with great iustice and mercie by their handes in whome Christ hath put the word of our reconsilemeÌ„t to whom he hathe comitted the keies to keepe and vse his sheepe to feede his misteries and all his goods to dispence his power to binde and loose his comission to remitt and retaine the stewardship of his familie to giue euery one their meat sustenaÌ„ce in due seasoÌ„ 3. And where as heretiques saie that the priests or others that giue this grace may receaue noe reward I aunswere that the graces of God are not to be sould for monie