Gods promises Now the maister and teacher of trueth the aucthour of light the well and fountaine of wisedome knowledge and vnderstandyng This is he that doeth pourge and cleanse vs from all filthines and ouersprinckleth vs with his sanctitude and holines that we may be made the worthy temples of almightie god This is he that with his effectuall wateryng doeth make vs fruictfull vnto righteousnes for to bryng foorth aboundauntly the fruictes of our faith that our heauenly father may be glorified through our good workes conuersation and outwarde liuyng For the whiche cause he is many tymes called water as in these places of the prophete All ye that are a thirst come vnto the waters Againe I will powre water vpon hym that is a thirste and Riuers vpon the drie lande Wherunto the saiyng of Christe doeth agree where he biddeth them that bee a thirste to come vnto hym and to drinke of the waters of life Although he be other whiles so called for the efficacie streÌ„gth power and vertue that he hath to pourge and make cleane where the Lorde promiseth in Ezechiell to washe his people with cleane waters The same is he that consumeth and burneth awaie the inordinate lustes concupiscenses of our flesh kyndelyng our heartes with the diuine loue of GOD and of heauenly thynges wherefore he is called by God right fyre Finally this is he that by his inspiration doeth make vs wholie to liue vnto God so that we be no more ledde by our owne sensualitie but folowe onely his motion and guidyng Therefore is it saide of Barnarde verie well Quid bonus in nobis spiritus operatur monet mouet docet monet memoriam mouet voluntatem docet rationem That is to saie what good doth the spirite or holy Ghost in vs he doth warne moue and teache he doth warne our remembraunce he doeth moue our willes and teache our reason Therefore if there be any goodnesse in vs it is the fruicte of his grace and vertue But all our giftes without hym are méere darkenesse of the mynde and wicked peruersenesse of the hearte And as I doe beléeue that all the giftes and benefites that we doe receaue of God through his onely begotten sonne our sauiour Iesu Christ are by this holy spirite printed grauen and sealed vp in our heartes and myndes so do I beléeue that all the Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament were written and sette forthe vnto vs onely by his diuine inspiration and that the doctrine that is conteined in them without all other is sufficiente vnto Saluation as the blessed Apostle doeth testifie saiyng Continue in the thinges that thou hast learned whiche also were committed vnto thée seyng thou knowest of whom thou hast learned them and for as muche also as thou haste knowen the holy Scriptures of a childe whiche bee able to make thee wise vnto Saluation through the faithe whiche is in Christ iesu For all scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue to amende and to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of God maie be perfecte and readie vnto all good workes Wherevnto Chrisostome doth agree saiyng what soeuer is required vnto saluation all the same shall ye finde in the holy scriptures And in an other place He hath at his tyme saieth he reueiled and opened his woorde by the preachyng that is committed vnto me And this is the preachyng the Gospell doeth conteine all thynges bothe present and to come honor godlinesse faithe to be shorte he hath comprehended all thynges in the woorde of his preachyng Againe he saieth what so euer is required for our saluation is alreadie conteined in the holy scriptures he that is ignoraunte shall finde there what he maie learne he that is stubborne and a synner maie finde there scourges of the iudgemente to come he that is troubled maie finde there ioyes and promises of euerlastyng life thorowe the beholdyng of whiche he maie be stirred to good workes Sainct Augustine saieth reade the holy scriptures wherin ye shall finde fullie what is to bée folowed and what to bee auoided Athanasius also saieth the holy scriptures saieth he beyng inspired from God are sufficiente to all instruction of the truthe Lyra one of the Popes owne doctours hath these wordes Like as in a merchauntes shippe are carried diuerse thinges necessarie for mans life So in the holy scriptures are conteined all thynges needefull to our saluation Who so euer then doeth affirme and saie that the doctrine of the holie ghoste whiche is conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testamente is not sufficiente vnto saluation and that besides it wee haue neede of mens traditions and doctrines as though without them we could not haue in the sacred booke of God a sufficient instruction in thynges that pertaine to life euerlastyng Or who soeuer saieth affirmeth that this holy spirite doeth teache and set for the any other worde or doctrine then is conteined in the sacred bookes of God I dare boldely affirme that the same man is not lead with the same holie spirite who is the lorde and giuer of life and who procéeding from the father the sonne should leade vs into all truthe and bryng into our remembraunces whatsoeuer Christ our Sauiour the heauenly wisedome of the father hath taught and set forthe for the saluation of mankind but with the spirite of errour I meane with the spirite of sathan the deuill who to the vttermoste of his power causeth men to contemne despise and sette at naught the holie commaundementes of almightie God that thei maie set vp their owne traditions and dreames and all vnder the title name and colour of the holie ghoste Wherefore it is moste needefull and necessarie that wee haue alwaies before our eyes the saiyng of the blessed Euangeliste saincte Ihon where he saieth Dearely beloued beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether thei bee of God or not Also S. Chrisost. saith agréeyng with the same Many saith he do boast of the holy ghost but they that do vtter and set out their owne phancies and dreames do pretende him in vaine for as Christ doth witnesse that he speaketh not of him selfe but out of the lawe the Prophetes Si quid praeâ—er Euangelium sub titulo spiritus obtrudatur ne credamus Quia sicut Christus legis Prophetarum impletio est ita est spiritus Euangelij If any thyng be brought vnto vs vnder the name of the holie ghost saieth he besides the Gospell let vs not beleue it For as Christ is the fulfillyng of the lawe and the prophetes so is the holie ghost the fulfillyng of the Gospell For without that spirite we haue neither eares to heare nor eyes to see it is that spirite that openeth and no man shutteth The same shutteth and no man openeth The same spirite opened the sicke womans hearte that she should
middest of this peruerse and crooked generation whiche contenting themselues with the heauenly doctrine of the holy ghoste which is conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament The .xxxv. Chapiter ¶ Christe is the heade of his Churche and not the Pope I DOE acknowledge none other head then our Sauiour Christ as it is written that God hath made him aboue al thinges the head of the congregation whiche is his body and the fulnesse of hym that filleth all in all thynges Wherby all the faithfull doe gather that he onely can be the head of the Churche whose body the Churche is But the Churche is the body of Christe onely therefore Christe onely can be the head of the Churche Againe in a nother place it is written And he is the head of the body of the congregation which is the beginnyng and firste begotten of the dead but who is the beginning and first begotten of the dead sauyng onely our sauiour Christe We may well say then that he onely is the head of the Church Moreouer sainct Paul saieth that as the husband is the head of the wife so Christe is the heade of the Churche beyng the sauiour of the body These wordes are plaine and do manifestly declare that he onely whiche is the sauiour of the bodie can be the head of the congregation and Church but it perteineth only to christ to be the sauiour of his body Therefore Christ onely can bee the head of the faithfull congregation and Church Moreouer who woulde not iudge that woman to be an aduoutresse that had twoo heades that is to saie twoo husbandes All men woulde counte that woman to be a moste filthy and stinkyng harlot Sainct Hierome therfore saieth these wordes Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tuae idest Cathedrae Petri communione consoâ—ior I followyng no firste nor chief man but onely Christe am ioyned as a fellowe in communion vnto the blessed that is to saie to Peters chaire Marke here S. Hierome saieth he knoweth no firste no chief heade no not the Pope hym self but onely christ Againe he saieth not I am bounde to thy commaundementes but I am ioyned as a fellowe in communion vnto the blessednesse Sainct Gregorie also saieth Quid tu Christo vniuersalis ecclesiae capiti in extremi iudicij responsurus es examine qui cuncta eius membra tibimet conaris vniuersalis appellationae supponere What aunswere wilte thou make vnto Christe the head of the vniuersall Churche when thou shalt be examined at the last iudgement that thus goest about by the name of vniuersall bishop to make all his members subiect vnto thee Sainct Chrisostome to pull downe the pride of suche as will exalte theim selues aboue their heade Christ saith whosoeuer desireth primacie in earth in heauen he shall finde confusion Neither shall he be accounted among the seruauntes of Christ that will once intreate of primacie What shall we saie then of that whorishe Churche that besides Christe the onely heade and husbande of the faithfull congregation dooeth acknowledge that Antichriste of Rome to bee her heade preferryng his lawes decrees statutes and durtie traditions before the wholesome doctrine of our Sauiour Christe As for the argumentes that the Popes dearlynges are wont to bryng in for to proue their fleshly Idoll to be the supreme heade of the Churche thei are so childishe that I marueile that thei be not ashamed to alledge them First for a foundation of their doctrine they bryng these wordes of Christe Thou arte Peter and vpon this rocke will I builde my churche And I wil giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Doeth not Christe promise here plainly saie thei that he will bothe builde his Churche vpon Peter and also giue hym the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen Againe be not these the woordes of Christe Thou art Symon the sonne of Ionas thou shalte be called Cephas Here maie we see that Christe did appoinct Peter whose successours all the holy Popes and Bishoppes of Rome are to bee the supreme heade of his congregation and Churche For what should be his meanyng els when he saith And thou shalt be called Cephas Did not he also say that he would builde his Church vpon him In déede I maie saie of you as Barnarde saieth Successores omnes cupiunt esse imitatores pauci Euery one couetteth to bee successours of the Apostles but fewe are followers of them ¶ The .xxxvj. Chapiter ¶ All the Apostles had equall power to bynde and to loose with Peter and the keyes were equally deliuered to them all BEcause no man shall thinke that this our doctrine is a newe founde doctrine as the enemies of all truthe are wont liyngly to call it I will bring certaine aucthorities of the faithfull Fathers of the auncient Catholike Churche whiche shall make this matter so plaine that any man excepte he will obstinately be blinde still shal be able to espie out all their knauerie First I will bryng Sainct Cyprian vpon these woordes And I will giue thee the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen who writeth after this maner In the persone of one man the Lorde did giue the keyes vnto all the Apostles for to signifie the vnitie of theim all For truely the other Apostles were euen the same that Peter was they were indued with like felowship of honour and power but he did beginne with vnitie that is to saie with one that thereby it might bee signified that there is but one Churche of Christe wee learne by this that the keyes were giuen to all the Apostles as well as vnto Peter Sainct Origene saieth Hoc dictum tibi dabo claues regni coelorum caeteris quoque commune est Et quae sequuntur velut ad PetruÌ„ dicta sunt omniae communia This saiyng to thee will I giue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen is common to the reste of the Apostles and the woordes that followe as spoken vnto Peter are common vnto all Saincte Hierome also saieth Dices super Petrum fundatur ecclesia licet ad ipsum in alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat cuncti clauis regni caelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesiae fortitudâ— solidetur Ye wil saie the Churche is founded vpon Peter Notwithstandyng in an other place the same thyng is doen vpon all the Apostles and all receiue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and the strength of the Churche is founded equally vpon them all Saincte Ambrose to the same purpose saieth Our Lorde saied vnto Peter Féede my sheepe Whiche shéepe and flocke not onely blessed Peter then receiued but he receiueth the same together with vs And all we haue receiued the same together with hym Saincte Augustine hath these woordes Cum Petro dicitur omnibus dicitur amas me Pasce oues meas These words of christ louest thou me Feede my sheepe when thei
contradiction or resistaunce But the scriptures do teache vs cleane contrary For they all testifie vnto vs that Christe our Sauiour hauyng offered one oblation or sacrifice for synnes is set downe on the right hande of God for euer tariyng there till his fooes be made his footstoole as it hath been sufficiently proued before Thei doe therefore alledge in vaine the omnipotencie and almightie power of God for to proue thereby their deuillishe and moÌ„strous opinioÌ„ beyng in this point like vnto the anabaptistes which wheÌ„ thei be so sore pressed with the scirptures that they knowe not whiche waie to escape doe flye streight waie vnto the spirite hauyng then none other thyng in their mouthes but the spirite the spirite So these ioly felowes when they be beaten with the scriptures that they haue not one worde to saie will by and by with a great circumstaunce of wordes and fetchyng aboute alledge the omnipotencie and almightie power of God settyng foorth his wonderous works miracles that he hath wrought by it that so they may vnder the shadowe of them deceaue and blinde the poore vnlearned people whiche haue no vnderstandyng nor perceiueraunce of thynges These be for the moste parte the goodly argumentes and reasons that they doe vse if god hath doen this thyng or that thyng then will they bryng in some excellent miracle that god did worke in tymes paste may not he by his omnipotencie and mightie power bring to passe that the natural body of his sonne Christe should be in the Sacrament ye may see howe these newe fangled felowes do most shamefully deny the omnipotencie of God. These and other like thynges they doe daiely vomite out againste the true ministers of Gods worde in their railyng bookes and vpon their Alebenche where as they themselues are vtter enimies and subuerâ—ours of the omnipotencie and almightie power of god For thei do preache and daily shewe teache and write and also with fyre and sworde compell men to beléeue that christe can not geue vnto vs his fleshe to eate excepte his naturall body that he tooke of the virgine Marie that died vpon the crosse and ascended vp into heauen be there in the Sacrament â–ª really and substancially in déede more like a monstrous thyng then an humaine body Wheras on the contrarie we doe both beléeue and teache that our sauiour christ is able by his euerlasting and almighty spirite whensoeuer we doe worthely receiue his Sacrament to feede with his most precious flesh and blood both our soules and bodies vnto life euerlastyng and yet that hee needeth not therefore to come downe from heauen nor to be after suche a monstrous fashion in the sacramentall bread and wine For as the blood of our sauiour christ doth cleanse vs from all our synnes and yet we neede not to haue it really present with vs for to be washed or bathed in it so Christ our sauiour accordyng to his promise doeth daily or whensoeuer we doe come worthely to his holy Table feede both our bodies and soules with the wholsome and heauenly foode of his pretious body and blood and this doeth he by his eternall and almightie spirite so that he needeth not therefore to come downe at the becke and commaundement of euery iuglyng Papiste and to be really present in a péece of their sterched breade after that they haue with gapyng and blowyng spoken foure or fiue wordes vpon it Let any man that hath any sparke of the spirite of GOD iudge whether this maner of feedyng vpon the body and blood of Christ in the holy Sacrament whiche as I saide is doen by his eternall spirite doth not in all poinctes agrée with the holy Scriptures and with the almightie power of God who is neuer wont sith that of his owne nature he is most true to do or worke any thyng againste his owne worde and sacred Scriptures wherby we are certified that the heauens muste holde our Sauiour Christe till all thynges be restored againe that God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophetes since the worlde began The examples that they doe bryng of the walkyng of our Sauiour Christ vpon the waters or of his commyng in to his disciples and apostles when the doores were faste shut if they be well considered and looked vppon it shal be easie for to perceaue and vnderstande that they make nothyng for them but rather against them For when our Sauiour Christe did walke vpon the Sea although he did it by his diuine and godly power yet had he at the same present houre his true and naturall body with due proportion of lymmes and all other dimensions that doe pertaine to a mans body so that he coulde then be seene with the bodily eyes of his apostles taken vp sensibly into the Boate that they were in But no suche thyng will thei alowe in their monstrous being of christe his true and naturall body in their Sacrament Therefore this example maketh not for them but against them Now againe where they saie that our Sauiour Christ did go in to his apostles through the doores beyng faste shut here they make a shamefull lye For neither in the Gréeke nor in the Latine we shal finde that it is written through the doores beyng fast shut but the doores beyng shut or when the doores were fast shut Whereby the Euangelist doth signifie vnto vs the tyme that our Sauiour Christe came in to his disciples For therby may we vnderstande that it was verie late in the night when he came in to them as when any of vs doth saye I came home by candle light or when all the doores were fast shut yet no man is so foolishe as for to construe vppon his wordes that he had light borne afore hym or that he went in through the doores but by this maner of speaking we be wont to gather that it was late in the night when he came home Moreouer we do reade in the booke of the Actes that the apostles were put in the common prison at Hierusalem but the angell of the Lorde by night opened the doores of the prison and brought them foorth the doores of the prison beyng shut fast againe as sure as it was possible and yet none of the kéepers that were standyng without before the doores and kéeping them with al diligence did espie it when it was doen. Likewise in the same booke we finde written that when Herode would haue brought foorth Peter for to put hym to death the angell of the Lorde did come vnto hym as he slept betweene twoo souldiours bounde with two chaines and the keepers that watched and warded the prison standyng without before the doores And as soone as the angell smote Peter on the side and waked him his chaines fel of from his handes and also that when he and the angell were paste the firste and seconde watche and were come to
God sithe that Christ the wisedome of the father doeth name hym first when he saieth Render vnto Caesar that parteineth vnto Caesar and vnto God that parteineth vnto god Might I not by the same reason proue that the virgine Marie is inferiour vnto all the Apostles sithe that in the Actes Luke doeth rehearse and name her last but that will they neuer graunt sith that they will haue her to bee the Queene of heauen the mother of mercie c. Howbeit where thei saie that he is alwaies named firste it soundeth like a lye for in the Epistle to the Corinthians hee is named laste and also in the Epistle to the Galathians he is named after I meane where Saint Paul doeth proue by many argumentes that he is nothyng inferiour vnto hym But it appeareth most manifestly that Peter was in no higher aucthoritie then the other Apostles sith that beyng sent of them vnto Samaria with Iohn he doeth obeye Yea when Paule dyd rebuke hym to his face bicause that he walked not vprightly he did geue place vnto hym It is moste plaine and manifeste then that the blessed Apostle Sainct Peter neuer acknowledged suche supremacie as the Antichriste of Rome doeth moste tyrannously vsurpe nowe a daies much lesse that he woulde haue set foorth hym selfe for the supreme head of the vniuersall Churche of Christe The .xxxvij. Chapiter ¶ The true Church of Christe is but as a witnesse to the worde of God addyng nothyng to it nor takyng ought from it THerefore we conclude that the true catholique Churche doeth acknowledge none other head but onely our Sauiour Christe contentyng it selfe with his holy worde addyng nothyng vnto it nor taking ought awaie from it For sith that the faithfull congregation béeyng inspired with the same spirite that they were inspired withall which did leaue the scriptures vnto vs by writyng doeth but as a witnesse receaue aucthorize and alowe the bookes of the olde and newe Testament accordyng to the saiyng of our sauiour where he saieth And ye shal be witnesses vnto mee of these thynges it is not to be thought that the faithfull will euer passe the boundes and limittes of true witnesse bearyng or that they will adde any thyng vnto the knowen trueth whiche they beare witnesse vnto or take any thyng awaie from it Else might they moste deseruyngly bee numbred among those that dyd beare false witnesse againste Christe Againe sithe that the faithfull congregation is subiect to Christe and that the Scriptures that be conteined in the Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament are his letters pattents and the Sacramentes his seales verylie the true Church of Christe will in no wise alter the Scriptures nor chaunge anye thyng in the ordinaunces and lawes that parteine to the sacramentes For as if a subiect knowyng the letters of his Prince and also his Seale shoulde bicause that he knoweth them well and aloweth them to be his presume and take vpon him to counterfeict his princes letters or seale he should be no true subiect but a felone and traitour euen so if the Churche bicause that she knoweth the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament to be the true and infallible worde of her Lorde and Sauiour and the Sacramentes to bee his seales should presume or take vpon her to alter Gods worde I meane the Scriptures that bee conteined in the Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament or to counterfeict the Scaramentes that is to say to minister them otherwise then her Lorde and maister hath instituted and appointed in his word she ought not to be called the true Church but the most traiterous harlot of Antichriste What ought we then to iudge of the whorishe Churche of the malignant whiche doeth not onely acknowledge an other heade besides Christ but also doth most vngodly presume and take vpon her to alter and chaunge the holy and sacred Scriptures and to peruerte the right vse of the Sacramentes Shal the Sheepe bicause they knowe the voice of their shephearde presume to alter and chaunge it or take vpon them to alowe the voice of a straunger and to set it foorth for the voyce of the true shephearde Moreouer it is not vnknowen that the true Churche is the spouse and wife of the Lambe but it is not the propertie of any true and faithfull wife when her husbandes Testament is made and confirmed or alowed to adde anye thyng to it or to alter and chaunge any thyng in it though she knoweth neuer so muche and aloweth it to be her husbandes Testament Sithe then that the scriptures and worde of God conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament are euen the Testament of the onely begotten Sonne of God our Sauiour Iesu Christ who is the onely head and husband of the true catholique Churche without all doubte the faithfull congregation will neuer presume to adde any thyng to it or to alter and chaunge any thyng that is conteined or comprehended in it For sith that though it be but a mans Testament yet if it be once alowed no man ought to despise it or to adde any thyng to it How much more ought we to take heede that we adde nothyng to the euerlastyng testament of the only begotten sonne of God or that we chaunge nothing that is conteined and comprehended in it Besides all this it were a foolishe thyng to saie that the sonne is able to beget his father or his mother it is euen as folishe a thyng to saie that the Churche whiche is begotten a newe by the worde and hath all the aucthoritie that she hath from the worde of the liuing God is able to aucthorize or alow any maner of doctrine whiche is not Gods worde for Goddes word or that she is able to make lawes decrees and statutes at her owne pleasure and after her owne phantasie and afterwarde to set them foorth for the infallible worde of god For if the Churche can make or fourge a newe worde then can she beget her selfe of newe Who sâ—eth not that it were one of the greatest follies in the worlde to say or affirme any such thing Therfore to put al men out of doubte ye shall vnderstand that as the Sunne is cleare and bright not bicause that men doe iudge it to be so but rather men do iudge it to be so bicause it is so in deede and can iudge of it none otherwise euen so the holy Scriptures conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament are the infallible worde of the liuyng God not bicause that the Church doeth iudge and alowe it to be so but rather the true catholique Churche doeth iudge and alowe it to be so bicause that it is so in deede and can iudge of it none otherwise no more then the cleare and bright eyes can iudge of the light and brightnesse of the Sunne of the whiche the blynde can geue no
iudgement euen as the vnfaithfull and reprobate can geue no iudgement of the worde of God nor yet alowe it Whereby we maie then conclude that the certitude veritie and infalliblenesse of Gods worde doeth not depende or hang vpon the opinion and iudgement of men but that it doth altogether depende of the holy spirite of God whiche by his owne force vertue and strength doth verifie it and constraineth the faithfull to alowe and receaue it as the bright and cleare beames of the Sunne doe compell the eyes to confesse that the Sunne is cleare and bright For the shéepe of our Sauiour christ doe both heare and vnderstande the voice of their shephearde and not the voice of a straunger And all the Prophetes haue prophecied and taught and the apostles also haue been verified and aucthorized by the vertue of hym that spake in theâ— so that all the whole worlde could not withstande it It is nowe easie to see that the true catholique Churche of God though she knoweth which is the true worde of god and which is not and that by the inspiration of the same holy spirite that they were inspired withall whiche did leaue vnto vs by writyng the holy and sacred Scriptures that be conteined in the olde and newe testament I meane the canonical bokes of them both for as Sainct Chrisostome saieth Ergò suam erga homines amicitiam innouare volens quasâ— longè absentibus literas mittit conciliaturus sibi vniuersam hominum naturam Therefore god mindyng to renewe his fauour towardes man sent his holie Scriptures as it were his letters thereby to reconcile to him selfe all mankynde â–ª Ireneus saieth Apostoli tunc euangelium praeconiauerunt Postea verò per dei voluntatem illud in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum Then the Apostles preached the Gospell and afterwardes by Gods will thei deliuered the same to vs in writyng to be a foundation and a piller vnto our faith But here to speake of the Papistes obiections howe that the Churche was before the worde it shal be superfluous to waste paper and Inke in so fruictlesse a question For we say generally the worde was before the church for Moyses wrote the worde of God that he spake to Adam of the séede to come So saieth Sainct Paul God spake in olde tymes many waies and in sundrie sortes vnto the fathers And saint Chrisostome saieth God the creatour of mankynde from the beginnyng spake vnto men by hym selfe in his owne person We speake not so precisely and nicely of Gods worde written in Paper For so it is a creature corruptible and shall consume and perishe as other corruptible creatures doe But the worde of God whiche we speake of endureth for euer Saincte Hierome thereto agreyng saieth these wordes Quomodo aeternae erunt scripturae diuinae si mundus certo fine est terminandus Verum est quidem quod librorum pelliculae cum ipsis literis abolandae sunt Sod quià subiungit dominus verba mea verò noÌ„ praeteribunt proculdubio quod illiâ— apicibus pollicetur erit aeternuÌ„ That is to saie in englishe thus How shall the holy scriptures be euerlastyng seeyng the worlde shall haue an ende True it is that the Parchement or leaues of the bookes with the letters and all shal be abolished But forasmuche as our Lorde addeth my wordes shall neuer passe doubtlesse the thynges that are promised by the same letters shall laste for euer ¶ The .xxxviij. Chapiter ¶ The true Churche is knowen by the worde of God. SO that the woorde of GOD enduring for euer is it that the holy catholike and true Church is knowen by and euer hath been Therefore sainct Augustine saith Exore veritatis ecclesiam agnosâ—o participem veritatis By the mouthe of the truthe I knowe the churche that is partaker of the truth And againe he saieth I would the Churche should be shewed not by the decrees of men but by the heaueÌ„ly oracles or wordes of God Wée muste seeke the Churche in the woordes of Christ whiche is the truthe and beste knoweth his owne bodie The holie Scripture sheweth vs the Churche without doubtyng In the holie scriptures the Churche is plainly knowen We muste knowe the Churche by the holie Canonicall scriptures as we knowe the heade Sainct Chrisostome also saieth Nullo modo cognoscituÌ„r quae sit vera ecclesia nisi tantuÌ„modo per scripturas It is not any wayes knowen which is the true Churche of Christ but only by the scriptures S. Augustine saith Non audiamus haec dico haec dicis sed audiamus haec dicit dominus Ibi quaeramus ecclesiam ibi discutiamus causam nostram Let vs not heare these wordes this saie I this saiest thou But let vs heare these woordes thus saieth the Lorde There lette vs seeke the Churche there let vs discusse our cause I will not haue the holy Churche to bee shewed by mans iudgement but by Goddes woorde Saincte Ambrose also doeth saie these wordes Ecclesia fulget non suo sed Christi lumine The Churche shineth or is knowen not by her owne light but by the light of Christ which is by the worde of God. These testimonies of the godlie fathers of the Catholike Churche dooe flatly declare that the Churche is knowen onely by the worde of God and not by mans decrees nor statutes therefore the true Churche doeth not take vpon her to adde any thing vnto it or to take ought away from it she doth not presume to forge newe articles of our faithe and to sette forthe news lawes and decrees for Goddes holie woorde but she contenteth her self with the worde lawes and ordinaunces of her true husbande and heade Iesus Christe Therefore that whorishe churche of Rome whiche moste presumpteously forgeth daiely newe lawes and Articles of our faithe settyng forthe euen with fire and sworde the fonde doctrines and inuentions of men for the true and infallible woorde of the liuyng GOD mainteinyng openly that their Churche is aboue the woorde of GOD and that it is of more force and greater aucthoritie for these are their owne woordes set out in their owne bookes A doctrina Romanae ecclesia Romani pontificis sacra scriptura robur trahit authoritatem The holie scripture taketh strength and aucthoritie of the doctrine of the Romain Churche and of the Bishoppe of Rome Againe in the same booke he saieth I meane Siluester Prierias maister of the Popes palaice Indulgentiae authoritatae scripturae non innotuere nobis sed authoritate Romanae ecclesiae Romanoâ—umque pontificum quae maior est Pardones are not knowen to vs by the aucthoritie of the Scriptures but by the aucthoritie of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishoppes of Rome whiche is greater then the aucthoritie of the scriptures These I saie boldely can in nowise bee the true spouse of our sauiour Iesu Christe but the abhominable
or Hell. That christes soule should not néede to goe downe thither to fetch them out And also declared that Christ vsed the like woordes vpon the Crosse by whiche is declared that his soule departyng from his bodie wente straight into heauen and not into hell the place of the dampned But that the efficacie vertue and power of his death and passion did pearce through and into the verie hell it self by his diuine power and Godheade that all the damned soules felt their full paine and iuste damnation for their infidelitie And Sathan hym self felt all the power and strength of his tyrannie and darkenesse was weakened vanquished and fallen to ruine and vtter decaie c. And that the soules of all them that died in the faithe of Christe beyng in heauen felte the fulnesse of their redemption how it was now fullie perfected and ended for them c. This beyng by me taught it was noysed abroade in the peoples eares and that by no meane men that I hadde denied an article of the Creede and that I was an open heretique and suche a one as was not worthie of life but cruell death When those reportes and false rumours came vnto mine eares I besought God to strengthen me in his faith and giue me pacience knowyng well that after the waie which they call heresie so worship I and teache the God of my fathers beleuyng all thynges whiche are written in the lawe and the Prophetes I also considered with my self what will this people saie and reporte when as thei shall happen to reade my booke wherein this article of Christes deseension into hell is handeled that thus beginne to condemne and iudge me before they haue knowen or heard the trueth opened vpon the occasion whereof I cleane altered my former preface to the reader that I had made before made this as an apologie or defence thereof against suche as will or shall carpe against it Wherefore I beseche thee frendly reader to lende me thy eares to heare me thy eyes to see me thy tongue to reade me thy mynde and harte to iudge me with an vpright iudgemente accordyng to the truthe of Goddes woorde whiche as Dauid saith is a Lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our pathes that is it that giueth wisedome vnto the simple it is that that giueth lighte vnto the eyes by it the seruaunte of God is made circumspecte our Sauiour Christe willeth vs to searche the scriptures for those are thei that beare witnesse of hym For the mynde muste bee taught and instructed of the will of God by the woorde like as the eyes are taughte and instructed by outwarde thynges For as Augustine saieth Titubat fides si diuinarum scripturarum vacillat authoritas If the aucthoritie of the holie scriptures wauer then dooeth faithe stumble I will nowe accordyng to my small skill saie of this matter somewhat more largely then I haue saied alreadie in my booke whether sufficient or insufficient I shall praie thee to stand an indifferent iudge To thee it is dedicated and for thy sake it is written Here must I saie vnto thée euen as S. Hierome somtime said to his reader in the like case Quaeso lector vt memor Tribunalis domini de iuditio tuo te intelligeÌ„s iudicanduÌ„ nec mihi nec aduersario meo faueas neue personas loquentiuÌ„ sed causam consideres That is I beseche thee good reader that remeÌ„bryng the iudgement seate of the Lorde and vnderstandyng that as thou iudgest so thou shalt bee iudged thou fauour neither me nor myne aduersarie And that thou regarde not the persons but the cause onely Firste thou shalte vnderstande gentle reader that this Article of Christes descendyng into helle is not reade as Rofinus saith in the Romaine Crede nor yet in the Nicen Crede the Easte Churche had it not the Counsaile of Ephesus and Constantinople left it out For wee maie reade by the writynges of the olde Fathers that that parte whiche is reade in the Crede was not in olde tyme so muche vsed in the Churches yet I doe confesse it is a necessarie article meete to haue a place in the Crede as a thyng that conteineth a verie profitable misterie of a waightie matter Sainct Cyprian vnto this saieth Sciendum sane est quod in Ecclesia Romana Symbolo non habetur addituÌ„ descendit ad inferna Sed neque in Orientis ecclesiis habetur hic sermo Knowe ye for certaintie that the Churche of Rome hath not added this in the Crede he descended into hel No neither yet the Easte Churches hath added this kynde of speache in the Crede Unto this Erasmus fullie agreeth saiyng Atque adeo quum Symbolum Nicenae sine Constantinopolitanae Synodi nihil aliud sit quam huius Symboli explanatio ne illic quidem quicquam est quod huic particulae respondeat Ipsa denique inconcintas sermonis arguit ab alio quopiam intertextum emblema That is Moreouer although the Simbole or Crede of the Sinode holden at Nice or the Sinode holden at Constantinople is none other thyng then a declaration of this Simbole or Crede called the Apostles Crede yet there is not so much as any thyng that is correspondent to this particle Finallie the verie incoÌ„cinnitie and vnhandsome ioyning or hanging together of the speache and oration is an euident argumente that this parcell or particle he descended into hell was put in among the other Articles by some other man As is supposed by Thomas of Aquine and immediately after he sheweth the cause why the auncient fathers put not this Article into the Crede he descended into hel Quia vetustissimi patres magna Religionâ— cauebant ne quid asseuerarent duntaxat in Symbolo quod non esset euidenter expressum in sacris literis vtriusque testimenti Talâ—â— sunt articuli omnes hoc vno excepto That is because the fathers of auncientest tyme with great Religion toke heede were warâ— that thei would not affirme any thyng namely in the Crede whiche was not expressed in the Scriptures of bothe Testamentes Suche maner Articles are all the other onely this one he descended into hell excepted Thus farre Erasmus Sainct Augustine in his booke de Fide Symbolo expoundyng the Crede of the Apostles comming to the Article of Christes sufferynges declareth of his pacience and humilitie in sufferyng death euen the death of the Crosse to take awaie the horror of death from vs and that he was crucified and buried vnder Pontius Pilate addyng Pilates name for the certaintie of the tyme and that he laie in a graue and before that in the wombe of his mother in whiche graue and bellie neuer none laie before nor after c. But of this article of Christes descention into hell he neuer speaketh worde of it nor yet reciteth it for if it had been an Article putte in the Crede at the
shall be punished with vnquencheable and euerlasting fire Therefore what shall it néede to forge a newe Lymbe for them Many Doctours consideryng the great rigour that he did vse against the litle infantes haue been of another opinion much contrary in so much that some among them did not sticke to call Saint Augustine Carnificem infantium that is to say an vnmerciful tormentour of infantes though he be worthy that men should speake of him more reuerently But first and formost it is vncertaine whether this booke out of the which this sentence is taken be saint Augustines or not For the stile and phrase of this booke doeth nothing resemble the phrase that Saint Augustine doth vse in those bookes that be certainely knowen to be his For this holy doctour doeth alwayes with great modestie and sobrietie both write speake of those thinges that do parteyne vnto the Church vnto the saluation of men being neuer woont to affirme anye thing rashly without some sure grounde or foundation in Gods worde which thing he doth not obserue in this booke For what Scriptures doth he aleadge for to proue that rigorous sentence that he doth geue against those poore infantes that dye without baptisme And yet he saith holde this for a suretie and not only in this place but also in many other thorowout al the whole booke hauing alwaies these words in his mouth holde for a suretie beléeue vndoubtedly I do here let passe many other reasons that did moue many great learned men to doubt of the aucthour of this booke But let vs graunt that it is Saint Augustines Ye haue hearde already howe he doeth trimme their newe forged Lymbe that they do assigne vnto the poore séely infantes that either be styll borne or dye without baptisme Againe we must not thinke that he him selfe wyll haue these wordes of his to be taken after the rigour of the letter And therefore we must consider what occasions he might haue to write after the same sort For if the necessitie and vnablenesse doth excuse them that be of age why shoulde young infantes be more vnexcusable which haue yet a more reasonable excuse then they that be of yeres can haue For when they dye being little ones either in their mothers belly or out of it was it long of them that they were not baptized Hath God conceaued a greater hatred against those poore séely infantes which are onely infected with originall sinne than against them which being of age haue besides originall sinne ten hundred thousande talentes weyght of their owne actuall sinnes Although the baptisme of water were as necessarie vnto saluation as ye do make it yet if there be some exception for the one by what right or reason shoulde it be denied vnto the other when the cause and excuses be a like But we must weigh and marke that in Saint Augustines time there were many that had not the Sacramentes in such estimation and reuerence as they ought to haue them As in these our dayes we see that some folke do attribute so much vnto them that they make of the visible signes and corruptible clementes a Iesu Christ and an ydoll and some againe do take them but for bare signes without any vertue or efficacie estéeming them no more then they estéeme the common badges or cognisaunces that the seruauntes or souldiours doe weare for to declare what Lordes or maisters thei doe serue And in this thing the Anabaptistes excéeded aboue al other not onely in this that thei would be baptized againe but most chiefly in that that thei doe vtterly condemne the baptisme of yong children and will haue it to be deferred till they come to yeres of discretion whose doctrine is no more to bee allowed then the doctrine and opinion of them that doe affirme that yong infantes that dye without baptisme are euerlastyngly banished from the kyngdome of God. For sith that the infantes are sanctified by the holy spirite of God beyng washed in the blood of his onely begotten sonne our Sauiour Iesu christ and comprehended in the couenaunt that he hath made with vs and our séede by the vertue and efficacie of which couenaunt beyng confirmed by the bloodsheddyng of the onely begotten sonne of God we looke onely to bée saued why should the seale of this euerlastyng Testament be denied vnto them nowe more then it was to the children of the Hebrewes Bicause forsooth that they doe not beleeue nor be able yet to make any profession of their faith What if I should reason after this forte without faith it is impossible to please GOD but litle infantes and babes doe please God in so muche that our sauiour christ rebuked them that would not suffer them to bee brought vnto hym I might then conclude that they haue faith though they cannot yet declare it outwardely And Saint Augustine doth plainely saie that they haue faith whose wordes are these Infantes habent fidem propâ—er fidei sacramentum The litle infantes or children haue faith bicause they haue the Sacrament of faith As then the children of the Hebrewes were circumcised in their infancie and childehoode afterwardes were brought vp in the knowledge of the Lawe of God and in his true religion and worshippyng so it is behoueful that the infantes and children of the Christians be baptized and receaue the Scale of the euerlasting couenaunt For sith that by the faith of the parentes though but one of them did beléeue they are sanctified afterwards that thei be brought vp in the true religion of Christe As it appeareth that it was doen in the olde auncient catholike church wherof confirmation did come that children after certaine yeares were presented to the Bishop and renderyng an accompte of that faithe of theirs whiche their parentes or fréendes in baptisme professed to haue them baptized therein haue handes layde on them whiche is nothyng els but prayer made for them so saieth Saincte Augustine Quid enim est aliud manum impositio quà m oratio super hominem For what is laiyng on of handes els but praier ouer a man Whiche thyng is now tourned among the Papistes to be one of the Sacramentes to make vp the number of their fiue fained Sacramentes yea and such a Sacrament thei affirme it to be that it is greater then Baptisme for this they write them selfe in their owne bookes Sacramentum confirmationis dicitur esse maius baptismo quia à dignioribus datur in digniore parte corporis That is to saie the Sacrament of confirmation is said to be greater then the Sacrament of baptisme and afterwarde the cause is added bicause it is geuen of worthier persons and in the worthier parte of the bodie here we maye easely sée an heresie of Donatus mainteined by the Papistes which will haue Sacramentes to take their force and aucthoritie in respecte of the person that ministreth it not onely the maister of sentences saith this but also
represent his body with bread whiche no man can denie to be a creature but Christe doth represent his body with bread Ergo the bread is not naught but a good creature of God to be vsed with thankes geuyng But how soeuer the matter goeth Tertullian doth plainely affirme here that Christe doth represent his body with bread And vnto him doeth S. Hierome agree saiyng He taketh bread whiche comforteth the hearte of man that as Melchisedech had doen in the figure of hym when he did bryng foorth bread and wine so he shoulde represent the veritie of his body and blood No man will saie that the thyng that doeth represent and the thing that is represented be all one except it be the papistes as Doctour Harding Cope Marshall and Shakestockes I woulde saie Shackelocke who goeth about by Columellas wordes to proue as VVinchester did such a thyng but if the saiyng of that prophane writer shoulde take place in this matter it should folowe that the bread should but represent it selfe and none other thing as Columella will haue Vt Villicus semper se representet That the Bailife of husbandry shoulde alwaies represent hymselfe whiche is no more in our englishe but that he shoulde be alwaies present We are not woont to saie that a kyng doeth represent hymselfe or his owne person But of a Lorde or of a iudge that sitteth in iudgement we say commonly that the same Lorde or iudge doeth represent the kynges person not as a plaier that doeth represent an Emperour or a kyng in a stage or footplaie but bicause of the kynges aucthoritie and power that is geuen vnto hym Euen so in the Sacrament we saie with the auncient Fathers that the bread doth represent the body of Christ not as a bare naked figure or signe whiche thyng all the rablement of popishe papistes doe most slanderously laie to our charge but bicause that beyng duely ministred and worthely receaued it bringeth with it selfe the nature propertie vertue and grace of the body of christ as Ambrose doth testifie with these wordes Thou doest receaue the Sacrament for a similitude but thou doest obteine the vertue and grace of the true nature And bicause that thou doest receaue bread thou arte in the same foode made partaker of the diuine substaunce These be the causes wherefore we saie with the olde Fathers of the auncient catholique Churche that the bread doeth represent the body of Christe But as it needeth not that a kyng be really or personally present for to haue his aucthoritie or power to take place among his faithfull and obedient subiects so is it nothyng necessarie that wee shoulde haue the naturall body of Christe really present vnder the formes of bread and wine For without it that is to saie though it be sittyng still accordyng to the Scriptures on the right hande of the father we haue by the vertue of his institution and the mighty workyng of his spirite there in the Sacrament the verie propertie vertue and grace of the naturall fleshe and blood of christ most effectuously ministred vnto vs to the euerlastyng comfort and nourishment both of our soules and bodies The same auncient writer and father I meane Tertullian in his fourth boke against Martion writeth after this maner Christe takyng bread and distributyng it did make it his body saiyng Hoc est corpus meum hoc est figura corporis mei This is my body that is to saie the figure of my body And vnto hym will I ioyne Sainct Augustine that all men maye see what shameful lyars Doctour harding other the papistes are who are not ashamed to saie that none of all the auncient fathers neither before nor sence did expounde these wordes of christ as Tertullian did expounde them in that place The wordes of Sainct Augustine are these Adhibuit ad conuiuium in quo corporis sanguinis sui figuram discipulis commendauit tradidit And he did admit or receaue hym vnto the banquet wherein he did commēde and deliuer vnto his disciples the figure of his bodie And in another place he saith againe So the blood is the soule as the Rocke was Christe and yet the apostle saieth not the rocke did signifie Christe but the Rocke was Christ So may I expounde that this precepte or commaundement was geuē in a signe Non dubitauit Dominus dicere hoc est corpus meum cum daret signum corporis sui For the Lorde did not doubte or sticke to saie This is my body when he did geue the signe of his body In their owne distinctions thei haue these wordes Dicitur corpus christi sed improprie vt sit sunsus vocatur corpus christi id est significat corpus christi That is to saie in englishe it is called the body of Christe meanyng the Sacrament but improperly as the meaning of it may be thus it is called the body of christ that is to saie it doeth signifie the bodie of Christ. These sayinges neede no exposition at all For they are so plaine that the very children in the streete be able to vnderstande them and also to perceaue and espie out the shamefull leasinges of our disguised papistes who care not what they say so that they may séeme to say some what for to deceaue the simple and ignoraunt people withall and for to mainteyne their great graundfather Antechristes kingdome of proude Rome For ye must vnderstande that this is the only marke that they shoote at all the packe of them that they may set vp them selues as gods and bryng all mens heades vnder their girdles And no doctrine they thinke wyll serue better for that purpose than this grosse and Capharnaiticall doctrine of transubstantiation and of the corporall presence of Christes body in the sacrament For who woulde not stande in feare of them and reuerence them as gods that can with fiue wordes make Christ both God and man of a péece of bread whensoeuer they list And therefore it is written in a booke of theirs these wordes O howe honourable howe worshipfull and excellent is the dignitie of priestes if they will liue priestlike in whose handes as it were in the virgines wombe the sonne of God is incarnated or taketh fleshe And then by and by after it foloweth Iste qui creauit me dedit mihi creare se qui creauit me sine me creatur mediaente me cum ergo tante dignitatis fit sacerdos quod creator fit sui creatoris totius creature ▪ ipsum perdere vel damnare inconueniens est That is to saie in Englishe He that made mee gaue mee power to make hym and he that made mée without mée is made by the meanes of mée Seeyng then that a Priest is of so greate dignitie that he is the maker of his maker and of euerie creature to destroye or to condemne hym it is not conuenient euen the like you may reade in another
that Moyses did passe all men in humanitie gentlenesse and mercie The meanyng of the Prophete then is this that God was so offended with the people that he woulde not spare them though Moyses and Samuell whose praiers he was want to heare aboue all other should make intercession for them The like in a maner haue we in the Prophete Ezechiell where the Lorde speaketh on this maner If Noah Daniell and Iob were in the Citie as truely as I liue they shall deliuer neyther sonnes nor daughters but saue their owne soules in their righteousnesse As if he should saie though Noah Daniell and Iob were then aliue againe thei should not deliuer their owne sonnes and daughters but should saue onely their owne liues in their righteousnes my wrath and indignation is so kindeled against that stiffenecked people And so the afore alledged place of Ieremiah ought to be vnderstanded For the wordes are as muche as if he should saie Though Moyses and Samuell were nowe aliue and shoulde stande before me makyng intercession for this people as thei were wont to doe yet would I not for their sakes withdrawe my plagues from this wicked and frowarde generation I woulde not heare them nor geue eare vnto their praiers but woulde in my furie vtterly destroie this rebellious and stiffe-necked people Reade and marke diligently the circumstaunces of both places and ye shall finde that it is the true sence and meanyng of them As for the place that thei doe bryng out of Genesis saiyng that Iacob doth pray that his name and the name of his forefathers Abraham and Isaac may he called vpon his posteritie It helpeth their matter nothyng at all For the meanyng of the holy Patriarche is not that his posteritie should call vpon him or vpon his forefathers Abraham and Isaac for helpe and succour but that his posteritie might be named after hym and also after Abraham and Isaac thereby to declare that the coueuaunt that God had made with Abraham Isaac and Iacob dyd parteine vnto them And therefore whensoeuer the faithfull Israelites did make their praiers vnto God they did alwaies beseche hym to remember his seruauntes Abraham Isaac and Iacob puttyng hym in remembraunce of the couenaunte wherein he had promised that he woulde for Abraham Isaac and Iacbos sake shewe mercie fauour vnto them But howe litle they dystruste in the merites and intercessions of their forefathers it is easy to see in the prophete Esay for there the whole Churche crieth out saiyng Abraham knoweth vs not neither is Israell acquainted with vs But thou lorde arte our father and redéemer Therefore be at one with vs againe for thy Seruauntes sake that are of the generation of thine heritage To be shorte whensoeuer they did name in their praiers their forefathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob it was not for any helpe that they looked to haue at their handes but for to put God in remembraunce of the couenaunt that he had made with them and with their posteritie for euer But nowe that we haue our Sauiour Iesus Christe in whose blood the couenaunt is both established and sealed vp In whose name should we set foorth or offer vp our praiers vnto God but in his only Moreouer that same maner of phrase that Iacob did vse is often times founde in the scriptures as when Esay saieth Then shall seuen women take holde of one man and saie wee wyll laie all our meate and clothyng together in commune Tantum nomen tuum innocetur super nos Only that thy name maie be called vpon vs that is to saie onely let vs be called thy wiues or after thy name that yet it maye be saide that we are suche a mans wiues They be also wont to bryng in the dreame of Iudas Machabeus whiche is made mention of in the Machabees where it is written that Iudas Machabeus did shewe vnto his Souldiers that he had séene in a dreame Onias Ieremiah holdyng vp their handes towardes heauen and praiyng for the people Doth not this saie they proue sufficiently that the dead sainctes doe praie for vs First I doe aunswere that the booke out of the which this place is alledged is not authentike nor yet Canonicall as Sainct Hierome proueth All men maie see what aucthoritie that booke ought to haue in thinges that perteine to our saluation For firste of all they cannot denie but that it is an abridgement of fiue bookes that one Iason Cireneus had written which whether he was a Iewe or a gentile no man is able to tell For the booke was set out and written in the Gréeke tongue and not in the Hebrewe Moreouer whā the holy ghoste doth set foorth any thing vnto vs for an infallible doctrine or an vndoubted trueth he is not wont to vse any excuse as the authour of this booke doth Last of al what wisedome were it to grounde any doctrine parteinyng vnto the faith vpon a dreame did hee not thinke also in his sleepe that Ieremie did deliuer him a golden swoorde yet when he awoke he had no suche thyng I might therefore conclude that as Ieremiah did deliuer hym a golden swoorde so he with Onias dyd praie for the people But Ieremiah did deliuer hym no swoorde in deede but only in a dreame Whereby it foloweth that the prayng of Onias and of Ieremiah was dreamishe also But let vs graunte that it was so as Iudas Machabeus did dreame yet we doe not reade that Iudas Machabeus and his hoast did by and by direct their praiers vnto them or that thei dyd desire them to praie and make intercession for the hoastes of the Israelites whiche shoulde within a whyle ioyne in battaile with the hoastes of the enimies But we reade that thei al praied with their Captaine vnto God saiyng O lorde thou that diddest sende thyne Angell in the tyme of Ezechiah kyng of Iuda in the host of Sennacherib didst slea an hundred fourscore and fiue thousandes sende nowe also thy good Angell before vs O Lorde of Heauens in the fearefulnes and dread of thy mightie arme that they which come against thy holy people to blaspheme them may be afraide Here maie we sée that Iudas Machabeus notwithstanding his gaie dreame did trust onely in the Lorde vnto whom onely his praiers he directed and not vnto Oniah nor yet vnto Ieremiah folowing in this the example of all the holy Patriarches and Prophetes that were before hym They do so abhominably wreast all the other places of the Scriptures whiche they be wont to alledge for the mainteinyng of their Idolatrous inuocation of Sainctes that a man will be ashamed to stande in the confutyng of them All their refuge at length is that the sainctes were hearde whiles they were aliue For it is written Our Fathers called vpon thée were helped they trusted in thée were not confounded If say they they were hearde when they were yet compassed about with
with his grace that was not due founde all men synners beyng hymself onely frée from synne and a deliuerer of synners And againe in a nother place he hath these words Opera manuum mearum non commendo Timeo enim ne cum inspexeris plura inuenias peccata quà m merita Lorde I commende not the workes of my handes For I am afraide least when thou shalt beholde them thou shalt finde mo synnes then good deseruynges So saith sainct Hierome Si consideremus nostra merita desperandum est If we beholde our owne merites we must be driuen to desperation Origene also affirmeth the same saiyng Ego vix mihi persuadeo vllum opus esse posse quod ex debito remunerationem deposcat I doe scarcely beleue that there can be any woorke that maie of duetie require rewarde Againe hee saieth Quia omniae conclusae sunt sub peccata nunc non in meritis sed in misericordia dei salus humana consistit For as much as all men are shut vp and cloased vnder sinne now the saluation of man standeth not in mans merites but in Gods mercie Barnarde saieth Non est quo gratia intret vbi iam meritum occupauit That is There is no meanes for grace to enter where merite doth keepe place VValdensis one of the Popes owne Doctours saieth these wordes Quid dignum facimus vt participes caelestibus fieri inuencamur Apostâ—lo dicenâ—e existimo quod non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam quae reuelabitur in nobis Reputo igitur saniorem Theologum fideliorem catholicam scripturis sanctis magis concordem qui â—alâ— meritum simpliciter abnegat That is to saie what worthy thing doe we that we may be faunde in the felowship of the heauenly spirites the Apostle saieth I iudge that the afflictions of this tyme are not worthy of that glorie that shal be reueiled in vs Therfore I take hym to be the souÌ„der deuine the faithfuller catholike and more agreable to the holy scriptures that vtterlie denieth all such kynde of merite These testimonies are plaine against all the meritmongers of Rome Louane Let vs take heede therefore of their daungerous and heriticall doctrine leaste while we go aboute to stablishe our owne righteousnesse beyng ignoraunt of the righteousnesse of God and haue not submitted our selues to the righteousnesse of god And thereby shall heape to our selues wrath in the daie of trouble For Christe saieth Saincte Paule is the ende of the Lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beléeueth The .xlj. Chapiter ¶ Faith onelie iustifieth vs before God. YET these Papistes and Iustiâ—iaries will saie stil that although we finde in holy scripture that faith iustifieth yet we fynde not quod soâ—â—fides iustificat that faith onely iustifieth so that this worde onely or alone hath been newly added by heretiques whoÌ„ they doe commonly call Solifidians These iooly felowes doe nothyng but seeke a knotte in a Rushe as the prouerbe is for although we haue not expressie this worde sola only or alone yet haue we many other wordes that are equiuolent or equiualent that is of the same importaunce and force For when the holy ghost saieth that we are iustified fréely by the grace of God through the redemption whiche is in Christe Iesu whom God hath set foorth to be a purchaser of mercie through faith in his blood doeth he not exclude al maner of workes deseruinges or merites from our iustification attributyng it onely vnto faith â–ª whereby we doe apprehende and take holde on the grace and mercie of God so surely fealed vp vnto vs with the blood of that immaculat lambe our Sauiour Iesu Christe in the selfe same Chapiter he saieth againe we conclude that a man is iustified by faithe without the workes of the lawe Who doeth not see that he doeth here also put awaie all maner of thinges from our iustification faith onely excepted But the Papistes in this pointe are like vnto the Arians which bicause those wordes â–ª â—omoâ—fias consubstantialis be not founde in the Scriptures will in no wise admitte nor alowe them although the thinges signified by them are moste infalliblie and certainely conteyned and set out in the booke of god And therfore the Apostle writyng to Titus saieth Not by the workes of righteousnes whiche we had doen but accordyng to his mercie he saued vs that wee beyng iustified by his grace should be made heires accordyng to the hope of eternall life Againe he saieth God hath saued vs and called vs with an holy callyng not accordyng to our workes but accordyng to his owne purpose grace which was geueÌ„ vnto vs through Iesus Christe afore the worlde was Truely whersoeuer this purpose of God is their woorkes merites and deseruinges can take no place in the iustification or saluatioÌ„ of man Whereby we may gather that by the frée mercie and goodnes of God apprehended and taken holde vpon by faith we are deliuered froÌ„ euerlastyng damnation and made felowe heyres with his sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour whose righteousnes he doth impute vnto vs making vâ—heires of his eternal euerlasting kingdome of heauen All these things I say and beleue do we obtaine only by faith without any merites goyng before Let vs see nowe what the holy learned Fathers of the Churche so many hundred yeres ago haue taught vs thereof Saint Ambrose saieth Iustificati sunâ— gratis quia nihil operantes neque vicem reddentes sola fide iustificati sunt dono deâ— They are iustified freely bicause workyng nothyng nor making any recompence they are iustified through faith onely by the gifte of god Againe in the same place these be his wordes Sic decretum dicit à deo vt cessante lege solam fidem gratia dei posceret ad â—alutem This was Gods determination that the lawe beyng at an ende the grace of God shoulde require faith onely vnto saluation Againe Sola fides posita est ad salutem Onely faith is laide or appointed vnto saluation Theodoretus saieth Non vllis operibus nostris sed per solam fidem mystica bona consequuti sumuâ— â–ª Not by any workes of ours but by only faith we haue gotten the mistical good things S. Basile saith Haec est nostra integra perfecta gloriatio in deo quando propriae iustitiae nos inopes agnoscimus Sola autem fide in christum iustificati This is our ful perfect reioysing in God when we acknowledge that we are voyde of any our owne righteousnesse and are iustified by only faith in Christe Nazianzenus saieth Credere solum est iusticia Only beléeuyng is righteousnes Origene also saieth these wordes â–ª where nowe is thy boastyng it is shut out Paule saieth that the iustification of only faith is sufficient So that a man onely beleuyng may be iustified although he haue doen no good workes
August de vnitate eccle cap. 1. August cont Crâ—â—co Gâ—am lib. 1 cap 33. Be vnitate ecclesiae cap. 16. Chrisost. in Mat. Ho. 49. August de Vnitate eccle cap. 3. In eodem capi Ambro. Hexameron lib. 4. cap. 8. Ephe. 5. Beholde proude Lucifer of Rome Syluester priâ—rias cont Lutherum August cont EpistolaÌ„ fundament cap. 5. August in psal 57. The cause that moued S. August to say hee would not beleue the gospell without the church â—erson lib. de spirituali vita anima lectione 2. Iohn 4. Iohn 1. 1. Peter 3. The true Church hath three offices as touching the worde of God. First 〈◊〉 Seconde office Matth. 28. Third office The aucthotie of the true church doth consist in fourâ— thinges Actes 6. Tim. 3. Titus 1. Hebre. 5. Actes 6. 2. Cor. 11. Matth. 28. 2. Cor. 2. Matth. 18. 1. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 14. 1. Thess. 5. 1. Iohn 4. Actes 15. August cont â–ª Maxim. lib. 3. cap. 14. Hieroni. in Epist. ad Ephe. lib. 3. cap. 5. Origen in Episto ad Rom. lib. 10. cap. 16. When the Church can not erre When the Churche can and doth erre The whole vniuersall Church doth neuer fall away from God. Markes of the true Church Why it is called the inuisible Church Iohn 10. â— Tim. 2. 2. Cor. 5. Ephe. 2. Ephâ— 5. August de fiâ—e ad PetruÌ„ cap. 43. Matth. 1â— We must not diuide our selues from the Church because the wicked are among vs The opinion of the Anabaptistes Cyprian de simplicitatâ— praelatoruÌ„ Matth. 3. 2. Tim. 2. Communion of saintes Iohn 15. The forgeuenes of sinnes Galat. 2. Esai 43. Rom. 3. Matth. 1. Actes 4. Barnarde supâ—â— canti Ser. 61. Whence this woord iustificare hath ben borowed and what it signifieth Rom. 4â— â–ª Psal. 32. Iames. 2. Obiection Aunswere Gen. 15. Rom. 4. Hebre. 11. Note this diligently August in lib. 83. questionuÌ„ questio 76. Thomas de Aquino in epist. Iacobi cap. 5. Rom. 4. Psal. 51 â–ª This worde iustificare is taken of S. Paul in one sence and of S. Iames in another Iames. 2. Actes 13. Rom. 3. Ephe. 2. Ephe. 2. Reuel 22. Ambro. de vocatio Gent. lib. 1. cap. 5. Iob. 9. Esai 64. Luk. 17. Origen in Matth. tract â— August in Psal. 94. August Epist. 52. ad Macedon Rom. 5. August in Psal. 137. Hieroni in Esai cap. 64. Origen ad Rom. lib. 4. cap. 4. Origen ad Rom. lib. 9. cap. 10. Barnard super cant Serm. 67. Walden cont Wiclesium Rom. 8. Rom. 10. Obiection Rom. 8. Papistes do call vs Solifidians Aunswere This worde gratis is of as great force as this word â—ola Rom. 3. 1. Peter 1. Rom. 3. Papistes like to Arian heretikes Titus 3. Ephe. 2. The purpose of god doth exclude all â—â—erites from the iustification of man. Rom. 8. Galaâ— 4. Ambro. in epist. ad Rom. cap. 4. Eodem loco In Epist. ad Rom. cap. 9. Theo. de curaÌ„dis graecoruÌ„ affectibus lib. 7. Basil de humilitate Nazianzenus Origen in Epi. ad Rom. cap. 3. lib. 3. Hesychi in Leuiti lib. 4. Chrisost. in Epist. ad Galat. cap. 3. Hieroni. in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 10. Hylari canonâ— nono in Maâ— Obiecttion â–ª Reuel 14. Matth. 10. 1. Cor. 15. Matth. 5. Hebre. 6. Aunswere Gregor Nazi de sancto baptismaâ—e Luk. 17. Hylar in psal â—18 Basil in psal 32. August confession 10. Good works of the papists Esai 1. Good works that god doth require of vs. 1. Peter 2. Matth. 5. Galat. 5. Matth. 25 â–ª Galat. 5. Ephe. 2. Why God doth crowne his giftes in vs August in Psal. 109. August in Psal. 32. â— Cor. 4. Rom. 11. August in quinquagintis Hom. Ho. 14. August in psal 98. psal 70. August in Psal. 107. Barnard super cant Serm. 61. 1. Tim. 6. Psal. 16. A similitude A rewarde neuer stirreth vp the godly to seeke for righteousnesse Gods promises very neâ—ssary to vs all What the nature of merite is Rom. 8. Rom. 3. Phil. 2. Ephe. 2. August in psal 32. The imperfection of our â—wâ— workes Esai 64. August lib. 9. confessione Barnard in Serm. omniuÌ„ sanctoruÌ„ 1. Esai 64. Psal. 14.3 A similitude Marke this well August â–ª in psal 31 â–ª Luk. 18. A sylogisme Iohn 15. Matth. 9. Iohn 7. August in tract 33. Iohn 1. Obiection Iohn 20. Aunswere Three maner of powers to forgiue sinne Esai 43. â—zech 18. Luk. 5. Hieroni. in Matth. cap. 16. Senten 4. distinct 18. nec ideo August in psal 101. Hieroni. in Matth. cap. 16. Actes 3. Beatus Reuanus in argum libelli Tertul. de poenitentia Distinct. 1. de poenitentia in Gloss. Petr. Sâ—ten 4. dist 17. quid ergo â–ª De poenit dist 1. quidam Chrisost. in psal 50. Hom. 2. Hom. de praenit confessione Matth. 6. Coloâ—s 3. Psal. 103. Obiection Phil. 3. Aunswere Certaintie of our saluation Rom. 8. Iob. 13. Iob. 19. Psal. 70. Tertul. cont Martio lib. 5. Cypr. de mortalit Sermo 4. Prosper de promiss praedictio dei par 1. cap. 16. August de verbis Dorm Serm. 28. August in Io. tract 22. Basil. de humilitate Ambro. de Iaco. vita beatâ— Barn. in canti cantico Ser. 61. Cypr. de simpli praelato Matth. 28. Iames. 1. Gen. â— Deut. 29. Eeze. 36. 11. Psal. 51. Iere. 32. Iere. 31. Iere. 10. Prou. 21. Psal. 119. Iohn 3. Iohn 6. Matth. 16. Iohn 6. 1. Cor. 2. 2. Cor. 3. Phil. 2. Rom. 9. 2. Cor. 3. Iohn 8. What we are as long as we are without the spirite of god 2. Cor. 3. The definition of free wyl after S. August 1. Cor. 15. Galat. 2. Obiection Eccle. 15. Gen. 1. Iere. 1. Aunswere What this worde Apocrypha is Canon is a Greke word and signifieth a rule to do any thing by or to trye any matter or proue the spirites by to leade our lyues by Iohn 3. August de canâ—ico none â–ª cap. 8. Cont. fortu disput 11. Lib. de perfect iusticiae In enâ—heridioÌ„ ad Laur. ca. 30 August de verbis apost Serm. 2. Loke for mo â–ª aucthorities in my booke called the poore mans Garden for this matter De eccl. dogm cap. 32. Enchirid. ad Lauren. ca. 30. The fathers speake of mans free-will before the fall whensoeuer they speake or write of freewyll in man. August ad Valen. Epi. 46. August lib. 2. cap. 18. de libero arbitrio in lib. 1. Retract Hieroni. in Iere. cap. 23. Obiection Aunswere Rom. 8. Two things to be learned in s. Pâ—ules sayinges A similitude Matth. 18. Deut. 6. Rom. 8. The lawe hath mo ends then one Galat. .3 Galat. 3. Rom. 10. Galat. 3. Epist. 200. aâ— AsellicuÌ„ August de correptione gratia cap. 3. Epist. 157. ad OptatuÌ„ August iâ— psal 11â— Commaundements and exhortations proue not the libertie of wyll Actes 15. Ephe. 6. Ephe. 4. 1. Thess. 1. 2. Cor. â— Actes 17. Matth. 9. August in solutionibus quest Hylaâ—iâ— quest 1. in Epist. 89. Libro 10. confeâ—sion ca.
39. August de spiritu litera ad Marcel cap. 19. August de verbis apost Serm. 10. Hieron super verba christ Quos dedisti◠mihi August in psal 98. In codem psal How this is to be vnderstanded that god saueth no man against his wyll Iohn 6. Phil. 2. August in enchir ad Lau. August de bono perseue cap. 13. In cap. 6. Grego in Ezec. Hom. 9. Barnard Parni Serm. 39. Fulgentius A caueat As concernyng earthy and corporall thinges man hath freewil Maxentius in 1. lib. de fide August in enchir cap. 30. Ad Bonit lib. 3. cap. 8. De verbis ap◠Serm. 11. The strength of men regenerate and after what sort they haue free wyll Rom. 8. Iere. 31. Ezech. 36. Iohn ◠Phil. 1. Phil. 2. Two things to be noted Galath 5. Rom. 7. Psal. 51. Why the faithfull are sayde to be free 1. Cor. 4. August in retract 19. Matth. 7. Iohn 15. August in Ioh. Hom. 49. August in Psal. 70. August lib. d◠praedest Sanctad Boni lib. 4◠August in psal 31. Psal. 14. In outward thinges all men haue free wyll Maxentius 1. lib. de fide 1. Cor. 4. Iames. 1. Num. 24. Luk. 1. The Manycheis heresie The Pelagians heresie Gen. 1. Eccle. 15.17 Iohn 8. Iohn 15. Psal. 5.13.52 Eccle. 17. Osec 13. Psal. 116. Rom. 3.5.7 Phil. 2. 1. Cor. 2. Iohn 8.15 Rom. 7. Galat. 5. Yet August had his darknesse August de natura gratia cap. 53. August de bona perseue cap. 6. 13. Sinodus Mileuent Esai 65. Rom. 10. Iohn 3. 1. Peter 1. Iohn 6. Iames. 1. 1. Iohn 1. Rom. 3. Matth. 5. Rom. 8. A good prayer The resurrection of the fleshe 1. Cor. 15. Phil. 3. 1. Cor. 15. Iohn 5. Iohn 11. Iob. 1◠Esai 66. Ezech. 37. Dan. 12. Iohn 5.11 Actes 23.24 2. Cor. 5. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thess. 4. Phil. 3. Iohn 5. Matth. 25. Reuel 21. Sapi. 5. Matth. 18. Matth. 8.13 Esai 66. Mark. 9. Reuel 21. 3. Reg 17. 4. Reg. 4.13 Matth. 9.27 Luk. 7. Iohn 11. Iohn 5.12 Actes 9.20 Iob. 19. Iohn 3. Rom. 8. Galat. 4. Ephe. 2. Rom. 4. Iohn 3.5.6.8 Reuel 21. 1. Cor. 15. 2. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 5. Matth. 25. 2. Tim. 4. Reuel 1. ¶ A breefe Index or Table of the principall matters conteined in this booke A A Cōfortable mistery 7. A place of Esai expounded fol. 10. side 2. A papisticall tricke fol. 13. An error of certain fooles fo 22 A merie storie of the Person of Trumpington fol. 22. Augustines modestie in writyng of matters of religion fol. 26.2 A Spirituall conception and birth fol. 32. A godly similitude fol. 37.2 A similitude of the eye fol. 38. A similitude of gods mercie seueritie ibid. A place of Zacharie expounded fol. 3. A shorte exhortation to magistrates fol. 58. Against their papistical reseruation fol. 52. Aunswere to the obiectiō that is made out of the .1 Corin. 11. fol. 59.2 A similitude of the Kynges broad seale fol. 60. A speciall caueat or warnyng fol. 104. Arguments of papistes wherby they go aboute to proue the Popes supremacie fol. 113 ▪ Antichriste fol. 107. Aucthoritie of the church consisteth in .iiij. thinges fol. 121.2 A note to be marked diligentlie fol. 124.2 A rewarde neuer stirreth vp the Godly to seeke for righteousnesse fol. 130.2 A caueat fol. 140. A greate absurditie graunted fol. 20.2 An other shift of the papistes fol. 65.2 A request of the author to the reader fol. 9.2 B By the Masse the wrath of God commeth fol. 4. By christes death gods wrath was pacified fol. 7. side 2. Bothe wicked and Godly had one feelyng of Christes death but to diuers endes fol. 8.2 By Baptisme the Children of the Christians are brought to Christe fol. 18.2 Bodie of Christ is a creature fol. 36.2 Blasphemie of the papistes by their owne doctrine fol. 47. Benefites of Christes death fol. 4. By the Masse the wrath of of God is kindeled ibid. C Christ cannot be offred except he bee slaine and put to death fol. 3.2 Christ is the true purgation of Christians fol. 13.2 Comfort that they had in the bosome of Abraham fol. 19.2 Christe speaketh of the water firste fol. 24.2 Christes bodye can bee but in one place at once fol. 37.2 Communiō ministred in both kindes in the primitiue church fol. 51. Counsell of Constaunce bolden Anno. 1414. fol. 51. Comfort that we haue by christes ascension fol. 79. Christ is not the Chiefest mediatour by the Papistes doctrine fol. 86.2 Couetousnes of priestes is the mother of all Idolatrie fol. 89. Churche is bounde to no seuerall place fol. 111.2 Churche doth allowe the scriptures as a subiect fol. 117.2 Church knowen by the word of God. fol. 119. Churche hath thrée offices as touchyng the worde of God. fol. 121. Certaintie of our saluation fol. 132.2 Christe a most wholsome medicine and salue to al poore sinners fol. 2. Christe as touchyng his manhoode is ignoraunt of the later daie fol. 107. D Distinctions that the olde Idolaters did make fol. 85. Definitiō of fréewill after S. Augustine 135. E Efficient cause of our saluation fol. 18. Errour of the Iewes fol. 79.2 Exclamation of the Papistes fol. 64.2 Enoch and Elias are come alreadie fol. 106. Eutiches heresie fol. 43.2 F Formall cause of our saluatiō fol. 18. Finall cause of our saluation ibidem Faith receiueth or eateth fol. 54.2 False Christes fol. 107. False Prophetes ibidem Frée will. fol. 134. Fyre and sworde are the best argumentes that papistes vse fol. 45.2 G God doeth gouerne rule and preserue al his creatures fo 1. Good workes of the Papistes fol. 128.2 Good woorkes that God doth require of vs. fol. 129. Gods promises very necessarie to vs all fol. 130.2 H How many waies this worde hell is taken in the scrip fol. 6. How christ went into the hell of the damned fol. 6. How we are already in possession of Gods kingdome fol. 12. Howe long we muste suffer in purgatory for euery sin f. 12.2 Howe it is to be vnderstanded that the faithful shal not come into iudgement ibidem Howe we are passed frō death to life fol 13. Holy ghost for many causes is called by sundry names in the scripture fol. 24.2 Howe they that vnderstoode not the fathers did make plaine Idols of the sacraments fo 29. Howe S. August and others expounde the place of the .8 of the Actes fol. 30.2 How christ is the first fruictes of them that sléepe fol. 32. How we ought to practise the whole life of Christ in our selues fol. 32. Heresie of Eutiches is nowe renewed by the papists f. 36.2 How the poore ignoraunt people are abused fol. 56. How Christe féedeth vs with his body and blood fo 46. Howe the misticall bread is abused in the sacrament fo 55.2 How the place of saint Paule muste be vnderstanded Heb. 1. fol. 73. Hipostases fol. 73.2 Hope possesseth fol. 79. Howe the saiyng of S. Paule ought to be vnderstanded f. 73. How the