God the enemie of God Answer IN this fourth article the Sylogisme promised is not performed but in steed thereof here is an accusation that we know not what we beleeeue nor why we beleeue Your proofe before I haue examined and what we beleeue I haue declared whereof the rule is not our owne fancie as you say shew not as the rule of your faith and life is the Popes folly as hath been in part shewed You say we haue no rule whereby to know what is the matter of faith We haue the word of God contained in the canonicall Scriptures of the old and new Testament and is that no rule I pray you what doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie but a rule and why be Thom. Aquinas in 1. Tim. 6. the scriptures called canonical but because they be the rule of our faith life Thomas Aquinas saith Doctrina enâ—m Apostolorum Prophetarum dicitur canonica quia est regula intellectus nostri The Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called canonicall because they be the rule of our vnderstanding Dauid when he said thy word is a light Psal 119 105. vnto my feete and a lanterne vnto my pathes what did hee but make that same the rule direction and guide of his faith and life when Moses said Now therefore hearken O Israell vnto the ordinances and to the lawes which I teach you Deut. 4. 1. to do that yea may liue go in and possesse the land which the Lord God of your Fathers giueth you ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you neither shall take ought therefrom that ye may keepe the commaundements of the Lord your God which I commaund you what did he but make Gods word declared to him and written by him the rule of Iosâ— 1. â— their faith and life When God said to Iosua Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therin for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe What did he but make his written word the rule of his faith and whole life When Abraham said to the rich man condemned in Hell They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them what Luk. 16. 29. did he but shew that the writings of Moyses the Prophets were the only rule which his brethren should follow to auoyd damnation and consequently to ataine eternall saluation Chrisostom saith Ne igitur multorum opiniones habeamus Chrisost in 2. Col. hom 13. sed res ipsas inquiramus Quomodo autem non asurdum propter pecunias alijs non credere sed ipsas numerare supputare pro rebus autem amplioribus aliorum sententiam sequi simpliciter praesertim cùm habeamus omnium exactissimaÌ„ trutinam gnomonem ac regulam diuinaruÌ„ inquam legum assertionem Ideo obsecro oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quidnam huic vel illi videatur deque hijs à scripturis haec omnia inquirite c. i. Let vs not seeke the opinions of many men but let vs search the things themselues for how is it not absurd not to beleeue men concerning mony but that we wil count it for matters of greater waight to follow simply the minde and opinion of others especially seeing we haue the most exact ballance square rule the doctrine of Gods lawes Therefore I request and beseech you all to leaue and forsake what seemeth good to this or that man of these matters Idem in Genes homil 58. Jdem hom de Adam Heâ—a search ye al these things by the Scriptures The same Chrisostom hath these words Vides in quantan absurditateÌ„ incidunt qui diuinae scripturae canonem sequi nolunt sed suis cogitationibus permittunt omnia i. Thou seest into how great absurdity they doe fall which follow not the rule of the diuine Scriptures but permit all things to their owne fancies and deuises And againe Satis sufficere credimus quicquid secundum preâ—ictas regulas Apostolica scripta nos docuerunt vt prorsus non opinemur catholicum quod apparuerit praefixis Then is not the doctrine of the Church of Rome Catholike sententiis contrarium we beleeue that that is sufficient enough whatsoeuer according to the foresaid rules the writings of the Apostles haue taught vs so that wee doe not at all iudge that to bee Catholike which shall appeare to bee contrary to the foresaid rules Theodoret saith Thedor dialog 3. pag. 268. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. We haue learned from the holy Scripture the rule of doctrines Saint Augustine saith Sancta Scriptura nostrae doctrinae regulam August de bono viduitatis cap. 1. figit â—ne audiamus sapere plusque oportet The holy Scripture doth set a rule to our doctrine that we may not presume to bee wise abue that we ought to be Beda hath anexcelent saying hereof which is recorded in Gratians decrees Beda 8. quest 1. Neâ— sufficere Nobis sacris literis vnica est credendâ— pariter viuendi regula praescripta The onely rule both of faith and also of life is prescribed vnto vs in the holy Scriptures This rule wee haue and will you say this is no rule If you haue a better rule let vs knowe it Whereas in your second cogitations vpon these your forcible reasons you affirme that some say the sphere of their faith is extended soly and wholy to the word of God set downe in holy writ and how-so-euer you pitty our poore ignorance and say that herein wee do no more then all heritiks doe yet wee bee not abashed to professe our selues to bee of this number and desire to haue our faith ranged and restrained within the circumference of this Sphere of the holy Scriptures and herein if our poore ignorance do not deceaue vs wee thinke that we ioyne with S. Paule who being by Tertullus falsely charged with heresie as wee now are answeared in these words But this I confesse vnto thee that after the way which they call herisie so worshippe I the God of my fathers beleeuing Act. 24. 14 all things which are written in the law and Prophets In which words Saint Paule expelleth that acusation of herisie with this argument He that beleeueth all things that are written in the law the Prophets is not to be accompted for an heritike but I beleeue all this written in the law and in the prophets Therefore I am not to bee accounted for an heretike But in the profound knowledge of this writer this was but poore ignorance and a sillie reason For what Heretike saith he beleeueth not so much And so Saint Pauls reason by this mans deepe diuinitie is not worth a rush For Tertullus might haue replied and sayd that notwithstanding his beleeuing all that is written in the Law and Prophetes hee was
vs O Lord that which thou commaundest vs and then commaund vs what thou wilt And therefore they reason like doltish Asses which inferre vpon the exhortations to grace and godlines which be in the Scriptures that there is a power and ability in vs to performe those things whereunto God in his word exhorteth vs. Exhortations bee Gods instruments and meanes which he vseth to worke his heauenly graces in vs and they teach vs not what we can doe but what we should doe I would here end this matter but yâ— I must tell you that you write improperly and falsely in charging vs that we say al goodnes proceedeth so far from grace that it lieth not in mans power neither to haue it nor to refuse it but of necessity in must haue effect Improperly you write in putting hauing Gods grace in steed of obtayning getting it we say it is in man to haue it wheÌ„ God doth giue it without which gift it is not in mans power to get it But it is in man to resist it For the grace of God offereth saluatioÌ„ to al but it is resisted Tit. 2 11. reiected of maâ—y in that their hard and stony hearts wil not admit it The grace of God is offered to men when his word is preached and they be called to repentance but it is with many and namely you as Zacharie saith They refused Zachar. 7. 11 As the Papists doe now to hearken pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare Yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the Law and words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by the ministery of the former Prophets I know no man that denieth but such men doe resist the grace of God which yet is receiued of them that are written in the booke of life whose wils it reformeth and of euill wils maketh good wils willing and coueting those things which be acceptable in Gods sight Finally I thought good for the better satisfying of the reader in this matter to let him vnderstand that whereas Erasmus a man as all men must needs confesse of great learning was had in iealousie of the Papists as too much leaning to Luther and his doctrine hee was at the last prouoked and set on by them to write against him who chusing this matter of free will and writing in defence thereof yet afterward he retracted and reuoked his former opinion and writing and was not abashed to confesse the truth as appeareth by these his words Verum vt ingenuè â—rasm lib. 19. â—pist ad Ludoâ—â—cum Viâ—em dicam perdidimus liberum arbitrium illic mihi aliud dictabat animus aliud scribebat calamus But simply to speake my minde We haue lost our free will in that matter my minde did indite to me one thing and my hand did write another I come now to the second doctrine of ours which you vntruely charge and falsely slander to tend to loosenesse of life and carnall liberty that men bee iustified by faith alone which you scornefully call a solifidian portion and falsely say but doe not proue that it flatly ouerthroweth true repentance sorrow for sinnes mortification of passions and all other vertues which tend to that perfect reconciliation of the soule with God c. Where first I would exhort you if the same might any thing preuaile with you to take heed that by scorning in this manner at Gods Psalm 1. 1 Prou. 19. 29 truth you shew not your selfe to be one of them that sit in the seate of the scornefull Salomon saith that iudgements are prepared for the scornâ—rs stripes for the backe of fooles Secondly as this doctrine which you deride is true Godly and comfortable confirmed by the word of God ancient Fathers so doth it not exclude much lesse ouerthrow repentance or any other good worke but sheweth the true and right vse of them Saint Paul saith Wee conclude Rom. 5 28 that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law And in the fourth chapter hee reasoneth thus from Abraham the father of the faithfull If Abraham were iustified Rom. 4 2 by workes he hath wherin to reioyce or glory But Abraham hath not wherein to reioyce or glorie before God Ergo AbrahaÌ„ was not iustified by works And after saith To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth Galat. 2 16 the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Wee know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen wee haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that wee might bee iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the lawe because that by the workes of the lawe no flesh shall bee iustified This doctrine was neither scorned nor denied by the auncient Godly Fathers of some of whome I will set downe a few sayings Origene speaking of the theefe that was hanged with Origen in 3. ad Rom. Christ saith Pro hac sola fide ait ei Iesus Amen dico tibi Hodie mecum eris in paradiso For this his onely faith Iesus said vnto him Verely I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in paradise And of the woman that had the issue of bloud Ex nullo legis opere sed pro sola fide â—â— Ibidem ad eam Remittuntur tibi pecâ—ata For no worke of the law but for faith onely he said vnto her Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Hâ—larie saith Solafides iustificat Onely faith Hilar. in Math. Caâ— 8. Can 21. Ambrosâ—n Rom. 3. doth iustifie Ambrose saith iustificati sunt gratis quia nihil operantes neque vicem reddentes sola fide iustificati sunt donâ— Dei They are iustified freely because working nothing nor rendring any recompence they are iustified by faith onely through the gift of â—od The like he writeth in Rom. 4. and 10. and vpon the 1. Cor. 1. Praefat. ad Galat. and vpon chap. 3. Saint Hierome saith Conuerteâ—tem Hier. in Rom. cap. 4. impium per solum fidem iustificat Deus non opera bona quae non habuit God doth by faith only iustifie the wicked man conuerting not by good workes which hee had not Many such other sayings I might alleage out of Hierome Augustinus in Psal 67. but I leaue them Saint Augustine saith Sine bonorum operum meritis per fidem iustificatur impius The wicked man is iustified by faith without the merites of good workes In Psal 88. Againe Quia sola fides in Christum mundat c. Because onely faith in Christe doth make cleane they that doe not beleeue in Christ bee voyd of cleanesse He hath also Eâ—chir ad Laurent cap. 117. often this fine saying Fides impetrat quod lex imperat Faith obtaineth that which the law commaundeth that is to say the law commandeth a righteousnesse of workes faith obtaineth
AN APOLOGIE FOR THE RELIGION established in the Church of England BEING AN ANSWER TO T. W. HIS 12. Articles of the last edition In this impres sion recognized and much inlarged Also Answers to three other writings of three seuerall Papists By ED BVLKLEY Doctor of Diuinitie Prouerb 14. 15. The foolish will beleeue euery thing but the prudent will consider his wayes Lamenta 3. 40 Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. Chrysost in Genes 〈◊〉 â— Quocirca diuinae Scripturae vestigia sequamur neque â—â—ramus eos qui temerâ— quiduis blaterant i. Let vs follow the steps of the holy Scripture and not endure or abide them that rashly babble euery-thing AT LONDON Printed by George Eld for Arthur Iohnson and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the white Horse ouer-against the great North doore of S. Paules Church 1608. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON KNIGHT LORD Keeper of the great Seale of England Chamberlaine of the Countie Palatine of Chester and one of his Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell grace and peace be multiplied WHen I consider right Honourable the estate of England in these our dayes I cannot better compare it then with the estate of the kingdome of Iudah vnder K. Iosias expressed shortly yet effectually by Sophonie the Prophet who liued preached in that time For as then God gaue to that people that worthy godly King who zealously 2. King 25. rooted out Idolatrie and planted Gods true worship agreeable to his law so God in great mercy hath giuen vs our most gratious Queene Elizabeth by whose godly meanes Idolatrie hath beene abolished Gods true religion and seruice restored his holy word truly and sincerely preached and peace and tranquilitie among vs long maintained And as in those daies vnder King Iosias notwithstanding that godly and zealous reformation there was great wickednes among the people as the said Sophonias sheweth For there were then which worshipped Sopho. 1. 5. vpon the rouffes of their houses the host of heauen and which worshipped and sware by the true and onely God Iehoua and by Malchaâ— their Idoll and 6. such as were turned backe from after the true God and sought him not nor inquired after him and 8. that did weare strange apparell and others that filled their maisters houses with robbery and deceit 9. and such as were frozen in their dregges and said in 12. their hearts the Lord will neither doe good nor euill And Ierusalem was then a filthie and spoyling Chap. 3. 1. 2. citie which heard not Gods voyce receiued not instruction trusted not in the Lord and drew not neere vnto her God c. Euen so how these sinnes abound at this time in this land I thinke there are but few but doe see and none that truely feareth God but doth lament To omit other sinnes here mentioned as then there were which worshipped Iehoua the onely true God and Malcham their Idoll euen so there be now not a few which to please the Prince and State pretend outwardly to like of religion established and yet inwardly in their hearts fauour Idolatrie and wicked worshippings repugnant to the same And as then many were turned backe from after God and sought him not nor inquired after him euen so now there are many which be reuolted from Gods holy worship agreeable to his word and vtterly forsake the holy assemblies where Gods word is truly preached the Sacraments are according to Christs institution rightly ministred and Gods holy name faithfully called vpon These with Lots wife looke backe vnto Genes 19. Numb 14. Sodome and are with the Israelites in heart turned back into Egypt desiring rather to eate onions and garlike there then to feed vpon the heauenly Manna of Gods blessed word Of these thus turned backe from seeking after God they be most dangerous which being deceiued themselues endeuour by all meanes both by speaking and writing to seduce and deceiue others Such be the Seminarie Priests and Iesuites who although they be at this present time at leastwise in outward apparance at deadly fewd among themselues writing most bittely one against another yet they all agree in resisting Gods truth seducing the simple and in labouring most earnestly to set vp againe their Dagon of the Masse fallen downe before the Arke of Christs Gospell To this end they write lewd lying and slanderous Pamphlets wherein they traduce the truth and faithfull fauourers thereof deceiue the ignorant and confirme in error their ouer affectioned fauorers who without triall or examination ouer rashly receiue and ouer lightly beleeue whatsoeuer is broached by them Of these lying Libels there came one to my hands a yeere past and more pretended to be printed at Antwerpe 1600. wherein is boldly affirmed but faintly proued that we haue no faith nor religion that of vs both the learned and ignorant of the Greeke and Latine tongues be Infidels that wee know not what wee beleeue that we are bound in conscience both neuer to aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes and also to auoide all good workes that we make God the author of sinne and worse then the diuell These and such other shameles assertions and false slanders when I read it came into my heart that Master Thomas Wright with whose spirit I had beene acquainted was the venter of this ware In which opinion I was afterward confirmed for that both some of his fauourers could not denie it and in a written copie therof taken in a search in Shropshire and sent vnto me these two letters T. W. were set in the end of it This lewd Libell although in respect of the matter voide both of truth and learning deserued rather to be despised then earnestly answered yet because the author of it thinketh so highly of himself and so basely and contemptuously of vs giuing out in certaine written conferences which he hath dispersed abroad in this land and some faithfull men haue seene that wee be vnlearned and so giuen to wordly affaires that we bestow no time or but little in studie I although the meanest and vnmeetest of many was moued to wtite this answere thereby to confute these calumnies to cleere the truth to confirme the faithfull and if by Gods gracious blessing it might be to reclaime and reforme the ignorant and seduced Whereof I haue the lesse hope for that as they imitate those wicked Israelits which refused to hearkeÌ„ turned away their shoulder stopped their Zach. 7. 11. eares that they might not heare made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the law the words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by his Prophets So they doe fully follow the peruerse Pagans which most obstinately refused to read godly bookes written by Christians as that ancient eloquent Christian Lactantius in these eloquent words declareth Non est apud me dubium Constantine Imperator Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 1.
discerne the absurdities of an vntrue religion Vertuous and well inclined affections which are the base of quiet secure and religious consciences abhor and detest such principles as either dishonor God abase mans nature occasion sinne fauor iniquity or any sort diminish deuotion or piety And therefore all the insequent articles shall stand vpon these two foundations to wit that the Protestants religion debarreth the wit from right vnderstanding the true faith and the will from following of any vertue or godlinesse Answere YOu wonder that any man in England endued with a good iudgement conioyned with a religious conscience can either accept or affect the Protestants new coyned gospell But why doe you not shew what is the new coyned gospell which the Protestants preach and professe The Gospell is the good and ioyfull message of our saluation through Gods mercies purchased vnto vs by Iesus Christ This Gospell God preached to Adam that Iesus Christ the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents Genes 3. 16. head This he renued to Abraham saying In thy seed shall all the nations of the world bee blessed This Gospell was Genes 22. 18. preached by all the Prophets who beare witnesse vnto Christ that through his name all that beleeue in him shall Act. 10. 43. reciue forgiuenesse of sinnes Now if you can prooue that wee preach or maintaine any other gospell then this then you may well call it a new coyned gospell if otherwise take heed you doe not belch out blasphemie in calling this old and true gospell of Iesus Christ a new coyned gospell And let the Christian reader which tendereth his owne saluation well consider who they be that coine a new false and counterfeit gospell Doe not they which teach vs to ascend into heauen by the bloud of Thomas Becket coyne a In the Popish Primer printed 1557. new and false gospell Tu per Thomae sanguinem c. which they Englished in Queene Maries dayes thus By the bloud of Thomas which hee for thee did spend make vs Christ to come whither Thomas did ascend Againe Iesu bone per Thomae merita nostra nobis dimitte debita O good Iesus for the merits of Thomas Becket forgiue vs our sinnes Doe not they which teach vs to seeke to bee deliuered from the fire of hell by the merits and prayers of Saint Nicholas maintaine a new coyned gospell Thus they prayed Quesimus vt eius meritis precibus à gehennae incendiis In the same Primer liberemur Grant wee beseech thee that by his merites and prayers wee may bee deliuered from the fire of hell Do not they which say and beleeue of an Agnus dei that is to say a peece of waxe and balme consecrated by the Pope Tollit omne malignum peccatum frangit vt Lib. 1. Caeremo titul 7. pag 91. Christi sanguis angit It taketh away all euill it breaketh and strangleth sinne as doth the bloud of Christ doe not they I say coine a new false and blasphemous Gospell Yes surely for to attribute remission of sinnes or any part of saluation to the merits of any other but onely of Iesus Christ crucified is to coine a new and false gospell for it is not that gospell of God which hee promised afore by his Rom. 1. 2. Prophets in the holy scriptures which is concerning his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord c. To conclude this point I say woe woe vnto them that accept or affect any new coined gospell Script Brita Centur. 4. p. 308. How your Friers went about aboue 300. yeares past to bring in a new coyned gospell which they called the euerlasting gospell and said that it excelled as much the Gospel of Christ as the Sunne in brightnesse excelleth the Moone and the kirnell the shell Maister Bale out of the Bookes of that execellent man William de Sancto amore who in those dayes did withstand their diuelish deuises did largely declare And whereas you wonder that men indued with iudgment and a religious conscience could affect or accept the gospel that we preach which you falsely call a new coined gospell we may well wonder that any man that hath any sparke of knowledge or conscience should beleeue these foresaid false gospels Wee may also wonder that men indued with reasonable soules and senses being the handy worke of God should bow downe and worship a stone and stock which hath neither soule nor life hath eyes and seeth not eares and heareth not c. and is the workemanship of mans Psal 115. 135. hands especially being so plainely and expresly forbidden in Gods commandements infinit places of the scriptures We may wonder that any man should be so mad as to worship and thinke that which he doth eate to be his God and maker which is so absurd that euen Tully not without Cicero de Natura dâ—orum lib. 2. reason could say sed ecquem tam amentem esse put as qui illud quo vescitur deum credat esse Doest thou thinke any man so mad as to beleeue that to be his God which he doth eate yet into this madnesse by a spirituall phrensie be these men fallen Wee also may wonder that they should beleeue such false fables and lying miracles as abound in poperie as for example to cast the dung of their abhominations vpon their faces That Images did speake did sweate did roll their eyes did bleed that the head of a dog being cut off from the body by theeues which vpon Saint Katherines day came to rob a Priest who was a deuoute Inter sermones discipuli Serm. de S. Katherin worshipper of her did still barke That the Virgin Mary did for many yeares in a Nunnery keepe the keyes and supply the place of one Beatrix whilest shee went away and played the whore These and many such absurd fables were preached published printed and beleeued as may appeare by Sermones discipuli Antoninus the Archbishop of In promptu discipuli Florence stories Mariale Summa praedicantia the festiuall Vitas patrum and that monstrous booke the Legend written by Iacobus de Voragine Archbishop of Genua Which Supplementum Chronicorum Bergomens li. 13. fol. 205. yet was in so great reputation with them that it was published in print in the English tongue when the holy Bible was suppressed and had this title set before it The golden Legend for as gold excelleth all other mettals so this booke excelleth all other bookes to the which title that worthy and right worshipfull Knight Sir Andrew Corbet of blessed memory did adde these words In lying and so of a false blasphemous title made it a most true title Yea I haue a booke in English in Folio translated out of French and printed in London in King Henry the eights daies Anno 1521. intituled The flower of the Commandements fully fraighted with such sottish and worse then old wiues fables which yet in those daies were preached
an Heretike for all Heretikes doe as much But Maister T. W. for I will not misname you by H. T. dic sodes tell vs in sooth and sadnesse Do Heretikes beleeue the scriptures I in my poore ignorance haue heretofore thought that Heretikes beleeued erronious and false doctrines repugnant and contrary to the scriptures and that therevpon this argument would haue holden water viz. that they which beleeue false doctrines doe not beleeue the holie Scriptures which containe nothing but new doctrine but Heretikes beleeue false doctrines ergo they beleeue not the holie Scriptures Tell vs also will Heretikes haue the sphere of their faith extended solie and wholie to the worde of GOD set downe in holy writ Then this saying of Tertullian which in my poore ignorance I haue thought that neuer any misliked vnlesse hee were an Heretike will not goe for currant Aufer deniquae haereticis c. Take away from Heretikes Tertul. deresurrect carnis whatsoeuer the Ethnikes haue thought and taught that they may trie their questions Onelie by the Scriptures and they cannot stand For how can this bee that they which beleeue the Scriptures cannot stand if their doctrines bee tried onely by the scriptures But you will say that Heretikes professe that they beleeue the scriptures But is this all one with you for Heretikes to profeâ—â—e the beleefe of the scriptures and in Tiâ— 1. 16. deede to beleeue them Saint Paul saith that some professe to know GOD and by workes do denie him Some also professed themselues to bee Iewes that is to say worshippers Apoca. 2. 9. of GOD as you doe now professe yourselues to bee Catholikes and some to bee of the societie of Iesus when both they were and you are the synagogue and of the societie of sathan Some professed themselues to bee Iohn 8. 39. 40. the Children of Abraham which did not the workes of Abraham but their faither was the diuell as our Sauiour Christ told them Euen so Heritikes may professe Psal 44. that they beleeue the Scriptures when indeede they beleeue them not but reiect the truth of them and beleeue false and damnable doctrines repugnant vnto them Heretikes bee theeues which endeuor to steale away the truth from the people of whom Saint Chrysostome saith Qâ—i sacra non vtitur scriptura sed ascendit aliunde Chrysost in Iorm hom 58. idest non concessa via fur est Hee is a theefe that vseth not the scripture hee saith not that beleeueth the scripture but clymeth into the sheepefold by an other way which is not allowed Of the true sense and exposition of the Scripture I haue intreated at large before Onely now I will ioyne this issue with you vpon these words of Saint Hierome recorded 24. Quaest 3. Haeâ—sis by Gratian in the decrees Quicunque aliter scripturam intelligit c. Whosoeuer expoundeth the scripture otherwaies then the sense of the Holie Ghost by whome it was written doth require although hee haue not departed from the Church yet hee may bee called an Heretike Let them with good will of vs and you that shall soundlie bee prooued to expound the Scriptures other-waies then the sense of the Holie Ghost requireth bee called accounted condemned and punnished Heritikes yea your Expositions bee so false and for ours true that some Papists and euen some of your sweete bretheren the Iesuites are forced by the euidence of Apa Cathel part 2 lib. 5. cap. 17. 18. 19. c. truth to forsake yours and to approoue ours as M. D. Morton hath learnedly and largely declared What you or any other Heretikes say of our Religion beleefe and expositions wee little regard as long as you cannot prooue them to bee hereticall and wee are by the worde of GOD well assured that they bee orthodoxall As touching the book of the Canticles of Sollomon we by the Scriptures doe beleeue that it is the worde of God Saint Paule speaking of the Scripture contained in the canonicall bookes of the old Testament and receiued by the Church of Israell saith that the whole Scripture is inspired of God But this booke of the Canticles was with the other books both of Sollomâ—n and of the rest of the old Testament receiued by the Church of Israell therefore by Saint Paules 2 Tim. 3. 16. iudgement it was inspired of God and so consequently the worde of God as well as others But if we did ioyne herein either with some wicked Anabaptistes now or with some old Hertikes heretofore who haue denied this book to be of the Canon of the Scripture as Phylastrius writeth some did whose opinion we abhorre yet from this particular Jn Catall cap. 133. you could not inferre the proofe of your article being generall that the Protestants know not what they beleeue But herein you do as soundly and substantially reason as Bellarmine and others of you do that because the Enuch did not vnderstand that obscure propheticall speech of Isaias which hee was reading when Philip came to him therefore hee vnderstood nothing in the Prophet Isaias Yea and that all the Scripture is so hard and obscure that it is not expedient for the lay people to read it Concerning the alteration of the Sabbath wee gather by the Scriptures and thereby do beleeue that it was made by the Apostles 1. Cor. 16. 2. Apoca. 1. 10. As your owne fellowes of Rhemes in their annotations vpon these places do confesse And therefore the Sabbath we now obserue is warranted by the Scriptures As for that idle speech of yours of generall and perticuler beleeuing thinges in the Scripture little pertinent to the proofe of your article I answer briefly that although neither all Protestants nor Papistes haue perfect and distinct knowldge of all the Scripture Yet God hath so manifestly expressed therein all thinges needfull to our saluation that it is a most perfect rule of faith and life as is before out of Beda alledged although some men blinded by sinne and mallice do not see them no more then men blinde in body see the cleare light of the Sunne nor doe rightly vse this right rule giuen of God vnto them Chrisostome saith Quaecunquâ— necessâ—ria sunt manifesta sunt Whatsoeuer In 2 Thess Hom. 3. thinges are necessary are manifest Againe Scripturae et seruâ— c. The Scriptures are easie to bee vnderstood both of seruants and misticall people of widdowes In Math. Hom. 1. and boyes and to him that is very Ignorant And whereas you would haue the Councels Doctors and Church the rule of our faith and life bring such like plaine places out of the Scriptures and Doctors for the proofe of it then we wil yeeld vnto you As touching the Apostles creed we acknowledge it to be a briefe abridgement of the especiall and principal points of Christian faith doctrine yet there bee some truthes which are not particularly expressed in the same But whereas you say or rather falsely slaunder that the
the one saying and some the other so weake that some alledge the one and some the other and I haue not read any one that doth vse them both T W. in a discourse of this matter alledged the former words of the Angell and Ecchius the latter To the which I will briefly answer By the Angel is ment Iesus Christ the Angell of the couenant as Malachie calleth him and the Angell of the great councell of God So doth Aloisius Lipomanus that great Catholike Bishop of Verona both out of Cyrillus and of him-selfe expound it in these Cyrillus Alois Lipoma catena in Genes 48. words Cyrillus Iacob pueris benedicens deum paâ—rem nutrientem se Angelum liberantem nominat illum nempe Angelum qui Angelus magni consilij ab Esaia dicitur quia omnis benedictio omnis gratia non aliter quà m à deo per Iesum Christum in homines descendit ConsideraÌ„dum quòd dictio hagoel vel redimens vel qui redimit propriè reddi potest quo loquendi modo clarissimè filius dei mundi generalis redemptor denotatur Et si diâ—igenter aduerseris tacitè propheta domini sanctissimam inuocat trinitatem patrem scilicet spiritum S. sub nomine dei bis repititi vnigenitum verò dei filiuÌ„ sub nomine Angeli Angelum verò intelligit redemptorem verbum diuinum saluatorem nostrum vel auxilij aispensationis diuinae ministrum ipse inquam ille benedicat pueris istis That is Cyrill Iacob blessing thy children doth name God both the father which did nourish him and the Angell which did deliuer him to wit that Angell whom Esay calleth the Angell of great counsell because all blessing and all grace descendeth no other wayes from God vpon men but by Iesus Christ Wee must consider that the word Hagoel may bee translated either redeeming or he that redeemeth by which phrase of speech the sonn of God the generall redeemer of the worlde is most manifestly signified and if thou dilligently marke thou maist perceiue that the prophet in secret sort calleth vpon the most holy Trinitie to wit the father and the holy Ghost vnder the name of God twise repeated and the onely begotten sonne of GOD vnder the name of the Angell For by the Angell he vnderstandeth the redeemer the word of GOD our Sauiour or the minister of GODS helpe and dispensation euen he I say blesse these children Hitherto Lipomanus who with that ancient Father Cyrill truely vnderstand by this angell Iesus Christ and not any other ministring spirit or created Angell And therefore this place proueth the inuocation of Christ but not of other Angels By the other words Let my name be called vpon them c. Iacob meant nothing else but that Manasses and Ephraim Iosephs sonnes should bee counted amongst his sonnes to make vp the twelue tribes of Israel And euen so Frier Lyra doth Lyra in 48. cap Genes truely expound it in these words Inuocetur super eos nomen meum quia vocati sunt filij adoptiue Iacob facti sunt capita duarum tribuum sicut alij filij Iacob that is Let my name be called vpon them because they were called the adopt sonnes of Iacob and were made the heads of two tribes as were his other sonnes This phrase of speech is so vsed in other places of Scripture as Isa 41. In that day seuen women shall lay hold of one man saying we will eate our owe bread and we will weare our owne garments onely let thy name be called vpon vs and take away our reproch Whereby is meant that hee should bee their husband and they counted and called his wiues The like phrase is 2. Sam. 12. 28. Hierem. 7. 10. c. And therefore that this exposition of this place whereby they go about to proue inuocation of Saints is a priuat and false exposition any man may easily perceiue And this is the more euident for that some great Papists are forced to confesse that inuocation of Saints is not commended nor commaunded in all the Scriptures There is one Francis Hamilton a Scot a Papist and fugitiue prior of S. Iames at Herbipolis in Gemany who in a discourse concerning inuocation of Saints writeth thus Porro libenter hîc concedimus disertis scripturarum verbis ipsam inuocationem sanctorum non commendari Quibus enim cuius authoris cuius libri cuius instrumenti Noui an veteris commendantur Sancti commendatur oratio quam pro nobis ad deuÌ„ faciunt vt ipsos inuocemus atque vt pro nobis orent rogemus Francist Hamiltonius de Iunocat Sanct. demonstrat priore in appendice pag. 3â— 81. nullo loco commendatur Vbi consulatur locus demonstrari non potest Sed neque couâ—eniebat vt aut commendaretur aut consuleretur nascentis maxime ecclesiae exordiis ne plures sibi deos more gentium fingere aut constituere existimarentur christiani quando etiam in suspitionem Idolatriae venerunt duÌ„ sub specie panis vini verum deum colerent 83. praecepta ne est Non est praecepta c. that is Moreouer we doe heere willingly graunt that inuocation of Saints is not commended to vs by expresse words of the Scriptures For by what words of what authors of what booke of which testament the new or the old Saints are commended prayer which they make to God for vs is commended but that wee should call vpon them and that wee should intreate them to pray for vs is in no place commended No place caÌ„ be shewed where it is counselled Neither was it couenient that it should be either commended or counselled especially in the beginning of the Church arising lest christians should be thought to make vnto themselues after the maner of the gentiles moe Gods seeing they were suspected of Idolatry for worshipping the true GOD vnder the forme of bread and wine 83. Is it commaunded It is not commaunded Hitherto the words of this Papist Hamilton by which it appeareth that inuocation of Saints is not commaunded nor councelled in the Scriptures and therefore they doe wrest them and bring a priuate and faulse exposition to them which seeke to proue it by them You quoate also in the margent Apoc. 1. 4. whereat a man might well wonder that you would quote a place so impertinent for this purpose but that it is euer vsuall amongst you and your fellowes in such sort to abuse the word of God The words of Saint Iohn be these Iohn to the seuen Churches which are in Asia Grace be with you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seuen spirits which are before his throne and from Iesus Christ c. What meaneth this man to alledge this for inuocation of Saints will he by these seauen spirits vnderstand the Saints either he knoweth little or he cannot be ignorant that this is expounded of the holy Ghost who although he be in person one
you prooue little The GOD of patience and consolation giue vnto Rom. 15 5. vs and you that wee may bee like minded one towards an other according to Christ Iesus that we may all with one minde and one mouth praise God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Whereas you say that we haue no argument to prooue that we haue the true Church true religion and true faith but such as al heretikes haue euer vsed I answere that wee haue that argument and proofe for these things which although Heretikes haue falsely pretended as popish heretikes now do yet the Godly learned Fathers haue sincerely vsed And that is the holy word of God the only touchstone of truth and piller of the Church for as the Church 1. Tim. 3. 15 in one respect is the piller of truth as Saint Paul saith so in another the truth is the piller and prop of the Church as Chrysost in illum locum ho mil. 11. Math. 4. 4 7 10. Math. 19. 4. ibid. 22 29. Luk. 24. 27. 32 44 46 Rom. 1 2. 3 21. 4 3. Chrysostom saith For by what meanes els haue the Godly and learned Fathers in all ages confuted heresies and proued the Church but by the scriptures by them our Sauiour Christ foyled the diuell and put him to flight By them he answered the Pharisies By them he confuted the Sadduces By them he proued himselfe to be the promised Messias and Sauiour of the world By them Saint Paul confirmed the Gospel which he preached By them hee perswaded the Iewes those things which concerned Christ Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Act. 21. 23. ibid. 18 2 8 Prophets By them Apollos confuted the Iewes with great vehemencie shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ By them the Godly and learned Fathers confuted and confounded the Arians and other Heretikes whom you here name as by their bookes and particular sayings it euidently appeareth Athanasius speaking of the Godly Athanas de de cretis Nicen. Synod pag. 528 decrees of the councell of Nice against the Arians writeth thus Atque harum rerum non aliunde nos quà m ex scripturis persuasionem habemus that is We be perswaded of these things by no other meanes but by the Scriptures Epiphanius saith In Scripturis sanctis Trinttas nobit Epipâ— contra pâ—â—umaiomachos haeres 7â— annuÌ„tiatur ac creditur citra curiositatem c. The Trinity is in the holy Scriptures preached vnto vs without curiositie beleued And that by theÌ„ al doctrines are to be confirmed al errors and heresies to be confuted they plainely and plentifully shew Tertullian saith that if Heretikes Tertul. lib de resurrec carnes Eâ—iph contra pâ—ulum Samosa haeres 66 Basii epist 80. bee brought to examine and try their questions onely by the Scriptures they cannot stand Epiphanius saith that wee are not to discusse questions by our owne wittes and reasons Sedex Scripturarum consequentia By the consequeÌ„ce of the Scriptures Saint Basil saith Let vs stand to the arbitrement of the Scripture inspired of God and with whome bee found doctrines agreeable to those diuine words let the truth be iudged to be with them Constantine sayd vnto the Bishoppes in the Nicene Councell The Euangelicall and Apostolicall bookes and the Oracles of the Theod. lib. 8. cap. 7 sol 284. Prophets doe plainely instruct vs of GOD wherefore laying away all enimitie and discord let vs take the explication or resolution of the questions in controuersie out of those saying inspired of GOD. So saith Saint Augustine Verum nos sacris literis accommodemus auditum c. August in Euang Ioan. tract 60. August de cura pro mortuis cap. 2. Let vs hearken vnto the holy Scriptures and according to them let vs helpe by the grace of God to dissolue this question And againe Non secunduÌ„ opinionem c. We must consider of this matter not according to yâ— commoÌ„ opinion but according to the holy Scriptures of our religion And of yâ— Church he saith thus Sed vtrum ipsi ecclesiam De vnitate ecclesiae cap. 16. teneant non nisi diuinarum ScripturaruÌ„ canonicis libris ostendant but whether they haue yâ— church let them shew by no other meanes but by the Canonical books of the diuine Scriptures Chrysostom saith yâ— we cannot know Chrisostom in Math. Homil. 44. which is the true Church of Christ Nisi tantummodo per Scripturas but onely by the Scriptures Therefore by the Scriptures proue your doctrine and shew your Church Math 4. But you say the Arians others Heretikes alleadged the Scriptures whereunto I adde that so did the Diuel also but in such sort as you and your fellowes doe in mangling them falsly expounding and applying them as I haue in some part before shewed I am conteÌ„t to ioyne this issue with you that they with be proued to depraue detort mangle and falsly expound and apply the scriptures be heretikes and to bee condemned with these old heretikes whome you here name To whome whether you or we bee more like let the vpright Reader indifferently iudge The Arians seeing that they could haue nothing out of the Scriptures fled as Athanasius saith vnto the Fathers and euen so do you The Arians vsed subtill distinctions Athanas tomâ— 2. to elude and shift of the truth and so do you They denied the person of Christ and you deny the office of Christ in not acknowledging him to be our onely Prophet and teacher whose onely voyce wee must heare and obey nor the only King and head of his Church nor our onely high Priest with the sweet smelling sacrifice of himselfe once for euer offered to redeeme and reconcile vs vnto God nor our only mediator to make intercession for vs. The Arians did cruelly persecute the true Christians Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 17. Socrates lib. 1. cap. 17. zozo in lib. 4. cap. 27. Gregor Nazi anz artic ad Arianos and so do Papists when power is in their hand to doe it The Arians when they could not preuaile against that excellent man Athanasius fell to raile vpon him and to slaunder him accusing him of adulterie murther and sorcerie and euen so do you now deale with such as for their godlinesse and learning may well bee compared with Athanaesiuâ— I meane especially Caeluin whome the Author of that vnlearned libell and beastly booke intituled A quartron of reasons of Catholike religion c. is not ashmed 5. reasoÌ„ pa. 30. to call a seare backt Priest for Sodomie O thou shamelesse man or rather monsterlart thou not ashamed to slaunder and belie such a man of whome they that knew him did truly write of him ipsâ— Ã quo potuit virtutem discere virtus Theo Beza that euen virtue it selfe might as it were haue learned vertue of him How doest thou know that Caluin was such a man I assure my selfe
were called Sadduces which in the Hebrew tongue doth signifie iust and righteous men Another sect were Pharisies so called as some thinke because they were expounders of the Law as others iudge Tanquam separati i. as separated from the societie of others in effect the same that Monachi that is to say liuers alone yet notwithstanding this glorious title and sundry austere and straite obseruations which in their liues they vsed they were the greatest aduersaries our Sauiour Christ had The Valentinian Epipha herae 31. â—ertul de mongam and Montaniest Heritiques called themselues Spirituales spirituall men and counted others carnall Therefore we are not to be moued with such outward titles which are but sheepes clothings to hide rauening Wolues But Rom. 2. 28. as S. Paul saieth hee is not a Iew which is one outward euen so euery one is not a Catholique that is so outwardly called but hee is a true Catholique that truly in his heart beleeueth and obeieth the heauenly doctrine of almightie God contained in the holy canonicall Scriptures in which the onely rule both of faith and life is Caus 8. Quaest 1. â—ec sufficere prescribed vnto vs as Beda saith the which holy doctrine deliuered and sanctified vnto vs in the holy Scriptures if this Gentlewoman and other of the same sect not obey as most certainely they doe not and as hereafter shall be proued they be no true Catholiques howsoeuer they be so outwardly called and doe vainely bragge of the same to whom may be well applied that saying of the Prophet Heare yee this O house of Iacob which are called by the name of Israel and come out of the waters of Iuda which sweare by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israell but not in truth nor in righteousnesse But now I come to the questions 1. First whether Masse or Communion was brought first to England at the conuersion of our English nation to Christianitie 2. Secondly whether Masse or Communion be more ancient 3. Thirdly whether the CoÌ„munion as it is now practised in England were extant in any nation before the Raigne of King Henry the eight Answere AS touching the administration of the Sacrament of Christs body bloud which is commonly called the Communion because it is a pledge vnto vs of that Communion and fellowship which wee haue both with our Sauiour Christ and also one with another two kinde of things are to be considered First such as be of the substance and essence thereof which are vnchangeable Secondly such things as be Accidentall pertayning to the forme and fashion of the ministration thereof which be variable Of the former sort is the hauing of bread and wine the distribution of the same to them that be present prayer and thankesgiuing in a knowne tongue that all with one mouth and heart may giue thankes to God for his great and infinite mercies towards vs in nor sparing but giuing his owne deare sonne for vs euen his body to be broken vpon the Crosse and his bloud to be shed for our saluation whereof the bread and wine is a Sacrament that is to say a holy signe remembrance and pledge vnto vs yea and a meane and instrument whereby wee are made partakers of Christes body and bloud giuen for vs and of all the benefits of his passion These things be of the substance of the Sacrament and ought alwaies to be vsed and may not be altered Other things there be accidentall as the time and place of ministring the same the habit or tire to be vsed of the Minister the forme of praier and thanksgiuing in respect of the words These and such other be not of the substance of the Sacrament and haue no expresse commandement but be variable and changeable so that all things be done decently and to edification Now to come vnto your questions If you meane by the Communion and Masse the forme of praiers and Liturgie vsed by vs and you I may well say that neither of them both were first brought into England at the conuersion thereof to Christianitie altogether in such forme as now they be vsed for both what diuersities of Liturgies and seruice bookes haue beene and also what additions haue beene put to the same is not vnknowne Gregorie Lib 7. iud 2. Epist 6 3. saith the Apostles did consecrate and minister the Sacrament only with the prayer of our Sauiour Christ There be extant diuers sundrie Liturgies of the which the Papists attribute one to S. Iames another to S. Basil another to S. Chrysostome one differing froÌ„ another And in this small Iland within the time of Popery there were three or foure sorts of Masse bookes one after the manner of Yorke another after Sarum another after Bangor And about thirtie yeares past there was brought in a Romane Missall which abolisheth the rest It appeareth both by Augustine the Monkes questions and Gregorie the first answeres that there were diuers and different orders in diuers Churches Augustines question hath these words Cum vna sit fides sunt Ecclesiarum diuersa consuetudines Beda Ecclesiast hist lib. 1. cap. 28. altera consuetudo missarum in sancta Romana ecclesia utque altera in Galliarum tenetur i. Whereas there is but one faith there be diuers customes of the Churches and there is one custome or order of Masses in the holy Church of Rome and another in the Churches of France So also wee confesse that in the Churches where the truth of Christs Gospell is taught there be sundry Liturgies differing in forme of words and yet agreeing in substance of matter which may well be vsed to the glory of God and comfort of his people So that it forceth not though our Liturgie or forme of prayer vsed at the ministration of Christs holy supper were not brought into this Land at the first conuersion thereof or were neuer vsed before the raigne of King Henrie the eight as long as it cannot be prooued that it containeth any thing vngodly and dissenting from the word of God neither doth it auaile them though they could proue that their Masse as it is now vsed was brought into this Land at the conuersion of it which they cannot doe as long as we can plainely proue that it containeth a false sained sacrifice and hath many wicked prayers and superstitious toyes contrarie to the word of God Well saith Tâ—rtullian Quadâ—unque Tertul. de Virgin vâ—land aduersus veritatem sapit hoc â—rit Hâ—resiâ— ettam vetus consuetudo i. Whaâ—soeuer is against the truâ—th the same is Heresiâ— euen an olde custome But I will shew that some of their olde prayers which they vse in their Masse be wicked and dissenting from the word of God The Priests in the Canon of the Masse after Consecration prayeth in these words Supra quae propitio sereno vultu respicere digneris c. That thou wouldest vouchsafe to looke with a mercifull and fauourable
c. The inuenting of Idols and Images was the beginning of VVis 14. 2 Cor. 6. 16. 1 Ioh. 5. 21. Apoca. 9. 20. whoredome and the finding of them is the corruption of life What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols or Images Babes keepe your selues from Images The remnant of the men which were not killed by these plagues repented not of the workes of their handes that they should not worship deuills and Idols of gold and of siluer of brasse and of stone and of wood which neither can see neither heare nor goe Also they repented not of their murther and of their sorcerie neither of their fornication nor of their theft I wil for shortnes sake omit many other places of Scripture wherein Images in the worship of God are condemned and the vanitie of them liuely painted forth Now as touching the state of the Church after Christ and his Apostles it is most certaine that the Christians in Lib. 3. cap. 23. the primitiue Church neither had nor worshipped Images Eusebius writeth that Plinius secundus a Pagane writing to Traiane the Emperour a persecutor of Christians did certifie him that hee found no wickednes in the Christians but that they would not worshippe Images Origne writeth that Celsus that railer and Blasphemour of Christianity did obiect this as a fault against the Con. Celse lib. 4. Apolog. cap. 12. Christians that they had no Images Tertullian writeth thus If we worship not vaine pictures and Images that are like dead men which Kites Mise and Spiders know what they be doth not the forsaking of this knowne errour deserue rather praise then punishment Lactantius saith that God is greater then man therefore he is aboue and not below neither Lib 2. de Orig. 9. error cap 19. is he to be sought below vpon the earth but in the highestrehioÌ„ of heauen wherefore ther is no doubt but that there is no religion wheresoeuer there is an Image Clemens writeth Lib. 5. recog cap 6. thus That Serpent the Deuill vseth by others to vtter such words we to the honor of God do worship visible Images the which is most certainely false for if you would truly worship the Image of God by doing well vnto man you should in him worship the true Image of God for in euery man is the true Image of God But yet not in all the true similitude but where there is a good soule and a pure minde If therefore you would honor the Image of God wee doe shew you what is good that you do good and giue honor and reuerence vnto man who is made after the Image of God giuing meate vnto the hungry and drinke vnto the thirsty apparell vnto the naked seruice vnto the sicke hospitality vnto strangers and things necessarie vnto him that is in prison And this is that which shal be accepted as truely done vnto God And these things doe so farre forth tende vnto Gods Image and the honor thereof that he that doth them not is thought to offer iniury vnto the Image of God Therefore what honour of God is this to gâ—d after Images of stone and of woode and to worshippe as God vaine and liuelesse Images and to despise man in whom is truly the Image of God Hitherto Clement Epiphanius comming into a church and there finding a Com. 3. opem Hicronimi vaile hanging and hauing on it an Image as it were of Christ or some Saint did teare it in peeces willed them to wrap some dead body in it and not to hange such in the churches contrary to the authority of the scriptures This Epistle wherein this is contained hath the authority not onely of Epiphanius which did write it but also of Saint Hierome who did translate and alledge it against Iohn the Bishop of Ierusalem Saint Augustine commendeth that Lib. â— de ciuit dei cap. 9 learned Romaine Varro for that hee affirmed that they which ordained Images for the people both tooke away feare and brought in error And againe hee writeth of the Ibim cap. 31 same Varro in this sort Wherefore seeing that Varro did say that they did know what was God who did beleeue that hee is a soule or spirit gouerning the world and did thinke that religion might more chastly bee obserued without Images who did not see how neare hee came to truth Heare Saint Augustine affirmeth that Varro came neare vnto the truth in thinking that religion might more chastly and purely be obserued without Images then with them The same Saint Augustine writeth thus Vere mendatia c. Our fathers haue indeed worshipped lies euen Images in which is no profit Saint Ambrose sayth The De fug â—culi cap. 5. cap. 36. Church knoweth not idle formes and vaine figures Images The counsel Elibertimum decreed that Images ought not to be in the Church and that which is worshipped or adored 〈◊〉 lib. 1. a coas a. Euangel cap. 10. should not be painted â—poâ— walls I will conclude this matter o Images with an other saying of S. Augustine Sic omnine errare meruerunt quia ChristuÌ„ et Apostolos eius non in sanctis condicibus sed in pictis parietibus quaesiueruÌ„t i. They haue altogither deserued to bee deceiued because they haue sought Christ and his Apostles not in the holy bookes of the scriptures but in painted walls And thus much at this time for Images expecting that this Catholike gentlewoman or some of her friends will proue by the testimony of the holy scriptures and the testimony of all writers in all ages since Christ and his Apostles not onely the vse of them as here they say but also the horrible abuse of them such as was in Popery in running a pilgrimage to them in kneeling creeping to them in burning candles and tapers before them in offering incense and all kinde of other oblations vnto them in making them to nodde with their heads and their eyes to gogle to deceiue the simple c. This shal be as easie for them to doe as to moue mountaines As touching the crosse and pilgrimage I will for shortnesse sake write nothing requiring them by the foresayd testimonies for to proue them Now it followeth in the sayd scroole or paper I Would know whether it bee not true that Aerius was condemned an Heretike aboue these thousand yeares for denying praier for the dead and Vigilantius for denying the praiers to Saints and the Nouatianes for denying the power of the Church to forgiue sinnes and Eustathius for denying Pilgrimage to holie places and Simon Magus for denying free will and Iouiniane for affirming the marriage of Priestes all the which opinions and many moe that are now preached for Gods word haue beene these thousand yeares condemned for heresies as I am told out of bookes of Saint Ireneus Saint Ambrose Saint Augustine Saint Epiphanius Saint Hierome and other holy fathers of the primitiue Church Answere AS touching these here charged with
First that the grace of God whereby we are saued is giuen Hier. et Auguâ— aduersus pelag according to our merites Secondly that the law of God might be fulfilled of vs. Thirdly that we haue free-will and sayd that therefore grace was giuen vnto men that what things they might doe by free-will they might the more easily do them by grace I haue heard that there Hier. aduersus Heluidium was an Heritike called Heluidius reproued by an ancient learned father for foolishly thinking that the greeke bookes of the new testament were corrupted which both our Rhemists in their preface of the new testament by them set forth and others also of the same crewe do openly auouch I haue heard of certaine heritikes called Angellici so named for worshiping Angells and of others called Augu de heres cap 39. â—rencus lib 1. cap 35 Epâ—ph heres 79. Collyradiani condemned for worshiping the Virgine Mary And yet they did not call her Queene of heauen Empresse of hell the gate of Paradise their hope c. They did not pray vnto her saying lube deum pecâ—ator bus misereri i. Command God to be mercifull to sinners nor monstrate esse matrem iure matris impera i. Shew thy selfe â—â—nauent in Psâ—lâ—â—rio â—eaâ—â— Viâ—ginis to be a mother rule or command Christ by the authority of a mother but onely they offered a cake in the honour of her Whether these be not now taught and maintained for Catholike doctrines in the Romish church let the indifferent reader vprightly iudge Now to conclude and make an end I would exhort this gentlewoman and all others of her sect and opinion to take heed in the name of God how they resist the truth of God which in his great mercy hee hath reueiled vnto vs and that they doe not wilfully shut their eyes against it nor maintaine false and damnable doctrines which they bee neuer able by the word of God to defend Let them consider the grosse blindnesse and ignorance of former ages when such fables â—egâ—nd Festâ—ual c. and lies were published and preached as they be now ashamed of them and the booke of God was as good as lost the light thereof being kept vnder the bushell of a strange tongue by meanes whereof the people had no instruction nor comfort of it but sate in darkenesse and shadow of death were carried away after creatures and led after dum Idols as the Apostle sayth 1. Corr. 12. 2. Now is the word of God truely translated and sincerely preached the truth of God published and Popish heresies Ioh. 3. 19. effectually confuted and confounded Light is come into the world loue not darkenesse more then light We haue the Heauenly Manna of Gods holy word among vs bee not like the vnthankfull Isralites loathing the same and desiring to eate againe Onyons and Garlike in Aegipt But search diligently the holy scriptures make them the rule of your religion and line to leade your life by Proue all things hold that which is good and abstaine from all appearance of euill The God of all mercie roote 1. Thess 5. 21. out all errors and Herisies and giue free passage to his holy word lighten the eyes of the ignorant strengthen them that be weake treade downe sathan vnder our feete and giue vs grace to bee like minded one towards another according to Iesus Christ that with one minde and one mouth wee may glorifie God euen the Father of our Iesus Christ So be it Amen Amen I receiued aboue two yeares past out of Lankâ—shire this writing here following which I haue haue set downe in the same words forme and orthography as I receiued it and can yet shew it Thus it beginneth with this title Notes of dissention c. D. BVckley in answeare to the 12. articles c. fol. 17. 18. 19. noteth that the Waldenses Albingenses Boemia and many such other c. Were the true church of God were killed for the word of God and haue washed their roabes in the bloud of the Lambe and now haue beauty for asshes the oyle of ioy for mourning c. B. ante o. e. A. ante d. a. A. ante l. i. Vide Coupers Dixionary in these words Boemia Adamitae Albingenses Albanenses Boemia is a Realme called Beame inclosed with the bounds of Germany hauing on the East Hungary on the South Bauier on the West c. They vary from the Catholike faith in sundry opinions and do scorne aâ—l ceremonies In some places there the priuely obserue the sect of the Adamites and Waldenses the act of lechery whereof it is written in the words Adamitae c. 2 Adamitae or Adamiani were heretikes which tooke their beginning of a Piâ—ard who came into the Land of Bohemia And sayd that hee was the sonne of God and named himselfe Adam and hee commanded all men and women to goe naked and that whosoeuer desired to company carnally with any woman should take her by the hand and bring her to him and say that he feruently desired her company and then would Adam saie goe together and increase and multiplie This heresie began the yeare of our Lord 1412. in the time of Sigismundus the Emperour and men suppose that it dureth yet not only in Boemia but in other places also 3. Albingenses were the heretikes which began by Tolouse in Fraâ—ce the yeare of our Lord 120. which held the heresies of the Albanenses touching soule Baptisme God and the generall Resurrection Moreouer that it was not lawfull for the christian men to eate flesh 4. Albanenses were certaine Heretikes in the yeare of our Lord 1120. This sect held sundry heresies one was that the soule of man after his death was put into an other body an other that Baptisme was of no effect The third that there were two Gods one good and an other euill And that of the good proceeded good things and of the euill God euill things the 4. that in heil were none other paines then be in this world the 5. that the generall iudgement is past and that there is none to come the 6. that it is lawful for any man to sweare the 7. that man hath no free-will The 8. that the matter whereof the world was made was not made of God but is co-eternall with God the 9. that there is no originall sinne also that sinne commeth not of free-will but of the diueâ—l the 10. they denied that the body should eftsoones arise at the day of iudgement the 11. they abiected all the olde testament as a vaine thing and of none authoritie An Obiection SEe these seuerall opinions of two of your Doctors Buckley and Couper of the manner of beleefe of doctrine of the aboue named Martirs who Buckley pag. 18. saith haue washed their roabes in the bloud of the Lambe therefore iudge as to your owne selfe shall seeme best Begardy were women impeccabiles that is without sinne Buckley pag. 17 vide acts â—o
tom 2 and not able to proceed further in grace and that they neede neither praier nor fast nor bee subiect to law and carnall act no sinne hauing a desire thereto with other such like opinions Concilium viennense yet Martirs Iewell defence Apol. part 1. cap. 7. Diuision 3. speaking of the Albingenses saith of them we haue no skill they are none of ours But Maister Buckley doth say and hold that they were the true Church of God with much more pag. vt supra Therefore what godlines or goodnes maister Buckley hath red of them more then Iewell or Bishop Couper faine would I know vale in Christo I meane of the Albigenses and the rest Also D. Willet in his Trast pag. 113. of the latter editiâ—n calleth them heretikes I meane Begardy and D. Fulke answere to the Remis Rom. cap. 11. Sect. 3. commâ—ndeth the Waldenses c. Hitherto the words of the said paper which I receiued proceeding as it may seeme from some morrow masse-priest of more skill in his Portuise and mass-masse-booke and better studied in Eliots and Coupers Dictonary then in other good authors The drift and scope thereof seemeth to be to shew a difference contradiction betwixt me and those reuerend and learned Bishops D. Couper and â—ewel for that I doe commend the Albigenses for faithfull and Godly men and holy Martiers and they in the opinion of this ignorant papist do seeme to mislike them I will first render â— reason of my good opinion conceiued of them and then I will indeuour to wipe away that fancie of contradiction which this man imagineth to bee be-twixt me and the forenamed reuerend and learned fathers I am mooued to thinke reuerently of that people called Albingenses and to commend them as witnesses of Gods truth First because the Pope of Rome whom wee Rad. Gualt Hom 5. de Antichri Lamb. Danaeus de Anticâ—ri Rob Abbot demonst de Antichristo D. Downam of Antichrist Gabr. Powel de Antichri Aduers haeres lib. 2. de commu here 's 7 Rob. Gaguin Hâ—sto lâ—b 6 Fascicul Temp fol. 77. Lib. 5. p. 458 charge to be the great Artichrist prophecied of by Saint Paule 2. Thess 2. and Saint Iohn in the Apocaplips of which imputation his followers and fauourers the Iebusites neither haue nor can discharge him did so cruellie persecute them and raise such bloudy warre against them Secondly for that it is certaine that these Albingenses so called of the countrie Albingens nere Tholosa where they inhabited as the Spanish frier Alphonsus de Castro writeth of them were the same which otherwise and els where were called Waldenses and Pauperes de Lugduno who were dispersed into sundrie countries as diuers Popish writers do confesse and hold the same doctrines that they did This is also confessed by that reuerend and learned maÌ„ Iacobus Aug. Thuanus praesident of the parliament of Paris in the first part of his excellent history And what their doctrines were none doth more effectually shew then doth Pope Pius the second in his History Aenaeas Siluy Histor Bohem. cap. 35. p. 103. of Bohemia attributing in these words these opinions vnto them That the Bishoppe of Rome is equall to other Bishops and Vide quoque Albert Krantii vandalia lib. 10. cap. 2. that there is no difference among Priests that not dignity but good life maketh a prasbiter or Priest the better that soules as soone as they depart out of the bodies be forthwith either cast into perpetuall paine or obtaine eternall ioy That no purgatory can be found that it is a vaine thing to pray for the dead and an inuention of couetous Priestes That the images of God and Saintes are to bee destroyed That the blessinge of water and palmes is to be derided That the orders of begging Freers were inuented by the diuell that Priests ought to be poore and be content onely with almes That the preaching of the word of God ought freely to be open to all That no capitall on great sinne ought to bee suffered for the auoyding of a greater euill That he which is guilty of deadly sin ought not to enioy either secullar or Ecclesiasticall dignity nor to be obeied That confirmation with oile extreame Vnction are not to be counted amongst the Sacraments of the Church That auricular confession is friuolous and that it is sufficient for men to confesse their sinnes vnto God in their chamber That baptisme is to be vsed in water without mixture of hollowed oile That the vse of Church-yardes was vaine and brought in for couetousnee sake and that it maketh noe matter with what earth mens bodies be couered That the world is the temple of God who is in al places that doe they restraine his maiesty which build Churches Monasteries and oratories as though his diuine goodnes and mercy were to be found sooner in them then in other places That the robes of Priests ornamentes of Altars palles Corporasses Chalices Patens and other vessels are of no valew That a Priest may in any place and at all times consecrat the holy body of Christ and minister it to them that doe require it that it is sufficient for him only to vse the sacrameÌ„tal words That the praiers of Saints raigning with Christ in heauen are in vaine prayed for and cannot helpe vs. That the time is euill spent in singing or saying Canonicall seruice or praiers That men ought to cease from their labours vpon no day but vpon that which is now called the Lords day and that the feastes of Saintes are to be reiected That there is no merit or goodnesse in the fastes which be appointed by the Church These be the doctrines which the Pope imputeth to the Waldenses Now when any of you shall effectually proue by the word of GOD the most and chiefe of these doctrines for some seeme to bee more hardly set downe by this their aduersary then they did meane them to be errours and heresies then I will confesse my selfe to haue beene deceiued and both the Waldenses and Albingenses to haue beene iustly reputed for heretikes And that the Albingenses ioyned with the Waldenses in these doctrines although it bee the harder to shew because it appeareth that the Pope and his followers were very carefull to suppresse their doctrines and to keepe them from the knowledge of the people as Robert Gaguine In Philip August Lib. 6. fol. â—04 the French historiographer sheweth in that no writer before his time which hee did know had committed them to writing for whereas saith he they call them haeretikes and doe declare that for that offence they were destroyed yet they haue lette passe to shew the kinde of their haeresie By this their polliticke concealing of their doctrines it seemeth that they did to neerely touch the Popes triple Crowne and too much did shake the cuppe of his abhominations where-with hee hath made Kinges and nations drunken Notwithstanding by some writers it appeareth what their doctrines
Iohn Slechta who was no fauourer but a misliker of them Centur. 4. pag. 334. truly translated Maister Bale in the life of Clement the fifth writeth thus of them Beghardos ac Beguinas quia panem Eucharisticum honorare nolebant imprâ—bat i. Clement the fifth misliked the Beghardi Beguins because they would not honour the bread of the Eucharist And that these men 〈◊〉 tempor fol. â—â— maintained the doctrines of the Waldenses Werâ—â—rus the Charthusian Monke of Colen in plaine wordes affirmeth Beghardi multi combuste sunt Parysiis propter heresim pauperum de Lugduno c. many Begwardi were burnt at Paris for the heresie of the poore men of Lyons that is to say the Waldenses Thus as I deny and defie the filthy and false opinions imputed I know not how truly to the Adamites and Albanenses so I doe confesse that I doe accoumpt these that were called Waldenses Albingenses and Beghardi or Picardy to haue beene faithfull men and witnesses of Gods holy truth whome although the world hated reiected and persecuted as it did Christ yet were they elect and pretious and beloued of God And I feare not to affirme that they haue washed their robes in the bloud of the Lambe and now haue beauty for ashes the oylâ— of ioy for mourning c. and are more worthy to bee reputed for holy Martirs and confessors then either Thomas Beckâ—t or Dominicus that bloody Fryar or Catherâ—nâ— his minion or Francis that superstitious hypocrite or Clara his companion or many others whome the Popes haue canonized for Saints For not he that him-selfe or any other man commendeth but whome God commendeth is approued and a Saint in his sight â— Cor. 16. 1â— And lette this man and all such others barke as much as they will or can against that true doctrine which the Waldenses Albingenses and Beghardi heretofore professed and is now through GODS great mercy in this land and many other Christian countries by publike authoritie maintayned they shall doe but as madde dogges doe that barke against the Moone and shall but kiâ—ke against the pricke and rush against that rocke that will not yeelde but bruse them to powder Great is the truth and it will preuaile Well saith Epiphanâ—us Contra Apâ—l lian Herâ—s 4◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. c. Neither shall darkenesse preuaile when the light shineth Now the light of GODS worde shineth now is that man of sinne reuealed now are his errours and abhominations disclosed and confuted and all his sworne soldiers they Iebusites are not able either to couer and hide him or defend them If this man thinke that they are why doe they so long suffer the bookes of D. Abbot D. Downam and maister Powell in the which they haue plainely proued the Pope to bee Antichrist soundly confuted Bellarmines weake defence and simple shifts to stand so long vnanswered and that their grand maister from whome they receiue life and vppon whome they wholy depend to bee vndefended This is a matter of no small moment which cannot without the losse of all bee neglected If the Pope be Antichrist then is their doctrine Antichristian and they are the slaues of Antichrist This sort wherein their whole safety consisteth ought with all might and maine be defended and this breach with all speed bee repaired And it hath by the canons of the men before named these foure yeares past beene battered and yet is the defense and repaire thereof vtterly neglected They write many pelting Pamphlets and such slender scroules as this is but to answere these books with raize the foundation of their religion or rather superstition and ouerthrow there great Goliaâ— of Rome they be very slacke Wherein appeareth to any that willingly will not shut his eies the weakenesse and desperate estate of there forlorne cause c. And thus much I thought good to answere to the contentes of the sayd scrowle which may seeme more then it deserueth being a foolish bable voide of learning and truth Eusebius history Eccles lib. 7. cap. 24 fol. 79. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Truth is a friend and before all things to be honored and we ought without enuy to commend and approue that which is well spoken and to examine and correct or confute whatsoeuer is not soundly written S. R. IN his answere to Maister Thomas Bels chalenge named the downfall oâ— Popery nippâ—th at me in these Pag. 126. words Bel termeth him Berengarius a silly Deacon though his brother Buckley call him an excellent and holy man Here first I do obserue that whereas this writer in this his answere which carieth a greater shew of learning then substance of truth doth in three places make mention of this my answeare viz. in the page here noted also pag. 144. and lastly pag. 208. it may seeme that he neuer reade it for that in all these places hee quoteth my answere to 8. reasons whereas it is vnto 12. Neither can he excuse this by saying that by the figure 8. hee meaneth the eight reason for the two first places are in my answeare to the forth reason and the third place is to the seauenth This doth also the more appeare in that he doth not truly alleadge my words but addeth to them For whereas I called Berengarius an excellent man hee saith that I called him an excellent and holy man Hereby it may seeme that this man receiued these places by hand from others and not by the reading of his owne â—ies As touching Berengarius I do willingly confesse that I haue a most reuerent opinion of him and doe thinke that notwithstanding his weakenesse in recanting once the truth hee was an excellent yea and holy man both for his singular learning and vertuous life And to conceiue this reuerent opinion of him I am mooued by the testimony of some Papists who fauored not the true doctrine which he maintained but especially by the great commendations which that learned father and notable poet Hildebartus bishop of Maine in France doth giue him Atoninus the Archbishop of Florence writeth of him Histor part 2. Tit. â—â— cap. 1 â— 20. fol. 175. Fiuit autem alias Berengarius iste vir bonus plenus elemosynis et humilitate magnarum possâ—ssionum quae omnia in vsus pauperuÌ„ dispersit praeterea nuillam foemâ—nam in conspectu suo patiebatur admitti This Berengarius was otherwise a good man full of almes deedes and of humilitie and dispersed great possessions to the vse of the poore and would suffer no woman to come in his sight Robert Gaguin in his French history hath these words of him Henrici tempore c. In the time of this Henry Berengarius Deacon or rather Archdeacon of Tours raised an error concerning the sacrament of the Eucharist wherein hee sayd Lib. 6. in Henrico was not the true body of Christ but a certaine example of his body from which he afterward repenting changed his minde and