soe long as they haue sufficient ground to beleeue it which neuer wanteth in the Catholique Church and out of it is euer wanting By this any man may see whether this distinction of explicite and implicite faith doe not stand with very great reason and consequently whether the Knight who laugheth thereat doe not shew himself most worthy of laughter 22. Especially if wee adde withall that it is not soe much this implicite faith that hee speaketh against as diuine faith in generall for that he counteth implicite faith when a man is bound by a blind kind of Obedience as he calleth it to submitt his iudgment to the Catholique Church which is the true property of diuine faith and that is it which he countes simplicity and calleth it implicite faith to beleiue that whereof we vnderstand not the reason but heerein he destroyeth the very nature of faith expressely contradicting S. Paul's definition thereof which is this Hebr 11.1 Faith is the substance of things to bee hoped for an argument of things not appearing and S. Aug plainely saith that is faith to beleeue that which thou dost not see and S. Greg. addeth Greg. ho. 36. in Euang. that faith hath noe meritt where humane reason giueth experiēce Soe as for a man to speake against this kind of implicite is plaine infidelity and therefore I shall say noe more of it but onely supposing it as a most certaine and commonly receiued principle of the Fathers and point of absolutely necessary Christian humility for a man soe to submitt his iudgment in what hee vnderstandeth not I shall conclude with a word of Vincent Lerinensis wishing such men as haue suffered themselues out of praesumption to bee carried away with some nouell opinions out of the Catholique Church to returne therevnto by this humility of implicite faith in these words Dediscant bene quod didicerunt non bene cap. 25. ex toto ecclesiae dogmate quod intellectu capi potest capiant quod non potest credant Let them vnlearne well that which they haue learnt not well and out of the whole doctrine of the Church Lett them cōceiue what can bee conceiued what cannot let them beleeue Which authority alone is sufficient to warrant our distinction of explicite and implicite faith against all Sir Humphrey's scornefull laughter Chap. 2. And soe hauing noted thus much in this place by occasion of his praeambles I come now to the examination of his sections Whether the Church of Rome bee with out cause bitter against the reformed Churches as the knight affirmeth CHAPTER II. 1. THe Knight's first section is to proue that the Church of Rome is without cause bitter against the reformed Churches That she is bitter he proueth because wee stile him and his not onely by the common name of Haeretiques but also by other special reproachfull epithites pertayning to the seuerall Sects of Zuinglius Luther Caluin c. Secondly because we accurse and excommunicate them and will not let them liue with vs whereas wee admitt Iewes and Infidels That all this is without cause he proueth first by an authority of Theodoret which speakes of a contention betweene two factions in the Church of Antioch and the reason to allay it because saith Theodoret both parts make one and the same confession of their faith for both maintaine the Creede of the Nicene Councel Secondly by the authority of Bellarmine whom hee maketh to say that the Apostles neuer propounded as common articles of faith other things then the articles of the Apostles Creede the ten commandements and some few of the Sacraments because these things are simply necessary and profitable for all men the rest are such as a man may bee saued without them Thirdly he maketh it an vndeniable truth that the reformed Church and the Romane are two Sisters and that the Romane Church fayling and becoming an Harlott it was well done of his Church to seperate her self least she might bee partaker of her plagues And soe goeth on inueighing bitterly against the Romane Church to the very end of the Section whereof this is the whole substance which I haue brought into this methode the better to answeare it 2. That wee Catholiques stile the Knight and his Reformers by the common name of Haeretiques wee deny not that some particular Catholique authors stile some of them that is the Zuinglians Lutherans and others by other reproachfull names wee also deny not But why this Knight should complaine as if he were iniured in all the seuerall names that are giuen to the seuerall sects of Haeretiques I see not vnlesse it soe bee that hee be of all their seuerall religions which yet I see not how hee can bee they being soe many and soe contrary among themselues But be he of one or other or more and lett him but goe into Germany and professe himself a Caluinist or a Zuinglian hee shall finde soe good entertaynment and such gentle termes at the Lutheran's hands as I dare boldly say he will neuer complaine more of the bitternes of Catholiques against him and his Brethren For the word Haeretique which is the worst of all other as contayning all in it self he cannot but know that it hath euer gone with such as haue held new particular doctrines different from the common doctrine of the Catholique Church and therefore the word according to the etymology is noe word of contumely but a word signifying the nature of the thing and it is onely growne by custome to bee contumelious because the thing it self to wit haeresie is the most detestable thing in the world If then the thing ot crime of haeresie pertaine to à man and that hee be notoriously guilty thereof I see not what great bitternes it is to giue him the name of Haeretique If I would I could vrge his bitternes much more in the same kind and in this very section as for example where hee calleth the Catholique Church an harlott the whore of Babylon the Pope Anti-Christ Catholiques Idolaters and a great deale more But I lett all that passe making onely this answeare that wee doe nothing in this matter of names which seemeth to him soe great a point of bitternes but what we can warrant by very good authority and example euen of scripture Act. 13.11 2. Cor. 11.15 S. Paul called that enemy of faith Elymas the Magician Sonne of the Diuell Enemy of all iustice and false Apostles in general that is Haeretiques he calleth the Ministers of Sathan In an other place Philip. 3.2 1. Io. 2.18 Ep. Iud. he calleth Haeretiques by the name of Doggs S. Iohn calleth them Antichrists S. Iude is most vehemēt against them giuing them many bitter epithetes and comparing them to Cain to Balaam to Core Our Sauiour himself said of one of his Disciples that hee was a Diuell Ioan. 6. which hee meant of Iudas who is ordinarily and worthily ranked among Haeretiques Which considered Sir Humphrey you should neuer
haue stood complayning of the word but freed your selfe of the matter and all had beene well 3. For that other point of bitternes that wee accurse and excommunicate you and spare Iewes and Infidells accusing vs therein of great cruelty and bitternes You should haue remembred S. Paul's authority and example Doth not he excommunicate the incestuous Corinthian and deliuer him to the Diuel and yet spare Iewes and Infidels He doth and giues the reason why he spareth them to wit because he hath noe authority ouer them Quid mihi de ijs qui foris sunt iudicare 1. Cor. 5.12 what haue I to doe to iudge those that are without that is out of my iurisdiction but because you Sir Humphrey shall not likewise say that by priuiledge of your haeresie you likewise exempt your selfe 1. Timoth. I. 20. you may remember how S. Paul in an other place deliuereth Alexander and Hymecraeus Haeretiques to Satan Which yet you cannott call bitternesse but iust seuerity vnlesse you will also take vpon you to condemne S. Paul of cruelty and bitternes which I presume you will not If then you and your fellow Ministers bee Haeretiques as they were why should you deny to vndergoe the same Doome Cleare your self of the haeresie but complaine not of the curse and excommunication it is and hath euer beene the iust censure of the Church against Haeretiques Schismatiques and all enormous and contumacious sinners wee must not alter Lawes for you Sir HuÌ„phrey though you alter faith at your pleasure 4. Now then lett vs see whether there bee cause for the seuerity which the Catholique Church doth vse by calling our Reformers Haeretiques and denouncing them subiect to Anathema Sir Humphrey's first reason to the coÌ„trary is out of Theodoret's history but that maketh nothing for him but rather quite contrary and withall giueth a tast in the very beginning how truely aÌ„d conformably to their minds he alleadgeth authors Theodoret speaketh of a schisme diuision or dissension which long troubled the Church of Antioch about their Bishop some taking one to bee their lawfull Bishop and communicating onely with him and such as held with him Others in like sort with the other Which contention dured not onely during one Bishop's life but more each side choosing a new one in place of their Bishop deceased his words are these speaking of some Bishops who gathering together said that the Churches were to be brought to concord Nam constabat c. For it was plaine Lib. 3. cap. 4 that they were not onely impugned by the fauourers of contrary doctrine but also that they were pulled insunder by mutual dissention among themselues For at Antioch the body of the Church which followed sound Doctrine was diuided into two parts for all who standing for the excellent man Eustathius had separated themselues did perpetually make their meeting a part and they which stood for that admirable man Meletius separated from the Arian faction did celebrate the holy Mysteries in Palaea Soe the place was called and yet was the confession of faith of both one and other the same For both companies did defend the doctrine of faith caught in tâ—e Councel of Nice the contention being onely of an other matter and out of the loue which they did beare to their Bishops neither could the death of the one take away the discord These and Theodorets owne words which are inough to shew the case to be cleane different there the contention was not for matter of faith or doctrine heere it is there the Catholiques of both sides though at variance among themselues for other matters yet in reguard of faith they would haue nothing to doe with Arrians Soe it is now with vs Catholiques though there may be contentions for other matters as for Superiority extent of iurisdiction priuiledges exemptions or the like yet all ioyntly detest all haereticall doctrine There indeede both sides embraced the Nicene Creede which was the onely point in controuersy at that tyme which now our Reformers professe to beleeue but they differ in the profession of faith of the Councel of Trent whereof the reason is the same now as it was then of the Creede of Nice For that was against the haeresies of those tymes and this against the haeresies of these If then the knight find Catholiques disagreeing among themselues about other matters yet agreeing in the profession of faith of the Councel of Trent he may alleadge this authority of Theodoret to allay the coÌ„tention But for the matter betweene him and vs it is wholly impertinent and out of season and a wrong to Theodoret himself to haue his authority alleadged for perswading of concord with Haeretiques without their renouncing of their haeresies 5. But a man may well haue patience to see this author's meaning abused when hee shall see both Bellarmines meaning abused and his words corrupted as I shall now shew His words out of himselfe are these Lib. 4. de verb. Dei cap. 11. It is to bee noted first that in the Christian Doctrine as well of faith as manners there bee some things simply necessary to Saluation for all men as the knowledge of the articles of the Apostles Creede the ten Commandments and some Sacraments Other things are not soe necessary as that without the explicite knowledge beleefe and profession of them a man may not bee saued soe hee haue a ready will to receiue and beleeue theÌ„ when they shal bee laufully propounded vnto him by the Church Thus Bellarmine in one place and in another a little after againe hee saith Note secondly that the Apostles did preach to all those things which were necessary for all but of other things not all to all but some to all and some onely to Praelats Bishops and Priests Soe Bellarmine By which any man may see how falsely and cunningly the knighs hath dealt in citing this authority For I would know of him where Bellarmine saith that the Apostles neuer propounded as common articles of faith other things then the articles of the Apostles Creede the ten commandments and some few Sacraments to begin first with the last word where doth Bellarmine say some few Sacraments he saith some Sacraments indeede but few he saith not Which though it bee not much yet I cannot thinke but Sir Humphrey had a meaning in it to make Bellarmine symbolize with him in his paucity of Sacraments Secondly where doth Bellarmine say that the Apostles propounded the ten commandments and some Sacraments as articles of faith where finde you that Sir Humphrey Doe not you make more articles of faith now then euer any man did before The ten commandments are indeede to bee beleeued but yet are they not soe much matter of beleefe as practize not soe much pertayning to faith as to charity towards God and our Neighbour and this Bellarmine saw very well when he said that in the Christia doctrine as wll of faith as maners somethings were necessary to saluatioÌ„ for
in the § of priuate Masse and els where 7. A sixt point of your safe doctrine is the Marriage of Priests whereof you say it is better to liue chastely in Matrimony then by single life to hazard their soules by incontinency This you proue by the authority of Aeneas Syluius Panormitan and Cassander Of which three the last is noe author to bee reguarded the first is answeared before The second onely remaineth to bee answeared heere to wit Panormitane whom indeede I find inclined in opinion for the Marriage of Clergymen Panor cap. Cum Plini de Cler. coning yet farre otherwise then you For first he putteth the question whether the Church can giue way that a Clarke may marry as the Graecians doe to which he answeareth affirmatiuely and this he saith is out of doubt with him for soe much as pertayneth to them that are not obliged by tacite or expresse vow And then he proueth it by reason and sheweth that it is not de iure diuino as we also grant And therevpon saith that he doth not onely beleeue it to be in the Churches power but he thinketh it would be a wholesome statute for the good and safety of Soules to lett such as will containe themselues and such as cannot to marry since experience saith hee teacheth the contrary effect to follow of that Law of continency seing men doe not now liue spiritually nor are cleane but are spotted with vncleanesse to their grieuous sinne This is Panormitanes discourse wherein first he acknowledgeth this whole matter to depēd vpon the Churches authority plainely sheweth by his discourse that the law of continency doth bind that it is a grieuous sinne to goe against it For which cause though his opinion indeede be that they should haue liberty to marry yet he would not haue thē marry against the Law standing in force but he would haue the Law taken away which is a farre different doctrine from yours Secondly he alloweth the obligatiō of a Vow tacite or expresse seemeth not indeede to speake of such as are soe tied now with you your Ministers that is all one wheter Chastity be vowed or not vowed nay you disallow all such vowes Thirdly he saith that where a man is bound by expresse or tacite vow the Pope cannot dispense without a great and vrgent cause which is against you who require noe dispensation nor any such cause Fourthly he doth not speake of such as are already ordained for they haue a Vow either expresse or tacite but of those that are to be ordained whereas you would haue it as free for one as for another Lastly this opinion of Panormitane pertaineth not to the point of doctrine but onely to the point of prudence or conueniency wherein he differeth from the common iudgment of Catholiques and is therefore worthily noted by other Catholique Doctors Soe as he concurreth not with you in opinion of the lawfulnes of the Marriage of Priests against the lawes of the Church but onely in this that he would haue it made lawfull by taking away the contrary law But now though it be his opinion that it is better to lett such men marry why should you thinke it safer to follow his iudgment being but one single man against the iudgment of all the other Doctors of the Catholique Church against all Fathers against all authority of Councels against the continuall practize of the Church from the very beginning Bell. lib. 1. de Cler. c. 18. 19. 20. c. lib. 2. de mona cap. 21. 22. c. Of all which you haue aboundant proofe in Bellarmine and which was neuer contradicted by any but knowne wicked men Why I say should you thinke it safer What reason or colour haue you But perhapps you will strengthen Panormitane by S. Paul who saith It is better to marry then to burne but that giues no strength for it is not safety of doctrine which S. Paul speaketh of but practical safety for matters of life or manners 1. Cor. 7.9 of this or that particular man supposing his disposition occasions and dangers and soe it is free for euery man to choose what he will doe Noe man is forced to it at first in the Catholique Church but if he take vpon him the office of a Priest or obligation of a religious state he is then forced to make good what he hath promised and to render his Vowes to God which the law of nature and moral honesty requireth Neither is it soe out of question that it is alwaies safer euen in that kind of safety for a man to marry For there is noe lesse difficulty perhapps and consequently danger for married men to containe thēselues with in the bounds of wedlock then for Priests to containe themselues within the bounds of perfect chastity as both reason and experience teach besids that though Saint Paul say it is better to marry then burne yet he saith it is better not to marry supposing euidently that a man may forbeare Marriage yet not be forced to burne Lastly in our case though the difficulty may be greater For as the prouerbe saith difficilia quae pulchra high things are hard Yet considering the helpes of almighty God's grace which are proportionable and I may also say superaboundant to the dangers of an office or state being vndertaken for his sake it becometh more easy and more safe For soe it is that the euangelical Law is more easy safe and comfortable then the old law of Moyses though the things that are required therein be farre more hard then those in the other For it is the vnction of the holy Ghost which God hath powred forth aboundātly in the new Law that makes our Sauiours yoake sweete and his burden light which because your Ministers want Chastity seemeth vnto them an intolerable burden Your way Sir Humphrey then is not more safe euen in this kind of safety nor more easy nor more comfortable Lett vs see whether it be soe in the next point which is of Prayer in a knowne tongue 8. Of this you say S. Thomas of Aquin saith it is manifest that he receiueth more benefit which prayeth vnderstandeth what he saith for the mind of him that vnderstandeth not is without fruite You bring also Lyra to the same purpose saying that people are better brought to the knowledge of God answeare Amen with greater deuotion when they vnderstand the Priest as also Caietan saying that it is better by S. Paul's doctrine for the edifying of the Church that publique prayers were made in a vulgar tongue to be vnderstood indifferently by Priests and people then in Latine With two authorityes more one of Gabriel another out of the Rhemes testament To all which I answeare that first you are mistaken in the whole matter For the question betweene you and vs is not soe much whither publique prayers in Latine be more or lesse profitable as whither they be lawful or not lawful we
answeare is that Polydore speaketh not of the ancient Fathers of the new Testament but of those of the old whom therefore he nameth veteres patres the old Fathers and in particular nameth Moyses and Ezechias the reason indeede why they did condemne the worship of images was feare of idolatry but the reason of that feare was as he saith because noe man hauing seene God they knew not what shape to giue thim and discoursing of the brazen serpent which was a figure of Christ vpon the crosse he saith a long tyme after God put on humane sharpe and being made man was seene and knowne by mortall men and in that humble shape by his owne power wrought miracles beyond credit the same whereof made men come flocking vnto him who did soe behold and reuerence his face without doubt shining with the brightnes of diuine light that they thē first beganne to paint and carue his effigies now already imprinted in their minds And there telling to that purpose the story out of Eusebius of the hemorrhoisse and 2. pictures of our Sauiour made by himself one sent to Abagarus the other giuen to Veronica he also saith thus it is a constant opinion that S. Luke did paint in certaine tables the figure of our Lady which to this day are in some places kept most holily and worshipped most religiously Then relating out of Eusebius how the images of the Apostles were framed and kept by Christiās citeth the words following out of him Insignia etenim veterum reseruari ad posterorū memoriam illorum honoris horū vero amoris iudiciū est For the reseruing of the signes markes or thing belonging to the aunciēts to the memory of posterity is a signe of honor to thē loue in these Hēce saith Polydore is growne worthily a custome of placing in the Churches reuerencing the statues as well of our Sauiour as his SS But because by the memory of Saints as it were an exāple or sample set before our eyes which the images represent men are stirred vpp to vertue imitatiō the honour of the image passeth to the honour of the original as S. Basil saith therefore the Fathers haue not onely admitted that custome but by the authority of the 6. Synod at Cōstantinople vnder Constātine Iustinian the 2. his sonne it was decreed as may appeare by the canonical decrees that the holy images of SS should be had in Churches worshipped with great veneration being to ignorant people in place of the holy Scripture whereto also Frankincense is offered and tapers are lighted and there adding 2. or 3. Councels more decreeing the same againe he concludeth thus Ecquis igitur tam dissolutus tantaque audacia praeditus est qui velit possitue dubitare seu aliter somniare ne dicam sentire vel cogitare de imaginum cultu ac demum sit tot longe sanctissimorum patrum decreto constitutum What man is there therefore so disolute and endewed with soe much boldnes who will or can doubt or otherwise dreame that I may not say iudge or thinke of the worship of images then at last hath beene approued by the Decree of soe many most holy Fathers Thus farr Polydore to whose demaund why may not I answeare that Sir Humphrey Linde is the man soe dissolute and audacious that dares not onely dreame but waking with all his witts and sences that he hath about him and speaking and writing dares I say not onely doubt of but absolutely deny the lawfulnes of the worship of images And not onely this but euen to bring thee ô Polydore Virgil to witnesse with him against the Romane Church that all the ancient Fathers of the Primitiue Church condemned the same What would this authour say to you Sir Humphrey if he were aliue to see himselfe abused by you and which is yet more euen after Dr. White was conuict of this dissolutenes and audaciousnes yet you would be at it againe Heereby a man may see there needes noe other confutation but onely right citing of your owne authours 17. For Peresius his words are nothing against vs for they touch onely vpon a schoole point whether the picture be to be adored with the same worship as the prototype or thing represented or with an inferiour worship the former opinion onely he denieth because saith he there is neither proofe out of scripture tradition of the Church common consent of Fathers or determination of a general Councel which very saying of his is enough to condemne you who will not acknowledge sufficient authority in tradition Fathers or Councel to belieue a thing which you like not But to make it plainely appeare how much you wrong Peresius in bringing him against the worship of images I will bring a place 2. leaues before that which you cite out of him it is this Manifeste habes c. Peres de tradit cap. de imag It is manifest that the vse and worship of images hath beene vniuersally in the Church from the tyme of the Apostles and that the dis-esteeme of them began from forlorne and infamous men 500. yeares after the Church was planted and truely if the worship and reuerence be done deuoutly and sincerely this institution is holy and profitable which both Apostolique tradition hath introduced the vse of the vniuersal Church affirmed the consent of very famous and generall Councels both in the East and West being added thereto which also euen natural reason doth dictate Thus farre are Peresius his owne words whereby any man may see whether Sir Humphrey you deale well with him or not to pretend his authority against our vse and worship of images Agobard de pict imaginib in bibl PP 18. Now for Agobardus whō you seeme to make great acount of if you consider him a little better you will find little cause he writeth indeede a booke de picturis imaginibus the whole drift whereof is onely against the idolatrical vse or abuse of images against which he speaketh very much by occasion of some abuses in his tyme as it is meete hee and euery good man should And for the same end he bringeth many authorityes of the ancient Fathers all which speake plainely against idolatry and likewise he bringeth that canon of the Councel of Eliberis which you bring out of him that noe picture should be painted on the walls vnderstanding it in the same sense which I alleadged in my second answeare to that Canon before to wit for auoyding superstition in some young and vnexperienced Christians conuerted from gentility But for those words which follow in your citation of him to wit these There is noe example in all the scriptures or Fathers for adoration of images I doe not find them in him this I am sure of that they are not ioyned with the former as you heere ioyne them Thus indeede he saith in a certaine place habuerunt antiqui Sanctorum imagines vel pictas vel sculptas sed causa historiae ad
Testament there where you tooke out your note All which annotation if you had read well vnderstood Annot. in cap. 14. 1. Cor. you could neuer haue said more of this matter the inconueniences are much vanity curiosity contempt of Superiours disputes emulations contentions schismes horrible errours profanations and diuulgation of the secret mysteries of the dreadful Sacraments which of purpose were hidden from the vulgar as S. Denys Eccl. Hier. cap. 1. and S. Basil de Sp. Sancto cap. 27. testify thus that note Besides the very ignorance of the Latine tongue and coÌ„sequently of all sacred learning which would follow thereof onely in Clergy men is ten hundred tymes more harme then that fruite in the Layity is good to say nothing of the vnity of the Catholique Church excellently represented and maintained heereby whereof and of other reasons also I spake before the Church therefore which is to reguard the publique good what is best and fittest all things considered might most prudently haue ordained the vse of the Latine tongue although it had not beene in vse from the beginning as it hath beene and for the common good euen with losse of some fruit to some priuate men though indeed that fruite be noe necessary or needful fruit nor euen fruit at all the inconuenience being well waighed and compared with the fruit Now of this controuersy in this manner also none of your authorityes doe vrge but onely Caietans who though he were a good a learned man yet in him the prouerb is verified quandâ—que bonus dormitat Homerus He is noted to be often mistaken in matters of Diuinity which was his proper professioÌ„ but much more in scripture wherein hee was not soe well skilled and soe committed many faults and in this particular he is greatly mistaken for he expoundeth that chapter of S. Paul to the Corinthians to be of publique prayer of the Church wherein being soe plainely deceiued noe wonder he might say it were better to haue it in a vulgar tongue soe also for that end he wishes there were not Organs nor Singing in the Church that men might vnderstand the words the better Wherein if his iudgment be good and to bee followed why haue you Organs and singing in your church neither were you soe well aduised in alleadging his authority for a Puritane may also make vse thereof against you and whereas Caietans reason is the aedification of the Church he is mistaken in the very end of prayer which is not aedification or instruction of the people but the honor of God immediatly For in prayer the Priest doth not speake to the people but to God in behalfe of the people wherein the people doth onely ioyne with him For which vnderstanding of the Priest's prayers is noe way necessary 11. But now I come to Gabriel who you say was soe farre from approuing vocal prayer in an vnknowne tongue that on the contrary he giueth 7. special reasons why it should be vnderstood by the people But this is most false Sir Humphrey for Gabriel doth not speake of prayer in a knowne or vnknowne tongue nor of publique prayer but onely of priuate prayer and of vocal prayer as it is compared with mental prayer and giueth these 7. reasons which you alleadge but not for proofe of what you say but onely to shew that beside mental prayer it is also conuenient to vse vocal prayer some of which reasons indeede haue noe place but where the words are vnderstood but yet other some haue For thus he saith Gab. in can lect 62. Sufficit oratio mentalis quoad Deum qui inspector est cordis vtilis tamen est priuata vocalis propter plures causas quas assignant Doctores Alexander Thomas caeteri Mental prayer is sufficient for as much pertaineth to God who is the beholder of the hart yet priuate vocal prayer is profitable for many causes which the Doctors Alexander Thomas others assigne theÌ„ assigneth those 7. reasons Soe as it is plaine he saith nothing in this but what others say that his question is not of prayer in a knowne or vnknowne tongue but of vocal prayer in general 12. Your 7. and 8. points of Safe doctrine of not Worshipping images and praying to Saints I putt together being short not needing much answeare For reason you alleadge none nor authority hut onely Erasmus Cassander Chemnitius Who are all of as good authority as your selfe For as for a word which you alleadge out of S. Aug. though you note not the place I say it is not to purpose for it is but this tutius iucundius loquâ—â— ad meum IESVM I speake more safely and more sweetly to my IESVS You doe not say then to whom and from hence you might as well inferre that while S. Aug. was vpon the earth he should not so much as speake to any man or desire their prayers as well as inferre there vppon that he should not pray to any Saint 13. Your last point is our doctrine of Meritts whereto not hauing said sufficiently at first you thinke to say more now but the truth is you haue more words but not more matter For heere you proue it onely out of a word of S. Bernard's saying Ser. 1. in Psal Qui habitat dangerous is the habitation of those that trust in their owne merits and soe say we but we say withall that to acknowledge that Almighty God rendereth a crowne of iustice to good works done by his grace and hyre to those that labour in his vineyard is not to trust in a man 's owne merits but to acknowledge the mercy iustice and fidelity of God For this not onely a man may acknowledge that hath good workes but also a man that hath none nor thinketh hee hath any and consequently noe whit confideth in his owne merits Ser. 61. in câ—nt Another place is out of the same Saint but out of an other of his works where he asketh what safe rest or security can the weake Soule find but in the wounds of our Sauiour And soe say we too but what doth this hinder but a man may say as I said before that God rewardeth the good works of his Seruants out of his iustice and fidelity which out of his Mercy he gaue them grace to doe but heere I note that in the citing of this place in the text you putt the two first words in Latine thus Vbi tuta as if you would make one thinke S. Bernard pointed at your Safe way may not a man without wrong to your witt thinke such a conceit might come into your head though S. Bernard were dead many ages agoe I will not say soe of you Sir Humphrey but yet thought is free as they say Well your next author is Waldensis who as you tell vs thinketh him the sounder Diuine Suar. to 3. de gr lib. 12. cap. 1. n. 2. that simply denieth such Merit but you say not