the Hebrewe article Lamed which is the signe of the Datiue case as though they were giuen to Dauid from aboue and not Dauids Psalmes with the signe of the Genitiue case as though they were of his owne making or inuention So saint Paul saith 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God And saint Peter saith Pet. 2. ep 3.15 Iames 1.5 As our beloued brother Paul according to the wisedome giuen to him wrote to you And saint Iames saith If any man lacke wisedome let him aske of God c. Hereof is the maiestie of the holy scriptures and worde of God it descendes from aboue all mens hearts must climbe vp to it no man nor Church is aboue it so that we maie iustly saie thereof as Dauid said Psal 138.2 Thou hast magnified thy name and thy word aboue all things Osor lib. 3. de Sapientia Of the authoritie of the scriptures Osorius writes thus If thou be afraide to walke in darkenesse and desirest to be filled with the light of saluation doe not search for those causes and reasons of things thou canst neuer attaine vnto but onely giue credit to the heauenly testimonies and be content that thou maiest be sure that those thinges which thou beleeuest are confirmed by Gods â—â—ne word and sentence This is the rocke of all Christians â—â—at they knowe that those things which they doe beleeue are ratified by Gods owne word The words of all the Angels in heauen nor of all the men and Churches in the world without this word could not quiet and assure our consciences Therefore we beleeue and are assured because we know God hath spoken it and whatsoeuer hee hath spoken we doubt not of though he haue but once spoken it as Balam did Num. 22.11.20 after Gods answere he went to aske him the second time Againe of the excellent commoditie which is reaped by studying the scriptures he writes thus And that we may begin Lib. 5. de Sap. from hence it is euident by Gods owne mouth that true wisedome consists in true obedience and kéeping of the law of God For thus it is written This shall be your wisedome and vnderstanding before all people that they hearing these commandements may say Behold a wise and an vnderstanding people As though hee should say let others loue the studies of the Mathematiques let them search out with all their endeuours the hidden secretes of nature and if they thinke good let them measure out the heauens and let them endeuour to bring to light that which is shut vp in the bowels of the earth let them bragge of their wisedome and vaunt of their wits let them walke with the titles of great learned men and let them intrude themselues euerie where as correctors and amenders of common wealths But you keepe firmely with you one kinde of wisedome onely that is to say study you in the Lawe of God day and night let that neuer slippe out of your mindes Other studies can neither saue you nor aduance you nor deliuer you out of perils nor to conclude can bring you any fruit or commoditie in aduersities Nay it may so fall out that that same false opinion of wisedome may oftentimes bring you into the danger of your life and maye throw you headlong into euerlasting destruction For he is not called blessed which is skilfull in the artes which mans braine hath deuised but he that studies earnestly in the law of God day and night And after he concludes thus This Oration plainely declares that all wisedome is contained in the studying of the law of God If this be true why then are not all men in the Popes kingdome exhorted and pricked forward to this blessednesse why are some kept backe from it and forbidden it If all wisedome bee contained therein what state haue they béene in which neuer knew it And Ferus herin also agrées with Osorius Fer in c 9. act As vnreasonable beasts are guided and holden in with a bridle so to man is giuen reason and to Christians the word of God by which they may be gouerned He accounts Christians lacking the knowledge of the word of God like bruit bâ—astes without a bridle or like men without reason And againe The word of God is that sharpe and piercing sword wherewith the Diuell is repelled and put to flight He therefore that will liue without care danger let him take into his hands this sword Thus saith Ferus but the Pope saith not so he will not haue euerie one meddle with this sword In cap. 20. act And againe These are the weapons wherewith the enemies haue hurt the Church that is to say peruerse doctrine and all doctrine is peruerse wicked that agrees not with the rule and square of Gods worde Ibidem And a little after vpon these words And to the word of his grace He addes this as though he should say If any thing as yet bee wanting let it be taken out of the word of God For Gods word is a Lanterne vnto our feete Aboue all other things chiefly in all aduersities the power and authoritie of God and the word of truth doe comfort vs and doe defend vs against all inuasions of heretiques the Diuell and the world He doth not say as some Papists doe nowe saie that the wants of the Church must be supplied by traditions but by the Scriptures It is able to supplie all wants And againe vpon these words Saying none other things then those Fer. in act 24. which Moses and the Prophets did saie should come The doctrine of Christians must bee agreeable to the Scriptures And if Paul were not ashamed to preach the Scriptures how much lesse we And after speaking of Pauls Nauigation Let vs vse all fit meanes saith he but especially let vs trust in God In Act. 27. If we cannot escape the danger of our body yet let vs haue a care that our soule may be safe And marke here that the longer we are on this sea meaning the world wee doe saile the more dangerously Againe There is neuer more dangerous fayling then where there is famine of the word of God If we would then not suffer shipwrack Col. 3.16 let vs haue the anchor in our houses as Saint Paul counsels vs. And a little after As these men in so great dangers had nothing els to comfort them but the words of Paul so also now the word of God only comforts vs which God giues vs abundantly But wo be to our vnthankfulnesse which despise it The houre shall come when we shall desire to heare the word of God and it shall not be granted vs. Wo to him that despiseth it for he shall be despised Let all Recusants marke this Marke diligently also saith he that Paul spake but thrise in the shippe first he warned them that they should not saile secondly he comforted them And here thirdly he forewarneth against imminent
both the diuine nature and our nature who vnderstands what is profitable for man and also what God requires of vs both worthy of God and him also that asketh And also with what words not so much fit for God for he knoweth the meaning and force of all words as for the minde of him that speaketh that he may not be ignorant how he ought to thinke of God And of this his vnderstanding the loue of God may spring in him and be confirmed And after There is no prayer which ought so diligently and attentiuely to be said and meditated vpon of vs as this meaning the Lords prayer euerie part of it nay euerie word euerie letter euerie prick of it are to be weighed of vs. He would haue this praier especiallie of all to be vnderstood and not to be saide in Latine as they vsed in Poperie 16. Of Auricular confession De Baptis ad Io. CYprian writes thus of that place in the 20. of Iohn Whose sins ye remit c. It is manifest where and by whom remission of sinnes may be giuen which is giuen in baptisme for the Lord gaue first that power to Peter vpon whome he built his Church and from whom he ordained and shewed the originall of humanitie that that should be loosed on earth that he had loosed And after his resurrection he speaketh also to his Apostles saying As my father sent me so send I you when he had said thus He breathed vpon them and said to them receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yet forgiue they are forgiuen to him whose yee retaine they are retained Whereby we perceiue that it is lawfull in the Church for the gouernours thereof and those that are appointed by the law of the Gospell and the Lords ordinance to baptise and to giue remission of sins and that without neither any thing can be bound or loosed seeing there is no body that can binde or loose any thing Neither doe we set downe this O brother without the authoritie of the scriptures So that we said that all things are set in order by a certaine law and by his own appointment Neither that any man may take vpon him any thing against the Bishops and priests which is not in his right and power For Chore Dathan and Abiram against Moses and Aaron tooke vpon them authoritie to sacrifice neither did they that without punishment which they attempted vnlawfully Here we maie learne first that the fathers workes either thorough malice or ignorance haue béene corrupted for what sense should this haue for God first gaue this power to Peter from whom he shewed and ordained the originall of humanitie no doubt it should be of vnanimitie or vnitie as appeares by the other place of his booke of the simplicitie of prelates So we may sée how that olde cousoner Sathan hath not kept back his fingers from the fathers workes he hath béen doing with them And therfore who dare safely build his faith vpon them Secondly that the Church was built vpon Peter to declare the vnitie that should be amongst all pastors not to declare anie superioritie of Peter in power or authoritie of binding or loosing aboue the rest for there hereafter he addes That al the rest receiued like power with him of binding and loosing And that the heretiques rebelling in the Church and breaking the vnitie thereof doe not rebell against anie one but against the Byshops and priests euen as Chore Dathan and Abiram did against Moses and Aaron And lastlie he expounds plainely where this power of binding and loosing is executed which hee affirmes to be in Baptisme and not in auricular confession as our late diuines of Rome teach who attributes the verie strength and power and force of that place to auricular confession and to their priests then either forgiuing or detaining sinnes Cyrill also as hath béene alleadged before agrées herein with Cyprian and expounds this authoritie of forgiuing sinnes which the ministers haue to be executed in baptisme or in repentance of notorious sinners Austen also expoundeth that place of S. Matthews Gospell Aug. Tract in Ioh. 123. To thee I will giue the keies of the kingdome of heauen thus that Peter when this was said vnto him signified the whole Church And of Christs coate which was without seame he writes thus Tract in Ioh. 118. The coate without seame least at any time it should be ript in sunder came vnto one because he gathers all into one euen as amongst his Apostles when as the number was twelue that is three times foure and they were all asked Only Peter answered Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God And it was said to him To thee I will giue the keies of the kingdome of heauen as though he alone had receiued power of binding and loosing when as he being but one answered that for all and receiued this withall as a figure of vnitie therefore one for all because vnitie is to them all And therefore this when he had said wrought about he addeth thorow out the which if we referre to that which it signifieth no man lackes it who is found to pertaine to the whole from which whole as the Greeke tongue shewes the Catholique church is called This is Austens iudgment that Peter answered for all and receiued like authoritie for all But M. Bellarmine saith There was no cause why Christ should so particularly say to Peter To thee I will giue the keies and feed my sheepe and that for his singular faith and loue if he should receiue nothing besides the rest He plainlie dissents from Austen and so their new Catholique faith from the olde Austen and Cyprian affirme that this spéech of our Sauiour was to him alone to declare the vnitie he would haue amongst all his ministers and in this he made him a mirror and not a maister Cyrill in Io. cap. 64. And Cyrill saith by his threefold commission he comforted him againe for his threefold denying this he gained by it Franciscus de Euia a Papist of auricular confession writes thus Direct confes I counsell thee also deare brother if thou wilt confesse thy sinnes often that thou get thee a proper confessor and such a one as is well experienced in that matter a wise man and of a good and commendable life to whom thou maiest safely committe thy conscience and to haue now euen in the steed of the Lord God to whom thou maiest surely reueale all thy secrets both inward and outward and all thy sinnes Herein he plainlie discouers the corruptions of their Church Should a shéepe go from his shepheard This is an absurd thing But such hath béen their doctrine and practise that the pastors of congregations neede not preach themselues but friers in their roomes and thereby were all their Frieries maintained and that the shéepe maie go from their pastors to séeke some other to reueale their sins vnto 1. Pet. 5.1 Whereas S. Peter exhorts all elders and
writes in another place thus Blessed is that man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the chaire of pestilence The Scripture meaning this That he is blessed that hath separated himselfe from the fellowship of the wicked for this is the part of vngodlinesse to acknowledge no author of life nor parent of saluation or that hath not dwelt in sinne or that hath not continued in Ryot and wantonnesse But that he studying in the law of God day and night shall be like a tree that shall yeelde his fruite in due season The former are merits of rewards but this is a reward of merits Let vs marke here how Ambrose prefers the studying of the word of God to all other good workes But some Papists perchance will obiect Stel. in Luc. 21. that our Sauiour Christ taught his Apostles manie things priuately and in secret And that therefore the Scriptures are not to bee knowen of all men for these secrets are contained in them To this obiection Stella answeres All things saith he which Iesus reuealed to his Apostles although he tolde them to them neuer so secretly they ought to preach them publikely for they were as it were the conduit pipes by which the water of the doctrine which Christ the liuely spring preached vnto them should come to all the faithfull of the Church And therefore the Lord said vnto them That which I say vnto you in darkenesse speake ye in light and that ye heare in the eare preach ye in the houses And here I cannot but maruell 2. Tim. 3 16. Psal 12.6 Reu. 22.18 that séeing the Scripture is inspired of God as Saint Paul testifieth and is siluer purified seuen times in the furnace as Dauid affirmeth and as to Saint Iohns Reuelation so no doubt to anie other booke of the holy Scriptures hee that shall adde or diminish or alter any thing shall bee plagued of God that the Papists in their allegations of the scriptures maintaine their old translation against the verity of the original of the Gréeke and Hebrew wheras it differs from them As for example Philippus de Dies alleageth a text of Saint Iohns gospell to good purpose following their olde translation But in the Gréeke originall it is not so as hee alleageth it speaking of the carefull bringing vp of children hee writes thus Phil. de Dies Summa praed titulo adolescens The diligence of parentes is not onely necessary to this purpose but also the great care and watchfulnesse of pastors or prelates which thing our Lord Christ doth aduertise vs in Saint Iohns gospell For when as he committed his Church to Saint Peter and made him vniuersall pastor hee said twise to him feed my Lambes but after hee saith but once feed my sheepe wherein the heauenly Maister taught that a prelate although he bee bound both to feede Lambes and sheep yet he ought to haue more care attendance of Lambes then of sheepe That is greater care of children then of parents c. The scope of this doctrine is not amisse but it is not well grounded on this place for it is in the Greeke twise repeated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say feede my sheepe feede my sheepe And but once said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is feed my Lambes And yet the common translation which Philippus de Dies followes hath twise to gather in the first places pasce agnos meos that is feed my Lambes and after but once feed my sheepe where as in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Lambe is but once vsed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a sheepe is twise what great presumption is this to dare to go from the originall 7. Of the sufficiencie of the Scriptures THE Rhemistes first vpon the gospell of Saint Iohn note In cap. 16. v. 12 that the scriptures are not sufficient and expounde that place of the gospell I haue yet many things to say vnto you on this manner This place conuinceth that the Apostles the faithfull be taught many things which Christ omitted to teach them for their weaknesse and that it was the prouidence of God that Christ in presence shoulde not teach and order all things that we might be no lesse assured of the things the Church teacheth by the holy Ghost then of things that himselfe deliuered How contrarie this their exposition is to the exposition of Ferus vpon the same place which hereafter followeth Let euery true Christian iudge and sée who comes néerer to the marke and trueth Andradius also writes thus That the scriptures are not sufficient when as God would helpe the frailty of mans memory Lib. 2 Orthodox Explicat by the working of his Gospell yet he would but so haue such a short abstract or abridgement of his matters committed to writing that the greatest part Lib. 4. de verbo dei non scripto cap. 4. as a treasure of great price should be left to be inclosed or kept in the minde of man And M. Bellarmine plainely affirmes that the scriptures without tradition neither to haue beene simplie necessarie nor sufficient So that by his iudgement the wants of the scriptures must be supplied by traditions But first saint Ierome of the scriptures writes otherwise It was impossible saith Ierome that she which brought forth the man child was in childbed should lacke aboundance of milke In cap. Es 66. for the bringing vp of that people and of those little ones that were borne at once that she might giue them her two pappes not as before in Egypt swampt as we say or brused but with virginall bewtie now full and strowted out that is the olde and new Testament to giue that reasonable milke The olde and newe Testament are by Ieromes iudgement two pappes full fraught with sufficient milke to the nourishing of all the children of Gods Church Serranus also a papist Serranus in 47 cap. Ezech. of the sufficiency of the scriptures writes thus Euery part of scripture containes trueth alike and is alike absolute and perfect in the Reuelation of mysteries euen as the number of a thousand is whole and perfect so all is plainely reuealed and through faith shewed that pertaines to our redemption saluation and instruction Wherefore wee must goe forwarde the scripture beeing our guide But to goe about to search the reasons of it to examine the causes of the articles of our beliefe and with the finger of reason to teach all things and preach the incomprehensible iudgement of God and to haue a will to know that vnsearchablenesse which Paul wonders at is to passe the boundes of the angell the Prophets guide and to endeuour to passe ouer that sea which no man can passe ouer whereat the angell himselfe makes a stoppe is diuelish presumption Wherefore commending these things to be worthy euerlasting consideration and memorie that heretikes
he did manie things very stately who in the end vanished away verie miserably And he gaue an example to all Prelates not to be high minded but being rather a patterne to their flocke that they would desire rather to be loued of their subiects then to be feared of them This is he of whom it is said that he entred as a Fox liued as a Lion and died as a Dog But not to make many words concerning this matter which hath beene so largely and learnedly handled of others I will but note the generall complaint which that author makes about that time Fascic temp Anno Christi 874. wherein the Popes began to climbe vp into their chaire of pride and into Antichrists seat Charitie saith he waxed verie cold about these times in all degrees and heresies for the most part now ceased But ambition couetousnes other vices being now set at liberty persecuted the Christian saith more then anie heresie Then Adrianus tertius decreede that the Emperor should in no wise meddle with the election of the Pope 884. Héere we may sée how Sathan after persecutions were ended persecuted the Church a fresh with pride and ambition And here the Popes pride began to sprout and shew it selfe A little after the same Author writes thus Oh good Lord how is the gold waxen dimme the glittering gold now is chaunged what offences do we read to haue chaunced about this time euen in the holy sea Apostolike which hitherto thou hast preserued with so great zeale What contentions and emulations sects enuies ambitions intrusions persecutions Oh wicked time wherein there was not one godlly man left and truth was decaied from among the sonnes of men But after these times there were some holy popes but not so in order nor so many as in the former times And a little after These eight Bishops following one after another 904. did sit but a short time I can say nothing worthie of commendation of them For I found nothing but scandalous things of them for the strange contentions which were in the sea Apostolike one against another and all of them euerie one against another c. These were not Pine trées but elder trees sauoring not pleasantly euen as we may sée in the noses of their friends But to come neerer to our daies since their pride began such hath been also their manners Paulus Iouius writes thus Tom. 1. lib. 1. Hist sin temp The people of Rome being deuided into two parts followed either the Colummans or the Vrsines The Sabellians mightie both for the antiquitie of their family and for the multitude of their petigree and valiant youths tooke the Colummans part and the Grapessians being Earles both for nobilitie and power as good as they tooke the Vrsines part On the Vrsine faction were famous then who became afterward both at home and abroad notable souldiers Verginius and Nicholas Vrsinus on the Columman faction Prosper and Fabritius were famous and Iacobus Comes Antonellusque Sabellus The Bishops of Rome as either the times or warres gaue occasions were euer enemies and against the wealthy powers of both these and they neuer studied for any thing more then to maintaine the one faction and to nourish their quarels that when both their powers were consumed with mutuall slaughters and domages they themselues hauing also extinguished the remainders of them might enioy their townes neere vnto the Citie This Iouius reports of the Bishoppes of Rome Here are peaceable and not couetous prelates as they would make the world beleeue that they are whom one of their owne friends reports that they maintaine a faction in Rome to the end to obtaine their townes and lordships when as they had one killed another by their meanes And after he writes The Romans also either mindfull of their olde worship and auncient libertie or els as they are troublesome and fierce of nature cannot with quiet minds endure the rule of Priests meaning the Popes because many of them rule not with moderation but couetously He confesseth that Popes are couetous And againe writing of Alexander the sixt he writes thus At this time Alexander the sixt was Pope a Spaniard Tom. 1. lib. 1. Histor who before was called Rodericus Burgia who being of a prowd nature and therefore both craftie and liberall hauing manifestly corrupted some of the chiefe Cardinals at the time of the election with briberie when as the better sort which would haue chosen the most worthy had taken the repulse gat to be Pope Thus we maie sée how euen latter Popes were ambitious and craftie as wel as the former And writing of Luther hee writes thus Tom. 2. lib. 20. Histor At the same time Charles the Emperor at Vangium neere to Rhemes called a councell of the nobles of Germanie for the report of the sturs about religion because Martin Luther a Frier of Saxonie had spoken against the Popes authoritie In that assembly Martin Luther had leaue giuen him to shew the causes why he thought by the law of Christ he might depart from the censure of the Pope And hee yeelded this cause especially that certaine couetous embassadours sent from the court of Rome taught that they selling the Popes pardons could deliuer the soules which were burning in purgatorie The Popes couetousnesse kindled Luther against him Thus we maie sée plainely how the Church of Rome is not built of pine trées but of rotten earthlie heauie and stinking wood of ambition couetous seditions diuelish and most wicked prelates euen as their owne histories and friends doe testifie 2. Thes 2.3 That therefore the Pope maie be truely called that man of sinne in whose chaire so manie and so notorious sinners haue sitten And therefore it is nothing like to the Arke of Noah which was built of pine trées The Church of Rome hath cels in her for the bodies but no nests for the soules of Christians to rest in She troubles mens consciences with her doubtfull doctrine of saluation and therefore in this respect also she is vnlike to the Arke of Noah Their Church also is farre vnlike the Arke of Noah in this respect she is higher then she is long or broad In the mysterie of their saluation how short was their knowledge in those daies yea and in their charitie whereof they bragge so much towards the soules of their brethren No pennie no pater noster was a common prouerb and true then no man reprooued the sinne of his brother Exod. 10.23 They liued as in the darkenesse of Egypt for the lacke of the light of knowledge of the lawe of the Lord no man sawe his brother no man reprooued his brother as all christians ought to doe as they are commanded Heb. 10.24 But their height was hautie she retched vp euen to heauen and tooke vpon her euen more then the sonne of God did to dispence with the law of God to trust in the works of her owne deuising and to promise
with the holy Ghost And this is that which Christ promised once If two of you shall agree vpon earth whatsoeuer thing they shall aske it shall be done vnto them Ferus would haue common praiers made with the common consent of the whole Church or else saith he they are of no force Contrarie to the common practise of the Roman Church amongst vs in times past Againe he writes thus of the euill life of the Church which offends manie Ferus in cap. Act. 23. Although it be a great imperfection and defect where the life is not approued and vertuous yet there is lesse danger if the faith be right and sound then if the life were good and the faith euill For without faith it is impossible to please God and he that comes to God must beleeue Therefore it is of more force if the faith be pure and good then if thy works were good Thus farre Ferus He preferres that Church which hath a right faith although in some respect she faile in good workes before that Church which hath good works and an euill faith And of the Church Ferus in Act 21. and of the sacrifices thereof he writes thus Paul taught that Gods house was the Church and that now the true sacrifice was to bee offered in euerie place So Theodoret expounds it in cap 1. Malach. alleageth this place of S Paul and that of our Sauiour Ioh 4.23 1. Tim. 2.8 the which thing also Malachie prophesied Ferus séemes to expound the sacrifice which Malachie speaks of to be Christian prayer as Saint Paul doth also who saith I will that men pray in all places lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubtfulnesse S. Paul here without all doubt alludes to Malachie Here is pure hands and that pure sacrifice void of wrath and doubtfulnesse Here is in all places And expounds that place of Malachie of Prayer and not of the Eucharist as some of the Papists do Iacob Vshanskus Guesnensis Archiep. Heb. 13.15 Ose 14 3. And for all Iewish sacrifices for that sacrifice Mincha which was drawn to the altar now Saint Paul puts downe in another place the fruit of our lips which sentence he takes out of Osee who cals prayers and giuing of thanks the calues of our lips And of religion maintained by warres he writes thus He that maintaines his cause by seditions and tumults of the people Ferus in Act. 21. discouers and bewrayes himselfe that he hath not a iust cause A good cause needs not vproares or mans authority who hath God the fauourer and protector of it And doth not the Pope vse these meanes to further his cause In this he declares he is not of God But in this waightie matter to let all mens testimonies passe which are light vpon the ballance as Dauid termes them Psal 62.9 yea lighter then vanitie it selfe and to returne to that vndoubted fountaine of all truth the word of God with which I began That is an euident and infallible marke of Gods Church which the Angell taught Saint Iohn Reu. 19.10 Who when as he would haue worshipped him said See thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren which haue the testimonie Iesus Worship God Here is an euident marke of Gods Church she worships only God and not Angels And secondly here is a reason why we should not worship Angels we debase our selues in worshipping them they are our fellow seruants And who in common sense will worship his equals By worshipping Angels we forget that great dignitie whereunto Iesus Christ hath aduanced vs. We are now Iesus Christs we are his members 1. Cor. 3.23 1. Cor. 6.15 Therfore as he doth not no more should we worship Angels A second mark of Gods Church here also we may learne She hath the testimonie of Iesus And what is that that is the spirit of prophesie as the Angell after expounds it that is the Spirit of God wherby all Gods children are able in some measure to vnderstand and expound the scriptures For as all Gods children haue Gods Spirit so it is no doubt a fire in them and therefore it will burne through Christian charitie it will lighten their knowledge and disperse the mysts of darknesse This fire hath Antichrist quenched by taking the wood and matter of it awaie I meane the Scriptures from the common people And to this that of Saint Paul hath relation no doubt 1. Thes 5.19 Quench not the Spirit But here they thinke that because they worship Saints and Angels therefore they shall be blamelesse But that shall not excuse them Reu. 14 7. because they are plainly taught and commanded to worship him onely that made heauen and earth And by these words God onely is signified and all other creatures are excluded And this Epithite is commonly attributed to God in the Scriptures Psal 124.8.134.3 Our help standeth in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth Here is as it were a distinction put betwéene the workes and the workman all the works iointly must worship their maker they must not begin one to magnifie or worship another Nay the more to conuince them in this their errour all the Saints and angels haue refused this seruice Act. 10.26 Act. 14.15 Peter to Cornelius Paul to the men of Lystra saying We are men like to your selues why do you honour vs And the angell twise in the Reuelation wheras S. Iohn did not forget himselfe and would haue yéelded to the angell the honour due to God but euen this ciuill outward honor which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the angell twise refused alleaging my former reason Reu. 19.10 22.9 that he was one of our fellow seruants and fellow seruants must not worship one another but only their master Teaching vs to be very warie in worshipping yea euen angels least our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grow into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as amongst the Papists it hath done These two are easily in words distinguished but not so easily in déed To bowe the knée is but a ciuill honor but yet to bow the knee to Baal Rom. 11.4 God accounts part of his honor And S. Paul writes thus most manifestly of the worshipping of angels Let none ouer-rule you Col. 2.18 or spoile you of your prize which by the worshipping of God you obtaine by humblenesse of mind and worshipping of Angels aduancing himselfe into those things hee neuer saw rashly puft vp with his fleshly mind As though hée should saie No man knowes the estate of angels whether they heare our prayers at all times and can helpe vs at their pleasures or not and who will then pray vnto them nay this shall make vs lose our prize We all in this life as Saint Paul teacheth runne as it were in a race 1. Cor. 9.24 now he that runneth in a race must haue his eyes still fixt on the goale
the ancient Christians Christians differ not from other men neither in countrey nor speech Iust epist ad Diog. nor in ciuill gouernement They dwell in no cities by themselues neither vse they anie language that differs from the common speech of other men neither haue they a kinde of life which is famous for any singular or odde thing in it neither doe they go about to learne any thing deuised of curious heads neither are they patrons of any mans opinion as many are but inhabiting partly in the cities of the Grecians and partly of the Barbarians as euerie mans lot hath befallen him following the maners of the people with whom they dwell in their apparell and liuing and other things which concerning this present life they set before our eyes a wonderfull state of their common wealth They dwel in their owne countries but as it were strangers They haue all things common with other men as citizens and they distribute all things away as it were some trauelling into another countrie Euery strange region is their countrie And all their countries are to them as strange regions and dominions They marie wiues as other men do and beget children but they make not their children away as the heathen do They haue a common table but not polluted with excesse They are in the flesh and yet they liue not according to the flesh They liue here vpon earth but they haue their conuersation in heauen They obey lawes which are made nay in their maner of liuing they farre exceede and go beyond the lawes They loue all men and all men persecute them They are not knowne what they are and yet they are condemned to death They are murdered and yet they are multiplied They are poore yet they make many rich They want al things and yet they abound in all things They are dishonoured and in their ignominie their glorie shines They are slandered and yet all men beare record of their innocency They are reuiled and they giue good speeches againe They are iniured and they honour their persecutors And when as they liue like good men they are punished as though they were wicked And when as they are punished they reioyce as though then they were reuiued The Iewes make warre against them as against strangers the Grecians persecute them they which hate them cannot tell wherfore they hate them And that I may in one word say all That which the soule is in the bodie that are Christians in the world The soule dwelleth in the bodie but it is not of the body So Christians dwell in the world but they are none of the world The inuisible soule is placed in the visible bodie as in a garrison so Christians are knowne while they liue in the world but their diuine worship of God is inuisible The flesh hates the soule and makes war against it because it cannot enioy her pleasures And the world also hates Christians they resist their pleasures The soule loues the flesh which hates her and loueth her members So also Christians loue them which hate them The soule is inclosed within the bodie but it preserueth the body so also Christians are kept in the world as in a prison but they preserue the world The immortall soule dwelleth in a mortall tabernacle and Christians inhabite amongst those things which are corruptible as strangers looking for the immortality of heauen The soule the worse it is fed is the better so Christians whiles they are daily punished are increased c. By this it appeareth how zealous in the seruice of God how homely and simple in their apparel what contemners of the world Christians were in the beginning Who condemne by their examples the Atheists and lukewarme Christians in religion the curious and couetous worldlings of our age who are as it were wedded to this world and take their delights and pleasures therein who will haue all things as they saie in print both their houses and apparell and whatsoeuer they haue else Surely this is not to contemne the world as they did These former vsed the world onelie for the present necessitie they tooke no pleasure therein as manie doe and with great costs labour to obtaine at this daie Athenagoras also a verie ancient Christian in his Apologie for the Christians Athenagor Apol. pro Christianis speaketh thus to the Emperours When as all men through your great clemencie and benignitie haue their right and cities according to their dignities enioy their freedomes nay the whole world by the meanes of your prouidence and wisedome enioyes most firme and sure peace onely of vs who are called Christians you haue no care For you suffer vs who haue committed no euill yea who aboue other as it shall bee declared in the progresse of this Defence haue behaued ourselues most religiously and obediently both towards God and your Empire to bee vexed spoiled banished manie bringing false accusations against our verie names Wherefore we were bold at this time manifestly to declare our cause vnto you And you shall perceiue by this our discourse that against all right and reason we are thus punished Wherefore we beseech you that you will haue also some care of vs that wee now at the last may cease to bee murthered of those our accusers We passe not for the losse of goods nor for the glorie and credite of our good names or for any such like or greater things wherein men may hurt or iniurie vs. For although these things be made great account of amongst the common people wee are wont to despise them For we haue learned that if we be stricken or beaten to abstaine from striking againe or if any inuade or take violently away our goods not to goe to law with them but also to those that haue giuen vs one blow to turne the other cheeke and to them that will take away our coate to offer our cloake also And seeing wee make thus small account of our liues and bodies they seeke for our riches and they babble out huge heapes of crimes against vs which neuer once so much as came into our minds to thinke but which might rather be laid to their charge and to such like as they are But if any shall bee able to conuict vs not onely of any great but of anie small offence we doe not onely desire that punishment may bee remitted vs but wee are readie to endure what punishment soeuer But if so be that we be accused onely for our name because we are called Christians for euen vnto this day all those vncertaine rumours and reports which are spred abroad on vs are lies neither is any Christian conuicted of anie hainous offence it is your parts O most wise and curteous Princes by your lawes to deliuer vs from this iniurie that as in all the world both euerie priuate man and all men in euerie towne by your bountifulnesse do enioy common peace quietnesse so we may haue cause also
papist cites out of Eusebius Clemens that that Cephas which Paul reprehended in the 2. of the Galathians was not Peter the Apostle but another one of the 72. Disciples who was also called Cephas as he proueth out of Dorotheus and Hippolytus And he séemes to be himselfe of the same opinion for sayth he After the comming of the holy ghost vpon the Apostles it is not likely that the pillar of the Church shold haue fallen into so great a fault and haue erred in so great a matter of faith that is concerning the abrogation of the legall ceremonies To whom Christ committed his Church and appointed him generall pastour and teacher and maister of the faithfull and left him his Vicar vpon earth c. And againe It was not meete that the high Bishop and Prince of the Apostles should bee reproued of Paul so publiquely and sharply But this his smoake manifestly obscureth the truth for what is the drift of Paul in that place by the iudgement of other learned papists themselues but that he conferred the gospell with the Apostles not that he should learne any thinge of them whom he witnesseth to haue added nothing vnto him but lest they should not haue allowed it of whom onely he receiued the ministerie of gathering of almes And he shewes himselfe in somuch not inferiour to the Apostles that he feared not to reproue Peter their prince as it were compelling the gentiles to Iudaisme And after he shewes that we are Iustified by saith and not by the Lawe Gal. 2.16 This is Gagneus opinion in his argument of the second chap. to the Gal. So that if Paul conferred not his gospell with Peter the rest if he rebuked not Peter euen to the face as he there writes neither his owne authoritie nor the authoritie of his gospell which he preached amongst the GalathiaÌ„s had béene of such great authoritie Gal. 2.1 as hee there goeth about to proue vnto them And againe he writes that he went to Ierusalem where the Apostles abode and he reckons vp by name those that were chiefe amongst the Apostles Iames Cephas and Iohn and if Iames and Iohn were the Apostles he conferred with so also was Peter no doubt the Apostle he after reproued nay hee calleth Peter also Cephas by both his names lest hee should seeme to forget the priuiledge giuen him of our sauiour Nay hee called them pillars and is it likely that any of the 72 disciples should be called by that honorable name Nay he addeth that they gaue him right hands of fellowshippe now what great matter had it béen if any of the 72 disciples had made Paul equall with them And hee addeth after no doubt of the same Peter and not of any other that when as hee was come to Antioch hee withstood him to his face We may note here that the Papists are so blinded with the loue of their Pope that they will not sticke to discredite S. Paul and to diminish as much as in them lieth his authoritie and the authoritie of the gospell which hee preached to maintaine their Popes authoritie But this their exposition is not onely against the scripture but also against the Fathers Ierome and Augustine hadde soone béen agréede if they had credited any such matter who so earnestly wrote one against the other Aug. epist 9. concerning this reprehension when as Austin sayd Peter erred in deede and Ierome that he dissembled only and that Paul did not iustly reproue him But Ierome in his commentaries vpon the Galathians makes mention of this opinion and reiects it Hanmer in trans Dorothei de 70. discip Nay also in Dorotheus latin copie there is no such Cephas numbred amongst the 72 disciples although in the gréeke such an one is named This diuersitie of copies argues some of Sathans subtilties And here may bee a true and forcible argument drawne against the Popes supremacie If Peter had béen head of the Church hee ought not so publiquely sharply to haue béen reproued of Paul saith Pintus but as Gagneus and Austen and almost all the auncient fathers and truth it selfe doth witnesse Paul did so openly and sharply reproue him therefore he was not head of the Church Ferus how resolute he is in this his opinion concerning the Popes authoritie it is worth the marking howe plainly in other his workes as occasion offers hee shewes his iudgment herein If therefore saith hee wee will haue the Church safe let vs especially pray for the holy ghost for it is he wherein the Church is vnited gouerned spread abroad and preserued He alone is the only tutor gouernour teacher and comforter of all the faithfull To the vnitie of the church as other papists doe hee requires not the vnitie of a ministeriall head to gouerne the church but the vnitie of the holy spirit And after speaking of Peter he writes thus He stood in the midst of his brethren In which word the humilitie of Peter is commended For he did not alone by himselfe puft vp with vaine arrogaÌ„cie dispose the ecclesiasticall affaires according to his owne pleasure but in the midst of his brethren he dispatched all thinges which were to be done For it is not lawfull that the ecclesiasticall affaires and what thinges belong to the whole Church should bee ordered by the pleasures of a fewe but rather that those thinges should be disposed to the glorie of God according to the rules and appointment of the scriptures by the mutuall consent of good men Neither is that fit that any one shall take vpon him any office whatsoeuer For the Apostle sayth Let all things be done decently and according to order Therefore it was necessarie that one of the Apostles should orderly doe those necessarie affaires and therefore Peter stepps forth who had béen euer hitherto both more zelous and more apt and luckie in dispatching businesses Peter alone like the Pope presumptuously dealt not in ecclesiasticall affaires And after speaking of Peter Hee calles them brethren though he were the first in order amongst the Apostles For others are not to be disdained because of our higher estate aboue theÌ„ lastly he begins his oration of the holy scrip uâ—es Neither doth Peter this by mans fancie but by the mouing of the holy scriptures And if the chiefe of the Apostles did this what thinke we that we ought to doe Therefore let ciuill matters be discussed by ciuill iust and equall lawes And those things which are diuine let them be weighed in the ballance of the scriptures For there ought nothing to bee established or decreede in the Church but first of all wee should aske couÌ„sell of the holy scriptures The which thing I would to God had been obserued till now but now that is coÌ„monly put in practise of many So I wil haue it This I command to be done my pleasure is a sufficient warrant Surely Ferus in these words toucheth the Popes peremptorie authoritie And after vpon these wordes Let
another take his Bishopricke he calls his bishopprick his Apostolical office or functioÌ„ not an empire or a Lordship And not without cause for they expound a Bishoppricke to be a watching or an ouerseeing the which is the proper office of the Apostles But the Pope will not onely haue an Empire but be aboue Emperors And after But what constant and true witnesses needs Iesus Christ He that is one of Christs witnesses needs not to the execution of his office an externall sword weapons but rather a readie and exercised toung by which he may do exercise faithfully the charg committed vnto him For it is the dutie of an Apostle to excell in tongue worde And againe The authoritie of the christian faith is great which is declared to vs of witnesses which haue declared vnto vs not onely thinges heard but thinges seene and most assured Peter and Iohn the chiefe amongst the Apostles haue witnessed this vnto vs most assuredly Here wee maie note how he ioines Iohn with Peter as two principall or chiefe amongst the rest of the Apostles If Peter had had this prerogatiue to him committed alone of our sauiour Ferus had done him wronge to haue ioined Iohn with him in this primacie And againe Speaking of the election of Matthias none of these although now verie skilful in the gospell by himselfe cares for procures or goes about this busines but being all called together without preferring themselues or disdaining one of the other they all waite for indifferently the sentence of the holy ghost They waited not for Peters sentence but for the sentence of the holy ghost as Christs vicegerent in his Church And the same as he was Christs vicar generall as they terme him in the beginning so shall he be for euer so the Apostles after in their councell place him in the first place It seemes good say they to the holy ghost and to vs not to Peter and to vs. And againe Ferus saith It is no maruaile though we teach diuers doctrines Fâ—r in ca. 4. Act when as wee all are not gouerned and doe not speake with the same spirite The spirite here by Ferus his iudgment keepes the vnitie of the church and not the Pope Againe Fer. in 2. Act. In Peter we are to marke the example of a good shepheard the people being in an vprere Peter steps forth into the midst not that he should with violence staie the murmurers but that out of the scriptures he might reueale and teach the will of God Peter stoode not onely in bodie but in minde And he tooke to him the other eleuen least he should seeme to exercise tyrannie among theÌ„ He was the first in order of the Apostles he was the first that ought to speake wheÌ„soeuer the matter required an euangelicall teacher or preacher These things of Peter are to be imitated of all pastors There are other things read of Peter as that he disswaded Christ from his passion Let that be farre from thee ô Lord saith hee c. Also that hee slept in the garden wheÌ„ as notwithstanding he had promised Christ that he was ready to goe to prâ—son and to death with him And also that being ouercome through mans frailnes he denyed Christ at his passion also that he vsed the materiall sword when Christ was taken But these things of Peter are not to be imitated of pastors for in these he was alwaies chiddeÌ„ of the Lord Although in these in our daies he hath more followers then in that wherin he chiefly is to be followed Ferus here plainely teacheth that Peter was but first in order amongst the Apostles and hee nâ—ppes priuilie the Pope and his cleargie who rather follow Peter in his sléeping and in his materiall sword then in his diligence and preaching And after he writes thus vpon these words In 3. ca. Act Peter and Iohn went vp to praie Behold saith he the chiefe of the Apostles goe before A good shepheard must goe before and then his sheepe doe followe him He makes here againe Peter and Iohn the chiefe amongst the Apostles as he had done also before And againe Fer. in ca. 6. Act. The Apostles of all thing accompt this the chiefest that belongs to their office to preach but of this now some are ashamed No doubt hee meanes the Poâ—e who neuer preacheth himselfe And a little after The highest office in the Church is the ministerie of the word To this we ought to imploy our chiefest care for vnlesse the worde of God be purely and diligently taught all thinges else whatsoeuer are corrupt therefore Paul after here in the 20 chapter doth notablie expresse what is the chiefe part of the office of an Apostle or Bishoppe You know saith he how I haue kept nothing backe from you but that I might declare vnto you all the counsell of God c. If the ministerie and preaching of the word of God be the highest office in the Church by Ferus iudgment then the Pope is not the highest officer and person in the Church as other Papists would haue him who neuer executes this office And if this be the office of an Apostle hee is not the successor of the Apostles who neuer doth his office And after he writes thus to the same effect The proper dutie of an Apostle is to praie and preach For prayer obtaines of God what is to be taught and that by and by the fruit of the word heard may follow the preaching And hereof Paul sayth I make mention of you in my prayers c. Therefore they are not to be accouÌ„ted in the nuÌ„ber of the Apostles which neglect either both these or either of them much lesse they which giue themselues to ease and pleasure Thus far Ferus And after in another place speaking of religion which is maintained by fighting not by preaching by the sword not by the word Fer. in 10. ca. Act. as now a daies the Pope goes about to maintaine his O miserable religion saith he which cannot be defended otherwise theÌ„ with the weapons of desperate villaines and by the iniuries and spoyles of tyrants And after he nippes in another place the Popes couetousnes Here we see saith he that in the beginning of the Church hyprocrisie and couetousnes crept in In ca. 8. Act. speaking of Simon Magus but Peter verie diligently withstood both of them whom I would to God his successors had followed And after Peter neuer spake more bitterly then against Ananias and Sapphira for no plagues are more hurtfull in the Church then hypocrisie and couetousnes So Christ threwe out of the temple those which sold If he stroke them with such a terrible sentence which would haue bought what would he saie of our sellers which open and shut heauen for money which kill soules and quicken them againe for a handfull of barlie Thus farre Ferus No doubt he toucheth here the Popes pardons And after hee makes the holy