beareth vs wytnesse that we haue often walked according to the fleshe but also at the very same tyme when we seme to our selues to be conuerted we can not certaynely say that no relikes of syn do remayne in vs. But this certaynly we reade Rom. 8. They which walke in the fleshe can not please God These men wyll demaund this question agayne of me what then The fourthe obiection of heretykes for theyr speciall fayth do you councell vs to despeare God forbydd But as I deny constantly that any man is bound to beleue certaynely that his synnes be forgyuen so do I affyrme with no les stedfastnes that euery faythefull man doing his indeuoure as muche as in hym lyeth ought of dutie in this lyfe with a strong sure hope to looke for the forgyuenes of synnes and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting But this hope of oures ought not to be fastned vpon oure selues but vpon God whome when we do beholde we be moste certayne that he is faytfull bothe in his promises and also in his threatninges But when we loke vpon oure selues it can not be but we must nedes tremble and quake consydering oure weaknes and fraylnes thoughe we were gyltie of none other thyng For seing we knowe the Lucifer the noblest Aungell in heauen did fall that Salomon the wysest man that euer was dyd commit folly that the children of Israell God his most deare chosen people were forsakē and seing we vnderstand this also that God oweth vs no more seruice continually to defend vs to ayde vs with his grace to saue cōduict vs in the way of euerlasting lyfe then he dyd ether them afore rehersed ether Iudas called to be an Apostle ether Saul elected Kyng ether Nicolas appointed to be Deacon we can not be voyde of all feare specially seyng God dothe warne vs by hys chosen vessel Beare not thy selffe to bolde but feare Rom. 11. for seyng that God spared not the naturall braunches happly nether wyll he spare the. Philip. 2. Seing by the same vessell he exhorteth vs that with tremblyng shakyng we worke oure owne saluatiō seing also he pronounceth by an other that man to be blessed which allway stādeth in awe Pro. 28. Yet for all that this tremblyng muste not put vs cleane oute of comforte but make vs more obedient to Christ styr vp oure hope toward hym that euery one of vs may say with blessed Iob Iob. 13. Althoughe he sholde kyll me yet will I hope in hym But if this seme to any man a straunge opinion because I councell men not boldly to beleue and to assure them selues but wyll euery man to haue a sure certayne hope that in this worlde he shall obtayne remission of his synnes and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting let hym thus vnderstand my meaning that we can beleue nothing well and rightly I speake of the Catholyke belefe which may proue false and be other wyse then we do beleue but we may rightly hope for those thinges which many tymes chaunce cleane contrary to oure hope Therefore seyng it may be that a man may stedfastly beleue certaynelye beare hymselfe in hand that he is in the fauoure of God and yet this his opinion may deceaue hym we be rather commaunded to hope then to beleue For the cause of faythe consisteth in truthe reueled as it were of God But the moste sufficient cause of hope consisteth in possibilitie and lykelyhode of obtayning that thyng which a man may hope for by reason of God his commaundiment and promisse Agayne if you take vnderstand fidem faythe for fiducia truste or confidence as these men some to vnderstand it Caluin vpō the first of thō ca. 5 then fiducia that is trust excludeth all feare and hope hathe feare to wayte vpon her to cary vp her trayne Wherefore we be better commaunded to loke for the remission of oure synnes with a certayne and sure hope then with a certayne and sure faythe Althoughe truly nether any man is forbydden to beleue so that he be not alltogether careles Caluin in his institutiōs cap. 5. and recheles In this mynde Caluin hym selffe semeth to be when he sayth God doth cōmaund vs so to be certayne that we cast not of all care agayne in an other place Whē we do teache that fayth ought to be sure and certayne we do imagine no suche fayth as is deuyded farr from all doubt nether any suche securitie which is cut of frō all care but we say rather that faythfull men haue cōtinuall warr with they re owne mistrust doubtfullnes so farr of is it that we do lay any suche soft pillowes vnder they re consciences that they sholde fele no disquietnes of mynde at all Agayne notwithstandyng how greatly so euer they be trobled and vexed in conscience we deny that they faynte or fayle from that truste which we haue conceued of the mercie of God The coūcel of Trent in the fyft session 9 cap. But I think it good here to recite what the Father 's assembled at the generall councell of Trent haue determined vpon this matter These be theire wordes Although it be necessary to beleue that synnes nether be forgyuē nether euer were released but frely by the mercye of God for Christ his sake yet must not we saye that he is quyted of hys synnes which maketh hys boaste only leaueth on the certayne confidēce of forgiuenes of hys synnes seyng bothe of the heritykes also the scismatykes this vayne detestable confydence may be holden hereafter and at this present day is mayntayned preached moste ernestly contrary to the faythe doctryne of the Catholyke churche Nether is this to be affirmed that they which be truly iustified ought withoute all doubt to make theire accompt that they be made perfect and none other to be absolued from hys synnes and to be iustified but hym which certaynly doth beleue that he his assoyled and made ryghteouse and that this onlye faythe is cause of his absolution and iustification as thoughe that he which dothe not beleue this did doubt of God his promises of the vertue of Christ his deathe resurrection For as no good man ought to doubt of God hys mercy of Christ hys merytes of the vertue and poure of the Sacramentes so euery man whilest he cōsydereth hym selffe weygheth hys owne weakenes and vnaptnes may well feare that he is not in God his fauoure Seing no man can knowe with suche certaynete of faythe as may not be deceaued whether he haue obtayned the fauoure of God The holy Fathers do not here exclude euery kynde of certaynte An explication of the wordes of the Synode but the certaynete of that fayth only which can not be deceaued With suche certaynte they deny that any man can knowe that he is in the fauoure of God But that a man may knowe after a morall and probable certaynete or by
kyngdome he dyd not only shewe greate reuerence to the Bishop as Paulus Diaconus wryteth but also was obedient to his coÌ„maundimentes See for God his sake what a thing this is Those to whome Barbarouse kynges being very deadly ennimyes dyd think it theire dutie to do so greate honoure that they wolde fullfyll theire commaundimeÌ„tes no otherwyse then if they had taken them to be theire Masters the very same Brentius who in God hys name wyll be counted a Gospeller wolde not haue them in any honest reasonable roume of seruauntes but be accompted boÌ„dslaues and pesauntes Dothe not he here go beyond all barbarians sauage people with thys his barbarousnes Act. 10. I myght here speake of Petre whome Cornelius dyd worshippe of the godly honoures gyuen to Paule and Barnabas but I wyll graunt you that which you wolde haue me M. Brentius Byshoppes in respect of they re dutye be paynefull seruantes that we Byshoppes be seruauntes nether is there any kynde of seruauÌ„tes that taketh greather paynes that is more set to his taske the suffreth greater trobles of body and mynde For what carking caryng haue not Bishoppes whilst they watche for the soules of them which be coÌ„mitted to their charge for the whiche they knowe they shall gyue accoumpt for so muche as it is sayde to euery one of them take hede to this man who if he shal miscarry thy soule shall be punished for his 3. of the kynges cap. â—0 Ezech. 3. And that also in Ezechiel sone of man I haue set the in watche ouer the howse of Israel if when I say vnto the wycked thou shalt dye the deathe and thou neglect to tell my sayinges vnto hym that he may returne from his wycked waye that wycked man shall die in his owne wickednes but his blood wyll I requyre at thy handes Ezech. 38. For so muche as Byshopes be not ignorant of these and suche lyke sayinges with which God threatneth euell pastoures assuredly their labour is greate and the troble of the mynde greater then any man can beleue for so muche as euery man knoweth that the tyme shall once come when it shall be sayde vnto hym Hiere 13. where is thy flocke which was gyuen the where is thy noble cattel What wilt thou say for thy selffe when he shall come and visite the for thou doste teache agaynst thy selffe thou doste instruct to thine owne distruction Shal not sorrowes come vpon the as vpon a woman trauayling of chylde Beleue me o Brentius that when a good Byshop careful for his owne healthe and the healthe of the people Heretykes do greatly encrease the laboure of Byshopes calleth these thinges in to his mynde he feleth incredible stinges of sorrowe in his hart specially in these dayes wherein you haue made thys yoke of bondage ly more heauily vpon oure neckes whilst one of you say behold here is Christ an other nay he is there the third tushe he is in the priuie parlers Mat. 24. the fourthe no loke yonder he is in the wyldernes With that which youre waueryng wordes you haue so bewitched the sely shepe that nowe in many places they knowe not were Christ is especially in those places where contrary to the playne and euident worde of God you haue taught them not be ruled by theire shephardes Whereby it is nowe come to passe that many be growen to suche boldnes and madnes that they say they be the Bishopes and Pastors of their owne soules that they shal gyue accompt for them not the Bishoppes what losenes of lyfe sectaries haue brought the people vnto to So that they arre become vnto them selues in stede of doctoures in stede of Pastoures in stede of couÌ„celles they bynde them selues they lose theire owne consciences as they please and because you gyue them powre to iudge of doctrine what so euer boke cometh in to theire handes they followe suche faythe as that boke teacheth them This man is of the Confession of Augusta an other of Brentius belefe an other of Ostanders an other of Tigurine an other of the Anabaptistes or the Citie of Munster an other of the brethern Waldenses or Picardes an other of the Seruetian confession To be shorte Hilar. to Constan laste boke that which Hilarius dyd wryte of his age may be also verified of oure age There be nowe so many faythes as they re be fansies there be so many doctrines as there be manners there bud out so many causes of blasphemy as there be vyces whilst faythes ether be ordayned as we wyll or be vnderstanded as we wil. And whereas there is but one faythe as there is but one God one Lorde one Baptisme we go a stray from that fayth which is one only and whyst manye faythes be forged they be come from naught all to none at all To this poynte haue you brought the worlde Brencius whilst euery one of you studie to deuise a sundry Confession of youre faythe you arre cause of this miserable and perillouse state of the Churche and if the Byshopes were loden with anye burden of bondage before you haue holpen to make it weyghe much more heauye But loke how much more heauie the yoke of theyr seruitude is the greater they re trauayle is the more honoure is due vnto them Therefore lyke as all wayes vnder wycked tyrauntes whether they were suche as dyd openlye persecute Christ or being fayned fauourers of Christ dyd vtterly race out the fayth of Christ they were no better estemed then seruauntes they were vexed with the same or rather greater punishmentes then naughtie seruauntes were so howe many so euer good Kynges Emperoures reyned they dyd gyue vnto them hyghe honoure and reuerence euen as among all other we reade that Constantinus worthily called great was wont to do FINIS DEO GRATIAS AMEN ORATIO R. SHACKLOCKI PRO REGINA REGNO ET toto Christianismo MAGNE DEVS qui magna facis qui pectora Regum Flectere celsa potes teneraeque similima caerae Reddere Reginam diuino flamine nostram Imbue flexibilemque illi concedito mentem Mentem quae dubiae fidei nouitate relicta Antiquum repetat fontem fluuiumque salubrem Qui viua de rupe fluit petraque perenni Faece carens omni nam pura Ecclesia Christi Virgo manet semper Christo dignissima sponsa Igneus ille tuus demissus ab aethere status Concremet errores omnes sub tegmine veri Occultos nostros confirma pace Britannos Hostibus oppressis omnes errore sepultos Ad superos reuoca cunctos Pax alma tumultus Comprimat positis vigeat Concordia bellis Sacra Tridentini valeant Edicta Senatus Quae Patres sanxêre pij Regesque potentes Rata volunt optata bonis inuisa malignis Sit tandeÌ„ propriae memor Anglia nostra salutis Partibus omissis toti consentiat orbi Turca tumet iam Turca fremit nunc Turca minatur Christe tuam defende fidem fideique patronos
knowledge he confesseth to be kept secret from his soule doest not thou feare least those wordes be spoken to the which once were spoken to the Pharisies whome Christ called paynted sepulchers Matth. 23. Luc. 16. You be they sayth he which iustifye youre selues before men but God knoweth youre hartes for that which is commendable in mennes eyes is abhominable before God And there can be no greater abomination in the syght of God then this so greate presumption of heretykes The first obiection makyng for speciall faythe is soluted But some man peraduenture wyll say why then do you forbyd me to beleue the remission of synnes which we professe in oure crede God forbyd Yea I byd you beleue constantly and to make youre accompt certaynlye that there is remission of synnes in the Churche and that Christ hathe sufficiently deserued thys forgyuenes for me for the for the traytoure Iudas for all men in the worlde 1. Ioan. 2. 1. Cor. 5. yea to them which arre nowe or here after shall be damned in hell who hangyng on the crosse is made a propiciation for oure synnes and not for oure synnes only but also for the synnes of the whole worlde who by his deathe hath reconcyled vs to hys father But that thou sholdest beleue that al men be partakers of this pardon or that all do pleade possession in heauen at thys present or that all men shall inheryt it in the worlde to come not I Heb. 2. but the scripture doth forbydde the to beleue He tasted of the sower cupp of deathe for us all but all men do not endeuoure to applye the benefite of hys deathe vnto them he was a cause meanes of saluation to all men but the scripture addeth to all Heb. 5. which were and wolde be obedient vnto him He dyd set the dore of euerlastyng lyff wyde open to all men but Christ putteth this condition If they shall kepe the commaundimentes If any man refuse to obey him if any man shall not kepe his lawes if any man shall not continue with him vnto the end he which putteth no doubt but suche a man is neuer the lesse sure to be saued what doth he but deny the sentence of the Ghospel which shall be pronounced vpon them which are set on the left hand among the goates auoyde hence from me you cursed caytyfes in to euerlasting fyar which is prepared for the dyuel and his aungelles So then Matth. 25. to teache that it is necessary for euery man to the attayning of saluation to beleue certaynely to feare nothing that his syn-be forgyuen him for Christ his sake that he is God almyghtyes deare darlyng that without question he is one of the heires apparant to the crowne of glory is nothing ells then to teache that there be no paynes of hell prepared for the wycked who doubtles as euerye Christian man beleueth shall taste of terrible tormentes not by Christ his default as who shold say that his death and bytter passion auayled littell to the sauing of theyr soules but by theyr owne naughty negligence whiche laboured not by worthy workes of repentaunce to applye the vertue of Christ his death and passion to them selues Wherfore if I be not bounde to beleue that all men haue they re synnes forgyuen them if I be not boūde to beleue so of this man or that man then truly am not I bounde to beleue so of my selffe onles it be specially reueled to me of God Here wyll these heretykes replye you do so reason with vs The secōd obiection as thoughe we encoraged them whiche styll ly wallowing in they re wickednes to beleue that they be in the fauoure of God whereas we only speake of them which be conuerted I assure you I dyd shoote at thys marke I longed to make you confesse so muche Well then you graunt that there is some thyng in vs which may bolden harten vs to beleue certaynly and assuredly that is if we be auerted from oure synnes and conuerted to God But I pray you Sirs what if one some in his owne fansie to be conuerted which is not cōuerted in dede As for an example A peruerse Lutheran thinketh hym selff to be a cōuerted man a more peruerse Zuinglian taketh hym seffe to a conuerted man the moste peruerted of all the Anabaptiste either Seruetus either Suenckfeldius or any other most pestilent heretyke doth esteme hym selff to be a cōuerted man wil you therfore warrāt hym to be in God his fauoure lyke as none be more puffed vp with a proud conceyte of learning then they which haue least learning of all in so muche that without cause it is not vsed in a prouerb which Chucidides wryteth Tuc. in his secōd boke of the warre of Peloponnesus Ignoraunce bredeth boldnes but knowledge causeth one to doubt and feare the wurst so it is often sene that such do certaynely stedfastly beleue that they be conuerted when in dede they be most shamfully peruerted The wyse man perceaued thys when he sayde there be wycked men so careles and voyde of all feare Eccle. 5. as if they lyued as vprightly as the most perfect men whilst Saule thundered threatnynges agaynst the disciples of oure Lorde Actes 9. and mynded to murder them and throughe ignoraunce plaged the churche of God dyd not he seme thyncke you in hys owne conceyte to burne with a certayne syngular zeale of Godlynes dyd not hys mynde gyue hym that he sought after God with all hys harte Philip. 3. And that he dyd hym hyghe seruyce in makyng hauock of the Christians for so muche as what so euer he dyd in that case he dyd yt of emulation because he was a meruaylouse precise follower of the tradytions of hys forefathers Gala. 2. He had therefore a zeale and was hotte of the spyryt but not accordyng to knowledge and therefore he obtayned mercye Rom. 10. bycause he knewe not what he dyd Therefore that ys true whiche the wyse man wryteth 1. Tim. 01. there is a way which at the begynnynge semeth as yt woulde leade a man to lyfe Pro. 14. but the end of it draweth hym to deathe and destruction And in an other place Euery man demeth the way where in he walketh to be ryght strayght but God weyeth they re hartes But lett infydeles and heretykes go Pro. 21. althoughe the Zuinglians and the Anabaptistes thynke not them selues so greate heretykes as the Lutherans be Let vs nowe speake of Catholykes Yea among them you may fynde which think them selues to be cōuerted when in dede they be not Salomon hath a notable sayng who can say truly my hart is cleane I am not spotted with syn Pro. 20. in many fautes we displease God all the sorte of vs. And al be it we were conuerted to God with all oure hart yet ought we not certaynely to warrant oure selffe but fixing oure faythe in God his mercye leue
godly reuelation as we veryly beleue that the blessed virgyn Mary and the Apostles dyd they make no controuersye at all Moreouer the Fathers here do not commaund vs to doubt as the aduersaries belye them but they say that euery maÌ„ when he loketh back to hym selffe to hys owne fraylete and vnfytnes may feare that he is not in God his fauoure and yet for all that be neuer the farther of from God his fauoure althoughe he be not voyde of all feare for his syn which God hathe veryly forgyuen I thought it good to speake more at large of this poynte because in the laste synode I heard say that certayne not vnderstanding the matter throuly The article of Louaine founde greate fault with the article of the Doctors of Louayne whiche is as followeth The faythe with the which any man doth stedfastlie beleue and vndoubtedlie holde that his synnes be forgiuen for Christ his sake and that he shall possesse euerlasting lyfe hathe no wytnesse or warrant of the scripture but is cleane contrary to them Althoughe we ought with certayne sure hope by meanes of the SacrameÌ„t of Baptisme and penaunce loke for in this lyfe truly remission of synnes in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting Therfore in the defence of this article I thought good to bring in these thinges by the way Now wyll I come agayne to that poynte where I left The Anabaptistes more readie to suffer tormentes for theire faythe then any other Albeit the Anabaptistes be more mischeuouse then the Lutherans or the Zuinglians yet do these with no les audacitie then bothe they stedfastly beleue and persuade them selues surely that for Christ his sake they re synnes be forgyuen them that they be in hyghe fauoure with God that they shall possesse the kyngdome of heauen And this they do not only bragg of in wordes but also they declare in their dedes For they be muche more redy then ether the Lutherans or the Zuinglians to suffer death to abyde most cruell punishementes for the mayntenaunce of they re faythe For they run to all kynde of horrible tormeÌ„tes with no lesse corage then thei sholde go to feastes and bankettes so yf any man thereof wolde gather an argument ether of the truthe of there doctrin ether of the certaynete of theire being in fauoure with God he myght easyly be brought in to this mynde that he sholde beleue that there were none other sect which had so true faythe or were so sure of the fauoure of God But true it is which Saynt Paule faythe 1. Cor. 13. Althoughe I shal gyue my body so that I burne haue not charitie it dothe me no good But he hathe not charitie which deuydeth vnitie Suche sayth Saynt Cyprian Althoughe they were kylled for confessing the name of Christe yet caÌ„ they not washe oute this spot with theire blode Cyp. in his thyrd treatise of the simplicitie of prelates the syn of discorde stayneth so depely and is so vnable to be clensed that by very deathe it may not be purged no Martyrdome is withoute the church He can not be a Martyr which is not in the churche he can not attayne to the kyngdome of heauen which forsaketh her which shall reigne in the kyngdome of heauen Christ gaue peace vnto vs he commaunded vs to agree and to be all of one mynde He charged vs to kepe the bondes of loue and charitie vncorrupted and vnbroken He can not offer vp hym selffe a Martyr which hathe not heldefast brotherly charitie Blessed are they which suffer persecution saythe Christ Matth. 5. but he addeth for righteousnes sake Not the payne but the cause maketh a Martyr Therefore saythe Saint Augustin they be true martyrs which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake not they which be punished for iniquitie and wycked diuision of Christian vnitie Oure Lorde him selff was crucified with theues but as one passion dyd ioyne them so diuersitie of cause dyd seperate them the punishement of the wicked may be lyke but the cause of Martyrs is vnlyke And that is it which maketh Martyrs not the punishment as Saint Augustyne repetyng it often in diuerse places teacheth vs. Augustin epist 50. Wherefore it is to no purpose that Caluin dothe so highely prayse him and his for this cause Caluin craketh of the chearefullnes of his bretherne in suffring for theire faythe and that in this respect he iudgeth them to be preferred before the Lutherans because they be more prest and redy to suffer all kynde of punishment For if so be that as euery man is moste redy to suffer deathe for the faythe of his sect so his faythe sholde be iudged moste perfect and moste sure there shall be no faythe more certayne and true then is the Anabaptistes seyng there be none nowe or haue bene before time for the space of these thowsand and to hundred yeares who haue bene more cruelly punyshed or that haue more stoutely stedfastly cherefully takeÌ„ theire punishment Anabaptistes theire folyshe hardines in S. Augustines tyme. yea or haue offred them selues of theire owne accorde to deathe were it neuer so terrible grenouse Yea in Saint Augustyn his time as he hym selffe sayth there was a certaine monstrouse desire of deathe in them For at what tyme the worshipping of Ydolles dyd as yet coÌ„tinue Donatistes desyrouse to dye for their fayth he wryteth that greate thronges of Donatistes dyd come to the solemnities of the Paganes that they myght be kylled of the Ydolatours Also he sayth that some there were which leaped among the harnessed souldioures as they passed by to the intent they myght be slayne of them terribly threatning to wounde them onles they were dispatched oute of theire lyues by them Some tyme they did by violence compell the iudges to commaund the tormentors and the iusticers to kyll them in so muche that one is reported to haue mocked them in this sorte that he commaunded them to be piniond and led away as thoughe execution sholde haue bene done of them that so he might escape theire fury with oute blodshedde harmeles more ouer they made it but a may game to throwe them selues downe hedlong from ragged rockes to drowne and to burne them selues Anabaptistes folishe hardynes in S. Bernard his tyme. Nether was there suche folyshe hardy heretykes in Saint Augustine his tyme only For foure hundred yeares agone at what time S. Bernard lyued there were Anabaptistes which were no lesse prodigal to spend their lyfe then were the Bonatistes some saythe he dyd meruayle that they were led to theire deathe not only paciently but as it semed very frolyke and merye False Martyrs sâ—outenes not to be maruayled at But suche meruayled at them which consyder not well what poure the dyuell hath not only vpon the bodyes of men but also vpon the hartes in the which by the suffrauÌ„ce of God he once hathe gotten possession Is it not a greater matter for a
wolde haue men beleue that to be the worde of God which he dyd teache and not that which Philipp dyd teache seing he toke himselffe to be as good in euery poynte as Philip So that there was no cause why hys saying sholde not as well be receaued for the worde of God as Philip his saying Especially seing Philip as in many other thinges Tuentie opinions of the confessionistes cōcerning iustification so in the docttyne of iustification was neuer stayde in one opinion He sayth that there be twentie diuerse opinions of Melancthon concernyng this one artcle and he reciteth fouretene sundrie opinions of his scollers in that boke which he dyd wryte agaynst one Niericorar For saythe he so sone as they spied one place of scripture in the which there was any mention of Iustice by by of it they made a newe Iustice For an example one did reade Abraham beleued it was imputed to hym for ryghteousnes by and by he gathered oute of this one place .ij. kyndes of righteousnes one of this worde beleued so that he sayde that faythe was oure Iustice an other of the worde was imputed so that he sayde that God dyd impute his iustice to vs to accoumpt vs iuste all thoughe we were not and that this was oure ryghteousnes An other dyd reade we be iustified by his blood strayght way he gathered that the pretiouse blode of Christ is oure ryghteousnes An other dyd reade as by the disobedience of one we were made manye synners so by the obedience of one many shall be made ryghteousne by and by he taught that the obedience of Christ was oure ryghteousnes An other did reade he dyd ryse agayne for oure iustification the Resurrection sayth he of Christ is oure iustification An other dyd reade the holy ghost shall reproue the worlde for iustice because I go to my father he affirmed by and by that the goyng of Christ to his father is oure iustice An other dyd reade that we be made ryghteouse withoute desertes by the grace of God he doubted not to holde that the grace and mercye of God was oure iustice An other did reade to shewe his iustice for the remission of many synnes before cōmitted Forthewith he taught that Remission of synnes was oure iustice An other dyd reade by his blue stripes we be made hole he defended oute of hand that the woundes of Christ was oure ryghteousnes Nowe therefore he saythe that he hathe rekoned vp nyne kyndes of iustifications gathered oute of the scriptures disagreing one from an other and yet for all that he hathe not recited all He reherseth afterward what euery one deuised of hys owne heade Some saythe he say that ryghteousnes is the work of God the whiche he worketh in Christ Other that God receaueth vs to euerlasting lyffe other that the meritte of Christ other speake of an other certayne meane ryghteousnes but they can not tell what it meaneth So Osiander rehearseth fourtene opinions of iustification that which he hym selffe is Author of is the fyftene But accordyng to the rekoning which he maketh in hys confutation of the boke which Philip set oute agaynst hym they shall be in all one and twentie Now iudge you most excellent Kyng for so muche as they do so bycker among them selues Howe perillouse a thing it is to beleue sectaries stryuyng about great matters not aboute the moue shyne in the water as the common saying is but by theyr owne confession aboute the cheife article of Christian doctrine which contayneth the whole sum of the Ghospell iudge you I say what a perillouse thing it is to put any of these men in trust with oure soules which being start vp of late do not only swarue from the chefe masters of theyr congregation but also disagree in them selues as we see howe many tymes Melancthon hath turned his cote in this one opinion of iustification Luther sayth it is a sure argumēt that the doctryn of the Sacramētaries proceded from the dyuel because he tolde seauen or eyght sectes of them and for because that euen in the begynnyng it was dispersed in to so manye heades But we haue rekoned vp not seauen but twyse seauē sectes that of Lutherās cōcerning one article of iustificatiō which conteyneth the whole sum of the Ghospell In all there be foure tyme seauen sectes lackyng but one contrarye one to the other aboute other matters One Gespar Querchamer a lay man Citezin of Hallis Six thirtye cōtrary opinions aboute receauing vnder bothe kyndes or vnder one gathered together six and thirtye contrary places vpon one only article which is of the receauing vnder one or bothe kyndes in the Sacrament of the Altar If any man wyll add these six thirtie opinions to the other seuen and twentye there shal be in all three score three And yet howe many sectes be there whiche we haue not rekoned and wyl any man doubt that the dyuell was the author of this doctryne Take hede moste Godly Prince that you thinck not that these men striue for God his cause or that they busye theyr braynes to further and enlarge the worde of God There is nothing further oute of they re thought Glorie is the marke which sectaries shote at but this is the marke the which moste of them pryck at that they may aduaunce theyr owne glory that they maye vtter to the rude people theyr worde in stede of the worde of God they haue called theyr names sayth the prophet vpon yearthe Psal 48. To this end they wrest all they re wytte the they may make all the world ring with theyr name that it may be sayde this is the confession of Melancthon this of Brentius this of Osiander for I wyll now say nothing of the Zuinglians whome they take to be as greate heritykes as the Anabaptistes my talke is only of the Lutherans whome they also iudge to be heritykes no other verdicte do all other Christians gyue of them Of them therefore speake I that euen they be they neuer so lapped in shepe skynnes yet euery one of them hathe theyr hand on theyr halffe penye not regarding the thinges appartayning to Iesu Christ The cōfession of Augusta pleaseth not all the Lutherans euery one of them hūteth after their owne honoure and not after the glory of Christ Wherefore euē they allthoughe chekens hatched in one nest of Luther yet all of them haue not one confession For it is as cleare as the daye that none receaued the confession of Augusta but the churches of Saxonie No it was not receaued so muche as in the citie of Augusta where it was fyrst presented to the Emperoure for that citie semeth rather to weyghe more with the Zuinglians The Citie Augusta hathe mo Suenckfel feldiās the Lutherans and it is sayde that there be founde mo of the confession of Suenefelde then of the confession of Augusta Whiche I think was a cause that for so much as Philipp
had wrytten an other confession more theÌ„ six yeares agone to be presented to the councel of Trent thei gaue this tytle to the boke Brentius maketh a new Confession A confession of the churches of Saxonie But Brentius althoughe he also wolde seme not to iarre froÌ„ Luthers doctrine yet wolde not he content hym selffe with that which was wrytten in the selffe same Towne from whence Luthers Gospell did fyrst procede But he dyd wryte a seuerall confession not in his owne name but in the name of his Prince which he also propounded to the assemble of the TrideÌ„tine Councell And this is worthie to be marked that nether GreÌ„tius nether Vrbanus Regius nether Osiander were sworne to the coÌ„fession of Augusta For they thought that it sholde disgrace them much to followe any forme of fayth prescribed of Philip seing euery one of them had this conceipt of hymselffe that they had profyted more in the study of holy scripture then Philip had done therefore eche of them thought hym selffe to be as able as he to wryte a peculiar confession of his faythe So these men whylst euerye one of them was more carefull to blase abroade hys owne name theÌ„ to fynde oute and further the knowledg of the truthe thei dissenting euery one not only froÌ„ hym selffe but also from their Master Luther yea in substantiall poyntes of ChristiaÌ„ religion thought it lawfull for euery one of them to forge a newe faythe Petrus a Soto why he wrote against the Confession of Brent and to deuise a confession by themselues A certayne learned Spanyard named Petrê a Soto who neuer had learned any other then the Catholyke fayth dyd well perceaue this that Melancthon was autor of one confession Brentius of an other it gaue hym greate wonder that eche of them held so diuerse coÌ„fessions for so much as both of them dyd confesse Luther to be theyr Master thys semed a moÌ„strouse thinge vnto hym He wolde not haue maruayled halffe so much if the Zuinglians had seuerally sette abroade they re confession as they dyd aboue twentie yeares agone at what tyme the Protestantes dyd exhibite the confession of theire faythe to the Emperoure For as I haue saide before the Lutherans counte them heretikes and they lyke wyse the Lutherans But when this was done of them which made theire boaste that they dyd profes the same Gospel which Luther first inuented that made hym stand almoste in a mase that they which were scollers all of one scole dyd not consent in one confession of their faythe And because many men had this opinion of the duke of Wirtenberdge vnder whose name Brentius dyd sette oute his confession that he suarued not from the Christian right ruled faythe I meane from that faythe which we haue left to vs from hand to hand of oure forefathers as they haue receaued it of the Apostles Petrus a Soto being bothe a godly man and also bearyng an ernest zeale to Christian religion dyd take it very heuily at the hart that the Prince whome all men iudged to beare a singular goode wyll to the Catholyke faythe sholde suffer hym selffe so to be seduced with the persuations of Brentius and his Brotherhode that he wolde rather after a newe fashion gyue vp to the Concell a newe confession of his faythe then to rest and settell hym selffe in the Catholyke faythe which he had learned of his forefathers Wherefore the aforesayde Petrus a Soto coulde not refrayne hym selffe but must nedes put in prynt the defence of his faythe which not withstaÌ„ding was not his owne alone but also the faythe of the Catholyke churche Petrus a Soto his order in writing The which boke he prouyded so to be wrytten that on the one syde it contayned the confession of the Princes preachers on the other syde the confession of the Catholykes On the one syde he dyd set the doctryn of the duke on the other syde the Doctryn of the Catholyke faythe on the one page that autorities of Scripture seming to serue for them on the other many autorities fortifying his fayth On the one parte the testimonies of the auncient Doctors makyng for them on the other parte the wytnesses of the same doctoures weyghing with hym agaynst them The Prince of Wirtenberdge in the boke set oute by BreÌ„tius vnder his name saith that he mynded to make all the worlde witnes of his ernest â—esyre in raysing vp and furtheryng the true and godly doctrine Petrus a Soto his admonicyoÌ„ to the Prince of wirtenberdge Petrus in his Scholies taking an aduauÌ„tage at these wordes saythe that doctrin was fyrst to haue bene agreed vpon fyrst you sholde haue made youre rekoning that the doctrine which you mynded to further and aduaunce sholde be in euery poynte godly especially now in these dayes in the which euery man may see that it is called in to question whiche is the true and vncounterfeited doctrine Knowe this for a certaynete moste worthie Prince that lyke as youre ministers do iudge that doctrine to be wycked which the Catholykes embrace so the Catholykes esteme that doctrine which you endeuoure to promote and aduauÌ„ce nether is there among them a lesser number of credible men then among youres so that at leaste you do not put to youre helping hand to further true and godly doctryne but ether wycked doctryne by the wytnes of the Catholykes ether doubtfull vncertayne as your selff of necessitie must confesse Therfore were it not more wysdome for you ether to leaue of this interpryse or at the leaste suspend youre iudgement and humbly abyde tyll God dyd lyghteÌ„ youre harte with the beames of his grace and to obtayne that at God his handes with charitable workes and deuoute prayers The wordes of the Prince which he addeth immediatlye to the wordes before rehearsed oute of his boke be these For all be it we be not ignorant that there is a certayne differeÌ„ce betwene Ciuil and Ecclesiasticall offices yet for so muche as the kingly Prophet dothe most wysely exhorte vs saying Psal 2. Nowe you Kynges vnderstand be you learned which be iudges of the yearth serue our Lorde in trembling feare we ought not to despyse that heauenly voyce c. And Petrus taking aduauÌ„tage at these wordes also saythe in this wyse but fyrst you ought perfectly to haue knoweÌ„ what difference this was It is very certayne that a temporall Magistrate hath nothing to doo with discussing definyng doubtes in matters of fayth Ciuil and Ecclesiastical gouuernement be not all one for this is the charge dutie of Ecclesiastical Gouernoures Polityke Princes ought to learne of them to stand vnto theire determination otherwyse thei haue cause to feare that which followeth the wordes before alleadged in the same place lest oure Lorde be angry against them they peryshe froÌ„ the right way for these threatninges dothe God thunder against Princes which do not apprehend learning and knowledge But what is more vndescrete and oute