against so many violent persequutions for so longe a tyme haue endured vnless some potent and prudent gouuernour by his lavves vvisdome and authoritie had vpholden guided and directed it And the reason is bicause in a societie and especially that of the Church are diuerse men yea diuerse nations and diuerse men haue diuerse natures and diuerses natures haue diuerse dispositions and diuerse dispositions cause diuerse opinions and diuerse opinions moue cōtradictions and contradictions ende in factions and factions make an end of all societies vnlesse ther be a moderatour to preuent them by his vvisdom or appease them by his authoritie A head then is necessary in all societies and not only necessary but also principalle For although the obedient complying nature of the subiect doth help much to the maintenaunce of peace and order yet the head and Superiour most of all preuaileth For as the head is the principall part so doth it beare most svvay in the gouernment of the body vvich is the cause vvhy the body is affected according to the head and vvhy the subiect follovveth the princes humour Yea euen as vvhen the head in mans body is intoxicated the vvholle body reeleth and if the head vvant eyes the body tumbleth into ditches and falleth into daunger so if the head of a societie be inconstaunte the vvholle societie vvauereth if the superiour vvant eyes of circumspection the subiectes are in daunger Vvherfore Philip King of Macedo and father to Alexander the great vvas vvonte to say that he had rather haue an armie of fearfull harts gouerned by a Lion then of lions ruled and commaunded by a harte insinuating ther by that as the head in a societie is the principall mēber so is it the most necessary If then the Church of Christe be a peaceble and vvell ordered body it hath a head to guide and rule it And if vve looke into the gouernment of the same euen from the beginning vve shall finde that this goodly common vvelth neuer vvanted a Prince and gouernour In the lavve of nature first of all Adam our first parent as he vvas our common father according vnto flesh so vvas he a preest and pastour of the soules of all those vvhoe liued in his tyme and a gouernour of his familie vvhich vvas descended of him not only in domesticall ciuill or temporall but allso in spirituall matters concerning fayth and religion For this cause he vvas indevved vvith all knovvledg and science that as the first doctour he might instruct and direct his posteritie and although by his falle he lost all infused knovvledg yet did he still so longe as he liued remain pastour and supreme head of the Church Vvherfore Theophilus Bishop of Antioche sayeth l. 2. ad Autol. that God for no other cause framed Eue out of Adams side but to demonstrate vnto vs a mysterie and figure of the monarchie of his Church that as Adam vvas head of the same in his tyme so euer after ther vvas one pastour the cheef of all Ho 34.1 Cor. And sainct Chrisostom sayeth plainly that Adam vvas one head giuen vnto all and his reason is bicause sayeth hee God Knevv that aemulation could not be auoided amongest aequalls vvherfor he vvould haue no popular gouernment but a kingdom After Adams death Seth and others succeeded him in the like pastorall authoritie euen vnto Noe. Noe dying Sem his eldest sonne vndertooke the same charge and euen vnto Aaron the first high preest of the Leuiticall lavve all the heires males of euery familie if vve beleeue sainct Hierom vvere preests q. heb q. 7. vvho ministred sacramentes and offered sacrifices euery one in his familie And amongest all the preests of diuers families one vvas the supreme pastour and Iudge of the rest to vvhom belonged the finall sentence in matters of religion and this supreme authoritie as it seemeth belonged allvvayes vnto the most ancient to vvhom all the rest as they vvere in age inferiour so vvere they subiect in authoritie As for example Abrahame and Sem vvere preests at one tyme bicause Abraham vvas the eldest sonne of Thare Sem of Noe yet bicause Sem vvas the moste ancient he vvas the higher preest Gen. 11. and therfore to him for the Hebrevves as sainct Hierom vvitnesseth affirm that Sem and Melchisedech vvere all one Abraham offered tithes and vvas blessed of him as of his superiour Yea it seemeth probable that Melchisedech in his tyme vvas the highe preest and supreme head of the Church Vvherfor Theophilus speakig of Melchisedech Supra vttereth these vvords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This man vvas a preest the first of all the preestes of God the highest Vvhere he can not mean that Melchisedech vvas the first in tyme yeares bicause Adam Abel and Noe vvere before him and therfore his meaning must bee that Melchisedech vvas the first preest in dignitie the highest of all the preests of his tyme. So that euen in the lavv of nature that is from Adam to Moyses ther vvas allvvayes an highe preest to rule the Church and to compose controuersies that might arise in matters of religiō After that in the lavve vvriten the high preest ruled all in ecclesiasticall affayres as is playn in the books of Exodus and Leuiticus In Exodus vve read hovv Moyses like a spirituall Iudge giueth sentence in causes ecclesiasticall and ansvvereth all doubtes and questions vvhich arose concerning the obseruation and interpretation of the lavv Exod. 1◠and although to ease him selfe he vvas persuaded to lay part of his charge burden vppō others shoulders yet still he reserueth to him selfe the iudgment of all marters concerning the lavv and ceremonies c. 17. And in Deuteronomie vve finde that the people vvere commaūded in all difficulties of religion to haue recourse vnto the preest of the Leuiticall lavv vvho ruled at that tyme and God threatneth that if any bee so proud and stubborn as to refuse to obey his sentence he shall suffer death by the decree of the Iudge Vvhere a blind man may see that the synagogue had her Iudge to decide all cōtrouersies in religion And shall vve imagin that the Church and spouse of Christe vvanteth a head to direct her and a Iudg to giue her satisfaction in all doubts of religion No no in the lavve of grace as God hath bestovved more grace on his Church then on his Synagogue so hathe he prouided her of a Iudge and gouernour vvhom for his Churches sake he assisteth more particulerly And first of all Christe him selfe vvhilest he liued gouerned this Church him selfe and in all points played the parte of a supreme head high preest and pastour For he instituted a nevv lavv a nevv sacrifice nevv sacramentes he ordayned preestes and ministers and gaue them authoritie to preach to minister and to gouern in the Churche vnder him And after that he had vvithdravven his visible presence from vs he lefte vs not vvith out an vnder-pastour but presently
to euery magistrate and teÌ„porall superiour vvhom he callethhumaine creatures bicause their authoritie is in teÌ„porall and humain thinges And therfore he addeth as it vvere to specifie vvhat he meaneth by the humain creature vvhether it be to the King as excelling or to Rulers sent from him c. Yea hee bids vs obey not only gentle and courteouse masters but euen those also vvhich are harde to please And this obedieÌ„ce these Apostles commaund vs to giue to Princesalthough they be infidels if othervvise they be lavvfull for vvhen the Apostles vvrote there vvere noe Christian Princes and faithe is not necessarie to iurisdiction nether is authoritie lost by the only losse of faithe But yet this must be vnderstood vvhen Princes commaund vvith in the limits and sphere of their iurisdiction for othervvise if they coÌ„maund vs any thing against God or conscience vve must ansvvere them as the Apostles ansvvered the Ievves Act. 4. vve must obey God before men Bicause Princes are appointed by God and so can coÌ„maund nothing vvhich is against God or if they do vve must obey the supreme Prince before the inâ—eriour and the King before his viceroy Eâ— Eâ—sâ—â— Vvherfore sainct Policarpe although he refused to obey the Proconsul vvho commaunded him to do that vvhich vvas against God religioÌ„ and conscience yet he sayed Vvee are taught to giue to principalities and Potestates ordained by God that honour vvhich is devv to them and not hurtefull to vs. This being so theÌ„ that Princes haue authoritie to commaund and to bynde also in conscience to obedience and that from God vvhose ministers they are and by vvhome as the vviseman sayeth Kinges do raigne and the lavv makers decerne vvhat is iuste Prâ—◠〈◊〉 it remaineth that vvee examine our aduersaries doctrine in this point that vve may see vvhat they giue to superioritie authoritie higher povvers But peraduenture some vvill thinke that this is a vaine examination bicause they are so farre from suspicion of detracting from Princes authoritie that rather they seem to graunte them to much Luther affirmeth that Bishops and Prelates are subiect to the Emperour euen in Ecclesiasticall causes A◠〈◊〉 and that Ecclesiasticall iurisdictioÌ„ is deriued from the temporall And vvhen Catholikes in Ingland refuse to go to the Churche bicause profession is made there of a religion contrarie to theirs the reformers vrge nothing so much as that vve must obey Princes and their iniunctions But this they doe only vvhen Ecclesiasticall povver calleth them to an accounte or vvheÌ„ the Princes lavves doe fauorize their doctrine for then they flatter Princes and preferre their authoritie before the Church not bicause in hatte they reuerence their authoritie but bicause by their povver they vvould establish their heresie Soe Arius by the meanes of Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia first in sinuated him selfe to CoÌ„stantia the Sifter of ConstaÌ„tine the great Ruff. l. 1. â— 11. and by him he getteth audience of Constantine him selfe and by flattery and dissimulation be procureth a commaundement from the Emperour to Athanasius to receue him againe into the Church And aftervvards he crept by this meanes into credit vvith Constantius the Ariane Emperour and sonne to Constantine by vvhome he banished Catholike bishops called many councels and propagated his heresie in so much that saint Hierome sayeth Ariâ—â— vt orbem deciperet Ep. ad Ctesiph forerem principis ante decepit Arius that he might deceue the vvorld first deceiued the fister of the Prince They curried fauour also vvith luliaÌ„ th' Apostata and they offered their seruice â—heod l. 4. c. 3. to Iouinian the Emperour but he vvould none of their proferd seruice knovving that they vsed to â—latter Princes for promotion of their heresies So that one Themistius a Philosoâ—her vvas vvont to say that heretikes adore the Purple not God are as mutable as Euripus Luther backed also by the Duke of Saxonie contemned the Popes legate vvho sought to reclaime him and preached confidently those heresies vv ch othervvise he durst not haue doone and perseuered obstinately in theÌ„ also vvhich other vvise peraduenture he vvould not haue doone Prafat Inâ—â— ad Reg. Gaâ— Caluin sought by a flattering epistle to procure fauour and credit vvith the king of Fraunce and our Inglish Protestauntes by the fauour of our late Prince vvhose guiftes of nature they abused gotte credit amongest the people graced heresie vvith her roiall crovvne And to vvinne this fauour they vvill not sticke to flatter Princes yea to adore them and to giue them higher Titles and greater povver then euer God bestovved vppon them In king Edvvards tyme vvhen the state fauoured them they acknovvledged him Supreme head not only in temporall but also in Ecclesiasticall causes In Queene Maries tyme bicause that Princesl vvas not for them theÌ„ vvoemen could not gouerne but in Queene Elizabeths tyme bicause they had insinuated them selues into her Protection then vvoemen might gouerne as vvel as men and so they are the beste temporizers in the vvorld But if you marke their proceedings or dectâ—â—ne you shall see that they honour not authoritie but loue their heresies vvhich if Princes vvill not like then they conteÌ„ne and despise all authoritie and vvill not let to make a mutinie and stirie vp the subiects to rebellion to â— p st duâ— Edista Caesarea Luther exhorteth the Germaines not to take armes against the Turke bicause the Turke for pollicie consaâ—le integritie and moderation excelleth all 〈◊〉 Princes And in the same place he called the Emperour Charles the fifâ—e a roâ—â—â— and fraile carcase And in his booke againâ— the king of Ingland he calleth him all â—â—naught l. cont Reg. Angl. l de potestaâ—â— seculari by the name of blocke heade sâ—â—le and so forthe In another booke he not only inueigheth agaiust Princely aâ—thoritie but hee also calleth them fooleâ— knaues tyrauntes In another bookevv hee vvrote against the tvvoe edicts of 〈◊〉 Emperour he calles the Princes of thâ— Empire fooles madmen furiouse teâ—â— tymes vvorse then the Turke Sur. an 1â—2â— Of vvhâ—â— doctrine and example Thomas Munsâ—â— taking holde vvith an hundred thousaâ— Rustickes troubled all Germaine and one Franconie he destroied tvvoe hâ—dred nyntie three monasteries The lâ— therane Princes also armed vvith this 〈◊〉 ample of Luther tooke armes against the Emperour therby vvere the cause that the Turke surprised many holdes Sur 1530. â—â—66 and stronge fortes of the ChristiaÌ„s And vvhat stirres the Caluinistes and other sectes haue made in Fraunce Scotland and the lovve countries all the vvorld knovveth and Flaunders to this day â—eeleth And truly this contempte of lavvfull Princes this disloyaltie and rebellâ—on is altogether according to their doctrine o. â— Luther in his commente vppon the first Epistle of saint Peter sayeth plainly that he vvill not be copelled nor bound to obey any prophane magistrate bicause he vvill not loose his libertie vvhich is to bee freed in conscience from all Princes
coÌ„teÌ„ned Li. 2. doct Christ c. 6. knovvledg hardly gotteÌ„ is highly priced And therfore as S. Austine noteth the holy ghost in scripture hath prouided easie things to satisfie our honger obscure places also to take avvay lothsomnes Bicause our vnderstaÌ„ding vvith easie things only vvould be soone cloyed vvith obscuritie only vvould easilie be deterred Thirdly this difficulcie imprinteth in our memorie the vvord of God more deeply For as the iroÌ„ is more harde to receue impression then vvax or vvater yet keepeth it more firmly so that vvhich vve learn hardly vve forget not easilie Fourthly it controleth our high-clyming and deep searching vvittes maketâ— vs to acknovvledge the vveaknes of our intellectuall eye-sight vvhich if it bee so dim ne that it can noe more susteyne the blazing spleÌ„dour of naturall verities theÌ„ can the night-crovves eyes the beames of the sonne much lessâ— can it behold vnlesse it be by a glimse and glimmering the splendent rayes of supernaturall verities revealed throughe the darke veale of holy scripture Fiftly this difficultie increaseth merit and deserte vvhen so constantly vvee beleeue those verities vvhich in scripture are rather vealed them reuealed Sixthly this difficultie preserueth scripture from prophanation and is the cause vvhy euerie one can not babble of scripture as they do of easie thinges and as the heretiques of this tyme do bicause they imagin scripture to be easie Seauenthly it hides our sacred mysteries froÌ„ ê“phane infidells vvhoe are noe more vvorthy of this diuine knovvledge then are the beastly svvine of preciouse pearles Orig. li. 1. in Leâ—it Eightly as Cirill or rather Origen very vvell obserueth these obscure phrases and figures vvherin the diuine veritie is cladde are as it vvere a seemly habit vvhich graceth the vvorde of God and makes it seeme the better vnto our vveakish eyes For more are vve delighted to see the veritie of the sacred Eucharist vnder the figure of Manna and of the Sacrament of Baptisme in that shadovve of the redde sea then if vve savve the same sett forth to ourvevve in bare vvordes though neuer so playn But novve let vs see vvhat our ghospellers can saye to this experience and reason by vvhich I haue proued scriptures to bee hard and difficile It is true sayeth Luther scriptures are in many places harde but vvhere they treat of thinges necessarie to saluation there are they playn and perspicuouse Is it true Luther that so me partes of scripture are harde Supra then must thou eate that vvorde of thine in vvhich thou sayedst Ego de tota scriptura dico nullam eius partem obscuram dici volo I say of all scripture I vvill haue no part of it called obscure And vvilt thou stand to it that vvhere scripture treateth of thinges necessarie to saluation ther it is plain and easie I aske then of thee vvhether the doctrine of Baptisme bee not necessarie to saluation And if thou say yea then is some parte of scripture vvhich treateth of thinges necessarie harde and difficile for othervvise Caluine vvould neuer haue cauilled so much about those vvordes of Christ Io. â— Vnlesse a man be borne agan of vvater and the holy ghoste Is not the doctrine of the blessed Sacrament necessary to bee beleeued And yet vvho seeth not hovv many diuerse expositions the ghospellers haue deuised vppon those fevv vvords Mat. 26. Luc. 22. This is my bodie Is not the doctrine of iustification necessarie And yet it is so obscurely set dovvn in scripture that Osiander a voucheth Ex Bol to 3. l. 3. l. 2. de Iustif initio that amongest the confessionistes there are tvveÌ„tie different opinions about the formall cause of iustificatioÌ„ and euery one is deduced out of scripture At least they vvill graunt mee that the doctrine and fayth of the blessed Trinitie and of Christes diuinitie and humanitie is of necessitie to bee beleeued yet the Ebionites Arrianes Nestorians Eutichians Valentinians Monothelites and Appollinaristes vvho helde diuerse heresies concerning the Trinitie and IncarnatioÌ„ proued theÌ„ all to their thinking out of scripture Vvhich is a signe that scripture is not easie for vvher al is playne all men commonly aggree and if scripture vvhere it speaketh of those mysteries vvere perspicuouse they vvould neuer haue banguered so grossely in expounding them But rather then my aduersarie vvill stand out he vvill bee content to play smalle play If sayeth hee thou bee a good GraÌ„marian all vvill seeme easie vnto thee And vvas not I pray thee S. Austin vvho read Rhetorike in Millan vvas not S. HieroÌ„vvhoe vvas excellent in all the three tongues a Grammarian They vvere They vvere and yet they coÌ„fessed as I haue declared that scriptures vvere full of difficultie Yea in England our ministers haue the Bible in English and so haue no need of any helpe of Grammer and yet can they not aggree about the scriptures meaning Yea in all sciences it is one thing to be a grammarian another thing to attayn to the knovvledg of the science for many a school maister in England can constrevv Aristotle vvhich yet can not vnderstand him and if grammer vvere sufficieÌ„t then after grammer vvee should need no studie nether in diuinitie nor philosophie nor any other science And to vse no other argument then experiens let our GraÌ„marians in Ingland after they haue constrevved the psalmes tell me vvether they do yet vnderstand the psalmes But my aduersary vvill shevv that hee is not tongue tyed and therfore vvill not bee put to silence If sayeth hee you confer one place vvith another one vvill explicate another This is another starting hole vvhich hee hath found out But this also is but a poore shifte For although one place conferred vvith another many tymes giueth a great light to both yet doth it not so allvvayes fall out For diuerse haue conferred the same places and yet haue gathered diuerse meaninges yea somtymes conference of places augmenteth the difficultie and maketh a shovv of contradiction vvhich before appeared not Novv gentle reader thou vvouldst think that this man vvere satisfied or else that his mouth vvere stopped but yet he desireth one ansvvere more and if that vvill not serue he vvill ether yeeld or hold his peace If you pray to God sayeth he to illuminate you he vvill reveal the meaning of scripture vnto you or if you haue the spirit be not carnall but spirituall or if you be praedestinate you shall finde all as playne in scripture as the kinges high vvay This ansvvere is so poore that it vvell argueth that our aduersarie is put to an harde shift and to a last reply bicause in this ansvvere hee declareth ignotum per ignotius an vnknovven thing by that vvhich is more vnknovven As for example I vvould haue him to assure vs vvhether that vvee expound scripture rightly or vvrongly hee telleth vs that if vve praye as vve ought to do or if vvee bee of the electe or if vvee bee spirituall
the Church of God and the first of them in our countrie and in euery countrie proued theyr authoritie by miracles â— 31. and their successours proued the same by succession but as yet the nevv preachers could neuer proue their authoritie and mission to bee ether extraordinarie by miracles or ordinarie by succession as is allready demonstrated in the first chapter So that for learning vertue antiquitie number dignitie by vv ch authoritie is gotten vve and our religion doe carye the bell avvaye Vvhat reason then haue men to forsake Catholikes and their pastours and preachers to harken vnto these nevv prophets vvho nether in learning nor vertue nor antiquitie not number nor dignitie can make any iuste comparison vvith them Suppose some one should be vvauering and doubtfull 〈◊〉 religion and deliberating vvith him â—olfe vvhether to follovve the olde fathers 〈◊〉 nevv preachers should make this discourse vvith him selfe I haue been baptiaed and brought vp in the Catholike religion and so vvere my fore fathers ty me out of mynd but of late yeares some haue been so bold as to auouch that they vvere all deceiued and damned also vnless ignoâ—unce excuse them vvherfor seing that vvithout true fayth noe man can bee saâ—â—ed it is good that I looke into bothe the old and nevv religioÌ„ to see vvhich by all reason I ought to imbrace But before I giue eare vnto these Reformers vvhich say that they come to correct old errours let me see vvhat probabilitie they bring for their pure and reformed religion First I see they aggree not and yet euery one sayeth that he teachethe the true fayth and reformed religion and seing that one bringeth noe more authoritie then another that is scripture interpreted by his ovvn spirit I see no reason vvhy I should giue credit more to one then to another and therfor bicause I can not giue credit to all I see no reason vvhy I should credit any of them all Hier. â—â— Secondly I ame forvvarned that false propheres shall come vnsent and yet auouche also that they are sent from God and therfor vnlesse these men can say more for them selues then they caÌ„ I see noe reason vvhich can bynde me to giue eare vnto them They saye they are sent from God So vvill false prophets say And I examining vvhat is their mission finde therin a great defect for ether it is an ordinarie mission and then they must shevv a succession of pastours vvhose roomes they supply vvhich I see they can not do bicause noe historie makes mention ether of their pastours or their seruice or practise of their religion or it is an extraordinarie by vvhich they are sent immediatly from Christ and then they must proue it by miracles else I must by the same reason harken vnto euery false prophete Nether doth it suffice to say that they preach no other doctrine then the Apostles did and therfore need no other miracles then those vvhich vvere vvrought by them for so euery archeretique may saye and you can not controle him vnless you put him to his miracles But they alleage scripture for their doctrine so haue all heretiques doone as is shevved in the second chapter But heretiques expounded scriptures amiss these men haue hitten vppon the right meaning Hovv shall I knovv that they say they haue the true spirit in interpreting of scripture And hovv shall I or hovv caÌ„ they â—ell that seing that nothing is so secret as is this spirit as is proued in the third chapter And did not Arius say that he interpreted scriptures by the true spirit vvhen he alleaged them to proue that the sonne vvas a creature netherequall nor coequall nor consubstantiall to his father Yea do not all heretiques say so doe not all the Reformers say so euen vvhen they hold contrary opinions I see noe reason therfore not so much as probable vvhy I should harken vnto these reformers vnless I vvill harken allso vnto all the heretikes that euer vvere or shall bee Much lesse can I see any reason vvhy to forsake my ancient pastours vvho made me and my for fathers Christians and to preferre these preteÌ„ded reformers before them For as for learning they surpassed these reformers and for vertu they excelled and so vvere more likely men to see into the sense of scripture and veritie of religion and vvere fitter instruments for God to vse and vesselles more capable of God his spirit and reuelations In antiquitie they are before theÌ„ by many hundred yeares in number they are an hundred at least for one for authoritie they vvere honourable Prelats and Bishops of the Church vvho proued their mission commission and authoritie by succession yea and by miracles also nether of vvhich proofes the reformers can alleag for their mission and authoritie Shall I then leaue such learned men for such young clat kes so vertuouse men for so vicious so ancient Pastours for so nevv so late vpstartes so many for so fevv and men of such pastorall dignitie for them that can not proue their commission no more then a false prophet can doe Surely I see no reason vvhy I should and seing that God vvil not bynde me to giue credit to them that can bring no probabilitie for their ovvn or their Doctours authoritie I see not hovv vvith any shevv of iustice God can at the latter day condemne me for not harkening vnto them for I might ansvver vvith reason that I savv noe reason vvhy I should harken to them rather theÌ„ to euery false prophet much less vvhy I should forsake myne ancient religion for a nevv and myne old graue fathers for a fevv yonge ministers vvho vvere borne but yesterday By this gentle reader thou mayest see hovv litle reason men of vnderstanding haue to giue credit vnto the nevve religioÌ„ But least I may seem to partiall or thou gentle reader mayst be to timorous in pronouncing the sentence let the matter bee brought before an indifferent iudge vvho is net her of the old nor the nevv Religion l. 1â— Aâ—â— In Iose phus his historie I finde an example in the like case of controuersie The Ievves sayeth he and the Samaritanes contended once about the place vvher God should be vvorshipped The Ievves sayed HierusaleÌ„ vvas the place Deus 19.4 Reg. 17.10.4 The Samaritanes vvould haue it to be the mount Garizim The matter vvas brought before a Pagan king yet a discreet and indifferent Iudge Proloquutours vvere appointed on bother sides to plead the cause Sabeus and Theodosius for the Samaritanes Andronicus for the Ievves Andronicus had leaue graunted to speake first vvho recounteth a succession of the high precstes froÌ„ Aaron vnto his tyme all vvhich tyme the Ievves vvere counted the true vvorshippers of God he declareth the Antiquitie of the Temple of Hierusalem and of the sacrifices there offered hee telleth hovv that place vvas euer taken for the true place of vvorship and that therfore it vvas adorned and enriched not only by the guifts
after his resurrection he appointed saint Peter his vice-gerent in earth that still the Churche might haue a visible iudge to vvhom she might repayer in all her difficulties Io. 21. For after his resurrection he appeareth to his Apostles and singling out sainct Peter from the rest he demaundeth of him three tymes not only vvhether he loued him but also vvhether more then the rest and finding in deed that he did so and that consequeÌ„tly he vvas the fittest for the cheefest thing in a pastour is loue he maketh choise of him before the rest and comitetth vnto him the charge of his sheep in so ample manner that he excepteth none but giueth him authoritie ouer all both lambes and sheepe that is lesser and greater Christianes euen Apostles Bishops vvho all must acknovvledge Peter for their pastour if they vvill be the sheep of Christ For as sainct Bernard noteth l. de consid vvhere ther is no distinction there is no exception And seing that after sainct Peters death the Church hath noe lesse need of a visible pastour then before it had as Christe left him for his vicegerent soe in him did he appoint a coÌ„tinuall succession of his successours that the Church might allvvayes be prouided of a visible pastour And therfore as bishops are the successours of the other Apostles so some one must succeed sainct Peter and must haue that superioritie ouer other Bishops vvhich sainct Peter had ouer the Apostles And truly to omitt other proofes noe man more likely to be this man then the Bishop of Rome For in the Sea of Rome saint Peter did last of all reside there he dyed and there before his death he appointed Clemens vvho refusing Linus succeeded and after him Cletus after him Anacletus after him Clemens and so forth euen vnto ClemeÌ„t the eight vvho novv in Rome residing ruleth the Churche not only of Rome but of all the christian vvorld Vverfore the Bishops of this Sea vvere euer called the vicars of Christ and successours of sainct Peter they haue euer called generall Councells and confirmed the same they made generall lavves to vvhich all bishopsyea all Christians acknovvledged themselues bounde and obliged they haue excommunicated Bishops and Emperours vvhersoeuer they liued thinking none that are Christianes to bee out of their iurisdiction they haue taken appellations from all partes and shevved them selues in all these actioÌ„s supreme pastours not of Rome only but of all the vvorld and yet vvere neuer counted vsurpers and therfore sithence that saint Peter must haue a successour and that needs ther must be one visible Iudge vnder Christe to vvhom in all doubtes vve must repayr the Pope of Rome is likest to be hee or else if any one be more like then let the aduersarie name him And if they name any other but him I vvill auouch that the Church hathe been vvithout an head these 1600. yeares for all this vvhile neuer any executed that office but hee S. Hierom I ame suer tooke the Bishop of Rome to be the man for he in a doubte and controuersie of the highe mystery of the Trinity flyeth vnto Damasus Bishop of Rome Epistolâ— ad Dam. not that he vvas learneder then sainct Hierom but bicause he Knevv that for sainct Peter consequently for his successours Christe prayed that he might not erre Luc. 22. but rather confirm his bretheru A pastore sayeth he praesidium ouis flagito Of my pastour I demaund the helpe devv to a sheep Novv then let our nevv Christianes if they be the Church of Christ vvhich euer had a visible head tell vs vvho is their supreme Iudge and pastour They vvill saye peradueâ—tur that Christ him self is their Iudge and pastour and that they need no other bicause as he planted his Church so still he ruleth the same But this shifte vvill not serue the turne for Christe novve conuerseth not visibly amongest vs and so beside him the visible Church must haue a visible head as hether to she hath euerhad And altoughe Christe still remayneth our highe preest Io. 10. doctour and pastour yet he offerreth not sacrifices immediatly but only by his vnderpreestes nether doth he teach vs by his ovvne voice Ephes 4. or reuelations but by doctours vvhom Sainct Paule sayeth hee hath appointed nether doth he feed vs by his ovvne hand but by the hande of inferiour pastours vvho minister his Sacramentes vnto vs and deliuer his vvorde in the true meaning by vvhich the soule liueth Mat. 4. Vvherfore besids him the Church being a visible body must haue a visible head else vve may say of it as once Epaminondas sayed of a great armie vv ch vvanted a Generall Video pulcherimam bestiam sed sine capite I see a very fayre beast but vvithout a head And the reason herof is bicause a head and Iudge in the Church is necessary to decide controuersies in religion vvhich arise all most euery age yea â—ome tymes often tymes in the same age sith then vve can not novv haue accesse to Christ beside him vve must haue a visible Iudge vvhich Christe him selfe vvell knovveing presently after he had left vs appointed S. Peter as his vicegerent as is all ready proued I demaund then of all the professours of this nevv religion especially of them in Ingland vvho is their Iudge in controuerlies of religion They can not say that Scripture is this Iudge bicause scripture is but a vvritteÌ„ lavv vv ch can not speak nor interpret her selfe and therfore if the controuersie bee vvhich is scripture or vvhat is the meaning of it scripture can giue noe senteÌ„ce yea I haue demonstrated in the second Chapter that bare scripture is no sufficient Iudge in any matter of religion Suprâ— They can not alleage the spirit to bee this Iudge as is euidently proued in the third Chapter nether vvill they confess that the Pope fathers or councels are this Iudge and if they vvould all they vvould condemne them as is declared in the fourth Chapter Peraduenture they vvil be Iudged by their founders Luther Caluin and such others But first these aggreed not nether one vvith another nether vvith them selues for vvhat one affirmeth another denyeth and vvhat one of them taught one yeare he corrected the next but and if they had aggreed yet vvere they no sufficient Iudges bicause they can not proue their mission as is proued in the first Chapter and so are not to be admitted for lavvfull Iudges vnlesse vve vvill admitt also all false prophets Vvho theÌ„ is this Iudge to vvhom in controuersies they repayr and by vvhose iudgement they square out theyr religion They vvil say percâ—â—â—nce that the Prince is this Iudge But this is as vnlikely and as flatte against scripture and practise of the Churche as any thing can be And although her Maiestie of late memorie and her Father before her did chaleng as devv vnto them authoritie in cause Ecclesiasticall of vvhich I dispute not at this tyme
vvith all aequalized matrimony vvith virginity saint Hierom condemnes him euen vnto hell l. 〈◊〉 Vigil Iouinian also for making all sinnes and good vvorkes equall in demerit and merit lib. cont Ieuin and for putting noe difference betvvixte the state of Virgins and the Maried vvas by the same Doctour coÌ„demned for an heretike to vvhich his sentence all the christian vvorld subscribed And no meruaile For if one heresie depriueth vs of fayth as it doth Th. 2.2 q. â— a. â— bicause he that beleeueth not God and his Churche in one article beleeueth them in none if fayth be the linke vvhich vniteth vs as meÌ„bers to the mysticall body of Christs Churche then one heresie is sufficieÌ„t to separate vs from the Churche as the very name in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth and consequently one heresie is enough to damne vs bicause out of the Churche is noe saluation For as the arme cut of dyeth the bovve riuen from the tree vvithereth so vvhether by one or many heresies vve be separated froÌ„ Christs mysticall body vvhich he viuisicateth by his spirit vvee dye and vvither and remain deuoid of life sappe and saluation bicause the spirit if God vvhich is as is vvere the soule and spirit of this body impartes it selfe to none but those vvho by true fayth are members of this body and bovves of this tree Psal 79. vvhich extendeth it selfe by reaching bovves from sea to sea l. de vniâ— Ecel Vvherfor sainct Cyprian sayeth that vvhosoeuer is separated from the Churche hath noe parte in Christes promises he is an alien sayeth he an enemie à prophane person and one that can not haue God for his father vvho hath not the Churche for his mother Yea sayeth he such an one may dy for Christ he may burne he may be caste to the vvild beastes but that death shall be no crovvne of faythe but a pain of infidelitie such a one may be Killed but he can not be crovvned If then it be so that one errour in fayth obstinately defended is sufficient to cut a man from the Churche and to make him an heretike then certes the ghospellers of this tyme must needs be heretikes and that in the highest degree vvho haue renevved allmost all the old heresies and euen those vvhich by the Christian vvorld vvere allvvayes condemned for damnable errours For if Simon Magus his successours vvere euer heretikes for such and such opinions if these men vvill defend the same opinions they must needs be condemned for heretikes allso vnless vve vvill accept persons and vse plaine and palpable partialitie Vine Lirin Simon Magus sayed that God vvas the autour of sinne Aug. her 65. vvhom Cerdon and Marcion Manicheus Photinus and Blastus follovved Eus l. â— c â—â— and vvere for this doctrine by the common voice of the Christian vvorld adiudged heretikes shall not the same sentence passe vppon our reformers vvho say not only as Simon Magâ—s did that God by a certaine consequence is the autour of sinne in that he hathe giuen man a nature necessarilie inclining to sinne Bel. l. 2. â—â— â— c. â— but affirme also that he directly moueth to sinne yea prouoketh vs and eggeth vs forvvard Shall Manicheus and the others aboue named be heretikes vvho sayed only that the euill God vvas autour of sinne for they imagined tvvo Gods and shall our reformers be counted good Christians vvho say that the good and the only God is the cause Promotour of all lies and vvickedness â—i de fide operibus c. 14. Certain old heretikes euen in the Apost les tyme â— Pet 3. 〈◊〉 li t. c.2 â— Aug her 54. grounding them selues vppon sainct Paules Epistle to the Romaines vvhich as saint Peter vvitnesseth they did vvrongly interpret affirmed only fayth to be sufficient to saluation vvhich phantasie Simon Magus and Eunomius also imbraced for this they vvere accursed for heretikes shall Luther Caluine Lut. in c. â— Gaâ— Calu. in Antid ses 6. can it and their adhereÌ„tes goe for sincere Christians vvho teach the selfe same doctrine Leo the third Emperour CoÌ„staÌ„tine the fifthe and Leo the fourth vvith their adherentes called Iconomachi and Iconoclastae Zonar vitae Leoâ— Paulus Diaco â—bid Vvere condemned as heretikes for denying honour to Images and for breaking and defacing them hovv can our ghospellers shevv their faces amongest Christianes vvho exceed those Image-breakers by many degrees Vvith the Simonians Iren. li. â— c. 24 Ignat. ep ad Smyrn Th. Vvald l. 2. de Sacram. c. z. â—3 Damasc l. de heres Ter. l. de bap Menandrians and others in sainct Ignatius tyme yea vvith BerengariaÌ„s and Vviclephistes they deny that in the Eucharist Christs body is really present vvith the Messalians and Caians they deny that the Sacraments giue grace vvith Ihon Vvicleph they deny that Baptisme Confirmation and Order imprint caracters in our soules vvith the Pelagians they say that Baptisme is not necessary Vvald to 2. â— 96. and that vvithout it children may be saued by predestination or the fayth of their parents vvith the Nouatians they deny the Sacrament of Penaunce Infrae Soc l. 4. c. 24. Iren. l. 1. c. 30. vvith the Gnosticks Manichies and Encratites they say Matrimonie is no SacrameÌ„t no more sayeth Caluin then tillage of the ground yea spinning and carding Hier Proce mio l. cont Lucif Vvith the Manichies they deny freevvill vvith Aerius the Sacrifice vvith Heluidius Iouinian they make mariadge equall vvith virginitie Hier. l cont illos They marye preests despise Reliques vvith the same Vigilantius vvith Rhetorius they prayse all heresies Sand l. 7. vi sâ—b mon pag. â—7â— and renevv them all and shall they for one heresie be accursed heretikes and these men vvho haue raked hell to rake them alltogether be esteemed of as pure sincere and reformed Christians Shall seuerall heresies make them heretikes and shall not all heresies allmost assembled together be sufficient to make these men heretikes Truly vnless Apostasie excuse them from beresie vvho haue denyed all most all pointes of religion only Christe remaining to vvhose deny all notvvithstaÌ„ding as the nexte booke shall proue they haue made a great stepp I can not see vvhy the ancient heretikes for seuerall heresies should be counted heretikes these for so many vvhich they haue raked together go for good Christians especially seing that any one heresie is sufficient to make an heretike bicause euery one seuereth and separateth from the Churche and her fayth and doctrine Certes if these men be no heretikes the old heretikes vvere none if these be noe heretikes neuer as yet vvere any If these haue not the marke of an heretike Simon Magus Marcion Cerdon Pelagius Vvicleph had none if these be good Christianes all heretikes vvere so or if they vvere noted vvith the caracter of an heretike these are so marked that they shall neuer be
virtutes morales scientiae speculatiuae non sunt verae virtutes scientiae sed peccata errores all morall vertues and speculatiue sciences are not true vertues and sciences but sinnes and errours Ihon Caluin although he vvill seeme to make a difference betvvixt the morall vertues l. 3. c. 14. §. 2. and vices of the heathens for othervvise sayeth he if these be confounded there shall remaine no order in the common vvelth and althoughe he calleth the paganes morall vvorkes the guiftes of God yet presently after ether forgetting or correcting his former speeches he sayeth plainly that they are no more to be counted vertues then those vices vvhich are vvont to deceue by reason of nerenes and likenes to vertue Sect. ◠And he pronounceth this sentence against Scipio Cato and other morall men amongest the Romaines to vvit that all their morall vertues vvere vices Then hee setteth dovvn this generall conclusion as a finall sentence from vvhich no man must appeale Sect. 4. vvhatsoeuer man thinketh purposethe or doth before he be reconciled vnto God by faith is accursed and not only of no valevv to rightuousues but of certain deseruing to damnation And hee giues this reason bicause forsooth our nature by originall sinne is so corrupted and soked in the poison of sinne Sect. 5. l. 3. c. ◠in fine that it can breath out nothing but corruption and therfore sayeth hee oyle shall sooner bee vvrounge out of a stone then any good vvorke from vs. l 3 c 14 sect 7.9.11 Yea the same sentence hee pronounceth not only against the sinfull but also the iuste and faithfull Christian to vvit that no good proceedeth from ether of them but that the best vvorke vvhich the iustest man dothe deserueth shame damnation The reason and ground of this their doctrine is bicause they thinke that original sinne hathe so defaced our nature that it hath blotted out the image of God bereaued vs of free vvill enclined our nature vvholly to sinne vnabled it to vertue in so much that vvhat soeuer proceedeth from this infected nature is filthy abominable and odiouse in the sight of God But thus they first of all doe mightie iniurie vnto mans nature vvhich by this doctrine is rather brutis he then reasonable For if mans vnderstanding bee so metamorphized that all his science and knovvledge ether speculatiue or practicall is errour and deceipte as Luther sayeth I see not vvhy man should bee counted reasonable more then a brute beaste And if hee bee vvholly bente to sensualitie and sinne and hathe noe inclination to vertue noe povvver nor facultie to do the least acte of vertue or to resiste the least tentation then is his nature noe more noble then the nature of a beast bicause he is altogether sensual as a beast is and no more enclined to vertue or able to doe a vertuouse action then an oxe or an asse And so the olde definition by vvhich philosophers vse to define man must bee corrected bicause they define a man to be animal rationale a reasonable creature vvhich definition by this doctrine aggreeth noe more to a man then to a beast bicause mā is as vnable to the vvorkes and operations of reason as a beast is and so is noe more mā but a beast by Caluins definition Secondly this doctrine condemneth all Philosophers and Philosophie vvhich teach vs that in the most vitious man that is there are some inclinations seedes of vertue vvhich is the cause that the most vvicked man that is loueth vertue at least in others hathe a remorse of conscience vvhen hee hathe done euil blusheth at his euill deedes as not beseeming his nature and some tymes dothe some good vvorke or other for you shall hardly finde a man giuen to all vice and enclined to noe vertue from hence proceeded the morall vvorkes of the Romaines for vvhich sainct Austine sayeth allmightie God bestovved on thē l. 5 cin c. 15. so ample en empire and honoured them vvith so many victories hence proceeded also the lavves of Licurgus Solon Plato and the rest and all the motall preceptes and vertues of the ancientes from hence also proceed the speculatiue sciences of naturall Philosophie Metaphysike Mathematique Astrologie and suche like vvhich to condemne of errour as Luther dothe is meare madnesse against vvhome I vvill vse the same argument vv ch Philosophers vsed against the Academikes vvho denyed all science ether Luther knovveth that all speculatiue and practicall sciēces are errours or hee knovveth not if hee knovve not hee is rashe to deny sciēces if he knovve thē in denying sciēce hee graūteth sciēce And although I vvill not deny but that the vertues of paganes are many tymes vice bicause their ende or scope is oftē times vaine glorie or else some other euill circūstaunce is annexed Yet to saye that all their actions are of necessitie sinnes is to make man no mā as I haue proued I vvill graunt also that sinners good vvorkes as prayer almes deedes and such like are opera mortua dead vvorkes as diuines saye bicause in that they proceed not from ye life of grace they are not condignely meritoriouse yet they may be morally good and if they proceed from a good intention and motion of God vvhich is called grace preueniēt and vv ch is neuer vvanting they dispose a man to penaūce penaūce disposeth to iustification Vvherfore although Nabuchodonosor vvas in mortall sinne Dan 4. yet Daniel counsayled him to redeeme his sinnes by almes deedes vvhich counsaile he vvould neuer haue giuen if to giue almes had beene a mortall sinne Thirdly this is to condemne Scripture yea and God him selfe vvho forbid certaine actions as euil and counsaile and commaund others as good vvhich is absurdely done if all bee sinnes and euil actions Fourthly hence it follovveth that all sinnes are aequall bicause if our actions bee euil bicause they proceed from an euill and corrupted nature they must bee at least in this respecte equally euill euē as the frutes of a crabbe tree are of like sovvernes bicause they proceed from the same tree and take their sovvernes from the same sappe Lastly thus the gappe is open vnto all vice For if vvhat soeuer man dothe is sinne then if hee bee tempted to fornication to vvhat purpose should hee refrayne For if hee resiste the temptatiō hee must do it ether by chastising his body or by prayer or by a contrary resolution of the mynde and vvill vvhich if it bee sinne also hee auoydeth one sinne by another and so might as vvel haue yeelded to the temptatiō And if he hee haue another mans vvife in keeping or his landes or goodes in possession hee can not get out of this sinne but by restoring bicause the sinne is not forgiuen vnlesse the thinge vvhich is vvrōgfully holden bee restored and yet to vvhat purpose should hee restore if restoring also bee a sinne as it must bee if all our actions bee sinnes truly he
ovvne hearbes and planted and pruned also his trees vvith his ovvne hands if the Romaine dictatours taken from tillage and husbandry retourned againe to the same exercise after the tyme of beariÌ„g office vvas expired much more might Adame in the state of innocencie and the garden of pleasure haue laboured Perier l. 4. in Gin. and vvorked for his recreation and pleasure thâ—â— God delte vvith Adam to signifie by this corporall exercise vvhich hee appointed him the taske and labour vvhich is necessarie for the soule in the exercise of morall and supernaturall vertue vvhose operations are called vvorkes And truly vvho soe considereth the end of man and his felicity Th. c. 2. q. 3 a. 2. 4. vvhich consisteth in the perpetuall vision and contemplation of God vvhich is the most noble operatioÌ„ vvhich man hath vvil not meruail that the meanes to attaine to this ende should be good vvorkes and operations Vvherfore scripture all most in euery place exhorteth vs to the obseruation of the coÌ„maundementes to vvorkes of charitie iustice mercie temperaunce fortitude patience and such other vvorkes of vertue And for this cause our life is some tymes compared to a vvarfare in vvhich vve must allvvayes be fighting or arming or fortifying our selues or obseruing the enemie as souldiours doe somety mes vve are compared to labourers in the vinyard vvhoe vvorke for vvages some tymes to runners vvrastlers vvho ronne and striue for a gole crovvne or revvard So that our persection also consisteth in action labour and operation And truly vvhoe considereth hovve vnvvorthy a man idlenes is vvill neuer dreame that in it should consiste a Christians perfection For idlenes is the mother of all vice the very bane of vertue and no lesse pernicious to mans soule and body also then it is to the grounde of the gardener or husband man For as the earth not tilled nor laboured bringes forthe nothing but vveedes as the tree not pruned beares nought but leaues and at the length not so much as leaues so if by continuall exercise of vertue and good vvorkes the seed-plotte of our soule bee not continually manured and tilled the seede of Gods inspirations inclinations to vertue vvhich are neuer vvanting in our soule bring for the noe frute of good vvorkes and vertuouse actions but only the breres brambles and vveedes of vices do ouergrovv the soule And as the poole that standeth and moueth vvith noe streame stinketh and engendrethe nothing else but frogges snakes serpents so the soule of man vvhich is allvvayes idle and vnoccupied and neuer moued vvith the exercise of vertue putrifieth in her ovvn corruption and bringeth forthe nothing but monstrouse vices Truly vvhen man is idle he is vnarmed and exposed to all danger Then the deuil takers his tyme the fleshe aslaultes him the vvorld molestes him and he becomes slaue captiue to them all bicause by operatioÌ„ he makes no resistaunce And vvhereas much hurte hath proceeded from idlenesse neuer yet any exploit or entreprise vvorthy a man Hence proceed fornications adulteries robberies for vvhen the mynde is not occupied in good cogitations it is occupied in euil bicause it can not be altogether idle but ether it is vvell or ill occupied Vvherfore the Poet demaundethe vvhy Aegistus became an adulterer he ansvvereth thus In promptu causa est desidiosus erat The cause is easily to bee tolde hee vvas an idle person Vvhen a man is idle and not exercised in vertuouse actions vvhich produce good habits by vvhich our sensualitie is boidled and our passions are moderated then the flesh vvaxeth vvanton sensualitie becomes effeminate the passions are vnruly and the man impotent to all vertue Vvherfore Scipio in one thing vvas vviser theÌ„ Cato bicause Cato vvould haue had Carthage destroyed that Rome might enioy a freer peace and libertie but Scipio counted it more profitable for Rome to haue Cathage stand that Rome might haue an enemie to exercise her vvhich opinion of Scipio tyme proued truest for vvheÌ„ Carthage vvas aftervvards ruined Rome thinking her selfe secure became careles and idle and the Romaines by idlenes lost their former force provves and became altogether effeminate and impotent slaues to sensualitie vvho before hand beene Lords of the vvorld And yet according to our nevv reformers doctrine idlenes is the accomplishment and perfection of morall and Christian life For they first of all vvill make vs to beleeue that a naked farthe by vvhich vvee appreheÌ„d Christes iustice to bee ours is that vvhich iustifieth and vvhich is sufficient to saluation vvithout good vvorkes or obseruatioÌ„ of the lavve Vvhich if it be true Christian perfection shall consiste in an abstracted and idle apprehension of Christes iustice but in no practise nor exercise of vertue in noe labour or good vvorke at all and so vvheras all other creaturs attain to their end by action motion and labour man only by idlenes that is by apprehending only and doing nothing shall purchase his felicitie The artificer shall come to perfection in his arte by labour exercise and operation not of one or tvvoe but many dayes yea of his vvholle life bicause by coÌ„tinuall practise he augmenteth his skill but the arte of a Christian shall require no practice at all no labour no vvorking bicause according to this opinion on only acte of faith before a man dyeth is sufficient to iustifie him from all his former sinnes and to make him as iuste as holy as Christe him selfe vvho is the holy of holyes and so eternal felicitie vvhich is an operation by vvhich vvee see God face to face enioie our summum bonum shall be gotten vvithout operation and vvee shall vvinne our gole vvithout running atcheue our victorie vvithout fighting and gaine our vvages vvithout vvorking that is by an idle faythe vvhich apprehendeth only but doeth nothing They teach vs also that since Adames fall our nature is so corrupte that all our actions euen those that go for best are mortall and daÌ„nable sinnes in so much that you may as vvell and as soone get oyle out of a marble stone as vvring one good vvorke froÌ„ the nature of man vvhich if it be true then certes sleeping and idlenesse is our greatest perfection For if in euery acte vvee sinne mortally better vvere it to sleepe then to vvatche and praye better to sitte idle to do nothing then something bicause in doing nothing vve doe no harme in doing some thing vvhatsoeuer it bee bee it prayer and almes deeds vvee sinne mortally so idlenesse is our perfectioÌ„ bicause better it is to be idle theÌ„ ill occupied Vvhence follovveth my intended coÌ„clusion to vvit that according to the reformers doctrine idlenesse is the perfection of a Christian mans life and the best and surest meanes to attaine vnto his felicitie and to purchasse his SaluatioÌ„ The fourtenth Chapter shevveth vvhat an enemie the reformers doctrine is to Chastitic euen that vvhich is required betvvixt man and vvife CHastitie is a vertue
from nothing to some thing and so euer vvas of necessitie nether can it bee brought frō some thing to nothing and so euer shal be and that of necessitie If it haue a necessarie independent being it hathe an infinite essence bicause it is not limited by anye and soe exceedeth the bounds of a creature therfore if the vvorlde vvas of it selfe it is a God vvhich perfectiō not vvithstāding it can not haue bicause the vvorlds materiall substance mutabilitie visibilitie and determinate quantitie arguethe a creatur not a God vvho is immaterial inuisible and infinite in his immensitie Vvho thē vvas it that created this goodly pallace so huge a building as is this vvorlde Not it selfe as is proued not any Angel or other creature bicause creation of nothing argueth infinit povver and vvhere is infinite povver ther is an infinite essence and so God only vvas hee that could create it And if thou vvilt obstinately defend that an Angell or some other creature created it I vvill thus argevve against thee ether that creature vvhich thou imaginest to haue created the vvorlde vvas of it selfe or it vvas created of another If it vvas of it selfe it vvas God and so thou grauntest vvhich I endeuour to vvrest from thee by force of argument if it vvas created of another creature I aske vvho created that other and so at the lengthe I vvill leade thee to the first cause vvhich created all and vvas created of none vvhich is the God vvhom vvee seek for Secondly not only the vvholle vvorld but also euery parte of it vvill make a plain remonstraunce of a God-head And to begin vvith man vvho though hee bee a litle vvorld yet is but a parte of the great vvorld vvho I pray you vvas it that gaue the first man his being Vvee see by experience that men breed not as flyes and vvormes doe of the corruptiō of other liuing creatures nether do they spring out of the earthe like hearbes or toadstooles as Iulius Caesar sayd of the first inhabitauntes of England nether are they begotten of beasts of another kinde as mules and chickins are but rather as vve see by experience man only begetteth man and of no other liuing creatur no not of an Angel can he bee begotten Vvho then vvas it that gaue the first man his being of him selfe man could not bee bicause then had hee been a God of another man hee could not be begotten bicause no man could bee before the first man no other creature could beget him as is already proued ergô some thing that vvas no creature created him And vvhat is that but God Another part of the vvorld that the most noble is an angell And vvhoe I pray you created those spirits and immateriall substāces One Angell could not beget another bicause that vvould argewe thē to be materiall substāces corruptible creaturs and so no spirits To say that men can produce Angelles or that any other creature extant could do the same is farre lesse probable bicause they are the highest creatures in perfection and so could not bee produced of their inferiours It follovveth therfore that some cause not included vvithin the ranke of creaturs created them and vvhat can that bee but the Creatour l. 12. met c. 9. s. l. 1. de cas◠c. 9. To denye all Angells and spirits is against Philosophie and all the best Philosophers For Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers affirmeth that the heauens are not moued by their ovvne proper formes and faculties but by Angelles vvhich he calleth intelligences In Plyt ad Tyrannum in Sympo sio Zenoc l. de morte Mercur in Pymā dro Plato and the Platonists make often mention both of good an euill Angells So doth Plutarche also and diuers others and vvho hathe not read of Socrates familiare vvhich vvas called demonium that is a good or euil spirit Yea experience proueth that ther are deuils vvhich are spirits and differ only from the good Angells in mallice For if vvee behold the straunge effectes vvhich are to bee seene in those vv ch vvee call possessed persons vvee can not vvith any probabilitie ascribe all to a melancholike humour for those pullinges and conuulsions straunge motions and operations can not proceed from any humour or naturall and materiall cause Bicause vvee see them some tymes lifted vp from the ground some tymes they hovvle like dogges some tymes they yell like vvolues some tymes they tell secrets and speake in straunge languages The manifolde and straunge operations of vvitches their meetinges and voyages vvhich they make in the ayre the straunge apparitions vvhich all the vvorld talketh of and therfore can not lye bicause the voice of the people is the voice of God demonstrateth that ther are angelles and immaterial spirits And seing that these creaturs can nether produce one another nor bee produced of any create cause vvee must needes confesse a God and an increated spirit vvho created them The like proofe for a diuine povver the heauens do also yeeld vs for seing that noe creature nor second cause could create those huge and incorruptible bodyes vvee must needs confesse a God and first cause vvhoe extended and framed them Thirdly the goodly order and disposition of things vvhich vve see argueth a nature of intelligence not conteined vvithin the ranke of creaturs vvhich ruleth guidethe directeth all and appointeth euerie creatur his taske and place Vvee see hovv the Elements are disposed of and appointed euerie one to his natutall place The fier as moste noble and of a most light and aspiring nature taketh the highest place the aire and vvater take the middle roome bicause they participate of tvvoe extremes the one aggreeing vvith the fier in heat and ligthnesse the other vvith the earth in cold and heauynes And the earth being of a heauy and lumpish nature is vvorthilie thrust dovvn to the lovvest place Vve see hovve the heauens and planets moue in order and distinguishe the tymes and seasons neuer altering their course since they vvere created in so much that by their vniforme motion the Astrologers can tell most certainly the tyme yea minute of the chaung of the moone of the sonnes setting and rising and of the sonnes and moones Eclipses Vvee see the order and diuersitie of partes and members in plantes beasts and men vvhich are so furnished of all partes and faculties belonging vnto nature that there is noe parte vvanting none superfluouse not so much as a veine sinevv or litle bone as vve see by experience vvhen vve vvant the least of them The eyes are placed in the head vvhich is also made to turne about that vvee may looke about vs and therfore are called the guides of the body The eares are the organes of discipline bicause by them vvee heare vvhat others say vvithout the vvhich mans life vvere noe life at all bicause it should bee deuoid of conuersation The nose smelleth a farre of all odours vvhich are good or bad for the
the ducke the faucon and do tremble at the very noise of their belle and yet they care not for the svvaÌ„ne nor Crane thoughe in body many tymes bigger Vvhoe teacheth them thus to discerne their enemies vvho putteth in theÌ„ such a feare of that vvhich in deed is to be feared Thou vvilt saye the instincte of nature but vvhoe put such an instincte in them by vvhich they flye their foes as if they had reason but hee that is the autour of nature reasoÌ„ Vvho teacheth brute beastes in a medovve or garden vvhere ther are so manye hearbs one like another to chuse the good and to refuse the badd and so coningly as if they vvere Phisitians or herbistes knevve the naturs of simples in so much that vvher as men many tymes are poisoned in taking one drugg or hearb for another such an errourneuer hapneth amongest them Vve see hovv artificially byrdes do build their nestes vvherin they make such a defence against the vveather that no mason can correct their vvorke The spider spinneth the threed out of his ovvne substaunce vvhich aftervvard hee vveaueth so artificially that hee maketh a formal nette vvhich also he placeth in those places vvher flyes are likest to passe And hee like a byrd-catcher lyeth lurking in a corner of the same vvithout any motion but no sooner dothe the flye touche his nette but hee perceueth and no soeneâ— is the pray taken but hee vvith all speeâ— maketh hast vnto it I haue allready described the trauelles of the Antes in making their haruest In the seueÌ„tâ— booke and carying in their corne and hovve they eate the ende of it least it grovv in the earthe and bring it forthe to dryinge in a sounye daye least moysture corrupt it And I haue in parte described the common vvelthe of bees vvhich is so vvell ordered that a statist common vvelth-man may learne policie and gouernement of them The Hare vvhat slighte vsâ—th shee to escape the houndes hovve many leapes makes shee hovve many bi-vvayes takes shee and if shee come neare a vvater shee vvill passe it if neare a heard of Catell shee entreth amongest theÌ„ to deceue the houndes and to make then loose the sent Hovv subtile and crastie the Foxe is I report me to Huntsmen and vvhat deuises hee vseth to attain to his praye fevve ther are vvhich knovv not On a tyme as a man of credit tolde mee vvhoe vvas an eye vvitnesse the Foxe espying duckes in a riuer deuised this stratagem to deceue them hee taketh a bushe of ferne vvhich hee caryeth in his mouthe to the vvater and putteth it in to the vvater farre aboue them least hee should bee espyed and aboue the streame also that it might descende dovvne vnto theÌ„ and passe also thorovve them and this hee did tvvise or thrise The duckes suspecting nothing let the ferne passe by them at the lengthe the foxe him selfe come the svviming dovvn the streame vvith a ferne-bushe in his mouthe and that so couertly that nothing appeared aboue the vvater but the bushe the duckes suspercting no more deceite then vvas before imaging that it vvas but aferne-bushe vvhich came dovvne the streame neuer fled for the matter bicause they feared nothing but vvhen the Foxe came a moÌ„gest them hee shevved him selfe to bee a fox for leauing the bushe hee snatche the at a ducke and chaungeth his bushe for the same Hence I deduce this argugument These creaturs are vvitlesse and deuoid of reason and yet do they proceed in their actioÌ„s most vvittilie and reasonably as if they had discourse and reason some tymes they shevv more vvitte in their actions then do men them selues vvho are reasonable and discoursing creaturs And seing that so orderly and so reasonable actions can not proceed from any reason vvhich is in theÌ„ bicause they are vnreasonable I do inferre that there is some one of reason aboue all these creaturs vvho thus directeth and gouernethe their actions Nether vvill iâ— suffice to say that they do all this by thâ— instinct of nature vvhich is nothing else but a naturall inclination bicause seing that this naturall instincte is no reason yet directeth them so reasonably it must needs preceed from one of reason vvhoe could imprinte in them suche an inclinatition vv ch being no reason dothe directe them notvvithstaÌ„ding and gouern theÌ„ in their actioÌ„s as if they had reasoÌ„ Vvherfore as vvheÌ„ thou seest the arrovv flye directly to the marke thou straite vvayes imaginest an Archer thoughe thou seest him not bicause so directe a motioÌ„ could not proceed froÌ„ the arrovv had not the Archer vvho is indevved vvith reasoÌ„ giuen it his direction and imprinted in it a force also vvhich carryeth it directly to the vvhite at vvhich hee aymed So vvhen thou seest vnreasonable creaturs to proceed in their actions so vvittilie and so orderly thou must thinke of some one of intelligence vvho hathe imprinted in them a naturall instincte vvhich directeth them in their actions as if they had reason Fiftly vvhat soeuer is in this vvorld ether it is of it selfe or of another If of it selfe then is it God bicause as be fore is proued to be indepeÌ„dent is to haue a necessarie infinite esseÌ„ce vv ch is no other thing theÌ„ God If it bee of another I aske of vvhom is that other If of another I aske againe of vvhome dependeth that other so at leÌ„gthe I vvill bring thee to a thing of a vv ch all thinges are depeÌ„ding that is depeÌ„ding of none vv ch is the God vvee seeke for To this argumeÌ„t may bee reduced that argumeÌ„t of Aristotle by vv ch hee prouethe the first Moouer 2. p. q. 2. a 3. vvhich S. Thomas also vseth vvhat soeuer sayeth Aristotle is moued is moued by another The inferiour creaturs are moued by the heauens and their influeÌ„ces vvhich reach euen to the bovvelles of the earth vvhere by vertue of them gold and siluer are engendred the inferiour heaueÌ„s are moued by the first heauen vvhich is called primum mobile bicause all the other heaueÌ„s follovve the svvay of that The first heaueÌ„ then ether it moueth it selfe or it is moued of another it can not moue it selfe bicause it is a creature so as in essence and being so in motion and operation it dependeth of another If it bee moued of an other then I demaund vvhether that moueth of it selfe or by the motion of another if you saye of another I aske againe vvhether that is moued by it selfe 2. Met. or by another And so ether vvee must ascend in infinitum vvhich is impossible bicause an infinite distaunce can neuer bee passed and so the inferiour cause vvhich receiueth vertue from the Superiour should neuer bee able to mooue bicause it should expecte an infinite tyme to receiue motion from a Superiour cause vvhose motion must passe through infinite inferiour causes before it come to the lovvest or else at leng the vvee must staye in a supreme
his vvill and impart his minde to his people and not to giue them vvith all letters patentes of their coÌ„mission or to be so vnreasonable as to bynde vs to giue credit or audieÌ„ce to such Imbassadours vvho caÌ„ne only bragge of their eÌ„bassage but caÌ„not by ani probable proofes acertaine vs of it for so vve might imbrace a false preacher and Apostle vvhen in deed vve haue a levvd and lying prophet by the hand This Moyses vvell knovving Exod. â— neuer dreamed of that great embassage in vvhich he vvas sent from God to Pharao to deale for the deliuerio of the oppressed Israelites vntill God had called him and tolde him that he intended to send him knovvinge that if he shoulde haue gone vnseÌ„t he should haue abused his lord and masters name Aaron also durst not aduenture vppon preestlie function Exod. â—â— Leuit. â— before that Moyses by Gods commaundement had consecrated him vvhose example Sainte Paule proposeth vnto all pasâ—ours as necessarie to be follovved saying 〈…〉 Nec quisquam sumit sibi honorem sed qui vocatur à Deâ— tanquam Aaron Neither doth any man take vnto him selfe honour but he vvho is called of God as Aaron vvas The prophetes likevvoise presumed not to tell vnto the people gods mynd and vvill nor to fortell the thinges to come of vvhich god vvouldehaue his people for vvarned vvith out an expresse commaundement from god as maie appeare by the proheme and beginninge of their prophecies And those immortall creatures vvhich are by nature spirites are by office called Angells bicause they are sent from god as his legates and imbassadoures for so much the greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imylyeth from vvhich our Inglish vvord Angel is deriued Vvherfore the Angel that came to Daniel declareth vnto him his con mission before hâ—e telleth him his message Daniel saieth he stam gradu tuo nunc enim missus sum ad te Dan. 10. Daniel stande in thy stepp for novve I am sent vnto the. And sainte Luke describing that great embassage of the Archangel Gabriel vnto the blessed virgin Marie Luc. 10 saieth that he vvas sent from God into a citie of Galilie vvhich vvas called Naâ—areth vnto a virgin despoused vnto a man vvhose name vvas Ioseph In like manner S. Iohâ— Baptist the precursour of Christ and more then a prophet of God vvhonot only for told the Messias but also poynted him out vvith his finger Malach. 3. Mat. 11. Ciril l. â— in Io. c. 17. Beda in c. 1. Mar. is called an Angel not bicause he vvas an Angel by nature as Origen imagined but bicause he vvas an Angel by office as beinge sent to make the vvaie and to prepare it for the Messias Yea Christ him selfe vvould not vndertake the office and function of a Messias and Mediatour before he vvas sent by his father Io. â— For I saieth he came not of my selfe but he sent me and therfore he saieth his doctrine is not his ovvne but his fathers because although he preached the same 〈…〉 yet bicause he preached it in his fathers name vvho seÌ„t him he calleth it his fathers doctrine And as Christe vvas sent froÌ„ his father sovvere his Apostles froÌ„ him Io. 20. els had not their name aggreed to their person bicause the vvorde Apostle cometh of the greek vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich signifieth a messenger or Imbassadour And if they had not been sent they could not haue preached bicause as faith and religioÌ„ is reuealed only by God Matth. 1â— so none can haue authoritie to preach it but from God accordinge to that of S. Paul Rom. 10. Hovv shall they preach vnles they be sent And as it is proper to all true Apostles not to presume to preach before they be sent so is it as common to all false Prophetes to roÌ„ne before they be sent and to preach their ovvn fancie vvith out mission or commissioÌ„ vvho therfore in diuers places of scripture are saied to come but neuer to be seÌ„t All they saieth Christ vvho came before me are theeues and nobbers Io. 10. Vvhere you must note that he saieth not all they vvho vvere sent bicause Moyses and the prophetes vvere seÌ„t before him and yet vvere nether theeues nor robbers but hesaieth all they that came before me are theeues and rohbers Maldonatus in Io. 10. that is vvho came of their ovvn heades nether sent nor commaunded by cause they stole authoritie froÌ„ God and arrogated that vnto them selues vvhich he neuer gaue them vsing abusing his name and crying that the lord saieth so vvhen he neuer sayed so nor ment so Of vvhich kinde of theefe our sauiour speakinge noteth him vvith the same marke of a false Prophet vvhich is comminge Io. 10. Aâ—theef saieth he doth not come but to steale and kill The like manner of speech vseth saint Paul saying 2. Cor. 17. If he that cometh shall preach vnto yon any other Christe To be breefe he that cannot he bicause he is the prime and first veritie and vvill not lie bicause he is goodnes it self giues vs this marke to knovv a false Prophet by Bevvare saieth he of false Prophetes Mat. â— but vvhat marke doest thou giue vs o lord to knovv them by that vve maie take heed of them Vvho come saieth he vntâ— you in the garmentes of sheep but in vvardlie are rauening vvolues So that if any preachers come only that is come vnsent they are theeâ—es that steale authoritie vvhich vvas neuer giuen them and they are false Prophetes vvhich conne on their ovvn heades before they be sent and preach their ovvn deuises before they haue commission If then our nevv reformers and Prophetes of the lord as they call them selues be sent froÌ„ god as they saie they be to reforme the church not onlie in manners but also in faieth and religion lett them tell vs their mission and shevv vs their commission and vve vvill reuerence them as the messengers and respect them as the Imbassadours and Angells of god But if they come on their ovvne heades or cannot giue vs assurauuce that they are sent from god they must pardon vs if vve giue not eare vnto them for if they be not sent they haue noe authoritie to deale vvith vs and if they cannot proue their mission vve haue noe vvarraunt to deale vvith them Tvvoe manner of missions vvhich god vseth insending preachers vnto vs I fynde in holy vvrite vvhich also haue bene practised in the church of god the one an extraordinarie the other an ordinarie mission The extraordinarie mission is made immediatly from god the ordinarie mission god maketh by meanes of some other vvhom he hath sent immediatlie from him selfe For as god ordinatilie doth nothing immediatlie by himselfe but by meanes of secoÌ„de causes causing light by the sonne and heate by the fire producing fruites by trees men and beastes by some of their ovvne kinde yet he doth not so tye
him selfe vnto his creatures but that some tymes extraordinarilie he vvorketh by him selfe vvithout any concurrence of them as he did vvhen vvith a vvorde or touche he restored health vvhich ordinarilie he doth by phisitions and secoÌ„d causes so likvvise ordinarilie god sendeth pastours and preachers and giueth theÌ„ authoritie by others yet sometymes also extraordinarilie he sendeth them immediatlie from him selfe As for example Moyses and Aaron in the olde lavve vvere sent immediatlie froÌ„ god to recall his people out of Aegipt and to rule and gouerne them in matters of religion but the highe preestes vvhich succeded Aaron and vvere consecrated by him and his successours vvere sent by an ordinarie mission In like manner in the nevve lavve saint Peter and the rest of the Apostles vvere called and sent extraordinarilie immediatlie from Christ but they vvhich succeded the Apostles and vvere ordained by them by imposition of haÌ„des and other ceremonies vvere sent by an ordinarie mission bicause oure sauiour Christe vvhem he instituted his Apostles did also appointe a coÌ„tinuall order by vvhich others should succeed them in their offices vvhich vvas imposition of haÌ„des by a Bishop lavvfullie consecrated and so the Bishops vvhich novv are maie trulie affirme that they are sent from Christe to rule gouerne his churche bicause they are consecrated instituted by the order vvhich Christe hath appointed and they succeded the Apostles vvhom Christe immediatlie sent to preach teach and minister sacramentes Novv betvvixte these tvvoe missions this amongest others is one difference that an extraordinarie mission must be proued by miracles or plaine prophecies els euerie one maie bragge that he is sent extraordinarilie and noe man shall controlle him but an ordinarie mission needeth noe such proofe and therfore he vvhoe is sent by an ordinarie mission if he can shevve that he vvas instituted by the ordinarie meanes vvhich Christe hath lefte in his church and that he succedeth them vvhoe vvere counted lavvfull pastours and preachers he giueth sufficient testimonie of his ordinarie mission commission If then oure nevv preachers be sent by an ordinarie mission leâ—t them shevv their succession tell vs the pedegree of their predecessours that vve maie see vvhoe vvere bishops before them and vvhoe consecrated and instituted them and vvhoe gaue them commission and authoritie to entermeddle in the rule and gouerment of the church for so Christe ordinarilie sendeth preachers pastours to his churche â— prescr c. 38. Thus Turtullian vrged the heretikes of his tyme. Let them saieth he shevve vs the origen of their churches let them vnfolde the order of their bishopes vvhich by successours so ronneth on from the beginning that the first bishop haue for his autour and predecessour some one of the Apostles or apostolicall men vvhich liued in the Apostles tyme c. As the churche of the Smyrneans doth register Polycarpe placed by â—hon as the churche of the Romaines hathe Clement ordained by Peter c. To this proofe S. Augustine putteth the heretikes of his age eâ—n partem â—Donati nomber saieth he the preestes euen from Peters seate and looke vvhich to vvhich succeeded in the order of those ffathers And in an other place he saieth that this succession of preestes is the thing cont ep fundamenti c. 4. vvhich holdeth him in the catholike church bicause he knevve that there is the true Churche vvhere is true religion there true religioÌ„ vvhere true pastours to teach it and there true pastours vvhere one succedeth to another by an ordinarie succession And thus vve must vrge our nevve reformers to declare vnto vs the pedegres of their ancetours to shevve vvho be the predecessours to vvhom they bee successours if they vvill haue vs to admitte them as the ministers of God sent by an ordinarie mission But this they can never doe for vvhoe I praye yon vvas the immediate predecessour of Luther and Caluin or vvhoe vvas hee that made the first superintendent in Inglande I am sure and all the vvorlde yea they them selues vvill vvitnesse that they are noe successours to the catholike bislopes and pastours bicause they degenerate froÌ„ them altoge-ther and they vvere faine to contemne disobey them before they could open their mouthes in pulpites Yea our pastours vvere so farre from ordayning them or instituting them giuing them authoritie that they cried out against theÌ„ as nevve startuppes coÌ„demned them for heretikes Antipastours and nevve yea false Apostles Nether can they deriue theÌ„ selues from any other lavvfull pastours for before they them selues tooke vppon them the name and office of pastours there vvere none at the tyme of their rising but oure catholike pastours Yea as in the next booke is proued they cannot deâ—iue their descente from ancient heretikes bicause in all poyntes they agree not vvith anie of them and if they could yet vvere not that sufficiet for they vvere counted condeÌ„ned for arraÌ„t heretikes and intruded them selues as these men doe into the true pastours offices vvere theÌ„ selues as these men are the first of their familie succeding to noe predecessours Here they fynde theÌ„ selues much pressed knovve not I dare saie vvhat to ansvvere but yet they vvill playe smalle playe rather then sirte out and vvill make harde shifte rather then noe shifte and shape a mishapen ansvvere rather then noe ansvvere And vvhat is that They saie that the Apostles vvhich vvere the first bishops pastours had for a tyme â—heir lavvfull successours but at the lengthe the Churche failed and the pastours vvith it vvith them the succession decaied but yet aftervvard Luther Caluin reuiued this dead Churche againe restored the pastours And so saie they vve succeed the Apostles and their immediate successours but by interruption of manie hundred yeares But this God knovves is a poore shifte a stale shifte For this vvas the ansvvere of the heretikes of Tertullians tyme against vvhome he vseth noe other argumeÌ„t then the absurditie vvhich follovveth so absurde an ansvvere l. prese Then saieth he truth vvhich vvas imprisoned expected Marcionites her redeemers and in the meane tyme pastouts preached falsly and the christians belecued erroniouslie manie thousandes vvere vvronglie baptized so manie vvorkes of faithe ministred a misse so manie chrismes evillie vvrought so manie preest-hoodes and ministeres not rightlie done so manie martyrdoomes all invayne The like maie be saied against Luther Zuinglins Caluine and other nevve Apostles of this tyme If the Church failed before youre comming then she expected manie hundred yeares for you in particular then all ministerie in the Churche vvas all this vvhile vvronge preaching teaching vvas false they vvhoe boare the name of true pastours vvere not so that societie vvhich vvas dispersed throughout the vvorlde vvas counted the only christiaÌ„ Churche and vvas persecuted for the same by the deuill his ministers vvas a synagogue of the deuil established and vpholdeÌ„ by the deuill so one deuill psecuted another all martyrdomes in that