more indisciplinable then they were in poperie These be Luthers owne wordes As touching their learninge or knowledge in diuinitie Stanc lib. de trinitate mediatore Francis Stancarus witnesseth one of their prophetts one Petrus Lombardus is more worthie then one hundreth Luthers two hundred Melancthons three hundred Bullingers foure hundreth Martyrs fiue hundreth Caluines Who all if they were pounded in one morter there could not be beaten out of them one ounce of true diuinitie especiallie in the articles of the trinitie incarnation mediator and sacraments 12. You see what testimonie your owne prophett doth beare against you looke to all those countries where they haue stirred vpp their tragedies was there any countrie the better for this ghospell or was the wicked life of any one reformed by it or were the professors themselues amended any thinge in their wicked liues by it Compare the wicked life of the professors of this newe religion with the vertuous life of the holie fathers that haue planted the religion that wee professe No kingdome gained vnto thirst by the woord Haue they not shined in all holines of life in all heauenly conuersation by which they haue allured the hearts of faithles and stiffnecked gentiles did they conuerte any kingdome vnto Christe by the sword haue they euer surprised citties or ouerthrowen kingdomes or euer brought with them armies into the fielde no not by the sword but by godes word and humilitie of spiritte haue they ouercome the deuill Was not Luther a professed Fryar many yeares who beinge giuen to loosenes of life did transgresse the lawe of God in breakinge his vowe by which he consecrated himselfe to serue God in holines of life and continencie of body all the dayes of his life whoe rann awaie and tooke a Nunne with him out of her Cloister Was not Iohn Caluine the fire braÌ„d of France and Scotland and other countries alsoe he being a priest for Sodomitticall wickednesse burned in the backe and continewinge his wicked life stil in that filthie sinne surprised Geneua Was not Beza his next successor giuen to that wicked and abhominable sinne with a boy called Andebertus and that manifestlie And to defend their wicked lines and filthie sensualitie they cast forth poisoned doctrine as that vowes and votaries are not made by the lawe of God that wee are not iustified by works done by Gods grace and that the same be not meritorious before God but that wee are iustified by faith only that all our woorkes though neuer soe good are sinfull before God that to bridle or restraine our filthie desires is to resist Gods ordinaunces that God is the cause of all euill and that from him all mischeefe comes Therfore they take away free will from man saying that man doth not concurre to his owne iustification with many such damntble heresies which were to long to relate and whether these be false prophetts who bringe into the world such poisoned doctrine lett euerie man iudge at least lett him take heede that his soule be not poisoned therwith in followinge their liues or imbracinge their cursed heresies out of which as our Sauiour wittnesseth noe good fruicte can bud forthe and consequentlie noe meritorious works of religion or charitie can wee euer expect at their handes The absurditie of this doctrin that euery one should assure him selfe that he is predestinated vnto life euerlastinge and that wee ought to be soe certayne therof as wee should not once feare the contrarie or to misdoubt the same is discussed CHAPTER V. 1. THis doctrine is most false wicked and hereticall sith the holie scriptures saie Cogitationes mortalium timidae incertae prouidentiae nostrae Sap. 9. The thoughtes of men are fearfull and their prouidence is vncertaine by reason that the bodie which is corrupted doth aggrauate the soule beinge in great danger by reason of the inclinations of the flesh occasions of the world and tentations of the deuill and wee being in the countrie of our enemies wherevpon S. Bernard saith faciles sumus ad seducendum debiles ad operandum sragiles ad resistendum wee are easilie to be seduced weake to worke and labour well and fraile to resist manfullie and couragiouslie And soe our Sauiour said to the Apostle Luc. 10. Neminem per viam salutaueritis You shall salute none by the waie as S. Vincentius expoundeth Ser. 11. post trinit Saluum dixeritis viatorem to him that is a poore pilgrimeâ— or stranger you cannot assure his saftie without danger nor securitie without feare for the shipp is not safe without feare in dangerous seas otherwise wee should not be admonished Lauda post mortem magnifica post consumationem prayse none before his deathe nor magnifie any before his end The scripture confirminge the same Eccle. 9. Nemo scit vtrum â—dio vel amore dignus sit sed omnia in futurum seruantur incerta None knoweth whether he be worthie of hatred or loue when all thinges are reserued in tyme to come And therfore the Apostle which was one of the greatest Saintes that was saith Nihil mihi conscius sum 1. Cor. 4. sed tamenin hoc non iustificatus sum I am not guiltie in conscience of any thinge but I am not iustified herein The Apostle durst not assure himselfe that he was iustified neither would he iudge whether this thoughtes were pure or noe but the trial thereof he left to Gods iudgment And for this cause wee are wild to worke our saluation with feare and tremblinge 2. As for predestination which is almightie God his election foresight purpose and decree of his deare children as alsoe his other actes touchinge their vocation inspiration illustration and illumination of them and consequentlie their iustification and last of all their glorification wee doe not denie but it ought to be reuerenced and embraced of all men with tremblinge feare dreadfull humilitie but that wee should not cast our selues with headlonge fall into any precipitat madnes and presumptuous malipartnes for this hath bene the gulfe wherein manie proude persons aswell at this tyme as before haue by godes iust iudgment perished groundinge thereon most execrable heresies and damnable blasphemies against godes mercie good life free will humble behauiour and religious christian modestie Rom. 8. S. Paule hath these wordes of predestination whome he hath forknowen he hath also predestinated to be made conformable to the Image of his sonne that he might be the first borne in many brethren and whome he hath predestinated them also he hath called and whome he hath called them also he hath iustified and whome he hath iustified them alsoe he hath glorified S. Augustine answereth those that are curious of Gods fore-knowledge and decree who saith Si quaeras c. If any man will aske wherfore God doth make choise more of this man then of that man lett him search godes inscrutable and vnsearcheable iudgment and in that search lett him take
seruice by a bargaine to receaue denarium diurnum the daylie hire which is life euerlasting accordinge the exposition of the Doctors vpon S. Mathewe Matt. 20. therfore almightie God ought to giue vnto iust people accordinge to his promise and accordinge to their desertes which deserts are called Merita de condigno condigne meritts as S. Paule saith 2. Timoth. I haue fought a good fight c. there is layde vp for me a crowne of iustice c. Glorie is called a crowne of iustice because it is giuen as the debt of iustice and because it is giuen by the iust iudge in the daie of iuste iudgment And in another place God is not iniust that he should forget your workes â—ep 6. Psal 17. Apoc. 3. Thes 1. Luc. 10. Luc c. 10. Sap. 3. God will retribute vnto me accordinge to my iustice They did walke with me in white because they were worthie That you may be made worthie of the kingdome of God for the which you suffer The workman is worthie of his wages They shal be worthie of that world and the resurrection from the dead And in another place God did assay them and found them worthie of himselfe For life euerlastinge is giuen to iust persons as the reward of theire workes accordinge to the 20. ghospell of S. Mathewe where denarius diurnus is the daylie pennie or wages that is giuen vnto euerie one for his worke but it is certaine that those labourers did deserue by iustice the daylie pennye as it is manifest that the husband man said in that gospel to one of the laborers frind I doe you noe wronge did not you bargaine with me for a penny take your owne and depart in peace that is to say so much must I giue you as I promised and bargained and vnto that and to nothinge else you haue right and if I should denie you that I should doe you great wronge Aug. li. de nat grat ca. 2. lib 4. aduers â—ul cap. 3. 6. S. Augustine saith Non est iniustus Deus God is not iniust that he should deceaue the iust of the reward of iustice In another place he saith God should be vniuste if he should not admitte iust people into his kingdome And S. Bernard saith Bern. de grat lib. arb Promissum quidem ex misericordia that which was promised by his mercie must be perfourmed by his iustice Vnto this agreeth S. Basil sayinge Basil in oratione super prouerbia Salomonis All wee that frame our life accordinge to Christs ghospel wee are as marchants by the woorks of the comandements we purchase vnto our selues celestiall possessions Therfore it is lawfull to labour for to purchase the kingdome of heauen as the prophett saith Psal 18. Inclinaui cor meum c. I enclined my hart to keepe these comaundements for retribution or recompence It is lawfull also to repose hope and confidence in our proper meritts secundarilie although principallie and cheeflie wee must repose our hope in God as in the cheefest cause who gaue vs grace and vertue to worke well as S. Thomas saith D. Tho. 2. 2 q. 17. Ad Gal. 6. For if our workes done by godes grace had not bene meritorious why should the Apostle saie in doinge good lett vs not faile for in due tyme wee shall reape not faylinge And therfore saith he whiles wee haue tyme lett vs worke good to all but speciall to the houshould of faith these be the workeâ— that are done of a man that is in godes fauour Qui seminat in Spiritu c. he that soweth in the spiritt he shall reape life euerlastinge I beseech you brethren Coloss c. 1. Rom. 10. saith he that you will walke worthilie pleasing God fructifyinge in all good workes For these blessed workes done of the good doe not only redounde to the saluation of man but also to the glorie of God as it is said in the ghospell Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus vt videntes opera bona vestra glorificent c. Let your light soe shine before men that seing your good worckes they may glorifie your father which is in heauen So heretiques condemning the woorks of good men take away godes glorie the good example that wee are bound to giue vnto our neighbors and Gods promise to giue life euerlastinge for them and consequentlie take awaie mans endeuour and labour in the exercise of them which is against S. Peter sayinge Petr. 1. Fratres magis satague vt per bona opera c. Wherfore brethren endeuor the more that by good woorks you make sure your vocation and election And finally take away all christian religion which is nothinge else then precepts admonitions and councells to imploie our life and our lymmes in the exercise of them Luc. 16. Vnto the riche people Christ biddeth them to make vnto themselues freindes of the Mammon of iniquity that when they faile they may receaue them into the eternall tabernacles Vnto all sortes of christians he proclaimeth and diuulgeth Matt. 5. that vnlesse their iustice abound more then that of the Scribes and Pharisies they shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen 7. Wherfore the puritie and sanctitie of life in the professors of this christian catholique religion which not onlie with subtile arguments and craftie deuises rather suggested by the diuil then inuented by man heretiques impugne but also with al the straungest lawes the seuerest policies and the cruellest persecutions that euer were or could be inuented or imagined or apprehended by any creature they goe about to ouerthrowe and confound the reformation of their manners the mortification of their passions their angellicall conuersation in in their behauiour their blessed and heroicall resolutions in suffringe all exquisite torments in the defence testimonie and confirmation thereof their morall life adorned and replenished with all morall and supernaturall vertues their eminent learninge and science tempered with all humilitie of spiritt voide of pride or ambition their admirable and incomparable workes of charitie pietie and deuotion which is the life and fruictes of true and vnblemished religion haue bene motiues vnto the gentiles pagans yea and to the stiff-necked Iewes themselues to abandon their idolatrie and to imbrace this christian religion 8. That these blessed endeuours and works of charitie are the badge and distinctiue token of the true religion of christian Catholiques by which their conuersation should be acceptable vnto God gratefull vnto their neighbors admirable to pagans terrible to the diuills and offensiue hurtfull or scandalous to none S. Paule auoucheth the same Ephes 4. I prisoner saith he in our Lord beseech you that you walke worthie of the vocation in which you are called with all humilitie and midlnesse with patience supportinge one another in charitie carefull to keepe the vnitie of the spiritt in the bonde of peace And in the same chapter he saith I testifie in our Lord that nowe you
it and therwith be healed the signe of the crosse is the signe of humilitie but pride will not ymbrace the meanes by which her loftinesse may be remedied And in another place he saith Idem trac 118. in Ioannem Quid est quod omnes nouerunt signum Christi c. What is the cause that all men doe knowe the signe of the holy crosse which signe if it be not vsed in our fore-heades or in the water by which wee be regenerated or in the holie oyle by which wee be anointed in the Chrysme or in the sacrifice by which wee are nourished nothinge of all these is well done Againe in another place he saith Crucis mysterio rudes cathechisantur c. Idem ser 19. de sanctis By the misterie of the crosse the ignorant are cathechised the fountayne of our regeneration is consecrated by imposition of handes the baptized receaue the guift of graces Churches are dedicated Altares are consecrated Priestes and Leuites are promoted vnto holie orders and all ecclesiasticall Sacraments by the vertue of the crosse are perfected and consumated Abdius that was disciple vnto the Apostles who wrote their liues and their acts doth also obserue howe often at all occasions of dangers they made the signe of the Crosse on their fore-heades which euerie Christian also doeth obserue in all ages in all dangers and perils all Christian Churches in euery kingdome and Prouince from age to age from posteritie to posteritie are framed and shaped in likenes of this blessed Crosse in which crosse S. Paul did glorie so much Gal. 5. 1. Pet. 5. Gal. 2. Gal. 6. that he said the world was crucified vnto him and he also crucified vnto the world by which S. Peter saith he himselfe was ioyned and fastened vnto Christ Whether Papistes blaspheme against God in sayinge that any man can meritt CHAPTER I. 1. THe cause wherfore you will not haue merittes in man is because you say that no man though neuer soe iust or by any grace of God a man may haue can keepe or obserue his commandements Iosue 11. 3. Regum Which is most false for in the holie scriptures manie godlie men are praysed because they haue kept and obserued godes comaundements as may appeare in diuers places Luca 10. Was not Zacharie and Elizabeth iuste before God because they did walke in the comaundements and iustifications of our Lord without blame Ezec. 36. This is confirmed by Ezech. Spiritum meum ponam I will fixe my spiritt in the middest of you and I will cause you that you shall walke in my precepts and that you shall obserue and keepe my comaundements And although without godes grace the comaundements cannot be performed yet by the grace of the holie ghost which is promised to the iust they may be kepte Matt. 11. Iohn 5. for by that grace the yoke of Christ is made light and his burden sweete and as S. Iohn saith his comaundements are not heauie Aug lib. de natur gratia cap. 43. This is proued by the holie fathers especially S. Augustine Non igitur Deus impossibilia iubet c. Therfore God doth not comaunde thinges impossible but comaunded you to doe what yow may doe and to aske of him what of your selfe you coulde not doe And according hereunto holie S. Hierom saith Symbo ad Damas Execramu◠inquit eorum blasphemias c. Wee execrate their blasphemies because they said that God comaunded any thinge impossible and that Godes comaundemēts may be kept not onlie of some but of manie The same verie wordes S. Augustine hath vnto which agreeth S. Basill sayinge Aug. ser 100. 91. de tēpore It is a wicked sayinge that preceptes of the spiritt are impossible Basil in oratione super illud attende'tibi Con Trid. sess 6. Cano 18. Wherfore by the holie councell of Auransica in Affrique and of Trent the contrarie is defined as a matter of faith for if men coulde not obserue the preceptes of God it should be no offence to transgresse them for noe man offendeth in that he cānot shunne And therfore almightie God without cause and most iniustlie should punishe transgressors either in this world or in the next but he doth not iniustlie punish offendors but iustlie for the offences which they could haue auoided and for not doinge the good which they could haue done Obiection 2. But the heretiques obiect against this catholique doctrine that by the comaundement thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God withall thy harte c. and thou shalt not couett wee ought so to direct and ordayne all our actions thoughts and affections vnto God suppressinge and mortifyinge all concupiscence of our proper desire or comoditie as the Apostle saith Referr all your actions vnto God 1. Cor. 10. 16. and lett all you actions be don in charitie but noe man can performe this thinge for as longe as a man liueth in the flesh he doth couett against the spiritt Wherfore in all our actions though neuer so iust those two precepts are violated touchinge the loue of God and not to couett any thinge 3. Wee answere that the precepte of louinge God is affirmatiue and neuer bindeth any man allwaies and at all tymes so as wee should neuer cease from louinge God actually that is to say in euerie time or moment to shew and declare the effects of our loue by externall signes and tokens but by that precepte wee are bound to shewe our loue outwardlie and to putt it in due execution when iust opportunitie and fitt occasion shal be offered and neuer to preferre any creature before God For to thinke of God allwaies and to direct all our actions vnto him is not meant or comprehēded in the obligation of this precepte but is a good councell and a thinge which shal be accomplished in the state of blisse euerlastinge felicitie as S. Thomas and S. Augustine doe declare D. Tho. 2. 2. q. 44. art 6. Aug lib. de perfect iust 4. Secondarilie wee answere that the precepte thou shalt not couett byndes vs that wee should not obey or yelde vnto the filthie motions of concupiscence which are called motus primo primi by free delectation and consent which comandement the Apostle inculcateth in other sayinge Rom. 6. Non regnet peccatum in vestro mortali corpore vt obediatis concupiscentijs eius Lett not sinne raigne in your corruptible bodie that you shold yeld or consent therunto so longe as the concupiscēce of the same doe not raigne that precepte is not violated for to feele the vnbridled motions of concupiscence is not a sinne Aug. li. 1. de nuptijs concupis c. 23. lib. 5. contra Iulianum D. Greg. Ozius in confess but to yeld consent therunto is a sinne for it is manifest that many doe not yeld vnto filthie cōcupiscence but with all speedie meanes and force they resist the same by the grace of
God which is readie to be offred to euery one that will imploie his best endeuour Soe auoucheth S. Augustine and S. Gregorie Ozius and other holie fathers To the intent therfore that you may take awaie all good indeuours from man in the buysines of his saluation and that wee should doe nothinge therin you take away all cooperation of man with godes grace and that grace it selfe without which wee can doe nothinge in the worke of our iustification you take it quite awaie sayinge that man hath not this grace inherent in him 2. lib. de capt To this purpose you say with Luther in his second booke of the captiuitie of Babylon that to teach that good workes are necessarie to saluation is deuilishe You say also with Caluine Calu. 3. de instit c. 19 that neuer any good workes were done of any saincte which did not deserue reproache And a little before he said that all our workes are pernitious and whosoeuer doth them is cursed And the said Luther in the 30. articles condeÌ„ned of Leo the Tenthe saith all the euill that wee doe is by the inspiration of God and that by sinninge wee doe well God beinge the cause of all euill as Caluine saith lib. 1. inst cap. 28. in so much saith he that not to sinne is sinne and to restraine any appetite or motion of any thought is to resist God and to sinne And so Luther saith in his booke Lib de ser arbit the more wicked you be the neerer you are to purchase godes fauour How damnable these articles be lett any Christian iudge that will open his eares to heare them I would euerie one would stoppe his eares from hearinge such horrible blasphemies so contrarie to holie scriptures and all honestie Noe prophane Philosopher or wicked heretique though neuer so damnable euer said the like And therfore these blasphemous and wicked articles are condemned by the whole Senate of Christianitie in the councell of Trent most worthilie Con. Trid. sess c. 11. cano 28. 21. because they be against comon honestie and against the holy scriptures in which many tymes the workes and endeuours of good people are comended and praysed as good and holie in which works there was noe sinne as it is said in Iob. In all these thinges Iob hath not offended Iob. 1. Lutae 1. and in the Ghospell of S. Luke it is said of Zacharias and Elizabeth that both of them were iust before God walkinge in godes comandements and righteousnes without grudge And as S. Paule saith 1. Cor. 7. if a virgin should marrie therein shee shoulde not sinne and in many other places wee are comaunded not to comitte sinne therfore the holie scriptures doe meane that wee may doe many good works by godes grace without sinne 5. Hereticks answere vnto these scriptures sayinge that the cause wherfore the scriptures saies that there are many good works of iust persons is because it is not imputed vnto them to damnation for the faith of Christ although say they they be sinfull I replie against that for the scriptures doe distinguish betwixt this which is to sinne and that which is to remitte sinnes or not to impute vnto vs the sinne which wee haue comitted as it is playne Scribo vobis vt non peccetis 1. Ioh. 2. Conc. Auranc c. 9. 18. 20. Hier. li. 3. contra Pelag. In Proemio super epist ad Philomen Ephes 1. Aug. sup Luc. 1. Amb de Spiritu litera cap 36. De natura gratia reg super CoÌ„c Trid. I write vnto you that yow should not sinne for if any man shall sinne wee haue an aduocate with the Father c. this trueth is confirmed by the tradition of the Church and the holie fathers It is also defined against Pelagius that without the grace of God a man cannot liue iustlie without sinne yet saith the councell by the grace of God wee may liue without offence Therfore S. Hierom saith Hoc inquit nos dicimus posse hominem c. And this selfe same wee saie also that a man maye liue without sinne if it please him accordinge to the tyme and place accordinge to the frailtie of his nature as longe as his mind is well disposed c. And the same he teacheth vpon that place of S. Paul Vt essemus saÌ„cti immaculati as S. Amb. sup Luc. S. Aug. and other saincts doe teach the like Protestants saie that a Christian though neuer so vertuous or so acceptable to God hath noe grace or vertue inherent in him because they would haue noe good acte to come from mâ—n by reason of that grace CHAPTER II. 1. THe generall Councell of Trent against this your heresie saith CoÌ„c Trid. sess 6. c. 7. The onlie formall and intrinsicall cause of our iustification is the iustice of God not by which he is iust himselfe but by which he makes vs iust by which wee beinge endued and inuested wee be renewed by the spiritt of our soule and not onlie that wee be soe reputed but that wee are trulie iust not only by name but by deede and the said holy councell hath these words Whosoeuer shal saie that men are iustified either only by remission of our sinnes or only by the imputation of the iustice of Christ excludinge takinge away grace and charitie which is diffused in their hartes by the holie Ghost which is giuen vnto them and by which the same grace doth lodge in them Anathema sit let him be anathema Thus farre the councell This also is proued by reason for when wee see a man to change his wicked life and vngodlie custome of sinne and to putt on the newe man which accordinge to God was created in sanctitie and iustice wee see so palpable a change in him that wee say Haec est mutatio dextrae excelsi From the right hand of the highest comes this alteration from bad to good from impietie to iustice from spirituall death to spirituall life but this true alteration and mutation cannot be without some feelinge or sparke of grace in man inwardly inherent in him The Maior proposition is proued by the gospell Wee are translated from death to life 1. Ioh. 3. Ezec. 36. and Ezeech I will giue vnto you a newe harte and I will put into the middest of you hart a newe spiritt and I will take away a stonie harte Coloss 3. and S. Paule saith Spoile yourselues of the old man with his actes and putt one the newe that is renewed in knowledge accordinge to the Image of him that created him And to the Ephesians 4. Ephes he said be renewed in the spiritt of your minde and putt one the newe man which accordinge to God is created in iustice and holynes of trueth I meane in true holynes and iustice and not in feined imputatiue iustice Iohn 4. This is proued by S. Iohn of whom it is said of the grace and iustice by
but forasmuch as they imbrace the wicked doctrine of Caluine Cal. lib. 1. instit cap. 28. that it is a sinne for a man not to sinne and in another place that to restraine any desire that comes vnto a man is to resist God and to sinne for that God is the efficient cause of all euill woorks this mortification and punishinge of the fleash cannot sounde well in their eares whose doctrine life is repugnant to mortification religion discipline all woorks of pennaunce Whether wee ought to confesse our sinnes to priests and whether that priests cannot remitt or for giue them CHAPTER IV. THe opinion of protestants is disproued by learned S. Augustine sayinge Let no man make doubt of the priestes right in remission of sinnes seinge the holie ghoast is purposely giuen them to doe the same it is not absurde saith S. Cyrill lib. 52. that they forgiue sinnes which haue the holie ghoaste Cyril lib. 52. c. 56. in Ioan. for when they remitt and retaine the holy ghoast remitteth and retaineth in them the which they doe two wayes first in baptisme and afterwardes in pennaunce I doe not wonder when Sathan by his members labours to destroie all religion that he should goe about also to abolish the cheefest piller therof which is this Sacrament of confession instituted by our Sauiour for the cheefest consolation of our troubled soules For when the Apostles were gathered together in one place after Christs resurrectioÌ„ he said vnto theÌ„ All power in heauen and earthe is giuen vnto me as my father did send me soe I send yow he breathed vppon them and he saied vnto them receaue yow the holie ghoaste whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose you shall retaine they are retained And when our Lord gaue power and authoritie to priests to remitt and retaine sinnes it is manifest that he made them iudges of our soules as may appeare when Lazarus was raised from death to life Ioh. 11. Cyril li 7 cap. vlt. Aug. trac 49. in Ioannem Luc 17. Aug. de vera falsa poenit c. 19. ser 8. de verbis Domini and beinge tied hand and foote in the graue he said to his Apostles loose him and let him goe S. Cyrill and S. Augustine applie this to the Apostles and the priests authoritie of absoluinge sinners affirming Christ to receaue none into the churche but by the priests ministrie and soe he comaunded the lepers to shewe themselues to the priests and to submitt themselues vnto their iudgment 2 This is declared also by the actes of many of them that beleeued and came confessinge and declaringe their deeds Act. 19. Marci 1. also by S. Marcke when all the countrie of Iurie went vnto S. Iohn confessinge their sinnes which was not don by a generall confession but by a perticuler confession of them S. Iames also doth proue the same saying Is any man sicke amounge you let him bringe in the priestes of the church and if he be in sinnes they shal be forgiuen him Your owne comunion booke hath the plaine wordes of absolution the wordes be these Our Lord Iesus which hath left power to his church to absolue all sinners which trulie repent and beleue in him of his great mercie forgiue thee thine offences and by his authoritie comitted vnto me I absolue thee from all thy sinnes In the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Aug lib. 2. de visitatione infirmoruÌ„ cap. 4. lib. 1. c. 2 S. Aug. saith Some thinckes that it is enough for them to confesse their sinnes only vnto God which knowes the secreattes of euerie ones harte because either for shame or for some other cause they would not vnfould their offeÌ„ces vnto the priestes vnto whome God haue giuen sufficient authoritie to discerne betwixt leper and leper but I would not haue yow be deceaued or confounded for confessinge thy sinnes before the viccar of our Lord. Aug. lib 50. homil 49. The same he confirmed further saying Let no man say I confesse before God secreatlie God knowes my harte who will pardone me if that be soe saith he in vaine it is said whose sinnes soeuer yow forgiue they shal be forgiuen in vaine also the keies of the kingdome of heauen are giuen to the churche Amb. li. 1. de poena cap. 2. S. Ambrose also refellinge the heresie of the Nouatians which taught that God neuer gaue power to any to remit sinnes saith God bid vs to obey his ministers and by doinge soe wee honour God c. Chrysost homil â—9 ad populum 3. This is also proued by S. Chrisostome who said that trewe pennaunce doth cause a poore sinner to suffer all thinges willinglie in his harte perfect contrition in his mouthe confession in his workes all humanitie for saith he this is a most fruictfull pennaunce for by what meanes wee haue offended God by that meanes also wee should be reconsiled vnto him vid. by our harte by contrition by our mouthe by confession by our acte throughe satisfaction Holy councells also as the councell of Florence haue determined this truth and all the fathers of the church as S. Cyprian Epistola 10. Epistola 15. Epistola 1.62 cap. 52. Hugo aduersus luciferanos Cyp. lib. de lapsis 15. Orig. in leuit homil 2. psal 32 Aug. Epistola 54. Socrates lib. 5. cap. 19. Zozo lib. 7. 4. Againe by takinge away from the christians the only bridle which is this sacramentall confession that should curbe and restraine them from their wickednes they giue occasioÌ„ that they runn headlong to all dissolution wanton exercise which the protestantes of Germanie perceauing by experience to be true they requested the Emperor Charles the 5. being then at Norâ—mberge in 4. d. 18. q. 1. ar 1. that by his imperiall authoritie he would cause coÌ„fession againe to be brought â—n wherat Sotus a learned diuine beinge with the Emperor did aunswere laughing and said if by the lawe of God men are not bound to vnfould their sinnes to a prieste â—or by that lawe the priest can absolue as they said how can they be compelled therunto by the precept of man for by humaine precept noe man will reueale his secreat sinnes to any man 5. Pacianus answereth the heretiques that say God only remitteth sinnes Sed quod per sacerdotes suos facit ipsius potestas est and a little after he saith that as not only the Apostles doe baptize but also their successors soe not only they remitt sinnes but also their successors Paulinus in vita Ambro. S. Ambrose hearinge confessions wept as the penitentes confessed their sinnes and by weepinge moued them to contrition Tertulian tells how the christians in his time kneeled to the priests for remission S. Hieronimus epist ad Heliodorum God forbid that that I should speake ill of priests who succeedinge to the Apostles by their holy mouth doe make the body of Christe by whome wee also
vnto him the kingdome of heauen and that through our faith though neuer soe little notwithstandinge anie wickednes wee should be secure of heauen that there is no sinne before God but incredulitie That the tenn comaundements pertaine not to ChristiaÌ„s That accordinge to Caluine it is impossible to the Sainctes to obserue the comaundements Also that there is noe paines of damnation for man but to thincke that God is aduersarie to him Petrus Rycherus said who was it were the Idoll of Beza and who was sente by Caluine vnto the weaste Indies that Christe should not be prayde vnto Wherfore he tooke Gloria Patri Filio c. out of the Psalmes of Dauid Cart. in â— repl pa. 191. 13. Did not Cartwrith say I cannot be persuaded that saint Peter and saint Paule were soe foolish as to thincke that a pooâ— miserable man which they saw with theâ— eyes Beza in respoÌ„ ad arg BreÌ„tiâ— Epist 6. Fox in his Carelesti pag. 1534. Calu. in Hermo in Euange Calu. insti l. 1. c. 18. Peter martyr in 1. Sam. 2. Melancthon in c. Rom. 8. Calu. li. de eterna Dei praedest pag. 101. Zuin glius li. de prouidentia was their God Beza alsoe holdes the same and many others of that stampe yâ— some of them that were burnt in Queene Maries dayes and related by Fox for Martyrs houlde That Christ was in desperatioâ— when he was vppon the crosse accordingâ— to Caluine That God is the author and cause of sinne the procurer and intiser comaunder and worker and that the adulterie of Dauid and the treason of Iudas was as well the worke of God as the conuersion of saint Paule And that man hath noe free will with manny such horrible blasphemies to tedious for me to repeate and irksome for anny Christian to heare Soe as by these wicked paradoxes it must followe that God is turned to be a diuill and that he is most vniuste to condemne men for the offenses which they cannot shunne hauinge noe free will to auoide them nor noe force to resiste God the worker counceller and intiser to sinne That noe iott or sillable of Christian religion ought to be counted a thinge indifferent or of smale moment and that whosoeuer doth not agree with the Catholique Church in all pointes of beleefe cannot be saued CHAPTER III. 1. S Thomas saith that whosoeuer doth err in one article S. Thom. 2 2. q. 5.3 he hath noe faith of the rest for as saint Vincentius Ferar. saith vertue hath noe more fondations then one and the same is indiuisible which is the diuine trueth which cannot be deceaued nor deceaue and soe whosoeuer doubteth in one hath noe foundation of the reste For if a rocke should fall vppon which there should be 12. chambers all those chambers would fall also euen soe the protestants in the beginninge fell from the church which is the rocke vppon which Christe builded these 12. chambers I meane the twelue articles of our beleefe soe once they fallinge from the church they fell from these 12. articles and came vnto vs in spiritu erroris mendacij in the spirite of error and lienge This Martin Luther said of the Zuinglians Luth. dialog 6. c. 11 In vaine saith he they beleeue in God the father the sonne and the holie ghoast and all the rest because they denie this one article Hoc est corpus meum this is my bodiâ— 2. For this cause Iconoclasters or Imageâ— breakers are auncient heretiques becausâ— they denie that article of the catholique church of the reuerencinge of sacred images How many of al estates prelates nobles and common people suffred eyther death or banishmente in the time of the Emperors that were image breakers for they considered that whosoeuer obserueth all the lawe and offendeth in one is guilty of all the reste The trewe mother of the child would haue noe diuision thereof Nonne isti saith saint Augustine quos vâ—catis haeretici doe not these which you call heretiques confesse the same trinitie beleue also in Christe and yet they were called auncient heretiques whose heresies were knowen and nowe altogether extinguished through their absurdities Aug. lib. 2 de trinit cap. 17. Hoc qui credunt saith he lib. 2. nectu in catholica fide sed in schismate aliquo aut haeresi credunt whosoeuer beleeueth all articles of the creede and otherwise remaininge in any scisme and heresie cannot be in the catholique faith The Arrians denied but one letter in the creede Zozo li. 3. cap. 17. Theod. l. 2 cap. 18. 21. and yet saint Ierom saith that if the church had not resisted the Emperor Valenâ— which did fauour the Arrians touchinge that letter which was Omusion in steed of Omision Christendome saith he would haue bene in great danger 3. When the prefect of the Arrian Emperor Valens In vit Basil Naz. orat 20. in laudem Basilij dealt with saint Basil that he should not be soe obstinate or wilfull in his opinions but that he should conforme himselfe to the Emperor and liue in his fauour he answered that such as are fedd with the daintie feastes of holy scriptures they would suffer all kinde of tormentes rather then any iott sillable or letter should be chaunged And as for the Emperors frindshipp he did esteeme it well soe that it were not against pietie and religion Rom. 12. S. Chrisostome vppon that place of saint Paule Hauinge peace with euerie bodie Wee ought not to preferr saith he peace before godes trueth when the same is in danger but rather to offer our liues for the defence thereof Soe as yow see that the Arrians were condemned for heretiques for one letter beinge in all other pointes catholiques but the protestantes haue raised from hell all the heresies that euer were for noe heretiques almoste that euer were but kept ecclesiastical seruice and ceremonies like the catholiques but the protestants haue taken away all therfore they should not bragge that their religion is agreable to the word of God or the Romish church or that the Romish church or anny member thereof should ioyne with them therein That the newe Religion for that it takes away all religion is worse then that of the Turckes and Gentiles CHAPTER IV. Stur de rat concordiae inâ—undâ— 1. STurmius a protestant wryter sayeth that Lutherans and Caluinistes do destroye and take away the cheefeste articles of Christian religion and the fondation of our faith Which thus is proued to be true That religion is beste which thinckes of God most reuerentlie and of their neighbours most charitably but the Turcks and Gentiles doe farr excel the new religion in worshippinge God and helpinge their neighbors therfore it must needes be better then the new Cicero sayeth Cicero lib. 2. de diuinitate that God is a certaine excellent and eternall nature and that the order of ecclesiasticall thinges is the beawtie of the world who although they did speake of
manny godes Instit de monarchia Dei lib. 3. cap. 1. yet they affirme Iupiter to be the father of all the reste and saie that they did worshipp but one God and the reste of the godes as the ministers of one God as Iustinus martyr said and Plato saith Plato de repub dialogo 2. in fine Deus qui bonus est malorum causa nonest God which is good is not the cause of euills and in another place he saith God is not vniust but most iust But the new religion doth say in the chapter aboue recited that God is the cause of all mischeefe and wickednes by which wicked assertion they make him a deuill 2. All philosophers did referre all the inferior motions to a certaine supreame motiue by the consideration whereof they found a certaine supreame mouer and a certaine euerlastinge cause which is the center of begininge and principle of all thinges vnto whome all thinges are subordinated The Turcks saie that God is immutable mercifull pittifull one onlie who giues euerie man according to his worckes reward to the good and tormentes to the badde and soe they call God la Ila Mahomet resulaÌ„ God God aboue and Mahomet his prophet But the new religion doth say he giues noe reward to the good nor tormentes to the badd soe that he hath any iott of faith with him and the more wicked a man is Lutherus the neerer he is to Gods fauour The Turcks doe beleue that it is possible to keepe godes lawes but the newe religion doth say it is impossible and that heauen is giuen to those that haue any faith without anny respect to works or mans endeuour The Turcks also affirme that Christe ascended vnto heauen in his fleashe and sitteth in the presence of God The Turckes Alcoran saies that Iesus Christe was the sonne of the Virgin Marie was inspired by God that he was the worde the spiritte the wisdome and the minde of God the father and that he was the Messias and the Prince that was promised vnto the Iewes Thene l. 6. cap. 4. Alcoran Azoar 2.20 Azoar 31. Also they say that the spiritt of God did enter into Marie and that Iesus was begotten of her shee beinge a moste pure Virgine That God did indue her soule with greater grace and vertue then the soule of anny that was and that of all men and women shee was the best the purest and the godliest and that of all the children of Adam none was vnspotted and vndefiled by Sathan but Marie and her child Azoar 3.76 The new religion beleeues of her noe such matter and compares her with their owne mothers and some of them calle her a saffron bagg 3. Vnder the dominion of the Turcks the christians are permitted without anny restraint to exercise all the rites and exercises of christian religion not soe vnder princes of the new religion who are greater persecutors of the catholique christian religion then anny Turcks Iewes Gentiles or pagans that euer were In Constantinople there are many monasteries standing and replenished with religious people in Grecia and other of the Turcks Dominions are at this day many degrees orders and ecclesiasticall dignities of the church and christian pastors as Patriarches Metropilitans Archbishoppes Bishopps and Priests vnto all which it is lawfull to consecrate to say Masse and Mouncks Deacons and Subdeacons doe minister at the Alter There are all also other officers which they call Agnests which doe read vppon sondayes the epistles There are also Archimancritae that is to say the Fathers of Moncks These Patriarches are chosen by Metropolitans Archbishopps and Bishopps and are confirmed by the cheefe Bassa the kinges â—iccar the next vnto these are the Metropolitans the cheefest of them is the Metropolitan of Thessalonica which hath vnder him 10. Bishopps the Metropolitan of Athens hath vnder him 6. Bishopps In that cittie of Athens were seene in a publique profession together 250. priests there is a Metropolitan of Mitelin but he hath no Bishopps vnder him The Metropolitan of Chalcedon hath vnder him 60. priests There is a Metropolitan of Nyce but he hath noe Bishoppe The Metropolitan of Ephesus hath hnder him 50. churches The Metropolitan of Philipen hath 150. Antioch 40. Churches Smyrnensis 150. and Corinth with other Metropolitans 6. 4. All doe agree with the Catholique religion in euerie pointe exceptinge 3. or 4. errors of the Greeks This is knowen by the censure that Ieremie the Patriarche hath giuen of the protestant religion which was sent by him theÌ„ into Germanie who sought an vnion betwixt them and the Greeke church seeinge they forsooke the Latine church or rather God and the Latine haue forsaken them but the said Patriarche did abhor and refuse an vnion with them and said there was asmuch difference betwixt them as betwixt heauen and hell You may read more of this matter in Michell ab Iselt Anno 1580. Surius hist. ibid. Also the Patriarch of Philadelpha called Gabriell did write vnto Martinus Crusius a Lutheran of this matter requestinge him neuer to trouble him touchinge either vnion or confirmation of his doctrine 5. To coÌ„clud this matter if Turkes Iewes and Gentiles thincke more reuerently of God the Father D. Tho. 2.2 q. 10. art 6. Tit. 4. of Christ Iesus his sonne and of his blessed mother yea and do shew more fauor to christians then those of the new religion doe I must thincke and conceaue a better opinion of Turckes then of these new vpstarts for S. Thomas saith that heresie is a greater sinne theÌ„ paganisme and Iudaisme for althoughe infidels denye more articles of faith then heretiques yet because heretiques do persecute the church with greater malice then the other and the greater malice argueth the greater sinne therfore heretiques are the greater sinners For as saint Paule saith an hereticall man is damned by his owne proper iudgment therfore I leaue the conclusion to the consideration of the reader An answer vnto Protestants barkinge against the religious institutions of holy Orders saying that religious vocations were not instituted by our Sauiour CHAPTER I. 1. IF humane nature had continued in that blessed perfection of originall integrity in which it was created there would not be required that grace excepted which in the beginning was infused and superadded vnto it so many other graces and helpes preuenieÌ„t subsequent exciting her slacknes and brackwardnes and expelling her corrupt inclination and propension to sensuality to corruptible base and vile creatures Wherfore the creator and protector of man whose nature is goodnes whose proper worke is mercy as S. Leo saith doth neuer cease or desiste from giuinge of all helpes and meanes to repaire and redresse this humane imbecillitie by proposing and intimating all such sufficient motiues to worke our saluation withall conuincing our negligence and vnprouident carelesnes if wee will imbrace and put the same in due execution so as for curing and healing the contagious maladies and restles diseases
very diuills Erasmus said that such as he knewe to be vertuousâ— innocent without deceite or craft when they were papists becoming gospellers were most wicked craftie deceitfull and of viperous behauiour If all these gospellers deliuered this censure of protestant religion God almightie soe disposinge the enemies of trueth to declare the trueth how much oughte Catholiques to confirme the same for as all the heretiques that euer were at anny time are by them in heresie soe all the wickednes and vices of all the wicked damnable people that euer were dispersed throughoute all the world at any tyme are also by them and in them linked and vnited together And Caluine himselfe declared the same when he said that these gospellers which had made shippwracke of their conscieÌ„ce Calu. de scanda pag. 128 haue also made shippwrack of their faith 10. Note 13. The 10. note or marcke is the glory of miracles miracles are verie necessarie for the confirmation of anny newe faith Exodus 4. or for to make any extraordinarie mission allowable for it is written in Exodus when Moises was sent from God vnto the people he said they will not beleue me nor heare my aduice and God did not answere him that whether they will or nill they should beleue him but to the intent they should beleue him he gaue him power to woorcke miracles Matt. 10. vt credant quod apparuerit tibi Deus that they may beleeue that God appeared vnto thee In the newe testament also it was said vnto the Apostles heale the sicke reuiâ—e the dead cleanse the lepers cast foorth diuills and in saint Iohn Christe said Iohn 15. if he had not wrought greater woorks then anny other the Iewes had not sinned in not beleeuinge in him This is also declared in the last of saint Marcke where our Lord is said to confirme the preachinge of the Apostles by signes and tokens that did follow S. Augustine yea Melancton himselfe said Hebr. 2. Aug. lib. 22. de ciuitate Dei cap. 8. Melancth cap. 3. Matth. that miracles were necessarie for the confirmation of the faith of any newe doctors or newe doctrine for trewe miracles cannot be wrought but by the power of God for miracles doe exceede the power and force of all creatures 14. For this cause Luther sought to delude the people by false miracles for goinge about to dispossesse a maide that was possessed of a deuill he coulde not doe it but was in danger to be slaine himselfe of the deuill as Staphilus saith Staphilus absoluta responsione Cochleus in actis Lutheri who was present at that that time Also the said Luther as Iohn Cochleus writeth went aboute to restore to life one that was drowned but could not doe it and beinge frustrated of his purpose none coulde abide to be present through the filthie stinche that was in the place An. 1523. copus l 6. dialogor Also Allanus Cope setteth downe the historie of one Mathewe in the borders of Hungarie who beinge perswaded by a certaine minister to faine himselfe dead and that as it were he should be raised vpp by him in conclusion was found dead in deede The like fiction Caluine vsed who perswadinge one to faine himselfe dead to the intent he might make the people beleeue that he could worke a miracle vppon him but when he thoughte to bringe his fiction to passe the partie was found dead indeede 5. But here protestants say that S. Iohn Baptiste wrought noe miracles Hieron Bolse in vita Caluiniâ— 13. Wherto I aunswere that God wroughte wonderfull thinges aboue the capacitie of our naturall vnderstandinge by which his missioÌ„ should not be suspected the austeritie and sanctity of his behauiour and conuersation was a sufficient token that he was sent from God but the Catholique church did florishe with miracles in all ages First in the time of the Apostles Secondarillie in the time of M. Aurelius by the Christian souldiors that were in his army vide Tertull. Thirdlie wee haue the miracles Tertul. in lib. ad Scapulum in apolo cap. 5 Euseb l 5. hist. Oros l. 7. hist of Gregorie Thaumaturgus an S. Basil setts downe lib. de Spiritu Sancto cap. 29. and saint Gregorie Nissenus in his life Fourthlie wee haue the miracles of saint Anthonie saint Hillarie saint Martine saint Nicholas and others written by saint Athanasius saint Hierom and Sulpitius soe that in all ages of the church wee haue miracles Bernardus in vita cius saint Bernard wrote manny miracles of saint Malachias and this age we haue miracles of Francis Zauier prieste of the Societie of Iesus the Apostle of the easte Indies and of many others 16. The 11. marke is 11. Note the perfection of life that Catholique religion doth teach the dissolution and wanton behauiour that protestant religion tendes vnto The trew Christian religion ought to withdrawe and remooue our loue and affection from these vilâ—e base and transitorie thinges and to eleâ—ate and lifte vppe our hartes mindes and thoughtes to the consideration and contemplation of celestiall and heauenlie thinges to abstaine from the filthie exercise of wanton delightes and raginge concupiscence to set at naught all suche baites as prouokes the fleshe to rebell against the spiritt to despise and contemne all worldlie honors promotions and riches of this fraile life Also it â—oth teache perswade fastinges praiers almesdeeds wearinge of heare cloath austeritie of life and other afflictions of the corruptible and rebellious flesh by which the damnable allurements thereof should be restrained and extinguished Also it doth teach voluntarie pouertie perpetuall chastisie and perfecte obedience But the doctrine of the protestant saies that these exerciâ—es are but meere follies and that they be but humane traditions by which God is not pleased that all abstinence from fleshe is but superstition that vowes and votaries are but fained hollines that it is impossible to liue chaste or continente that euerie one ought to haue a wife and that it is as necessary for a man to haue a woman Lutherus de vita coniugali as meate or drincke 17. The true catholique religion teacheth that good woorcks are necessarie for our saluation the protestant saies that man deserues nothinge by any good woorcke he doth before God and the more badd woorcks yow doe the more yow are in godes fauour soe as it makes the professors of this doctrine to runn headlounge to all kinde of mischeefe takinge awaie all the meanes by which he should be reclaimed as the sacrament of pennance contrition and satisfaction which they say were not instituted of Christe but fained of the people with such like soe also they take away free will from man affirming god to be the only cause of the sinnes that wee comitt That none can keepe godes comaundemeÌ„ts and that wee are not bounde to keepe them Caluin 2. instit c. 7. Also the protestant religion takes from
vs all feare of God or of hell and soe giueth a scope to all mischeefe That the comaundements pertaines not to the christians That there is noe sinne but incredulitie and that all are deceaued if they thincke to be saued by good woorcks with many such vild and absurde doctrines which make a man careles of his saluation rechles of his behauior and nothinge willinge to doe anny good when neither he that doth them is not recompensed or rewarded or God offended or displeased by the saide doings For as by the catholique religion Christ reformed the wicked inclination of man gaue hoalsome precepts and councells to amend his desolute misdeamenor instituted also SacrameÌ„ts to cure all diseases of our soules and to purge our conscience from all filth of sinne now by these carnall and wicked doctrine all ragged conuersation and discomposed misbehauiour is reuiued and as Ouid saieth Iâ— quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolique Metamorphose Insidiaeque vis aâ—â—â— sceleratus habendi In place of simple dealinges and honestie Were brought into the world by heresie â—eceite couetousnes and leacherie 18. The 12. note is the perfecte rule that the Catholique church Io. 20. Luc. 10. Matt. 23. Matt. 19. Iacob 4. and Catholiqueâ— haue to direct them in their faith for the church of Christe hath the holy ghoaste to instruct her in all trueth and to guide her from all errors Iohn 14.16 and wee Catholiques beleeuinge the church as wee are taughte in the Creede when wee saye I beleeue in the holy Catholique church obeyinge her in all thinges as wee be comaunded by our Sauiour wee cannot be deceaued by her nor is it possible we can offend God in submittinge our selues to her doctrine Matt. 18.3 Reg. 4. Actor 15 beinge comaunded by God to hearcken to her and as Rebeca vnder tooke for Iacob to rid him of his fathers malediction if he should followe her aduise soe the Catholique church which Rebecca figured shall deliuer vs from the enormitie of godes malediction if wee shall obey her But the protestants haue noe rule of their faith for they doe not beleeue the churche neither the traditions and generall councells thereof neither the auncient holye doctors of the same The onlie rule they as themselues saie is the scripture But this is noe certaine rule for that wee are bounde to beleeue manny thinges which be not in the scripture Matt. 13. Hebr. 13. yea that which the scripture doth teach the contrarie as the obseruation of the saboath daye and thinges strangled Againe in many places the holy scripture doth wante explication of manny thinges 2. Petr. 3. for saint Peter saith that the epistles of saint Paule are verie hard to be vnderstoode which the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as alsoe the reste of the scriptures to their owne perdition Alsoe all heretiques doe alleadge the scriptures for themselues as saint Augustine sayes Aug. li. 1. de Trin. Hier. aduersus Lucifer for as saint Hierom saith the scripture doth not consiste in readinge but in the sense and vnderstandinge thereof and as for the vnderstandinge and sence of the same there may be a thowsand controuersies as for the trewe sense of these woordes Hoc est corpus meum this is my bodie I am sure Luther and Caluine are against one another touchinge the sense a and meaninge of those woords Therfore S. Augustine saith he would not beleeue the ghospell had he not bene moued therunto by the auctoritie of the churche 19. Soe as these protestants forsakinge the church they haue noe rule of their faith as may appeare by the deadly contention and debate which is daily betwixt them as betwixt Lutherans Caluinists and Anabaptistes for they charge on an other with heresies soe as each of these sectes is diuided into manny sectes for there are 13. sects of Lutherans differinge in opinions one from the other Also amoungest the Caluinists there are many as the world can tell for some of them would haue the kinge to be supreame head of the church others doe repine against it as the puritans doe The Anabaptistes are diuided vnto 14. sects and eche of them haue seuerall and contrarie opinions touchinge the principall pointes of their faith how can two lawiers pleadinge one against the other and ech of them alleadginge lawe for himselfe determine the righte of the cause and the sincere meaninge of the lawe without there were some iudge vnto whome they should referr the controuersie to be decided and debated And because these sectaries will haue noe other iudge but the scripture ech one alleadginge and interpretinge the sense thereof accordinge to his priuate opinion and corrupt affection their controuersie can neuer be decided nor their faith can neuer be setled or made certaine 20. The 13. note is the lawfull authoritie and mission of catholique pastors and preachers whereof the Protestants are wholie destitute no heretique being euer able to shew his next predecessor For as the holie doctors affirme There is no accesse to God but by Iesus Christ No accesse to Iesus Christ but by the church No accesse to the church but by the Sacraments No accesse to the Sacraments but by a Priest None can be a Priest vnles he be ordained by a Bishopp Neuer was there lawfull Bishopp ordained out of the catholique roman church Wherfore as saint Ierom said vnto his aduersarie you are out of the communion of the church of Iesus Christ because you haue not a priest of the order of the Mediator This marke of the vocation and perpetuall succession of pastors in the church of Christ hath euer ben most terrible vnto all heretiques for euen as Baptisme is the only doore to enter into all other Sacraments a Sacrament not reiterable and whose character is indellible euen so this Sacrament of holie Orders and of entring into steward-ship ouer the flock of Iesus Christ was ordayned by our Sauiour as necessarie for distinguishing and discerning such as be vsurpers and robbers from true and lawfull pastors then the other of Baptisme to knowe and discerne sheepe from Wolues and Christs flock from the troupes of infidels 21. This argument doth so gaule and pinche the Protestants that they are forced to fetch all the authoritie they haue for their vocation only from the temporall prince alledging the wordes of saint Paul that all authoritie is from God then saint Matth. that wee must giue vnto Cesar that which is Cesars then saint Peter that wee should be subiect to euerie humaine creature for godes sake all which places aswell the puritantes as the Catholiques doe interprete and vnderstand of temporall authoritie only for gouerning the common weaâ—th and not of spirituall direction and instruction of our soules in articles of our faith and saluation for that all Princes and kinges were then and 300. yeares after Christs passion infidels and especially the Romaine Emperor of whome this was principally intended Otherwise saint Peter and the Apostles who were