An ANSWER To a Popish Pamphlet called The TOUCH-STONE of the Reformed Gospell made speciallie out of themselves MATH 15 13. Everie Plant which my heavenlie Father hath not planted shall be rooted up By WILLIAM GUILD D. D. and Preacher of GODS WORD ABERDENE Printed by IAMES BROWN 1656 To the Right Honourable SIR Thomas Mudie PROVESâ— of DUNDIE Iohn Scrimgeor William Duncan Alexander Watson and David Yeoman Baylies AND To the Remnant of the Honourable COUNCELL of that Burgh Grace and peace Right Honourable THe sedulitie of that Apostatick Church of Rome who like these Locusts Revel 9. swarme everie wher in our Countrey and neighbour Nation like Pharisees of old to make proselyts to themselves and misleade simple soules should move the Ministers of Christ and Sions Watch-men to be ashamed to be lesse diligent in a better cause and for a better Master These are dispersing their popish Pamphlets and everie where and everie way sowing secretlie and subdolouslie their pople and Tares in the Lords Field to seduce And should not wee then be much more seduloâ—s and solicitous every way by word and write to discover their fraud to arme against Errour and labour to reduce The conscience of which dutie for my part hath moved me to answere a late Pamphlet called The Touch-stone of the reformed Gospell Which is in everie Papists hands and almost whereof they vainly brag as being unanswerable which answer I have framed with as great brevitie perspicuitie as I could and the better to stop the adversaries mouthes detect their Wresting of Scripture as PETER speaketh 2. Pet. 3. 16. to their owne destruction I have answered such scripturall places as hee objecteth against us either by the exposition of Fathers for most part orelse of their own Doctours Neither of which without impudence they can reject and so cannot alleadge as he doeth in his Preface That wee chop and change the Text of Scripture by some interpretation or other of our owne These paines then which I have beene pressed by sundry Reverend Brethren and others for the publick good to put to the Press I haue Right Honourable Dedicate to you as a Testimonie of my inteere affection both to your selves personally whose kindnesse and courtesie to my self I have ever at all occasions found as also to that Place wherein you governe in regard of my relation therto which moved me as I did Dedicate the first Fruits of my Studies in my youth long agoe to the Magistracie and Councill of Aberdene the place of my owne Birth and breeding so now to Dedicate the latter and ryper Fruits of my old Age to the Magistracie and Councill of the Birth-place and breeding of my deceased Father of Godlie Memorie For whose care of my Education in Letters as I did owe him all filiall dutie and gratitude while he lived so do I still in Remembrance of him carry all affectionat respect to that place where he had his first being and upbringing and whose prosperitie I shall ever heartlie wish and that the Lord who hath showne it hard things that it might have said call me Marah may so sanctifie to it that sad visitation and prosper that Place hereafter that it may bee Naomi or as the Prophet speakes Isai 61. 3. He may give it Beautie for Ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of prayse for the spirit of heaviness Which shal be the heartie prayer of Your most affectionat in Christ to honour serve you WILLIAM GUILD To the Reader Courteous Reader IN answering this TOUCH-STON of the reformed Gospell I thought good to advertise thee of some things First That the Impudencie and malice of this Pamphleter beside his Ignorance is such that to make the Protestant profession the more odious to his Proselyts hee would charge our Profession with such Doctrines and Tenets which we never taught nor owned So that whil he fights against such he beats the wind and fights onelie with his owne shaddow A few Instances in place of many are these First § 5. That we say That a man by his own private spirit may rightly judge and interpret Scripture Next § 6. That PETERS Fayth failled 3. § 9. That the Church was not ever to remaine Catholick 4. § 10. That the Churches unitie is not necessary in all points of Fayth 5. § 17. That the actions and sufferings of the Saynts serve for nothing to the Church 6. § 21. That good works are not necessary to Salvation 7. § 29. That Angels cannot help us 8. § 39. That the bread in the Supper of the LORD is but a figure 9. § 45. That Fasting is nos grounded on Scripture nor causeth any spirituall good Thus heseeks not only unnecessarlie to multiply feigned Controversies to deceive the simple but also to make our Profession the more odious to such as will beleeve him imitating herin Satan who by like lyeing would made God odious to our first Parents 2 As if to name onelie and by a false Master to multiplie the citations of Scripture Fathers were enough without the setting down the words of either he laboureth to seduce simple soules and make them beleeve that both Scriptures and Fathers were on their side onlie whil as these who are judicious and impartiall may see that if the maine places of Scripture and Fathers whose words he sets downe be proven in this my ensueing Answere to be either altogether impertinent and wrested or to make against himself Then much more may any judge the like of such places as he only pointeth at but neither seteth downe nor dare set downe their words Wherefore 1. As for his references to places of Scripture First They are such that if I should particularly discuss their impertinencie not only should his grosse ignorace and deceat be seen the more which is clearly enough discovered I hope by my answer to such places whose words he sets downe but my Answere should also grow to a hudge volume wheras I strive to as great brevitie with perspicuitie as I can and that to make my Answere onely to bee a pocket and portable Book 2. His references for ostentation onely and delusion of the simple are so numerous as Pag. 20. for the Churches infallibilitie where hee bringeth but foure places of Scripture whose words he sets down he maketh reference to 22. places most impertineÌ„t wrested Like wise pag. 59 To prove good works to be meritorious he bringeth but four places of Scripture in likemanner but relats to 21. more which aâ— to no such purpose the like he does p. 27. 51. 54. 63. 67. 72. elswher Next as for his references to the testimonies of Fathers mentioning oftimes neither Book Chapter noâ— words It wer an infinitly laborious task to answere a man knoweth not what and would likewise accrease to a voluminous bulk especiallie seing either ignorantlie or I may justlie fay deceatfully and impudentlie hee citeth places in Fathers 1. whom themselves rejects as spurious and
that none of them should brag of preheminence The seventh place is Iohn 21. 15. where Christ sayeth to Peter Feed my sheep that is sayth he governe my Church whereunto I shall answere onlie in Cardinall Cusanus words lib. 2. de concord Cath. cap. 13. saying If it was spoken to Peter feed my sheep yet it is manifest sayeth hee that this feeding was but by the word and his holie example and that according to S. Augustin in his Commentarie on these words the same was commanded likewise to all the others in saying go yee into all the world and preach the Gospell to everie creature so that nothing is spoken to Peter sayeth he which importeth any other power and therefore we conclude rightlie sayeth the Cardinall that all the Apostles were equall in power with Peter Bellar. also l. 4. de pont cap. 23. § addit acknowledgeth that what was giveÌ„ to peter by these words feed my sheep was given to all by these other words as my Father sent me so send I you His last place which he bringeth is Math 12. 25. Every kingdome divided against it self is brought to desolation and if Satan cast out satan c. whence he most ridiculouslie reasoneth thus Satan hath a kingdome whereof he is chief if then there be not onelie a visible head of the Church triumphant in heaven but also a visible head even in hell why not also a visible head on earth sayeth he risum teneatis amici A goodlie conformitie indeed But as he would haâ—e the Church to haue a visible vicar head on earth aswell as a chief one in heaven so he should let Satan also haue a visible vicar head on earth aswel as he is the chief head in hel and indeed wee acknowledge the Pope to be that vicar of his power but not the vicar of Christ Horned like the Lamb but speaking like the Dragon Revel 13. 11. As for Testimonies of Fathers which he citeth as of Theophy lact who calleth Peter the prince of the disciples this importeth no more supremacie of jurisdiction over the rest nor where it is said of Virgil That he is the Prince of poets that therefore he had jurisdiction over all poets in his age Therefore Cyril Hier his words which he also citeth showeth the true meaning thereof calling Peter Prince that is The most excellent of the Apostles which none doth deny And wheras Eusebius calleth him The first Bishope of Christians this importeth onlie primacie in order but no supremacie of power As for Chrisostome his 55. Homile on Mathew where he alleadgeth that hee is ther called The head of the church there is no such title there which as I shall show heere-after Pope Gregorie calleth proud and prophane Lastly he citeth one Euthymius a late Monck as a Father who lived 1118. years after Christ who calleth Peter Master of the whole World not by dominion over it as all knoweth but in respect of that Apostolicall commission Math. 28. 19. Go teach all nations c. And the last is Pope Leo's testimonie in his owne behalf calling Peter Head and chief of the Apostles in the sense forenamed and yet all these prove onlie what Peter was personallie but nowise that the Pope is the same successivelie But before I leaue this so pleaded for papall supremacie I will batter this loftiest towâ—e of mysticall Babylon with a batterie furnished onlie by a Pope himself Gregorie the great thus Bellarmin lib. 2. de pont cap. 31. proveth the Popes supremacie by these two titles given to him to wit that he is called The Head of the Church and Vniversall Bishop Of the first wherof sayeth Gregorie lib. 4. indict epist 36 It is Saâ—anicall pride by any such title of Head so to subject all Christs members to one man which cohereth to one Head onely alone Christ Iesus And of the second he saith Any one so to mount aboue others to such an hight of singularitie as that he would be under none but he alone would bee aboue all as Pope Boniface thereafter claimed Extrav lib. 1. Tit. 8. cap. 1. to be acknowledged by al under paine of damnation It is a most proud and prophane usurpation And lest that Gregorie should seem to oppose these titles in the person of Iohn Bishop of Constantinople who first obtained the same from the Emperour Manritiê° as a wrong done to him or his sea to whom these titles wer due Therfore 1. he cleareth himself of this saying to the Emperour Epist 32. In this matter most religious Lord do I defend any cause of mine or do I challenge heerin any wrong done to mee No. And yet the more to cleare this he sayeth epist 36. None of my Predecessours would ever consent to use such a prophane title no not Peter himself the first founder of this sea who altho he was chief of the Apostles and according to his Apostle-ship had the care of all the Church committed to him yet notwithstanding sayth he was not called the universall Apostle And in the same Epistle to Eulogiê° B. of Alexandria hee showeth that himself would no wise accept of any such style when it was offered to him And therefore he sayeth to Eulogius Let not your Holinesse in your letters style any man whosoever universall Bishope yea morover sayeth he epist 38. I confidentlie affirme that whosoever calleth himself universall Bishope or desireth so to be called he is the fore-runner of Antichrist Yea more yet epist 39. lib. 6. epist 30 whosoever assenteth or acknowledgeth any such style he loseth the faith sayeth hee and maketh shipwracke thereof a sadd doom against all papists all which made Cardinall Cusanê° to say thus lib. 2. de concord Cath. cap. 13. whil we defend this that the Pope is not universall Bishope but onlie the first aboue others to wit in place or primacie in so doing we defend the truth sayth he Thus doth a great Pope and famous Cardinall pleade against papall supremacie as much as any Protestant can do 12. THat a womaÌ„ may be head or supreame governesse of the Church in all causes as the late Queene Elizabeth was VVHich is contrarie sayeth hee to Tim. 2. 11. where it is said Let the woman learne in silence with all subjection but I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authoritie over the man and againe 1. Cor. 14. 34. Let women hold their peace in the Churches whereunto I answere that none of these Texts proveth any other thing but onlie the subjection of a married wife to her husband and that no woman whosoever should usurp the publick pastourall office of preaching and thus do Aquinas Lombard Cajetan and other Romanists expound their late Estâ—ê° especially And as for that Religious late Queene of happie memorie Shee was Supreame Governesse of the Church within her Dominions in causes Ecclesiasticall no otherwiâ—e than as we reade David was in everie matter pertayning to God as we see 1. Chron. 26. 32. and as
death which dayes were thousands of years before the same Therefore sayeth Beda they were the wicked carnall livers in the age that Noah lived in to whom Christ preached And so sayth Carthusian and this he did saieth Aquinas by the mouth of just Noah by the holie Ghost sayeth Lyra in Noah other good meÌ„ By all which it is cleare that it was not after Christs death that in his soule hee descended to any popish Limbus to deliver the godlie Patriarch's therfra Seing the Patriarch that was then alive in the days of Noah was onlie Noah himself The fourth place is Heb. 11. 40. God having provyded a better thing for us that they without us should not bee made perfect whence it followeth saieth he that these holie soules were detained till then in a place distinct from heaven and hell of the damned To whom I answere That no such thing followeth from these words but that the glorifying both in soul and bodie of these holie patâ—iarch's shall not be till the generall resurrection when both they and wee shall be perfectlie in both glorified together which is the exposition of Aquinas Cajetan and Lombard on this place Calling the glorifying of their soules after death the first robe or stole which they received and the second which they are to receive to be the glorifying also of their bodie at the last day This like wise is the exposion of their late Estius which he showeth to be also Augustins epist 99. and Evodium and 49. Treatise on John as also Chrisostoms and Erasmus in his paraphrase And coÌ„cludeth thus saying The Apostle therefore speaketh of the perfyting which is to be at the generall resurrection The fifth place is Math. 12. 40. That as Ionas was three dayes three nights in the Whales bellie so should the son of man be three dayes three nights in the heart of the earth which he expoundeth Hell To which I answere This is onlie spoken of Christs bodie in the graue and not the being of his soule in hell witnesse Chrisostome hom 44. in Math. 12. whose words are He sayeth not in the earth but in the heart of the earth to wit in the graue sayth he Thus also doth Gregorie Nyssen expound epist ad Eustachium So saieth Auselmus on Math. 12. He was in the heart of the earth to wit in the graue sayeth he Thus also doeth Ignatius expound epist ad Trallianos Euthâ—mius in Math. 12. Jerome also and Tertullian with diverse others thus also sayth their owne Lyra The son of man shall be in the heart of the earth three dayes three nights that is in the graue so speaketh their parisian Doctour Arboreus others And which answere serveth likewise for that of the Ephes 4. 9. which others object The sixth place is Math. 27. 52. And the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints which sleeped arose and came out of their graves after his resurrection To which I answere That heer is a resurrection of the bodies of the saints comming out of their graves but no comming of their soules out of any part of hel oâ— a popish Limbus The seventh place is Zach. 9. 11. By the blood of thy Covenant I haue let out thy prisoners furth of the pitt wherein there is no water That is the Fathers out of Limbus sayeth he To which I answere shortlie omitting Augustins exposition lib. 18. de civitate dei cap. 35. Of the deep of mans miserie by sinne out of which by Christs blood we are freed Bellar. himself answereth clearlie for us l. 1. de purg cap. 3. and showeth That no such thing as Limbus patrum can be meant heerby because their is water of comfort and refreshment in Limbus sayth he wheras in this pitt whereof Zacharie speaketh there is no water at all As for his last place 1. Sam. 28. 14. concerning Samuels apparition to Saull wee haue answered it alreadie that it was not Samuell but the Devill in his shape And which place is most impertinently brought to prove Christs descense into hel by the apparition of any such spirit coÌ„ming out of hell of the damned As for Fathers whom he onlie citeth Jerome explaineth himself on Ephes 4. 9. what he sayeth on v. 8. Next Augustin on psal 171. hath nothing of Limbus patruuÌ„ or Christs descense there and as for Gregorie there is no such place as he mentioneth lib. 3. Moral cap. 20. For that book hath onlie 17. chapters in it 47 THat there is no purgatorie fire or other prison wherein sinnâ—s may be satisfied for after this life VVHich saith he is contrar to 1. Cor. 3. 13. 15. The fire shall try everie mans work of what sort it is if any mans work be burnt he shal suffer losse yet he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire To which I answer or rather their owne Estius on this place saying Sindrie expoundeth this place sayeth he of Purgatorie wherein after this life and before the day of the last judgement the soules of the just are purged from their lighter sinnes but it appeareth that this cannot be said sayeth he both because the words showeth that the day of particular judgement is not to bee understood but of the generall judgement whereas the purging of the soules pertaineth to the particular judgement as also because the fire of purgatorie doth not try everie mans work sayth he but punisheth onlie the evill works of good men Bellarmin also lib. 1. de purg cap. 5. sayeth That the word fire in the 13. and 14. verses is to taken onlie allegoricallie and that the fire of purgatorie is not thereby to bee meant for of this fire the Apostle sayes it shall burne the work not the worker sayeth he and therefore a purging or afflicting fire of persons is not meant thereby onlie hee would haue the word fire in the 15. verse to bee taken in another sense than in the other two verses and therby to be meant the fire of purgatorie but Estius answereth unto him thus refuteth him saying That not without just cause it seemeth to be absurd that the Apostle in one Text of so few words would speake of fire in so diverse significations neither can any easilie be perswaded sayeth hee that in the third place a purgatorie fire of soules can be signified when as in the first and second place another and diverse fire from that is understood And then he subjoines after the naming of some Romanist Divines that hath expounded these words otherwise thaÌ„ hee doth saying Let none marvell that I haue not followed these authours in all things because that neither theÌ„selves amongst themselves do alwayes agree Such is his testimonie of their braged of unitie The second place is Iohn 11. 22. But I know that even now sayeth Martha to Christ Whatsoever thou will ask of God he will give it thee Ergo there is a fiâ—e of purgatorie is as good a consequence as to say ergo