cal the Scriptures and vnwritten which they call Traditions Traditions And the traditions say they were either deliuered by the Apostles themselues to some special men and therfore are called Apostolike or else are set downe by the Church and for that cause called Traditions of the Church Traditions equall with the word Now traditions are made equall and to be receiued with as great reuerence as the Scriptures euen by the Councel of Trent Ses 4. decre 1 Preferred before the word the most modest Papists But there are others who in their excesse of impietie preferre the trâ— ditions before the word written and make them of greater force than it as Pighius in his Ecclesiasticall hierarchie Eccl. Hierar lib. 1. cap. 4. Thesi 9. In his preface Wolfgangus Screckius Nay in that he wil by traditions haue all doctrines tried he manifestly subiecteth the pure written woorde of God to the prophane deuises of man BVt to take away the proppes of this their ruinous building let vs see what grounds or foundations for so Melchior Canus a learned Papist termeth them they lay of this their doctrine Obiection Melchior Canus in his common places of Diuinitie and Bellarmine in his controuersies lib. 3. cap. 3 Bellar. lib. 4 〈◊〉 of Gods worde dâ— written and others also set this downe as a most neceâ—â—â—rie principle That the Church is more ancient than the Scriptures As in trueth the Church was more than two thousand yeres before there was any written word of God in bookes and therefore Bellarmine inferreth That the Scriptures are not simply necessary Answere First this ground doeth not vpholde that which is in controuersie among vs. For they shoulde prooue traditions to bee a part of Gods worde so that without them Gods word could not bee counted perfect And to proue that they tel vs that it was more than two thousand yeeres before the woord was written Which maketh nothing for them vnlesse they can shew vs that this word which is now written is not that same that before was deliuered by tradition vnto the fathers of that old world For the question betweene vs and the Papists is not of the maner of deliuering Gods word whether it were deliuered by word or by writing but of the matter namely whether Gods word be any thing else than that is written in the old and new testament which we deny but they affirme it because the word was so long time vnwritten yet the church was not then without the word So that because the word was reuealed after an other manner the Papists wil haue it another word Whereas in trueth that same word that was from the beginning Iohn 1.1 what word that is that is written is that verie word of God that was so long after the beginning written for the Iewes and is now deliuered vnto vs. Wee must therefore take heede that they deceiue vs not by the double signification of the word Scripture which sometime expresseth the manner of deliuering the word namely by writing and so we confesse the scripture was not so ancient as the church by mo than two thousand yeares but sometime the word Scripture signifieth the word it selfe which is deliuered vnto vs as it is commonly now taken and in this place must so be vnderstoode And so hath the word written beene from the beginning That is to say that the selfe same word which God by word of mouth as we say and by tradition did teach the patriarkes hee afterwards did cause to be written which word wee call the holy scriptures And further also we must remember that one manner of deliuering the word of God Diuerse maners of deliuering the word at diuerse times is fit for one time and an other manner of deliuering it for an other time As may appeare by that which hath beene said how that God hath in his infinite wisedome seene it needefull to deliuer it one way afore the Lawe in an other sort vnder the Lawe and the Gospell although not in like measure in both these latter times So that this argument cannot stand good The scriptures haue not beene written in the first age amongst the patriarkes therefore they are not necessary now amongst vs in these dayes to whom God hath by them reuealed his word Which argument is strongly confuted by Chrysostome that learned and ancient Father In Matth. hom 1. But to these men who are as Tertullian calleth the Heretikes of his time lucifugae scripturarum De resurrect carnis such as shunne the light of the scriptures and flee from it I may say as the same Tertullian speaketh in an other place De prescript Beleeue without the Scriptures that yee may also beleeue against the Scriptures Let them seeke the desert of their owne deuises and follow the trod of their owne traditions to finde out some couert for their superstitions but let vs content our selues to dwell in the cities of the Lawe the Prophets the Gospel and the Apostles which are the Scriptures and not goe out of them In Mich. li. 1 as Saint Ierome speaketh For euery word of God is pure Prou. 30.5 6 hee is a shield to those that trust in him Put nothing to his word lest he reprooue thee and thou be found a liar That this VVorde is sufficient CHAP. 2 THE PROTESTANTS This word is sufficient NOw this written word of God because it is sent vs froÌ„ that most gratious God that hath loued vs and chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laide Eph. 1.4 that we might be holy with out blame before him and is brought vnto vs by that most excellent Prophet In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss 2.3 and therefore can teach vs Heb. 3.2 who also is faithful and therefore wil deale truely with vs yea who so heartily loueth vs that hee died for vs and therefore doubtlesse will be careful to teach vs what behooueth vs to knowe Seeing also the Apostle saint Paul doeth testifie that he kept nothing backe that was profitable Acts 20.20 27 but shewed them all the councell of God We therefore beleeue the Scriptures to be written Ioh. 20.31 that wee might beleeue and beleeuing might haue eternall life 2. Tim. 3.16 And that the whole scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse 17 That the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes that is that the Scripture is so sufficient and perfect that it hath no want it needeth no supply nothing must be added THE PAPISTS BVT the Church of Rome knowing that Tertullian wrote truely De resurrect carnis That Heretikes if they be made to proue that they say by the Scriptures can not stand do find fault that they should be so straitly limited and tethered that
owne clecking and that therein they seeke rather their owne praise than Gods glory Because thereby they teach men to looke for remission of sinnes and make it a thing meritorious and so they robbe Christ of his honour and take from him his office to attribute the same to the obseruation of their vngodly lawe And vnto this reason which is taken from the euil fruit of their wicked doctrine I might also adde the sower grape of vngodly life that followed the same Which made not Papists onely but euen the Pope himselfe to wish the abolishing of that cruel lawe and the remoouing of that dangerous stumbling blocke as before you haue heard of Pius the second pope of that name Nowe besides these wants that wee finde in the contrary doctrine which may induce vs to see the vnlikelihoode of the same wee haue also the first institution wherein it was saide to all without exception Genes 1.28 Increase and multiplie Then also wee haue that generall aduise and counsell wherein the apostle aduiseth all men and women that it is better to marry than to burne 1. Cor. 7.9 which aduise the apostle giueth in respect of that common experience wherein wee finde it to be true that euery man can not attaine to the gift of chastitie in single life Thirdly wee haue also particular direction for bishops by name so permitting marriage vnto them 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.6 that no man can doubt therof vnlesse hee wilfully winke for feare he shoulde see the light of the trueth Fourthly we haue the practise of the priests in the olde lawe who were married although they had the daily sacrifice to offer morning and euening Almost all the apostles and many bishops of the Primitiue church also if they will trust Vicelius their owne friend were married men Therefore we may conclude that for the clergie as for other it is lawfull that euery man haue his owne wife and euery woman her own husband Wherupon it also followeth that not only the Montanists Maniches Eucratians Martionists or such like who did wholy condemne marriage or at the least much mislike the same but also the papists who doe accompt it too impure for their clergie men are amongst the number of them of whom the spirit speaketh euidentlie 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3 that in the latter daies some shal departe from the faith and shall giue heede to the spirit 〈◊〉 error and doctrines of deuils who haue their consciences burned with a hote iron forbidding to marry For although others may perchaunce in that point be worse yet that proueth not that they cannot be euill And although the fathers doe expound this place of those heretickes that were before or in their time yet is that no barre to vs but that we may in like maner confute thereby all them who doe in any sort condemne matrimony But they saie they condemne not matrimonie neither force men to single life Whether they haue drawen men to their vowes or not Bellarm. de cler li. 1. cap. 20. let the world iudge But it is but a shift to saie they denie not mariage They deny it to that whole estate in so much as in Queene Maries time we haue seene the clergy forced either to leaue their function and ministery or to forsake their wiues So that although they say not to any man or woman particularly thou shalt in no wise marry yet they deny it to that estate of life which needs must be in the worlde as not holy enough for them wherein if they were well examined they would be found to conspire with those auncient heretickes Of Anoiling or extreme Vnction that it is not a Sacrament CHAP. 20 THE PROTESTANTS WE willingly confesse that the Apostles of our Sauiour Christ Mar. 6.13 Annointed many that were sicke with oile and healed them And that saint Iames confesseth Iam. 5.14 that if any be sicke they shoulde send for the Elders who shoulde pray for him and annoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord. By the which visible signe God did testifie to men of that gift of healing that he indued his church withall vntill by such myracles he had confirmed the gospel and assured mens consciences of the power of his word But that it was instituted for a sacramēt we cannot acknowledge And much lesse can we yeelde vnto that popish anoiling that it can bee called a Sacrament properly or yet be tollerated in Christ his church it is so contrary to the Apostles practise THE PAPISTS FOr without any warrant of the word they consecrate their oile which the apostles did not for any thing we can reade Secondly the church of Rome doth appoint what partes shal be annointed as the eies eares nose lippes handes feete and the reines of the backe But yet they are not agreed that all these are of the essence of anoiling Devnct c. 10 And indeede Bellar. in respect of honestie supposeth that women shuld not be anointed on their reins But Laurence Vaus In his catechisme would haue men anointed in the back womē on the belly so far hath he forgotten all honesty But thapostls were not curious in these matters Thirdly popish anoiling must not be vsed but when all hope of life is past the apostls vsed oile whē they hoped to heale men of their infirmities Bellarm. de vnctione lib. 1. cap. 2. The apostles vsed oile for all diseases Popish anoiling was but for some Other differences also might be found but these few are sufficient to shew that the church of Rome hath added to the word of God and practise of the Apostles in this point and therefore if that were graunted vnto them which they can not prooue namely that that which the Apostles did was a sacrament yet can it in no wise folowe that the Popish anoyling can bee a Sacrament vnto the which they haue added so many yea and some of them so vnseemely ceremonies And yet the councell of Trent is not ashamed to affirme that the church of Rome doeth obserue none other thing as belonging vnto the substaunce of this sacrament Sess 14. ca. 3 de sacram vnct than that which saint Iames hath prescribed Where did saint Iames appoint that the oile shoulde be consecrated for that it shoulde be consecrated De vnct lib. 1. cap. 7. it is as master Bellarmine doth terme it of the essence of the matter of this sacrament and not accidentary Master Bellarmines shift that hee hath for to answere this demaund is too holde and shamelesse and doth more lay open the badnesse of their cause For hee saieth that it is enough for them if saint Iames doe not forbid it And is that your touchstone M. Bellarmine whereby you wil trie your doctrines What will you say then to that Lawe that God hath established for euer Deut. 12.32 and 4.2 Whatsoeuer I commaund you to doe doe it Thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take aught there-from
sentence of scripture a man may gather diuerse good lessons and that with good fruit to others and approbation of all men so long as those interpretations are agreeable to the rule of faith yet when any euill thing in faith or life is thereby maintained without all doubt the words are then wrested and it ceaseth to bee Gods word Now this is not the fault of the word but of mans corrupt affections which abuse the same Rom. 7.12 For the Lawe truely is holy and the commandement is holy iust and good And as Epiphanius saieth Heres 70 There is no discord in the Scripture nor one sentence disagreeing from an other And in an other place Heres 76 All things in the holy Scripture are cleane enough to them that with godly consideration will come vnto that diuine word and haue not conceiued in themselues the worke of the Diuell indeuoring to throw themselues into the pit of death Euen as saint Paul saith If our gospell be yet hid 2. Cor. 4 3 4 it is hid in them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded their minds And what is Gods word the worse if the wicked will not know it 2. Pet. 3.16 or the vnlearned or vnstable peruert it to their owne destruction I wil therefore conclude with that golden saying of Iustine the martyre I would wish others to be of that mind Iustin Col. cum Tryphone Iud. that they would not swarue from our Sauiours wordes For they can put religion into them that wander from the right way and refresh with most sweete rest them that are exercised therein The Scriptures easie CHAP 4 THE PROTESTANTS Scripturs easie WE also teach the scripturs to be easie not bicause we thinke nothing to be hard in them or that they are easy to euery one but we affirme with Chrysostome 2. Thess 2 hom 3. All that is necessary is easy in them So that with a mind humbled and crauing of God to be instructed men study them The simple may learn by them their duety towardes God and man and how to behaue them selues in their particular dueties And whereas by the Papistes own confessiō the x commandements are very easie Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 2. no man can deny but that Gods threatnings against sin the promises of mercy and many other things in this writtē word are as easie Yea why were the prophets sent vnto all sorts of men why do the apostles write vnto all but because much if not all that they do write or say might be vnderstoode euen of the simple THE PAPISTS ANd on the contrary the church of Rome fearing least the light of the worde should discouer the darkenes of their blind deuotions doe what they can to discourage the people from being exercised in the Scriptures lest knowing the truth they shuld detest their superstitions and idolatries and for this cause they cry out with opē mouth that the scripture is too hard to bee vnderstoode and too darke for ignorant men to meddle with the same Wherby they haue brought many ignorant and lay men into that foolish and vnchristian conceit that they thinke it a great deale more dangerous for them euen for their soules health to be occupied in reading or hearing some peece of holie Scripture than the wanton and vnchaste Bookes of prophane men which corrupt good manners and breede noysome lustes that fight against the soule But because this is a great stumbling blocke in the way of the ignorant it shall not be amisse somewhat particularly to examine the Arguments that are vsed to prooue the hardnesse of the scriptures Argument The first argument of Bellarmines is this Dauid prayeth thus Giue me vnderstanding and I wil search thy law Open mine eies Lib. 3. cap. 1. de verbi Dei interpr and I will consider the woonderous things of thy lawe shew the light of thy countenance vpon thy seruant teach me thy statutes therefore the Scriptures are hard Answere It is certaine that Dauids prayers were not to haue his naturall or outward man only instructed for who can imagine that the prophet Dauid being so well acquainted in Gods booke could not vnderstand Gods lawe but to haue his mind and inward man lightned and directed and therefore this proueth not the sense of scripture to be hard for the like prayers are to be vsed of them that thinke it to be most easie Secondly euen the lawe which they confesse to be easie hath not only the literall sense but should also be a bridle vnto the affections and thoughts of men Matth. 5 as most plainly appeareth in those Commentaries which our Sauiour Christ maketh vppon the sixt seuenth and fourth commandements Rom. 7.14 In which respect also S. Paul doth call it Spirituall although Bellarmine seeme to account the commandements to be but Natural The Precepts saith he of the x. Commandements seeing they are natural may easily be vnderstood Dauid therfore may there pray as all christians ought to doe that he may know by Gods word not only how to rule his actiōs but also his words affections This thē doth not proue the scripturs to be hard concerning such good lessons as out of the literal sense may be learned but he proueth that vnlesse God lighten vs we cannot see the spirituall meaning Psa 119.27 which he calleth the maruellous things of the law Arg. 2 His second argument proueth some parts of Scripture to be hard which we denie not and therefore deserueth no answere Arg. 3 Lib. 2. ca 47 Contra Celsum lib. 7 In Exod. hom 12 His third argument is taken from the Fathers Irene saith in the scriptures I commit many things to God Orig. saith the scripture is darke in many places And in another place that we must pray night and day that the lamb of the Tribe of Iuda will come and that hee will vouchsafe to open the booke that is sealed Answere That many things in the scripture are hard we neuer denied as before I said and that with Reading wee should ioyne Prayer therefore Bellarmine when he took these weapons in hand did but feare his owne shadow That Basil and Gregory Nazianzene did seeke not by their owne presumption but by other mens writings that were before them to attaine to the vnderstanding of this written word Ruffinus doth well to commend them But I am sure that Bellarmine himselfe will not thereof conclude that they vnderstoode nothing of themselues or without teachers or that all the scriptures are hard He bringeth in Chrysostome saying that the deepe things therein cannot be attained vnto without great labour and that Christ would haue the Iewes not to reade onely but to search them also If of this hee conclude therfore al the scriptures are hard his argument is to be denied for that it hath no trueth in it if hee say therefore many things are hard we say
lay people And still there are that in corners seeke to perswade ignorant men and women that there can be almost no greater daunger vnto their soules than to reade the scriptures Wherein they shew themselues to be nothing of the minde of Phillip Acts 8.31 35 who forbade not the Eunuch to reade the scripture but taught him neither like to the fathers of the church some hundreds of yeares after Christ whose care was to exhort and drawe the people to the diligent reading of the same And whosoeuer they are that with diligence humilitie and prayer doe continue in the reading of the scriptures as wee see in sundry by experience shall be able in reasonable manner to auoyde and passe through those sixe impediments that I before alleaged out of Bellarmine and shall haue mindes exercised as the Apostle to the Hebrewes speaketh Cap. 5.14 and that not without great fruit to discerne good and euill And thus wee may see how litle the fathers make for that which the church of Rome teacheth in this point For the fathers say thus The scriptures are hard therefore you must reade them diligently The church of Rome cleane contrary The scriptures are hard therefore you must not reade them Therefore let vs detest as a most pestilent position that daungerous doctrine of the church of Rome knowing that whosoeuer be hee neuer so ignorant with reuerent reading seeketh to finde and with deuout prayer asketh knowledge of God shall finde much knowledge and comfort in his godly and christian exercise For Hieron ps 147. The word of God is most fat and fertile It hath in it all delicates And thus to conclude seeing the scriptures onely are Gods word and they are so sufficient and plentifull that in them the hungry may haue foode the poore treasure the rich direction the sicke physicke the whole diet the sorrowfull comfort the ignorant knowledge and the foolish true wisedome to be short seeing there for all wants we finde a remedy and seeing that rule is so true that it cannot deceiue so straight that it can not be crooked so constant to it selfe that it changeth not lastly seeing it is so easie that by diligence and prayer the godly may not learne onely but grow and increase daily from knowledge to knowledge let vs account them as deadly enemies to our soules who seeke to drawe vs from this sufficient and certaine written word of God to the doctrines or traditions of men what glorious names soeuer they giue them What shall wee then account of the popish crew that are not ashamed to teach the Scriptures to be daungerous because euill men abuse them so doth the drunkard drinke the glutton meate the prowd apparell the couetous riches and the euill men all Gods graces yet all these thinges are good and so is Gods word holy and vndefiled But nowe to the second point That only the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament are this written word or Scriptures CHAP. 5 THE PROTESTANTS SEing that the rule of the Catholike faith must be knowen De verbo dei lib. 1. cap. 2. and certaine for if it be not knowen it can not be a rule vnto vs if not certaine it is no rule at all as Bellarmine hath very wel noted only those scriptures which we according to the ancient vse of the Primitiue church and the common consent of those purer times do call Canonicall are that sure rule that can not deceiue for therefore haue they that name because they are for triall of doctrines as the rule or line for triall of workes it is certain that no other word can be that infallible word of God certaine rule of faith and religion but only the Canonical Scriptures These onely haue beene of the godly Fathers accounted to haue beene written by those whom God indued with his spirite for that cause Concil Laodicenum ca. 59. Hieron ad Paulinum prologo Galeato Out of these onlie the Fathers permit matters of controuersie to bee tried And in expounding of these that wee call Canonicall they haue bestowed their godly labours yea and them onely to bee certaine and such as were neuer doubted of among Catholike men De verbo dei lib. 1. cap. 4. Bellarmine himselfe confesseth and it is a ground or principle acknowledged of all men THE PAPISTS NOtwithstāding this name Canonicall which the ancient fathers haue giuen to these Scriptures onely to testify that they are only the certaine canon and rule of faith notwithstanding also such preheminence and excellency Bellarm. de verbo Dei li. 1. ca. 2. compared with that cap. 4. as not the Fathers onely but themselues also doe yeelde vnto the Canonicall scriptures to be of all other the most certaine rule and most infallible touchstone in all matters of controuersie the Councel of Trent is not ashamed to commaund and that vnder paine of beeing accursed to receiue these bookes that are contained in the Bible with like reuerence and deuotion and to make them of as good credite as the canonicall Scripture I say euen those Apocryphaes in which are many things absurd and whose very name sheweth them to be vnknown from whence they came who were not found in the Hebrew nor accounted by the Iewes to be Canonicall And so they doe match that word that all men alwayes and euen themselues acknowledge to be lesse certaine with that which they knowe that no good man euer doubted of Argument But lest they should seeme thus to dote without reason they vse in effect these arguments for proofe heereof The first is that these bookes which we call Apocrypha are alledged sometimes of the Fathers in their writings Answers But the answere is easie For the alledging of them doth not prooue that they who alledged them did hold them for canonicall for then should it followe that poets philosophers and such like who are often alledged by the ancient writers should so be But this rule must stand alwayes good which S. Hierome hauing reckoned vp those bookes which now in our Bibles are accounted canonicall and no other ◠rologo in lib. Reg. qui Galeatus dicitur Ruffinus in symbol prolog in Prouerb hath Whatsoeuer is besides these must be put amongst the Apocrypha Yea to be short they do alledge them because they may bee read to the edifying of the people but not to confirme the authoritie of any ecclesiasticall doctrine as saint Hierome saith of Tobie Iudith and the Machabees and Ruffinus also vppon the Creede De doct◠ina christian lib. 2. cap. 8. The second argument is taken out of Augustine because he reckoneth vp the books which we call Canonicall and also the Apocrypha and calleth all Canonicall So doth the third councell holden at Carthage also Cap. 47 with some other ancient writers Answere Admit that this were the meaning of saint Augustine and of those Fathers shall their bare authority without reason be heauy enough to weigh
down so many fathers and reasons as partly I haue alleaged to the contrary and might haue alledged many mo But their meaning is plaine enough For although S. Augustine and that Councel of Carthage and others say that all those bookes are canonicall yet wee must vnderstand them according to their meaning They diuided all the scripturs that went in the name of scriptures but into two parts Those which they called Apocrypha De ciuit Dei lib. 15. ca. 23 lâ— b. 3. cap. 25 Euseb had many fables as may appeare by saint Augustine now all the rest they called Canonicall so that they comprehend vnder that name all that Eusebius and others do vnderstand both by such bookes as were without all controuersie receiued of al men and such as were not generally receiued of all but well liked of many And they comprehend all these in one name not only because that in comparison of the other that were fabulous these were good but also because they were read commonly of them although not for establishing of anie doctrine as before I haue shewed yet for reformation of manners And that S. Augustines meaning was not to make like account of all appeareth not onely by that rule which himselfe setteth downe in that very chapter after he hath reckoned vp those Bookes canonicall Those canonicall bookes which are generally saith he receiued by the common consent of all Churches De doctrinâ— christiana li. 2. cap. 8. 30 are to bee preferred before them that are reiected of many but of those whom we call Apocrypha Origen Athanasius Epiphanius Melito Hierome Ruffinus and many other haue doubted but also by his practise For it will appeare how that somtime himself doubteth of some of them which we deny to be canonicall namely of the Machabees hee writeth thus against the second Epistle of Gaudentius the Donatist Lib. 2. cap. 23 This peece of Scripture of the Machabees the Iewes do not so account of as of the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes vnto the which the Lord giueth testimony as vnto his own witnesses saying Al things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes of me but it is receiued of the Church not without profite if it bee read or heard soberly Wherin first I note that the Iewes with whom the word of God was kept before it came to vs did not account it canonicall Secondly note how he magnifieth the witnes of the scriptures which are indeede canonical calling them the Lords owne witnesses And thirdly how coldly hee intertaineth the bookes of Machabees saying the church readeth them and that with profit if they be read soberly by reason of some good examples in them But yet more plainely in his Bookes of the citie of God Lib. 18. c. 36. The reckoning of time from the restoring of the Temple is not found in the holy Scriptures that are called Canonicall but in other writings amongst which are the Bookes of the Machabees which the Iewes reckon not canonicall but the church doth bicause of the extreame strange sufferings of some Martires Wherein wee see how that S. Augustine saith that wee knowe not the story of those times after the temple was built by any canonicall writer but yet by the Machabees wee know it therefore the Machabees are not canonicall And yet the church accounteth them saith he canonicall because of the examples of the Martyres in them As if he would haue saide Although those Bookes be not indeede such as you may build your faith vpon yet they are for some things worth the reading Which two places I stoode vpon the rather because Bellarmine alledgeth them De verbo de lib. 1. cap. 15. especially this latter as a speciall pillar to hold vp those Bookes of Machabees But howe truely let the Reader iudge Arg. 3 Their third and last argument is taken from that authority which they imagine the Church hath to approoue or disprooue Gods word And therefore is it so often repeated by Bellarmine handling this point That the Councell of Trent hath allowed such Bookes De verbo dei lib. 1. De ecclesia So that hee iumpeth right with that which most blasphemously Eckius hath set downe that twice within few lines he liked so well of it That the Scriptures are not authenticall or canonicall without the authoritie of the church And Canus setteth himselfe to make a full discourse against them that say Lib 2. de locis Theol. ca. 6 That the Scripture needeth not the approbation of the church And thus they must reason The church hath allowed those bookes to be canonicall which you call Apocrypha according as did also the ancient fathers therefore they are canonicall Answere That the weakenesse and wickednesse of this argument may appeare let vs first consider who is the Author of the holy scriptures which the Apostle declareth as plainly as can be when he saith 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration from God Therefore the scripture is the word not of man but of God Secondly let vs see how this word came to vs whether by tradition of the church or by special reuelation Which also is plainly answered by saint Peter saying 2. Pet. 1.21 that prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost What will we then say shall we imagin that God would direct by his holy Spirite the mouthes of his seruants to speake but not their pennes to write God forbid Thirdly the men whome it pleased God to vse as his meanes in setting downe this word were knowen vnto the church of that time wherein they flourished and their calling so confirmed vnto the godly that without all doubt or wauering they receiued those writings as Gods word because they knew the authors thereof to be directed by Gods spirit And this is the difference that the ancient fathers doe make betweene those Bookes of scripture whose authors were knowen and their bookes alwayes receiued and therefore called Canonicall that is such as deliuer rules for life and doctrine that are infallible and those other that are called Apocrypha because either it was not knowen who wrote them or else it was not knowen that they were indued with such a spirite as they could not erre in any thing And therefore their Bookes were not receiued of the church then Is it not then intollerable pride in the church of Rome to commaund silence vnto God himselfe and not to suffer him to speake but when they giue him leaue and to proclame it vnto the world that euen his word is not of credite vnlesse it be by their approbation and allowance of the same And yet thus doe they say when they affirme that the Scriptures are not Canonicall but by the approbation of the Church Yea some make them no better than Esopes Fables if the Church allowe not
of them O blasphemie intollerable if this their argument might bee allowed then the church of Rome which falsely challengeth to bee the church Caus 15. Quaest 6. ca. Autoritatem Dâ— st 34. c. sector dist 82. presbyt would soone prooue their abhominable Idolatries and heresies to be true religion And therefore doe they challenge this authoritie and striue for it And the Pope sometimes dispenseth against the Apostle as their Canonists doe note and sometimes a Councell dispenseth against the apostle and all this is to challenge vnto their church this prerogatiue that it may deale with Gods word as it will When Gregorie the thirteenth pope of that name confirmed the order of the fellowship of the blessed virgine Marie a new deuised order and come vp since the order of Iesuites in his Bull hee confirmeth and ratifieth all such priuileges as they haue or shall haue Notwithstanding anie Constitutions or Ordinances Apostolike or whatsoeuer may be against it Did you euer reade or heare any speake more like the beast mentioned in the Apocalips Apoc. 13.5 6 who had a mouth giuen vnto him that spake blasphemies But to be short I will against their argument oppose this Whatsoeuer scriptures are not giuen by inspiration of God spirit and by the godly receiued into the canon of the scripturs those are not the word of God though they haue the approbation of the latter churches but such are the Bookes which wee call Apocrypha which the councell of Trent would make of like authoritie with the canonicall Scriptures therefore those Bookes are not the vndoubted word of God And howe can any body imagine that that which once hath beene not canonicall can by continuaunce of time and confirmation of men become canonicall or that which God hath not vouched woorthy to bee his word in times past that nowe at the last he should acknowledge the same as though hee were nowe chaunged or had repented him of his former opinion Admit once this doctrine of theirs and farewell all certaintie in religion For men will wander from one thing to an other as wee see in the kingdome of darkenesse and Poperie where there is no ende of deuotions deuised and inuentions of men So that that which was good christianitie in the dayes of Christ and of his Apostles is nowe holden to be farre from the perfection of a godly life vnlesse wee doe helpe it with our will-worshippings and by the obeying the preceptes of the church Nay graunt them this and then that worde written that wee haue it shall speake nothing but Romish so that whatsoeuer is the meaning and true sense of the scriptures yet God must be taught to speake as the church of Rome will haue him De verbo dei lib. 4. cap. 11. To this ende tendeth that common axiome receiued of them all and vsed by Bellarmine The true sense of the Scripture hangeth of vnwritten traditions So that beleeue them and they will easily confute any aduersaries For first they alow for scripture what they will Secondly that which they must needes confesse to bee Scripture must bee expounded by their vnwritten Traditions That I say that is written by that which is vnwritten the certaine by the vncertaine Like to Procustes his bed which who so lay in it if he were too long he was cut shorter if he were too short he was stretched out longer So must all be made fit to their traditions Seeing therefore the Canonical Bookes haue so manifest a testimonie not onely of the godly but euen of the aduersaries themselues and the credite of the Apocrypha by so great authorities is suspect I will conclude with belâ— armines words That he is not well in his wit that not regardâ— ng â—â— e Scripture the surest and safest rule wâ— ll refeâ— re hâ— mself to the iudgement of the inward spirâ— t which is often deceitfull and alwayes vncertaine as in truth the Papists do For they will make you beleeue that because they are guided by the holy Ghost they cannot erre in their traditions This rule then of Gods written word in the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament being set downe as a rule most sure to trâ— e all doctrines with let vs now proceed to examine other matters in controuersy among vs when I shal first haue answered a common obiection wherein all the most ignorant sort especially of Papists doe maruellously trust and triumph and doe therewith deceiue others such as them selues are How shal I know the scriptures say they to be the scriptures but by the authoritie of the Church I will not answer although I might very well that absurdly they call that in question whereof there is no doubt among vs. For neither we nor they denie Gods word It is knowne of all it is receiued of vs all Therfore they put case of that there is not neither is likely to be amongs vs. But for their sakes that are ignorant I answer plainely and shortly out of Saint Augustine Coâ— feâ— li. 6. cap. 5. Thou Lord hast perswaded me that they are blame worthie not who haue beleeued thy bookes which thou hast so setled almost in all nations but they that haue not beleeued them And that I should not heare them if perchance any would say to me How knowest thou that those bookes the scripture are giuen to mankinde by the spirite of one very and most true God Yea Saint Augustine there confesseth that when he was but a nouice in religion yet was he perswaded that God would neuer haue made the whole world so to reuerence the Scriptures but that he meant to be beleeued in them and to be sought out by them We see then by saint Augustine that not onely that common account that the whole world not the Church onely maketh of the Scriptures should be sufficient to stop our mouths for asking that question but also that he flatly telleth vs that God would not haue vs to heare such faithles and fruitles obiections But I know they will by and by come vpon me with that place of Augustine Cont. epist 〈◊〉 c. 5. I would not beleeue the Gospel vnlesse the authoritie of the Church should moue me thereto Out of which they will perchance conclude as grosly as you heard Eckius hath done That the Scripture it selfe hath no credite but as the Church will bestow it vpon the same But Melchior Canus a learned Papist doth gather otherwise out of that place and doth in deed truely answere this common obiection for vs out of the said words of S. Augustine concluding thus Therefore it teacheth not Locor Theo lib. 1. cap. â— that beleeuing the Gospel is grounded vpon the authoritie of the Church but onely that there is no sure way whereby either Infidels or Nouices in faith may come to the holy Scriptures but the consent of the Catholike Church Yea he hath taught a little before in that Chapter that although to haue faith
certaine external meanes and helpes are required yet those moue vs nothing without the working of Gods holy spirit And he much misliketh of them that teach that our faith must rest vpon that point That we beleue that the church is true or cannot erre For therevpon he gathereth this absurditie that our faith should be grounded vpon the truth not of God but of man He also plainly affirmeth that if a man should aske how the faithfull do know that God hath reuealed that which they beleeue they cannot answere by the authoritie of the Church but it is by the inward light of Gods spirit that they know the same If now thou aske me how I know the Scriptures to be the Scriptures I answere out of Canus not by the authority of the Church but by the motion of Gods spirit and witnesse thereof If thou vrge that place of Augustine Canus telleth thee that they who are become Christians are not so brought to beleeue the Scriptures but onely Infidels and Nouices in religion So that this place serueth nothing to obiect against vs who professe Christianitie alreadie and beleeue the worde which the Manichies did not of whom and to whom Saint Augustine there writeth But we had neede out of that place to admonish you that in respect of that reuerence which with one consent al that professe Christianitie doe yeeld vnto the scriptures you would be ashamed so to depraue and despise them so to abuse and reiect them at your owne pleasure as you alwayes haue done You make vnlawfull that which God hath mad lawfull as for example It was lawfull in the Apostles time for euerie Priest Dion Carth. 1. Tim. 3. Bishop and Deacon to haue one wife but now by the appointment of the Pope they may not haue a wife sayth a friend of your owne a bird of your owne nest So that not the scripture or the will of God but the worde of the Pope must be the rule of our life so that whereas Augustine for the Church beleeued the scriptures you for your Churches sake controll the scriptures and disobey them And for the establishing of that vndue honour which they would bestow vpon the most happie mother of Christ the virgin Mary Marke the boldnesse of Durand a great piller in the Popish Church Rathon◠di◠li. 4. rub 6. who writeth thus Although it is said in the Scriptures that Christ rising did first appeare to Marie Magdalen yet it is more truly beleeued that first of all he appeared to his mother Is it not plaine how that to establish their foolish toyes he giueth the lie to that word that is onely true O grosse boldnesse Seeing therefore this worde hath not onely testimonie within vs which is the strongest witnesse but also with so great consent is knowne to be Gods worde be ashamed now to call it into question or to put it to the triall of the Church by which the Papists alwaies vnderstand the Romish Church whether it shal be allowed for currant or not For in deede this blasphemous sense which as I haue shewed euen their owne friends can in no wise like of is now the cōmon exposition of those words of S. Aug. I will not beleeue the scriptures vnlesse the Church of Rome do allow the Bookes for Canonicall and expound them as she shall thinke good And thus much to answer this their common obiection What the Catholike Church is that is mentioned in the Creede CHAP. 6 THE PROTESTANTS VVE say with the Apostle Saint Paul that the catholike church which is spoken of in the Creede s. Tim. 3. Is the house of God the pillar and ground of truth And with the fathers that it is the companie of all the faithfull of all times and of all places And with Saint Iohn The Bride of the Lambe Apoc. 21 9. and the bodie of Christ And therefore that the wicked and faithlesse are not of this Church nor can be counted of this companie THE PAPISTS BVt the Church of Rome to get a Catholike Church admit good and bad to be of their Church namely reprobates wicked Bellar. de Eccle. li. 3. cap. 2. and vngodly ones Neither do thinke that they neede any inward vertue to bee of their Church but onely that they professe religion and be vnder the Pope Well may they in some sort seeme to haue a Catholike Church because all is fish that comes into their net but holy apostolike it shal not be nor Catholike as in the Creed is meant Wherein this is worthie to be reproued in them that whereas they crie out in worde and writing The Catholike church of Rome and vnlesse you beleeue the Catholike Church you cannot be saued And for proofe hereof they alledge this article I beleeue the Catholike church yet when they should tell vs what this Catholike church is wherevnto we must so necessarily be subiect they onely paint vnto vs I know not what Romish Church The catholike church in the Creed and the Romish contrary which is no more like the true Catholike church than that church of Israel when it was started aside from the true worship of God was like to the true church of God that remained amongest the people of the Iewes as by these few reasons may appeare The catholike church is One One that is to say one companie and vnited and knit togither by one spirite and the selfe same graces but the reprobate and vngodly who fill vp a place in the Romish catholike church neither are one company with the Saints nor vnited to them by the same spirit and graces to be partakers of the communion of Saints Therefore that catholike and the Romish catholike Church are not all one Secondly that Church is Holy Holy and that not in part but perfectly euen without spot or wrinckle Ephe. 5.26.27 For in our Creed we doe not speake of the church that is but that shal be not that which we see with our eye but by faith not that which is perfected but hoped for which we shall not in deede behold with our eyes Reuel 21 vntill it come downe from heauen as saint Iohn speaketh of the heauenly Ierusalem Apoc. 11 which as witnesseth saint Ambrose doth represent the Church that shall bee after the ende of the world Apoc. 21 Of which minde is also saint Augustine But the Romish catholike church is of omnigatheroms as people goe to faires or markets of all sorts and qualities And although a man haue not one good thing in him not one crum of honestie hee is good enough to make vp a number in the Church of Rome but such a church is not holy and therefore not that that is mentioned in the Creede Thirdly that church is catholike Catholike that is as all the godly haue acknoledged it the mother of all Christians the companie of all the saints both in heauen and vpon earth But the Romish catholike church
also that they may be visible If he meane it of the catholike Church which is the thing in question why is hee afrayed to say so Surely euen his owne conscience tolde him that of all the arguments that he hath in that place there is not one out of which he may conclude That the Catholike Church catholike I say in that sense that I haue proued it to bee taken in the Creede is or can bee visible to vs in this world And therefore craftily he leaueth the question and falleth to other matters I therefore see no cause why I may not truely and boldly conclude Apoc. 21 2 9 that that Heauenly Ierusalem and bride of the Lambe that spouse of Christ mentioned in the Apocalips which in deed Saint Iohn sawe but by vision onely is the same catholike church that we speake of in the Creede but whilest wee wander here wee can not see it but by faith onely But when Christ our head and captaine shall haue put downe all rule and all authoritie and power 1. Cor. 15.24 then shall the glorie of the Church in deede appeare then shall shee be exalted aboue the mountaines In Apoc. Hom. 18 as Saint Augustine confesseth Yea then shall the Church be made perfectly catholike when no member shall be wanting vnto it Then shall the godly not by faith as now but euen with their renued eyes see her and her beautie The Church here militant vpon the earth may erre CHAP. 8 THE PROTESTANTS ALthough that part of the catholike Church which is alreadie entred into her Masters ioy Mat. 25.21 cannot erre yet this part that is here vpon the earth because it consisteth of men who are subiect to infirmities neither are they endued with the spirit but in some measure neither is it conuersant or remaining but in the vally not of misery only but of ignorance also it therfore may be subiect vnto errors for a time although it shall neuer be quite ouercome of the same For their errors shall be either of small importance or short cōtinuance THE PAPISTS BVt the Church of Rome would make vs beleeue their garden wil bring forth no weedes And that the ignorant might with reuerence receyue and beleeue whatsoeuer they say with great confidence they sound it euerie where that the church of Rome cannot erre And by the church they doe not meane all for they will not so much esteeme of the lay people but the Bishops yea the Pope himselfe although hee but one man yea and many times a most vile and lewde man yet they will in no wise that hee may erre speaking iudicially in matters of fayth Now for the Arguments whereby they would vphold their errour the first sort is grounded vpon some places of Scripture wrested and abused for their purpose as when the Scriptures promise the assistance of Gods spirit to teach vs or direct vs. And of these some are more particular than other Argument Luke 22.32 Christ said to Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail therfore Peter could not erre And if Peter could not erre neither his successours as they surmise Ver. 57 58 60 Answere And yet verie soone after the very same Apostle did not denie onely his maister and that three times but also began to curse and sweare that he knew him not Mat. 26.74 Shall we then say that Christ was not so good as his promise God forbid Christ therefore prayed not that Peter might not erre at all or that his faith might not any thing faint but that it might not altogether faile Or to vse the wordes of Theophilact Theo. Lu. 22 That if the leafe of his faith did fall yet the roote should not die Christs prayer therefore was not that Peter should not erre but that he should not continue in errour and so it preuailed And therefore here is no priuiledge for the church of Rome or the Pope that they may not erre because wee see Peter himselfe had no such priuiledge Neither was this prayer of Christs for Peter onely as is most plaine by the Euangelist saint Iohn Iohn 17.20 I pray not for them onely but for all that through them shall beleeue in my name It was therefore for all the Apostles yea for all the beleeuers Although Christ spake there particularly to Peter as Theophilact sayth perchaunce because he was bolder than the rest In Luke 22 and proude because of that was said vnto him And by this that hath beene said appeareth the answere to the other places of the scripture that seeme more generall Argument When Christ promiseth to giue vs his spirit to teach vs and direct vs they inferre therefore the church cannot erre Answere Wherein they commit two absurdities First in robbing a great number of Gods people of that comfort that belongeth vnto them in that they make the promises which generally belong to all the faithfull to be spoken but to some few for by the church they vnderstand either the pope or the bishops Secondly that they beare the world in hand that Christ prayed for that which he did not or that he promiseth vs that which he neuer meant or that he spake of such perfection as it is vnpossible men should attaine vnto Yea In Iohn 16 Theophilact in my iudgement most notablie sheweth that when Christ had promised to send the holy Ghost which should lead into al truth least any body should thereby imagin that the holy Ghost is greater than Christ if it can make vs partakers of greater and mo things than Christ can he addeth Hee shall not speake of himselfe that is he shall speake nothing of his owne but that is mine For he that sayth he shall speake whatsoeuer he hath hard doth signifie that he shal teach nothing but that which Christ hath taught And these are the verie wordes of Theophilact whereby he doth not onely say that the holy Ghost can adde nothing of his owne to that which Christ hath taught and so may not bring into the church any new doctrines as the church of Rome doth vnder this colour but also that it is a diminishing of Christs glorie and a preferring of the holy Ghost before Christ to suppose that the holy Ghost can or may teach any thing in Gods church that hath not bin taught by Christ himselfe Wherin he mightily beateth downe that proude bragge of the church of Rome wherby they seeke to exempt themselues from all errour because they falsely chalenge vnto themselues that their doctrines and traditions are vnwritten verities and to be beleeued as well as Gods worde as comming from this spirit whereas they are nothing consonant to that which Christ taught and therefore the spirite had no commission to teach the same Yea in vaine they say they are directed by Gods spirite when as they teach that that Gods spirit neither can nor will teach because Christ hath not taught it before Neither doe
thou see wine doe these thinges goe to the draught as other meates doe God forbid Thinke not so For as waxe being put into the fire is made like vnto it none of the substance remaineth nothing aboundeth euen so heere thinke the mysteries to bee consumed by the substance of the body In which words he bringeth nothing for Popish transubstantiation For although they doe teach that the substance of the bread is perished yet the accidentes they teach still to remaine and euer they say that Christ is present in the sacrament vnder the formes of bread and wine But when waxe is cast into the fire there is not so much as a shew that there hath beene waxe but all is consumed Therefore this similitude maketh not for transubstantiation And in trueth whosoeuer shall reade that whole sermon shall easily perceiue that Chrysost there doeth but by rhetoricall amplifications exhort the people so to be affected when they come vnto the holy sacrament that their eie shoulde not bee occupied about anie earthly creatures but their minde altogetherr exercised in heauenly cogitations according saith he vnto the promise that you made vnto the Priest when as hee saide Lift vp your mindes and hearts and you answered I haue it lifted vp vnto the Lord. Which is according to the councell which hee giueth vnto vs in an other place that especially in these holie mysteries Chrysost in Math. hom 83 wee shoulde not onely beholde that which is before our eyes but especially remember his wordes But it were too tedious to answere euery place particularly that they doe alleadge and out of this which is already spoken it is easie to answere any thing that they can bring out of the fathers for fiue or sixe hundred yeares But if any man wil aske why our sauiour Christ doth giue vnto the bread the name of his Bodie and to the wine the name of his Blood And why the fathers doe so call these outward signes the bodie and blood of our sauiour Christ I will answere with Theodoret an ancient father Dial. 1. Immutabilâ—â— Hee would haue them that are partakers of the diuine mysteries not to bee occupied in thinking of the nature of the thinges that are seene but in respect of the change of the name to beleeue the change that is made through grace As for the Councels which they bring for proofe of this doctrine Bellarm. de Euchar. lib. 3 cap. 23 the first of them was more than a thousand yeeres after Christ whereby it may appeare how late this doctrine is whereupon Scotus a schooleman doeth confesse that this transubstantiation was not a doctrine of faith before the councel of Lateran although Bellarmine reproue him for it Seeing now this their lately hatched doctrine doeth bring with it so many absurdities is darkened with so many doubtes hath no warrant in the Scriptures no ground in the ancient fathers and is not to be accounted as an article of faith euen by the confession of them that speake of the greatest antiquitie of it much more than fiue hundred yeares since let vs take heed of them who crie continually Antiquitie Antiquitie and yet indeuour to bring in new doctrines and deuises of their owne and to turne away the hearts of the ignorant from the true ancient faith deliuered by Christ and his apostles and sincerely preserued many hundred yeeres in the church of God But of this because it is one of the speciall points of doctrine wherein we dissent I haue stoode longer That the wicked receiue not in the Sacrament Christs bodie and blood CHAP. 14 THE PROTESTANTS BEcause that whosoeuer hath eaten the sonne hath the sonne for hee is meate that perisheth not Ioh. 6.50 and he that hath the sonne hath life 1. Ioh. 5.22 And on the contrary De ciuit Dei lib. 21. ca. 25 De consecra dist 2. vt quid paras ex Augustino as saint Augustine saith He can not eate Christs body that is not in his body Lastly seeing he can not be torn with the teeth but must be receiued by faith wee therefore teach that although the wicked may be partakers of the visible signes yet they can not be said to eate or receiue the body and blood of our sauiour Christ And with Saint Augustine In Ioh. tract 59 that they may eate as Iudas did the Lords bread against the Lord but the bread the Lorde they can not eate which doctrine is most plaine and bringeth with it no absurdities or doubts THE PAPISTS BVt the Church of Rome Iren. lib. 4 cap. 34. forgetting that the Sacrament consisteth of twoo things that is to say the materiall breade and that which came down from heauen which is Christ do adde vnto these a third namely Bellarm. de Euchar. li. 1 cap. 23 the effect of the body of Christ or his spirituall graces making thereby a separation and as it were a diuorce betweene the bodie of Christ which they teach the wicked may receiue and those graces which can not in deede bee separated from the same and cannot be giuen to the vngodly Whereby they do wrap themselues in such a cloud of doubts as all the Papists in the world wil neuer be able to answer M. Bilsoâ— part 4. whilest some say that this body goeth no further than to the teeth some allowe it to haue passage but to the stomake but not to abide there some to continue there also yea some say that it goeth as other meate into the belly yet remaineth stil Christs body so long as the forme of the bread remaineth yea and that it may be voided either vpward or downward and receiued of man or beast Although this vnreconcileable difference that is among them in so materiall a point of their religion namely what is becom of the body of Christ after the wicked haue receiued the same and these filthy blasphemies and detestable shifts that they are driuen vnto for defence of their heresie be a sufficient confutation both of that doctrine of transubstantiation from whence doe spring all these filthie pudles and sinckes and also of this other that the wicked may eate the body of Christ which is but a sowre grape of that vnkindely roote yet for the better satisfying of the ignorant I will by Gods assistance take a short view of their arguments whereby they indeuour to proue that the most wicked men may eate the body and drinke the blood of Christ Now their chiefe and almost onely proofe is taken from transubstantiation of the vntrueth of which doctrine I trust I haue spoken sufficiently in the former chapter And now therefore that I may conclude that if the wicked can not eate the body of Christ vnlesse the bread be changed into the bodie as themselues will confesse then because there is no such change therefore the wicked eate not his body But one shew of an argument they make out of the scriptures 1. Cor. 11.27 29 He
that eateth and drinketh vnwoorthily is guiltie of the body and blood of the Lord and after eateth and drinketh iudgement vnto himselfe making no difference of the Lordes bodie Out of which place they reason to this effect The wicked or vnworthy receiuers can not be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord vnlesse they receiue it But they are guiltie of them and receiue iudgement to themselues therby Therefore they receiue the bodie and blood of the Lord. The minor or second proposition is true for saint Paul saith it But the first is most false For although the wicked can not be neither are partakers of the bodie and blood of Christ yet because they come not to the sacrament which was instituted of God to offer and assure vs of the heauenly graces with such reuerence as they ought to do and in such sincerity as behoueth them therefore are they accounted and that woorthily to despise the things themselues that are represented by those visible signes And this is it that S. Paul findeth fault with the Corinthians For that by despising the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ they shewed their contempt of the thing signified thereby And therfore S. Ambrose Ambrose saith euen vpon these words Because it is the Lorde whose blood he drinketh in mystery S. Hierome Hierome yeeldeth the reason why he is guiltie of the body blood of Christ Because he hath accounted as vile the Sacrament marke his wordes of so great a mysterie Not therefore are they guiltie because they eate Christ but because saith hee they despise the Sacrament of so great a mysterie And Theophilact Theophilact vppon these wordes saieth Hee that receiueth it vnwoorthily shall bee no lesse guiltie of wickednesse than if hee shed the very blood of the Lord. Where we see that Theophilact doth compare the vnworthy receiuing of the holie sacrament with the shedding of Christes blood and so maketh them two diuerse things And therefore in his iudgement it is not all one to receiue the Sacrament and to receiue Christ So that by these places it appeareth that the wicked may bee guiltie of the body and blood of Christ which are by the holy Sacrament represented and sealed vp vnto the faithfull and yet not receiue the body and blood of Christ Yet by the way I must needs note the false dealing of Andradeus a popish writer who to make the Apostles argument the stronger for him doeth falsifie his wordes And therefore where the Apostle saith hee that eateth of this bread and drinketh of the Lordes cup vnworthily he saith Hee that eateth the Lordes body Orthod ex pli lib. 7. and drinketh of his blood But it is no great fault in poperie to abvse the Scriptures and to adde to them or take from them as they thinke good Wee see therefore that this cleane meate is for cleane men this holy banquet is for holy guests as they had wont to crie For De benedict patriaâ— ch c. â— as saint Ambrose saith This bread is the foode but of the godlie And why because Our abiding in him Cypr. de coâ—na Domini is our eating of him and our drinking of him is our incorporating into him our seruices being subiected our willes conioyned and our affections vnited to him Therefore the eating of his flesh is a certaine earnestnesse and desire to abide in him Which things to be in the vngodly the Papists will in no wise affirme Many testimonies might be alleaged but with one shift they thinke to answer all The answer of the Papists Christ his body and blood say they may be receiued of the wicked but not the fruit or effect thereof And may Christ be receiued of any and they not to liue by him Confutation of it Can he that is full of all grace and power be at any time as it were robbed of the same God forbid For if they wil speake of his conuersing among the Iewes and of his being among many whilest he was vpon earth that got no good thereby the reason thereof is plaine it was because they receiued him not Ioh. 3.19 20. But to say that any may receiue him and is not partaker of his graces and benefites is most expresly against the wordes of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 6.57 He that eateth me shall liue through me They can not therefore offer a greater disgrace to our Sauiour Christ than to say that any can receiue him and yet not be partakers of his heauenly graces So that whilest they take vpon them the defence of the wicked in some sort they set themselues euen wilfully to reproch the holy one of Israel But if it should be granted to them that the wicked may eate Christ how or when wil they agree what shall be done with that body blood of Christ that they so eate For themselues deny that the soules of the wicked are norished by him And that their bodies should by his body be norished is too absurd What then becommeth of his body and blood which they say the wicked receiue To answer this question resolutely and definitiuely they haue not yet agreed they neuer will they neuer can Therefore vntill they can answere directly to such inconueniences as of necessitie follow the doctrine that they teach let vs beleeue that Christ is the foode of the faithfull onely because none other but they do receiue him Let vs not heare them who in the sacraments which should be and are indeede most plaine and easie teach vs wholy to looke for miracles as doe the Papists For Christ is present by miracle and absent by miracle if they say true And so when all learning and scriptures faile then they perswade vs that we must seeke for a wonder and so make them that will giue credite to them in these their grosse deuises the wonders of the world for their folly But enough of this That the Cup ought not to be denied vnto the lay people which thing the Papists do CHAP. 15. THE PROTESTANTS BEcause it is needeful for the nourishment of our bodies to haue not meate onely to satisfie our hunger but drinke also to quench our thirst in And that Christ would represent vnto vs in his Sacrament the perfect nourishment of our souls wherevnto nothing could be added because that nothing should be wanting For this cause did our Sauiour Christ institute his sacrament of these two partes of our nourishment and gaue as well the one of them as the other vnto his Apostles Commanding them also aswel to take drinke of the cup as to eate of the bread And the Church also did practise this more than a thousand yeeres But of late the councel of Constance Anno 1415. Sess 13. did forbid it and commaund the Sacrament to be receiued but in one kinde THE PAPISTS SO that the church of Rome not regarding the expresse commandement of our Sauiour Christ neither the practise of
commaund that ceremonie to bee vsed so neither did himselfe practise it any more but that once as may appeare in sundrie places where hee authoriseth his Apostles to preach without breathing vpon them And nowe for laying on of handes which many times the Apostles vsed wee haue not only the testimonie of manie in the popish church that thinke it not to be the principall outward signe in this sacrament but thinke the giuing of a chalice with wine and the couer of it with bread to be more essentiall and effectuall but also we see that there is no commaundement giuen to the Apostles for it and therefore neither doe they commaund it to be vsed as a thing so necessarie that it may not be omitted And whereas we acknowledge this ceremonie to haue sundrie vses first in respect of the church the partie ordained is by that ceremonie notified vnto the church secondly he is confirmed thereby in his calling put in minde of his dutie and assured of his vocation by this common approbation that hereby the church sheweth Thirdly thereby the church doeth testifie as it were before God their sincere dealing in their election and consecrate him to the seruice of God Lastly the Godly vsed manie times in praying for others to lay their hands vpon them Bellarmine in the place aboue named bestoweth some paines to proue that praier and laying on of hands are two distinct things which is not denied To be short the summe of his argument is this it was vsed of the Apostles therefore it is so necessarie that it cannot be omitted We answer that that ceremonie had good vses but yet might be omitted Because our sauiour Christ did neither vse it nor commaund it And to thinke that he omitted anie substantial point of religion or that the Apostles would account as simply necessary any thing not vsed or prescribed by Christ is to absurd And whereas they proue the promise of iustifying grace to be made by Christ vnto them that receyue this their sacrament of Orders I wonder that they see not how that both many are iustified that neuer entered into their Orders many also that haue had and haue their greasing and scraping are as wicked men and so by likelihood as far from this iustifying grace as Turkes or Iewes And so it easily appeareth that this second thing required in a sacrament namely that it should seale in vs the promise of iustification hath not so much as anie likelihoode to bee in this their sacrament of Orders The third thing necessarie in a sacrament is Gods commaundement wherin they confesse their want and that they haue no commaundement But yet because God did giue grace with laying on of the Apostles handes 1 Tim. 4. Bellar. de ord sacra li. 1. ca. 2. therefore they take it as commaunded of God If this bee a good argumente God gaue g od successe to it therefore it is commaunded of God many strange partes in Sampson Iehu and others will prooue to be commaunded of God but that is most false as the Papists themselues will confesse God did not onely prosper Phinehas Numb 25 in that which he attempted against Zimrie and Cosby but commended the fact also and graciously rewarded the same but yet he had no commaundement for so doing Therefore although God may bee saide in some sort to like of that to which he giueth good successe yet no man can thereby conclude that God hath commaunded it But rather on the contrary we may thus reason The laying on of hands was neither practised by our sauiour Christ neither commaunded by him or his Apostles therefore that ceremonie is not of such necessitie but that ordination may bee without it Yea but Christ is not tyed to the sacrament sayth master Bellarmine and therefore can giue the effect of the sacrament without the sacrament Cap. 2. li. 1. hee can make Priestes without laying on of handes That hee can so doe wee confesse but that hee dealeth so in the institution of sacraments all the Papists in the worlde will neuer bee able to proue for in them we see that all things are most plaine the outward signe the promise the commaundement nothing in them hidden nothing doubtfull But because himselfe dare not well rest vpon that answere hee concludeth that seconde chapter with another aunswere for hee telleth vs that it may bee that Christ did lay his hands vpon them whom he made ministers Is this good dealing Doeth not this manifestly bewray the weakenesse of their cause when such friuolous coniectures are the chiefe strength of their cause As for the Fathers whatsoeuer out of them they doe alledge cannot prooue that which they take in hande namely that the sacrament of Orders is a sacrament like to Baptisme and the Eucharist For all men must confesse that these two sacraments which wee acknowledge to be common to all Christians are farre vnlike in that point to that popish sacrament which belongeth but vnto a fewe And euen in this consisteth especially the true vse of Baptisme and of the Eucharist that they should be genenerall testifications vnto the whole church of Gods graces and seales of his promises and pledges of his loue and fauour And therefore the fathers sometime call Ordination a sacrament yet it followeth not that they take it to bee a sacrament in the proper sense but in that sense onely as they call manie other things Sacraments which the Popish Church doeth not receyue as Sacraments De Sacrat ord li 1. ca â— But say they the Fathers compare Ordination with Baptisme For Bellarmine maketh great reckoning of that argument The fathers may be so in some respect because the sacrament of Baptisme cannot be reiterated no more must he that is once ordained to the ministerie seeke to be ordayned againe for euerie action that he performeth in his ministerie but hee is once for all appointed thereto But what is that to the nature of the sacrament which must by a visible signe assure vs of inuisible graces So that athough Ordination be like to Baptisme after a sort yet is it not like to Baptisme in that it by a visible signe doeth assure vs of inuisible graces but onely because it is not to bee reiterated no more than Baptisme is And thus wee see the weakenesse of this argument Ordination is in some poynt like to Baptisme therefore it is a sacrament in such sort as Baptisme is Thus then I trust it appeareth howe weakely they proue Ordination to be a sacrament who haue neither scriptures Matt. 28.19 nor fathers for the same But if they could prooue that Ordination which Christ vsed to bee a sacrament what is that to Popish Ordination Christ sent the Apostles to preach Goe teach all nations but by their ordination the popish priests Receiue power to offer a sacrifice The Apostles executed their commission which Christ gaue them as appeareth in the Acts and their Epistles And the popish priests on
say that this their Sacrament is not truly and properly a Sacrament instituted by Christ for so doeth the Councell of Trent Wherein I knowe not whether they haue somewhat wounded themselues Cap 1. both because they say themselues but a little before that it is insinuated by Christ which is lesse than instituted And also it is tanquam vere propriè Sacramentum as it were which is a doubtfull speach truely and properly a Sacrament De sacram Vnct. cap. 2. But let vs see howe maister Bellarmine prooueth this to bee a Sacrament out of that place of saint Iames. Hee can finde as he supposeth the outwarde signe The outward signe True it is there is an outwarde signe but it is not that which is required in annoyling nowe for nowe it must needes be consecrated but then it was not The Apostles did vse it especially against the diseases of the bodie but this Oyle is in the Popish church vsed especially for a remedie against the sickenesses of the soule Therefore I graunt it was in those dayes a signe of health of bodie whilest God left with his church that gift of healing but it was neuer a signe of spirituall grace which is it that now they do affirme As for the health of the bodie they so little regarde that it should be vsed to that ende that they must not in any wise annoyle them but such as they haue no hope that they may escape Whereas the Apostle saint Iames would haue it done to that ende that God forgiuing them their sinnes which are many times the cause of sickenesse they might be Healed as saith saint Bede vpon this place As for the promise which is a seconde thing that must be in a sacrament The promise of grace master Bellarmine maketh no doubt but that he can proue it because it is said The Lord shal raise him vp and if he haue sinned they shal be forgiuen him The meaning of the apostle in this place is verie plaine that wheras in the daies of the primitiue church there were many myracles wrought by the apostles and others they did not those things by any power which they had in them selues but by the prayer of faith the sicke were healed And if their sinnes were the cause of their sicknesse as they are many times although not alwayes Iohn 9.3 as by saint Iohns gospel it appeareth hee promiseth that God to the ende that they may not doubt but that they shall bee healed will take away their sinnes and forgiue their offences which otherwise might bee a let or hinderance And that this condition is to be vnderstoode in this promise it is plaine by these wordes And if you haue committed sinnes For the apostle nothing doubted but that they had sinnes For if wee say wee haue no sinne 1 Iohn 1.8 wee deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. But hee might iustly doubt whether sickenesse was alwayes layd vpon men for and in respect of their sinnes Therefore to doubt whether they might haue sinne or not belongeth vnto them that knowe not the corruption of mans nature which wee cannot thinke of the apostle saint Iames. But to knowe that God doeth not alwayes sende afflictions in respect of sinne hee had learned by that which our Sauiour Christ himselfe sayde vnto his Disciples of the blind man Neither hath this man sinned neither his parents Iohn 9.33 but that the workes of God may be manifest And for this cause saint Iames saith If hee committed sinnes they shall be forgiuen him that is if his sinnes haue beene the cause of his sickenesse his sinnes shall be forgiuen him that his sickenesse may cease So then the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes which should especially serue to make this oyling a sacrament is but conditionall whereas in the true sacraments in deede the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes is most certaine otherwise wee should not haue in the vse of them any true comfort Thus then seeing sicknes sometime commeth of sinne sometime of other causes the apostle sayeth if it come of sinne not onely the man ouer whom the elders make their faithfull prayer and whom they so oynt with this visible oyle shal be raised vp but also his sinnes the cause of his sicknesse shal be taken away But that not forgiuenesse of sinnes was especially regarded in this ceremonie but bodily health the fathers afore named doe proue and maister Bellarmine cannot denie but that sundrie of the Papists do affirme whilest they teach that the Apostles in the 6. of saint Marke his Gospell did practise the selfe same thing that saint Iames commaundeth The institution of this Sacrament But for the institution of this sacrament maister Bellarmine can bring no proofe at all but onely in respect of this promise of saint Iames which if it be not of spirituall grace as I trust I haue proued that it is not then is there no institution of this sacrament to be found Then wee see that all this whole building hangeth vpon a weake foundation to bee grounded vpon one onely authoritie and that so little to the purpose vnlesse it be racked besides the meaning and that out of that Epistle which although it be in our churches receyued and read yet we know that the authoritie thereof hath bin doubted of and therefore the lesse force hath it to proue any thing that is not taught in any other place And especially for their annoyling that is now vsed in the Popish church which is farre vnlike that which the apostles vsed there is in that place no proofe at all And as master Bellarmine hath the better lyking to expounde this place of saint Iames of another oynting than the apostles vsed marke eth sixt chapter Cap. 2 because as hee saieth Luther Caluine and Kemnitius doe take both places for one annointing euen so doe I and that with much better reason mislike the Popish anoyling because it commeth so neare vnto that practise of the heretikes of whom Ieremie speaketh li. 1. cap. 18. That they redeeme their dead at the ende of their race or trauell powring oyle and water vpon their heads And whereas master Bellarmine would proue out of Epiphanius that this oyntment was vsed when they were dead And therefore therein they differ from the Papists yet saint Augustine in his booke of heresies saieth Cap. 16. they did it when they were dying So that master Bellarmine must not thinke so to face out the matter as if those heretikes were nothing like them And whereas they vsed water also with their Oyle although they differ therein from the church of Rome yet the difference is nothing so great by many degrees betweene the Papists and those heretikes as is betweene the apostles and the papists for this poynt as maie appeare by that which before hath beene saide De sacra vnct li. 2. cap. 4. But after this great scarcitie of proofe out of the scriptures
hee commeth at length to the authoritie of man And hee will prooue what men will say in his behalfe where God keepeth silence And the first that he bringeth in is Innocentius that liued at the least foure hundred yeares after Christ What was it no Sacrament for foure hundred yeares and nowe vpon a sudden is it become a sacrament howe doeth hee proue it to bee a sacrament He bringeth no reason hee hath no proofe no neither yet doeth hee so much as say it is a sacrament properly so called but that it is Genus Sacramenti A kinde of Sacrament What then if we graunt to master Bellarmine that which Pope Innocentius sayeth If it bee a kinde of Sacrament as hee sayeth is it therefore a sacrament truely and properly as maister Bellarmine saieth I denie that argument and maister Bellarmine will not proue it And yet to helpe his bad cause hee lowdly and lewdly belyeth Innocentius his woordes in that hee affirmeth that Innocentius saieth expresselie and plainlie that this oynting is that sacrament explaned by saint Iames. But Innocentius hath no such wordes no neither yet any thing like But M. Bellarmine to deceiue them that can not looke into the fathers doth many times falsifie them to make his cause to seeme better And nowe what cause hath this seconde Achylles of the Catholikes for Eckius did bestow that name first vpon himselfe as you may see in his Enchiridion in the title of the church in the margent what cause I saie hath this challenging champion thus to brag against Kemnitius that hee durst not so much as name this Innocentius When his testimonie is examined the cracke is great but he doth not hit the marke that maister Bellarmine would haue him to leauell at As for Kemnitius if he haue but his due praise we must needes confesse that by his learning and trauell he hath more beaten downe the walles of that popish Babilon than that all the papists if they ioine togither hand in hand shall be able with all their skill and cunning to raise it vp againe Of Innocentius the third because he came so late he is not worth the answering for he liued about 1200. yeares after Christ in time of ignorance and much superstition As for the Councels which he alleageth the first is the Nicene councell translated into latine out of the Arabic tongue But since that canon is not amongst those canons which wee haue in the tomes of the councels and in those coppies that hitherto haue beene counted the true councels we neede not much regarde those farre fetched authorities His second authoritie is out of the councell of Cabilon and some other particular councels and although he commend their antiquitie yet the first of them was almost 800. yeares after Christ And those which I haue examined make not for his purpose For they proue not that this annointing is a sacrament properly so called Now for the fathers master Bellarmine needeth no aduersary he confesseth his want of proofe out of them For he deuideth the fathers into two sortes The one he confesseth doe not plainly saie that it is a sacrament Why then doth he produce them He hath taken in hand to proue that anoyling as it is vsed in the popish church is a true and proper sacrament If they will not proue this they maie holde their tongues For to this end only are they to be alleaged An other sort there are who speake it plainely as he telleth vs. But they are of no credit neither are once named among the ancient fathers The eldest of them is about 800. yeares after Christ And for his examples of some few men what they haue done it is no proofe to vs that we ought so to doe They might haue their reasons that might well induce them to it They might also doe therein as in many things many haue done of a blinde zeale and foolish deuotion How or in what sort they haue done that which they did I wil not take vpon me to iudge as for their doings they ought not to be an example to any man so that we should be bound to follow them But hee wil proue by reason that it must needs be a sacrament Bellarm. de sac vnct li. 1. cap. 5. For since God hath by a sacrament holpen vs in the entraunce into the church and also in our continuance in the same we maie not imagine that his prouidence shall faile vs at our going out of the church these are maister Bellarmine his wordes I might briefly answere that we are not to teach God what we thinke conuenient that he should doe but to see what he hath done and to content our selues therewith and to frame our selues to performe the same But if God faile in his prouidence if their anoyling be not a sacrament then must we imagine that God had no due regarde of the fathers of the old world or of the patriarkes or of the godly vnder the law For vntill Christs time master Bellarmine will confesse they had not this Sacrament Yea the Apostles and all other the Godly and constant Martirs in Christs church had not that sacrament Neither yet did they make complaint for want of the same but comfortably and patiently indured all torments with great ioy although they had not this anoyling nor anie hope to haue it no neither once thought of it Lastly our Sauiour Christ to prepare vs against death telleth vs that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life and to cause vs not to feare it he saith that he is the resurrection and the life Many notable lessons did our Sauiour Christ giue to his disciples before he left the world to goe to his father which are recorded by Saint Iohn from the twelfth to the seuenteenth chapters And although he vse all arguments to comfort them yet he neuer once thought of this anoyling which yet then if he had purposed to leaue vnto his church anie such Sacrament it had beene good time to haue deliuered them for their comforte To be short whatsoeuer he commaunded vs to vse for the strengthning of our faith with boldnesse we may and with comfort and readinesse we ought to doe But it is farre from either true or sound comfort in the agony of death or a sufficient weapon to withstand the assaults of Sathan and conflicts of conscience to haue standing by thee some Idol pastor whose greatest good that he either can or will doe vnto thee is to grease some parts of thy body Let the world esteeme of these things as they will But this is certaine that it is only true obedience that hath the promise of blessing And without the commandement there can be no obedience either in our duties towardes God or our conuersation amongst men For obedience is nothing els but an earnest applying of our selues to doe that which is pleasing vnto God and which he hath commanded It is also far from the maiestie of
Gods spirit to deliuer to vs such trifling toyes thereby to comfort the afflicted conscience And thus I trust it appeareth that this their sacrament of anoyling is but a deuise of their owne braine hauing neither institution from Christ neither any commaundement from his apostles or example in the scriptures especiallie as it is now vsed in the church of Rome either for the matter whereof it must consist or the manner how it must bee done or the end vnto which they especially haue regard in that ceremony I had thought here to haue ended both this treatise of the sacraments and this chapter but before I go anie farther I would haue the christian reader to marke the euill dealing of the popish church who with their tongues and pennes proclaime as lowd as they can that our doctrine is not catholicke it is new is lately deuised And yet we appeale to the scriptures haue testimony for vs also the cōsent of the fathers of the purer times And on the cōtrary the church of Rome crieth stil they are the catholick church they haue the catholicke religion yea all that is with them is catholicke But if by the rules of catholicke which Vincentius Lyrinensis giueth Commonitorio adversus haereses with whose authority they seek often to stoppe our mouthes we examine their doctrines we shall finde them as farre from the catholicke religion as the priests and rulers amongst the Iews were from the truth For whereas he accounteth no doctrine catholicke but that which hath beene taught at all times in all places and by all men or at the least by the most and the best learned and godliest men wee might by this rule reiect manie of their doctrines which they deliuer to vs as catholicke and necessarie so that without beleeuing them there is no saluation For shortnesse sake let vs looke into this that last I handled They will haue it a catholicke doctrine to teach that anoyling is a true and proper Sacrament yea and the councell of Trent curseth them that saie the contrarie And yet maister Bellarmine who saith as much in effect as they all can saie in this point how catholickely doth hee proue it He with much adoe wresteth for it one place out of Saint Iames and hath not one mo in all the Scripture for him Then leapeth hee more then foure hundreth yeares after Christ and picketh out one pope Innocent who saith it is a kinde of Sacrament If he had proued it to be a Sacrament properly so called yet had he beene but one witnesse in foure hundred yeares Then about 1200. years after Christ he hath gotten another witnes and he is a pope also Innocent the third Then he telleth vs of the 69. canon of the councell of Nice which had in al but twenty canons Al aboue twenty were fetched out of Arabia but are neither mētioned in the Nicene councel set forth by thēselues Li. 1. cap. 6. neither yet of Ruffinus in his ecclesiastical history where he setteth downe the canōs of that councel who although he make 22. in nūber Yet is the matter no other than is set downe in the 1. booke of the coūcels in those 20. chapters Besides there are many other strong reasons pregnant presumptions to proue those 50. canons for they haue 70. to be falsly added to the councel therfore they deserue no credit He also alledgeth some particular councels which he commendeth for their antiquitie and yet the ancientest of them is about 800. yeares after Christ And about that time also are the most ancient fathers that seeme to say any thing for him Then if thou knowest the sunne to shine at noone day thou maist also know that this is not a catholicke doctrine neither can be so accompted It hath not beene taught at all times not in al places not by al or the most of the learned No it hath had scarce one sufficient witnes in 1200. yeares But for the substance of religion which we teach if we haue not a vniuersal consent of the scriptures and also the testimony of the fathers of the church in her most pure times we craue no credit we aske no hearing Therefore that which wee teach is the only catholicke faith because it hath the vniuersall consent of the purer times that which for the most part they teach is but new not warranted by the word not known or not taught amongst the godly fathers at the least for 400. or 500. yeares Which I thought good vpon this occasion thus offered to note vnto the christian reader that I might pull away from the faces of those counterfeites the visard of catholicke vniuersality antiquity and consent that their religion may appeare indeede as it is new not old particular not catholicke false not true because it is the deuise of man whose wisedom is folly whose words are lies and not the wil of God which is the infallible rule and of whose word not one title shall perish And thus I trust it appeareth that they who brag most of the name of catholicke church are the greatest enemies to true catholicke religion teaching that which is nothing lesse then catholicke Of originall sinne what it is And whether Concupiscence be sinne or not CHAP. 21 THE PROTESTANTS THat all mankind which is conceiued of vnclean seede is also infected with original sinne no man denieth but the question is what this original sinne is which we confes to bee in vs. Originall sinne We therefore say It is a generall corruption of our whole nature which corruption as an inheritance we receiue from Adam In our minde is ignorance where was light knowledge In our heart is vnaptnesse and vnreadinesse to any thing that is good in steade of an earnest forwardnes to serue God sincerely whereby it commeth to passe that by concupiscence and lust wee are inticed to sinne Which concupiscence because the Apostle to the Romanes doeth often call ◠in we also say it is sinne not only because it proceedeth from sin and also proceedeth from it but also because it is a thing in it selfe contrary to Gods Lawe THE PAPISTS BVT the Papistes although they can not deny but that wee all haue originall sinne yet woulde they haue the force therof as litle knowen as may bee And therefore some of them haue taught that it is nothing else but the imputation of Adams sinne vnto vs and not any corruption in our selues as Ambrose Catharinus Andrad Orthod expli l◠b. 3. de axiom 3. Cens Colon. dialog 2. Pighius two notable papists And others find fault that we do so amplify the corruption of the nature of man by original sin as though nothing that is good could come from it As for cōcupiscence they wil not grant that it is sin in the regenerat And yet the Apostle S. Paul being a man regenerate confesseth it to be sin in himselfe very often as may appeare Rom. 7. The reasons which moue vs thus
argument The apostle speaking of Christs loue to the church his spouse sayth He gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it Ephe. 5.25 26 27 by the washing of water in the worde that he might make it vnto himselfe a grorious church not hauing spot or wrinkle c. Now if I should expound this place Ezec. 47. by the 47. Chapter of Ezechiel vnto the which the apostle may verie well seeme to allude I knowe this exposition would be thought newe and singular But yet as this exposition hath nothing in it against the rule of faith so by saint Ieroms interpretation of that place of Ezechiel it seemeth to be warranted For by the waters mentioned in that place hee vnderstandeth that which our sauiour Christ taught as also both hee and Primasius doe expound this place of the apostle As water say they washeth the bodie Ierom Primasius vpon Ephes 5. so teaching doeth cleanse the soule And so the apostle doth seeme to expound himselfe when hee sheweth that this washing is in the worde And thus this place serueth no more for his purpose then the rest For none of them proue that baptisme taketh away all sinne But admit that saint Paule speaketh in that place of baptisme yet this place will not serue to proue that they would haue it For then the apostle teacheth vs how the church of Christ I say that complete and whole bodie of Christ is sanctified namely by himselfe in the worde whereof baptisme is the sacrament So that therein appeareth how or rather by what meanes the bodie of Christ his wife and spouse shall be without spot and wrinkle but not in what maner or in what compasse of time euerie particular member of this bodie shall be freed from sinne which is in controuersie amongst vs. But to ende this first argument As this doctrine of the Romish Church sauoureth of Pelagianisme so master Bellarmine and his fellowes borrow weapons of the Pelagians to fight withall For saint Augustine doth note this place amongst those which the Pelagians did alledge to proue that man may be without sinne De perfect iust cont Celest But more plainly writing to Boniface hee writeth thus Lib. 4. cap 1 The Pelagians doe say that men by baptisme are perfectly renued and bring for proofe the witnesse of the Apostle to the Ephes 5. Not one ape is then liker another than are the Pelagians and Papists both in their doctrine and in their proofe of it But of all such testimonies I may say with saint August Some of them exhort them that do runne De perfect iust cont Celest that they run as they shoulde some other shewe to what ende they should runne And thus much for his first argument His second argument is this Arg. 2. of M. Bellarmine The Scriptures say that our spots defilings or pollutions and our iniquities are taken away therefore in baptisme all sinne is taken away For by these wordes is signified saith hee the verie corruption of sinne His argument is not good For we confesse his antecedent namely that these things are taken away as before hath beene shewed But it followeth not thereupon that by baptisme all sinne is taken away wee acknowledge also that Christ is made vnto vs Sanctification but in deed this holinesse wee say is not in this life perfected 1. Cor. 1.30 Begun it is in Gods children which walke not after the flesh Rom. 8.1 but after the spirit But doe what we can we had need alwayes to pray as our Sauiour Christ taught his apostles Forgiue vs our trespasses as saint Augustin doth often teach vs De perfect Iust Celest De Amiss gratiae li. 5 cap. 8 and namely in the end of his booke of the perfection of Iustice which place I the rather note because most vntruly master Bellarmine writeth that saint Augustine in that place saith That the vnwilling motions of concupiscence are so farre from being sinne that a man neede not for the forgiuenesse of them say Forgiue vs our trespasses But saint Augustine affirmeth the contrary For hauing alleadged that place of S. Iohn 1. Iohn 1.8 If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs then he addeth that if any will say that the apostle speaketh there of concupiscence that concupiscence if it be not consented vnto is not sinne He putteth a subtill difference which I would haue our aduersaries to marke that they may know that S. Aug. counteth that but a subtill shift And then he sheweth that we do somtimes somewhat consent to the lusts of that sinne because otherwise we needed not to say Forgiue vs our trespasses So that we see saint Augustine maketh that a reason to prooue that concupiscence often preuaileth because wee haue neede so to pray And thus we see how cleane contrarie to all shew of trueth master Bellarmine falsifieth saint Augustine Which I would wish the simple to consider of For many times either himselfe is so deceiued or else hee seeketh to deceiue his Reader But to returne to his argument this we say that euen here in this life Gods children begin to haue a mislike of sin a loue of godlines yea and also by the assistance of Gods good spirit increase therin But this shal not be perfected in vs vntill we be deliuered from this bodie of death Rom. 7 Vpon Iohn tract 41 and that made the apostle to crie out as he did And therefore saint Augustine saith that none in this life can be without sinne yet sinne is diminished in the life of them that do profit but consumed it is in the life of the perfect meaning after this life when corruption hath put on incorruption who then would allowe of this reason The verie filth and corruption of sin is taken away therefore it must needes be taken away here by baptisme Whereas on the contrarie we are called children of God because at the first not in faith onely but in life also we are beginners and weake and must growe stronger and stronger in both Arg. 3 His third argument In circumcision the flesh onely was cut away not by imputation onely Master Bellarmine verie vnskilfully doeth match togither things not of like nature For as Circumcision is the cutting off the foreskinne so is baptisme the washing of the bodie But this is nothing to the effect of the Sacrament to tel vs what the externall thing doth of it selfe Out of that that hath beene said it is not hard to answer his 4. 6. 7. 8 and 9. arguments if wee remember that God beginneth in vs holines here which shal be perfected else where But in the meane time for his Christs sake hee accepteth our vnperfect holinesse for perfect and forgiueth euen the many and great sinnes of his children As for his fift argument Bella. De iustificat li. 2. cap. 7. Rom. 5.19 which in another place he saith
that that these things merit or deserue Gods wrath to be turned away He cannot proue it We denie not but God looketh vpon these things but not for the merit of them but for his owne mercies And therefore master Bellarmine hath not yet prooued that fasting doth merit And this is the thing that hee should proue But on the contrarie A true vse of fasting in our fasting we acknowledge our selues to bee vnworthie of Gods creatures and that by our sinnes wee haue depriued our selues of the vse of his benefites and deserue not euen these his ordinarie graces which the verie beastes themselues maie freely enioy And in this heartie acknowledging of our owne vnworthinesse wee prostrate our selues before Gods mercie seate seeking for mercie not pleading but fearing and refusing our merit Now of this popish opinion of merit by fasting hath sprung vp another abuse in fasting Of popish fasting dayes That the papists haue dedicated these their fasting dayes not onely to the seruice of God for they supposed that they could by such meanes please him whereas it is all one to him whether wee come full or fasting so that wee come so as our hearts may bee most sitte to serue him but also to the honour of their Saints imagining thereby to deserue some fauour at their handes And for this cause did they deuise to fast vpon their Saintes Euens and at such other times as wee see the Popish Church vseth not so much to tame the flesh for that fasting we also affirme to be necessarie neither yet in any politike respect which belongeth not to our question but euen because they foolishly thinke that in so doing they worship God and the Saints and do a thing acceptable to him And to this ende is also appointed their lent fast their wednesdaie and fryday fast saterday fast embar fast the fasts of aduent and cogation weeke But that these cannot be accounted times of necessitie to be kept and obserued for fasting in respect of any religious obseruation of the same it cannot better be proued than by that diuersitie of opinions and iudgement which M. Bellarmine himselfe is forced to confesse to be in the ancient fathers De bonis operibus in part li. 2. As they shall vnderstand that reade of the book before alleadged the fifteeneth the seuenteenth eightteenth and nineteenth chapters As for their fastes vppon saintes eues they come after al the rest Seeing therefore there is herein such diuersitie it is plaine enough that neither any certainty of doctrine can heere be gathered neither can they cal it a catholicke religion that is like Iacobs coate of many colours farre from vnity of faith But with saint Hillary I maie say In ps 118. A It is most hard for a man by the doctours of this world to vnderstande the meaning of heauenly precepts And this I could wish that at al times we would striue by this and other good meanes to tame our rebellious flesh and that we also would prepare our selues vnto the holy exercises of our religion either by this or anie other way that maie further therein but that fasting it selfe doth make vs acceptable to God wee must not thinke And out of this their opinion of the merit of fasting ariseth another most absurd doctrine of binding the conscience to their lawes of fasting Their lawes of fasting bind not the conscience Li. 2. de bonis operibus in part ca. 7. Ierem. 5.6 as the church of Rome teacheth with one consent as M. Bellarmine confesseth And he wil proue it by the example of the Rechabites who vpon the commandement of Ionadab their father abstained from drinking of wine A weake proofe The Rechabites obeied the politicke lawe that their father Ionadab gaue them therefore the church may binde mens consciences with the law of fasting It is one thing to bind the conscience another thing to require external obedience The fast and holie daie which is commaunded to be continued in the storie of Hester is like vnto it Hester 9.31 for a day of remembraunce of Gods great benefit towardes them but not to binde the conscience Such also is the fast mentioned in Zachary of the fourth fifth seuenth and tenth monethes which although it might perchance vppon good and godlie consideration be taken vp and we debarre none but exhort all persons to humble themselues vnto the Lord yet how little their conscience is bound thereto it partly appeareth because God faith in the former Chapter that they did not fast vnto him and willeth them to harken vnto the ministerie of prophets and to execute true iudgement and shewe mercy and compassion euery man to his brother not to oppresse for these are in deede good workes that God regardeth in comparison of which hee little esteemeth those their fastes Partlie also because God wil turne their fasting into feasting into ioy and gladnes and prosperous high feastes as there he saith Act. 15.29 And lastly he bringeth that law that the apostles set downe of not eating the bloud and things strangled A law I saie made by the direction of Gods spirite as there is witnessed for a lawe whereof they can finde no such praise A law that was made according to the necessity of that time to auoide diuision and for the better vniting and gathering of the church of the Iewes and gentiles as M. Bellarmine confesseth and therefore such a law as lawfully might be made For in thinges indifferent the church maie take order for the quietnes or anie other waie for the benefit of the fame Whereby they would establish a law for euer to binde the conscience A law I say which themselues wil confesse we are not bound vnto but doe against that law that the apostles made But how could we breake that law if it bound the conscience Or if it doe not binde the conscience why doth M. Bellarmine bring it to proue that the church may tie or bind the consciences of the faithfull vnto their lawes of fasting Thus we see that not one of all the places alleadged by him out of the scripture doth prooue the necessity of these lawes of fasting which so straitly they command Therefore by the weakenes of their proofe we may see the falsenes of their doctrine Difference of meates Now I come vnto the last point of their doctrine which we mislike which is the difference of meats that they make Wherein if they doe not conspire with the Ebionites and sundry other hereticks that did condemne flesh as a thing vnpure yet it seemeth that they haue bin brought vp in the schoole of the heretickes called Apostolici Serm. 66. in Cantica of whom S. Bernard reporteth that they would eate no whit-meate milke and whatsoeuer came of it or whatsoeuer was ingendred But our aduersaries tel vs that the Ebionites Tatianites Maniches Priscillianists and such other heretickes doe vtterly condemne flesh as vncleane or vnlawful to be eaten at any time
Rome is too too foolish when thus they reason This religion is olde and hath had approbation of the greatest number for some hundredes of yeares therefore it is good For Vincentius did looke vnto that faith that was then ancient and catholicke many hundred yeares before many articles of popish religion were hatched But the papistes thinke it enough for them if they can proue their religion to bee nowe olde Whereas in trueth and according to Vincentius his rule also that which was not then olde is not now good That which was not then catholicke is nowe of all good men to bee reiected But let vs see what Vincentius saith After that hee hath declared how that by opportunity of time and place hee was mooued to write hee sheweth that to finde out the falshoode of heresies there are two waies The one by the authoritie of Gods word Gods word sufficient Whose rule is perfect and of it selfe sufficeth for all thinges aboundantly Yet because it is diuersly expounded such is the depth thereof as by example of sundry heresies doeth appeare The seconde way to finde out heresies hee maketh this By the tradition and rule of the catholicke Church to interpret that which is set downe in the writings of the Prophetes and apostles But so as wee take heede that wee receiue not for Catholicke euery thing that is holden in the Catholicke Church Catholicke but that onely that is beleeued in all places and so hath vniuersality at all times and so hath antiquity of all or almost all the godly and learned and so hath consent So that a Catholicke Christian must more regarde the soundnesse of the whole body than a parte thereof that is corrupted And where the infection is generall that which hath beene taught of olde is to bee preferred before the new But before the auncient errour of two or three or of one citty or cuntry a man must preferre that which vniuersally the vniuersall Church hath decreede if anie such bee If not then hee must consider of the iudgementes of the sincerest fathers not of a fewe of them but of all What they haue holden written taught When the fathers aâ—â— to be beleeued with one consent plainely often not changing their minde that hee may boldely beleeue So did the godly fathers in Affrica against Donatus and also others against that heresie of the Arrians that had infected almost al christendome and caused great destruction and cruelty because there were brought in superstitions inuented by men in steede of the Heauenly doctrine as is proued out of saint Ambrose and newe deuises for ancient decrees Yea so they withstoode all heresies whilest in the verie antiquity of the church they defended that only that was also vniuersal that is to say Ancient Vniuersality Ancient vniuersality And the more deuout that men were the more stifly did they oppose themselues to new inuentions As for example Stephen bishop of Rome with his associates did set themselues against the new opinion of Agrippinus bishop of Carthage yea and against the councell of Carthage For hee knewe that nothing can in account be godly We must follow religion and not lead her Vnlesse all thinges were sealed vp to the children as faithfully as the fathers receiued them And that we must not leade religion which way we will but followe her which way shee wil go And that it be seemeth not christian modestie or grauitie to deliuer to their posterity any thing of their owne but to preserue that which is receiued from the fathers And by occasion of the Donatistes who vnder colour of the decrees of the councell of Carthage saide that they baptised againe such as were baptised by heretickes hee teacheth that some deceiuers going about in some other bodies names to set forth their owne heresie A liuely description of popish teaching Doe snatch some of the writings of the ancient fathers such lightly as are most obscurely written which for their obscuritie maie after a sort agree with that they teach to this ende that whatsoeuer they say they may be thought neither first nor onlie to saie it Whose fault is double both in that they broach heresies and also open that in the fathers which shoulde bee hidden as did Cham whose rewarde vpon him and his posterity should feare them But to alter the faith or corrupt religion men should be afraid not only in respect of ecclesiasticall discipline but also in regard of the censure of the apostle against such Gal. 1.6.7 2. Tim. 4.3 1. Tim. 5.12 Rom. 16.17 2. Tim. 3.6 7. Tit. 1.16 1. Tim. 3.1 1. Tim. 6.4 5. 1. Tim. 5.13 1. Tim. 1.19 1. Tim. 2.16 17. 2. Tim. 3.9 Such aâ—â— our Seminary prists who for their owne benefit indanger many not men only but euen countries And because there came amongst the Galathians such as carried about errours and set them on sale whom the Galathians hearing did loathe the trueth vomiting the Manna of Apostolike and catholike doctrine liking well of the filth of nouelties the apostle denounceth that they should not heare either the apostles or an angell from heauen if he should preach any thing besides that hee had preached Gal. 1.8 9. And this caueat belongeth not to the Galathians only no more than the other precepts of godly life so that it hath not beene is or shall be lawfull for catholike christians to teach any thing besides that that they haue receiued And to hold accursed al those Take heed of beleuing vnwritten traditions who preach any thing else than that which is Once receiued it alwayes hath beene is and shall be our duetie So that to preach any thing else is too much boldenesse and to heare any thing else is too much lightnesse Althogh some frogges midges and flies of a short time such as the Pelagians crie against it seeking to drawe vs from that which hath beene committed vnto vs by our fathers and notable persons are thus many times infected Why the learned are heretikes because God will by them proue whether men loue God vnfainedly or not Deuteronomie 13.3 But this is a dangerous tentation and may deceiue many as by Nestorius Photinus and Apollinaris may appeare whose heresies he describeth as also the catholike doctrine with some confutation of Arrianisme and Manicheisme and the other forenamed heresies Against which danger of being by such men deceiued he would haue vs to holde this propertie of true catholikes How â—â— rre the fathers are to be heard with the Church to receiue the Doctours but not with the Doctours to forsake the faith of the Church Then hauing shewed the daunger that the great learning of Origen and Tertullian brought vnto the Church when they erred hee repeateth triall to bee cause of heresies many times A true catholike and then gathereth Him to bee a true catholike who loueth Gods truth the church the bodie of Christ who esteemeth nothing more than Gods religion than
how to iudge betweene truth and falshode in the holie Scriptures Interpreting scripture euen by interpreting the same according to the traditions of the vniuersall church and the rules of the catholike doctrine and the consent that hath beene at all times and in all places amongst the teachers And yet not euery question must be thus decided This way is to be vsed onely in the greatest matters but only matters of faith such as the very foundation of catholike doctrine resteth vpon for so he saith after fol. 50. neither are al heresies thus to be confuted and at al times but only new heresies euen at their first beginning And lately sprung vp heresies Before they haue falsified the rules of the ancient faith and the writings of the fathers But old heresies which haue had long time to steale away the truth must be coÌ„uinced if need be Stealing the truth such thenâ—â— are the papistes as their coorupting the fathers proueth When the fathers must be heard by the only authority of scripture or must be shuÌ„ned as being condeÌ„ned in the old councels As for heresies newly sprung vp they by the iudgements of the fathers are to be reiected of those fathers I say that continued in the faith so that al or most of them haue set it down in one and the self same meaning plainly often continuing in it as it were in a councell of such masters agreeing in one And such a ful consent must not be despised Then he maketh a recapitulation of that which he hath said in these two caueats and induceth the example of the councel of Ephesus wherein the iudgement of the ancient fathers being examined Nestorius was found to be against the catholike old faith and Cyril to agree with holy antiquitie And to make the matter more plaine he setteth downe the names of those holy fathers by whose vniforme consent and iudgement both the testimonies of Gods lawe were expounded and also the rule of the holy doctrine was established And so reckoneth vp sundry of the Greeke church then also of the Latine and west churches wherein he maketh mention of certaine leters written vnto some from Foelix and Iulius two bishops of Rome And Bellarm. de Roman pontif lib. 2. cap. 16. endeuoureth by this testimonie to prooue the Pope to be head of the church But consider I pray you how negligeÌ„tly he performeth it Vincentius saith that the city of Rome was the head of the world and we confesse whilest the empire flourished it was so called as by the stories appeareth Now he proueth by this that the pope is head of the church by a strange Metamorphosis changing the citie into the Pope and the world into the church contrary to the Author his words or meaning that not only The head of the worlde but the sides also might yeelde their testimonie to that iudgement Cyprian and Ambrose consented thervnto And lastly he confirmeth this by the iudgment of Capreolus bishop of Carthage who endeuoured to ouerthrow newnes and to defend antiquitie Which was also approued by Cyrils testimonie who would haue the doctrines of the ancient faith confirmed New doctrine condemned and that which is new and superfluously inuented and wickedly published to be reiected and condemned wherunto the whole councell agreed And though there were many in that Councell The councell of Ephesus â—â— rst deuise no new doctrine men of singular great learning in such sort gathered togither which might haue imboldned theÌ„ to decree somwhat of their owne yet would they alter nothing but tooke all heede possible that they deliuered nothing to their posteritie but that they had receyued of their predecessours leauing also to them that example Ancient faith the onely good faith He inueigheth against the pride of Nestorius in defence of antiquitie alledging that of Xistus bishop of Rome Let not newnesse doe any thing because it is not fit any thing should bee added vnto antiquitie And that of Caelestinus who would not haue Newnesse to trouble antiquitie Whose meaning is not that antiquitie should cease to ouerthrow newnesse but that newnesse should cease to molest antiquitie Which thing whosoeuer will not yeeld vnto he must despise the authoritie of Celestinus Xistus Cyril Capreolus the councell of Ephesus who all had learned of God to decree that not any thing should bee deliuered to their posteritie but that onely that sacred antiquitie of the holie fathers and agreing with it selfe in Christ did holde yea not to yeeld vnto this is to iustifie Nestorius by them condemned and to despise the whole Church of Christ The praise of the church to keepe the faith deliuâ— red to her not to inuent a new and the teachers therein the Apostles and Prophets but especially the Apostle saint Paul The Church of Christ I say that neuer yet departed from a religious reuerencing and adorning of the faith deliuered to her by saint Paul who said O Timothie keepe that which was committed to thee auoyding newnesse of wordes And Ifanie preach to you any other thing than that you haue heard let him be accursed And if neither the lawes of the apostles nor decrees of the church are to be broken according to which heretikes are worthily condemned it behoueth all men that will bee accounted the true children of their mother the church to sticke euen to the death True children of holy church vnto the sacred faith of their holy fathers and to hate that that is newe Thus haue I set downe I trust truly and faithfully the summe of this whole treatise of Vincentius Lyrmensis especially whatsouer may be thought pertinent to the matter for which the Papists so triumphingly alledge him And as I endeuoured to be short yet so that I omit not any materiall poynt by him touched so that his meaning may the better appeare I haue as neare as I could kept his owne wordes yea I haue set downe euen his most materiall sentences that his whole minde and intent may the better bee knowne vnto the Reader Iudge nowe I pray thee Christian Reader what Catholike and auncient faith it is that the Church of Rome so much braggeth of Compare it with this that Vincentius commendeth If they bee any thing like I desire no credite I will but giue thee a taste hereof euen out of one of their chiefe poyntes of their Religion Cap. 2. I haue shewed before euen by their owne confession that traditions must needes bee admitted or else the Church of Rome must needes faile in proofe in many articles of their Religion Their Religion therefore in such poynts cannot be Catholike It cannot be that which was Committed to Timothie which was Once deliuered as Vincentius speaketh often whose growing is without change whose perfection is without addition so that their doctrine of traditions is a strong argument to proue that their faith is not Catholike according to Vincentius rules Then also we see how plainly he
priest had found the booke of the lawe it was not reserued with the Priest as though hee onely might meddle with religion but it was carried by Saphan to the king 16 and the king commanded Hilkiah the priest with others to goe to inquire of the Lord for him and for Iudah 20 to turne away Gods wrath In all which examples marke howe godlie kings haue had a very watchful regard alwaies to giue commādements and make lawes to take away superstition or negligence in comming to Gods seruice and to further the true worship of God To these I might adde a cloud of witnesses out of Ecclesiasticall histories but in a matter so plaine I trust I neede not produce the particular examples of Emperours and Kings as well else-where as in our owne land and country this realme of England who haue made sundry lawes giuen sundry commandements vnto ecclesiasticall persons in matters of religion whereby they haue declared that if not their onely yet their especiall care was that God might be religiously serued not of themselues onely but of their people also Now therefore it remaineth that our godly Magistrates make profite of these good examples not onely by learning what they may but in knowing what they must doe For as saint Augustine very well and profitably noteth Epist ad Bonifacium 50. the kings that amongst Gods people did not forbid and ouerthrow whatsoeuer was contrary to gods precept are reprooued they that did forbid such thinges are praised Yea that ancient father there commendeth to vs the examples of the kings of Niniue who compelled the whole citie for to appease Gods wrath Ion. 3. Dan. 6. And Darius who commaunded the Idoll to be broken and Daniels enemies to be cast vnto the lions and of Nabuchadnezzar who by a fearefull lawe prohibited the blaspheming of the true God Dan. 3. Out of all which wee may learne not onely what the godly Princes did but euen howe carefull they were to doe it so that it doeth seeme to haue beene their continuall meditation and studie howe they might remooue such stumbling blockes as did lie in their peoples wayes whereby they might be hindred from seruing the Lord sincerely For they knew it to be true that Saint Augustine saieth that the happinesse of kings doeth not consist in their long raigne De ciuit Dei ib. 5. cap. 24 or succession of their children in vanquishing their enemies or subduing their rebellious subiectes but if they gouerne righteously if they make their power serue to the furtherance of Gods seruice if they bee slow to reuenge and ready to forgiue but so as their reuenge bee for the necessary ruling and defending of the common wealth and if their clemency bee not to haue sinne vnpunished but the sinner reformed Continue therefore O gratious Soueraigne that godly race which hitherto you haue most happely runne for the maintenance of Gods trueth and neuer be weary of well doing but still as neede requireth let precept be after precept statute vpon statute commaundement vpon commandement law after lawe so long as Idolatrie and superstition is not sufficiently abolished so long as popish heresies are so readily imbraced so long as so many ignorant men and foolish wemen without regarde of duty to God or man without any shew of reason yea without due care of their owne soules vnder pretence of conscience doe against all conscience For with what conscience I pray may they preferre a forraine power before the gouernement of their naturall Prince or make the supremacy of the Pope a necessarie article of faith which was neuer taught by Christ his Apostles or the primitiue Church nay neuer thought vpon vntill the Bishoppe of Rome came to his excesse of pride of late yeares Or by what colour of conscience can they despise Gods woorde contemne his Sacramente◠and separate themselues so wilfully from that bodie that dareth not receiue any thing but that they are sure that Christ hath taught Vntill such time I say as such as professe the name of christianity within your dominions may in external shewe be compelled to come vnto Christ or at the least not to dare openly to deny him and his trueth godly Magistrates ought still to make their lawes more perfect that they may haue a remedy for euery inconuenience And these lawes should be so strong that they might holde as well the mightiest as the meanest and not like the spiders cobweb which can take onely the small or weake flies but can doe nothing to holde the strong ones And that is it that Saint Augustine doeth meane when hee saieth Epist 50. that Lawes shoulde bee made with conuenient strength For if Poperie and Idolatrie bee euill in one it is not tollerable in any And if some may without danger of punishment breake lawes or haue exemptions to transgresse the same it much emboldeneth other to doe the like And howe in pollicie wise men can iudge it to be conuenient I knowe not but in christianitie I can not see howe it may be tollerable that in a land where the light of the Gospell shineth Popery may bee any thing tollerated to any without any punishment For it is as euill as the Idolatrie which the godly kings of Iudah did so bend themselues to destroy and for the destroying wherof they are commended As for the exemptions which many of our Recusants haue from the penaltie of the lawe I doubt not but hoping of doing good and of winning by faire meanes will be the colour for the same But I doe see none more obstinate or of whome there is lesse hope than such persons as haue found such fauour Neyther are these disobedient persons at any time so ready to conforme themselues to dutifull obedience as when they feare some execution of lawes against them Which thing because it is so manifest that none can but see it it maketh many to thinke that such immunities are procured often vpon other considerations than hope of winning them vnto Christ Yea some sue for them sometimes that perchance hope to winne something to themselues thereby But of compelling by feare such to come vnto God as for loue will not and of inflicting punishment where meekenesse and lenitie preuaile not I am now to intreate for this is the second point wherein Magistrates must serue the Lorde And although I doe not like of extremitie or rigor yet so long as wee see remisnesse to bee hurtfull to the church and common wealth that which saint Augustine calleth a religious seuerity would be vsed that is magistrates ought to take that way not that best pleaseth their owne humour but that serueth best for reducing offendours to the seruice of God If therefore lenitie bee abused and breed licentious libertie so that they who were euill growe worse thereby then lenitie ceaseth to bee a christian vertue and is nothing else but that foolish pittie that marreth the whole citie In these north countries we