and saye Euerye liuing creature is a man it is false Soe these vvoordes as S. Iohn vttereth them are moste true Euerie sinne is iniquitie or transgression of the lawe but as you vtter them they are false to vvitt that euery iniquitie or transgression of the lawe be it neuer so litle or done vvithout eyther consent or knoulege or by a madde man or brute beast should be properlie a mortall sinne Soe that this first blashemie of the Iesuits coÌ„meth not to be so haynouse as you vvolde make it but rather to confound your ignorance vvhich vnderstand not so cleare doctrine but hudle vp matters as M. Campian telleth you also to note your vntruthe in misreporting their vvords and the scriptures against them And of this first depend the other tvvo that folovve THE DEFENCE For couering of falshoode in this place M. Charke is constrayned to vse a falshoode or two more according to the sayeing that one lye is not maintayned but by an other things aequiualent sayeth he as for example the definition and the thing defined may be conuerted one mutuallie maye be affirmed of the other as the gospell is the povver of God to saluation And the povver of God to saluation is the gospell And therefore these two woordes also siâ—ne transgression of the lavve But I denie this consequence for transgression of the lawe is not the definition of sinne as hath bene proued nor is it equall in signification with the same but reacheth further than sinne as the former discourse sheweth And thefore it is but absurdlie brought in againe heere as a thing graunted seing thereof is all the contention Secondlie let M. Charke looke leste he be deceyued wheÌ„ he sayeth the power of God to saluation is the proper definition of the gospell seing Christ hym selfe whiche notwistandinge is not the gospell but author of the gospell is called by the same woordes in an other place DVNAMIS THEOV that is The povver of god and no doubt but to saluation as M. Charke will not denie VVherfore though it import not our matter at all yet I thinke M. Charke was somewhat grosselie ouerseene in choyse of this example After this for some countenance of his fraudulent transposition he sayeth as for the transposition lett the Apostles vvoordes be marked sayeing God is a spirit Yet the vvoordes lye thus in the greeke text a spirit is God VVherfore let not transposition seeme straunge to you No more it doeth M. Charke in common speeche and in a tongue that will beare it as the latin and greek doeth But when we measure the weight of woordes or propositions and that in oure English tongue as in our matter it falleth out traÌ„spositions are frauduleÌ„t as in the verie example whiche you alleage a spirit is God if you wolde inferre therof ergo euerie spirit is God as you inferre that euery transgression of the lavve is synne you should easilie see your owne falsehood For Angels also are spirits as the scripture sayeth and yet not Goddes And heere for my learning I wolde know of you Sir in what tongue the Apostle sayeth God is a spirit different from which you say the greek hath a spirit is God surelye M. Chark you are ouer bolde in your auouchements of the scriptâ—re For not onelie the greeke but also the latin and Syriak hathe Spiritus est deus and therfore bothe fondlie and falsely doe you attribute it as peculiar onelie to the greeke But M. Charke reserueth a sure carde for the end therewith to dashe all that hath bene sayd before and that is the sentence of S. Iohn afterward omnis iniquitas est peccatum all iniquitie or transgression sayeth he is sinne VVhich seemeth so plaine against me as he greatlie insulteth and triumpheth affirming that the victorie by this one senteÌ„ce is gotten but beleeue hym not good reader for he thinketh not so in his owne coÌ„science but well knoweth that this sentence maketh greatlie against hym thoughe he wolde deceyue thee with the bare sound and equiuocation of woordes For in the former sentence where is sayd sinne is iniquitie S. Iohn vseth for the woord iniquitie ANOMIA in greeke which signifieth any transgression or variance from the lawâ— be it great or litle as hath bene proued and as the nature of the greeke woord importeth in which sense it is most true that euerie iniquitie is not sinne as I haue shewed as S. Augustin proueth of verie purpose l. 2. cont Iul. pela c. 5. And alleageth also S. Ambrose in the same opinion as also Methodius apud Epiphanium her 64. quae est Origenis And S. Augustin proueth it in many other places besides shewing in our verie case how concupiscence is iniquitie in the regenerat but yet no sinne And this for the first place Now in the second place where the same Apostle sayeth euerye iniquitie is sinne he vseth not the same generall woorde ANOMIA VVhiche he vsed before but ADICIA which is a more speciall woorde and signifieth an iniustice or iniurie as the philosopher sheweth assigning it as the contrarie to Iustice and therfore no maruaile though this kinde of iniquitie be sinne as S. Iohn sayth yea great sinne also for of such onelie S. Iohn talketh in that place sayeing there is a sinne to death I doe not saye that any man should aske for that all iniquitie is synne c. whereby is euydent that the Apostle taketh not iniquitie in this place expressed by the woord ADICIA in the same sense wherein he tooke it before vsing the woord ANOMIA VVhiche M. Charke well knoweing sheweth hym selfe a willfull deceyuer in that he wolde delude his reader with the equiuocation of the latin translation which at other times he reiecteth withoute cause or reason Lastlie he chargeth me with alteration of the text of scripture for translating omnis qui facit peccatum euerie one that sinneth where I should haue translated sayth he euery one that doeth sinne This is a charge woorthie of M. Charke that will playe small game rather than sytt owt I praye you sir what difference is there in the two phrases your vvyfe spinneth and your vvyfe doeth spinne But you coÌ„fesse in deede there is litle holde in this and therefore freendlie you doe pardon me for it and doe conclude sayeing you think perhaps to serue the Lorde in your opinion and I knovv I serue the Lorde You are happie that haue so certaine knowlege of your good estate M. Charke though to vtter it in this place I doe not see what occasion you had But I praye you let me learne how you came to this knowlege Not by Aristotles demoÌ„strations I am sure which yett are the onelie means of certaine science properlie How then by fayth but you know that faith can assure nothing whiche is not reuealed by the woorde of God VVhat parte of gods woorde then teacheth vs that william Charke in particular serueth the Lorde
A DEFENCE OF THE CENSVRE GYVEN VPON TVVO BOOKES of william Charke and Meredith Hanmer mynysters whiche they wrote against M. Edmond Campian preest of the Societie of Iesus and against his offer of disputation Taken in hand since the deathe of the sayd M. Campian and broken of agayne before it could be ended vpon the causes sett downe in an epistle to M. Charke in the begyninge Sap. 3. The sovvles of the iust are in the hande of God and the torment of deathe shall not touche them they seemed to the eyes of foolishe men to dye but neuerthelesse they rest in peace An. 1582. Cum Priuilegio The corrector of the prynt vnto the gentle reader TO the ende this page shoulde not goe emptye I haue presusemed vvithout the Authours knovvlege to put downe for yonge scholers the true declynynge of a Novvne HERETIKE vvhereof vve haue more experience in these dayes than olde Grammaâ—ians hadde I maye chaunce heerafter to sett furthe some examples for declaration of euery parte hereof but in the meane space he that vvill reade but this treatyse follovvynge shall see the moste poyntes verified in M. Charke and his companyons NOMINIS HAERETICI REALIS DECLINATIO Singulariter Nominatiuo Superbus Genitiuo Temerarii Datiuo Mendaci Accusatiuo Pertinacem Vocatiuo Seditiose Ablatiuo Atheo vel Libertino Pluraliter Hij hae Impudentes per omnes casus In English thus The singuler number AN HERETIKE In the Nominatiue or first case to begiÌ„ne withall he is Provvde In the Genetiue case he growethe Malepert In the Datyue case he becometh a â—yar In the Accusatiue case he waxethe Obstinate In the Vocatiue or preaching case he is Seditious In the Ablatiue or endinge case hee proueeth an Atheist or els a Lybertine The plurall number In bothe genders Impudent throughowte all cases THE SETTER FORTH OF THIS booke vnto VVilliam Charke Minister IT maye be M. Charke that you haue expected now somewhat longe or at leastwyse remayned in some suspence of this defence of the Censure or reioynder to your replye VVhich CeÌ„sure being written as I haue heard in eight or nyen dayes space at the most this defence therof hathe now hadde the staye more than of so many monethes before it come to light But the cause therof is easie to Iudge especiallie to you whiche for the most part are priuye to the same In generall euery one can imagine by hym selfe how difficult a thing yt is in England at this daye for a Catholique man to write any book where nether libertie nor rest nor librarie nor conference nor beinge is permitted hym And in particular thus muche I must adde whiche you alredie in part doe knowe that soone after the publishinge of your reply to the Censure the Author therof addressed hym selfe to a defence and had in greate part dispatched the same redie for the printe in suche sort as the rigorous tyme of your persecution permitted hym But God sufferinge at that verie instaÌ„t that the sayd print so long sought and muche feared by you should be taken there was taken lost and dispersed ther-withall not onelie all furniture there redy for this booke but also for sundry other thinges partlie printed and partlie in printing concerning our defence of trueth and equitie against your falsehood and violent oppressions This disturbance and losse beinge fallen owt by gods most holy and fatherlie permission and the Author of the Censure hauing nether tyme nor place nor bookes nor leysure to begynne agayne nor any hope of print when he should haue done the same being also necessarilie called awaye at that verye tyme to a place somewhat farof vppon vrgent businesse he resolued vtterlie to gyue ouer the sayd attempt of defence partlie vppon the difficulties now alleaged and partly for that in very dede your replie M. Charke seemed sufficientlye to answer yt selfe being so obscure in many places as most men without the Censure might not vnderstaÌ„d yt and so weake otherwise as yt needed litle confutation of others These were some causes but in deed as I vnderstand the principall and cheefe cause was for that M. Campian the greatest occasion and subiect of the Censure was now also euen at that tyme faâ—len into your handes according as you had long wished and therfore it was to be looked that accordinge to reason and all your owne promises he should be disputed withall openlie publiklie and freelie and so the cheefe matter of the Censure and your replye without any more writing dispatched and taken awaye But after when it came to hearinge of the worlde abrodeâ— how curteouslie you had vsed this learned man with tormentes bothe before and after hys disputatioÌ„s and how without all indifferencie or law of reasoning you handled hym in your conference in the Tower how finallie you made hym awaye by cruell deathe without any shew or shadow of particular crime committed by hym against prince or countrie and that your selfe M. Charke as a conquerour of your aduersarie folowed hym in person to the place of hys Martyrdome with bygge lookes sterne countenaÌ„ce prowde woordes and merciles behauyour for all these thinges were commonlie reported true it is that diuers godlie men were moued therwithall and the Author of the Censure among other to take in hand agayne the Answer of your booke aswell for the honour of Christ hys martyre now in rest as also for declaration to thâ— worlde of what value you are in reason learninge and weight of argument by writinge whiche are so fearse and violent vpon gods Sainctes at home in deathe and tormentes and so Pompeous in gate and speeche vnto the people for gatheringe or retayninge some credit vnto your cause This I saye shall appeare partelye by thys booke And for these considerations was it taken in hand after the late deathe of Good M. Campian Mary yet as it was like enough to fall owt your spyes searchers and other persecutours disturbed the writer therof before he could end the same as may appeare to the reader by the sight heerof For this parte being come to my handes perceyuing that the authour could not â—or this present goe forward with the rest I thought it best to bestowe this vpon you M Chark therby to fynde you occupyed yf it please you to answer it vntill the other parte also come to be sett forth Thus brokenlie we are enforced to deale through the extremitie of tyme as you see VVherin you hauing gotten the start before vs in the fauour of our Prince you folow the same with such vehemencie and straytnes as you allowe vs no one iote ether of curteousie or humanitie or of reasonable indifferencie You exclude vs from speeche conference writing printing disputing or any other dew tryall of our cause You watche spye searche examine and persecute euerywhere You attache dryue awaye putt in pryson rent on racke put to death those whiche speake or wryte or stand in defence of trueth against you You leaue no Innes
lyfe time But say you he vvas no friar In deede the englishe names of friar or Monke were not then extant for that we were not yet Christians But the Latin names frater and monachus were attributed to hym as may appeare in the places alleaged VVhiche ioyned with the vowes whereof I spake before doe proue the thinge what soeuer you may wrangle of the Englishe name But what require you more to make hym a friar after the englishe fashion yf you will haue me gesse at his apparell it were hard and nothinge pertinent for that onelie the vowes make the vocation as hathe bene shewed yet S. Ambrose maketh mention de nigro cucullo câ—ngulo ex corio Of the blacke hoode and the girdell of leather that S. Augustin dyd weare Now they whiche know the habit of Austen fryars let them consider how nighe this goeth to that matter Albeit as I sayd the weede litle importeth when we haue the substance of the vocation The last woordes of the Censure touching Christs spirit of voluntarie pouertie offeÌ„dith greatlie our replyer The example of Christ sayeth he is alleaged moste blasphemouslie against his Maiestie Still the woorde blasphemie must be one But what is the reason vvhen dyd Christ euer vvhipp hym selfe sayth M. Charke Yet the choler of whipping is not past from M. Charks stomacke But I answer he had no rebellion in his fleshe as we haue by reason of the conflict of concupiscence left vs for resisting whereof we vse mortification of our bodie according to S. Pauls counsaile coloss 3. Neyther is it necessarie that we should doe nothing in this kynde but what we reade expresselie Christ to haue done Albeit to geue vs also example herein we reade of his great fasting and long prayeing with lyeing all nyght on the ground which not withstanding I think you ministers will not imitate But you adde Christ frequented publike assembleys vvas sometimes entertained at great feasts Yea marie this is for good cheer this is more pleasant than the doctrine of the whippe And dyd you neuer heare Syr of religiouse men inuited also to a feast or assemblie You are wont to call theÌ„ bellie gods for that cause and how is this â—tile so soone chaunged O malice how blynde and frantike art thou But you aske agayne VVhat vvorldlie blessings gyuen hym by his father dyd he at â—ny time abandon hovv doeth his example recommend voluntarie pouertie I aske you M. Charke yf he that was Lord of all chose to lyue of almes and of such things as were sent hym as the scripture signifieth Io 12. Luc 8. was not this voluntarie pouertie in hym selfe And he that counsailed men to renounce all they possessed for his seruice and to gyue all to the poore that would be perfect dyd not he recommende voluntarie pouertie to other thoughe he comaunded it not Yf the Apostles left all proprietie and dyd lyue in common as the scripture noteth and many good Christians chose to sell all they had and to offer it to that communitie though not vpon constraint as S. Luke testifieth And yf Ananias and Saphira for breakinge their vowe of pouertie made with the Apostles as S. Basil and S. Ierom and other auncient fathers doe testifye were so terriblie punished by death for the terrour of all vowe breakers then no dowt but this was done eyther by the example or by the recommendation of Christ whiche you make so straunge as yow sticke not to affirme it Anabaptistical condemning of proprietie Good God how farre may fond furie dryue a man that hathe no guyde I pray you reade but S. Ierom vpon the woords of Christ goe and sell all Also S. Basil vpon the same woordes As also S. Chrisostome vpon the wordes of S. Paul Saâ—utaete prisâ—am and perhaps you will alter your iudgement espiciallie yf you will credit S. Augustin who proueth out of the same chapiter that the Apostles them selues votum paupertatis vouerunt made a vovve of pouertie But as for the worldlie blessings which you talke so much of in this and other places of your bookeâ— I know that all creatures are blessings of God but yet all vse of all is nether commaunded nor commended to all You know whoe sayeth All things are lavvfull but all are not expedieÌ„t The carnall Iewes were much entysed by those blessings in the olde testament but in the new testameÌ„t you shall neuer fynde Christians eyther allured to theÌ„ or dandled and smothed in them as you doe your folowers but rather to the contrarie many threates and hard sayeings are vttered against richemen and such as liue in pleasures and ease of this woorlde And therfore your often repeating and tickling fleshlie harts with naming carnall and worldlie blessings proueth you yf I be not deceiued to be one of them whereof the Apostle sayeth they serue not Christ but their ovvne bellye and doe seduce innocent hartes by svvete vvoordes and blessings THE CENSVRE Thirdlie you endeuour to bring the Iesuites in coÌ„tempt by their obscure conception as you tearm it from one Loyal as a Spanyard and had not their fulll creatioÌ„ and commission vntill about thirtie yeres past from pope paulus quartus VVherein you erre for it vvas froÌ„ Paulus 1. tertiê° the third pope before Paulus quartus and the third pope after leo decimus in vvhose time Luther began Soe that there is not muche difference betvvene Iesuits and protestants in their antiquitie of name marie in matter verie greate for the protestants faythe and beleefe began at that time but the Iesuites folovving vvith humilitie the fayth vvhich they fovvnd in the Catholique Churche onelie beganne a strayter kinde of lyfe in maners and behauiour than the common sorte of people vsed for reformyng of vvhose vices they dedicated them selues to God and to all kinde of labour paines trauaile and perill vvith abandonyng all vvorldlie pleasures and all possibilitie of prefermeÌ„t in the same so farre furth as none of that Societie hath or may take any spirituall or temporall liuings or coÌ„modities vvhat soeuer though diuers greate princes haue pressed them often times vvith the same but of free cost they preache teache in all places vvhere they are sent vvith all humilitie of spirit and vvithout intermedling vvith matters of estate as shalbe shevved more hereafter VVherefore M. Charke offereth them the greater vvrong in charging them vvith the contrarie And M. Hanmers impudencie is the more to be vvondered at vvho blusheth not to put in print so notoriouse an vntrueth in the sight of all the vvorld and to repeat vrge and amplifye the same so often in his booke sayeing that one 2 Theatinus a Iesuit hypocriticallie got to be Cardinall and pope meanyng thereby Paulus quartus called before Iohannes Petrus Caraffa of the order of Theatines and not of Iesuits vvhiche all the vvorlde knovveth to be tvvo seuerall and distinct orders of religion And
dishonour of his Maister yet maketh he mention bothe of this feare and also of the deathe of his companion and graunteth it to haue bene one principal motiue of his entraunce into religion His wordes are these Hos terrores seu primum seu accerrime sensit eo anno cum sodalem nescio quo casu interfectum amisisset Luther felt thes terrors feares eyther first or moste sharplie that yeare wherein he lost his companion slayne I know not by what chaunce Nay Martin Luther coÌ„fesseth the matter him selfe in an epistle to his father Iohn Luther to whome he yeeldeth a reason of hys runninge owt of religion by his vnlawfull entrance thervnto Memini nimis sayeth he praesente cum iam placatus mecum loquereris ego de coelo terroribus me vocatum asserereÌ„ Neque enim libens cupiens fiebam monachus sed terrore agone mortis subitae circumuallatus voui coactum necessarium votum I doe remember too well when yow beinge pacified talked with me present I affirmed that I was called by terrours from heauen to enter into religion For I was not made a friar willinglie and of my owne desire but beinge enuironed with terrour and with the agonie of suddain deathe I made a vow vpon necessitie and enforcement Heere the matter is euident by Luther hym selfe whiche M. Charke so confidentlie denieth and cryeth out against bishope Lindan for reporting the same sayeing That he vvill not beleeue Lyndan in this no more than he vvill beleeue his reporte that the Caluinistes doe vvorship the Image of the deuyll In deede he sayeth that Caluinists doe adore theyr owne imaginations suggested by the deuyll aboue all authoritie or proofe besides as all other heretiques doe and in that sense doe honour the deuyll Againe he sayeth that in the yeere of our lorde 1572. when Caluinistes went to ouerthrow a monasterie at a towne called Leyden in flauÌ„ders they erected the signe of the deuyll in theyr publique banner whiche neuer Christians dyd before Yf M. Chark could haue refuted any of these particulars he should haue done well But by his generall reporte though he seeke to bring Lyndan in hatred yet it turnethe to his owne discredit releeueth nothing his cause in haÌ„de For the deuyll crieing out of Luthers mouthe thoughe M. Chark woolde seme to denye yt yet bringeth he not one syllable in disprofe thereof so many particulars are put downe by Coclaeus whoe liued with hym as euerye man may see that the matter was euideÌ„t And no protestant in Germanie where the matter was done as where also being Lutherans they doe esteeme Luthers honour more than Caluinistes doe neuer yet hathe bene able to reproue the same But now come we to the doctrines of libertie and carnalitie whiche the Censure affirmeth Luther to haue taught after he had once coped with a Nonne VVhiche M. Charke after his ministeriall phrase expresseth in these woordes VVhen the lorde had opened hys eyes thinkinge hym selfe no longer tyed to hys vnaduised and superstitiouse vovv he maryed in the lorde and all this vvas laufull But how soeuer you name the lorde M. Chark to couer this lasciuiouse lecherie of a renegate frier with his vowed ladie yet I haue shewed before out of the auncient fathers that this pretended mariage on bothe partes was esteemed worse than adulterie in the primatiue churche whereof he that will see more lett hym read S. Basil de monast const cap. 22.34 35. Also quest 14. fuse explicat Also S. Augustin in Psal. 78. 99. also Concill Chalced cap. 26. Also fulgentius de fide ad Pet. ca. 3. And finallie S. Leo. ep 92. ad Rusticum But now to the doctrines them selues in whiche I will be as short as I may in defence of my reportes being moste true as shall appeare by luthers owne wordes and that in those books of his and editions whiche are to be had in England publiquelie So that the aduersarie shall haue no more refuge to saye he can not finde the booke And as M. Charks vntrue dealing hathe bene indifferentlie discryed by that which went before so shall it be muche more by these doctrines of Luther And because bothe M. Hanmer and M. Charke haue taken vppon them seuerallye to answer the same I will couple them together where soeuer they haue any thing woorthe the notinge aduertising the reader by the waie that whereas Luther hathe diuerse editioÌ„s of his woorks and diuerse of them diuerslie traÌ„slated out of duche into latin he must not maruayle yf the same booke some tymes haue diuerse titles though I meane now to cyte them vnder such names as nighe as I can as they are to be sene in the editioÌ„ of wittenberge sett furthe and as I haue seene them my selfe in England by melancthon Anno 1562. The first doctrine Fyrst then I affirmed Luther to teache that there is no synne but incredulytie neyther can a man damne hym selfe do vvhat mischefe he can except he vvill refuse to beleue M. Hanmer denieth not this doctrine but defendeth it onelye addinge that I haue racked Luthers vvoordes vpon the tentors of preiudice and then sheweth at large how all synnes doe lye sooking in the roote of increduâ—itie VVhiche is some what too fine for me to vnderstand M. Chark goeth further sayeing I may plainlie pronounce that in this place you doe in vvoords and matter reporte an open vntruthe For M. Luther hathe no suche doctrine Heere is no agreemeÌ„t in the deffeÌ„ders the one grauÌ„tinge it the other so flatly denyeynge the same But who wolde think M. Charke could answer thus without blushing heare Luthers owne woordes Ita vides quà m diues sit homo Christianus siue Baptizatus qui etiam volens non potest perdere salutem suam quantiscunque peccatis nisi nolit credere Nulla enim peccata eum possunt damnare nisi sola incredulitas So thou seest how riche a Christian man is who can not leese his saluation though he wolde with neuer so great sinnes except he will not beleeue For no synnes can damne hym but onelie incredulitie Again in the same tome he sayeth Infidelitas sola turbatio est conscientiae onelie infidelitie is a trouble of conscience Is not heere now as muche as I haue sayed If nothing must trouble a mans conscience but onelie vnbeleefe then nothing is sinne but onelye vnbeleefe Again yf a man can not leese his saluation yf he wolde neuer so fayne by committing neuer so greate sinnes except he will not beleeue then may a man doe what he will so he fall not into incredulitie But yet to shame these shamelesse men a litle further and to shew the wicked licentiouse doctrine of this loose apostata heare more what he sayeth in an other place Nihil prauum facit praeter infidelitatem Nothing maketh a man euell besides infidelitie And a litle after he concludeth thus Ex
in their recordes called the Rouge with the true causes of the same the yere of our Lorde a thousand fyue hundred thertie seuen the two and twentith of April being Easter monday Of whiche sentence Caluin vnderstanding by frendes of his where he lay secret in the towne chaunged his apparell and fledde pryuilye the same daye from Geneua to Strawsburge And this is extant vnder the publique recordes of the citie as I haue sayed though Beza hath not bene a shamed to publish the contrarie But in processe of tyme by infinite practyzes that the vsed and by the earnest sute of some noble men bothe duche and frenshe whome he had made Caluinists he was recalled to Geneua againe And theÌ„ layeing a surer plott than before by bringing in many straungers into Geneua he made his partie so strong as he became as absolute lorde of the towne while he lyued cutting of all his enemies by deuises sleights as Castellio Caroly Bernardin Ochin and Peter Morand Ministers whome he caused to be banished as also diuerse of the nobilitie and among them Perrinus chefe gouernour of the citie with Petrus VVandalus the Balthasars and others whome he made to flye for safegarde of their lyues for that he by forged letters infinite other inuentions had brought them in suspitioÌ„ of betrayeing the citie first to the king of fraunce then to the duke of Alvay gouuernour of Millan But the noble men goeing to Berna cleared them selues before the Councell there and by good happe got the Italian which suborned by Caluin had accused them of treasoÌ„ in Geneua affirming that he was seÌ„t as a spie froÌ„ the Duke of Alvay to vewe the citie to treate with those noble men for the takyng therof and hauing affirmed thus muche he was sent awaye pryuilie into Italie againe disguised in apparell and his rewarde payde hym in his purse VVhereof these noble men hauing intelligence by their secret frendes of Geneua caused the way to be layd for hym and by gods prouidence â—ooke hym at Vienna in Dolphine and caused hym to be brought back to Berna where he plainlie trulie coÌ„fessed all the matter to be forged and by whome he was induced and by what rewarde to doe yt VVherevpon the Lordes of Berna gaue furthe a publique testimonie vnder their common notaries hand of the whole matter and of the innocencie of these men But yet Caluins faction of straungers was so strong in Geneua as they could neuer be restored during his life Diuerse suche examples are shewed of the tyrannie and crueltie of Iohn Caluin against those that any waye offended hym As against Montouset a Lutheran Almner to the Queene of Nauarra Caluines cheefe benefactrix whome he made to flye Geneua for speaking a woord or two against his partiall distribution of the Queens almes sent in great quantitie to the poore protestaÌ„ts of that Citie for the moste parte imbezeled and deuoured by Caluine hym selfe as this man avowched Also against one Peter Ameau whome he made to walke throroughe the citie naked in his shirt with a torche in his hand and to aske hym openlie forgiuenesse for that he had spoken at a supper certaine woordes in his dishonour sayeing that he dyd not see why Caluin should be so muche estemed in Geneua as he was and preferred before all other that euer wrote Also against Seruetus otherwise called Michaell villanouanus doctor of phisik in Vienna of dolphinie an heretique but yet enuious of Caluins glorie vvherevpon he wrote from vienna to Geneua thirtie epistles directed to Caluin together with a litle booke in written hand the yere of our Lorde 1546 wherein he had gathered together certaine faultes escaped Caluin in his institutions VVhiche thing Caluin tooke so greuouslie as preseÌ„tlie he beganne to purpose his deathe as hym selfe openeth in a secret letter to his deare freâ—de Petrus viretus minister of Lausanna And therevpon beganne to accuse hym of heresie bnt yet disseÌ„bling his intention allured hym to come to Geneua as he there confesseth But Seruetus not trusting his woordes kept hym selfe thence vntill the yere of our Lord 1553 at what tyme meanyng to goe into Italie he thought to passe secretlie throrough Geneua to staye there but one night which was Saturday But yet being wearie and knoweing the lawes of Geneua to be that no passingers may be molested for three dayes resolued to stay there Sonday VVhereof Caluin by chaunce hauing secret intelligence presentlie sent his man Nicholas to arrest hym the next daye he sent his brother Anthonie Cauuin to enter an action of deathe against hym which action Iohn Caluin folowed bothe by hym selfe and by his frendes so vehementlye as within few dayes after he caused Seruetus to be burnt alyue in the marquet place with a soft fyar for his greater torment VVhereat many protestants were offended and greuouslie skandallized for that Caluin had set furthe a booke a litle before to proue that no heretique ought to be put to deathe for his religion Now for other behauiour of Caluin as for his intolerable ambition and pryde there are many examples geuen as that to make hym selfe famouse he deuised diuerse letters and other woorkes in prayse of hym selfe and published them vnder the name of one Galasius others and sending them to PETRVS VIRETVS minister of Lausanna to be spread abrode by hym he being well acquainted with Caluins style espied the deuise and was greatly offended therwith and wrote to Caluin that he wolde discredit hym selfe by suche doeings But Caluin answered that it was expedient it should be so done for-the credit of theyre cause and that he meant to vvrite shortlie as muche in the commendation of VIRETVS hym selfe and FARELVS also VVherwith VIRETVS was pacifyed These letters with one and fowertie more were found in the studdie of viretus after his runnyng away from Lausanna and shewed to the Lords of Berna who coulde neuer abyde Caluin after warde for this manifest declaration of his vainglorie and pryde The same Caluin after he had brokeÌ„ downe the images rased the pictures of Christ and all Saints in Geneua he caused his owne picture to be drawne and set vp in diuerse places of the citie and vsed also to gyue litle pictures and images of hym selfe to gentlewomen and gentlemen to carrie about their necks And when one tolde hym that some thought muche of this he answered he that can not abyde yt let hym brust for enuye An other example of his intolerable pryde vain-glorie is this that foloweth One called Brulle of the towne of Ostune being made a protestant came with his wyfe to dwell at Geneua and for that he was but poore he procured many letters in his commendation to Caluin for his releefe of the common purse which he obtained And being therby made a fast frende vnto hym and verie familiar Caluin on a time bracke with hym and his wyfe in a
others haue greatlie to reioyse for that you shew your selfe in your replie a moste zealous Puritane But now after all these matters discussed M. Charke to discredit all that hitherto had bene sayde bringeth in a false reporte of Lyndan as he sayeth touching the fowle deathe of Martin Bucer in Cambrige And for proofe hereof he alleageth a sentence of M. Carre then a protestant in his epistle to M. Cheeke a protestant also contayning some commendation of the death of M Bucer But I ask you M. Charke why doe you accustome to belye men so haue you no conscience in so doyngs For shame reporte as you fynde and no otherwyse Lyndan auoucheth it not as you saye But onelie he reporteth as he had heard for his woordes are these Mâ—rcatores quidaÌ„ Coloniae non ignobiles narrant certaine woorshipfull marchantes of Colen doe report you see he auoucheth it not whie showld you him belie so falselie as you doe I haue noted now this in you diuers tymes I hope yt will doe you good against you write agayne And this of the report But for the matter yt is of small importance how soeuer yt be For as Lyndans authoritie were litle auaylable against you yf he had affirmed yt as he dothe not so M. Carrs authoritie writing at suche a time and vpon suche occasion and for suche an end and to suche a man as he dyd is not of great weight with me for the deniall Lett the matter be as it will it litle importeth vs. Yet one historiographer of our tyme doeth wryte that some of Bucers owne disciples haue reported that he dyed a Iewe denyeing Christ to be the Messias VVhat soeuer his deathe was Martin Luther writeth that he was a verie vntrue and wicked man yea more then that that he was a verie Monster And for his constancie in doctrine you haue litle cause to bragge so of hym For first of a Dominican fryar he became a Lutheran After that he bacame a Zuinglian as appeareth ep ad Norimb ep ad Essingenses And thirdlie in the Sinod Holden at Luthers house in wittenberge the yere 1536 he came backe agayne to be a Lutheran recantinge openlie bothe the article of baptisme of infants to be vnnecessarie as he had written before vppon the third chapiter of S. Mathewes gospell and also the article of the supper as he testifieth of hym selfe vpon the sixt of Iohn and 26. of Mathew VVhere he asketh pardon also of God and of the Churche for that he deceyued so manye with the heresie of Zuinglius as he calleth yt and yet notwitstanding a litle before in his epistle to them of Norimberge he affirmeth the doctrine of Zuinglius to be moste diuine and deliuered immediatlye by Christ from heauen and Luthers doctrine to be new and repugnant to the scriptures Also in his epistle ad Essingenses he calleth the Lutheranes fanatical and furiouse teachers But dyd this thyrd or fowerth recantation holde thinke you no surelie For coÌ„ming into England he bacame a Zuinglian agayne as you will not denye and in that opinion dyed as you saye but I thinke he might dye a Iewe well enough as pontacus writeth for any reason I see to the contrarie For he whiche had so many times chaunged his faythe seemeth to haue had no religion at all by lykelyhode in his harte and therfore might easilie bothe dowt and wauer not onâ—lie in pointes of the Catholique Lutherane and zuinglian religion but also of the Messias and Christ hym selfe as diuerse wryte that some of his scholars haue reported VVherfore thoughe I passed ouer this man as scarse worthie mentioninge yet haue you gayned litle by bringinge hym in as farre as I can see And therfore lett vs now returne to the Censure againe Of the Iesuites doctrine THE CENSVRE Fourthlie you vvill needes bringe the Iesuits in discredit by certaine blasphemous doctrines vvhich yovv saye they holde in a booke vvritten by common consent called Censura Coloniensis out of vvhich you haue for example sake put dovvne thirtiene blashemies in their ovvne verie vvordes as you say noting the leafe and adding the cleane contrary doctrine out of the vvoorde of God And that men should knovve that you deale playnlie and bring their verie vvordes and no sillable of your ovvne you haue put their sayeings dovvne in a differeÌ„t Romane letter But M. Chark in brotherlye charitie let me reaso the maâ—ter a litle vvith you Are you not ashamed of this falsehode dyd you not think that this your booke might be examined by some man or other in dede you haue all the printes to your selues and your searchers are so vvatchefull as nothing caÌ„ passe their hands to the discoueryng of your doeings therefore you may boâ—h saye and print vvhat you vvill And our eares may vvell burne on this syde the sea our harts revv at the shameles vntruthes vvhich vve heare see vttered there among you dayly But vve can not remedye it this that I vvrite novv I make accompt yt may asvvell perishe as diuers things of greater importance haue done heretofore But surelie me thynketh a vvyse man that had care of his soule might see the light at a litle hole descrie the coÌ„clusion by a fevv premisses If you in so short a pamphlet vtter so many so manifest so inexcusable vntruthes as I vvill novv shevv vvhich notvvithstanding you might reasonablie doubt least perhaps they might be disclosed vvhat vvill you and your felovves dare auouche in your sermoÌ„s speeches and discourses vvhich you are sure shall neuer come to examination But novv lâ—tt vs consider these vvicked blasphemies of the Iesuits vvith vvhome yf you haue dealt truelie and honestlie then let all be beleeued vvhich you speake dayly of vs. Yf you haue done othervvyse then the same malice vvhiche droue you to abuse your selfe tovvardes them may also iustelye be suspected in the rest of youre doeings and sayeings tovvards vs. THE DEFENCE Sir william in this place as a byrd taken by the legge for lyeing a fether or two pulled of his pryde by exaggeration of the â—ame beateth hym selfe greatlie to gett out and thrusteth his head in euerie hole to be gone And first he sayeth I haue reported moste intolerable slaunders of Martin Luther vpon the credit of three or fovver vvitnesses And why then might not he reporte these things of the Iesuits vpon the credit of one Gotuisus But the differeÌ„ces of these matters shall appeare after And how I haue iustifyed bothe my selfe and my Authors in my reportes about Luther the reader hathe now seene Yf M. Charke can discharge hym selfe so he shall passe blamelesse Secondlie he sayeth I haue made fovver lyes vvithout shame in one sentence For sayeth he vve haue not all the printes to our selues as may appeare by this your booke imprynted Our searchers are not so vvatchefull as nothing can passe for this your booke hathe passed VVe can not saye or prynt
reckoned some small parte onelie in the Censure VVhiâ—he notwithstanding I wolde not haue troubled M. Charke withall yf I had supposed hym so grosse therin as by examination I fynde hym A lacke poore sir william And by this you see how substantiallie he hath proued all these seuen poyntes to be expresselie in scripture If we shoulde beleeue no more in all thesâ— mysteries than is expressed in scripture our faythe wolde be verie obscure and confuse heerin Bâ—t these men are wonderfull lordes of scripture They can exclude what they will and drawe in what they please VVheÌ„ we are to proue a matter to be founded on scripture no testimonies will serue except they be so playne and euident as by no wayes they may be auoyded But when they will haue a thing in scripture euerye litle gesse at theyr pleasure is sufficient to proue yt Hearâ— D. Fulks woordes to M. Bristoe abowt certayne lykâ— matters For the diuision of parishes excommunicacion suspension publique solennizing of Mariage vvith the lavves therof and punishing of heretiques by deathe they are all manifestlie proued ovvt of the scripture This he sayeth alleaging no one place of scripture to proue it And for the fyrst fower I thynke the puritanes will hardlie graunt them to be manifestlie in scripture And the last was for a long tyme denyed by them selues to be eyther in scripture or allowable by scripture vntill now they haue burned some for religion them selues in England But theyr former bookes are extant to the contrary and all theyr companions yet in other countries where they raigne not as our protestants doe now in England are styll of opinion that no heretique ought to be putt to deathe for religion And thus he auoydeth seuen of the pointes obiected affirming them to be euidentlie in scripture For the rest sayeth he of these tvvelue pointes as they are not â—uidentlie contayned in the vvoord so a christian is not absolutelie bounde to beleeue them Beholde the last refuge of a proude hereticall spirit in breakinge where he can not otherwise gett owte Dare you M. Charke to sett men at libertie to beleeue or not to beleeue that the common crede was made by the Apostles whiche Origen Tertullian Ierom Ruffinus Ambrose Austen and all the primatiue Church doe so coÌ„stantlie affirme to be theyr doeinge Dare you to sett at libertie the obseruation of Easter daye whiche Eusebius calleth Apostolicam traditionem A tradition of the Apostles and abowt whiche was so great sturre in the primatiue churche and so many decrees made in councels against heretiques But aboue all other dare you putt at libertie the beleefe of our blessed ladies perpetuall virginitie Remember you not that Heluidius was condemned of heresie for denieing the same in the primatiue Churche Remember you not the solemne curse for this matter of so many holie Byshopes recorded and confirmed by S. Ambrose of Millan I will conclude and stoppe your mouth yf I can with these woordes of S. Austen Integra fide credendum est c. vve must beleeue vvith a sounde faith blessed Marie the mother of Christ to haue conceiued in virginitie to haue brought foorthe her sonne in virginitie and to haue remayned a virgin after her childbyrth nether must vve yeeld to the blasphemie of Heluidius Loe M. Charke S. Austen maketh it bothe a matter of faith the dowting therof to be blasphemie how will you auoyde thys For the mention which S. Paul is thought to make to the Colossians of an epistle written by hym to the Laodicenses M. Charke denyeth it and condemneth both me and S. Ieroms translation of ignorance for reporting the same for that as he sayeth the greeke text hath onelie of an epistle written by S. Paul from Laodicea and not to Laodicea But me thynketh M. Charke should not obiect ignorance so pereÌ„ptorilye to others except he were sure of his owne opinioÌ„ If I had had no other vvarrantize for my allegation but onelye the olde latin translation being of suche antiquitie as it is and the matter of no importance to our purpose yet ought I not so rigourouslie to haue bene reprehended for the same But besides this I haue two editions in greeke the one of learned Paguine in folio the other of Plantyne in octauo both whiche make playnlie for me Then haue I the iudgement of S. Ambrose and oâ— S. Ierome whiche knew the true greeke editions Also the consent of Tertullian Philastrius and Epiphanius a greeke writer whiche may be sufficient to wype away M. Charkes bytter reproche against me in this matter Of the scriptures misalleaged for the contrarye by M. Charke THE CENSVRE But hovv doe you novv ouerthrovve this doctrine and prooue it blasphemie M. Charke By a place of S. Paule All the scripture is geuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to confute to correcte and to instructe in iustice that the man of God maye be perfect and throughly instructed to euery good worke VVherof you inferre that the Scripture is sufficient to perfection but hovv vvrongefullye it shall novv appeare And first I let passe your ordinarie misusinge of scripture by adding fiue vvordes of your ovvne in this litle sentence to vvit the is and and throughâ—lie vvhich audacitie if it vvere in translating of Aesops fables it vvere tollerable but in the holie Scriptures vvhere euerie vvorde must be taken as from the holie Ghoste it is impious Secondlie this place maketh nothinge for your purpose vvhich I proue by tvvo reasons The first is because S. Paule saieth not here that the Scripture is sufficient to perfection but onelie that it is profitable Novv you knovv that a thinge maie be verie profitable yea necâ—ssarie to an effecte and yet not sufficieÌ„t to doe the same vvithout all helpe As meate is profitable and necessarie to maintaine lyfe and yet not sufficient vvithout naturall heate clothes and the like The second reason is for that S. Paule signifieth in this place that euerie parte or canonicall booke of Scripture is profitable to make a man perfecte but yet vve can not say that euerie part or booke is sufficient for then all other bookes of scripture besides that vvere superfluous And that S. Paule meaneth in this place euerie seuerall canonicall booke or parte of Scripture by the vvordes Omnis scriptura it is euident by that he vseth the vvorde Omnis and not Tota vvich tvvo vvords hovv much they differ both in Greeke and Latine all Logisioners knovv For omins homo signifieth euerie man And M. Charke him selfe in this verie same sentence hath translated Omne oâ—us bonum Euerye good worke And yet deceatefullye hath he traÌ„â—lated Omnis scriptura All the scripture As though S. Paule had meante onelie that all the Scripture put together is sufficient to perfection vvhich sense can not stand First for that all the Scripture at such