past to try vs and seek the ground of our hearts Psal 139.23 proue and know our thoughts consider if there be any wickednesse in vs rid vs out of it and lead vs in the true way that bringeth to the true life wee beg these things and whatsoeuer thou knowest needfull for vs and thy holy Church in his name and for his sake which is the way the truth and the life saying as he hath taught vs Our father which art in heauen c. Chap. When these or any other that haue offended as who hath not haue made these or the like prayers confessing their sinnes with true sorrow of heart what shall they take to comfort their hearts againe if you haue no softer salt I must seeke further for I feare this salt will nothing but fret them Salt There are diuers sorts of Salt to be had at Bible-Spring some is sharp that â—â—rueth to consume grosse humors some is more milde hath vertue to heale wounds but because some Physitions setting down what is good for the heart say maces is best of all Hospit p. 42. Cant. 2.5 and the Spowse in the Canticles desireth to bee comforted with apples you may call that which I shall now deliuer vnto you apples or maces or wine and milke as the Prophet Esay calleth that which hee deliuereth where he maketh his cry saying Ho euery one that is thirsty come yee to the waters Esay 55.12 and yee that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money Chap. If men must not pay money for this milke and wine with what must they buy it Salt He telleth them in the second and third verses saying Hearken diligently vnto mee and eate that which is good let your soule delight in fatnesse incline your eares and come vnto mee heare and your soule shall liue Chap. It should seeme by his calling for hearing and eating with delight that it is the word of God or some other spirituall gift which is there meant by waters wine milke and fatnesse Salt Some by waters vnderstand the waters of grace in this present life Nicola dâ—lyra and of glory in the heauenly Citty to bee giuen by Christ himselfe according as hee himselfe saith Hee which shall drinke of the waters which I shall giue him shall neuer be more a thirst â—oh 4.14 but the water which I shal giue him shall be in him a fountaine of water springing vp to eternall life By wine and milke the same writer vnderstandeth the good things of grace and glory Benagr glâ—â— and by fatnesse the fatnesse of grace likewise Chap. Well let me haue some of this spirituall nourishing wine and milke or whatsoeuer you list to call it Salt Yee shall and first I will beginne where the aforesaid Prophet made his cry Seeke the Lord while he may bee found Esay 55.6 call yee vpon him while he is neere â— Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations returne vnto the Lord and he wil haue mercy vpon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgiue My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name 〈◊〉 103.8 â— My soule praise thou the Lord forget not all his benefits 5 Which forgiueth all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities 6 Which redeemeth the life froÌ„ the graue and crowneth thee with mercy and compassion 8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse 9 He will not alwaies chide neither keepe his anger for euer hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities 18 The louing kindnesse of the Lord indureth for euer euer vpon them that feare him c. think vpon his commandements to do them Chap. Yea but these for whom I come haue not feared the Lord nor made any reckoning of his commandements Salt This which I deliuer vnto you now as Apples for comfort is to bee set before them when as I said they are well seasoned with the salt of the law containing a fearefull curse against all the trangressors of the same and so beeing brought vnto a feeling of their sinne are entred into the feare of God which is the beginning of wisedome Pro. 9.10 Chap. Then belike those which feare not God how wise soeuer they seeme to themselues haue not trodden one step in the path of true wisedome Salt No doubt of that Chap. On then Salt Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Mich. 7 18. hee retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him He will turne againe and haue compassion vpon vs he will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea When the wicked turneth away from his wickednesse that hee hath committed Ezek. 18.28 and doth that which is lawfull and right he shal saue his soule aliue 28 Because hee considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that hee hath committed hee shall surely liue and not die 32 I desire not the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God cause therefore one another to returne and liue ye Shee shall bring forth a sonne Mat. 1.11 and thou shall call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes And loe a voyce came from heauen saying 3.17 this is my beloued sonne in whom I am â—ell pleased I am not come to call the righteous 9.13 but â—â—nners to repentance Saint Paul saith this is a true saying Tim 1.15 â—y all meanes worthy to bee reciued that â—esus Christ came into the world to saue â—â—nners Come vnto me all ye that are laden meaâ—ing with the burthen of their sinnes and will ease you Mat. 11.28 Likewise Luk. 15.10 I say vnto you there is ioy in â—e presence of the Angels of God for one â—â—nner that repenteth 31 It was meete that we should make merry be glad for this thy brother was dead â—s aliue againe and hee was lost but hee is â—ound As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wilâ—ernesse Ioh. 3 14. so must the Sonne of man bee lift â—p that whosoeuer beleeueth in him â—hould not perish but haue euerlasting life We beleeue saith Saint Peter through â—he grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to bee â—aued euen as they do Acts 14 11. And it was the same Peter that said Acts 10.43 To â—im giue all the Prophets witnesse that â—hrough his name all that beleeue in him â—hall receiue remission of sinnes Chap. Are those then that beleeue in Christ pardoned and saued whether they feare God or feare him not whether they serue sinne or righteousnesse Salt What friend Chapman dost thou thinke
Rom 15 4 whatsoeuer things are written are written for our learning Tract But Sir Thomas Moores bookes and the Golden-legend and such like are written ergo for our learning Guid. Soft Maister Tractable you are too forward for you minor or assumption if I had bene disposed to make a sillogisme I would haue done it without your helpe if the Apostle had meant whatsoeuer was written in any booke you had concluded well but he meant not so for if he had then we should reade for our learning Huon of Burdeaux Beuis of Hampton all bookes of fables errours and lies whatsoeuer but he speaketh of the holy Scriptures for immediately after the former words he hath these that we through patience comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope And when hée saith as it is written I haue made thee a father of many Nations and againe now it is not written for him only Gen. 17.4.15.6 that it was imputed to him Abraham for righteousnesse but also for vs c. he meaneth writteÌ„ in Genesis And when he writeth to the Corinthians touching the Death and Resurrection of Christ our Redéemer hee saith 1. Cor. 15.3.4 that Christ dyed for our sinnes according to the Scriptures Exo. 12.6 7 Ps 22 15.16 17. and that he was buried and that hee arose the third day Esa 34 53. Zach 13 7 according to the Scriptures And Saint Peter writing to those that had obtained like precious faith c. saith Wee haue also a more sure Propheticall word to the which you do well that yée take héed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Dan. 9.26 Ionas 1.17 2. Pet. 1 19. vntill the day dawne and the Day-starre arise in your hearts not meaning that the words of the Prophets in themselues were more firme or of greater credit then the Gospell of Christ or that voyce of God the Father Math. 17.5 This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Tract Saint Peter saith hee heard that voyce when hee was with him in the Holy mount but he saith nothing of these words heare him Guid. No more doth hee mention his owne words spoken a little before that voyce came Rom. What words were those Guid. Maister it is good for vs to be here c. we may not thinke that Saint Mathew reporteth an vntruth because Saint Peter spake not all at once there was a voyce also from heauen when Christ was baptized but then neither Mathew Mark nor Luke mentioned those words heare him But to returne to the matter we haue in hand you sée by the places I cited that for the guiding of our faith and bringing of vs to the true knowledge of our saluation purchased by Christ we are sent to the Scriptures therefore Mistresse Romana and you Maister Tractable if you will build surely build your faith on the holy scriptures let no mens writings carry you any whither without this good guid If you would take as great delight in reading the Bible as you do in the books you speak of pray God heartily in al humility of spirit to giue you such mesure of knowledge as may suffice to bring true comfort to your soule and therewithall bee willing and diligent in hearing the Word taught which is a special ordinary means to plant in you a sound Faith in Christ our Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption I doubt not but in short space you should sée how fowly you were deceiued in thinking you might go to heauen by obseruing mens Traditions stumbling in the darke without the word of God which the Prophet Dauid calleth a Lantherne to his feet and a light to his pathes Ps 119.105 Rom. If I should giue eare vnto you M. Guidewell and such as you are would you bring me to any other faith theÌ„ that which is called Catholike Guid. The summe of the ancient Catholicke faith to be receiued of all that will bée saued is set downe in the Créede called the Apostles Créed which beginneth thus I beleeue in God the Father Almighty c. And in the other receiued Créed Whosoeuer will be saued c. Which Créed is read diuers times in our Churches yeerely Rom. Is there no mention in that ancient Creed of praying to saints of going a Pilgrimage of worshipping of the Crosse and Images of Purgatory praying on Beades and such other matters as are receiued of vs which go to Masse Guid. Aske your Cozen. Rom. What say you Cozen are they Tract No what then shall we not vse Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord because they are not mentioned in that Creed Guid. Christ commanded the vse of them but not of the other yea rather hee forbiddeth the other for that they are repugnant to that which he commandeth and teacheth Mad. Most of your side M. Tractable are found to be far more forward in obseruing that which man requireth then that which the Almighty commandeth Many especially the ignorant sort talke much of the Catholike Faith but if one should aske them what is the true iustifying faith how it is wrought in vs to what end it is giuen vs I feare they would make but a simple answere Rom. If one should aske you Madame what would you answere Mad. Maister Guidewell is present therefore it is fit that he should answere Guid. Nay pray you let her heare what you can say Mad. This then vnder correction I say that Faith is a sure perswasion wrought in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God together with his word truly taught reuerently heard and well vnderstood by the which faith the soule beléeueth that it repenting and stedfastly cleauing vnto Christ her head and Sauiour hath all her sinnes throughly remitted and is reconciled to God to the end shee should bring forth the fruites of Repentance and in loue doe the workes of a sound faith to the glory of God the good example of others and the assuring her selfe of her effectuall calling and so of her election to life euerlasting Rom. I promise you Madam I take it to be farre more easie to kisse a Crucifixe to heare a Masse to goe to shrift to say dayly twenty Auo maries besides De profundis and to fast the Imber dayes from flesh hauing other good fare to serue the turne then to learne and practise this which you haue spoken of faith and workes I had thought you Protestants had shut good workes cleane out of your doores Guid. You and others are told many things which you should finde false if you would be one of our hearers for we teach that as that sonne which will dwell in his fathers house which is bought for him must go the right way vnto it So though Christ hath bought a resting place for vs in heauen with his blâ—ud yet if we will enioy it wée must walke the right way to it dye to sin and lead a new life 2. Tim. 2 19.
bloud but it is no proper spéech Tract The Apostle meaneth Christ his bloud shed on the Crosse Guid. True but the words are you fee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the bloud of his Crosse is set downe more plainly in these words Rom. 3 2â— Whom speaking of Christ he hath set forth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his bloud c. Much more then being now iustified by his bloud Rom 5.9 c. By whom we haue redemption through his bloud c. Eph. 17. Heb. 9.14 Vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud Ioh. 1.7 Reu. 1. â— You sée then that hee calleth the bloud of Christ the bloud of his Crosse Col. 1.20 speaking-more properly verse 14. And so no doubt but the same Apostle in saying that he reioiceth in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ meant his sufferings and also the force effects and merits of his Death and Passion with all the Comforts truits and promises which we receiue thereby as it is affirmed by the reuerend and learned in the Canons Can. 30. Rom. Howsoeuer the word Crosse is to be taken in any of the places cited by my cozen I see no reason why I may not haue the signe of the crosse to put mee in minde of him that died for me Why haue you the picture of the King Queene and Prince in your house but to put you in minde to pray for them If you haue no Crosse to bring Christ his death to your remeÌ„brance then haue you nothing Mad. Yes Mistresse Romana we haue the History of his passion and the Sacrament of his body and bloud after the giuing whereof our Sauiour Christ said to those that sate at the Table Do this in remembrance of me so we do that to remember his loue towards vs which hee biddeth vs to do But who bid you make Crosses or who brought the first Crosse into England I cannot tell Rom. Can not you tell Cozen Tract Some write that the first Altar Polycro lib. 5 cap. 12 â—erk proble pag. 38. 84. and the first Crosse were erected in England by Oswald in the place of the battaile agaiust Cadwall in the yeare 635. Mad. Well whosoeuer first brought it hither it mattereth not I see the word Crosse is much vsed in the New Testament which word so often repeated together with the History of his passion and our Communicating may serue to bring Christ his Passion into our remembrance though we had no signe yet Maister Guidewell and many others besides him doe vse that signe after the childe is baptized not condemning others which say they cannot doe it with a quyet mind no more then he would haue them to condemne him what moueth him to doe it hee knoweth best himselfe Guid. There bee thrée causes that moue me to vse that signing Rom. The one is you are loth to loose your maintenance You had rather giue an Almes then take one Guid. Indeed it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue but you get no fée of me if you will bee the Procter to tell my tale before you be required First I finde that ancient Christians being godly men and great Clearks did allow the vse of it in Baptisme Secondly Canon 30. such as command it say it is no part of the substance of that Sacrament and that being vsed afterwards meaning after the Infant is fully and perfectly baptized it doth neither adde any thing to the vertue or perfection of Baptisme nor beeing omitted doth detract any thing from the effect and substance of it The third cause is I sée there bee many of the superstitious Catholikes for I will kéepe the name of the sincerer Catholickes vnto our selues so addicted to shewes and signes though they say wee féede on bare signes that they bee ready to iudge all such as crosse not enemies to the Crosse of Christ and therefore for my part I choose rather to vse it the higher powers that command it not attributing such power vnto it as our Aduersaries doe then to giue any occasion to the Recusants to say the Gouernours would haue vs come to Church and when we come there wee shall sée such as should exhort vs to obey in matters of substance vnwilling to yeelde to such things as themselues call shewes and shadowes Mad. Indeed it is good we take heed we put no stumbling-blockes in the way of such as bee backward But must wee not haue care also that we offend not such as be forward Guid. Wee must not despise the least of the faithfull Math. 18.10 If a Christian Prince command me to do that wherewith some weake brother being a Subiect is offended because hee thinketh God is offended with it what should I doe in this case I cannot satisfie both If I bee willing to obey my Prince my weake brother is offended If I refraine because of the the Subiect my Prince is not obeyed Who seeth not that these things are troublesome Mad. You know wee must so obey our Prince that we put no occasion of falling or a stumbling-blocke as the Apostle saith before our brother Rom. 14.13 Guid. If to crosse be a stumbling-block and I leape ouer it and saue my shin and another stumble at it and breake his shins can I helpe it it is not a blocke of my putting Mad. Though it be not yet perhaps some will say you should set your shoulders to it to help to remoue it because it may hurt others though not your selues Guid. Anumber of men farre stronger then I haue béene heauing at it a long time but I sée they heaue against the Hill others stronger then they by reason they haue authority lift against them as some thinke the vse of these things will driue backe so others thinke it will draw on Experience I thinke in time will tell whose iudgment is best Though some stuÌ„ble at Christ as the vnbeléeuers doe yet Christ is the true Messias and if any through weaknes or howsoeuer stumble at the signe of the Crosse yet it must néeds be granted it is appoynted to be vsed as a sign of that crosse whereto the true Christ and not any counterfeit was fastened Rom. Was there euer any counterfeite Christ Guid. Cooper Fabian are set down by Grafton in his Abridgement as testifying that there was a Councell holden at Oxford of the Bishops in the first yeare of Henry the third 1220 where a certaine man was condemned which taught that hée was Iesus Christ And to confirme the same hee shewed the token of wounds in his Hands Body and Fée and was therefore condemned and crucified on a Crosse at Atterbury besides Banbury-hill till he dyed Rom. I regard not the signe of that crosse whereon that counterfeite died When I crosse me I think on Christ his Crosse as I am in loue with that crosse so I tell you true I cannot be weaned from any ceremony that
grownd in his sacke should put of his cap make a legge and thanke the mill and so take vp his sacke go his way neuer thinking on the mil-wright that made the mil or on the miller that set it on worke though I say these erred worshipping the creatures in steed of the Creator yet in my simple iudgement hee that reasoneth thus these things do mee good and were not made by men therefore they are Gods doth reason more wisely then he that saith Sun Moone and starres keepe their course giue vs light the fire doth heate mee the raine helpeth my corne grasse to grow these are not Gods therefore there is no mighty power that worketh by them How sayest thou Chapman doth not the first reason more wisely then the latter Chap. The reason of the first seemeth to haue more force then the latter yet I may not grant it to be wiser vnlesse the first were wise but I cannot grant the former to bee wise vnlesse I would therewithall grant that there is wisedome in worshipping the workes in steed of the worke-maister but I haue no more reason to grant that then to yeeld to the Atheist that religion sprang froÌ„ policy for if that were true the inuentors of it should be called fainers or lyars Salt Lactantius Deâ—lra dei cap. 10. versus finem an ancient and learned writer saith that opinion is false by which men thinke that religion was instituted by wise men terroris metus gratia * To keepe men in awe as the vulgar Atheist speaketh for terrour and feare sake through which the ignorant might abstaine from sinne which if it were true saith he then are we derided by ancient wise-men who if they forged Religion to deceiue vs and all mankinde they were not wise because a lye is not found in a wise-man but how wise soeuer they were how came they by so great felicity in lying that not onely they deceiâ—ed the vnlearned but Socrates also and Plato and so easily deluded Pithagoras Zeno and Aristotle the Authors of the greatest sects Chap. Howsoeuer others might fayne Lact. de falsa Religione c. 4. I do not thinke the Prophets were such Salt To haue a will to faine any lye saith the aforesaid Authour belongeth to them which be still raking of riches and gaâ—ing for gaine Ibid paulo ante which things without doubt there far from those holy men * which set forth one God and beeing guided by the spirit of the same God spake one thing who not onely had no gaine saith hee towards the end of the same Chapter but torments and death and he addeth this reason for the precepts of iustice are bitter to the vitious and bad-liuers and therefore after they had cruelly tormented such as reproued and spake against their sinnes they killed them Chap. What if any Pagan should say to vs that professe the Christian Religion you Christians haue fained that which you haue set forth and to the end men might more bee moued to giue credit you do with one consent write that all those things were fore-told long before Salt Saint Augustine vpon the 8. 〈◊〉 Iohn saith Tract 45. that against such Pagan enimies the should so say we haue haue the testimonies of other enemies proferimus codices a Iudaeis we bring forth bookes from thâ— Iewes wee answere both they you arâ— enimies to our faith therefore are they dispearsed amongst the nations that we may conuince one enemy by another Let the booke oâ— Esay be brought forth by the Iewes let vs seâ— if I do not read there Isay 53.7 He is brought aâ—â— sheepe to the slaughter Chap. 53. Chap. Are there none that write oâ— this one God but the Prophets and other holy men named in the Scriptures Salt You forget your selfe you told mâ— you would haue Canonicall Salt for your Atheist why then doe you aske for other belike you meane to giue him a preparatiue before you giue him a quicke purge whom do you meane The Fathers that wrote after the Apostles time or some other among the heathen before Christ his incarnation if you meane these last-named then know you that Lactantius setteth downe some spéeches of Trismegistus De fal relig ca. 6. and the Sibylls touching one God Chap. What was that Trismegistus and those Sibylls Salt Cicero bringeth in Cotta disputing against the Stoicks touching religions and the varieties of the opinions which are wont to bee concerning the Gods there were saith Cotta fiue Mercuries whereof the first was he that slew Argus and so fled into Egypt and deliuered vnto them lawes and letters This man the Egyptians call Thoth Some of our Prognost say they call Iuly Thoth Prog. 1610. of whom the first moneth of their yeare that is September is named c. This man being furnished of all kind of learning was for his great knowledge sur-named Trismegistus thrise greatest as some with vs by such as dedicate bookes to them are called thrise Noble thrise vertuous c. Chap. Well what saith that great learned man Salt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But God is one Lact. de fals relig ca. 6. Lact de verâ— sap ca. 6. and one needeth no name and againe saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Lord and Creator of all things whom we thinke good to call God c. Chap. Now to the Sibylls what were they and what say they Salt Varro who as Lactantius saith was as learned a man as euer liued among the Greekes and Lattines De fal relig ca. 6. affirmeth that the Sibylline bookes or workes that beare the name of Sibilla were not made of one Sibylla but were so called because all Prophetesses in time of old were called Sibylls either from the name of one Sibyll that was at Delphis or for the denouncing the counsaile of the gods For in Arolikes speech they call the gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and counsell not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now there were tenne of these Sibylls whereof the fift was Erythraea shee in the verses that were brought to Rome hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One God which alone passing all magnitude vncreated These Sibylls haue written many things touching our Sauiour Christ his miracles sufferings resurrection and comming to iudgement as is to be séene in the said Lactantius out of whom Saint Augustine citeth many spéeches of the said Sibylls especially of Erythraea the first letters of whose Greeke verses touching Christ his comming to iudgement make these words in Lattin Iesus Christus Dei filius saluator Iesus Christ the Sonne of God our Sauiour Chap. Haue you read these words in S. Augustine or do you finde them in Phillip of Morney his booke Salt What if I had read it in any of his bookes will you not giue as much credit vnto him as vnto me which in
all respects am farre inferior vnto him but the truth is I haue read it my selfe in Saint Augustine his 18 booke and 23 chapter of the Citty of God the first word of which chap-chapter is eodem and the last word scripserunt Chap. Are the verses you spake of set downe in that Chapter Salt Yes in Lattine Iudicij signum c. Chap. I would I had them in English Salt If you will haue them Englished in the best manner you must craue it at the hands of some other but if you will see the sence as I haue giuen it after the plaine fashion thus it is The earth it selfe shall sweat through feare To shew that iudgement doth draw neere The eternall king from heauen shall come In flesh to iudge at day of dome Faithfull and faithlesse then shall see The glorious God and Saints set free When earth vntilled shall bryars beare TheÌ„ soules with flesh that Iudge shall heare Reijcient simulactra viri cunctam quoque gazam Exuret terras ignis pontuÌ„que poluÌ„que inquirens c. Then shall men cast false Gods away With treasures rich and iewels gay The earth shall burne with fiery flame That shall search sea and heauenly frame The dores of dreadful diuels then Shall broken be in sight of men The bodies of Saints in light shall shine When wicked men in flame shall whine Things done in secret and by night Shall then be knowne and brought to light Then men shall cry alasse and woe And wayling gnash their teeth also The Sun and Moone shall loose their light The heauens dissolue no starre in sight The hils shall downe the vallies rise Each thing made euen in wonderous wise The course of all things then shall stay The earth sore crusht shall quite decay The fountaines then shall dry be found And Trumpets giue a dolefull sound Bemoning then mans misery When hell shall gape most horribly Before the Lord at that same hower Shall Kings be brought and men of power A fearfull fire from heauen shall burne With store of brimston for that turne Chap. In whose time liued that Sibyll Salt He that compareth the 23 Chapter of the 18 booke De Ciuitate Dei with the Chapter aforegoing shall finde that she was in the daies of Romulus and Ezechias Romulus was some 700 yeares before Christ but in the end of that Chapter hee saith some wrote that she was belli Troiani tempore in time of the Troiane warre Chap. Did she write such things so long before the Incarnation of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Salt It should seeme so by S. Austin but since your comming was not for Sibyl-Salt but for Salt Canonicall tell mee how much you will haue Chap. Marry friend Salter tell me first I pray thee what I shall say to these Atheists if they should aske mee how I know that this Salt which coÌ„meth from Bible-Spring doth passe all other Salt Hee which for that matter hath not the inward testimony of the spirit which is the chiefest must bee exhorted to seeke for some outward testimony in the fountaine it selfe whereof the first may be the maiesty of the doctrine euery where appearing in those sacred and Canonicall bookes Vide Whita in dis de sacr Scrip. contren 1. Qâ—aest 3. cap. 3. sect 5. The â—econd the simple pure and heauenly kind of writing neither Plato Aristotle nor Demosthenes nor Cicero nor any other that wrote so purely so holily and so diuinely The third is the antiquity of them for the bookes of Moses are more ancient then the writings of all men other Writers were vtterly ignorant of the History he deducteth from the creation or had it from thence or else bee sprinkled with many fables The fourth testimony is the Oracles which confirme the authority of those books to be very sacred as the which must needes bee diuine for that in them are fore-told some things which came to passe manâ— ages after and names were put vpon somâ— men before they were borne certaine hundreth of yeares as in 1 Kings 13 Chapter the man of God which came out of Iudah by the commandement of the Lord cryed against that Altar in the presence of King Iereboam and said O Altar Altar thus saith the Lord behold a child shal be borne vnto the house of Dauid Iosiah by name and vpon thee shall hee sacrifice the Priestâ— of the high places this he spake more therâ— 300 yeares before Iosiah was borne 44.28 45. â— thâ—â— Prophet Esaie in like manner nameth Cyrus some 100 yeares ere he was borne Chap. How can you proue that Iosiaâ— and Cyrus were named so long before they were borne Salt I find in the 2 Chronicles 13 20. that Ieroboam in whose daies Iosiah was named by the man of God aforesaid being plagued of God died in the daies of Abijah who was then King of Iudah now he that will reckon how many yeares each King of Iudah from Abijah to Iosiah did raigne shall finde the yeares when he fetteth down the whole sumine to be more then 300. And as touching Cyrus named by the Prophet Isay know you that this Prophet prophesied in the daies of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz Isay 1.1 and Hezekiah Kings of Iudah now presuppose that the Prophet Isay named not Cyrus till the last yeare of Hezekiah his raigne and that Cyrus was borne in the 11 yeare of Iehoiakim about which time beganne the captiuity of Babilon if yee reckon the yeares of the raignes of the Kings of Iudah that raigned betwixt Ezekiah 2. Chro. 26.6 Iehoiakim you shall finde them as I said to amount to some hundred yeares lacking some nine monthes for Manasses who succeeded Hezekiah raigned 55 years Amon two yeares Iosiah 31 yeares Ioachas 3 monthes Iehoiakim 11 yeares Chap. Go on now with the rest of the testimonies for the authority of the Scriptures Salt The fift is the number of miracles Chap. What miracles if you meane such are found in the Scriptures assure your selfe that they which doubt of or set light by the Scriptures make little accompt of the miracles or any thing else contained in them though they were not faigned Salt If that testimony seeme weak take the sixt Do. Whitak in dis de sacr Scrip. contro 1 Qu. 3. ca. 3. sest 5 which is the enemies themselues who though they haue oft gone about to take away all the Scriptures from the sight of men yet they could neuer bring it to passe but by their owne paines and punishments vnderstood that it was the word of God that they oppugned The seuenth is the testimony of the Martirs which by their confession and death sealed the doctrine deliuered and set forth in those bookes The eigth the Writers themselues who wrote theÌ„ bring great credit vnto theÌ„ for if ye consider what manner of meÌ„ they were before they were stirred vp by the holy Ghost to take this vpon them wee shall finde that they were very vnfit for such
those Posts in the the land of Ephraim Manasseth and Zabulom Salt Some laughed them to scorne and mocked them and some submitted themselues and came to Ierusalem Chap. And what did they of Iudea Salt The hand of God was in Iudah so that he gaue them one heart to do the commandement of the King and of the Ruler according to the word of the Lord and when it shall please the same God that gaue them one heart to giue vs in this land one heart also wee shall doe the Commandement of our King and Rulers according to the word of the Lord for if wee had all that heart if there were vnity then as they in Iudea came into the house of the Lord to serue him and to kéepe the Passouer vnto him so should all wee in this land go to the Church serue God and in communicating shew forth the death of our Sauiour with thankes-giuing vntill hee come 1. Cor. 11.26 Wee should not be some in the Church and some in the chamber Some doing that which Christ commanded to bee done in remembrance of him some knéeling before some worke of Mans hand Luke 22 1◠Some hearkening to the preaching of Christ crucified some contenting themselues with hearing a Masse and looking on a Crucifixe Some through faith féeding in Christ which is aboue sitting as Paul saith at the right hand of God Col. 3.1 Heb. 1.3.8 Ca. 8.5.1 which to the Hebrues is called the right hand of Maiesty in the highest places and other some after certaine words spoken and grossely vnderstood séeking for him in forme of bread as if our Sauiour when hee said This is my body had either two bodies or else one and the same body at one and the same time seene and heard at the Table and hid and silent in the bread Chap. I wonder that they holding a bodily presence will themselues bee bodily absent Salt They absent themselues from our Church not only in body but also in Spirit they haue no minde to vs nor to our congregations Chap. It may be they thinke there be as many things that need clensing as needed clensing in Ierusalem when Hezechiah began to reigne at which time as I haue heard there were many things amisse Salt Indéed that godly King found high places images and groues all which hee tooke away and when hee had brought the Priests and Leuites into the east stréet hee said vnto them Heare me you Leuits sanctifie your selues 2 King 18 4 3. Cro. 29.5 and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your Fathers and carry forth the filthinesse out of the Sanctuary For our Fathers haue trespassed and done euill in the eyes of the Lord our God and haue forsaken him and turned away their faces from the Tabernacle of the Lord and turned their backes 7 The haue also shut the doores of the porch and quenched the Lampes and haue neither burnt Incense nor offered burnt offerings in the Sanctuary vnto the God of Israel Chap. I thinke our Recusants haue Lamps and Incense still Salt They haue or would haue and Images too but they forget that those lamps and those offerings were signes of our Sauiour Christ which is called the light of the world and was once offered to take away the sinnes of many Heb. 9.28 as they may reade in the Epistle to the Hebrues where also they shall finde that the Priests Heb. 8.4 according to the Law offered guifts which serue vnto the Patterne of heauenly things Reu. 8.3 And in the Reuelation they may reade of an Angel that had a golden Censer much odours were giuen vnto him that hee should offer with the praiers of all Saints vpon the golden Altar c. Whereby wee are giuen to vnderstand that euen the prayers of the faithfull are no other waies accepted then through the sweete smelling merits of our Sauiour Christ who hauing brought the light of the Gospell giuen himselfe to death for vs and finished whatsoeuer in the Law was figured Lamps incense and burnt offerings and such like must now cease Chap. May not the Preachers of the truth be called Lamps and Lights Salt Yes so long as they leade vs to Christ which is the true light of the world and many such Lampes were put out not quenched with water but consumed with fire in the Bonerian daies God grant all Princes to take héed how they put out such lamps as shew the way to life eternall The same Spirit that said Touch not mine annoynted said also Do my Prophets no harme Psa 105.5 the learned know who are meant by annoynted in that place Chap. Doe not you thinke that many of the superstitious Catholickes for by that word I distinguish them from such Catholickes as are sincere did not murmure in the daies of our late Soueraigne when they saw the pictures of Lions Dragōs painted where they were wont to see such pictures as bare the names of Christ Mary and Iohn Salt I know not whether they did or no but if they did they had no reason for it sith the Armes of Princes which professe the Gospell with the supporters whether they be Lyons Dragons or Vnicornes being painted in Churches do signifie that the Prince whose Armes those are is a defender of the faith and of the pure worship of the liuing God and that hee is supreme Gouernour in all causes and ouer all persons not onely Ciuill but also Ecclesiasticall next and immediately vnder Christ in his owne Dominions who knowes not the simple people are more easily drawne to make Idols of the pictures of Saints then of beasts and therefore the remouing of their pictures and the placing of Arms in their roome is no sufficient cause to kéepe them from Church as if Christian Princes were to be reckoned amongst those that set vp their banners for tokens Psal 74.4 Chap. Sure I thinke some of them could frame themselues to come to Church notwithstanding the want of Images but that they haue beene away so long Salt This is no good excuse for a man to say I cannot doe this or that because I haue not done it in a great time for then Israel and Iudah might haue made that excuse for not comming to Ierusalem to keepe the Passeouer in the second Moneth for that it is said they had not done it in a great time as it was written 2 Chro. 30 Chap. I will trouble you no more about this matter Salt My good friend talke not of troubling mee it is the King and those that gouerne vnder his Maiesty that are troubled they see there be sundry opinions and that the fauourers of each would bee tollerated to haue their owne way which if it should be granted then the land though it haue a godly King should appeare as if it had none But wise and godly Kings which make much of them that are knowne to feare the Lord suffer not euery man especially
Colos 2. If you will haue mee to reach further then this I must craue pardon and pray you to go to such as haue longer armes then I That hee descended into hell is an Article of our faith and I beleeue it though it be not in the Nicene Creed Tract Is not Christ he that entred into the strong mans house bound him and spoiled him Guid. Yes or else not onely the poore man that was possest might haue remained blind and dumbe to his dying day but he all of vs had bene spoyled for euer Tract Others besides Christ did cast out diuels Guid. They did so but it was in the name of Christ which was the stronger happy are they out of whom this stronger power by the finger of God euen by the working of the holy Ghost casteth out that Diuell that maketh them so blind that they cannot see the way to saluation by a liuely faith in Christ his merits and so dumb that they cannot open their mouth with Paul Ephe 2.8 to say By grace yee are saued through faith and that not of your selues It is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe Mad. I remember those words in the second to the Ephesians ver 10. where though hee teacheth them the wee are created vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wée should walk in theÌ„ yet he saith we are saued by grace so forth as you haue rehearsed Rom. What do you talke now of faith and workes my cozen spake of descending into hell answere him to his question Did not Christ bind the strong man that is the diuell in his owne house which is hell Guid. After the diuell entred into Iudas where was his house then Tract He was there as a guest for a time but his dwelling house is hell what is your answere Gui. Besides that which I haue said already Guid. I answere first that this is a matter in controuersie among learned men whose bookes are extant there you may sée this sifted to the vtmost Secondly this I thinke a man may say without offence that as hee was able to heale the Centurions seruant though hee entred not into his house So could he make hell know that he had the key of it though his soule did not take it in his way from the crosse to Paradise Tract It is a greater matter to binde the Diuell to locke him fast and in triumph to carry away the keies of death and hel then to heale a sicke man though hee were at deaths dore Guid. As with God there is great mercy to pardon the great sinnes of such as be greatly grieued for them hauing their repentance seasoned with the Salt of faith to keepe them from desperation which salt was not in Caine and Iâ—â—das So no doubt there is such a mighty power in this Michael Reu. 12.7 as he is able to vanquish the stoutest Dragon be his force and power neuer so great I reade of a battell in heauen but none in hell The Diuine power can binde shut vp Sathan by such a descending as we are not able to expresse For my part I beleeue that Article touching his descending into hell though the manner how be not set downe in the Creed Tract That battel betwixt Michael and the Dragon may be said to bee in heauen in respect of the Church Militant who though she be on earth hath her conuersation with her Captaine Christ in heauen A strong man is not bound and spoyled without great strngling a stronger power wrestled with him and ouercame him Mat. 12.29 and his binding and spoyling is said to be in the strong mans house and what is that but hell Guid. I deny not the binding neither do I stand vpon the place but this I obserue that though it be said in the Apostles Creed and in Athanasius his Creed Aug. de simb ad catherum lâ— 3 aâ— side simb oa 5. in sol 1 3. Hee descended into hell Yet they shew not the manner how and you know the Nicene Crede hath not these words Augustine diuers times speaketh of Christ his death buriall and resurrection omitting the descension but howsoeuer that descending is to be taken or wheresoeuer that binding was this is certaine Col 2 14 15 Rollocke that Saint Paul hath these words Putting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs which was contrary to vs hee euen tooke it out of the way and fastned it vpon the crosse and spoyled the Principalities and powers hath made a shew of theÌ„ openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same Tract I know wherefore you bring this place euen to proue that wheresoeuer those powers were spoyled yer the shew and triumph was open But how do you interpret those words putting out the hand-writing c. Some of the learned intrepret them thus The ceremonies and rites were as it were a publicke profession and hand-writing of the miserable state of mankind for circumcision declared our naturall pollution the purifyings washings signified the filth of sinne the sacrifices testified that we were guilty of death which were all taken away by Christs death Mad. Maister Guid-well you and Maister Tractable may talke of these matters another time let vs spend this time about that we came for Rom. That is to perswade me to come to your Church vnto the which if I should come you thinke my beeing there would make me to be of your minde I haue heard that all which come to your Churches bee not faithfull zealous and honestalike they differ much in many things Sith God is said to bee no accepter of persons Can you shew any reason why his word or his grace worketh not in all alike Guid. I remember Saint Augustine vnto some such question hath this answere Si gratiae illuminatione sensus tuus Aug. contra Delag â—ypon nost lib. 3. heraetice a tenebris insipientiae esset detectus c. If thy vnderstanding O hereticke by the inlightning of grace were detected from the darknesse of foolishnesse thou wouldst beléeue those diuine testimonies which I spake before or other innumerable found in holy Scriptures not yet cited by mee that God to no merits of man doth giue his grace by which he sheweth himselfe vnto them to bring them to beléeue in him and to serue him and thou wouldst not enquire yea thou wouldst discusse why hee worketh not that in all which alwaies well and iustly worketh all things that hee will and no man resisteth his will for which he hath done all things that he would therefore I would not haue thée to aske mee Metuentem trementem iudicia eius inscrutabilia incomprehensibilia Fearing trembling at his vnsearcheable incomprehensible iudgements why he worketh this to one and not to another because that which I read I beleeued reuerenced without any discussing For what man is there that will reason with God