particular Synodes or general Councels yea many times commonly before the vniuersal and Catholike Church the holy scriptures and Spirite of God him self So that as the first of these two that is their mutability in faith withdraweth me froÌ„ al dealing with them as men altogether irreligious vnchristian and godles so the second that is the want of al sound arguments of disputation as much discourageth me from writing vnto them as men altogether vngrouÌ„ded vnlearned contentious such as loue to mainteine an endles talke of al things but haue no order or forme to coÌ„clude resolue of any thing These two partes I wil declare and make manifest by a fevv examples In England what point of religion is by statute more carefully prouided for by seueritie of punishment more vrged by preaching or writing more aduaunced by al meanes possible more beaten in to the heads of the subiectes then the Princes supremacie in causes ecclesiastical for denial whereof so many true and faithful subiectes in our memory haue suffered death Yet on the coÌ„trary syde the subiectes of Scotland were wel allowed to restraine or to speake playnly to keepe in captiuitie their owne Soueraine for intermedling in the Churches affaires as appeareth by their Iustification not long sithence published in their language where the author thereof and the ministers vse these wordes The discipline of the kirke was openly impugned vvhen as the king by the persvvasion of the enemies of the kirke vvas induced to make him self and his priuie councel iudges in the cognition of matters mere ecclesiastical and concerning the doctrine of the preachers and to take vpon him vvhatsoeuer iurisdiction the Pope vsurped there in of old yea and more ouer to discharge the general assembly al pastors vvithin this realme to proceede to the sentence of excommunication also to suspeÌ„d the same At the last some preachers haue bene stopped by commaundement c. This is the faith gospel in Scotland and in England how freely the Puritanes inueigh against that spiritual primacie let their bookes coÌ„monly printed testifie namely the great volume of M. Cartewright against D. Whitg wherein at large he discourseth that that part of the English faith carieth with it infinite absurdities is against the doctrine of the Apostles monstruous in diuinitie iniurious to Christ against the primitiue and Apostolike Church and the vvritten word of God yea vvhere he pronounceth boldly that whiles the common protestantes of England go about to gratifie princes with this spoile of Christ they leaue theÌ„ no place in the Church of Christ Touching the doctrine of baptisme then which nothing is more necessary as being the gate of al other sacrameÌ„ts and the first entrance of christianitie the Communion bookes commonly printed coÌ„mend and allow this faith That by that sacrament children be regenerate and graffed in to the body of Christes congregation and made partakers of the death of our Sauiour And the minister chargeth the people preseÌ„t not to doubte but earnestly to beleeue that Christ vvil sauorably receaue those present infants vvith the armes of his mercie that he vvil geue vnto them the blessing of eternal life and make them partakers of euerlasting ioye Yet coÌ„trarywise in the Tovver disputation the doctors there teach That al those vvhich are baptised are not the sonnes of God because they haue not al the spirite of adoption and children baptâ—sed if they be not gods elect baptisme can not make them his children and so many dying immediatly after baptisme are notwithstaÌ„ding assuredly damned The Communion booke turned into latin and printed at London by Thomas Vautrollerius the yere 1574 Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis wherein they would seeme to notifie their faith to the rest of Christendome touching priuate baptisme ministred in houses by lay men or womeÌ„ in case of necessitie willeth al men to assure them selues that a child after that sort is lawfully and perfitly baptised And touching the parties ministring that sacrament it saith Ego vos certiores facio quod rectè praestitistis officium vestrum in bacre etc. I assure you you haue vvel performed your duety in this matter and kept a right order in the baptizing of this infant vvho being borne in original sinne and the vvrath of God novv by the lauer of regeneratioÌ„ in baptisme is ascribed into the nuÌ„ber of Gods children and made heyre of eternal life Yet M. VVhitaker in this booke teacheth the contrary and saith it is the heresie of the Pepusians and Marcionites to permit womeÌ„ such authoritie euen in case of necessitie which he calleth fained and imaginarie thereby signifying plainly that he beleeueth with the Anabaptistes that baptisme is not necessarie for the washing away of original sinne And the CommunioÌ„ booke also imprinted three yeres after vz the yere 1577 by Richard Iugge printer to the Quenes Maiestie Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis drawing neere to the doctrine of the Anabaptistes and the practise of the church of Geneua where such priuate baptisme is vtterly disliked quite abolished altogether leaueth out that whole Tracte of priuate baptisme The same first booke published in latin touching the sacrameÌ„t of Confirmation containeth this good catholike doctrine that Confirmatio illis adhibetur qui iam baptizati sunt vt per impositionem manuum et orationem vires et defensionem accipiant contra omnes insultus peccati mundi et diaboli Confirmation is applied to them vvhich are novv baptized that by imposition of hands and praier they may receaue strength defense against the inuasions of sinne the vvorld and the deuil In the later Communion booke these wordes as likewise the whole Tracte appertaining to CoÌ„firmation is cleane omitted The reason whereof can be no other then that the Church of England in this point hath altered her faith and ioyneth more neerely then heretofore to the order of Geneua where as witnesseth M. Cart. though it were somtimes allowed yet afterwardes vpon better aduise M. Caluin cheefe Superintendent there thrust it cleane out of the church Touching the article of Christes descending into hel the Communion booke and Creede turned into ryme and sung commonly in their congregations beareth the word in hand that they beleeue as doth the Church catholike yet others by publike writing and disputation refelling that article geue vs iust occasion to suppose that they beleeue vvith Caluin in that point vvho acknovvlegeth no other descent of Christ into hel but his paine vpon the Crosse vvhere yet aliue he vvas damned in soule or as he speaketh sustayned the paines of a damned spirit vvithout any difference but that his torments were not eternal as theirs are In their Communion they sing and say publikely That Christ is the only begotten sonne of God begotten of his father before al vvorldes God of God light of light very God of very God of
Christs diuinitie 303. confessed by Luther 304. cōfessed by Lyra. 306. Item in Ieremie 307. confessed and proued by Lyra. 308.309 in Isai against Christs passion 310.311 confessed by Luther 312.313 item in the psalmes 355. folowed by the Tigurine Translators 358. and Bucer 357. item in Daniel 313. General reasons why the hebrue text can not be so sincere as the heretikes pretend 317.318 c. Many bookes of the Prophetes and histories of the old Testament lost pa. 317.318 Great difference in the hebrue by mistaking one letter for an other pa. 322.323.325 That the hebrue bibles are faultie confessed by Castalio pa. 326.327 by D. Humfrey 327. by Conradus Pellicanus 327. It is a Iewish opinion to thinke them altogether faultles 327. They haue great diuersitie of reading 331.332 somewhat wanteth in them 332.333 Although S. Hierom appealed from the latin to the hebrue yet the like reason is not now pa. 333.334 He confesseth and proueth the hebrue to be faultie 334.335.336 An argument commonly made for the puritie of the hebrue pa. 338.339 answered 339 340. c. S. Iustine proueth the Iewes to haue corrupted their bible pa. 341.342.343.344 Hebrue knowledge much aduaunced by Catholikes pa. 352.440 The hebrue tonge much subiect to cauilling pa. 431.432.433 See Rabbines A man must haue a setled faith before he confer greeke and hebrue textes pa. 441.442 best Hebritians are not best Christians pa. 441. our first Apostles planted perfite christianitie without hebrue pa. 345. Heretikes generally geuen to scorning pa. 511. S. Hierom condemned as ignorant of al diuinitie pa. 371. I S. Iames epistle refused by Luther Lutherans Zuinglians pa. 8.9.10.11.12 et 17.22.23 Caluin mangleth it 288.289 M. Ievvels challenge pa. 133.138 The true image thereof 133. vsque ad 138. It is grounded vpon no reason or learning 138.139.140.141 It cōtaineth in effect only three articles the primacie of the Sea Apostolike the real presence and the sacrifice 133.136.137.138 See of them in their seueral places M. Ievvels passing vanitie in bragging and lying pa. 460. his maner of ansvvering D. Harding pref 75.76 Reuerence done to the name of Iesus pa. 513.514.515 The Ievves corrupt the text of scripture pa. 304. in despite of Christians 314.329 negligent in conseruing their scriptures 328.329 their malice against the Sea of Rome 329.330 Very probable that Christ reprehended them for corrupting the scripture 339. See Hebrue S. Iohn Baptist liued a monastical life pa. 492. K That the vvise men vvhich came to worship Christ were kings pa. 485. vsque ad 489. that they vvere three 489. 490. their names 490.491 L S. Lukes gospel called in question pa. 27.28.29.32 Luthers vvorkes altered and corrupted by the Lutherans pa. 5 6.13 by the Caluinists 7. He denieth S. Iames epistle p. 11. his immoderate bragging 42. his extreme hatred of the Sacramentaries 43.44.45.46 his iudgment of their religion 52.53.483 he refuseth their bibles 45. singularly honoured by the English church 18.191 preferred by M. W. before al doctors 47. most absurdly 48.50 He derideth the Zuinglians fond arguments 258. Luther a shameful corrupter of scripture 377.378 Lucians true histories praef pa. 4.5 M Heretical martyrs damned pa. 117. S. Matthevv vvrote his gospel in hebrue pa. 290. the protestants hold the greeke translatiō more autentical 291. The protestants reason against the Machabees is as forcible against S. Luke S. Paul 506.507.508 Melchisedech did sacrifice pa. 57. graūted by M. W. denied by al other protestants pa. 58.59.60 acknovvleged by the auncient fathers 60. vvhy not expressed by the Apostle 61.537 c. Melanchthon for the real presence pa. 190. Merite of vvorkes See in Heauen and vvorkes N Noueltie of vvords daungerous in Christian religion pa. 266.267 exemplified 268.269 it induceth contempt of faith 270. and leadeth to paganisme 276.277.278 O Only faith See Faith P Penance what it is by the Protestants doctrine 86.90.91 It reiecteth external workes of fasting discipline ibid. which are required by the scripture 87.88.89 90. by S. Cypian and the primitiue church 124.125 the Catholike doctrine touching the value of them 92. the Protestantes contradictory argument against them 91. 93.94 S. Peters being at Roome denyed most absurdly pa. 130.131.132 his primacie 498.510 Pilgrimage to holy places pa. 502. 503.512.513 Primacie of the Romane Sea proued euidently by those fathers whom M. Iewel nameth his maisters to the contrary pa. 143. by Anacletus and Xystus 143.144 by S. Leo 146 147. S. Leo gouerneth in al partes of Christēdom 147.148.149 his authoritie ouer the bishop of Constantinople 148. he summoneth general Councels 152. he is head of them 153. no lawful Councel without his approbation 152. This primacie is grounded vpon Christes words and the Apostles ordinance 143.144.153 S. Gregorie accompteth the Romane Church head of al other pa. 156.158 his authoritie ouer the bishop of Constantinople 156. ouer the bishops of Europe Asia and Africa 156.157 158.162.163 The Protestants common obiection taken out of S. Gregorie answered pa. 159.160.161.162 the name vniuersal in what sort and sense disliked by S. Gregorie pa. 160.161.163 Priestes properly so called were appointed by Christ pa. 64. S. Austin such a priest 64.65.66 So was S. Leo and S. Hierom. 69. The church of Christ was neuer ruled but by such priests 67.68.69 Such were the orderers of our Ecclesiastical state and builders of our churches in England 68. S. Paules discourse of Christs eternall priesthod Hebr. 7. maketh nothing against the priesthod of the church pag. 74. vsque ad 79. The name of Protestants praef pa. 88.90 It agreeth not properly to our English gospellers ibi In their faith there is no stay or certaintie praef pa. 7.24.37 Exemplified by the Supremacie of princes ibid 9.10 by baptisme 11.12 Confirmation 13. Christs descending into hel 14. Christs diuinitie 14.15 Rebellion against princes 15.16 Regimēt of women 18. great difference in their Communion bookes 11.12.13 the diuers chaunges of religion in England since the time of schisme 20.21.22 In the Protestants vvriting and disputing there is no ground pref pa. 8. exemplified by their refusal of scriptures ibid. pa. 26. Apostolical Traditions and general Councels ibi Auncient fathers 27. Apostles Doctors of their owne 28.29.30 Martirs and whole Churches of their owne 30.31.32 They reduce al to priuate fansie 35.36.37.38 They passe the auncient heretikes in denial of al things pa. 38.39 their manifold Popes 33.34 The forefathers of the Protestants church pa. 349. of whom they must looke for the true scripture 348.351 a true confession of a principal protestant 407. their churches voyd of al truth and knowledge 407.408 they perswade Atheisme by scripture 408.409 al their preaching and writing tendeth therevnto 410.411.428 their vaunting of the cleare light of the gospel sensibly refuted 408. The Protestants maner of ansvvering the Catholikes pag. 412. They deny al Doctors 413. They deny sundry partes of scripture 413.414 They pretend the greeke 415. They falsely translate the greeke 416. They refuse the ordinary sense of the greeke
answere to the next demonstration where to S. Austin and S. Hierome reaching Peters chayre and succession of Priests in that Sea to be the very rocke vvhich the proud gates of helâ— ouercome nor which thing they affirme vpon manifest warrant of Christes wordes he answereth vpon warrant of his owne vvord that that succession of priestes is not the rocke the gates of hel haue prevayled against that church so as the faith vvhich somtimes florished there novv appeareth no vvhere in it long since is departed into other places Whereas D. S. replâ—eth this to be false and and that church euer to haue reteyned the same true faith and neuer to haue brought in any heresie or made any chaunge of doctrine vvhich he proueth by al historiographers that euer liued in the church Eusebius Prosper Beda Regino Marianus Scotus Schafnaburgensis Zonaras Nicephorus Cedâ—enus Sigebertus Gotfridus Viterbiensis Trithemius and many others against them al this only censure he opposeth Historias vestras Sandere non moramur vve regard not M. Sanders your stories and yet him selfe for his ovvne side bâ—ingeth not so much as one story So that against scriptures reason councels fathers old and nevv historiographers al kynd of vvriters him selfe euer cometh in as an omnipotent and vniuersal Apostlâ— Doctor Father c. as though in his only vvord consisted more pith then vvas in al mens that euer liued since Christes time And now somwhat farther to descrie the incredible vanitie folie pride and selfe loue of the maÌ„ let the reader note the grosse and barbarous impossibilitie of that paradox vvhich by this his supreme authoritie he vvould defend He graunteth the Church of Rome to haue bene pure godly christian for six hundred yeres after Christ as before hath bene declared VVhen then grew it to be so impure wicked and Antichristian ten yeres after For thus he writeth Six hundred and ten yeres after Christ or there about Bonifacius the third gouerned the Romane church VVhat vvas he to ansvvere truly very Antichrist In which wordes ioyned together thus much he saith in effect That whereas within the space of ten or twelue yeres before the Romane church was religious and euangelical in such sense as they vnderstand it that is abhorred the Popes vniuersal iurisdiction as Antichristian and limited his power within the precinctes of his owne Patriarkship reuerenced euery prince as supreme head of the church within his owne dominion detested the sacrifice of the masse as iniurious to the death of Christ acknowledged no iustification but by only faith allowed mariage of priestes and religious persons as agreable to the libertie of the gospel held for sacramentes none other but Baptisme the Eucharist and Baptisme an only signe not remitting synnes and the Eucharist a sole figure from which the truth of Christes body was as far distant as heauen is from earth and so forth according to the rest of the articles of their reformed faith within the decourse of so few yeres al these thinges were turned vpside downe the contrary faith planted in steede thereof That is the Romane church of late so sound and perfite sodaynly became most corrupt and impure she approued the vniuersal authoritie of the Romane Bishop and appointed no boundes or limites to his iurisdiction which was mere Antichristian she tooke from Princes their Supremacie she brought in the sacrifice of the masse and highly aduaunced it against the death and sacrifice of Christ she acknowledged iustification to proceede not of only faith but of workes also she established the single life of priestes and votaries and condemned their mariages as sacrilegious and execrable for two sacramentes she admitted seuen to baptisme she attributed remission of sinnes and in the Eucharist she beleeued the real and substantial veritie of Christes presence so forth according to the articles of Catholike religion or papistrie as these men terme it Now whereas thus much is comprised in their paradox of making the succession of the Romane bishops Antichrist whereas such weight lieth in the matter which of it selfe to common intendement is so absurd vnreasonable and in deede vnpossible whereas we also bring forth Fathers Councels and Doctors auouching the contrary gather thou Christian reader whether vve haue not iust cause vtterly to discredite them in this so blunt sensles assertioÌ„ vntil we see their Chronicles their monumeÌ„ts their aÌ„tiquities some maner warraÌ„t besides their owne in a matter of such importance Whereas they allow vs no such and yet chalenge to be credited vpon their owne vvord assure they selfe reader their dealing in this behalfe is not only foolish vnlearned and ignorant but also inhumane furious and diabolical Notwithstanding whereas M.W. besides those former profes which to any indifferent man may seeme more then sufficient requireth of vs farther declaratioÌ„ that in these later ages the Romane church hath not departed from that faith which in her first time she professed to content him if any thing mâ—y content him and make more euident the inuincible equitie of the Catholike cause I wil proue the same by such â—istoriographers as him selfe I trust wil allow for vpright and nothing fauorable to our cause Those witnesses I meane to be first of al him selfe and then Iohn Calum Peter Martyr Martin Luther Flacius Illyricus with such other pillers founders of his owne congregation Out of him self this I gather That to haue bene the true and Christian faith which the Romane church maâ—ntained the first fiue hundred yeres at what time that church vvas must pure excellent preserued inuiolablâ— the faâ—th deliuered by S. Peter and S. Paule This proposition is commonly found almost in euery page of M.W. answere to the second DemoÌ„stration Out of the other Caluin Luther c. this I gather that the Romane church in her first primitiue puritie maintained and beleeued the Popes Supremacie the sacrifice at the masse the same to be auailable for the dead priesthode the real presence c. no lesse then we do now This thou shalt find witnessed by their seueral confessions and approued at large hereafter in places conuenient The conclusion hereof rising is this first that these are no pointes of false or AntichristiaÌ„ doctrine but such as Peter Paule taught the primitiue Romane church Next that the later Romane church hath not departed from the former but hath kept inuiolably the self same faith without chaunge or alteration And so the false supposal whereupon this booke standeth being by such euideÌ„ce refuted the rest of the building must needes come to ground Now I say farther that this point which M.W. taketh for a most certaine and cleare veritie that is the fal of the vniuersal church for after the fal of the Romane church they can shew none that stoode and it is their general both preaching and writing that she corrupted the whole world with her errors and her
that these thinges shal be performed hereafter or haue bene already or God is to be accused of lying If a man ansvvere me that they haue bene performed I vvil demaund of him vvhen If he say in the time of the Apostles I vvil demaund hovv it chaunceth that nether theÌ„ the knovvledge of God and true religion vvas altogether perfite and aftervvardes in so short a space vanished avvay vvhich vvas promised to be eternal and more abundant then the fluddes of the sea Which argument of his if we marke wel and euery part thereof it is easely perceaued that he concludeth those thinges not to haue bene performed in the Church of the new testameÌ„t which al prophetes foretold should be performed at the comming of the Messias For whereas he driueth the summe of al to one of these three necessary consequentes ether that God is a lyer ether that the Church erected by Christ should euer stand in the sight of the world and euer florish with most abundaÌ„t knowledge of the wil of God or that such a Church shal be founded hereafter by the Messias and then remoueth the first which the nature of euery man abhorreth to heare then denieth the second according to the general scope of the protestants doctrine which affirmeth the Church for these thousand yeres passed to haue bene drowned in palpable darkenes superstition and idolatry what remaineth but to approue the third vz that the things foretold to be wrought by the Messias are not yet accomplished but shal be hereafter which is as much as in euideÌ„t termes to say that the Messias is not yet come or Christ is not the true Messias who hath performed nothing of that which was his part and office according to the oracles of the Prophetes This if I would prosequute at large by shewing into vvhat straightes and shameful and miserable shiftes some principal Protestants for example Caluin and Luther disputing vvith the Iewes haue bene brought by reason of this detestable supposition that the church so many hundred yeres hath failed the reader could not but abhorre and detest euen to the gates of hel this damnable heresie which vpon pretense of reforming the church and making al thinges pure and perfite doth in deede ioyne with the Turkes and Iewes and thrust men headlong to the very denial of Christes Incarnation And most certaine it is we can neuer against the Iewes maintayne Christ to be the true Messias if we put this paradox of the Protestants to be true that Christes church within so few yeres after his departure was suppressed trode vnder foote by the Pope And this one reason to passe by al other wil iustifie the same to their eternal confusion that whereas by the incarnation and coÌ„ming of Christ the church of Christians should be enlarged infinitely in al kingdomes prouinces and cities aboue the sinagoge of the Iewes which after that time should be narrow contemptible remayning in a few and nothing comparable to that other by the Protestants faith this is turned cleane contrarie For in any age or time of these later thovvsand yeres it is easie to shew by sufficient authoritie of cronicles histories that the Ievves haue had their knovven and visible sinagoges in the most notable places and prouinces of the vvorld in Greece in Constantinople in Germanie in Mantua in Venice in Paris in England in Spaine in Portugal vvhereas for many ages they can not name vnder the cope of heauen any kingdome prouince citie tovvne village house or sheepecote where the church of christ hath appeared if we esteeme the same according as they now by their preaching and writing describe it And therefore whereas M. W. obiecteth commonly that Doctor Sanders denying the Pope to be Antichrist and defending that an other shal come hereafter withdraweth men from consideration of the true Antichrist to a false and fayned one on the contrary side let the reader take this for a veritie as certaine and sure as the Gospel that he and his vpon such pretense of a false and imagined Antichrist of late daies conceaued and brought forth in the faÌ„tastical braines of a few heretical miscreantes vpon pretense of bringing men a neerer way to heauen then euer their forefathers went vpon pretense of framing a church more pure more sincere more perfite Apostolical then was in the world before I say vpon these false and lying reasons they withdraw men froÌ„ the only true auncient Catholike Apostolike church wherein they were baptised to their manifold scattered diuided apostatical congregations they leade men out of the way where only saluarion is to be looked for and place them there where remaining they are most certaine and assured of euerlasting damnation of body and soule Yea as appeareth by the course of their doctrine the drift of their preaching and writing and experiment of their brethren vnder the veile and shadow of this their Antichristian doctrine they induce meÌ„ to beleeue that al scripture is false that the prophetes were lyers that the Apostles were deceauers that Christ was a false teacher and seducer not the Messias described by the prophetes that Iudaisme standeth vpon better groundes then Christianisme which conclusion they can neuer avoyde except first they abandon and reuoke this their doctrine of Antichrist suppressing the Church as false and execrable And as for the Popes of Rome whom this man wil needes haue to be Antichrist this I dare say boldly and stand to the arbitrement of any reasonable and indifferent Protestant that by experience knoweth Rome and England the demeanure of the bishops who of late haue gouerned there as for example Pius 4. Pius 5. and Gregorius 13. and our Superintendents who in the same tyme haue ruled in England Let Antichrist be described in such sort and with such qualities as the scripture describeth him Afterward let there be laid in equal balance that which the world knoweth by publike vew and experience to haue bene in the foresaid bishops their feare of Gods iudgement testified by their whole order of life their much praier their infinite almes their iustice towards al their singular care to remedie the vvoundes of the Christian vvorld and gather into one the scattered flocke of Christ vvherein they haue spared no trauail or charges Lay vvithal the publike and knovven losenes in many of our English SuperinteÌ„dents the contempt of Gods iudgementes so much as may be gathered by their external behauiour maner of liuing their oppressioÌ„ of the poore their infinite auarice their few prayers their lightnes their carnalitie and whatsoeuer els is better knowen to the people where they liue then to me let these thinges I say be weighed by the iudgement of any reasonable Protestant and I doubt not but he wil confâ—sse that if in the tyme of the forenamed Popes the Sea of Rome was possessed of Antichrist in the same season many bishops Seas in England were possessed of double and
canonical scriptures And that this fault lye not altogether vpon Luther and the lutheraÌ„s VVolfg Musculus a famous wryter amongst the Zuinglians vpon lyke reason pronounceth lyke sentence They obiect vnto vs sayeth he the place of Iames. but he vvhatsoeuer he vvere though he speake othervvise then S. Paule yet may he not preiudice the truth And after he hath at large shewed the disagreemente betweene those two Apostles thus he breaketh forth into the open reproch of S. Iames. VVherefore he S. Iames alleageth the example of Abraham nothinge to the purpose vvhere he sayeth vvilte thou knovv ô vayne man that fayth vvithout vvorkes is dead Abraham our Father vvas he not iustified by vvorkes vvhen he offred his sonne Isaak He confoundeth the vvord fayth hovv much better had it bene for him diligently and playnely to haue distinguished the true and properlye Christian fayth vvhich the Apostle euer preacheth from that vvhich is common to Ievves and Christians Turks and Diuels then to confound them both and set dovvne his sentence so different from the Apostolicall doctrine vvhereby as concluding he sayth you see that a man is iustified by vvorkes and not by fayth alone vvhereas the Apostle out of the same place disputeth thus c. And after he hath made S. Paule speake as he thinketh best he inferreth Thus sayeth the Apostle of vvhose doctrine vve doubt not Compare me novv vvith this argument of the Apostle the conclusion of this Iames A man therfore is iustified by vvorks and not by fayth only and see hovv much it differeth vvhereas he should more rightly haue coÌ„cluded thus c. In which discourse the Reader may see that he not onely contemptuously refuseth to call him an Apostle and euer nameth him as opposite to the Apostle but also that he refuteth him as making false arguments and taketh vpon him to be his maister and as it were calling him ad ferulam checketh and controwleth him for a corrupter of scripture misapplying the word of God and wickedly pullinge downe that which S. Paule had so wel built vp All which beinge so plaine euident and manifest and the worde straminea found out at length acknowleged by M. VV. a man wold thinke all this matter ended and that egregious lye fathered vpon M. Campian turned vpon M. VV. head withall M. Campians first reason iustified wherein he burdened the Protestantes with denial of the holy scriptures And yet M. VV. yeldeth not but like a valiant soldiar is so farre from geuinge ouer that he pursueth his aduersarie still as though he had the better of him and whâ—e so or how can he possiblie defend him self forsoothe because Luther non plane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stramineam appellauit Luther sayed not playnlye and simplye that it vvas stravven or made of stravve but in comparison of Sainte Peter and Sainte Paules Epistles I beleeue in deede Nether did F. Campian or M. Martine saye so or any wise man els for although he were as madde and shamelesse in his assertions as euer was heretike yet to haue termed that epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stramineam simplye made of stravve or any otherwise then to haue signified the vnworthynes of the same in respect of holie scriptures and in that sort it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worde of blasphemous contempt had bene as wonderful as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to haue affirmed that is was made of woode or morter And here in the verie fronte and beginning let the reader note in M.VV. the liuely paterne of a perfecte wrangler maintaininge a continuall bablinge vppon wordes and neuer drawing nigh to the pointe Father Campians and M. Martins charge vppon them beinge euidente that they contemne the written worde as is proued by Luther M.VV. knowinge not wel what to say runneth he knoweth not whether vp and downe and aboute forwarde and backward now grauntinge and by and by recalling so that in the compasse of one leafe in one plaine matter he hath more contrary windinges and turnings then a graue and sober man could be driuen vnto in the wryting of a large volume First there is no suche thinge and F. Campian lyeth egregiously nowe him selfe hath founde it out then there was neuer a worde chaunged in Luthers preface now the later editions differ much from the former againe Luther calleth it not simpliciter stramineam but in respect of S. Paules epistles and S. Peters If this serue not the turne then I require you saith he to bring forth the other wordes that folow arida tumida contentiosa or els this of straminea is no great matter yet one fetche more Although I vvil not defend this of Luthers yet you haue iniuried him in saying that he called it omnino stramineam altogether made of stravv looke saith M. Martin in Illyricus and there you shall finde the matter graunted I haue so done saith M.VV. let me be counted impudent yf you finde this vvord there Thus muche I graunt Illyricus saith that Luther rehearseth graue causes vvhy this epistle ought not to be esteemed for a vvriting of Apostolicall authoritye But vvhat is this to the purpose as though he that denieth the epistle to be apostolical termeth yt stramineam made of stravv This is a copie of M.VV. vayne in wryting first to deny the matter be it neuer so euident and wheÌ„ the matter is coÌ„fessed theÌ„ to cauil vpon syllables and when matter and forme the verie syllables are founde yet to yelde to nothing but to keepe the pen or tounge walking as though in this point lyke verball grammarians and ridiculous sophisters we principallie hunted after these syllables stra mi ne am which neuerthelesse are found and not as students searchers of truth in diuinitye soughte out first and cheeflie whether by these and the lyke contemptible speeches the aduersarie laboured to disgrace deface that Apostolical writing and so impiouslie to auoyde suche authoritie when he should be pressed therewith Wherefore to draw to some issue howsoeuer Luther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called it stramineam or called it not or whether he spake so in respect of the matter of the epistle or the forme or by way of comparison with S. Paule or whatsoeuer other quidditie M.W. ether now hath or hereafter shall deuise if Luther did yt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deface the epistle which M.VV. denieth not and to dispossesse it of Canonicall authoritie as the thing it self speaketh if by his example the Germane Diuines churches altogether contemne it if vppon Luthers sentence Illyricus pronounce that Luther in his praeface rendereth great causes vvhy this epistle oughte in no case to be accounted for a vvriting of Apostolicall authoritie vnto vvhich reasons I thinke euerie godlie man and not geuen to contention ought to yeld if Pomerane say the vvriter thereof maketh a vvicked argument concludeth ridiculouslie if Vitus Theodorus thrust it cleane out of the booke if the Centuries affirme
there is no more daūger in such alteration then if a man should in translating of Plato or Zenophon vse the like libertie and turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratiarum actio or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a secret let him learne of Beza vvhom he so aduaūceth what daunger ensueth of such noueltie Beza much detesting in others that fantastical and impious vanitie though he could not perceaue the same in him selfe thus vvriteth against thē The vvorld is novv come to that passe that not they only vvho vvrite their ovvne discourses refuse the familiar accustomed wordes of scripture as obscure vnsauery out of vse but also those that trāslate the scripture out of greeke in to latin challenge vnto them selues the like libertie So as vvhiles euerie man vvil rather freely folovv his ovvne iudgemēt then religiously behaue him selfe as the holy Ghosts interpreter many things they do not conuert but peruert For vvhich licentiousnes and boldnes except remedy be prouided in tyme ether I am notablie deceaued or vvithin fevv yeres in steede of Christians vve shal become Ciceronians that is Gentiles and by litle and litle shal leese the possession of the thinges them selues In these vvordes Beza teacheth yovv that this vvanton noueltie of placing secretes for sacraments and messengers for angels and ambassadours for Apostles and vvashing for Baptisme and thankesgeuing for Eucharist and so forth vvil come to this end that in fine yovv vvil vvith the vvordes take avvay the thinges signified Sacraments Baptisme Eucharist Angels Apostles and al Apostolical doctrine and so in steede of Christians make vs againe Pagans Whereof besides his vvarning the vvorld hath to much experience already And if our deare countrymen would iudge of thinges to come by trial and euent of thinges past they must in their owne memorie finde and feele this to be true which Beza here telleth them For looke what old words you haue vpon newfanglednes as it might seeme altered and taken out of the Bible by the working of Satan those verie thinges you haue remoued from the hartes of men and cast out of the churches which you haue inuaded With the name priest went away the office of priest with the altar that which was the proper seruice of God done at the altar with taking away the word penance you haue withdrawen the people from al doyng of penance and in altering the word church you haue cut them cleane from the church more estraunged them from the communion of it then some barbarous and faithles nations that neuer heard of Christ And so likewise for thinges to come when they see you pricke at the name of angels and begin to leaue out that and for Christ to geue them the anointed and for Apostles Ambassadours and for hel a graue let them assure them selues that your purpose is to extinguish in them al faith and memorie of Angels Christ Apostles Heauen Hel and to bring thē in to the same lamentable state wherein their aūcesters were when by blessed S. Gregory then Pope and S. Austin our Apostle they were first conuerted Wherefore seing reason both humaine and diuine proueth that to be true which I haue said touching their notorious rashnes in corrupting the scriptures seing not only reason but also plaine experience confirmeth the same seing farther the thing is so cleere by reason and experience and al learning that the verie heretikes confesse it whereas their owne brethren by plaine argumēts proue their ttanslatiōs to be most vvicked as vvhich labour to peruert the sentence of the holy Ghost to detort the scriptures from the right sense to preferre darknes before light falshode before truth to deceaue the simple to induce the mortalitie of the sovvle to make men thinke that the sovvle of Christ vvas inclosed in the graue and so buried vvith his body to plant detestable errors to ouerthrovv Gods eternal predestination to take avvay the beleefe of hel and cōsequently of heauen of the extreme iudgment and of God him selfe to make vs of Christians Ciceronians that is Ethnikes and Infidels with alteration of wordes to take from vs al our faith whereas this is euident and confessed and yet for al this M.VV. cometh and saith al this is nothing these be no faultes if the Papistes can find fault vvith no other thing but such toyes and trifles I loued our translations vvel before but novv shal I loue them much better haec et istiusmodi nugae nostra crimina sunt these the like trifles be our faultes I can not otherwise iudg of him but that he is a very Atheist a plaine Sadducee without any feeling and regard of faith and consciēce as it may very wel be thought of the profession of the sect of Libertines Academikes who of late are so far enlarged to whom are ioyned very many of the finest and most elegant Sacramentaries of whom he may reade in Beza who thinke al these questions of Christ his office of his cōsubstancialitie vvith the father of the Trinitie of predestination of freevvill of God of Angels of the Supper of baptisme of the being of mens sovvles after this lyfe who thinke I say al these thinges to be but trifles thinges indifferent and not necessarie to iustification vvhich is obteyned by fayth For these good Gospellers haue a faith and a iustifiyng faith whereby they apprehend eternal life without father sonne and holy Ghost without Christ and his passion or any of these other matters which are rather suttle pointes of the papists historical faith then of the lyuelie iustifying faith wherewith these Euangelical brethren in al securitie are warranted of the certayne fauour of God in this life and assured glory in the next CHAP. XII M. VV. reasons against the latin bible are ansvvered and the same bible is proued to be in sundrie places more pure and sincere then the hebrue novv extant HERE M. VV. draweth to that which is his principal scope in this preface that is to deface the late Translation of the new Testament set forth in this Colledge For although he spend more wordes against M. Martins Discouerie yet he sheweth far more stomake against this whereof before I come to speake order requireth that I examine his disputation against the decree of the Tridentine Councel which for veritie and sinceritie iustifieth approueth as autentical the old common latin edition Against which decree M.VV. thinketh him self to haue good aduantage and much honor he speaketh of the fountaines the greeke and hebrew originals and much he disgraceth our latin translation translator for differing so much ftom those originals First of al before I come to his arguments I request the reader to carye in mind three thinges touching this controuersie vvhereby he shal the more vprightly skilfully iudge betvvene vs and our aduersaries One is that M. VV. discourse in this common place of praising the fountaines maketh against
theÌ„ Christ would haue obiected that vnto them as he did other faultes Nor the second because S. Hierom had the hebrew veritie as he ofteÌ„ speaketh Nor the third because our hebrew bibles agree with those of S. Hierom. The aÌ„swere I say is easye because whether part of the three so euer a man take he can not misse For errors grew in those bibles some before Christ more after Christ vntil S. Hieroms age and yet more from S. Hierom afterwardes And wel it may be that Christ obiected the same vnto them though it be not recorded in the Testament as certaine it is many thinges he preached vnto theÌ„ and reproued in them whereof no written record is extant And wel it may be that both Christ obiected and the Euangilist noted so much when he writeth as spoken of our Sauiour informing his Apostles and reiecting the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees You haue heard that it vvas sayd to them of old Thou shalt not kill Exod. 20. v. 13. you haue heard that it vvas sayd to them of old Thou shalt not coÌ„mitte aduoutrie Exo. 20. 14. It vvas sayd also VVhosoeuer shal dimisse his vvife let him geue her a bill of divorcement Deut. 24. â— Againe you haue heard that it vvas sayd to them of old Thou shalt not commit periurie but shal performe thy othes to our Lorde Exod. ca. 20. v. 7. You haue heard that it vvas sayd An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth Exod. 21. v. 24. You haue heard that it was sayd Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour and hate thy enemy Leuit. 19. v. 18. Where our Sauiour ioyning this later precept Thou shalt hate thy enemy with those other preceptes of the law written in the law as Thou shalt not kil Thou shalt not coÌ„mit aduoutrie He that diuorceth his vvife let him geue her a bil of diuorcement Thou shalt not coÌ„mit periurie Thou shalt performe thy othe An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth sheweth playnly that the pharisees taught this later to be the law of god as wel as the former therefore no marueil if they put it vnto the law with the rest as by christs words it seemeth most lykely they did And whether this were so or not certaine it is through the intolerable negligence and iniquitie of Priest Prince and People that in the tyme of Manasses not one peece or parcel but the whole law was lost for many yeres together as appeareth in the booke of Kinges at length as it were by great chaunce was it found out againe in the tyme of Iosias which crime our Sauiour for ought we reade neuer charged them with al. And therefore if likewise he neuer charged them with this it were no great marueil More corrupted might it be after Christ by how much that nation was more alienated froÌ„ the fauour of God And S. Hierom him selfe acknowledgeth some corruption howsoeuer in comparison he truely accompte the hebrew most pure and sincere in such sort and for such reason as hath bene touched And S. Iustinus the martyr in his coÌ„ference with Triphon talking of the very hebrew bibles not of the translation of the 70. only as some ansvvere Ex scripturis quae pro confessis apud vos habentur testimonia petam saith he I vvil bring proofes of that vvhich I say from those scriptures vvhich your selues acknovvledge for such of their corruption he geueth three examples One out of Esdras A secoÌ„d out of Ieremie A third out of the Psalmes Out of Esdras this Esdras spake vnto the people This Pascha is our sauiour refuge And if you shal persvvade your selues and this shal enter in to your hartes that you shal humble him vpon the vvood and after hope in him this place shal not be desolate for euer saith our lord of hostes But if you vvil not beleeue in him nor heare his preaching you shal become a scorne to the nations which place is in like maner cited by Lactantius Apud Esdram ita scriptum est Et dixit Esdras ad populum Hoc Pascha saluator nostâ—r est et refugium nostrum c. The place out of the prophete Ieremie is this Ex Ieremiae responsis haec verba recîderuÌ„t Ego vt agnus qui ad sacrificandum c. Out of Ieremies ansvveres this haue the Ievves cut avvay I as a lambe that am lead to be sacrificed and against me they deuised counsels sayng come let vs cast vvood vpon his bread and let vs take him avvay from the land of the liuing and let there be no more memorie of his name VVhich place containeth the prophetical foreshewing of a double veritie First of Christs crucifying vpon the crosse to which purpose the words are plaine Then of his true presence in the blessed sacrament for the Prophete calleth Christs natural body vpon the crosse by the name of bread in respect of Christ first promising the same body for euerlasting foode to his Christians in forme of bread and then after accomplishing the same promise by actual deliuery of the same body in such forme at the time of his last supper And the place is so expouÌ„ded by the auÌ„cient fathers as for example by S. Hierom and by Tertullian most euidently And Oecolampadius in his commentarie vpoÌ„ these wordes coÌ„fesseth it to haue bene the common sense and interpretation of the auncient and Primitiue church The third place out of the psalmes is this Ex nonagesimo quinto etiam Dauidis psalmo haec pauca verba recîderunt a ligno Cum enim scriptum esset c. Also from the nynetie and fifth psalme of Dauid they cut avvay these fevv vvords From the vvood For vvhereas it vvas vvritten Declare ye among the nations that our lord hath raigned from the vvord they leaft thus much only Declare ye among the nations that our lord hath raigned Of these three places thus defaced by the Iewes the first at this time is extant in no hebrew bibles nor to my knowledge in any greeke translation The second is in al the hebrew now corrected restored by the Christians For S. Iustine noteth that it was not cleane abolished out of al hebrew bibles the fault was but freshly committed in his daies Resectio istae saith he ex Hieremia ad huc in quibusdam exemplaribus quae in Iudaeorum asseruantur synagogis scripta reperitur Non enim ita diu est quod haec verba recîderunt This peece so cut of from Ieremie is as yet found vvritteÌ„ in some of those copies that are kept in the Ievves synagoge For it vvas but of late that they cut avvay these vvords By vvhich vvordes also it is euident that he meaneth the very hebrevv bibles not the translation of the 70. only vvhereas he so precisely nameth such as vvere preserued in the Ievves synagoges some of which retayned
for an old father reiecting S. Austin amongst the nevv maisters Thus saith Luther to Zuinglius and OecolaÌ„padius the rest of that sect thus he requesteth of them as we request of you being of the same order Obsecramus saith he obtestamur vos Sacramentarios c. VVe desire and beseech you Sacramentaries if hereafter you vvil needes rayle against the Lutherans or nevv papists as you cal vs yet abstaine from lying and fayne not nether vvrite of vs othervvise then vve publikely professe teach Nam ex his quae iam diximus patet nos non it a docere vt hactenus de nobis impudentissimè mentiti estis For by that vvhich hath bene spoken it is cleare that vve teach not so as hitherto you haue most impudently belyed vs. So Luther of the Zuinglians we leauing Luthers termes to him selfe request the like of our aduersaries If they tel vs of any fault coÌ„mitted in the haÌ„dling of Gods mysteries we are ready to acknowlegde and amend the same If we defend any point of doctrine erroneous in their iudgement let them refel it by Theological argument by Scriptures Fathers Councels or reasoÌ„ grounded vpon them and vve are in quiet and orderly sort ether to yeld to them or shew them their ouersight If they fal to scoffing scorning and making ridiculous boysh arguments of their owne then shew their profound wisedome in coÌ„futing the same and withal crye out vpon the Importunitie and Desperatnes of the papistes as we can not but tel them of their peeuishnes and laugh at such miserable shifts so we dare assure them that the wise wil neuer be moued to like wel of their ruinous gospel thorough such iesting trickes most vnfit for Diuines which are able to quayle and disgrace a good cause though it stoode vpon better grounds theÌ„ their gospel yet doth or I hope euer shal CHAP. XVII Of certaine blasphemies conteined in the Annotations As good orators according to the rules of their art reserue some chief and principal arguments vnto the end of purpose at parting to leaue a deepe impression in the minde of their auditors so doth M. VV. in this his inuectiue against vs. And increasing somewhat his accustomed style declaimeth terribly and laieth to our charge not errors or ouersights or meane corruptions as are our leauing the latin and folowing the greeke but horrible crimes euen blsaphemies blasphemies intolerable He presupposeth that wise men are somewhat moued by such reasons and perswasions as he hath vsed hetherto But it must needes be saith he that vvise men vvil be moued much more vvhen they consider the intolerable blasphemie of certaine places For answere whervnto we craue no pardon of him or the reader But if he proue his accusatioÌ„ let vs sustaine that iudgement as by the law of God and man to such Intolerable blasphemers is due Only of the reader we request indifferent audience and then we doubt not but this storme and tempest wil passe without any damage as quietly as the rest The first blasphemie is this The Apostle compareth together Christs priesthod and the priesthod of Melchisedech in the epistle to the Hebrues vvhere he maketh no mention at al of bread or vvine in which notvvithstanding they vvill Christ chiefly to haue bene like to Melchisedech Here these men vvrite flatly that of al those things vvhich are proposed by the Apostle it foloweth not that Christs priesthod is eternal and therefore that properly Christ is a priest after the order of Melchisedech because he instituted a sacrifice of his body to be continued for euer of his priests But this vvhich vvas principal the Apostle in that disputation omitted and brought those things vvhich proue not that vvhich he meant to proue But vvherein Christ vvas principally like vnto Melchisedech that must be learned not of the Apostle but of the Fathers vvho haue vvritten far more aptly and properly of Christs eternal priesthod then did the Apostle Of this he concludeth If they feare not to find some fault in the Apâ—stle and reprehend the holy ghost him selfe is it marueile if our doctrine displease them Thus M. VV. which if it be true if we thus disgrace the Apostle if we say he goeth about to proue a thing and proueth it not if we refuse to be taught of him and prefer the Fathers before him finally if we controle him so singular an instrument of the holy Ghost and reprehend the holy Ghost him selfe I can not blame M. W. if he crie out Intolerable blasphemie But if these things be so far of from al shevv of truth that there is no colour or pretence of so vnmeasurable lying vvhat should a man say but shame to the deuil and his ministers vvho novv are grovveÌ„ to such a passing impudencie that so they may haue licence to lye thâ—y care not hovv grosly and palpably they lye though they be takeÌ„ with the maner though it presently turne to their ovvne shame though the lyes which they inuent of others be most euidently and in truth only verified of them selues For vvho but they thus disgrace this Apostle and that in this epistle vvho but they find fault vvith the vvriter and reprehend the holy Ghost bearing vs in hand that this vvriting much differeth from other scriptures much from Christs preaching and the other Apostles therefore is to be reckened Prostipulis For stubble good for nothing els but for the fier for this vvould they signifie by that contemptible phrase And do not our english translators them selues in their Testaments leaue out S. Paules name in this epistle and plainly say It is not like that euer he was the author of it But let this passe vve vvil not vse this kinde of defence our vvords and sayings defend them selues sufficiently The vvords of vvhich he gathereth this Intolerable blasphemie stand thus Heb. 7. v. 17. A priest for euer Christ is not called a Priest for euer only for that his person is eternal or for that he sitteth on the right hand of God and perpetually praieth or maketh intercession for vs or for that the effect of his death is euerlasting for al this proueth not that in proper signification his Priesthod is perpetual but according to the iudgment of al the fathers grounded vpoÌ„ this deepe and diuine discourse of S. Paule and vpon the very nature definition and proprietie of Priesthod and the excellent act order of Melchisedec and the state of the nevv lavv he is a Priest for euer according to Melchisedecks order specially in respect of the sacrifice of his holy body and bloud instituted at his last supper and executed by his commission commaundement and perpetual concurrence vvith his priests in the formes of bread and vvine in vvhich things only the sayd high Priest Melchesedec did sacrifice For though S. Paule make no expresse mention hereof because of the depth of