unwary youth feeling the sweetnes may nothing feare the bitter confection This devise also practise they which upon noxious hearbs and juyces write the names of good wholsome medicines whereby almost no man reading the good superscription any thing suspecteth the lurking poyson The self same thing likewise our Saviour crieth out to all Christians Take ye heed of false prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves Ma. 7. What is meant else by sheeps clothing but the sayings of the Prophets and Apostles which they with sheep-like sincerity did weare like certaine fleeces of that immaculate Lamb which taketh away the sins of the world And what is to be understood by ravening wolves but the cruell and destructive opinions of hereticks which alwayes trouble the sheep-folds of the Church and by all means possible teare in pieces the flock of Christ But to the end they may more craftily set upon the sheep of Christ mistrusting nothing remaining stil cruel beasts they put off their wolvish weed and shroud themselves with the words of scripture as it were with certain fleeces whereby it hapneth that when the silly sheep feel the soft wooll they little fear their sharp teeth But what saith our Saviour By their fruits you shall know them That is when they begin not only to utter those words but also to expound them not only to cast them forth but also to interpret them then doth that bitterness break out then is that sharpness espied then is that madness perceived then is that fresh new poison ejected then are prophane novelties set abroach then may you see straight-way the hedg cut in two the old fathers bounds removed the Catholick doctrine shaken and the Churches faith torn in pieces Such were they whom the Apostle sharply reprehendeth in the 2. Epistle to the Cor. Chap. 11 For such false Apostles quoth he are crafty workers transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ What is transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ but this The Apostles alleaged the examples of scripture they likewise cited thē The Apostles cited the authority of the Psalms they likewise used it The Apostles used the sayings of the Prophets and they in like manner brought them forth But when that scripture which was alike alleadged alike cited alike brought forth was not alike in one sense expounded then were discerned the simple from the craftie the sincere from the counterfeit the right and good from the froward and perverse and to conclude the true Apostles from those false Apostates And no marvel saith S. Paul For Sathan himself transfigureth himself into an Angel of light it is no great matter therefore if his ministers be transfigured as the ministers of Justice Wherefore according to Saint Paul whensoever either false Apostles or false Prophets or false Doctours do bring forth the words of holy Scripture by which they would according to their corrupt interpretation confirm their errour there is no doubt but that they follow the crafty slight of their master which surely he would never have invented but that he knoweth very well that there is no readier way to deceive the people then where the bringing in of wicked errour is intended that there the authority of the word of God should be pretended But some will say how prove you that the Devill useth to alledge the Scripture Such as doubt thereof let them reade the Gospel where it is written Then the devill took him up that is our Lord and Saviour and set him upon the pinnacle of the Temple and said unto him If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy self down for it is written that he will give his Angels charge of thee that they may keep thee in all thy wayes in their hands shall they hold thee up lest perhaps thou knock thy foot against a stone Mat. 4 How will he think you handle poor silly souls which so setteth upon the Lord of Majestie with the authority of Scripture If thou be quoth he the Son of God cast thy self down Why so For it is written quoth he we are diligently to weigh the doctrine of this place and to keep it in mind that by so notable an example of the Scripture we make no scruple or doubt when we see any alledge some place of the Apostles or Prophets against the Catholick Faith but that by his mouth the Devil himself doth speak For as at that time the head spake unto the head so now the members do talk unto the members that is the members of the Devil to the members of Christ the faithlesse to the faithfull the it religious to the religious to conclude Hereticks to Catholicks But what I pray saith the Devil If thou be the Sonne of God quoth he cast thy self down That is to say Desirest thou to be the Son of God and to injoy the inheritance of the kingdome of Heaven Cast thy self down that is Cast thy self down from this doctrine and tradition of this high and lofty Church which is reputed to be the Temple of God And if any one demand of these Hereticks perswading them such things how do you prove and convince me that I ought to forsake the old and Universall Faith of the Catholick Church straight wayes is ready at hand For it is written and forthwith he will alledge you a thousand Testimonies a thousand Examples a thousand authorities out of the Law out of the Psalms out of the Apostles out of the Prophets by which expounded after a new and wicked fashion he would throw headlong unfortunate souls from the Tower of the Catholick Church into the deep dungeon of wicked Heresie Now with these sweet promises which follow Hereticks do wonderfully deceive simple men For they dare promise and teach that in their Church that is in the conventicle of their communion is to be found a great and speciall yea and a certain personall grace of God So that whosoever be one of their crew they shall straightwayes without any labour without any study without any industry yea although they never seek nor crave nor knock have such speciall dispensation that they shall be carried up with the hands of Angels that is preserved by Angelicall protection that they never hurt their foot against a stone that is that they never can be scandalized But some man will say If the Devil and his Disciples whereof some be false Apostles false Prophets and false Teachers and all perfect Hereticks do use the Scriptures cite their sayings bring forth their promises what shall Catholick men do How shall the children of the Church behave themselves How shall they in the holy Scriptures discern truth from falshood To which I answer that They must have great care as in the beginning of this Treatise I said holy and learned men taught me that they interpret the Divine and Canonicall Scripture according to the Tradition of the Universall Church according to the rules of the Catholick
sunne and men do generate a man it follows necessarily that a perfect Christian is the noblest cause and most perfect instrument of producing this effect Therefore the virtue of this instrument co-operating with Almighty God is not a falsity but a most supreme Verity but this virtue is Faith inflamed with a burning charity as I have shown our Faith therefore is most true CHAP. XIII The same confirmed by the wonderfull works of Christ and first by his Power VVE have proved now by the assistance of Almighty God the Verity of Christian Faith out of the manifest effects which daily are seen in the Orthodox Church and although there might be manifold other arguments brought to the confirmation of it yet having regard to my intended brevity I will argue onely out of those events of former Ages of the Verity of which the whole world is a sufficient witnesse Wherefore as Philosophers by the effects which they saw in naturall things were moved to search into the causes of things we in like manner setting before our eyes the triumph of Christ which we have heretofore described will most exactly as farre forth as the matter requires search into the causes of those effects And as the Philosophers contemplating the nature of things out of the greatnesse the wonderfull order and perfection of the whole world did conclude that the cause of it was Almighty God who was more powerful wise and perfect then all others whom they termed the first principle and mover of all things so we contemplating the triumph of Christ crucified will shew him to have been and to be beyond all comparison more powerfull then the feigned Gods of all other Religions and to have done greater things and produced perfecter effects then any and with an ineffable and infinite wisdome and goodnesse to have infinitely surpassed them Which done it will be clear that this God is the great Lord and King above all other Gods I will begin with the effects of his Power and placing his triumph before your eyes I argue in this manner Either this Jesus the crucified Nazarean whom the Christians adore is true God and first cause of all things or he is not if he be the disputation is ended because if he be God the Christians Faith and his universall Doctrine and Religion must be true if he be not it follows that Jesus the Nazarean was a most prodigious monster of a most inexcogitable pride and unheard of arrogance whilst being a pure creature and mortall man he would be esteemed as the onely supreme Deity and adored above all others whence we might justly tearm him the most lying and worst of all creatures nay even the most notorious of all fools for undertaking phane novelties set abroach then may you see straight-way the hedg cut in two the old fathers bounds removed the Catholick doctrine shaken and the Churches faith torn in pieces Such were they whom the Apostle sharply reprehendeth in the 2. Epistle to the Cor. Chap. 11 For such false Apostles quoth he are crafty workers transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ What is transfiguring them selves into the Apostles of Christ but this The Apostles alleaged the examples of scripture they likewise cited thē The Apostles cited the authority of the Psalms they likewise used it The Apostles used the sayings of the Prophets and they in like manner brought them forth But when that scripture which was alike alleadged alike cited alike brought forth was not alike in one sense expounded then were discerned the simple from the craftie the sincere from the counterfeit the right and good from the froward and perverse and to conclude the true Apostles from those false Apostates And no marvel saith S. Paul For Sathan himself transfigureth himself into an Angel of light it is no great matter therefore if his ministers be transfigured as the ministers of Justice Wherefore according to Saint Paul whensoever either false Apostles or false Prophets or false Doctours do bring forth the words of holy Scripture by which they would according to their corrupt interpretation confirm their errour there is no doubt but that they follow the crafty slight of their master which surely he would never have invented but that he knoweth very well that there is no readier way to deceive the people then where the bringing in of wicked errour is intended that there the authority of the word of God should be pretended But some will say how prove you that the Devill useth to alledge the Scripture Such as doubt thereof let them reade the Gospel where it is written Then the devill took him up that is our Lord and Saviour and set him upon the pinnacle of the Temple and said unto him If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy self down for it is written that he will give his Angels charge of thee that they may keep thee in all thy wayes in their hands shall they hold thee up lest perhaps thou knock thy foot against a stone Mat. 4 How will he think you handle poor silly souls which so setteth upon the Lord of Majestie with the authority of Scripture If thou be quoth he the Son of God cast thy self down Why so For it is written quoth he we are diligently to weigh the doctrine of this place and to keep it in mind that by so notable an example of the Scripture we make no scruple or doubt when we see any alledge some place of the Apostles or Prophets against the Catholick Faith but that by his mouth the Devil himself doth speak For as at that time the head spake unto the head so now the members do talk unto the members that is the members of the Devil to the members of Christ the faithlesse to the faithfull the irreligious to the religious to conclude Hereticks to Catholicks But what I pray saith the Devil If thou be the Sonne of God quoth he cast thy self down That is to say Desirest thou to be the Son of God and to joy the inheritance of the kingdome of Heaven Cast thy self down that is Cast thy self down from this doctrine and tradition of this high and lofty Church which is reputed to be the Temple of God And if any one demand of these Hereticks perswading them such things how hath that crafty commander of the Arabians Mahomet done he never affirmed himself God true it is by his eloquence and power by his arms gifts and a luxurious licence of pleasutes he drew unto him a barbarous and unskilfull multitude and did not he give a most honourable testimony of Christ Assuming to himself nothing above humane forces and policy but such was not Jesus the Nazarean never did any mortall propose more difficult things to be believed and done then Christ did for he absolutely commanded the belief of a Trinity to wit the Father Sonne and holy Ghost the same one God three really distinguished persons which yet being identified in substance were one and the self
maintained without sin so neither impugned without some blot of offence CHAP. V. BUt some man will say why then doth God very often permit certain notable and excellent men in the Church to preach unto Catholicks a new Religion A very good question and such as deserveth a more diligent and ample discourse unto which notwithstanding I will not answer out of mine own head but with the authority of sacred Scripture and the doctrine of a notable Master in Gods Church let us then hear holy Moses let him give us the reason why learned men and such as for their great gift of knowledge are called of the Apostle Prophets be sometimes permitted to preach new Doctrine which the old Testament Allegorically calleth strange gods because their opinions are so observed and honoured of Hereticks as the gods were of the Gentiles thus then writeth blessed Moses in Deuteron 13. If there shall arise quoth he in the middest of thee a Prophet or one which saith he hath seen a dream that is some Master of the Church whose Disciples or followers suppose to teach by some revelation from God what then and shall foretell quoth he some sign or miracle and that shall happen which he hath said some great Master is here surely meant and one of so deep knowledge whom his followers imagine not onely to know things humane but also to foresee future and such as shall happen which is farre above mans reach as the scholers for the most part of Valentinus Donatus Photinus Apollinaris and such like did brag that their masters were What followeth And shall quoth he say unto thee let us go and follow strange Gods which thou knowest not and let us serve them What is meant by strange Gods but forrein errours which thou knowest not that is new and never heard of before and let us serve them that is believe them follow them What then Thou shalt not quoth he hear the words of that Prophet or Dreamer And why I pray you is not that forbidden by God to be taught which is by God forbidden to be heard Because quoth he the Lord your God doth tempt you that it may appear whether you love him or no in your whole heart and in your whole soul The reason then is more clear then day why the providence of God doth sometime suffer certain teachers and masters of the Church to Preach certain new opinions that your Lord God quoth he may tempt you And surely a great tentation it is when as he whom you think a Prophet a diseiple of the Prophets whom you esteem a Doctour and maintainer of the truth whom you have highly reverenced and most intirely loved when he suddenly and privily bringeth in pernicious errours which neither you can quickly spy lead away with prejudice of your old teacher nor easily condemn hindered with love to your old master CHAP. VI. HEre some man haply doth earnestly desire to see that proved by some Ecclesiasticall examples which by the authority of Moses hath already been avouched The demand is reasonable and therefore of reason not long to be deferred Wherefore to begin with those which are yet fresh in memory and to the world best known What kind of tentation think you was that of late dayes when that ungracious and cursed Nestorius suddenly from a sheep transformed into a wolf began to devoure the flock of Christ at such time as those which were spoiled commonly took him for a sheep and therefore were more subject to his cruelty For who would have easily imagined him to have erred whom every man knew to have been chosen with such judgement of the Empire who was so highly in grace with the Clergy so much beloved of all holy men so greatly in favour with the people who openly expounded the Scriptures and also confuted the pestiferous errour of the Jews why could not this man by such means easily perswade any that he taught aright preached aright believed aright who to smooth the way and make entrance for his own heresie persecuted and preached against the blasphemies of all others But this was that which Moses saith The Lord your God doth tempt you if you love him or no. And to passe over Nestorius in whom was alwayes more admiration then profit more fame then experience whom for some time humane favour had made greater then Gods grace exalted Let us rather speak of them which endowed with many gifts and men of great industrie have been no small tentation to Catholicks as amongst the Pannonians in our Fathers memory Photinus is recorded to have tempted the Church of Sirminum in which being preferred with the liking of all men unto the dignity of Priesthood for sometime he behaved himself very Catholickly but suddenly like that naughty Prophet or Dreamer of whom Moses speaketh he began to perswade the people of God committed to his charge to follow other gods that is strange and unknown errours which before they were not acquainted with But as this is usuall so that was very pernicious that he had so great helps and furtherance for the advancing of so great wickednesse For he was both of an excellent wit and singularly well learned and passing eloquent as he which both in disputation and writing was copious and grave in either language as appeareth by the Books which he wrote partly in Greek and partly in the Latine tongue But it hapned well that Christs sheep committed to his charge very vigilant and carefull in keeping the Catholick faith did speedily remember Moses warning and therefore albeit they admired much the eloquence of their Prophet and Pastour yet were they not ignorant of the temptation And therefore whom before they followed as the chief leader of the flock the same very man afterward they avoided as a ravening wolf Neither do we learne only by Photinus but also by the example of Apollinaris the danger of this ecclesiasticall tentation and therby also be admonished diligently to keep and retaine our faith and religion For this Apollinaris procured his auditours great trouble anguish of mind whilest the authoritie of the Church drew them one way and the acquaintance of their master haled them another so that wavering and tottering betwixt both they were uncertaine whether part was best to be followed But haply he was such a one as easely deserved to be contemned Nay he was so famous and worthie a man that in very many things he vvon credite to fast For who surpassed him in sharpnes of wit in exercise in learning how many heresies in many and great books hath he overthrown how many errors against the faith hath he confuted That most notable and great work of thirtie books in which with great waight of reason he confounded the franticke cavills of Porphirius doth give credit to my report and testifie the truth of my relation It were too long to rehearse up all his works for which he might have been compared to the cheefe pillours of Gods Church
he was with all men in what glory in what credit grace Who more zealous in religion repaired not to him from the furthest parts of the world What Christian did not almost worship him as a Prophet What Philosopher did not honour him as a master how greatly he was reverenced not only of private men but also of the Empire it self histories doe speak which report that he was sent for of Alexander the Emperours mother to wit for the merit of his heavenly wisdome with the grace and love whereof he was inflamed His epistles also testifie the same thing which with the authoritie of a Christian master he wrote unto Philip the Emperour the first Christian amongst all the Romane Princes And if any man upon our report admiteth not the testimonie of a Christian touching his wonderfull knowledge and learning at least let him receive 〈◊〉 confession of an heathen Philopher For that impious Porphyrie â—h that himself being but yet as were a boy moved with his fame â—vailed unto Alexandria where 〈◊〉 did see him being then old but 〈◊〉 such a one and so learned as he â—t had attained to the perfection 〈◊〉 all knowledge Time would soonâ—â— fail me then I could touch though â—efly those notable gifts which â—â—re in that man all which notâ—â—thstanding pertained not onely to 〈◊〉 glory of Religion but also to 〈◊〉 greatnesse of the temptation For â—ho is he that would willingly â—â—ve forsaken a man of such wit 〈◊〉 so deep learning of so rare grace â—nd would not sooner have used â—â—at saying that he had rather erre â—ith Origen then believe aright â—â—th others And what should I â—â—y more the matter came to that 〈◊〉 that as the end shewed not an usuall and common but a passâ—â— dangerous tentation of so worthy man so famous a Doctour so noâ—ble a Prophet earried very manâ— from the true and sound faith of thâ—â— Church For this Origen so raâ—â— and singular a man abusing 〈◊〉 grace of God too insolently flattâ—â—ing himself too much in his owâ— wit believing himself more thâ— reason would little esteeming 〈◊〉 old simplicity of Christian relâ—gion presuming to be wiser then aâ—other contemning the traditions 〈◊〉 the Church and the old Fatheâ— documents waded so far in expounding certain chapters of the Scriptuâ—â— after a new fashion that he deseâ—ed that the Church of God shouâ—â— also say of him If there arise up the middest of thee a Prophet aâ—â— a little after thou shalt not hâ—â— quoth he the words of that Prâ—phet and again because quoth hâ— your Lord God doth tempt you whether you love him or no. And surely it is not only a tentation but also a great tentation when a man seduceth secretly and by little and little the Church depending upon him admiring his wit knowledge eloquence conversation and grace nothing suspecting him nothing fearing him suddenly from the old religion to a prophane and new doctrine But some will say that Origens books be corrupted I will not gaine-say it but rather wish it were so for that hath both been said written by some not only Catholicks but also Hereticks But this is now the point we are to consider that although not he yet the books passing abroad under his name are a great tentation which stuffed with many horrible blasphemies are read and used loved and liked not as the books of others but as his works so that although Origen gave no cause of erroneous doctrine yet his authoritie hath been the occasion why the errour hath been liked and followed The case also of Tertullian is the very same with the former for as Origen is to be thought the best amongst the Greek Doctours so Tertullian without controversie is the chief of all the latin For who was more learned then hee Who in Divinitie or Humanitie more practised for by his great and wonderfull capacitie of wit he attained to and understood all Philosophie all the sects of Philosophers all their authours and patrons all their learning all sorts of histories and studies And for his wit was he not so excellent so grave so sharpe that he almost undertook the overthrow of nothing which either by quicknes of wit or weight of reason he crushed not in peeces Now who is able to set down the commendation and praise which his stile and phrase of speech deserved which was so fraught I know not how with that force of reason that such as could not be perswaded were compelled whose almost so many words were so many sentences so many sences so many victories This is well known to Marcion and Appelles well known to Praxeas and Hermogenes the Jews understand this the Gentiles have tryed it the Gnosticks have proved it and divers others have felt it whose blasphemous opinions he hath overthrown with his many and great volumes as it had been with thunder lightning And yet this man after all this this Tertullian I say not holding the catholick religion that is the universal old faith being far more eloquent then faithful changing afterward his mind did at last that which the blessed Confessour Hilarie in a certaine place writeth of him He discredited quoth he with his later errour his probable writings and therefore he was also a great tentation in the Church But hereof I will say no more onely this I add that by his defending against the precept of Moses for true prophesies the new madnesse of Montanus springing up in the Church and those mad dreams of new doctrine of that frantick woman he deserved that we should also say of him and his writings If a Prophet shall rise up in the midst of thee and straight after thou shalt not heare the words of that Prophet Why so Because quoth he your Lord God doth tempt you whether you love him or no. We ought therefore evidently to note by these so many so great and divers others such weighty examples and by the law of Deuteronomie most clearly to understand that if at any time any ecclesiasticall teacher shayeth from the faith that gods providence doth suffer that for our triall whether we love him or no in our whol heart in our whol soul CHAP. XI WHich being so he is a true and perfect sincere Catholick that loveth Gods truth that loveth his body the Church that preferreth nothing before the religion of God nothing before the Catholick faith not any mans authority not love not will not eloquence not philosophie but contemning all these things setled in faith stable and permanent whatsoever he knoweth the Catholick Church universally in old time to have holden that he purposeth with himself onely to hold and beleeve and therefore whatsoever new doctrine and not before heard of such a one perceives to be brought in of some one man beside or contrary to the old Saints and Doctors let him know that doctrine doth not pertaine to religion but rather to tentation for his proofe and tryall especially being instructed with the saying
not what is superfluous she forceth not her own she maintaineth what is not her own shee usurpeth not but with all industrie laboureth only about this one thing that is by faithfull prudent handling of our forefathers doings what by them in times past was well entered begun she polisheth what then was well polished and declared she confirmeth what then was confirmed and defined she retaineth To conclude what hath she else endeavoured by the decrees of Councells but that that doctrine which before was simplie credited the same afterward should be more diligently beleeved that religion which before was taught more slowly the same afterward should be preached more instantly That faith which before was more securely reverenced the same afterward should more carefully be practised This I say alwayes and nothing els hath the Church provoked with the novelties of Hereticks set down by the decrees of her Councels to wit onely to confirme that to posteritie by writing comprehending a great summe of things in few words often times for more easie understanding to an old article of faith giving a new name which before by tradition she had received of her forefathers CHAP. XIV BUt to return to the Apostle O Timothie quoth he keep the depositum avoyd prophane novelties of voices Avoid quoth he as a viper as a scorpion as a baâ—ilisk least they infect thee not only by touching but also with their very eyes and breath What is meant by Avoid 1 Cor. 5. that is not so much as to eate with any such what importeth this Avoid if any man quoth he come unto you and bring not this doctrine what doctrine but the Catholick and universall that which with sound tradition of the truth hath continued one the self same through all successions of times and that which shall continue to the worlds end What then Receive him not quoth he into the house nor say God save you for he that sayeth unto him God save you communicateth with his wicked works Prophane novelties of voices quoth he What is Prophane Those which have no holines in them no jote of religion wholly unknown to the Church which is the temple of God Prophane novelties of voices quoth he of voices that is novelties of opinions novelties of things novelties of senses contrarie to our forefathers faith contrarie to antiquitie which if we admit and receive of necessitie the faith of our blessed ancestours either all or a great part of it must be overthrown the faithfull people of all ages and times all holy Saints all chast all continent all virgins all widowes all Clerks all Deacons all Priests so manie thousands of Confessours so many bands of Martyrs so many famous and great cities and commonwealths so manie Islands Provinces Kings countries kingdomes nations to conclude almost the whol world incorporated by the Catholick faith to Christ their head must needs be saied so many hundreds of years to have been ignorant to have erred to have blasphemed to have beleeved they know not what Avoid quoth he Prophane novelties of voices to receive which to follow which never was the custome of Catholicks but alwayes the propertie of hereticks And to say truth what heresie hath ever peeped forth but under the name of some certain man in some certaine place and at some certaine time Who ever set abroach any heresie who first devided not himself from the consent of the universality and antiquity of the Catholick Church Which to be true examples do plainly prove For who ever before that prophane Pelagius presumed so much of mans free will that he thought not the grace of God necessary to every particular good act Who ever before his monstrous disciple Celestiut denyed all mankind to be tyed and bound with the sin of Adams prevarication Who ever before facrilegious Arius durst tear in peeces the Unity of Trinity Who ever before wicked Sabellius attempted to confound the Trinity of Unity Who ever before cruell Novatian affirmed God to be so mercilesse that he had rather the death of a sinner then he should returne and live Who ever before Simon Magus punished by Apostolicall censure from whom that old sink of filthinesse came by continuall and secret succession unto Priscilian that was the last durst ever affirme that God our Creatour was the Authour of evill that is the Authour of our wickednes impieties and horrible crimes because God as he said so made mans nature that by a certain peoper motion and impulse of an inforced will it can do nothing else but sinne desire nothing else but to offend because being provoked and inflamed with the surious rage of all vices it is with an insatiable desire carryed away headlong into the pit and sink of all filthinesse Such examples are infinite which for brevity sake I omit by all which notwitstanding it appeareth plainly and clearly that it is an usuall and common thing in all Heresies to take great pleasure in prophane novelties to loath the decrees of our forefathers and so fall from the faith by pretending the false and counterfeit name of knowledge and learning contrariwise that this is proper to all Catholicks to keep that faith which the holy fathers have left and committed to their charge to condemne prophane novelties and as the Apostle hath already said again doth say If any man shall preach otherwise then that which is received to accurse him CHAP. XV. HEre happily some man may demand whether hereticks also do use the testimony of holy scripture To which I say that they do and that very earnestly for a man may behold them ranging coursing in every part of the Bible in Moses in the Kings in the Psalms in the Apostles in the Gospels in the Prophets for whether they be amongst their own brethren or with strangers whether in private or in publick whether in talking or writing whether in the house reasting or abroad walking they almost never alleadge any thing of their owne which they do not pretend to shadow with the words of sacred scripture Read the pamphlets of Paulus Samosatenus of Priscilian Eunomius Jovinian and the rest of such like pestilent Hereticks and you shall find through all their works an huge heap of examples almost no page omitted which is not coloured and painted with the sayings of the new and old testament But the more closely they lurk under the shadow of Gods law the more carefully are they to be feared the more narrowly to be watched for they know full well that their stinking and unsavory drugs be not likely almost to please any if simply nakedly they be set forth and therefore they do temper them as it were with the sweet powder of Gods word that he which would have contemned mans erroneous invention dares not so readily reject Gods divine scripture wherein they are like to those which minding to minister bitter potions to young children do first annoint the brimâ—â—â— of the cup with hony that thereby