vs expresly that the two tables written with the finger of God contained all the wordes which the Lord spake to them in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly Fiftly God commanded that the king of the Israelies so soone as he should be established in his throne should write out the Deutronomie or law repeated in a book according to the example which the priests of the Leuiticall tribe should giue him that he might meditate therein all the dayes of his life Sixtly Iosue made a couenant with the people and gaue them a law in Sichem and wrote all the wordes in the booke of the law VVhich words were nothing else but a repetition of the couenant written by Moses which couenant Iosue was commanded to obserue so strictly that he might neither decline to the right hand nor to the left And the same law contained all those precepts ceremonies and iudgements which God commanded Moses to teach the people of Israel Locus secundus Ne addas quicquam verbis eius Dei ne forte arguat te inueniaris mendax Thou must ad nothing to Gods words lest he reprooue thee and thou be found a lier This text Saint Hierome vnderstandeth of the holy scriptures to which no man may ad any thing bee it more be it lesse The scriptures therefore are most perfect and absoute and containe euery doctrine needfull for vs to know Locus tertius Ad legem magis ad testimonium Quod si non dixerint iuxta verbum hoc non erit eis matutina lux To the law and to the testimonie If they speake not according to this word there is no matutine or true light in them Loe they that refuse to be taught of Gods prophet who is the mouth of God and seeke helpe at the dead which is the illusion of Satan are here reprooued as men void of knowledge and as blind leaders of the blind And withall they are charged to seeke remedie in the word of God where his will is declared They and wee must euer in all doubts and difficulties haue continuall recourse to the law of God which law is here tearmed the testimonie because it is the testification of Gods will toward man because there is set downe what God requireth of vs because we may find in it whatsoeuer is necessarie for vs to know For the Prophet ioyneth the testimonie with the law not as a thing distinct from it but as an explication of the same As if he had said yee must in all doubts haue recourse to the law of God because it is the testimonie of his holy will Saint Hierome yeeldeth the like sense and interpretation of this place these are his wordes Si vultis nosse quae dubia sunt magis vae legi testimonijs tradite scripturarum Quia si noluerit vestra congregatio verbum domini quoerere non habebit lucē veritatis sed versabitur in erroris tenebris If ye will know the things that are doubtfull ye must haue recourse to the law and to the testimonies of the scriptures For if your people will not seeke Gods word they cannot attaine the light of truth but shall walke in the darknesse of errour Locus quartus Mementote legis Mosis serui mei quam mandaui ei in Horeb ad omnem Israel Remember the law of Moses my seruant which I commanded to him in Horeb to all Israel Marke these wordes seriously because they proue euidently the question now in hand For this Malachias being the last of Gods Prophets and foreseeing by the spirit of God that the Israelites should bee without Prophets a long time euen till the comming of Christ doth here exhort them diligently to be mindfull of the law of Moses As if he should say the time is at hand when ye shall be destitute of Prophets and therefore yee must marke well what the law saith and doe according to the prescript rule thereof But what is the reason why hee maketh no mention of the Prophets doubtlesse because all things as you haue already heard are fully comprised in the written word of the law For although the law and the Prophets were vntill Iohn the one foretelling Christs comming by word the other by tipes and figures yet was the doctrine of the Prophets nothing else in deede but an explication of the law and consequently Malachie willing the Israelites to remember the law of Moses doth thereby sufficiently insinuat the doctrine of the Prophets as who are nothing else but the interpreters of Moses For from the law they might neither turne to the right hand nor to the left That the law containeth the whole Christian doctrine necessarie vnto saluation two famous popish doctors Lyra and Dionisius Carthusianus doe testifie whose wordes shall be alledged expresly when I come to the places of the new testament Ex nouo Testamento Locus primus Haec scripta sunt c. These are written that you may beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name Here the reader must obserue seriously with me that this Gospell was written after all other scriptures of the old and new testament euen when the canon of the scriptures was complet perfect and fully accomplished viz. almost an hundred yeeres after Christ ascention into heauen about the fourteenth yeere of the raigne of Domitianus then emperour VVhich obseruation being well marked all the sottish cauils of the papists will easilie be auoided Now let vs see how the auntient fathers doe vnderstand this place of scripture Saint Cyrill hath these wordes Non omnia quae Dominus fecit conscripta sunt sed quae scribentes tam ad mores quam ad dogmata sufficere putarunt vt recta fide operibus ad regnum coelorum perueniamus All things which our Lord did are not written but those things onely which the writers deemed sufficient as well for manners as for doctrine that by a right faith and good life we may attaine the kingdome of heauen Saint Austen hath these wordes Cum multa fecisset dominus non omnia scripta sunt electa sunt antem quae scriberentur que saluti credentium sufficere videbantur VVhen our Lord had done many things all were not written but so much was chosen out to be written as was thought to be sufficient for the saluation of the faithfull Loe gentle reader so much is comprised in the holy scriptures as is necessarie for our saluation as well in those things which concerne our life and manners as in things concerning faith and doctrine VVhich if the papists will graunt vs they may keepe their vnwritten traditions vntill Gods people haue need thereof For I see not why they should enforce vs to admit them except they were necessarie either for faith or at the least for good maners both which notwithstanding
spirit but to trie the spirits if they be of God For this cause doth S. Paule pronounce him accursed that preacheth any doctrine not contained in the scriptures For both S. Austen and S. Basill doe expound that place of the written word And the truth thereof is alreadie prooued because the Apostles taught no needfull doctrine which they did not after commit to writing S. Cyprian would not yeeld to Stephanus then bishop of Rome in the controuersie concerning rebaptization but sharpely reprooued him for leaning to tradition and demaunded of him by what scripture he could prooue his tradition For in his daies it was not ynough to alleadge tradition for the proofe of any doctrine And much lesse was it a rule in Saint Cyprians time to follow the bishop of Romes definitiue sentence in matters of faith and doctrin Though our sottish and blind papists in these latter dayes doe admit and reuerence his sentence euen as the holy Gospell See S. Cyprians words in the first proposition VVhen the Arrians would not admit the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was not found in the scriptures the fathers of the counsell did not then alleadge traditions for proofe thereof neither did they say that many things must be beleeued which are not written but they answered simply That though that word were not expressely written yet was it virtually and effectually contained in the scriptures This assertion is euident by the testimonie of Saint Athanasius whose words are these Sed tamen cognoscat quisquis est studiosioris animi has voces tametsi in scripturis non reperiantur habere tamen eas eam sententiam quam scripturae volunt Although the expresse words be not found in the scripture yet haue they that meaning and sence which the scripture approoueth and intendeth as euery one that studieth the scripture seriously may easily vnderstand Origen giueth counsell to trie all doctrines by the scriptures euen as pure gold is tried by the touchstone His words are set downe at large in my booke of Motiues and they are well worth the reading Tertullian hath these words Id esse verum quodcunque primum id esse adulterum quodcunque posterius VVe must know that that it is the truth whatsoeuer was first and that that is counterfeit whatsoeuer commeth after the first S. Austen hath many golden sentences and worthie testimonies to this end and purpose One only I will here recount where he hath these wordes Nemo mihi dicat ô quid dixit Donatus aut quid dixit Parmenianus aut Pontius aut quilibet illorum quia nec Catholicis episcopis consentiendum est sicubi forte falluntur vt contra canonicas dei scripturas aliquid sentiant Let no man say to me oh what said Donatus or what said Parmenianus or Pontius or any of them because wee must not consent euen to Catholicke bishops if it so fall out that they erre in any point and speake against the canonicall scriptures Saint Chrysostome surnamed the golden mouthed doctor agreeth vniformely vnto the other fathers in many places of his workes One onely period shall for the present suffice where he hath these golden wordes Quomodo autem non absurdum est propter pecunias alijs non credere sed ipsas numerare supputare prorebus autem amphoribus aliorum sententiam sequi simpliciter presertim cum habeamus omnium exactissimam trutinam gnomonem acregulam diuinarum inquam legum assertionem Ideo obsecro oro omnes vos vt relinquatis quidnam hinc vel illi videatur deque his à scripturishaec etiam iniquirite et veras diuitias difcentes eas sectemur vt aeterna bona assequamur How can it but be absurd that in money matters we will not credite others but will tell the money our selues and for all that in affaires of greater importance which concerne the health aud saluation of our soules we can be content simply to follow the iudgement and opinion of others especially when wee haue the most exact ballance squire and rule of all things I meane the plaine testimonie of Gods lawes I therefore pray and beseech you all that you will reiect what this man or that man thinketh and search the truth out of the scriptures that learning true riches we may follow them and so attaine eternall life Behold here gentle reader a most excellent and Christian exhortation a very godly and golden aduiso giuen vs by this holy father If wee will not saith he trust others to tell our money but for surenesse will tell it our selues much lesse should wee trust others and much lesse depend vpon their iudgements and sayings in matters touching our saluation but our selues must learne and know such things by diligent reading of the holy scriptures Neither must we beleeue what this or that man saith but what we find to be true by painefull studie of the holy scriptures Now let vs heare attentiuely what the best approoued papists teach vs concerning this important and most weightie controuersie Franciscus à victoria a learned schoole-man and Spanish popish frier yeelds his opinion in these expresse wordes Propter quas opiniones nullo modo debeà us discedere à regula synceritate scripturarum For which opinions we may in no wise depart from the rule and synceritie of the scriptures Againe in another place he hath these words Non est mihi certum licet in hoc conueniant omnes quia in scriptura non habetur I doe not thinke it sure and certaine although all writers agree thereunto because it is not to be found in the holy scriptures Melchior Canus another learned schoole-doctor and renowned popish bishop confirmeth the same doctrine in these words Fatemur non audiendos esse sacerdotes nisi docuerint iuxta legem domiui VVe graunt that we must not giue eare or hearken to the priests except they shall teach vs according to Gods law Loe the papists affirme plainely that no doctrine is sound or to be receiued but that onely which is tried to be true by Gods word Neither may we beleeue the doctrin of any popish priest vnlesse it be agreeable to Gods law Now doubtlesse if the Pope will be tried and iudged by this doctrine which his best doctors haue published to the world the spirit of God hauing enforced them thereunto we shall soone agree in all controuersies of religion And certes this their doctrine is so certaine and euident that the Iesuit Bellarmine singeth the same song with them which my selfe could not easily haue beleeued if I had not read his owne testimonie in his owne booke These are his expresse words Sine dubio singuli episcopi errare possunt aliquando errant inter se quandoque dissentiunt vt nesciamus quisnam eorum sequendus sit It is without all doubt that all bishops seuerally may erre and sometime doe erre and doe so disagree among themselues that we
the authoritie of the holy Fathers DIonysius Areopagita who liued in the daies of the Apostles doth liuely deliuer this truth vnto vs in these expresse words Omnino igitur non audendum est quicquam de summa abstrusaque diuinitate aut dicere aut cogitare praeter ea quae nobis diuinitus scripturae diuinae countiarunt In no wise therfore may we make bold to speake or thinke any thing of the most high and ineffable diuinitie saue that only which holy writ hath reuealed to vs from heauen S. Augustine that glistering beame and strong pillar of Christs church auoucheth plainely that all things necessarie for our saluation are contained in the written word as is alreadie prooued in the former reason and he confirmeth the same doctrine in another place where he hath these expresse words In his enim quae apertè in scriptura posita sunt inueniunter illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi spem scilicet atque charitatem For in those things which are plainely set downe in the holy Scripture all things are found which containe faith and manners that is to say hope and charitie The same S. Austen in another place hath these expresse words Credo quod etiam hinc diuinorum eloquiorum clarissima authoritas esset si homo sine dispendio promissae salutis illud ignorare non posset I beleeue that euen in this point also we should haue most cleere testimonie of holy writ if a man could not be ignorant thereof without the losse of his saluation S. Irenaeus hath these words Non emim per alios dispositionem salutis nostrae cognouimus quam per eos per quos euangelium peruenit ad nos quod quidem tunc preconiauerunt postea vero per dei voluntatem in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum For we know the dispensation of our saluation by them onely by whom the Gospell came to our hands which Gospell they first preached but afterward by Gods appointment they deliuered the same vnto vs in writing that it might be the foundation and pillar of our faith Tertullianus an auncient writer who liued aboue 1300 yeeres agoe hath these expresse wordes Adoro scripturae plenitudinem quae mihi factorem manifestat facta An autem ex aliqua subiacenti materia facta sint omnia nusquam adhuc legi Scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis offiicina si non est scriptum timeat vae illud adijcientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum I reuerence the plenitude fulnesse and perfection of the scripture as which sheweth to me both the maker and the things which are made But that all things are made of some subiacent matter I neuer could yet read any where Let Hermogenes his shop shew vs where it is written If it be no where written let him be afraid of that woe which is prouided for them that adde or take away from the Scripture Loe gentle reader these three most auntient fathers doe teach vs many very excellent documents First that we know the dispensation of our saluation by Christs Apostles Secondly that we receiued the Gospell from them Thirdly that they first preached the mysteries of our saluation deliuering the Gospell by word of mouth Fourthly that afterward they committed the same to writing Fiftly that the Scripture was written by Gods owne appointment Sixtly that it was written for this end and purpose That it might be the pillar and foundation of our faith Seuenthly that we may not speake or thinke any thing of God which we find not written in Gods booke Eightly that the holy Scripture is perfect and containeth all things necessarie for vs to know Ninthly that all such as teach or beleeue any doctrine not contained in the Scriptures must drinke of the cup of eternall woe for their paines Let vs proceed and see what other fathers of later times tell vs. S. Cyprian who liued about 249 yeares after Christ viz. aboue 1300 yeares agoe hath these words Vnde ista traditio Vtrumne de dominica euangelica authoritate descendens an de Apostolorum mandatis epistolis veniens Ea enim facienda esse quae scripta sunt deus testatur proponit ad Iesum Nave dicens Non recedet liber legis huius ex ore tuo sed meditaberis in eo die ac nocte vt obserues facere omnia quae scripta sunt in eo Si ergo aut euangelio precipitur aut in Apostolorum epistolis aut astibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio From whence came this tradition Did it descend from the authoritie of our Lord or his Gospell Or came it from the mandates of the Apostles or their epistles For that those things must be done which are written God himselfe doth witnesse and propose to Iesus Naue saying The booke of this law shall not depart from thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein night and day that thou maiest obserue to doe all things which are written in it If therefore it be either commaunded in the Gospell or be contained in the Epistles or in the Acts of the Apostles let this diuine and holy tradition be obserued Thus writeth S. Cyprian shewing plainely that all traditions ought to be examined by the written word and nothing to be admitted which is not contained in the same or grounded thereupon VVhere I note by the way for the helpe of the reader that though Cornelius then bishop of Rome whom now the papists tearme Pope and his holinesse together with the whole nationall synode of all the bishops of Italie had made a flat decree touching rebaptization and though also Pope Stephanus his holinesse had confirmed the same decree and commaunded it to be obserued and thirdly though our papists of late daies doe obstinately affirme that their Pope cannot erre when he defineth iudicially Yet this notwithstanding S. Cyprian teacheth and telleth vs plainly and roundly that in his time the bishop of Rome had no such authoritie as this day he proudly and antichristianly taketh vpon him for he roundly withstood the decree of Pope Stephanus who then was bishop of Rome and both sharpely reprooued him and contemned his falsely pretended authoritie And for all that S. Cyprian was euer reputed an holy bishop in his life time and a glorious martyr being dead But if the bishop of Rome had beene Christs vicar and so priuiledged as our papists beare the world in hand he is then doubtlesse S. Cyprian must needs haue beene an hereticke and so reputed and esteemed in the Church of God For if any Christian shall this day doe or affirme as S. Cyprian did or publickely denie the Popes falsely pretended prymacie in any place countrey territories or dominions where poperie beareth the sway then without all peraduenture he must be burnt at a stake with fire and faggot for his paines S. Athanasius hath these words Sufficiunt sanctae ac diuinitus inspiratae
scripturae ad veritatis iuditionem The holy scriptures inspired of God are sufficient for the discussion and manifestation of the truth VVhere the reader must obserue with me that Athanasius contending against the Gentiles that their idols were not gods and proouing that Christ was true God and true man by the Scriptures and withall auouching that the Scriptures were sufficient to decide and determine the controuersie should haue made a very foolish argument and haue concluded nothing at all if any necessarie truth had beene wanting and not fully contained in the holy scriptures S. Epiphanius hath these words Nos vniuscuiusque quaestionis inuentionem non ex proprijs ratiocinationibus dicere possumus sed ex scripturarum consequentia VVe cannot shew the inuention of euery question out of our owne proper reasons but by consequence of the scriptures S. Cyrill hath these words Necessarium nobis est diuinas sequi literas in nullo ab earum prescripto discedere It is necessarie for vs to follow the holy scriptures and not in the least iot to depart from the prescript rule thereof S. Chrysostome hath these words Si quid dicatur absque scriptura auditorum cogitatio claudicat nunc annuens nunc haesitans interdum sermonem vt friuolum aduersans interdum vt probabilem recipiens Verum vbi è scriptura diuinae vocis prodijt testimonium loquentis sermonem audientis animum confirmat If any thing be spoken without the scripture the cogitation of the auditours faileth sometime yeelding sometime staggering and sometime reiecting the speech as friuolous sometime receiuing it as probable But so soone as the testimonie of Gods voice is heard out of the scripture it confirmeth both the word of the speaker and the mind of the hearer The same S. Chrysostome in another place hath these words Quicquid quaeritur ad salutem totum iam adimpletum est in scripturis Loe these holy fathers and auntient writers who all of them liued aboue a thousand and one hundred yeeres agoe teach the selfesame doctrine with the former fathers They tell vs first that the holy scripture is sufficient to decide all controuersies Secondly that we must affirme or hold no doctrine but that which we find in the scriptures Thirdly that we must not in the least point of doctrine depart or swarue from the rule of holy scripture Fourthly that in the holy scripture is fully comprised whatsoeuer is necessarie for mans saluation But let vs yet heare the verdict of some others S. Ambrose hath these words Non negamus imò potius horremus hanc vocem Sed nolo argumento credas sancte imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus interrogemus apostolos interrogemus prophetas interrogemus Christum VVe denie not but rather abhorre the word Yet holy emperour I would neither haue you beleeue our argument nor our disputation Let vs aske counsell vpon the scriptures let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophets let vs aske Christ himselfe and so know what is the truth S. Basill hath these words Si quicquid ex fide non est peccatum est sicut dicit apostolus fides vero ex auditu auditus autem per verbum dei ergo quicquid extra diuinam scripturam est cum ex fide non sit peccatum est If whatsoeuer is not of faith be sinne as the Apostle saith and if also faith come by hearing and hearing by the word of God then doubtlesse whatsoeuer is not in the holy scripture the same is sinne because it is not of faith The same S Basill in another place hath these words Stemus arbitratu in spiratae à deo scripturae apud quos inueniuntur dogmata diuinis oraculis consona illis omnino veritatis adiudicetur sententia Let vs be iudged by the scripture which came from God by inspiration and whose doctrine shall be found consonant to Gods Oracles let the truth be iudged to be on their side S. Hierome hath these words Hoc quia de scripturis non habet authoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur This opinion is as easily reiected as it is affirmed because it hath no authoritie from the scriptures The same S. Hierome in another place hath these words Quomodo narrabit non verbo sed scriptura Videte quid dicat qui fuerunt non qui sunt vt exceptis Apostolis quodcunque aliud postea decatur abscindatur non habeat postea authoritatē Quamuis ergo sanctus sit aliquis post Apostolos quamuis disertus sit non habeat authoritatē Quoniā dominus narrat inscriptura populorū principū horam qui fuerunt in ea How shall he shew it not by word but by the holy scripture Marke what he saith who were but not who are to the end that the Apostles being excepted whatsoeuer other thing be afterward spokē it must be reiected it must haue no authority at all Wherfore though a man be holy though he be learned yet seeing he commeth after the Apostles let him be of no authoritie For our Lord speaketh to vs in the scripture of his people and of the princes that were therein The same Saint Hierome in an other place hath these wordes Erog nec parentum nec maiorum error sequendus est sed authoritas scripturarum Dei docentis imperium Therefore we must neither follow the errour of our parents nor of our auncestours but the authoritie of the scriptures and the commandement of God teaching vs. The third reason drawne from the authoritie of famous popish writers IOhn frier the late bishop of Rochester one highly renowmed amongst the papists and with them canonized for a Saint and glorious Martyr so as his authoritie must perforce be of credit against them hath these expresse words Scriptura sacra conclaue quoddam est omnium veritatum quae Christianis scitu necessaria sunt The holy scripture is a certaine store-house of all truths which are needfull to be knowne of Christians In another place the same famous papist hath these wordes Contendentibus itaque nobiscum haereticis nos alio subsidio nostram oportet tueri causam quam scripturae sacrae Therefore when heretiques contend with vs wee must defend our cause by other meanes than by the holy scripture These are the very expresse words of their owne famous popish bishop of their holy Saint of their glorious matyr who laboured with might and maine for the Popes vsurped soueraintie and defended the same in the best manner he was able And yet for all that he hath bolted out vnawares and against his will such is the force of truth which must needs in time preuaile so much in plaine tearmes as is sufficient to ouerthrow all poperie for euer and to cause all people that haue any care of their saluation to renounce the Pope and his abhominable doctrine to their liues end For first our popish bishop telleth
organicall bodie be there as popish faith auoucheth then must the papists beleeue euident contradictions contrarie to Iesuit Bellarmines resolution yea contrarie to all power all Logicke all reason All the papists in England are not able to solue this reason I challenge them all and aduise them to consult together and to craue helpe of their friends elswhere and then to let me haue their speedie answere hereunto Cardinall Caietane affirmeth boldly that no text in the whole Gospell doth prooue effectually and conuince the reader to vnderstand these words properly This is my bodie For which respect frier Ioseph aduiseth grauely to read their Cardinall caute warily Aquinas affirmeth constantly Corpus Christi non esse in pluribus locis simul secundū proprias dimensiones that Christs bodie is not in many places at once according to the proper dimensions thereof whose assertion is my flat position For Christs naturall bodie cannot be without those dimensions which naturally pertaine vnto it Durandus holdeth the very same opinion S. Austine saith plainely that Christs true bodie can be but in one onely place of heauen Vbi totum presentem esse non dubites tanquam deum in codem templo dei esse tanquam inhabitantem deum in loco aliquo coeli propter veri corporis modum Thou must not doubt saith S. Austen that Christ is wholly present euery where as God and in the same temple of God as God inhabiting it and in some one place of heauen for the manner of a true bodie Lo this graue father telleth vs that Christ as God is euery where but yet in respect of his true bodie he is onely in heauen and in some certaine place of heauen Only in heauen because the Scripture saith That he shall be there till the worlds end in some certaine place of heauen to declare the nature and veritie of a true bodie indeed So then if he were present as the papists would haue him his bodie should lose the nature and veritie of a true bodie indeed Againe in another place S. Austen hath these words Donec seculum finiatur sursum est dominus sed tamen etiam hic nobiscum est veritas domini corpus enim in quo resurrexit in vno loco esse oportet veritas autem eius vbique diffusa est Our Lord is aboue vntill the worlds end but yet his truth is with vs here for the bodie of our Lord wherein he rose againe must needs be in one place but this truth is diffused euery where Againe the same S. Austen writing against Faustus the Manichee hath these expresse words Secundum presentiam corporalem simul in Sole in Luna in cruce esse non posset According to his corporall presence it was not possible for him to be both in the Sunne and in the Moone and on the crosse at one and the same time O papists answere if you can if not recant for shame The second Member Of the Sacrifice of the Popish Masse THe Papists teach and beleeue as an article of Christian faith That in their masse Christs true and reall bodie is truly and really sacrificed to God the father vnder the forme of bread as also his true and reall bloud vnder the forme of wine Yet this implieth horrible impietie and brutish crueltie as shall be prooued and consequently popish Masse is to be abhorred First where the Apostle telleth vs that Christ rising againe from the dead henceforth dieth no more because death hath no more dominion ouer him the papists tell vs a contrarie tale that Christ dieth euery day nay a thousand times a day in the daily sacrifice of their masse for with them all priests the Pope Cardinals and some others excepted doe ordinarily say masse euery day and three masses vpon euery Christmas day VVhich being so and three hundred Iesuits and seminarie priests being this day in England and Scotland as the Iesuites tell vs an huge multitude of masses must be said daily in these realmes and many times must Christ be put to death so farre forth as in them lieth though they pretend to honour him thereby For as Cardinall Bellarmine graunteth freely a sacrifice implieth intrinsecally the consumption of the thing that is sacrificed I will not auouch any vntruth vpon any man gentle reader these are his owne words Sacrificium enim preter oblationem requirit mutationem consumptionem rei quae offertur For saith Bellarmine a sacrifice besides the oblation requires an alteration and a consumption of the thing which is offered Againe Bellarmine in another place telleth vs that the bodie and bloud of Christ are offered in the masse verè propriè truly and properly vnder the formes of bread and wine Againe Bellarmine saith in another place that flesh and bloud are not fit for meat nisi prius animal moriatur vnlesse the beast first die and be slaine Againe the same Bellarmine teacheth the same doctrin yet more plainely in another place Thus doth he write Sacrificium enim verum reale veram realem occisionem exigit quando in occisione ponitur essentia sacrificij For a true and reall sacrifice requireth a true and reall killing seeing that the essence of the sacrifice consisteth in the killing thereof And in very deed this is that constant doctrine which S. Paule doth inculcate to the Hebrewes So then we see it cleare and euident by popish faith and doctrine that Iesus Christ our sweet redeemer must first be killed then offered lastly torne and consumed by the teeth of the sacrificing masse-priest or els the popish masse cannot be perfect as their most perfect doctor telleth vs. For confirmation of this popish doctrine it is a constant position and generally receiued axiome in the popish church that by vertue of their consecratorie words Christs bodie is put apart from his bloud and his bloud apart from his bodie and so Christ is there slaine by force of their consecration though he still liue indeed because the priests words haue not so much force as they imagin You shall heare Bellarmines owne words Nam inprimis ideo in coena seorsim consecratur corpus seorsim sanguis vt intelligamus presentiam corporis sanguinis in coena esse ad modum occisi mortui corporis For first therfore is the bodie consecrate apart in the supper and the bloud asunder that we may vnderstand the presence of the bodie and bloud in the supper to be there after the manner of a bodie slaine and dead These are his words and this which he thus deliuereth is the constant doctrine of the Popish Church VVhereupon it followeth of necessitie that if any papist should haue said masse in triduo mortis Christi during Christs death then Christs bodie by vertue there of should haue been dead in one place and his bloud in another place for otherwise Christ should haue been both quicke and dead at
and told the people that he had consecrated the said bread VVhereupon consultation was had out of hand among the learned and sentence giuen that euery loafe was God almightie and the bread was caried away with great solemnitie reuerence and such adoration as was due to the sonne of the euerliuing God Now would I know when the priest hath pronounced three of the said words viz. hoc est corpus what is become of the bread afore him For if they answere that it is Christs bodie then will it follow to their shame that one of the words of their consecration is of no force which to die for it the papists may not admit If they say that a part of Christs bodie is then wrought really by vertue of the said words then will it follow to their greater shame that Christs bodie is really torne in pieces by force of their bloodie and most cruell masse If they say that nought is indeed effected vntill the last sillable of the last word be pronounced then will it follow to their confusion that of foure words wherein consisteth their whole consecration three are of no vertue force or efficacie but stand as cyphers to fill vp the place and to make a shew of that which is not Fiftlie Durandus telleth vs that onely the forme of bread is chaunged and that the matter of bread remaineth still in the Eucharist Rupertus the popish Abbot holdeth that the bread is vnited hypostaticallie to the son of God Caietanus Henricus and Capreolus are of another opinion Iohanncs Parisiensis held also that the bread was assumpted but in a different manner from the opinion of Rupertus Another opinion affirmeth the annihilation of the bread but the Iesuit Bellarmine holdeth with their Councell of Trent that the bread is transubstantiated into the bodie of Christ. Sixtly the papists tell vs that when the priest is at masse then all spectators must adore that which he holdeth ouer his head and constantly beleeue it to be their maker and redeemer of the world and if any hold contrarie opinion or teach the contrarie doctrine that person must be burnt with fire and faggot for his paines But yet for all this the popish faith telleth vs that if either the priest want intention to consecrate which often chaunceth or at least may chaunce by reason of wandering imaginations or of purpose meaneth not to consecrate or of negligence omitteth or miscalleth any word of consecration then by popish doctrine faith and religion the thing adored for God almightie is but pure bakers bread and consequently the adorers there of become idolaters worshipping a piece of bread for the euerliuing God Seuenthly the papists tell vs that many priests are appointed at once to pronounce the words of consecration in the Romish Church Lateran when they are made priests But they cannot tell vs how many gods or how many times God is made in one and the same piece or cake of bread in and at that masse of the newlie made priests For they are all appointed to consecrate they doe all pronounce the wordes they are all bounden to haue intention and they all haue the fit and requisite matter to worke vpon but when the principall actor and chiefe agent to wit the bishop is at the last syllable then some of the rest be in the middest some toward the end some in one place some in an other neuer one iumping with other in that instant in which they should their bread-god make For of this dreadfull mysterie there are three solemne dissonant opinions Pope Innocentius holdeth that they all doe consecrate Durandus auoucheth that that priest onely consecrateth which with greatest speed first commeth to the end but Cardinall Caietanus hath a different consideration Now would I know how these so different popish opinions in a matter of so great importance can be reconciled and salued from contradiction Answere papists if you can or else relent and yeeld to the truth for shame The third Article Of popish dispensations ANtoninus sometime archbishop of Florence comming as ambassadour from the Pope telleth vs if wee may beleeue him that the Pope is Christs vicar vpon earth and hath equall power with God almightie These are his owne expresse words Cum autē vicarius Christi sit Papa nullus potest seipsum subtrahere ab obedientia eius de iure sicut nullus de iure potest se subtrahere abobedientia Dei. Et sicut recepit Christus a patre ducatum sceptrum ecclesiae gentium ex Israel egrediens super omnem principatum potestatem super omne quodcunque est vt ei genua cuncta curuentur sic ipse Petro successoribus eius plenissimam potestatem commisit For seeing the Pope is the vicar of Christ none can lawfully withdraw himselfe from his obedience as none can lawfully withdraw himselfe from Gods obedience And as Christ receiued of his father the dukedome and scepter of the Church of the gentiles arising of Israel ouer all principalitie and power and aboue euery thing that hath being that to him euery knee may bend euen so Christ hath committed most full power to Peter and his successors The famous popish frier Augustinus de Ancona in that booke which he dedicated to Pope Iohn the twelft of that name singeth the same song and affirmeth the Pope to haue the same power These are his expresse words Papa tanquam vicarius Dei filij caelestis imperatoris iurisdictionem habet vniuersalem super omniaregna imperia The Pope as he that is the vicar of the sonne of God the heauenly emperour hath vniuersall iurisdiction ouer all kingdoms empires Many other papists haue the like testimonies but they are needlesse seeing the Pope is a sufficient witnes against himselfe hauing often reduced their assertions to actuall execution For the Pope hath often by his wicked and execrable dispensations taken vpon him to dissolue that matrimonie which is firme and stable by Christs owne institution The former part is prooued by their learned canonist Martinus Nauarrus in these expresse wordes Diuiditur matrimonium ante consummationem per dispensationem papae iusta de causa factam Matrimonie is dissolued before consummation by the Popes dispensation vpon iust cause graunted Now to prooue that the Pope may this doe Nauarre taketh it for a good ground that the Pope hath practised the same Thus doth he write Quorum opinio adeo obseruatur quod etiam ter vel quater ad petitiones consilio meo antequam in vrbem venissem oblatas Paulus 3. Pius 4. per suas dispensationes dissoluerant quaedam matrimonia omnino clandestina nondum consummata in remedium animarum alioquin probabiliter periturarum VVhose opinion he speaketh of the Canonists is so obserued that three or foure times before my comming to Rome vpon petitions made by mine aduise Pope Paulus the third and Pope Pius the fourth with their dispensations dissolued certaine secret matrimonies not
which all papists doe and must appeale in this weighty and most important question For example sake if thou wouldest wish me to lend thee my cloake to defend thee from a showre of raine and promise to giue me an hundred pounds for the loane then doubtlesse were it true to say that after such loane an hundreth pounds were due vnto me yet withall would it be most true also that such loane of my cloake were not the condigne merit of that hundreth pounds but that it proceeded principally of the free gift and promise made vnto me farre aboue my merit and desert neither could my act be any way rightly tearmed the condigne merit of that reward And yet it is euident that thus standeth the state of the question betweene the condigne merit of mans workes and the excellencie of the ioyes of heauen For I willingly graunt that eternall life is due to the workes of Gods elect and that it is as well the crowne of iustice as of mercie but withall I constantly affirme that God bestoweth it on his elect freely for his owne name sake and not for any merit worthinesse or condignitie of their workes For this cause their owne deere frier Ioannes de Combis teacheth this golden lesson Meritum condigni dicit aequalitatem meriti ad remunerationem dico autem aequalitatem non arithmeticam sed geometrieam id est non quantitatis sed proportionis Et hoc patet quia Deus semper remunerat supra meritum sicut punit citra condignum Condigne merit doth connotat the equalitie of merit to the thing that is merited I say equalitie not arithmeticall but geometricall that is not of quantitie but of proportion And this is euident because God euer rewardeth aboue our merits as he punisheth lesse than we deserue Out of these wordes we see two things cleered the one that we deserue greater punishment for our sinnes than God inflicteth vpon vs for the same the other that for our well doing we receiue greater reward than our workes doe or can deserue And consequently that wee doe not condignely merit eternall life For this cause saith their famous popish doctour Nicolaus de Lyra in this maner Salus enim aeterna excedit totaliter facultatem naturae humanae Propter quod non potest eam attingere nisi ex largitate diuinae misericordiae For eternall life doth farre surmount and wholly exceed the facultie and power of mans nature VVherefore man can no way attaine vnto it but onely by the liberalitie of Gods mercy For this cause saith another popish doctor Dionysius Carthusianuns in this maner Ex gratia seu per gratiam Dei datur iustis pro praemio vita aeterna Non hoc dicitur merita excludendo sed vt insinuctur quod principaliter ascribendum sit gratia Dei qui etiam premiat vltra condignum Eternall life is giuen for reward to the iust of grace or through the grace of God This is not said to exclude merits but to insinuate that reward must principally bee ascribed to the grace of God who rewardeth vs aboue our deserts Loe this great papist laboreth with maine and might to stablish popish condigne merit of workes who affirming more boldly than wisely that the elect doe merit eternall life telleth vs with one breath that the reward is aboue our merits and deserts And so vnwittingly and vnwillingly he confuteth himselfe and refelleth that doctrine which he gladly would confirme To conclude our Iesuit and renowned Cardinall frier Bellarmine who after mature deliberation and graue consultation had with all the best learned Iesuits in the world and with the Pope himselfe whose faith iudiciall cannot faile say they saith all that possibly can be said for the life of poperie doth with great grauitie and prudent sagacitie in the name of all papists deliuer this doctrine vnto vs Quod vero attinet ad rem ipsam Durandi sententia si nihil aliud vellet nisi merita nostra non esse ex condigno siue ex iustitia absolutè sed tantum ex hypothesi id est posita liberali Dei promissione non esset reprobanda sequitur respondeo absolutè non posse hominem á Deo aliquid exigere cum omnia sint ipsius tamen posita eius voluntate pacto quo non vult exigere à nobis opera nostra gratis sed mercedem reddere iuxta proportionem operum verè possumus ab eo mercedem exigere quomodo seruus non potest absolutè a domino suo vllum premium postulare cum omnia quae seruus acquirit domino suo acquirat tamen si domino placeat donare illi opera sua pro ijsdem tanquam sibi non debitis mercedem promittere iure mercedem pro suis operibus postulabit Touching the matter it selfe Durands opinion if he had no other meaning but that our merits are not absolutely iust and condigne but hypothetically in respect of Gods liberall promise were not to be reiected I answere that man cannot absolutely exact any thing of God seeing all things are Gods owne neuerthelesse his will and couenant being made that he will not exact our workes of vs freely but will reward them according to their proportion we may truly require hyer of him like as a bondman cannot absolutelie require any reward of his lord seeing euery thing which the bondman gaineth is gotten and gained to his master yet for all that if it shall please his master and lord to bestow his works on him and to promise reward for the same as if they were not due vnto him then may the bondseruant iustly demaund reward for his workes Thus saith the Iesuit Bellarmine and consequently this is all that all papists say or can say for the life of popish doctrine Out of whose wordes I note first that his brother Durands opinion hath put him to his best trumpe Secondly that Durands opinion as is already prooued is this viz. that the merit of workes in the best liuer vpon earth cannot truly and properly be called meritum ex condigno condigne merit but onely merit in way of acceptation and in respect of Gods free mercy and promise made vnto man without all deserts Thirdly that Bellarmine graunteth this opinion in this sense For hee saith plainely If Durand admit merit in respect of Gods promise his opinion cannot be reproued Fourthly that our Iesuit maketh good that doctrine which I here defend as which is the selfe same that Durand holdes And consequenly if Bellarmine and his popish fellowes and followers would stand constantly to their owne doctrine which they publish in printed bookes wee and they should soone agree and these great controuersies would haue an end Fourthly that man cannot absolutely exact any thing at Gods hands because all things are Gods owne Fiftly that in respect of Gods good pleasure and couenant frely made to man we may truely require reward of God Yea my selfe graunt that we
may not onely truly but also iustly require reward at Gods hands in regard of his promise freely made vnto vs. But I euer denie withall that any reward is due to our best workes for any condigne merit or desert of or in our workes Gods free acceptation mercie and promise set apart For as Saint Austen grauely saith Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam Woe euen to the best liuer vpon earth if thou examine his life thy mercy set apart Answere ô papists if ye can and if ye cannot then repent and yeeld vnto the truth for shame I challenge you I prouoke you to the combat I adiure you all ioyntlie and euery one of you seuerally for the credite of your cause for the honour of your Pope and the life of popish doctrine which now lieth bleeding and wil shortly yeeld vp the Ghost if some soueraigne remedie bee not speedily prouided for the same The sixt Article Of the Popish distinction of mortall and veniall sinnes ALthough it be true that all sinnes are not equall but one greater than another and although it be also true that in a good and godly sence some sinne may be tearmed mortall and some veniall which yet may more fitly be called sinnes regnant and not regnant neuerthelesse most true it is to the euerlasting confusion of all impenitent papists that euery sinne is mortall of it owne nature and onely veniall by way of Gods free acceptation and mercie for his owne name sake and merits of his deare sonne our Lord Iesus I prooue it first both briefely and euidently For Christ himselfe telleth vs in his holy Gospell that we must giue a straight account of euery idle word in the generall day of iudgement And for no other end doubtlesse must this account be made but onely because euery idle word is flatly against the law of God This the papists can neuer denie it is euident to euery child And yet must they likewise confesse that idle words be those sinnes which they call venials And consequently they must confesse against their wils and against their professed Romish doctrine that all sinnes are mortall that is to say against the law of God This doctrine of our Sauiour Christ Iesus is confirmed by the testimonie of S. Iohn his beloued Apostle where he telleth vs that euery sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the transgression of Gods law as is alreadie prooued at large in the fourth article of concupiscence And the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a declining from the right way doth plainely confirme the same Secondly because our popish Rhemists confesse in plaine tearms that euery sinne is a swaruing from the law of God For doubtlesse that which swarueth from the law is truly said to be against the law but not agreeable to the law Thirdly because the famous popish Frier and Romish bishop Iosephus Angles teacheth the same doctrine in his booke dedicated to the Pope himselfe These are his own expresse words Omne peccatum veniale est alicuius legis transgressio Patet quia omne veniale est contra rectam rationem agere contra rectam rationeÌ„ est agere contra legem naturalem precipientem non esse à regula rectae rationis deuiandum Euery sinne veniall is the transgression of some law This is cleere because euery veniall sinne is against right reason and to doe against right reason is to doe against the law of nature which commaundeth vs not to depart or swarue from the rule of right reason Loe euery veniall sinne is against right reason and against the law of nature which is giuen to euery one in his creation in his birth or natiuitie Fourthly because Durandus another famous papist confuteth the late receiued popish opinion of Thomas Aquinas which the Pope and his Iesuits hold to wit that veniall sinnes are preter legem non contra Besides the law but not against the law These are Duâ—ands owne words Ad argumentum dicendum quod omne peccatum est contra legem dei naturalem vel inspiratam vel ab eis deriuatam To the argument answere must be made that euery sinne is against the law of God either naturall or inspired or deriued from them And this opinion of M. Durand is this day commonly defended in the popish vniuersities and schooles So saith Frier Ioseph these are his words D. Thomas eius sectatores tenent peccatum veniale non tam esse contra legem quam preter legem Sequitur Durandus tamen alij permulti hanc sententiam impugnant affirmantes peccata venialia esse contra mandata Et haec opinio modo in scbolis videtur communior S. Thomas and his followers hold that a veniall sinne is not so much against the law as besides the law But Durand and many others impugne this opinion auouching veniall sinnes to be against the commaundements And this opinion seemeth now adaies to be more common in the schooles Here I wish the reader to note by the way out of the word modo now adaies the mutabilitie of Romish religion For in that he saith modo now adaies he giueth vs to vnderstand that their doctrine is now otherwise than it was of old and in former ages A note worthie to be remembred For the old Romane religion was catholicke pure and sound and with it doe not I contend but I impugne late Romish faith and doctrine which the Pope and his Romish Schoole-men haue brought into the Church Fiftly because their canonized martyr Iohn Fisher the late bishop of Rochester teacheth the same doctrine so plainely as euery child must needs perceiue the truth in that behalfe These are his expresse words Quod peccatum veniale solum ex dei misericordia veniale sit in hoc tecum sentio That a veniall sinne is onely veniall through the mercie of God and not of it owne nature therein doe I agree vnto you Thus saith our bishop And as he telleth me that he agreeth with Luther therein so doe I tell our Iesuites that I agree with him with Durand Almaine and the other papists that teach the same doctrine Sixtly because Gerson another famous popish writer holdeth the same opinion These are his expresse words Nulla offensa dei est venialis de se nisi tantum modo per respectum ad diuinam misericordiam qui non vult de facto quamlibet offensam imputare ad mortem cum illud posset iustissimè Et ita concluditur quod peccatum mortale veniale in esse tali non distinguuntur intrinsecè essentialiter sed solum per respectum ad diuinam gratiam quae peccatum istud imputat ad poenam mortis aliud non No offence of God is veniall of it owne nature but onely in respect of Gods mercie who will not de facto imputa euery offence to death though he might doe it most iustly And
should raign 1000 yeeres after the generall resurrection Basilius another holy father saith that Zacharias the sonne of Barachias slaine betweene the altar and the temple was father to S. Iohn the baptist These absurdities the papists are this day ashamed to hold and yet did these fathers receiue them by Apostolicall so supposed tradition as their own famous doctor Andradius graunteth willingly Fiftly popish tradition telleth vs that all the bishops of Rome one after another haue taught succesiuely the selfesame doctrine with S. Peter Howbeit their own deere doctor and religious frier Nicholaus de Lyra auoucheth plainely roundly and boldly to the whole world that many bishops of Rome haue fallen away from the faith and become flat Apostataes And least this my narration be thought strange vnto many that our holy fathers the Popes should be Atheists or Apostataes and that their own deare brethren in high esteeme among them would neuer so write of them I will deale plainely in this important point and after my wonted manner set downe his owne expresse words Thus doth he write Ex quo patet quod ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis ecclesiasticae vel secularis quia multi principes et summi pontifices et alij inscriores inuenti sunt a side apostatasse Propter quod ecclesia consistit in illis personis in quibus est notitia vera et confessio fidei et veritatis VVhereby it is euident that the Church doth not consist in men by reason of power or dignitie either ecclesiasticall or secular because many princes and Popes and others of the inferiour sort are found to haue beene apostataes and to haue swarued wholie from faith For which cause the Church consisteth in those persons in whom there is true knowledge and confession of the faith and of the truth Thus writeth this learned papist whom their owne so supposed martyr sir Thomas Moore called a great clearke as he was indeed whose words are well worthie to be engrauen in marble with golden letters For by his iudgement it is cleare and euident that not they who sit in S. Peters chaire are euer the true and lawfull successors of S. Peter but they only and solely that confesse and preach S. Peters faith and doctrine as also that their receiued maxime vbi Papa ibi Roma vbi Roma ibi ecclesia catholica is false vaine and friuolous VVe therefore this day impugne nothing in popish proceedings but the selfesame indeed which famous popish doctors reproued afore our time and that in their publicke writings published freely to the whole world VVhich thing whosoeuer will seriously ponder as my selfe haue done that man must perforce detest and abhorre all popish superstitious trumperie But of this argument I haue discoursed at large in my booke of Motiues Sixtly popish tradition telleth vs that the blessed virgine Marie the true mother of true God and true man was conceiued without originall sinne and that the bishop of Rome did for that end ordaine a feastiuall day of her conception to be kept vpon the eight of December But by your leaue Aquinas their owne Angelicall Doctor affirmeth resolutely that she was conceiued in originall sinne Yea their other holy doctor and deare frier Bernard doth very sharpely reprooue the Cathedrall Church of Lyons because they obserued the feastiuitie of the conception of the blessed virgine and the calleth that their practise the noueltie of presumption the mother of temeritie the sister of superstition and the daughtet of leuitie That done he addeth these words Hoc non est virginem honor are sed honori detrahere This is not to giue honour to the virgine but to take honour from her Yet Pope Sixtus the fourth did institute the feast of the conception Seuenthly popish tradition telleth vs that the emperour Constantine worthily surnamed the Great was baptised at Rome in a font there remaining to this day my self haue seene the same Howbeit Hieronymus Eusebius Socrates Theodoritus Sozomenus Cassiodorus and Pomponius doe all affirme very cōstantly that he was baptised at Nichomedia Eightly popish tradition hath brought flat idolatrie into the Church teaching to adore them as saints and Gods friends who were known heretickes and professed enemies to God and his Church This to be so their owne deare friend and brother Platina will tell them when he affirmeth the dead corps of Hermannus to haue been worshipped for a saints reliques at Ferrara the space of twentie yeares together who for all that was an hereticke as the same Platina auoucheth VVhere two speciall things are to be obserued seriously first the vncertainetie of vnwritten traditions secondly the danger in giuing credit to the same Now it remaineth for the better contentation of the reader to make answere to such obiections in defence of popish traditions as the papists haue euer in their mouths and boast of them as if they were insoluble The first Obiection VVe doe not know which bookes of the scripture are canonicall and which are not but onely by the vnwritten traditions of the Church And yet is this a matter of faith and very necessarie vnto saluation The answere This is that mightie obiection wherein the papists glorie and boast beyond all measure and say more rashly than wisely that it can neuer be truly answered I therefore shall desire the gentle reader to ponder well my words and then to iudge of the matter as right reason shall prescribe My answere is this First there is great ods betweene the primitiue Church and the Church of late daies VVhich to be so the famous popish doctor Durandus will contest with me For the Apostles as Durand saith wisely heard Christs doctrine saw Christs myracles and were replenished with the holy ghost and consequently they must needs be fit witnesses of all that Christ did and taught But these adiuncts cannot be rightly ascribed to the late bishops of Rome and their cursed Iesuited brood Secondly the old testament was deliuered by the Iewes and confirmed by Christ and his Apostles and therefore as the papists admit that tradition and withall doe reiect their other manifold vnwritten traditions which the Iews in their Talmud affirme to be of Moses euen so doe we receiue this tradition and reiect all vnwritten traditions contrarie to the same Thirdly the bookes of the new testament are but an exposition of the law and the Prophets as I haue alreadie prooued in the first proposition of this present article And consequently it may be discerned and tried by the same as the godly Bereans tried S. Paules preaching Fourthly when we affirme all things necessarie for our saluation to be comprised and contained in the scriptures we then speake of them as they are acknowledged and agreed vpon both among the Iewes for the old Testament in the which the new is comprehended and ioyntly for the old and new throughout the Christian world And
so this tradition is not excepted but virtually implied in our affirmation Fiftly the scriptures canonicall are discerned from not canonicall euen of themselues like as light is discerned from darkenesse hardnesse from softnesse and sweetnesse from bitternesse Thy word ô Lord saith the Prophet is a lanterne to my feet and a light vnto my pathes VVe haue a right sure word of prophesie saith S. Peter whereunto if ye take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place ye doe well vntill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in your hearts Yet most true it is that the faithfull onely can discerne it For as the Apostle saith If Christs gospell be hid it is hid in them that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which beleeue not least the light of the Gospell of the glorie of Christ should shine vnto them And the same Apostle elswhere teacheth vs that the spirituall man iudgeth all things VVhich text two famous papists Lyranus and Carthusianus doe expound of things partaining to our saluation S. Iohn is consonant to S. Paule affirming that the vnction which the faithfull haue receiued doth teach them all things Yea Christ himselfe saith That his sheepe doe heare his voice And he addeth that they follow him because they know his voyce But doubtlesse if Christs sheepe that is the faithfull and Gods elect people doe know his voice and therefore doe follow him then by a necessarie consequence they can know Christ speaking to them in the holy scripture and so can discerne holy writ from prophane fables or stories Melchior Canus a famous papist maketh this case cleere his words are set downe in my Golden ballance Sixtly the formall obiect of our faith is veritas prima the first veritie or God himselfe as Dionysius Areopagita telleth vs. Yea Aquinas that famous papist surnamed their angelicall doctor teacheth the selfe same doctrine Non enim fides inquit diuina alicui assentitur nisi quia est à Deo reuelatum For diuine faith saith Aquinas will not yeeld assent to any thing vnlesse it be reuealed of God VVhich truth of doctrine Saint Austen confirmeth in these golden wordes Iam hic videte magnum sacramentum fratres sonus verborum nostrorum aures percutit magister intus est Nolite putare quenquam hominem aliquid discere ab homine Ad monere possumus per strepitum vocis nostra si non sit intus qui doceat inanis fit strepitus noster Quam multi hine indocti exituri sunt quantum ad 〈◊〉 pertinet omnibus locutus sum sed quibus vnctio illa intus non loquitur quos spiritus sanstus intus non docet indocti redeunt Magisteria forinsecus adiutoria quaedam sunt admonitiones Cathedram in coelo habet qui corda docet Sequitur interior Magister est qui docet Christus docet inspiratio ipsius docet Vbi illius inspiratio illius vnctio non est forinsecus inanitâ—r perstrepunt verba Now brethren behold here a great sacrament the sound of our wordes pierceth your eares but the master that teacheth you is within Thinke not that man learneth any thing of man we preachers may admonish by the sound of wordes but if he be not within that teacheth in vaine is our sound how many will goe hence vntaught For mine owne part I haue spoken to all but to whom that vnction speaketh not inwardly whom the holy Ghost teacheth not within they goe home vntaught as they came The outward teachings are some helpes and admonitions but he sitteth in his chaire in heauen that teacheth the heart The master is within that teacheth it is Christ that teacheth it is his inspiration that instructeth VVhere his inspiration and his vnction is not there the outward noise of words is in vaine Thus writeth this auntient and learned father with many moe wordes to the like effect By whose doctrine we may learne sufficiently if nothing else were said that howsoeuer men teach how soeuer Paul plant or Apollo water yet will no increase follow vnlesse God giue the same I therefore conclude that we doe not beleeue this booke or that booke to be canonicall because this man or that man or the Church saith soe but that the scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it hath in it selfe that dignity which is worthy to haue credite that the declaration of the Church doth not make vs beleeue the scripture but is only an outward helpe to bring vs thereunto and that wee therefore indeed beleeue the scripture and this or that booke to be canonicall because God doth inwardly teach vs and persuade our hearts so to beleeue For certes if wee should beleeue that this or that booke is canonicall scripture because the Church saith so then should the formall obiect of our faith and the vltimate tearme into which our faith is resolued be man and not prima veritas or God himselfe as Areopagita and Aquinas teach vs. And it will not helpe the papists to replie out of Saint Augustine That he would not haue beleeued the Gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the Church had mooued him thereunto For S. Austens wordes are these Nisi authoritas ecclesiae me commoueret I would not haue beleeued the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church had not iointly mooued me therunto For wee must note that there is a great difference betweene mouere and commouere Mouere is to moue absolutely and a part by it selfe but commouere is to moue respectiuely and together with another thing So Saint Austens meaning is nothing else indeed but that the authoritie of the Church did outwardly concurre with the inward motion of the holy Ghost to bring him to the faith of the Gospel Now Saint Austens meaning is this and and none other viz. that he maketh much more account of the vniuersall Church than of Manichaeus and his complices because the Church did first moue him to heare the Gospel preached and to giue some credit to the same I say some credit because the Churches authoritie did onely moue him to beleeue the Gospell fide humana non fide diuina with humane faith not with faith diuine For this diuine faith with which we Christians doe beleeue the Gospell proceedeth not from the outward teaching of man but from the inward instruction of the holy Ghost as I haue out of the same Austen already prooued Yea the selfe same father declareth in the same chapter that he speaketh of himselfe as being a Manichee not as being a Christian. What faith Saint Austen wouldest thou say to him that should answere thee I doe not beleeue it but for the authority of the Church And this sense is confirmed because S. Austen coÌ„fesseth in the very same chapter that the authoritie of the Gospel is aboue the authoritie of the Church And in the chapter aforegoing after he hath told vs what kept him in
God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy mind For whiles any part of carnall concupiscence is remayning which may be suppressed by containing God so long is not in euery respect loued with all the soule For the flesh coueteth not without the soule albeit the flesh be sayd to couet because the soule coueteth carnally Then shall the iust bee without any sinne at all because there shall be no law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind but he shall loue God wholy with all his heart with all his soule and with all his mind which is the first chiefest commandement VVhy therefore should not this perfection be cōmanded vnto man although no man can haue it in this life For they cannot run aright who know not whither they should run Out of these words of this holy father and great learned writer I gather these worthy lessons First that by Gods holy commaundement all men are bound to loue God with all their heart with all their soule and with all their mind Secondly that whosoeuer suffereth any part of his life to be vacant and to haue fruition of any other thing cannot fulfill this precept of louing God Thirdly that this precept of loue cannot be perfectly kept in this life Fourthly that originall concupiscence remaining in the regenerat is the hinderance and breach of this commaundement Fiftly that this perfection of loue is lawfully commaunded albeit none liuing doth or can attaine vnto it And consequently that it is not possible to any pure mortall man perfectly to keepe Gods commandements Aquinas the Popes great doctor and canonised saint graunteth freely and affirmeth constantly That the precept of louing God with the whole heart cannot be kept perfectly in this life These are his owne expresse words Respondeo quod praceptum aliquod dupliciter potest impleri Vno modo perfectè alio modo imperfectè Sequitur intendit Deus per hoc praeceptum vt homo Deo totaliter vniatur quod fiet in patria quando Deus erit omnia in omnibus vt dicitur 1. Cor. 15. ideo plenè perfectè in patria implebitur hoc praeceptum In via autem impletur sed imperfectè I answere that the precept may be fulfilled two wayes one way perfectly another many vnperfectly God intendeth by this precept to haue man wholy vnited to himselfe which shall be effected in heauen when God shall be all in all And therefore this precept shall be fulfilled perfectly and fully in the countrey but in the way it is fulfilled vnperfectly That is to say perfectly in heauen which is called our countrey and vnperfectly on earth which is tearmed the way Out of these golden wordes of the famous schoole-doctour Aquinas whose doctrine two Popes haue authorized for authenticall I obserue these points of great importance First that God by commaunding all men to loue him with their whole hearts did intend to vnite all men wholy vnto himselfe so as no part of their loue should be left vacant to be bestowed otherwise Secondly that this precept of louing God as wee are bound can be kept perfectly in heauen onely Thirdly that it is not impossible in this life to keepe Gods commaundements in a godly sense and meaning because we may keepe them in some sort and measure though not in that high and perfect degree which the law requireth at our handes For our great popish doctour marke well his wordes saith plainely and constantly In via impletur preceptum sed imperfectè The precept is fulfilled in the way or in this life but vnperfecty So that when the papists triumphing before the victorie cry out against vs with open mouths That we charge God with impietie affirming him to haue commaunded to man things imposible they may as well and with as much right and reason exclaime against their owne deere doctor Aquinas and consequently against their owne holy fathers the Popes Vrbanus the fourth and Innocentus the fift who haue commanded and strictly charged to receiue his doctrine as sent from heauen concerning both faith and maners For my selfe doe here teach the selfe some doctrine with Aquinas as his owne expresse wordes very flatly purport For my wonted manner is to confute poperie by the testimonies of best approoued popish writers Bernardus the Popes deere monke and reuerend Abbot iumpeth with Aquinas in these expresse wordes Quomodo ergo iubenda fuit quae implenda nullo modo erat Aut si placet tibi magis de affestuali datum fuisse mandatum non inde contendo dummodo aquiescas tu mihi quod minimè in vita ista ab aliquo hominum possit vel poterit ad impleri Quis enim sibi arrogare id audeat quod Paulus ipse fatetur non comprehendisse nec latuit preceptorem precepti pondus hominum excedere vires sed iudicauit vtile ex hoc ipso suae illos insufficientiae admoncri vt scirent sanè ad quem iustitiae finem niti pro viribus oporteret Ergo mandando impossibilia non preuaricatores homines fecit sed humiles vt omne os obstruatur subditus fiat omnis mundus Deo quia ex operibus legis non iustificabitur omnis caro coram illo Accipientes quippe mandatum sentientes defectum clamabimus in coelum miserebitur nostri Deus sciemus in illa die quiae non ex operibus iustitiae quae fecimus nos sed ecundum suam misericordiam saluos not fecit How then was it commanded which by no meanes could be performed or if thou rather thinke that the commaundement was giuen of affectuall charitie I will not contend with thee therein so thou also wilt yeeld vnto me herein That no man in this life is able to keepe and performe the same For who dareth to challenge that to himselfe which Paul confesseth hee could neuer attaine vnto neither for all that was the commander ignorant that the weight of the commandement did surpasse the power and reach of man but he deemed it a thing profitable for them that hereby they should be admonished of their insufficiencie and might know to what end of righteousnesse they ought with their best indeuours to applie themselues Therefore by commaunding things impossible he made not men preuaricatours but humble that euery mouth might bee stopped and all the world made subiect vnto God because by the workes of the law no flesh can be iustified in his sight But after that we haue receiued the commandement and thereby perceiue our owne want we must cry vp to heauen and God will haue mercie on vs and then shall we know that he hath saued vs not for the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his owne free mercy Thus writeth their own deere Abbot Bernardus out of whose wordes I obserue many excellent documents First that God hath giuen vs those commaundements which we cannot possibly keepe and performe Secondly that
not the scriptures onely but the fathers also doe denie Locus secundus Non enim subterfugi quo minus annuntiarum vobis omne consilium Dei For I haue not spared to shew vnto you the whole counsell of God This portion of scripture is vnderstood of things pertaining to our saluation as two famous popish writers Nicholaus Lyranus and Dyonisius Carthusianus doe contest with me Carthusiauus hath these wordes Sed cum alibi scriptum sit quis consiliarius eius fuit sapiens quoque dixerit quis homini poterit scire consilium Dei quomodo potuit Paulus omne consilium Dei annuntiare hominibus respondendum quod non simpliciter de omni consiliâ—â— Dei intendit sed de omni consilio Dei quantum ad humanam spectai salutem Quemadmodum etiam ait saluator omnia audiui à patre meo nota feci vobis But seeing it is written else where who hath beene his counseller and seeing the wise man also saith what man can know the counsell of God how could Paul shew vnto men all the counsell of God answere must bee made that he meaneth not simply of all the counsell of God but of all the counsell of God so farre foorth as appertaineth to mans saluation As our sauiour also saith all things which I heard my father I haue notified vnto you Lyra teacheth the very same doctrine I omit his words for the regard I haue to breuitie By whose iudgement it is most euident that the whole counsell of God touching our saluation is contained in the holy Scriptures And it will not helpe the papists to answere or say that all the counsell of God was preached but not written For first the Apostle saith he was called to be an Apostle seuered into the Gospell of God which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy Scriptures Secondly he auoucheth plainely that he taught none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come to passe Thirdly Lyranus and Carthusianus two renowmed papists tell vs that all necessarie doctrine is contained in the precepts of loue Carthusianus hath these words Omnia precepta documenta hortamenta legis ac prophetarum ordinantur ad horum obseruantiam mandatorum virtualiter continentur in cis sicut conclusiones in primis principijs All precepts documents and exhortations of the law and the prophets are ordained to the keeping of these coÌ„mandements and are virtually contained in them as conclusions in the first principles Lyranus hath these words Propter hoc omnia mandata legis monitiones non sunt nisi quaedam explicationes istorum duorum mandatoruÌ„ Quia omnia ordinantur ad dilectionem dei proximi similiter doctrina prophetarum ad hoc ordinatur For this cause all the commandements of the law and all admonitions are nothing els but certaine explications of these two commaundements Because all things are ordained to the loue of God and of our neighbour and in like manner the doctrine of the prophets is referred to the same end Fourthly the Iesuit Bellarmine telleth vs that the books of the prophets and Apostles are the infallible rule of faith These are his expresse words Illud in primis statuendum erit Propheticos Apostolicos libros iuxta mentem ecclesiae Cath. olim in Conc. 3. Carthag nuper in Conc. Trid. explicatam verum esse verbum dei certam ac stabilem regulam fidei This must be set downe for a ground and sure foundation that the bookes of the prophets and Apostles according to the mind of the Catholike Church declared aforetime in the third counsell of Carthage and of late in the counsell of Trent is the true word of God and the sure and stable rule of our faith The same Iesuit in another place hath yet more manifast and cleere words which are these Quare cum sacra scriptura regula credendi certissima tutissimaque sit sanus profecto non erit qui ea neglecta spiritus interniâ—soepe fallacis semper incerti iudicio se commiserit VVherefore seeing the holy Scripture is the most certaine and most secure rule of faith he is not well in his wits doubtlesse who hauing neglected the same shall commit himselfe to the iudgement of the internall spirit which often deceiueth and neuer is sure or found These words of our Iesuiticall Cardinall if they be well marked will not onely confound himselfe who elswhere teacheth the contrarie doctrine but also euidently proue the controuersie now in hand For first he saith that the bookes of the Apostles and Prophets rightly expounded are the infallible rule of faith Secondly that the holy Scripture is the most safe and most secure rule how to beleeue Thirdly that he is mad whosoeuer will giue credit to the inward spirit and not stay himselfe vpon the written word All which doubtlesse confound him and his Iesuiticall broode as who will not relie vpon the written testimonies of Gods truth but seeke after vnwritten falshoods and vanities and ground their faith vpon the same Fiftly S. Austen teacheth the selfesame truth when he telleth vs flatly that nothing is contained in the Gospell and epistles of the Apostles which is not also comprised in the law and the Prophets These are his expresse words In eo tanta praedicatio prenuntiatio noui testamenti est vt nulla in euangelica atque Apostolica disciplina reperiantur quaâ—uis ardua diuina proecepta promissa quae illis etiam libris veteribus desint In the old testament the new testament is so largely preached and foreshewed that nothing can be found in the discipline or doctrine of the Gospell and of the Apostles although they be hard and diuine precepts and promises which are wanting in those old bookes This being so it followeth of necessitie that all things needfull to saluation are contained in the Scriptures For S. Paule preached all the counsell of God S. Paules preachings are contained in the doctrine of the prophets the doctrine of the prophets is contained in the law the law was written with the finger of God Ergo à primo ad vltimum all things necessarie for our saluation are contained in the written word of God Locus tertius Because from thine infancie thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhich are able to make thee wise vnto saluatioÌ„ throgh faith which is in Christ Iesus Thus saith S. Paul But doubtlesse if so much be written as is able to make vs wise to saluation we stand in need of no more it is ynough Let the papists keepe their vnwritten traditions to themselues let vs relie vpon the written truth Let vs be wise vnto saluation contenting our selues with that which it pleased God to reueale in his written word and let them be presumptuous and curious to follow mans inuentions and to beleeue vnwritten vanities The second reason drawne from