moment of tyme vvhose propertie is to passe beyond the spaces of this life and to extend farther to immortalitie to come So that according to Caluin beleeue you the Trinitie Incarnation Passion deathe and ResurrectioÌ„ of Christe neuer so firmely yet if you beleeue not vndoubtedly that you are iuste and shall remaine iuste to the end that God not only for the present tyme fauoureth you but also vvill fauour you to the end you can not be saued and if you beleeue only that you are iuste and shall remayne iuste at lengthe shal be also vndoubtedly saued Caluins soule for yours you can not be damned And hovv can Caluin assure him selfe or vs that vvee are iuste and shal be iuste hathe hee had any speciall reuelation noe but sayth hee I ame vvarranted out of Scripture that Christes iustice is ours and so if I vvill beleeue vndoubtedly that it is myne vvilbe myne â— â—r then ame I sure that I ame iuste and shal bee iuste and can not fall so longe as I kepe this standing Against this phantasticall faith of theirs I might bring many argumentes but that as in other matters so in this I couet to bee shorte First if this faith of theirs be so necessarie hovv commeth it to passe that Christe neuer exacted it of them vvhom he cured For it is an opinion of some fathers and diuines that vvhom soeuer Christ cured in body he healed also and iustified in soule Vvhen heâ— cured the blind men that came vnto him Mat. 9. hee exacted faithe of them and asked them vvhether they beleeued vvhat not vvhether they beleeued that they vvere iuste or elect but vvhether they beleeued that hee could restore theÌ„ to sight If this stedfest faithe and assuredness of our ovvne saluation be so necessarie hovve came the publicane to be a iuste man vvho vvas so farre from assuring him selfe of Gods fauour Luâ— 1â— and his ovvn iustice that he durst not looke vp to heauen And yet he retourned home iuste and the pharisee vvho gloried like a Thrasonicall Caluinist in his ovvne iustice assured him selfe that he vvas not a sinner as the Publicane and other men are vvas condemned and reiected If this vndoubted faith of our ovvne saluation be so necessarie to saluation surely the Apostles vvere much ouer seen vvho inculcated so often the faithe of the Incarnation Resurrection Act. 1.2.3 â— 8.10.13.17 and such other mysteries vvhich is but an image and shadovve as Caluin sayeth of the true faithe and make no mention of that vvhich is the only iustifying faith and all in all neuer exacting of their auditours to beleeue that they are iuste and electe but only to beleeue that Christe is God man that hee dyed that hee rose again suche like Truly ether this faithe is not necessarie or they vvere very negligent incircumspecte vvho neuer mentioned the same yet so often inculcate the faithe of the mysteries of our faithe vvhich is but a shadovve of the true faithe and is not sufficieÌ„t to saluation vvithout Caluins assured faithe Like vvise vvhen they made a Creed as a breefe abridgement of all vvhich vvas necessarie to bee beleeued vvhere vvas their mynde and memorie vvhoe omitted Caluins article of assuredness of our saluation and election vvhich is so necessarie to bee beleeued that the faithe of other articles is but a shadovve in comparison of this If Caluin saye that this his article is included in the article of remission of sinnes hee is much deceiued bicause in that article vvee only beleeue that in the Churche is remissioÌ„ of sinnes but that Caluins sinnes or any of our sinnes in particuler are forgiueÌ„ is not there expressed Novv if scriptures and the Apostles had only omitted this assured faithe vvhich Caluin sayeth is so necessarie it vvere sufficient to make vs not so assured of Caluins doctrine for if it vvere necessarie it is not like that the Apostles vvhose preachings trauelles life and death vvere ordained to the saluation of others vvould haue omitted that vvhich only saueth and vvithout vvhich noe other faithe or vvorkes can possibly saue vs. But scripture not only omitteth assured faith of our ovvne iustice and saluation but also condemneth it and exhortes vs to feare of our ovvne state and saluation therfore assureth vs as much that this faithe of Caluin is false as Caluin assureth it to bee necessarie Caluin sayth that by faith vve are assured of Gods good vvill tovvardsvs Scripture faithe that a man can not tell vvhether hee be vvorthy hatred or loue Caluin sayetht hat a iuste man is sure that hee is iuste Iob â— Iob sayeth although I be simple that is iuste yet this my soule shall not knovve S. Paule sayeth that although his coÌ„science accuse him not of any sinne yet in that he is not iustified to vvit before his ovvne eyes Psal 1â— bicause hee knevve he might haue secret sinnes from vvhich Dauid desired to be clensed Caluin sayeth that a man may besure and consequently secure of the forgiuenes of his sinnes Eccl. â— and yet Scripture bidds vs not to be vvithout feare of our sinnes forgiuen or as the Greeke text hathe of the forgiuenes or propitiation of our sinnes Caluin saith that a man may bee assured not only of present but also of future fauour iustice Eccl. â— and yet scripture sayeth that a man knovves not vvhat vvilbe his end bicause all are reserued as vncertain for the tyme to come Caluin sayth that a faithfull man must not feare to fall but rather assure him selfe that he shall keep his ground and standing Rom. 11. and yet saint Paule speaking to a faithfull man sayeth thou standest by faithe thinke not highly but feare Philipp 2. and thou that standest sayeth hee take heed least thou fall And againe hee bidds vs vvorke our saluation vvith feare and trembling So that ether vvee must leaue Caluin or renounce scripture bicause they are coÌ„trarie and staÌ„de in plain termes one against another Nether is this doctrine opposite only to scripture but also to reason For first there are many corners in a mans conscience vvhich vve seeldom or neuer looke into For as Hieremie sayeth C. 17. the harte of man is vnsearchable and lyeth open only to God hovve then can Caluin by faith be assured that his sinnes are forgiuen that hee is iuste and elect or if hee knovv god only is not the searcher of harts And if ther be many corners in mans harte to vvhich the harte it selfe is not priuie peraduenture after all our seeking some sinne may lurke in a corner vv ch vve knovv not of Secondly by Caluins ovvn confession vve must beleeue nothing but vvhat vvee finde in scripture and vvhere fyndes he that Caluin is iuste or that his sinnes are forgiuen If hee finde it not hee rashly beleeueth it If hee sayeth that Christe is our redemption and propitiation I ansvvere that so hee is the redemption and
able to hide or vvipe avvay this marke vntill they abiure and renounce euery one of the old heresies vvhich they haue renevved and imbrace vvholly and intierly the Catholike fay the vvhich they haue forsaken The fifth Chapter handleth another marke of an heretike vvhich is vvante of succession OVr aduersaries nether can nor vvill deny but that our Sauiour Christe and his Apostles once planted true religion and established a true Churche in the vvorld Ephes 4. in vvhich Pastours and Doctours vvere appointed to minister Sacraments to preach the vvord of God and to gouerne and rule in the Churche The Actes of the Apostles vvitness no less Act. Apost vvhich set before our eyes the beginning and progress of the primatiue Churche the beginning in Hierusalem the progress amongest the Gentils For vvhen Christ dyed the principall foundatioÌ„ and corner stone vvas layed vvheÌ„ the Apostles vvere created the building vvent on and vvhen they by preaching miracles augmeÌ„ted the nomber of the first Christianes then vvas the building of this Church perfited and brought to that splendour and perfection that the Scribes and Pharisies emulated and enuied the glorie therof and sought the meanes to ruine this vvorke of God Act. â— but in vayne for as Gamaliel told them the vvork of God no povver can dissolue Act 7. â— Against this Church the deuil raysed a tempest vvhich began vvith a storme of stones amongest the Ievves but by the Emperours and heretikes hathe continued vnto this day In this Churche vvas called a Councell in Ierusalem vvhere sainct Peter as the head pronounceth the sentence Act. 15. and sainct sames subscribeth The first pastours of this Church vvere the Apostles sainct Iames vvas Bishop of Ierusalem sainct Ihon of Ephesus sainct Marke of Alexandria Eus l. 2. â— 1â— saint Peter first of Antioche then of Rome vv ch vvere his particulers seates for he vvas supreme Bishop also of all the Christian vvorld Io. 21. And in Antioche Euodius succeeded to sainct Peter ep ad Antiâ— after him Ignatius In Rome after that he had exercised the function of a supreme pastour for the space of tvventie and fiue yeares departing not vvithstanding some tymes as busines or persecution enforced him before his deathe he appointed Clemens for his successour but he refusing Act. 1â— Gal. 2. Linus and Cletus sainct Peters coadiutours Epiph. har 27. succeeded him and after them sainct Clemens accepted of the charge Sand. pag. 256. The other Apostles in other places lefte their schollers to succeed them yea and placed others in other places vvhere them selues could not reside as sainct Ihon appointed Policarp at Smyrna Tert. l. praes â— 3â— To be breefe Ecclesiasticall histories from the Apostles deriuâ— a Christian Church and succession of pastours vnto these dayes So that a true Christian Church vvas once planted and established Vvhich if it be true then vndoubtedly that novv is the true Church they the true Christians those the true pastours that the true fay the vvhich from the first and primatiue Church by a continuall succession can be deduced for the Church is called apostolicall not only bicause is vvas once planted by the apostles but also bicause it is descended from them by succession And they must be heretikes and bastard Christians degenerating from their first institution vvho can not shevv this succession and their Church shall bee l. pras c. 20. not apostolicall but apostaticall This argument hand leth Tertulian in his booke of prescriptioÌ„s vvher he shevveth hovv all particuler Churches vvere first planted by the apostles and hovv other Churches from them re ceiued fayth and religion and say eth he if novv you vvill knovve vvhat religion is the true Christiane religion you must conferre it vvith some former Churche from vvhich it is descended bicause say ethe hee Omne genus ad suam originem censeatur necesse est It is necessary that euery kinde be valued and esteemed according vnto his source and origine If you vvill Iudge of vvater marke the fountain if you vvill knovv a maÌ„s gentrie looke hovv he descendeth from the first of his familie if you vvill informe your selfe of any mans title vnto a lord ship you must consider hovve the first lord entered in to possession and hovv he is descended from him And so if vve vvill discerne the true Christian from the heretike vvee must haue an eye vnto the roote and stock from vvhich he descendeth for so vvee shall knovv vvhether he be legitimate or bafe-borne For if he fetch his pedegree from any other then the Apostles or those vvhich by succession descended from them then is hee a bastard-Christian and caryeth the marke of an heretike The Romaine and Catholike Churche vvhich novv is can deriue her pastours religion and gouernement euen from the Apostles and those vvhoÌ„ they appointed Bishops and successours For if you ronne ouer Ecclesiasticall histories you shall finde our Church and the practise of our religion to haue florished from the begiÌ„ning vnto these dayes for they treat almost of nothing else but of the progresse of our Church of the persecution vvher vvith it vvas assayled of the heretikes by vvhom it vvas molested of our Bishops prelates â—â—artys virgins doctours of our general and prouinciall Councelles of the miracles vvhich vvere vvrought in confirmation of our fayth in so much that if our matters vvere not the historiographers should haue had no subiecte to vvorke or vvrite on â— â— c. 1. l. 2. cont Donatistas op 363. Ireneus reckeneth the Popes of Rome from sainct Peter vnto Eleutherius Optatus vnto Damasus sainct Austin vnto Anastasius Sand li de vi sib mon. others goe farther and doctour Sanders our countriman bringeth the succession of our Popes Bishops Ceremonies and religion vnto Pius Quintus tyme Genebrard hath doone the like vnto Gregorie the thirtenth his tyme Gen. in Chronol Baron in Annal. and Cardinal Baronius in nine tomes all-ready set forthe hathe most exactly set dovvne the practise of our religion vnto Ludouicus Pius of Fraunce And if our Church aggree vvith the primatiue Churche if our faythe vary not from the ancient faythe if our pastours be descended from the Apostles and their schollers as all histories and monuments do beare vvitnesse then must our Church needs be the true Church bicause it aggreeth vvith the originall and is conformable to the primatiue Church vvhich as it vvas neerest vnto Christe his disciples and vvas persequuted and honoured for the true Churche so vvas it likest to bee the true Churche vnlesse vve vvill saye that Christ and his Apostles neuer planted a true Church This succession vvas counted allvvayes a marke of the true Churche vvhich in our Creed vve profess Symb. 〈…〉 vvhen vve beleeue in the Apostolicall Churche to vvit that vvhich is by succession deriued from the Apostles plaÌ„ted by them and the vvant of it vvas allvvayes esteemed a note to knovve
infant from his mothers pappes shall delight disport him self ouer the Aspes hole vvithout receiuing harme That is such peace shall be in the Church that the children of Christes Church shall liue quietly vvith those vvho before they receiued Christian fayeth by heresies infidelitie or poysoning manners â— 2. like serpents infected others For as in the Arke of Noe those beasts vvhich vvere by nature sauage so long as they vvere in the Arke forgot all crueltie and liued vvith the rest most quietly so hovv soeuer men before their incorporation and admission into the Church of Christe vvere barbarouse in manners and mutinouse in opinions yet vvhen they are once made members of the peaceble kingdoÌ„ of Christs Church they lay a side all sectes and factions and liue quietly together at least in matters of fayth and religion Vvherby it plainly appeareth that in the Church of Christe is peace and vnitie in religion Vvhich the Apostle also insinuateth in those vvords 〈…〉 Being carrefall to keep vnitie of fayth in the band of peace as you are called in one hope of your vocation one body and one spirit one fayth one baptisme one god father of all By vvhich wordes vve are taught that as there is one God one heaueÌ„ one baptisme so is there but one faithe that they are the true chri stianes vv ch conspire in the same And the reason herof is bicause the truthe is one neuer disagreeing froÌ„ it selfe lyes are many mutable and contrarie and therfore seing that the Churche is the piller of truth 1. Tim. 3. it must needs follovv that vvhere the Church is ther is vnitie bicause the truth in vvhich the members of the Churche aggree is but one I vvill not deny but that the Church consisteth of diuers nations but yet they are so liÌ„ked in one fayth that in Christ Iesu there is no distinction betvvixte the Barbarous and Grecian Rom 10. nor betvvene Ievv and Gentile and although these diuers nations speake diuers languages yet as Ireneus noteth these diuers tongues profess one fayth l. 1. câ—nt her c. 3. I graunt also that in the Church there are diuers functions and dignities for there are Popes Patriarchs Primates Archbishops Bishops Eph. 4. and so forthe and from them the state of the laitie is distincte and subiect to them but these diuers orders make one Hierarchie I confess like vvise that in the Church there are diuers states and orders of religiouse as of Benedictins Dominicanes Austins Bernardins Franciscanes Iesuits yet these diuers members make one body all linked vnder one head Christ Iesus by one fayth and religion This vnitie peace and aggreement in one fayth and religion vvhich is to be seen in the Church militaunt in earth seemeth to me more admirable then that of the Church triumphaunt in heauen And the reason is bicause the inhabitaunts of that happy kingdome behold God face to face and see most euideÌ„tly that vvhich vvee beleeue only and see not at all and so their aggreement in vnderstanding is not so straunge bicause the euidence of the verities vvhich they see enclines them to one assent For as the philosopher sayeth the vnderstanding of it selfe is prone to giue asseÌ„t vnto veritie and truth vvhen it is euidently proposed vvhich is the cause vvhy in things vvhich are euident all men are of the same opinion and therfore to this propositioÌ„ The vvholle is greater then the halfe all men aggree but about the creation of the vvorld the immortalitie of the soule the felicitie of man the substaunce of the heauens and such like things vvhich are not so euideÌ„t there haue beene great disputes and contentions vvhence hath risen that diuersitie also of the sectes of Platonists Peripateticks Stoicks Epicureans and such like Vvherfore seing that the happy inhabitaunts of heauen doe see euidently the diuine nature all the mysteries vvhich vvee only beleeue I meruayle not that they all aggree in one opinion bicause the euidence of these things moues them to to one assent But that so many Christians of so diuerse countries and tymes so diuersly affected and disposed should aggree in one fayth and opinioÌ„ and thinke and beleeue the same of all the mysteries of Christian religion vvhich they see not this seemeth to me most admirable and so straung that I must needs saye Exod â— digitus Des hic The finger of God is in this matter and he it is that is the cause of this peace vnitie Scotus q. 2. prologi and aggreement For seing that the euidence of our mysteries causeth not this aggreement and that it can not be the deuill vvho thus linketh their vnderstandings bicause this religion in all points is repugnant to him and his designements it must needs be God vvho inspiring into these diuerse nations and natures one light of faythe makes them all to conspire in one beleef and opinion And therfore sayeth Tertulian Nullus inter multos euentus vnus est exitus l. praesc 28. errare non possunt qui ita in vnum conspirant Ther is not one end emongest many chaunces they can not erre vvho thus aggree in one Thus vve proue the translatioÌ„ of the septuagint to be of God Iustinus oraet paraen ad geÌ„t bicause those diuers vvriters being placed in diuers Celles and forbidden to conferr could neuer haue so aggreed in the translation of the Bible out of Hebrevv into Greeke as if all their translations had been copied out of one had nor God directed their vnderstandings and inspired them a like Sithe then amongest the Catholikes only this vnitie is to be found they only are the true Churche to vvhich Christe hath bequeathed this peace and vnitie and they only are conformable to the primatiue Churche planted by Christe and his Apostles Act. 4. for then the Christian vvorld vvas of one hart and mynde And for as much as amoÌ„gest the nevv Christians of this age there is nothing but vvrangling and dissension and that in principal matters of religion their Church is the Synagogue of Satan and they no members of Christs Church but heretikes apostataes and members cut of for by this marke of dissension the ancient heretikes vvere euer knovven and discried to be heretikes Simon Magus the first famous Arch-heretike beganne a secte but it remained not one for any tyme but by and by degenerated into many and from the Simonians proceeded the Menandrians Saturninians Basilidians CarpocratiaÌ„s and from them vvere descended the Gnosticks From Cerinthus spronge the vnappy branches of the Ebionits Marcionits Cerdonists and such like The Arians vvere no soner hatched but they vvere by and by diuided into Aetians Eudoxians EunomiaÌ„â— and diuers others So variable they vvere l. 2. c 12. that Socrates reporteth that they changed their Creed and forme of beleef noe less then nine tymes The Donatistes likevvise vvere by and by parted into Rogatists Maximinianists and CircumcellioÌ„s The Nestorians vvere seuered into
sacrifice as they confesse that they haue not and in deed they haue not if sacrifice as being the principall office of religion and proper vnto God as is proued is so necessarily required that vvithout it regilgioÌ„ can in no vvise bee supported the coÌ„clusion to vvâ—hich my former discourse driueth must needs follovve to vvit that tâ—e reformers haue noe religion bicause noe sacrifice noe reilgioÌ„ And seing that in the Catholike and Romain Churche only is founde a sacrifice like to Melchisedechs and correspondent to that of vvhich Daniel and Malachie haue fortold as the Sacrifice of the nevv lavve and the same vvhich Christe offered at his laste supper and commaunded to bee offered by his Apostles and their successours it follovvethe that the Catholike Churche is the true Church of Christe and that in it only is practised true faithe and true religion The third Chapter shevveth hovv the reformers amongest them haue reiected all the SacrameÌ„ts and so can haue noe religion bicause SacrameÌ„ts and religion euer goe to together IT is a common opinion amongest the holy fathers and diuines that since the falle of Adam SacrameÌ„tes vvere alvvayes necessary partely to declare mans dutye tovvards God and partely for maÌ„s ovvne instruction For first man being composed of soule and body vvas to serue God not only vvith invvard affectioÌ„s but allso by outvvard and visible signes Secondly bicause he vvas to receiue grace from Christe against the maladie of sinne into vvhich he vvas fallen he vvas also to professe his faythe in Christe from vvhome this grace proceedeth and to acknovvledge it as desceÌ„ding from his passion by visible signes and figures such as Abels sacrifice and Circumcision vvere in the lavv of nature and such as the Paschal lambe and other sacraments vvere in the lavve of Moyses and such as baptisme and the sacrament of the Altare are in the lavve of grace Thirdly bicause he had offeÌ„ded God by vse of corporall thinges it vvas conuenient that by corporall and sensible Sacramentes and by the religious vse of the same he should restore God his honour vvhich sinne had taken from him and make him satisfaction by such thinges as he had done him iniurie For mans behalfe also Sacraments since Adames sinne vvere alvvayes requisite Gen. 3. For first bicause mannes sinne proceeded of pride and a desire to bee like to God in knovvledge of good and euill it vvas conuenient for mans humiliation that hee should be set to Schole Prou. 6. to learne not only of the Ante diligence and of other brute beastes other vertues but also of these senseles creatures such as SacrameÌ„ts are his faithe and religion Vvherfore as the Paschall lambe brought the Ievves into a gratefull remeÌ„braunce of their deliuerie and passage from Egipte and Circumcision did put theÌ„ in mynde of a spirituall Circumcision Rom. 6. So Baptisme setteth before our eyes the buriall and Resurrection of Christe For vvhen the infante is dipped into the vvater vvee thinke of Christes buriall and vvhen hee is lifted vp a nevv creature regenerated to a nevve life vvee call to mynde the resurrection by vvhich Christe is risen to a nevv and an immortall life And in the Sacred Euchariste vvhich by the formes of bread representeth the body of Christe and by the accidentes of vvine the bloud of Christe aparte Mat. 26. vve commemorate the deathe and Passion of Christe Secondly as man by sinne had preferred the creature before the Creatour so vvas it meet and conuenient that he should as it vvere begge grace and seeke his saluation by the meanes of these sensibles signes and Sacraments vvhich are farre inferiour vnto him in nature Lastly as by abuse of corporall creatures he had vvounded his soule by sinne so vvas it expediente that by vse of the same his diseases and spirituall sores should be recured And so it vvas moste requisite that Christe in the nevv lavve should institute seÌ„sible signes and Sacraments â—i 19. cont â—eust c. 10. And therfore sainct Austine sayeth that as yet neuer any societie could ioyne in one religion and vvorship of God but by the vse of the same Sacramentes In vvhich pointe the reformers aggree vvhith vs for they all avouch Suenkfeldius only excepted and some other Libertines that Sacramentes are necessarie but in the number they vary not only from the Catholikes but also from one another The Catholike Churche hathe euer vsed seauen sacramentes vvhich are Baptisme Confirmation the Sacramen-of the Altare Penaunce Order Mariadge and Extreme vnction â— p q. 65. a. â— Vvhich number sainct Thomas the diuine proueth by a very pregnaunte reason or rather similitude vvhich is betvvixte the corporall spirituall life of man For in our corporall life seuen thinges are required to vvhich are correspoÌ„dent seuen sacraments in the spirituall life of man In a corporall life first is necessary generatioÌ„ vvhich giueth the first being and essence and to this is ansvverable Baptisme vvhich regenerateth vs again vnto a nevv life and spirituall being of a Christian by vvhich vvee are nevv creatures borne of vvater the Spirit vnto a nevv life Io 1. l. de Bapt. Vvherfore Tertulian callethe Christians spirituall fishes bicause though they haue their corporal life from earthe by carnall generation yet their spirituall life and being like fishes they receiue from the vvater by spirituall regeneration Secondly in a corporall life is necessarie augmentation by vvhich the litle infante for all beginnings are litle vvaxeth grovveth and gaineth devv proportion quantitie and strengh by vvhich he is able to exercise operations and actions belonging to corporall life as to eate drinke talke vvalke laboure to defend him selfe and to assaulte his enemie And to this is correspondent the Sacrament of Confirmation vvhich perfiteth vs in the spirituall life receiued in Baptisme vv ch is the cause vvhy some fathers say that before this Sacrament vve are not perfecte Christians and giues vs force to defende this our spirituall life by confessing our faythe before the persequutor vvhich faithe is the ground of spirituall life Thirdly bicause this corporall life of ours fadeth diminishethe continuaily for euery hovver vve lose some parte of our substauÌ„ce partely by reason of the conflicte of the contrarie elements vvhich consume vs vvhilest in vs they striue one against another partely by reason of the continuall combate vvhich is betvvixte naturall heate and moysture vvhich is as it vvere the tallovve of our light and life vve stand in need of nurriture and nutrition vvhich restores that substaunce vvhich is dayly loste and so prolongeth our life And to this in our spirituall life ansvvereth the Sacrament of the Altare Ioh 6. vvhich conteining in it the body and bloud of Christe vvhoe calles him selfe liuing bread and sayeth that his flesh his truly meate his blood truly driÌ„ke nourishethe the soule spiritually and conserueth our spirituall life here Io. 6. and prepareth vs to an immortall life in heauen Fourthly man hauing
his vvill and impart his minde to his people and not to giue them vvith all letters patentes of their coÌ„mission or to be so vnreasonable as to bynde vs to giue credit or audieÌ„ce to such Imbassadours vvho caÌ„ne only bragge of their eÌ„bassage but caÌ„not by ani probable proofes acertaine vs of it for so vve might imbrace a false preacher and Apostle vvhen in deed vve haue a levvd and lying prophet by the hand This Moyses vvell knovving Exod. â— neuer dreamed of that great embassage in vvhich he vvas sent from God to Pharao to deale for the deliuerio of the oppressed Israelites vntill God had called him and tolde him that he intended to send him knovvinge that if he shoulde haue gone vnseÌ„t he should haue abused his lord and masters name Aaron also durst not aduenture vppon preestlie function Exod. â—â— Leuit. â— before that Moyses by Gods commaundement had consecrated him vvhose example Sainte Paule proposeth vnto all pasâ—ours as necessarie to be follovved saying 〈…〉 Nec quisquam sumit sibi honorem sed qui vocatur à Deâ— tanquam Aaron Neither doth any man take vnto him selfe honour but he vvho is called of God as Aaron vvas The prophetes likevvoise presumed not to tell vnto the people gods mynd and vvill nor to fortell the thinges to come of vvhich god vvouldehaue his people for vvarned vvith out an expresse commaundement from god as maie appeare by the proheme and beginninge of their prophecies And those immortall creatures vvhich are by nature spirites are by office called Angells bicause they are sent from god as his legates and imbassadoures for so much the greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imylyeth from vvhich our Inglish vvord Angel is deriued Vvherfore the Angel that came to Daniel declareth vnto him his con mission before hâ—e telleth him his message Daniel saieth he stam gradu tuo nunc enim missus sum ad te Dan. 10. Daniel stande in thy stepp for novve I am sent vnto the. And sainte Luke describing that great embassage of the Archangel Gabriel vnto the blessed virgin Marie Luc. 10 saieth that he vvas sent from God into a citie of Galilie vvhich vvas called Naâ—areth vnto a virgin despoused vnto a man vvhose name vvas Ioseph In like manner S. Iohâ— Baptist the precursour of Christ and more then a prophet of God vvhonot only for told the Messias but also poynted him out vvith his finger Malach. 3. Mat. 11. Ciril l. â— in Io. c. 17. Beda in c. 1. Mar. is called an Angel not bicause he vvas an Angel by nature as Origen imagined but bicause he vvas an Angel by office as beinge sent to make the vvaie and to prepare it for the Messias Yea Christ him selfe vvould not vndertake the office and function of a Messias and Mediatour before he vvas sent by his father Io. â— For I saieth he came not of my selfe but he sent me and therfore he saieth his doctrine is not his ovvne but his fathers because although he preached the same 〈…〉 yet bicause he preached it in his fathers name vvho seÌ„t him he calleth it his fathers doctrine And as Christe vvas sent froÌ„ his father sovvere his Apostles froÌ„ him Io. 20. els had not their name aggreed to their person bicause the vvorde Apostle cometh of the greek vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich signifieth a messenger or Imbassadour And if they had not been sent they could not haue preached bicause as faith and religioÌ„ is reuealed only by God Matth. 1â— so none can haue authoritie to preach it but from God accordinge to that of S. Paul Rom. 10. Hovv shall they preach vnles they be sent And as it is proper to all true Apostles not to presume to preach before they be sent so is it as common to all false Prophetes to roÌ„ne before they be sent and to preach their ovvn fancie vvith out mission or commissioÌ„ vvho therfore in diuers places of scripture are saied to come but neuer to be seÌ„t All they saieth Christ vvho came before me are theeues and nobbers Io. 10. Vvhere you must note that he saieth not all they vvho vvere sent bicause Moyses and the prophetes vvere seÌ„t before him and yet vvere nether theeues nor robbers but hesaieth all they that came before me are theeues and rohbers Maldonatus in Io. 10. that is vvho came of their ovvn heades nether sent nor commaunded by cause they stole authoritie froÌ„ God and arrogated that vnto them selues vvhich he neuer gaue them vsing abusing his name and crying that the lord saieth so vvhen he neuer sayed so nor ment so Of vvhich kinde of theefe our sauiour speakinge noteth him vvith the same marke of a false Prophet vvhich is comminge Io. 10. Aâ—theef saieth he doth not come but to steale and kill The like manner of speech vseth saint Paul saying 2. Cor. 17. If he that cometh shall preach vnto yon any other Christe To be breefe he that cannot he bicause he is the prime and first veritie and vvill not lie bicause he is goodnes it self giues vs this marke to knovv a false Prophet by Bevvare saieth he of false Prophetes Mat. â— but vvhat marke doest thou giue vs o lord to knovv them by that vve maie take heed of them Vvho come saieth he vntâ— you in the garmentes of sheep but in vvardlie are rauening vvolues So that if any preachers come only that is come vnsent they are theeâ—es that steale authoritie vvhich vvas neuer giuen them and they are false Prophetes vvhich conne on their ovvn heades before they be sent and preach their ovvn deuises before they haue commission If then our nevv reformers and Prophetes of the lord as they call them selues be sent froÌ„ god as they saie they be to reforme the church not onlie in manners but also in faieth and religion lett them tell vs their mission and shevv vs their commission and vve vvill reuerence them as the messengers and respect them as the Imbassadours and Angells of god But if they come on their ovvne heades or cannot giue vs assurauuce that they are sent from god they must pardon vs if vve giue not eare vnto them for if they be not sent they haue noe authoritie to deale vvith vs and if they cannot proue their mission vve haue noe vvarraunt to deale vvith them Tvvoe manner of missions vvhich god vseth insending preachers vnto vs I fynde in holy vvrite vvhich also haue bene practised in the church of god the one an extraordinarie the other an ordinarie mission The extraordinarie mission is made immediatly from god the ordinarie mission god maketh by meanes of some other vvhom he hath sent immediatlie from him selfe For as god ordinatilie doth nothing immediatlie by himselfe but by meanes of secoÌ„de causes causing light by the sonne and heate by the fire producing fruites by trees men and beastes by some of their ovvne kinde yet he doth not so tye
meaning of scripture vvhich seemeth to haue more difficultie then that the Churche and her common spirit vvhich Christe promised her â—â— 1â— 1â— should chalenge vnto her such authoritie Giue vs therfore true scripture and vve vvill reuerence it as the vvord of God but corrupte this scripture by putting a false sense and signification to the letter as the reformers do and then vve vvill not acknovvledge it for the vvord of God bicause it explicateth not his mynd and meaning but rather vve detest it aboue all other vvords vvritings vvhatsoeuer bicause in that it beareth the name of the vvord of God and yet is not it is the most pernicious vvord that is For as the sovvrest vyneger cometh of the best vvine so the moste pernicious vvord is the letter of scripture corrupted and misinterpreted If then our aduersaries vvill haue scripture to be iudge in controuersies of religion let them alleage true scripture that is the letter vvith the true meaning of vvhich not euery priuate spirit but the common spirit of the Church must be iudge as shall herafter be proued But if they vvill make the bare letter to be iudge vvee deny first that the bare letter is scritpure and then vve auouch that the bare letter is noe good rule nor lavvfull iudge of religion bicause the letter of scripture may haue diuers senses and may serue euery heretike for his purpose as before is declared and so can be no rule nor iudge vvhich bothe must be assured and certaine To this they ansvver that scripture is so easie that the meaning is euident to euery one that hathe eyes to see it so he may as easilie see the conformitie of their religion vnto the rule of scripture For as vvhen the measure is knovvn it is euideÌ„t hovv long the cloth is vvhich is measured by it so scripture as they say being easie it is most euident vvhen religion is true bicause it is euident vvhen it is agreable and conformable to the assured and knovvne measure of scripture by vvhich all religioÌ„s are to be squared out and measured But that scripture is not easie to be vnderstood it is easily to be proued and so this ansvvere is as easilie to be reiected â— Pet. 3. For first scripture her selfe confesseth her ovvn obscuritie For sainct Peter in his epistle vvhich is a parte of scripture auoucheth that in S. Paules Epistles vvhich our reformers vvill not deny to be another part of scripture are certain hard things hard to be vnderstood vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also the rest of the scriptures lib. de fid op c. 14. to their ovvn perdition And saint Austine saieth plainly that those hard thinges are his commendations of faith vvhich the ignoraunt euen from the Apostles tyme did so miscoÌ„ster as though his meaning had been that only faith vvithout charitie and good vvorkes doth iustifie Act. 1â— The Eunuch could not vnderstand Esaie vvithout an interpretour Psal 1â—8 Dauid cryeth for vnderstanding at Gods hands before he dareth aduenture to search the lavv Luc 24. the Apostles could not vnderstand scripturs till Christ opened their sense and eyes of vnderstanding and yet our reformers are so eagle-eyed that they can see clearly and that at the first sight into the darkest and obscurest place of scripture The ancient fathers affirme that scriptures are obscure and amongest them sainct Hierome sayeth that the beginning of Genesis and the end of Ezechiel Ep. ad Paul in tymes past vvas not permitted to be read of any till he vvere thirtie yeares of age and vvhy but for the obscuritie vvhich might rather deceue theÌ„ direct the yonger sorte l. 2. con c. 14. S. Austine that great light of the Church miraculous vvitte vvho vvhen he vvas but tvventie yeares of age vnderstood the predicameÌ„tes of Aristotle at the first sight thought nether so highly of him selfe nor so basely of scripturs as to thinke him selfe able by reach of vvit to attain vnto the profound sence and meaning of them but rather though he had studied them more dayes nightes then our ministers haue done dayes only Ep. 3. ad Vâ—lus yea or houres and had vvritten more for the interpreting of scripturs then euer they read yet saieth he So great is the profunditie of them that I might euery day make profit in them if I should vvith greatest leisure greatest studie and a better vvitt endeuour to come vnto the knovvledg of them only and that from my tender youth vnto crooked olde age And in his bookes vvhich he vvrote vppon Genesis in his tractes vppon sainct Ihon and diuers other partes of scripture he moueth many doubtes and difficulties Prafat assert â—rt daâ— and yet Luther sayeth that scripturs are more playn and easie then all the fathers commentaries Petrus Lombardus commonly called the master of senteÌ„ces Liâ— â— d. 12.1 p. q 65. saint Thomas other diuines armed vvith philosophie and furnished vvith the schoole literature apply not vvithstanding all their vvittes to the explicating of the first chapter of Genesis and the creation of the vvorld in the first six dayes 〈◊〉 Hexamâ—â— as also saint Basil saint Ambrose others doe And yet Luther boldly affirmeth that no parte of scripture is to be called our counted obscure l. de seruâ— ar bit Saint Gregorie Nazianzeen and saint Basil studied scriptures for thirtene yeares together and yet durst not svverue a iotte from the interpretation of the auncient fathers Ruff. l. 11. c. 4 Saint Hierom not vvithstanding that he vvas so vvel seen in the Greeke and Hebrevv tongue ep tot â—â— and other both prophane and sacred literature yet vvent he as farre as Alexandria to conferre vvith Didimus Vvho also ronning after a cursorie manner ouer al the bookes of scripture fyndeth such difficultie in euery one as though he vnderstood this only in scripture that he vnderstandeth not scripture or as though this only in scripture vvere easie to be vnderstood that Scripture is not easie ending vvith the Apocalipse thus he concludeth Apocalypsis Ioannis tot habet sacramenta quot verba parum dixt pro merito voluminis laus omnis inferior est in verbis singulis multiplices latent intelligentiae The Apocalipse of Ihon hath as many sacrameÌ„ts as vvords I haue sayed litle for the merit of the volume all prayse is inferiour in euerie vvorde there lye hiddeÌ„ many senses and meaninges And yet Luther and Caluin and commonly Puritanes and Protestants auouch scripture to be facile and perspicuous that by the ovvne light you may see it and see into it and neede noe more helpe of an interpretour theÌ„ of a candle to see the sonne vvhen it shineth in the midde-daye But if this doctrine be true vvhy is ther such contention amongest the Reformers for the true explication of diuers places of Scripture Vvhy did the fathers and vvhy do the Reformers make so large commentaries vppon
rather the religion of the heretiques vvhich is aggreeable to noe common but only to a priuat spirit especially seing that vvee haue such vvarraunt for the common consent of fathers but non at all for the priuate spirit of euery priuate man Novve let vs see in a vvord hovv by reiecting this infallible authoritie of fathers they leaue noe certain rule for exposition of scripture and so open the gapp to all heretiques and heresies For lay avvay fathers vvhich vvere in all ages counted the only pastours of the Church the authoritie of Councells is nothing vvorth for they consisted of fathers the authoritie of the Church is of as litle esteeme bicause she all vvayes beleeued as her pastours did yea she could not tell vvhat to beleeue but by their instruction scripture therfor is only lefte and the priuate spirit seing those tvvoe bare authorities as before is proued open the gappe to all heresies the denyall of the fathers authoritie must needs do the same For suppose a nevv heretique yea a deuill from hell in the likeness of a man should preach a nevve heresie contrarie to all the heresies that euer vvhere might he not alleage scripture for it expounding it as he pleaseth And if you demaund of him hovv he knovveth that he expoundeth it aright might he not say that his spirit telles him so And if you alleage that all that euer taught before him vvere of another opinion and gaue another exposition of scripture might hee not say as casilie as Luther and Caluin do that they vvere men erred all the packe of them And so if authoritie of fathers be reiected he or any other might say vvhat he vvould and noe man could controle him Vvherfore to conclude if vve giue eare vnto the ghospellers of this tyme vvho haue reiected the authoritie of fathers vvill consequently iudge all by scripture sensed by the priuate spirit vve must harken to all heretiques and open the gappe yea the dore to all false apostles vvhoe can not vvithout manifest partialitie bee excluded and repelled if these men bee admitted The fifte Chapter shevveth that they haue noe probable meanes to induce a reasonable man vnto their religion and that therfore if vve giue credit vnto them vve must giue credit to all heretikes preach they neuer so absurd phantasticall paradoxes IT is a common opinion amongest the ancient fathers and diuines that our fay the being supernaturall can not be demonstrated by reason as opinions of Philosophers may bee bicause it aymeth at thinges a boue reason Philosophie soares no higher then reason giues her leaue and so in Christian religion vve ought more to rely on fayth and authoritie then reason and vve can not shevv our selues more reasonable then to leaue of reasoning in thinges aboue reason But all though it be so that vve can not proue our religion by reason yet vve may set it forth vvith such testimonie of miracles antiquitie common coÌ„sent and such like motiues as shall conuince a man of reason that this religion inuolueth noe euident absurditie against reason but rather is very probable and most credibly to be belceued 2.2 〈…〉 ar 〈◊〉 For although as sainct Thomas sayeth our religion be not euideÌ„tely true yet is it euÃdenter credibilis euidently credible bicause though in it self it be obscure yet hath it been so credibly deliuered vnto vs by credible signes and tokens that no man can vith reason thinke it othervvise then very credible if he vvell consider vvhat testimonies maye be alleaged for it vvhich as Dauid sayed are credibilia nimis Psal 〈◊〉 â—o to credible that is so credible as vve caÌ„ not vvith reason desire greater testimonie for things aboue reason In the beginning God cathechised man in this religion by Angells vvhom he sent and by Patriarches Prophetes vvhom he inspired by vvhome he taught the people vvhat sacramentes to vse vvhat sacrifices to offer and other pointes of religion such as then men vvere capable of In the lavv vvritten he deliuered his vvill and meaning concerning lavv and religion and the ceremonies and sacraments belonging ther vnto by his seruaunt Moyses â—uâ—d 〈◊〉 to vvhome he appeared by an angell in thundering and other such signes and by vvhom he vvrougth in Aegipt and in the desert so many miracles for proofe and confirmation of this religion After vvards in the lavv of grace and fullnes of tyme and tyme of spirituall plenty and ritches as in more ample manner so vvith greater testimonies and signes this fayth vvas deliuered vnto vs. For first our Sauiour proued his mission by all the ancient prophetes vvho had fortold his coming and the manner of his coming his office the place and circunstances of his natiuitie life and death vvhich all aggreing to him concluded him to be the Messias Secondly by infinite miracles he proued his authoritie doctrine in so much that he sayed 〈◊〉 10. â— that the vvorkes vvhich he did gaue testimonie of him yea the Ievves confessed that he could not haue doone so straung thinges if he had not been of God And seing that he vvrought these miracles to proue him selfe to be the Messias his doctrine to be of God it could not be othervvise bicause as God can not deceue being prima veritaâ— the first veritie nor be deceiued being vvisdom it selfe so caÌ„ he not giue testimonie of an vntruth by miracles for so should he be bothe a lyer a deceiuer Act. 2. The apostles in like maner after that in Pentecost they had receiued the holy ghoste in a visible forme and manner receiued povver also to giue this holy spirit visibly to others and to vvorke miracles also to proue their mission and doctrine Mar. viâ— in so much that sainct Mark sayeth that they preached and God confirmed their doctrine by miracles and signes that follovved Vvherfore allthough the doctrine vvhich they preached vvas out of reasons kenning yet it vvas made euident by testimonie and so vvas euidently credible bicause if God can not giue testimonie to an vntruth then in that he gaue testimonie by miracle of their doctrine it must needs follovv that it vvas of God Secondly the straunge conquest vvhich the Apostles made of Idolatrie in despite of all the Philosophers and Tyraunts of the vvorld and the miraculouse planting of the Christian fayth is an argument to proue our religion to be of God most pregnaunt a motiue to persuade any reasonable man most forcible For as once the Israelites by making a procession about the vvalles of Hierico Iosus â— and sounding of their trompetes an vnlikely stratagem to surprise such a citie dismantled the tovvn leueled the vvalles vvith the ground so Christ Iesus by the circuit of a fevv Apostles and disciples about the vvorld and by the blastes of their mouthes vvhich vvere the golden trompetes vvhich promulgated the nevv lavve ransaked the citie of idolatrie vvhich then vvas as great all most as the vvorld made the
tyme bee all nouellaunts and nouellers vpstarts and of later standing arising many hundred yeares after the Romain Church vvhich vvas euer counted the only true Church for Luther the first of all this nevv frye and his religion is not yet an hundred yeares old it is as certaine that they are heretikes and their religion heresie as that Arius Nestorius Pelagius vvere heretikes and the same fathers and scriptures before alleaged vvhich haue condemned them for heretikes bicause of their late standing can not vvithout plaine partialitie free our reformers from the same sentence vvho vveare the same badge are noted vvith the same marke of an heretike vvhich is later standing The third Chapter noteth the Reformers vvith another mark of an heretike vvhich is a particuler name vvhich they take from their sectmaster THe hart of man is a secret closet Psal 7. Sap. 1. Hier. 11. Th. 〈◊〉 p q. 57. art 4. of vvhich God only Keepeth the Key it is a bottoÌ„lesse pit vvhich he only vvho searcheth the hart and reines can sound to the bottoÌ„ in so much that vnlesse God reueale or this hart of man vouchsafe to open it selfe nether deuill nor angell can discouer the hartes cogitations much lesse can one man tell vvhat another thinketh Vvherfore that men might impart their thoughts one to another God hath guien them a toungue as an Interpretour of the mynde and a messenger of the thoughts and a mouth also as a trompet vvherin the tounge soundeth forth by voice vvhat the hart thinketh And bicause the things vvhich vve vvould speak of can not by them selues immediately be brought into discourse the toungue frameth vvords and giueth names vvhich goe for the thiÌ„gs that so vvheÌ„ vve hear the sound of the vvord name vve may vnderstaÌ„d the thing vv ch is spoke of Vvherfore the nevv Christians of this tyme must not meruaill that by their name as by an infallyble marke I seck to discouer them for names are Symboles and signes of things by vvhich vve knovv the natures of things together vvith their proprieties But vvhat vvill you saye is this name by vvhich they are conuinced to bee heretikes it is the Surname vvhich they take from their Sect master by vvhich they vvere alvvayes more famouse then by their proper names At the first vvhen all Christianes vvere of one hart and lippe beleeuing and professing the same Act. 4. they vvere called all by the same names as Christianes of Christe brethren for their mutuall charitie faithfull in respect of one fayth but vvhen certain inconstaunte and deuising heads vvould vary from the rest of the faythfull in certain pointes of religion their names chaunged as they them selues vvere altered bicause they novv beganne to leaue the common receiued fayth vvhich Christe by him selfe and his Apostles and their successours had deliuered they vvere noe more called by the common name of Christiane but by the name by vvhich their autour vvas called vvho deuised their religion and so as in fayth they vvere separated from other Christians so in names also vvhich explicate the natures of things they vvere of necessitie seuered Simonians vvere named of Simon Magus the Ebionites of Ebion Marcionites of Marcion the Manichies of Manicheus the Arrians of Arrius Nestorians of Nestorius Eutichianes of Eutiches Pelagians of Pelagius Donatists of Donatus vvho not vvith standing before they varyed in religion and follovved nevv Masters vvere called only by the common names of Christians vvherfore the ancient fathers euer condemned them as heretikes vvho vvere marked vvith these particuler names Sainct Hierome pronounceth boldly this sentence li. contra Lucifer in fine Sicubi audÃeris eos qui dicuntur Christiani non à Domino Iesu Christo sed à quopiam alio nuncupari vâ—pote Marcionitas Valentinianos Montenses c. scito non Ecclesiam Christi sed Anti-christi esse Synagogam If any-vvhere thou here of them vvho are called Christians yet take their name not of Iesus Christ but of some other as for example of they be called Marcionits Valentinians Montanists c. Knovv thou that there is not the Churche of Christe but the Synagogue of Antichriste Iustinus Martyr discrieth heretikes by the same badge and marke Dial. cum Triphone There are sayeth he and euer vvere many vvhich come in the name of Iesus yet are called by diuers Surnames as Marcionits Valentinians Basilidians Saturninians euerie one Biorrovving a name of the first inuentour of their doctrine Of such kind of men this is sainct Ciprianes opinion They vvhich vvere once Christians Ep. ad Nouatum novv Nouatians are novv no more Christians bicause sayeth hee primam fidem vestram perfidia posteriori per nominis appellationem mutastis you haue chaunged your former fayth by a later infidelitie by the appellation of your name And the reason vvhy these father 's accounted allvvayes such nicknamed persons as heretikes is easilie seen Mat. 18. bicause such as leaue the Churche and vvill not here her voice vvere allvvayes esteemed as heretikes as the Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth vvhich signifieth election and separation Li. 2. contrâ— Faust c. 3. Cipr. l. 1. cp 6. and therfore S. Austin and sainct Ciprian put this difference betvvixte an heretike and a schismatike that although both doe separate them selues from the Church yet a schismatike only is diuided in vvill contumacie and breach of charitie an heretike also in fayth and opinioÌ„ and therfore seing that these diuerse names taken from diuerse autours argueth such a leparation for if they had still remained in that Church vvhich commonly vvas called Christian and had not follovved nevvmasters ther had needed noe distinction of names from other Christians it must needs follovv that all such as are distinguished thus in name from other Christians are diuided also from them in fayth and religion and so are noe true Christians but perfidiouse heretikes I demaund novv of our Lutheranes Zuinglianes Caluinistes Osiandrians Bezists Brovvnists Martinists and such like nevv named Christians of this age vvhether they dare stande to the sentence of Iustinus Martyr S. Ciprian and sainct Hierom in this point Truly I thinke they dare not and I thinke also that they haue good cause for if that they be heretikes vvhich are surnamed of particuler autours as they plainly affirme if our nevv Christianes be so surnamed as all the vvorld vvilbe vvitnesse that they are then must needs follovv this conclusion that they also are heretikes But to conclude more plainly that vvhich vvas intended This marke of an heretike can in noe vvise aggree vnto Catholikes but rather to them aggreeth the signe of the true Christians For as in the tyme of the Arians they vvere counted true Christians vvhich vvere called by generall names Christians and Catholikes and they vvere esteemed of as heretikes vvhich had particuler names deriued from the autour of their secte as Arians Aetians Eudoxians and such like so novv vve that are called by the same
Tritheites Theopaschites Agnoetians Seuerites and such like The Eutychians into Monophysites Iacobites Acephalites and Theodosians Vvherfore the ancient fathers haue obserued that dissension is a marke inseparably fastened vnto heretikes l. praescr c. 42. I lie sayeth Tertulian if they vary not from their ovvn rules vvhilest euery one at his pleasur altereth and modifieth he sayeth tuneth those things vvhich he hath receiued euen as the first autour framed them at his ovvn arbitrement the increase declareth the nature of the beginning and origin The same is lavvfull for Valentinus and for the Marcionits vvhich vvas lavvfull for Marcion to vvitte to deuise nevv sects and opinions as their sect masters did before them As Donate sayeth sainct Austin endeuoured to deuide Christe that is the Church of Christe l. de agone Christ c. 29. soe him his ovvn Schollers by dayly hacking and māgling deuided into many peeces Novv that the nevv Christians of this our last age are in like manner diuided and consequētly of the same paste and kinde it is toe toe manifest Luther vvas the first man vvho in this last age beat his vvitte to deuise nevve faythes religiōs and for a tyme he vvas follovved by many but in tyme also his follovvers fell from him vvho perceiuing that they had as good authoritie to preach nevv doctrine as Luther had for they could say also that Christ sent them and they could alleage scripture for their opinions if they might interpret it by their priuat spirit as vvhy may they not as vvell as he they thought it more honourable to be follovved then to follovve and to be Masters then schollers and so leauing Luther in the lurche they deuised also nevv doctrines different from his and so became sect masters as vvell as he Zuinglius therfore being vveary of Luthers seruice vvhome he had courted to longe and perceiuing hovv vvillingly Luther vvould haue denyed the reall presence therby to haue preiudiced the Pope but that the vvords of Christ as he confessed seemed to plaine deuised a glosse for those vvords This is my body Mat. 26. and sayed that Christ called the bread his body not bicause it conteineth his body really as Luther affirmed but bicause it is a figure of his body And as Zuinglius delt vvith Luther so did others For novv the Lutheranes are deuided into seuere and moderate Lutheranes and some glorie in Illyricus Flaccus some adore Melancthon so that novv Luther is lefte of all his Schollers and not any one remaineth vvho aggreeth vvith him in all poincts And as Zuinglius delt vvith Luther so did others vvith him for from him are descended the Osiandrians Semiosiandrianes and Antiosiandriās Yea out of Zuinglius sprong that vnhappy branch Caluin vvho addeth to Zuinglius opiniō that although the Sacrament be but a figure of Christe yet vvith it vve receiue Christe verily really but by fayth vvhich doctrine hovv it can stand vvith it self In the least booke vve shall herafter in this vvorke discourse And novve these mens Schollers are diuided into Lutheranes double Lutheranes Zuinglianes Oecolāpadianes Caluinists Anabaptists Trinitarians Suenkfeldians Protestaunts Puritanes Brovvnists Martinists brethrē of the familie of loue and of the damned crevv and I knovv not hovv many And it is a vvorld to see vvith vvhat animositie these brethren vvrite one against another Luther vvrites seuerly agaīst the Zuingliās l. in Zuingl and Sacramentaries and a litle before his death in steed of a benedictiō vvhich this father should haue bestovved vpon these his children he curseth them to hell refusing all vvriting and communicatiō vvith them saying that in vayne they beleeue the Trinitie and Incarnation vnless they beleeue also the reall presence To vvhom the Tugurine Zuinglians Sur. an 〈◊〉 ansvvered that Luther sought his ovvn honour not the honour of Christ that he vvas obstinate and insolent and one vvho vseth to deliuer men vp to Satan that vvill not aggree to his opinion Apol. Eccl◠Anglia And yet our Sacramentaries in Ingland say that Luther vvas a man of God and Caluin sayeth that he taketh Luther for an Apostle by vvhose labour especially the truth vvas restored It vvere a tedious thing to recount their dissentions and it is a pitifull thing to behold in steed of one fayth in vvhich all the vvorld before Luthers preaching conspired so many faythes and religiōs Of this dissension Hilarius complained in these vvords l. cont Const It is dangerous and miserable that novv there are as many faythe 's as vvilles and as many doctrines as manners and as many causes of blasphemies as vices and that vvheras according as ther is one God one Lord and one Baptisme so one fayth also should bee vve fall from one faith and vvhilest many faithes are fayned noe fayth remaineth And as he thus complayneth of the Arians dissensions so may vve of the dissensions of this age of vvhich also the very autours of these garboils them selues complain most lamentably l. cont Zuing. Luther him selfe sayeth that ther is such dissensiō in the interpretation of scriptures that if the vvorld continevv vve must haue recourse again vnto the triall of Councells else vve shall neuer aggree Deprauat conf Aug. Cithreus cōplaineth that the Euangelicall Doctours hee meaneth ministers are at greater daggers dravving then any quarelling souldiours Ep. de Exoraismo Heshusius confesseth that vvhether soeuer he turneth his eyes nothing allmost occurreth but dissensions nevv increase of errours and falling of great Doctours from the veritie So that euen by their ovvn cōfessions there is nothing but vvrangling and dissension in religion amongest them and consequently their Church is not the Church of Christ in vvhich peace and vnitie florisheth vvhich hathe vpholden and shall still vphold Christes kingdom against the Tyranies of persequutours might and slight of the deuill and all his members vvheras the kingdom of heretikes must needs fall of it selfe by ciuill discord and dissension Vvherfore Epiphanius compares them to the vipers of diuers Kindes In Panarie vvhich the Aegyptians vsed to conclude in one place together vvithout ether meate vvith in or meanes to get out for as they vvhen they vvere allmost famished began vvith teeth to teare and deeuour one a nother till that all the rest being consumed the last hauing nothing lefte to exercise his teeth on dyeth for honger so heretikes ruine one a nother and one secte deuoureth a nother till at lenght the last dyeth of it self by her ovvn impietie Others compare them to the Cadmean brethren vvhich vvere novv sooner borne but they killed one a nother others say that they are like sampsons foxes vvhich are diuided in the heads that is in faythes but yet are linked in the tayles conspiring all in this intention to ruine the true Churche but in the mean tyme they ruine their ovvne beating them selues against the rocke of Christes Churche they do but breake them selues as vvaues doe Li.
of the priuate spirit contempte of fathers vvant of a visible Iudge of vvhich vvee haue spoken in the first booke for these vvere the properties of all heretikes and are as proper to our nevve reformers as euer they vvere to any ancient heretike as by the same chapters doth appear most euidently THE THIRD BOOKE CONTEINETH A SVRVEY of their doctrine concerning Christ in vvhich by many poinctes of their doctrine it is proued that they are Antichristians rather then Christians The first Chapter proueth that their doctrine despoileth Christe of his diuinitie and that they therfore are no sincere Christians EVERY man liketh and loueth that vvhich he professeth and vvill speake honourably of him vvhom he follovveth in that profession The Stoickes coÌ„mend Zeno the Platonistes prayse Plato the Peripatetickes Aristotle the Epicureans Epicure the Atheists Diagoras and euery one reuerenceth and respecteth him vvhose doctrine and professioÌ„ he embraceth If then the reformers be sincere and reall Christians as they vvill seem to bee they must thinke and speake of Christe very honourably and giue that homage to his parson vvhich his doctrine hath deserued And so in deed or rather in vvordes they seem to doe Luther vvhen he first began to preach against Indulgences merits satisfactioÌ„ good vvorkes Lut. in c 17. Gal. fol. 2â—â— and inherent iustice affirming that only to beleeue that Christs Iustice is ours is sufficient to saluation vsed this for a Cloke that forsooth hee gaue all to Christs iustice and nothing to our vvorkes Caluin also in his preface of his Institutions vv ch he vvrote to the King of Fraunce In prâ—f Inst ad Reg. Galâ— commendes his ovvn doctrine for this pointe especially that it giues all honour to Christe leaueth nothing to our ovvn force habilitie And vvhat doth better aggree vvith faith sayeth he then to acknovvledge our selues despoiled of all vertue that of God vve may be clothed deuoid of all good that of him vve may be filled bond-seruaunts of sinne that of him vve may be made free blinde that of him vve may be enlightened lame that of him vve may be made straight feeble that of him vve may be vpholden to take from our selues all matter of glorying that he alone may be gloriouse on hyghe and in him vve may glorie So that vvhilest they deny good vvorkes to bee necessarie affirme faythe only sufficient vvhilest they say that vve haue no inherent iustice but are the best of vs though apostles sinners before god that our best vvorkes are sinnes and that vvee haue noe other Iustice then the iustice of Christe apprehended by fayth and imputed only to vs vvhilest they deny that vvee caÌ„ obserue the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„tes or haue the povver free vvill to do any good or resist any tentation they attribute forsooth all to Christe and leaue nothing to vs that hee only may be glorified But by this booke I hope to make knovvn vnto the vvorld their deep dissimulation vvho in vvordes seeme to giue all to Christ but by their doctrine doe robbe him and despoile him of all his honourable titles And first you shall see hovv sacrilegiously they plucke and pull at Christes diuinitie I vvill not here relate the blasphemies of Michael Seruet vvhoe yet vvas a brother of this religion bicause they vvill say that for such doctrine Caluine caused him to bee burned for he sayed plainly that God the sonne vvas not true God l. Trin. fo 7 34 35. l 2. fol 8 in dial not coaquall vvith his father yea he sayed that God the father only vvas God vvhich doctrine notvvithstaÌ„ding he gathered or might haue gathered out of Luthers and Caluins vvorkes Nether vvill I say any thing of the heretikes and nevv Arians of TraÌ„siluania vvho in this also aggree vvith Seruetus Luther the graund Patriarch and nevv Euangelist must not bee omitted vvho in his booke against Latomus sayeth that he can not abide that vvord Homousion These are his vvords anima mea odit vocabulum Homousion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soule hateth the vvord consubstantiall So did the Arians hate the same vvord and called it exoticuÌ„ straunge and vnusuall But Athanasius gathereth this vvord out of scriptures ancient fathers Ep. Decr. Conc. Nâ—iâ— vvho in that they affirm that the sonne is begotten of his father coequall vnto him one vvth him affirm also that he is coÌ„substaÌ„tiall of the same substaunce vvith his father bicause nothing is equall and coequall to god the father but God and nothing is God vv ch is not the same substauÌ„ce vvith him bicause there are not many Gods And vvhy should Luther hate this vvord but for the signification for the sound is no more vngratefull then the sound of other vvords If he hate the signification then is he an Arian vvho beleeueth not that the sonne is coÌ„substaÌ„tiall and of the same substaunce vvith his father and consequently he thinks him not to be God or else he thinkes that ther are many Gods different in substaunce The same Luther as diuerse affirm in an edition of his commentaries vppon Genesis vvhich I haue not seen calles the sonne of God the instrument of his father by vv ch he created the vvorld in â— ca. Gen. vvhich manner of speech Arius also vsed And seing that the instrument is neuer of so noble a nature as the principall agent vvhat is this but to make the sonne of God inferiour to his father and consequently a creature And this testimonie as I haue read Seruetus alleaged against Luthers Scholers in the Albane disputation Luther also blotted out of the Germain prayer books those ancient vvords Sancta Trinitas vnus Deus miserere nobis Holy Trinitie one God haue mercy vppon vs. And vvhy for some spite belike vvhich he conceiued against Christ Iesus the second person in Trinitie For vvhy else did he in his Germain Bibles vvhen he came to the translation of those vvords of the ninth chapter of Esaie Deus fortis stronge God Leaue out God as though Christ vvere strong but not God Vvhy did he leaue out quite those vvords of saint Ihons epistle â— â—o â— Tres funt qui testimonium dant in caelo Pater Verbum Spiritus sanctus hi tres vnum sunt Ther are three vvhich giue testimonie in heauen the father the vvord and the holy ghost and these three are one The same Luther in his booke of Councels excuseth Eutyches l. de concil ◠〈◊〉 and Nestorius and accuseth S. Leo and sainct Cyrill as men vvhich vvere to eagre against them for sayeth he as Eutyches sayed so may it vvell be sayed that Christs diuinitie suffred O blasphemie did the diuinitie of Christ suffer then vvas it not true diuinitie and consequeÌ„tly Christ vvas not God bicause God as God can not suffer I may vse here Alamundarus vvitty ansvvere against Luther Niceph l. 16 hist c. â—â— Baron in Annal anno Christi 509. vv ch he vsed
to euery magistrate and teÌ„porall superiour vvhom he callethhumaine creatures bicause their authoritie is in teÌ„porall and humain thinges And therfore he addeth as it vvere to specifie vvhat he meaneth by the humain creature vvhether it be to the King as excelling or to Rulers sent from him c. Yea hee bids vs obey not only gentle and courteouse masters but euen those also vvhich are harde to please And this obedieÌ„ce these Apostles commaund vs to giue to Princesalthough they be infidels if othervvise they be lavvfull for vvhen the Apostles vvrote there vvere noe Christian Princes and faithe is not necessarie to iurisdiction nether is authoritie lost by the only losse of faithe But yet this must be vnderstood vvhen Princes commaund vvith in the limits and sphere of their iurisdiction for othervvise if they coÌ„maund vs any thing against God or conscience vve must ansvvere them as the Apostles ansvvered the Ievves Act. 4. vve must obey God before men Bicause Princes are appointed by God and so can coÌ„maund nothing vvhich is against God or if they do vve must obey the supreme Prince before the inâ—eriour and the King before his viceroy Eâ— Eâ—sâ—â— Vvherfore sainct Policarpe although he refused to obey the Proconsul vvho commaunded him to do that vvhich vvas against God religioÌ„ and conscience yet he sayed Vvee are taught to giue to principalities and Potestates ordained by God that honour vvhich is devv to them and not hurtefull to vs. This being so theÌ„ that Princes haue authoritie to commaund and to bynde also in conscience to obedience and that from God vvhose ministers they are and by vvhome as the vviseman sayeth Kinges do raigne and the lavv makers decerne vvhat is iuste Prâ—◠〈◊〉 it remaineth that vvee examine our aduersaries doctrine in this point that vve may see vvhat they giue to superioritie authoritie higher povvers But peraduenture some vvill thinke that this is a vaine examination bicause they are so farre from suspicion of detracting from Princes authoritie that rather they seem to graunte them to much Luther affirmeth that Bishops and Prelates are subiect to the Emperour euen in Ecclesiasticall causes A◠〈◊〉 and that Ecclesiasticall iurisdictioÌ„ is deriued from the temporall And vvhen Catholikes in Ingland refuse to go to the Churche bicause profession is made there of a religion contrarie to theirs the reformers vrge nothing so much as that vve must obey Princes and their iniunctions But this they doe only vvhen Ecclesiasticall povver calleth them to an accounte or vvheÌ„ the Princes lavves doe fauorize their doctrine for then they flatter Princes and preferre their authoritie before the Church not bicause in hatte they reuerence their authoritie but bicause by their povver they vvould establish their heresie Soe Arius by the meanes of Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia first in sinuated him selfe to CoÌ„stantia the Sifter of ConstaÌ„tine the great Ruff. l. 1. â— 11. and by him he getteth audience of Constantine him selfe and by flattery and dissimulation be procureth a commaundement from the Emperour to Athanasius to receue him againe into the Church And aftervvards he crept by this meanes into credit vvith Constantius the Ariane Emperour and sonne to Constantine by vvhome he banished Catholike bishops called many councels and propagated his heresie in so much that saint Hierome sayeth Ariâ—â— vt orbem deciperet Ep. ad Ctesiph forerem principis ante decepit Arius that he might deceue the vvorld first deceiued the fister of the Prince They curried fauour also vvith luliaÌ„ th' Apostata and they offered their seruice â—heod l. 4. c. 3. to Iouinian the Emperour but he vvould none of their proferd seruice knovving that they vsed to â—latter Princes for promotion of their heresies So that one Themistius a Philosoâ—her vvas vvont to say that heretikes adore the Purple not God are as mutable as Euripus Luther backed also by the Duke of Saxonie contemned the Popes legate vvho sought to reclaime him and preached confidently those heresies vv ch othervvise he durst not haue doone and perseuered obstinately in theÌ„ also vvhich other vvise peraduenture he vvould not haue doone Prafat Inâ—â— ad Reg. Gaâ— Caluin sought by a flattering epistle to procure fauour and credit vvith the king of Fraunce and our Inglish Protestauntes by the fauour of our late Prince vvhose guiftes of nature they abused gotte credit amongest the people graced heresie vvith her roiall crovvne And to vvinne this fauour they vvill not sticke to flatter Princes yea to adore them and to giue them higher Titles and greater povver then euer God bestovved vppon them In king Edvvards tyme vvhen the state fauoured them they acknovvledged him Supreme head not only in temporall but also in Ecclesiasticall causes In Queene Maries tyme bicause that Princesl vvas not for them theÌ„ vvoemen could not gouerne but in Queene Elizabeths tyme bicause they had insinuated them selues into her Protection then vvoemen might gouerne as vvel as men and so they are the beste temporizers in the vvorld But if you marke their proceedings or dectâ—â—ne you shall see that they honour not authoritie but loue their heresies vvhich if Princes vvill not like then they conteÌ„ne and despise all authoritie and vvill not let to make a mutinie and stirie vp the subiects to rebellion to â— p st duâ— Edista Caesarea Luther exhorteth the Germaines not to take armes against the Turke bicause the Turke for pollicie consaâ—le integritie and moderation excelleth all 〈◊〉 Princes And in the same place he called the Emperour Charles the fifâ—e a roâ—â—â— and fraile carcase And in his booke againâ— the king of Ingland he calleth him all â—â—naught l. cont Reg. Angl. l de potestaâ—â— seculari by the name of blocke heade sâ—â—le and so forthe In another booke he not only inueigheth agaiust Princely aâ—thoritie but hee also calleth them fooleâ— knaues tyrauntes In another bookevv hee vvrote against the tvvoe edicts of 〈◊〉 Emperour he calles the Princes of thâ— Empire fooles madmen furiouse teâ—â— tymes vvorse then the Turke Sur. an 1â—2â— Of vvhâ—â— doctrine and example Thomas Munsâ—â— taking holde vvith an hundred thousaâ— Rustickes troubled all Germaine and one Franconie he destroied tvvoe hâ—dred nyntie three monasteries The lâ— therane Princes also armed vvith this 〈◊〉 ample of Luther tooke armes against the Emperour therby vvere the cause that the Turke surprised many holdes Sur 1530. â—â—66 and stronge fortes of the ChristiaÌ„s And vvhat stirres the Caluinistes and other sectes haue made in Fraunce Scotland and the lovve countries all the vvorld knovveth and Flaunders to this day â—eeleth And truly this contempte of lavvfull Princes this disloyaltie and rebellâ—on is altogether according to their doctrine o. â— Luther in his commente vppon the first Epistle of saint Peter sayeth plainly that he vvill not be copelled nor bound to obey any prophane magistrate bicause he vvill not loose his libertie vvhich is to bee freed in conscience from all Princes
accustomed to figures vvhose vvholle lavve vvas figuratiue and they cā easilie conceue hovve thy maye eate thee spiritually by faithe bicause that is only to beleeue in Christe and the Messias vvhich thy disciples that stagger at these thy vvords do allready beleeue and all their forfathers haue longe since beleeued But Christe vvill giue them no suche easie ansvvere vvhich argevveth that hee spoake nether of figuratiue eating only nor of spirituall eating only but of reall eating of his flesh thoughe in a spirituall manner Vvhat then ansvverethe our blessed Sauiour vnto these afflicted people nothing at all more then vvhich allready hee hathe ansvvered but rather novve hee turneth to the tvvelue Apostles saying Vvhat vvill you therfore departe As if hee had sayed I haue told you a highe mysterie at vvhich many murmure many are scandalized and for vv ch many haue lefte mee also but I haue no other thīg to saye faithe is here required vvithout vvhich none can come to mee or my father none can beleeue this mysterie but they that vvill not captiuate their vnderstanding to the obedience of faithe let them goe but vvill you my tvvelue vvho are vsed to my parables and mysteries be gone also Sainct Peter ansvvereth for all tvvelue not knovvīg Iudas infidelitie vvhom not vvithstanding Christe calleth a deuil for the same Lord to vvhome shall vvee goe thou hast the vvordes of eternall life Out of this discourse I gather tvvoe thīges for my purpose first that the Ievves vnderstood Christe not of a figuratiue or spirituall eating by faithe bicause such eating could not haue scandalized them vvho vvere accustomed to spiritual eating nether vvould such meates haue gone against their stomake bicause figuratiue dishes vvere their ordinarie fare Secondly I gather that Christe meant not figuratiue or spiritual eating only but sacramentall and reall eating For if hee had meant so hee noe doubte vvould haue explicated him selfe to take avvay all occasion of offence and scandall vvhich they conceued bicause they vnderstood him of reall eating as is proued or if Caluin vvill needs haue it that Christe meant only figuratiue and spirituall eating hee must needes say vvith all that christe vvas most cruel and peremptorie and that hee endeuoured rather to deceue soules then to saue them to blinde them rather thē to illuminate them vvhoe thoughe he perceiued that they vnderstood him of his fleshe vvhich scandalized them yet vvould not vouchsafe to tell them that hee meant only a figuratiue and spirituall eating that so vvith a vvord hee might haue taken a vvaye the scandall taught them the truthe and giuen the deceued soules satisfaction My second argument Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Lu◠22. 1. Cor. 11. shal be deduced out of the vvords of our Sauiour vvhich hee vsed in the institution of this Sacrament This is my body this is my bloud or this is the Chalice of my bloud Vvhat could hee haue sayed more plainly Tel me Caluin if Christe vvould haue giuen vs to vnderstand that hee meant to giue vs no bare figure but his true body vvhat playner vvords could hee haue vsed hee might haue sayed sayeth Caluin This is my true bodye but might not yet Caluin haue vsed his ordinarie glosse and haue sayed that hee ment only to saye that it is the true figure of his body or the figure of his true body And I demaund of Caluin vvhether Christe vvas able to turne bread in to his body as before hee had turned vvater into vvine and multiplied the loaues and fishes If hee saye hee could not Io 2. Io. 6. I aske vvhy If hee ansvvere bicause it seemeth impossible I must needes tell him that he taketh much vppon him in confining God his povver vvithin the narrovv compasse of his shalovv head as thoughe God could do iuste as much as Caluin can conceue but no more All the ancient fathers thoughe they could not conceue this mysterie yet bicause Christe calleth that vvhich vvas in his handes his body do confesse that Christ vvas able to do it bicause they knevv hee could doe more then they could conceue And vvhy could hee not do this as vvell as hee hathe done the like speake Caluin and tell vs vvhere lyeth the difficultie vvhich maketh thee vvith Iudas and the Capharnaites to thinke that Christe can not giue vs his body reallye ether thy reason is bicause hee can not turne bread into a mans bodye and vvhy I pray the can he not as vvell turne one thing into another as create a thing of nothing Vvhy can he not turne bread into his body and vvine into his blood Io. 2. Exod. 2. Psal 77. Exod 7. vvho turned vvater into vvine a rodde into a serpent and a serpent into a rodde and a rocke into vvater Yea he that turned vvater into bloud can he not turne vvine into bloud Or else the reason is bicause a mans body can not bee in so litle a roome as is a litle hoste or a litle peece of the same And vvhy can hee not make a great bodye to bee in a litle roome as hee can make tvvoe bodyes by penetration Mat. 1.2 Mar. 16. Lu. 24. to bee in one roome vvithout enlarging the place vvhich hee did vvhen by penetration hee issued out of the virgins vvomb vvithout breaking her virginal closett and vvhen hee came out of his graue vvithout remouing the stone entered into his disciples the dore being shut and passed thoroughe all the heauens in his Ascension vvithout diuision of those incorruptible bodyes or else the reasō is bicause one body cā not bee in diuerse places And vvhy maye not one body bee in diuers places as vvel as diuerse bodyes by penetration vvere in one place in his natiuitie and resurrection in his entraunce into the hovvse vvhere his disciples vvere and in his ascension into heauen and aboue all the heauens Breefly it is noe more repugnaunt for a body to bee in a litle roome or in diuerse places at once then for a mans body to stand vpirght vppon the vvater and not to sinke Mat. 14.4 Reg. 6. as Christes and saint Peters bodyes did or for a heauy body to ascend in the vvater as the head of a hatcher did nether is it more impossible for a body to occupie more place then the ovvne quantitie is then for a body to liue a longer age then nature vvill afforde yet Exechias liued longer and Elias and Henoch are as yet liuing But Caluin vvill saye that it is noe more necessarie to vnderstād Christe really in these vvordes this is my body then in diuerse others in vvhich hee sayeth I ame the dore I ame the vine or in those Christe vvas the rocke or in those behold the lambe of God But by Caluins leaue ther is much more reason vvhy vve should vnderstand Christe really in those vvorde This is my body then in the other vvordes alleaged For vvhen Christe sayed This is my body hee made his laste vvill and testament at vvhich