an Heretike for all Heretikes doe as much But Maister T. W. for I will not misname you by H. T. dic sodes tell vs in sooth and sadnesse Do Heretikes beleeue the scriptures I in my poore ignorance haue heretofore thought that Heretikes beleeued erronious and false doctrines repugnant and contrary to the scriptures and that therevpon this argument would haue holden water viz. that they which beleeue false doctrines doe not beleeue the holie Scriptures which containe nothing but new doctrine but Heretikes beleeue false doctrines ergo they beleeue not the holie Scriptures Tell vs also will Heretikes haue the sphere of their faith extended solie and wholie to the worde of GOD set downe in holy writ Then this saying of Tertullian which in my poore ignorance I haue thought that neuer any misliked vnlesse hee were an Heretike will not goe for currant Aufer deniquae haereticis c. Take away from Heretikes Tertul. deresurrect carnis whatsoeuer the Ethnikes haue thought and taught that they may trie their questions Onelie by the Scriptures and they cannot stand For how can this bee that they which beleeue the Scriptures cannot stand if their doctrines bee tried onely by the scriptures But you will say that Heretikes professe that they beleeue the scriptures But is this all one with you for Heretikes to profeâ—â—e the beleefe of the scriptures and in Tiâ— 1. 16. deede to beleeue them Saint Paul saith that some professe to know GOD and by workes do denie him Some also professed themselues to bee Iewes that is to say worshippers Apoca. 2. 9. of GOD as you doe now professe yourselues to bee Catholikes and some to bee of the societie of Iesus when both they were and you are the synagogue and of the societie of sathan Some professed themselues to bee Iohn 8. 39. 40. the Children of Abraham which did not the workes of Abraham but their faither was the diuell as our Sauiour Christ told them Euen so Heritikes may professe Psal 44. that they beleeue the Scriptures when indeede they beleeue them not but reiect the truth of them and beleeue false and damnable doctrines repugnant vnto them Heretikes bee theeues which endeuor to steale away the truth from the people of whom Saint Chrysostome saith Qâ—i sacra non vtitur scriptura sed ascendit aliunde Chrysost in Iorm hom 58. idest non concessa via fur est Hee is a theefe that vseth not the scripture hee saith not that beleeueth the scripture but clymeth into the sheepefold by an other way which is not allowed Of the true sense and exposition of the Scripture I haue intreated at large before Onely now I will ioyne this issue with you vpon these words of Saint Hierome recorded 24. Quaest 3. Haeâ—sis by Gratian in the decrees Quicunque aliter scripturam intelligit c. Whosoeuer expoundeth the scripture otherwaies then the sense of the Holie Ghost by whome it was written doth require although hee haue not departed from the Church yet hee may bee called an Heretike Let them with good will of vs and you that shall soundlie bee prooued to expound the Scriptures other-waies then the sense of the Holie Ghost requireth bee called accounted condemned and punnished Heritikes yea your Expositions bee so false and for ours true that some Papists and euen some of your sweete bretheren the Iesuites are forced by the euidence of Apa Cathel part 2 lib. 5. cap. 17. 18. 19. c. truth to forsake yours and to approoue ours as M. D. Morton hath learnedly and largely declared What you or any other Heretikes say of our Religion beleefe and expositions wee little regard as long as you cannot prooue them to bee hereticall and wee are by the worde of GOD well assured that they bee orthodoxall As touching the book of the Canticles of Sollomon we by the Scriptures doe beleeue that it is the worde of God Saint Paule speaking of the Scripture contained in the canonicall bookes of the old Testament and receiued by the Church of Israell saith that the whole Scripture is inspired of God But this booke of the Canticles was with the other books both of Sollomâ—n and of the rest of the old Testament receiued by the Church of Israell therefore by Saint Paules 2 Tim. 3. 16. iudgement it was inspired of God and so consequently the worde of God as well as others But if we did ioyne herein either with some wicked Anabaptistes now or with some old Hertikes heretofore who haue denied this book to be of the Canon of the Scripture as Phylastrius writeth some did whose opinion we abhorre yet from this particular Jn Catall cap. 133. you could not inferre the proofe of your article being generall that the Protestants know not what they beleeue But herein you do as soundly and substantially reason as Bellarmine and others of you do that because the Enuch did not vnderstand that obscure propheticall speech of Isaias which hee was reading when Philip came to him therefore hee vnderstood nothing in the Prophet Isaias Yea and that all the Scripture is so hard and obscure that it is not expedient for the lay people to read it Concerning the alteration of the Sabbath wee gather by the Scriptures and thereby do beleeue that it was made by the Apostles 1. Cor. 16. 2. Apoca. 1. 10. As your owne fellowes of Rhemes in their annotations vpon these places do confesse And therefore the Sabbath we now obserue is warranted by the Scriptures As for that idle speech of yours of generall and perticuler beleeuing thinges in the Scripture little pertinent to the proofe of your article I answer briefly that although neither all Protestants nor Papistes haue perfect and distinct knowldge of all the Scripture Yet God hath so manifestly expressed therein all thinges needfull to our saluation that it is a most perfect rule of faith and life as is before out of Beda alledged although some men blinded by sinne and mallice do not see them no more then men blinde in body see the cleare light of the Sunne nor doe rightly vse this right rule giuen of God vnto them Chrisostome saith Quaecunquâ— necessâ—ria sunt manifesta sunt Whatsoeuer In 2 Thess Hom. 3. thinges are necessary are manifest Againe Scripturae et seruâ— c. The Scriptures are easie to bee vnderstood both of seruants and misticall people of widdowes In Math. Hom. 1. and boyes and to him that is very Ignorant And whereas you would haue the Councels Doctors and Church the rule of our faith and life bring such like plaine places out of the Scriptures and Doctors for the proofe of it then we wil yeeld vnto you As touching the Apostles creed we acknowledge it to be a briefe abridgement of the especiall and principal points of Christian faith doctrine yet there bee some truthes which are not particularly expressed in the same But whereas you say or rather falsely slaunder that the
Protestants deny three articles of our creed and the Puritanes fiue I say that you affirme much and proue little But first you might well ynough haue forborne this distinction of Protestants Puritanes for although some haue differd in some outward matters concerning ceremonies externall orders in the Church yet these all greatly agree and consent in all points of the doctrine of faith and Articles of Christian Religion Neither do I know any that deserue so well of this name of Puritanes as you who glory that you after Baptisme bee pure from all sinne and for actuall sinnes after committed can make so full satisfaction to God for them that hee can request no more of you as hereafter I will shew and therefor it is you that may well be called Puritanes of whome that saying of Sollomon may be well verified There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceit and yet are not washed from their filthines Prou 30. But let vs come to the examination of your proofe of this your absurd and slaunderous assertion The first you fay is the Catholike Church Credo Ecclesiam sanctam Catholicam doe wee deny this Article Why doe wee then not onely print it and rehearse it in our Creed but also expound it in our preachings and Catechising I haue said before that which may seeme sufficient concerning this matter andd article yet the better to satisfie the Christian Reader and to stop the mouth of this malicious accuser I say againe that by the holy Catholike Church mentioned in the Creede is ment the company of all Gods elected and faithfull people whome he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth to be vessels of his mercy and heires of his kingdome of glory which is the body of Christ and he the head the spouse of Christ and he the bridegrome the house of Christ and he the foundation the flocke of Christ and hee the shepehard And this Church wee confesse to bee Catholike that is to say vniuersall both in respect of time for that it consisteth of all them that are written in the booke of life which haue bene from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end thereof and also of place for that it is not now contained in any one country Act. â—o 35. but as S. Peter saith In euery nation be that feareth God and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him and is a true meÌ„ber of this Catholike church That this is the holy Catholike Church which we confesse and beleeue wherof the prophane wicked hypocrites and reprobates bee no part besides that which I haue said before I will further proue it by the holy Scriptures and ancient Fathers Saint Paul saith Let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp Ephes 4. 15. vnto him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increace of the body vnto the edifying of it sefe in loue Againe Christ loued â—he Church Chap. 5. 25. and gaue himselfe for it that be might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word that he might make it to him selfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame These things belong onely to the elect people of God who shall raigne with him in his eternall kingdome of glory For they onely be the body of Christ knit together in him sanctified here to bee without spot or blemish hereafter The Apostle to the Hebrues saith Whose house we are if we Heb. 3. 6. hold fast that confidence and that reioycing of hope vnto the end Where he sheweth that they belong to the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar and 1. Timth 3. 15 stay of truth which vnto the end hold fast their confident faith and hope of Gods glory wherof they reioyce which belongeth onely to the faithfull and chosen children of God This is that Church whereof he speaketh after But Heb. 12. 22. ye are come vnto the mount Sion and to the citty of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men To whom can these Galat. 4. things pertaine but onely to the Ierusalem which is aboue the mother of vs all which is the holy Catholike Church that we beleeue Hereunto I will adde a few sayings of the Fathers Saint Augustine saith Corpus huius capitis Ecclesiaest non quae hoc loco est sed quae hoc loco pertotum orbem terrarum nec August in Psal 81. illa quae hoc tempore sed ab ipso Abel vsque ad eos qui nascituri sunt vsque in finem credituri in ChristuÌ„ totus populus sanctorum ad vnam ciuitatem pertinentium quae ciuitas corpus est Christi cui caput est Christus The body of this head is the Church not which is in this place only but that which is in this place through the whole would neither that Church which is at this time but that of them which from Abel shall be borne vnto the end and shall beleeue in Christ eueÌ„ the whole company of Saints pertaining to one citty which city is the body of Christ wherof Christ is the head And in another place Ille caput est nos membra sumus tota ecclesia quae vbique diffusa est corpus ipsius est cuius Idem in Psa 62 est ipse caput Non solum qutem fideles quâ— modo sunt sed qui fuerunt ante nos qui post nos futuri sunt vsque in finem seculi omnes adcorpus eius pertinent cuius corporis ipse caput est qui ascendit in coelum He is the head wee are his members the whole Church which is dispersed euery where is his body whereof he is the head And not onely the faithfull which be now but also they which haue beene before vs and which shall be after vs vnto the end of the world all pertaine to his bodie of which bodie hee which hath Idem de Catech rud c. 20. ascended into heauen is the head Againe Caelestis Hierusalem ciues sunt omnes saâ—ctificati homines qui fuerunt qui sunt qui futuri sunt All sanctified men which haue beene which are and which shall bee Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Cyprian saith Ecclesia nunquam à Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. Christo discedit ii sunt ecclesia qui in domo Dei pâ—rmanent The Church neuer departeth from Christ and they bee the Church which continue in the house of God Againe Jdem de
Platina calleth monstra portenta monsters and wonders Platina for their wickednesse were not onely Catholikes but also heads of this Catholike Church And he that married as I said before his owne sister and Ferdinando a king Naples who married his Aunt king Philip of Spaine that married Phil. Comiueus his Neece because they did see these things by the dispensations alowing of holy Popes of Rome were Catholkes and good sonnes of the Catholike Church Now whether of these doctrines concerning this article of our faith I beleeue the holy Catholike Church be the sounder truer let the Christian reader vprightly iudge I doubt not but wisdome Math. 11. shall be iustified of her children And whereas you would make men beleeue that the Church whereof wee are is contained within the narrow boundes of England and that the Lutherans in Germanie the Hugonotes in France and the Gues in Flanders as you tearme them will not ioyne issue with vs in diuers essentiall pointes of Religion you doe to the offending of God and deceiuing of your ignorant reader vtter two notorious vntruths For we as I haue said before confesse our selues to bee members of that holy Catholike Church which hath beene in all ages and is dispersed ouer the world and we haue communion and fellowshippe with all them in all nations that feare God and obey his truth especially in the fundamentall Doctrines of Religion aâ—d saluation But how doe you truely confesse the Church to be Catholike that is vniuersall comprehending all nations in restraining it to the religion and subiection of the Pope of Rome and so consequently to a small part of Europe vnlesse you will now of late adde the West Indians where the Spaniards haue committed moe horrible murthers then they haue made good proselytes And what an improper speech it is that you cal the Church of Rome the Catholik church as if a man shold cal the church of Corinth or Ephesus the Catholike that is the vniuersall Church which if they were holy are but members of the Catholike Church This is therefore that which you vntruly attribute to vs to call England the vniuersall world or Kent the kingdome of England c. But the Church of Rome now committing fornication with stocks and stones is so farre from being the Catholike Church that it is no true member thereof as M. Doctor Raynolds hath learnedly proued Which short Thesis being published in latine about twenty sixe yeares past and in English nineteene yeares yet to the shame of all Papists standeth to this day vnconfuted although it tendeth to the cutting of the throate of their religion and ouerthroweth the maine pillar thereof And that these whom you contemptuously cal Lutherans Hugonotes and Gues do dissent from vs in essentiall points of religion you may easily affirme but shall neuer be able to proue Some indeed in Germany whome you call Lutherans do dissent from vs in one point concerning the Sacrament of Christs body and bloud howbeit you cannot be ignorant but that many Churchs and countries in Germany ioyne with vs in that matter And let the reader reade and examine the confessions of faith set out by the Churches in France and in the low countries and they shall see both how great their agreement in Doctrine is with vs and also what a shamelesse slaunder this is which this authour hath acording to his accustomed maner auouched but not proued And moreouer I will offer this issue to this man who thinketh so highly of him-selfe that whereas he shall proue that there is dissension among vs in one essentiall point of religion and doctrine I will proue that there is in three at the least among them And this much for this article The second article of the communion of Saints you say we many waies denie First by not beleeuing that Christ hath instituted seauen Sacraments wherein the Saints of his Church coÌ„municate But why do not you bring some plaine proofe that our Sauiour Christ iustituted these seauen Sacraments seeing you say that the denying of them is the deniall of this Article of our faith Saint Paul going about to terrifie the Christians of Corinth from going to idolatrous feasts by the example of Gods fearefull iudgements and plagues poured vpon the Israelites for the like sinnes to preuent an obiection which the Christians of Corinth might haue made that the Israelits were not the Children of God so much as they and had not such Sacraments of Baptisme and of Christs supper as they had and therefore God would not deale so hardly with them as hee did with the Israelites to take away I say this obiection he sheweth that they were Gods people as well as the Christians of Corinth were and had the same sacraments in substance that we haue For the Fathers were vnder that cloud and all passed through the sea and were all baptized by Moses in 1. Cor. 10. 1 that cloud and in that sea and did all eate the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them and the rocke was Christ Where Saint Paul making mention of the Sacraments which are tokens of Gods grace and markes of his people nameth but these two Baptisme and Christs supper Saint Augustine also writing of the Sacraments whereby Christ hath tied his people together maketh mention but of the same two in these words Primum itaque tenere volo quod est huius disputationis caput dominuÌ„ nostrum Iesum Christum sicut ipse in Euangelio loquitur Leui August ad Ianuar Epist 108. iugo suo nos subdidisse sarcinae leuâ— vnde sacramentis numero paucissimis obseruatione facillimis significatione praestantissimis societatem noui populi colligauit sicut est baptismus Trinitatis nomine consecratus communicatio corporis sanguâ—â—is ipsius si quid aliud in scripturis canonicis commeÌ„datur c. 1. First therfore I would haue thee hold that which is the head of this disputation that our Lord Iesus Christ hath as hee speaketh in the Gospell put vs vnder his easie yoke light burthen wherevpon he hath bound togither the society and communion of his people by Sacraments in number fewest in obseruation easiest in signification most excellent as is baptisme consecrated in the name of the Trinity the communion of his body bloud if there be any thing els commended in the canonicall scriptures The like he writeth in his 3. booke de doctor Christiana cap. 9. by the which it appeareth that he thought these two Sacraments to be sufficient for faithfull Christians to communicate in And if he had acknowledged any mo it is maruel yâ— writing of purpose of theÌ„ he did not name them yet S. Augustine did not deny this article of the coÌ„munion of Saints Bessarion a Cardinall of Rome a learned man dissenteth Bessar de Sacram Eucharistia froÌ„ you saith Haec duo
the canonicall Scriptures from the which if they bee found to decline and swarue their iudgements are not to be followed But your meaning is that the Pope with his Councell is the supreme vmpire and iudge in matters of controuersie and the infallible interpreter thereof How they haue most falsly interpreted the Scriptures I haue in some part shewed before and that hee who is a partie and whom a great part of Christendome doth accuse to bee Antichrist and guilty of most grieuous crimes as of impietie idolatrie tyrannie ouer the Church sacriledge treason c. should bee iudge in this his owne cause is against all law and reason It is written in your owne Canon lawe Si Vide Brutum Fulmen 16. quâ—st consuctudo in glossa Distinct 40. Si Papa in gloss Papa cum aliquo causam hâ—bet non debit ipse esse iudex i. If the Pope haue matter with any other he ought not himselfe to be iudge And againe Quando Papa est in statu qui plerisque est offendiculo scandalizat EcclesiaÌ„ nec est corrigibilis tunc non potest esse iudex quia videtur malè sentire de fide i. When the Pope is in that state that he is an offence to many and scandalizeth the Church and is incorrigible then he cannot bee iudge because he seemeth to be of an euill faith And euen so not onely we do but also many of his owne fauourers haue iustly accused the Pope to be You vainly and falsly exaggerate controuersies and irreconciliable iarres as you terme them among vs in essentiall points of faith But why doe you not particularly expresse some of those essentiall points of faith Surely because you cannot I confesse there hath bin in our Church some controuersie concerning externall ceremonies and forme of gouernment as there hath beene heretofore betweene good men as betweene Peter and Paul betweene Paul and Barnabas betweene Anicetus Bishop of Rome Galat. 2. and Polycarpus betweene Chrysostome and Epiphanius and many others who all were godly men agreeing in vnity of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God But you that are so eager in traducing our iarres cannot see your owne manifold and vnreconciliable iarres and controuersies among your selues As betweene your Schoolemen namely your Thomists and Scotists differing in sundrie matters of moment as not onely Erasmus hath declared but also Iohn Bishop of Rochester hath affirmed Also betweene Assert Luth. art 36. pag. 339. your Dominican and Franciscan Friers about the conception of the virgin Mary debated not onely by words but also by blowes which controuersie was neuer yet decided but in the Councell of Basil which the Papists count a schismaticall Councell and in the same was the false doctrine approoued to wit that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without sinne You cannot see your iarres betweene your great Maister of Sentences Peter Lumbard who iustled Saint Paul out of the schooles and your Sorbonist Doctors of Paris which found and condemned 26. errors in him nor the iarres betweene Ambrosius Catharinus Archbishop of Minorien and Dominicus de Soto confessor to Charles the fift concerning assurance of Gods grace predestination originall sinne freewill and induration of a sinner as in their bitter bookes one against another about these matters appeareth nor the iarres betweene the said Catharinus and Cardinall Caietane whome Catharinus chargeth with 200. errors of which he writeth thus Quae vt non solum euidenter falsa meritò culpari possent veruÌ„ etiam vâ— Christianâ— religioni perniciosa c. Which may be worthily reproued not onely as euidently false but also as pernicious to Christian religion I might mention many mo iarres among the Papists and namely betweene the secular Priests and Iesuits as appeareth by their bitter bookes one against another and particularly that of Willam Watson a secular Priest lately published in print against the Iesuits which this cauilling exclamor cannot espy who can see a moate in our eyes but cannot behold great beames in their owne but for shortnes sake I omit them at this present onely the learned may see how that great Rabbi Rob. Bellarmine iarreth with all other his pewfellowes and in very many essentiall points of doctrine dissenteth from them and controuleth them Whereof also Iohannes Pappus hath made a large collection Here in your later edition and addition you make a particular declaration of our iarres in matters of religion but all grounded vpon your owne baâ—e words without any allegation of places and testimonies whereby they should be confirmed and the reader perswaded and satisfied But you thinke your bare assertion will be sufficient for that your fauourers whome you haue with a strong delusion bewitched will take your naked asseuerations for sound probations You say that wee goe about to bleare the peoples braines with I know not what vnity and conformity in matters of faith c. But who haue not onely bleared but also starke blinded the braynes of the people heauen and earth can witnes euen they that haue taken away the key of knowledge haue kept the light of Gods word vnder the busshell of a strange tongue and haue taught ignorance to be the mother of deuotion as before is declared But let vs come to the particular iars which you say are amongst vs. The 1. is the kings supremacy the which you say all sound Puritans in the world deny and defie The which is a most false slander for there is neither Protestant nor such as it pleaseth you to call Puritans so farre-forth as I know and beleeue but as they deny and defie the Popes wicked supremacy which he hath vsurped and wherby he hath tyranized ouer the Church of God and Soueraigne Princes so they doe vnfeynedly confesse and acknowledge the kings Supreme power and authority in his kingdomes and dominions in all causes and ouer al persons both ecclesiasticall and temporall or politicall They all say with Saint Paule that euery soule ought to bee subiect to the higher powers whether they be as Saint Chrisostome saith Apostle or Euangelist or Prophet or whatsoeuer he be for this subiection doth not ouer-throwe God-linesse They all confesse that it belongeth to his royall dignity to see and procure not onely iustice to bee executed and peace mayntained but also that God bee truely and sincerly serued according to his will reuealed in his word And that he ought to suppresse and punish the transgressions not only of the first table of Gods commandements but also of the second in abolishing all Idolatrie superstition and wicked worshippinges and in remouing and punishing those that doe commit them They all confesse that he is next and immediatly vnder God subiect to the censure of none vpon earth If you know any Protestant or Puritaine that teacheth or writeth otherwaies alleage their wordes and produce the places But you say that Caluine whome it pleaseth you to call the Puritanicall Patriarke thought not well of King Henry the eights supremacy I answere
1. subcribe vnto and approue that which hereof both Bishoppe Iewell did write heretofore and Doctor Abbot of late in his answer to D. Bishoppes Epistle 55. 4. Page 33. and 55. 18. Page 142. c. to whose learned writings by publike authoritie published I doe for shortnes sake referre the reader Of your fifth matter I haue intreated sufficiently before and it hath bene deliuered by Doctor Fulke others with approbation of publike authoritie If any singular person hold any singular opinion dissenting from the same it ought not to praeiudice the doctrine generally receiued and approued in the Church Yea this doctrine is not disliked by your Angelicall doctor Thomas de Aquino as you may read Sum. part 3. Quest 46. The same I say of your sixth concerning Christs discending into hell in the expositioÌ„ whereof if there be some diuersity among vs there is the like in the followers and fauourers of the Church of Rome as I haue shewed before of Durandus picus Mirandula to whome may bee added the aforesaid Ibid. quest 52. Thomas Aquinas Concerning the seuenth doctrine which you obiect I doe neither know nor you by any proofe do shew any difference to be among vs. We al do accknowledge and beleeue Christ to be the Sonne of the Father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of him-selfe as Epiphanius saith and is before declared And as Bellarmine dare not condemne Contro 2. lib. 2. ca. 19 our doctrine herein vttered by Caluin but cauilleth at the matter of his speech So his brother Gregorie de Valentia a Iesuit approueth it saying filius Lib. 1. de Trinita cap. 2. lib. 2 cap. 17. vt est persona est ex alio vt simplicissimum ens non est ex alio The sonne in respect of his person is of an other Viz the Father in respect of his most simple essence is not of an other You say that you omitte many â—o petty differences in matters of faith c. The which as you would not haue spared if you could haue found them So you might haue omitted these before mentioned for any other proofe you haue made of them besides your bare worde or any truth that is contained in them Touching the doctrine of Baptisme you would faine finde a knot in a rush a difference where none is We all beleeue that Baptisme is a seale of Gods couenant with vs in Iesus Christ a sacrament of our regeneration in himâ— and that God in due time sometimes before and sometimes after Luk. 1. 15 Act. 10. 44 worketh inwardly by his spirit in his elect and chosen that which outwardly is signified Baptisme in purging them from the guiltines of their sinnes and sanctifying them to newnes of life But neither one nor other of vs beleeue that Baptisme doth ex opere operato purge and cleanse all that bee baptized Symon Magus was outwardly Act. 8. 13. baptized and yet remayned still in the gall of bitternes and bond of iniquitie If you know any diuersitie among vs herein name the persons set downe the places and carry not matters thus in a clowd to the diffaming of the faithfull and the deceiuing of your ouer affectionate fauourers and followers of you in your follies I know no Puritanes that condemne the communion booke as irreligious or erronious although some doe thinke of it as of translations that some imperfections be in it And hath not your Iupiter Capitolinus the Pope in reforming the Missals and Primers and in leauing out and altering sundry thinges that were in them confessed imperfections yea and corruptions to haue bene in them What hath bin the iudgement of your owne Catholikes of Espen in Com. in 1. Timoth. di gres l. p 22. ex â—dan lib. 3. de interpret Scrip. cap. 3. them appeareth by these wordes of Espenseus Lindanus proponit Episcopi Lugdunensiis quaerelam de Missalibus c. Lindan propoundeth the complaint of the Bishop of Lions for the purging of Missals and Antiphonaries saying wee haue corrected the Antiphonarie by cutting away such thinges as seemed to be superfluous false and blasphemous Which Bishop saith Lindan if he did see our Missals and Antiphonaries O good GOD With what name would he paint or call them in which secret prayâ—rs be defiled with most filthy faultes But our sinnes doe not suffer any amendment by the fault of the Bishoppes which are slacke heerein Heereby you may see what was the iudgement of three of your owne Catholike Bishoppes of your missalls and other bookes of diuine seruice Sette downe if you canne the names of any of them whome you call Puritanes that haue so sharpely censured the Communion booke and haue charged it with such filthy faultes as these Popish prelates haue imputed to your Masse-bookes c. The signe of the Crosse in Baptisme is a matter in comparison of matters of faith and saluation of small moment the which though some refuse as not commanded in the word of GOD and greatly by you abused to Idolatry and sorcery yet it is in our CHVRCH retained not as appartayning to the substance of Baptisme or that the want of it doth any thing derogate from the perfection of Baptisme but as an ancient ceremony which long and vniuersally hath beene retained in the Church of GOD. Concerning confirmation I knowe none but that as they doe all with one mouth and hart condemne your making of it without any warrant of Gods word a Sacrament and your attributing more vertue to it then to Baptisme your defiling of it with superstitious ceremonies so they do in vnitie of Spirite acknowledge it to be a good and lawdable order in the Church for children after they haue beene baptised and so well instructed in the Principles of christian religion that they be able in some good measure to render an accompt of their faith to be by imposition of handes confirmed that is approued and admitted to the receauing of the holy Sacrament of Christs Supper Touching the vse of Surplesses organs c. in diuin seruice I say that men may differ in opinions of these things and agree in vnity of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God Socrates before named saith well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. No religion obserueth the same rites although they embrace the same doctrine for they that bee of the same faith doe differ amongst them-selues concerning rites and ceremonies If Saint Peter after hee had receaued miraculoufly the guift and graces of the holy Ghost was not fully perswaded of the abrogation of the ceremonies of the law and the vocation of the gentils it is no maruaile if men now nothing to be compared to him be not fully perswaded of externall ceremonies and orders although they be throughly setled in the truth of the doctrine of faith Thus these seauen differences with the rest by you set downe wee haue examined and find them light vpon the ballance And although you auerre much yet
in Math cap. 3. can fullfill the law of GOD yea can doe superarrogant workes I should say workes of Supererogation aboue them that the law requireth Ergo the Papists bee proud Hypocrites and Phraisees The Pamphlet The most poynts wherein the Protestants dissent from the Catholikes tend to loosenes of life and carnall liberty 4. Article THis article may bee proued by a generall induction in all such matters as now the Protestants call in question First say that a man hath not free will to doe good but all goodnesse proceedeth so from grace that it lyeth not in his power neither to haue it nor resist it but of necessitie it must haue effect To what other end tendeth this senceles doctrine and fatall fancie but to make men negligent in disposing and preparing their soules to receiue Gods grace and rouse it vp and put it in execution after they haue it making man not much vnlike a sicke asse who neither can dispose nor prepare himselfe to seeke for his medicine but of necessitie must expect till his maister thrusteth it into his throate neither after hee hath drunke it can cause it cure his disease but carelesly letteth it worke as it will Secondly they defend that men be iustified by faith alone the which Solifidian position ouerthroweth flatly true repeâ—tance sorrow for sins mortification of passions al other virtues which tend to perfect reconciliation of the soule with God causing men onely to procure a certaine false fantastical apprehension of Christs death passioÌ„ the which faith although they erroniously auerre cannot be seuered from charity vertues good works yet both experience teacheth that it may for also few or none haue faith because few or none of them haue these works and the Scriptures plainely proue that all faith yea and the most noble faith which hath force to remoue Mountaines may be without charitie Thirdly they assure vs that faith once had can neuer be lost the which vain security openeth the gap to al libertine sensuâ—lity for if a man bee certain that he hath true faith if it bee impossible he should lose it if he be secured that by it alone he shal be saued why may he not wallow in al licentious pleasures in this life neuer doubt of glory in the other could euer Epicurus haue fouÌ„d a better ground to plant his Epicurisme could euer Heliogabalus haue better patronised his seÌ„suality could Bacchus or Venus euer haue forged better reasons to enlarge their dominion Fourthly they say a man cannot keep all the commaundements for what other cause I pray you but thereby to make men negligent in keeping of them to pretend an excuse of impossibilite whensoeuer they transgresse them Fiftly why deny they the Sacrament of penance but to make men careles how they liue and neuer regard the auoiding of sinnes as though they were neuer to render an account of theÌ„ to hinder that shame blushing which men conceiue in discouering their sins the which are most excellent meanes to deter them from sinning another time to shuffle vp restitution satisfaction of iniuries committed against our neighbours to draw men from remorse of conscience by burying their sins in eternal obliuion the sores whereof confession rubbeth causeth remembrance Sixtly why exclude they the true real body of Christ from the blessed Sacrament of the altar but for that they perceiue how by the presence thereof they were deterred from sinne and wickednes for they knew well that sinfull liâ—es consorted not with those sacred misteries and therefore they rather resolued to banish Christ from the Sacrament then sinnes from their soules Finally for what other cause haue they coined a new negatiue religion wholy standing vpon negation of sacraments ceremonies rites lawes customes other principal points of the catholike Church but for fasting to bring in feastâ—g for praying playing for deuotion â—issolutioÌ„ for religious fâ—are of God vain securitie for zeale and mortification a nuâ—ber of vaine verbal sermons and to conclude for a positiue working a flat deniall almost of all points of faith and religion Answere COncerning this article I will first answere these cauils which this cauiller obiecteth to the slaundering of our doctrine as tending to loosenesse of life and carnall libertie Secondly I will shew to what loosenesse and wickednesse of life the doctrine of the Church of Rome tendeth and what fruits or rather weeds of wickednes it hath brought forth euen in Popes their clergie and namely in Rome that holy Citie where that holy Father resideth and wherevpon he especially breatheth and blesseth He beginneth with free will wherein he neither setteth downe truly our doctrine nor the state of the controuersie which is a vsuall custome with his companions to peruert and alter the state of the question as Doctor Whitakers sheweth yâ— Bellarmine vseth to do I wil Epist dedica in contr 1. therefore lay downe our doctrine truly as we teach concerning this matter wee beleeue that although in worldly matters concerning this life man haue wit reason and vnderstanding to know and will for the choise of good and euill iust and vniust yet in spirituall matters pertayning to eternall life and the worship of God wee beleeue that mans reason is so darkened wil be so corrupted that he can neither truly know loue nor couet much lesse do performe those things which bee agreeable to Gods will and acceptable vnto his Maiestie vntill God in his elect and chosen people doe by his holy spirit regenerate them by lightning their blinde reason and forming their wicked wils This we proue by these places of Scripture here following The Lord saw that the wickednes Genes 6. 5. of man was so great vpon the earth al the imaginations of the thoughts of his hart were euil continually And that the Ibid. cap. 8. 21. Math. 16. 17. imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Flesh and bloud hath not reueiled it vnto thee but my Father which is in John 1. 5. Verse 1â— Iohn 3. 3. heauen That light shined iâ— the darkenes and the darkenes comprehended it not Which are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh but of God Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh 13 is flesh that which is borne of the spirit is spirit A man can 27 receiue nothing except it be giuen him from heauen No man Chap. 6. 44. 65 can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Therefore I said vnto you that no man can coâ—e vnto me except it be giuen vnto him of my Father without mee ye can do nothing The wisdome of the flesh iâ— death The wisedome Cap. 15. 5. Rom. 8. 6. 1. Cer. â— 14 of the flesh is enmitie against God The natural man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes to him
hundred yeares last past it hath beene in which that Apostasie from the faith is come which Saint Paule by the spirit of God foreshewed 2. Thes 2. 3. 1. Tim 4. 1. and the euent hath proued by Mahometisme in the East and Papisme in the West During which time although the Church hath beene driuen into the wildernes and the Apoca. 12. light of true doctrine which is the soule of the Church hath beene eclipsed yet they haue neuer vtterly perished For in all ages God in mercy hath reserued a remnant according Rom. 11. 5. to the election of grace by whome the light of his truth hath beene preserued and in whom those admirable promises of his mercy haue beene performed These haue beene not proud Popes treading vpon Emperors necks deposing them from their Crownes and Kingdomes raysing bloudy battels and pouling and spoyling Christian countries with greeuous and horrible exactions and deuises as might be shewed not carnal Cardinals Princes peeres hauing 200. and 300. benefices a peece as Gerson Gerson tom 1. de defect Virorum ecclesiast Nicol. Clama de corrupto statu ecclesiâ— Hebre. 11. 36. and Clamagis Parisian Doctors before named doe affirme not Popish blind prelates Abbats Monkes priests c. wallowing in all worldly wealth and for the most part in great filthines of life as hereafter I will shew but such as the Apostle speaketh of that haue beene tried by mockings and scourgings yea by bondes and prisonment which were stoned hewen asunder tempted slaine with the sworde wandred vp and downe in sheep-skinnes and in goates-skinnes destituted afflicted and tormented whome the world was not worthy of which wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dennes and caues of the earth Such were these good people in the time of the foresaid apostacie the Waldenses and Pauperes de lugdunâ— dispersed in diuers countries as namely Calabria Sauoye Prouence in France of whom many both long ago in sundry places and diuers times were burned as it is written in the old booke called Fasciculus Temporum and also Actale 6. fol. 84. of late yeares were most cruelly and vnmercifully persecuted in Merindoll the valley of Angrone Luserne and See acts and monuments tom â— Ibidè fascicul temporum Saint Martin Such were they that were called Begardi of whom to the number of 114. were burnt at Paris as the foresaid booke Fasciculus Tempo sheweth Such were they that were called Albigenses inhabiting especially about Tholossa in France of whom by the procurement of that false Frier and superstitious Hypocrite Dom nicus VinceÌ„t Bellua Spec. Histor lib 2â— cap. 103. Auton hist part 3. titulâ— 19. cap. 1. Sect 4. Crant an metropo lib 8. cap. 18. liâ— 10. cap 9. an hundreth thousand were destroyed as writeth Bernardus Lutzenburgus anno 180. were togither burned as both Antoninus the Arch-bishop of Florence writeth and Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Such were they of whom Albertus Crantius writeth which in Sueuia publikely preached that the Pope bishops and prelates were heretikes and Simoniakes that the begging Friers did peruert the Church with their false preachings for the which they were persecuted and some burned Such were they in Bohemia and Morauia in great number with whom Aeneas Syluius who was Pope called Pius the second hauing had conference writeth thus of one of them Finitis sermonibus istis assurrexit vnus de primoribus Thaboritarum Aeneas Syluius epist 130. pag. 677. animo satis inflato quid tu nobis inquit apostolicam sedem tot verbis amplificas Nos Papam Cardinales auaritia seruos nouimus impatientes inflatos tumidos ventri ac libidini deditos ministros scelerum diaboli sacerdotes Antichrsti â—raecursores quorum deus venter est pecunia caelum That is when thâ—se speeches were ended there did rise vp one of the chiefe of the Thaborites and with an hautie mind said What dost thou amplifie to vs in so many wordes the Apostolicall seate wee know that the Pope and the Cardinals bee slaues to couetousnes impatient proud arrogant giuen to the bellie and filthie lust the ministers of wickednes the priests of the diuell and the forerunners of Antichrist whose God is their bellie and whose heauen is money such also was Arnoldus Brixianus Frosard fol. 54. persecuted by that proud English Pope Adrian the fourth anno 1155. Iohn Rochetailada burnt at Auinion by Pope Clement the sixt 1345. Michael Cesenas burnt 1322. Iohn Wickliffe who died 1387. and after his death his body was burnt Two Franciscan Friers burnt at Auinion by Pope Polychron lib 6. Polidor Virg. lib. 19. Innocent the sixt 1354. Two others burnt at London 1357. William Swinderby burnt 1401. William White burnt 1428. Peter Clarke and Peter Paine 1432. persecuted and forced to flee into Bohemia Thomas Rhedonensis burnt at Rome 1430. Matheus Pâ—lmerius burnt at Florence as witnesseth Sabellicus Dulcinus of Nouaria and Margaret his wife Anton part 3. titull 22. cap. 10. Sahâ—ll Eâ—ne 10. lib. 4. burnt about the yeare of our Lord 1304. Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage burnt at Constance 1415. 1416. Hieronimus Sauonarola burnt at Florence 1499. These and many such other that might bee produced with their faithfull fauourers and followers were the true Church of God in whome his mercifull promises were performed These are they that haue mourned in Zion that haue lamented Isa 61. 3. Ezech. 9. 5. Apoc. 6. 9. 19. and cryed for all the abominations that haue beene done in Ierusalem or rather in Rome that were killed for the worde of GOD and for the testimonie which they maintained and which came out of great tribulation and Apoca 7. 14. Isa 61. 3. haue washed their robes in the bloud of the Lamb. But these now haue beauty for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garments of gladnes for the spirit of heauines and are trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord in Apoca. 6. 9. whome he is glorified they bee now vnder the altar and are in the presence of the throne of GOD and serue him day and night in his temple and hee that sitteth on the throne doth dwell among them neither doth the sunne light on them neither any heat But this man will say 7. 15. that these were condemned and punished by the Church for heretikes I confesse they were so euen as the Prophets of God Christ our Sauiour and his holy Apostles were before them condemned by the Prelates and Priests of the Church of Israel which carried the countenance of the Church of God as much and more rightly then the Pope and his prelates now doe Neither were these so few in number but that by confession of some popish writers the Romish false faith was sometimes in danger to haue bene subuerted by them Wernerus a Charterhouse Monke Fascicu Tempo aetat 6. fol 7. 8. of Colen in his fore-said booke called Fasciculus temporom writeth thus Fuerunt
pelles See how these Lawiers wee may say Diuines yea and Saintes doe sometimes no otherwaies wrest the holie scriptures then coblers vse to stretch out with their teeth their filthie leather or skinnes And that also which Theophylactus saith Ita exponere In Iohn 14. scripturas manifestâ— delirare est So to expound the scriptures is to dote or bee madde I might shew infinit other places which they haue most falsely expounded and applied yea and also which they haue corrupted mangled and altered which I minde hereafter somewhat to doe but this shall suffice at this present to let the reader see who they bee which follow priuate and false expositions of the Scriptures and consequently be infidels And if the author of this pamphlet or his companions can charge vs with the like then they may truly say that we haue followed priuate expositions and be Infidels But it is the vsuall manner of these men to make many vehement accusations and to bring few sound proofes Where you say that we reiect Saint Augustine and other Fathers who bring Scripture to proue prayer for the dead I answer that we refuse not the alledging of Scriptures by any but vpon good and sound reason which we will be ready to iustifie and maintaine If you thinke either Augustine in that booke de cura pro mortuis which you quote which is more full of doubts then of sound proofes out of the Scripture or other Fathers haue any plaine places of Scripture to prooue prayer for the dead you may produce them vrge them and make syllogismes of them and we will answer them But you speake many things generally and proue few particularly and pithily For vs to proue and examine by the Scriptures the expositions of the Fathers is no fault For if the spirit of God commend that good people of Berea for examining Pauls preaching by the Scriptures we cannot be worthily blamed Act. 17. 11. for examining the writings and expositions of the Fathers by the Scriptures as long as it cannot be proued that we doe otherwaies then accept the good and reiect the euill So Saint Augustine speaking of the writings of Godly Fathers saith Hoc genus literarum ab autoritate canonis disting uendum est c. This kind of writing is to be distinguished from the authority of the canon of the August epist 48. Scriptures For they be not so read as though a testimonie were so aleaged out of them that we may not thinke or iudge other-wise if they haue any where other-waies thought then the truth required For we are of the number of them which doe not disdaine to accept to our selues that which was said of the Apostle If you be otherwise minded GOD shall reueale the same vnto you The like he writeth in his 111. epistle to Fortunatianus and in his 112. epist and in his second booke against Cresconius cap. 31. 32. which I forbeare to alledge To conclude if you can produce any expositions of the ancient Fathers whom we reuerence and whose workes wee read as diligenty as you doe which we reiect if we do not shew good reason for the same let vs beare the blame and shame of it Neuerthelesse wee doe not allow euery paltry companion as you terme them either to be an expositor of Christs word or to preferre his exposition thereof before all ancient fathers Neither doe I know any man so to doe but we allow all men to read and heare GODS holy word and as they may be much edified and comforted by the things that be plaine so if they vnderstand not some places wee exhort them to do as the nobleman the Act. 8. Hierom. in epâ—taphio Fabiolae August de mo rib us eccles Catho cap. 1. Queene Candaces Treasurer did to seek to a faithful Philip that is a godly and learned man by him to seeke to haue them opened and expounded so did Fabiola other godly women to Saint Hierome So Augustine saith Scripturarum expositio ab ijs petenda est qui earum doctores se esse profitentur that is The exposition of the Scriptures is to be sought of them which professe them-selues to be doctors and teachers of them Yet with Saint Paul we say that as 1. Thess 5. 20. 21. 22. we are not to dispise prophesying that is the expounding of Gods word so we are not rashly to receiue whatsoeuer is diliuered to vs but we are to proue all and to hold that which is good and to abstaine from all apparance of euill for the eare trieth the words as the mouth tasteth meate Job 33. 3. Basil Quaest compend exptica Quaest 279. So also Saint Basil saith Quod in edulijs est sensus qualitatis vniuscuiusque edulii hoc in verbis sanctae Scripturae est intellectus Gula enim inquit cibos gustat mens verbi diiudicat That which in meates is the tast of the qualitity of euery meate the same is the vnderstanding or minde in the words of the holy Scripture For the throate saith he tasteth the meates and the mind iudgeth the words Now I will retory your argument vpon you in this manner Whosoeuer buildeth his faith vpon priuate and false expositions of the Scripture is an insidel The Papists build their their faith vpon priuate and false expositions of the scripture as I haue shewed before and can prooue in many places moe ergo the Papists be infidels And thus much to your second article of faith The Pamphlet All Protestants who are ignorant of the Greeke and Latine In the 2 edition he putteth for Latine Hebrew tongues are Infidels 3. Article WHosoeuer relieth his faith vpon the ministers credit and fidelitie hath no faith at all But all those in England who are ignorant of the Greeke and Hebrew tongues relie their faith vpon the ministers credit Ergo. All those in England who are ignorant of the Greeke and Hebrew tongues haue no faith at all The Maior is manifest because they themselues confesse that euery man may erre and doth erre neither haue they any warrant why the ministers do not erre since they constantly doe defend that whole generall councels yea and the vniuersall Catholike Church may erre and hath erred The Minor I prooue for all such Protestants ground their faith vpon the Bible translated into English the which translation they know not whether it bee true or false whether the minister Tindall for example erred or no either vpon ignorance as Broughton one of the greatest linguists among the precisians affirmeth in an Epistle dedicated to the Lords of the Councell or vpon malice to induce the people to Protestancie or to cause them to leaue the Catholike Religion as Gregoy Martin in his discouerie most pregnantly prooueth And for that all the old translations are false and the Geneuians the worst the ministers are now in moulding a new one the which will haue as great immunitie from falsity as the former were voide of
hinder it would suffer others to do it yet there Popeholy deuotion hath moued them to translate into English to publish in print aboue an hundred yeares past there golden Legend fully fraughted with lying fables as is before signified and is by some papistes confessed More-ouer will you confesse that because your Popes Sixtus the fift and Clemens the eight haue beene moulding a new your vulgare latine translation as I haue shewed that therefore it was before false and nought Surely whatsoeuer you will herein confesse both this their moulding and the booke it selfe did plainly shew that it was become very mouldy and corrupt and full of foule faults as sundry Papists haue acknowledged And why may not we as well bee moulding againe our translations as these Popes haue beene moulding this their mouldy translation which when their kingdome most florished by little vse and much rest had gotten much rust Aud therefore vntill you haue answered the same you may bee ashamed to brag of his pregnant proofs which were so weake and cauils so greatand many that he rather discouered his own folly then discredited our translators What Maister Broughton writeth concerning our translation I doe not knowe neither do I greatly care yet this I say although that our translations were made in the feare of God to profit Gods Church and people according to the measure of the grace of God bestowed vpon the laborers in that holy worke and be voyd of wilfull corruptions either for doctrine or manners yet I do not thinke them to be voyde of imperfections in respect of propriety of words and phrases wherein they may be somewhat reformed and amended And hard it is to haue a translation so exact and perfit but that some such imperfectnes may be in it which yet be not repugnant either to holy doctrine or good life And for asmuch as this man of malice would faine if hee could discredit our translations and cause the Reader to doubt of the truth of them I wil shew not onely the good Christian but also the Romish Catholike y◠hath vnderstanding of the Latine tongue how he may discerne and know the truth and faithfulnesse of our translations and so not to relie vpon the credit of our Ministers There is a Latine translation of the old Testament made from the Hebrew very well and learnedly by Sanctes Pagninus an Italian and a dominicke Frier a man excellentlie learned in the Hebrew tongue for I will giue him and his worke their due and deserued praise and commendation and not doe as this libeller and his fellowes vse to doe who of enui◠and malice wherewith their hearts bee infected and possessed cannot giue a good word to any thing we do though it be neuer so good and Godly This translation hee did dedicate to Pope Clemens the feauenth Let the Reader compare our translations especially of the latter editions with the said translation and see whether in any substantiall matter of faith and life hee can finde any corruptions and any great and notorious dissensions from the same And the like I may say of Erasmus translation of the new Testament dedicated to Pope Leo the tenth and allowed by him Let Isay the Reader compare our translations with these and although hee may finde some difference in words and phrases yet in matters of substance which concerne either the doctrine of faith or precepts of good life I am sure hee shall finde a goodly and Godly harmonie and agreement to his comfort and contentation And lastly I wil offer to this challenger who offereth challenge of disputation with vs and to al his partakers that for one fault of moment or weight that they shall finde in our translation especially as I said of the latter editions wherein they differ from the originall fountaines of the Hebrew and Greeke I will vndertake to finde sixe yea ten greater and fouler in that vulgar Latine translation which the councell of Trident hath most absurdly confirmed and made authentical And therefore let neither the Godly Christian Reader nor the seduced Catholike be disswaded from reading of our translations nor doubt of the truth of them But this hath beene in all ages the drift of the Diuell to seeke to discredite and diffame those Godly men that haue labored in Gods vineyard and haue indeuored to translate his holy word to the comfort and saluation of his elect and chosen people How Saint Hierome of old and Erasmus of late were vsed I haue elsewhere shewed So this cauiller dealeth now with that blessed man of God and constant Martyr of Iesus Christ Maister Tindall who as hee did patiently and constantly beare and abide their furious crueltie and confirmed the truth of God which hee had taught with the shedding of his bloud in flaming fire so hee needeth not my defence Who was a man of such mortification and Godly life that I haue knowne some of great credite and authoritie that knew him and liued with him at Antwerpe that would say of him that if a man could bee like God it was Tindall I doubt not but he was indued with much more Godlines then a hundreth of your Popes whom their owne friends and fauorers call for their horrible wickednesse Monstra Portenta Monsters of mankinde But he that iustifieth Platina in Benedioto 4. Christophoro 1. Ioan. 13. prou 17. 15. Psal 1 16. Rom. 3. the wicked and hee that condemneth the innocent euen they both are abhominatiō to God That al men may erre wee doe confesse Omnis homo Mendax all men be liers and generall councells which consist of men may erre and haue erred wee doe not doubt But of this it shall bee impertinent to speake at this present I will onelie now retort your argument vpon you Whosoeuer relieth his faith vpon man hath no faith but all English Papists that vnderstand not the Hebrew Greeke and Latine and reade the Remish translation relie their faith vpon man videl the translator of that Testament ergo all such English Papists haue no faith The like may bee said of them that reade the Latine which relie their faith vpon the councell of Trent who were men Againe whosoeuer relieth his faith vpon man hath no faith all Papists relie their faith vpon the Pope who I trow is a man ergo all Papists haue no faith And this shall suffice for answere to your third article The Pamphlet The Protestants know not what they beleeue 4. Article THe Protestants know not what they beleeue nor why they beleeue that they know not why they beleeue I haue shewed before For that the ground of their beleefe is not the authoritie of scripture of councells of Doctors nor of the Church but their owne fancie And that they know not what they beleeue is manifest because they haue no rule whereby to know what is matter of faith and what is not Some say the sphere of their faith is extended solely and wholy to the word of God set
vnitate ecclesie Adulterari non potest sponsa Christi incorrupta est puaica vnam domum nouit vnius cubiculi sanctitatem casto pudore custodit Haec nos Deo seruat haec filios regno quos generauit assignat The spouse cannot bee defiled shee is vncorrupt and chast shee knoweth one house and keepeth with chast shamefastnesse the holinesse of one chamber she keepeth vs to God she assigneth the children whome shee hath borne vnto this kingdome Saint Hierome saith Ipsa Hieron in Iob cap. 28. ecclesiae quae est Sanctorum omnium congregatio pro aeterna sibi in Domino stabilitate columna fundamentum dicitur veritatis The Church which is the congregation of all Saints by reason of her eternall stedfastnes in God is called Chrysost in Ps Hom. 114. the pillar and ground of truth Chrysostome saith Ecclesia est tabernaculum à Deo fixum non ab homine ab vno lcco in alium fugit sed non à pietate ad impietatem fugit The Church is the tabernacle which God hath pight and not man shee flieth from one place to another but she neuer flieth from Ambros in Ephes cap. 1 Godlines to impietie and wickednes Ambrose Apostolus omnem ecclesiam dicens summatim totum comprehendit quod in coelo est in terra The Apostle meaning all the Church briefly comprehendeth the whole which is both in heauen Bern. in Cant. serm 78. Clem Alexand. Strom. lib. 7. pag. 35. Bedain Cant. 6. and in earth Ternaâ—d saith Electi Dei sunt ecclesia Dei The elect of God be the Church of GOD. So saith Clemens Alexandrinus Non nunc locum sed electorum congregationem appello ecclesiam I call not now the place the Church but the congregation of the elect So saith Beda vna est columba perfecta mea vna est inquit catholica elâ—ctorum omnium multitudo peromnia et mundi Loca et tempora seculorum deo patri subiecta 1. my perfect doue is one hee saith that there is one Catholike multitude of all the elect by all both places of the world and ages of times subiect to God the father Yea Friar Lyra saith Lyra in Mat. 16. Ex quo patet quod ecclesia non consistat in hominibus ratione potestatis vell dignitatis ecclesiasticae vel secularis quia multi principaes summi pontifices alii inferiores inuenti sunt apostatasse à fide propter quod ecclesia consistit in illis personis in quibus est notitia vera et confessio fidei et veritatis Whereby it appeareth that the Church consisteth not in men in respect of their ecclesiasticall or secular power or dignitie for many Princes and Popes and others of lower Popes Apostates degree haue bene found to haue bene Apostates and to haue fallen away from the faith Wherefore the Church consisteth in those persons in whome is true knowledge and the confession of faith and truth So saith the Fryar Alphonsus de castro Ecclesia ex omnibus fidelibus constat Aduers Hares lib. 1. cap. 5. fol. 11. non solum presentibus verumetiam preteritis et in posterum futuris 1. The Church consisteth of al the faithful not onely them that bee now present but also heretofore haue bene and hereafter shall be This is that holy Catholike Church which wee in the Creed confesse and beleeue euen the whole number of them whom God hath elected and chosen to eternall life whom God hath had in all ages and of all nations Of which Church euery true and faithfull man and woman must beleeue him-selfe to bee a true and liuely member whereof hee may bee assured if hee finde and feele that GOD hath lightened his minde with the knowledge of his truth hath wrought in his heart an vnfained faith to trust in his mercies and to beleeue that his sinnes be forgiuen him for Christes names sake and that God hath sanctified his soule and body to hate sinne and to haue a care and conscience to serue him in true holines righteousnes all the eaies of his life This being our confession and bâ— liefe with what conscience truth can this man say that the Church which the Protestants beleeue hath been interrupted al the ages betwixt the Apostles and Luther and in very deed was neuer seene before Luthers daies or that we imagine the same to bee comprehended within the narrow bounds of England I can say no more but that a false witnes shall Prouerbe 19. 5. not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lyes shall not escape But now lette vs see what this man and his fellowes hold beleeue and call the Catholike Church forsooth the companie of all them that receiue and professe the religion and doctrine of the Church of Rome submit themselues to be ruled and gouerned by the Bishop Pope of Rome They that do not this be Heretikes Schismatikes out of Noahs Arke and out of the Catholike Church And herevpon it followeth that the Christians in Graecia Muscouia Armenia Ethiopia c. where Christianitie hath continued vnto this day and among whom no doubt but some haue been of Gods elect and chosen people yet bee they no Catholikes nor of the Catholike Church nor in the state of saluation and why because they neither haue been nor be subiect to the Pope of Rome For so it is with many words sollemnely defined determined by that holy Pope Bonniface the 8. Subesse Roman opontifici omni humanae creaeturae Extra de maior obedien unaÌ„ sanctam declaramus dicimus definimus pronuntiamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis that is We declare say define and pronounce that it is altogither of necessitie of saluation to be subiect to the Pope of Rome Where the Glosse helpeth out the matter with these wordes Quicquid saluatur est sub Gloss ibidem summo ponitfice Whatsoeuer is saued is vnder the Pope And on the other side All they that professe the religion of Rome and submit them-selues to the Bishop thereof bee Catholikes and of the Catholike Church how prophane wicked or vngodly soeuer they be Pope Iohn the 8. the whore Iohn the 12. or as some reckon him the 13. who was an adulterer and of two Cardinals did cut out the tongue of the one the hand of the other and at dice-play would call vppon the Diuell and made the Pallace of Laterane a stewes of strumpets as Luithprand lib. 6. cap. 7. Luithprandus Ticinensis writeth Syluester the second a coniurer who gaue himselfe to the Diuell to be made Pope Gregorie the 7. a coniurer and monster Bonniface the 7. Platina in Syluest 2. who robbed Saint Peters Church and put out the eyes of Iohn a Cardinal Bonniface the 8. who entred into his Popedome like a foxe raigned like a wolfe and died like a dog Jdem Alexander the sixt Iulius the second and al they whome
43. Math. 27. 46. â—2 death but Christ our Sauiour was in such an Agonie that his sweate was like drops of bloud trickling downe to the ground so that an Angell appeared from heauen comforting him He cryed and said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Whereby it doth euidently appeare that hee suffred not onely an outward death of the body but did in his soule wrastle with the paines of Hell and beare the burden of GODS wrath due to our sinnes to deliuer vs from the same and to purchase the loue and mercy of God vnto vs. And when the prophet saith of him He hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes Isa 53. 4. 5. 6. he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our peace was laid vpoÌ„ him and with his stripes we are healed Alwe like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath laid vpon him the inâ—quity of vs all Did not our Sauiour Christ heere in suffer the punishment which was due to our sinnes Saint Paul saith that Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs for Galath 3. 13. it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree yet Iesus Christ was neuer accursed of his Father but he bare in his body and soule the curse that was due to our sinnes to deliuer vs from the curse of God aind to purchase to vs the blessing of God But these men who other-wayes are so full of curious distinctions doe herein erre because they doe not with Saint Augustine put a difference betweene that which appertained to Christs owne person Augustin psal 21 c. and that which hee suffered in the person and place of vs the which if this writer or rather slaunderer had don hee might haue abstained from these his blasphemous collections of his owne and not our assertions As if Christ had despaired of his Saluation or GOD had hated him c. Where-unto I answere that Christ was farre from such despaire which properly is a sinne in the reprobate and not a punishment of Gods iustice And we hould that our Sauiour Christ suffered in our person and for vs those torments which are righteous punishments of GODS iustice against sinne and not such as properly bee sinnes in the deuils and in wicked and reprobate men as are despaire and hatred of God And therefore we confesse with our mouthes and beleeue with our hearts that Christ was neuer hated of his Father but alwaies the deerely beloued Sonne of God in whome he was alwayes well pleased But hee hated sinne the which as man had committed so in mans nature Gods iustice was to be satisfied The which for that corrupt and sinfull man was not able to performe the Sonne of God as I said became our surety tooke vpon him our nature and in the same hath suffered vpon the crosse the punishment of Gods anger due to our sinnes and thereby hath satisfied Gods iustice pacified his anger and purchased his loue and mercy to all those that truly beleeue in him And so Christ was tormented with anguish of minde nor for his sinnes as you falsely gather but for out sinnes which hee bare in his body and soule vpon the crosse and God was not enemy to God but enemy to our sinnes which were imputed to Christ that his satisfaction and righteousnes might bee imputed vnto vs To conclude we beleeue that Christ suffered vpon the crosse those punishments of sinne which proceede from Gods iustice and be no sinnes which in some sense may be called the paines of hell the which as Christ by his Deitie ouercame and it was impossible for him to be held and ouercome of them so the diuell and the reprobate shall eternally indure them And this is no disperate doctrine but a most comfortable doctrine to assure vs that in Christ Gods iustice is satisfied our sinnes are discharged hell is conquered and wee from it be deliuered So that we may with the Apostle say O death where is thy sting O 1. Cor. 15. 35. hell where is thy victory The Pamphlet The Protestantes haue no meane to determine controuersies and abolish heresies 5. Article AS the Protestants neither know what they beleeue nor why they beleeue so haue they no meanes in their Church to settle them in vnity of beleefe nor to dâ—termine controuersies nor to abolish heresies as hath the Catholike Church for our Sauiour Christ by his diuine prouidence did foresee that heresies were to arise in his Church as his Apostle S. Paul doth warne vs the which as plagues were to infect his flocke and therefore hee not onely fore-warned vs of them but also gaue vs meanes how to preuent and extinguish them He willed vs to heare his Church if we would not be accounted as Ethnicks and Publicanes He ordained Pastors and Doctors lest we should bee carried away with euery blast of vaine doctrine He promised to the Church the assistance of the holy Ghost in such sort as they which would not heare her would not heare him The Catholikes therefore beleeuing certainly that the Church cannot erre that the general Councells cannot deliuer false doctrine that the Pastors and ancient Fathers with ioynt consent cannot teach vntruths when heresies spring vp presently with the voyce of the Church plucke them vp euen by the rootes and so euer hath practiâ—ed and after this manner hath ouerthrowne al encounters false opinions and errors which the diuel by his ministers euer planted or established in the world and so they haue bene freed from all braules and quarrels in matters of religion But the Protestants admitting the sole Scripture as vmpire and Iudge in matters of controuersies allowing no infallible interpreter thereof but remitting all to euery mans priuat spririt singular expositioÌ„ cannot possibly without error wind themselues out of the laborynth of so many controuersies wherewith they are now inueagled and intricated And the irreconciliable iarres betwixt them and the Puritanes in essentiall points of faith giue sufficient testimonie that they wil neuer haue an end or can haue an end holding those grounds of opinion which they obstinately defend And albeit they goe about to bleare the peoples braines with I know not what vnitie and conformity in matters of faith and in the substance of religion and that their disagreement onely consisteth in points of ceremonies and trifles of small importance yet in very deed they differ in sundry essentiall pointes of religion and although this shift will perhaps serue to cast a mist ouer the confused conceits of silly fooles yet no wise man will euer bleeue them I pray you tell me is not the Kinges supremacy a matter of faith and a cheefe point of religion and doe not all sound Puritanes in the world denie it and defie it Aske Caluin the Puritanicall Patriarke what he thought of King Henry the
eight for assuming of such a preheminence vnto him Read the Annales of Scotland and you shall finde the prefumptious presbiterie euery foote opposing themselues against our Kings authoritie as though hee had nothing to doe with the kirke Looke into the cariage of our precifians at home and you shall finde them in shew to professe it but in deedes and effects really to denie it For if the approue his supremacy with what face can they deny his ordinaÌ„ces in matters of Religion why weare they not Vestimentes Surplises the Cappe and Tippet Why refuse they to Baptise with the signe of the Crosse Why subscribe they not to the Booke of common praier why obey they not the Ecclesiasticall cannons established by his Maiesties authoritie no other reason of this obstinate repugnance can bee yeelded then that in verie truth they doe not in conscience allow of his supremacy 2. Is not the authoritie of Bishoppes their power to create Ministers their degree in dignitie aboue ordinarie Curates and pastors a matter of faith and so neerelie toucheth the gouernment of the Church that if this Hereticall order bee abolished the whole forme of Christes Church is presentlie confounded 3. The obseruation of feastes and holie daies infringed by Puritanes maintained by Protestants is it but a ceremonie were not the obstinate impugning thereof a sufficient reason to censure them for Heretikes Did not the Councell of Nice condemne the Quartoderimeni for Heretikes who would onelie haue obserued their Easter day vpon the foureteenth daie of the month of March what if they had called our precisians to the barre who will haue it wholie abolished Questionlesse they would haue branded them in a farre deeper degree of heresie then the Quarto-derimani 4. Is not the obseruation of Lent and other fasting daies a matter of more moment then trifles or then things indifferent Did not Saint Epiphanius censure Aerius of heresie for denyning these prescript times for fasting for albeit they bee not precisely set downe in Scriptures and therein commanded to bee obserued yet they beeing either ordained by the Apostles or instituted by the Church which had authoritie to appoint fastes at least as well as the Puritane Presb terie without doubt hee that callâ—th this holie institution either doctrine of diuells or torture of consciences or restraint of Euangelicall libertie ought by the iudgement of all true Protestantes to bee condemned for a Pagan and Infidell who will not submit his soule to the censure of the Church 5. The Puritanes blasphemously pronounce and ignorantly defend that Christ suffered the paines of hell vpon the Crosse and that in his passionall agony and agonizing greife did principally consist the satisfaction of Christ for the redemption of man from those eternall tormentes of hell and thinke you this is a trifle a rite or ceremony This faith the Puritans professe this blaspheny the Protestants detest 6. The descention of Christ to hell is no doubt but a trifle a ceremonie a matter of small importance it is but an article of our Creed and yet this article the Puritanes really deny the which all Protestants stedfastly beleeue 7. That the second person in Trinitie receiued his diuinity from his father is but a trifle a point not much material to our beleefe yet this being denied the mystery of the holy Trinity can not bee beleeued for it absolutely taketh away the nature of a sonne and consequently the admirable procession of the sâ—cond person and so ouer throweth all the mysterie of the Trinity This principall part of Christianity Protestants approoue and Puritanes improoue 8. Iomit here many more pettie differences in matters of faith the which were sufficient to make them condemne one an other not onelie in accidents and ceremonies but also in the substance and principall partes of Religion as in that the Precisians denie that in Baptisme our sinnes bee remitted but onely take it for a seale of that grace God gaue them by his eternall election That Protestants confesse that in the Sacrament we are washed by Gods spirit from originall sinne 9. The Puritanes condemn the coÌ„munion booke as irreligious and erronious the Protestantes commend it as Orthodoxall and Religious 10. The Protestants vse the Cosse in Baptisme as a holie signe fit for the profession of Christ his faith and Religion the Puritans exclame against it as an humane inuention anda point of superstition 11. Protestants defend that imposition of hands in confirmation is a signe of the fauour and goodnesse of GOD towards them The Puritanes auouch that this is a flat lie and that they testifie therein that doth that he neuer did 12. The Protestants in fine will vse Vestments Musicke Orgaines Surplesses and diuers other ceremonies in diuine seruice and administration of Sacraments all which the Puritanes condemne as will-worshippe and not being commanded by God to bee superstitious All these I say I omit and many more which are to be seene in the Puritanes supplication to the Parliament where two and thirty differences are assigned and onely haue thought good to aduertise euery discreete protestant to consider the seauen precedent differences for there is neuer a one of them which the Puritane defendeth not to bee a matter of faith and the Protestant is bound in consâ—icence to condemne him for obstinately maintaining the contrarie to bee an Heretike the reason is euident for the rule square that Protestantes and Puritans both hold to know an heresie is this whatsoeuer is contrarie to Gods word is an heresie if it be obstinatly defended but all the foresaid seauen points in controuersie are by the one part prooued contrarie to Gods word and by the other auouched to bee grounded vpon the same therefore we may well conclude that if one error in faith with obstinacie defended sufficeth to make an heretike what shal we iudge of the Puritane who so manly defendeth so many Sure this I will auerr that they differ in substance of Religion and not onely in accidents and ceremonies And finally they haue no argument to prooue that they haue the true Church true Religion true faith which all heretikes which euer were wil not bring to condemne the Church as well as they For example they alleadge Scriptures so did the Arrians they contemne Councels the Arrians did not regard them they challenge to themselues the true interpretation the same did all heretikes to this day And to conclude they call themselues the little flocke of Christ to whome God hath reuealed his truth and illumited them from aboue all which the Donatists with as good reason and better arguments did arrogate vnto themselues The same I say of Pelagians Nestorians Eutychians with all the rabble of other damned heretikes And to conclude these articles of faith I say that if the principles of the Protestants religion be true Saint Paul himselfe exhorteth vs to infidelity which I proue thus Whosoeuer exhorteth vs to doubt of that which we are bound to beleeue by faith exhorteth to
infidelity But S. Paul doth exhort vs to doubt of our saluatioÌ„ which we are bound to beleeue by faith according to the Protestants religion ergo S. Paul exhorteth vs to infidelity The Maior is plaine for to doubt of matters in faith is manifest infidelity because whosoeuer doubteth whether God hath reuealed that which indeed be hath reuealed being sufficiently proposed as reuealed vertually doubteth whether God saith truth or lieth The Minor is proued by the testimonie of S. Paul Cum timore tremore salutem vestram operamini with feare and trembling worke your saluation All feare whether it be filiall feare or seruile feare inculdeth doubt the one of sinne the other of punishment Answere AS it is false that wee neither know what wee beleeue nor why wee beleeue as hath beene before sufficientlie shewed so is it no lesse false which is here boldlie affirmed but faintly prooued That wee haue no meanes in our Church to settle vs in vnitie of beleefe to determine controuersies and to abolish Heresies Wee haue the word of GOD which we acknowledge to be the onely touchstone of truth concerning religion and saluation We haue learned and Godly Bishops and Pastors to teach the truth of Gods word to confute both by preaching and writing errors and heresies And we haue Synodes although not generall yet prouinciall wherein controuersies may be decided and Heresies condemned as heretofore the truth hath beene maintained and Heresies confuted and confounded in some prouinciall Councels as that called Gangrense and some other Africane Councels as wel as they haue beene in some generall I would faine know of you what other and better meanes the Church of God had for the space of three hundred yeeres after Christs incarnation then these to determine controuersies and abolish Heresies Generall Councels they had not before Constantines time which Pigh 6. de eccle Hierarch cap. â— Bellarm. tom 1 contro 4. lib. 2 cap. 13. Aeâ—cas Siluius epist 28. pag. 802. therefore your fellow Papist Pighius counteth to haue beene an inuention of his but your great Rabbin Rob. Bellarmine therein controlleth him and saith it is false So well these men bee setled in vnitie of beleefe And to your great Maister of Rome whom you now would make the Oracle of the world there was before that time but small respect and regard had as your own Pope Pius 2. in these words confesseth Ante Concilium Nicenum sibi quisque viuebat ad Romanam Ecclesiam paruus habebatur respectus i. Before the Councel of Nice euery one liued to himselfe and there was small regard had to the Church of Rome Shew vs therefore what meanes the Churches of God then had for maintenance of vnity of faith which we want You say that Christ willed vs to heare his Church if we Matth. 18. 17. Bellar. contro 1. lib. 3. cap. 5 would not be accounted for Ethnicks and Publicanes The which place your said Rob. Bellarmine Reader full wisely alleageth to proue the Pope and his Councel to be the supreme Iudge of controuersies As though our Sauiour Christ there spake of deciding of controuersies in doctrine or of expounding the Scriptures or by the Church meant the Pope and his councell and that euery man against whom his brother trespasseth must goe to the Pope and his councell to make his complaint These bee vanities and follies which nullo impellente ruunt and neede no confutation You further alleage out of Ioh. 14. 17. that Christ promised vnto the church the assistance of the holy Ghost where by the church you meane the Pope and his councell as your Maister Bellarmine hath taught you who writeth thus Sed hic in genere dicimus iudiceÌ„ veri sensus Idem ibid. ca. â— Scripturae omnium controuersiarum esse ecclesiam id est Pontificem cum concilio in quo omnes Catholici conueniunt Wee generally say that the church is the iudge of the true sense of the Scripture and of all controuersies that is to say The Pope with the councell wherein all Catholikes doe assemble or rather dissemble together But our Sauiour Christ made this promise to his disciples saying I will pray the Father and hee shall giue you another Ioh 14 16 17 comforter that hee may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth whome the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you This promise pertaineth not to all the successors of the Apostles but to all them that truly feare God and beleeue and obey the holy doctrine which Christ deliuered to his Disciples and which they preached the which when you shall soundly proue that your Popes councels do then we will grant that this promise of Christ belongeth to them In the meane time wee will follow Chrysostomes good counsell Si videris aliquem Euangelica Chrysost Hom. dâ— Sâ—ncâ—o adorando spiritu repetentem profecto spiritum sanctum habet Veniet enim spiritus sanctus vt recordari vos faciat eorum quae docui Si quis igitur eorum qui dicuntur habere spiritum sanctum dicat aliquid à seipso non ex Euangelijs non credité meam doctrinam sequimini If thou see any man speaking out of the Gospell surely he hath the holy Ghost For the holy Ghost shal come to put you in remembrance of those things which I haue taught you If therefore any of them which are said to haue the holy Ghost doe speake any thing of himselfe not out of the Gospell beleeue him not but follow my doctrine Whereas you say that you beleeue certainely that the church cannot erre that the generall councels cannot deliuer false doctrine c. I answere that you foolishly begge that which is in question For as wee acknowledge councels assembled of Godlie learned and modest men which simply seeke the glorie of God and the profit of his Church are good meanes to suppresse errors and heresies and to abolish abuses and enormities so to affirme that generall Councells cannot erre or deliuer false doctrine is most false absurd as by many both reasons and examples might bee proued But for shortnes sake I will touch but a few examples The councell of foure hundred Priests of Israel erred and Satan was a false spirit in the â—outh of them all to the 1. King 22. 6. 8 22. Matth 26. 3. 65. 66. Act. 4. 5. 18. destruction of Achab that cursed king of Israel The councell of the Priests of Iuda erred in coÌ„demning Iesus Christ to death The councell of the high Priest and other Priests Rulers Elders and Scribes erred in forbidding Christs disciples to speake or teach in the name of Iesus The councel of Neocaesarea erred in iudging hardly falsly of second marriages which Gods word alloweth Rom Concil Neoca sar Can. 7. 7. 3. 1. Cor. 7. 39. the words of the councell be these
you prooue little The GOD of patience and consolation giue vnto Rom. 15 5. vs and you that wee may bee like minded one towards an other according to Christ Iesus that we may all with one minde and one mouth praise God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Whereas you say that we haue no argument to prooue that we haue the true Church true religion and true faith but such as al heretikes haue euer vsed I answere that wee haue that argument and proofe for these things which although Heretikes haue falsely pretended as popish heretikes now do yet the Godly learned Fathers haue sincerely vsed And that is the holy word of God the only touchstone of truth and piller of the Church for as the Church 1. Tim. 3. 15 in one respect is the piller of truth as Saint Paul saith so in another the truth is the piller and prop of the Church as Chrysost in illum locum ho mil. 11. Math. 4. 4 7 10. Math. 19. 4. ibid. 22 29. Luk. 24. 27. 32 44 46 Rom. 1 2. 3 21. 4 3. Chrysostom saith For by what meanes els haue the Godly and learned Fathers in all ages confuted heresies and proued the Church but by the scriptures by them our Sauiour Christ foyled the diuell and put him to flight By them he answered the Pharisies By them he confuted the Sadduces By them he proued himselfe to be the promised Messias and Sauiour of the world By them Saint Paul confirmed the Gospel which he preached By them hee perswaded the Iewes those things which concerned Christ Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Act. 21. 23. ibid. 18 2 8 Prophets By them Apollos confuted the Iewes with great vehemencie shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ By them the Godly and learned Fathers confuted and confounded the Arians and other Heretikes whom you here name as by their bookes and particular sayings it euidently appeareth Athanasius speaking of the Godly Athanas de de cretis Nicen. Synod pag. 528 decrees of the councell of Nice against the Arians writeth thus Atque harum rerum non aliunde nos quà m ex scripturis persuasionem habemus that is We be perswaded of these things by no other meanes but by the Scriptures Epiphanius saith In Scripturis sanctis Trinttas nobit Epipâ— contra pâ—â—umaiomachos haeres 7â— annuÌ„tiatur ac creditur citra curiositatem c. The Trinity is in the holy Scriptures preached vnto vs without curiositie beleued And that by theÌ„ al doctrines are to be confirmed al errors and heresies to be confuted they plainely and plentifully shew Tertullian saith that if Heretikes Tertul. lib de resurrec carnes Eâ—iph contra pâ—ulum Samosa haeres 66 Basii epist 80. bee brought to examine and try their questions onely by the Scriptures they cannot stand Epiphanius saith that wee are not to discusse questions by our owne wittes and reasons Sedex Scripturarum consequentia By the consequeÌ„ce of the Scriptures Saint Basil saith Let vs stand to the arbitrement of the Scripture inspired of God and with whome bee found doctrines agreeable to those diuine words let the truth be iudged to be with them Constantine sayd vnto the Bishoppes in the Nicene Councell The Euangelicall and Apostolicall bookes and the Oracles of the Theod. lib. 8. cap. 7 sol 284. Prophets doe plainely instruct vs of GOD wherefore laying away all enimitie and discord let vs take the explication or resolution of the questions in controuersie out of those saying inspired of GOD. So saith Saint Augustine Verum nos sacris literis accommodemus auditum c. August in Euang Ioan. tract 60. August de cura pro mortuis cap. 2. Let vs hearken vnto the holy Scriptures and according to them let vs helpe by the grace of God to dissolue this question And againe Non secunduÌ„ opinionem c. We must consider of this matter not according to yâ— commoÌ„ opinion but according to the holy Scriptures of our religion And of yâ— Church he saith thus Sed vtrum ipsi ecclesiam De vnitate ecclesiae cap. 16. teneant non nisi diuinarum ScripturaruÌ„ canonicis libris ostendant but whether they haue yâ— church let them shew by no other meanes but by the Canonical books of the diuine Scriptures Chrysostom saith yâ— we cannot know Chrisostom in Math. Homil. 44. which is the true Church of Christ Nisi tantummodo per Scripturas but onely by the Scriptures Therefore by the Scriptures proue your doctrine and shew your Church Math 4. But you say the Arians others Heretikes alleadged the Scriptures whereunto I adde that so did the Diuel also but in such sort as you and your fellowes doe in mangling them falsly expounding and applying them as I haue in some part before shewed I am conteÌ„t to ioyne this issue with you that they with be proued to depraue detort mangle and falsly expound and apply the scriptures be heretikes and to bee condemned with these old heretikes whome you here name To whome whether you or we bee more like let the vpright Reader indifferently iudge The Arians seeing that they could haue nothing out of the Scriptures fled as Athanasius saith vnto the Fathers and euen so do you The Arians vsed subtill distinctions Athanas tomâ— 2. to elude and shift of the truth and so do you They denied the person of Christ and you deny the office of Christ in not acknowledging him to be our onely Prophet and teacher whose onely voyce wee must heare and obey nor the only King and head of his Church nor our onely high Priest with the sweet smelling sacrifice of himselfe once for euer offered to redeeme and reconcile vs vnto God nor our only mediator to make intercession for vs. The Arians did cruelly persecute the true Christians Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 17. Socrates lib. 1. cap. 17. zozo in lib. 4. cap. 27. Gregor Nazi anz artic ad Arianos and so do Papists when power is in their hand to doe it The Arians when they could not preuaile against that excellent man Athanasius fell to raile vpon him and to slaunder him accusing him of adulterie murther and sorcerie and euen so do you now deale with such as for their godlinesse and learning may well bee compared with Athanaesiuâ— I meane especially Caeluin whome the Author of that vnlearned libell and beastly booke intituled A quartron of reasons of Catholike religion c. is not ashmed 5. reasoÌ„ pa. 30. to call a seare backt Priest for Sodomie O thou shamelesse man or rather monsterlart thou not ashamed to slaunder and belie such a man of whome they that knew him did truly write of him ipsâ— Ã quo potuit virtutem discere virtus Theo Beza that euen virtue it selfe might as it were haue learned vertue of him How doest thou know that Caluin was such a man I assure my selfe
and wherein the true worship and seruice of God according to his will reuealed in his holy word is contained your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and superstition we flee and forsake Finally we haue that Christ which came Christ 1. Tim. 1. 15. Iohn 1. 29. into this world to saue sinners and which is that Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world whom we acknowledge more soundly to be our onely high prophet Matth. 17. 5. to instruct vs in the will of his father whose onely voyce wee must heare our onely high priest with the sacrifice of his body and bloud once offered to redeeme vs and reconcile vs vnto GOD our onely mediator and intercessor to sitte for euer at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs and our onely high King to deliuer vs out of the hands of our enemies to giue lawes vnto our consciences and to rule vs with the scepter of his holy word then the Pope and all his adherents doe This our true confession where-vnto God and our consciences bee witnesses we oppose to your false and slaunderous obtrectation and accusation saying with Saint Paul Wee passe very 1. Cor. 4. 3. little to bee iudged of you or of mans iudgement and with him also exhort you not to iudge before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hid in darkenesse and make the counsels of the hearts manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God Further I doe exhort you that take vpon you so seuerely to censure and iudge others carefully to take heede to your selues that you haue not a false faith grounded not vpon Gods promises Faith contained in his word but vpon mans deuises and traditions which as Epiphanius saith is worse then no faith Epipha in Anâ—â—rat◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that you bee not voyde of true hope by teaching the doctrine of doubting whereof Hope I shall speake hereafter and by fearing to be after death throwne into the firie torments of purgatorie and that you want not true charitie in iudging so falsely and maliciously Charity and persecuting vs so cruelly as you vse to doe when time and powre serueth you and that you haue no true repentance nor remorse of conscience for sinne in Repentance persisting so obstinately in damnable doctrine and abominable idolatrie and that by leaning to your owne righteousnesse and the merites of other men which were sinners themselues you loose not that true iustification Iustification which is the righteousnesse of GOD by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue which is onely Rom. 3. 22. able to stand and discharge vs before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ and is the onely strong staffe to leane vpon to leap ouer the ditch of damnation and beware I say that you leaning vpon the weake reede of your owne merites and others fall not into the middest thereof from which there is no rising take heede you be not of the malignant Church which heareth not the voice of Christ Church 2. Thessalo 2. and wherein that man of sinne and sonne of perdition sitteth and raigneth and that you haue not such Idolatrous altars as Iereboam had against which the man of God cried and vpon which the like iudgement of God fell Altars 1. King 13. 2 as hath done vpon yours now And that you haue not a false forged sacrifice which appeaseth not but dailie prouoketh Sacrifice Gods wrath against you and that you bee not without Priests to teach the law of God truely but haue Priest Ierem. 2. 8. Malach. 2. 8. swarmes of such Priests as say not where is the Lord and know not GOD but prophesie in Baal which haue gone out of the way and haue caused many to fall by the law c. Beware that you bee not without Religion remembring Religion Lactant. de origi erroris lib. 2 cap 19. Christ August de ciuitate dei lib. 18. cap. 2. the saying of Lactantius Quare non est dubium quin religio nulla sit vbicunque simulachrum est Wherefore there is no doubt but that there is no Religion wheresoeuer an Image is Finally I say againe and againe beware that you forsake not the true Christ and worship Antichrist sitting in the westerne Babylon built vpon seauen hilles which in the daies of Saint Iohn raigned ouer the Apoc. 17. 9. 18 Kings of the earth wherefore bee not so rash in iudging so hardly and vncharitably of others but examine and iudge your selues that you bee not iudged of the Lord. But I now come to your pithie probation of this your vncharitable 1. Cor. 11. 31. 1 and shamelesse assertion The reason you say is For if they haue then the world was without them for a thousand yeares as they themselues must needes confesse videl all the time their Church was eclipsed and for 1500. as wee will prooue by the testimonie of all recordes of antiquitie c. Wherevnto I answere that if wee take the world in that sense which the scripture sometimes doth for the multitude and societie of them Whereof the diuell Ioh. 14 30. 2. Cor. 4. 4 Iob. 15. 18. 19 1. Joh. 5. 19 Ioâ— 17 9 Ioh. 14. 22 is prince which hateth Christ and his true disciples which is set vpon wickednesse for the which our Sauiour Christ refused to pray saying I pray not for the world and whereof Iudas not Iscariot did say what is the cause that thou wilt shew thy selfe to vs and not vnto the world In this sense I may grant that the world hath not had these gifts of Gods grace these thousand yeares and put another thousand and more vnto them But if we take the world more generally for this great Globe and all the inhabitants thereof then prooue by the testimonie of all antiquitie that the doctrine which wee teach and professe hath not beene these 1500. yeares in the world and wee will yeeld and you shall winne the victorie But it is vsuall with you and your fellowes to make great and braue bragges to amaze the simple and ignorant and to bring small and poore proofes as you doe here none at all to perswade the wise and learned great braggers are no great doers In deede wee confesse that the Church is well compared by Saint Augustine to the Moone For as the August in Psa 10 Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the true Church receiue her light from Iesus Christ the sonne Malach. â— 2 of righteousnesse And as the Moone is sometimes in the full and shineth in full brightnesse and sometimes is in the waine and sometimes is eclipsed and doth little appeare euen so the Church is sometimes in the full and shineth in full brightnes and glory as in the Apostles times and diuers hundreth yeares after it did sometimes it is in the waine and eclipsed as for many