the presence of God whome I call to witnes in this behalfe and pray thee also to call vpon for the saluation and reduction of all those that walke astray that it is not in the power of any one no not of all our Aduersaries that are in England to find in their owne Bible one only expresse Text I say one only I say in their owne Bible by which they cā possibly proue one only point of their false Doctrine without their vsuall art of adding diminishing chopping or changing it by some interpretation or other which yet should be to alter the Text it selfe and to employ mans fancy insteed of the pure word a thing by their owne Confession flatly forbidden vnto them protesting that the Word of God doth in such sort containe all that which is necessary to saluation that it is not lawfull neither for men nor Angells to adde diminish or alter ought therof and commanding their followers and adherents vtterly to renounce all Antiquity Custome Multitude Humane Wisedome Iudgement Decrees Edicts Counsailes Visions yea and Miracles themselues to the contrary THE TOVCH-STONE of the Reformed Ghospell Protestants affirme I. That there is not in the Church one that an infaillible Rule for vnderstāding the holy Scriptures and conseruing of Vnity in matters of Faith COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Rom. 12.6 Hauing then giftes differing according to the grace that is giuen to vs whether Prophecy that is interpretation according to the proportion or Rule of faith Whence we gather that Prophecy according to the Rule of faith is one of the giftes which God bestoweth on his Church Therefore there is in the Church one and that an infallible Rule for vnderstanding to the holy Scriptures Philip. 3.16 Neuertheles whereto we haue already attained let vs mind the same thing Loe how plainly the Apostle speaketh in this second place of a certaine Rule to be walked by cleerly presupposing that in matters of faith we can neuer be of the same mind vnles we walke by the same Rule Gal. 6.16 And as many as walke according to this Rule Peace be on them and mercy And 2. Cor. 10.15 Hauing hope when your faith is increased that we shall be enlarged by you according to our Rule aboundantly to preach the ghospell in the Regions beyond you and not to boast in another mans line Lo heere againe because that euery man is to direct and order his beliefe according to the doctrine of the Church therfore it is called by S. Paul both the Rule and Line of our holy Faith Againe 1. Cor. 11.16 But if any man seeme to be contentious we haue no such Custome nor the Churches of God Loe how S. Paul still pleadeth the Rule and Custome of the Church agaynst the contentious which if it could then by the sole prescription of twenty or thirty yeares and by the authority of so few Pastours stop the mouthes of new Sect-maysters what ought not the Custome of sixteene hundred yeares and the Decrees of so many hundred Pastours gayne of reasonable modest and humble men And heer I would haue it to be noted that this Analogy or Rule of Fayth besides the tytles already recited the holy Scripture in other places calleth by the name of Forme of Doctrine Rom. 6.17 A thing made ready to our hand 2. Cor. 10.16 The Depositum or Treasure committed to the Churches trust and euer most carefully to be kept by her 1. Tim. 6.20 And withall in the very selfe same places alwayes stileth that which is contrary to this Rule by the name of Disunion Discord Disobedience forsaking of our first vocation Diuision Contention Prophane and vayne babling Opposition of sciences c. Whence plainly appeareth how great the necessity is for euery Christian to keep this Rule the least breach wherof doth presently crack his Christian credit with the Church of God and with all good Christians See more Rom. 6.17 Gal. 1.6 Rom. 16.17 Actes 15.2 1. Tim. 6.20 Rom. 12.16 ¶ According to this very Rule the Ancient Fathers affirme the same S. Irenaeus l. 4. cap. 45. Tert. de praescrip And Vincent Lyr. in suo Commonitorio saith It is very needfull in regard of so many errors proceeding from the mis-interpretation of Scriptures that the Line of Propheticall and Apostolicall exposition should be directed according to the Rule of the Ecclesiasticall and Catholique sense Thus writeth this most worthy witnesse Tertul. praescrip adu haeres cap. 15. cap. 19. saith We do not admit our aduersaries to dispute out of Scripture till they can shew who their Ancestors were and from whom they receiued the Scriptures For the orderly course of doctrine requires that the first Question be whose the Scriptures are by right from whome and by whom and to whom the Forme of Christian Religion was deliuered Otherwise prescribe against him as a stranger c. Thus he Loe how these two last ancient Fathers lay hold off and vrge these two very termes Rule and Forme of Faith and Religion euen as before the Holy Scripture did from whēce doubtles they tooke the phrase And with very great reason for the knowledge of Tradition which is this Forme or Rule goes before the knowlege of the Scripture for the Rule must be first knowne before the thing ruled can be assuredly knowne as the Carpenter cannot knowe certainly that he hath measured his timber nor the Taylor that he hath measured his cloth aright except he first assuredly know that his measure be both true right but the Rule of Faith to wit the Summe of those points that euery Christian is bound expresly to know as deliuered to him from hand to hand is the knowledge of Tradition Protestants affirme II. That in matters of Fayth we must not rely vpon the Iudgment of the Church and of her Pastours but onely vpon the Written Word COntrary to the expres wordes of their owne Bible Mar. 23.2 The Scribes and the Pharises sit in Moyses seat all therfore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and do In which wordes Christ not onely commandeth vs in matters of Faith to haue recourse to somwhat else besides the only written word to wit to the Pastours of the Church but biddeth vs moreouer to obey them and that not only in some principall matters but in all whatsoeuer without distinction or limitation Therfore in matters of fayth we are not tyed to rely only vpon the written Word Luc. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Heere againe Christ our Lord honoureth and giueth as much authority to the Preachers of the Word as he can possibly do to the word it selfe saying He that heareth you c. Matt. 16.19 Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall he loosed in heauen Where it is to be noted that he doth not say whosoeuer but
Priuate which euery man sayes by himselfe alone The other Publique which the Priest sayth in the name and person of the whole Church As concerning priuate prayer no Catholique denies but it is very expedient that euery man pray in his owne tongue to the end he may vnderstand what he sayes But for the Publike praiers of the Church it is not necessary that the common people vnderstand them because it is not they who pray but the Priest in the name of the whole Church For as it was inough for the people of the old Law to know and vnderstand that in such a Sacrifice consisted the worship of God although they had not so cleare an vnderstanding of euery thing that was done therein as hath bene said euen so in the new Law when the people assist at the sacrifice of the Masse acknowledging thereby that God is worshipped and that it is instituted for the remembrāce of Christs death and passion although they vnderstand not the Latin tongue yet are they not destitute of the vtiltty and fruit therof besides the help of the Godly Ceremonies therein which do instruct them in the whole And indeed this place by them alledged serueth nothing to the purpose but rather agaynst them seeing it proues that the common seruice of the Church was not then in a tongue which euery man vnderstood but in another language which was not so common vnto all For S. Paul saying How shall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at the giuing of thanks seeing be vnderstandeth not what thou sayest shewes that such giuing of thankes was not accustomed to be made in the vulgar tongue and requires or rather supposes that in the seruice of the church there should be some other to supply the place of the vnlearned that is one that should haue further vnderstanding of that tongue in which the seruice of the Church is said But had the Seruice bene in the vulgar tongue there needed no man to haue supplied the place of the Idior that vnderstandeth not So that S. Paul shewes most clearly that such seruice was not exercised in a vulgar tongue but in another which was not common to the whole people such as the Latin tongue is now in England as also throughout the whole East and yet was not in the contrary extreme that is to say wholy strange or vtterly barbarous And seeing our Aduersaires haue this place continually in their mouthes and thereby deceyue the simple people I would haue them to know that this text of S. Paul is greatly peruerted by the Reformers themselues For whereas the Greeke and Latin text hath He who supplies the place of an Idiot how shall he say Amen the Ministers of Geneua in many of their Bibles haue turned the same most deceitfully and maliciously thus He that is an idiot how shall he say Amen As if there were no differēce betwixt an Idiot he who supplyes the place of an Idiot Moreouer the thankesgiuing to which S. Paul sayth Amen should be answered is not at all practised in many of our Reformed Churches where neyther Idiots nor those that supply the place of Idiots do answere Amen as S. Paul willeth seeing they haue altered Amen into So be it which is plainly repugnant to his meaning as also to the practice of the whole Church For they can not say for their excuse that S. Paul wrote to those who spake in the Hebrue tongue for Amen is Hebrue since he wrote to the Corinthians who had their publike seruice in Greek and not in Hebrue A mayne argument that the word Amen ought to be retayned in all languages as it hitherto hath euer been amongst all Christians before the dayes of our Reformers in so much that the most learned S. Augustin writeth that it is not lawfull to turne Amen into any other vulgar language without the scandall of the whole Church Aug. epist 118. 2. de Doct. c. 20. To conclude I cannot but much meruaile at the simplicity of the common people who notwithstanding the great light of their reformed Ghospell see not the loosenesse and vanity of this their Leaders cauill For neyther the maysters or schollers are so senselesse I hope as to say that their own seruice consisting partly of the Psalmes of Dauid the hardest part of all the Bible and partly of lessons taken out of the old and new Testament is vnderstood of all the people present thereat since the greatest Diuines that euer were durst neuer say so much of themselues How wrongfully then do they wrangle with vs about this matter But perhaps they will say that thogh the simple people vnderstand not the hard places contayned in the psalmes and Seruice yet to their great comfort they vnderstand at least some part thereof euen so say we of our Masse and of our simple people who assist therat And so conclude as I began in the title of this Booke By thyne owne mouth I iudge thee naughty seruant A TABLE OF THE CONTROVERSIES handed in this Booke 1. COncerning the Rule of Faith Pag. 14. 2. Of the Iudge of Controuersies in matters of Faith pag. 21. 3. That the Holy Scripture is not easy to be vnderstood pag. 24. 4. Of Apostolicall Traditions Customes of the Church p. 29. 5. Whether one may iudge and interprete holy Scripture by his Priuate Spirit pag. 33. 6. Whether S. Peters Faith haue failed pag. 37. 7. Whether the Church can erre or hath erred pag. 39. 8. Of the inuisibility of the Church pag. 43. 9. Of the Vniuersality of the Church pag. 46. 10. Of the Vnity of the Church pag. 50. 11. Of S. Peters Headship p. 53. 12. Whether a secular Man or Woman may be head of the Church pag. 62. 13. Whether the Pope be Anti-christ pag. 66. 14. Whether none but God can forgiue sinnes pag. 69. 15. Whether Confession ought to be made vnto a Priest pag. 72. 16. Of Pardons or Indulgences pag. 75. 17. Whether the Actions and Sufferings of Saintes be profitable to the Church pag. 77. 18. Of workes of Supererogation pag. 80. 19. Of Freewill Whether lost by the fall of Adam pag. 82. 20. Of the Possibility of keeping Gods Commandments pag. 87. 21. Whether faith alone without workes iustifieth pag. 91. 22. Whether Good workes be meritorious pag. 94. 23. Whether faith once had may be lost pag. 97. 24. Whether God haue ineuitably decreed who shal be damned who saued pag. 99. 25. Whether euery one ought to assure himselfe of his saluation pag. 101. 26. Whether euery one haue an Angell Guardian pag. 104. 27. Whether Angells pray for men on Earth pag. 106. 28. Whether men may pray vnto them pag. 108. 29. Whether Angells can helpe men or Earth pag. 111. 30. Whether Saints deceased haue appeared to men on Earth pag. 113. 31. Whether they know what passeth heere on earth pag. 114. 32. Whether Saints pray for vs. pag. 118. 33. Whether we may alledge their merits in our behalfe p. 122. 34. Whether we may pray vnto them pag. 126. 35. Whether Reliques of Saints may be honoured pag. 130. 36. Of the blessing or hallowing of Creatures pag. 133. 37. Whether Children may be saued without Baptisme pag. 136. 38. Of the Sacrament of Confirmation pag. 138. 39. Whether Christs body be truly in the Sacrament of the Altar pag. 140. 40. Whether we ought so receaue vnder both kindes pag. 145. 41. Whether the Masse be a Sacrifice pag. 148. 42. Of Extreme-Vnctiō pag. 152. 43. Of Holy Orders and Ordinary Vocation and mission of Pastours in the Church pag. 155. 44. Of Vowes pag. 158. 45. Of fasting and abstinēce from certayne meates pag. 161. 46. Of Limbus Patrum and whether Christ descēded into Hell pag. 164. 47. Of Purgatory pag. 171. 48. Whether Images may be lawfully made pag. 178. 49. Of the worship of Images pag. 182. 50. Of making the picture of God the Father pag. 193. 51. Of the signe of the Crosse p. 196. 52. Whether Concupisence after Baptisme be sinne pag. 197. 53. Whether Bishops and Priests may lawfully marry pag. 199. 54. Of seruice in the Church in an vnknown tongue pag. 201. FINIS
THE TOVCH-STONE of the Reformed Ghospell Wherin sundry chiefe Heads and Tenets of the Protestants Doctrine obiected by them commonly against the Catholicks are briefly refuted BY The expresse Texts of the Protestants owne Bible set forth and approued by the Church of England With the ancient Fathers Iudgments thereon in confirmation of the Catholike Doctrine The fourth Edition augmented Out of thy owne mouth will I Iudge thee Luc. 19.22 Permissu Superiorum 1634. TO THE CATHOLIQVE READER HEALTH AND ENCOVRAGEMENT in his Holy Fayth COurteous Reader before thou peruse this litle Booke I would intreate thee to reade these ensuing points very necessary to serue thy selfe of with fruit and profit 1. The first point is that in the Textes of Scriptures alledged throghout this Treatise it is not specified out of which English Bible the said passages are extracted for as much as this were ouer troublesome vnto thee sith England hath set forth within these few yeares past a great number of seuerall sorts of Bibles much differing one from another So that our Aduersaries to whome I wish from very hart as I do to thee that this litle Booke may prooue profitable haue not all one sort of Bibles themselues Notwithstanding know for certaine that they are all faithfully taken forth of the Bibles in quarto octauo printed at London by Robert Barker anno 1615. So as if by chance any one shall shew thee some other Bible wherein they be not set downe word for word as heere thou findest yet rest assured and out of doubt that thou shalt find them so written faithfully cited out of the foresaid Edition of Robert Barker set forth by his Maiesties speciall Commandement 2. The second point is That thou admire the spleÌ„dor of Truth the which is such and so passing bright that notwithstanding our Aduersaries mayne and serious endeauours to obscure the same by so many varieties of TranslatioÌ„s by such a number of grosse corruptions and falsifications yet neuertheles their condemnation is so expressely set downe in this their owne Bible and is so cleere to all the world that nothing els is needfull heerto but that thou know to reade and haue thine eyes to behold the same at the opening of this their Booke This cannot choose but be an exceeding comfort vnto Catholikes agaynst their Aduersaries concerning the vprightnes of their cause to offer to be tryed and to confound them by their owne Bible the Translation whereof notwithstanding doth in a number of places and particularly in many of those that are in question swarue and differ notoriously from the authenticall Latin and to the incredible disparagement darkning and obscuring of the Catholique cause Neuer did yet nor I presume dare our Aduersaries offer to giue the like aduantage vnto vs as to stand to be tried by our Translations and that in aboue fifty maine Heads and Points of Doctrine that are this day in controuersy between vs. 3. The third point is That when thou shalt vrge or alleadge any passage in fauour of thine owne faith and doctrine if any one returne their charge be it by way of recrimination and blaming of the Roman Church or by alleadging some obscure texts and those ill vnderstoode to counterpoyze such as are brought by thee do thou shew them amiably that this is not to proceed in due order nor to deale with thee as they ought in oposing a passage darke obscure to confund another that is most cleare and euident For example when we set before their eies these few words as cleare as the Sunne at Noone day Take eate this is my body this is my bloud which shall be shed for you c. Marc. 14.25 they will straight suppose to haue found another important place yea and to haue giuen vnto vs the ouerthrow if they presently do reply that our Sauiour saith in S. Iohn 6.63 The flesh profiteth nothing the wordes that I speake vnto you they are spirit and they are life a passage far more obscure then that which is in question which affirmeth nothing lesse then that which they pretend to prooue therby For how absurd were it to say that the flesh of Christ profiteth nothing And if as they themselues say we must interpret one passage by another then doubtles it is better to explicate an obscure one by one that is clere then one that is cleere by a passage obscure and that one text giue place to many rather then many giue place to one 4. The fourth point is That if they shall reiect any of the passages which thou producest pretending the same to be Apocriphall know that to preuent this obiection no such Scriptures as they cal Apocriphall are here produced alone but that allwayes there goe accompanied with them others that be Canonicall euen by their owne confession and so far forth as Apocriphall Scriptures shall and do agree with Canonicall they themselues by their owne Rule are bound to receiue them Which will also stop their mouth in their common pretence of Conference of places for rarely hast thou heere lesse then three or foure seuerall passages cited at large besides references for the proofe of euery seuerall point All our Aduersaries put togeather being neuer able in their defence to do the like that is to produce so many in number so expresse and cleere and for so great a number of Controuersies as are heere disputed and couched in so litle a Treatise 5. The fift point is that if they shall contend with thee not about the wordes themselues as being cleere but about the sense and meaning of them for such places I say as may be subiect to this cauill thou shalt forthwith haue recourse vnto that which the Scriptures call The Rule of Faith to wit vnto the euer-constant and vniforme IudgemeÌ„t of the Church and Ancient Fathers who in euery age since Christ haue vnderstood the points in question in that sense which Catholiques do An example wherof thou maist lay downe before them out of that learned Treatise intituled The Summary of Controuersies debating the question of the Blessed Sacrament Which thou hauing done bid them do the like and thou wilt yield vnto them a thing which they can neuer do in their defence So as no man of reason will reiect this Rule grounded so cleerly in holy Scripture and preferre the priuate interpretation of some silly Cobler before S. Chrysostome of a Baker before S. Basill of some Tinker before Tertullian or of any Nouellist whatsoeuer before the iudgement of the Church and the whole streame of ancient Fathers This point therfore being â—â— important shall be the first which I will fortify and proue by the word of God in this present Treatise I meane this Rule and therfore in no wise forget allwayes to inuolue thine Aduersary within this Rule as often as he shall become so vnruly and thou shalt be sure to get the victory 6. The sixt last point is That I heere protest in
the sonnes of God Wordes which plainly imply a liberty of will For when he sayth some receiued him and some not who sees not the liberty both of the one and of the other for these would not receiue him and those would Deut. 30.19 I call heauen and earth to record this day against you that I haue set before you life and death blessing and cursing therfore choose life that both thou and thy seede may liue And rightly may we call heauen and earth to witnes against them who commit the same fault touching Grace which the Turkes do touching Nature For the Turkes belieue that the fire burnes not nor water wets not but that God doth it by the fire and the water And so our Aduersaries say that a man desireth no good nor doth no good but only that God doth all by man but this is false Therfore c. Luc. 13.34 O Hierusalem Hierusalem c. how often would I haue gathered thy children togeather as a henne doth gather her brood vnder her winges and yee would not I would saith Christ and yee would not What for Gods sake can be spoken more plainly See more Luc. 10.42 Acts 5. 4. Ad Philem. v. 14.1 Cor. 7.37 9.1.14.2 Cor. 9.7 Ose 3.9 Num. 30.14 Iosua 14.13.2 Reg. 24.12.3 Reg. 3.5 Eccles 15.15 Mat. 19.17 Iosue 24.15.2 Samuel 12. Pro. 11.24 Reuel 3.20 Isa 1.19.20 ¶ See the ancient Fathers Euseb Caesar de praep l. 1. cap. 7. saith that those who hould this opinion do peruert and ouerthrow Vniuersam vitam humanam all the whole life of man And in very deed his reason is good for vpon this consideration of mans Free-will are grounded all politicall lawes precepts and prohibitions paynes and rewards which else were meerly superfluous and against reason S. Hilary l. 1. de Trinitate saith He would not there should be a necessity for men to be the sonnes of God but a power S. Aug. l. 1. ad q. 4. saith To consent vnto Gods vocation lyeth in a mans owne will So teacheth S. Amb. in Luc. cap. 12. S. Chrysost hom 19. in Genes S. Iraeneus l. 4. cap. 72. S. Cyril lib. 4. in Ioan. cap. 7. We cannot in any wise deny freedome of will in man And S. Aug. afore recited saith lib. 2. cap. 4. de act cum Felice Manich How should our Sauiour reward euery one according to their workes if there were no Free-will XX. That it is impossible to keepe the Commandements of God though assisted with his grace and the holy Ghost COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Philip 4.13 I can do al things through Christ which strengthneth me Therfore it is impossible to keepe the Commandements or else it is false that he could do all things Luc. 1.5.6 The Scripture speaking of Zachary and Elizabeth sayth And they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Yet they vsually say that none are so righteous as that they can keep any of them but these two were so righteous as they kept all of them now whether of these wilt thou belieue S. Luke or our Reformers Luc. 11.27.28 Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked But he sayd Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Christ pronounceth them blessed who heare the word of God keep it but the commandements are the word of God which they affirme no man can keep therefore they affirme that no man can be blessed And like vnto this is that of Iohn 13.17 Matt. 12.50 Iohn 14.23 with an infinite number of such like places in their owne Bible with all which this this new doctrine doth seeme to dally in plaine termes Luc. 11.2 Thy will be done as in heauen so in earth In this petition either we demand a thing impossible or else the Saints in Heauen fulfill not the will of God in all thinges or els it may be fulfilled also by vs on earth one of the three But the two first are full of absurdities therefore the later is to be granted 1. Iohn 5.3 For this is the loue of God that we keep his commandements and his commandements are not grieuous If the Commandements were impossible they could bind no man for it is not to be conceiued how one should sinne in a thing which he could not possibly auoid And Christ saying to the young man in the Ghospell If thou wilt enter into heauen ' keepe the Commandements is as much as if he had said If thou wilt enter into heauen take hold of the Moone betweene thy teeth See more Ezech. 36.27 Mat. 11.30 19.17 Eccles 15.15 Rom. 13.8.10 7.3 Iosua 11.15 22.5 Psal 17.3 Deut. 30.11 1. Iohn 2.4 Iob. 27.6 1.22 Rom. 2.27 Luc. 10.28 15.7 3. Reg. 14.8 15.5 Ephes 1.4 Galat. 5.14 Gen. 6.9 ¶ See Origen hom 9. in Iosue S. Cyril l. 4. cont Iulian. S. Hilar in Psal 118. S. Hier. l. 3. cont Pelag. S. Basil who saith It is an impious thing to say that the commandements of God are impossible The maintayne XXI That fayth only iustifieth and that good Workes are not absolutly necessary to saluation COntrary to the expersse wordes of their owne Bible 1. Cor. 13.2 And though I haue the gift of Prophecy and vnderstand all mysteries and all knowledge and although I haue all fayth so that I could remoue mountaynes and haue no charity I am nothing Therefore fayth only doth not iustify yea this plainly proueth that faith is nothing to saluation without good workes Iames 2.24 Yee see therfore how that by workes a man is iustified and not by fayth only Wherfore S. Aug. lib de fide and operibus ca. 14. writeth that this Heresy was an old Heresy euen in the Apostles tymes And in the preface of his Comment vpon the 32. Psalm he warneth all men that this deduction vpon this speach of S. Paul Abraham was iustifyd by faith therfore workes be not necessary to saluation is the right way to hell and damnation See the Rhemes Testament vpon this place Iac. 2.14 What doth it profit my brethren though a man say he hath fayth and haue not workes Can fayth saue him This proposition but especially the former is directly opposite to that which our Aduersaries hould Neither can they pretend that there is the like opposition or contradiction betwixt S. Iames speaches and S. Paul for though S. Paul say Mā is iustified by fayth yet he neuer sayth by fayth alone Gal. 5.6 For in Iesus-Christ neyther Circumcision auayleth any thing nor Vncircumcision but fayth which worketh by loue Note well this place for if our Aduersaries who pretend conference of places to be the only Rule to explicate the hard passages of holy Scripture had followed but this their owne Rule this one text would haue cleered vnto them al other wherein Iustice and Saluation might seeme to be attributed to Fayth alone See more