him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith to the churches yet whosoever heareth and receiveth false doctrine willinglie receiveth and heareth his owne damnatiō And for the Catholique Church you bragge of c Lactantius lib. 4. Institutio cap. vlt. Lactantius hath given warning of such boasts singuli haereticorum coetus suam esse Ecclesiam Catholicā putant The Celestial Oracle heauenly spirit true catholique Church I say and wil confirme it by al maner of arguments they never taught that point as you seek to mainetaine it concerning Evangelicall Counsels of Perfection Mr LEECH Or I may speake with our blessed Sauiour advising exhorting counselling yea out of the whole masse of mākind inviting nay inciting some to that angelical gift of virginall chastity qui potest capere capiat hee that can aspire to the top of angelicall integrity let him become a votary of virginall Chastity ANSVVER The strangest exposition of wordes that ever I read or heard Virginall chastity the word virginall is out of tune a weake wired chastity to ascend the top of angelicall integrity Paule did not only approue but appoint Ministers and yet asketh the question 2. Cor. 2.16 Quis idoneus ad haec And though Christ not only was a virgin but did allow of virgins yet hee may pronounce this speech Qui potest capere capiat without any such inference or cōsequence You deliver no gold without drosse no place of Scripture without some wrested and impertinent glosse But in your sermon you shall receiue more satisfaction Mr LEECH This is S. Paule his sapientia inter perfectos apostolicall wisdome for men of angelicall perfection These easilie disclose and discouer the worlds foolishnes impostures when they paragon them with heavens remuneration treasures These are the salt of the earth the light of the world stars fixed in the spheare of heauen the Church militant not wandring in their motion towards heauen the Church triumphant ANSVVER The auncient writers doe not so expounde those words Al shew that the Apostle doth therein distinguish betweene the beleevers vnbeleevers as may be seene by the connexiō but more especially a Chrysost in 1. Cor. 2.6 Chrysostome thus expoūdeth perfectos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he calleth them perfect which did beleeue S. Hierome expoundeth so Theodoret so the whole currēt of expositors vnderstand a kinde of perfection in beliefe not in life Aquinas hath such a restriction that agreeth with the rest and all this sheweth that your speech is meere Pelagianisme wherin you magnifie the arme of flesh and the nature of mankinde and so seeme to approoue a perfit perfection which you do most vnperfectly It is S. b De peccat mer. remission 15. Augustines advise Cum dicitur cuiusque perfectio qua in redicatur videndū est When perfection saith he is named we must cōsider wherein it is named Perfectus est aliquis sapientiae auditor non perfectus Doctor a man may be a perfect hearer of righteousnes not a perfect doer or as some think a perfect knower why we knowe but in part 1. 1. Cor. 15. Cor. 15. Yes we knowe perfectly perfectione viae non perfectione patriae by the perfection of the way here not by the perfection of our Country hence say the Schooles Perfectione ordinis non finis saith d Iunius Iunius perfectione partium non graduum saith e Lomb. Lombard perfecti viatores non perfecti possessores saith f Aug. in Ps 38. Austin perfect travellers in righteousnes not perfect possessors and this so limited by that good Father as that hee alloweth it only pro consortio humanae societatis pro huius vitae capacitate pro statu viatoris pro huius vitae modulo only for a perfection sufficient to converse and hold society with mankind a perfection for the model capacity of this life for the state of passengers and wayfaring men and concludeth g Ad Bonif. lib. 3. Omnium in carne nostra imperfecta perfectio the perfection of all men while they are in the flesh is vnperfect Iohn Baptist had not a greater among the sonnes of womē but whosoever was least in the kingdome of God al the celestiall spirits is farre beyond him Inter natos mulierum non autem inter choros coelestium spirituum h Bern. serm 38. in Cantie saith S. Bernard among sonnes of women not amōg armies of Angels Not Iohn Baptist a Prophet nay more then a Prophet Who had for his cloathing haire for his habitation a desert for his meate wild locusts for his title the praecursor for his preaching Repentance for his ministration Baptisme the vsher and harbinger of our Saviour had not he angelicall perfection If hee that so faithfully attended his Master had it not how should you that haue fled from your Master attaine vnto it I say not * Esay 14.12 ô Lucifer how didst thou fall but O Lucifer whether wouldst thou rise Is it obedient humility to be so proud Spirituall poverty to desire to be so pompous Angelicall chastity to be so luxuriant I acknowledge that there bee some that are salt of the earth lights of the world roses in the field lillies in the vallies terrae gemmula coeli stellulae yet far from Angelicall integrity They may climb a step but not to the top of Iacobs Ladder Mr LEECH These are our best pilots amongst men their godly cōversation ought to be our holy imitation These guid by their examples the barkes of our bodies wherein the eternall treasures of our soules are caried as in earthen vessells through the perilous rockes of the seas of this world that they may ariue safely at the designed hauen of heauē when they flit from the bed of this mortall body ANSVVER Pilots they may be and yet as the i Ovid. de Trist lib. 1. Poet of his Pilot spake Rector in incerto est nec quid fugiátue petátue Denotat ambiguis ars stupet ipsa malis So I of the best they haue their slidings falls faults trances appolexies If you haue read over S. Austin you may finde the distinction betweene peccatum crimen sinne in generall which no man is freed frō and hainous notorious scandalous sinne culpable in the eies of men crying in the eares of heauen In his k Enchir. ad Laurent Enchiridion ad Laurentium he affirmeth this the life of holy men may be found though not without falt yet without an offensiue fault and more whosoever teacheth is Hereticall Beware in defending your perfect Pilots you make not shipwrack of a good conscience the mast of your faith is shaken let not the anker of your hope be broken Mr LEECH These are beacons on a hill the hill of the Church whose liues as lightes and burning lamps forewarne and so forearme vs against all invasion of any spirituall enimies These are entia transcendentia men soaring aboue the ordinary pitch of men celestiall
froÌ„ robbing the Church of a Sonne the King of a Subiect and your selfe of a soule Your misapplication of that speech of God to Abraham I might dilate much vpon as hauing variety of interpretations which doe vnderstand that place of the devill the world the flesh But I come neerer to your purpose hoping that those wordes that you say God spake to you were receiued by no revelation a frequeÌ„t imposture amoÌ„g Papists filling the mouthes of many swaying the faiths of some But what is the blemish you see in your mother â—oth our Church deny the principles of ancieÌ„t Christianity Doe wee not receiue the Scriptures the Creedes and Fathers of the first 500 yeares Do we not build our Religion vpon the foundation Iesus Christ the corner stone Is the rule of our doctrine any other then Gods sacred will revealed in his word Is any iniury sustained by you for truth It is not iniury but true iustice to punish those that be stubborne in action precipitat in resolution and faulty in opinion not able to maintaine their cause but with much wresting of conscience their revolt ever attended with sedition scandall and humane respect Mr LEECH But I will pretermit good Reader here to make a speciall enumeration of my Motiues drawing me vnto my finall resolution for they will ensue orderly in the thirde last part of this Treatise Only consider with me now with what conflict of flesh bloud I could intertaine this resolution to come out of my Land from my kindred and from my Fathers howse with what griefe I could forsake a noble Vniversity the company of my kindest friends the comfort of my dearest familiars other emoluments which such a place doth actually yeeld and prepareth vnto greater ANSVVERE Your Motiues shall be answered as briefly as vrged because they be to bee scanned at a higher barre Your conflict was not with flesh and blood but you did agree with the world and the Diuell and applyed your selfe to the service of that painted but ill-favoured witch the church of Rome Neither did you forsake our Vniversity friends and familiars before they forsooke you They at length heard hated who at first obserued your folly and pittyed Mr LEECH Howbeit my Brethren since there is banishmeÌ„t indeed where no place is left for truth I esteeme al these things as dongue that I may gaine Christ for he is my sufficient reward I did not conceiue that when I preached my doctrine among you I shoulde haue giuen you such an example thereof in mine owne person But thankes be vnto him who disposeth all things sweetly for the benefit of his children Finally my brethren I wish that you may enioy your country which is aboue without forsaking that which is below But if you cannot by reason of the time theÌ„ looke vp vnto your eternity let not your excellent spirits abase themselues vnto the loue of transitory things For behold I shew you a more excellent way 1. Cor. 12.13 ANSVVER If in the world there be any sanctuary for truth it is there where shee may appeare without controll without colors or disguises Which you woulde willingly acknowledge to be true if ignorance were not the mother of your devotion To forsake all for Christ is blessed but to forsake eveÌ„ Christ himselfe it is most cursed He is a sufficient reward to all that feare follow him and will follow theÌ„ that fly from him How pervious you were to fly from your Country after you had fled from the truth your intent before and your practises since haue manifested But farre be it that God should be reputed as the disposer of you to this vnnaturall and vnchristian disobedience to the Church and State O what bitter punishment must attend that presumption that endangers a double perishing and is so far from having expresse commaund that it hath direct and iust inhibitions Your wish that we may enioy our countrey that is aboue is a wish aboue your charity We wish your admission into the heavenly Hierusalem which is aboue and would from our harts pray for your triumphant state there Luke 16.25 but that as Abraham said to Diues Remember thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasure and Lazarus paines therfore he is comforted and thou art tormented so we are willing to awake you with this that seeing you make your selfe of the Church triumphaÌ„t in earth you coÌ„tinuing this course are like to haue small part in the triumphant glory in heaven And while wee for our partes and stations are here wee will affect no pilgrimage but from nature to grace so to glory hoping to accompany them that are in possession of the lawrell And to this iourney we haue no other hie way 1. Kings 8.36 1. Sam. 12.23 Ier. 6.16 Ioh. 14 6. but the good way which God teacheth and the right way which Samuell describeth and the old way which Ieremy informeth al which be not as yours be Crosse waies but doe terminat in the way even Christ Iesus THE THIRD PART CONTAIning 12. Motiues which perswaded me to embrace the Catholicke Religion Briefely and naturally deriued out of the premises * ⎠* S. AVGVST In Psal contra partem Donati Scitis Catholica quid sit quid sit praecisum à vite Si qui sint inter vos cauti veniant vivant de radice THE THIRD PART CONTAINETH 12. Articles against you whereby your 12. Motiues are disproved as having not affinity with the faith of the 12 Patriarks or spirit of the 12. Prophets or doctrine of the 12. Apostles or beliefe of the 12. Articles of our Creed shewing that as Art doth imitate Nature and an ape a man so as many grounds as good Christians rely vpon for their faith Apostats boast to alleadge for their fall Wherein as in the premises the particular Apostasie is confuted condemned with much facility and breuity * ⎠* S. AVGVST In eod Psal Contra Partem Donati Ipsam formam habet sarmentuÌ„ quod praecisum est de vite Sed quid illi prodest forma si non viuit de radice Venite fratres si vult is ut inseremini in radice Dolor est cum vos videmus praecisos ita iacere Aug. de vnitate Ecclesiae cap. 2. De hoc inter nos illos quaestio versatur vtrum apud nos an apud illos vera Ecclesia sit Mr LEECH To the conscionable and Ingenious Reader THOVGH the generall motiues vnto the Catholique Religion are many and waighty yet the particular which issued out of this present businesse where such as conuinced my vnderstanding and swayed my affection to approue and embrace the same Wherefore courteous Reader aswell to procure thy good as to iustifie my selfe and to satisfie others I haue coÌ„municated them vnto thy view For matter they are the same now as when I conceiued them in the beginning for manner they are brought forth in somewhat a different shape Thus much
outlawry the law doth accuse you for sin and you accuse it for imperfection Vnlesse you send for an advocate to Hell there is none to speak for you Briefly to your quotation I say the law wanted not perfecting but man wanted meanes of fulfilling it Christ in that sense added perfectiō to the law in fulfilling it because as Cardinall l Cusanus excit l. 10. Cusanus confesseth never did any fulfill the commandements but Christ But in this there was no addition and therefore no former imperfection in the law Mr LEECH And as he taught this vnto vs by practise in his owne most sacred person and in the persons of his Apostles so he left vs the first pure primitiue Church and raised vp many in the other succeeding ages and Centuries of the Catholike Church to be examples and patterns of these Evangelicall Counsells ANSVVER It is a toile that my pen must follow yours in these so idle repetitions and needlesse Tautologies I ingeminate my former answer Christ did not professe the teaching of Evangelicall Counsells he came not from heauen with another edition of the law then what Moyses had brought The Primitiue Church knewe not the name of Evangelicall Counsells that as m Assert Luther conf art 18. pag. 86. Fisher B. of Rochester said of Purgatory that there was litle mentiō or none at all among the Ancients thereof so I say of Counsells this opinion was a Posthume to the Primitiue Church Anselmus that liued many hundred yeeres after denyeth that any man may performe more then he oweth as you would teach by Counsells His words be n Anselm de concep virg c. 21. Nullus potest reddere quantum debet solus Christus reddidit pro omnibus qui salvantur plus quà m debetur But as o Dion Xiphilin in epitome Domit. Decebalus king of Dacia put to flight the Romans by arming trunks of trees insteed of souldiers so the new Romans suppose to gull vs by obtruding shadowes insteed of substance inserting into their Pamphlets the name of the Primitiue Church Ancient Catholike Church Fathers of the Church in those matters controversed betweene vs whereas the Church and Fathers in this case may answere Papists as answer was made to p 1. Sam. 28.26 Saul in the 1. Sam. 28.16 Wherefore dost thou aske of mee seeing the Lord is gon from thee and is thine enemie Mr LEECH This was the summe of my repetition with a more ample explanation of my former doctrine iustified now in publike against the Brethren who had traduced it in their whispering conventicles according to the liberty of their private spirits ANSVVER You haue landed this discourse thinking hereby to gaine the name of an authorizer if not an author But bragge not that you haue publikely iustified that against the Brethren which you will be constrained to deny before the Saints The writtē Coppy which you delivered is much different frō this second repetition you and it farre from truth Because with Peter you hope to warme your hands at the high Priests fire therefore you deny the truth of your Master Follow Peter rather in repenting then in forswearing CHAP. 4. Mr LEECH THis sermon being ended and supper time immediatly approaching M. Doctor Hutton one of the Channons of Christ Church now deputed Provicechancellour in the absence of Mr. Doctour King sent for me by one of my fellow Chaplaines into the commō kitchin A place fitt to treat vppon Iovinianisme but vnfit for the sacred mysteries of Religion to conferre with me vpon the point delivered in my sermon ANSVVER The summe of this ensuing chapter was begot in the Kitchin it is so full of smoake heat Your marginall note doth much traduce Doctor Hutton Prebendary Subdeane of Christ-Church an auncient learned preacher Professor Doctor of Diuinity the least of these titles might haue restrained you in your duty towards him But a more neere respect of obseruance bound you to reuerence him not only for private but for publicke authority not only for feare but for cōscience sake saith the Apostle He was the Magistrate Provicechancellor Deputy Governor of your betters at that time not in that house alone but in the whole Vniuersity He might haue sent for you by an officer not your fellow Chaplaine vnto a publique place not so familiar to cōvent censure imprison punish you not to conferre with you It is not the place that doth honest the man but the man the place Lucifer rebelled in heaven Adam sinned in Paradise whē as Lot served God in Sodom Ioseph in Egypt Better to speake truth in the Kitchin then falsehoode in the Pulpit The place of all other is least circumstantiall Mr LEECH Hither I no sooner came but hee interessing himselfe in the quarrell of IOVINIAN began very fiercely to assault and chardge me for preaching scandalous erroneous doctrine excepting farther against the tearmes of Angelicall Chastity and Evangelicall Counsailes of perfection expresly mentioned by me in the aforesaid sermon ANSVVER For any Iovinian heresie that you taxe him with or the opposers of your opinion you knowe in your conscience that no Protestant ever defended anie of them S. r Aug. de haeresibus ad quod vult De um haeres 82. Augustine in his tract De haeresibus ad Quodvult Deum the 82. heresie reciteth the divers positiōs of Iovinian and I doe freely and fully protest that I knowe no point wherewith our Church in that kinde may be accused In what point of Iovinianisme was he guilty name it I am sure if you could you would Your doctrine offered much offence therfore was scandalous and was opposite to our Churches doctrine and therefore to be called erroneous Mr LEECH The onset being thus given by his worship my warde was Sir vnder your correction the doctrine lately by me preached howsoever you disconceipt it is not nay cannot possibly be either scandalous or erroneous for it is the doctrine of that great Pillar of the Latine Church S. Gregory accorded vnto and confirmed by vniforme consent of fathers both of the Greeke Latine Church ANSVVER As Salomon spake of ſ Eccl. 12.12 making many books so may I of vsing many words There is no end the one wearying of the flesh the other angariation to the spirit It is not as you take it the doctrine of that great Pillar of the Church S. Gregory it is a Doctrine which is the Pillar of Monkes I assure my selfe the Monkes would not maintaine it vnlesse it did maintaine Monkes The Fathers of the Greeke and Latine Church are answered so sufficiently as that I hope you will change and challendge your Grand-Iurie for beeing too partiall for our part Mr LEECH As for the termes of a Virginity equalleth it selfe to Angells yea if wee examine well the matter we shall finde it to exceed Angells for that contrary to nature it getteth a victory in flesh aboue flesh which Angells doe not Cypr. de
calleth by the name of Counsell and so doth expound himselfe in his 3 booke de Doct. Christ c. 17. when he affirmeth alia omnibus communiter PRAECIPI alia singulis quibusque generibus personarum here is the vniversall or common and that proper or speciall precept distinguished he giueth the reason that God hath not in this only taken care for the generall infections sicknesse of sinne in al but particularly for the spirituall disease and infirmitie of every one Psal 103. he hath giuen medicine to heale these sicknesses and the directiō of the receipt is a Praecipi Conf. l. 10. c. 29.30 And not only here but in his Confessiōs he acknowledgeth that god doth command virginity and continency Imperas nobis cōtinentiam continentiam iubes da quod iubes iube quod vis The second and third places of S. Augustin may be so answered But in a word to either the former of the two in which I must aime at the worde for I finde no quotation of these places oft vrged I say the former of these * Evāg quaest 2. l. cap. 19. whence you would proue not only Counsells but supererogation meaneth nothing else but that a man may by grace outstrip the common iniunction enioined other men but that ex debito not ex consilio as in other places Austin holdeth And to his latter place Enchr. ad Laur. c. 121. Quaecunque ergo mandat Deus c. Danaeus answereth that howsoever Austin seemeth to distinguish Counsells and precepts there yet the very word in that place speciali Consilio doth sufficiētly manifest his meaning to bee of precepts For an especiall Counsell is only herein especiall as hauing reference to a generall but generall Counsells there bee none but only Precepts therefore it is plaine by speciali consilio he meant a speciall precept Thus you are left without authority the scabbard whereof you will presume to keepe for you see the sword is taken from you or else so vnedged that it serveth not for your turne Mr LEECH Precepts and Counsailes therefore differ thus Precepts are of necessity Counsailes arbitrary left to our free choice Both aime at the marke of heaven by shooting at the butt of Christian perfectiō but differ in the māner Both levell at the meanes of salvation that is perfection of charity yet Counsailes after a more exquisite and excelling perfection ANSVVER Counsels and precepts do differ no more then Genus and species for Counsailes bee but the braunches and species of Precepts neither bee they left to our free choice for we haue no free choice but in every good thing the directing hand of heavē doth dispose of vs. Secondly they be not Arbitrary simply If we graunt them to be Arbitrary in regarde of the things to bee vndertaken which be indifferent yet they be not so in regard of the persons vndertaking who are bounde to loue serue and feare God as much as they can with their best gifts and yet in the end bee vnprofitable servants Mr LEECH The stage of this worlde and the theater of the Church present vnto our free choice the worlds trash and heavēs true treasure the more man cleaveth to heauens permanent felicity the more perfit excellent is he nay to cast the worlds trash wholy away in lue of heauens treasure as seafaring men do their goods wares in danger of shipwracke when the life is in hazard this is no precept of necessity but only an advise of greater perfection ANSVVER The stage of the world and the Theater of the Church are very vnfit Phrases and more vnfit to bee coupled But these do not present to our free choice the casting away of the worlds trash for the Apostle necessitate praecepti Heb. 12.1 doth binde every man to cast away every thing that presseth downe And yet all Christians are not generally commanded to giue away all or cast away al but to imitate the merchant in a dangerous tempest to cast away all rather then hazard his life and this is but conditionall and when the danger is lesse hee will depart but with some part reserving the rest for helping forward his traffique So the Christian sea-faring man will vpon an extremity rather forsake all worldly profit then endanger the shipwracke of faith a good conscience Neverthelesse in the common course of his life which is ordinarily hazardous will not be wāting to throw daily some of his goods into the salt sea of other mens misery for their reliefe alwaies so giving that he may alwaies giue Mr LEECH Transgressors of the lawes precepts deserue punishment but they that performe not Counsailes sin not only they want some measure of perfection ANSVVERE They that performe not counsailes as Evangelicall precepts particularly inioined them sin peccato omissionis For a man must serue God as much as he is able obligatione praecepti as it is iterated in Matthew Mark Mat. 22.37 Mark 12.30 Luc. 10.27 and Luke Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy minde which is not only by the Fathers Aq. 22ae q. 44. art 5. Com. in Math. 22. but by Aquinas and Caietā thus expounded that in the service of the heart is dedicated the affection in the soule the consecration of the life in the minde the sacrifice of the vnderstanding Yea scire is required in the heart velle in the soule posse in the minde all our faculties of soule and body are required by that precept delivered in the law confirmed in the Gospell and containing the very summe of Law and Gospell of Precepts and Counsailes and requiring the vtmost degrees of perfection that may be performed in this life Mr LEECH Observers of Counsailes shall haue greater reward yea they shall sit vpon thrones and not only iudge the twelue tribes of Israell but doome both men and Angels It was Christ his promise of remuneration made to his disciples for their consolation to encourage them to goe forwardes with the practise of Christian perfection embracing for his and heauens sake voluntary pouerty virginall chastity and humble obedience It was proclaimed also by that trumpet of the Apostles preacher of the world Apostle of the Gentiles and descrier of heavenly mysteries holy and blessed S. Paul know you not that we shall iudge the Angels c. The words are so pregnāt that all the wrāgling wits and contentious private spirits in the world cānot wrest them But law breakers without repentance shal haue greater punishment ANSVVER To the Saints in generall it is promised by the Oracle of truth Mat. 19.28 the truth himselfe not only in Matthew that they shall sit vpon twelue throanes and iudge the twelue tribes of Israell Luk. 22.30 but also in Luke that they shall eate drinke at his table in his kingdome sit on seats and iudge the twelue tribes of Israell And it is most true that
may suffice for thy instruction concerning these Motiues Onely I may not forget to advertise thee that whereas through their titles I vse this perpetuall stile THE PROTESTANTS c. howbeit the most learned amongst them differ in iudgement from the common sort and in this respect cannot bee concluded in the generality of ALL I haue not done this without good consideration For though the principall divines in England do vtterly distast the vaine opinions of D. King and such like yet since by publike profession of the truth they giue not sufficient notice vnto the world of their Catholique positions I must involve them also in this common accusation And as they against their knowledge Corde creditur ad iustitiam ore fit confessio ad salutem doe suffer a preiudice to fall vpon God his truth they must likewise against their will suffer an infamy to remaine vpon their owne persons ANSVVER The Catholikes like to the olde Circumcellions are Individua vaga ever in motion Campians reasons Bristowes motiues the one ten the other 48 yours a Iurie This former treatise hath answered all yours But seeing they so commanded your affection and convinced your vnderstanding wee will heare your descriptions and marke the motions If it be the good of your Reader you wish you would not leade him into so many darke entries of the Chambers of death your booke is come into the hands of many better informed soules then your selfe and some that haue breathed lately from their Antichristianisme that haue seene and heard more then you haue and haue hated and abhorred and returned You seeke to iustifie but do condemne your selfe and you hope your satisfaction will proue an infection to some But each man doth disdaine that these should draw ouer any wise Proselyte They are the same in substance as in your sermon only as the Patron of error can change his shapes so doe these You say you must not forget to advertise and I cannot omit to discrie the vntruth in the advertisement For if with an indifferent eie ANY observant in the state of our Church doe looke vpon the more learned Of our Divines he shal finde that either they be writers or publike Readers or continuall Preachers against Popery neither doe they differ in iudgement from the common sort as most iniuriously you traduce them By publike profession in the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace in the essense and substance of religion all agree And howsoever there haue beene some differences in opinion betweene many of the most orient fixed starres in the firmament of the Church as betweene Ruffinus Ierom Ierom Austin Austin Symplician and many others yet all the world wil free our Church from hauing in her Religion any diversly affected from the truth addicted to Popery at the least any that ever were of deserving note or accounted the Principall divines If there be any such homely and home-made peeces as your selfe that coccle they be no sooner noted but punished Your preiudice and infamy will returne vpon your selfe for accusing our worthiest to maintaine a linsey woolsey blended mangled Religion Being supplanted your selfe in reputation you seeke to supplāt others the vtmost spirits of your malice and spite being as Enginers to overthrow the credit of those that by their learned paines do seeke to overthrow the wals of Babell Their publique profession and positions free them from your common accusation their sermons Lectures writings might satisfie you but that these heavenly showers haue fallen besides you Error surprising your will ignorance your knowledge a smale things may moue you that were never setled Mr LEECH The First motive The Protestants admit not a triall of their Religion by the testimony of the Fathers whatsoever they pretend to the contrary BEcause it is a preposterous devise to iudge the former ages of the Church by the later D. Field pag 204. We willingly admit a triall by the Fathers saith he in the name of his Church therefore the courses of my study haue ever beene directed vnto a diligent pervsall of ancient Fathers whose authority simply considered as it may preponderate our moderne writers so in reference vnto the Church being her witnesses who is the iudge to define all controversies their testimony is to be preferred before all Authors whatsoever Neither resolued I thus without serious deliberation and especially contra haeref cap. 1. 2. the graue counsaile of Vincentius Lyrinēsis did prevaile with me seeing that learned holy men did generally conspire in this opinion If any man will discerne Heretical pravity from Catholike verity he must be furnished with a double helpe first the Canon of sacred Scripture Secondly the tradition of the Catholique Church wherein three things inseparably concurre Vniversality Antiquitie Consent The reason of which prescription is yealded by him to be this The Scripture is sublime and forasmuch as all men sense it not alike it is necessarie to adioine therevnto the continuall interpretation of the Church Vpon this infallible ground evident vnto all men of any apprehension I builded my faith conforming it alwaies vnto those Orthodoxe principles which I had derived out of the venerable Fathers Hence I assumed this doctrine of Evangelicall Coūsells which as I delivered out of the sacred volumes of Antiquitie so Antiquitie it selfe deduced it with mee out of the divine Oracles of holy Scripture And therefore seeing that my opinion was cleerely built vpon this foūdation I pressed it vncessantly vntill my vniust Iudges were enforced to forsake this meanes of triall and consequently to punish the Fathers in me as I had spoken by them But when I plainely saw that my doctrine could not be condemned without condemnation of the ancient Church and that my Iudges were driuen to this extremity I inferred that their Religion could not be good and that their consciences were verie bad ANSVVER It is a most preposterous devise to make the Fathers iudges of the Scriptures whereas the Scriptures as S. Austin confesseth ought to be the iudges of the Fathers otherwise what you impute to vs is the practise of your selues which you seeke approbation of the former Church by the latine That the Fathers may preponderate the moderne writers I answere for their antiquity they doe but where the same truth is in both for their authority they do not exceed Hath the Church had no growth since their time Hath the sonne of righteousnesse Psal 19. going from the ende of the heauens and in his compasse returning to the ende thereof againe by his beames given no more light then when it first rose Hath not God revealed somethings to one which he hath not to another 1. Cor. 14.30 as S. Paul speaketh Our reverend estimation of the Fathers is most learnedly and fully delivered by his Maiestie in his premonition and our willingnesse of a triall by the Fathers is openly testified by the Reverend Bewcleark D. Field these exceptions
of eradication to bee rooted out of their possessions whereas otherwise their daies might haue been long in the land which the Lord their God had given thē The most Reverend but now deceased much lamēted Prelat did not by chāge of place chāge his thoughts your intimation is base and false to make the worlde beleeue any other affection in his Grace towardes Religion then what God and man approved openly so by the sequel of your busines it is manifest Where in your second limb of that mōstrous accusation is against his Iustice his approbation of the Vniversitie censure was as much as another condemnation of you pretenses his grace needed not for maine reasons wanted not his experience of the truth knowledge wisedome iudgement and goverment of his vicegerent and the worlds experience of his Graces prudent and eminent carriage in all his high and honourable imployments do free them both from your imputations and returne you your smoaky evaporations a Phrase lent you from the sulphureous fume of the bottomlesse pit But you conclude that you are nothing and worse then nothing The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of your booke sheweth that you are somewhat more then nothing the only argumēt to serue your turne to proue the Pope to be God is because he can make something of Purgatory which is nothing I could turn this vpon you but I forbeare and only returne to your owne figure How pleaded you for Iustice With stubborne tumultuous quarellous disobediēce In what In a point derogatory to the Iustice and Law of God When Then when you oppressed truth reiected your faith disobeyed your Iudge beganne to forsake your Church Before whom In the open face of heaven in the presence of God men and Angels in the holie place the pulpit in the best place on the best day For what end the dishonor of God the disgrace of his law which you accused of insufficiencie and imperfection Thus you did delude and were deluded for this these Reverēd Doctors haue beene by you iniuriously traduced That I may truely say no Revolter ever did offer more scandall in generall to our Church or slander in particular to so many worthy members thereof Mr LEECH TO M. DOCTOR KING DEANE OF Christ-Church in Oxford and Vicechancellour of the Vniversitie H. L. wisheth health and salvation in Christ IESVS SIR though your will was your law to punish me without my offence yet it shall not bee your sanctuary to defend your selfe without more sufficient reason For as you convented me before a selected Calvinian assembly so now I convent you and them before all men in the assured confidence of my good cause and in the comfortable peace of my sincere heart And since you dealt with me as a Magistrate by the strength of your authority you must giue mee leaue now to deale with you as a Scholler by the validity of arguments Finally because I wish your future happinesse I cannot omit to acquaint you with your present miserie which I will lay forth before your eies in Syllogisticall manner and then I will referre you vnto the consultation of your owne heart Whatsoever doctrine is founded vpon Scripture according to the conformable opinion of the ancient Church that is a point of Catholike faith But the doctrine of Evangelicall Counsailes is founded vpon Scripture according to the conformable opiniō of the ancient Church Therefore the Doctrine of Evangelicall Counsailes is a point of Catholique faith The Maior is a maxime in all Christian schooles The Minor is proued by the ensuing testimonies of the Fathers whose vniforme verdict in this behalfe is the iudgement of the Church Whosoeuer doth obstinately impugne any point of Catholique faith he is an heretike But Doctour Kinge D. Aglionby D. Airay D. Hutton D. Benefield c. do obstinately impugne a point of Catholique faith Therefore D. Kinge D. Aglionby c. are heretikes De haeres ad Quod-vult D. in perorat The Maior is granted by all men of iudgement and is confirmed by S. Augustines rule The Minor is proued by their own proceedings against me in this particular Every heretike is bound to recant his heresie or else he is liable to the punishment decreed in the Canonicall law of the Church But D. King D. Aglionby c. are heretickes Therefore D. King D. Aglionby c. are bound to recant their heresie or else they are liable to the punishment decreed in the Canonicall law of the Church The Maior is cleare of it selfe The Minor is proued already And because it shall appeare yet more sensibly I pray you to consider that whosoeuer reiecteth the ioint consent of Fathers in a point of doctrine as D. King doth herein he is an hereticke and this I will breefly declare by foure evidences FIRST Epist 1. ad Leon. cap. 1. by the testimony of Flavianus Patriarch of Constantinople saying Haeretici est praecepta Patrum declinare instituta eorum despicere In Concil Chalced. SECONDLY by the testimony of Eudoxius admitted in a generall Councell qui non consentit sacrosanctorum Patrum expositionibus alienat se ab omni sacerdotali communione a Christi praesentia See Sozom. l. 7. c. 12. THIRDLY by the proceedings of the most Christian emperour Theodosius against the proud distracted Hetikes who would not submit themselues vnto the iudgements of the venerable Fathers See Vincent Lit. cap. 41. FOVRTHLY by the practise of the Ephesine Counsaile against Nestorius who was iudged an heretike not only in regard of the matter itselfe Veterum interpretum scripta perdiscere dedignatus est See Socrat. l. 7. c. 32. NOTA. wherein he erred damnably but in regard of the manner and tryall by the holy Fathers which his contemptuous spirit did vtterly decline Many also of those Fathers by whose testimony the cause was then handled against Nestorius are the very same whose verdicts I shall now produce against D. King and against his abettours whosoeuer ANSVVER TO Mr. HVMFREY LEECH LATE Minister now Revolter SIr it is Salomons counsel in the 4. verse of the 26. Chap. of Proverbs not to answer some sort of mē yet in the next verse he adviseth to answer such lest they TRIVPMH in their owne eies Vpō the instruction of the former verse this worthy Deane intends to contēne rather then answer and yet wisheth you lesse presūption greater knowledg lesse sophistry more honesty but vpō the directiō of the insuing vers I the weakest of many yet strōg enough for this cause haue vpon reasons of some importance vndertaken to confute your calumnies to cleere the truth to cōfirme the faithfull In Christian Policy you were to be answered and in common charity you are to bee counselled hereafter to care what you write whom you revile so to rule your pen and order your tongue that you be not iudged either in this worlde or in the future or in both for a prostituted cōsciēce if not a