so much as al things that maie happen in diuers kindes of cōmon weales could not be comprised in them haue made other statutes and lawes the which all men are bownd to obey by the law of God so the Bishops of Rome to whome is committed the rule and gouernement of the vniuersal Church although you swel and burst at it doe make decrees not only by word but also in writing as the times require the which all we that beare the name of Christian men are bownd to obserue and keepe As for the feare the whiche I saied was taken quite awaie by you I doe impute it not only to the decaie of the Canon lawe but muche more to the neclecting and despising of the lawe of God For I saie that thrugh the decrees of Luther the fear of Goddes iudgement and euerlasting damnation is vtterly quenched I haue heard saie you that verie manie men haue ben by the Canons excedingly enritched but I haue not heard that manie haue ben instructed in the feare of God What M. Haddon Such as folow the studie of the ciuile lawe are they al instructed in the feare of God No truly And yet you woulde not haue the whole ciuile lawe to be burned for that For the ordinaunces of Princes are not to be disanulled for the malice and crafte of the interpretours but the lewdnes of such as turne all lawes to their owne gaine and aduantage were most seuerely to be restreined And yet you saie that you doe obserue the decrees of Popes bicause they are not a litle profitable The whiche thing truly I meruaile muche at for two cawses First bicause in this pointe you dissent from the most holie father Luther who as you saie was sent from heauen For he burned all the Popes decrees in suche sorte that he left not one of them Then bicause all your trade so dependeth of heauen that you esteeme all wordlie thinges no better woorth but to be cast awaie Whereas you saie that I doe accuse your Doctours bicause they haue cawsed a certaine vnrestreined libertie in suche as they teache I graunt I am yet of that opinion and howe true it is I will declare hereafter You complaine afterward that I mocke those your holie men Your woordes are these I woulde haue you to remembre what your great Maister of eloquēce wrote sometime verie wisely that it is an vngodlie costume to daly against the Gods whether it be done in earnest or in sport You are to superstitious M. Haddon and I see now that Luther is a holie God with you and that you praie that Bucer wil be mercifull vnto you and that you thinke that you must appease with sacrifice the maiestie of your Martyr also For these men do you esteeme as Goddes and therefore I looke when you will erecte aulters vnto them For els what other Goddes did I euer iest at Then by like these are the Goddes of whose displeasure you warne me to beware But whereas you saie that I do vse iesting wordes againste Christe in that point you folow your maisters which are in the mysterie of lying very handsome craftesmen You chalenge me to dispute a thing ful vnseemelie for your persone For you vnderstād not the scriptures no Luther him selfe could not being as he was altogether blinded in vice and wickednes discerne what great light was in them And this is the cause why he is caried to and fro so diuersly so dowbtfully and so vncertanly that to this daie no man in the world is able to saie for certaine this was his opinion For at one time he affirmeth that all standeth in only faith and he bringeth me in such a faith as if it be once receued al good works are put to flight At an other time being ouercome by the very force of truth it selfe and aduertised by his frindes to auoid the enuie of men he seeketh out the good works againe I would you wold read ouer my bookes of Iustification and I iudge you should not neede to be to seeke in anie point concerning this matter which you now speake of We beleeue saie you the gospel You do wel But the deuils beleeue also and quake for feare But what saieth the gospel That there is no dāger saie you of damnation to them that are grassed in Christ that liue not according to the flesh but according to the spirit For I wil not goe farre from the verie woordes of the holie scriptures lest I maie seeme in some point to deale not vprightly That seemeth in deede M. Haddon to be the propertie of a perfect lawier to mainteine the writen word of the law and to goe sometimes directely against the meaning of the lawe But I praie you what words are those the which you might in no wise leaue out S. Paul say you after a long and earnest disputation concludeth that he thought that we are iustified by faith without the woorkes of the law What S. Paul hath concluded I know very wel but what you wold conclude I doe not yet perfectely vnderstand We must needes yeld saie you we are not able to discredite the gospell But yet we must take that withal out of the selfe same S. Paul faith that worketh by charitie If we doe keepe these thinges ioyned together you maie not separate them and so reason againste an errour whiche hath none other author besides your owne selfe By these your wordes I doe coniecture M. Haddon that your opiniō is wheras S. Paul saieth that no man is iustified by workes and againe that we must kepe that faith that worketh by charity although these things maie seeme to disagree the one with the other yet that we maie not in anie wise depart from the verie wordes of the gospel And how so euer the ioyning together of these thinges maie seeme to be a hard matter yet for so much as S. Paul is the authour of it it were a presumpteous acte to go about to separate what S. Paul hath ioyned But I am of a cōtrary opiniō that this only argumēt is sufficient to proue that S. Paul neuer spake these thīgs bicause they hāg not together For what thing standeth better together and is more agreable then the reasoning and doctrine of S. Paul And nothing is lesse agreable then this that iustice is not geauen without that faith that woorketh by charitie and that no man can be iustified by works Not the hearers of the law saieth S. Paul but the doers of the law they shal be iustified They therfore that doe the thing that is cōmaunded in the law by the authoritie of S. Paul are iust before God If that be true what is more cōtrary to the meaning of S. Paul then to saie that no mā is made iust by workes You therfore knit those things together that cānot be ioyned But I would stand in it and proue by this reason only if I had none other that S. Paul wold neuer speak it
You say wel if it be so But before I begynne to declare how muche the auncient Fathers dissented from your new maisters I wil tarie a litle to see howe you can proue this goodlie agreement S. Augustine saie you coÌ„platneth in his time that flouddes of ceremonies ouerflowed the Churche in so muche that the Christians were almost in worse case then euer were the Iewes You neuer read that in S. Augustine â–ª that the Ceremonies whiche we now vse are like to the Iewish ceremonies and therfore to be reiected but your maisters haue brought you like an ignorant felowe to beleeue it S. Hierome saie you wissheth that the holie scriptures which your Churche hideth froÌ„ al men might be learned without the booke euen of children and women S. Ierome writing to Paulinus disputeth to the contrarie where he complaineth of the rashnes and boldhardines of men which tooke vppon them without any good witte or vertue to handle the Scriptures with to much libertie and of the vndiscrete chatting of foolish women which taking vppon them to expounde Scriptures defined manie thinges verie vnaduisedly It foloweth Basile imploied his vacant time in the most godlie exercise of reading and teaching diuinitie It was wel don truly for Basil was none of them that take vpon them arrogantly to teache doctrine that they neuer learned Then you adde these wordes If Monkes had leued according to the rules of Basile no man woulde euer haue touched them with so much as his finger As though your quarel had ben against men and not against chastitie it selfe But admit that their manners were loose their behauiour dissolute their life wanton What then was there none emoÌ„gest them al that kept their chastitie There were without doubt And that the loue of cleane and chast life was not vtterly decaied em ngest monkes the end of the holie fathers the Carthusians declared full wel who if thei would haue yeelded their coÌ„sent to the wicked decrees neded neuer to haue suffered other punishmeÌ„t but only to be married It was not therefore the misliking of filthie pleasure that stirred you to such barbarous crueltie but the hatred of chastitie and virginitie And I know wel that not only thei were chast and perfect men but also many other that are now bannished emong vs the which whersoeuer they set their foote they leaue behind them most manifest footsteppes of bashfulnes and honesty But admit that the greater part of them had ben drowned in vice was it therefore good reason by and by to ouerthrow the whol order How much had it ben more for your honesty to haue don as the most puissaunt King Fernandus did sometime in Spaigne and Elizabeth his wife a Princesse coÌ„secrated to euerlasting fame as the most honorable king and renoumed Prince Emanuel as Iohn the third his sonne a King for his religion and godlines worthy of most high coÌ„mendation as Charles the fifth an emperour born to immortal glorie as Euricus the Cardinal sonne of king Emanuel in whom shineth a woÌ„derful light of al vertue and holines finally as all other moste religious Princes did who seing the manners of monkes to tende towardes a nicenesse sent for certaine perfecte religious menne by whose diligence their vnbridled affection and licentiousnes was tied vp their loose manners by streighter discipline restreined and their sleapie mindes styrred vp to the most feruent loue of godlines And so there are now emongest vs most holie and religious Monkes whiche folow Basile Benet and Bernarde and Dominique and Frauncis in the puritie of most chaste religion in most earnest and zealous loue of God in most notable examples of al vertue Whie then would you rather cut of that that might haue ben healed Bicause as I said a litle before it was not anie displeasure toward filthie lust or life but the hatred of perpetual chastitie that stvrred you to deface and vtteâ—lie to ouerthrow the name of Mounkes For as S. Hierome â—aith all Heretiques haue a naturall hatred and grudge against chastitie Wherefore there is no doubt but that if your Mounkes had liued according to the rules of S. Basile the greater their perfection had ben the more displeasure and hatred you wold haue born them Afterward you bring in these wordes We reuerence the Crede of Athanasius as it ought to be neither is there any controuersie betwene them and vs. What great discorde there is betwene your menne and Athanasius I haue partely declared in that my letter whiche you so muche reuile Neither skilleth it muche whether you be agreed in some pointes yea or no. For I neuer saide that your Championsdissented from the opinion of the holie Fathers in al matters But to what end tendeth al this talke what would you prooue For sooth that Luther Bucer Zwinglius Oecolampadius Caluine and other the Ministers of this your gospel are in vertue holines chastitie and religion nothing inferiour to S. Augustine Hierome Basile and Athanasius and other holie Fathers whose writinges seeme to send forth the verie swete sauour of the holie ghost But how do you proue it S Augustine you say coÌ„plaineth that whole flouddes of ceremonies ouerflowed the Church S. Ierome thought it expedient that women and children should learne the scriptures without the booke If Monkes liued according to the rule of S. Basile no man woulde once laie his singer on them and we reuereÌ„ce the Crede of Athanasius What then Can you proue by these propositions that Luther and Bucer and the rest of your Worthies are to be compared with S. Augustine Ierome Basile Athanasius in vertue coÌ„stancie chastitie cleanes of life religion and wisedom A goodlie pregnaÌ„t wit of a yong Logician he shaketh out his argumentes so fearsly that he maketh them fitte to coÌ„clude what so euer him liâ—teth to prooue Let this fourme of reasoning be once receiued and what thing is ther in the worlde so muche contrarie to al reason that maie not easily be prooued â–ª As if we should saie for example Mahumete saieth that God created the worlde S. Basile holdeth the same Basile therefore and Mahumete are moste like in godlie life Arius confessed that Christ shed his bloud for the redemption of mankinde Athanasius affirmeth the same Ergo Arius shined in vertuouse conuersation no lesse then Athanasius Luther disputeth that all good thinges are to be referred to the grace of Christe the verie same doth S â–ª Augustine declare most wisely It followeth therefore that Luther hath deserued no lesse commendation of holines then S. Augustine See you not vnderstande you not consider you not howe childishly you haue concluded howe weakelie you haue defended your newe Maisters Are you wont in skirmish so to put backe the hornes of your ennemies This was the principall and chiefest point of al in the whiche you should haue shewed al the force and strength of your witte to haue brought al the world in admiration of you You saie afterward that I doe taunt and reuile the soule
the common weale But contrariewise you haue bv violence and authoritie drawen out those bandes or companies as you cal them from holie quietnes to a busines defiled with wicked sacrilege from the exercise of godlines to the libertie of vice from the discipline of perpetuall continencie to the bondage of moste vncleane voluptuousnesse Howe be it by this I doe not excuse your Religiouse menne For it had ben muche better for them to suffer intolerable paines yea and to let their lyues in tormentes then to forsake their Faith whiche they haue openly professed to Christe For if they had withstood your warninges and counsell your threates and authoritie with good courage and constante heartes dowbtelesse they had died an honourable death for the glorie of Christe For you are wont to punnish extremelie thâ— chaste and cleane lyfe but filthie and vile brothelrie as you confesse your selfe you are wonte mercifullie to pardonne The Carthusians â–ª moste chaste and holie Fathers you put to death but those most wicked bandes and companies as you terme them you called foorth to be married and to liue in pleasure Wherefore there is no dowbt but that if your Mounkes had liued after S. Basiles rule they had benne dispatched emongest you euerie one And yet you glorie that by this your so goodlie an acte you are restored againe to libertie As thoughe you vnderstoode what thinge true libertie were But of that we shall see hereafter Nowe before I enter into that discourse I wilbe so bolde as to demaunde of you one question This libertie of the gospell whiche you haue alwaies in your mowth doth it take place in all thinges so that it maie be lawfull for euerie man at al tymes to do what him listeth Or els is it limited by some certaine rule of lawe and reason As for example in Matrimonie Shall it be laweful for the husband to put awaye his wife for euerie cause that hym lysteth to alleage No without doubte For the euerlasting law of the Gospell will not beare it Iâ— then the band of Matrimonie beinge once knitte by the mutuall consent of man and wife â–ª can not be dissolued by what meanes I praie you may that bande with the which Virgins are willingly consecrated vnto Christe with solâ—mne ceremonies and faithful promise be broken by the presumption of menne without great and heinouse offence S. Paule commaunded Timothee to auoide yonge widowes For when they haue liued rioteouslie saieth he to the reproche of Christe they will marrie What then Is it not lawefull for widowes to marrie Doubtlesse it is lawfull For the same S. Paule saieth If her husbande be a sleape shee is free from the lawe of her husbande Shee may marrie to whome shee will onely in our Lorde If then it be lawful for Widowes to marrie without sinne what is the matter that S. Paule findeth faulte with these widowes bicause they would marrie for he addeth that they haue their daÌ„natioÌ„ Whie so I praie you what haue thâ—y donne what offence haue they coÌ„mitted Bicause they haue saith he broken their first faith what faith I beseke you Expound the meaning of S. Paule if you can What manner of promise was this whiche the Widowes haue broken with none other offence but bicause they would haue married Is it the promise which they made to their housbandes that they would neuer spot the bed of wedlocke with adulterie No. For of that promise they were quite discharged by the death of their housbandes Whie then it foloweth that this promise was not made to anie man but to the sonne of God that they shoulde keepe thâ— chastitie both of bodie and mind perpetually to his glorie The whiche promise when they had decreed to breake they did a greuous reproche not to men but to Christ him selfe And therfore it seemed to the Apostle that they had deserued as being condemned for the offence of a most wicked adultery not to be receiued into the coÌ„pany of chast widowes but rather to be forebidden to enter into the church And that you maie the more meruaile at it note that S. Paule saied not that those widowes after the first mariage had married to other meÌ„ coÌ„trarie to their promise made but onely that they would haue married wherby it is geauen vs to vnderstand that this religious promise is most wickedly and heinously broken by the onlie will and desire to be married againe It was therfore lawful for widowes to marrie before they had promised and coÌ„secrated their chastitie vnto Christe but after the time that the promise was past it was no more lawful Now then sir Think you that the offence of the Virgins is anie thing lesse which haue not only a desire to marrie but doe marrie in deede to the great reproch of Christ Doubtlesse it is farre greater by so much as it is a more wicked offence for an vndefiled virgin to plaie the harlot to the dishonour of Christe then not to kepe the chastitie of a bodie whiche is not vntowched How long then lasteth this libertie So long as it is in our free choise to take what way we wil. But when we haue once either yoked our selues in matrimonie or els offered vp our bodies by vow to serue God in religioÌ„ as it is not laeful to break the promise of matrimony so is it not lauful to violate the sacrameÌ„t of perpetual chastitie And who so euer presumeth to doe it coÌ„mitteth a most wicked crime that deserueth the iudgemeÌ„t and vengeance of God He that hath coÌ„stantly determined in his heart saith S. Paule hauing no coÌ„streint but hauing power ouer his owne wil and hath aduisedly determined in his hart to kepe his virgin doth wel He laieth no necessitie at al vpon vs but by his authoritie approueth the wil of that man which weying and considering the matter wel and taking withall the will of the virgin for otherwise it maie not be dedicateth the said virgin vnto Christe which he kepeth vnder his rule and power But after the virgin hath once bound her selfe with the vowe of perpetual chastitie S Paule saieth not that she is at her choise to marrie if she wil. For if he should so saie he should speke verie muche against him selfe But al these thinges are verie easily confuted in the opinion of such as are addicted to Luther For it is not lawful say thei for any man to bind him selfe by vowe to that religion which he is not able to kepe And to resist the tyrannie of fleshlie lust they saie is graunted to no man This is the talke of a maÌ„ not only incoÌ„tinent and dissolute but also wickedly bent against God For he distrusteth the goodnes and power of God and measureth the strength of vertue and continencie not by the almightines and power of God but by his own weakenes and filthie appetit And this is the propertie of al naughty felowes by their owne beastly life to iudge the conuersation of other
men Nero was fully perswaded that al men were as euil as him selfe but that their vnbridled lust was restrained by the lacke of thinges that it could not breake out at al times into deedes And this opinion causeth that when vicious men heare tel of anie man or woman that is verie continent they doe not only not beleeue it but they wil deuise ofteÌ„times some infamous crime to burden him withal I graunt you thus muche that neither Luther nor Bucer nor Zwinglius nor Occolampadius nor Caluin nor your Martyr him selfe was able to susteine the assault of the flesh For the heauenly gifte of perpetual chastitie is iustly denied to al suche as haue most wickedly diuided them selues from the church But vnto such as are within the boundes of holy Churche and are desirous to be ioyned with most feruent loue to Christ the chiefe and principal worker of honestie and holines for so much as they are fensed on euerie side with the strong bulwarke of God it is very easie to put fleshlie pleasure to flight to pul vp the verie strings and rootes of al vncleane vice Otherwise S. Paule had neuer geanen counsel to virgins to continew in the state of virginitie he had neuer said that they were farre happiest of al other that folowed the cleanes of his life he had neuer condeÌ„ned widowes only for that they had a wil to be married contrary to their promise he had neuer preferred the state of Virgins before widowhod no our Lord him selfe had neuer approued that kind of geldinges whiche haue gelded them selues for the kingdom of heauen And yet wil you here lament like a Popular felowe a restorer of libertie the wretched boÌ„dage of those virgins that desire to serue Christ more painfully and more chastly then you doe You are altogether ignoraÌ„t what libertie is which doe condemne the most excellent kind of liberty calling it bondage For if it be true libertie to doe what fleshlie lust coÌ„maundeth what naughtines forceth what wrathfulnes moueth what hatred perswadeth what the mad rage of a wilful and headlong mind driueth a man to deuise and doe then I graunt you that they are bondmen which haue crucified their affections and haue fastened them selues with such streight bandes vnto Christ that they can not be tossed to and fro with the swaie ofpestileÌ„t and filthy lustes But if libertie be a power of that part of the minde which hath the rule and gouernment and tendeth to come to that end to the which both the excelleÌ„cie of natural inclination and also the likenes of God in the mind calleth it I would learne of you whome you thinke to be more free that woman that being as it were pulled in sunder with a thowsand diuers busines serueth alwaies with great care her husband her children and her familie or her that being discharged of al these troubles casteth her selfe downe at the feete of Christ and hath no more but one onely care how she may at al times singularly wel please Christ her heauenly spouse That woman whome the force of pleasure being by law permitted yea and of dewtie required constreineth oftentimes to forget heauenly thinges â–ª or her whome no force of pleasure is able so long as she is bound vnto Christe to hinder from the coÌ„templation of God Finally that woman who is thorough the loue of her husband drawen two waies or her which hath set her whol loue vpon the beawtie of Christ Who can denie but that liberty is then geueÌ„ to the mind in dede when reason beareth rule in all the state of the minde WhervpoÌ„ it foloweth that where reason keepeth downe the fleshlie lustes most ther is the mind freest Wherfore it must needes be that the frutefull libertie whiche you haue vnseasonably brought foorth for holie Virgins and Monkes against all right and reason against the holie order of Christian religion is no libertie at al but a detestable and pitiful bondage We haue ben somewhat long in the confirmatioÌ„ of this part bicause I sawe that vpon this lâ—wd point was laied the verie foundatioÌ„ and growndworke of al Luthers most pestilent doctrine For this holiâ— chaplain of Venus I meane not Venus of Cyprus nor Paphos nor Ericine but Venus the RegeÌ„t of hel when he had most filthylie spotted him selfe with leacherie and ribawdrie he thought that not vnough but vsed violent perswasions with so manie as were of his reâ—â—new to doe the like And as we reade in Euripedes that Venus tooke great displesure bicause she was despisâ—d of Hippolitus and therfore deuised craftily to sende certaine monstruous seacalues out of the sea to gallowe his chariot horses by the whiche traine Hippolitus was for the onlie loue of chastitie torne al in peeces and cruelly slaine euen so hath this hellish Venus pricked foreward Luther and Carolstadius and the reste of these horrible monsters not against anie one chaste man but against chastitie it selfe meaning by them vtteâ—lâ— to abolish out of the worlde that heauenly example of chastitie of honestie and of virginitie Moreouer ther was a bâ—tter hatred coÌ„ceiued against the Bishop of Rome whose state Luther ymagined might by this goodlie pollicie be verie much weakened Last of al Luther according to the diuels physick who vseth to cure one euel disease with an other woorse deuised to heale the infamie of incontinencie with impietie and misbeleefe to thintent that when he had perswaded al such as folowed him that it was not only lawful and honest but also that very dewtie and godlines â—ea and necessitie it selfe required that al Nunnes and MoÌ„kes should be maried there should no man be able to blame him for his incontinent and vicious liuing The verie same trade and waie haue you takeÌ„ folowing the steppes of your maister to abolish al good affection towardes perpetual chastitie and now that that was verie vngodly and heinously done you defende it to be done for godlie and iust causes To slide and fall procedeth of the weakenes of man and to continewe in anie vice il begonne is an argument of an vnbridled mind and vnrulie affection But to reioise and glorie in wickednes and to geue the name of honestie and godlines to most filthie vices is so presumptuous and horrible offence that it caÌ„ not by wordes be expressed And yet bicause I did in my letters but only lament this so great a ruine and decaie of religioÌ„ you laie out against me with open mowth And yet you make outcries and in so doing you woulde be taken for an ernest and vehemeÌ„t man And yet you wold beare men in haÌ„d that the thinges that you haue done for hatred malice and rashnes were done charitably prouidently and aduisedly You saie Out vpon this ouer malepart and liceÌ„tiouse desire which you haue to peruert all thinges I saie on the other side Out vpoÌ„ your barbarous and crewel boldnes Out vpon your intolerable impudeÌ„cie Out vpoÌ„ your most wicked and deuilish practises
of that opinion that to despise the Sacramentes is a moste heinouse trespasse when you vnderstoode that there was a man in the worlde so lewde and wicked that he woulde goe aboute to take awaie and abolish this most worthie pleadge of the loue of God this most sure staie of all Christian Religion conteming in it all the graces and benefittes of God could you I saie speake familiarly vnto him could you salute him gentelly could you shewe him anie token of loue Haue you neuer reade in S. Iohn that he that saieth good morrowe to wicked menne is become partaker of their wickednesse But you haue not onely spoken familiarly to this Martyr but also commended him aboue the skies and you haue saied that that same golden couple of olde men were brought into your Iland by the prouidence of God to shine ouer you which had alreadie the goodly brightnesse of the newe sonne risen emongest you with a muche cleeter light Are you so sottish M Haddon that you vnderstande not howe muche you haue disteined your estimation by that countenaunce and shewe of gentlenesse towardes him For what can be more infamous then to be familiare with a fraÌ„tike and naughtie felowe But if you like his Doctrine also then is it plaine that you keepe not the Sacramentes at al for so much as you haue vppon an vnsetled pange without al order wisedome or discretion taken awaie the greatest Sacrament and that that is of al other most wonderfull Whie then say you that you wonder if there be any kind of professours in diuinitie in the worlde that despiseth and setteth at naught the Sacramentes But let vs now consider the description of your Church the which you set before our eyes to behold that we may vnderstand by it that you haue had none other maister in Religion but only the holy Ghost You say thus First of all bicause faith is by hearing we sende downe into all partes of our realme teachers of the holie Scriptures to instructe the people in all pointes of godlines and to infourme them in the true woorshipping of God Out of what fountaine sprang these Doctours If they came out of the schoole of Luther Bucer or Caluin they can teach the people no godlines being them selues open enemies to all godlinesse It were therefore muche more tolerable to haue no doctours at all then to be infected with the most corrupt Doctrine of wicked menne If they sprang out of any other heade then is it manifest that there is not emongest you any one and simple Doctrine but diuerse opinions fondly iarring within them selues It followeth Then haue we a common order of praier out of the holie Scriptures confirmed by the authoritie of a Parlament for so doe they terme the consent of the estates of our Realme from the which we suffer no man to depart By what order lawe or authoritie is this done that a Councel or as you cal it a Parlament should so impudently vsurpe the office of the Catholike Churche to make orders for praiers prescribe how religion ought to be vsed and not suffer any man to depart from the order which it hath decreed For in holie thinges it is not lawfull for these menne to geaue lawes but to take lawes For otherwise they shall disturbe the common weale if they wil not content them selues with their owne vocation but will thrust them selues into other mens doinges and they shal marre Religion if they will in matters apperteyninge to them onely that susteine the personne of the Churche take vppon them to meddle and transpose the dignitie of Priestes to them selues You say afterwarde Prouiding both in the one and in the other so muche as we coulde that the commaundement of the holie ghost be obeied the whiche willeth that such as speake in the Churche should vse the word of God and that there should be one common and agreable Doctrine emongest them all You doe verie wel vndowbtedly But wherehence riseth this so great debate and hourlie bourly for Religion in your Churches Wherefore are the confessions and Credes so often chopped and chaunged in places where Luther hath had a great name And we prouide saie you that the Sacramentes be ministred verie neere vnto the prescribed order of the holy scriptures and according to the example of the old Church in the whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ first ordeined them himselfe with his Apostles O valiant men worthie to be commended aboue the heauens O glorious attempte O liuelie courage of lustie blouddes the which thought yt not ynoughe to approche neere vnto the holines of the olde Church but they would presse euen at the verie hard heales of them It followeth All these thinges are set out in our owne mother tongue bicause it is a great madnes for a man to babble out before God he can not tell what and it is directely againste the most wholesome doctrine of S. Paule and all the auncient examples of the Apostolike Churches It is not you only that teache such as vnderstand not the Latine to praie in their owne tongue For we also doe not suffer such as are ignorant in the Latine speach to serue God but only in their own mother tongue and there are manie bookes of praiers and holy scriptures writen not by Parlament as you call it but by holie Priestes the whiche being firste examined by the prelates of the church are sent abroad euerie where and by them are children women and simple folkestrained in the knowledge of their dewtie towardes God And the thinges that are thus written they are not taken out of euerie mans fantasie but out of the holie Scriptures and out of the writinges and examples of holie men So that there lacketh not omongest vs anie discipline of manners nor example of vertue nor good bringing vp in true religion to al such as coulde not imploie them selues to the studie of learning We haue also manie sermoÌ„s by the whiche men are stirred vp to the loue of godlines and religion But in preaching we vse much discretion and warines that none of those questions be opened emongest women and ignorant folkes which are not verie necessarie vnto saluation and yet maie quickely intangle their mindes with verie troublesome dowbtes and scruples For as S. Gregorie of Nazianzene saieth verie wisely it is not conuenient to reason and dispute of God neither to al men neither in the presence of all men neither at all times neither of all matters neither without good discretioÌ„ For there is required to the doing of this thinge a meruâ—lous cleanes of sowl and body a veri calme and wel setled mind good time coÌ„uenient oportunitie earnest zeale much fearfulnes and exceding great moderarion For ther is no man so simple that he can not vnderstand the difficultie of euery question but there are few so witty that they caÌ„rid theÌ„ selues out of the briers when they are once fallen in And this is the cause whie
wel So did Epicure him selfe when he had with Decrees taken away al vertue yet woulde he dispute now and then of vertue very notably I consider not what the light felowe saith sometime either through the inclination of nature or elles for feare of enuie but I see what is most agreeable to his decrees and doctrine This is most vndowbtedly true that when thinges are either vtterly despaired or certainely assured there is no man that wil take any great paines in folowing of vertue Therefore for so much as Luther hath shewed him selfe to be the authour both of this extreme desperation as also of that extreme presumptioÌ„ who doth not see that by him al good and godly works hath ben quite ouerthrowen Wherfore this was in him a great fault a cruel deede a shamelesse acte a wicked crime an intolerable villanie but yet was that other muche more heynouse and detestable that he woulde wrest the godlie and wise saying of S. Paule after his owne pleasure and abuse the testimonie of the holy Apostle to confirme his shameles opinioÌ„ and doctrine But let vs now see howe you will make Luther the defacer of all vertue labour diligence and industrie to agree with S. Paule the high Schoolemaister of al holines religion and vertue S. Paule say you saith that there is nothing auailable to saluation besides faith that worketh by charitie The selfe same Paul saith that no man is iustified by woorkes It is therefore euideÌ„t say you that these two points are ioyned together But I say on the other side that for so much as these things do disagree excedingly the one froÌ„ the other it is impossible that euer S. Paul should ioyne them together But that it may be fene how il your maisters vnderstaÌ„d S. Paul it is to be coÌ„sidered what his meaning was what he went about what intention and purpose he had as in al his Epistles so especially in this whiche he wrot to the Romains out of the which you haue taken these testimonies corruptly vnderstood What was then the purpose of S. Paul in this Epistle Doubtlesse this to withdraw men from all affiaunce in worldly things to the faith of Christ He teacheth therfore that there was no sure staie of saluation neither in nature neither in the ordinaunces of the olde Law For it was neither nature neither the law that toke away iniquity and brought in iustice in the which only staÌ„deth our saluation and honour For only iustice procureth the fauour of God towards mankind And first that nature of it self holpâ— nothing towardes iustice he proueth by this argument bicause all menne which staied vpoÌ„ nature oÌ„ly although they were endewed with excellente witte yet they were spotted with iniquitie with vncleane lustes malice couerousnes dishonestie of life crueltie and with other vices vnsemely to be named As though he shoulde saie thus If the excellencie of nature if the sharpenesse of witte if the force of the mind and reason had holpâ—â— any thing towards iustice then had the Gentils which excelled in nature in wie and in reason ben well appointed and furnished for al helpes and states of iustice But the brightnes of iustice shone not emongest them for they were full of iniquity and vices without number wherefore the excellencie of nature holpe them nothing to liue iustly Then turning him self to the Iewes he vrgeth the selfe same argument but more earnestly and with greater force For he had entered into a most ernest coÌ„flict with the Iews as touching the ceremonies of the old Law the which the Iewes thought necessarie to kepe stil beleuing that the soules were purged by them Against whom S. Paule disputeth declaring that al the ordinaÌ„ces of the Law which were but only shadowes of Iustice vanished away at the coming of the true and perfect iustice and that suche as referred the cause of iustice vnto those shadowes appaired the honour of Christe For they distrusted the power and merite of Christ And therefore writing vnto the Galathians he saith If you be circuâ—cided Christe shal doe you no good In like manner writing to the Hebrews he saieth that the Lawâ— broughte nothinge to perfection but that it stirred vp men with shadowes only and Images to the hope of the saluation to come And those ceremonies and sacrifices ordeined by the law the which in this place and in the epistle to the Galathians he termeth the woorkes of the Lawe writing to the Hebrewes he calleth them the iustices of the flesh S. Paul therefore speaketh of this part of the Lawe whiche coÌ„sisteth in shadowes of iustice which conteineth the cleansing of the bodie and reacheth not vnto the soule wheÌ„ he saith that no man is iustified by the woorkes of the Lawe This was the meaning of S. Paule and the conclusion of that so long and earnest disputation which you speake of As though he would saie thus If Circumcision if the sprinkeling of asshes if the offering vppe of brute beastes if the other cleansinges of the Law did make men iust it should folow that al the Iewes which obserued and kept orderly the holie ceremonies of the Lawe attesned vnto iustice But it is euident that al such lewes as leaned and trusted vnto the lawe only were naughty men vncleane liuers backbiters murderers and wicked persones Wherefore they receiued not the fruit of iustice by the law And so it remaineth that no man is iustified by the workes of the lawe If you haue any wit at al this reason concluding so aptely maie teach you what workes S. Paule meant when he saied that no man is iustified by the works of the law For otherwise what could any man haue said more vnaptly woorse hanging together and lesse to the purpose If S. Paule had said that the Iewes had excelled in cleane liuiÌ„g in godlines and innoceÌ„tie and yet that such vertuos dedes had helped nothiÌ„g towardes iustice if he had vpon these thinges concluded that they were not iustified by the workes of the law you might well haue gessed that by the works of the law he had vnderstoode the deedes of vertue and godlines But S. Paul neuer spake any such word No he declareth plainly by the testimonie of the law it selfe that such as bestowed much diligeÌ„ce and labour about the ordinaÌ„ces of the law wer very naugh ty and wicked men whereupon he coÌ„cludeth that the works of the law did not iustifie What then Think you that S. Paul doth coÌ„clude his argumeÌ„t vpon things that are not proued and agreed vpon as you do If you presume to say so then shal you falsly charge the wisedome of the holy man with the crime of rashnes and folie The whiche thing how far it is from S. Paul is wel knowen to al suche as studie his writinges with a pure inteÌ„tion For what can be deuised more witty and better applied fuller of wisedome and more earnestly endited then the reasoninge and style of S. Paule His Arguments
with suche great patience the vessels of reproch To shewe saith the Apostle his wrath that is to say to shewe the seueritie of his most holie iudgement and the power of his maiestie Againe I aske you to what pourpose was it to desire to declare that vnto menne To shewe saieth he the ritches of his glorie towardes the vessels of mercie the which he hath prepared to glorie For he doth al thinges for the chosens sake Now it remaineth that we doe coÌ„sider what fruict doe the chosen take by setting the iudgemente of god before their eyes Very great without doubt For first of al while the chosen see the wicked punished according to their desertes it putteth a certaine feare of Gods iustice into their hartes whiche causeth them to absteine from euil doinges For the foundation of true wisedoÌ„â—â— is laied vpon the feare of God Moreouer the vertue of the good being assaulted both by the priuy awaites as also by the forcible atteÌ„ptes of wicked personnes shineth a great deale the brighter For vertue maketh a great shew of her selfe when it is neither corrupted by the example of vicious menne neither tourned away from the exercise of godlines through naughtie counsell neither drawen from the loue of most holie Religion by threatninges or tormentes Againe when they consider by the fal of the wicked out of howe great thraldome they are delyuered by the mercie of God they embrace their parent and redeemer with a much more feruent desire and earnest loue Last of al the very holines it selfe of the euerlasting lawe and the ordre of Gods iustice being set before the eyes and sight of good menne bringeth them to a cleerer vnderstanding of God and causeth the mercy of God vsed towardes holy men to be the better knowen and so increaseth their ioye To the inteÌ„t therfore that the good might take so great and so manifold fruicts by the daÌ„nation of the wicked god would not vse any such violence towardes the wicked that they should coÌ„mit sinne as being driuen vnto it of necessitie but he suffred moste patiently their wilful frowardnes and stubborne obstinacy that he might in the end tourne altogether to the glory of his chosen If you haue not vtterly lost al sense of a sobre man you may see plainely that free wil is not by the saying of S. Paule taken away but rather verie surely established These thinges the Apostle prosecuteth afterwarde more at large and declareth at the length howe the Iewes fell from God thorough their pride arrogancie vnfaithfulnesse and obstinacie For they were so puffed vp with a vaine affiaunce of a shadowed iustice which stoode vpon the woorkes of the lawe that they despised very stubbornly and wickedlye the true iustice whiche consisteth in cleannes of life in holinesse in charitie in peace in ioye and in other the like fourniture of heauenly vertues whiche by the holie ghost are planted in the mindes of godly men Now for so much as this is the saying and meaning of S. Paul what rage was that that came into that mad maÌ„s brain the which weÌ„t about by the autority of S. Paul to persuade such an opinion as both ouerthrew good order emongest men and falsly charged God with vniustice For what right is it that wicked men should be punished for a wicked acte whiche they coÌ„mitted not willingly but being violently driuen vnto it by an euerlasting and external power Luther say you set out a Booke in the whiche he spake earnestly against the hurly burlies in Germanie What if some one of them whom he rebuked should haue said vnto him eueÌ„ then ô Luther why dost thou blame vs innoceÌ„t men whie keepest thou such a stirre whie plaiest thou the madde man we haue learned of the that it is not in vs to do any thing good or euil in so much that we are not free so much as to thinke such thinges as we would For God worketh al things in vs as you say and we are only certaine working tooles the which god thrusteth out with his hand whether so euer him listeth and wreÌ„cheth vs foreward and backeward at his pleasure These tourmoiles therfore aÌ„dseditioÌ„ for the which you blame vs God al only as you teach hath stirred vppe For so much as therfore that most mighty Lord whose power can not be hindered by any streÌ„gth of man is the mouer the deuiser yea the doer of this stirre whie blame you vs for it Whie reuile you vs Whie labour you vainly to withdraw vs from this sedition If anie man I saie of that multitude whiche Luther tooke vp with suche sharpe woordes had saied thus much vnto him I praie you what answere woulde he haue made With what honest shifte woulde he bothe maintaine his doctrine and defend the iustice of God But to let Luther passe what saie you sir Luthers aduocate which saie that he was sent from God how maie you if you approoue his doctrine and rules punish male factours If there be no freedome if mans will be tied if al power be taken awaie if the verie thoughtes be fettered if al things both greatest and least and middlemost be bownd with an euerlast necessitie if God be the authour and doer of all things both good an euyl vndowbtedly those seelie wretches which you as I take it commaunde to be had awaie to execution haue done nothing By what right doe you punish the innocent men What reason haue you to put gyltlesse persones to death who made this lawe that the doers of fellony should be acquited and the tooles or instrumentes of fellons coÌ„demned with what kind of speach are you able if you minde to maintaine this doctrine to rid that most high Iudge of the infamie of vniustice Is this no villanie Is this no madnes Is this no presumpteous part of a rash and an vnbridled mind And yet wheras Luther doth at one time both distourbe the order of mans life and lay vnto gods charg like a most shameles varlet the crime of vniustice he is not afraied to saie that he standeth in defence of Gods glorie whiche he goeth about to deface and ouerthrow You saie that I doe condemne the first fownders of this doctrine as no lesse wicked and vngodlie then if they were like vnto Protagoras or Diagoras I am not so blunt that I woulde saie so I thinke them not onlie comparable with Diagoras in wickednes but also incoÌ„parably worse then euer he was For I take it to be more tolerable to thinke that there is no God then to thinke that God is a malefactour and vniust Now as towching prouidence that I maie once coÌ„clude this matter I saie no more but this If the prouidence of God be a counsell determined by the foreknowledge of thinges if the word of election if the purpose of God that is to saie the preueÌ„ted iudgement and euerlasting decree do import a reason and meaning then doth he confesse the prouidence of God which
but railinge for argument madnesse for reason impudencie for true exaumples you keepe such a raginge stirre as though you hadde alreadi◠wonne the fielde with greate honour But we on the other side are wont to declare by authoritie of the holie Scriptures by testimonies of the holy Fathers by fetching the Monumentes and Recordes of al the Antiquitie finally by reason by vse by experience by a number of examples that thys kinde of gouernement hath allwaies bene in the Churche and that who so euer goeth about to appaire it is a breaker of peace an ouerthrower of Religion a woorker of sedition a puller downe of the Churche whiche is one and a fettor vp of diuers and sundrie churches diuersly sundered and diuided within them selues a bringer in of infinite most filthie vices and trowblesome errours As for the mart of Purgatorie which you speake of we answere you that there is no such thing If at any time in so many hundred yeares ther hath ben any bying and selling of holie thinges vsed the holie Churche alloweth it not but banisheth it out of the bounds of the Christian common weale as a most pestilent and pernicious abuse Likewise of Images we say that al we that liue in the holy catholik faith are able to prooue both by reasons argumentes and examples that euen frō the primitiue church especially after it might be done for tyrannes there hath ben Images set vp in churches to the euerlasting remembraunce of vertue to moue men to godlines and religion to the glorie and honour of Christe the whiche is seene in the wonderfull vertue of holie men We saie moreouer that the errour of those men that threw downe Images was condemned by manie authorities of the holy Fathers by diuers decrees of generall councels the whiche thing your maisters be they neuer so shameles can not denie vnlesse they wil first burne al the writinges of holie fathers al histories and records all the decrees of general Councels What shoulde I here reason of the reuerence and honour which was of old time geauen vnto sainctes Could you neuer spare a litle time from the fine woorkes of Accursius to bestow in the reading of Gregorie Nazianzene Basile the Greate Hierome and Ambrose If you coulde doe it you shoulde see it in their bookes howe many times godlie personnes came together in the olde time what resortes and assemblies there were made what eloquent Orations were pronounced in the commendation of Sainctes how greate multitude of the common people pressed thither to heare them But nowe if I woulde shewe you with what feruente zeale and deuotion verie many men were wont to continue all night at the Tombes of Martyrs it were a hard matter to expresse it None of al the holy Bishops in those daies did once put backe the common people from hearing the cōmendation of Martyrs no man disswaded them from that moste earnest deuotion towardes the Saintes no they did rather exhort al such as were present to visit their Monumentes to praise and honour them to obserue and keepe such woorshippe as was dew vnto them For they sawe in those assemblies when the name of Martyrs was sette out with heauenlie prayses that not the nature of the bodie but the grace of God and the almightie power of Christe him selfe was dewlie honoured in them For if the Christian menne in those daies kept the signes of the holie Crosse and the Images of Sainctes whiche were of deuotion sette vppe in Churches with such reuerence if they were oftentimes put in minde by those signes to plucke vppe their heartes and to remember the vertue whiche those domme Images did represente was it not muche more conuenient that the liuely Images of Christe shoulde be honoured with greater feruencie and that all suche as serued God truely and heartilie to doe this honour the better should visite the Tombes of Martyrs and Churches builded in the honoure of them And is it not euidently sene that the Sainctes are by the operation of the holy Ghost shapen to the likenes of God and that they beare a very true and expresse Image of Christ As touching your pastime that you make with Purgatorie for you must needes haue a snatche at euery thing can there be broughte any grauer testimonie against you then that which the manne that was sent as you saie from heauen hath geuen openlie Who is that saye you It is that Luther whome you honoure and reuerence whome you make a God whome you affirme to haue ben borne for youre saluation Hee sayed more then once or twise and abidde by it that there was a Purgatorie and that he did not weene thinke or beleue it but certainely knowe it to be so For proufe whereof he constantlie alleaged that place of S. Mathew where Christe said that the synne of suche as did wilfully resist the testimonie of the holie Ghoste shoulde neuer be forgeauen neither in this worlde neither yet in the worlde to come by the which wordes it is signified that some hope of forgeuenes is mercifully shewed by God vnto many men euen in the worlde to come He alleged also that place out of the Machabees where Iudas made oblations for the synnes of such as were departed With these and other the like argumēts and allegatiōs he was earnest to proue that there was a Purgatorie How then If Luther saied there was a Purgatorie and you will warrant it that Luther was sent from God and if he were sent from God so long as he was in that embassage he coulde not lie it is manifestly prooued by his authoritie the whiche you maie not gainsaie that there is a purgatorie If there be no purgatorie Luther lied If Luther lied he was not sent from God but from him that is the father of lying Choose therefore whether you like better For either the authoritie of Luther shal cōfirme that there is a purgatorie or els the feined tale of purgatorie as you terme it shall conuince Luther of vanitie and madnes But he afterward denied purgatorie That is no wonder For not only he but all his ofspring saie nowe one thing and now an other they correct and alter manie thinges neither can they staie them selues in anie one degree but rather when they haue once begonne an errour they heape and increase it with a numbre of other errours But I would faine learne of you M. Haddon whether of these two opinions whiche are mainteined both by Luther think you to be the truer The later saie you Well then the former he receiued not of God Then was he not as yet sent from God But after he had disteined him selfe with incestuous wedlocke after he had allured his contrei men to rebellion after he had defied chastitie and all holines after he had stirred vp such broile and sedition in the common weale that he coulde not appeace it him selfe afterward when he had railed against the state of the church with most reprochfull and
shamefull language when he had vttered most horrible and diuelish blasphemie when he had wasted spoiled and burned all holie thinges when he had committed all these outrages and villanies then was he thought a meete man to be taken into gods pricuie counsell and a persone woorthie to whome God besides all other secretes shoulde mercifully reuele that mysterie also of the deuising of purgatorie Then did this great wise man vnderstand at the length that S. Augustine which held that we should praie vnto God in our Sacrifices for the dead that S. Cyprian which laied this most grieuous punishment vpon such as appointed Priestes in their testamēt to be tutours or gouernours to their children that there should no sacrifice be offred vp for them in the churches that S. Chrysostome whiche referred this ordinaunce to the tradition of the Apostles that S. Denise to passe ouer a numbre of others which wrote very diligently of the care that is to be had for the departed in the faith and of praiers that are to be made vnto God for their deliueraunce Luther I saie vnderstood from heauen that al these men had ben in great errour and folie Trulie the capitaine of this your faction had a great commoditie of his naughtines and folie if after the reising of such broiles and troubles in the worlde he was deliuered by the benefite of God from that errour in the which those holie Fathers most Godlie and wise men excellently wel learned in the Scriptures linked vnto Christe with a most streight band of heauenlie loue were quite drowned If no man can thus perswade him selfe vnlesse he be peeuish frantike and starke mad void not only of al godlie religion but also of common sense who doth not see that this opinion of Luther is wicked ād detestable taught and set out by none other then by the enemie the diuell But this saie you is not witten in the scripture What then The thing which the Apostles taught by word of mowth which their schollers deliuered to the posteritie whiche hath ben most constantly holden and beleeued from the primitiue Churche till our times whiche hath ben approued by the beleefe and full agreement of the whole Church for so manie hnndred yeares shall Luther a seditious mad selowe after so manie ages garishly auowch it to be a feined matter Shall men whiche take vpon them to be both Godlie and religious folow him as a God of heauen that attempteth most desperatly to assault heauen For he maketh warre against heauē which taketh vp armour against the faith of the Church No no saie you you would not thinke what manner of man he was For he I tel you woulde allowe nothing vnlesse he fownde it written in the holie scriptures Well sir I will not nowe handle that matter whiche is by the holy Fathers discussed long a goe howe the gospell consisteth not only in thinges written but also in customes and ordinaunces receiued without any writing deliuered vnto the Churche by worde of mowth and order of the Apostles how much the sure and groūded authoritie of the Church which is the piller and staie of truth is to be esteemed of howe great value and importaunce the agreement of all holy men in one minde without anie varietie ought to be all these thinges I will nowe omit and aske you one question how Luther when he saied there was a purgatorie to prooue it alleaged the testimonies of the holie scripture if there were no testimonie in the scripture that proued that there was a purgatorie Then againe when he saied that there was no Purgatorie by what testimonie of the Scripture thought he that Purgatorie might be vtterly disprooued Brought he anie one place by the whiche he might conuince that there is no Purgatorie Dowbtlesse not one Such therefore was his presumption that what so euer came into his head that woulde he constantly affirme and againe the selfe same thing if it misliked him would he vtterly denie And yet his disciples for sooth find no fault at all neither with his inconstancie neither yet with his lewd fasshions but what so euer the drowsie blowbol draueled out ouer his pottes that toke they vp so griedily as though it had ben good gospell But lest you should saie that it can not be shewed by the testimonie of the scripture that there is a purgatory although it be not necessarie yet besides those places whiche are wont to be alleaged for the proofe thereof I thinke it good to bring a fewe of the whiche that is one of S. Marke where our Lorde when he had saied that hel into the which al such shalbe throwen downe as esteeme more their bodilie pleasure then their dewtie towardes God shoulde haue this propertie that the worme of them that shall be tombled down headlong into it should neuer die and their fyer neuer be quenched he brought in foorthwith these wordes for euerie man shalbe seasoned in fyer and euery sacrifice shalbe seasoned in salt In this place there are two thinges to be noted One is that there is a worme that is to saie a vexation or torment of cōscience gnawing and molesting the minde the whiche shal haue an ende and that there is a torment of fyer also the whiche in like manner shall haue and end in some men For otherwise our Lorde woulde neuer haue brought that place out of Esaie their worme dieth not and their fyer is not quenched By the whiche place we are taught that there is one torment euerlasting and an other that lasteth but for a time For so muche therefore as this worme and fyer is a torment or vexation of minde and of tormentes there is one whiche is appointed by the iudgement of God to last but a time and the other to continew for euermore is it not euidently prooued that there is a purgatorie for so is the place of punishment called in the whiche by the sentence of God the sowles are purged within a certaine time of suche spottes of venial offences as they had gathered in this life An other thing worthy to be noted is this that no synne shal escape vnpunished For euen as in the old lawe it was not lawful to offre vp any Sacrifice without salt so is it not lawful for our soules to approch vnto the throne of Gods maiestie vnlesse their vncleanes be before clensed by salt and fyer that is to say by the rigour of Goddes iudgement and by dewe punishment that when al the spottes of vncleane affection be put out and quite consumed the faithful sowles may come to haue such a puritie and cleerenes that thei may be able to receiue the brightnes of God in them selues and be likened and confourmed to the glory of God For although by the mercy of God synne is taken quite away in such as stay them selues vppon a liuelie saith yet are they for the most parte so bounde with some knot of the law that they must needes satisfie