remained of the sacramēt Origen also reporteth the same Which they would not haue don if they had thought as do the papists that it had beene transubstantiated into Christs body or else that it had beene as heere they affirme a sacrament although it be not receiued as Christ commaunded it should be Seeing therefore these men that would seeme pillars in the church of Christ doe picke quarrelles at his ordinance and make exception to his commaundement and all to writhe their neckes out of his yoke and to free themselues from his lawes like lewd seruauntes which will not frame themselues to doe that which woulde best please their maisters but that onely which they must bee forced to doe whether they will or not let vs nowe see how in the second point they do seeke to peruert the verie decree it selfe that Christ set down concerning this matter to make men beleeue that hee meant no such thing as in trueth he did The second part of his assertion is that it is not ordered by the word of God what shall be done in that point This is an intollerable boldenesse Doth not our sauiour Christ take order as well for the cup as for the bread Doth not he that saieth Take eate say also Drinke ye all of this If any man will answere as Bellarmine doth in one place De Euchar. lib. 4. cap. 27. that they were not both giuen at one time and therefore that properly to speake the Supper of the Lord consisteth but of one kind he should plainly declare that he hath rather a desire to contend than to knowe the trueth For what is it to vs how long time was betweene the one commaundement and the other so that we know that both the one and the other is instituted of Christ Yea the Apostle saint Paul very plainely telleth vs 1. Cor. 11. that the order both for the cup and the bread is deliuered to him of the Lord That which I receiued of the Lord I deliuered vnto you And then hee sheweth Christs institution for the bread and also the cup. But with full mouth and one consent they tell vs that that commaundement belongeth to the Apostles onely and not to all the disciples And yet saint Mathew saith Math. 26.26 he gaue it to his disciples Yea and Christ commaundeth Drinke yee all of this And hath not saide concerning the bread eate ye all of this although wee deny not that euery one hauing prooued themselues should eate of it But seeing God hath giuen a more expresse commaundement vnto all for the cup than for the bread why should they rather restraine lay men from receiuing the cup than from the bread Againe doeth he not say to all them Drinke yee all of this to whome before hee saide Take eate Yes verily for the text is plaine both in the Euangelists and saint Paule But the bread must be giuen to al they confesse therefore why not the cup also And that which saint Paule wrote concerning the vse of the Sacrament it is plaine he wrote vnto all the church of Corinth not onely by that place which Kemnitius alleadgeth 1. Cor. 1.2 To all that call vppon the name of the Lorde and that hee writeth vnto the church of Corinth De Euchar. lib. 4. cap. 25. which Bellarmine doeth seeke to answere rather least he should seeme to say nothing than that in truth he saith anie thing worth the setting downe but also by the punishment that followed the abuse of the sacrament For this cause many are weake and feeble amongst you and many sleepe Which came vpon them not that did eate of that bread onely but also that drunke of that cup vnworthily And it cannot be imagined that either the ministers were so bad at that time so generally that so many of them would haue offended therein or if the fault had beene in them the Apostle would more particularly haue reprooued them neither were they then so many in one place that it could haue beene truely saide of them that many are weake and many sleepe or are dead Therefore whereas many were punished amongst the Corinthians for vnworthily receiuing both the bread and the cup and this word Many cannot as I haue prooued be there referred to their Teachers onely it followeth that this punishment was amongest the lay men as well at the last as amongst their ministers and therefore that the lay men in the church of Corinth receiued the cup. And thus much of that wicked assertion wherein they doe affirme that it is lawfull for the church to alter this part of Christes institution and also to take away the cup. Nowe to a second and as wicked a proposition as the other Wherein they teach that it is needelesse to be receiued in both kindes And to prooue this Bellarmine taketh some paines in three whole chapters De Euch. lib. 4. cap. 21 22 23 In the first two he sheweth that the whole sacrament may be receiued vnder one kinde and therefore in the last hee teacheth that no more good is to be gotten of the sacrament vnder both kindes than vnder one And although we can not allowe of that concomitance as it is termed that is that inseparable coniunction of the body and blood vnder either of the signes which especially hee prooueth in the first chapter of those three namely the one and twentieth that the whole substance of a sacrament is found in either kinde as hee teacheth in the two and twentieth chapter yet if we should grant those two points that which master Bellarmine would conclude in the three and twentieth chapter can not follow For what if Christ may bee wholy receiued vnder one kinde Yet it should not follow that vnder one as effectually he may be receiued as vnder both For as before I shewed his death is more liuely represented by the bread and his bloudsheding by the wine And that which more effectually representeth it is more profitable than that which lesse representeth the same And it is too much sawcinesse so to controll the wisedome of God that when hee saith Drinke yee all of this which is a plaine commandement any foolish man dare say It is to no profite it can do you no good As for the causes that are alleaged by Gerson and other why the popish church thought good to take away the cup from the lay people they are so foolish and friuolous that a man would think rather that they iested than spake in earnest But what cause soeuer man can pretend to alter that which Christ hath ordained it doth but testifie that he thought not Christ wise enough to preuent such inconueniences as hee by his wisedome hath prouided for Seeing therfore the church cannot forbid that that God commaundeth whatsoeuer causes they will pretend and if they might yet the causes set downe by the Romish church either are blasphemous or at the least friuolous it is a sure way for vs rather to regard
lay people And still there are that in corners seeke to perswade ignorant men and women that there can be almost no greater daunger vnto their soules than to reade the scriptures Wherein they shew themselues to be nothing of the minde of Phillip Acts 8.31 35 who forbade not the Eunuch to reade the scripture but taught him neither like to the fathers of the church some hundreds of yeares after Christ whose care was to exhort and drawe the people to the diligent reading of the same And whosoeuer they are that with diligence humilitie and prayer doe continue in the reading of the scriptures as wee see in sundry by experience shall be able in reasonable manner to auoyde and passe through those sixe impediments that I before alleaged out of Bellarmine and shall haue mindes exercised as the Apostle to the Hebrewes speaketh Cap. 5.14 and that not without great fruit to discerne good and euill And thus wee may see how litle the fathers make for that which the church of Rome teacheth in this point For the fathers say thus The scriptures are hard therefore you must reade them diligently The church of Rome cleane contrary The scriptures are hard therefore you must not reade them Therefore let vs detest as a most pestilent position that daungerous doctrine of the church of Rome knowing that whosoeuer be hee neuer so ignorant with reuerent reading seeketh to finde and with deuout prayer asketh knowledge of God shall finde much knowledge and comfort in his godly and christian exercise For Hieron ps 147. The word of God is most fat and fertile It hath in it all delicates And thus to conclude seeing the scriptures onely are Gods word and they are so sufficient and plentifull that in them the hungry may haue foode the poore treasure the rich direction the sicke physicke the whole diet the sorrowfull comfort the ignorant knowledge and the foolish true wisedome to be short seeing there for all wants we finde a remedy and seeing that rule is so true that it cannot deceiue so straight that it can not be crooked so constant to it selfe that it changeth not lastly seeing it is so easie that by diligence and prayer the godly may not learne onely but grow and increase daily from knowledge to knowledge let vs account them as deadly enemies to our soules who seeke to drawe vs from this sufficient and certaine written word of God to the doctrines or traditions of men what glorious names soeuer they giue them What shall wee then account of the popish crew that are not ashamed to teach the Scriptures to be daungerous because euill men abuse them so doth the drunkard drinke the glutton meate the prowd apparell the couetous riches and the euill men all Gods graces yet all these thinges are good and so is Gods word holy and vndefiled But nowe to the second point That only the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament are this written word or Scriptures CHAP. 5 THE PROTESTANTS SEing that the rule of the Catholike faith must be knowen De verbo dei lib. 1. cap. 2. and certaine for if it be not knowen it can not be a rule vnto vs if not certaine it is no rule at all as Bellarmine hath very wel noted only those scriptures which we according to the ancient vse of the Primitiue church and the common consent of those purer times do call Canonicall are that sure rule that can not deceiue for therefore haue they that name because they are for triall of doctrines as the rule or line for triall of workes it is certain that no other word can be that infallible word of God certaine rule of faith and religion but only the Canonical Scriptures These onely haue beene of the godly Fathers accounted to haue beene written by those whom God indued with his spirite for that cause Concil Laodicenum ca. 59. Hieron ad Paulinum prologo Galeato Out of these onlie the Fathers permit matters of controuersie to bee tried And in expounding of these that wee call Canonicall they haue bestowed their godly labours yea and them onely to bee certaine and such as were neuer doubted of among Catholike men De verbo dei lib. 1. cap. 4. Bellarmine himselfe confesseth and it is a ground or principle acknowledged of all men THE PAPISTS NOtwithstāding this name Canonicall which the ancient fathers haue giuen to these Scriptures onely to testify that they are only the certaine canon and rule of faith notwithstanding also such preheminence and excellency Bellarm. de verbo Dei li. 1. ca. 2. compared with that cap. 4. as not the Fathers onely but themselues also doe yeelde vnto the Canonicall scriptures to be of all other the most certaine rule and most infallible touchstone in all matters of controuersie the Councel of Trent is not ashamed to commaund and that vnder paine of beeing accursed to receiue these bookes that are contained in the Bible with like reuerence and deuotion and to make them of as good credite as the canonicall Scripture I say euen those Apocryphaes in which are many things absurd and whose very name sheweth them to be vnknown from whence they came who were not found in the Hebrew nor accounted by the Iewes to be Canonicall And so they doe match that word that all men alwayes and euen themselues acknowledge to be lesse certaine with that which they knowe that no good man euer doubted of Argument But lest they should seeme thus to dote without reason they vse in effect these arguments for proofe heereof The first is that these bookes which we call Apocrypha are alledged sometimes of the Fathers in their writings Answers But the answere is easie For the alledging of them doth not prooue that they who alledged them did hold them for canonicall for then should it followe that poets philosophers and such like who are often alledged by the ancient writers should so be But this rule must stand alwayes good which S. Hierome hauing reckoned vp those bookes which now in our Bibles are accounted canonicall and no other ◠rologo in lib. Reg. qui Galeatus dicitur Ruffinus in symbol prolog in Prouerb hath Whatsoeuer is besides these must be put amongst the Apocrypha Yea to be short they do alledge them because they may bee read to the edifying of the people but not to confirme the authoritie of any ecclesiasticall doctrine as saint Hierome saith of Tobie Iudith and the Machabees and Ruffinus also vppon the Creede De doct◠ina christian lib. 2. cap. 8. The second argument is taken out of Augustine because he reckoneth vp the books which we call Canonicall and also the Apocrypha and calleth all Canonicall So doth the third councell holden at Carthage also Cap. 47 with some other ancient writers Answere Admit that this were the meaning of saint Augustine and of those Fathers shall their bare authority without reason be heauy enough to weigh
down so many fathers and reasons as partly I haue alleaged to the contrary and might haue alledged many mo But their meaning is plaine enough For although S. Augustine and that Councel of Carthage and others say that all those bookes are canonicall yet wee must vnderstand them according to their meaning They diuided all the scripturs that went in the name of scriptures but into two parts Those which they called Apocrypha De ciuit Dei lib. 15. ca. 23 lâ— b. 3. cap. 25 Euseb had many fables as may appeare by saint Augustine now all the rest they called Canonicall so that they comprehend vnder that name all that Eusebius and others do vnderstand both by such bookes as were without all controuersie receiued of al men and such as were not generally receiued of all but well liked of many And they comprehend all these in one name not only because that in comparison of the other that were fabulous these were good but also because they were read commonly of them although not for establishing of anie doctrine as before I haue shewed yet for reformation of manners And that S. Augustines meaning was not to make like account of all appeareth not onely by that rule which himselfe setteth downe in that very chapter after he hath reckoned vp those Bookes canonicall Those canonicall bookes which are generally saith he receiued by the common consent of all Churches De doctrinâ— christiana li. 2. cap. 8. 30 are to bee preferred before them that are reiected of many but of those whom we call Apocrypha Origen Athanasius Epiphanius Melito Hierome Ruffinus and many other haue doubted but also by his practise For it will appeare how that somtime himself doubteth of some of them which we deny to be canonicall namely of the Machabees hee writeth thus against the second Epistle of Gaudentius the Donatist Lib. 2. cap. 23 This peece of Scripture of the Machabees the Iewes do not so account of as of the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes vnto the which the Lord giueth testimony as vnto his own witnesses saying Al things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes of me but it is receiued of the Church not without profite if it bee read or heard soberly Wherin first I note that the Iewes with whom the word of God was kept before it came to vs did not account it canonicall Secondly note how he magnifieth the witnes of the scriptures which are indeede canonical calling them the Lords owne witnesses And thirdly how coldly hee intertaineth the bookes of Machabees saying the church readeth them and that with profit if they be read soberly by reason of some good examples in them But yet more plainely in his Bookes of the citie of God Lib. 18. c. 36. The reckoning of time from the restoring of the Temple is not found in the holy Scriptures that are called Canonicall but in other writings amongst which are the Bookes of the Machabees which the Iewes reckon not canonicall but the church doth bicause of the extreame strange sufferings of some Martires Wherein wee see how that S. Augustine saith that wee knowe not the story of those times after the temple was built by any canonicall writer but yet by the Machabees wee know it therefore the Machabees are not canonicall And yet the church accounteth them saith he canonicall because of the examples of the Martyres in them As if he would haue saide Although those Bookes be not indeede such as you may build your faith vpon yet they are for some things worth the reading Which two places I stoode vpon the rather because Bellarmine alledgeth them De verbo de lib. 1. cap. 15. especially this latter as a speciall pillar to hold vp those Bookes of Machabees But howe truely let the Reader iudge Arg. 3 Their third and last argument is taken from that authority which they imagine the Church hath to approoue or disprooue Gods word And therefore is it so often repeated by Bellarmine handling this point That the Councell of Trent hath allowed such Bookes De verbo dei lib. 1. De ecclesia So that hee iumpeth right with that which most blasphemously Eckius hath set downe that twice within few lines he liked so well of it That the Scriptures are not authenticall or canonicall without the authoritie of the church And Canus setteth himselfe to make a full discourse against them that say Lib 2. de locis Theol. ca. 6 That the Scripture needeth not the approbation of the church And thus they must reason The church hath allowed those bookes to be canonicall which you call Apocrypha according as did also the ancient fathers therefore they are canonicall Answere That the weakenesse and wickednesse of this argument may appeare let vs first consider who is the Author of the holy scriptures which the Apostle declareth as plainly as can be when he saith 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration from God Therefore the scripture is the word not of man but of God Secondly let vs see how this word came to vs whether by tradition of the church or by special reuelation Which also is plainly answered by saint Peter saying 2. Pet. 1.21 that prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost What will we then say shall we imagin that God would direct by his holy Spirite the mouthes of his seruants to speake but not their pennes to write God forbid Thirdly the men whome it pleased God to vse as his meanes in setting downe this word were knowen vnto the church of that time wherein they flourished and their calling so confirmed vnto the godly that without all doubt or wauering they receiued those writings as Gods word because they knew the authors thereof to be directed by Gods spirit And this is the difference that the ancient fathers doe make betweene those Bookes of scripture whose authors were knowen and their bookes alwayes receiued and therefore called Canonicall that is such as deliuer rules for life and doctrine that are infallible and those other that are called Apocrypha because either it was not knowen who wrote them or else it was not knowen that they were indued with such a spirite as they could not erre in any thing And therefore their Bookes were not receiued of the church then Is it not then intollerable pride in the church of Rome to commaund silence vnto God himselfe and not to suffer him to speake but when they giue him leaue and to proclame it vnto the world that euen his word is not of credite vnlesse it be by their approbation and allowance of the same And yet thus doe they say when they affirme that the Scriptures are not Canonicall but by the approbation of the Church Yea some make them no better than Esopes Fables if the Church allowe not
we derogate anie thing herein from the power of the spirit whose direction if we could follow we should neuer do amisse but impute it to our owne weaknes ignorance corruption whereby it commeth to passe that euen the godly many times grieue Gods spirit and suffer him not to haue his perfect worke Other arguments also they haue but they haue scarce any shew of truth and therefore I thinke them not worthie answering for their places out of the fathers doe commend the faith of Rome that then was and their constancie in the same but what is that to this degenerate church of Rome that now is of the church whereof we may say as one saith of their citie that a man will seeke Rome in the midst of Rome So a man will seeke the church euen in the midst of their most shewe of religion and yet not finde it Of the markes of the Church or how wee may know the true Church CHAP. 9. THE PROTESTANTS WE must iudge of the tree of the church by the fruits that she bringeth foorth that is by the faith or religion that shee teacheth the confession or profession of the same that she maketh the exercise of the same that she vseth but we cānot iudge truely of these her fruits but only by the scriptures as in the fiue first chapters hath beene shewed therfore the true and infallible tokens or markes of the true church are to be had out of the word of God or the Scriptures THE PAPISTS NOwe the Papistes will haue their church to bee the true church because shee hath by vniust claime a good name to bee called Catholike Name catholike Antiquity Continuance Greatnesse Succession because shee is ancient and hath lasted long she is great and hath alwayes borne fruit such as it was for these are the first fiue notes reckoned vp by Bellarmine Lib. 4. de notis eccles and indeede their chiefest which especially they rest vppon And may not an euill tree haue all these properties Yes verely And as for the rest of his marks in the iudgement of an indifferent Reader they will neuer be accounted true markes of the Church excepting those notes wherein he seemeth to consent with vs to try the church by the word namely by holinesse of doctrine Because I haue in another treatise shewed I trust sufficiently that those markes of the church which they make greatest account of neither are any true markes and that we may make as good claime to them as they can it shall now be sufficient briefly to passe ouer this point and with one or two arguments to answer this question The scripture the true note of the true church Those markes of the church whereby wee may truely know the church and not be deceiued those I say onely are the true markes of the church But the scriptures onely are such Therefore they onely are the infallible markes The maior or first proposition no man will deny And that the Scriptures are such may appeare by infinite testimonies De pec merit remiss lib. 1. cap. 22. Saint Augustine saith it can not deceiue nor be deceiued And against the Donatists de bapt lib. 2. cap. 6. calleth the Scriptures the holy wey-scales or ballances Cap. 1. And in his booke de bono viduitatis he saith that the holy scripture doth set him his rule how to teach And to be short writing vpon saint Iohns Epistle he saith that Against deceitfull errours In Ioh. epist tractatu 2. God would set a strength or stay in the scriptures And Chrysostome saith vpon Genesis Hom. 12. in Genes that the Scripture wil not suffer him to erre or go astray that heareth it And therefore Gregory Nazianzene sometimes calleth the Scriptures The Kings high way Matth. 24. And our sauior Christ although he foretold the danger of error a litle before he suffered yet doeth hee not giue the Disciples any such markes whereby they should know the true Christ or true church as the Papistes speake of but he earnestly commendeth his word vnto them Ioh. 14.15 23. 15.7 And feruently prayeth vnto his father to sanctifie them with his trueth Ioh. 17.3 17 namely with his word for he knew that to be the way to keepe them from errour By all which it appeareth that the scriptures onely are accounted that perfect rule not only by the iudgement of the fathers but also by the practise of our sauiour Christ But most plainly S. Chrysost saith Opere imperf hom 49 That the true Church can be knowen only by the Scriptures I know that Bellarmine answereth this place in his 4. booke de verbo Dei ca. 11. after two sorts First that the booke sauoureth somwhat of Arianisme But in these words what Arianisme can Bellarmine finde Yea Bellarmine himselfe doth in other places alleage this booke But his second answer I confesse is very forcible For he telleth vs that in a booke printed of late that place is left out Haue they not thinke you answered the place strongly when they haue thrust it quite out of the booke If they had vsed Chrysostome onely in this sort yet were it too bad dealing but it may appeare by Franciscus Iunius his preface before the booke called Index Expurgatorius that they haue left few of the Fathers vncorrupted I would to God therefore that this and such other gelding and falsifying of the fathers by that deceiuing church of Rome which seekes to make them al say as she doth could stir vp the christiā princes that professe religion in a godly care to prouide for the safetie and maintenaunce of religion and the trueth thereof in time to come Which in my iudgement can not well be perfourmed except that to preuent the credite of those falsified copies which within short time are almost onely like to remaine because the ancient which are the truest wil be worne out the godly Princes by common consent woulde take some speedy order for printing of al the fathers according to the ancientest and most pure copies that might be found The second argument is this Whatsoeuer notes do not teach it to be euidently true that the church whereof they are the notes is the true church of God may deceiue and therefore are not certaine notes of the true church But such are the notes that the Papists would haue vs to beleeue therefore they are but deceitfull notes De verbo de◠lib. 1. cap. 2. The maior or first proposition is most true and may well bee prooued out of that axiome or rule that Bellarmine setteth downe saying De notis eccles li. 3. ca. 3. That the rule of the catholike faith must bee sure or certaine The minor or second proposition is Bellarmines owne confession euen in the selfe same words that I haue set downe Therefore it followeth necessarily that we must not trust the notes of the catholike church set downe by them CHAP. 10. Before I beginne
Which as it is true in all matters of religion so especially in the Sacraments wee must take heede lest in adding any thing to them wee change thereby the vse of them In this thing if in any de Coron Mil. is that true that Tertullian hath said It is forbidden that is not frankely permitted And that also that in an other place he hath de Monog The Scripture forbiddeth whatsoeuer it noteth not Secondly master Bellarmine thinketh it to bee a thing belonging vnto the substance of the Sacrament that the partes wherein the fiue senses are shoulde bee annointed that is the eies the eares the nose the lippes and the handes Then let the councell of Trent shew this commaunded by saint Iames but that can neuer be perfourmed so that wee see that bolde affirmation of the councell of Trent was rather to blind the eies of men vnder a shew of good words seeking thereby to make the world beleeue that they adde no materiall point vnto that which saint Iames commaundeth and that is most false as hath beene shewed and might also further be prooued For where is that forme commaunded by Saint Iames that is prescribed by the councell of Trent By this holie ointment c. Sess 14. ca. 1. de sacr vnct He had no minde of any such matter Besides this their adding to that which saint Iames hath willed to be done which is but a small matter with the church of Rome for all their religion wherein wee differ from them is nothing else but additions to Gods worde their owne diuersitie of opinions concerning this their sacrament doeth shew it to be a deuise of their owne for they knowe not what to say for the institution of it They haue not so much as any shew or colour that it was instituted by Christ or before his death but onely that place of saint Marke Mar. 6.13 where it is saide that the Apostles annointed many that had infirmities and healed them And therefore Thomas Walden Alfonsus and others doe seeke for the institution of the sacrament out of that place But master Bellarmine seeing what danger may come to their sacrament De sacr vnct cap. 2. if they should seeme to make that the ground of their sacrament because sundry of the auncient fathers seeme to make that vnction that saint Iames speaketh of to be none other but that which saint Marke mentioned hee seeketh to prouide a plaister for that sore And he will not in any sort haue those wordes to bee the ground or institution of the Sacrament And for that cause hee prooueth by many reasons that they are not all one For hee seeth that it can not be denied and therefore himselfe graunteth that that vnction which the Apostles in that sixt chapter are saide to vse was onely or especially for bodily diseases and therefore that the sacrament cannot bee prooued out of it for the sacraments as there he also confesseth are belonging principally to the soule Therefore hee will in no wise like of them that alleadge this place of saint Marke for this their sacrament although they bee many yea and those great pillers of Poperie and no small fooles I warrant you But such as Eckius Decree 10. De Sacram. vnct sess 14. cap. 1. the Scotish man Nicoll Burne the prouinciall Councell called Senonense yea and the Councell of Trent although it set it downe somewhat fearefullie for it saith it was insinuated by our Lorde Christ in Saint Marke all these with others I say establish their sacrament of Vnction and ground it vpon that place yet Bellarmine as I haue sayde will not in any wise yeeld vnto it And for my part I thinke hee saieth truely when hee sayeth it is not grounded vpon that place And as truly also if hee should affirme that it hath no warrant out of that place of saint Iames. For that place of saint Marke and that other of saint Iames speake both of one sort of annointing as Beda Theophilact and Occumenius doe testifie But saint Markes wordes can not proue the sacrament of Vnction De Vnct. cap. 2. as maister Bellarmine doeth not confesse onely but hee taketh much paines to prooue it also by foure or fiue arguments therefore that place of saint Iames prooueth not their sacrament of annoyling And then is it destitute of all proofe by Gods worde and so must bee accounted but a foolish toy as nowe it is vsed of mans braine Neither are they agreed vpon that other high poynt what parts must be anoynted of necessitie whether all those seuen parts before mentioned or els only those fiue first which are the instruments of the senses Bel. de Vnct. Cap 10. Some thinke that there is not necessitie that anie one part shoulde bee anoynted rather than other And others thinke that the anoynting of euerie of these seuen places is so necessarie that it is not a perfect sacrament if any be omitted But maister Bellarmine out of Thomas Aquinas telleth vs that onely the fiue first are of the essence of the sacrament Nowe in this diuersitie of opinions I knowe not whose part Laurence Vaus will take but he resolueth vs of one great doubt If a man want eyes eares nose mouth or handes what the Priest should then doe Hee must oynt the part next to the place where these members should bee So it seemeth hee alloweth of the first opinion But are these such matters as should busie mens mindes so as they doe No no it is the subtiltie of Sathan to occupie mens heades about such trifles that in the meane time hee may by false teachers steale from the heartes of the people the trueth of all christian Religion They teach also that this their sacrament of annoyling or vnction may be often receyued In the life of Pius 2. And yet how long they haue beene of that minde I knowe not nor find menâ— ioned But if wee will beleeue Platina Pope Pius the second seemed not to bee resolued of that poynt nor so perswaded For hee at the poynt of death disputed with a learned man the Bishop of Ferrara earnestly whether hee might againe bee annoyled seeing hee had once before beene annoyled By all which diuersities of iudgements in the most materiall pointes of this their Sacrament they giue vs iust cause to doubt of their Sacrament it selfe that it is not of God And by the way I cannot but wonder with what faces they can obiect to vs our diuersities in opinions seeing that they in such materiall poynts of Religion and in their doctrines that concerne the verie substance of their sacraments are so verie farre from being of one iudgement And thus briefly we see how the Papists differ from the scriptures whereupon themselues indeuor but al in vaine to ground the institution of their Sacrament and also disagree amongest themselues about the same De Sacram. vnct sess 14. can 1. And yet with great boldnesse they cursse all them that
to laie open and amplifie our owne corrupt nature and to confesse the power and force of original sinne in vs are these Partly our owne woful experience whereby if we haue any true feeling of our fraile estate or knowe any thing of our vnwillingnes to that which is good and our ready inclination to that which is euil we must needes confesse that the lawe of our flesh Rom. 7.23 is alwaies rebellious to the law of the spirit which is in vs And that the wisedome of the flesh is such a froward enemy to God Rom. 8.7 as is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can bee Partlie also the manifold and manifest testimonies out of Gods word which doe plainlie proue that this originall sinne hath so corrupted our whole nature that it can bring forth nothing that is good or godly Gen. 6.5 Such is that All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are only euill alwaies And that also Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Whereby we must needes confesse and acknowledge it to be true that we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues 2. Cor. 3.5 in those thinges that belong vnto true godlines And why Because that by one man sinne entred into the world Rom. 5.12.18 and by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation In this respect the Apostle calleth such as are not regenerate Enemies to God the children of wrath by nature vessels of dishonour and by such like names whereby hee sheweth plainely what we should iudge or how we should esteeme of the strength and force of originall sinne in them that are not regenerate Namely that no good at all can come from them in thought word or deed Which doctrine the Church of Rome will in no wise heare of But of that I must speake in another place But euen we that haue receiued the first fruites of the spirite and whom God hath deliuered from the condemnation of that common corruption we I saie do finde that if sinne raigne not ouer vs yet it dwelleth in vs. Whereby wee are many times forced Rom. 7 1â— To doe that euill thing that wee woulde not and to leaue vndoone That good that wee woulde doe Wee feele that there is 2â— A lawe in our members rebelling against the Lawe of our minde and leading vs captiue to the Lawe of sinne which is in our members Insomuch as wee are forced not onely to crie out with the Prophet Dauid Psal 19.12 Who can vnderstand his faultes Cleanse mee from secret faultes but also continually to pray as Christ willeth vs Forgiue vs our trespasses Heb. 12.1 For sinne hangeth so fast on vs that euen When wee woulde doe good Rom. 7 2â— then euil is present with vs. And therefore well may our spirite striue that the flesh preuaile not and the new man waxe euery day stronger against the olde man yet so long as wee carry about with vs this body subiect to corruption Sathan will not leaue buffeting vs sinne will not cease to assault vs. But as a froward and cruell enemy euen then when it is almost quite subdued and at the last cast yet will it stirre euen then I say will it striue to hurt vs. And this our deadly enemy was bred and borne with vs wee carry him alwayes about vs. So long as wee liue wee cannot shake him off Which made the Apostle saint Paul so wearie of this wicked world that hee desired to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ Philip. 1.23 And no maruell For what can a spirituall minded man see heere that may make him desire to liue in this flesh In his minde there is such ignorance of heauenly things as that although he be continually taught yet hee needeth continually to pray O teach mee thy Statutes Psal 119.12 and to aske that the eyes of his vnderstanding may be lightened by the spirit of wisedome and reuelation Ep. 1.17 18 Philip. 1.9 by the knowledge of Christ more and more in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding For the perfection of knowledge that heere wee can attaine vnto Coloss 1.9 is euery day to learne and when wee know most concerning heauenly things yet our knowledge is vnperfect Yea that which wee knowe not is much more than that wee doe knowe Then if hee consider of his owne heart he shall finde the affections thereof so rebellious against the spirite so running headlong vnto worldly and wicked lustes that it will force him for to pray Psal 86.11 Knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy Name Psal 5.8 Leade mee in the waie of thy righteousnesse make thy way plaine before my face Yea hee will bee driuen to confesse that no man can come vnto Christ to serue him Ioh. 6.44 Vnlesse the Father drawe him So that euen in respect of those excellent thinges that man doeth seeme to haue he may truly say Rom. 7.18 I knowe that in mee that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing For his minde is darkned that it can not knowe his heart is clogged that it will not obey sincerely and readily as it ought Gods holie will Thus then it appeareth not onely that all that are borne of vncleane seede are conceiued and borne in originall sinne Rom. 7.24 Rom. 8.23 but also that the same doth make great trouble euen to the godly yea it maketh them to sigh for their deliuerance from this their body which by reason of sinne is so subiect to death Concupiscence is sâ— n And now for this concupiscence by meanes whereof wee are thus inticed vnto sinne and also hindered from sincere obedience the church of Rome will in no wise yeelde that it shall bee sinne in the regenerate vnlesse it also drawe consent of reason to yeelde vnto it for this they all teach And yet saint Paul in the Epistle to the Romanes often calleth it sin as M. Bellarmine himselfe confesseth De amiss gratiae lib. 5. cap. 10. yea and that in the regenerate But it is so called saith he vnproperly not because it is sinne but because it is the cause of sinne and commeth also of sinne But how doeth hee prooue that out of any thing that saint Paul hath said in those places First because saint Paul saith Let not sinne raigne in this your mortall bodie Rom 6.12 Out of which words Master Bellarmine reasoneth thus The Apostle saieth that this sinne is in the body not in the minde but sinne properly so called can not bee in the body therefore the Apostle calleth not concupiscence sinne because it is so properly I may aunswere with Saint Augustine that the flesh neuer lusteth without the soule De perfect iustitiae and also out of Saint Ambrose vpon this place that the bodie is here taken for the whole man bodie and soule Neither
is there any that doeth restraine this word Bodie vnto that part of man that is a distinct part from the soule amongst all the auncient Writers that I haue seene And then Maister Bellarmines argument hath no force because Saint Paules wordes may haue this sence Let not sinne raigne either in your body or soule and that sinne may be in the soule sinne I say properly so called I trust Master Bellarmine will not deny But the words themselues do most plainely shew that he speaketh in this place of that part of man wherein sinne properly so called may be for he speaketh of that part of man wherin raigning sinne may be otherwise his exhortation were needlesse but raigning sinne is sinne properly so called as all doe confesse therefore sinne properly so called may be in this mortall body whereof heere the Apostle saint Paul speaketh And therefore Master Bellarmine triumpheth too hastily when as he concludeth that Saint Paul plainely signifieth hee calleth concupiscence sinne but not properly but vnproperly But I may more iustly conclude against Master Bellarmine The Apostle speaketh there of sinne properly so called And he speake h of concupiscence therefore concupiscence is sin properly so called The minor is confessed here by master Bellarmine in that he doth alleage it to proue his purpose of concupiscence The maior also is proued out of master Bellarmine For the principall thing that he doth alleadge to teach vs that Concupiscence is no sinne that it is not in that same part wherein sinne can bee but in the flesh onely where can be no sinne But if it bee founde once to bee in that part of man wherein sinne may bee hee will not then denie but is also sinne Therfore thus I reason the apostle speaketh there of that sinne that is in that part of the body De amiss grat l. 5. c. 13 wherein sinne is that is properly so called as before I haue proued therfore he speaketh of sinne properly so called The other place alledged by master Bellarmine to proue that saint Paule calleth not concupiscence sinne in the proper signification Rom. 7.18 is this There dwelleth not in me that is in my flesh anie good Therefore concupiscence is in the flesh How vnnecessarie a consequence this argument hath the verie children may perceiue And also this word flesh euerie one that is acquainted but with the principles of diuinitie knoweth to be spoken of whatsoeuer is not regenerate in man euen the verie mind of man But of this I haue spoken sufficiently in the answer to the former place Master Bellarmine also vseth some other reasons to proue that the apostles calleth concupiscence sinne vnproperly but they are not worth speaking of As this is one Sinne is manie times called vnproperly therefore here it is not called sinne properly A kinde of reasoning which maister Bellarmine immediately afterwardes reproueth in Luther and yet himselfe vseth it Another reason whereby I proue concupiscence to be sinne in the proper signification Rom. 7.23 De Amiss gratiae li. 5. cap. 6. is because It rebelleth against the lawe of the minde For master Bellarmine himselfe confesseth that to be vnderstoode of concupiscence As also by The law of the minde Ibid. cap. 10 he vnderstandeth The rule of a good action which must needes be the law of God Thus therefore I reason whatsoeuer affection or lust rebelleth against the law of the minde is in truth sinne but concupiscence is lust that rebelleth against the law of the minde therefore concupiscence is in truth sinne The maior may be proued out of saint Iohn 1. Iohn 3.4 who defineth sin to be a Breach of law or lawlesnesse But yet master Bellarmine wil not confesse that whatsoeuer rebelleth against the law is sinne properly and namely concupiscence De Amiss grat li. 5. cap 14. because it rebelleth onely as a thing stirring vp and causing to transgresse as I said of the diuell saith he I am glad that concupiscence which the papists will in no wise to be sinne of it selfe hath deserued no better of her owne friends and patrons then to be matched in the same yoke with the diuell who is a lyar and the father thereof Iohn 8.44 But maister Bellarmine cannot shift off this argument vnder this coulour Wee inquire what concupiscence is he telleth vs what it worketh wee would knowe the nature of it he telleth vs the effect of it There are therefore in concupiscence two things to be considered the one is what it bringeth foorth in vs of the which we say with saint Iames Iam. 1.15 When lust hath conceyued it bringeth forth sin The other what it is in it selfe or in it own nature To that we answere out of the apostle in many places that it is sin as before it hath bin shewed yea and in this very respect that it hath in it a repugnancy against the law of the minde and followeth not the direction of the law of God For euen as it is crooked that is not euen to the straite rule so is it sinne that is not agreeable to the most infallible rule of Gods law which I take to be master Bellarmines meaning expounding the nature of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saint Iohn vseth De Amiss grat li. 5. cap. 14 1. 1. Iohn 3.4 he saith It is a departing from the law If then concupiscence be examined euen before it bee consented vnto by Gods Lawe doe wee not finde that it is a motion disagreeing from Gods Lawe No man can denie it For looke vpon the lust that mooueth to vncleannesse to stealth to crueltie although the heart consent not yet in that verie lust is that that disagreeth from Gods Lawe So that this is not true that maister Bellarmine saith that concupiscence rebelleth against the lawe onelie as it stirreth vp or causeth to sinne seeing in it selfe it hath that nature that swarueth from the law S. August also proueth my maior in that definition that he giueth of sinne Cont. Faust li. 22. cap. 27. saying that Sinne is that which is said done or lusted against the eternall law And that that is a definition of sinne properly so called maister Bellarmine cannot denie Nowe for my minor proposition which is this That concupiscence rebelleth against the lawe of the minde maister Bellarmine himselfe confesseth it in plaine wordes De Amiss gratiae lib. 5 cap. 10. 14 but yet so as that he seemeth to mee to counterfeit Iuglers when they would play a tricke of leger-demaine For their greatest skill is Deceptio visus the deceiuing of our sight whereby they seeme to do that they doe not or with a little cleanly conueyance to beguile the simple For although he confesse that these lusts rebell against the lawe De Amiss gratiae li. 5. cap. 10. yet saith he they rebell against the law as it sheweth the ende not as it commaundeth the meanes But who can imagine that euer saint Paule
not will or choice in themselues to doe things we should neither deserue punishment for euil doing nor haue reward for well doing Thus haue I truely faithfully deliuered vnto thee good reader the cause that maketh this and other of the ancient fathers especially before Pelagius to write so plainelie for free will De fide Or. thod li 2. cap. 7. As also may wel be gathered out of Damascene For when as yet there were none sprung vp that did attribute too much to free wil as afterward the Pelagians did but there were on the contrary many that did wholy take al wil from man no maruel if they did wholy oppose themselues against the daunger which they sawe present before their eies And therefore they did teach as they did to whom also we giue our right handes of fellowship and consent in doctrine Gal. 2.9 What wee say of mās will as Iames Cephas and Iohn did vnto Barnabas and Paul For we also doe teach that man though by his fal he lost his freedome of wil to him and his posterity yet his wil he lost not but still had it and hath it Whereby very readily and willingly he runneth vnto euil But hauing his wil renued by Gods spirit it is then good so much as it is renued it loueth good and would faine do it Ad Bonif. cont◠a. 2. e◠i st Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 18 and in that sence wee also saie with saint Augustine that it is free that is willing and readie but yet not free that is not able to performe that good which we would by reason of the infirmitie of our new man the corruption of our nature and the manifolde intisementes and tentations whereby we are withdrawen from holy obedience And now if the first fathers did not so plentifully set forth mans weakenes as they did his wil or power to do things it is no maruell because they neither knew Pelagians nor papistes but them that erred in the contrary opinion And this being wel considered of maie serue I trust to answere to whatsoeuer they can alleadge out of the fathers for free wil may teach vs that they cal it free not as it is able but as it is willing to do good eschew euil De corrept gra cap. 2. De gra libero arbitrio lib. 2. cap. 9. And therfore saint Augustine saith Men are driuen to the ende they should doe not that they should doe nothing And for this cause saint Bernard saith That a man may not be called or can indeed be good or euill vnlesse he be willing And saint Ambrose or whosoeuer wrote the bookes of the calling of the Gentiles There is no kinde of vertue that may bee had either without the gift of Gods grace or the consent of our will But of an infinite number of such like places let these few be sufficient to teach vs that they ment not to extol the power of mans wil but to lay the fault in man if he refuse the graces offered and to stirre vp men willingly and readily to receiue them and stedfastly to keepe and holily to vse them And thus much generally for the true vnderstanding of all the testimonies of the fathers that are alleadged by maister Bellarmine not only in his fift booke Cap. 25 26 27 28. de gratia libero arbitrio but also those other that he hath in his sixt booke where he especially handleth the question of free wil Cap. 11. in things appertaining to godlines Whereas before he indeuoured to proue it in moral vertues But because that in the former he did lay the foundation of that which in the sixt he teacheth and al belonged to that end Namely to the question of free wil which in this chapter I am to handle therefore haue I thought good to answere in this one place whatsoeuer he saith tending to that end As for his foure arguments out of the scriptures which he bringeth in the sixt booke Cap. 10. the answere to them I trust may be gathered of that is already answered Sauing only that the first and third require a more special answere For his second argument in this sixt booke is al one with the fourth in the fift booke And his fourth and last in the sixt is like the first in the fift booke His first argument in the sixt booke is taken especially of the word Cooperarii Worke men togither with God for so the greeke word doth signifie not Fellow-helpers 1. Cor. 3. as the common latin translation hath as though God could not without vs worke Wel let vs see his argument We are workemen togither with God therfore we haue freewil say they But we may more iustlie conclude on the contrary therefore we haue not freewil as the papists teach it selfe able to doe good or auoide euill For that is it that is in question We willingly confesse that we being regenerate haue a willingnes to good and a mislike of euil but we say that we cannot performe this our good desire And therefore seeing we cannot worke but as workemen togither with God it is most euident and plaine that our will hath not that power that the church of Rome teacheth it to haue to be freely moued to good And therefore wel saith S. Augustine That we will God worketh without vs De gra li. arb t. cap. 17. but when we will and so will that we also doe he worketh togither with vs. But without him either working that we may will or working with vs when we will we haue no power to the good workes of godlines And by this also appeareth the answere to the other argument which I saide was not before answered We are saith M. Bellar. holpen by God in praier or in any good worke therefore we haue free wil. If we remember how they teach that a man being once holpen and stirred vp by Gods grace is afterwards freely able to doe good hauing his wil thus reuiued or rather vnfettered a mā would not thinke M. Bellar. to be in earnest in such argumentes Suppose you should vndertake to beare a burden far heauier then you could carry and another much stronger than you taketh it vp and beareth it you also laying your hands to the same to helpe as you can Wil you say you are able to beare it because your hand also touched it Euen such is our ability in keeping Gods commaundements Or as children when they are first taught to goe Their mother lifteth them vp that they maie put their legges forwarde holdeth vp their coates that they be no hinderance to them yea helpeth them to step forward There is nothing in the childe but only that it would faine goe but it hath not strength to perform it Is it now any reason to say the child is able to goe because the mother doth thus helpe it No no seeing Gods helpe is such that he worketh both to wil and to
of iustification by workes maketh me who see no cause to like of it the more to shunne it For maister Bellarmine no meane man for learning among them when hee hath taken much paines to deceyue other with this doctrine Bellar. a Lutheran iustif li. 5. cap. 7. yet himselfe dareth not trust it and therefore setteth downe a verie good rule which if Caluine or Luther had written it it must needes haue beene called hereticall Because saith he of the vncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and the daunger of vaine glorie the safest way is to put our whole confidence in Gods mercie and goodnesse Vnto which his good and true doctrine wee say Amen and yet I hope we shall not be called heretikes The safest way to saluation is that we seek let others passe what perillous places it shall please them These and such other considerations doe make me muse that euer men will forsake God Ierem. 2.13 the fountaine of liuing waters to digge them pits euen broken pits that can holde no waters that they will leaue the plaine and safe way and choose the way that hath greatest daunger wherein they deale not onely foolishly for themselues but wickedly also with them that they leade into these blinde wayes And I would haue all men to marke this well that that doctrine which vpon paine of saluation and damnation they teach men must beleeue is daungerous by their owne confession and the contrarie most safe A great argument to teach vs that they care not so much for the saluation of mens soules as to get of men profit and credite And therefore they are the lesse to be trusted or esteemed in other poynts in controuersie who deale so vnchristianly in the most necessarie article of our religion For you must vnderstande there are two wayes to eternal life or rather to speake with the Apostle two kindes of righteousnesse The one so hard to hit that no man or woman excepting onely Christ Iesus God and man could go it so full of snares and traps that none but hee could continue in it This is that righteousnesse of the Lawe Rom. 10.5 which Moses describeth thus The man that doeth these things shall liue thereby And this righteousnesse did our Sauiour Christ speake of to the expounder of the lawe that came to him to aske What shall I doe to inherite eternall life Luke 10.25 He sent him to the lawe For if wee will be saued by workes we must keepe the lawe But then must we knowe That whosoeuer keepeth the whole lawe Iam. 2.10 and yet fayleth in one poynt he is guiltie of all Nowe this vngone and vnbeaten way so hard for vs to hit so vnpossible to keepe the church of Rome teacheth vs that wee must keepe and yet neuer any of her dearest darlings could get to heauen that way But the righteousnesse that is by fayth knoweth that Christ discended into the deepe and died for our sinnes and ascended into heauen to iustifie vs and bring vs thither For if thou confesse with thy mouth the Lorde Iesus Rom. 10.9 and beleeue in thy heart that God raysed him vp from the dead thou shalt bee saued But this righteousnesse pleaseth not our aduersaries because all the glorie of working is giuen from themselues This way they thinke too base because it is not garnished with their workes and strewed with their merits And yet This is the way Esâ— ie 30.21 walke ye in it As for that middle way which themselues haue deuised which ioyneth Christes righteousnesse and theirs together as though hee onelie could not saue them it is no good way for it maketh to wander from the path of Gods worde and is daungerous by their owne confession Take heede therefore of it for it is the way that leadeth to death and damnation Of this way I may say as saint Augustine doth of them that seeke for worldly happinesse by good workes Aug. in psal 31 praefat M. Bellar. Argument for merits Math. 5.12 De. iustif 5 cap. 3. Although saith he thou stir thine armes in good works and thou seeme most skilfully to rule thy boat yet thou runnest vpon the rockes But nowe let vs see what arguments maister Bellarmine vseth to prooue this their doctrine of iustification by workes Great is your reward or wages or hire in heauen Eternall life saith he is the wages therefore doubtlesse workes are the merits Master Bellarmine reasoneth thus Eternall life is your wages therfore your works haue deserued it The weaknesse of this argument appeareth at the first but yet for the more cleare vnderstanding of this such other places a worde or two may be added That God giueth vs eternall life for wages wee will not denie if it be vnderstood aright Admit therefore that a man hireth two workmen to worke with him the one of them a sufficient workeman who doeth his worke The other can worke little or nothing yet he that hired him biddeth him worke also and doe his best and he shall haue his wages also Nowe the one of these who is the woorkeman his hire or wages is due to him for his worke hee hath deserued it the others wages is due also and hee may challenge it not because he hath â— aâ— ned it by his worke but hee that hired him hath made himselfe his debter by his promise We see then not euerie wages is deserued Wee are that euill workeman wee can doe nothing worthie of our wages yet God by promise is indebted vnto vs. Therefore although our rewarde or wages be great yet is it not deserued of our part Praefat. in Psal 31. Our wages is called grace saith saint August If it be grace it is freely giuen What is the meaning of this it is freely giuen It costes vs nothing Thou hast done no good and forgiuenesse of sins is giuen to thee It is then no good argument to say eternal life is our wages therefore we haue deserued it His second argument God shall reward euery man according to his worke Therefore the workes are meritorious The scriptures we confesse vse often so to speake but not to establish merit but to shake off security And to this end they tell vs that if the worke be good it shall haue the reward of a good worke if it be euill Rom. 2.6 it shall be punished And so doth Saint Paul vsing the selfe same words which are also alleadged by maister Bellarmine expound himselfe vers 7. To them which by continuance in well doing seeke glory and honour and immortality 8. eternal life But vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnes indignation and wrath Thus then we see that this according to the worke doth not signifie according to the merit of the worke but according to the quality of the worke And these kinde of speeches are very like to that that God said to Cain and perchance are grounded vpon it If thou
2. I haue spokē in the answere vnto his secōd argument But heere it appeareth that such heretikes did then trouble the church Last of al not al the vehemēt speeches of the fathers are to be taken or vnderstoode as they sound but they must be warely red and wisely examined by the touchstone of Gods word And then it will appeare that the Fathers either may well bee taken or iustly refused And thus hauing I trust in the iudgement of the indifferent Reader sufficiently confirmed the trueth answered the Scriptures alleadged to the contrary and shewed some causes why the fathers should in this point be read with good aduise and iudgement it now onely remaineth that I lay open the absurditie of that shift wherein they trust much and which indeede is the chiefe strength of their cause For being pressed with the testimonies out of scriptures especially out of saint Paul which plainely testifie that we are iustified by faith Rom. 3.28 without the workes of the law first they deuised this answere that S. Paul speaketh of the ceremoniall laws that we are iustified without them but not without doing the works of the law morall or of the commaundements But this being so vntrue an answere that master Bellarmine himselfe is ashamed of it De iustificat lib. 1. cap. 19. and reasoneth against it Master Bellarmine bringeth another answere namely that the Apostle speaketh of the workes before faith So that he would haue the wordes of the Apostle thus to sound Wee are iustified by faith without the works of the law that were done before we beleeued And for the credit of this interpretation he would faine father it vpon S. Augustine and S. Ierome De gr lib. arb ca. 7. de praedest sinctor cap. 7. In praefat ps 31 Ier. ad Ctesiphontem contra Pelagianos but most vntruely as he that examineth those places shall easily see that S. Augustine and S. Ierome in those places doe not so expound those wordes of saint Paul neither giue vs anie rule so to expound them Neither yet doe Chrysostome Ambrose Theophilact or Primasius vpon those words either in the third to the Romans or second to the Galathians so expound it Rom. 4.4 Or yet S. Ierome vpon the Galathians And in the Epistle that he writeth against the Pelagians to Ctesiphon he denieth that those words may be vnderstood of the law ceremoniall but concerning this exposition which master Bellarmine bringeth there is no word As for the reason that Bellarmine hath out of S. Paul to prooue this his exposition let vs consider of it Vnto him that worketh saith S. Paul the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt Therefore saith M. Bellarmine he speaketh onely of those workes that are done by the power of free will without grace How little S. Paule dreamed of free will hath in the former chapter beene declared And that hee doeth not in these wordes expound what he meant before by the workes of the lawe the text it selfe prooueth For hauing said that Abraham beleeued God and that was counted to him for righteousnes therevpon the Apostle inferreth that if he had beene iustified by workes his iustification had bin of debt not of grace So that he doth not heere expound his former wordes but beginneth in this fourth chapter an other argument by the example of Abraham being already iustified and a holie man to prooue iustification by faith without workes euen by forgiuenesse of sinnes or couering them And as I haue shewed master Bellarmines interpretation to stand vppon no good ground but that the place aledged maketh against himselfe so that which we gather out of S. Paules words to be the most true meaning namely that workes neither before nor after our first iustification as they call it can merit the circumstances of the place do proue the whole course of his doctrine He instructeth the Rom. Galath in this doctrine who were already become christians already were iustified He doth not only shew that the works of the law do not iustifie but telleth vs that the nature of the law is to make vs to know sin Rom. 7.7 Rom. 4.15 to cause wrath euen after we be iustified And S. Paul himselfe teacheth so much in that he counted al that was in him to be but losse yea dung That he might win Christ Philip. 3.8 9 be found in him not hauing his own righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through Christ Marke heere how the Apostle saint Paul in these wordes which were written almost thirty yeeres after his conuersion still relieth vpon the righteousnesse that is by faith and he calleth it Gods righteousnesse and refuseth that which commeth by workes and that he calleth mans righteousnesse Now of this which is said I trust I may thus reason Saint Paul excludeth from iustification not only the works that are done before we beleeue but also the works which we afterwards doe therefore master Bellarmines interpretation is not true If then workes cannot iustifie as hitherto I haue taught wee may say with saint Augustine Wo bee euen to the commendable life of man Confess lib. 9. ca. 13. if thou Lord setting mercie aside examine it For Enarrat psal 109. as he saieth in an other place Whatsoeuer God hath promised hee hath promised to them that are vnworthie that it shuld not be promised as wages for good works but grace according to the name of it should be freely giuen Confess lib. 9. cap. 13. O therefore that all men that with Saint Augustine I may wish that godly wish would know themselues and they that reioyce Ad Ctesiphontem contra Pelagianos would reioyce in the Lord. For this onely perfection is left to men that they knowe themselues to be vnperfect as truly and godlily saint Hierome writeth Of iustification by Faith and what Faith is CHAP. 26 THE PROTESTANTS ANd this Iustification which by our workes we can not deserue yet by faith we do obtaine Not because our faith can of it selfe worke any such effect What faith is But it beeing a liuely and certain perswasion of our heart and conscience that God for Christ Iesus his sake forgiueth vs al our sinnes and in him accounteth vs holie and righteous doeth thus iustifie vs not as that that worketh our iustification but as that which apprehendeth and taketh holde of that righteousnes that Christ hath wrought for vs. And so by faith he being made ours is vnto vs wisdome 1. Cor. 1.30 and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption And being thus iustified by faith Rom. 5.1 wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ THE PAPISTS BVT our aduersaries because they like not that Christ shoulde bee the onely salue for our sores neyther will they haue faith to bee the hande that applieth this soueraigne medicine
also that we should performe to no other but to him those seruices and offices that are due vnto God amongst which inuocation or praier is one Secondly that commandement which more particularly toucheth this point Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee is flatly broken if we doe call vpon any other Thirdly the prophet Dauid doeth seeme to make it a property belonging to God only to heare our praiers Thou that hearest our praiers to thee shall all flesh come Psal 65.2 And therefore if wee will be heard we must pray to God only Fourthly Cont. Arian Orat. 2. Athanasius proueth Christ to be God because he is praied vnto in distresse Whose argument had not beene good if any other besides God might haue beene praied vnto Fiftly faith only belongeth to this life so that the Saintes haue it not in the life to come De iustif li. 2. cap. 4. 7. as maister Bellarmine himselfe affirmeth very truely but praier without faith auaileth not and How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Therefore the saints after this life cannot pray for vs or at the least their praiers cannot auaile Sixtly as it is not an office laid vpon the saints to pray for vs in all the scriptures so they regard nothing in the life to come but only Gods glory as may appeare by the exercise of singing praise to God only as in the Apocalips manie times is ascribed vnto them So little care they haue of their owne priuate estate much lesse of our affaires but of those things only that belong to gods glory Thus then we see concerning this first point in controuersie concerning praier that we must not pray vnto any creature but to God only De beatitud Sanct. li. 1. cap. 19. Popish argumentes for inuocation Gen. 48.16 But yet let vs see how M. Bellar. wil proue that we maie praie to the creatures Iacob saith of Iosephs children The angell that deliuered me from all euill blesse the children therefore Iacob praieth vnto the angel That which there he calleth the angel is God as appeareth not only by the words because before he called him God but also Chrysostome expounding this place vers 15. In Genes Hom. 66. Iob. 5.1 not once naming the angell maketh him to aske al these things of God And that which he alleadgeth out of Iob is of like force Call now if any will answere thee and to which of the saints wilt thou turne for many of the Hebrews vnderstand this of the saints that are aliue as if he had said what good man is of thy mind or wil take thy part Some expounde this place of the angels but so as they make Eliphaz to aske this question to whom amongst the angels Iob wil turne scoffingly As if he had said if thou shouldst aske of them it were in vaine they would not answer thee But howsoeuer it is it is certaine that heere is no mention of inuocation or praier vnto the angels Philippus Presbiter in Iob. but rather as it seemeth by Phillippus Presbiter vpon this place a taunting reproofe of Iob if he beleeued not Eliphaz his words But howsoeuer it is expounded heere is no good argument for inuocation or praier vnto angels For the Godly haue often turned themselues vnto the angels but not to pray vnto them As for that that Moses said Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy seruantes Exod. 32.13 respecteth not the merits of these fathers but the promise made to them as in that place appeareth for it followeth To whome thou swarest by thine owne selfe and saidst to them I wil multiply your seede Which words doe plainely burden God with his promise made to them Neither doth that which maister Bellarmine alleadgeth out of Theodoret proue any thing ◠o the contrary For he saith that Moses vsed the helpe or defence of these patriarkes And why not rather in respect of Gods promise which we know hee is able and ready to performe then of their merits Theod. quest 67. in Exod. So that if there were any inuocation or praier to them as there is not it is onlie a request that God will remember them and therefore this place belongeth not to the matter now in question but if there were any praier vnto them we see that it cannot bee concluded out of this place that Moses would haue God to regarde their merites But maister Bellarmine will helpe the matter with a testimonie out of the Psalmes Lord remember Dauid and al his kindnes Psal 131.2 There saith maister Bellarmine Salomon praieth in respect of his father Dauids merits but the word vpon which his whole argument dependeth that heere is translated kindnes may be trāslated Affliction And S. Hierom trāslating the psalms according to the Hebrew doth so translate it And how can he thinke with such vncertaine proofe to make good so bad a cause But I hasten to that argument that coulde neuer yet be answered for so maister Bellarmine saith And it is this We may desire them that are aliue to pray for vs therefore we maie pray to the saints that are departed If maister Bellarmine had not liked so well of this argument I should not haue thought it worth any answere For to praie one for another whilest we are aliue is both warranted and commaunded of God but to praie to them that are gone wee haue neither commaundement nor promise And there is greate difference betweene praiers which the papists woulde make to them that are dead and such requestes as the godlie haue made or we may make to them that are aliue to praie for vs. But maister Bellarmine will strengthen his argument by remoouing the causes that maie hinder this inuocation or rather their intercession for vs. First if wee saie they will not praie for vs hee answereth they haue greater loue than they had and therefore they will But what manner of loue they haue to vs ward is not described in the Scriptures And therefore we cannot of that their loue which is vncertaine gather any certaine argument But sure I am their loue towards God and our sauiour Christ is so great that they will not rob either God of his glory or Christ of his office of mediation And they cannot pray for vs because as before I haue shewed euen out of maister Bellarmine that they want faith And whether they know that we pray or not it is vncertaine As for the wrong that is done vnto God if any but he be praied vnto which maister Bellarmine imagineth to be the fourth let why they cannot pray for vs he answereth that if that be any hinderance to Gods glory Coloss 2.23 it also is against Gods glory that they who are aliue should request other to pray for them Which his answere how foolish it is the very wemen and children maie easily perceiue how the one hath commandement the other must
goe amongst the wil-worshippings especially if wee consider the practise of inuocation in the popish church For although now to make some faire shewe of their doctrine they will teach vs De beatitud sanct li. 1. ca. 17. that the saints Are not the immediate intercessours vnto God for vs but obtaine our requestes of God through Christ as maister Bellarmine teacheth yet it cannot be denied that men and women haue had confidence in the saint it selfe haue vowed and performed their vowes vnto the same for their deliuerance haue praied vnto the same for helpe Act. Mon. pag. 1117. 1443. And these men haue not beene reproued no they were thought to haue a good deuotion and to merit thereby but some haue beene accused of heresie for not praying in their trauell to the virgin Mary Yea they haue published a blasphemous thing called the Psalter of the Virgin compiled by Bonauenture in which whatsoeuer in the Psalmes and some other scripture is spoken of the Lord is most wickedly by them applied vnto the Virgin Mary whom they call lady Yea to be short it is almost as full of blasphemies as of words An infinite number of their owne prayers might bee brought against them out of their owne bookes to testifie against themselues of that superstitious confidence which they haue had in the creature and yet would they now perswade the world that they neuer meant they should make intercession to God for vs but by Christ but in trueth they made them rather gods than mediators As when the virgin Mary is willed to command her Sonne and to shew her to be his mother Or when vnto her they pray thus In al our trouble and distresse help vs most holy virgin Mary And thus haue I thought good briefly to examine their proofes out of the scripture and to take away that shew of reasons that they made out of Gods word I might haue brought their owne fellowes to testifie against them that whilest they will seeme to alleadge scriptures they doe but wrest them In Enchirid. cap. 15. De Theol. loci li. 3. cap. 3 For Eckius a stowt Papist doeth frankely confesse that the inuocation of saints is not expresly commanded or taught either in the olde or new Testament But Melchior Canus better learned than hee doeth say that neither plainely nor yet couertly it is contained in the Scriptures And therefore we see that they doe alleadge Gods word but to blinde mens eies as though they had some warrant out of it not because they thinke their arguments pâ— ooue that which they teach Seeing therefore their doctrine is so quite voide of all warrant out of Gods word and that which they do seeme to bring is so weake and wrested as may appeare I trust I may conclude with Tertullian that this commaundement De praescrip aduersus haer aske and yee shall receiue agreeth to him that knoweth of whome to aske euen of him of whome somewhat was promised that is of the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Now for the second point which is Christ our onely mediatour that Christ Iesus is this only mediator between God and man to offer vp our prayers vnto God Wherein our aduersaries do not deny but he is the mediator but they had wont to tell vs Eckius in Ench. cap. 15 that he is the onely mediator of redemption and yet they rob him also of that office by the Popes pardons and such baggage but there may be many mediators of intercession say they But master Bellarmine hath found out another shift namely that they are but intercessours by Christ as before I haue shewed But howe doeth master Bellarmine prooue that the saints make intercession by Christ for vs. Hee hath not so much as one word out of scripture for it neither yet out of any ancient father His onelie proofe is out of saint Bernard who liued eleuen hundred yeeres and more after Christ Is this a doctrine to be receiued now as catholike that hath so long beene buried in silence and will not yet perchance be very well liked of Indeede that Christ is our mediatour he prooueth well but that which he would especially haue vs to beleeue is left without witnesse as I haue shewed De beatitud sanct li. 1. ca. 17 Well then I will take it as a thing granted by master Bellarmine that Christ is onely our immediate mediatour to God and no saint no angel or any other creature which thing the scriptures prooue plentifully And I will by Gods grace shew also that they may not be mediators by or to Christ for vs. First there is no warrant for it in the word and therefore it must not be receiued of vs whose rule for life and religion the word â—â— st be Secondly I haue shewed that the saints departed haue not faith and therefore they can not pray Thirdly to ioyne them with Christ in the office of Mediation doeth shewe that they feare that either hee can not by himselfe perfourme that office which God hath laide vppon him and that is blasphemous Or that hee will not at our request do it vnlesse hee be intreated by others Seeing hee hath died for my sinnes shall I doubt whether hee will heare mee if I doe pray If hee bid mee aske seeke knocke and promiseth thou that I shall haue finde and to open will hee not bee as good as his worde Hebr. 2.17 In all thinges it became him to bee made like vnto his brethren that hee might bee mercifull 18 and a faithfull high priest in thinges concerning God Ebr. 4.15 that he might make reconciliation for the sins of the people For in that he suffred and was tempted 16 hee is able to succour them that are teÌ„pted Our high priest is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need Let vs I saie our owne selues come vnto him in this assurance that he will not faile to heare and helpe vs. For he calleth Come vnto me all yee that are weary and laden and I wil ease you Matt. 11.28 Shall we be afraid to draw nigh vnto him that calleth vs so louingly Or shall wee thinke that wee shall neede to sende mediatours to intreate him that sendeth his embassadours to vs to intreate vs Nowe we are embassadours for Christ saith saint Paul as though God did beseech you through vs 2. Cor. 5.20 wee pray you in Christes steede that you bee reconciled to God Let vs therefore saie with S. Augustine or whosoeuer it was that writ those bookes that goe in his name Lib. 2. cap. 1. Of the visitation of the sicke I speake more safely and sweetely to my Iesus than to any of the holie spirites of God Yea this grosse and absurd persuasion Saint Chrysostome in many places seeketh to remoue as they that do read his
works may finde In Matth Hom. 5. God saith he wil giue to vs saluation not so much at others intreaty as at our own And this he proueth by the examples of the woman of Canaan Mat. 15.23.24 25 26 27 28. Luk. 7 Luk. 23 4â— .43 the sinnefull woman and the theefe that was put to death with Christ and at his owne suite obtained paradise And Chrysostome seemeth in that place to yeeld a good reason why we should sue for our selues Because it will make vs more carefull to amende our liues to the ende wee maie the better please God So that hereby wee maie gather that they who teach vs that wee maie haue other aduocates or mediatours to God teach vs to bee carelesse of our owne conuersation howe wee doe liue Whereas if our selues onely must of necessitie intreate God for his sonne Christes sake wee will be more carefull to serue him that with greater confidence wee may come to intreate him This good seede of Inuocating and calling vppon God continued about some two hundred yeares in the church vntill that enuious man at the last whilest Gods seruants were asleepe did sowe that euill seede of praying to the creatures And although some did like well of it yet was it misliked also by some of the godly as most notably appeareth in Epiphanius against the heretikes called Collyridiani Haeres 79 who offered a bunne or cake to the virgin Mary or for her sake and of that they had their name And so the Papists do offer their waxe candles yea many times very pretious thinges vnto their saints But Epiphanius compareth such to a common harlot that runne a whooring from one onely God and saieth this olde errour shall not preuaile to leaue him that liueth and to worship the creature He will not haue her worshipped neither yet that they should offer in her name Bellarmine indeuouring to answere this place De beatitud sanct li. 1. ca. 15 saith that Epiphanius reprooueth that heresie because they woulde make a god of her But the place is maruellous strong against the Popish ceremonies in their superstitious seruices For Epiphanius gathereth of this that they did to the virgin Mary that they made her a god not that they esteemed or called her a god for they neuer denied the one God but that they did to her that which the Gentiles doe to their gods And I pray you did they any more to the virgine Mary than our Papistes doe Let it be examined They offered bunnes or takes in her name the Papists do offer sundrie sorts of things and the more and the costlier the Priests thinke the better of it At a certaine day in the yeere some women vsed to trimme some Waggon and couer it ouer with a sheete and for certaine dayes woulde set there some breade and offer it in her name being assembled together The Papists make many as pretie shewes as this could be for the worship of their Saints haue their dayes set downe for it The women also doe with those heretikes celebrate those holie mysteries Howe many religious orders the Popish church hath to celebrate the mysteries in honour of their Lady as they doe terme her let the worlde iudge But our Papists being compared with those heretikes goe as neere I warrant you to make their saints gods as euer did the Collyridians to make a God of the Virgine Mary And howe doeth Epiphanius confute this heresie What Scripture saith hee hath taught vs this which of the Prophets commaunded a man much lesse a woman to bee adored If then the Scriptures must teach vs and the Prophets must direct vs in our religion because this inuocation of the creature hath no warrant in the worde wee may safely reiect it And that our prayers whether they bee priuate or publike Prayers must be in a tongue that wee know Orat. in sulitt In Genes hom 29. De Orthod fide li. 3. c. 24 must bee in a tongue that wee vnderstand it is by many reasons to be prooued For if that prayer bee as Saint Basil defineth it A requesting of some good thing of God powred out to God of the godlie or as Chrysostome saieth It is a talke with God or as Damascene doeth write The ascending of the minde vnto God or the crauing of thinges fit to be asked of God then is it most necessary that whether we pray in publike or priuatly we should vnderstand what we say lest in steed of good wee aske that which is euill and our talke shoulde not be seemely or agreeable to the maiestie of God with whom wee talke neither can our minde ascend in prayer if the vnderstanding of our words be not as it were a wing to helpe it vp Therefore Chrysostome exhorteth vnto sobrietie especially when we should pray and woulde haue vs in prayer to gather together the powers of our minde In Genes hom 29. That our minde may accompany our wordes to God for feare least our prayer turne to our condemnation And most plaine is that that the Apostle saieth If I pray in a strange tongue 1. Cor. 14 14 my spirit praieth but mine vnderstanding is without fruit 1. Cor. 14.26 Thus then I reason All thinges ought to be doone to edifying But the praiers that are made in a strange tongue that the people vnderstand not are not done to edifying therfore they are not such as they ought to be This whole argument is saint Paules For the first proposition is his very wordes The second is necessarie to be gathered out of his words For if such praiers are without fruit as the apostle saith they are Regal breuiores quaest 278. then they doe not edifye For when saieth Basil the words of the praier are vnknowen to them that are present then the minde of him that praieth is doubtlesse without fruit because none is the better for it For as the same father in his answer to the next question saieth of the vnderstanding of scripture Quaest 278. so may we say of praier he compareth the vnderstanding of the scriptures vnto the taste of our meate And saieth that men heare profitably when the vnderstanding of the word is vnto their minde as the taste of the meate is vnto the body And so may we likewise say that then we praie with fruit when in our minde we vnderstand what we praie for as well as our mouth tasteth our meat what it is that we eat Which place of saint Paul troubleth master Bellarmine so that after that he hath seen and vewed many answers scarce anie can please him De verbo dei lib. 2. cap. 16 But at the length hee resolueth vpon this that the apostle speaketh not of their common prayers but of such spirituall songs as themselues made But that answere will not serue the turne For hee that commaunded that all things that are done in such meetings should bee done to edifying would not onelie that such spirituall
that that these things merit or deserue Gods wrath to be turned away He cannot proue it We denie not but God looketh vpon these things but not for the merit of them but for his owne mercies And therefore master Bellarmine hath not yet prooued that fasting doth merit And this is the thing that hee should proue But on the contrarie A true vse of fasting in our fasting we acknowledge our selues to bee vnworthie of Gods creatures and that by our sinnes wee haue depriued our selues of the vse of his benefites and deserue not euen these his ordinarie graces which the verie beastes themselues maie freely enioy And in this heartie acknowledging of our owne vnworthinesse wee prostrate our selues before Gods mercie seate seeking for mercie not pleading but fearing and refusing our merit Now of this popish opinion of merit by fasting hath sprung vp another abuse in fasting Of popish fasting dayes That the papists haue dedicated these their fasting dayes not onely to the seruice of God for they supposed that they could by such meanes please him whereas it is all one to him whether wee come full or fasting so that wee come so as our hearts may bee most sitte to serue him but also to the honour of their Saints imagining thereby to deserue some fauour at their handes And for this cause did they deuise to fast vpon their Saintes Euens and at such other times as wee see the Popish Church vseth not so much to tame the flesh for that fasting we also affirme to be necessarie neither yet in any politike respect which belongeth not to our question but euen because they foolishly thinke that in so doing they worship God and the Saints and do a thing acceptable to him And to this ende is also appointed their lent fast their wednesdaie and fryday fast saterday fast embar fast the fasts of aduent and cogation weeke But that these cannot be accounted times of necessitie to be kept and obserued for fasting in respect of any religious obseruation of the same it cannot better be proued than by that diuersitie of opinions and iudgement which M. Bellarmine himselfe is forced to confesse to be in the ancient fathers De bonis operibus in part li. 2. As they shall vnderstand that reade of the book before alleadged the fifteeneth the seuenteenth eightteenth and nineteenth chapters As for their fastes vppon saintes eues they come after al the rest Seeing therefore there is herein such diuersitie it is plaine enough that neither any certainty of doctrine can heere be gathered neither can they cal it a catholicke religion that is like Iacobs coate of many colours farre from vnity of faith But with saint Hillary I maie say In ps 118. A It is most hard for a man by the doctours of this world to vnderstande the meaning of heauenly precepts And this I could wish that at al times we would striue by this and other good meanes to tame our rebellious flesh and that we also would prepare our selues vnto the holy exercises of our religion either by this or anie other way that maie further therein but that fasting it selfe doth make vs acceptable to God wee must not thinke And out of this their opinion of the merit of fasting ariseth another most absurd doctrine of binding the conscience to their lawes of fasting Their lawes of fasting bind not the conscience Li. 2. de bonis operibus in part ca. 7. Ierem. 5.6 as the church of Rome teacheth with one consent as M. Bellarmine confesseth And he wil proue it by the example of the Rechabites who vpon the commandement of Ionadab their father abstained from drinking of wine A weake proofe The Rechabites obeied the politicke lawe that their father Ionadab gaue them therefore the church may binde mens consciences with the law of fasting It is one thing to bind the conscience another thing to require external obedience The fast and holie daie which is commaunded to be continued in the storie of Hester is like vnto it Hester 9.31 for a day of remembraunce of Gods great benefit towardes them but not to binde the conscience Such also is the fast mentioned in Zachary of the fourth fifth seuenth and tenth monethes which although it might perchance vppon good and godlie consideration be taken vp and we debarre none but exhort all persons to humble themselues vnto the Lord yet how little their conscience is bound thereto it partly appeareth because God faith in the former Chapter that they did not fast vnto him and willeth them to harken vnto the ministerie of prophets and to execute true iudgement and shewe mercy and compassion euery man to his brother not to oppresse for these are in deede good workes that God regardeth in comparison of which hee little esteemeth those their fastes Partlie also because God wil turne their fasting into feasting into ioy and gladnes and prosperous high feastes as there he saith Act. 15.29 And lastly he bringeth that law that the apostles set downe of not eating the bloud and things strangled A law I saie made by the direction of Gods spirite as there is witnessed for a lawe whereof they can finde no such praise A law that was made according to the necessity of that time to auoide diuision and for the better vniting and gathering of the church of the Iewes and gentiles as M. Bellarmine confesseth and therefore such a law as lawfully might be made For in thinges indifferent the church maie take order for the quietnes or anie other waie for the benefit of the fame Whereby they would establish a law for euer to binde the conscience A law I say which themselues wil confesse we are not bound vnto but doe against that law that the apostles made But how could we breake that law if it bound the conscience Or if it doe not binde the conscience why doth M. Bellarmine bring it to proue that the church may tie or bind the consciences of the faithfull vnto their lawes of fasting Thus we see that not one of all the places alleadged by him out of the scripture doth prooue the necessity of these lawes of fasting which so straitly they command Therefore by the weakenes of their proofe we may see the falsenes of their doctrine Difference of meates Now I come vnto the last point of their doctrine which we mislike which is the difference of meats that they make Wherein if they doe not conspire with the Ebionites and sundry other hereticks that did condemne flesh as a thing vnpure yet it seemeth that they haue bin brought vp in the schoole of the heretickes called Apostolici Serm. 66. in Cantica of whom S. Bernard reporteth that they would eate no whit-meate milke and whatsoeuer came of it or whatsoeuer was ingendred But our aduersaries tel vs that the Ebionites Tatianites Maniches Priscillianists and such other heretickes doe vtterly condemne flesh as vncleane or vnlawful to be eaten at any time