to the bread videlicet shed for many in remissionem peecatorum for remission of sinnes and so making them demi-saintes are more guiltie of annihilating this article of the Communion of Saints then we which exclude none and giue the whole But to conclude if the real and carnall presence of Christ be the onely cause of the Saintes vnion vnto him and their communion among themselues what then doth S. Augustine meane when he saith that in receiuing of the sacrameÌ„t some do eate panem domini and other some panem dominum if it be bread then it is not transubstantiated into his bodie if some do eate the bread of the Lord other the bread the Lord what makes the difference if it be his bodie really then is it alike to all for Christes bodie cannot bee changed if to some it be bread and to others Christ the difference is in the receiuer not in the sacrament summarilie in the holy supper there is sacramentum res sacramenti the first the twoo elementes the second Christ himselfe they are tasted with the mouth and chewed in the teeth this must haue as Basil calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mouth of the inward man which is faith The sacrament is receiued by some to life by others to perdition but the thing it selfe Omni homini ad vitam nulli ad mortem saith S. Austen If therfore Christ be there carnally present then indefinitely quicunque eius particeps fuerit whosoeuer good or bad shall participate eateth vndoubtedly his owne saluation and so becomes one with Christ a consequent necessary but most impious Seondly they deny the Communion of the church militant triumphant by exclaming against inuocatioÌ„ of Saints by which holy exercise those blessed Saintes in heauen and wee in earth communicate wee by prayer glorifiing them and they by meditation obtayning our requests Aunsweare This distinction of saintes into militant and triumphant we allow that there is but one tribe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them both wee acknowlege Eph. 3. We on earth sub pellibus lying in campe vnder sold pay fighting as souldiers 2. Tim. 2. the celestiall in rest and glory hauing coronam repositam impositam 2. Tim. 4 the crowne laid vp for theÌ„ put vpon them raigning as kinges Apo. 1. That communion with them wee maintaine which the primitiue church allowed both by imitation of their vertues in our conuersation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by celebration of their praises in panegyricall orations by the example of the Apostle Heb. 11 in reuolution of their annuall memories at solemne feastes authorized by the church We detest the Cainans and Eunomians for contemning the Saintes departed accounting a liuing dog better then a dead lion Eccles. 9. with S. Augustine we honor them charitate non seruitute hauing receiued prohibition to be seruants of meÌ„ 1. Cor. 7 with loue not feare in admiration of their liues not adoration of their images nec templa sicut dijs sed memorias vt hominibus dicamus saith Austen we reare not temples vnto them as Gods but record their memories as of holy meÌ„ there being a difference betweene sepulchra aedificare Math. 23 simalâ—chracolere betwene dignifieng them as Saints by celebration Deifieng them as Gods by inuocation this combâ—ning of heauen and earth together by prayer to them being rather a mutinous rebellion and conspiracy against God then a mutuall communion or societie of saintes grounded vpon an heathenish superstition the chiefe authors beeing Plato and Apuleius who formed mediators Doemonicall and Heroicall both those spiritual essences which they call Doemones and the soules departed which they called Heroes as the popish clergie Angels and Saintes continued by supposed aparitions of walking ghostes and miracles wrought at martyrs monumentes and confirmed by some ambiguous irresolutions of a few fathers for whether they procure vs any good euen Origen makes it a question thinkes it not to bee chartulae mysterium a written veritie but an vnknowne secrete and they which were that way in such affections most passionate slaked their heat in this case with a Si or a Qnasi as S. Basil with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianz. as I thinke am perswaded not resolued by the scholemen what their knowledge or their power is whether their knowledge be matutina or vespertina and whether they procure vs any good either impetratiuè by mediation of their prayers or interpretatiuè by valuation of their merits No where euen by the confessioÌ„ of Eckius authorized in scripture by any example or precept not in the old testament because the people were to prone to Idolatrie as in the Calfe was seene the saints were theÌ„ in Limbo not glorified not in the new least the Gentils couerted shold returne and worship men for Gods as the Lycaonians did Paul and Barnabas Act. 14. not in the writinges or preachinges of the Euangelists and Apostles least they might be suspected of arrogancy as purueyors of their owne prayses in proclayming themselus an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a future glory among meÌ„ after their decease this saith Eckius although both Duraeus will needes fetch it from the very crosse of Christ in this manner Our Sauiour in his passion cried out Eli Eli and the people thought hee had called for Elias ergo Inuocation of Saintes was vsed among the Iewes and this pamphletor as you see wil haue it an article of faith which caÌ„not be whether we look vnto the matter of faith which is the word or the obiect of faith which is Christ. For nothing may bee an article of faith which is not squired by the rule of faith the scripture Neither is prayer to be made vnto any but on whome we beleeue Rom. 10. no Christian dare say that wee must beleeue in Saintes It was said of Cesar that in the renewing Pompey his statues which were ruinated he erected his owne here it is contrary for this gloriâ—eng of the Saintes is the disparagement of the whole Trinitie of God the father beeing the principall obiect of our prayers by his owne precept Psal. 50 Call vpon mee by Christes auaunt to Sathan Math. 4 Eisoli him only thou shalt serue by his soueraigntie of place beeing our king of olde Psal. 74. 12. nec benè cum socijs regna-manent saith the Poet. Of the Sonne beeing the vnus mediator the alone mediator betweene God and man 1. Tim. 2. 5. the still suruiuing priest making intercession for vs Heb. 7. 25 without whome there is no accesse vnto the Father Ioh. 14. who onely as Ambrose saith hath that double office of a mediatour imperare vt deus visitare vt homo as man compassionating our infirmities Heb. 2 as God supplying our wants as man dying for our sinnes as
A Defence of the Articles of the Protestants Religion in aunsweare to a libell lately cast abroad intituled Certaine Articles or forcible reasons discouering the palpable absurdities and most intricate errours of the Protestantes Religion Vt loquerentur calumniam transgressionem conceperunt et locuti sunt de corde verba mendacii Esa. 59. 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basilius LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Wolfe and are to bee sold in Pauls church yard by Mathew Law 1601. To the Right Reuerend Father in Christ Richard by Gods permission Bishop of London my very good Loâ—d TVVo venemous worms there are which like snakes at the Palme roote doe gaster and infect the floorishing state of a setled Church Sacrilege and Haeresie which double mischiefe to the Church is principally imputed to men of the Church ambition basely yeelding to any compact for titular prefermentes feeding the sacrilegious humour factious traducing each of other for opinions different or rather indifferent opening a gap for the haereticall inchanter This last through the despite of Rome transmitting her traiterous shauelinges to seduce good subiectes disgorging loathsome slaunders to defame our Prince and State among forreners and principally dispersing their infamous libels against our religion to make it more odious to our domesticall professors hath of late much pestered and haunted this our Church and Realme the inward cause is their inueterate malice but this outrage in multiplying their blowes thus thicke and threefold pardon my good Lord if I gesse amisse is incensed by an opinion they haue conceyued that there is among vs a generall declining to Poperie aud the ruine beginning at the very groundcelles of religion our schooles of learning which God bee thancked stande both fast and sure against the strongest battery of the Romish factioÌ„ if euer heretofore cleerly voyde of all her superstitious infections yet this hot surmise though very vaine and false hath notwithstanding receiued the flame from a wilde-fire zeale of some vniuersitie men who pronounce euery position to be Popish which is not within the verge of their paper booke common places and wanting the Towne-clarke his discretion Act. 19. 36 to do nothing rashly but to referre the determination to a lawfull assembly vers 39. proclaimed that for heresy in a solemne meeting which comming to a higher and more mature examination prooued to bee so farre from Popery that it was on the contrary conuinced by the writings verdict of the greatest authors of accompt among vs to bee most sound doctrine and orthodoxall By which offensiue clamour woorse then Cham his irrision so farre carried and sorting to so smale effect of trueth howsoeuer without seuere and condigne punishmeÌ„t it escaped yet surely the whole state of this realme the vniuersitie it selfe and the particular persons thus slaunderously abused haue receiued a wroÌ„g scarcely expiable by the diuestiture of the accusers from their places The Realme because report which getteth feathers by flying will sound it out in forreine partes that our fountaines are infected the vniuersitie in that no parent of wisedome and religion will send his sonne to a place suspected the particuler men beeing iniuried in their good name impeached in their preferment discouraged in their indeuours being as readie to confront as willing to encounter as able to ouerthrow any Papist as the most forward and whotspurred challengers of the opposite enraged faction which by your Lordship and other of authoritie Ecclesiasticall being not allayed and scattered it is no marueile if the Papist take courage like another Antaeus thus redouble his strength to the preiudice disgrace of this our famous Church An instance hereof among many other is this smal pamphlet aunsweared by mee so commaunded by his Grace wherin the author taketh euery occasion to triumph in our diuisions VVhich aunsweare I haue presumed to present to your Lordship both as a testimony publike of that reuerent regard which I euer acknowledged due from my selfe vnto you principally for that I am acquainted with that most earnest desire and care which your L. reuealed at your first inuestiture into that great dignitie to haue the common aduersarie euery wâ—y answered This if your good Lordship accept and approue it is the accoÌ„plishment of mine endeuour if not the secoÌ„d part for this is but the first may bee imposed vpoÌ„ some other who with more opportunitie for leysure sufficiencie for learning may discharge it better In the meane time I commend this to your L. fauour and your Lordship to God his protection From his Graces house in Lambeth Ianuary 11. 1601. William Barlow The fiue Articles obiected concerning knowledge and faith 1. The Protestantes haue no faith nor Religion 2. The Learned Protestantes are Infidels 3. All Protestantes ignorant of the Greeke and Latine tongues are Infidels 4. The Protestants know not what they beleeue 5. The ProtestaÌ„ts haue no meane to determine controuersies abolish Heresies In the aunsweare to them these pointes are fully handled occasioned by his obiections In the first the Returne of the Article in generall vpon the Papistes Antiquitie of our particular Church Inuisibilitie of the true Catholike Church Constancie and Diffusion In the second the Qualities and nature of Infidelitie Best exposition of Scripture Publike Priuate Authoritie of Fathers In the thirde the Credite of Councels and the Church Vse of tounges Bibles translation In the Fourth the Motiues to faith not subiect vnto reason True rule of faith Authoritie of the Apostles Creede Dignitie Vse and Substance Fiue Articles of the Creed examined 1. Catholike Church therein the Definition Description of the true Church 2. Communion of Saints wherein of the Nomber of Sacramentes Presence in the Eucharist Inuocation of Saintes Prayer for the dead and Purgatorie 3. Remission of sinnes wherein of Baptisme Pennance Iustification by not imputing 4. The Deitie of Christ. 5. Descent into Hell In the fifth The fittest arbiter and iudge in decision of controuersies The differences betweene Protestantes and Puritans An aunsweare to an odde extrauagant syllogisme about the Certaintie of Saluation Et me prodes nec tibi proder is nisi perlegas Hieronym To reade as the booke opens casually not from the beginning orderly is to betray my paines and thy profite The greater faults escaped thus to be corrected Blunderus lege Bunderus pag. 20. marg In quos read In quo pa. 32. lin 8. maiestlâ— for maiestie pa. 36. lin 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pa. 52. lin 9. 11 Cor for 1. Cor. pa. 53. marg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pa. 63. lin 2. abundance lege abundare pa. 64. lin vâ—t pag. 67. marg Durius for Duraeus mendatium for mendacium pa. 70. lin 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 71. lin 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pa. 72. li. 14. Ephes. 42. lege Epistol 42. pa. 73 marg ius bt foris buâ— pag. 75.
impairing of Christes dignitie in preferring any aboue him is to make no Christ Now heare and tremble Iohn Baptist receiued the word of repentance from the Lord Christ but S. Frauncis receiued it from the Lord also quod plus est a Papa and which is more from the Pope Adde another betweene Christ Dominike The diuiding Christs soueraigntie with another is to make no Christ for hee will all or none because both his father hath giuen him the whole world for his possession and himselfe challengeth it Omnis potestas mihi data And therefore is he called the Lord of Lords but say they Christ indede is Lord absolutè authoritatiu◠by absolute commission but Dominike is Lord possessiuè by actuall possession yea by the ingenuous cōfession of one of their owne schollers till the time of Pius Quintus which is not aboue 50. yeares since Iesus Christ had bene banished out of Rome but that Pope thē brought him backe againe So then to giue this fellow his shortest and best aunsweare this position argues him to bee maliciously mad for a man beeing a member of that Synagogue thus execrably opinionated and knowing in his conscience the contrary to this his accusation in our Church both by our positions doctrinall our profession practicall and the worldes testimoniall thus paradoxically in the entrance of his booke to articulate Non Sani esse hominis nō sanus iuret Orestes as the Poet saith and Ierome applies it yet least hee should seeme mad without a reason thus he frames one For if they haue thē the world was with out them for 1000. yeares as they them selues must needes confesse videlicet Al that time their Church was eclipsed for 1500. as we will proue by the testimony of all records of antiquity as Histories Councels monuments of auncient Fathers Aunsweare Dum breuis esse labor at absurdus fit He promised vs syllogismes wee will shape one for him If the Protestantes haue Faith Hope Religion Christ c. then the worlde for 1000. yeares wanted them but the worlde wanted them not ergò they haue them not A fish of three dayes keeping and the consequent of this Maior may goe together for stinking new it hauing bene a stale obiectiō made by Haman against the Iewes by the Pagans against S. Paul by Celsus against Christ by the world against the Gospell by the Tyrants against Christians and by the whole cluster of Pseudocatholicall scriblers against vs that our Church and profession is but of yesterdayes breed But I aunsweare briefly euen as Aemilius Scaurus answeared Varius his accuser Varius dicit Scaurus negat vtri creditis They obiect it we deny it and not deny it onely but demōstrate the contrary that we worship the same God acknowledge the same Christ professe the same faith haue the same hope which the Patriarkes before the Law the Prophetes vnder Moses the Apostles vnder our Sauiour and the Primitiue Christians vnder the Gospell syncerely kept and professed for 110. yeres after the Ascention of Christ as Hegesippus obserued for 600. yeares after him in the soundest churches were continued by the learned Fathers were defended This challenge hath bene sounded the gauntlet cast out some one hath taken it vp and like Virgill his wolfe caudamque remulcens turnd his backe with disgrace and yet this namelesse and shamelesse Catholike thinkes to carry it away with an Hypotheticall proposition in a three halfepenny pamphlet and so hee might if he could make that good which he saith and confirme it first by our owne confession and secondly by the testimony of all ages For the first let it bee supposed that wee must needes confesse our Church to bee eclipsed yet this confession is their confutation For if our church for 1000. yeares was eclipsed then it followeth it was extant and that we had one though a little one a small flocke a few names and this is all we desire that which they so mainly deny especially Stapletō Cāpian Duraeus frō whom this libeller hath gleaned those handfuls of his for as the Sunne though it be placed in a tabernacle in the heauēs that both the light and heate thereof might be seene felt ouer the whole earth yet somtimes by clouds it is enueloped by mists fogged oft times by eclipses obscured and once euery 24. houres by the earthes shadow which is the night à bandoned yet still as Dauid speaketh both like a Giant he continues his course and force naturall like a gallant bridegrome kepes his brightnesse and glory though not alwayes visibly yet substantially So Christes church though euen from the Apostles time thorough the mystery of iniquitie and the mistes of impietie and the eclipses of Apostacie and the darkenesse of ignorance it was obscured and as it were vnder the earth in caues and holes and rockes and desertes saith the Apostle yet still she kept her course inuisibly but effectually which makes it saith Austen non vt nulla sit sed vt parum gloriosa Not that it wanted her glory at any time For glorious things are spoken of thee thou Cittie of God But the kings daughter being all glorious within it was not alwaies aspectable to fleshly eyes But might it please this challenger to set downe some inforcement of our confession We say for our Church that is for our profession with Egesippus that it remayned a pure and immaculate Virgine till the Apostles were taken from the earth and so had still continued if the Suruiuers and Successours so tearmed had remembred our Sauiours caueat of the Pharisees leauen humane inuentions or Saint Paules premonition of aliud Euangelium vncertaine traditions or that councell which Vegetius giues to common souldiers ne palustribus aquis vtantur to kepe themselues to the pure fountaine of the Scriptures without blending or corruption and by that first church we desire to haue ours examined thinking the neerer the purer whereas some of them shunning this touchstone stick not to say that the church euen in the Apostles time was but rude and vnsound in many preceptes of doctrine for exāple one sets downe an instance of Priestes marriage And for our particular English church as auncient euery day and as Christian euery way as the Romane a primor dio Euangelii saith Polidore and therefore by Faber called Semen Apostolicum being planted and watered either by Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles or by Ioseph of Arimathea as Theodoret witnesseth And for the integritie thereof one of their owne auerres that from the time of Eleutherius Bishop of Rome anno 177. of Christ Christianitas inter eos nunquam defecit And least you should thinke this Christianitie to be the Romish Religion first remember the difference of our obseruation of Easter from them kept according to the custome of the Eastern
should build onr faith vpon them beeing but mediate witnesses not immediate causes And so wee coÌ„clude with Aquin as in his own words Innititur fides nostra reuelationi Apostolis Prophetis facta Our faith is built vpon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles And with Canus alludinge to that speeche of Quintilian for grammer that the Canonicall writ is that foundation on which vnlesse we build our faith quicquid superstruxeris corruâ—t whatsoeuer we reare will fall And now his syllogisme is concluded his article might haue ended but his after wit telling him that his reasons examined would proue but scopae dissolutae the article and the argument not agreeing that proclayming only the Learned Protestantes Infidels this coÌ„cluding that all Protestants are so and the reason of both because they refuse the Fathers expositions he now turnes Zenoes fist into a palme and leaues his Logike for a figure in Rhetorike which they call Correctio dicti Campian belike hauing rubd him by the elbow and telling him that Some Protestantes allowe the Fathers and their expositions so farre forth as they agree with Gods worde and no further but this is nothing but to delude the world Aunsweare In deede Thucydides neuer spake it more truly then we may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herehence haue risen both the mortall spite of Rome against vs and also this title of Infidelitie because we make rectum to be Iudex sui obliqui for vsing the Scriptures as a fanne for the Fathers to winnow their chaffe from their graine for vrging that place of the Prophet Esa 8. of all writers both auncient and moderne if they speake not according to this rule there is no light in them which is no other thinge then the Fathers themselues wish and require Tertullian reiects any mans arbitrium suum vnlesse it bee according to the doctrine taught by Christ and preached by the Apostles Cyprian regardes not quid hic aut ille but what Christ did or spake it was not parentum or maiorum authoritas which made S. Ierome to stoope but onely Dei docentis imperinm Not to speake of Nazianz. who peremptorily avoweth that our doctrine is Pythagoricall dixit dominus without reason naturall or Fathers aâ—thoritie but Austen cries away with our papers codex domini prâ—cedat in medium and excellently to this present purpose els where there are bookes saith he quos non licet iudicare sed secundum quos alij iudicandi videlicet the bookes Canonicall which we are not to iudge but according to which other Doctors are to be censured no other thing then the sounder schoolemen doe auouch in admitting onely that to bee the church doctrine quae procedit ex veritate prima in sacris literis manifestata No other briefly but what the Apostle inforceth that if we receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater For let God be true and euery man a liar Rom. 3. Neither is this a delusion of the world but a religioÌ„ to our God our reuerence to his word an appeale from men subiect to ouersights and affection vnto the holy spirite perfect and vnpartiall in making the Scriptures the touchstone of their writings especially hauing to deale with such Romish impostors S. Basill cals them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corrupting all the Fathers and counterfayting many of them dealing in the first as Procrustes with his guestes in his bed eyther hacking them off or racking them out as may fit their fancies in the other as Caligula with Iupiters idole tooke off the Gods head set his owne in place thereof citing Fathers that were neuer extant but as the Poet saide Nil mihi vis vis cuncta licere tibi our reuoking the Fathers to Scriptures touch is delusion but when some of their own say that the Fathers are no Fathers if they swaâ—ue from the church doctrine that is Rome or the Pope as Duraeus doth and others that both the church and Pope haue authoritie aboue Fathers and against scriptures as Canus discourseth at large an opinion which is the verie male-engine of all sound diuinitie this is plaine dealing allowable Marrie Saint Chrysostome is so farre from counting it a delusion the course we take that he thinkes it a grosse absurditie among Christians to be so warie that in paiment of monie we will not credite men but numero calculo committere tell it after them cast the sums number the poundes weigh the golde yet in the grand pointes of faith we wil rest vpon the bare sentence of Fathers simplie without due triall especiallie hauing so perfect a touch and ballance as the word is to trie them by And now from arguments he falles to questions 4. in number 1 For what meane they when they say they will allow them so farre forth as they agree with Scripture Answere If in this question hee aske what hee knowes it is ironicall hypocrisie if not it is ignorant follie our meaning hath bin oft expressed to be that of Saint Austens to preferre Saint Paul himselfe before all and aboue al Doctors his expositors not concording with the text that as we are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so peremptorie and selfe louing to take vp that olde verse Nostra haec sunt veteres migrate coloni vtterly to omit the fathers so we admit of them as Canus himselfe doth reade them and alledge them with reuerence yet with choyce iudgement their soundnesse making vs more learned their corruptions more wary least taking the chaffe with the wheate as the Prophet speaketh that of Lyrinensis prooue true Absoluuntur magistâ—i condemnantur discipuli whereas if you take the pâ—ecious from the vile you shal be according to my word saith the Lord Ier. 15. 2 Meane they perhaps that if the Fathers bring Scriptures to prooue any point of Religion now in controuersy to allow that point as true Aunsweare We doe with this prouiso of S. Paule that they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they march in a squadron agree without difference in that point 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Scriptures they alleage be canonically warranted regularly vnderstood and rightly applyed Who shall iudge of this the prouerbe is Lapis aurum probat aurum homines The stone tries gold and gold tries men so the spirite of God trieth betweene the Scriptures Canonicall and Apocryphall the Scriptures trie the Fathers whether their sence bee sound or adulterate 3 If so why reiect they then S. Austen other Fathers who bring Scripture to proue prayer for the dead yea and all controuersies almost in religion the Fathers prooue by Scriptures when they dispute vpon them Answere In promptu ratio est our answere is readie and briefe first to Augustine and the other fathers in this case which
respect of one head Christ so a policie Aristocraticall administred by select gouernours no pompous synagogue aspectable in grosse to mortall eies because God onely knoweth all that are his 2. Tim. 2. for he is not a lew which is one outward Rom. 2. neither are all Israell which are of Israell Rom. 9 not as Noahs familie with a Shem and a Cham or as his Arke with a crow and a doue though this bee true in visible particular churches where are some straglers not yet called some weakelinges not fully confirmed some hypocrites not easely discerned some wicked ones not to bee auoided but as Clem. Alex. defines it au elect company into which are gathered the faithfull and iust predestinate by God beefore the worldes creation for this cause called an holy assembly while millitant on earth holy in affection when triumphant in heauen holy in perfection in both states holy by Christes imputation This is the harmony of our profession and the true sence of this article which euen Aquine their Angelicall doctor conâ—â—meth concluding that infidels are not members of the Catholike church whereof Christ is the head in acte but inpossibilitie noâ— so neither except they be predestinate to life before the worlds foundation and all their Catechistes insinuate so much in making the Catholike church and the communion of saintes all one article But heare his reason of our deniall Because Catholike is vniuersall a profound note so the Church of Christ which we are bound to beleeue must bee vniuersall for all time comprehending all ages and vniuersall for place comprehending all nations but that Church which the Protestantes beleeue was interrupted all the ages beetwixt the Apostles and Luther which was 1400. yeares or in very deede was neuer seene before Luthers dayes therefore that Church they beleeue cannot be Catholike Aunsweare A fit aunsweare to this would cause the reader crie out with that prouerb Date mihi peluim this tedious iteration rather prouoking a vomit then edging the appetite it being the full scope of his first article where he receiued his aunsweare therfore since he requestes breuitie heere onely obserue in this phrase interrupted either his blasphemous vntrueth if he meane of the existence of the Catholike church which wee beleue to bee perpetuall for the head neuer wanted his bodie nor the Sunne his beames nor the bridegroome his spouse nor Christ his church but as Irenaeus obserueth ab initio assistens plasmati suo filius reuelat omnibus patrem it begunne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the first foundation and shall not ende 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the finall dissolution of the worlde The church beefore Christ incarnate and this since he was glorified being one the same coÌ„sanguinitate doctrinae saith Tertullian or els his Caiphas-like veritie speaking the trueth against his will if hee meane that the glorious conspicuitie or sincere professioÌ„ of the Catholike church was of long interrupted for that is true in the olde testament by the worldes deluge the Aegyptian bondage the Idole groues and the Babilonish captiuitie in the new at the aduent of Christ by the worlds blindnesse the Phariseis pride the Iewes obstinacie and the deuils malice after his ascent by that threefold persecution which S. Augustine mentioneth violent by tyrantes fraudulent by hypocrites and heretikes both those together after the eleuation of Antichrist But if interrupted after Christ and his Apostles then was it begun by him and continued by them and that is it which Cyprian said we oft repeate we neither seeke nor reke what was doone ante nos before vs but what he commands to be done which was ante omnia beefore all times and aboue all men therfore that church which had the fouÌ„dation by Christ the source by the Prophets and Apostles the frame and iointes by the Scriptures we beleeue in that article to bee continually Catholike alwayes extant not alwayes radiant euery where dispersed elsewhere distressed pergit nebulo still he goes on Neither is it vniuersall in place beeing contayned within the narrow bounds of England which is accompted but as a corner of the world For the Lutherans in Germany the Hugonots in Fraâ—nce and the Guiues in Flaunders detest there religioÌ„ almost as much as the Catholikes neither will they ioine issue with theÌ„ in diuers especiall poiÌ„ts And therefore the Protestants church which they beeleeue can no more bee Catholike and vniuersall theÌ„ England the vniuersall world or KeÌ„t the Kingdom of England or a pruned bough a wheate tree or a dead finger a man or a rotten tooth the whole head Aunsweare Medusaes ill fauoured countenance turned men into stones and such brasen-faced ignorance would make any man astonished Who euer said except the Romane proctors for their Babylon that a particular congregation was the Catholike church we haue cried it at the crosse and recorded it in our bookes that as the golden candlesticke was multiplied into many braunches Exod. 25 and Aarons rod burgened into many blossomes Nomb. 17. so Christes church was parceled into many particuler churches among which this of England to the fretting despight of Romish rennagates the famous renowne of our Soueraigne and the eternall glory of his name God hath selected as among all flowers the Lilly among all fowles the Doue of all trees the Cedar of all the nations Iudea of all the mountaines this Zion to be a sanctuarie for his chosen an oracle for his woord an habitation for himselfe howsoeuer this viperous scorner in contempt calles it a corner of the world a nooke it is in deede but such an one as Aegina to Athens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eiesore thereof so is this to Rome the hartsoare thereof Why Bethleem was the smallest among the thousands of Iâ—dah Mich. 5. yet the sonne of righteousnes sprong theÌ„ce and the glorious starre directed thether Math. 2. The Iewes an handfull in comparison of the other nations and yet in Iury was God knowne his name was great in Israell Psal. 76. a diamond of true lustre though set in brasse is of more accompt value then a counterfaite byrall or a Portingall perle fastened in golde Wee feare not the Lions paw the Spanish crueltie much lesse the scratch of a strumpet the Libellers of Rome the braine of a Fox the schismes of hypocrites wee contemne As for this visible church of ours we accâ—mpt it as the arke of Gods presence not beleeue it as an article of our faith it is the Romish opinion and it was well placed among the extrauagantes as a position extrauagant from all learning reason and diuinitie that a particular Synagogue should be the Catholike church that a filthy sincke should be the holy church yet such a citie is Rome and such is the diuinitie of the Popish clergie and therefore wee conclude this article with a Syllogisme inuerted vpon this
Libeller being his owne Whosoeuer beleueth a particular church to be the Catholike denyeth that article But the Papistes avow and beleeue Rome to be the Church ergò The Papistes denie that article But that I promised at his request to aunswere seriously I might play with him about his wheate tree and aske him where he was borne and how corne growes I haue read in S. Basil that coales readie burnt haue growne vpon trees but that corne hath bulkt into a stemme and branched out into armes non me pudet fateri nescire quod nesciam I neuer heard or read but let his folly passe we will follow him to the second article denied as hee saith by vs. 2 The second article is the Communion of Saintes the which they deny many waies First by not beleeuing that Christ hath instituted seuen Sacraments wherein the Saintes of his church communicate Aunsweare The Protestantes denie that Christ instituted seauen Sacraments ergó They denie the Communion of Saintes The argument is denied as beeing arena sine calce an inâ—erence without any coherence there beeing no semblable relation betweene fiue of those Sacramentes and this article of the Câ—eede Yet the Anabaptistes reason more properly who beecause we detest their Platonicall communitie as accompting Meum Tuum to be more consonant to Gods law and all Christian policie do thereby inferre that wee deny the Communion of Saintes But to this purpose for the article we beleue and confesse that among the saintes on earth though distant in place or different in condition or aliens by nation there is an vnitie in religion an vnanimitie in affection a sympathie in affliction a mutuall charitie for reliefe each of other either comforting the mind if vexed or supplying the wantes if distressed or supporting the weakenesse if vnsetled or reforming the ignorance if blinded or praying for deliueraunce if oppressed falsifying that Heathenish and vncharitable prouerbe Amici qui degunt procul non sunt amici This is our faith without breach whereof notwithstanding we denie seauen sacramentes to bee Christes ordinaunce If he meane of them which denie al the seanen he should say somewhat but not touch vs who acknowledge two which ratifie this article most Baptisme an initiation or entraÌ„ce into this Communion and the Lordes Supper which by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and speciall priuiledge is intituled by S. Paule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the communion But if the force of this argument lie in the septenarie nomber as it seemeth by the Tridenrine anathema it must then all the auncient fathers some of their owne doctors are as obnoxious to this imputation of denying this article as we The obiections by our men out of Iustine Tertullian and Augustine in diuers places are triuiall and stale but especially out of Ambrose who of purpose writing a treatise of the Sacramentes â—eckons but two Isidore and Gregory excede not three As for the Sacrament of Matrimonie grounded vpon an ignorant translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 5. Canus citeth the infinite differences and digladiations of the schoole doctors there about Lombard the first hammerer of this seuen folde shield by a close consequent denieth it to be a sacrament because it conferreth not grace as all Sacraments must doe by their diuinitie Erasmus constantly affirmeth that in S. Ieromes time it was accompted no sacrament Durandus minceth it with an vnivocé and stricté saying that it is a sacrament after the larger size not properly But Alexander Alensis the ancientst schole man of credite concludeth that Christ instituted but two sacramentes which hee proueth both by Christs side pierced out of which issued water and bloud and also by that triple testimonie agreeing in one the spirit water and bloud reliqua per ministros Ecclesiae ordinata the rest were the inuentions or additions of church gouernours And Petrus a Soto coÌ„fesseth that the elementes woordes and effectes of foure sacramentes cannot be proued by the scripture Compendium Theologiae is forced to say that the element which in all sacraments is an externall substance and materiall is the action and humiliation of the partie penitent and the woord adioyned to make it a full Sacramente is the Priestes absolution S. Bernard puts in the Maundie of Christ for a Sacrament and so makes eight others and aboue the rest Dionys. Areopag leaues out matrimonie and so finds but sixe But will you see two foxes tied by the tailes and their heades turned counter this hood winckt libeller saith wee denie seauen but Duraeus the Schottish champion for Campian findes that Caluin Beza and Melancthon agree vpon the full nomber of seauen both alike true for we denie but fiue hauing the authoritie and precedent of 500. yeares but for two onely and none of ours euer allowed of the whole seauen And therefore I conclude this point first that if our denial of iust seauen bee a blot to that article wee are not the first the Fathers after the Scriptures directing vs and â—ounder schoole-men of their owne agreeing with vs. Secondly when he shall bring for those fiue pseudo-sacramentes either the institution of Christ to authorize them or any commaundement to vse them or any promise of remission annexed to them or any element by God appointed for them we will with reuerence embrace them but their greatest clarkes hauing failed heerein wee may not expect it at the hands of this sneaking atomite And seeme they neuer so zealous in defence of their sacramentes Saintes communion how basely they esteeme of them one case in their Cannon law will demonstrate which I singled as concerning this purpose fitly It happeneth that one in iusting and torneament is cast his horse falling vpon him bruiseth him mortally it is permitted vnto him to communicate of the Eucharist to be annointed with oile and to doe pennaunce there are three sacramentes and yet after all this hee must bee denied Christian buriall First note the absurditie to preferre buriall aboue the chiefest sacrament then the vncharitablenesse to forbid his bodie to sleepe among Christians who died in their sight a Christian which is a kind of deniall of this article Christian buriall bein some respect a communion of Saintes And specially the true and reall presence of our Sauiour Christ in the Eucharist by which all the faithfull members participating of one and the selfe-same body are made one bodie as all the partes of a mans bodie are made one liuing thing by participating of one soule Aunsweare To discourse of this double controuersy de modo essendi edendi of the manner of Christes beeing and our eating him in the sacramente consideringe how their schoolemen leauing the simple trueth of Gods word haue verified that prouerbe Mendacij multiplex est diuortium and are at daggers drawing among theÌ„selues would aske more time then I
churche the assistance of the holy Ghost in such sorte as they which would not heare her would not heare him Aunsweare Vmbratilis lucta as the prouerbe is all this we yeelde acknowledginge that â—ruth must bee planted that heresie must bee extinguished that the teachers and pastours must bee authorized that Councels may bee assembled that the Church must bee obeyed yet with prouisoes that the trueth bee no other then the Gospell wee haue receyued Nothing counted heresie which is religion sincerely professed Act. 24. that those Pastors haue the Vrim the Thummim Deut. 33 science and conscience feeding their flocke diligently and holesomely 2. Tim. 4. that councels bee lawfull assemblies Act. 19 congregated by command of Princes not hurried by the Pope not a rabble of illiterate Friers not a banded rout of preiudiciall priestes not a factious bench of partiall vmpieres not ouer-swaying the scriptures by authoritie and nomber but ouer-awed by the scriptures admitting that sence quem ex dictis retulerint non attulerint which they can worke out of them naturally not inferre vppon them peruersely Lastly that the Church haue roometh vniuersally extended not confined to Rome straightly pynioned But that place out of Math. 18. dic Ecclesiae is here a guest though boldly inuited yet not lawfully arrayed that precept commaunding a reference and obedience to church gouernours in quarrels personall not questions Theologicall for reconcilement of mutuall offences not determining spirituall controuersies Wherein if either party be found auther malitiously implacable or vnreuerently obstinate hee is to bee cast out as an Ethnike and Publican vnfit for the company of Christians whose character is charitie Ioh. 13. whose duetie is obedience Heb. 13. The Catholikes therefore beleeuing certainely that the Church cannot erre that the generall Councels cannot deliuer false Doctrine that the Pastors and auncient Fathers with ioynt consent cannot teach vntruethes when heresies spring vp presently with the voice of the church pluck them vp euen by the rootes and so euer hath practised and after this manner hath ouerthrowne all encounters false opinions and errours which the deuill by his ministers euer planted or established in the world and so they haue bene freed from all braules and quarrels in matters of religion Aunsweare Those verily are the meanes wherein al the pseudocatholickes concurre for decision of controuersies all which haue before beene satisfied therefore the present aunswere is easie and not necessarie easie for those meanes are mens meerely humane the practise of the church the custome of men the definition of councels the iudgemeÌ„t of men the senteÌ„ce of the fathers the censure of meÌ„ partiall in affection preiudiciall in opinion changeable by repeale of a second sentence challengeable by appeale to an high iudge lawfully to bee reuersed by a sounder though a lesse nuÌ„ber whereas the arbitrement of the scripture which is ours is the infallible rule of truth and uerdict of the holy Ghost none more direct more constant more absolute Easie againe it hauing beene often shewed that both the fathers of Which they so vainely bragge Saepe loquuntur non quod sentiunt sed quod necesse est sayth Saint Ierome That the Church so called by them and the councelles which represent that church haue verie often beene deceiued Some confirming the blasphemie of Arrius no les theÌ„ ten in number others establishing rebaptization of hereticks in the concurrence of three councelles sayth Pamelius with the consent of huge assemblies saith Eusebius and among the rest the councell hee here nameth in the margent the first Nicen some prohibiting second mariage as that in Neocaesaria others disauowing returne to warre others rearing vp Idolatry and giuing Angels and the soules of men bodyes as the second Nicen and in this theme might be infinite but I shut it vp with that speech of Saint Augustine Sed haec humana iudicia deputentur circuuenire c account no otherwise of these then of mens iudgements either circumuenting by false glosses or circumuented by corruptions for which cause Pelagius the Pope delt wisely who would not stand to councelles for the prerogatiue of his place but fetched it from the Gospel Not necessary this differeÌ„ce about authoritie of councelles and soueraintie of the church being but a muster no skirmish no disputation but a shewe for when Bellarmine hath runne himselfe out of breath by putting out all his reasons in the behalfe of Councelles and Stapleton ingaged his whole credite with putting in his 15. CautioÌ„s about the iudge of controuersies all their Items are at last closed vp within the Pope his Ephod or his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his papall soueraigntie or his sentence peremtorie for hee is lex animata in terris the liuing law vpon the earth containing all lawes with in the compasse of his breast his authoritie by his flatteres proclaimed to bee greater then the Angelles Councels are shadowes in foure things the iurisdiction the administration of the sacraments in knowledge and in reward by whome not onely the Bookes and writings of all authours are to be approoued or disauowed but euen generall councelles haue their efficacie and confirmation and the interpretation of the sayde councelles subiect to his determination because the iudgement of Councels and persons beeing meerely humane may foure waies be corrupted by feare by fauour by malice by largesse Onely his sentence is to be admitted as from Peter his owne mouth God himselfe and he the Pope hauing but one consistorie without whose countenance and authoritie the scriptures are but as Aesops fables in the opinion of Hermannus Hosius the Councels but conuenticles their decrees like liuing mens wils and the fathers no body wherefore as the orator sayde that pronuntiation had the first second and third place in Rhetorick so in definitiues of Religion the erection of fayth the compoundinge of controuersies the abandoning of heresies is wholly the Popes the rule of fayth what the Pope alloweth the interpretation of the fathers which the Pope followeth the definition of councelles which the Pope confirmeth the practise of the Church what the Pope auoweth But bee it the Popes omnipotence or assembly of councelles or consent of Fathers or tradition of the Church wee say with Saint Augustine that none of these are to be preferred before Christ cum ille semper veraciter iudicet sithence his iudgement is alwayes true and irrefragable Ecclesiastici autem indices sicut homines plerunque falluntur but ecclesiasticall iudges as men are often deceiued whereby we nothing impaire the dignitie or necessitie of Councels acknowledging them with Saint Austen to bee saluberrima most soueraigne antidotes against the poyson of heresies yet wee subiect them to the spirit and the scriptures which alone haue this priuiledge non errare for the heresies which the Councels he specifieth did
coÌ„demn vanished not by their authoritie personall but the power of the word the principall weeding hooke that cuts vp the tares Math. 13. so were the patrons of circumcision confuted in that Councell Act. 15 by Moses lawe so the Arrians in the Nicen Synod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiued their deaths wound by the sword of the spirit which is the word of God Eph. 6. But the Protestants admitting of the sole Scripture as Vmpire and Iudge in matters of controueâ—sie and allowing no infallible interpretor thereof but remitting all to euery mans priuate spirit and singular exposition cannot possibly without error winde themselues out of the Laborinth of so many controuersies wherwith thâ—ey are no so inueagled and intricated Aunswedre Ignorance ioyned with malice is importunate this section concerning the authoritie and Interpretation of Scriptures hath receiued a sufficient answere ridding vs from all blame for admitting that which Christ commaundeth whose will is that we should search the scriptures Iohn 5. which are not onely witnesses of him but Iudges for him therefore called the rule of life and beleefe discerning the crooked from that which is straight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saint Paul termes it Phil. 3 the one rule not partiall as Bellarmine calles it but totall perfect Else were it no rule sayth Theophylact if it admitted either appositioÌ„ or ablation the ignorance thereof is the cause of error by our Sauiour his iudgement Math. 22. the inquirie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a more exact addition thereuuto is heresie in the opinion of Basil it driueth from the Church as Christ the marchandize out of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all iarre which might engender controuersie sayth Constantine the famous Emperour by it onely were the Arrians quelled as Theodoret witnesseth to it from the Councelles Saint Austen reuoketh Maximinus the hereticke not doubting there to giue him the ouerthrow for whether shall wee goe sayth Peter Iohn 6 thou hast the wordes of eternall life which woord written teacheth all thinges that concerne both our faith the life of this our pilgrimage 2. Cor. 5. and our saluation the glory of our purchased heritage working in vs sayth Damascene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— euerie excellent vertue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all sincere knowledge without spot or error and as the night extinguisheth not the starres it is the comparison of Zepherinus a Pope so no worldly pollution no soul heresie caÌ„ obscure or infect the mindes of the faythfull sacrae scripturae firmiter inhaerentes which holde themselues fast to the holy scriptures Other testimonies thou mayst beleeue or not beleeue according as thou shalt trust them sayth Austen but these are subiect to no humane iudgement beeing the sole and supreme iudge of all writings and decreementes saith hee else where and so the fittest Vmpire in all controuersies The same wee say of Interpretation appealing to the spirite working vppon the heart and the Scriptures explaning themselues the twoo most infallible interpretours For if that rule of the lawyers bee sound and currant Eius est interpretari cuius est condere hee may best expound the law which made it surely the speaches in holy writt being the motions and dictates of the spirite 2. Pet. 1 no expositor can be so sound and infallible as himself who best vnderstandeth his owne secretes 1. Cor. 2. and therefore Ierome thinkes that any sence which he giueth not that wrate it is an heresie Where if Bellarmine his obiection be recoÌ„menced that the holy Ghost speaketh not and that the scriptures are as the philosopher said of law bookes Mutimagistri dumme schoolemasters Iudex mortuus a dead iudge as Canus cals it that is false for God saith the Apostle spake vnto vs by his prophets now by his sonne Heb. 1 not viua voce for they were deade but by their writinges and the word of exhortation speaketh vnto vs as vnto children Heb. 12 and the law hath a mouth Deu. 17. the scripture saith Chrisostom seipsam exponit expoundes it selfe not permitting the auditor to erre and doth present Christ vnto vs being vnderstood and opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the holy Ghost saith Theophyl For the teacher may bee a latere tuo but if there bee nullus in corde tuo thou canst not vnderstand saith Austen But because the holy Ghost appeared sometime in the forme of a Dooue therfore they take it hee hath that qualitie of dooues Aspicis vt fugiant ad candida tecta columbae to delight and reside only in glorious assemblies in general councels or in the radiant dooue-cote of the Popes braine but the Apostle giues that priuiledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to euery spirituall though a priuate man â— Cor. 2. For hee respectes not persons noâ— places nam vos vnctionem habetis sayth S. Iohn you also haue the annointing those were priuate men Which annointing teacheth you all thinges neither neede you vt quis that any man or Angell or Councell or Pope should teach you and therefore the scripture beeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rule which cannot erre the spirite inwardly and the woord outwardly are the most infallible interpreters for exposition and by consequent the onely arbiter for controuersies beecause hee which knowes the trueth may soone discerne of a lie by S. Iohn his rule for that no lie is of the truth And they which know the truth saith Aquinas habent scâ—eÌ„tiam discernendi agnoscendi haereticos haue the perfect vnderstanding to discerne and know heretikes and by knowing them to auoide them for that cause by Dauid called a guide to our pathes by S. Peter a light in darkenâ—s by S. Austen the ballance to weigh all opinions whether light or heauie the touchstone to trie the mettall whether base or pure whether currant or counterfaite saith Chrysostome the only Ariadnees threed to extricate our inclosure within any maze of empestered errors the Alexanders sword to cut the Gordian knot of the most inexplicable ambiguities Vppon all which premisses wee conclude that the scriptures hauinge such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sole sufficiencie in themselues authoritie from the spirite thereby haue potéstatem decernendi power to iudge and for the exact knowledg they affoord haue vim discernendi faculty to discerne betwene trueth and falsehood therefore the Protestantes to bee commended for admitting them the sole Vmpiere in-controueâ—sies the most certaine interpreters of themselues Onely wee pray with Dauid renouncing our owne insight Open thou our eies that we may see the woonders of thy law viz the assistance of the spirite which both giues the sence thereof and mooues the assent therevnto saith Bernard And the iâ—reconciliable iarres betwixt them and the Puritanes in essentiall pointes of faith giue sufficient testimonie
that they will neuer haue end or can haue an ende holdinge those groundes of opinion which they obstinately defend Aunsweare Hypocrites vse to see extramittendo Math. 7. but if this Lamia would keepe his eies in his head wheÌ„ he is at home as he puts theÌ„ on going abroad hee might there behold the iarres and differences of Thomist and Scotist of Franciscan and Dominican of regular and secular of Iesuite and Priest among theÌ„selues in matters very essentiall capitall There he might see Pighius taxed about Adams fall Chisamensis censured about the death of the bodie for sin which he denied Catherinus vexed about the assurance of grace Durand snaped about originall sinne and merite in the workes of grace Caietan much molested about the sufficiencie of scriptures and so I might goe on whereas the iarres among vs though vnkinde yet not in this kinde onely for ceremonies externall no pointes substantial that fire 1. Cor 3 hath tried theÌ„ to be but stubble and straw controuersies the word of God hath appeased them and will confound them if malice and preiudice make not men irreconciliable And albeit some like hedgehogs as Pliny reports of them who beeing loaden with nuts fruite if the least filberd fall off will fling downe all the rest in a pettish humour and beat the ground for anger with their bristles will so leaue our church and remaine obstinate for trifles and accidents things in themselues indifferent though the princes authority haue now made them necessary Yet this is our comfort first that the Gospell preached among vs like that fire in the mount Hecla recorded by Surius which drinkes vp all waters deuoures al wood cast vpon it but cannot consume flax and tow hath dispersed the grosses heresies of Popery superstition though these flaxen rags of ceremonies shewes lie glowing in the embers of some malicious and hot spirits not consumed Secondly that we make the scriptures the sole iudge not appealing to Councelles nor relying vppon mens authorities which hauing doone we conclude with Paul Siquis secâ—s if any bee otherwise minded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God will reueale it and pacifie them and if obstinately minded we wish his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God will reuenge them and cut them off The truth is the Puritanes snarling hath fed the Papists humor and stufâ—â—◠〈◊〉 bookes with reproches who otherwise had wanted matter to vpbraide our Church withall if the other had learned of the God of peace to haue kept the vnitie of the spirite in the bond of peace And finally they haue no argument to proue that they haue the true church true religion true faith which all hereticks which euer were will not bring to condemne the Church of Christ as well as they For example they alleage scripture so did the Arrians they contemne Councels the Arrians did not regard them they challenge to themselues the true interpretation the same did all the Hereticks to this day and to conclude they call themselues the little flocke of Christ to whome God hath reuealed his truth and illuminated theÌ„ from aboue all which the Donatists with as good reason better arguments did arrogate vnto theÌ„selues The â—ame I say of the PelagiaÌ„s Nestorians Eutichians with all the rable of the damned hereticks Answere The Church in this land hauing the two principall notes of a visible particular Church the worde diligently preached the sacraments duely administred is more absolutely perfect and more gloriously renowned then the Romish Synagoge notwithstanding that Bozius the strumpets herald hath charged her eschucheon with a fielde of 57 coates and displayed them in his standard as the ensignes of Christs Catholicke Church for that rule of Saint Ierome being sounde that Ecclesia ibi est vbi fides vera est the church is wher true faith is which cannot bee planted without the word therfore the most certaine note of a true church is where the scriptures do sincerely sound Ciuiâ—atem enim Dei dicimus cuius Scriptura testisest sayth Austen the primitiue church was known by continuing in the doctrine of the Apostles Act. 2. the Lords field distinguished from others by the good seede sowne in it Math. 13. the children of the kingdome that is of the church bred and fedde by that seede 1. Cor. 4 the law of God read and heard among the Israelites was the glorie of their vvisedome ouer all nations and the speciall note of Gods church and his presence among theÌ„ Deut. 4. yea but hereticks also alleadge scriptures first that is false for if hereticks were brought to that passe sayth Tertullian Vt de solis Scripturis quaestiones suas sisterent stare non poterant to be tryed for their questions by scriptures onely they were not able to stand and therefore they haue principally indeuoured to abolish or falsifie them Dionysius Bishop of Corinth proues it by a coÌ„sequeÌ„t that they which would abuse and corrupt mens writings for at his they had beene nibling much more would depraue and falsifie the Scriptures Saint Austen found it in them that they would deface scriptures prosua libidine as themselues list to serue their lust pro voluntatis suae sensu non veritatis absolutione sayth Hilary Instances they giue both in Marâ—ioâ— Montanus Photinus Sabellius and others as for the Manichees they insisted more vpon their inspired Manes then the authoritie of holy Writte And Ruffinus reasoneth thus though by a contrary argument yet to the same purpose with Dionysius aboue named and thinketh it no maruell for hereticks to abuse the writings of that famous scholer Origen sithence they could not withhold impias manus theyr prophane hands from the books of God Secondly admit they number and quote Scriptures yet it is but either apishly as Chrysostome compareth it by fond imitation of true professors or peruersely by corrupting the alleadged places mentiuntur sayth Hilary Origen will tell him that there is quaedam castitas diaboli that heretickes will bee exceeding holy both in the deportment of their life and in the amoncelment of scripture texts thereby to insinuate their errors more plausibly into the mindes of men yet else where he will distinguish to this our purpose properly there is a difference betweene Euangelizare bona bené the want of an aduerbe as it marres a good action so a sound interpretation accumulating of scriptures is not all one with the right vnderstanding and the proper applying of them it being not in this case as in Arithmeticke where two are more then one and three more then two but as in Gedeons army Iudg. 7 non numerus sed virtus not the coaceruation of places but the true alleadging which supports the truth and distinguisheth heretickes froÌ„ sincere professors â—am de intelligentia haeresis est non de scriptura saith Hilary heresie growes and is
grounded vppon a wrong sence not from the text and letter it selfe and this made Origen to say that heretickes vrging scriptures turned stones into bread feeding themselues with that which choaked them and ouerthrowes them the reason is giuen by Hilary quia scripturas sine sensu loquuntur they number but misconstrue them either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. cogging a sence deceitfully or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rackinge them peruersely or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a botch sewing a newe peece to an old garment by adding to the Texte that which was not there originally the three principall properties noted by Ruffinus amonge Heretickes And yet as Hilary excellently closeth vp that point malè sanctis rebus praeiudicatur c. it is a bad argument and a greater iniury against holy writinges beecause some men haue profanely abused them that therefore they should not be vsed at all Yea rather as else where hee speaketh Vesaniam ignorantiaÌ„ haereticorum properamus expraeconijs propheticis Euangelicis confundere wee make more speede to confute heretikes by them For the deuil encountred our Sauiour with scripture text Mat. 4 but Christ made him recule with the same weapoÌ„ better handled The Arrians pretended scripture for their blasphemy but the scriptures reioyned prooued their ouerthrow the reason giueÌ„ by Theodoret their allâ—gations were but literall but the opposition was out of the scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 religiously vnderstood and faithfully applied Briefly for this point of heretikes alleaging scriptures the philosopher said excellently Nihil est tam manifestae vtilitatis quin in contrarium transferat culpa and Dauid imprecates it for a curse and God inflictes it for a plague vpon reprobates that the thinges which should be for their wealth proue vnto theÌ„ an occasion of falling Therfore as healthfull bodies are not to refuse good meates because men discrased of ill stomacks and worse liuers tourne the best aliment into bad humours so though heretikes tortuously peruert scriptures for their owne defence yet we must not cease to relie vpon them and recourse vnto them and as S. Basil wisheth to confirme all matters of faith by their testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both for the establishment of the sincerely affected and the discomfiture of the heretically infected The three other obiections following are meere calâ—mniations for concerning the contempt of Councels First there is an ignoraunce in the comparison betweene the Arrians and vs for they regarded and vrged councels and so had good cause to doe their blasphemy hauing ben supported by so many And it seemeth by S. Austen his appeale froÌ„ Councels to scriptures that Maximinus the Arrian much insisted vpon the councel of Arimine then a slaunder against our professors because though we make not Councels the groundcels of our faith yet we reuerence embrace them except before excepted For albeit a priuate man indued with the spirite of God and girded with the sword that is with the word of the spirit may confound an hereticke yet in a publike assembly the sentence is more solemne the consent more weightie stil adding this withall that the iudgement awarded by them is but ministeriall and instrumentall but the law according to which they iudge must be the word written And thus wee regard Councelles so farre forth as they bee directed by the spirit of Councell Esa. 1â— for if wee receiue the writings of men the testimonie of God is greater Ioh's the other for priuate interpretation hath had his repulse before we challenge it not to our selues but refer it to the spirite of God say with S. Bernard cognoscite Dominum in fractione panis for the bread of life which we breake vnto the people though it be nostris manibus yet it is Dei viribus it is done by our hands but with his strength And for the Laitie Canus often confesseth that the anoynting teacheth euerie priuate man in whom he is easily to vnderstand whatsoeuer is properly necessarie for his saluation in the scriptures If heretickes should not arrogate the spirite vnto themselues there should bee no verie great vse of that excelleÌ„t gift discretio spirituum the discerning of the spirits to trie whether they be of God or no. 1. Iohn 4. As for the third of the little flocke it is a fancie of his owne dreame no claime of ours Perhaps against that vaine flourish of visible vniuersalitie whereof the Church of Rome so boasteth we haue obiected that it is no certaine note of Christs Church because many as Vegetius speaketh in this militant state march promilite which are not milites nor all are Israell which are of Israell Rom. 9. that Christ in the mustre of his souldiours findes many tâ—multuarios et euocatos such as are good for a push and away many called but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a few enrolled billed Apoc. 3. that in the suruiew of his heards there are many pinfolds store of sheepe-skinnes yet but a little flocke Luk. 12. that though there bee many thousandes to bee saued yet in comparison of the millions damnable they are but few Luk. 13. that sullen pride of factious humours who will sequester themselues from the multitude as the purer because the fewer wee condemne and disauow Our number we doubt not but it is as great as theirs and that euen in the Court of Rome there are which loath the abominations of Rome That bragging vaunt of vniuersalitie wee account to bee the raskales reason in the Poet Nos numeras sumusâ— which esteeme of voyces by number not weight the Pagans clamour for Dianaes shrines whom all the world worshippeth Act. 19 Constantius his argument for Arrius against Athanasius that all the world had receyued that opinion and the whore of Babilon the Church of Rome the Chimaera of hethenish superstition in her ceremonies of hereticall positions in her religion her challenge though most false that her wine hath been drunke iu all corners of the earth what sayth Saint Austen Turba premit Christum pauci tangunt there are many which croude Christ there are but fewe touch him and for the last clause of thrusting vs into the number of damned heretickes if I should trace his steppes it were easie to demonstrate that as the Nabis in Egypt hath the shape of diuers beasts and Hanniballes armie consisted ex colluuie omnium gentium of the very baggage of all nations so the whole body of Poperie is nought else but a verie amassed lumpe of Pagan rites and olde heretickes dregges as in their Purgatorie Idolatry sacrifice for the dead holy water free will challenge of the Church merite of workes renouncing of scriptures c is euident to an vnpartiall scholler but being not so proper to the scope of this Article I conclude the whole in this manner that sithence by Austens