men vvee shall easiilie finde out the meaning of holy scripture And seing that nothiÌ„g is more vncertayne theÌ„ vvhether vve praye as vvee ought to doe vvhether vvee bee electe or noe or vvhether vvee bee true spirituall men or noe by this rule vvee shall neuer bee assured of the true sense of scripture And vvere not I praye you sainct Austine sainct Hierom and other ffathers before mentioned the electe Saintes of God vvas it not like that if any prayed a right that they did so vvere not they liker to bee spirituall men then our fleshly ghospellers vvhom their vviues can not content Or can the reformers assure vs that they them selues are electe that thy praye iuste as thy ought to do that they are spriritual menne vvhoe haue the right spirit of interpreting scripture It follovveth therfore vvhich I intended to proue that if vve beleeue these reformers bicause they alleage scriptures according to their ovvne expositioÌ„ vvee must of necessitie giue eare vnto all false prophetes vvho can and haue already herafter vvill alleage scripture for vvhat soeuer they shall preach and so if these Reformers be admitted no heretikes nor heresies can be excluded or reiected Vvhich conclusion although it necessarily ê“pceedeth froÌ„ the premises vvhich before are layed dovvne yet to helpe the readers memoire I vvill laye theÌ„ dovvne again breefly that out of them he maye gather the intended conclusion more easily Thou must therfore gentle reader calle to mynde vvhich before is proued to vvite that it hathe allvvayes been the manner of heretikes to alleage scripture and vvith such cloakes to conceal their heresies That they had no authoritie to vse scripture against our vvilles vvhoe ar the only lavvfull possessours that all thoughe they perforce haue ever vsed them yet in very deed they gained nought therby bicause that vvorde vvich they vsed vvas no scripture and is so harde obscure and ambiguouse that vnless the meaning be first aggreed vppon it may ferue for a proofe of all heresies as hether to it hath done and seing that our reformers vse no other proofe for their doctrine but the letter of scripture interpreted at their pleasure vve can giue no credit vnto their doctrine vnlesse vve vvill allovve of all ancieÌ„t heresies nether caÌ„ vve admitte their persoÌ„s for lavvfull preachers vnless vve vvill admit also al false apostles vvho haue alvvayes alleaged scriptures for their heresies and so can not vvithout plain partialitie be reiected if our nevv pretended reformers be receiued The third Chapter treateth of the priâ—at Spirit vvhich the pretended Reformers haue made supreme iudge in earth in the interpretation of scripture vvherby as it is proued the gappe is opened to all heretikes and none can be excluded if these nevv Reformers be admitted to determine of religion by the priuat spirit SELFE-loue sayeth one is as good as guilding vvhich maketh that to seem goodly vvherin our selues be parties For as guidling maketh all to seem gold be it but stone or vvood vnderneath So selfe-loue maketh to our selues euen our selues and all our actions to seem comelie seemly be they neuer so absurd vnseemly Suum cuique pulchrum sayeth the latin adage to vvhich is ansvvearable our English prouerb Euerie man as he likes quoth the good maÌ„ to his covve To Pan his ovvne pipe and piping sounded more melodiousely theÌ„ A pollo his harpe harping Euery mayd thiÌ„kes her selfe of all to be the fayrest or if she acknovvledg any one defect in beautie she thiÌ„ks that to be counteruayld in many other perfections Euery mother deems her ovvne children the most vvel fauoured to euery henne her ovvn chicken is most pleasing yea euery ovvle and crovv thinkes her ovvn youngone fayrer better fethered then the vvhite doue hauke or Eagle Artizanes prayse most their ovvne vvorkemanship Poets price their ovvn poemes at the highest rate euery scholer thinks his ovvn vvitte most pregnaunt and euery doctour preferres his ovvne books vvritinges before all other Yea all men by nature not ruled by reason nor corrected by grace fall most vvilling ly in loue vvith their ovvn coÌ„ceipts and the broods and youngones of their ovvn deuising vvitts The reason herof is ovvne selfe to vvhich as euery one is more near then to another so is he most addicted and affected For to our selues vve are one to others vve are only vnited and so first vve like our selues our ovvne doings next of all those and their actions vvho arnearest and most vnited vnto vs. Vvherfore although in that God is the cheefest good and goodness it selfe hee should by all reason be first and best beloued yet bicause he is not so neere vnto vs as vve are to our selues vve giue the may denhead and prime of our affection vnto our selues l. de diligende Deo This sainct Bernarde in his book vvhich hee made of the loue of God obserued longe since Imprimis sayeth hee diligit hemo seipsum propter se caro quippe est nihil sapere valet praeter se cumque se videt persenon posse subsistere Deum sibi quasi necessariâ—m incipit diligere at verò cum Deum coeperit occasione propriae necessitatis colere diligere Deus illi dulcessit sie gustando quam suauis est Dominus transit ad tertium gradum diligit Deum propterse First of all man loveth him selfe for him selfe bicause he is flesh and can like of nothing but him selfe and vvhen he seeth that of him selfe he can not stande he beginnes to loue God as a thing necessarie vnto him but vvhen he beginneth to loue God vppon occasion of his ovvn necessitie then God beginneth to vvax svveet vnto him and so by tasting hovv svveet God is he passeth to the third degree and loueth God for him selfe And as vve loue our selues and our ovvn thinges best so doth this selfe loue blynde vs and hide from our ovvne eyes our ovvne defectes Vverfore Demosthenes vvas vvont to saye that it is a most easie thig to deceiue our selues for vvhile vvee desire especially to haue our ovvn actions liked vve easilie persuade our selues that they are to be liked l 9. de leg â— p. And therfore Plato counsayleth euery man to flye this vice of selfe loue vvhich the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to bee ashamed to learne of others especially vvhen they are our betters Novv if euer any vvere sick of this disease it is the heretike especially of our tyme vvho preferreth his ovvne opinion before the common coÌ„sent of fathers and his ovvne priuate and particular spirit before the common spirit of the Churche vvho thoughe a generall councel in vvhich all the grauitie sanctitie vvisdom and learning of the Church is assembled together define the contrary vvill neuer chaunge his opinion but vvill prefer his ovvne particuler opinion and priuate spirite before all councelles fathers ages Churches and he but one vvil stande against all and he but one vvill be
for their sakes Secondly the nature of frendship vvill haue it soe that if vve honour and loue any vve must respect for his sake all belonging vnto him euen vnto his dogge But Caluin vvill saye that greater vvould be the honour of Christe if vve gaue all honour to him and none at all to his saincts vvhich hee affirmeth and I vvith more reason do denye For as then I honour and loue my Prince best vvhen I soe respecte him that I honour and loue not him only but for his sake his alliaunce his frends his officers his seruauntes his image yea his ringe so do I honour and loue Christe moste vvhen for his sake I respecte and honour his mother his officers the Apostles his freindes the sainctes yea his crosse and image And as Princes take it for a dis honour to haue their officers seruaunts and images abused count it an honour to be honoured not only in them selues but also in their adherentes so no doubte Christ accountes the honour doone to Sainctes bicause it is giuen them for his sake and bicause they are his freinds and seruaunts as giueÌ„ to him selfe and can not but conceiue him selfe to be highly dishonoured vvheÌ„ his Saints yea his mother are reuiled and his Crosse and Images are defaced and defiled Vvherfore let not the reformers calle vs idolatours Vvl at 〈…〉 tris 〈◊〉 least they bevvray their ignoraunce For idolatrie is to giue supreme honour devv to God vnto his creaturs as it is treason to giue suprem ciuil honour devv to the Prince vnto any of his subiects but as it is noe treason nor iniurie but rather honour to the Prince to honour his officers and seruaunts vvith an inferiour honour for his sake so is it noe idolatrie but religion to honour the Saints of God vvith an inferiour honour for their Masters sake And if Saints may be honoured vvee maye make intercession vnto them bicause it is an honour to Princes retainers to haue sutes made vnto them And this may be doone also vvithout dishonour to Christe bicause to him vve giue vvhat is devv to vvitte the title of a Redeemer and cheefe aduocate mediatour and intercessour and vve acknovvledge Saints as secondarie mediatours and intercessours vvhome vve desire for the credit vvhich they haue vvith Christe greater then vve haue to make intercession to him for our necessities And so vve pray othervvise to Christe othervvise to Saincts to him vve pray as to our supreme aduocate to them as to secoÌ„darie mediatours vvho haue noe access to God but by him to him vve pray as vnto him that bestovveth grace healthe such ther benefits on vs to them vve praye not to bestovve those benefites but to pray to him to bestovve them on vs. And if some tymes vve desire our Lady and other Saincts to send vs healthe or to giue vs grace our meaninge is noe other then to desire them to procure of Christe these benefits for vs by their prayer and intercession But Sainctes sayeth Caluin caÌ„ not heare vs so farre of I grauÌ„t they can not naturally nor by corporall eares for as yet they haue none at all but yet I saye that by reuelatioÌ„ God vvho reuealed many future thinges to his Prophetes reuealeth also vnto Saincts all thinges vvhich are belonginge vnto them emongest vvhich are the prayers vvhich are made vnto them and I auouch vvith the diuines and holy fathers that as they see God face to face so in him they see knovve euen our cogitations prayers and vvhatsoeuer is beloÌ„ging vnto them Vvherfore I may iustly suspect our Reformers sinceritie to Christe vvho can abide nether his mother nor his Saincts nor his crosse nor image nor any thing belonging vnto him bicause the nature of freÌ„dship is such that if they loue and honour him they must loue and honour his frends and seruaunts Gen. 9.29 Num. 220 Ios 3. â— Reg. 1â— â— Reg. 30 Here I could demonstrate out of scripture the honour devv to saintes bicause scripture auoucheth that Abraham Loth Balaam and Iosue vvorshipped Angels that Abdias honoured Elias and that the sonnes of the prophetes reuereÌ„tly respected Elizeus vvho novv are much more vvorthy honour then they vvere in this mortall life and may accept of it as it vvell novv vvithout preiudice to Christes honour as then Prayer to Sainctes I could proue out of Gods ovvne mouth for vvhen he sayed Hiâ—◠〈◊〉 that if Moyses and Samuel should stande before him to vvit to make intercession for the people yet his soule vvould not be vvith that people he giues vs leaue to suppose that they may praye for the people that vision also of Iudas Machabeus in vvhich he savve Onias and Hieremie 2. Maâ—◠〈◊〉 then not liuing yet praying for him and his armie dothe argue that Sainctes pray for vs and consequently that vvee may pray vnto them Apoe 5. and this sainct Ihon confirmeth by another vision in vvhich he savve the tvventie fovvre Seniours prostrated before the throne of God hauing euery one harpes and golden vialls full of odours vvhich are sayeth sainct Ihon the prayers of Sainctes Tob. 12. Yea the Angel Raphael sayeth that he offered vp Tobias his prayers vnto God and another Angel prayeth for the people as Zacharie vvitnesseth in the beginning of his Prophecie Zach. 1. the like example of prayer to an Angel vve read in Osee Osce 12. And vvhy haue vvee angels vvhich are called our Gardians as Christe him selfe sayeth vvee haue but to protect and pray for vs Mat. 1. See Gen. 48. Iob 5 19. Exod 32. Apoc. 8. And seing that the soules of the blessed are immortall as Angels are see God face to face as they do and are indevved vvith glorie as they are they also can heare our prayers 1. Reg. 7. Iob vlt. Rom â—5 Ephes 6. 1. Thes 3. 2. Thes 3. Col. 4. Heb. 13. Iac. 5. as vvell as Angels and so are to be prayed vnto as vvel as they Vvee haue many examples also of the prayers of Sainctes in this life and seing that the soules of dead Saintes are liuing and haue eyes and eares of soule to see our necessities and to heare our petitions vvhy may vvee not pray to them and that also vvithout iniurie to Christe Exod. 2â— Num. 22. as vvel as to the liuing Saintes Novv that their Images Reliques may be vvorshipped Cen. 〈…〉 Act 3.2 Reg 6. Heb. 9. it is as manifest in the tvvoe Cherubins placed by the Arke in the brasen serpent in the translation of Iacobs and Iosephs bones the reuereÌ„t and deuout burial of sainct Stephen Yea the respect vvhhich vvas borne tovvards the Arke Manna the Tables of the lavve Aarons rodde vvhich vvere religiously Kept in the Arke argueth no lesse But the a fore sayed reason grounded in the nature of frendship vvhich saveth loue me and loue myne honour mee honour myne euen to my seruaunte and image and the absurditie vvhich follovveth
canons of the Apostles Canon Apo. Cone Nâ—ic and the councel of Nice And Ignatius bishop of Antioch and scholler of sainct Paule in in diuerse of his Epistles speaketh of the same Ignat. cp ad Eph. In his Epistles to the Ephesians this is his admonition Endeuour my dearest to be subiecte to the bishop cp ad Tral Preests and deacons bicause he that obeyeth them obeyeth Christe vvho appointed them And again in another Epistle he giues the reason vvhy vve should obey them For vvhat sayeth he is a bishop but one vvho is aboue all principalitie and is as much as a man can be an imitatour of Christe Vvhat is Preesthood but an holy company counsaylours and assistents to the bishop Vvhat are Deacons but imitatours of Angells vvho exhibit a pure and harmeless ministery as sainct Stephen did to sainct Iames Timothie and Line vnto Paule Anacletus and Clemens vnto Peter Ep. ad Antioch And in another place he reckeneth allmost all the inferiour orders of the Clergie I salute Subdeacons Lectors Singers Ianitours Exorcistes And so forthe By vvhich it is plaine that in the Churche of Christe euen from the beginning there vvas a Clergie of Bishops Preests and inferiour ministers and that the Churche and they euen from the beginning vvent together and by later vvriters and histories it is most manifest that preesthood vvas an order vvhich euer florished in the Church of Christe ruled also in it and vpholded it And truly religion and preesthood are so inseparately vnited that the very paganes as they practised superstition and idolatrie insteed of religion so did they deuise a kinde of Clergie and order of Preests to rule their Church in spirituall maters to offer their sacrifices and to minister their Sacraments as in the pagane writers is mostmanifest to be seene Novv that there is noe true Preesthood amoÌ„gest the ghospellers they them selues doe confesse and I shall also proue it but first let vs take their ovvne confession L. de abrog Missa l. ad Pragenses de Instit ministris Luther sayeth plainly that all are preests a like and that Christians are not ordained but borne Preests in baptisme Only sayeth he this is the difference that to auoid confusion the execution of preestly authoritie is committed to some only And this is the opinion of all the reformers euen in England vvho as they acknovvledge noe proper and true sacrifices but only improper such as prayer is and a contrite harte so they acknovvledge noâ— other Preests theÌ„ those vvho offer prayer and thankes-giuing and such like improper sacrifices vnto God And bicause all may offer such sacrifices all vvith them are preests a like And so the minister is no more Preest then the minstrell only the minister by election or by the Princes lettre hathe the execution of this preestly function committed vnto him vvhence it follovveth that ther is noe Hierarchie by their opinioÌ„ amoÌ„gest them nor distinction of the state of Clergie and laitie in order dignitie and povver but only in executioÌ„ Vvherfore seing that all are not true and proper Preests ther is no true Preesthod amongest them This they graunte and by their proofe argument by vvhich they proue all to bee Preests alike they declare their meaning for their principall profe is taken out of sainct Peter and sainct Ihon 〈◊〉 Pat. 2. Apâ—s 〈◊〉 vvho say that Christ hathe made vs all a holy nation a Royall Preesthood and preests to God his father vvhich vvordes argue only that vvee are metaphoricall and improper Preests vvho in that vvee are to offer vnto God vppon the Altare of our soule prayse thankesgiuing prayer contrition and such like vertues doe in some forte resemble true Preests vvho offer true sacrifices vppon true altars but as our soules are not true Altars nor our vertues true sacrifices so are not all true preestes And therfore S. Peter as he calles vs Preests so he calles vs Kings liuing stones and spirituall hovvses and therfore as vvee are not all proper and true Kinges as vve are not all true stones and hovvses so are vvee not all true Preests And seing that by this their opinion vve are all Preests a like ther is noe true preâ—sâ—hood amongest them by their opinion and so noe Churthe nor religion For all though ther is in Christs Church true presthood distincte from the state of the laitie in caracter order consecration and povver as I haue allready proued yet in their opinion ther is none and so amongest them by their ovvne confession is noe religion Bicause to vphold religion not only improper Preests such as euer vvere all the faythfull are required but also proper Preests such as differed in state from the rest of the multitude and offered true sacrifices vvere euer in euery lavve necessarie and true Preestes and true religion as yet euer vvent together And truly as they teach so it is amoÌ„gest theÌ„ for in their Church ther caÌ„ bee noe true preests nor preesthood as I vvill in a vvorde or tvvoe demonstrate And first of all if they haue any true preestes amongest them let them shevve vs a succession of them from the Apostles else can they not proue them to bee true preests Ephes 4. for if Christe ordained his Apostles preestes and in them began the goodly order and ranke of preests vvhich by succession he vvould alvvayes haue to coÌ„tinevv in his Churche for the vpholding of religion in the same then certes they are no true preests vvho can not deriue their pedegree fron the Apostles as Catholike preests can doe but bastard and apish ministers vvho cary the name and coate of Preests and arrogate vnto them selues that office but are no more Preests in deed then are their minstrells and coblers Secondly vvho in gods name layed hands vppon them Vvhat Bishops ordained them not Catholike bishops I ame sure and they them selues vvill think it noe credit to retch their pedegree froÌ„ them not their ovvn bishops bicause before Luther and Caluin vvho vvere no bishops them selues neuer any Superintendente of their secte vvas seene felte or hard of and before Luther and caluin ther could bee noe lutheranes nor Caluinists much less Lutherane and Caluinisticall Superintendents Vvherfore in the beginning of their nevv religioÌ„ they vvere enforced to make Superintendentes and ministers of our Apostating Preests such as Parker Grindal Sands Horne and many others vvere vvho vvere thought paste fitte to make such superintendents and ministers on vvithout any other moulding or knedding And vvhere they vvanted Apostataes vvho vver consecrated after the Catholike manner they tooke lay men of their ovvne of vvhich some vvere base artificers and vvithout any other consecration or ordination then the Princes or the superintendents letters vvho them selues vvere no bishops they made them ministers and Bit-sheeps vvith as fevv ceremonies and less solennitie then they make their Aldermen yea constables and cryers of the market And from this stocke procedeth all the
liue by begging praying And vvell he maye so obteine those thinges vvhich he vvanteth For if any Prince vvould promise his subiect that vvhat soeuer he asketh he should obtein might not that subiect thinke that Prince very bountifull and him selfe a moste happie subiecte Thus God dealeth vvith vs Mat. 7. he biddes vs aske and vve shall haue and seing that God is soe faithfull that he can as soone deny him selfe as goe from his vvorde bicause his vvorde is him selfe he can not not perfourme vvhat soeuer he promiseth and seing that prayer is the thinge by vvhich man obteineth at God his hande vvhat soeuer he iustly desirethe vvhat an inestimable gemme and preciouse pearle is prayer vvhich procureth our hartes desires in all thinges bicause it is the price of all And if vve some tymes praye and obteine not ether it is bicause our prayer is not such as it ought to be or that the thing vvhich vve praye for is not conuenient for vs. For if he that prayeth beleeueth that God can helpe him and hopethe also that he vvill helpe him if hee him selfe vvho prayethe or he for vvhome he prayeth be not odiouse to god by reason of sinne If he praye vvith humilitie and vvithout a doubting mynde if he adioine to his prayer attention to his attention deuotion and to bothe perseueraunce and if the thing for vvhich hee prayeth be necessarie or expediente for other vvise God is a greater benefactour in denying then graunting our petition theÌ„ certainly such is the vertue of prayer that vvhat vve aske vve haue and vvhat vve praye for vve obteine Prayer certs is better then the Philosophers stone althoughe that vvere of that vertue vvhich it is fayned to bee of for that as fooles haue fained vvas able to turne all into gold but prayer turneth all to our good be it gold orsiluer ritches or pouertie healthe or sicknes grace or glorie Yea it is better then Fortunatus hatte is fained to haue beene bicause that procured all vvishes good or badde indifferently but prayer then only obteineth vvhat vve vvishe for vvhen our vvishes are expedient or conuenient for vs. Besides this vnspeakable vertue vvhich prayer hath to obteine vvhat vve aske for it satisfieth for sinne also especially vvhen it is ioined vvith almes deedes and fasting Toâ— 1â— vvhich are the vvinges of prayer by vvhich it soreth speedily euen to the throne of God it meriteth glorie as other good vvorkes doe and that more especially also in that it is a prayer it giueth vs great confidence also if it be frequent and vsuall bicause as before I haue sayed prayer causethe familiaritie and familiaritie imboldenethe boldnesse breedeth coÌ„fidence It is a great motiue also vnto humilitie and peraduenture you shall not fynde a greater bicause it puts vs allvvayes in mynde that vvee are but beggars And lastly if I may saye so of prayers coÌ„modities vvhich are vvithout ende it makes vs to fall out of loue vvith this deceitefull vvorld bicause it makes vs to conuerse in heauen and admitteth vs to familiaritie vvith God and his Angells In the Church triumphaunt prayer is vsed bicause the Sainctes and Angells pray to God for vs In the Church militaunte prayer also is practised as shal be proued only in hell and hellish Synagogues prayer is abandoned Vvherfore in the lavv of nature as they vsed sacrifice so did they also practise prayer and although Enos be called the first of them vvho by prayer moste especially and frequently called vppon God yet no doubte Adame and Eue amongest other actes of penaunce omitted not prayer as one of the best dispositions vnto reconciliation vvith allmighnie God Abel their sonne also as he vvas religious in his Sacrifices so vvas he not sloth-full in prayer Noê also taught his posteritie prayer Gen. 2â— Abrahame vvas much giuen to prayer Isaac his sonne in his diligence in prayer and meditation also declared him selfe vvhorthilie to haue been the sonne of such a father Psal 11â— Dauid prayed seuen tymes a day and rose at mid night ofteÌ„ tymes shortning his sleepe to lengthen his prayer Dan. â— and Daniel three tymes a day called vppon his God By prayer Moyses made the Sea to deuide it selfe and procured victorie to the Israelits so long as in prayer he held vp his handes Exod. 1â— yea by prayer he obteined pardon often tymes for the people and bound as it vvere the hands of the omnipotent 1. Reg. 1. By prayer Anne the vvife of Helcane obteined Samuel 4. Reg. 2â— Tâ—b 12. 1. Reg. 1â— Ezechias by prayer prolonged his life fifteen yeares Tobias by the same exercise vvas restored to his sight Elias after a great drought by prayer obteined raine Mat. 1â— Luc. â— In the nevv lavve Christe our highe Preest prayed oftentymes all the night longe Mat. 2â— and a litle before his departure out of this vvorld he prayed three tymes in the garden yea he him selfe taught vs the prayer vvhich in Inglish vve call our lords prayer Mat. 6. And no soener vvas Christe departed but his Apostles and disciples assembled them selues together in prayer atteÌ„ded the holy ghostes descension Act. â—â— Sainct Peter and sainct Ihon ascended into the temple to praye Act 1. Clem. Rom. Sainct Peter furrovved his face vvith the â—â—reames of teares vvhich trickled yea streamed from his eyes in prayer Sainct Bartholomevv is sayed to haue prayed on his knees an hundred tymes in the day and as often in the night Sainct Iames his knees by prayer became as hard as camels knees Vvhose examples the first Christians after the Apostles Bar to 2. an 100. l. 10 ep 97â— Tert Apol. c. 2. follovving met together dayly at prayer euen before they had Churches in so much that Traiane the Emperour vvas faine to forbid such flocking together And Plinie Prefect of this Emperour informed him of the assemblies of Christianes to prayer before daye To be breefe the Ecclesiasticall histories are full of the Churches and monasteries vvhich haue been builded for prayer and speake almost of nothing else but of Christianes prayer Hiero. ep ad Eustoch Athan. l. de virg Basi 37 Clâ—m l. â— Const c. 4. Masses liturgies canonicall hovvers as nocturnes lauds the prime hovver of prayer third sixte ninthe hovver Euensong and complete yea so is prayer diuided in diuers Churches and monasteries Tho. Vvald to â— desacraâ—â—ntal c. 24. that in euery vigill of the night in one place or other pravers and prayses aresonge vnto God yea seing that our Church is dispersed through out the vvorld that the hovver vvhich is to one couÌ„trie one to another is tvvoe to another is three a clocke and so forthe ther is noe hovver in the daye or night in vvhich prayer is not exercised publickely in the Church So that vvell may the Catholike Church be called the hovvse of God Isa 16. Luc 1â— bicause it is the hovvse prayer Novv let vs see
as diuersly interpret scripture as you may moralize those fables Others calle scripture a nose of vvaxe bicause it may be vvrested and vvried euery vvaye vvhich comparisons although they bee odious and litle beseeming the maiestie of scripture yet are they true if by scripture you vnderstand the bare letter of scripture vvithout an assured interpretour as the Reformers doe For the baâ—e letter of scripture is so ambiguous may haue so many senses and meanings that it may be applyed to vvhat you vvill may be already hath been vsed for the proofe of the moste absurde heresies that euer vvere But vvhilest they alleage the bare letter of scripture for coÌ„firmation of their doctrine vvel may they so delude the vnlerned but men of learning and intelligence are vvel assured that the bare letter is no more scripture then the body of a man is a man For as the soule is the life of the body that vvhich maketh a man so the sense is the life of the vvorde and that vvhich giueth scripture life esseÌ„ce being Com. ad Gal. Vvherfore sainct Hierome sayeth that The ghlospel is not in the vvorde but in the sence not in the barke but in the sappe not in the leaues of the vvords but in the roote of the meaning Let not therfore out Reformers vaunte in their pulpits that they trye their doctrine by the touchstone of scripture nether let them insulte ouer Catholikes as though they relyed only on mens decrees and Popes Bulles for if they giue vs the letter of scripture vvith the true meaning vvhich is the formal cause and life of the vvord vve vvill reuerence it as the vvord of God and preferre it before all the decrees and vvritinges of Pope and Church but take the true sense from it and it is no more scripture then is a man vvithout a soule bicause as the same body may be the liuing body of a man and a dead carcas also so the same letter vvith the true meaning is the vvord of God vvith a false meaning it is the vvord of the deuil As for example those vvords of our Sauiour The father is greater then I Io. 1â— taken in the right sence that is according to Christes humain nature are the true vvord of God but taken in the meaning of the Arrians vvho imagined Christe a creature inferiour euen in person to his father they are noe vvord of God but of the deuil vnlesse you vvill graunte heresie to be the vvord of God The reason of this is bicause vvords are vvordes in that they are signes of the myndes meaning and do explicate her invvard conceipt and consequently that is Gods vvord vvhich explicateth his meaning and diuine conceipt but if it explicate the mynd of the deuil or of his ministers such as all heretikes are then is it not the vvord of God but rather of the deuil Vverfore vvhen the letter of the scripture is ioyned vvith the right meaning then do vve graunt though men vvrote it that is is the vvord of God bicause it explicateh his meaning vvho spake vnto the holy vvriters in that meaning and directed their hartes and handes in the vvriting of the same Isa 1. In so much that God sayeth to Isaie Heb. 1. Behold I haue put my vvords in thy mouthe And saint Paul saieth that God diuersly and by diuers meanes spake in tymes paste vnto our forfathers in the Prophets that is in the mouche of the prophets puttiÌ„g in their mouthes that vvhich they vvere to speake and directing their hands to vvrite it For as the vital spirit of man frameth his vvordes in his mouthe and giueth them their meaning so the vvords of the prophets and other holy vvriters vvere framed in their mouthes by the spirit of God Vvhich is the very cause vvhy diuines saye that God vvas the principal speaker and vvriter of scripture and that the Prophet Apostle or Euangeliste vvas his instrument and as it vvere the pen mouthe and tongue of God Psal 44. Praefat. in Mat. 1. Li. 7. conf â— vlt l â—â— Ciuit. c. 38. Hom 10. in â—exam in that he vvas guided directed by him and his holy spirit Vvherfore Dauid vvho vvas one of these vvriters sayeth that his tongue is the penne or quill of him that vvriteth svviftly and saint Gregorie and saint Austine affirme scripture to bee the venerable stile of the holy ghost and saint Basil sayeth that not only the sense of scripture but also every vvord and tittle is inspired by the holy ghost Vvherin a difference is put betvvixte scripture and definitions of the Church Pope or Councels Bicause these are assisted by the holy ghost only that they may define the truth and so the sense of a Councells definition confirmed by the Pope is of the holy ghost but it is not necessarie that euery vvord or reason in a Councell proceed from the holy spirit of God and therfore diuines say that in a Councell that thing only is necessarilie to be beleeued vvhich the Councell of set purpose intended to define But as for other thinges vvhich are spoken incidently and as for reasons vvhich the Councel alleageth they are not of that credit although vvithout cuident cause they are not to be reiected And this is the cause vvhy the ancient fathers do vvay and ponder euery vvorde and tittle vvhich interpretours of the Councels canons or definitions do not Vverâ—ore as I sayed let them not charge vs vvith contempt of scripture for our opinion and estimation of scripture is most venerable if it be in deed scripture yea vve auouch that in it selfe it is of farre greater authoritie then is the Church or her definitions bicause though God assiste both yet after a more noble manner he assisteth holy vvriters in vvriting of scripture bicause he assisteth them infaillibly not only for the sense and veritie but also for euery vvord vvhich they vvrite and euery reason and vvhatsoeuer is in scripture vvheras he assisteth the Pope and Councell infallibly only for the sence and veritie of that vvhich they inteÌ„de to define but nether for euery vvord nor for euery reason nor for euerie thing vvhich is incidently spoken as is already declared And yet vvee say also that although scripture of it self be greater then the Church and indepeÌ„dent of her bicause not from her but from God it hathe authoritie and veritie yet the Church is better knovvn to vs then scripture and therfore though she make not scripture yet of her vve are to learne vvhich is scripture and vvhat is the meaning therof vvhich is noe more disgrace to scripture then that faint Ihon and the Apostles should giue testimonie of Christe bicause they vvere better knovvn then he though his authoritie in it selfe vvas greater theÌ„ theirs not depeÌ„ding of them yea the reformers euery one in particuler be he a Cobler is according to their doctrine to iudge by his priuate spirit vvhich is scripture and vvhat is the
scripture Vvhy retayne they a diuinitie lesson in Oxford and other Vniuersities especially novv that they haue turned the Bible into the vulgare tongue vvhich being done by the priuate spirit of the minister at the first sight it is easilie vnderstood If this be true then certainly had the ancient fathers very dull pates vvho vvith all their studie industrie prayer fasting solitude tōgues philosophie and sanctitie of life could not attain to that knovvledge of scripture in a longe lifes tyme vvhich a minister by and by getteth at the first opening of the Bible But tell me in good sadnes are you in iest or earnest vvhen you say that scripture is easie Vvhen you read the first chap. of Gen. the prophecies especially of Daniel the Psalmes of Dauid Iobes vvitty sayinges Salomons Prouerbes and Canticles sainct Paules epistles S. Ihons Apocalipse do you fynde no difficultie I can not thinke it bicause euen experience teacheth that nothing is more euident then that scripture is not euident For first the very letter and phrase of scripture is obscure and ambiguous Secondly many speeches in scripture are prophetical many parabolical many metaphorical vvhich commonly are full of obscuritie Thirdly it is proper to scripture to haue many senses vnder one letter as the literal sence vvhich the holy vvriter first intended and this sense some tymes is signified by proper vvords some tymes metaphorical yea sometymes also this literal sense vnder one letter is diuers Sometymes the sence is spiritual vvhich is that vvhich the thinges vnder the letter do signifie as for example those vvords of sainct Paule Abrahame had tvvoe sounes one of the handmayd another of the free vvoman Gal. ◠literally do signifie Abrahames tvvo sonnes bicause that the letter importeth and that first is intended but these tvvoe sonnes vvere figures of the old and nevv Testament or the tvvoe peoples vvhich liued vnder those Testaments and so this is the spiritual signification of those vvords vvhich they not immediatly but by meanes of those tvvoe sonnes do signifie And this sence is ether moral or tropological vvhen it tendeth to manners or allegorical vvhich tendeth to fayth or the Churche or anagogical vvhich tendeth to heauen or life euerlasting Vvherfore this vvorde Hierusalem literally signifieth the citie so called morally the soule of man vvhich God inhabiteth by good life or the deuil by badde allegorically the Church militant and anagogically heauen and the Churche triumphant Novv vvho is he that dareth promise to tell vs infaillibly vvhen a place of scripture is to be vnderstood literally or spiritually and in vvhat literal or spiritual meaning in c 16. Ezec. Sainct Hierome affirmeth that Apollinaris Tertulian and Lactantius and other millenarians imagined after the resurrection a reedification of the Temple and terrestrial Hierusalem and that Christ in it should raigne for a thousand yeares and vve that tyme should liue in all corporal pleasurs bicause they vndetstood certain places of scripture literally and properly vvhich should haue been vnderstood spiritually metaphorically And contrarivvise the same father ascribeth Origens errours in the exposition of the beginning of Genesis to no other cause ep ad Paul then that he imagined that the sayed chapter ought to bee vnderstood metaphorically and spiritually vvhich should haue been interpreted historically properlie and literallie And vvhat man in his vvitte can thinke it so easie to hit allvvayes of the right sense vvhere the senses are so diuerse and in vvhich so many learned men haue banguered Truly vvhen I consider vvith my selfe hovv euident a thinge it is that scriptures are hard and obscure I meruaile hovv our Reformers can persvvade thē selues that scriptures are easie and some tymes I ame induced to think that vvhen they say so they speake not as they thinke but yet vvhē I call to mynde another opiniō of theirs vvhich is that the true meaninge of scripture is that vvhich euerie ones priuate spirit imagineth I see it to be as easie to interpret scripture as to imagin vvhich is most easie bicause the imagination is free and can as vvell imagin Chimeraes as true obiectes As for example if that vvere the true meaning of Aristotle vvhich euery one vvould imagin then vvere it an easie matter for euery cobler to vnderstand Aristotle vvere he in Greek or Latin bicause he can imagin vvhat it pleaseth him vvith great facilitie And this if I be not deceued is the cause vvhy novv euery sister of the lord vvhom sainct Paule commaundeth to be silent in the Church vvill needs bee a bibliste and an interpretour of Scripture For if that bee the true sense of scripture vvhich the priuate spirit imagineth if she haue the spirit as vvhy should she not as vvel as the minister especially it being a receued doctrine amongest them that euery one by his priuate spirit can iudge of scripture vvhy may not she comment vppon the scripture and mount also into the pulpit there to preach the doctrine of her spirit But o fancies o Luciferiā pride to vvhich heresie leadeth euen the frayle and imperfect Sexe vvhich nature seemeth to haue debarred from pulpits Lib. praesc This pride Tertulian espyed in the heretical vvomen of his tyme. Ipsae mulieres hereticae quam sunt procaces quae docere audent contendere exorcismis agere curationes repromittere forsitan tingere Euen the heretical vvomen hovve malapert are they vvhich dare be so bold as to preach and to take vppon them to exorcise and to promise miraculous cures yea perhaps to baptize And vvheras Apprehētices are bound seauen yeares to an occupation to learne only a mechanical trade the arte and science of expounding scripture vvhich is the highest science that is seemeth to these subtile vvittes so easie Ep. ad Paul that as saint Hierome obserued in some of his tyme euery cobler euery olde trotte and doting foole can vvith out a Doctour fynde out the secret meaning of scripture and teach before they be taught But let them saye and beleeue if they can or vvill that scripture is easie the experience reason vvhich I haue alleaged vvill proue the contrarie And truly if hony bee hidden in the combe marovv in the bone and pretiouse stones in the sea if gold be gotten vvith labour out of the bovvels secret vaines of the earth and roses be hedged in vvith pricking thornes if nature hath hidden all perfection and naturall sciences vealed them vvith such obscuritie that vvithout great industrie they can not be discouered good reason vvas there that the mystical meanings and sacred senses of scripture should be vealed vvith an obscure letter and couered vvith many aenigmatical speeches For first by reason of this difficultie the study of scripture asketh a mās vvholle life and so keeping him occupied distracteth him from prophane idle and euil occupatiōs Secōdly the difficultie of scripture makes a man to haue a better esteem and higher conceipt of the same bicause things easily learned are easilie
rather the religion of the heretiques vvhich is aggreeable to noe common but only to a priuat spirit especially seing that vvee haue such vvarraunt for the common consent of fathers but non at all for the priuate spirit of euery priuate man Novve let vs see in a vvord hovv by reiecting this infallible authoritie of fathers they leaue noe certain rule for exposition of scripture and so open the gapp to all heretiques and heresies For lay avvay fathers vvhich vvere in all ages counted the only pastours of the Church the authoritie of Councells is nothing vvorth for they consisted of fathers the authoritie of the Church is of as litle esteeme bicause she all vvayes beleeued as her pastours did yea she could not tell vvhat to beleeue but by their instruction scripture therfor is only lefte and the priuate spirit seing those tvvoe bare authorities as before is proued open the gappe to all heresies the denyall of the fathers authoritie must needs do the same For suppose a nevv heretique yea a deuill from hell in the likeness of a man should preach a nevve heresie contrarie to all the heresies that euer vvhere might he not alleage scripture for it expounding it as he pleaseth And if you demaund of him hovv he knovveth that he expoundeth it aright might he not say that his spirit telles him so And if you alleage that all that euer taught before him vvere of another opinion and gaue another exposition of scripture might hee not say as casilie as Luther and Caluin do that they vvere men erred all the packe of them And so if authoritie of fathers be reiected he or any other might say vvhat he vvould and noe man could controle him Vvherfore to conclude if vve giue eare vnto the ghospellers of this tyme vvho haue reiected the authoritie of fathers vvill consequently iudge all by scripture sensed by the priuate spirit vve must harken to all heretiques and open the gappe yea the dore to all false apostles vvhoe can not vvithout manifest partialitie bee excluded and repelled if these men bee admitted The fifte Chapter shevveth that they haue noe probable meanes to induce a reasonable man vnto their religion and that therfore if vve giue credit vnto them vve must giue credit to all heretikes preach they neuer so absurd phantasticall paradoxes IT is a common opinion amongest the ancient fathers and diuines that our fay the being supernaturall can not be demonstrated by reason as opinions of Philosophers may bee bicause it aymeth at thinges a boue reason Philosophie soares no higher then reason giues her leaue and so in Christian religion vve ought more to rely on fayth and authoritie then reason and vve can not shevv our selues more reasonable then to leaue of reasoning in thinges aboue reason But all though it be so that vve can not proue our religion by reason yet vve may set it forth vvith such testimonie of miracles antiquitie common coÌ„sent and such like motiues as shall conuince a man of reason that this religion inuolueth noe euident absurditie against reason but rather is very probable and most credibly to be belceued 2.2 〈…〉 ar 〈◊〉 For although as sainct Thomas sayeth our religion be not euideÌ„tely true yet is it euÃdenter credibilis euidently credible bicause though in it self it be obscure yet hath it been so credibly deliuered vnto vs by credible signes and tokens that no man can vith reason thinke it othervvise then very credible if he vvell consider vvhat testimonies maye be alleaged for it vvhich as Dauid sayed are credibilia nimis Psal 〈◊〉 â—o to credible that is so credible as vve caÌ„ not vvith reason desire greater testimonie for things aboue reason In the beginning God cathechised man in this religion by Angells vvhom he sent and by Patriarches Prophetes vvhom he inspired by vvhome he taught the people vvhat sacramentes to vse vvhat sacrifices to offer and other pointes of religion such as then men vvere capable of In the lavv vvritten he deliuered his vvill and meaning concerning lavv and religion and the ceremonies and sacraments belonging ther vnto by his seruaunt Moyses â—uâ—d 〈◊〉 to vvhome he appeared by an angell in thundering and other such signes and by vvhom he vvrougth in Aegipt and in the desert so many miracles for proofe and confirmation of this religion After vvards in the lavv of grace and fullnes of tyme and tyme of spirituall plenty and ritches as in more ample manner so vvith greater testimonies and signes this fayth vvas deliuered vnto vs. For first our Sauiour proued his mission by all the ancient prophetes vvho had fortold his coming and the manner of his coming his office the place and circunstances of his natiuitie life and death vvhich all aggreing to him concluded him to be the Messias Secondly by infinite miracles he proued his authoritie doctrine in so much that he sayed 〈◊〉 10. â— that the vvorkes vvhich he did gaue testimonie of him yea the Ievves confessed that he could not haue doone so straung thinges if he had not been of God And seing that he vvrought these miracles to proue him selfe to be the Messias his doctrine to be of God it could not be othervvise bicause as God can not deceue being prima veritaâ— the first veritie nor be deceiued being vvisdom it selfe so caÌ„ he not giue testimonie of an vntruth by miracles for so should he be bothe a lyer a deceiuer Act. 2. The apostles in like maner after that in Pentecost they had receiued the holy ghoste in a visible forme and manner receiued povver also to giue this holy spirit visibly to others and to vvorke miracles also to proue their mission and doctrine Mar. viâ— in so much that sainct Mark sayeth that they preached and God confirmed their doctrine by miracles and signes that follovved Vvherfore allthough the doctrine vvhich they preached vvas out of reasons kenning yet it vvas made euident by testimonie and so vvas euidently credible bicause if God can not giue testimonie to an vntruth then in that he gaue testimonie by miracle of their doctrine it must needs follovv that it vvas of God Secondly the straunge conquest vvhich the Apostles made of Idolatrie in despite of all the Philosophers and Tyraunts of the vvorld and the miraculouse planting of the Christian fayth is an argument to proue our religion to be of God most pregnaunt a motiue to persuade any reasonable man most forcible For as once the Israelites by making a procession about the vvalles of Hierico Iosus â— and sounding of their trompetes an vnlikely stratagem to surprise such a citie dismantled the tovvn leueled the vvalles vvith the ground so Christ Iesus by the circuit of a fevv Apostles and disciples about the vvorld and by the blastes of their mouthes vvhich vvere the golden trompetes vvhich promulgated the nevv lavve ransaked the citie of idolatrie vvhich then vvas as great all most as the vvorld made the
of the priuate spirit contempte of fathers vvant of a visible Iudge of vvhich vvee haue spoken in the first booke for these vvere the properties of all heretikes and are as proper to our nevve reformers as euer they vvere to any ancient heretike as by the same chapters doth appear most euidently THE THIRD BOOKE CONTEINETH A SVRVEY of their doctrine concerning Christ in vvhich by many poinctes of their doctrine it is proued that they are Antichristians rather then Christians The first Chapter proueth that their doctrine despoileth Christe of his diuinitie and that they therfore are no sincere Christians EVERY man liketh and loueth that vvhich he professeth and vvill speake honourably of him vvhom he follovveth in that profession The Stoickes coÌ„mend Zeno the Platonistes prayse Plato the Peripatetickes Aristotle the Epicureans Epicure the Atheists Diagoras and euery one reuerenceth and respecteth him vvhose doctrine and professioÌ„ he embraceth If then the reformers be sincere and reall Christians as they vvill seem to bee they must thinke and speake of Christe very honourably and giue that homage to his parson vvhich his doctrine hath deserued And so in deed or rather in vvordes they seem to doe Luther vvhen he first began to preach against Indulgences merits satisfactioÌ„ good vvorkes Lut. in c 17. Gal. fol. 2â—â— and inherent iustice affirming that only to beleeue that Christs Iustice is ours is sufficient to saluation vsed this for a Cloke that forsooth hee gaue all to Christs iustice and nothing to our vvorkes Caluin also in his preface of his Institutions vv ch he vvrote to the King of Fraunce In prâ—f Inst ad Reg. Galâ— commendes his ovvn doctrine for this pointe especially that it giues all honour to Christe leaueth nothing to our ovvn force habilitie And vvhat doth better aggree vvith faith sayeth he then to acknovvledge our selues despoiled of all vertue that of God vve may be clothed deuoid of all good that of him vve may be filled bond-seruaunts of sinne that of him vve may be made free blinde that of him vve may be enlightened lame that of him vve may be made straight feeble that of him vve may be vpholden to take from our selues all matter of glorying that he alone may be gloriouse on hyghe and in him vve may glorie So that vvhilest they deny good vvorkes to bee necessarie affirme faythe only sufficient vvhilest they say that vve haue no inherent iustice but are the best of vs though apostles sinners before god that our best vvorkes are sinnes and that vvee haue noe other Iustice then the iustice of Christe apprehended by fayth and imputed only to vs vvhilest they deny that vvee caÌ„ obserue the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„tes or haue the povver free vvill to do any good or resist any tentation they attribute forsooth all to Christe and leaue nothing to vs that hee only may be glorified But by this booke I hope to make knovvn vnto the vvorld their deep dissimulation vvho in vvordes seeme to giue all to Christ but by their doctrine doe robbe him and despoile him of all his honourable titles And first you shall see hovv sacrilegiously they plucke and pull at Christes diuinitie I vvill not here relate the blasphemies of Michael Seruet vvhoe yet vvas a brother of this religion bicause they vvill say that for such doctrine Caluine caused him to bee burned for he sayed plainly that God the sonne vvas not true God l. Trin. fo 7 34 35. l 2. fol 8 in dial not coaquall vvith his father yea he sayed that God the father only vvas God vvhich doctrine notvvithstaÌ„ding he gathered or might haue gathered out of Luthers and Caluins vvorkes Nether vvill I say any thing of the heretikes and nevv Arians of TraÌ„siluania vvho in this also aggree vvith Seruetus Luther the graund Patriarch and nevv Euangelist must not bee omitted vvho in his booke against Latomus sayeth that he can not abide that vvord Homousion These are his vvords anima mea odit vocabulum Homousion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soule hateth the vvord consubstantiall So did the Arians hate the same vvord and called it exoticuÌ„ straunge and vnusuall But Athanasius gathereth this vvord out of scriptures ancient fathers Ep. Decr. Conc. Nâ—iâ— vvho in that they affirm that the sonne is begotten of his father coequall vnto him one vvth him affirm also that he is coÌ„substaÌ„tiall of the same substaunce vvith his father bicause nothing is equall and coequall to god the father but God and nothing is God vv ch is not the same substauÌ„ce vvith him bicause there are not many Gods And vvhy should Luther hate this vvord but for the signification for the sound is no more vngratefull then the sound of other vvords If he hate the signification then is he an Arian vvho beleeueth not that the sonne is coÌ„substaÌ„tiall and of the same substaunce vvith his father and consequently he thinks him not to be God or else he thinkes that ther are many Gods different in substaunce The same Luther as diuerse affirm in an edition of his commentaries vppon Genesis vvhich I haue not seen calles the sonne of God the instrument of his father by vv ch he created the vvorld in â— ca. Gen. vvhich manner of speech Arius also vsed And seing that the instrument is neuer of so noble a nature as the principall agent vvhat is this but to make the sonne of God inferiour to his father and consequently a creature And this testimonie as I haue read Seruetus alleaged against Luthers Scholers in the Albane disputation Luther also blotted out of the Germain prayer books those ancient vvords Sancta Trinitas vnus Deus miserere nobis Holy Trinitie one God haue mercy vppon vs. And vvhy for some spite belike vvhich he conceiued against Christ Iesus the second person in Trinitie For vvhy else did he in his Germain Bibles vvhen he came to the translation of those vvords of the ninth chapter of Esaie Deus fortis stronge God Leaue out God as though Christ vvere strong but not God Vvhy did he leaue out quite those vvords of saint Ihons epistle â— â—o â— Tres funt qui testimonium dant in caelo Pater Verbum Spiritus sanctus hi tres vnum sunt Ther are three vvhich giue testimonie in heauen the father the vvord and the holy ghost and these three are one The same Luther in his booke of Councels excuseth Eutyches l. de concil ◠〈◊〉 and Nestorius and accuseth S. Leo and sainct Cyrill as men vvhich vvere to eagre against them for sayeth he as Eutyches sayed so may it vvell be sayed that Christs diuinitie suffred O blasphemie did the diuinitie of Christ suffer then vvas it not true diuinitie and consequeÌ„tly Christ vvas not God bicause God as God can not suffer I may vse here Alamundarus vvitty ansvvere against Luther Niceph l. 16 hist c. â—â— Baron in Annal anno Christi 509. vv ch he vsed
his institutions l. 1. ◠14. §. 12. l. 3. c. 20. §. 20. Roding l cot Schol Iesuit And one Vvilliam Roding in a booke or libel vvhich he made against the schooles of Iesuits for their teaching and bringing vp of youthe especially is disliked of heretikes bringes in the blessed virgin speaking in this manner Leaue of this saluting me and in saluting me to honour me leaue of vvorshipping of Saints and those that are dead vvee detest thy salutations and prayers vvhere thou arte vvhat thou doest or vvhether thou beest a liue or dead vve knovv not and vve care not so farre are vve frō hearing thy prayers Cal. l de ref mag cént 4. c. 6. col◠36. As for images and reliques of Christe his mother and his saintes they detest them and therfore Luther vvisheth that all relikes vvere buried in the earth Ser. de Cruce yea their breaking and defacing of images and their burning of reliques argevveth their mynde and opinion in these matters sufficiently Ex Cocl l. 3. hist. Hussit Vvherin they imitate Hierome of Prague vvho pulled dovvn the Crucifix and defiled and abused it and yet reteined Vviclephs picture crovvned vvith a diademe for so these men thinke the best place of their hovvse not good enoughe for Luthers and Caluins pictures and yet deface and defile the images of Christe his mother and his Saincts But they say that this they doe for pure loue and honour tovvards Christe vvho should bee highly iniuried if any but hee should bee honoured Deut 6. Mat. 4. 1. Tim. 1. and they haue a vvarrant for the same out of gods ovvn vvord Thou shalt adore thy lord god and him only thou shallt serue And againe To God only honourand glorie But yet bicause scripture can not be contrary to reason and much less to it selfe they should haue soughte meanes to haue expounded those vvords rather then to haue fallē into these grosse absurdities for the same God vvho commaundeth to adore and serue him only commaundeth vs to honour our parents and to serue our masters And reason teachethe vs that if vve honour and loue God vve must respecte his frends and those that he respecteth for the prouerb must needs be true Loue me loue myne bicause it is grounded in reason and the very nature of frendship Vvherfore I ansvver that God is aiealouse God and therfore vvill haue suprem honour and affection giuen vnto him selfe only bicause he only hath supreme soueranitie vvhich only the alleaged places do proue but if it be lavvfull to make this argument God only must haue supreme honour ergo saincts must haue none at all It may also be as vvel inferred that nether our parentes nor our Princes must be honoured or affected Let therfore the reformers calle to mynde that to excellencie and dignitie honour is devve therfore seing that ther are three kinds of excellencies vvell haue the diuines distinguished three kinde of honours or vvorships The first excellencie is increate and supreme vvhich is proper to God and therfore to him is devv supreme honour vvhich is called Latria and to giue this honour to any creature is idolatrie The second is called morall or ciuill excellencie vvhich consisteth in authoritie morall vertue and learning or such like and to this is devv a ciuill honour vvhich vve giue to Princes and superiours and morall-honest men and learned men for authoritie vertue and learning are to be respected The third excellencie is supernaturall vvhich consistethe in grace sanctitie and glorie to this is devv a religiouse honour yet bicause this excellēcie is infinitely inferiour to gods excellencie vve must giue vnto it a religious but yet a farre inferiour honour And vvith this honour our blessed lady sainct Ihon Baptiste sainct Peter sainct Paule and other Saincts vvhilest they liued deserued to bee respected and sithence that their sanctitie is noe less in heauen then it vvas in earthe they are noe less after death to be honoured then they vvere liuing And therfore as Ciuile honour giuen to Princes learned and morall men derogateth not to Gods honour bicause it is inferiour so nether dothe this religiouse honour bicause it is inferiour But Caluin sayeth that religious honour is only devve to God This he affirmeth but he can not proue it and therfore I deny it and vvill proue the contrarie For religion is a vertue vvhich giueth to god supreme vvorshippe and to Saincts and holy thinges inferiour honour and so respecteth euery one in his kinde To God this vertue giues a supreme honour called Latria to the Saincts an inferiour honour called Dulia to the blessed virgin bicause she farre excellethe the other Saincts it giueth an honour inferiour to Latria but superiour to Dulia vvhich diuines calle Hyperdulia And I vvould demaund of Caluin if Saincte Ihon Baptiste vvere in earthe vvhether hee vvould honour him or noe for his sanctitie If hee saye hee vvould then I aske of him vvhat honour hee vvould giue him not Supreme honour bicause that is devv to God not Ciuill honour bicause that is giuen to morall vertue only authoritie and learning Vvhat honour then shall sainct Ihon Baptiste haue for his Sanctitie certainly ether an inferiour religious honour called Dulia or none at all And if Caluin vvould honour him in earthe and religiously also for his sanctitie vvhy feareth he to giue him that honour in heauen sithence that his soule vvhich is the proper subiecte of sanctitie is noe less liuing there then it vvas here and is indevved vvith noe lesse sanctitie in heauen then is vvas in earth and besides that is also there enriched vvith glorie vvhich it had not here Novv if Caluin vvill saye that at least images and reliques are not to be honoured bicause in them is none of these three excellenties afore mentioned I vvill tell him that althoughe none of these excellencies be formally in images or reliques yet bicause these are appertainning vnto them vvho are honoured they may and muste also bee something respected and reuerenced but vvith a farre inferiour respecte and that for their sakes to vvhome they apperteined For as the Prince Superiour hathe only the ciuill excellencie and yet not he only but for his sake his image his chaire of estate his ringe and after his death his dead body also is to bee respected but yet not vvith that honour vvhere vvith his ovvn person is honoured so if God and his sainctes maye be honoured vvith religious honour then for God his sake his image may be respected and for Christes sake his name his vvorde his Sacramentes his crosse nayles and other thinges belonging vnto him and for the Sainctes sake their images bodyes bones clothes and such like may and must bee religiously honoured yet vvith an inferiour honour And the reason is first bicause in these things also by a certaine participation and representation vve behold in some sorte their excellencie to vvhome they pertaine and therfore vve respect them
and the lavve of grace in all vvhich See the first booke sint chapter as I haue declared in the laste chapter of the first booke vvere Preestes and they also diuerse according to the diuersitie of lavves Vvherfore if Christe hathe planted a Church and in it established a lavv and religion certainly he hath also appointed a succession of Preestes bicause they euer goe together and haue such a connexion that the one can not stande vvithout the other For if there be noe Preests to offer sacrifice and to minister sacramentes and to interpret the lavve no shevv or face of religion can remaine and as vvell may a Kingdome florishe vvithout a Prince or magistrate In the first booke and sixt chap. as religion vvithout Preests and bishops Vvherfore as I haue proued before in the lavve of nature the first begotten of euerie familie vvas a Preeste in the lavve vvritten the tribe of Leuie vvas deputed and dedicated vnto Preesthod Ios l. 2. cont App. In vvhich tribe ther vvere inferiour Preests so many that Dauid vvas fayne to deuide them into tvventy fovvre rankes vvhich also conteyned a great number There vvere also Leuits vvho had inferiour offices And ther vvere highe Preestes vvhich succeeded one after anothers deathe to the number of fovvre score odde â—os li. 22. Aut. c. 2. and the laste highe Preestvvas Finasius vvho liued vntill the Citie of Hierusalem vvith the Temple vvas beseeged and ruined by Titus Vespasian These Preestes and Leuites loosing their office vvith the abrogation of the old lavve Christe Iesus vvho gaue vs a nevve lavve appointed a nevv Preesthood of vvhich hee him selfe vvas the first Preest and the principall and the only high Preest to vvhom no man succeedeth in the same authoritie and therfore sainct Paule putteth a difference herin betvvixte the olde and the nevve lavve that in the olde lavve many highe Preestes vvho succeeded one another vvere necessarie bicause one dying another vvas of necessitie to succeed least the Church should vvante an highe Preest but in the nevv lavve there is but one highe Preeste Christe Iesus and he is sufficient bicause thoughe hee dyed yet he rose again and neuer gaue ouer the office but still offereth sacrifice and still ministreth sacraments See the third booke sixâ— chap. by the hands of his vnder-Preestes So that he only is the highe Preest of the nevv lavv and none but he bicause no man succeedeth him in the same authoritie But here the aduersarie vvil insulte and say vnto me that I haue affirmed that vv ch hee desired for if Christe bee the only highe preest of the nevv lavve vvhat neede vvee any Popes Bishops and Preests Thus he argueth but vvth hovv litle reasoÌ„ a blinde man may see For as it is no good argument to say that novv in Ingland and Scotland and Ireland can be but one King at once therfore ther muste bee noe viceroyes nor Deputies nor Chauncelours nor Treasures nor Dukes nor Noble men vvhoe are the Princes Officers and Princes in their kinde vicegerentes also some in more ample some in lesse ample maÌ„ner so it is noe good argument to saye that Christe is the only highe Preest of the nevve lavve Ergo ther are noe other Preelts but he for he may haue many vicegerentes vvho also are true Predsts in their Kind And so the Pope maye be his supreme Vicare in earthe and other Bishops and Preests may be inferiour Vicars and Preests also subordinate in iurisdiction vnto the Pope Yea seing that the high Preest Christe Iesus hathe vvithdravvne his visible presence froÌ„ the Churche and executeth not visibly and immediatly by him selfe his preestly function it vvas necessary that to his visible Churche he should leaue a visible succession of Preests vvho should rule and minister vnder him and for him in his absence not as his successours but as his vicegerents and ministers for as noe Preest noe Churche so noe visible Preest noe visible Church Vvherfore vvhen Christe vvas to bid his Church fare vvell he instituted his Apostles Precsts Mat 26. giuing them authoritie to consecrate 10 20. 10.21 and to offer sacrifie and after his resurrection giuing them povver also to absolue from sinnes and appointing Peter as the highe Preest and Vicare vnder him selfe Iesâ— 22. Can. 2. vvhich to denye vvere not only to coÌ„tradicte the Councell of Trent vvhich defineth that in the place alleaged Christe made the Apostles Preefts but also to contemne and condemne the vvholle Schoole of ancient interpretours yea the vvholle Christian vvorld vvho haue so interpreted the places alleaged This Preestly function the Apostles in their tyme did exercisein preaching teaching baptising confirming and offerring Sacrifice also vv ch is the proper function of a Preest Yea their Disciples did the same Act. 1â— for S. Luke sayeth that they ministred vnto our Lord that is sacrificed as the Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth and as Erasmus him selfe trassateth yea as the maÌ„ner of speach also importeth For if they had only preached or ministred SacrameÌ„ts vvell might they haue been sayed to haue ministred to the People but not so properly vnto our lord vnless they had offered sacrifice vvhich is proper to him Sainct Paule sayeth that Timothie vvas ordained bishop by imposition of hands of the Presbiterie 1. Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 〈◊〉 in c. 5â— Isa that is a company of bishops and he affirmeth that he him selfe imposed his haÌ„ds vppon him vvhich imposition of hands is in greeke called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as S. Hierome vvitnessethe signifiethe giuing of holy orders Tit. 〈◊〉 The same sainct Paule vvriting vnto Titus sayeth that he lefte him at Creta that he should constitute and ordaine Preests in euery citie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same sainct Paule vvith Barnabas Act. 10. ordained to the people Preests in euery Church by imposition of hands as the greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth Act. 20. The same sainct Paule as sainct Luke reporteth sent to Ephesus called the elders of the Churche that is Preests for to them he sayed Looke to your selues and vnto your flocke 1. Tim 〈◊〉 And of Preests he speaketh vvheÌ„ he sayeth Preests vvhich do rule vvell are vvorthy double honou Iaeâ— 5. And againe Against a Preest receiue no accusation Of Preests also speaketh Sainct Iames vvhen he sayeth If any bee diseased among you let them call for the Preests of the Churche And bicause our ghospellers see that by these places it is manifest that in the Apostles tymes Preests vvere ordeined they are enforced for other vvise they could not coÌ„ceale this from the People to translate elders for Preestes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbiter Prestre Prete Preest notvvithstanding that the greeke vvorde yea the Latin frenche and Italian soundeth as much as Preest in Inglish Of Bishops Preestes and deacons vve haue mention in the
vvit nor learning vvere vvorthy to cary their bookes after them But least our aduersarie triuÌ„phe that vvee can not proue our sacraments out of scripture I vvill bringe Scriptures for euery one of theÌ„ But first I muste aggree vvith them vppon certaine conditions for first of all they muste not exacte of mee to pro ue that these seuen are expressely called by the name of SacrameÌ„t for soe they can not proue their tvvo or three sacraments Ephes 5. bicause matrimonie only vvhich they deny to be a sacrament is expressely called a sacrament Secondly they muste not demaund of me any place of Scripture vv ch sayeth that there are seuen Sacraments bicause they can alleage noe such place vvhich sayeth that ther are not seuen or that there are but tvvoe or three And the reason is bicause scripture vseth to treate of many thinges but not allvvayes to nuÌ„ber them For Scripture relateth Christes miracles and yet numbers them not and it settes dovvne many articles of faithe as the Trinitie Incarnation Passion Resurrection Ascension and many others yet neuer setteth dovvne any certaine number They muste bee content then that I deduce by as good consequence out of Scripture that there are seuen Sacramentes as they can gather their tvvoe or three Sacramentes And this I can doe and if this I doe I shall refute all their opinions of vv ch some hold one some tvvoe some three some fovvre only and all conspire in the deniall of seuen But before I doe this I must suppose vvhich they vvill graunte caÌ„not deny vnless they vvill deny all sacraments that to proue seuen sacramentes out of Scripture shal be sufficient if I can fynde in scripture ether in expresse termes or by good deductioÌ„ an externall rite commaundemeÌ„t or Institution and a promise of grace in euery one of the seueÌ„ SacrameÌ„ts afore-named for thus our aduersaries proue their Sacramentes and bicause they imagin that some of these conditions requisite to a sacrament are deficient in some of the seueÌ„ they deny them to be sacramentes â— 18 Vvherfore in the Apologie of their coÌ„fession these vvordes are to bee seene If vve calle Sacramentes rites vvhich haue a commaundement from God and to vvhich is annexed a promise of grace it is easie to iudge vvhich are properly sacramentes And a litle after by this rule they gather that Baptisme the supper and Penaunce are sacraments To begin therfore vvith baptisme the externall rite vve gather out of the third of sainct Ihon and the last of sainct Matthevve vvhich is vvater and vvashing the commaundement and Institution is proued out of these vvordes vnlesse a man be regenerated of vvater and the holy spirit Io. 3. The promise of grace vvhich is annexed to this Sacrament the last chapter of saint Matthevve proposeth in those vvords he vvho beleeueth and shal be baptized Mar. 16. shal be saued And to goe on vvith the Sacrament of the Altare the externall rite of this sacrament is bread and vvine or the formes of bread vvine The institution and commaundement is conteined in those vvords Mat. 26.1 Cor. 15. d ee this in commemoratâ—n of mee The promise of grace vvee gather out of sainct Ihon he vvhoe eateth this bread shall liue for euer Io. â— In CoÌ„firmation also vvee finde an externall rite vvhich is imposition of handes by vvhich the Apostles and Apostles and Bishops only vsed after Baptisme to giue the holy ghoste Act â— 19. Dionis l. 〈◊〉 Hierâ—p 3. c. 2 Tert l. de res â—arnis lib de baptis Cip lâ— ep 12â— Aug. l 2. coÌ„t lit Pre. ◠〈◊〉 The promise of grace appearethe by the performaunce bicause all they vppon vvhome the Apostles layed their handes receued the holy ghost and consequently grace The institution and commaundemeÌ„t vve may vvel presume to haue proceeded from Christe bicause Apostles can not institute SacrameÌ„tes nor cause any externall ceremonie to giue the holy ghoste infallibly and they vvould neuer haue presumed such a thinge vvithout a coÌ„maundement froÌ„ Christe their master Vvherfore sainct Austine speaking of this sacrament sayeth in plaine termes Suprâ—â— that the Sacrament of Chrisme is to be numbered amongest the sacred signes euen as Baptisme is The same conditions of a sacrament are easily to be found also in the sacrament of Confession Io. â—â— for Christe sayeth vnto his Apostles and in them to all their successours Vvhose sinnes you shall forgiue are forgiuen them and vvhose sinnes you shall reteine are reteined In vvhich vvordes he giues authoritie to Preests as his vnder Iudges to absolue from sinnes and to deteine sinnes and bicause the Preest can not absolue vnlesse the penitente confesse his sinnes Amb l. 1. de pâ—n ca 7. Aug l. 5 de Bapt c. 20. and the penitent can not knovv that hee is absolued vnlesse the Preest pronounce some audible sentence vvee gather that the externall rite of this sacrament is an audible absolution and confession the promise of grace is found also in this Sacrament most euideÌ„tly bicause Christe promiseth that vvhose sinnes the Preest forgiueth shal be forgiuen and seing that sinnes can not be forgiuen vvithout grace if the preest can forgiue sinnes he can also giue grace by this sacrament The institution and commaundemeÌ„t is conteined in the same vvords bicause Preestes haue commissioÌ„ from Christe to absolue froÌ„ sinnes to holde and deteine our sinnes consequeÌ„tly sinners vvho must recoÌ„cile them selues to God muste doe it by confessioÌ„ to the Preest else can not he absolue for noe iudge can giue sentence vvithout knovvledg of the cause othervvise he can not be sayed to deteine our sinnes for if he de teine our sinnes vve caÌ„ not be loosed but by his absolution and seing that all sinners must seeke to free theÌ„ selues froÌ„ the bandes and bondage of sinne they must come to the Preest vvhoe only vnder God bindeth and looseth In the Sacrament of Order vve finde also an external rite to vvit impositioÌ„ of handes 1 Tim. 4 2. Tim. 1. vvhich in Greeke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich as sainct Hierome sayeth sigâ—â—neth ordination of Clerkes in c â—8 Isa The commaundement and institution vve gather thus Supra saint Paule bids Timothee not to neglecte the grace vvhich he had receiued by imposition of hands vvherfore sainct Paule Knevve that infallibly that externall rite gaue grace but it could not giue grace if Christ had not instituted it to that ende and S. Paule vvould not haue praesumed to haue vsed it to that end if Christe had not commaunded and instituted it Aug l. â— coÌ„t ep Parn c 13. l â— de bap c. 1. ergo this externall rite vvas instituted and commaunded The promise of grace vve gatther by the performaunce bicause sainct Paule sayeth that Timothie had receiued grace by imposition of hands Ephes 5. That matrimonie also is a Sacrament sainct Paule vvill vvitnesse vvho bicause this seemed most
hovv like vnto this hovvse of God vvhich is the hovvse of prayer our Reformers Sinagogue is In moste places they haue no prayer at all on vvorking dayes and on holy dayes vvhich novv they haue brought to a lesse number bicause they celebrate fevve Saintes dayes they speÌ„d all the tyme that they are in the Church in yelling out a Geneua Psalme to vvhich they adde a Sermon and generally in Ingland novv adayes you shall finde fevve that vse any priuate prayer in their Chambers but as dogges go to their Kennell so theye goe to bedd and so they rise in the morning shaking or stretching them selues but neuer bovving knee noe nor opening mouthe nor harte in prayer In so much that vvheÌ„ one of our Catholike Preests in his Inne in London vvas found by the chamberlaine Kneeling by his bed side to say his deuotions proclamation vvas by and by made that hee vvas a Preeste and a traitour for then in Ingland they vvere all one as if theyr ovvne consciences had accused them that prayer is noe signe of a man of their religion And truly this conteÌ„pte of prayer amongest them is not to be blamed by their preachers bicause it is moste conformable to their doctrine For first they saye that prayer meriteth no revvard at Gods hands Cal. l. â— Inst c. â—0 Melanct. tit de procat Secondly they auouch that it can not make the least satisfactioÌ„ for the least sinne in the vvorld Vvhy then should vve vveare our hose out in the knees vvith praying if prayer nether satisfieth nor meriteth any thing at Gods hands Truly if vvee vveare our hose out in the Knees vve lose more then vve gette See the seueÌ„th booke if this doctrine be true Thirdly Caluine auoucheth that the iustifying faithe is a firme full assuraunce that vve are electe and iuste by Christes iustice seing that faith is a necessarie disposition to prayer for as sainct Paule sayeth hovv shall they pray and call vppon him Râ—m 1â— in vvhom they beleeue not it follovveth that before vve settle our selues to prayer vve must firmely beleeue that vve are iuste that our sinnes are forgiuen Vvhence I gather these conclusions The first is that in vaine the faithfull man prayethe for iustification or remission of sinnes bicause before he prayeth his sinnes are forgiuen and he is iustified or else his full assured faithe is a lying and deceiptfull faithe The second is that noe faithfull man can pray for iustification or remission of sinnes vnlesse he vvill be an infidel and forsake his faithe by praying For he is bouÌ„d by Caluin to beleeue assuredly that his sinnes are forgiuen bicause this is his iustifying faith and if he stagger or doubt he is an infidell bicause he hathe not the right faithe vvhence it follovvethe that in praying for remission of sinnes he loseth faithe bicause in that hee prayeth hee shevvethe that hee hathe not that assuraunce for vvho vvill pray for that vvhich he is assured of allready Or if hee praye it is an argument that ether hee thinkes that hee hathe not the thing for vvhich he prayethe or that he doubteth thereof or that hee fearethe of vv ch euery one is sufficieÌ„t to make a man an infidel in Caluins opinion bicause they despoile him of that assured faithe The third coÌ„clusion is that he caÌ„not pray at all for remissioÌ„ of sinnes vvould he neuer so faine euen vvith losse of his faithe For as if I be in good health assure my selfe of the same I caÌ„ not pray for healthe thoughe I may pray for coÌ„tinuauÌ„ce of it so if before I pray I be assured that my sinnes be forgiuen though I may vvith lippes yet vvith harte I caÌ„ not praye that God vvould forgiue me if I could in vaine should I pray for that vv ch I haue allready The fourth is that no faithfull maÌ„ can praye for eternall blisse in heauen for if before I pray I must haue faithe as saint Paule sayeth that I must and if faithe be a full assuraunce that I ame not only iuste Rom. 1â— but also elected and chosen to be one of the Citizens of heauen I can not vvith harte pray that I may be receiued into heauen Vvell I may praye that speedilie God vvill take me to him and his glorie bicause I ame not sure vvhen shall be the tyme at vvhich he vvill calle me but to praye absolutelie to bee admitted vnto God his glorie and Kingdome I can not possibly bicause by Caluins faithe I ame allready assured of this kingdome glorie Iâ—â— â— But Caluin vvill obiecte against vs that sainct Iames biddes vs to praye in faithe and confidence nothing doubting or staggering I graunt him therfore that vvee must beleeue that God can helpe hope also that hee vvill helpe and so vvee muste not praye doubting but yet vve may and muste praye betvvixte feare and hope For if I hope not but dispayre of obteyning I haue no cause to pray and if I doubte of Gods mercie I doe him iniurie yet if I be cock sure I can not praye and therfore I must feare the vvorste and yer pray for the best â—ee the soueÌ„th booke Moreouer Caluin telleth vs that the iustifying faithe assurethe vs not only of presente but also of future iustice that is acertainethe vs not only that vvee are novve at this present iuste but also that vve shall perseuer vnto the ende vvhence it follovveth that vve can not pray to God for perseueraunce in grace or that hee vvill so assiste vs that noe tentation of the deuill insurrection of the flesh or allurement of the vvorld giue vs the foyle or falle See the same booke bicause by faithe vvee are assured of our staÌ„ding He auoucheth also that sinne hath so vveakened mans nature that he can not vvith all the grace that Christe hathe giuen resiste any tentation Vvhence ensevveth also that he can not pray not to be ledde into tentatioÌ„ that is not to be permitted to yeeld to any tentation bicause he is assured by Caluins doctrine that he caÌ„not but yeeld if he once be teÌ„pted And although these tvvo laste pointes seeme contradictorie bicause the one sayethe that a faithfull maÌ„ can not fall from iustice the other sayeth that he can not but yeeld to sinne and tentation vvhich is the falle of the soule yet Caluin hathe avvay to auoide this contradiction bicause saieth he thoughe a faithfull man yeeld to tentation yet God imputes not it as sinne bicause hee is faithfull and so sayeth hee a faithfull man is assured that he can not fall and then saye I that I ame assured that hee can not praye that hee may stand and not fall by tentation He is also of opinion that the beste vvorkes of a iust maÌ„ are so vncleane that they are mortall sinnes vv ch if it bee true then can vve not pray that Gods name be hallovved and sanctified in vs that is in our vvorkes bicause
the true God Novv therfore if all heretikes bee in some forte Idolatours then certainly the heretikes of this tyme are especially idolatours For they as is allready proued saye that God is the autour of sinne and their doctrine implieth that hee is of a bad nature vnreasonable cruel vvherfore seing that there is noe suche God they confesse and adore not a true God but an idol of their ovvne conceipte and fiction and so are idolatours vvho pull the true God vvhich is a good God not cruel nor vnreasonable nor no autour of sinne out of his throne and place therin a false God and an idol of their imagination THE SIXTE BOOKE CONTEYNETH A SVRuey of their doctrine concerning princes authoritie and their lavves in vv ch it is proued that the doctrine of the reformers despoileth princes of authoritie and bringeth their lavves in contempte The first Chapter shevveth hovv in that they say that noe Prince can bynd a man in conscience to obey his lavve and commaundemeÌ„t they despoile princes of authoritie and superioritie and giue the subiects good leaue to rebell and reuolte WEE see by experience Eccl. 13. and holy scripture teacheth that like of nature doe easilie forte them selues together Sheepe do flocke to one fold deere meet together in one parke bees in one svvarme and fovvles of one fether doe flye together and fishes of one squame do svvime together And the reason may bee bicause like of nature are like in conditions and so do more easily symbolize and aggree together and one alone hathe no helpe but of him selfe and therfore for mutuall ayde and comforte they accompanye them selues vvith others But amongest all liuing creatures man especially is ciuile and compaignable and therfore is called animal sociabile a sociable creature For first man is apte to language by vvhich he desireth to expresse his mynd to others and therfore if he vvill haue any vse of his tongue and facultie of speaking he must liue in company Secondly man especially is disciplinable desirouse to learne of others and by discoursing and deuising to knovv vvhat other men thinke and conceue For as he is vvilling to imparte his ovvne conceites so is he desirous to be pertaker of the knovvledge and cogitation of others vvhich his desire he can not satisfie vnless he repaire to company Thirdly maÌ„ only emoÌ„gest all liuing creatures is apte to frendship that is to loue and to be beloued and bicause loue comes by sight and sure frendship is not gotten but by much familiaritie and longe experience he can not attaine to this also but in coÌ„pany and societie Lastly maÌ„ only is borne naked vvher as other liuing creatures garmeÌ„tes doe grovv vvith theÌ„ destitute of all vveapons of defeÌ„ce vvher as the bull hath his horne the bucke his head the horse his hoofe the bore his tuske and euery one hathe one vveapon or other to defend and offend Vvherfore seing that man is soe destitute that being alone be vvanteth many coÌ„modities hee must fly to societie vvher one helpeth another and bicause euery countrie beareth not all thinges one countrie must trasique vvith another hence proceedeth societie Vvherfore noe soener vvere men created but they assembled them selues together first in families then in tovvnes and cities and after vvards as their number increased in common vveales and Kingdomes And although the Poets fayne that Orpheus vvas the first vvho vvith his melodious tunes called men together yet certain it is that euen from the beginning men liued in societie induced thervnto by no other Orpheus then Nature and God the autour of nature Novv as the naturall body of maÌ„ as it is framed by God nature of diuers members vnited together so it hath from God and Nature authoritie to defend it selfe against all that shall vniustly seeke to molest or iniurie the same so the ciuil body of a societie of men be it a coÌ„mon vvelthe or King dome receiueth from God and nature authoritie and povver to conserue it selfe in societie and to vvithstand all foreinets vvho shall iniuriously inuade it For if nature did not giue men authoritie to defend present them selues in societie in vaine yea not in vaine only but also perniciously and to mans great preiudice had God nature enclined him to liue in companie Vvherfore all societies lavvfully assembled haue from God and nature povver and authoritie to rule and defende them selues and bicause the confused multitude is vnfit to gouerne bicause it is bellua multorum capitum a beaste of many heads vvauering inconstaunte and mutinouse yea hard it is for the multitude to meete alvvayes together to determine vppoÌ„ state-matters vvhen they are met they can as hardly aggree iâ— vvas necessarie that this multitude should haue authoritie to chuse some head oâ— heades by vvhich this ciuill body might bee directed Rom. 13. Vicâ—relec de potest ciuili ruled and defended Hencâ— it is that diuines yea scriptures affirme that all lavvfull authoritie vvhich Princes and superiours haue ouer others is oâ— God bicause it proceedeth from the peoples election vvhoe as they vvere by God and nature inclined to liue in societie so they receiued authoritie to rule and defend them selues vvhich bicause they could not do by them selues they receiued also authoritie from God and nature to appointe rulers and gouernours so all lavvfull gouernours are appointed by God by meanes of election and therfore they vvho resiste them resiste gods ordinaunce Rom 〈◊〉 And althoughe novv for the moste parte Princes come to autohritie by succession yet the origin also of this proceedeth froÌ„ election bicause the people to auoyed incoÌ„ueniences vvhich might happen if after the deathe of their Prince they should be to seeke for another vvere content vvhen they did chuse the first Prince that all his lavvfull heires should after him succed in the same authority Novv if the Prince haue not authoritie to commauÌ„d and bynde his subiectes also in conscience to obey his coÌ„maundement then in vaine is he head and Prince of the people bicause if he commaund and yet the subiectes may chuse vvhether they vvill obey or not then noe order can be established and as good noe head at all as such a head Vvherfore holy Scripture telleth vs that Princes may commaund and subiectes in conscience must obey Mat. 22. and giue to Caesar vvhat is devvoo Caesar Rom 13. Sainct Paule sayeth that euerie soule must be subiect to higher povvers he giues the reason bicause sayeth he ther is noe povver but of God and therfor they vvho resiste povver resiste Gods ordinaunce and purchase to them selues damnation Ibideâ—â— Yea sayeth he of necessitie be you subiecte not only for displeasure but also for conscience And after vvards he bidds vs to pay tributes and subsidies vnto Princes bicause they are the ministers of God appointed by him Saint Peter also bidds vs to be subiect to euery humaine creature for God â— Pet. 2. that is
that sainct Paule sayeth that a man is iustified by fayeth and not by the vvorkes of the lavve vvhich is all one as if hee had sayed that a man is iustified by faithe only and not by good vvorkes But to this I ansvvere that if sainct Paule had sayed that a man is iuste by faithe and not by vvorkes adding noe more then Luther had had some argument but hee sayeth not soe but only that a man is iuste by faites and not by the vvorkes of the lavve excluding only the Iudaicall sacramentes and ceremonies vvhich he calleth vvorkes of the lavve and vvhen in other places he excludeth vvorkes he meanethe the selfe same vvorkes Rom. 4. Gal. 2.3 or else those vvorkes vvhich proceed not from faithe and grace suche as vvere the vvorkes of the gentils Nether is faithe sayed to iustifie bicause that only iustifieth but bicause it is the beginning and ground vvorke of iustification or bicause it concurreth to iustification or bicause by that faithe vvhich iustifieth is vnderstood not a naked faithe but a faithe ioyned vvith charitie and good vvorkes such as saint Paule speaketh of vvhen vvriting to the Galathians hee excludeth the vvorkes of the lavve Gal. â— saying that in Christe Iesu nether Circumcision is of any vvorth nor the Prepuce but faythe vvhich vvorketh by charitie Vvherfore sainct Paule is so farre from thinking that only fayth iustifieth that hee auoucheth that if hee had all the fayth in the vvorld and so great a faithe that hee could moue mountaines 1. Cor. 33. yet if hee had not charitie hee vvere nothing And if Luther and Caluin bicause scripture sometymes sayeth that faithe iustifieth vvill therfore inferre that faith only iustifieth then bicause scripture sayeth that by hope vve are saued and that blessed is the man that hopeth in God Rom. â— Psal 83. I vvill inferre that only hope iustifieth and bicause scripture also affirmeth that the man is happie that feareth our lord Psal 111. I vvill conclude that feare only iustifieth Or if they vvill ansvvere that hope and feare are sayed to iustifie and to make man happie bicause they concurre to iustification and happines the same I vvill say of faithe to vvit that it is sayed to iustifie not bicause it only iustifieth but bicause vvith charitie it concurres to our iustification For to charitie allso is attributed our iustification and more then vnto faith For as Christe told saincte Marie Magdalen that her fayeth had saued her so he sayed that many sinnes vvere forgiuen her bicause she loued much Lue. â— and Scripture attributeth those effects to charitie vvhich are necessarilie linked vvith iustification As for example Mat. 22. Rom. 11. Col. â— 1. Tim. â— charitie is called the fullnes of the lavv the end of the lavve the obseruation of the lavv and the bond or knot of perfection Charitie also is sayed to make vs children of God â— 10 â— Rom. 3.1 Pet. â— 1. 10.4 by it the holy ghost is sayed to be diffused in our hartes charitie is sayed to hide and couer our sinnes and to make God to dvvell in our hartes Sainct Ihon pronounceth boldly that vvho loueth his brother by charitie is in the light 1. 10. â— and that vvee are translated from the darkenes that is of sinne to the light that is of iustification bicause vvee loue our bretherne Ibidem c 3. c. 4. yea hee sayeth that vvhoesoeuer loueth not remaineth in deathe And againe euerie one that loueth is borne of God By vvhich it is plaine that ether charitie is allvvayes ioyned vvith the grace of iustification as S. Th â— 2. q. 210. â— 1. â— Thomas sayeth or that it is all one vvith the sayed grace Sâ—â—t 2. d. 26. Our ibidem as others saye and so is the formall cause of iustification and then faith only concurrethe as a disposition as hope also and feare doe At least heÌ„ce it follovveth that only faith iustifieth not bicause hee that hath not Charitie as saint Ihon sayeth remaineth in death and if a man haue all the fayth in the vvorld as saint Paule sayeth vvithout charitie hee is so farre from being iuste that he is nothing and no body Supra Novv vvheras they saye that faithe only iustifieth but not vvithout charitie and good vvorkes bicause it can not bee vvithout them it is another absurde heresie â— Cor. â—â— For saint Paule vvhen hee sayeth that if he had all the faythe in the vvorld and yet haue no charitie hee is nothing supposeth that faithe may be separated from charitie 〈◊〉 2. And S. Iames supposing that it may be vvithout good vvorkes sayeth that faithe vvithout good vvorkes is dead and diuers parables as of the corne Mat. 1â— ibidem Mat. 22.25 and cockle in the same barne of good and bad fishes in the same nette of good and bad gestes at the same supper yea of the sheep and goates also argevve that men maye bee in the Churche by faithe and yet be badde Christians for vvant of charitie and good vvorkes vvhich the good Christians haue Yea reason teacheth that it is one thing to beleeue and to knovv our dutie by faithe and another thing to doe our dutie Yea if there vvere no other argument then the euil life of Lutheranes and Caluinistes vvho bragge that they haue true faithe and yet liue most viciously it vvould conuince them that faithe if there bee any in them may bee seuered from good vvorkes and ioyned vvith euil But to come to a conclusion if faith only iustifie then it follovveth that the gappe is opened vnto all vice and villanie For vvhen they come to the definition of this faithe vvhich only iustifieth Supra they say that it is an assurauÌ„ce by vvhich vvee are fully persuaded that Christes iustice is ours by vv ch faith also they saye Christes iustice is so applyed vnto vs that it is ours and couerethe our sinnes and maketh vs appear iuste in the sight of God Out of vvhich doctrine I deduce this argumente If faith only iustifie then if vvee retaine that faithe thoughe vve commit all the villanies in the vvorlde they can not hurte vs bicause so longe as vvee hold that faithe vvee are iuste and so the gappe is opened to all vice For if a man bee once persuaded that faithe only iustifiethe and that this faithe is noe other thinge but an apprehension that Christes iustice is ours if hee persuade him selfe that Christes iustice is his as hee must bicause Caluin and Luther affirme that euery man must beleeue so if hee vvilbe a Christian then needs hee only care to retaine that faithe and apprehension For if that only iustifie then retaining that hee is assured that he is still iuste though hee commit all the sinnes in the vvorld and so by this doctrine he hathe good leaue to sinne And for more confirmation of this argument it must be noted that Luther and Caluin affirme that Christes
vvill vvith any reason persuade me to bee ether Turke or Ievve I may by authoritie bee of noe religion And thus Atheisme must needs follovv diuision in religion contempt of the Romaine Church The sixte Chapter shevveth hovv their vvant of a visible head giuethe a great aduantage to Atheistes and such as mocke at all religion IN the first booke and last chapter I haue declared at large hovve necessarie a visible head is in all societies and especially in the Church of Christe and I haue also demonstrated that ther is no suche visible head in the Synagogue of the reformers vvhence I haue inferred that amongest them it is lavvfull for euerye heretike to preach vvhat doctrine hee vvill and no man shall cōtrolle him Novve I ame to deduce another conclusion to vvit that thus also the gate and gapp is opened vnto Atheistes and godlesse and irreligious persons vvhich I can do easily and vvill doe in a vvord For if a visible head bee vvanting euery man may preach and imbrace vvhat religion hee vvill as in the alleaged place I haue proued and seing that if this head bee vvanting ther is noe certaintie for any religion but only the priuate spirite and bare scripture vvhich are altogether vncertaine In the first booke ch 2.3 as before is proued it vvill follovv that a man shall haue no more reason to imbrace one religion thē another yea hee shall haue noe probable reason to induce him to any religion at all and consequentlye he may take good leaue to bee of no religion And thus he may argue in forme and figure If ther be no visible head to determine by authoritie vvhat religion is to be imbraced euery man may be of vvhat religion he vvill and no man can controlle him and so I also may vse my libertie in choosing my religion as vvel as another And seing that if the authoritie of a visible head be layed a side I haue no more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause all religions alleage the same reason vvhich is no reason to vvit bare scripture sensed by the priuate spirite and I can not possibly be of all bicause they be contrarie to one another I may by good reason refuse to bee of any religion and noe man can controlle me for it if there bee no visible head vvho can proue that hee hathe authoritie to determine of religion And so he that forsaketh the Catholique Church vvhere only this visible head is to bee found hath leaue and licence to bee of vvhat religion hee vvill yea to be of no religion at all bicause leauing that hee hathe noe more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause hee hath no other reason then bare scripture sensed by a priuate spirite vvhich is not sufficient as is proued in my first booke and third chapter yea leauing the Catholike Churche he can not haue any probable reason to induce him to any of these nevv religions as I haue proued in my first booke and fifte chapter and seing that God nether can nor vvill commande him to bee of a religion for vvhich hee seeth no reason nor motiue vvhich is sufficient to induce a reasonable man as in the same place is proued hee maye vvith reason after hee hath lefte the Catholike Churche ioyne vvith Atheistes vvhoe are of noe religion The seuenth Chapter shevveth hovv the Reformers in denial of the real praesence do ruine Christian religion and call all the other mysteries of faithe in question SAcrifice is a thing so highly pleasing and acceptable vnto God that he vvill haue none to be pertakers vvith him in such honour but reserueth it as an homage devv only to him selfe and proper to a diuine maiestie 1. Reg. 15. Yet obedience is more gratefull vnto him then all the Hecatombs and Sacrifices in the vvorld bicause by sacrifice vve consecrate vnto his seruice the liues and substaunce of brute beastes but by obedience vvee make a burnt-offering and Holocaust of our ovvne soules resigning our desires and vvilles yea our ovvn selues vvholly vnto his vvill and pleasure But vvhilest this obedience resteth in the vvill thoughe it be very meritorious yet hath it not the full complement of perfection bicause so longe as the vvill hathe reason to persuade her the lesse thankes she deserueth for obeying but vvhen this vertue reachethe to the vnderstanding and maketh reason against sence and aboue reason to yeeld to more then reason can reach vnto then hath this vertue the topp of her perfection But this perfection shee hath not of her selfe bicause of her selfe she can only submitte the vvill vnto the commaundement of the Superiour but she is fayne to borrovv so much of the Theologicall vertue called Faithe vvhose propertie is to make the verie vnderstanding to stoupe vvithout any reason to yeeld to thinges for vvhich ther is noe reason bicause they are aboue reason Many such thinges ther are in Christian faithe vvhich seeme to sense senseless to reason vnreasonable and to humaine faithe incredible and as farre as mans reason can see euen to diuine povver impossible Emongest the vvhich three are the most principall and to humain reason most incredible to vvit the Trinitie in vv ch vvee beleeue that three are one that is that three persons are one God The incarnation in vv ch vvee cōfess that tvvoe are one that is tvvoe natures in Christe the one diuine the other humaine are one and the same person the blessed sacramēt of the altare in vvhich vve acknovvledge that bread and vvine by the vertue of Christes vvorde are changed into his body and bloud and that one body is not only in one but in diuers places at one and the selfe same tyme But as these three are the hardest to conceue of all the mysteries of Christian fayth so hath our blessed Sauiour giuen vs more plaine and euident testimonies of them in his holy vvritte then of any other vvhich are more easilie to be conceued For the blessed Trinitie vvhat more pregnaunt proofes can vve desire then vve haue in sainte Matthevv Going therfore teach you all nations in the name of the father cap. vlt. and of the sonne and of the holy ghost Vvhere the ancient fathers note that three are named to signifie three distinct persones and yet Christe biddeth his Apostles to baptise in the name not names of these three to signifie that these three are one God And that the father is God euery leafe almost of Scripture dothe testifie that the sōne is God many places most manifestlye do beare vvitnes Rom. 1.9 Tit. 2.3 Iuda 2. Mat. 1◠Act. ◠testimonie That the holy ghost is God S. Peter averreth vvho hauing demaunded of Ananias the reason vvhy hee vvould lye vnto the holy ghost auoucheth that he lyed not to mē but to God vvherfore S. Paule sayeth that vvee are the temple of the holy ghost and seing that to God only temples are erected if vvee bee his temple
visible heade here in earthe pag. 365. Christ did not suffer the paynes of hell as Caluin most impiously contendeth that hee did 337. The reason vvhy the Churche only shoulde Iudge of scriptures deduced euen from the doÌ„ctrine of the reformers p. 44. vvhy it is called apostolicall 190. Diuers hereticall opinions aboute the fall of the Churche 198. a difference betvvixte Scripture and the Churches definitions 43. The true Churche can not be inuisible p. 206. it is not confined as hereticall sectes are 231. A Contention betvvixte the Ievves and Samaritanes resemblinge very vvell the controuersye betvvixte Catholiks and heretiks 129. The conuenience that the Churche of God shoulde haue a visible headâ— 133. vsq ad 136. The diuers offices of conscience vvith the greate svvaye it beareth in all our actions 58. the reformers take it avvaye 544. The Contrarietie of Caluins assertions and the Scriptures 594. In vvhat manner our Cooperation in diuers kinds is required notvvithstanding the sufficiencie of Christes passion p. 263. The first Councell called in Ierusalem by the Apostles 189. Proofes of a creation 648. D The deceipt that heretikes vse by places of scripture no sufficient vvarrant of sounde doctrine to alleadge bare scripture for it 37. Diuers secrette derogations by Luther froÌ„ Christ vvhereby hee seemeth to pull at the diuinitie it selfe 24. After vvhat manner the Deuill do the seeke to imitate Christ by heretikes 30. The difference of scholershipp life and conuersation betvvixte the planters of Catholike religion and the first brochers of heresie 121. The difference betvvixte an heretike and a Schismatike 175. An apparant difference betvvixte sinne and the payne of sinne 173. The difficultie amongest the reformers to call any kinde of councelle 154. the likelihoode of disagreement amongest them ibid. no vvaraunt to rely vppon their sentence supposinge agreement 152. The manner of discussion or examination at the day of Iudgement 298. From vvhence desperation proceedeth 326. The ruine that proceedeth of dissention 212. Dissention arguethe heretikes to bee the sinagogue of Satan 219. The deepe dissimulation of the reformers and their trayterous meaninge to Christ him selfe made manifest by an example 357. The manifolde diuisions and sectes of the late reformers 221. the same acknovvledged by many of them 224. The reason vvhy all the Doctours and Pastours of the Churche can not erre 100. E Epiphanius very fitly comparethe heretikes to vipers of diuers kindes 224. Erasmus hovv hee liketh of Luthers doctrine 246. Diuerse Examples out of the olde and nevv testament for prayer to saints 355. for religions respect to reliques and images 356. The Euchariste and real presence proued 223. 703. The denial of it calleth all the mysteries of faith in doubte ibid. The Eutichian heresie 32 Examples of pryde selfe loue in heretikes 66. The Excellencie of Christes preisthood aboue all others and hovve it differeth from them 286. A triple Exposition of that place of sainct Ihon exierunt ex nobis applyed to the first or cheefe heretikes of euery sect 156. Vvho are sayed to bee sent by Extraordinarie mission 8. vvhy the fore sayed mission is to bee proued by miracles ibid. F A comparinge of auncient fathers vvith the late reformers and nevve bible clerkes 93. the difference betvvixt them ibid. 121. Hovv the reformers cut them selues from the Churche by refusing fathers 94. The force of religion 113. In vvhat sence faythe is sayed not to haue increased from the beginning or no nevve thinges to haue beene defined by councells 170. the same expressed by a similitude 170. The reasoÌ„ vvhy faythe admitteth no noueltie 171. One obstinate errour in a matter of faythe depriuethe a man of all infused fayth 180. MaÌ„s feticitie in Paradise vvherein it coÌ„sisted 253. The force of true amitie and frendshippe 339. Hovv disciplinable feare and hope make men in euerye vvell ordered common vvealthe 514. the reformers take them bothe avvaye 516. fovvre kindes of feare ibid. Faythe only dothe not iustifie 532. it may bee separated from good vvorkes 530. Luthers false dealinge in this point as appeareth in his Germane translation 528. Manifest proofes for free vvill 561. vsq ad 566. G The reason that vvee may suspect the Gospellers for false prophetes 25. vvhy they translate elders for Preestes 368. By vvhat meanes God deliuered religion in the lavve of nature in the lavve vvritten and in the lavve of grace 105. hee vvilleth not sinne but only permiteth it 452. Good before bad in all kindes 165. proofes of a God heade 646. The nature of goodnes 229. proofes that God is not the authour of sinne 453. The Gospellers take from Christ the title of an eternall Preest 291. they deny him to bee a Preest according to the order of Melchisedech 293. The Gospellâ—rs especially Caluin blasphemously derogate froÌ„ Christe knovvledge accusing him of ignorauÌ„ce in many thiÌ„ges 311. they make God the only sinner 457. they make him an vnreasonable prince 462. they make him a most cruel tyraunt 465 in their opinion hee might as vvell exact the obseruation of the lavve of beasts as of men 464. H The maner of refutiÌ„g heresies before couÌ„cels 237. Heretikes vrged to shevve scripture for their extraordinary mission 18 their absurde ansvvere vrged to shevve their succession 11. hovve heretikes may bee termed parricides 8â— theenes 3â— hovv they imitate Aesops crovv 33. hovv they are compared by Epiphanius to vipers of diuers kyâ—desâ— 224. by others to the Cadmean brethern 225. to SaÌ„psons foâ—es ibid to vvaspes by Tertullian ibid. Vvhy heretikes couet to decide all thinges by the bare letter of scripture 35. Many euident demonstrations that if euer vvere any heretikes the reformers are also heretikes 184 vsq ad 186. The reason vvhy heretikes seeme to giue so much to temporall princes 483. The grosse absurditie of heretikes in denying all kynde of honour to Saincts 348. of vvhat smalle vertue and efficacie heretikes make sacraments to bee 410. their 2. reasons that they attribute so litle force to them refuted and reiected 413. their erronious and impious opinion of the forme of vvordes vsed in sacraments 427. S. Hierome recurreth to the Pope of Rome in a doubt concerning the holy Trinitie 143. Hierome of pragues beastly behauiour to a crucifix 347. S. Hilarius his counsel to a perplexed man in religion 226. Three kiÌ„des of honour accordiÌ„g to three kindes of excellencie 349. vvhich is devve to God only and vvhich to saynts ibid. The reason vvhy vvee giue a religious honour to sayntes bodyes images and reliques 351. By the honour giuen to sayntes God is honoured and more them if vvee honoured him alone 352. I Idlenes the perfection of a Christian lyfe according to the reformers 607. Idolatrie vvhat it is 353. Vvhat kinde of imperfections Christ vndertooke in our nature 315. why hee refused ignoraunce 316. The congruitie of the Incarnation of the second person 255. The inconuenience that follovveth relyinge vppon bare scripture or the naked letter 40. The great inconuenience that vvoulde follovv in the
hee is our God novve that these three are one God sainct Ihon vvill acertaine vs for sayeth he three ther are vvhich giue testimonie in heauen the father the vvord I. Io. 5. and the holy ghoste and these three are one No lesse pregnaunte proofes doth holy vvrit afforde vs for the incarnation in vv ch mysterie vve confess one diuine persone Christe Iesus to bee true God and man And first let the father speake for his sonne Mat. 3. This is my beloued sonne in vvhom I haue taken great pleasure Secondly let the disciple speake for his master cap. 18. thou art the sonne of the liuing God Let another disciple and no other then hee vvhome Iesus loued bicause hee loued tell vs his opinion in this point Io. ◠hee sayeth that in the beginning vvas the vvord and that the vvord vvas vvith God yea vvas God and after vvards hee sayeth that this vvord vvas made fleshe that is became man Let Christ him selfe bee credited also in this matter bicause hee is the truthe vvhen the Ievves told him that hee had not yet 50. Io. 8. yeares of age and therfore could not see Abrahame he ansvvered that hee vvas before Abraham and yet the same Christe is called by saint Mathevve Mat. 1. the sonne of Abrahame vvhich must needs argue tvvoe natures in one person of Christe the one diuine in respect of vvhich hee vvas before Abraham the other humaine by vvhich hee vvas after Abrahame as the sonne is after the father and so the selfe same person is God and man and that man Iesus that liued in earth and conuersed amongest vs is the naturall sonne of God the vvorde of God is the vvorde Incarnate vvho in respecte of his diuinitie vvas before Abrahame but in respect of his humain nature vvas longe after him Novv as cōcerning the third mysterie if I bring not as plaine texte for it as can be brought for the others I vvill yeeld the bucklers and graunt the victorie vnto my aduersarie But to auoid multitude of allegations I vvill make choise of tvvoe places only vv ch seeme to mee to bee the plainest And the first shal bee taken out of the Sixt of saint Ihon Io. 6. vvhich Chapter althoughe of some it bee expounded only of Spirituall eating of Christe yet by the common consent of Interpretours it speaketh not only of a spirituall but also of a Sacramentall and reall eating as shall be made moste manifeste For first our sauiour Christe to dispose them to a firme beleefe of this mysterie made such a multiplication and increase of fiue barley loaues tvvo fishes that hee fed and filled about fiue thousand persons thervvith and that so sufficiently that the fragmentes of the banquet vvere as much as the vvholle feast For if hee could make so much of a litle vvhy can hee not turne bread and vvine into his bodye and if hee could vvithout diminution of the feast satisfie so many vvhy may hee not feed vs all vvith his body vvithout diuision or diminution of the same And if after that fiue thousand had eaten their fill of the loaues and fishes the fragmentes and reliques vv ch they lefte vvere as muche as the feast vvith vv ch they vvere filled vvhy should it seeme impossible that Christes bodye should bee eaten of vs and yet remaine in the pix or Altar or that after that the communicantes haue receued it the Reliques vvhich they leaue should remaine still as great as the vvholle banquet vvas Secondly after that this miracle vvas vvrought bicause there vvas a great aggreemēr betvvixte it the blessed Sacrament thus hee taketh the occasion to discourse vvith them of it and to induce them to the beleefe of the same Amen Amē I say to you you seeke me not bicause You haue seen signes but bicause you did eate of the loaues and vvere filled so svvet a tast had that miraculous banquet and such contentmēt it gaue thoughe of it selfe it vvas meane that they follovved him for the good cheare hee made them but sayeth Christe vvorke not the meat that perisheth but that vvhich endureth to life euerlasting vvhich the sonne of man vvill giue you They ansvvered vvhat shall vvee do that vvee may vvorke the vvorkes of God This is the vvorke of God sayeth Christe that you beleeue in him vvhō he hathe sent Vvhat signe sayed they doest thou for vvhich vve should beleeue thee Our fathers did eate manna in the desert and God gaue them bread from heauen to eate Here Christe beginneth to close vvith them and to enter in to his intended discourse of the blessed sacrament True sayeth Christe but Moyses gaue you not that bread but my father only hath the giuing of bread from heauen Lord sayed they giue vs alvvayes this bread Iesus ansvvered I ame the bread of life At vv ch the Ievves murmured bicause they vnderstood him not And yet most fitly is he called the bread of life for first in Scripture all that nourisheth is called bread vvherfore seing that Christe is the food of our soule vvell is hee called bread and not vvhatsoeuer bread but the bread of life to distinguish him from common bread Secondly in scriptures vvhen one thing is chaunged into another that into vvhich the chaunge is made taketh the name of the thinge chaunged So the serpēt into vvhich Aarons rodd vvas chaunged is called a rodde Exod. 7. bicause it vvas made of a rodde vvherfore bicause bread vvas to be changed into Christes bodye and blood vvell is hee called bread Thirdly bicause his body vvas to bee couered vvith the formes of bread it is called bread bicause it hath the shevve and forme of bread Gen. 49. and for this cause his blood is called vvine and the blood of the grape bicause it vvas to be inuested as it vvere vvith the accidentes of vvine in the same blessed Sacrament But not vvithstanding the Ievves murmuration Christe vvill not eate his vvord but againe he repeateth it I ame the bread of life your fathers did eate manna in the desert and they dyed this is the bread that descended from heauen that if a man eate of it he dye not And I sayeth hee ame this liuing bread that came from heauen of vvhich hee that eateth shall liue for euer and the bread that I vvill giue is my fels he for the life of the vvorld Novve hee speaketh his mynde plainly and so plainly that he compareth the figure vvith the veritie manna vvith his bread of the blessed Sacrament and giues the preminence to the veritie for sayeth hee your fathers did eate of manna and yet dyed but my māna is a more soueraine viande bicause vvho soeuer eateth of it shall liue for euer Novv if it bee true that the blessed Euchariste is only a signe of Christ and his body and blood then I demaund of our aduersaries vvith vvhat shevve of truthe Christe could preferre it before manna Vvhy should Christes bread giue life