the order of the tradition which was then deliuered vnto them to whome they comitted the church to the which many nations of those barbarous people that haue beleeued in Christe doe consente without letter or inke hauinge saluation written in in their hartes and keepinge diligentlie the tradition of our elders and soe S. Hier. saith cont Heres 9. The creede of our faith and hope which beinge deliuered by tradition from the Apostles is not written in paper and Incke but in the tables of the hearte and this is in the church booke also wherby wherein shee keepeth faithfully all trueth in the hartes of those to whome the Aposles did preach And therfore S. Paule saith 2. Thes 2.15 Brethren stande hold the tradition which you haue learned whether it be by worde or by epistle not only the thinges written and sett downe in the hollye scriptures but all other truethes and pointes of religion vttered by worde of mouthe and deliuered and giuen by the Apostles to their schollers And so S. Basil saith thus I accompte it Apostolique tradition to continue firmlie euen in vnwritten traditions and to proue this he alleadgeth this place of saint Paule â—n the same booke cap. 17. and saith if wee once goe aboute to reiecte vnwritten customes as thinges of no importance wee shal ere wee beware endamadge the principall partes of our faith and bringe the preachinge of the ghospell to a naked name and so example of these necessarie traditioÌ„s he named the signe of the Crosse prayinge towardes the easte the wordes spoken at the eleuation or shewinge of the holy Euchariste with diuers ceremonies vsed before and after baptisme with three immersions in the fonte the wordes of abrenunciation and exorcismes of the partie that is to be baptised and what scripture saith he taught these and such like None trulie all cominge by secret and silent traditions c. S. Hierome reckneth vpp diuers such like traditions Hieron in dialogo Lucife c. 4. epist com Luci 28. willinge men to attribuit to the Apostles such customes as the Church hath receaued by Christians of diuers Countrie 5. S. August ad Genn saith Let vs holde faste those thinges that are not written but are deliuered vnto vs which beinge generally obserued in all places of the worlde wee must thincke them to come from the Apostles or from the generall councells which oughte to be of greate authoritie in the churche of God and whosoeuer will dispute hereof ought to be counted of most insolent madnes S. Hier. ad Luc. wee must obserue the traditions of our Ancestors S. Paule comaunded vs to submitt our selues to our pastors and teachers S. Augustine saith wee learne by tradition that children in their infancie shoulde be baptized de gen ad liter 101. 23. Tradition caused him to beleeue that the baptized of heretiques should not be rebaptized by tradition onlie he and others condemned Heluidius the heretique for denyinge the perpetuall virginitie of our Ladie and without this noe Arrian noe Macedonian noe Pelagian noe Caluin will will yealde Wee must vse tradition saith Epiph for the scripture hath not all thinges and therfore the Apostles deliuered certaine thinges by tradition S. Iren. lib. 3. 14. saith that in all questions wee must haue recourse to the traditions of the Apostles teachinge vs withall that the waie to true apostolicall tradition and to bringe it to the fountaine is by the apostolicall succession of Bishoppes but especially of the apostolicall church of Rome declaring in the same place that there are manie barbarous people simple for learninge but for constancie in the faith moste wise which neuer had scriptures but learned onlie by tradition Tert. lib de corn reckoneth vpp a great number of christian obseruations or customes as S. Cyprian in mannie places doth whereof in fine he concludethe of such and such If thou require the rule of scriptures thou shalt finde none tradition shal be alleadged the author custome the confirmer and faith of the obseruer Orig. he mil. 5. proueth the same Dyonisius Areopag referreth the oblation and prayinge for the death in the lyturgie or Masse to an Apostolicall tradition Soe doth Tertull Aug. Chrys Damasc alleadge Also wee mighte add that the scriptures themselues euen all the bookes of the Byble be giuen vs by tradition else should wee not take them as they be indeede for the infallible worde of God noe more then the worcks of S. Ignat. S. Aug. S. Dion and the like 6. The true sense alsoe of the scriptures which Catholiques haue and heretiques haue not remayneth still in the Church by tradition the Creede is an Apostolicall tradition Ruff. in expo simb ad principium Hier. Epist. 61. cap. 9. Ambr. ser 38. Aug. de Simb ad Cath. lib. 3. cap. 1. Alsoe it is by tradition wee hould that the holie Ghost is God therfore Macedonius was condemned in the 2. Naz. lib. â— Theol. councell of Constantinople for an heretique for that he denyed the same because in the scripture this name is not giuen vnto him for in the scriptures manny thinges are said to be such by Metaphors which are not soe indeede as that God is a sleepe that he is angrie that he is sorrye although noe such thinge is in God as alsoe manny thinges that are such and yet are not mentioned in the scriptures God to be ingenitus with manny such attributes as Trinitie parson consubstantialitie hypostasis vnto hypostatica homousion and because the Arrians did not yelde vnto the same not findinge them in the scriptures they were in the councell of Nyce condemned for heretiques And althoughe the verie wordes be not in the scripture yet they be collected of the sence of the scriptures And soe S. Cyrill Cyrill l. 1. dialogoruÌ„ de trinit of that place of scripture Ego sum qui sum I am the same that is doth gather that the sonne is consubstantiall with the father although the worde consubstantiall is not founde in the scriptures So the catholique Church in all ages out of the sense of the scripture doth gather that wee oughte to pray vnto Sainctes to pray for the deade that there is a Purgatorie althoughe the verie wordes themselues be not there And when S. Paule did speake of the holy Eucharist he broughte noe scriptures to proue it I haue receaued of our Lord saith he that I deliuered vnto you he alleadged nothinge but tradition which he had receaued from our Lorde that a woman ought not teache in the Churche that a womaÌ„n ought to be couered that the man oughte to be bareheadded that the Bishoppe ought to be husband of one wife he alleadginge nothinge but the custome if any man would be captious or contentious he did oppose against theÌ„ the custome of the Churche saying wee haue noe such custome nor the Church of God and whosoeuer despiseth these thinges he doth not despise man but God And therfore wee are referred by the holie
But to those wordes of our Sauiour S. Basill doth aunswere saying Nihil aliud ijs recepi verbis intelligi Bas in Ethicis quam quod humanis traditionibus ad mandatum Dei reprobandum obsequendum non sit that nothinge else is meante by those wordes then that wee ought not obey such traditions as are repugnant to Godes lawes as many obseruations of the Iewes and alsoe of the pharisies were then and the like traditions of heretiques are nowe yet we ought to obey the custome of the church otherwise wee should be counted by the wordes of Christe as Ethnicks and Publicans But the traditions deliuered to vs by the pastors and fathers thereof which are the foundation of our faith and which are not repugnant to Godes precepts nor to his lawes or scriptures but doe rather confirme the same are not meant by those wordes for Godes worde doth not consiste onlie of the scripture Vppon what occasion heraesie did growe but also of tradition for such as were old heretiques did not gainsaie the written word but because they did not beleue the tradition of the church and the definition thereof they were soe counted and accursed 2. That the sonne is of the same substance with the father the catholique fathers haue defined by godes word but because the heretiques did not finde the same written they would not beleue the church which did grant it was nor written but deliuered by tradition Soe as you may see the difference betwixt the heretique and the catholique Felix Pontifex writinge to Benignum 130. yeares before the councell of Nyce saith that it was an Apostolicall tradition that the sonne was of one substance with the father and that the holie Ghoast is to be adored as the father and the sonne and that he is of the same substance with the father and when the same heretiques did aske where it was written the church did answere them that it was deliuered vnto them by tradition which two pointes continued afterwardes by the 2. councell of Nyce and Constinople Articles of faith by traditions Also in the councell of Ephesus that the blessed Virgin Marie should be called the mother of God In the councell of chalcedon that there are two natures in Christe In the 3. councell of Constantinople that there are in him two wills and two operations In the second councell of Nyce against heretiques that the church should vse Images In the generall councell of florence that the holy ghoast proceedeth from the father and the sonne And when heretiques did relie all vpon the scripture the catholique fathers did conuince their interpretation of scriptures by tradition of the successiue doctors and fathers in all ages The tradition also that easter daye should be obserued vpon the sondaie next after vnto the 14. daie of the new Moone as some doe write S. Peter and S. Paule ordained so as in all pointes of doctrine wee recurr to the tradition of our ancestors and when you teache that all thinges are â—on by necessitie not by the free will of man wee recurr vnto the successiue age and wee find out that the first author was Symon magnus next vnto him was Marcion next vnto Marcion was Manichaeus next vnto him was Petrus Adelhardus Next vnto him was Iohn Wicklief Next after whome followed your great master Martyne Luther so that we find in all antiquitie of tymes that this doctrine was detested by the holy doctors that liued in those ages 3. Againe when you obiect vnto vs your tradition of your imputatiue iustice where you say that our faith is imputed vnto vs by the iustice of Christ as if it had bene our owne iustice as also that euery one vnder paine of damnation is bounde to beleue Tradition of protestantes and to be certaine that his sinnes be forgiuen him that he should not mistrust his proper infirmitie therein also that not any one is iustified but he that beleues for certaine that he is iustified and that his iustification and absolution of his sinnes is effected by faith onlie without any relation to the Sacraments and that euerie one is bound to beleue that he is in the number of those that are predestinated and that by all infallible certitude he hath the guifte of perseuerance to be the true seruante of God vnto the last gaspe of his life this and such like wee can not find in the scriptures nor in the fathers nor in the doctors of the churche but rather the contrarie and that which the holie catholique churche calles pennaunce All things peruerted by the protestants you call terror of conscience and that which she calles Sacraments and sacrifice you call it the Lords supper wee search the fathers and wee can finde noe such wordes and although somtimes they make mention of the supper yet more often doe they call the same a sacrifice Did not S. Paule wish Timothy to keepe his depositum to auoide the prophane nouelties of voices and oppositions of false tearmed knowledge For the scripture is not subiecte to loftie skill or arrogant or presumptuous mindes who I pray hath greater skill or knowledge and vnderstandinge of the scriptures then the deuilles and yet it auaileth them nothinge because their mindes are possessed with malice and their hartes are emptie of charitie soe as men doe not sinne so much by the ignorance of the vnderstanding as by the malice of the will Aug. de doctrina Christi an cap. 35. and accordinge to S. Augustine the summe scope of all the scriptures is charity whosoeuer saith he that seemes to vnderstaÌ„d the scripture or any parcell thereof soe that his vnderstandinge doth not edifie that knott I meane the loue of God and our neigbors he hath not as yet vnderstoode the scriptures 4. Now all your manner of administration and ministerie is your owne tradition and inuention without scripture or warrant of godes worde but the traditions of the Apostles and ancients and all the preceptes of holie churche were comauÌ„ded to be kepte and they are not prescribed by man only but are made by the holie ghoast ioyninge with our pastors in the regimente of the faithfull Luc. 2.37 Matt. 18. where Christe saith he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me they are made by our mother the churche which whosouer obeieth not wee are warned to take him as a heathen 2. Cor. 3. S. Paule willed the people to keepe the decrees that were decreede by the Apostles and auncientes at Ierusalem he commaunded the people to keepe the precepts of the Apostles You are saith he written in our hartes not written with Incke but with the finger of the holy ghost S. Paule wrote many thinges not vttered in any epistle as some of the Apostles wrote the christian religion in the hartes of their hearers Wherfore Ireneus saith Iren. l. 3.4 what if the Apostles also had lefte noe scriptures ought wee not to followe
scriptures to our auncestors to aske knowledge of them Interroga patres tuos Deut. 32. Eccles 8. dicent tibi c. aske thy Fathers and they shall declare vnto thee and thy auncestors Eccles 8. and they will tell thee Non te praetereat narratio seniorum ipsi enim c. Omitt not to heare thine elders for they haue learned of their parents that of them you may learne vnderstandinge Prou. 2â— Non transgrediaris terminos antiquos quos posuerunt parentes Doe not you transgresse the old limittes which your pareÌ„ts haue prescribed Are not the Rechabites praised for followinge the tradition and preceptes of Ionadab Haec dicit Deus exercituuÌ„ Hier. 35.18 pro eo quod obedistis praecepto Ionadab patris vestri c. Thus saith the Lord of hoastes because that you haue obeyed the precepte of Ionadab your father and haue kepte all his commaundements therfore the Lord of hoastes the God of Israell saith there shall not faile one of the stirpe of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab that shall stande in my presence 7. In the dolfull and damnable debate and discorde that Martyne Luther Caluine and others haue raised vp by which they plunged themselues and the worlde into such an intricat laberinth of errors and heresies where shall the poore silly sheepe haue resolution of their doubts but of their parentes and pastors which God hath placed in his churche to gouerne and directe his flocke from all errors shall not the children beleeue their fathers and the sheepe their pastors Wee must not only flie vnto the scriptures as S. Vincentius Lyrinensis saith Vincent 9 â—eres c. 1. but vnto traditioÌ„ of the catholique church notwithstandinge saith he in that place that the scriptures are of themselues sufficient yet saith he because all men doe not conceaue the loftines of the scripture a like but accordinge to euery mans phantasticall censure and humorous passion as soe many heades soe many mindes for men as they be deuided in sects or factions soe they deuide the sense of the scriptures Nouatianus Photinus Sabellius Donatus Arrius Eunomius Macedonius Apollinaris Priscilianus Iouianus and Pellagius haue eche of them grounded their proper heresies vpon the scripture Nan videas eos volare per singula quaeque sanctae legis volumina sacrae scripturae You may see them flie ouer all the bookes of the holie lawe both in publique and priuate in their sermons in their bookes in their banquettes in tauernes in the streate nothinge did they euer produce which was not shadowed by the scriptures for they knewe verie well that their errors coulde neuer be pleasing vnto the people without the scriptures with which as with sweete water they sprinckle the same euen as soure drincke is teÌ„pered with sweet honny so as when children drincke therof hauinge once felte the sweetnes they haue noe loathsomnes of it though neuer soe bitter But the more scripture they bring the more wee ought to feare them saith S. Vincentius and to shunne them Magnopere curandum est in ipsa Ecclesia Catholica vt id teneamus quod vbique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est For in the catholique church wee must alwayes beware that wee keepe that which is beleeued alwayes euerie where and of euerie body haec est verè propriè Catholica which is properlie and trulie catholique And in the 9. chapter he saith Quo quisque religiosior est eò promptius nouellis adinuentionibus contrariatur the more vertuous that a man is the more prompte ready he opposeth himselfe against newe inuentions and soe he saith our maister S. Stephen in his epistles to the Bishoppes of Affricke touching rebaptisinge of infants that were baptized by heretiques nihil innouandum est nisi quod traditum est Apud Cypri li. 2. cap. 7. the good and religious man would haue vs children to inuente noe religion but what wee haue receaued of our fathers and whose steppes he would haue vs to followe in all thinges 8. This said author expoundinge 1. Timoth. depositum custodi keepe in depositum what I haue left in your custodie the religion and the obseruation thereof that I deliuered vnto you shunninge prophane noueltie of voices he doth not saye shunn antiquitie or ancientie or continuance but noueltie and innouation of thinges nam si vitanda est nouitas tenenda est antiquitas c. For if wee oughte to auoide noueltie wee shoulde imbrace antiquitie if noueltie be a prophane thinge antiquitie is a sacred thinge keepe the depositum saith he which is giuen vnto thee and to the whole church to be kepte from theeues and enemies least they should sowe cockell or darnell amouÌ„gest the cleane wheate The depositum which you haue receaued not which you haue inuented The deposituÌ„ which is not coyned by thy witt but deliuered by my doctrine Not any mans priuate vsurpation but the common and vniuersall tradition in which you are not the author but the keeper not the instituâ—or but the follower not the mayster but the disciple The depositum saith he Catholicae fidei talentum keepe the talent of the catholique religion vnspotted Exod. 36. inuiolable and vndefiled by you saith he the rosarie of the spirituall tabernacle Pretiosas diuini dogmatis geÌ„mas exculpe fideliter comptè VinceÌ„tius cap. 27. adoâ—â—a sapienter adijce splendorem gratiam venustatem do you garnish turne faithfully and adorne with the pretious Iewell of the diuine decree doe you add therunto splendor grace and beautie 6. All this I haue alleadged out of Vincentius Lyrinensis word by word for his whole booke against heresies hath noe other obiecte but the tradition of our auncestors by which he confuteth and conuinceth the prophane noueltie of heretiques and their arrogant insolent ostentation of scriptures vpon which they grounde all their hereticall cauillation which as all our forfathers before vs soe wee after them doe finde by experience that the interpretation and meaninge thereof as they doe produce them is of greater difficultie then the controuersie it selfe the fathers did vrge them with a shorter way by askinge Hil. 2. ad Const Aug. lib. â— de trinitate cap. 3. quid prius posterius what is first and laste for that heresie is grounded in noueltie and euer cometh after the Catholique trueth first planted And for that euerie heresie pretendeth his heresie to be auncient and from the Apostles the fathers doe alleadge that this trueth muste not onlye be eldeste but also must haue continewed from tyme to tyme at the leaste with the greatest parte of Christians Tertul. li. aduers prax c. 20 And therfore Tertulian saith lib. De praescriptione quod apud multos vnum inuenitur non est erratum sed traditum that wherin moste men doe agree vppon it is not an erronious opinion but a common tradition For the Church of God is a most liuely ghospell for with the Apostles there was the Church of
Christe before the ghospell was written sith none of the Euangelists did write vntill 18. yeares after Christs assention With Abraham Isaacke Iacob was a true Churche in the faith of one creator and redeemer to come when there was noe scripture Moyses the first that wrot Euseb li 9 c. 4 li. 10 cap 3 praeparationis Euangelicae for Moyses was the first that comitted the word of God to inke and paper hauinge written the same in the Hebrewe tounge which was the first that inuented characters or letters as Eusebius doth wittnesse c euen by the testimony of prophane writers themselues and haue taught the people beinge rude and ignorante to vse them Moyses beinge dead Cadmas in the daies of Iosue did firste inuente greeke characters 10. The holy scriptures doe testifie as also prophane histories Ioseph 1 â—pionem grammaticam Iosue c. 15 Iudic. 1. that learninge and philosophie came from the Phenicians Assirians Chaldeans and Aegipte vnto Greece and the same doth Iosephus teach The first vniuersitie that euer was was Cariath Sopher in the lande of Canaan in Asiria it was called the cittie of learninge neere vnto the cittie of Hebron longe after the Gretians begann to haue lettres and learninge and Origines saith none amoungest the Grecians did register or write any thinge of the actes or monuments of the Grecians before Homer and Hesiodus which were 400. yeares after Moyses and if there were any thing written of the Assyrians or of the Phenicians before Moyses they did perishe the holie scriptures by godes diuine prouidence beinge reserued safe and before any scripture there was the Church for betwixt Moses and our first Father was more then 2. thowsand yeares in all which time there was noe lawe written but the lawe of nature the word of God which he signified vnto Adam Noe Abraham or what otherwise he did inspire into the hartes of the Patriarches by tradition onlye it came to the posteritie and to Moyses himselfe soe as tradition was before the scripture more then 2000. yeares the lawe of grace which was by a liuely voice deliuered by Christe to his Apostles was not written by him nor commaunded by him to be written and therfore shall not the Christians beleue the same because he commaunded not it should be writteÌ„ or should the Christians which did beleue the Apostles before the same lawe was written be reputed fooles for beleeuinge the same before it was written For our Sauiour did not say Scribite Euangelium sed praedicate Euangelium omni creaturae write the ghospel but preach the ghospel to all creatures how many thowsandes be there in the worlde that cannot write nor read the scriptures and yet shall they not beleue them deliuered vnto them by the tradition and preachinge of the church sicut praedicauimus sic credidistis 1. Cor. 15. saith the Apostle as wee haue preached soe you haue beleued he did not say as wee haue written 2. Tim 3. Tu vero c. Doe you abide in those thinges that you haue learned knowinge or whome you haue learned them Act 15. 1. Cor. 11 soe it seemeth good to the holly ghoaste and vs if any man be contentious wee haue noe such custome He did not obiect scripture but custome and tradition 2. Thes 2 Horm in diacetis Cap 25. q. 1. therfore he said state in side stande fast to your faith and keepe the traditions Therfore it is inserted in the Cannons of Hormista prima salus est rectae fidei regulam custodire in constitutis patrum nullatenus deuiare it is the beginning of our saluation to obserue and keepe the rule of right faith and not to goe one steppe away from the decree and ordinance of our ancestors Certaine obiections answered against traditions taken out of the first Chapter of S. Paule to the Galathians CHAPTER III. 1. ALthough saith S. Paule wee Galat. 1. or an Angell from heauen euaÌ„gelize beside that which wee haue euangelized to you be he anathema or accursed This verie place is cited by S. Athanasius in the defense and confirmation of traditions sayinge If any man will cite out of scriptures any texte againste the decree or determinations of the churche and councells let him be accursed and although he alleadge all the scripture in the worlde against that which alreadie wee haue receaued wee must not beleeue him for children as Athanasius saith ought not to iudge of the decree of their parentes vnles they would haue themselues to be bastardes 2. Yet notwithstandinge wee must distinguishe the wordes of S. Paule which may be vnderstoode two manner of wayes as S. Augustine hath vnderstoode the same saying Aug. trac 96 super Iohn Aliud est euangelizare preterquam quod accepistis aliud est euangelizare plusquam accepistis euangelizare preterquam accepistis est transgredi regulam fidei recedere a via euangeliij semel per Apostolos praedicata for it is not all one to say to euangelize otherwise then you haue receaued and to euangelize more then you haue receaued for to euangelize otherwise theÌ„ you haue receaued is to transgresse the rule and limittes of faith and to departe from the decree of the Apostles which is a detestable thinge and therfore to euangelize more then you haue receaued is not S. Paules meaninge otherwise he should be repugnante to himselfe who desired to come to Thessalonica that he might supply what was defectiue and lackinge of other mens faith For when the Apostles vttered these wordes from Ephesus to Galatia the ghospells of the 4. Euangelistes were not written and specially the ghospell of S. Iohn For it is not all a like the ghospell and the writtinge of the ghospell the first that was written was the ghospell of S. Mathewe and S. Luke did supplye what was wanting of the same and S. Iohn in his ghospell did add in many thinges which was not writen in the other 3. Euangelistes And soe S. Paule himselfe in his Epistles did expresse many thinges which were not soe plaine in anye of the â— Euangelistes 3. Lastlie accordinge to the declaration of alâ— the doctors of the church especially Ireneus Tertulian Cyprian Hierom Augustine and others many thinges were deliuered vnto vs by the tradition of the Apostles which are not expreslie and maninifestly in the scriptures Basil in homil Sabel Arc. And therfore S. Basil saith Te paratum reddat traditio Dominus ita docuit Apostoli praedicauerunt patres custodierunt confirmauerunt martyres c. Let tradition please thee wee are soe taught by our Lord the Apostles haue soe preached vnto vs the fathers haue soe kepte the same and the same was confirmed by the Martyrs And in another place he further saith Basil ep ad Antiochenum Ecclesiae Fidem nos neque ab alijs scriptam nobis recentiorem susceptimus neque ipsi mentis nostrae germina tradere audeamus wee neither receaue a later faith written for
the body in which it is norished a certaine disease that doth penetrate the intralles and doth corrupt and infest the soules of Christians and not only doth kill with her touche as the Viper doth or with her sighte as the Basilike or with her belching as the dragon but after all these fashions and many more doth destroy confounde and cast away all that approache it neither is there any other remedie but to flie nor any other refuge then to departe from such a one as is intangled with it no other security then to be far from such an infernall and contagious mischeefe which with the name of Christe destroieth Christ in our hartes and vnder the pretence of faith destroyeth faith And S. Augustine saith let euery Catholike flie and abhor them with whom the Church communicateth not for we ought not saieth he to haue parte with them that haue no participation with themselues and which are not vnited to the body of the whole Church and to conclude with our Sauiour one should neuer otherwise accompte of them then as of heathens and publicans and his holy Euangelist S. Iohn forbiddeth vs to salute them 11. Therfore gentle Reader these be sufficiēt reasons wherfore we should be loath to dispute with Protestantes which through their fall from godes Church are voide of all humility intoxicated with pride and are so blinded with malice that they cannot learne or imbrace the trueth or haue any trewe wisdome For as the holly scripture saith into a malicious soule wisdome shall not enter For in all ciuill conuersation or disputation especially in matters of religion we should intend nothinge els but the consolation of our soules and the edification of our neighbours and as the Apostle saith Non nosmetipsos sed Iesum Christum praedicamus not our selues or our owne glory should we ayme at but that of Christ Iesu whose cote without seame is rente in peeces by so many wilfull inuēted opinions of protestāts whose mysticall body I meane his Church is despised forsaken persecuted the fruite of whose doctrine and the proiect of their strange deuises tendes to nothinge els then to shake the very pillars stroungest foundations and fortresses of all Christianity and at lenght to bringe in all coldnes and doubtfulnesse in our beleefe and misbeleefe in the principaleste misteries in our Catholike religion plaine Athesime and confusion of all Christian piety a gate for all disorders and dissolution of life and manners a shipwreacke of Conscience and other marckable and sutable effectes to their doctrine and behauiour which are practised by them daily in all places where they beare sway And although euery man as S. Naz. saith may thinke of God but not euery man dispute of him so euery man ought not to dispute or doubte of the cheefest misteries of Catholike religion but beleeue them simply with the vniuersall Church which is accordinge the Apostle the firmamente and foundation of trueth and therfore can not in any sorte deceaue vs. Lib. I. CHAPTER I. WHether the Religiō which Protestants professe be a newe Religion or whether the Romish Religion be new and that of the Protestants be ancient and ould CHAPTER II. The occasion of Luthers and of other heretiques fal from the Catholike Church fol. 13 CHAPTER III. By what deceite hypocrisie and dissimulation this heresie crept in to other Countries by what periurie and forgerie they were deluded by it and what destruction and desolation it brought with it fol. 21 CHAPTER IV. That heresies are the cause of Reuolutiō of Countries and destruction of state fol. 30 CHAPTER V. A prosecution of the laste Chapter that heresies are the causes of troubles and disquiettnes fol. 49 CHAPTER VI. That God doth extende the rodde of his wrath vpon Princes and common welthes infected with heresies fol. 43 CHAPTER VII Of the miserable death and endes of such as deuised and defended the protestant Religion as also other heresies fol. 61 Lib. II. CHAPTER I. Whether there be nothing that the Protestantes affirmatiuely beleeue confesse and professe but the Church of Rome doth beleeue the same and cannot be denied by Catholiques but that they are most auncient and consonant to the word of God fol. 71 CHAPTER II. A further Confirmation that these new ghospellers tende directly to Turcisme f. 83 CHAPTER III. Whether Papist Priestes do amisse in taking any thinge for their Masses fol. 86 CHAPTER IV. Of prayinge vnto Saints And whether the Church doth offend in praying vnto them fol. 91 CHAPTER V. Whether Papistes doe err in worshipping and adorning the reliques of Saints whether they sell their Masse and praiers for tēporall gaine fol. 102 CHAPTER VI. Whether Papists do commit Idolatrie in worshipping the Crosse of Iesus Christ f. 129. Lib. III. CHAPTER I. Whether Papistes blaspheme against God in sayinge that any man can merite fol. 150 CHAPTER II. Protestants say that a Christian though neuer so vertuous or so acceptable to God hath no grace or vertue inherent in him because they would haue no good acte to come from man by reason of that grace fol. 157 CHAP. III. In that heretiques reprehend the Catholique Church yea cōdemne her of great folly for endeuouring her selfe to receaue godes graces they by this meane take away free will from man and all due preparation and disposition to receaue godes grace and diuine influence fol. 161 CHAP. IV. Whether we derogate from the merites of Christ in making our merites partakers of his merits fol. 169 CHAP. V. The absurdity of this doctrine that euerie one should assure himselfe that he it predestinated vnto life euerlasting and that we ought to be as certaine thereof as we should not once feare the contrary or to misdoubt the same is discussed fol. 186 Lib. 4. CHAP. I. Whether the holy scriptures be for Protestantes and not for Papistes and whether we rely vpon traditions not warranted by holy Scripture fol. 193 CHAP. II. Whether euery man ought to be iudge of the scripture and rely altogether vpon his owne iudgement touching the interpretation therof being inspired by the holly ghost concerning the same fol. 208 CHAP. III. How heretiques would faine take away all tradition alleadging for their purpose that of S. Math. 15. In vaine you worship me teaching for doctrine mens precepts fol. 213 CHAP. IV. Certaine obiections answered against traditions taken out of the first Chapter of S. Paule to the Galathians fol. 231 CHAP. V. Whether we prohibit the scriptures to be translated into the vulgar tounge fol. 234 CHAP. VI. Whether we forbid the ignorante to pray in a languadge which they vnderstand f. 240 CHAP. VII Whether a man ought not to pray either by himselfe or by another but in a language he vnderstandeth fol. 251 Lib. V. CHAP. I. Whether the Church vniuersall can be charged with errors contrary to the first institution of the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist fol. 259 CHAP. II. Whether the Catholique Church doth add to this Sacrament in making it
heede of a headlonge fall It is true that God hath elected his people before the constitution of the world Rom. 8. accordinge to the Apostle â—â—he 1. but he said afterwardes that they should be holie and imaculate in his sight in charitie for in godes predestination are implied and inuolued good life and works of mercie done by godes grace It is an infallible and theologicall rule when God ordaines any end he ordaines meanes without which wee cannot come to that end as God hath ordained his glorie to be the end of man soe he ordained grace and the works done by that grace to be the meanes to obtayne it 3. If a kâ—nge will make any of his noblemen gouernour or deputie of any prouince or kingdome it must be vnderstood that he must obserue iustice although it be not expressed in his pattent if God doth predestinate vs it must be vnderstood that he should giue vs his grace wherby wee should be iust and worke by that grace and our endeuours our iustification therfore S. Peter 1. Pet. 1. saith Fratres magis satagite vt per bona opera certam vestram vocationem electionem faciatis c. Wherfore brethren labour the more that by good works you may make sure your vocation and election for in doinge these thinges you shall not sinne at any tyme. Was not S. Iohn saued by his innocencie and Peter also saued by his pennaunce for the end of man was neuer ordained without wayes or meanes to come to the said end And therfore you must not saie God hath ordained my end and I will not endeuour my selfe to come to that end otherwise you take awaie the one halfe of predestination that is to say the waie and meanes appointed for the same And therfore S. Gregorie saith Greg 1. Dialog ponitur d. 23. q. 4. 2. Ipsa perennis regni praedestinatio c That euerlastinge and endles predestination of godes perpetuall kingdome so it is of the omnipotent God disposed and determined that vnto the same the electe may approache by their owne labour that they maye aske by their desertes that which the omnipotent God before the world was disposed to giue if you will not goe to hell take away your sinnes and amend your wicked life and thither you shall not goe otherwise ve impis à malo woe be vnto the sinfull through his wickednes and confusion be vnto him for his iniquitie 4. Neither ought wee to saie almightie God knoweth all thinges to come whether I shal be saued therfore I ought not to labour my selfe for my saluation God knoweth that this daie you shal dyne therfore you ought not to prouide for dinner God knoueth that you shal be cured of your disease therfore you ought not to prouide any medecine for your cure God also knoueth that the kinge shall haue the victorie against his enemies that the husband shall haue a good haruest of corne that the mariner shall ariue safe in Spaine that Christ should escape the bloudy handes of Herod therfore neither the kinge should leuie an armie nor the husband man sowe the seede or till the grounde euen so the meanes are to be vsed to purchase the victorie and to fill the barne with corne and to ariue safely in Spaine and to be secure from Herod Vnto this agree the holy scriptures that predestination and godes fore-knowledge takes not away mans free will and endeuours Deus ab initio constituit homiminem reliquit eum in manu consilij c. Eccl. 5. God from the beginninge made man and lefte him at his owne choyce He hath putt before vs his precepts and comaundements if we will keepe the comaundements they will keepe and preserue vs he hath putt before vs fire water vnto which of them we list we may stretch forth our arme for before vs he hath placed both good euill life and death of any of which man may take his owne choyce 5. S. Paule was predestinated yet spareth not to say Castigo corpus meum c. I chastice my bodie and I bringe the fleshe in seruitude to the spiritt least that preachinge to others I should become reprobate my selfe therfore wee may see that our owne good endeuours which godes holie grace doth worke with vs are not excluded from our election but those workes are both the meanes and effects thereof and therfore it is a desperate follie and a great signe of reprobate and damnable persons to saie if I be predestinated doe what I will I shal be saued Did not Christ promise and assure his disciples of the cominge of the holie ghoast notwithstandinge did not those disciples with the deuout weomen and the blessed Virgin continewe together in prayers and fastinge disposinge themselues to receaue the same Actor 1. Neither in their prayers or fastinge did they misdoubt the cominge of the holie ghoast accordinge as our Sauiour promised the same notwithstandinge they knewe that they ought to prepare themselues to be cleane vessells fitt for the receipt thereof Yf the Pope should promise vnto you to fill your vessell full of Balme or Chrisme which are most pretious liquores if you will bringe an vnclean vessell vnto him he will not giue vnto you what was promised for in his promise was included that you should bringe a fitt and cleane vessell to receaue the same Soe Christ notwithstandinge he promised to fill their consciences vnderstandinge memorie and will with the balme of the holy ghoast yet the Apostles ought to haue their consciences and their soules withall the powers thereof cleane and voide of all filth of sinne and wickednes to receaue the same for such as are predestinated are written in a white paper in golden lettres as S. Vincentius saith neither only the persons soe predestinated are written there but also the works and meanes by which they are saued and predestinated videlicet that such people shal be baptized that they shal be mercifull patient chaste godlie and penitent euen soe such as are damned are written in a blacke parchement not only the person but their works by which they be damned and reprobate that is to say that he is cruell leacherous impenitent proude couetous c. Whether the holie scriptures be for protestantes and not for papistes and whether we relie vpon Traditions not warranted by holy Scripure CHAPTER I. 1. S Cyrill doth answere this obiection saying Epist. 28. Omnes haeretici de scriptura diuinitus inspirata sui colligunt erroris occasionem all heretiques do founde their errors vpon the Scriptures which were infused by God which wordes were pronounced in the 7. generall councell and are inserted in the councell of Calcedon S. Augustine also doth confirme the same saying Aug. trac 18. in loâ— Non aliunde natas esse haereses quaedam dogmata peruersitatis illaquentia animas in profundum praecipitantia nisi cum scripturae bonae intelligantur non bene