this world is forgiuē in the world to come that they may not be afflicted with eternall torments Thus he Now is S. Augustine doubtfull either of Purgatorie or of the exposition of this place for pardon in the next world Hath this Doctour in his vnfoulding the words of Christ turned vp Nody Or rather your Minister that dealt your Cardes vsing foure false and deceiptfull trickes concerning this testimony of Viues may he not be thought to haue turned vp for you all the Nodies and Knaues in the bunch 8. But this your gaming Metaphore is not so iniurious to these Blessed Saintes as it is blasphemous against the holy Ghost whose thrice venerable writings did you reuerence in your hart more then the follies of your owne braine your pen would haue trembled to haue called that exposition Nody which so many graue Fathers without the contradiction of any do peremptorily affirme to containe his meaning What can be sacred and certaine amongst Christians if an vnlearned Knight may be permitted to deride that which the most famous Deuines and Fathers of former ages do deliuer as an vndoubted verity and Gods infallible word It is true that Fathers to proue this or that Catholike verity may sometimes bring places of Scripture that haue other sense yea perhaps the sense that one or other doth giue may not be the best although the doctrine therby proued be true which is to erre according to the Analogy of the Place not of Faith A distinction you vnderstand not yet when many Fathers of the Church agree in the same exposition of Scripture without the Contradiction of any the same is to be thought the vndeniable sense of that place For which cause Caluin cannot be excused of hereticall rashnes (h) Caluin comment in c. 10. Io. who dareth expound this Text of Scripture Ego et Pater vnum sumus I and the Father are one of vnity of Consent and Will not of nature and substance adding that the Ancients did abuse the same to proue the Consubstantiality of the Sonne of God Happily the text cannot be so strongly vrged but Caluin◠Arrianizing wit may find some plausible euasion to escape the force therof Yet seing the vniforme consents of Fathers haue canonized that meaning of the wordes he can not be a true Christian that will not neyther was Caluin that did not submit his Iudgment therunto For the vniforme consent of Fathers doth not require that euery one none excepted should expresly teach the same doctrine for then scarse in any point could this vniforme consent be proued seeing all write not of the same point but it sufficeth that many haue taught it in diuers ages without contradiction of the rest and such is the exposition of this place for Purgatory and for the dead in the next world Neither is S. Chrysostomes exposition you brought (k) Lett. p. 41. contrary vnto this that the synne against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiuen in this world nor in the world to come that is Non effugient poenam they shall surely be punished in this wold and in the world to come For first it is not sure and certayne that vniuersally all such synners are punished in this world Many tymes they florish prosper and spend their whole liues in great worldly ioylity as diuers Persecutors Sodomites Apostata's haue done which you name as synnes irremissible and call their Authors Synners in grayne Besides synne neuer to be remitted is more then to be punished in this world and in the next For as you heard S. Augustine say some endure temporall punishments in this life only and some in the next life only some in both so that one may be punished both in this and in the world to come and yet haue his sinne forgiuen at last The meaning then of S. Chrysostome is they shal be punished in this world without pardon and in the next likewise without remissiion Whence it doth follow some may be punished in the next with Purgatory Clemency as Boaethius speaketh (l) Lib. 4 praef 4. So that this exposition as I said though it be not taught expresly by euery Father yet is it not contradicted by any These things Syr you should consider before you speake you should wipe away Tobacco smoke from your eyes when a Card is turned vp before you cry Nody least often as now you haue done you lay the foule Epithete on the holy Ghost indeed that true King of Harts who moued those Fathers to expound the wordes of Christ for the remission of sinnes in the world to come 9. You oppose against our Catholike expositiō another deuised by your self or your Ministers wherin you do greatly delight You will grant sinnes pardoned in the next world and yet not yield one penny to our Purgatory box In this world say you (m) Lett. pag. 50. 51. sinnes are fully pardoned quoad remissionis applicationem by the application of pardon vnto them and the selfe same sinnes may and shal be pardoned in the next per remissionis promulgationem by the proclamation of pardon This distinction you thinke is the (n) p. 32. fiue fingers which you imagin will carry away the Set from the Fathers yet I dare say a man that hath bin conuersant in Scriptures will iudge it no better then Nody First because it is a new deuise not backed by the authority of any Father which therfore may iustly be suspected For Scriptures are to be expounded according to the traditions of our ancestors not by our owne fancies as the Goulden paire of Grecian Doctors Basil and Gregory did who durst neuer follow therin their owne iudgments as Ruffinus o recordeth neither would you Scripturarū intelligentiam non ex propria praesumptione sed ex maiorū scriptis authoritate sequebantur whose wit and learning is not to be paralelled with theirs were you as humbly conceited of your self as you haue cause Secondly because you neither do nor can bring any expresse testimony of Scripture to confirme this your new fancy nor any text that may giue the least colour or probability vnto it You cite the words of S. Iohn that the vnbelieuer is already condemned yet say you he must come to a second doome so is it with the belieuer Albeit he hath full remission granted (p) c. 3. v 18 and his pardon sealed in this life yet he must haue the same proclaimed at the generall Goal-deliuery in the world to come in which sense he may as truly be said to haue his sinnes pardoned as the other his condemned 10. Thus you preach very learnedly as you think though God knowes to little purpose For first you neither do nor can tel what is the first doome the vnbelieuer vndergoeth by which he is damned in this world and after which he must come to a second The ancient Fathers expound that place not that he is indeed sentenced in this world but is said to be condemned and iudged
Diuinity in his head or Christianity in his hart or Sobryetie in his tongue would haue accused Catholiks for esteeming the Ipsa dixit of the Church as much as the Pythagorians did the Ipse dixit of their Maister Why should not this Ipsa the Mother of Christians the Spousesse of the Holy Ghost this Pillar and Foundation of truth this daughter of God the Father washed with the bloud of his sonne that she might in her doctrine haue no blemish of errour Why should not her word I say be more esteemed of by her children then the saying of Pythagoras a Pagan Philosopher was with his Schollers I perceiue you do loue more then belieue the Feminine Gender perchance you suspect in the Church the fault you lay vpon that Sexe (o) Counters p. 52. with some ryme let them say with what reason Mulier nihil scit nisi quod ipsa cupit This makes you loath to submit your Iudgment vnto Ipsa dixit But you may be sure that the Dixit or Saying of the Church is neuer (p) vt maneat vobi cum in aeternū Ioan. 14. without the dixit of Gods spirit her Maister She hath the warrant of her Spouse that he will make her wordes good he that heareth you heareth me (q) Luc 10. to which her Commission he subscribeth with a dreadfull Curse He that heareth not the Church let him be to thee as an Heathen (r) Luc. 18. Oh what glorious Fathers and Doctors could I name famous in former ages for Sanctity and learning that submitted their Iudgment to the sayings of the Church put their fingers to their mouth when she did gaine-say that they thought true prostrating their learned penns to be euer at the deuotion of her Censure How highly did they esteeme her Dixit her Iudgmēt her Word Let S. Augustine speake (l) de Baptis cont Donatist l. 17. c. 33. vel 53. I dare with the conscience of a secure voyce affirme saith he what in the Gouerment of our Lord Iesus Christ is established by consent of the vniuersall Church And againe (m) de Baptism cōt Donatist l. 4. c. 6 If he say something that doth say We follow what we receaue from the Apostles how much more strongly do we say we follow that which the Church did euer hold what no disputation could ouerthrow (n) Contra epist Fundam l. 5. what a Generall or plenarie Councell hath defined Thus S. Augustine doe you see what a Pythagorean Dixit what vncontrollable Authoritie he granteth to the Church 6. As litle Iudgment or Piety do you shew in your iest at the Ladies A. B. C as though the authoritie of the Church were not the Alphabet and Christ-Crosse-Row in which all Christiās ought and all ancient Christians did learne to reade and belieue the Scriptures The forenamed S. Augustine the Phenix of witts the Mirour of learning did he not learne in this booke Ego vero saith he Euangelio non crederem nisi me Ecclesiae commoueret Auctoritas Truly I would not belieue the Ghospell did not the Churches authoritie moue me vnto it Why should any Lady or Lord Maister of Arts or Doctor disdaine to spell the Ghospell of Christ by the same letters such learning sanctity vsed 8. Shall I tell you your protestant Ladies (*) Has linguas qui nesciunt saepe necessariò hallucinantur VVhitak de sacra scriptura pag. 523. A. B. C For the old Testament those Hebrew Characters now you begin to learne (o) Counters p. 7. and the Greeke letters for the new which if they be ignorant of I assure them according to your (p) Nullū nos editionem nisi Haebraicū in vetere Graecā in nouo Testamēto authenticam facimus VVhitak controu 1. q. 2. p. 128. Churches Principles they cannot reade so much as a sillable that they may be certaine is Scripture They may reade the English translation you will say that is Scripture I deny the same to be Scripture except it be conformable to the Originall wherof those haue no meanes to be sure that cannot read nor vnderstand the two aforenamed learned tongues in which they were primarily written If you say they must belieue it vpon the word of your Church (q) Multi nesciunt literas tamēfidēsanā retinent expraedicatione pastorum Whitak de sacra scriptura p. 588. you bring them back vnto ipsa dixit and make them reade the letters of Christianitie in your Ministers horne booke Were it not better to stick to the Catholicke Ladies A. B. C. that fayre Christs-Crosse rowe which our famous auncestors did learne Cleaue to the authority of that Church which begun in the Apostles by perpetuall Succession of Bishops is deriued vnto this age * Illam Scripturā dicis non esse quam esse dicit vniuersa Ecclesia ab Apostolicis sedibus vsque ad praesentes Episcopos certa successione perducta l. 28. cont Faust c. 2. 8. But suppose one would be scholler to your Church hath she so much skill or any warrant not to erre as we may be sure she will not teach vs amisse Your selues say (r) The whole militant Church may erre as euery part therof Fulke in his answere to a Counterfayte Cath. p. 86. that she may erre and teach vs damnable doctrine For which when at the day of iudgment we shal be called to accompt to say our lessons we may be laughed to skorne loose the eternall reward and be punished for euer As it is insolent madnes to contradict the custome of the true Church (ſ) August Epist 118. ad Ianuarium so is it desperate madnes to follow the directions of such a Church which though we religiously belieue exactly obserue euen vnto death yet may we be perpetually damned But the Ladies of your Church learne forsooth of the spirit they trust to Ipse dixit who will teach them which is the Scripture They are the sheep of Christ and know his voyce from that of strangers These are your Ministers faire promises yet I dare giue them my word though they haue the best spirit that euer possessed any man of your Church notwithstanding they may erre damnably mistake Scripture think that to be true translation which is indeed erroneous Had not Luther the first fruites of the Protestants spirit yet he erred most grossely that euen Zwinglius his fellow-witnes against the Pope doth giue this testimony against him (t) tom 2. l. de sacrament p. 412. Thou Luther doest corrupt the word of God thou art seene to be a manifest corrupter of the holy Scriptures 9. What translation or spirit of your Church may your Ladyes trust if Luther be soe corrupt as this your faithful witnes doth depose I see no remedy for them if they meane to be saued frō the deluge of errours but to fly to your Arke of Noe printed at Venice (u) Counters p. 8. wherein you were shipped when my booke came to
take to your self the Nody you layd on our expositions you seeme in a manner to graunt all to witt that the speach of Christ was indeed senselesse wherein you would fayne haue Maldonate ioyne with you (k) Let. p. 38. you cite him vpon a sentence of Christ saying in this sort Haec oratio hominibus absurda videtur qui non intelligunt Maldonatus sup Matth. 19.14 this speach seemeth absurd to those that vnderstand it not why then say you should this prouerbiall amplification sound soe vncouthly in your eares you would be loath I should serue you with a Non intelligis vnder Maldonates seale But Sir I must by your leaue serue you with Non inuenis vnder the seale of truth Do you consider whether you may not serue your Minister out of whose Note-bookes you copy these falshoods with a Mentiris Maldonats true words vpon the sentence of Christ (l) Matth. 29.24 that it is easer for a camell to passe through a needells eye then a rich man to enter in to the kingdome of heauen are these Absurditas saith he vt videbatur aut potiùs admirabilitas huius sententiae in causa fuit vt quidam Cameli nomine nauticum funem quo Anchorae alligantur intelligerent The absurdity as it seemeth or rather the admirabilytie of this doctrine caused some interprete Camelum a Cable rope by which shippes ryde at Anker Which wordes of Maldonatus make not for you but rather against you We deny not but the doctrine of Christ and his speach may seeme absurd to carnall men by occasion of the height and admirability of his doctrine which the capacity of humayne vnderstanding reacheth not vnto as Maldonatus saith but that the speach and wordes of diuine wisdome should indeed be absurd for want of sense or mystery conteyned in them that he should expresse a truth in a disiuÌ„ctiue speach one clause whereof is senseles which no wise and graue man vseth to doe this absurditie I say and superfluitie of speach we take it a great blasphemy in you to suspect in the doctrine of Christ 25. Hence is answered the Question you make (m) p. 27. It was an old prouerb say you when I went to schoole Veritas non quaerit angulos How commeth it to passe that S. (n) c. 3 29. Markes exposition to wit that the synne against the holy ghost shall neuer be remitted is such a mote in your eyes that you are gauled to the quick that he should decide the question To this I reply with another question how commeth it to passe that the text of S. Matthew being larger in wordes then that of S. Marke is such a beame in your eye that you would haue the same broken in peeces till it be no greater then S. Markes mote The reason is I feare because the partition of Eternity into this world and of the world to come to be two places for remission of synnes is a payre of spectacles through which you must needs see Purgatory except you willfully shut your eyes Is not this quaerere angulos to seeke corners to leaue the open field of S. Matthewes larger sentence seeking a Commentary in S. Marke more retyred and concise speach Seeing S. Matthew is more diffuse in wordes we do him wrong denying them a more copious sense when they may beare it S. Matthew deuideth what S. Marke confoundeth in one the two partes of eternity which in S. Matthew are manifest in S. Mark are hidden how then can S. Marke be thought an expositor of S. Matthew who fouldeth vp what the other layeth open 26. I hope Syr you perceaue this Catholike exposition of Christs wordes or deduction of Purgatorie from them is in it self most sutable with the wisdome of so graue an Author specially backed with the authoritie of so many worthy Fathers expounding them with vs against your mens fancie If S. Augustine changed (o) l. 6 cont Iul. c. 11. vel 23. l. 1. retract c. 23. his exposition of a passage of S. Paul which he had constantly taught before because he perceiued the same was against S. Hilary Gregory Sanctos notosque Doctores Ambrose and other holy and knowne Doctors of the Church Melioribus saith that euer-admired doctor intelligentioribus cessi I yeilded vnto those that were better and more intelligent then my selfe How dare you so peremptorily presume vpon your new deuised exposition contradicted by many not warranted by any ancient Father How did you not feare to lay vpon an exposition receaued generally for many ages in the Church the title of Nody yea to say that the same is backed by noe exemplar proofe besides Hobgoblins (p) let p. 42. 27. What S. Augustine said vnto Iulian the Pelagian who branded the doctrine of original sinne with the title of a Manichean fable may be retorted vpon you that disgrace Purgatory with the style of Satanicall figment Hauing brought six or seauen Fathers for that point of Catholike doctrine he concludeth in this sort saying vnto him (q) l. 1. con Iulia. c. 2. vel 4. finding you in your writings non antelucano conuiuio temulentum sed insano conuitio turbulentum not so much tipled with wine taken next your hart as distempered with senslesse rayling against truth I haue not brought you into Zenocrates schoole where drunken Polemo was made sober but haue summoned you vnto the quiet and venerable assembly of holy Fathers (r) Sanctorum PatruÌ„ pacificum honorandumque consessum Let not my labour be lost behould them that looke on you who sweetly and gently looke on you what sonne are we Maniches are we Hobgoblings or Nodies What can you answere What eies will you lift vp against them You will say you did accuse none of them by name of this errour But what will you do when they shall answere we had rather your rayling teeth should teare our name then our fayth by the merit wherof of our names are written in heauen What sillogismes will you frame What will Aristotles logicke avayle you wherein you would faine shew your selfe skilfull that you may seeme an artificiall disputer against vs Will you dare to drawe your blade of brasse the leaden poyniards of your arguments (Å¿) TuoruÌ„ argumentorum vitrea acies vel plumbei pugiones in their presence What weapons will not tremble and sheuering for feare fall out of your hands (t) Quae abs te arma non fugient nudumque destitueÌ„t dauntted with the maiestie of soe graue a Senate Thus S. Augustine THE FOVRTH CHAPTER THE CHVRCHES PERPETVALL TRADITION to pray for Saints in Purgatory in the next life VVHERE your iâ—sts against the Churches Authorities and Scriptures against this Tradition are answered THAT short and pithy Treatise which you sought to disgrace with froathy lynes alleadged (a) l. 1. p. 1. c. 1. §. 4. for Purgatorie the custome of the Church to pray for the dead and their reliefe in the holy Sacrifice
of the Altar which custome he proueth was perpetuall euen from the blessed Apostles S. Cyril Arch-bishop of Ierusalem liuing in Constantine the Great his time writeth of that practice in this sort (b) Cathec mystag 5. When we offer vp sacrifice we pray for our deceased Fathers and Bishops and finally for all men departed amongst vs for we belieue that this is a great help for the soules of them in whose behalfe we offer that holy and fearefull sacrifice which is layd vpon the Altar S. Chrysostome (c) hom 79. ad populum Antiochenum saith as much that it was not vnaduisedly decreed by the Apostles that in the fearefull Mysteries there should be a commemoration of the dead for they knew the dead receiued great benifite vtility therby But most clearely S. Augustine (d) Serm. 42. de verbis Apostol There is no doubt saith he but that by the prayers of holy Church and by the healthfull Sacrifice and by almes the soules of the deceased are released that God may deale more mercifully with them then their sinnes haue deserued for this being deliuered by our Fathers the vniuersall Church doth obserue 2. Behold prayer for the reliefe of the dead receaued from the Blessed Fathers Apostles practized by the vniuersall Church in that her most florishing age whose authoritie to impeach is the badge of heresie whose custome to condemne is insolēt madnes What say you to this Argument Syr Edward Sometimes you labour to proue that this was not an Apostolicall Tradition nor a perpetuall and vniuersall custome of the Church you bring (e) pag. 76. 77. argument vpon argument fiue or sixe one vpon the back of another which it were lost time to set downe For when your swelling pregnant Mountaines come to their Childbirth they are deliuered of a feely mouse the force of your argument consisting in this testimony of Polydore Virgil that Purgatorium aliquando incognitum fuit serò cognitū Ecclesiae vniuersae it was a great while before Purgatory was hard of and but of late knowne to the vniuersall Church I know I might pose you to finde nay sure I am you cannot finde those wordes in Polydore A signe that when you conceiue your noble and worthy lynes you haue Ministers note-bookes before you which is the cause they are so false foule rather resembling a Minister then a Knight some of that crew as it may seeme had summed the substance as he thought of Polydors discourses in that place you cite (f) De inuent l. 8. c. 1. which sume you trāscribe into your Letter as Polydors owne wordes though Polydore in truth speaketh not one word of his owne concerning Purgatory but meerly relateth of Roffensis whome you also bring such is your beggary making two distinct Authours of one 3. Roffensis then must beare the brunt of this battayle whome you quote (g) pag. 77. saying that the Greekes knew not Purgatory vnto this day Nay further he propoundeth this chalenge Reade he that list the ancient Greekes commentaries and he shall finde either little or no mention at all of Purgatory But in this your English Edition you omit that which you haue in your latin Original Quantum opinor as I now think or ghesse sayth that Byshop which is lesse then a new nothing to hang on your sleeue For though Roffenfis at that tyme (h) art 18. aduersus Luth. had such a thought not hauing then so fully perused the Grecian Fathers yet afterwards in that very booke when he commeth to speake of Purgatory (i) art 38. he doth affirme the contrarie in expresse tearmes Whereas Luther did obiect (k) Graeca Ecclesiae Purgatorium non credit manens Catholica that the Greeke Church did not belieue Purgatorie he maketh this answere I take it you meane the vulgar multitude of that Nation not the Fathers of the Grecian Church for that the Grecian Fathers fauour Purgatorie the workes they left behind them doe witnesse then he bringeth diuers authorities in proofe of his Assertion And againe Luther obiecting that Purgatorie could not be proued out of Scripture he doth reply that to pray for soules in Purgatorie is a most ancient custome of the Church adding (l) Cùm Purgatorium à to◠patribus tam Graecis quà m latinis affirmetur art 38. circa principium that seeing so many Fathers both Greeke and Latin auer Purgatorie it is not likly but that truth was made knowne vnto them by sufficient proofes out of Scripture Behold the swelling waues of your Syllogismes which occupy a whole page of your booke now are ended in froath in a silly surmise of Roffensis which vpon mature and exact perusall of the ancient Fathers he doth himselfe peremptorily gaine-say 4. But put case Polydore Virgil or Roffensis had said what you desire could his words way downe in any iudicious ballance S. Augustines cōtrary assertion Especially about the custome of the Church in that age wherein this glorious Saint liued S. Augustine against Polydors or rather your Ministers Serò that Purgatorie is but of late he hath à Patrihus traditum that it is deliuered from our Fathers which Fathers S. Chrysostome declareth to haue bene the Apostles against the emphasis of non vniuersae not the vniuersall he hath the contradictory vniuersa obseruat Ecclesia the whole vniuersall Church doth practice prayer for the relief of some dead Now you haue the whole army of the Christian Church in all ages set in battayle array against you the blessed Apostles with Pykes as I may say of diuine Authoritie standing in the forefront You say (m) Counters p. 24. the Apostles long since lent you a brydle to curbe the motions of swelling pride Si quis se existmet scire aliquid nondum cognouit quemadmodum oporteat eum scire This bit of sobriety if you had it euer in your mouth it may seeme that wine hath washed it downe so tamquam equus sine intellectu you runne against this glorious army You giue a double assault one with Iestes Scoffs deriding Catholikes for the reuerence they beare vnto the Churches authoritie Secondly you bring places of Scriptures which to your fancy seeme to condeme Purgatory and the custome to pray for the reliefe of the deseased First you begin u to iest at the saying of that Treatise that it is insolent madnes to contradict in this sort the custome of the Church pulchrè dictum say you this is your Ladies A. B. C. the Church is as much beholding to you as was Pythagoras to his Schollers insteed of ipse dixit you will haue ipsa dixit Thus you write And truly from such a Poet as your selfe what could we expect but such irreligious iestes who perchance take your pen to write about Theologicall questions when you are in the same case your Father Enuius euer was when he set himselfe to make Heroicall verses 5. For what man that hath any bit either of
chiefest Bishops or Patriarks of the East were either Authours or their fautors This was the cause that often the Orthodoxall Bishops of Greece in defence of truth were forced to fly for succour to the Romaine as did Athanasius and Paulus the one Patriarke of Alexandria the other of Constantinople and others (h) Sozom. l. 1. c. 7. To end which dissentions by his Authority Supreme vnder God vpon Earth ouer the flock of Christ he hid procure that Councells might be called in Greece the discipline of the Church requiring that Councells meete examine the cause and punish offenders where the fault was committed Soe that the cause why those Councells were kept in Greece not in Rome was the Purity of the one neuer falling into Heresie and the infelicity of the other neuer to be without inuentours of such monsters 15. This sinceritie likewise of Doctrine as Ruffinus noteth (i) Ruffin in expositione Symboli is the cause that the Church of Rome did neuer add any word or syllable to the Creed but kept the same entyre without addition which saith he happened not in other Churches because other Churches hauing had heresies sprong vp within their owne bowells did add some wordes to the Creed to crosse and meet with such errours which the Romane neuer did nor had need to doe seeing no heresie had neuer beginning in it Thus Ruffinus wherefore seing the Roman Church caused those Councells to be held in Greece confirmed the same afterwards and their Creeds to be receaued through the whole Church who cā deny but we had those foundations of Faith more principally from the Roman then any other Church the Principall Sea from whence saith (k) l. 4. ep 8. S. Cyprian Priestly dignitie one great Pillar and Foundation of Christianity did flow Vnto which Tertullian (l) Praescr c. 31. Irenaeus (m) l. 3. c. 3. Optatus (n) l. 2. cōt Parmen Epiphanius (o) Haeres 27. S. Augustine (p) Epist 165. being vrged by Heretikes did fly as vnto the head deriving Scriptures Creeds and all other Ecclesiasticall traditions from them Wherefore I must thinke that many sick and sory feathers were in that Ministers head that caused you to call them rather Grecian then Roman Plumes though so light a word as Plumes applyed to so graue matters as Scriptures Creeds and Councells doth sauour of the leuity of your phrase 16. This leuity you shew in the prayses you giue to the Church no lesse then in the reproaches Thus you preach Who is he say (q) Lett. p. 67. you that saith not of the true Church with Augustine Non parua Ecclesiae auctoritas well doth her Modesty well doth her fidelitie deserue honorable esteeme she taketh not vpon her to controule the holy Scripture her Mother from whom she drew her first breath she openeth not her mouth till her mother hath deliuered her mynde she commeth not of her owne head with any sleeuelesse arrant Thus you discourse describing the Spouse of Christ and Mother of Christians as a mannerly young Mayd brought vp in Luthers schoole You demaund who is he that doth not say with S. Augustine Great is the authority of the Church And yet you your self are the Man who call that Authority of the Church which S. Augustine in that very sentence reuerenceth as great and venerable idle and sleeuelesse like the Butcher that called for his knife he had in his mouth These are S. Augustines wordes (r) De cura pro mortuis c. 1. We read in the Books of Machabees that Sacrifice was offered for the dead but if this were no where read in the old Scriptures yet ther is no small authoritie of the vniuersall Church which shineth in this custome Behold S. Augustine calleth Doctrines deliuered by the Church without expresse Scripture great shining which you reuile and contemne 17. Thus you contradict the saying of S. Augustine whilst you would seeme to applaud it yet is not this contradiction so witlesse as is your Assertion impious that Doctrines and Decrees of the Church not deliuered in Scriptures are sleeuelesse the perpetuall virginity of the B. Mother after her sacred birth of the Sonne of God you seeme so to beleeue that you would stop your eares against any that should dispute therof (ſ) Lett. p. 39. but where is this written in Scripture what is it but a perpetuall traditiō of Gods Church S. Augustine sayth (t) de Baptism cont Donatist l. 2. c. 7. that it cannot be clearly proued out of Scripture that Heritikes returning to the Church should not be rebaptized yet the Church hath forbidden the same Shall we tearme this prohibition sleeuelesse That these and these bookes be Canonicall and the other Apocriphall where it is taught in Scripture Now he doth not see that Scriptures are the chiefest points of our Faith contayning the fountaine and as it were principles of faith Doe but read your learned Authour Hierome Zanchius who will giue a newer tune then that your Minister piped vnto you That Authour famous in your Cōgregations teacheth (u) Tom. 4. l. 1. de lege Dei that diuers vnwritten traditions concerning doctrine and manners are in the Church which are not only profitable (x) Non solum vtiles Ecclesiae sed ferè necessariae saith he but in a manner necessary which haue their beginning from the holy Ghost which we must reuerence and obey else we contemne the Authority of the Church which is a thing saith he very displeasing vnto God how then doe you preach that the Church neuer openeth her mouth till Mother Scripture haue deliuered her mind 18. I confesse that this your Authour goeth a step backward saying that these vnwriten traditions are not of equall authoritie with the written word (z) Paris authoritatis non sunt cum verbo in sacris literis reuelato but therin he doth cleerely contradict himselfe For the Canon of the Scripture being as he confesseth an vnwritten tradition how can any thing contayned in Scripture be more certaine then some vnwritten traditions are Can any man be more certaine of a truth proued out of Scripture then he is that his proofes are indeed Scripture One may see this doth imply in termes Wherefore great cause had your Doctour Field (a) Of the Church p. 238. to grant that Papists haue good reason to equall their Traditions to the written word if they can proue any such vnwritten verities and his proofe is pregnant because not the writing giueth things their authoritie but the worth and credit of him that deliuereth them though by word and liuely voyce alone 19. Now put these two sayings of your two Doctours togeather and make an argument for traditions let Doctour Field giue the Maior vnwritten verities can they be proued are equall to the written word let Zanchius add the Minor but diuers vnwritten verities and traditions profitable and in a manner necessary for the Church both
about faith manners may be proued What doth follow but that some vnwritten verities and traditions are found which haue equall authoritie with diuine Scripture Is not this argument in good forme Are not the premisses thereof certaine which euen our enemies doe grant May traditions be termed sleeuelesse for which your owne Taylors or Doctours make such glorious winges that therby they fly vp to the throne of diuine Truth 20. But I will not bestow on your suggesting Minister a sleeueles garment but rather grant him a Coate with foure sleeues for his Metaphore by which he maketh the Church Scriptures daughter many Churches as S. Irenaeus writeth (b) l. 3. c. 4. in his time had neuer read any word of Scripture yet did they flourish by keeping the Tradition of Christian doctrine in their hartes Was the Scripture the Mother of these Churches I see not which way you will draw their pedigree from the Scripture except in your next writings you make Scripture Grandmother who hath bin yet scarse 3. yeares a Mother The Church of the old Testament was some thousand yeares (c) 2000 yeares from Adam vnto Moyses before Scripture the Church of the New did flourish many yeares before any Ghospell was written who euer saw or heard a daughter borne before the mother A Sonne before the mother I haue heard of yet he as Man according to which Nature he was her Sonne was not before her So that the Church Child of Scripture a daughter before the Mother is the Pallas of your braine which some Vulcans sharp hatchet hath holpen you to be deliuered of And thus much of your no lesse ridiculous then impious iestes against the authority of the Church 21. After your light skirmish with Scoffes followeth a graue battery of the Churches custome to pray for soules in Purgatory with the Canō of Scriptures (d) Lett. a pag. 80. vsque ad 93. by which you will proue her doctrine in this point to be a Satanicall figment disgracefull vnto the great mercy of God euacuating the Crosse of Christ The places by you alleadged are many but either so triuiall and knowen togeather with the Catholikes answeres or else so ridiculously applied wrung wrested to your purpose that their very sound is able to breake a learned mans head and make him scratch where it doth not itch for want of an answere To giue some few examples What say you (e) pag. 86 shall not Hel gates preuaile against vs and shall Purgatoryes muddy wall hedg vs in Hath the soule of Christ gon downe into the nethermost Hell yet made no passage through the suburbes of Hell Hath he bound the strong Man that he should not harme vs and will he now torment vs himselfe or set we know not whō to do it Thus you Who will not wonder that Purgatoryes wals fall not to the ground with the storme of these your windy interogations shall I make the Logicall Analysis of your Rhetoricall Arguments They be three Ethymens I think The first the gates of hell shall not prauaile against the Church ergo there is no Purgatory The second the soule of Christ went down to the nethermost Hell ergo no Purgatory can be found The third Christ bound the strong Man and took his fortresse ergo Purgatory must vanish away 22. I think Aristotle would be grauelled in these argumēts to find the Mediū to ioyne your extremes togeather For what force hath Christs binding the strong Man that he may not harme his children to proue that God may not chastize them for their sins either by himselfe or another in this world or in the next as he pleaseth when they haue don amisse and committed lesser offences that deserue his lighter displeasure When you say that Hell gates shall not preuaile against vs it is hard to ghesse who those your vsses are Perhaps you meane the Elect Predestinate among whom you number your selfe Let it be so Can you deny but many of your Predestinate and Elect are for robbing and stealing and other such crimes locked vp in London Goales what shall not Hell-gate preuayle against them and shall the wall of a prison mue them vp hath the soule of Christ gon downe into the nethermost Hell and made no passage through New-gates Limbo where sometimes your elect are kept Hath he bound the strong man that he should not harme and shall now a hangman put thē to death You perceaue I hope the vanity of your inferences 23. Let vs heare you preach againe and build a ladder for your elect to passe without Purgatory into Heauen They that dy in the faith say you (f) p. 100 haue peace towardes God they that haue peace towards God are iustified by Christ they that are iustified by Christ are free from the Law and being free from the Law quis accusabit who shall lay any thing to their charge Thus you dispute Where I could lay both folly and falshood to your charge but seing your Protestāt faith freeth you from the Law both of Reason consciēce quis accusabit who dareth accuse you though you write neither wise nor true word I could cast your Elect into Hell from the first step of your ladder For they that dy in the faith haue not peace towards God except their faith be ioyned with good workes S. Iohn (g) Apoc. 14. giuing the reason why the Saintes rest after life saith Opera enim illorum sequuntur illos which you English for their works follow them euen at the heeles But your Protestant faith is so light footed or light headed rather to belieue you shal be saued your charity so heauy heeled to do the good works by which men must be saued that an eternity of torments may passe before your workes ouertake your faith 24. I might also fling them downe from the highest step of all where you say they are free from the Law if you vnderstand it in Luthers sense (h) Tom. 1. Ep. Lat. ep 3◠ad Philippū that though they commit whoredomes or murthers a thousand tymes aday they need not care the bloud of Christ freeth them from the lawe doth not this doctrine togeather with the Authour deserue to be flung into the lowest Hell But if you vnderstand freedome from the law in the Catholick sense that the spirit of Christ maketh that yoke easie and the burden light that in the spirit of loue we may keep the law with great ease as S. Iohn saith (i) 1. Ioan. 5. his commandemcnts are not hard I dare say your Protestants faith hath litle of that spirit that dilateth the heart to runne the way of Gods precepts (k) Psalm 118. that it will neuer be able to get vp this ladder And let thē be indeed iust let them be Saints that keepe the law you obiect that against them that doth cleerely proue a Purgatorie for them in the next life Yea say you but they haue some drosse to