c Philip. 2. v 7. he did for vs exinaniee himselfe taking the forme of a seruant That of the greater or lesse honour which doth accrue vnto God is but a bad way to establish one article of Faith and destroy another Vvher vpon d Hil. l. 1. de Trinit Religiese impius l. 4. irreisgiosam de Deo selt â—tudinem S. Hilarie tearmes the Arians who vse that way of proceeding Religiously vvicked people who doe irreligiously serue God Other grounds are necessaire Vve must know what the Church teacheth vs and those that are so carefull of Gods honour ought to be verie carefull to be in structed in it least they iniure him in deedes whom they honour in words which they doe in expressing things otherwise then they are indeede it being certaine as saith a Cassian l. 1. de Incarnat Quod non dicitur it ae vt est etiamsi honor videatur contumelia est Cassian disciple of S. Chrysostome that that vvhich is not exprest as it is though it seeme honourable is indeede a true contumelie That which is true be it of what kinde it will honours God because he would haue it so and that all his wills are to his owne aduantage But what is false though in apparance aduantagious turnes to disaduantage And though many things beare no proportion with the greatnes of the Almightie yet haue they connection with the infinite perfectioÌ„ of his loue and Charitie which appeares somuch the more perfect and accomphished by how much in vertue therof he descends to things more lowe and abiect And therfore it is an abuse to alledge gods honour to dazle and blinde the people Yet this you doe while you represent your Religion hated for fiue points which you esteeme honorable for him as being honorable in your opinion to Iesus Christ which is but yet so in apparance onely Hereupon I am forced to tell you with a Tertul. l. de pudic c. 2. talia tantae sparsilia eoruÌ„ quious Deo adulentur sibi lenocinantur effoeminantia magis quam vigoraÌ„tia disciplinaÌ„ Tertullian that those litle shiftes by vvhich you become flatterers of God and your selues doe rather vveaken then strengthen discipline So considering Religion in the shape you represent it me thinks I see not a chaste wife but a strumpet set out with sundrie adulterate colours to seduce the world and kill you come from you and become mistresse of your life which moues me to the end I may deliuer the people from errour to vndertake to wash her face vnmaske her and discouer her deformitie following the example and foot stepps of the Prophete who speaking of an Idolatrous b Nahu 3. Propter mu. titudinem fornicationuÌ„ meretricis speciosa gratae habeutis maleficiae quae veÌ„didit gentes in fornicationibus suis faemiliaes in maeleficiis suis Reuelabo pudenda tua in facie tua ostendam gentibus nuditaetem tuam regnis ignominiam tuam nation vseth these words For the abundance of the fornications of a faire charmeing and mischieuous strumpet vvho hath sold nations in her formcations families in her diuelish prankes I vvil discouer thy shame in thy face and vvill shevv thy nakednes to all nations and thy ignominie to kingdomes Which I will doe so much the more willingly because I haue learnt of b Concil in psal 36. Tanto magis debemus commemorare vanitatem haereticorum quanto magis quaerimus salutem eorum S. Augustine that by how much more we desire the saluation of Heretikes by so much more we ought to indeuour to make the vanitie of their errour appeare SECTION II. VVe vvould make it clearely appeare vnto him that our religion is hated because it admitts no other rule of saluation then the vvord of God contayned in holy scripture ANSWERE IT is false that your Religion is hated for that it admitts no other rule of saluation then the scripture but true it is that it is worthy of hatred for the diuers abuses which it committs in Scripture That we teach no other rule of saluation then scripture will be manifest to any that knowes that these words an other rule doe importe in proper speach a Rule of a diuers kind as I will hereafter proue in the ensuing Section and withall an intire rule as I will presently make appeare following your owne tenets who will not admitte the Ghospell of S. Mathew to be an other rule then that of S. Marke considering they are but two parts of the same Rule and that this word rule simply taken signifies a compleate rule for as S. Basile saith a Rule admitts no addition but things that are imperfect are neuer rightly instiled by the name of Rule Now we nether admitt Rule of any other king then the scripture nor yet any compleate rule other then it yea we call it the compleate rule of our saluation for two reason both because it contaynes immediatly and formally the substance of our Faith all the articles necessarie necessitate Medij for mans saluation and also because it doth mediately comprehend all that we are to beleeue in that it doth remitt vs to the Church to learne the same which it assures vs is infallible Hence it followes that we draw that truth out of the scriptures which we receaue by the mouth of the Church if reason may preuayle which teacheth that whoso euer deputes another to speake for him speakes mediatly by his mouth and if a Aug. lib. 1. cont Cresco c. 33. Quamuis huius rei certè de scripturis Catholicis non proferatur exemplum earundem tameÌ„ scripturarum etiam in hacre à nobis tenetur veritas cum hoc facimus quod vniuersae placuit Ecclesiae quam ipsarum scripturarum commeÌ„dat authoritas Etsimi lia lib. de vnit Eccles c. 22. S. Augustine who deliuers it in expresse termes may gaine beleife Albeit saith he one can produce no example of scripture concerning this matter yet hold vve in it the truth of the same scripture since vve doe that vvhich is conformable to the vniuersall Church vvhom the authoritie of the selfe same scripture doth commend vnto vs. Behold in what esteeme the Scripture is with vs for which cause we also are to be esteemed Now we will see whether by reason of it you deserue not hatred though not in that sense in which you say you are hated for it But before we come to that point permit me I beseech you to extenuate a litle the glorie you hunt after in establishing the Scripture the onely rule of your saluation by making you share it onely with diuers Here tikes who before your tyme sustayned the same opinion So said the Manichies I can in no sorte saith Fortunatus in a Aug. l. cont Fortunatum Nullo genere rectè me credere ostendere pessum nisieaÌ„dem sideÌ„ scripturarum authoritate firmauerim S. Augustine make appeare that I rightly beleeue vnlesse I confirme my Faith
by the authoritie of Scripture So saith the b August l. de natura grat c. 39. Credamus quod legimus quod non legimus nefas credamus ad struere quod de cunctis etiā dixisse sufficiut Pelagians in the same Authour Let vs beleeue saith Pelagius vvhat vve reade and vvhat vve reade not let vs beleeue it vnlavvfull to be established Let this suffice in all other matters So the c Aug l. post Collationem Nos sola portamus Euig lia Item concio 1. in Psal 32. Nos sola offerimus Euangelia Donatists in the same Authour saying vve bring vvith vs and present the Ghospells onely This was that which Eranistes aymed at whom a Apud Theod. in Dialog immutabilis Ego enim soli diuinae scripturae fidem habeo Theodoret brings in in his Dialogues where condemning all reasons he saith For I beleeue in the Ghospell onely So b Lib. 2. cont ipsum cap. 1. Fratribus nobiscum constitutisin sancto Euangelio Petilianus writing to his brethren vnder this title to our brethren constituted together vvith vs in the holy Ghospell So the Maximianists expressing them selues in these termes fighting with vs in the truth of the Ghospell Finally so the Arians Apud S. Aug. In veritate Euangelij nobiscum militantibus who were so wedded to the Scripture that they would not onely admit no sense but euen no word which was not comprised therin reiecting this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was not found there Concil Nicenum All these auncient Heresiarkes condemned by the Church and by your selues had the Scripture as frequently in their mouthes as you They tearmed themselues Euangelicall men like you They made the Scripture the onely rule of their Faith as you doe yet wheras they did it in words not in deede as was fitting but in publishing its name they abused the authoritie therof they were cōdemned by the Church their doctrine was iudged worthy of hatred as yours also is and will be I am confident by the iudgement of the whole world when I shall haue made manifest that you abuse the scriptutes to your owne ends It is truly worthy of hatred because vnder pretext of scripture the writen word of God almightie 1. it doth reiect his word not written 2. a great part of the written word 3. it clearely contradicts in many passages that which it doth admitt 4. corrupts it in diuers parts 5. and lastly it makes the word of men passe for the word of God yea euen the word of euery Idiot establishing vpon them the principall articles of your Faith 1. Vvorthy of hatred because it reiecteth the vvord of God not vvritten If he be worthy of hatred who in establishing a thinge destroyes that without which it cannot subsiste and which is also commanded by it your doctrine is by a iust title hatefull for the Scripture which whilsts it extolls it destroyes the Traditions commanded by the same Scripture and without which it can in no sort subsiste That holy writ cānot subsiste without Traditions it is most cleare since by them onely we know that the bookes of Scripture which we haue came vnto our hands pure and intire such as they proceeded from the mouth of the holy Ghost You beleeue as an article of Faith that you haue those bookes pure and intire wherfore ether the written word affirmethit which indeede is not so or not affirming it it followes that some other word not written doth teach it vs or els we beleeue that with a diuine Faith which God neuer spoke a thing most absurde seeing that the word of God is the onely fundation of our Faith That Traditions are commanded by the Scripture the second to the a Cap. 2. Tenete traditiones quas didicistis siue per sermonem siue per Epistolam nostram Thessalonians makes manifest where the Apostle speakes so clearely of Traditions of Faith not written that euen b Vvhitat controu 1. q. 6. c. 10. Respondeo Noui Testamenti Canonē non fuisse tune editū at que constitutū cum Paulus hanc Epistolā scriberet .... nō sequitut ergo quando Apostolus scripsit ad Thessalon tum omnia necessaria non sunt scriptae ergo nec postea your owne men confesse that at he tyme when S. Paule wrote there were such like traditions which since are inserted in holy Vvrite A thing indeede easily said but hardly persuaded especially to such as consider that it is not to be found in all holy scripture that those things which were not yet written while S. Paule wrote that Epistle were afterwards put downe in writing 2. Vvorthy of hadted because it reiects part of the Vvrittē vvorde of God Conc. Carthag 3. Can. 47. Trullan can 2. Rom. sub Gelaesio Trident By what authoritie doe you reiect many of the bookes of Scripture which the Church at diuerse tymes in diuerse Councells in diuers parts of the world in Greece Italie Afrique and Germanie defines to be canonicall and diuine Vvhat a senselesse thing is it that you of your owne head should establish canons hauing nether Father who doth declare nor Councell that doth define which is to be noted the Canon of the bookes of holy scripture according to your way The presumption which you vse in opposing your iudgement against the iudgement of the auncient Fathers and the authoritie of the Church is truly worthy to be hated 3. Vvorthy of hatted because it contradicts the scripture He that opposeth what he ought religiously to follow is he not worthy of hatred And ought not all men to follow the scripture You make profession of doing so and yet directly to deney what it affirmes and beleeue the contrarie to that which it teacheth in expresse termes as I haue proued in the precedent Chapter is not this to contradict it If a man can be said to esteeme him whom he often belyes you esteeme the scripture and if one can hold that for a Rule to which he frequently opposeth his iudgement you doe vndoutedly hold the scripture for the rule of your saluation For plainely to affirme that a thingis not wheras the scripture saith it is what other thing is it then to giue the lye to the scripture and to haue a iudgement opposite to the iudgement therof 4 Your corruptions in the scripture are so perfp cuous Vvorthy of hatred because it corrupis the Scripture that euen your owne men doe reprehend them Did not Charles du Mullin who is famous amongst you for this cause say that a Molinaesus in suatranslatione Noni Testaementi Caluinus in sua Harmonia textum Euangelicum desutare facit sursum versum vt res ipsaindicat vim infert literae Euangelicae illam multis in locis transponit in super additlitterae Caluin in his Harmonie puts the text of the Ghospell topsie turuie as the thing it selfe makes manifest violates the letter of
Iesus-Christ being as well vnder one kind as both and the signification of the Mysterie remayning intire the people receaue Iesus Christ as truly vnder one kind and with as great beneciction of heauen as vnder both Nor doe we iniure the Sacrament because the essence therof doth not absolutly require the two kinds but that it may subsist vnder one onely without loosing any esseÌ„tiall part sitheÌ„s it doth possesse in one the body and blood of Iesus Ch. and innoyes all the significatioÌ„s which belong to its essence the species of bread most fitly signifying the nourishment of the soule by grace and the vnion of the faithfull in one bodie together with their head for as much as it nourisheth and its masse is composed of many cornes of wheate Now hauing shewen that the communion vnder one onely kind is nether iniurious to the people nor to the Sacrament I will not stay there but further I will make manifest that it is profitable and honorable to both To the Sacrament because it preserues it if not from iniuries at least from indecencies contrarie to the honour and reuerence due to the SacrameÌ„t and yet are most obuious for it is manifeste that if the species of wine were coÌ„municated to all men they could not auoyd sheding of it To the people because if it were still necessaire to giue both the kinds it could not easily be keept to communicate the people at all tymes all momeÌ„ts all occurences for besids that à sufficient quantitie of wine is not euery where found to communicate the faithfull ther are also some that doe so loath wine that they cannot onely not drinke it but not so much as smell it Whence we may well gather that Iesus Christ did not establsh the necessitie of communicating vnder both kinds 〈◊〉 Brentius in â—polo confess â—itemb Martyr 〈◊〉 Corinth 10. 〈◊〉 â—mo Buceâ—â—s in colloq â—atisbonensi coÌ„â—sist esse indifâ—rens sumere â—â—am vel vtraÌ„quespecieÌ„ idemque concesserunt Thcologs Protestantes in Colloq Augustano Vade Hospinâ—an part 2 histo an 1536. Et in concordiae discordi cap. 41. Coccium lib. 6. do Eucharist c. 3. since he cannot oblige vs to impossibilities And therfor diuers of your authours doe grant that this hath place and is true in abstemious persons But it is you indeede who iniure the Sacrament and people while you deptiue them both of the reall and true body of Iesus Christ which we doe carefully preserue for them and you giuing onely the appearrences to the people vnder the species of bread and wine are iustly by Luthere coÌ„pared to one who hauing supped vp the meate of the egg doth carefully gather vp the shell to the people to eate Further you are most iniurious to the institution of Iesus Christ Beza Epist. â— Rite celebrabitur Coenae Domini siquod panis aut vini vicem vel vsu communi vel pro teÌ„poris ratione supplet panâ—s aut vini lâ—â—o adhibeatur in that you sustayne that albeit he instituted his Sacrament in bread and wine yet nether the one nor the other of those kinds are necessarie so that it maybe administred in other matters Let the Reader now iudge whether of vs are more iniurious to the Sacrament and more preiudiciall to the people and coÌ„sequently who are to be coÌ„demned Without all doubt you will be held faultie in the iudgement of any Reader yea which is more euen in your owne iudgment For albeit you conteÌ„ne the authoritie of the Church Hospinian l. 1. histo sacram lib. de concord disâ— c. 41. Luther in declarat Euchar â—lâ—bi yet by Gods speciall prouidence Luther deferrs so much vnto it in this point that by the relation of your owne Caluinsts he confesseth that it is not necessarie to giue both the kinds that the Church had power to ordayne one onely that the people are to be satisfied therwith Further he approues the Rule made by the Councell of Latran to that effect which being done so he would find it verie strange saith he if one Bishope of his owne authoritie should opposeit CHAP. VII MINISTERS YOur Maiestie should also see that our religion is disciphered vnto you quite otherwise then it is indeede for if the things which are imposed vpon vs to witt that we are enemyes of saintes and of the Blessed Virgine Marie and that we hold that good workes are not necessarie vnto saluation and that we made God authour of sinne were true we were abominable creatures vnworthy of the societie of men but they are forged calumnies to bring vs into hatred and are refuted by our writings sermons and our verie manner of life ANSWERE If you be men of your word Ennemies of Saintes it is high tyme for you to begin to trusse vp your baggage and to remoue your selues out of the societie of men since you haue sentenced your selues to that punishment in case you be guiltie of à crime of which you will neuer be able to cleare your selues Is it not to be enemy to the Saints to ascribe contumelious names vnto them which the Diuell Pagans and the old Heresiarkes condemned by the primitiue Church gaue them names I say which the Fathers doe disalowe and reiect by the authoritie of Scripture And yet witnes a Kemnitâ—us Exam Conc. part 3. p 228 Vsitat vocantur mortus Hoâ— 58. de S. Babyl Kernnitius one of your prime Authours you doe ordinarily tearme them deade no otherwise then the Diuell according to S. Chrysostome Iulian the Apostata in S. Cyrille b lib. coÌ„t Iulias Vigilantius in S. Hierome c lib. cont Vigilantium who together with the rest of the Fathers reprehend that manner of speach They are not deade saith S. Ambrose d Serm. 10. d. ss Pet Paul Non enim mor tui sunt quor curamus nata lem hodie sed renati viuuÌ„t c. we doe not tearme them deade saith S. Damascene e 4 de Fide c. 16 Eos qui in spresurrectionis si deque erga eun diem extremun clauscrunt mor tuos haud qua quaÌ„ appellamus He is not the God of the deade but of the liuing saith S. Hierome f lâ—b cont Vigit Non est Deu mortuorum seâ— viuorum Item sancti non appel laÌ„tur mortui seâ— dormientes following the Gospell The Saints are not said to be deade but to sleepe saith he againe Is it not to be enemye to the Saints to depriue them of all care and all charitie towards men making them who are in the state of perfection aboue lesse perfect then those that are here below subiect to worldly defectes and yet this you doe They doe not saith Caluine g Calu. in 1. Cor. 13. Charitatem praesentâ—b us offieâ—â—s minâ— me exercent noÌ„ sunt pro nobis soliciti charitatis perpotuitas nihil pertâ—net ad tempus intermedium Et in cap 1 Zachar officia charitatis scimus restringâ—
The Emperour Basilius doth also intimate this when speaking to the layetie c In 8. Syn. nullo modo vobis licet de Ecclesiasticis causis sermonem mouere haec inuestig are quaerere Paetriarcharum Pontificum SacerdotuÌ„ est qui regiminis officium sortiti sunt Ecclesiastic as adepti sunt claues non nostrum qui pasci debemus c. he saith It is no way lawfull for you to medle with Ecclesiasticall causes to sound and examine them belongs to Patriarkes Bishopes priests who haue the gouerment and keyes of the Church It appertaynes not to vs who are to be fedd to be sanctified to be bound vnbound Of the same sense was Constantine in the Councell of Nice Gratiane in the Coun of Aquilea Theodosius the younger in the Ephesine Councell and diuers other Emperours in many other places In contemplation wherof a Lib. 5. epist 25. Scimus piisamos Dominus Sarerdoâ—â—â—tòus negottis non se immiscere S. Gregorie saith we know that our most pious Lords doe not meddle in the affaires of preists And that the Princes if they had any such pretention were not well grounded S. b Epist adsolit â—iâ—aÌ„ agentes Quandoae conatio aeuo anditum est quod indicium Ecclesiae authoritateÌ„ suaÌ„ ab Imperatore accepit Plurima antea Synodi fucre multa iudicia Eecâ—esiae habitae sunt sed neque Patres isliusmodires principi persuadere conati sunt nec Princeps se in Ecclesiasticis causis curiosum praebuit Athanasius doth witnesse Vvas it euer heard saith he from the creation of the world that the iudgment of the Church had authoritie from the Emperour Many Councells haue bene celebrated the Church hath often past her iudgment but nether would the Fathers persuade the Prince to any such thing nor did the Prince shew himselfe curious in causes of the Clergie and a litle after c Quis videns eum in decernendo principeÌ„ se facere EpiscoporuÌ„ praesidere iudiciis Ecclesiasticis â—â—on merito di â—at eum illam ipsam desolaetioneÌ„ esse quae a Daniele praedicta est who is he that seeing him he speakes of Constantius the Arian Emperour take vpon him to be Prince of Bishops to decree and preside in Ecclesiasticall iudgmeÌ„ts that will not say with iust reasoÌ„ that he is the desolation of abomination foretold by the Prophet Daniel S. Ambrose doth the like when writing to Valentinian the yonger who being corrupted by the Arians would iudge in matters of faith he vseth these words a Ambros l. 2. epist 13. Si vel scripturaruÌ„ se rieÌ„ diuinaruÌ„ vel vetera teÌ„porae retractemus quis abnuat in causae inquam fidei Episcopos solere de Imperatoribus Christianis noÌ„ Imperatores de Episcopis iudicare Eris Deofauente etiam insenectutis maturitateprouectior tunc de hoe censebis qualis ille Episcopi â—â— sit qui I aicis ills Sacerdotale substernit .... si confereÌ„dum de fide Sacerdotum debet esse istae collatio sicut factâ— est sabâ— onstaÌ„tino Augusta memâ—riae I 〈◊〉 cipe Et Tract de Basil non tradend Quid honorificentius quam vt Imperator Ecclesiae filius dicatur If we ether reflect vpon the order of Scripture or tymes by-past who will deny but that in points of faith in points of Faith I say the Bishopes were accustomed to iudge of Emperours not they of Bishops Vvith the helpe of God goes he on tyme will ripen thee and then you wilt iudge what kind of Bishope he is who will subiect Priestly right to laymen if a conference be to be had of faith it belongs to the Preists as it happened vnder Constantine Prince of sacred memorie Vvhat hath an Emperour more honorable then to be stiled the sonne of the Church That that which the Fathers say herin is verified by the Scripture the punishment which befell those who would needs lay hand vpon the Thurible doth confirme Further it would not b 2. Agg. 2. v. 12. command that things belonging to the law should be demaÌ„ded from the mouth of the Preist without making any mention at all of kings if both were equally lawfull It would not c 2. Paralypom say that Amarias should preside in things belonging vnto God marrie in those that apperi ayne to the office of a king Zabadias if their Courts were not distinguished To conclude d Ephes 4. v. 11. S. Paule making a long list of those who haue power in the Church had not begun with the Prophetes Euangelists Pastours and Doctours not mentioning kings if their authoritie had extended so far Againe put case the king had power to medle in such causes would you be content he should sitt vpon yours with obligation to stand to his iudgment Yes euen as the Donatists who appealed to Constantine stood to his you will stand to it if it fauour and like you appeale from it if it dislike or goe against you God saith e Vvhitak controu â— q. 5. c. 4. Iudicium sibi Deus reseruanit nulli hominum permisit one of your prime Authours following therin the donatists reserued the iudgement of religion to himselfe alone and did not grant it to any man why then will you haue the king to iudge But le ts see whether you haue a hart to enter into the lists as you make a flourish None will beleeue in my opinion that he that will not admitt of ordinarie weapons hath a desire to fight though otherwise he proclaime a loode chalance and who knowes not that in reiecting the authoritie of the Church Fathers Councells and Traditions you refuse the ordinarie weapons which are vsed in combats of Faith But oh you will admitt of the scripture and we also most willingly admitt of it yet not as it is in your hands that is Scripture not authenticall maymed corrupted interpreted according to your owne braine and most ordinarily against the true sense but the scripture preached and interpreted by the Church the pillar and rock of truth wherby we are to be deliuered from all errour Vvho could away with him that in a ciuile cause in a difficultie of importance would onely stand to the text of written lawes reiecting the explication of Doctours the credit of the historie practise and common custome in fine the authoritie of the Iudges who are appointed to doe iustice to all men But were he not yet more insupportable who onely admitting of written lawes should reiect those that are directly against him and interprete the rest following his owne fanticie In these termes are you wherby it well appeares that though you make shew to desire a conference yet indeed you flie it contenting your selues to haue occasion to bruit abroad amongst your friends that you offered a disputatioÌ„ concealing from them in the interim that you refused the iust and reasonable conditions therof apprehending that you haue done sufficiently in putting out some smale pampletes which decide nothing at all
owne direction and also because your versions not being authenticall as you confesse the Scripture which you vse can be no sufficient rule of saluation euen to the learned That the Church is the true Guide if saint Augustine be beleeued whom a Luther in defensio verbo Caenae Meosaneiudicio post Apostolos Ecclesia now habuit meliorem Augustino Calu. 3. Instit cap. 3. §. 10. Ex Augustino sumant lectores si quid de sensu antiquitatis certi habere volunt you accnowledge to be a faithfull witnes of antiquitie it is a cleare case b August epist 16. Ait rectissimā discipli namesseveimperiti nitātur authoritate Ecclesia It is a most orderly discipline saith this great light that the ignorant should rely vpon the authoritie of the Church There is nothing so behouffull for a soule as to obey a Cone 2. in Psalm 70. Nihil tamexpedit anima quam obedire he adds in another place b Contra Eplani fundam cap. 5. Egovero Euangelio nen crederem nisime Catholicae Ecclesia commoueret authoritas .... qua infirmatae iamnec Euangelio credere potero And againe I would not leleeue the Gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the Catholike Church did moue me thervnto and after that which authoritie being thaken I should not giue credit to the Gospell where it is manifest that he speakes of himselfe as a Catholike not as a Manikie These words doe make a cleare demonstration that the Church is the true guide of the faithfull nor indeede can it be called in question if we consider that the holy Ghost declared it the pillar and strength of truth that the Fathers c August contra Epistolam fundam c. 5. Epist 118. l. De vtilitate cred c. 15. altbi passim Iren. l. 3. c. 3. 4. Hieron contra Luciferi doe accnowledge it to be infallible and that d Calu. 4. Instit c. 1. §. 10. Neque enim parui momentiest quod vxcatur columna fundamentum veritatis domus Dei quibies verbis significat Paulus ne intercidat veritas Deiin mundo Ecclesiam esse fidem eius custodem Etc. 2. §. 2. Verè Ecclesia columna est ac firmamentum veritatis Vvhitak cont 2. q. 4. c. 1. Nos dicinsus eam quae est Christi Ecclesia In absolute necessariis non posse errare Id. contra 1. quaest 3. c. 5 7. Fateor nos haraticos cogi conuinciposse authoritate Ecclesia necasio argumento externo validius ac fortius premi hareticos yours also allow it to be such in points necessarie to saluation And who would now say that a child were not to heare and follow the documents of a mother most louing to her children and who in things concerning their saluation can teach them nothing but truth Vve are bound to heare the Church I will shortly bring your owne Authours to make it good Now let vs examine whether as I haue said you doe not impose vpon vs. You doe openly impose vpon vs while you make your followers beleeue that we make a generall prohibition of the scripture as being a dangerous booke It is true we are not of those wherof a Tertul. Prascript c. 41. Omnes tumēt omnes scientiā pollicētur ipsa mulieres haveticae audent docere contendere c. Tertullian speaketh they are all puffed vp with pride they all promis knowledge yea the verie hercticall Women dare vndertake to teach and dispute Vve are not of that sort of people of whom b Traet 47 in Iean Nihil sic amant isti ac scientiam promittere sidem rerum verarum quas parunls crede we pracipiuntur velut imperitiam deridera saint Augustine affirmes that they are taken with nothing so much as to promis knowledge and laugh at the beleife of true things which the children were taught to beleeue as though it had bene a meere ignorance Vve haue no affinitie with Pelagius who will haue women to reade Scripture as a Hieron dial 1. contr Pelag. saint Hierome doth note and condamne him for it Vve are not of your humour who iudge the scripture so easie to be vnderstode that you make no difficultie to command all the world to reade it In a word we cannot allow of your wayes in making Idiots ignorant persons and women their owne Doctors and Prophetes Yet is it false to affirme that we prohibite the scripture as a perilous booke we doe not so far forgett the respect which we owe to the spirit that did dictate it nor disaccnowledge the happines and truth which it proposeth vnto vs. Marrie we doe boldly affirme that the Scripture such as you propose it that is changed or taken according to the letter without giuing its true sense the knowledge wherof depends vpon the Church her declaration is dangerous for those who ether by ignorance vanitie or malice would rashly make vse of it And in this we doe nothing to which we are not moued by the Scripture the Fathers and your owne men By the Scripture a 2. Corin 3. Litera occidit 2. per 3. Quae indocti instabiles deprauant ad suam ipscrum perditionem saying in expresse termes that the letter doth kill and that the vnlearned doe depraue it to their owne perdition By the Fathers b Lib. de resurrect carn c. 40. Haereses esse non perpe vam scriptura intelligi possent Hilarius l. 2. de Trinit Vigiltus Martyr l. 2. contr Eutych Tertullian saying that there could be no heresies at all if the Scripture could not be ill vnderstoode and saint Hilatie shewing by sundrie examples that they sprung from the false interpretation of the scripture By your owne Luther confessing that the scripture is the Heretiques booke If it be commendable in a carefull mother to take the knife out of her childs hands with which through want of yeares and discretion he might hurt himselfe and to giue it to one of more ripnes to vse you ought rather to prayse then blame vs sithens we prohibite the Scripture in a vulgaire tongue to some that might abuse it and permit it to such as may reape commoditie by it That we permitt it to some it is apparent by the verie confessions of a Vvhit controu 1. q. 2. c. 13. Papista hac in re certam exceptionem rationemque temporum locorum personarum haberi volunt Item Status quaestionis huiusmodiest vtrum vernacule versiones scripturarum sint omnibus promiscuè praponendae permittendae vel non illinegant nos affirmamus your owne men who doe accnowledge that in this we make exception of persons tymes and places and that the question berwixt you and vs is not whether any can reade them or not but whether we doe indifferently permitt all to reade them or no which we affirme saith whitakere and they meaning Catholikes deney that it ought to be done The exception which we make of
persons consists in this that we permit such onely to reade scripture as are able to turne it to their owne profit not such as would vse it to their owne damage The exceptions which we make of tymes and places consists in this that we easely permit it in tyme of heresie and in places that are pestered with it as in Germanie France England Scotland Polonie where it is lawfull for Catholikes freely to reade Scripture marrie in places wher errour hath not gotten footing there is no such libertie To those it is freely permitted both because being dayly and hourely assalted with Scripture reason would that the vse of it should be permitted them that they might defend themselues with the same weapons wherwith they are opposed while the Scripture well vnderstoode doth heale the wounds receaued by the euill vnderstanding therof as the Scorpion is a cure for her owne stinging and also because since notwithstanding the persuations and ill examples of errour they stand firme in point of Faith it is to be hoped they will not abuse this reading especially sith questions of Faith being dayly handled in sermons they vnderstand the explication of passages which are abused to the disaduantage of truth But to these to witt the contries where this necessitie hath no place licence is not easely granted because the people not being iustructed by the Preachers touching the sense of Scripture in points controuerted they may more casely be mistaken And in this The Church imitates her Spouse Iesus Christ who reuealed misteries and secretes to his Apostles S. Aug-Concio 1. inpsal 36. Non solum sicut magister aliquid docuit sed sicut magister aliquid noÌ„ totum tanquaÌ„ magister enim sciebat docere quod proderat non docere quod aberat so far forth as he iudged necessarie As Master saith saint Augustine he taught some things not all things as Master he knew how to teach that which might be profitable and not that which might be hurtfull In like manner the Church permitts some thing not all she distributes the sense of Scripture which doth profit to all men but to some prohibits the letter which might hurt And in this againe she followes the example of the good mother who crakes the nutt for her children that they may eate the kirnell or feedes them with her milke till they be able to disgest more solide meates But you in steede of imitating these good examples follow the Pharisies who as Isadore Pelusian obserues though they cared not whether they accomplished the law of Moyses or not yet they would make shew of it and would haue euery one to haue the booke in their hands You resemble a lewde woman who speakes so much more of chastitie by how much she doth lesse practise it You imitate the serpent who threw Eue out of Paradice persuading her Genes 3. that she should be so farr from dying by eating of the forbidden tree as it is written that contrariwise she should be like vnto God knowing good and euill for you persuade the people that they will be so far from falling into heresie by reading the the holy scripture which yet the Church doth teach them that they will by that meanes become greate Diuines And by their owne helpe alone find out their owne saluation therin which drawes many headlong into errour This is all the obligation that the people haue vnto you which is like to that of a mother who through negligence or malice leaues a knife wherwith her child doth kill himselfe Now let vs see whether you doe not contradict your selues Your contradictions are manifest for after you haue licenced all sorts of people to reade the bible and taught them that it is easie to be vnderstoode euen by the simple people and that they may clearly know their saluation therby without any other assistance then that which the holy Ghost imparts vnto them interiourly yet you teach in other places that the scriptures are difficult that the comon people must consult with the learned and referre themselues to their Pastours not being capable of themselues to make vse of the holy Scriptures Pride contempt or enuey saith a l. 4. Instit c. 1. § 5. Multos impellit superbia vel fastidium velaemulatio vt sibi persuadeant priuatim legeÌ„do meditaÌ„do seposse satis proficere Caluin moues some to persuade themselues that they may make sufficient profitt by reading the scripture priuatly and b Item Nobis quodex Paulo citauimus tenendum est Ecclesiam non aliter edisicari quam externa praedicatione a litle after we must obserue that which we cited out of S. Paule that the Church is onely edified by externall preaching Ther is saith he in c Calu l. 1. Inst c. 14. Nostri officijest libonter ignorare quae non conducunt Et 3. Instit c. 21. §. 2. Neque vero nos pudeat aliquid in eare nescire vbi est aliqua docta ignorantia another place a certaine learned ignorance Vve doe not say saith d Vâ—hitak coÌ„trou 1 q. 4. c. 1. Non dicimus quod scriptura per seita aperta sit et sine interpretatione sufficiat ex se ad omnes controuersias fidei dirimendas whitakere that the scripture is of it selfe so cleare that without interpretation it is sufficient of it selfe to end all controuersies of Faith because the ignorant saith the e Ibid. q. 5. c. 9. Imperiti quia non possunt vti rectè his mediis debent illi alios peritiores adire same authour are not able to make vse of those meanes which he mentionned before they must haue recourse to the more learned Is not this to aggree with vs and to contradict your selues Is not this to condemne in vs what your selues doe pactise Is it lawfull for you to teach that the Church and her Pastours ought necessarily to be heard that the Church is not edifed but by preaching while you iudge vs blame worthy for holding the same thing Why doe f Capito ad FarelluÌ„ in ep Cal. ep 6. Fraeprorsus excussit-multitudo quae assueta est educata propemodum ad licentiam Nam clamant teneo satis Euangelij ipse scio legere quorsum mihâ— tua opera praedica volentibus audire c. you preach if credit be not to be giuen to the Church and her Pastours why doe you impose vpon vs that we affect a voluntarie ignorance seeing we teach no other thing in this point but that which we are taught by the holy Scripture and Fathers and your owne authours confesse You doe continually blame vs yea euen in those things in which we are laudable according to your owne Principles and if the crimes wherwhich you loade vs be crymes indeede they are found in you not in vs. You say we bring God into suspition with men but it appeares that we are innocent and you guiltie of this accusation for how could one make God more
them vnto a gentleman of our religion to bring them vnto vs. ANSWERE SInce Euery man vnderstands his owne busines best I haue nothing to say vpon this paragrafe which toucheth F. Arnould he hauing in his replie answered it himselfe onely this I will say he that knowes his merits learning Zeale and moderation of mynd will easily iudge him to be a man of greater performance then vndertaking and more prone to render your soules gratefull to God then your persons hatefull to men CHAP. XIII MINISTERS THis Soueraigne Lord did oblige vs to make answere for this confession hauing bene made to giue an accompt of our faith to our Soueraignes and to that effect being presented to king Henry the II. your predecessour we thought fitt to addresse the Defence of the same confession to his successour in whose presence it was calumniated And I wish to God we were licenced to propose our defence verbally in the presence of your Maiestie and were authorised publikly and in presence of the king which God hath bestowed vpon vs to mantayne the truth of the Gospell against those that doe diffame it which is a thing which your Maiestie ought also to desire For seeing a dissension amongst your subiects in point of religion what is more conuenient then that he who is the common father of vs all should know in what the difference consistes and see the ground of the processe and to this effect he should looke to the head of the fountaine to discouer what Christian religion was in its source For he that is established on earth to see that God be serued ought exactly to know the rule of Gods seruice he who in his charge represents God's royaltie ought in his actions to imitate his iustice which how can it be done without knowing the soueraigne rule of Iustice which is the word of God Vvher vpon it is that God commands kings continually to haue before their eyes the booke of the law therin to read all the dayes of their life But if they permitt themselues to be hood winked and be content to follow without seeing the way before them the Popes and Prelates haue faire occasion to accommodate religion to their priuate lucre and crect their owne greatnes vpon the ruines of the Ghospell For now religion is made a trafike and those our great Masters haue inuented rules of pietie which doth intrench not onely vpon the liuing but euen vpon the deade To no other end haue the Popes for some ages past probibited the kings your Maiesties Predecessours to read the holy Scripture but that their Empire is grounded vpon the ignorance of Gods word Neuer had it bene permitted to haue growen so great with the diminution of the greatnes of our Kings if they had not wrought vpon the aduantage of an obscure age wherin few people discouered their designe He could not haue made himselfe soueraigne Iudge in points of faith if the people had had the rule of faith before their eyes which God long agoe pronounced with his owne mouth ANSWERE IT is a great art in him that is feable and fearefull to fayne himselfe bold and valourous you put a good face vpon it and beare it boldly to make the world beleeue that you haue a great desire to appeare before the king to make good in his presence and in publike the truth of your new Gospell Your words which sound no other thing but a chalance wherby you prouoke all the Clergie of France to a publike disputation makes me call to mynd the Troian wherof mention is made in Homere Iliad 7 who boldly prouoked to combate marrie when it came once to blowes he stood in neede of a cloud to couer his flight and shame Vve could with facilitie if we pleased refuse to giue you battaile without the disaduantage of our dishonour or affording you occasion of complaint For Luther doth sustayne that we are not to dispute with such as renew old heresies which were long agoe condemned But we will not proceede so rigorously with you the Church of France by Gods prouidence being prouided of store of Prelates wherof I am the least and of an infinite number of Doctours who vpon all occasions will make appeare the veritie of her doctrine the vanitie of your errours The onely shadow of that great Cardinall will alwayes be able to defeate you for the same reason for which the Picture of Alexander made him quake vnder whose powerfull hand he had somtymes sunke to the grouÌ„d Is it not a mere flatterie to inuite a king to discerne differences in religion Vvill you haue princes to assume to themselues the authoritie of Iudges in such causes Though you would yet would not your brethren consent therto Princes themselues haue no such pretension The Holy fathers giue testimonie and the Scriptures teach that iustly they cannot doe it That your brethren will not haue it so they themselues shall speake Princes saith a Bezainconfess c. 5. art 15. Principes Synodo intersint non vt regnent sed vt seruiaÌ„t non vt leges condant sed vt ex Deiverbo per os ministrorum explicatas sibi aliis obseruandas proponant Beza are present in synods not to rule but to serue not to inact lawes but to propose those to be kept by themselues and the people which according vnto the word of God are explicated by the mouth of the Minister The Prince saith b Controu 5. lib. 2. c. 18. De sensu fidei mec cognoscit Princeps nec cognoscere officio Principali potest Iunius nether doth nor can by vertue of his charge iudge of the meaning of faith Vve say saith c Controu 1. q. 5. c. 4. Dicimus lites Ecclesiasticas decernendas esseex lege diuina per Ministrum Item cap. 6. Respondeo Martinum Ecclesiae vindicare iudicium de genere doctrinae non coÌ„cedere Imperatort c. Vhitakere that Ecclesiasticall differences are to be decided by the Minister in vertue of the diuine law In another place I answere that Martine doth ascribe the iudgement of points of doctrine to the Church he doth not grant it to the Emperour and who will deny that this iudgment appertaynes to â—ishopes Finally it belongs not to kings and Princes to confirme euen true doctrine but they are to be subiect to and obseruant of it saith Luthere That Princes doe not pretend to make themselues Iudges in matters of Faith the a Apud Soz. l. 6. c. 7. Mihiquisum de sorte plebis fas non est talia perserutari Sacerdotibus ista curae sunt Emperour Valentinian doth confirme in these words It is not lawfull for me who am of the ranke of the people to sound and search into those things they are committed to the Preistes care It belongs me not saith the same as b Epist 32. noÌ„ est mecum iudicare inter Episcopos S. Ambrose relates to iudge of the differences which rise amongst Bishops