they alleadge any one Orthodoxall Father of the Primitiue Church a circumstance much to be considered and insisted vpon interpreting such your testimonies in your construction And thus farre of this point where for greater expedition I do but skimme the matter ouer D. WHITAKERS I do not much prize the authorities of the ancient Fathers in interpreting the Scripture And furthermore you are to conceiue that seing the scripture hath not viâ—am vocem which we may heare Therefore we are to vse certaine meanes by the which we may finde out which is the sence and construction of the scripture For to seeke it without meanes is meerely ' enthysiasticòn et Anabaptisticum Now the meanes according to my iudgment and M. Doctour Reinolds are these following The reading of the scriptures the conference of places the weighing of the circumstances of the Text Skill in tongues diligence prayer and the like And who hath these and accordingly practiseth them is assured of finding the true and vndoubted meaning of the most difficult passages of the scripture and thereby is able to determine any controuersies in Religion CARD BELLARM. I do grant that these are good humane meanes for the searching out of the intended sence of the scripture But I will neuer yeild them to be infallible as here you intimate theÌ„ to be since this is not only impugned by experience of Luther and Caluin who would no doubt equally vaunt of their enioying these meanes and yet irreconcileably differ in the construction of the words of our Sauiour touching the Sacrament of the Eucharist but also it is most contrary to your owne assertion deliuered in one of your bookes euen against my selfe where you write of the vncertainty and perhaps falshood of these Meanes in this manner obserue what the meanes are such of necessity must the interprteation be but the meanes of interpreting obscure places of scripture are vncertaine doubtfull and ambiguous therefore it cannot otherwise fall out but that the interpretation must be vncertayne and if vncertaine then may it be false Thus you M. Doctonr and if I haue in any sort depraued your words then here challenge me for the same Now what say you to this Can it possible be that your selfe should thus crosse your selfe Or may it be imagined that your penne at vnawares did drop downe so fowle a blot of contradictioÌ„ O God forbid The ouersight were too greate Therefore we will charitably reconcile all and say that D. Whitakers Bellarmines aduersary in writing hath only contradicted the learned D. Whitakers cheife ornament of Cambridge But enough of this point from whence the weakenesse of this your last refuge to only scripture is sufficiently layd open MICHEAS I grant I am not conuersant in the authorities of the New Testament as they haue reference to the controuerted points of these dayes since my cheife labour hath beene employed in diligently reading the Law and the Prophets neuerthelesse I am acertayned M. Doctour that seuerall passages of the said Law and Prophets in a plaine and ingenuous construction do greatly fortify some Opinions defended by the Church of Rome I will insist for greater compendiousnes in two opinions taught as I am informed by the sayd Church within which two many other controuersies if not all are implicitl infolded The first is touching the euer Visibility of the Church in the time of the Messiâ—s Now what can be more irrefragably prooued then this article out of those words of the Psalmist He placed his Tabernacle in the Sunne As also out of that passage of Daniell Akingdome which shall not be dissipated for euer and his kingdome shall not be deliuered to an other people Agayne out of the Prophet Esay A Mountaine prepared in the top of Mountaines and exalted aboue Hills And finally more out of Esay Her Sunne shall not be set nor her Moone hid In all which predictions by the words Tabernacle a Kingdome a Mountaine her Sunne is vnderstood the Church in the time of the Messias according to the expositions of all our learned Iewes and Rabbins interpreting and commenting the sayd Prophesies The second article may be the Controuersie touching Free-will which I heare is mainteined by the Church of Rome but denyed by the Protestants within which question diuers others to wit of Predestination Reprobation the keeping of the Commandements Works c. are potentially included Now how euidently is Free-will prooued out of the writings of the Old Testament And first may occurre that of Ecclesiasticus He hath set Water and fire before thee stretch forth thy hand to whether thou wilt Before man is life death good and euill what liketh him shal be giuen him what more conuincing D. WHITAKERS Micheas I make smale accoumpt of that place of Ecclesiasticus neither will I beleeue the freedome of Mans will although he should affirme it a hundred times ouer that before man were life and death MICHEAS I did not expect M. Doctour that you should expunge out of the Canon of Scripture any part of the Old Testament but since you discanon this booke I will alleadge other places which were euer acknowledged for the sacred word of God by vs Iewes and to pretermit that text in Genefis of Caine hauing liberty ouer sinne as a place strangely detorted by some and diuers other texts in the old Testament proouing the same What say you of the like passage in Deuteronomy I call heauen and earth in record this day against you that I haue set before you life and death c. choose therefore life Where you see the very point of which you are so diffideÌ„t is ingeminated and reinforced Thus M. Doctour you see how much these sacred Testimonies do wound you herein as also do diuers other passages by me here omitted euicting Mans Free-Will though all of them haue bene accordingly interpreted by all ancient Iews and Rabbins as more fully you may see in Galatinus D. VVHITAKERS Touching your testimonies produced out of the old Testament and interpreted in the Papists sence by your owne Iewish Rabbins as witnesseth Galatinus take this for my answere I do not regard or neede your Galatinns neither do I rely vpon the testimonies of the Hebrewes And further knowe you both that it is as cleare that the scripture maketh for vs who are the Professours of the Ghosple as it is cleare that the Sunne shineth in his brightest Meridian Since we Protestants are d the little flocke we haue the vnction from the Holy one and can cry Abba Pater from all which the Papists are wholy excluded And this is sufficient to ouerthrow the proudest Romanist breathing CARD BELLARM. Sweete Iesus that thinges sacred should be thus prophaned and that the words of the scripture should be thus detorted from the intended sence of the scripture when all proofes whatsoeuer from the vninterrupted practise of Gods Church from the ioynt and most frequent
by our Aduersaries doctrine as a part of the same Note But how can it be known whether the Word though truly preached be truly heard and beleiued with a final perseuerance So far distant is this pretended Note from being for our direction a true Note of the Church An other Argument for the impugning of the Protestants former Notes may be this The Scripture it selfe cannot be made knowne to vs to be Scripture but by the attestation of the Church for as for that sentence which teacheth that the Maiesty and voyce of God which appeareth in the Scripture or the Priuate Spirit iudging of it assâ—eth vs which is true Scripture it is an exploded Errour Seing one Man is persuaded he fyndeth in those books which himselfe admitteth for scripture that Maiesty and voyce of God the which very books for want of the said supposed voyce or Maiesty an other Man vtterly reiecteth as Apocryphil And in lyke sort the priuat Spirit of this Man embraceth such books as Canonical the which bookes the Priuat Spirit of an other absolutely discanoneth Now this being granted it from hence ineuitably resulteth that first we must know which is the true Church to giue this approbation of the Scripture before we can know which is the Scripture and much more then before we can be assured which is the true preaching of the word and sincere construction or Sense of the Scripture Now that our knowing which is Scripture proceedeth from the authoritie of the Church I first proue not only from S. Austin who saith n Actibus Apostolorum necesse est me credere si câ—edo Euangelio quoniam vtramque Scripturam similiter mihi Catholiea commendat Ecclesia But also from the acknowledgement of our learned Aduersaries whose words in their wrytings to this purpose are most plentifull I will content myselfe referring the Reader to the references of others at this tyme with Peeter Martyr and M. Hooker Peter Martyr thus wryteth We acknow ledge it to be the function of the Church seing it is endued with the Holy Ghost that it should discerne the true and proper books of Scripture M. Hooker more fully 〈…〉 th heare of saying Of thing necessary the very cheifest is to know what bookes we are to 〈◊〉 â—â—ly Which poynt is confessed impossible for the Scripture it selfe to teach c. For of any Booke of Scripture did geus testimony to â—ll et stiâ— that Scripture which geneth credit to the rest world require â—n other Scripture to gâ—ue credit vnto it Neither could we come to any paâ—se whe reon to rest vnles besids Scripture theare were something which might assurs vs. Which thiâ—g M. Hockeâ—man other place articulatly â—earmeth The authority of Gods Church thus saying We all know the 〈◊〉 outward Motyue leading Men to esteeme of the Scripture is the authority of the Church Now if by these learned Mens conâ—ession the Church hath authority to propownd to vs which bookes presented for Scripture are true Scriptures and which are Apocryâ— hall and spurious then followeth it that the Church hath in lyke sort authority to propownd to vs which is the true and pure sense of the Scripture since the one is as necessarye to vs as the other for it aduantageth vs litle to know which are the vndoubted bookes of Scripture if so we know not which is the true sense of the Scripture Now out of the Premisses I demonstratiuely conclude that seing by the authority of the Church and not otherwise we are tought which â—ookes of Scripture are Canonicall and consequently which is the true sense of the said Scripture that therefore the Church being fâ—ster in odeâ— of knowledg to vs then either the Scripture or the true preaching of the word of Scripture the true preaching of the word is not nor can be apprehended to be a Note to vs to find thearby which is the true Church Since then it would follow an absurdity incompatible with all true discours of Reason that a thing which to vs is later knowne should be a Note to vs of that which by vs is first knowne An other argument may be drawne from the Nature of euery true Note which ought to be so peculiar to that of which it is a Note as that it cannot be applyed in the iudgment of others to it meare Contrary But we see different sectaryes teaching contrary doctrynes and professing themselfs to be members of different Churches do all neuertheles promiscuously challenge the true preaching of the Words and the vse of the Sacrements to be the Notes of their so much discording Churches or Conuenticles And therefore the afore named Lubbertus thus truly pronounceth of this poynt Praedicatio Sacramentorum communicatio similia Ecclesiae essentiam non attingunt sunt enim Haereticorum conuerticulis veris Christianorum Ecclesiâ—s communia The preaching of the word the distribution of the Sacraments and such like do not belong to the essence of the Church since these things are common both to the Conuenticles of Hereticks and to the true Churches of Christians And according hearto we find by experience that Lutherans Protestants and PuritaÌ„s theaching most repugnante doctrines do wartant these their doctrines by the former Notes of preaching the Word And therefore it from hence followeth that it is no lesse a madnes in our aduersaries to prescrybe the preaching of the word and the vse of the Sacraments for the notes of the Church which are common to all Hereticall Conuenticles at least in their owne Opinion then for one who would discouer and note out one particular Man from all others to distinguish him from them by saying It is he who hath two eyes one nose one mouth two armes c. Since these Notes or description are common to all men in generall Againe I thus dispute A true Note of any thing ought to be at all tymes without discontinuance a Note theareof and not sometymes only since otherwise it is but a temporary Note But theare hath bene a Church of God euen then when there was no Scripture at all much lesse any preaching or interpretation of the Word Therefore the preaching of the word cannot be erected as a true Note of the Church The Assumption of this argument is manifest For it is acknowledged that the Church of God continued two thousand yeres before Moyses his tyme without any Scripture and therefore D. Parkins truly thus saith Morses was the first pennman of Holy Scripture With whom agree Zanchius D. Whitakers and all other learned Men whosoeuer Againe after Moyses had pened the Scripture it remayned only in the custody of the Iewes and was among them for many yeres lost as it is granted euen by the marginall annotations of the English Bibles of the yere 1576. where it is said That it was either by the negligence of the Priests lost or by the wickednes of idolatreus Kings And yet euen in those tymes Iob and
diuers others were of the true Church of God of which poynt peruse S. Austin Furthermore Irenaeus saith that theare were diuers CouÌ„tryes of Christians which beleiued only by preaching and by force of Tradition without enioying any Scripture at all And it is certaine that after our Sauiours passion theare was a distance of tyme before any part of the New Testament was written And after when it was penned what partly by violence of persecution and partly through scarsity of Manuscripts the New Testament could but come to the hands of few in respect of the whole number of Christians then in being which being true how then could the Scripture or the preaching of the Word be a knowne Marke to all other Christians of those dayes Neyther auayleth it heere to reply that whatsoeuer was then deliuered by Tradition was agreeing and answerable to what was afore or after written by the Apostles Euangelists This satisfyeth not the point seing admitting so much for true yet what was then deliuered was receaued by the hearers through the authority only of the Church and not by Note or direction of the Scripture which is the point here concrouerted But to proceede further I do aueâ—re that this Position of erecting the preaching the word for a Note for the ignorant to fynd out the true Church implyeth in it selfe an absolute contradiction The reason is this First euery true Note of anything must first be knowne it selfe to the party so ignorant and doubting But it is impossible that the true preaching of the Word should be knowne to one as long as he conâ—nues ignorant or doubâ—fâ—ll therefore it is impossible that to such a man the true preaching of the Word should become a Note of the Church Seconâ—ly True sayth is no sooner knowne but that withall the true Church is knowne Therefore true preaching of the Word from whence springs true sayth cannot be any Note of the Church Since that thing of which any Note is giuen ought not to be coincident with the Note but is to be knowne after the Note is knowne and not immediatly at oâ—â— and the same tyme with the Note seing the end of the Note is after to know a thing of which it is a Note My last argument here vsed shal be taken from the consideration of the obscurity and difficulty in generall of the Protestant Note here giuen For if the Scripture be in it selfe most sublime abstruse and the sense thereof impenetrable without Gods directing grace therein how then can it be obtruded for a Note of the Church not only to the learned but to the illiterate and vnlearned Now that the Scripture is most difficult is a point acknowledged by all learned men and prooued by senerall Media First because the Scripture is authenticall only in the originalls according to those words of D. Whitakers Nullam nos editionem nisi Hebraicam in vetere Graecam 〈◊〉 Nouo Testamentâ— authenâ—â—cam facimus This being admitted how can the ignorant in the Hebrew and Greeke tongues know which is true Scripture or which is the true sense of the Scripture Yf it be replyed that they are to know true Scripture from the Translations of it I say hereto that besydes no Translation of Scripture â—s authenticall Scripture both in the former Doctours iudgement as also in the censure of D. Couell seing there are many Translations made of Scripture by the Protestants and one mainly differing from an other and accordingly eich such translation is charged as Hereticall and erroneous by other Protestants the ignorant in the tongues cannot discerne which translation among so many is the truest And as touching the English Translation in particular it is thus condemned by the Protestants themselues A Translation which taketh away from the text which addeth to the Text and that sometymes to the changing or obscuring of the meaning of the Holy Ghost And yet more A Translation which is absurd and senselesse peruerting in many places the meaning of the Holy Ghost Now then if the ignorant who can but reede is thus stabled how shall all they do who cannot reede at all And yet to all such Men God who would haue all men saued hath left some meanes for their direction to find out the true Church which meanes must be sutable to their capacity and in themselues infallible seeing otherwise they cannot produce true fayth without which the vnlearned cannot be saued The like difficulty of the scripture appeareth not only from the seeming contrary places of the scripture one text in shew of words impugning an other all which to reconcyle though in themselues they are reconcileable there is no small difficulty But also euen from the many Comments of the scripture made euen by the Protestants For if the scripture be easy and facill to what end do theÌ„selues bestow such labour and paynes in illustrating of it And if it be of such difficulty as that it needeth Commentaryes for it further explanation how then can the true sense of it be prostituted especially to the vnlearned as a true Note of the Church Lastly the difficulty of the sense of the scripture is so great as that it selfe needeth other more cleere Notes as I may call them to make it selfe knowne without which Notes it selfe resteth most doubtfull And yet are these second Notes in themselues most vncertaine The Notes for the finding out of the true sense of the scripture are in D. g Reynolds and D. h Whitakers iudgments these following Reading of the Scripture Conference of Places weâ—gâ—â—â—g the Circumstances of the text Skill in 〈…〉 gues Prayer c. In the obseruation of all which a Man stands neuerthelesse subiect to errour and false construction of the scripture euen by the iudgment of D. Whitakers thus saying Qâ—â—lâ—à â—llâ—mediâ— suâ—â— c. Such as the meanes of iâ—terpreting the obscuâ—e places of the scripture are such also is the interpretation but them 〈…〉 es of inâ—â—â—p eâ—ing obscure places are incerta dubià ambigua vncertaine doubtfull and ambâ—guous Therefore it necessarily followeth that the interpretation it selfe is vncertaine si incerta tunc potest esse f 〈…〉 sa and if it be vncertaine then may it be false Thus farre D. Whitakers Now I referre to any Mans impartial iudgment how the true preaching of the Word which euer presupposeth the true sense thereof can be a certaine and infallible Note of the true Church when itselfe necessarily â—elyeth vpon meanes as Notes of it which meanes are in themselues vncertaine and at the most can affoard but a doubtfull and perhapps a false construction of the Scripture And here now I can but commisserate our aduersaries who seing themselfs enuiâ—oned in these strayts touching the finding out of the true sence of the Scripture by Men vnlearned vnskilfulle in the tongues and perhaps not able to reade and consequently touching this their mayntayned Note of the Church are â—â—nally and for their last
Thomas and Dominicus a Soto fully dispute Now heare we are to conceaue that as the bloud of Christ doth clense vs from all sinne if so it be applied to vse by the Sacraments of Baptisme and PeÌ„nance so these Consecrated things and our Lords prayer do apply his bloud for the taking away of veniall sinne from hym who is in state of grace The third end is to dryue away wicked spirits and to cure diseases as appeareth from the prayers by which they are consecrated Neuer the lesse we are heaâ—e to know that these consecrated things do not any worke theese effects as the Sacraments wheare no let is do infallibly work their effects And the reason heare of is because these consecrated things haue not their force from any expresse couenant made by God as the acraments haue but from the Prayers of the Church and denotion of the parties vsing them Besides sometymes it is not conuenient that we should be freed from sicknes or diseases or from the molestation of the Deuills And according hearto we find that the Apostles did vse to annoynt the sicke with oyle and they were cured In like sort Epiphanius relateth how Ioseph by holy water did dissolue incaâ—tation and Magicke And Theodoret recordeth the same of Marcellus Apameensis and Palladius of Macharius Againe S. Ierome testifyeth that S. Hilarion did cure diuers diseased Persons with holy bread and holy oyle The like did S. Bernard S. Gregory witnesseth that one S. Fortunatus did cure one of a brokeÌ„ thigh only by sprinkling holy water vpon it and his owne prayers Finally S. Bernard affirmeth that S. Malachius did cure one that was phâ—anticke by the meanes of Holy Water Now these Examples do show that it is not Negro 〈…〉 cy as the Protestants sometymes do tearme it to seeke to produce with the help of prayers supernaturall effect by applying of holy water or holy oyle That the Church of God hath authority to blesse Creaturs for the former ends and for the furtherance of Denotien is prooued from her greater authority practized in changing the Saboath day from Saturday to Sunday And now it being thus changed is 〈…〉 erable Which point by the confession of learned Protestants was wrought by the sole authority of the Church and is not warranted by any text or passage of Scripture Now thus farre of all these former poynts And heere I am to end aduertizing the Protestant Reader that what is heere set downe contaynes for greater breuity but short discourses of the said controuersyes heere handled and assuring him that scarse the fift part of the prooff and authorities drawne from Gods holy Word from the testimonyes of the Fathers from the practise of Gods Church and from the confession euen of our Aduersaryes are heere alledged which might be produced in warrant of the said Catholicks doctrines And therfore I referre the Reader these be 〈…〉 uen but for some delibation and tast aforehand for his greater satisfaction to the many learned Catholicke Treatiâ—es written vpon the said subiects L. CHEIFE-IVSTICE Michaeas What do you reply hereto Are these discourses of your owne framing Againe If they be how can you then free your selfe from that infinite Wrong which you being a stranger offer to our state in seeking thus by supplanting the Ghospell to plant your owne false Religion And lastly what were the Motyues inducing you rather to diuulge these particuler doctrines then diuers others of greater weight and consequence which are still in Question betweene you and vs Belike there was some reason or this your election choyce MICHAEAS My very good Lord. I will answere you to all your demands And herein my Tongue shal be a true Interpreter of my Hart. First concerning the Authour I do heere freely grant I was the Man who penned them who taugh them and who through Gods grace and assistance wil be ready to seale the truth of them if need should so requyre with my bloud Concerning the choyce made of these Controuersyes among many others of as great or greater importance now ventilated betweene the Catholicks and the Protestants Your Lordship may be aduertized that the true reason was because I do find by experience that the common and ignorant Protestant of meaner conceate and whose vnderstanding is vsually immersed in sense seemeth to take more exception at these Catholicke doctrines then at others heere not discoursed off The cause hereof I take to be in that most of these consist in practize and consequently are dayly subiect to the outward sense Whereas those other for the cheife part do lye inspeculation thereby are further remooued from the apprehension of the vnlgar whose vnderstandings herein are commonly like to boysterous Instruments vnportionable and insutable to worke vpon any fine and curions matter For I grant that though they were principally written for fome students of the vniuersity of good talents yet secondarily my intention was the instructing of the vnlearned Protestant in the said Catholicke doctrines That they are heere handled so breifly is in regard of the multiplicity of the Questions each of which if it were at large disputed off would requyre no small Treatise And therefore I haue rather vndertaken to set downe besides some few prooffs of them the true state of euery such Catholicke poynt so to vindicate is from the foule mistaking of the Aduersary then in the fullest manner by authorities to confirme fortify them LORD CHEIFE-IVSTICE Well touching these two former poynts you haue answered and in part sat sâ—yed me But what say you to the iniury by you wrought not only against the vniuersity but euen against the whole state Which cannot by our owne statâ—ts and Decrees brooke such tumultuous proceedings in any Man much lesse in forayners as to labour to disioynt the beautifull 〈◊〉 me of that Religion which the whole Realme for these many yeares hath so peaceably enioyed MICHAEAS Most Reuerend ludge Giue me leaue without offence to vse the words only al 〈…〉 uely not comparatiuely of that great Apostle who like my selfe was once a Iew but after a Christian Neither against the Law nor against the temple of God nor against Caeser haue I any thing offended It is true And this I confesse with comfort for discomfort is the ordinary attendant of a faulty guiltines that I much labored and to that end cheifly penned these short Discourses to dissem 〈…〉 ate the true faith of these points in the minds of the Schollars of my acquaintance And why might I not Since the valew of an a 〈…〉 yleable fayth is so great as that without it no man with it all men may stand gratefull in Gods eye Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo Consider my L. the price but of one Soule which our Sauiour hath ransomed out of the Deuills hands with so high a reate humiliauit semetipsum factus obediens vsque ad mortem mortem
errein such particular poynts But the Case 〈…〉 otherwyse When many of the cheife Pastours and Father 〈…〉 seuerall Ages of the Primatiue Church do concurrently teach a poynt of doctrine as an Article of fayth And that they are not contradicted by any other of the Fathers for their mantayning of the said doctrine And in this sort is the former doctrine of the sacrifice of the Masse taught without any opposition at all not only by the former alledged Fathers but by many others or rather all othors for breuiuy heare omitted Now in this Case M. Vice-Chancelour we Catholicks do hould that such their doctryne so ioyntly by the Fathers taught without any contradiction is most agreable to Gods word For seing the Fathers of the Primatiue Church were in those dayes the cheife Pastours of Christs Church Yf they should ioyntly â—rreâ— in fayth then would it follow that the whole Visible Church of God should erre an assertion most repugnant to the promisse of our Sauiour Super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Et portae Inferi non praualebant aduersus eam and to that honerable title giuen to the Church by the Apostle styling it columna firmamentum veritatis Now what reuerence and respect we are to giue to the Primatiue Church and how we are to conceaue of the authority of it I will for the closure of this passage referre you M. Vice-Chancelour to the sentences of your own Brethreh being most learned and remarkable Protestants from whose iudgment therefore herein you cannot without great branch of modesty decline First then we find Kempnitius thus to aduance the authority of the Primatiue Church We doubt not but that the Primatiue Church receaued from the Apostles Apostolicall Men not only the text of the Scripture but also the right and natiue sense thereof The confession of Bohemia thus magnifyeth the same The auncient Church is the true and best Mistres of Posterity and going before leadeth vs the way Finally D. Iewell is no lesse sparing in his prayses heereof saying The Primatiue Church which was vnder the Apostles and Martyrs hath e 〈…〉 r a been accounted the purest of all others without exception Such transcendency of speeches you see your owne more sober and learned Brethren are not afrayd to ascrybe to the Fathers of those primatiue tymes L. CHEIFE-IVSTICE Michaas I grant you haue spoken fully in defence of your owne state and of the seuerall offices thereof practized by you Priests And though I will not say like to Agrippa h A little you haue persuaded me to become a Catholicke yet I must ingenuously acknowledge I neuer heard a cause of this Nature with stronger better arguments defended Yet for the more perfect balanâ—â—g and weighing the force of your authorityes my selfe not being conuersant in the written Monuments of the auncient Fathers I must remit this poynt to the more mature disquisition of our learned Deuins MICHAEAS Though your Lordship will not apply to your selfe the fore-said words of Agrippa yet I will make bould to reply to you such is my charitable wishing of your chiefest good in the phraze of S. Paul to Agrippa I wish to God both in little much that your L. were such as I am except this my wat of liberty But my worthy Lord. Here now begmneth the Tragedy of the disconsolate and mournefull state of Priests and Catholicks in this Country You haue heard my L. of the Antiquity of Priesthood of the like antiquity of the Sacrament of Confession and Pennance and lsstly of the antiquity of the most holy sacrifice of the Masse And yet notwithstanding all this it is decreed as your L. well knowes by the pennall lawes of this Country that Priesthood shal be Treason the releiuing of any one such Priest death to the Releiuer Confession of our sinns to a Priest and absolution of them reputed to be in the Penitent a renouncing of his Loyalty and the hearing of Masse attended on with a great fine of siluer And thus by these means euery good Priest and Catholicke are at the first sight become Statute traytours And indeed such is the case heere that neither Priest nor Catholicke can with safety of conscience giue any yeelding obedience and satisfaction to the Magistrate touching those lawes since here not to offend were to offend Obedire oportet Dee magis quam hominibus And touching my selfe and other Priests in particular your L. is to take notice that not speaking of our Blessed Sauiour who was the first Priest nor of his Apostles succeeding him therein most of the auncient Fathers were Priests enioying the same Priesthood practizing the same function in hearing of Confessions absoluing the Penitents saying of Masse which the meanest Priest of England at this day doth Therefore your Lordship may truly suppose That before you at this present stand arraigned only for being Priests exercizing that their function S. Austin S. Ambrose S. Ierome S Cyprian S. Athanasius S. Chrysostome S. Ignatius and many more of those primatiue blessed Doctours What I am they were I stand but here as their Image and they are personated in me Neither can you impleade or condemne me but that your sentence must through my sides wound them so indisâ—oluble an vnion there is betweene their stares myne no other difference betwene vs but difference of tymes But my good Lord. To passe on further to the despicable detected state of Lay Catholicks a theame not vnseasonable at these tymes I will not insist in particularizing the pennall statuts decreed agaynst them Neuerthelesle my tongue vnder your L. licence can hardly pretermit one point in silence Among then so many Calamityes and vexations wherewith on eich syde they stand plunged Not any one pressure is more insufferable to them or more opprobâ—â—ous in the eares of strangers who are ready to trumpet forth the same to the irreparable dishonour of this noble Nation otherwise famous throughout all Christendome Then to obserue the houses of Catholicks to lye open to the search of the Common base Pusuâ—uants Who vnder colour of looking for a Priest do enter their houses at most vnseasonable tymes euen by force And there opening their Trunks Chests perusing their Euidences of their Estats taking the Maysters of the houses bound in great sommes of money for their after appearance in Courts of Iustice and violently breaking downe what may seeme to withstand their present furye do by strong hand cary away any gold siluer Iewells Plate or any other portable thing of worth And all this vnder the pretext of them being forfeyted through Recusancy And the least resistance agaynst these men here made is punished as an Act of Disloyalty Neither are any English Catholicks the Nobility excepted free from these Indignityes the dead pittylesse law herein promiscuously taking hold of all without difference Now my Honorable Lord Is it not a thing deseruing astonishment
Greeke word or phrase carieth with it a greater grace emphecy and force then the same in Latin or English will beare But this I euer auerre that to be ready vpon euery little occasion to prostitute or staule forth ones Greeke a disteÌ„perature peculiar to Protestants as if he tooke a pride in that he is skilfull in coniugating of typtò This man I say deserues to be verberated throughout all the moodes and tences of the word for such his folly This course being among all graue learned men iustly censured for an exploded vanity But now M. Doctour to descend to your reason touched aboue and drawne from the authority of the holy Scripture Here I say you haue taken your last Sanctuary not in that the Scripture maketh for you and against vs but that by this meanes you may the better reiect all other authorities though neuer so forcible reduce the triall of all coÌ„trouersies to your owne priuat Iudgments since you will acknowledge no other seÌ„ce of the scripture theÌ„ what the Genius of ProtestaÌ„cy doth vouchsafe to impose vpon the Letter thus by your faire pretended Glosse of the Scripture in this your last extremity you Protestants well reseÌ„ble that Man who being ready to fall thinketh not how to preuent the fall but how to fall in the fayrest and easiest place The like I say you do vnder the priuiledge of the reuealing spirit interpreting the Scripture the vaine fluctuating vncertainty of which Spirit to discouer though this place be not capable therof were indeed to cut in sunder the cheife Artery which giueth life to the huge Body of Heresie since once take away this Priuate Spirit Heresie is but like a dying laÌ„pe which hath no oyle to feede it Only I will here pronouÌ„ce that as some haue thus left written That must be good which Nero persecuteth so here I do iustify by the contrary that it must be euill and false which the Priuate Spirit affecteth and manteineth But let vs proceed herein further and dissect the veine of this your last most despayring tergiuersation First then wee are to call to minde that it hath euer beene the very countenance and eye of all innouation in religion to seeke to support it selfe by misapplyed and racked Texts of Scripture a practise so anciently vsed though in these later dayes it hath receaued more full groath as that it was obserued by Augustine Hierome Tertullian and finally by old Vincentius Lyrinensis who thus expressely writeth not only of his owne times but euen in a presaging spirit of our times An Haeretici diuinis Scripturae testimoniis vtantur Viuntur planè vehementer quidem Sed tantò magis cauendi suâ—â— Now this being so you are forced M. Doctour for your last retire and refuge to compart in practise with all ancient and moderne Hereticks Secondly the Scripture cannot prooue it selfe to be scripture and consequently it is not able to decide all controuersies which assertion of mine is warranted by your prime men M. Hooker thus teaching Of things necessary the very cheifest is to know what bookes wee are bound to esteeme holy which poynt is confessed impossible for the scripture it selfe to teach And according hereto you Protestants do not agree which Bookes be Canonicall Scripture which Apocriphall For doth not Luther and diuers of the Lutherans recite as apocriphall the booke of Iob Ecclesiastes the Epistle of S. Iames the Epistle of Iude the secoÌ„d Epistle of Peter the secoÌ„d and third of Iohn and finally the Apocalipes All which bookes are neuerthelesse acknowledged by Caluin and the Caluenists for canonicall Scripture Thirdly euen of those bookes which all Protestants ioyntly receiue as Canonicall Scripture the Protestants doe coÌ„demne as most false and corrupt not only the present originals but also all Translations of the said bookes whether they be made in Greeke Latin or English as apeareth from the reciprocall condemnations of one anothers Translation for the more full discouery of which point I referre you M. Doctour to the perusing of a booke some few yeares since written by a Catholicke Priest and Doctour of diuinity entituled The Pseudoscripturists Fourthly the very text and letter of such bookes as you all acknowledg for Canonicall Scripture are more cleere for our Catholicke Faith and in that sence are expounded by the ancient Fathers then any the Countertexts are which you produce to impunge our doctrine For some tast I will exemplify the perspicuity of the letter in some few points And first for the Primacy of Peter we alleadge Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church c. expounded With vâ—by Augustine Hierome Cyprian others For the Reall Presence we insist in our Sauiours words This is my Body this is my Blood taken in our sense by Theophilact Chrysostome the Cyrils Ambrose and indeed by all the ancient Fathers without exception For Priests remitting of sinnes we vrge that whose sinnes you shall renut they are remitted vnto them and whose sinnes you shall reteine are reteyned which passage is interpreted in our Catholicke sence by Hierome Chrisostome Augustine and others For Necessity of Baptisme Except a a Man be borne againe of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of Heauen Of which our Catholicke exposition see Augustine Chrisostome Ambrose Hierome Cyprian c. For Iustification by works Do you see because of works a man is Iustisied and not by Faith only expounded with vs to omit all others for breuity by Augustine Lastly to auoid prolixitie for vnwritten Traditions we vsually alleadge those words of the Apostle Therefore Brethren hold the Traditions which you haue receiued either by steach or by Epistle interpreted with vs Catholicks by Damâ—scene Basill Chrysostome c. Thus farre for a â—ast herein in which Texts and diuers others omitted you are to note M. Doctour first that the Texts themselues are so plaine and literall that the very Thesis or Conclusion it selfe mantained by vs is conteined in the Words of the said Texts and therefore you Protestants are forced by way of answere commonly to expound those texts figuratiuely Secondly you are to be aduertised here that as we can produce many Fathers expounding these and other like places in our Catholicke sence so you are not able to alleadge any one approoued Father among so many interpreting but any one of the said passages of scripture in your Protestant Construction Thirdly and lastly you are to obserue that such texts as the Protestants vrge against these other Catholicke Articles defended by vs are nothing so literall plaine and naturall for their purpose but for the most part are vrged by them by way of inference and deduction which kinde of proofs is often false and sometimes but probable Neither can you or
and temporary respects of riches and preferments are so potent and forcible with them as that they câ—nnot or at least they will not be induced to follow the Dictamen and resolution of their owne Iudgments If the subiect of your discourse be about the abstruse Misteries of the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist or of some other such sublime points you shall hardly draw them to relinquish naturall reason so deepely are they immersed therein it being indeed their Pillar of Non plus vltra Thus where other Christians enioy two eyes the one of Faith the other of Nature These Polyphemi shutting that of Faith do looke vpon the Articles of Religion only with this of Nature Choose rather to dispute touching matter of fact with in which may be included the proofe of the truth or falshood of the Protestant Religion then touching any dogmaticall point of faith and doctrine as receiuing it proofe from the scripture This I speake not but that the scripture makes most clearly for the Catholicks and against the Protestants But because your aduersary in dispute will euer cauill at your exposition of Scripture reducing it in the end against all antiquity of Fathers and tradition of the Church to the interpretation of his owne priuate and reuealing spirit and so your labour would prooue commonly to be lost thereby Now in matter of fact your Aduersary is forced to stand to the authorities deduced froÌ„ Ecclesiasticall Histories and other such humane proofes and therfore he must either shape a pro bable if not a sufficient answere to them which he neuer can do they wholy making against him euen by his owne learned brethrens Confessions or els he must rest silent And this is the reason why the Protestants are so loath to dispute of the Church since this Question comprehendeth in it selfe diuers points of fact as of it continuall Visibility Antiquity Succession Ordination and Mission of Pastours c. All which QuestioÌ„s receiue their proofes from particuler Instances warranted by shewing the particular times persons and other circumstances concerning matter of fact An other reason of this your choyse of your subiect of dispute may be in that few Men and those only schollers can truly censure of the exposition of scripture whereas almost euery illiterate man enioying but a reasonable capacity is able sufficiently to iudge of the testimonies produced to prooue or disprooue matter of fact And here I would wish you that in your dispute you labour to haue some Catholicks present for where all the Auditory are Protestants certaine it is that they will voice it against you howsoeuer the disputatioÌ„ may otherwise go But because these obseruatioÌ„s are ouer generall I will giue you here some more particuler since most of them may be restrained to certain particular passages which may occurre betweene you and your disputant Aduersary 1. First then let the true state of the Question discussed of be set downe and acknowledged on both sides in regard of the often willfully mistaken doctrine of the Catholicks That done reduce the question disputed of to as few branches as you can since multiplicity of Points is more subiect to confusion and forgetfulnes and giueth greater liberty to extrauagant digressions And will your Aduersary to auoid all such speaches but what are pertinent to the point handled And if he will needs wander in his discourses then you may reduce the force of them by way of Enthimem or syllogisme to the point disputed of that so both your Aduersary and the Auditory may see how roueingly these his speaches were vsed and how lowsely they and the question then handled do hang together 2. If your Aduersary vndertake the part of the Answerer suffer not him to oppose though he labour to do so to free himselfe from answering when he shall see himselfe plunged In like sort if he vndergo the part of the Opponent tye him precisely euer to oppose which Scene perhaps he being brought to a Non plus would sleyly transferre vpon you And thus be sure that eich of you keepe your chosen station 3. If your disputant will vaunt that he will prooue all by scripture onely as most of them giue it out they will then force him to draw all his premisses I meane both his Propositions if so they should be reduced to a forme of argument from the scripture alone of which Methode within two or three arguments he is most certaine to faile And if he take either of his Propositions from humane authority or from Naturall Reason you may tell him he leaueth his vndertaken Taske to wit to prooue from Scripture alone and consequently you may deny the force of his argument though otherwise logicall if it were reduced to forme 4. In your proofs drawne from Scripture labour to be much practised in the Protestants Translations of it of which infinite places make for the Catholicks Cause euen as the Scripture is translated by the Protestants This course farre gauleth them more then if you insisted in the Catholicke traÌ„slation 5. If you dispute with any by writing or enterchange of letters this being but a mute Aduocate of the minde write nothing but matter and with as much compendiousnes as the subiect will beare without any verball excursions or digressions since this proceeding will force your Aduersary to reply if he will reply at all to the matter For otherwise leauing the point which is cheifly to be handled he will shape a reply to other lesse necessary stuffe deliuered by you and then his Reply must passe abroad by the help of many partiall tongues for a full answere to your whole discourse 6. In like sort if you attempt to charge a Protestant Authour with lyes or Corruptions in their writings with which many of their bookes are euen loaded rather insist in a few and those manifest and vnanswereable then in a greater number seeing if your Aduersary can make show to salue but three or foure of a greater number which the more easily he may do by how much the number of the instanced falsifications is greater the supposed answereing of theÌ„ chosen picked out by him must seeme to disgrace all the rest vrged by you 7. If you intend to bring and obiect any wicked and vnwarrantable sayings especially out of Luther either against the Blessed Trinity or about his acknowledged lust sensuality be carefull to note the Editions of the Booke wherein such his sayings are to be found For in the later Editions of his workes many such sentences are for very shame left out and vnprinted And hereupon there are diuers Protestants who vtterly deny that euer any such words were written by him 8. Be skilfull in discouering though not in practising Sophistry that so you may the better loose and vntie eâ—â—e Protestants knots of deceipte diuers of them being most expert in all kinds of Paralogisme And particulerly takeheede of that grosse and vulger sleight vnworthy a schollar drawne from the particuler to the
God for which you suffer See the like texts noted in the margent That the auncient Fathers mantayned the doctrine of merit of works see for greater breuity Ignatius Ireneus Basill Chrysostome Nazianz Nyssene Cyprian Ambrose Austin Ierome The iudgment of the auncient Fathers touching merit of works is discouered besides by their owne testimonyes euen from the acknowledgment of the Protestants For first we find D Humfrey to confesse in this s 〈…〉 rt Ireneus Clemens and others called Apostolicall haue in their wrytings merit of Works In like sort the Centurists thus charge Chrysostome Chrysostome handleth impurely the doctrine of iustification and attributeth merit to works They also t 〈…〉 censure Origen Origen made works the cause of our iustification Brentius in like sort saith that Austin taught assiance in mans merits towards remission of Sinns Luther styleth Ierome Ambrose Austin and others Iustice Workers of the old Papacy D. Whitakers thus wryteth of the age of Cyprian Not only Cyprian but almost all the most holy Fathers of that tyme were in that errour as thinking so to â—ay the payne due to sinne and to satisfy Gods iustice D. Whitguift as afore of praying to Saincts so of merit of works thus confesseth Almost all the Bishopps and Wryters of the greeke Church and Latin also were spotted with doctrine of merit Bullenger confesseth the great antiquity of the doctrine of merit in these words The doctrine of Merit satisfaction and iustification of works did incontinently after the Apostles tyme lay their first foundation To conclude this point M. Wotton no obscure Protestant reiecteth the authority of Ignetius the Apostles scholar touching merit of works in this sort I say plainly this Mans testimony is nothing worth because he was of little iudgment in Diuinity Thus farre touching our Aduersary acknowledgments of the Fathers iudgment herein Now that some learned Protestants do teach and beleiue the doctrine of Merit of Works to be true and Orthodoxall doctrine is no lesse euident then the former point For it is taught as true doctrine by the Publike Confessions in their Harmony by M. Hooker by Melanctâ—on and by Spandeburge the Protestant To the former doctrine of merit of Works I will adioyne the doctryne touching works of Supererogation Which doctrine is greatly exagirated and depraued by many Protestants who are not ashamed to traduce the Catholicks and to diuulge both by penne and in Pulpit that the Catholicks do hould that their works can do more then merit Heauen But this is the Protestant◠〈…〉 lumny since the Catholicks do not hould or beleiue any such thing Therefore I will sette downe the true definition of an Euangelical Counsell distinguished from a Precept seing vpon Euangelicall Counsells works of Supererogation are grounded An Euangelicall Counsell of Perfection is called any good Worke Which is not commanded by Christ but only commended by him and poynted on to vs by hym As the Vowe of Chastity of Pouerty of Obedience and diuers other good Works not commanded by God It differeth from a Precept First because the subiect of a Precept is more facill and easy then that of a Councell Secondly in that a Counsel doth include in it the Performance of a Precept and something more then a Precept Thirdly in that Precepts are common to all Men to performe Counsells are not so Fourthly Precepts of their owne nature do oblige Men to their performance Counsells are in the choyce of one to performe or not performe Lastly Precepts being obserued are rewarded being not obserued the transgression is punished Whereas Counsells being obserued and kept haue a greater reward being not kept no punishment followeth Thus far touching the definition of an Euangelicall Counsell Which in other words may be also thus defined An Euangelical Counsell is any such good Worke of high Perfection to the performance whereof we are not bownd as that we sinne in not doing of it Now whereas it is commonly obiected against the doctrine of Euangelicall Councells That we are so obbliged to God as that we cannot euer do more then we ought to do It is therefore heare to be conceaued that if we consider Gods benefitts bestowed vpon vs we willingly acknowledge that Man can not do more good then he ought no not the thousand part of that he ought to do in that Man cannot render or retaliate any thing of equall valew and worth to Gods benefitts Neuerthelesse Yf we consider the Law and Commande imposed by God vpon vs then man may be sayd to do more then indeede he is obliged by Gods Law to do For although Man cannot exceede or equall Gods benefits with his owne works yet he is not become guilty hearby seing Men is not obliged to performe more then that only which God commaundeth Euangelicall Councells take the cheife and first proufe from sacred Scripture As wheare it is said There are certaine Eunuchs who haue gelded themselfs for the Kyngdome of Heauen Which place is expounded of the Euangelicall Counsell of Chastity by Cyprian Chrysostome Austin and others A second text to omit diuers others for breuity is that where our Sauiour sayth to the yong Man Yf thou wilt be perfect go and sell all that thou hast and giue it to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen Which text is interpreted of the Euangelicall Counsell of pouerty by S. Ambrose S. Ierome and S Austin The foresayd doctrine is further confirmed by the authority of the auncient Fathers For b 〈…〉 es their expositions of the foresaid places of Scripture this doctrine is further taught by Origen Athanasius Basil Chrysostome Nazianzene Cyprian Ambrose Ierome and finally by Austin who speaking of Precepts and Counsells vseth the very Word Supererogation thus saying of precepts and Counsells Dominus debitum imperat nobis in his autem si quid amplius supererogaueritis in reddendo reddet nobis The doctrine of Euangelicall Councells is warranted and taught besydes by the former auncient fathers of the Primatiue Church euen by diuers learned Protestants According hearto we find it is mantayned for true doctryne by M. Hooker by D. Coâ—ell and by Bucer And thus fâ—r breifly of Iustification by Works of merit of Works and of works of Supererogation The Catholicke Doctrine touching Indulgences THe Viâ—ulency of Protestants against the doctrine of Indulgences is most remarkable Wherefore for their better conceauing of the state of this Question or Indulgences this following in the Catholicke Doctrine First that Mortall sinne is remitted by the Sacrament of Confession so far forth only as concerneth the guilt or offence of God and the punishment of eternall damnation yet so that this eternall punishment by Gods Mercy is turned into temporall punishment as appeareth by the example
testimonies of the Primitiue Fathers from Ecclestasticall Histories and from your owne more moderate and learned Brethrens acknowledgments are drawne out against you like so many sorts of Artilery to batter downe the walls of Heresie and you not daring and indeed not able to indure the assaults of any of these then are you at the last forced to flee to the bare letter of the scripture interpreted contrary to all the former authorities by your owne most partiall priuate spirit And the better to lay some pleasing and faire colours vpon the rugged graine of this your assumed priuile dge you are not afraid peculiarly to apply to your selues as though you were the sole partage of God these former words of the Flock the Vnction and Abba Pater Neither do you rest here but many of your Coate as may be obserued both out of their sermons and writings much solace and delight theÌ„selues in these following phrases of the scripture euer hauing them in their mouths and vsing them with the helpe of the casting vp the white of the eye as spels to enchant the simple Spiritus 〈◊〉 vbi vult spirat Christ crucified sauing faith the spirituall Maniudgeth allthings and is iudged of none Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus Dei the sanctisication of the spirit the reuealing sayth finally to omit many such others that which is borne of the spirit is of the spirit Thus as if your selues were wholy spiritualized and enioyed certaine Rapts VisioÌ„s or Enthusiasnes you vendicate to your selues most ambitiously the former passages of Gods sacred Writ only to blanch hereby the deformity of your Cause and to bleere the vndiscerning eyes of your ignorant and credulous followers Such men breath herein an insufferable elation and height of mind I will not say pride imposture and Hipocrisy D. WHITAKERS My Lord these are but your iniust aspertions cast vpon the Innocency of the Professours of the Ghosple whose words not for forme-sake as you wrongfully suggest but euen out of pure conscience are euer concordant to the illuminations of the spirit descending from the Lord. But to turne my speaches more particularly to you Micheas It seemes by many ouerturnes by you already giuen that you intende to turne Papist And indeed I much wonder why your iudgement should rather propend to the Romish faith then to the cleerelight of the Ghosple Since in treading your intended course besides all other arguments here omitted It seems you little prise the authority of so many worthy Protestant doctors both in my owne nation of England and to omit other places throughout the most spatious Country of Germany Men of extraordinary eminency for learning and whose Vâ—tuersities are celebrious throughout all Christendome and in theire place you are content to enthrall your iudgment to the absurd and sencelesse Positions of the obscure and illiterated Italians and Spanyards who are not by nature made so maniable as I may say as to menage the high Misteries of Christian Religion and whose blinde credulity suffereth their minds to enterta ine any superstition or errour whatsoeuer And you must here remember Micheas that it is much learning which conduceth a scholler to the Port of a true fayth whereas a superficiall measure rather endangereth him then otherwise whose state herein is like to ship-wracke or losse by Sea which is often caused through want of Sea or water but seldome through abundance thereof thus the store of that which occasioneth the hurt or domage being had would preuent the hurt or domage it selfe The like I say is a schollers case herein Therefore Micheas be wary now at the first with whether side you consociate your selfe least otherwise your resolutioÌ„ be atteted hereafter with a fruitlesse Repentance And though the knowledge of thinges to come be ouercast with the darkenes or Vncertainty yet God grant I prooue not a true Sybill deuining of your future misfortune MICHEAS M. Doctour I take your admonition charitably yet I mustneeds say you deale strangely herein for whereas Man only is capable of Religion you neuerthelesse would haue me cease to be a man in the choyce of my Religion Since you implicitly will me to reiect and abandon so farre forth as concerns my election of fayth all prudence iudgment and Reason it selfe and to rest vpon the bare letter of the Scripture interpreted contrary to all antiquity by my owne priuate and perhaps erroneous spirit And is not this I pray you to extinguish all light of Reason by which we differ from other Creatures and agree with immateriall Spirits Since not to vse reason at all is the property of a beast to vse it well of a celestiall Angell Now touching the Parallell which you make betweene the Protestant and Catholicke Countries I must confesse plainely I do not conspire with you in iudgment therein your English Protestant Doctours I purposely passe ouer in silence and do repute them learned Touching the Germans It is true that they haue beene and still are diuers graue schollers of Germany some Protestants and other Catholicks and infinitly farre more Catholicks then Protestants by how much longer time Germany hath bin Catholicke then Protestant against whose honour and due reputation farre be it from me to speake Neuerthelesse if we do with a steddy hand ballance that Nation and the custome of it with Italy and Spayne to speake nothing of France which being almost wholy Catholicke some few places excepted hath and doth daily bring forth men of great worth for learning We shall then easily discouer the disproportion and inequality And to giue a little touch of the nature of them all who knoweth not that in diuers parts of Germany the Inhabitants are but certaine liuelesse and great Colosses or Statuaes of flesh and bones who make their bodies but conduits or strayners for beare and wine to passe through belching out their discourses of Religion in ful carouses a maine cloude which darkneth the light of the vnderstanding Againe who can be persuaded that Fleame and Haire the predominant complexion of that country and a loathsome bespitled stoue caÌ„ contest in matters of eruditioÌ„ with the ingenuous melaÌ„choly of the Italians and Spaniards and their most famous schools and Academies By the help of which actiue humour in them for I speake not of that grosse and dull Melancholly wherby a Man thinketh and walketh away his dayes the pure and vnfettred Soule disorganized as it were and vnbodyed for the tyme doth by an inward reflex glasle it selfe in it owne essence and so transcending it accustomed limits through an internall working of it owne Powers doth penetrate the most difficult and abstruse misteries in learning and religion fanning away points which in their owne properties are to be seuered and casting or fagoting together things of one Nature But to returne backe to Germany which I will euer acknowledg hath brought forth many most famous and worthy Men for Learning Vertue