that all the reall brables and suits amongst men arise from either true or pretended iniustice of contracts Let me leade you in a terme morning to the spacious Hall of Iustice What is the cause of all that concourse that Hiue-like murmure that noise at the Bar but iniurious bargaines fraudulent conueyances false titles disappointment of trusts wrongfull detentions of money goods lands coozenages oppressions extortions Could the honesty and priuate Iustice of men preuent these enormities silence and solitude would dwell in that wide Palace of Iustice neither would there be more Pleas than Cob-webs vnder that vast roofe Euery way therefore it is cleare that the worke of Iustice is peace In so much as the Guardians of Peace are called Iusticers This for the Common-wealth If it please you to cast your eyes vpon her Sister the Church you shall finde that the outward Peace thereof also must arise from Iustice Alas thence is our hopelesnesse Neuer may they prosper that loue not that wish not peace within those sacred wals but what possibility of Peace in the peremptory repulses of Iustice What possibility of Iustice in the long vsurped tyranny of the successor of Romulus Could we hope to see Iustice once shine from those seuen hils we would make account of Peace but oh the miserable iniustice of that imperious Sea Iniustice of claime iniustice of practice Of claime ouer Kings Church Scriptures Conscience Ouer Kings there is S. Pauls super-exalted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord of the world His vsuall title is Orbis Dominus Dominus vniuersorum in the mouthes and pens of his flatterers And lest Princes should seeme exempted He is Rex Regum as Paulus 4. saies of himselfe Ouer Emperors and Kings he is super Imperatores reges saith their Antoninus Triumphus Capistranus and who not How much you know the calculation of the magnitude of the two great lights How ouer them As the master ouer the seruant they are the words of their Pope Nicholas The Imperiall throne is vnde nisi à nobis saith Pope Adrian What should I tell you of his bridle Whence but from vs stirrup toe cup canopy Let the booke of holy Ceremonies say the rest These things are stale The world hath long seene and blushed Ouer the Church There is challenged a proper head-ship from whom all influences of life sense motion come as their Bozius why said I ouer He is vnder the Church For he is the foundation of the Church saith Bellarmine Ouer as the head vnder as the foundation What can Christ be more Thence where are generall councels but vnder him as the streame of Iesuites Who but he is regula fidei as their Andradius he alone hath infallibility and indefectibility whether in decretis fidei or in praeceptis morum In decrees of faith or precepts of manners as Bellarmine He hath power to make new Creeds to obtrude them to the Church the deniall wherof was one of those Articles which Leo the tenth condemned in Luther Ouer Scriptures There is claimed a power to authorize them for such A power to interpret them sententialiter Obligatoriè being such A power to dispense with them ex causā though such Ouer the consciences of men In dispensing with their oathes in allowance of their sins It is one head of their Canon Law He absolues from the oath of Allegeance A Iuramento fidelitatis absoluit Decret p. 2. Caus 15. qu. 6. And in euery oath is vnderstood a reseruation and exception of the Popes power say his Parasites I am ashamed to tell and you would blush to heare of the dispensation reported to be granted by Sixtus 4. to the family of the Cardinall of S. Lucie and by Alexander 6. to Peter Mendoza Cardinall of Valentia And as there is horrible iniustice in these claimes so is there no lesse in practise Take a taste of all What can be more vniust than to cast out of the lap of the Church those that oppose their nouelties to condemne them to the stake to hell for Heretikes What more vniust than to falsifie the writings of ancient or moderne Authors by secret expurgations by wilfull mis-editions what more vniust than the withholding the remedy of generall Councels and transacting all the affaires of the Church by a pack't conclaue What more vniust than the suppression of the Scriptures and mutilation of the Sacrament to the Laity What more vniust than allowance of equiuocation than vpholding a faction by willing falshood of rumors than plotting the subuersion of King and State by vnnaturall conspiracies Well may wee call heauen and earth to record against the iniustice of these claimes of these practises What then Is it to hope for Peace notwithstanding the continuance of all these So the worke of Iniustice shall be Peace And an vniust and vnsound Peace must it needs be that arises from iniustice Is it to hope they will abandon these things for Peace Oh that the Church of God might once be so happy That there were but any life in that possibility In the meane time let God and his holy Angels witnesse betwixt vs that on their part the Peace faileth we are guiltlesse What haue we done What haue we attempted What haue we innouated Only we haue stood vpon a iust and modest negatiue and haue vniustly suffered Oh that all the innocent bloud we haue shed could wash their hands from Iniustice from enmity to Peace That from them we may returne to our selues For the publike we enioy an happy Peace Blessed be God for Iustice and if in this common harmony of Peace there be found some priuate iarres of discord whence is it but from our owne Iniustice The world is of another minde whose wont is to censure him that punishes the fault not him that makes it Seuerity not guiltinesse in common opinion breakes the Peace Let the question be who is the great make-bate of the world begin with the family Who troubles the house The like discourse to this ye shall finde in Coara Schlusselburgius in his preface to his thirteenth booke Catal. Haeret. Not vnruly headstrong debaucht children that are ready to throw the house out of the windowes but the austere father that reproues that corrects them would he winke at their disorders all would be quiet Not carelesse slothfull false lime-fingred seruants but the strict master that obserues and rates and chastises them would he hold his hands and tongue there would be peace Not the peeuish and turbulent wife who forgetting the rib vsurps vpon the head but the resolute husband that hates to leese his authority in his loue remembring that though the rib be neare the heart yet the head is aboue the shoulders Would he fall from the termes of his honour there would be peace In the Country not the oppressing Gentleman that tyrannizes ouer his cottagers incroches vpon his neighbours inheritance incloses commons depopulates villages scruzes his Tenants to
be read in the Catholike Church and as they are had in the old vulgar Latine Edition for holy and Canonicall let him be accursed Thus she Iudge you now of our age and say whether the opinion of the ancient Church that is ours be not a direct enemie to Popery and flatly accursed by the Romish Passe on yet a little further Our question is whether the Hebrew and Greeke Originals be corrupted and whether those first Copies of Sciptures be not to be followed aboue all Translations Heare first the ancient Church with vs But saith Saint AVGVSTINE how soeuer it be taken whether it be beleeued to bee so done or not beleeued or lastly whether it were so or not so I hold it a right course that when any thing is found different in either bookes the Hebrew and Septuagint since for the certaintie of things done there can be but one truth that tongue should rather be beleeued from whence the Translation was made into another language Vpon which words LVDOVICVS VIVES yet a Papist saith thus The same saith he doth HIEROM proclaime euery where and reason it selfe teacheth it and there is none of found iudgement that will gainsay it but in vain doth the consent of all good wits teach this for the stubborne blockishnesse of men opposeth against it Let HIEROM himselfe then a greater Linguist be heard speake And if there bee any man saith he that will say the Hebrew bookes were afterwards corrupted by the Iewes let him heare ORIGEN what he answeres in the eight volume of his explanations of ESAY to this question that the Lord and his Apostles which reproue other faults in the Scribes and Pharises would neuer haue beene silent in this which were the greatest crime that could be But if they say that the Hebrewes falsified them after the comming of Christ and Preaching of the Apostles I cannot hold from laughter that our Sauiour and the Euangelists and Apostles should so cite testimonies of Scripture as the Iewes would afterwards depraue them Thus IEROME And the Canon law it selfe hath this determination that the truth and credit of the bookes of the old Testament should bee examined by the Hebrew Volumes of the new by the Greeke And Pope INNOCENTIVS as he is cited by GRATIAN could say Haue recourse to the diuine Scriptures in their Original Greeke The same lastly by BELLARMINES owne confession Bellar. l. de verb. Dei 2. cap. 11. §. 3. the Fathers teach euery where As IEROME in his booke against HELVIDIVS and in his Epistle to MARCELLA that the Latine Edition of the Gospell is to be called backe to the Greeke fountaines and the Latine Edition of the old Testament is to be amended by the Hebrew in his Comment vpon ZACHARY 8. The very same hath AVSTEN in his second booke of Christian doctrine Chap. 11.12.15 and Epist 19. and elsewhere This was the old Religion and ours now heare the new The present Church of Rome hath thus The holy Synod decreeth that the old vulgar Latine Edition in all Lectures Dispuations Sermons Expositions be held for Authenticall saith the Councell of Trent And her Champion BELLARMINE hath these words That the fountaine of the Originals in many places runne muddy and impure wee haue formerly shewed and indeede it can scarce be doubted Accedit quod patres passim docent ad fontes Hebraeos Graeces esse recurrendum Hieron in lib. contr Heluid in Epist ad Marcellam c. Concil Trid. sess 4. Sacrosancta Synodus statuit vt haec ipsa vetus c. pro authentica habeatur Bell de verb. l. 2. c. 11. Nunc autem fontes multis in locis turbidos fluere c. Omnino contendunt Iudaeos in odium Christianae relig studiose deprauasse ita docet Iacobus Christop litanus Canus c. Bell. 2. de verb. Dei p. 100. So Raynolds in his refutation pag. 303. against Isaac Valla Andradius Monta c. Haeretici huius temporis odio vulgatae editionis nimium tribuunt editiâ—i Hebraicae c. omnia exaâ—â—nari vâ—lunt ad Hebraeum textum quem non semel purissimum fontem appellant Bell. l. 2. de verb. c. 2. Epiphan contr Anomaeos Haeres 76. Omnia sunt clara lucida c. Basil in Ascet oâ— Regul breuiores quae ambiguè obscurê videntur dici in quibusdam locis sacrae script reg 267. Aug. Ep. 3. Non tenta in scriptâ—â—is difficultate perueniter ad ea quae necessaria sunt saluti c. Aug. de doctr Christ l. 2. c. 9. In ijs quae â—pertè in scriptura positá siâ—â—t invenâ—tur illa 〈◊〉 quae continent fidem moresque vinendi Magnificè salubriter spirit sanctui ita script c. De doctr Christ lib. 2. cap. 4. Aug. Epist 3. Modus ipse dicendi quo sancta Scriptura c. Sed invitat omnes humili sermone but that as the Latine Church hath beene more constant in keeping the faith than the Greeke so it hath beene more vigilant in defending her bookes from corruption Yea some of the Popish Doctors maintaine that the Iewes in hatred of the Christian faith did on purpose corrupt many places of Scripture so holds GREGORY de VALENTIA IACOBVS CHRISTOPOLITANVS in his Preface to the Psalmes CANVS in the second booke of his common places But in stead of all BELLARMINE shall shut vp all with these words The Heretikes of this time in hatred of the vulgar Edition giue too much to the Hebrew Edition as CALVIN CHEMNITIVS GEORGIVS MAIOR All which would haue euery thing examined and amended by the Hebrew text which they commonly call a most pure fountaine See now whether that which BELLARMINE confesses to haue bin the Iudgement of HIEROME AVSTEN and all the ancient Fathers be not here condemned by him as the opinion of the Heretikes Ours was theirs and theirs is condemned vnder our names Iudge whether in this also Popery be not an vpstart Yet one step more Our question is whether the Scripture be easie or most obscure and whether in all essentiall poynts it doe not interpret it selfe so as what is hard in one place is openly laid forth in another Heare the Iudgment of the old Church and ours All things are cleare and plaine and nothing contrary in the Scriptures saith EPIPHANIVS Those things which seeme doubtfully and obscurely spoken in some places of Scripture are expounded by them which in other places are open and plaine saith BASIL What could CALVIN and LVTHER say more There is no so great hardnesse in the Scriptures to come to those things which are necessary to saluation saith AVSTEN In those things which are openly laid downe in Scripture are found all those things which containe our faith and rules of our life saith the same Father who yet againe also saith thus The Spirit of God hath Royally and wholsomely tempered the holy Scriptures so as both by the plaine places he might preuent our hunger and by the
Rulers in Christ's time were notoriously couetous proud oppressing cruell superstitious our Sauiour feared not polluting in ioyning with them and was so farre from separating himselfe that hee called and sent others to them But a little Leauen leauens the whole lumpe it is true by the infection of it sinne where it is vnpunished spreadeth it sowreth all those whose hands are in it not others If we dislike it detest desist reproue and mourne for it we cannot bee tainted the Corinthian loue-feasts had grosse and sinfull disorder yet you heare not Paul say Abstaine from the Sacrament till these be reformed Rather he enioynes the act and controules the abuse God hath bidden you heare and receiue shew me where he hath said except others be sinfull Their vncleannesse can no more defile you then your holinesse can excuse them But while I communicate you say I consent God forbid It is sinne not to cast out the deseruing but not yours vvho made you a Ruler and a Iudge The vncleane must bee separated not by the people Would you haue no distinction betwixt priuate and publike persons What strange confusion is this And what other then the old note of Corah and his company Yee take too much vpon you seeing all the Congregation is holy euery one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift ye vp your selues aboue the Congregation of the Lord What is if this be not to make a Monster of Christs body hee is the head his Church the body consisting of diuers limbes All haue their seuerall faculties and imployments not euery one all vvho would imagine any man so absurd as to say that this bodie should be all tongue or all hands euery man a Teacher euery man a Ruler As Christ had said to euery man Goe teach and whose sinnes yee remit How senselesse are these two extreames Of the Papists that one man hath the Keyes Of the Brownists that euery man hath them But these priuiledges and charges are giuen to the Church True to be executed by her Gouernors the facultie of speech is giuen to the vvhole man but the vse of it to the proper instrument Man speaketh but by his tongue if a voice should be heard from his hand eare foot it were vnnaturall Now if the tongue speake not when it ought shall we bee so foolish as to blame the hand But you say if the tongue speake not or speake ill the whole man smarteth the man sinneth I grant it but you shall set the naturall body on too hard a rack if you straine it in all things to the likenesse of the spirituall or ciuill The members of that being quickned by the same soule haue charge of each other and therefore either stand or fall together It is not so in these If then notwithstanding vnpunished sinnes we may ioyne with the true Church Whether is ours such You doubt and your solicitors deny surely if we haue many enormities yet none worse then rash and cruell iudgement let them make this a colour to depart from themselues there is no lesse woe to them that call good euill To iudge one man is bold and dangerous Iudge then vvhat it is to condemn a vvhole Church God knowes as much vvithout cause as without shame Vaine men may libell against the Spouse of Christ her husband neuer diuorced her No his loue is still aboue their hatred his blessings aboue their censures Do but aske them were we euer the true Church of God If they deny it Who then were so Had God neuer Church vpon earth since the Apostles time till Barrow and Greenwood arose And euen then scarce a number nay when or where vvas euer any man in the vvorld except in the schooles perhaps of Donatus or Nouatus that taught their doctrine and now still hath he none but in a blind lane at Amsterdam Can you thinke this probable If they affirme it when ceased we Are not the points controuerted still the same The same gouernment the same doctrine Their minds are changed not our estate Who hath admonished euinced excommunicated vs and when All these must be done Will it not be a shame to say that Francis Iohnson as he tooke power to excommunicate his Brother and Father so had power to excommunicate his Mother the Church How base and idle are these conceits Are wee then Heretikes condemned in our selues Wherein ouerthrow wee the foundation What other God Sauiour Scriptures Iustification Sacraments Heauen do they teach besides vs Can all the Masters of Separation yea can all the Churches in Christendome set forth a more exquisite and worthy confession of faith then is contained in the Articles of the Church of England Who can hold these and bee hereticall Or from which of these are we reuolted But to make this good they haue taught you to say that euery truth in Scripture is fundamentall so fruitfull is errour of absurdities Whereof still one breeds another more deformed then it selfe That Trophimus vvas left at Miletum sicke that Pauls Cloake was left at Troas that Gaius Pauls hoast saluted the Romanes that Nabal was drunke or that Thamar baked Cakes and a thousand of this nature are fundamentall how large is the Separatists Creed that hath all these Articles If they say all Scripture is of the same Author of the same authoritie so say we but not of the same vse is it as necessarie for a Christian to know that Peter hosted with one Simon a Tanner in Ioppa as that Iesus Christ the Sonne of God vvas borne of the Virgin Mary What a monster is this of an opinion that all truths are equall that this spirituall house should be all foundation no walls no roofe Can no man be saued but he that knowes euery thing in Scripture Then both they and vvee are excluded heauen would not haue so many as their Parlor at Amsterdam Can any man be saued that knowes nothing in Scripture It is farre from them to be so ouercharitable to affirme it you see then that both all truths must not of necessitie bee knowne and some must and these we iustly call fundamentall which who so holdeth all his hay and stubble through the mercy of God condemne him not stil he hath right to the Church on earth and hope in heauen but whether euery truth bee fundamentall or necessarie discipline you say is so indeed necessarie to the well-being of a Church no more it may be true without it not perfect Christ compares his Spouse to an Army with banners as order is to an Armie so is discipline to the Church if the troopes be not well marshalled in their seuerall rankes and moue not forward according to the discipline of warre it is an Armie still confusion may hinder their successe it cannot bereaue them of their name it is as beautifull proportion to the bodie an hedge to a vineyard a wall to a City an hem to a garment feeling to an house It may be a body vineyard
c. Bell. de effectu Sacram. l. 2. cap. 25. pag. 300. Omnium Dogmatum firmitas c. So Pigh l. 1. de Hier. et Stapl. l. 9. Princ. doct c. 1. Compertum est ab his damnata vt haeretica in Lutheri libri◠quae in Bernardi Augustinique libris vt Orthodoxa imo vt pia leguntur Erasm Epist ad Card. Mogunt pag. 401. AVSTIN betwixt vs and the Donatists where the Church in What shall we do then shall we seeke her in her owne words or in the words of her Head the Lord Iesus Christ I suppose we ought to seeke her rather in his words which is the Truth and knowes best his own body for the Lord knowes who are his wee will not haue the Church sought in our words And in the same Booke Whether the Donatists hold the Church saith the same Father let them not shew but by the Canonicall Bookes of Diuine Scriptures for neither do we therefore say they should beleeue vs that we are in the Church of Christ because OPTATVS or AMBROSE hath commended this Church vnto vs which we now hold or because it is acknowledged by the Councels of our fellow Teachers or because so great miracles are done in it it is not therefore manifested to bee true and Catholike but the Lord Iesus himselfe iudged that his Disciples should rather be confirmed by the testimonies of the Law and the Prophets These are the rules of our cause these are the foundations these are the confirmations And vpon the Psalmes Lest thou shouldest erre saith the same AVGVSTINE in thy iudgement of the Church lest any man should say to thee This is Christ which is not Christ or this is the Church which is not the Church for many c. Heare the voyce of the Shepheard himselfe which is clothed in flesh c. He shewes himselfe to thee handle him and see Hee shewes his Church lest any man should deceiue thee vnder the name of the Church c. yet CHRYSOSTOME more directly thus Hee that would know which is the true Church of Christ whence may he know it in the similitude of so great confusion but onely by the Scriptures Now the working of miracles is altogether ceased yea they are rather found to bee fainedly wrought of them which are but false Christians Whence then shal he know it but only by the Scriptures The Lord Iesus therefore knowing what great confusion of things would bee in the last dayes therefore commands that those which are Christians and would receiue confirmation of their true faith should flye to nothing but to the Scriptures Otherwise if they flye to any other helpe they shall be offended and perish not vnderstanding which is the true Church This is the old faith Now heare the new contradicting it vs. The Scripture saith ECKIVS a Popish Doctor is not authenticall without the authoritie of the Church for the Canonicall Writers are members of the Church Whereupon let it be obiected to an Heretike that wil striue against the decrees of the Church by what weapons hee will fight against the Church hee will say By the Canonicall Scriptures of the foure Gospels and Pauls Epistles Let it be straight obiected to him how hee knowes these to be Canonicall but by the Church And a while after The Scripture saith hee defined in a Councell it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to vs that you abstaine from things offered to Idols and bloud and strangled the Church by her authority altred a thing so cleerely defined expressed for it vseth both strāgled and bloud Behold the power of the Church is aboue the Scripture thus ECKIVS And besides CVSANVS BELLARMINE saith thus If wee take away the authoritie of the present Church and of the present Councell of Trent all the Decrees of all other Councels and the whole Christian faith may be called into doubt And in the same place a little after The strength of all ancient Councels and the certaintie of all opinions depends on the authority of the present Church You haue heard both speake say now with whom is true antiquitie and on Gods name detest the newer of both It were as easie to bring the same if not greater euidence for the perfection and all-sufficiencie of Scripture and so to deliuer all the bodie of our religion by the tongues and pens of the Fathers that either you must bee forced to hold them Nouelists with vs or your selues such against them How honest and ingenuous is that confession of your ERASMVS who in his Epistle to the Bishop and Cardinall of Mentz could say It is plainly found that many things in LVTHERS Bookes are condemned for Hereticall which in the bookes of BERNARD and AVSTEN are read for Holy and Orthodoxe This is too much for a taste If your appetite stand to it I dare promise you full dishes Let me therefore appeale to you if light and darkenesse be more contrary than these points of your Religion to true Antiquitie No no Let your Authors glose as they list Popery is but a yong faction corruptly raysed out of ancient grounds And if it haue as wee grant some ancient errours falshood cannot bee bettered with Age there is no prescription against God and Truth What we can proue to be erroneous we need not proue new some hundreths of yeeres is an idle Plea against the Ancient of dayes What can you plead yet more for your change Their numbers perhaps and our handfuls You heard all the World was theirs scarce any corner ours How could you but suspect a few These are but idle brags we dare and can share equally with them in Christendome And if we could not this rule will teach you to aduance Turcisme aboue Christianity and Paganisme aboue that the World aboue the Church Hell aboue Heauen If any proofe can be drawne from numbers He that knowes all sayes the best are fewest The Peace of Rome left out because it was but a Translation in this Editiō c. What then could stirre you Our diuisions and their vnity If this my following labour doe not make it good to all the World that their peace is lesse than ours their dissension more by the confession of their owne months bee you theirs still and let mee follow you I stand not vpon the scoldings of Priests and Iesuites nor the late Venetian iarres nor the pragmaticall differences now on foote in the view of all Christendome betwixt their owne cardinalls in their Sacred conclaue and all their Clergie concerning the Popes temporall power Neyther doe I call any friend to bee our Aduocate none but Bellarmine and Nauarrus shall be my Orators and if these plead not this cause enough let it fall See heere dangerous rifts and flawes not in the outward barke onely but in the very heart and pith of your Religion and if so many be confessed by one or two what might bee gathered out of all and if so many bee acknowledged thinke how many
nature veniall and not worthy of death more that our originall sinne is but the want of our first iustice no guilt of our first fathers offence no inherent ill disposition and that by Baptismall water is taken away what euer hath the nature of sinne that a meere man let mee not wrong Saint Peters successor in so tearming him hath power to remit both punishment and sinne past and future that many haue suffered more then their sinnes haue required that the sufferings of the Saints added to Christs passions make vp the treasure of the Church that spirituall Exchequer whereof their Bishop must keepe the key and make his friends In all these the gaine of Nature who sees not is Gods losse all her brauery is stolne from aboue besides those other direct derogations from him that his Scriptures are not sufficient that their originall fountaines are corrupted and the streames runne clearer that there is a multitude if a finite number of Mediators Turne your eyes now to vs and see contrarily how we abase Nature how wee knead her in the dust spoiling her of her proud rags loading her with reproaches and giuing glory to him that sayes he will not giue it to another whiles we teach that we neither haue good nor can doe good of our selues that we are not sicke or fettered but dead in our sinne that we cannot moue to good more then we are moued that our best actions are faulty our satisfactions debts our deserts damnation that all our merit is his mercy that saues vs that euery of our sinnes is deadly euery of our natures originally depraued and corrupted that no water can entirely wash away the filthinesse of our concupiscence that none but the blood of him that was God can cleanse vs that all our possible sufferings are below our offences that Gods written Word is all-sufficient to informe vs to make vs both wise and perfect that Christs mediation is more then sufficient to saue vs his sufferings to redeeme vs his obedience to inrich vs. You haue seene how Papistry makes Nature proud now see how it makes her lawlesse and wanton while it teacheth yet this one not so vniuersally that Christ dyed effectually for all that in true contrition an expresse purpose of new life is not necessarie that wicked men are true members of the Church that a lewd mis-creant or infidell in the businesse of the Altar partakes of the true body and blood of Christ yea which a shame to tell a brute creature that men may saue the labour of searching for that it is both easie and safe with that Catholike Collier to beleeue with the Church at a venture more then so that deuotion is the seed of ignorance that there is infallabilitie annexed to a particular place and person that the bare act of the Sacraments confers grace without faith that the meere signe of the Crosse made by a Iew or Infidell is of force to driue away Diuels that the sacrifice of the Masse in the very worke wrought auailes to obtaine pardon of our sinnes not in our life onely but when we lye frying in purgatory that we need not pray in faith to be heard or in vnderstanding that almes giuen merit heauen dispose to iustification satisfie God for sinne that abstinence from some meats and drinkes is meritorious that Indulgences may be granted to dispense vvith all the penance of sinnes afterward to bee committed that these by a liuing man may be applyed to the dead that one man may deliuer anothers soule out of his purging torments and therefore that hee who vvants not either money or friends need not feare the smart of his sinnes O religion sweet to the wealthy to the needy desperate who will now care henceforth how sound his deuotions be how lewd his life how hainous his sinnes that knowes these refuges On the contrary we curbe Nature we restraine we discourage we threaten her teaching her not to rest in implicit faiths or generall intensions or external actions of piety or presumptuous dispensations of men but to striue vnto sincere faith without which we haue no part in Christ in his Church no benefit by Sacraments prayers fastings beneficences to set the heart on worke in all our deuotions without which the hand and tongue are but hypocrites to set the hands on worke in good actions without which the presuming heart is but an hypocrite to expect no pardon for sinne before we commit it and from Christ alone when wee haue committed it and to repent before we expect it to hope for no chaffering no ransome of our soules from below no contrary change of estate after dissolution that life is the time of mercy death of retribution Now let me appeale to your soule and to the iudgement of all the vvorld whether of these two religions is framed to the humour of Nature yea let mee but know vvhat action Popery requires of any of her followers which a meere Naturalist hath not done cannot doe See how I haue chosen to beat them with that rod wherewith they thinke we haue so often smarted for what cauill hath beene more ordinary against vs then this of ease and liberty yea licence giuen and taken by our religion together with the vpbraidings of their owne strict and rigorous austerenesse Where are our penall workes our fastings scourges haire-cloth weary pilgrimages blushing confessions solemne vowes of willing beggery and perpetuall continencie To doe them right we yeeld in all the hard workes of will-worship they goe beyond vs but lest they should insult in the victory not so much as the Priests of Baal went beyond them I see their whips shew me their kniues Where did euer zealous Romanist lance and carue his flesh in deuotion The Baalites did it and yet neuer the wiser neuer the holier Either therefore this zeale in workes of their owne deuising makes them not better then we or it makes the Baalites better then they let them take their choise Alas these difficulties are but a colour to auoid greater No no to worke out stubborne wils to subiection to draw this vntoward flesh to a sincere cheerefulnesse in Gods seruice to reach vnto a sound beliefe in the Lord Iesus to pray with a true heart without distraction without distrust without mis-conceit to keepe the heart in continuall awe of God These are the hard tasks of a Christian worthy of our sweat worthy of our reioycing all which that Babylonish religion shifteth off with a carelesse fashionablenesse as if it had not to doe with the soule Giue vs obedience let them take sacrifice Doe you yet looke for more euidence looke into particulars and satisfie your selfe in Gods decision as Optatus aduised of old Since the goods of our father are in question whither should we goe but to his Will and Testament My soule beare the danger of this bold assertion If we erre wee erre with Christ and his Apostles In a word against all staggering our Sauiours rule
Gods ancient law would haue made a quicke dispatch and haue determined the case by the death of the offender and the liberty of the innocent and not it alone How many Heathen Law-giuers haue subscribed to Moses Arabians Grecians Romans yea very Gothes the dregs of Barbarisme haue thought this wrong not expiable but by blood With vs the easinesse of reuenge as it yeelds frequence of offences so multitude of doubts Whether the wronged husband should conceale or complaine complaining whether he should retaine or dismisse dismissing whether he may marry or must continue single not continuing single whether he may receiue his own or chuse another but your inquiries shall be my bounds The fact you say is too euident Let me aske you To your selfe or to the world This point alone must vary our proceedings Publike notice requires publike discharge Priuate wrongs are in our owne power publike in the hands of authority The thoughts of our owne brests while they smother themselues within vs are at our command whether for suppressing or expressing but if they once haue vented themselues by words vnto others eares now as common strayes they must stand to the hazard of censure such are our actions Neither the sword nor the keyes meddle within doores what but they vvithout If fame haue laid hold on the wrong prosecute it cleere your name cleere your house yea Gods Else you shall be reputed a Pandar to your owne bed and the second shame shall surpasse the first so much as your owne fault can more blemish you then anothers If there were no more he is cruelly mercifull that neglects his owne fame But what if the sinne were shrouded in secrecy The loathsomnesse of vice consists not in common knowledge It is no lesse hainous if lesse talked of Report giues but shame God and the good soule detest close euils Yet then I ask not of the offence but of the offender not of her crime but her repentance She hath sinned against heauen and you But hath she washed your polluted bed with her teares Hath her true sorrow beene no lesse apparant then her sinne Hath she peeced her old vow with new protestations of fidelity Do you find her at once humbled and changed Why should that eare be deafe to her prayers that was open to her accusation why is there not yet place for mercy Why doe we Christians liue as vnder Martiall law wherein we sinne but once Plead not authority Ciuilians haue beene too rigorous the mercifull sentence of Diuinity shal sweetly temper humane seuereness How many haue we known the better for their sinne That Magdalene her predecessor in filthinesse had neuer loued so much if she had not so much sinned How oft hath Gods Spouse deserued a diuorce which yet still her confessions her teares haue reuersed How oft hath that scroll beene written and signed and yet againe cancelled and torne vpon submission His actions not his words onely are our precepts Why is man cruell where God relents The wrong is ours onely for his sake without whose law were no sinne If the Creditor please to remit the debt doe standers-by complaine But if she be at once filthy and obstinate flie from her bed as contagious Now your beneuolence is adultery you impart your body to her she her sinne to you A dangerous exchange An honest body for an harlots sinne Herein you are in cause that she hath more then one adulterer I applaud the rigour of those ancient Canons which haue still roughly censured euen this cloake of vice As there is necessity of charity in the former so of iustice in this If you can so loue your wife that you detest not her sin you are a better husband then a Christian a better bawd then an husband I dare say no more vpon so generall a relation good Physitians in dangerous diseases dare not prescribe on bare sight of vrine or vncertaine report but will feele the pulse and see the symptomes ere they resolue on the receit You see how no niggard I am of my counsels would God I could as easily asswage your griefe as satisfie your doubts To M. ROBERT HAY. EPIST. VIII A Discourse of the continuall exercise of a Christian how he may keepe his heart from hardnesse and his wayes from error TO keepe the heart in vre with God is the highest taske of a Christian Good motions are not frequent but the constancy of good disposition is rare and hard This worke must be continuall or else speedeth not like as the body from a setled and habituall distemper must be recouered by long diets and so much the rather for that we cannot intermit here without relapses If this field be not tilled euery day it will runne out into thistles The euening is fittest for this worke when retyred into our selues we must cheerefully and constantly both looke vp to God and into our hearts as we haue to doe with both to God in thanksgiuing first then in request It shall be therefore expedient for the soule duly to recount to it selfe all the specialties of Gods fauours a confused thankes fauours of carelesnesse and neither doth affect vs nor win acceptance aboue Bethinke your selfe then of all these externall inferiour earthly graces that your being breathing life motion reason is from him that hee hath giuen you a more noble nature then the rest of the creatures excellent faculties of the mind perfection of senses soundnesse of body competency of estate seemlinesse of condition fitnesse of calling preseruation from dangers rescue out of miseries kindnesse of friends carefulnesse of education honesty of reputation liberty of recreations quietnesse of life opportunity of well-doing protection of Angels Then rise higher to his spirituall fauours tho here on earth and striue to raise your affections with your thoughts Blesse God that you were borne in the light of the Gospell for your profession of the truth for the honor of your vocation for your incorporating into the Church for the priuiledge of the Sacraments the free vse of the Scriptures the communion of Saints the benefit of their prayers the ayde of their counsels the pleasure of their conuersation for the beginnings of regeneration any foot-steps of faith hope loue zeale patience peace ioy conscionablenesse for any desire of more Then let your soule mount highest of all into her heauen and acknowledge those celestiall graces of her election to glory redemption from-shame and death of the intercession of her Sauiour of the preparation of her place and there let her stay a while vpon the meditation of her future ioyes This done the way is made for your request Sue now to your God as for grace to answer these mercies so to see wherein you haue not answered them From him therefore cast your eyes downe vpon your selfe and as some carefull Iusticer doth a suspected fellon so doe you strictly examine your heart of what you haue done that day of what you should haue done enquire whether
which thou hatest Satan hath no Dart I speake confidently that can pierce this shield Christians are indeed too oft surprized ere they can hold it out there is no small policy in the suddennesse of temptation but if they haue once setled it before their brest they are safe and their enemy hopelesse Vnder this head therefore there is sure remedy against sinne by looking vpwards backwards into our selues forwards Vpwards at the glorious Maiestie and infinite goodnesse of that God whom our sinne would offend and in whose face wee sinne whose mercies and whose holinesse is such that if there were no hell wee would not offend Backwards at the manifold fauours whereby we are obliged to obedience Into our selues at that honorable vocation wherewith hee hath graced vs that holy profession we haue made of his calling and grace that solemne vow and couenant whereby wee haue confirmed our profession the gracious beginnings of that Spirit in vs which is grieued by our sinnes yea quenched Forwards at the ioy which vvill follow vpon our forbearance that peace of conscience that happy expectation of glory compared with the momentarie and vnpleasing delight of a present sinne All these out of loue Feare is a retentiue as necessarie not so ingenuous It is better to be wonne then to be frighted from sinne to be allured then drawne Both are little inough in our pronenesse to euill Euill is the onely obiect of feare Herein therefore we must terrifie our stubbornnesse with both euils Of losse and of sense that if it be possible the horror of the euent may counteruaile the pleasure of the tentation Of losse remembring that now we are about to lose a God to cast away all the comforts and hopes of another world to rob our selues of all those sweet mercies we inioyed to thrust his spirit out of dores vvhich cannot abide to dwel vvithin the noisome stench of sinne to shut the doores of heauen against our selues Of sense That thus we giue Satan a right in vs power ouer vs aduantage against vs That wee make God to frowne vpon vs in heauen That we arme all his good creatures against vs on earth That we doe as it vvere take Gods hand in ours and scourge our selues with all temporall plagues and force his curses vpon vs and ours That we wound our owne consciences with sinnes that they may wound vs with euerlasting torments That we doe both make a hell in our breasts beforehand and open the gates of that bottomlesse pit to receiue vs afterwards That we doe now cast brimstone into the fire and lest wee should faile of tortures make our selues our owne fiends These and vvhat euer other terrors of this kinde must be laid to the soule vvhich if they be throughly vrged to an heart not altogether incredulous vvell may a man aske himselfe how he dare sinne But if neither this Sunne of mercies nor the tempestuous windes of iudgement can make him cast off Peters cloake of vvickednesse hee must be clad vvith confusion as vvith a cloake according to the Psalmist I tremble to thinke how many liue as if they vvere neither beholden to God nor afraid of him neither in his debt nor danger As if their heauen and hell vvere both vpon earth sinning not onely vvithout shame but not vvithout malice It is their least ill to doe euill Behold they speake for it ioy in it boast of it inforce to it as if they would send challenges into heauen and make loue to destruction Their lewdnesse cals for our sorrow and zealous obedience that our God may haue as true seruants as enemies And as vve see naturall qualities increased vvith the resistance of their contraries so must our grace vvith others sinnes vvee shall redeeme somewhat of Gods dishonour by sinne if vve shall thence grow holy To Mr Doctor MILBVRNE EP. IV. Discoursing how farre and wherein Popery destroyeth the foundation THe meane in all things is not more safe then hard whether to finde or keepe and as in all other moralitie it lyeth in a narrow roome so most in the matter of our censure especially concerning Religion wherein we are wont to be either carelesse or too peremptorie How farre and wherein Popery raceth the foundation is worth our inquirie I need not stay vpon words By foundation we meane the necessary grounds of Christian faith This foundation Papistry defaces by laying a new by casting down the old In these cases addition destroyes he that obtrudes a new word no lesse ouerthrowes the Scripture then he that denies the old yea this very obtrusion denies he that sets vp a new Christ reiects Christ Two foundations cannot stand at once the Arke and Dagon Now Papistry layes a double new foundation the one a new rule of faith that is a new vvord the other a new Author or guide of faith that is a new head besides Christ God neuer laid other foundation then in the Prophets and Apostles vpon their diuine writing he meant to build his Church which he therefore inspired that they might be like himselfe perfect and eternall Popery builds vpon an vnwritten word the voice of old but doubtfull Traditions the voice of the present Church that is as they interpret it theirs vvith no lesse confidence and presumption of certainty then any thing euer written by the singer of God If this be not a new foundation the old vvas none God neuer taught this holy Spouse to know any other husband then Christ to acknowledge any other head to follow any other Shepheard to obey any other King he alone may be enioyed without iealousie submitted to without danger without error beleeued serued without scruple Popery offers to impose on Gods Church a King Shepheard Head Husband besides her own A man a man of sinne He must know all things can erre in nothing direct informe animate command both in earth and Purgatorie expound Scriptures canonize Saints forgiue sinnes create new Articles of Faith and in all these is absolute and infallible as his Maker who sees not that if to attribute these things to the Son of God be to make him the foundation of the Church then to ascribe them to another is to contradict him that said Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ To lay a new foundation doth necessarily subuert the old yet see this further actually done in particulars wherin yet this distinction may cleare the way The foundation is ouerthrown two wayes either in flat tearmes when a maine principle of faith is absolutely denyed as the deity and consubstantialitie of the Son by Arrius the Trinity of persons by Sabellius and Seruetus the resurrection of the body by Himeneus Philetus the last Iudgement by S. Peters mockers Or secondly by consequent vvhen any opinion is maintained which by iust sequel ouer-turneth the truth of that principle which the defendant professes to hold yet so as he will not grant the necessitie of that deduction So
the ancient Minoei of whom Ierome speaketh while they vrged Circumcision by consequent according to Pauls rule reiected Christ So the Pelagians while they defended a full perfection of our righteousnes in our selues ouerthrew Christs iustification and in effect said I beleeue in Christ and in my selfe So some Vbiquitaries while they hold the possibilitie of conuersion and saluation of reprobates ouerthrow the doctrine of Gods eternall Decree and immutabilitie Poperie comes in this latter ranke and may iustly bee tearmed Heresie by direct consequent though not in their grant yet in necessarie proofe and inference Thus it ouerthrowes the truth of Christs humanitie while it holds his whole humane body locally circumscribed in heauen and at once the same instant wholly present in ten thousand places on earth without circumscription That whole Christ is in the formes of bread with all his dimensions euery part hauing his owne place and figure and yet so as that hee is wholly in euery part of the bread Our iustification while it ascribes it to our owne workes The all-sufficiencie of Christs owne sacrifice whiles they reiterate it dayly by the hands of a Priest Of his satisfaction while they hold a paiment of our vtmost farthings in a deuised Purgatory Of his mediation while they implore others to aide them not onely by their intercession but their merits suing not onely for their prayers but their gifts The value of the Scriptures whiles they hold them insufficient obscure in points essentiall to saluation and binde them to an vncertaine dependance vpon the Church Besides hundreds of this kinde there are Heresies in actions contrary to those fundamentall practices which God requires of his as prohibitions of Scriptures to the Laitie Prescriptions of deuotion in vnknowne tongues Tying the effect of Sacraments and Prayers to the externall worke Adoration of Angels Saints Bread Reliques Crosses Images All vvhich are so many recall vnderminings of the sacred foundation which is no lesse actiue then vocall By this the simplest may see what wee must hold of Papists neither as no Hereticks nor yet so palpable as the worst If any man aske for their conuiction In the simpler sort I grant this excuse faire and tolerable poore soules they cannot be any otherwise informed much lesse perswaded Whiles in truth of heart they hold the maine principles which they know doubtlesse the mercy of God may passe ouer their ignorant weaknesse in what they cannot know For the other I feare not to say that many of their errors are wilfull The light of truth hath shined out of heauen to them and they loue darknesse more then light In this state of the Church he shall speake and hope idly that shall call for a publique and vniuersall euiction How can that be when they pretend to be Iudges in their owne cause Vnlesse they will not be aduersaries to themselues or judge of vs this course is but impossible As the Diuell so Antichrist will not yeeld both shall bee subdued neither will treat of peace what remaines but that the Lord shall consume that wicked man which is now clearely reuealed with the breath of his mouth and abolish him vvith the brightnesse of his comming Euen so Lord Iesus come quickly This briefely is my conceit of Popery which I willingly referre to your cleare and deepe iudgement being not more desirous to teach the ignorant vvhat I know then to learne of you what I should teach and know not The Lord direct all our thoughts to his glory and the behoofe of his Church Written long since to Mr J. W. EP. V. Disswading from separation and shortly oppugning the grounds of that error IN my former Epistle I confesse I touched the late separation with a light hand onely setting down the iniury of it at the best not discussing the grounds in common now your danger drawes me on to this discourse it is not much lesse thanke-worthy to preuent a disease then to cure it you confesse that you doubt I mislike it not doubting is not more the way to error then to satisfaction lay downe first all pride and preiudice and I cannot feare you I neuer yet knew any man of this vvay which hath not bewraide himselfe far gone with ouer-weening and therefore it hath been iust with God to punish their selfe-loue with error an humble spirit is a fit subiect for truth prepare you your heart and let me then answer or rather God for me you doubt whether the notorious sinne of one vnreformed vncensured defile not the whole Congregation so as we may not without sinne communicate therewith and why not the whole Church woe were vs if wee should thus liue in the danger of all men haue we not sinnes enow of our owne but wee must borrow of others Each man shall beare his owne burden is ours so light that we call for more weight and vndertake what God neuer imposed It was enough for him that is God and Man to beare others iniquities it is no taske for vs which shrinke vnder the least of our owne But it is made ours you say though anothers by our toleration and conniuence indeed if we consent to them incourage them imitate or accompany them in the same excesse of ryot yet more the publique person that forbeares a knowne sinne sinneth but if each mans knowne sinne be euery mans what difference is betwixt the root and the branches Adams sinne spred it selfe to vs because we were in him stood or fell in him our case is not such Doe but see how God scorneth that vniust Prouerbe of the Iewes That the fathers haue eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge How much lesse are strangers Is any bond so neere as this of blood Shall not the child smart for the Parent and shall we euen spiritually for others You obiect Achans stealth and Israels punishment an vnlike case and extraordinary for see how direct Gods charge is Be ye ware of the execrable thing lest ye make your selues execrable and in taking of the execrable thing make also the Hoast of Israel execrable and trouble it Now euery man is made a partie by a peculiar iniunction and not onely all Israel is as one man but euery Israelite is a publike person in this act you cannot show the like in euery one no not in any it was a law for the present not intended for perpetuity you may as well challenge the Trumpets of Rams-hornes and seuen dayes walke vnto euery siege Looke else-where the Church of Thyatira suffers the woman Iezabel to teach and deceiue A great sinne Yet to you saith the Spirit the rest of Thyatira as many as haue not this learning I will put vpon you none other burden but that which you haue hold fast He saith not Leaue your Church but Hold fast your owne Looke into the practice of the Prophets ransacke their burdens and see if you find this there yea behold our best patterne the Sonne of God The Iewish
our righteousnesse that must be wherein they failed and we must exceed They failed then in their Traditions and Practise May I say they failed when they exceeded Their Traditions exceeded in number and prosecution faulty in matter To runne well but out of the way according to the Greeke prouerbe is not better than to stand still Fire is an excellent thing but if it be in the top of the chimney it doth mischiefe rather It is good to be zealous in spight of all scoffes Gal. 4.13 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a good thing If they had beene as hot for God as they were for themselues it had beene happy but now in vaine they worship mee saith our Sauiour teaching for doctrines the Traditions of men Hence was that axiome receiued currantly amongst their Iewish followers There is more in the words of the wise than in the words of the Law More Plus est in verbis sapienâ—um quam in verbis legis Galatin Serarius Non malè comparaâ—i Pharisaeos Catholicis that is more matter more authority and from this principally arises and continues that mortall quarrell betwixt them and their Karraim and Minim vnto this day A great Iesuite at least that thinks himselfe so writes thus in great earnest The Pharises saith he may not vnfitly be compared to our Catholicks Some men speake truth ignorantly some vnwillingly Caiaphas neuer spake truer when he meant it not one egge is not liker to another than the Tridentine Fathers to these Pharises in this point besides that of free-will merit full performance of the Law which they absolutely receiued from them For marke Pari pietatis affecta reuerentia Trans iones vna cum libris veteris noui Testamentisâ— spicimus veneramâ—r Decr. 1. Sess 4. Nolo verba quae scripta non sunt legt With the same reuerence and deuotion doe we receiue and respect Traditions that wee doe the Bookes of the Old and New Testament say those Fathers in their fourth Session Heare both of these speake and see neither if thou canst discerne whether is the Pharise refuse me in a greater truth Not that we did euer say with that Arrian in Hilarie Wee debarre all words that are not written or would thinke fit with those phanaticall Anabaptists of Munster that all bookes should be burnt besides the Bible some Traditions must haue place in euery Church but Their place they may not take wall of Scripture Substance may not in our valuation giue way to circumstance God forbid If any man expect that my speech on this opportunity should descend to the discourse of our contradicted ceremonies let him know that I had rather mourne for this breach than meddle with it God knowes how willingly I would spend my self into perswasions if those would auaile any thing but I well see that teares are fitter for this Theame than words The name of our mother is sacred and her peace precious As it was a true speech cited from that Father by Bellarmine Bellum Hereticorum pax est Ecclesiae ex Hilario Bellar. The war of Hereticks is the peace of the Church so would God our experience did not inuert it vpon vs The war of the Church is the peace of Hereticks Our discord is their musicke our ruine their glory On what a sight is this Brethren striue while the enemy stands still and laughs and triumphs If we desired the griefe of our common mother the languishing of the Gospell the extirpation of Religion the losse of posterity the aduantage of our aduersaries which way could these be better effected than by our dissentions Iscâ—â—â—â— That Spanish Prophet in our Age for so I finde him stiled when King Philip asked him how hee might become master of the Low-Countries answered If he could diuide them from themselues According to that old Machiuellian principle of our Iesuites Diuide and Rule And indeed it is concord onely as the Poesie or Mot of the vnited States runs which hath vpheld them in a rich and flourishing estate against so great and potent enemies Concordiâ res paruae crescunt c. Our Aduersaries already brag of their victories and what good heart can but bleed to see what they haue gained since we dissented to fore-see what they will gaine They are our mutuall spoiles that haue made them proud and rich Nostrâ miseriâ tu es magnus de Pomp. Mimus If you euer therefore looke to see the good dayes of the Gospell the vnhorsing and confusion of that strumpet of Rome for Gods sake for the Churches sake for our owne soules sake let vs all compose our selues to peace and loue Oh pray for the peace of Ierusalem that peace may be within her wals and prosperity within her palaces For the matter of their Traditions our Sauiour hath taxed them in many particulars about washings oathes offerings retribution whereof he hath said enough when hee hath termed their doctrine the Leauen of the Pharises that is sowre and swelling Saint Hierome reduces them to two heads In Matth. 23. They were Turpia anilia some so shamefull that they might not bee spoken others idle and dotish both so numerous that they cannot be reckoned Take a taste for all and to omit their reall Traditions heare some of their interpretatiue Praec Mos cum expos Rab. The Law was that no Leper might come into the Temple their Tradition was if he were let downe thorow the roofe this were no irregularity The Law was Ibid. a man might not carry a burden on the Sabbath their Traditionall glosse Ibid. if he carried ought on one shoulder it was a burden if on both none If shoes alone no burden if with nailes not tolerable Their stint of a Sabbaths iourney was a thousand cubits their glosse was That this is to bee vnderstood without the wals but if a man should walke all day thorow a Citie as big as Ninene hee offends not The Church of Rome shall vie strange glossems and ceremonious obseruations with them Sacrarum Ceremoniarum lib. 1. accipit de gremic Camerarij pecuniam vbi nihil tamen est argenti spargensque in populos dicit AuruÌ„ argentum non est mihi quod auteÌ„ habeo hoc tibi do CanoÌ„ Poenitential pag. 1. Numb 12. Ezec. 4. Luc. 5. Otho Frisingensis in praefat In Matth. 23. whether for number or for ridiculousnesse The day would faile mee if I should either epitomize the volume of their holy rites or gather vp those which it hath omitted The new elected Pope in his solemne Lateran procession must take copper money out of his Chamberlaines lap and scatter it among the people and say Gold and siluer haue I none Seauen yeeres penance is enioyned to a deadly sinne because Miriam was separated seuen dayes for her leprosie and God saies to Ezekiel I haue giuen thee a day for a yeere Christ said to Peter Lanch forth into the deepe
your leisure could allow you to walke along with me a while thorow these sweet and flowrie Meades of Vnity and happy conspiration of thoughts And yet I shall not so much bend the residue of my speech to the praise of vnity to what purpose were that waste as to the necessary vindication of it from the vniust challenges of the enemies of peace It is an heauy crime and of all other the most hainous wherewith we are charged by the Romanists That we are fallen off from the Catholick Church that we haue rent the seamlesse coat of Christ yea broken his bones and torne his very body in peeces whereof if we were indeed guilty how vnworthy were we to breathe in this aire how most worthy of the lowest Hell But we call heauen and earth to record how vniustly this calumny is cast vpon vs yea we protest before God and men that the enuie of this so foule a crimination lights most iustly vpon the heads of the accusers May it please you to heare a short Apologue A certaine man inuited to a feast one or two of his friends entertained them bountifully They sate together louingly they are together and were merry one with another In the second course as the custome is the Master offereth them wine sets before them an apple now a worme had somewhat eaten the apple and a spider by chance had falne into the cup The guest sees and balks it The Master vrgeth him Why doe you not eat quoth he why drinke you not I dare not saith the other t' is not safe to doe either seest thou not this vermine in the cup and that in the apple Tush saith the Master what so great matter is this It was I that set this before thee It was I that began to thee in the other Drinke it eat it at least for my sake But suffer me first replies the guest to take out this spider to cut out this worme the wine the apple likes me well enough the spider the worme I cannot away with Away with such ouer-nine and curious companions quoth he againe Fy vpon thee thou vngratefull fellow that dost so little regard my friendship so contemne my cheere and with that in a rage throwes the platters and pots in the very face of his guest and thrust him out of doores all wounded Tell me now I beseech you worthy Auditors whether of these violates the lawes of hospitality I dare say you haue easily applied it before me There was a time when we sate together in a familiar manner with these Romanists and fared well The spider in the cup The worme in the apple what else be they but superstition in their worship rotten and vnwholsome traditions in their faith without these the Religion pleaseth vs well But they will needs importunately thrust these vpon vs and we refusing are therefore scorned spit vpon beaten and cast out Had they but giuen vs leaue to take out this spider this worme we had still eaten and dranke together most gladly They obstinately resisted and prefer'd their owne headstrong will to our good and safety nay they repell vs with reproaches strike vs with their thundering Anathemaes condemne vs to the stakes what should we doe in this case Heare oh heauens and hearken oh earth and thou Almighty God the Maker and Gouernor of them both suffer thy selfe and thy glorious spirits to be called to the testimony of our innocencie We are compelled we are driuen away from the Communion of the Church of Rome They forced vs to goe from them who departed first from themselues We haue willingly departed from the communion of their errors from the Communion of the Church we haue not departed Let them renounce their erroneous doctrine we embrace their Church Let them but cast away their soule-slaying Traditions we will communicate with them in the right of one and the same Church and remaine so for euer But alas I must be forced to complaine and that not without extreme griefe of heart how that it cannot be determined whether those that boast themselues for Catholikes be greater enemies to Truth or to Charity To Truth in that they haue of late forged new errors and forced them vpon the Church To Charity in that they haue not stuck to condemne the aduerse part and to brand them with the black marke of Heresie I will speake if you please more plainly Three manner of waies doe these Romanists offend against Charity First that they will not remit any thing either of their most conuicted opinion or vitious practice no not for peace sake Secondly that for Articles of Christian faith they put vpon the Church certaine opinions of their owne false doubtfull and vncertaine peculiar onely to the schooles which doe no whit touch the foundation of Religion And lastly that if they meet with any faithfull and sound monitors which doe neuer so little gainsay these new Articles they cruelly cast them out of the bosome of the Church and throw them headlong into Hel Away with these Schismaticks Hereticks Acheists Iwis the Protestants haue no Church no faith no saluation Good Lord what fury what frenzy distempers Christians that they should be so impotently malicious against those who professe themselues to be redeemed by the ransome of the same most precious bloud At length At length O yee Christians be wise and acknowledge those whom the God and Father of mercies holds worthy of his armes yea of his bowels Let frantick error bawle what it list we are Christians we are Catholicks the vndiuided members of one holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Let vs meet at this barre if you please Leâ— who will maintaine the plea What is it which maketh a Church What is it which maketh that Church One holy Catholick Apostolick Is it not one holy Catholick Apostolick saith But which is that Is it not the same which was deliuered by Christ and the Apostles to the whole world and was alwaies and euery where approued through all Ages euen vnto our times Wherefore are the Scriptures wherefore the Creeds wherefore were the primitiue Councells but that there might bee certaine markes whereby Catholicks might be vndoubtedly discerned from Hereticks You know the Epilogue of the Athanasian Creed This is the Catholick Faith If we may beleeue Leo the heads of all heresies are quite cut off with this one sword of the Creed How much more then with that two-edged sword of the Scriptures and of the Fathers their Interpreters What then Those that then were Catholicks can they in any age be condemned for Hereticks No Faith is alwaies constant to it selfe and so is the Church that is built vpon that Faith Did we euer deny or make doubt of any Article or clause of that Ancient Diuinity Either then Christ himselfe the Apostles Councells Fathers erred from the Catholick truth or wee yet remaine Catholicks What euer other opinions we meet withall concerning Religion neither make nor marre it Say they be false
say they be vitious they are but hay and stubble which nothing appertaine to the foundation of this euerlasting frame The Church may bee either more sound or more corrupt for them It cannot be more or lesse a Church The beauty or deformity of a Church may consist in them the strength the welfare of it doth not Surely whosoeuer willingly subscribes to the Word of God signed in the euerlasting monuments of Scripture to the ancient Creeds to the foure Generall Councells to the common consent of the Fathers for six hundred yeeres after Christ which we of the reformed Church religiously professe to doe if he may erre in small points yet he cannot be an Heretick Some particular Church may easily offend by imputing heresie to an vndeserued opinion whether perhaps true or lightly erroneous but neither soule nor Church can greatly erre while it treads in the steps of the most ancient and vniuersall Must hee therefore of necessity die a Romanist that would die a Catholick This is an idle fancy and worthy of no lesse than Bedlam Giue me leaue ye Reuerend Fathers The blessed Ghost of the most holy and latest Bishop of this See interrupts my speech and charges me not to suffer his ashes so shamefully to be wronged I can neither be silent for indignation nor speake for anger It was not onely rumor'd but bookes were cast abroad ouer the world concerning the reuolt of this worthy and excellent Prelate reporting that at his death hee reconciled himselfe to the Church of Rome and with many sighes renounced the Heresies of the Church of England and at last being absolued by a Popish Priest sweetly slept in the faith of the Church of Rome Neither did his departed soule want somewhere as is reported suffrages and oblations of Massmongers in this behalfe Oh immortall God! what blasphemy is here Can impudencie it selfe so cast off all shame as to raise so slanderous a lie thus boldly against the credit of so many witnesses against the solemne detestation of their owne Priest against the religious othes of his neerest friends and domestique seruants against the Sermon and publique writings of his Learned Sonne a sonne well worthy of such a Father Other lies haue some colour to plead for their credit This besides boldnesse hath none at all How many of vs sate by that faithfull Pastor of ours then breathing toward his last and receiued from his dying lips words of most constant piety And some of you reuerend Fathers deuoutly receiued with him that sacred Vinticum the last bread that euer hee tasted euen the bread of the Lord and were witnesses of the last motions of his soule then ready to depart and breathing toward his heauen Ours he liued Ours hee died and now as ours is crowned in heauen Goe on now yea mis-zealous spirits goe on to lie stoutly somewhat will alwaies stick fast to the accusers But in the meane time It cannot be truth that needs the props of lies Onely this by the way Let the boldest Sophister of the Romish Schoole come forth now and if hee can for shame let him vndertake to proue that those most noted additions of the Tridentine Faith which onely we reiect were receiued of all the Church in all Ages for necessary heads of Religion or let him confesse as he needs must that we haue still constantly persisted in the Communion of One Holy Catholick Church and faith Hee shall easily bewray his owne nouelty but neuer shall euince any Heresie of ours It is a golden saying of Cardinall Contarenus Harken I beseech you if any ingenuous spirit of you all be a friend to Rome Non opus est concilio non syllogismis ad sedandas hasce Lutheraâ—â—â—um turbas c. There needs no Councell saith he no Syllogismes to allay these broyles of the Lutherans but onely charity humility and a sincere minde that being void of all selfe-loue we may be perswaded to correct and reforme those things wherein we haue manifestly transgressed Thus he Thou art wise indeed O Contarenus would to God thy fellowes were so also But we forsooth are the disobedient and rebellious children of our mother the Church whose commands while wee disdaine to receiue and obey and reuerence her decrees we are enwrapped in a shamefull schisme and stricken with the curses of an angry Mother Surely this were an odious contumely But for vs wee haue not acknowledg'd her a Mother a Sister wee haue But grant wee were Sons yet wee are no slaues To forge a new faith and imperiously thrust it vpon her owne is not the part of an indulgent parent but of a Tyrant This lawlesse liberty we confesse we could neuer endure and therefore are wee openly thunder-stricken with more than one Anathema Neither haue they otherwise dealt with vs than that foolish fellow in Gerson who being very busie to driue away a fly from his neighbours forehead braind the man But lament ye with me my brethren the wofull case of that Church that hath learned to fit her faith to the Times and is more impatient of a remedy than of the disease Whilst they so eagerly persecute vs let vs heartily pitty them And let vs still wish to them that which they enuie and denie to vs Saluation Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Our prayers our teares our admonitions must not bee wanting Returne to your selues now at last oh ye Christian soules Returne from whence you haue sensibly declined Recouer your first loue your first workes Suffer not your selues any longer to be mocked with the glorious title of a Church Frame your selues to that holy Vnity which hitherto you haue so stifly resisted which oh if once we might liue to see effected you should well finde as it runs in the law of the twelue Tables that the recouered should with vs haue the same priuileges with the healthfull Behold wee are ready as our gracious and peaceable King Iames piously vndertooke to meet you halfe way But if they shall still obstinately cast off all hope of Vnity and being set on fire with the hatred of peace shall goe on to delight themselues onely in the alarum of their sacred Trumpet as they call it why should not wee religiously and entirely keepe peace among our selues I speake to all the Sonnes of the purer Church wheresoeuer dispersed we professe this Church of ours by Gods grace reformed Reformed I say not new made as some emulous spirits spightfully slander vs. For me I am ready to forke to the very ground when I heare that hedge-row reproach Where was your Religion before Luther Where was your Church Heare oh ye ignorant Heare oh ye enuious Cauillers we desired the reformation of an old Religion not the formation of a new The Church accordingly was reform'd not new wrought It remaines therefore the same Church it was before but onely purged from some superfluous and pernitions additaments of error Is it a new face that was lately washed a new
this day wherein religion is not onely warmed but locked in her seat so fast that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it There haue beene Princes and that in this land which as the heathen Politician compared his Tyrant haue beene like to ill Physitians that haue purged away the good humors and left the bad behind them with whom any thing hath bin lawful but to be religious Some of your gray haires can be my witnesses Behold the euils we haue escaped shew vs our blessings Here hath bin no dragging out of houses no hiding of Bibles no creeping into woods no Bonnering or Butchering of Gods Saints no rotting in dungeons no casting of infants out of the mothers belly into the mothers flames nothing but Gods truth abundantly preached cheerefully professed incouraged rewarded What nation vnder heauen yeelds so many learned Diuines What times euer yeelded so many preaching Bishops When was this City the City of our ioy euer so happy this way as in these late successions Whither can we ascribe this health of the Church and life of the Gospell but next to God to His example His countenance His endeuours Wherein I may not omit how right he hath trod in the steps of that blessed Constantine in al his religious proceedings Let vs in one word parallel them Euseb de vita Const l. 4. c. 36. Constantine caused fifty Volumes of the Scriptures to bee faire written out in parchment for the vse of the Church Lib. 3.61.62 King Iames hath caused the Bookes of Scriptures to bee accurately translated and published by thousands Constantine made a zealous edict against Nouatians Valentinians Marcionites King Iames Lib. 3.63 besides his powerfull proclamations and soueraigne lawes hath effectually written against Popery and Vorstianisme Constantine tooke away the liberty of the meetings of Heretickes King Iames hath by wholesome lawes inhibited the assemblies of Papists and schismatickes Constantine sate in the middest of Bishops Lib. 1. c. 37. In media istorum frequentia ac congressu adesse vna considere non dedâ—gnatus Basil dor as if hee had beene one of them King Iames besides his solemne conferences vouchsafes not seldome to spend his meales in discourse with his Bishops and other worthy Diuines Constantine charged his sonnes vt planè sine fuco Christiani essent that they should be Christians in earnest King Iames hath done the like in learned and diuine precepts which shall liue till time bee no more Yea in their very coynes is a resemblance Constantine had his picture stampt vpon his mettals praying Lib. 4.15 King Iames hath his picture with prayer about it O Lord protect the kingdomes which thou hast vnited Lastly Constantine built Churches one in Ierusalem another in Nicomedia Lib. 3.43 King Iames hath founded one Colledge which shall helpe to build and confirme the whole Church of God vpon earth Yee wealthy Citizens that loue Ierusalem cast in your store after this royall example into the Sanctuary of God and whiles you make the Church of God happy make your selues so Brethren if wee haue any relish of Christ any sense of heauen let vs blesse God for the life of our soule the Gospell and for the spirit of this life his Anointed But where had beene our peace or this freedome of the Gospell without our deliuerance and where had our deliuerance beene without him As it was reported of the Oake of Mamre that all religions rendred their yeerely worship there Socr. l. 2. c. 3. The Iewes because of Abraham their Patriarch the Gentile because of the Angels that appeared there to Abraham The Christians because of Christ that was there seene of Abraham with the Angels So was there to King Iames in his first beginnings a confluence of all sects with papers in their hands and as it was best for them with a Rogamus Domine non pugnamus like the subiects of Theodosius Ribera in prophet min. ex Ioseph Antiq. lib. 9 vlt. â— mritam Iudaeos cognatos appellari soliti quamdiu illis bene erat At vbi contra c. 1 King 12. Flectâ—re si nequco c. But our cozens of Samaria when they saw that Salomons yoke would not bee lightned soone flew off in a rage What portion haue wee in Dauid And now those which had so oft looke vp to Heauen in vaine resolue to dig downe to Heli for aid Satan himselfe met them and offered for sauing of their labour to bring Hell vp to them What a world of sulphur had hee prouided against that day What a brewing of death was tunned vp in those vessels The murderous Pioners laught at the close felicity of their proiect and now before-hand seemed in conceit to haue heard the cracke of this hellish thunder and to see the mangled carcasses of the Heretickes flying vp so suddenly that their soules must needs goe vpward towards their perdition their streets strewed with legges and armes and the stones braining as many in their fall as they blew vp in their rise Remember the Children of Edom O Lord in the day of Ierusalem which said Psal 117.7 Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground O daughter of Babel worthy to bee destroyed blessed shall hee bee that serueth thee as thou wouldest haue serued vs. But hee that sits in Heauen laught as fast at them to see their presumption that would bee sending vp bodies to heauen before the resurrection and preferring companions to Elias in a fiery Chariot and said vt quid fremuerunt Consider now how great things the Lord hath done for vs The snare is broken and wee are deliuered But how As that learned Bishop well applied Salomon to this purpose Diuinatio in labijs Regis Pro. 16.10 B. Barlow p. 350 If there had not beene a diuination in the lips of the King wee had beene all in iawes of death Vnder his shadow wee are preserued aliue as Ieremie speaketh It is true God could haue done it by other meanes but hee would doe it by this that wee might owe the being of our liues to him of whom wee held our well-being before Oh praised be the God of heauen for our deliuerance Praised bee God for his anointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suet. by whom wee are deliuered Yea how should wee call to our fellow creatures the Angels Saints heauens elements meteors mountaines beasts trees to helpe vs praise the Lord for this mercy Addit neque me liberosque meos cariores habebo quam Caium eius sorores Clodoneus Otho Fris l. 4. c. 32. Clodoucus Otho Fris l. 4. c. 31. And as the oath of the Romane souldiers ranne how deare and precious should the life of Caesar bee to vs aboue all earthly things how should wee hate the base vnthankfulnesse of those men which can say of him as one said of his Saint Martin Martinus bonus in auxilio charus in negotio who whiles they
eyes of all them from whom it is made as euermore casting vpon them the imputation of euill whereof all men are impatient And hence it commeth to passe that the Church of England can better brooke the vilest persons continuing communion with it than any whomsoeuer separating from it though vpon neuer so iust and well grounded reasons SECTION III. I Wrote not to you alone what is become of your partner yea your Guide The pardon I written to and their 〈◊〉 To M. Smith and M. 〈◊〉 Ringe-leaders of the late separation at Amsterdam Charact of the Beast written by M. Smith Pref. Be it knowne therefore to all the separation that we account them in respect of their constitution to be as very an Harlot as either her Mother the Church of England or her Grandmother Rome is c. Iterato baptizâ—us scienter iterato Dominum cruciâ—git De consecr dist 4. Quivis c. Woe is me he hath renounced our Christendome with our Church and hath washe off his former water with new and now condemnes you all for not separating further no lesse than wee condemne you for separating so farre As if you could not bee enough out of Babylon vnlesse you be out of your selues Alas miserable Countreymen whither runne you Religion hath but his height beyond which is error and madnesse hee tells you true your station is vnsafe either you must forward to him or backe to vs. * * The crime of the separation how great M. Perry in his Disc of this subiect I obiected separation to you yet not so extreme as your answer bewrayes a late separation not the first my charity hoped you lesse ill than you will needs deserue you grant it odious because it casts imputation of euill vpon the forsaken Of euill Yea of the worst an estate incurable desperate He is an il Physitian that wil leaue his Patient vpon euery disteÌ„per his departure argues the disease helples were we but faulty as your Land-Lord Churches your own rules would not abide your flight Vid. IOHNSON Preface to his Inquirie Esay 5.20 Hence the Church of England iustly matches Separatists with the vilest persons God himselfe doth so who are more vile than Patrons of euill yet no greater woe is to them that speake good of euill than those that speake euill of good So wise Generals punish mutinous persons worse than Robbers or Adulterers Num. 16.31 Exod. 32.30 So Corah and his company a Story cunningly turned vpon vs by your Martyr for their opposition to Moses were more fearefully plagued than the Idolatrous Israelites These sinnes are more directly against common society the other more personall and if both haue like iniquity yet the former haue both more offence and more danger And if not so yet who cannot rather brooke a lewd seruant than an vndutifull sonne though pretending faire colours for his disobedience At least you thinke the Church of England thinks her selfe Gods Church as well as your Saints of Amsterdam You that so accurse Apostasie in others could yee expect shee should brooke it in you Prov. 21. â— But your reasons are iust and well grounded euery way of a man is right in his own eyes Said we not well that thou ar a Samaritane and hast a Deuill say the Iewes What Schisme euer did not thinke well of it selfe For vs we call Heauen and earth to record your cause hath no more Iustice than your selues haue charity SEP And yet separation from the World and so from the men of the World and so from the Prince of the World that reigneth in them and so from whatsoeuer is contrary to God is the first step to our communion with God and Angels and good men as the first step to a ladder is to leaue the earth SECTION IIII. The kinds of the Separation and which is iust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 YET there is a commendable and happy separation from the World from the Prince and men of the World and whatsoeuer is contrary to God who doubts it There were no Heauen for vs without this no Church which hath her name giuen by her Father and Husband of calling out from other Out of the Aegypt of the World doth God call his sonnes But this separation is into the visible Church from the World not as yours out of the Church because of some particular mixtures with the World or if you had rather take it of profession out of the World of Pagans and Infidels into the visible Church not out of the World of true though faulty Christians into a purer Church That I may here at once for all giue light to this point of separation we finde in Scripture a separation either to good or from euill To good Num. 8 1â— Num. 16.9 Deut. â— 1â— Exod. 1â— 12 Leuit. 15. â—1 Deut. 1.41 Rom. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Leuites were separated from among the children of Israel to beare the Arke and to minister so the first borne first fruits and Cities of refuge So Paul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separated which some would haue allude to his Pharisaisme but hath plaine reference to Gods owne words Acts 13.2 Separate mee Barnabas and Saul Though this is rather a destination to some worthy purpose than a properly called separation From euill whether sinne or sinners From sinne so euery soule must eschew euill whether of doctrine or manners and disclaime all fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknesse 1 Thess vlt. ad fin Ier. 15.19 Vide Tremel Tiâ— whether in himselfe or others So S. Paul charges vs to hold that which is good and abstaine from all appearance of euill so Ieremie is charged to separate the precious doctrine or practise from the vile From sinners not onely practised by God himselfe to omit his eternall and secret Decree Num. 16. Mat. 15. ad fin 2 Chron. 19.2 1. Cor. 6. ad fin Nulla cum malis conviuia vel colloquia misceantur simusque abijs tâ—m Separati quam sunt illi ab ecclesia Dei profugi Cypr. l. 1. epist ad Corn. 2. whereby the Elect are separated from the Reprobate both in his gracious vocation sequestring them from nature and sinne as also in his excecution of iudgement whether particular as of the Israelites from the Tabernacles of Corah or vniuersall and finall of the Sheepe from the Goats But also inioyned from God to men in respect either of our affection or of our yoke and familiar society whereof Saint PAVL Bee not vnequally yoked with Infidels Come out from among them and separate your selues In all this wee agree In the latitude of this last onely wee differ I finde you call for a double separation A fast separation in the gathering of the Church A second in the menaging of it The first at our entrance into the Church the second in our continuance The first of the Church from Pagans and Worldlings an initiatorie profession The second of
Father Let vs not number but weigh your texts The rather for that I finde these as your Master-proofes set as Challengers in euery of your defences In Genes 4.13 CAIN a bloudy Fratricide is excommunicated In Genes 6.1 2. The sonnes of God married the daughters of men In Genes 7.1 7. NOAHS time is approued as righteous and enters the Arke In 1 Pet. 3.20 21. The rest in NOAHS time were disobedient and perished What of all this Alas what mockage is this of the Reader and Scriptures Surely you euen ioyne Scriptures as you separate your selues This is right as your Pastor to proue all members of the visible Church elect and precious stones cites 1 King 7.9 where is speech onely of Salomons house in the Forrest of Lebanon his Porch for his Throne his Hall his Palace for Pharaohs daughter and when he comes to describe the office of his imaginarie Doctor thwacks fourteene Scriptures into the margent whereof not any one hath any iust colour of inference to his purpose and in this discourse of the power of the Church that he might seeme to honour his margent with shew of texts hath repeated six places twice ouer in the space of six lines For these of yours you might obiect the first to the Cainites not to vs Cain was cast out worthily Doe we either denie or vtterly forbeare this censure Take heed you follow him not in your voluntarie exile to the land of Nod. The second you might obiect to those mungrell Christians that match with Turkes and Pagans There are sonnes of God that is members of the visible Church and daughters of men which are without the bounds meere Infidels it is sinne for those sonnes to yoke themselues with those daughters What is this to vs Noah was righteous the multitude disobedient Who denies it yet Noah separated not from the corrupted Church till the floud separated him from the earth but continued an ancient Preacher of righteousnesse euen to that peruerse and rebellious Generation But it sufficeth you that Cain and the Giants were separated from the rest We yeeld it what will follow hence saue onely that notorious Malefactors must bee cast out and professed Heathen not let into the Church We hold and wish no lesse your places euince no more These before the Law In Leuit. 20.24.26 God chose our Israel from other people This was Gods act not theirs a sequestring of his Israelites from the Gentiles not of Israel from it selfe yours is your owne and from men in all maine points of your owne profession But therefore Israel must be holy If any man denie holinesse to be required of euery Christian let him feele your Maranatha In Nehem. 9.2 The Israelites separated themselues from the strangers which were Infidels whether in their marriage or deuotion Neither Gods seruice nor an Israelites bed was for Heathens This was not the constituting of a new Church but reforming of the old If therefore you can parallel vs with Pagans and your selues will be Iewes this place fits you Lastly what if there be an hatred betwixt the World and Christs true Disciples Ioh. 17.14.16 what if PETER charged his Auditors to saue themselues from the errors and practise of that froward Generation whose hands were yet freshly imbrewed with the bloud of Christ Act. 2.40 What if the same which PETER taught PAVL practised in separating his followers from hearing some obstinate and blasphemous Iewes Act. 19.9 What if the Church of Corinth were Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1.2 and therefore must be separated from the yoke of Infidels 2.6.17 Are these your patternes Are these fit matches for your brethren baptized in the same water and name professing euery point of the same true faith vsing for substance the same worship with you He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse 1 Ioh. 2.9 SEP Which separation the Church of England neither hath made nor doth make but stands actually one with all that part of the World within the Kingdome without separation for which cause amongst others we haue chosen by the grace of God rather to separate our selues to the Lord from it than with it from him in the visible constitution of it SECTION VI. BVT all these examples perhaps are not so much to warrant what you haue done What separation is to bee made by churches in their planting or restauration In his Preface to the Reader and in his causes of separation defended pag. 4. Eiusdem p. 10. Refutat of M. Gyff p. 22. 2. Transgress p. 51. 52. 55. 66. 70. 85. 86. c. Inconstance of Browne p. 110. Inquiry into M White confessed by Fr. Iohnson pag. 63. Passage twixt Clifton and Smith And concerning the constitution of the Churches c. But the constituting of Churches now after the defection of Antichrist may more properly be called a repairing than a constitution c. as to condemne the Church of England for what shee hath not done for such a separation shee neither hath made nor doth make but stands actually one with all that part of the World within the Kingdome without separation Loe here the maine ground of this Schisme which your Proto-Martyr BARROVV hammers vpon in euery page an ill constitution Thus hee comments vpon your words For where such prophane confuse multitudes without any exception separation or choice were all of them from publike Idolatry at one instant receiued or rather compelled to bee members of the Church in some Parish or other where they inhabited without any due calling to the faith by the preaching of the Gospel going before or orderly ioyning together in the faith there being no voluntarie or particular confession of their owne faith and duties made or required of any and lastly no holy walking in the faith amongst them who can say that these Churches consisting of this people were euer rightly gathered or built according to the rule of Christs Testament In his words and yours I finde both a miscollection and a wrong charge For the former the want of noting one poore distinction breeds all this confusion of Doctrine and separation of men for there is one case of a new Church to be called from Heathenisme to Christianitie another of a former Church to be reformed from errors to more sincere Christianitie In the first of these is required indeed a solemne initiation by Baptisme and before that a voluntarie and particular confession of faith and therefore a cleare separation and exception of the Christian from the Infidell In the latter neither is new Baptisme lawfull though some of you belike of old were in hand with a rebaptization which not then speeding succeedeth now to your shame nor a new voluntarie and particular confession of Faith besides that in Baptisme though very commendable will euer be proued simply necessarie to the being of a Church so long as the erring parties doe actually renounce their doctrines and in open profession
not to eat when they are come Compelled not by perswasions for these were the first inuitations therefore by further meanes Though this conceit hath no place with vs where men are vrged not to receiue a new faith but to performe the old to abandon that wicked Idolatry which had defiled them and to entertaine but that truth which the very power of their Baptisme challenged at their hand But this was the old song of the Donatists Farre bee it from our conscience to compell any man to the faith If God did not draw vs and by a sweet violence bend our wils to his when should wee follow him Either you haue not read or not cared for the practise of the ancient Church and Augustines resolution concerning the sharp penalties imposed vpon the Donatists would God none of your kindred in his time with his excellent defences of these proceedings SECT XI BVT tell vs then what should haue beene done The Gospell should haue beene euery where preached All conuerts should haue beene singled out Constitution of the Church of England Barrow and Greenew passim and haue giuen a voluntary and particular confession of their Faith and Repentance I answer you The Gospell was long and worthily preached in the daies of King Edward enough to yeeld both Martyrs to the stake and Professors to the succeeding times Were their holy Sermons their learned writings and their precious bloud which was no lesse vocall of no force Afterwards in the beginning of Famous Queene Elizabeths reparation what confluence was there of zealous Confessors returning now from their late exile How painfully and diuinely did they labour in this Vineyard of God How did they with their many holy Partners which had shrowded themselues during that storme of persecution in a dangerous secrecie spread themselues ouer this Land and each-where drew stockes of hearers to them and with them Is all this nothing to their ingratefull Posteritie If you murmure that there were no more take heed lest you forget there were so many for vs we doe seriously blesse God for these and triumph in them All this premised now comes a Christian Edict from the State that euery man shall yeeld obedience to this Truth wherein they had beene thus instructed It was performed by the most whose submission what was it but an actuall profession of their faith and repentance And since such was their face who dares iudge of their hearts More than this if euer can be shewed absolutely necessary in such a State of the Church to the very constitution and repaired being thereof I doe here vow neuer to take the Church of England for my Mother Wee know and grieue to see how scornfully your whole Sect H. Answ Coūterp and amongst the rest your resolute Doctor turnes ouer these gracious entrances proceedings of these two Royall and blessed Reformers and whom should hee finde to raise his scoffes vpon but that Saint-like Historian M. Fox Act. Monu Edit 5. p. 1180. Now saies Master Fox a new face of things began to appeare as it were in a Stage new Players comming in the old thrust out Now saith your Doctors Comment new Bishops came in Counterp 226. as Players vpon the old stage of the Popish Church as if the Church were no whit altered but the men Shall we say this is too much malice or too little wit and conscience Euen in the Lord Protectors daies that holy man reports that after the Scriptures restored and Masses abolished greater things followed these softer beginnings in the reformation of the Churches P. Martyr P. Fagius Bucer c. Learned and godly Diuines were called for from forraine parts a separation was made though not so much willing as wilfull of open and manifest Aduersaries from Professors whether true or dissembled Commissioners were appointed to visit euery seuerall Diocesse Euery Bench of them had seuerall godly and learned Preachers to instruct the people in the truth and to disswade them from Idolatry and Superstition The Popes Supremacy not thrust but taught downe All wil-worship whatsoeuer oppugned by publike Sermons Images destroyed Pilgrimages forbidden the Sacraments inioyned to be reuerently and holily ministred Ecclesiasticall persons reformed in life in Doctrine Processions laid downe Presence and attendance vpon Gods word commanded the holy expending of Sabbath daies appointed due preparation to Gods table called for set times of teaching inioyned to Bishops and other Ministers all Shrines and Monuments of Idolatry required to bee vtterly taken from publike and priuate houses All this before his Parliament By that Six Articles 1547. Pag. 1182. Col. 2.60 all bloody lawes against Gods truth were repealed zealous Preachers encouraged so as saith that worthy Historian God was much glorified and the people in many places greatly edified What need I goe further than this first yeere Heare this and be ashamed and assure your selues that no man can euer reade those holy Monuments of the Church but must needs spet at your separation After that sweet and hopefull Prince what his Renowned Sister Queene ELIzABETH did the present times doe speake and the future shall speake when all these Murmurers shall sleepe in the dust The publike Disputations zealous preachings restaurations of banished Religion and men Extirpations of Idolatry Christian Lawes wise and holy proceedings and renewed couenants with God are still fresh in the memories of some and in the eares of all so as all the World will iustly say you haue lost shame with Truth in denying it Yea to fetch the matter yet further If the Reader shall looke backe to the dayes of their puissant Father King HENRY the Eighth Act Monu p. 999. 1000. he cannot but acknowledge especially during the time of Queene ANNE and before those six bloudie Articles a true face of a Church though ouer-spred with some Morphue of corruptions and some commendable forwardnesse of Reformation for both the Popes Supremacie was abrogated the true Doctrine of Iustification commonly taught confidence in Saints vntaught the vanity of Pardons declared worship of Images and Pilgrimages forbidden learned and godly Ministers required their absences mis-demeanors inhibited the Scriptures translated publikely and priuately inioyned to be read and receiued the Word of God commanded to be sincerely and carefully preached Act. Monu Edit 5. p. 1002. and to all this Holy Master Fox addeth for my conclusion such a vigilant care was then in the King and his Councell how by all wayes and meanes to redresse Religion to reforme errours to correct corrupt customes to helpe ignorance and to reduce the mis-leading of Christs Flocke drowned in blind Poperie Superstitious Customes and Idolatry to some better forme of Reformation whereunto he prouided not onely these Articles Barr. against Gyff Conference with Sperin and Master Egerton Greenw Barr. Arg. to Master Cartwr Master Trauers Master Clark Browne Reformation without tarrying Precepts Iniunctions aboue specified to informe the rude people but
let one of these necessities like two nailes driue out another So they haue done Nulla necessitâ—â— maior est charitate Hieron Apol. ad Ruff. Fr. Iun. de Eccl. Sed accidunt per saepe tempora quibus aut noua Ecclesia generatur aut altera pars interrumpitur scilicet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tamen Ecclesia esse non definit forma nimirum essentiali adhuc permanente Act. 7. beg Cypr. l. 3. Ep. 9. Mem. nisse Diacom debent quoniam Apostolos id est Episcopos praepositos Dominus elega Diaconos autem post ascensum Domini in coelos Apostoli sibi constituerunt Episcopatus sui et Ecclesiae ministros Rom. 1.8 1 Cor. 1.5 1 Thes 1.7 Gal. 4.15 and your owne necessitie as the stronger hath preuailed for that other necessity might bee eluded by flight you haue sought and found else-where what the necessity of our lawes denied and the necessitie of your conscience required Beware lest vniustly Sinne is as strong bond to a good heart as impossibility Christians cannot doe what they ought not contrary to the lawes of your Prince and Country you haue fled not only from vs but from our Communion Either is disobedience no sin or might you doe this euill that good may come of it But what necessity is this simple and absolute or conditionall Is there no remedie but you must needs haue such Elders Pastors Doctors Releeuers such offices such executions Can there bee no Church no Christians without them What shall wee say of the families of the Patriarks of the Iewish congregations vnder the Law yea of Christ and his Apostles Either deny them to haue beene visible Churches or shew vs your distinct offices amongst them But as yet you say they were not Therefore God hath had a true Church thousands of yeeres without them Therefore they are not of the essence of the Church You call me to the times since Christ I demand then was there not a worthy Church of God in Ierusalem from the time of Christs Ascension till the election of the seuen Deacons Those hundred and twenty Disciples Act. 1.15 and three thousand Conuerts Act. 2.41 Those continuall Troupes that flocked to the Apostles were they no true Church Let the Apostles and Euangelists be Pastors and Doctors where were their Elders Deacons Releeuers Afterwards when Deacons were ordained yet what newes is there of Elders till Act. 11 yet that of Ierusalem was more forward than the rest We will not as you are wont argue from Scriptures negatiuely no proofe yet much probabilitie is in S. Pauls silence He writes to Rome Corinth and other Churches those his Diuine letters in a sweet Christian-ciuility salute euen ordinary Christians And would hee haue vtterly passed by all mention of these Church-officers amongst his so precise acknowledgement of lesser titles in others if they had beene ere this ordained yet all these more than true Churches famous some of them rich forward and exemplary Onely the Philippian Church is stiled with Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1.2 but no Elders besides them The Churches of Christ since these if at least you will grant that Christ had any Church till now haue continued in a recorded succession through many hundreds of yeeres Search the Monuments of her Histories shew vs where euer in particular Congregations all these your necessary Offices as you describe them were either found or required It was therefore a new-no-necessitie that bound you to this course or if you had rather a necessitie of Fallibilitie If with these God may be well serued he may be well serued without them This is not that vâ—â—m necessariâ—â— that Christ commends in Marie you might haue sate still with lesse trouble and more thankes SEP But also in our most sinfull subiection to many Antichristian enormities which we are bound to eschue as hell SECTION XXI BVT besides that we ought to haue had somewhat which we want The enormities of the Church in common wee haue somewhat which we should haue wanted Some yea many Antichristian enormities To say we are absolute and neither want nor abound were the voyce of Laodicea or Tyrus in the Prophet Our Church as shee is true so humble and is as far from arrogating perfection as acknowledging falshood If she haue enormities yet not so many Fr. Iohns against M. Iacob Bar. Gyff refuted i. Transgress p. 28. or if many not Antichristian Your Cham hath espied ninetie one nakednesses in this his mother and glories to shew them All his malice cannot shew one fundamentall error and when the foule mouth of your false Martyr hath said all they are but some spots and blemishes not the old running issues and incurable botches of Aegypt the particulars shall plead for themselues These you eschew as hell While you goe on thus vncharitably both alike Doe you hate these more than Master Smith and his faction hates yours His Character shall be iudge So do we value your detestation as you his It were well for you if you eschewed these enormities lesse and hell more Your sinfull subiection to these vnchristian humors will proue more fearefull than to our Antichristian enormities SEP Shee is our mother so may shee be and yet not the Lords Wife euery mother of children is not a wife Ammi and Ruhamah were bidden to plead with their mother Apostat Israel and pleads that shee was not the Lords wife nor He her husband Ho. 2.1 2. And though you forbid vs a thousand times yet must we plead not to excuse our fault but to iustifie our innocencie and that not onely not so much in respect of our selues as of the truth which without sacrilege wee may not suffer to bee condemned vnheard And if you yet heare her not rather blame your selues as deafe than vs as dumbe Hierom. ad Eustoch Epitaph Paulae ex Psal 67. SECTION XXII The Church of England is the Spouse of Christ Cypr. de simplic Praelator Adulterari non potest spâ—â—sa Christi incorrupta est pudica 1 King 12.29 Hos 2.16.2.13 SHE may be your Mother you say and not the Lords Wife It is a good Mother that hath Children and no Husband Why did you not call her plaine Where Your old Embleme is As is the mother so is the Daughter These are the modest circumlocutions of a good Sonne who cares not to proue himselfe a Bastard that his Mother may be markt for an Harlot be you a true Lo-ammi but England shall neuer I hope proue an Apostate Israel We haue no Calues in our Dan and Bethel none of Ieroboams Idolatrie We haue still called God ISHI and neuer burnt incense to Baaliâ— It is your Synagogue that hath fallen away from vs as Israel from Iuda But these Children were bidden to plead Gods command shields them from the note of vngracious Abraham must sacrifice his Sonne and this Sonne must condemne his Mother shew vs either our equall desert or your equall warrant Where hath
God proclaimed our Church not his By whose hand hath he published her diuorce You haue shamed her wombe not she her bed not God her demeanour Your tongues are your owne who can forbid you We know you will plead and excuse and censure and defend till all the world be weary we may pray with Hierom to this sense that of the Psalmist Increpa Domine Bestiaes Calami yet we see your Pens Tongues and Presses busie and violent I will not applie to you that which Augustine of his Donatists Aug. cont Epist Parmen l. 1. Though truth compell you to be dumbe yet iniquitie will not suffer you to be silent But if you write whole Marts and worlds of Volumes you shall neuer be able either to iustifie your Innocence or excuse your fault In the meane time the noyse of your contentions is so great that your truth cannot be heard Learned Iunius and our learnedst Diuines and neighbour Churches haue oft heard your clamors neuer your truth Epist Iunij ad Separ So little haue you of this and so much of the other that wee are ready to wish as he of old either ourselues deafe or you dumbe SEP Is not Babylon the Mother of Gods people whom he therefore commandeth to depart out of her lest being partakers of her sinnes they also partake of her plagues And to conclude what say you more against vs for your Mother the Church of England than the Papists doe for their Mother and your Mothers Mother the Church of Rome against you whom they condemne as vnnaturall Bastards and impious Patricides in your separation from her SECTION XXIII THE spirit of your Proto-Martyr would hardly haue digested this title of Babylon Mother of Gods people a murdering Step-mother rather How the Church of England hath separated from Babylon Gyff refut 2. transg Reuel 18.2 Ans fore-speech to Counterpoyse Shee cannot be a Mother of Children to God and no Church of God Notwithstanding Gods people would he say may be in her not of her So Babylon bore them not but Sion in Babylon But I feare not your excesse of charitie You flye to your Doctors challenge and aske what we say against you for vs which Rome will not say for her selfe against vs Will you iustifie this Plea of Rome or not If you will why doe you reuile her If you will not why doe you obiect it Heare then what wee say both to you and them our enemies both and yet the enemies of our enemies First wee disclaime and defie your Pedigree and theirs The Church of Rome was neuer our Mothers Mother Our Christian faith came not from the seuen-hilles Neither was deriued either from Augustine the Monke A Simone Zelota Niceph. Alij à Ios Arimath cuius hic sepulchrum cernitur Angli Pascha Graeco more celebrarunt Iacob Armin. Disp Cant. 8.8 Fr. Iun. l. sing de Eccle. or Pope Gregorie Britanie had a worthy Church before either of them lookt into the world It is true that the ancient Romane Church was sister to ours heere was neere kindred no dependance And not more consanguinity than while she continued faithfull Christian loue Now she is gone a whoring her chaste sister iustly spitteth at her yet euen still if you distinguish as your learned Antagonist hath taught you betwixt the Church and Papacie she acknowledges her Sisterhood though she refraines her conuersation as she hath many slauish factious abettors of her knowne and grosse errors to whom we deny this title affirming them the body whereof Antichrist is the head the great Whore and Mother of abominations so againe how many thousands hath she which retaining the foundation according to their knowledge as our learned Whitakers had wont to say of Bernard follow Absolom with a simple heart all which to reiect from Gods Church were no better than presumptuous cruelty It were well for you before God and the world if you could as easily wash your hands of vnnaturall impiety and trecherousnesse as we of Bastardy and vniust sequestration There can be no Bastardy where was neuer any Motherhood we were nephewes to that Church neuer sonnes vnlesse as Rome was the mother City of the world so by humane institution we suffered our selues to bee ranged vnder her Patriarchall authoritie as being the most famous Church of the West a matter of courtesie and pretended Order no necessity no spirituall obligation As for our sequestration your mouth and theirs may bee stopt with this Answer As all corrupted Churches so some things the Church of Rome still holds a right a true God in three persons true Scriptures though with addition a true Christ though mangled with foule and erroneous consequences true Baptisme though shamefully deformed with rotten Traditions and many other vndeniable truths of God some other things and too many her wicked Apostasie hath deuised and maintained abhominably amisse the body of her Antichristianisme grosse errors and by iust sequell heresies their Popes Supremacie infallibility Illimitation Transubstantiation Idolatrous and superstitious worship and a thousand other of this branne In regard of all these latter wee professe to the world a iust and ancient separation from this false faith and deuotion of the Romish Church which neither you will say nor they shall euer proue faulty yea rather they haue in all these separated from vs who still irrefragably professe to hold with the ancient from whom they are departed In regard of the other wee are still with them holding and embracing with them what they hold with Christ neither will you I thinke euer prooue that in these we should differ As for our communion they haue separated vs by their proud and foolish excommunications if they had not wee would iustly haue begun from their Tyranny and Antichristianisme from their miserable Idolatry but as for the body of their poore seduced Christians which remaine amongst them vpon the true foundation as doubtlesse there are thousands of them which laugh at their Pardons Miracles Superstitions and their trust in merits reposing onely vpon Christ we adhere to them in loue and pittie and haue testified our affection by our bloud ready vpon any iust call to doe it more Phil. Morn du Plesses Lib. de Eccle. cap. 10. neither would feare to ioyne with them in any true seruice of our common God But the full discourse of this point that honourable and learned Plesses hath so forestalled that whatsoeuer I say would seeme but borrowed Vnto his rich Treatise I referre my Reader for full satisfaction Would God this point were thorowly knowne and well weighed on all parts The neglect or ignorance whereof hath both bred and nursed your separation and driuen the weake and inconsiderate into strange extremities This say wee of our selues in no more Charity than Truth But for you how dare you make this shamelesse comparison Can your heart suffer your tongue to say that there is no more difference betwixt Rome and vs than
it contemptuous to spend that day iâ— lawfull labour notwithstanding that liberty of the six dayes which God hath giuen Why shall that be lawfull in a case of deiection which may not in praise and exultation If you had not loued to cauill you would rather haue accepted the Apology or excuse of our sister Churches in this behalfe than aggrauated these uncharitable pleas of your owne yet euen in this your owne Synagogue at Amsterdam if we may beleeue your owne is not altogether guiltlesse your hands are still and your shops shut vpon festiuall dayes But we accuse you not would God this were your worst The Masters of our Courts would tell you they would not care so much for this dispossession as that it should be done by such coniurers as your selfe SEP If an ignorant and vnpreaching Ministery be approued amongst you and the people constrained by all kinde of violence to submit vnto it and therewith to rest as what a more vsuall throughout the whole kingdome then let no modest man once open his mouth to deny that ignorance is constrained and approued amongst you If the seruice said or sung in the Parish Church may be called deuotion then faâ—e there is good store of vnknowne deuotion the greatest part in most parishes neither knowing nor regarding what is said nor wherefore SECTION XLII Our approbation of an vnlearned Ministery disproued YOur want of quarrels makes you still runne ouer the same complaints which if you redouble a thousand times wil not become iust may become tedious God knowes how far we are from approuing an vnlearned Ministery The protestations of our gracious King our Bishops our greatest Patrons of conformity in their publike writings might make you ashamed of this bold assertion we doe not allow that it should be we bewaile that it will be our number of Parishes compared with our number of Diuines will soone shew that either many Parishes must haue none or some Diuines must haue many Congregations or too many Congregations must haue scarce Diuine-Incumbents Confer at Hampt Our deare Souereigne hath promised a medecine for this disease But withall tels you that Ierusalem was not built all on a day The violence you speake of is commonly in case of wilfull contempt not of honest and peaceable desired further instruction or in supposall of some tolerable ability in the Ministery forsaken we do heartily pray for labourers into this haruest we do wish that all Israel could prophesie we publish the Scriptures we Preach Catechise Write and Lord thou knowest how many of vs would doe more if wee knew what more could bee done for the information of thy people and remedy of this ignorance which this aduersary reproues vs to approue We doubt not but the seruice said in our parish-Parish-Churches is as good a seruice to God as the extemporary deuotions in your Parlours But It is an vnknowne deuotion you say Through whose fault The Readers or the Hearers or the Matter Distinct reading you cannot deny â—o the most Parishes the matter is easie Prayers and English Scriptures if the hearers be regardlesse or in some things dull of conceit lay the fault from the Seruice to the men All yours are free from ignorance free from wandering conceits we enuy you not some knowledge is no better than some ignorance and carelesnesse is no worse than mis-regard SEP What are your sheet-penances for adultery and all your purse-penances for all other sinnes than which though some worse in Popery yet none more common SECTION XLIII Penances inioyned in the Church of England COmming now to the Vaults of Popery I aske for their Penances and Purgatory those Popish Penances which presumptuous Confessors enioyned as satisfactory and meritorious vpon their bold absolutions You send me to Sheeâ—-penances and Purse-penances the one ceremonious corrections of shame enioyned and adioyned to publike Confessions of vncleannesse Saccâ— cinâ—ri incubare corpâ—â— fordibus â—bscurareÌ„ presbyteris aduoluâ— aris Dei adgeniculari Tert. de penit for the abasing of the offender and hate of the sin such like as the ancient Church thought good to vse for this purpose Hence they were appointed as Tertullian speaketh in sackcloth and ashes to craue the prayers of the Church to besmeare their body with filthinesse to throw themselues down before Gods minister Altar not to mention other more hard perhaps no lesse ancient Rites and hence were those fiue stations of the Penitent whereby he was at last receiued into the body of his wonted Communion Canon Greg. Neocaesar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the other a pecuniarie mulct imposed vpon some not all you foulely slander vs lesse hainous offences as a penalty not as a penance I hope you deny not Sodomy Murder Robbery and which you would not Theft it selfe is more deeply auenged But did euer any of ours vrge either sheet or puse as the remedy of Purgatory or enioyne them to auoid those infernall paines vnlesse we do so our Penances are not Popish our Answerer is idle SEP Touching Purgatory though you deny the doctrine of it and teach the contrary yet how well your practise sutes with it let it be considered in these particulars Your absoluing of men dying excommunicate after they be dead and before they may haue Christian buriall Your Christian buriall in holy ground if the party will be at the charges your ringing of hallowed bels for the soule your singing the Corps to the graue from the Church stile your praying ouer or for the dead especially in these words That God would hasten his Kingdome that wee with this our Brother though his life were neuer so wretched and death desperate and all other departed in the true faith of thy holy Name may haue our perfect consummation both in body and soule Your generall doctrines and your particular practises agree in this as in the most other things like Harpe and Harrow In word you professe many truths which in deed you deny These and many moe Popish deuices by others at large discouered to the world both for pompe and profit are not onely not raâ—ed and buried in the dust but are aduanced amongst you aboue all that is called God SECTION XLIV YOur next accusation is more ingeniously malicious The practises of the Church of England coÌ„cerning the funerals of the Dead our Doctrine you grant contrary to Purgatory but you will fetch it out of our practise that we may build that which we destroy Let vs therfore purge our selues from your Purgatory We absolue men dying excommunicate a rare practise and which yet I haue not liued to see but if Law-makers contemne rare occurrents surely accusers doe not Once is too much of an euill Marke then Doe we absolue his Soule after the departure No what hath the body to doe with Purgatory Yet for the body doe we by any absolution seeke to quit it from sinne Nothing lesse reason it selfe giues vs that
carrie it The Church of Rome hath beene ancient not the errors neither doe we in ought differ from it wherein it is not departed from it selfe I did not more feare your wearinesse than my owne forgetting the measure of a Preface I would passe through euery point of difference betwixt vs and let you see in all particulars which is the old way and make you know that your Popish Religion doth but put on a borrowed visour of grauitie vpon this Stage to out-face true antiquitie Yet lest you should complaine of words let mee without your tediousnesse haue leaue but to instance in the first of all Controuersies betwixt vâ— offering the same proofe in all which you shall see performed in one I compare the iudgement of the ancient Church with yours see therefore and bee ashamed of your noueltie Especially Toby Iudeth Wisd of Salomon Ecclesiasticus Maccabees Euseb l. 4. c. 25. Exposit Symboli veteris instrumenti primi omnium Mosis quinque libri c. Haec sunt quae patres intra Cánonem concluserunt ex quibus fidei nostrae assertiones c. Alij libri sunt qui non Canonici c. First our question is Whether all those bookes which in our Bibles are stiled Apocryphall and are put after the rest by themselues are to be receiued as the true Scriptures of God Heare first the voice of the old Church to let passe that cleare and pregnant testimonie of MELITO SARDENSIS in his Epistle to ONESIMVS cited by EVSEBIVS Let CYPRIAN or RVFFINVS rather speake in the name of all Of the old Testament saith he first were written the fiue bookes of MOSES Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers Deuteronomie after these the booke of IOSHVAH the Son of NVN and that of the Iudges together of RVTH after which were the foure bookes of the Kings which the Hebrewes reckon but two of the Chronicles which is called the booke of Dayes and of EzRA are two bookes which of them are accounted but single and the booke of ESTER Of the Prophets there is ESAY HIEREâ—â—E EzEKIEL and DANIEL and besides one booke which containes the twelue smaller Prophets Also IOB the Psalmes of DAVID are single books of SALOMON there are three books deliuered to the Church the Prouerbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs In these they haue shut vp the number of the bookes of the old Testament Of the new there are foure Gospels of MATTHEVV MARKE LVKE and IOHN the Acts of the Apostles written by LVKE of PAVL the Apostle fourteene Epistles of the Apostle PETER two Epistles of IAMES the LORDS brother and Apostle one of IVDE one of IOHN three Lastly the Reuelation of IOHN These are they which the Fathers haue accounted within the Canon by which they would haue the assertions of our faith made good But we must know there are other bookes which are called of the Ancients not Canonicall but Ecclesiastical as the Wisedome of SALOMON another Book of Wisedome which is called of IESVS the sonne of SIRACH which book of the Latines is termed by a generall name Ecclesiastiâ—us of the same ranke is the book of TOBY and IVDETH and the bookes of the Maccabees Thus farre that Father so HIEROME after that he hath reckoned vp the same number of bookes with vs in their order hath these words This Prologue of mine saith hee may serue as a well defenced enâ—rance to all the bookes which I haue turned out of Hebrew into Latine In prologâ— gâ— to Tem. 3. p. 6. Hic prologus Scripturam quasi GaleatuÌ„ principium omnibus libris quos de Hebraeo c. Vt scire valeamê° quicquid extra bos est inter apocrypha esse ponendum igitur Sapientia quae vulgo Salomonis inscribitur Iesu c. non sunt in Canone c. Euseb l. 6. c. 24. Haud ignoranduÌ„ autem fuerit veteris instrum libros sicut Hebraei tradunt 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haec sunt Apocrythae Iesus Sapientia Pastor MaccabaeoruÌ„ libri Iudeth atque Tobia Hugo Card. Concil Trident. Decr. de Canon Script April 8. promulg in quar Sessione SacroruÌ„ vero librorum indicem huic decreto adscribendum censuit c. Sunt autem infra scripti Testamenti veteris quinque libri Mosis c. Tobias Iudeth Sapientia Salomonis Ecclesiasticus Maccab. 2. Si quis autem libros ipsos integres cum omnibê° suis partibus pro vt in Ecclesia Catholica legi consueuerunt in veteri vulgata Latina Editione habenter pro sacrit canonicis non susceperit Anathema sit Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 15. c. 13. Sed quomodo libet istud accipiatur c. Ei linguae potius credatur vnde est in aliam facta translatio Ludouic Viues ibid. Hoc ipsum Hieronymus clamat vbique â—c ips◠〈◊〉 ratio c. Sed frustra honorum ingraciorum consensus hoc dâ—cet Hieron l. 3 â—â—m in Esaiam Quod si aliquis dixerit Hebraeos libros pesâ— Ã Iudâ— falsatos c. Sâ— autem dixerint post aduentum Domini saluatoris c. Hebraeos libros fuisse falsatos cachiâ—num tenere non poteâ— vt salâ—r Apostoli c. cap. 6. Decr. p. 1. dist 9. c. vt veterum Vt veterum librorum fides de Hebraeis voluminibus examinanda est ita nouerum Graeci sermonis normam defiderat Ad Decr. p. 1. d. 19. c. 3. Ad diuina reâ—urre scripta Graeca that we may know that whatsoeuer is besides these is Apocryphall therefore that booke which is intituled Salomons Wisdome and the booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach and Iudeth and Tobias and Pastor are not Canonicall the first booke of the Macabees I haue found in Hebrew the second in Greeke which booke saith hee indeede the Church readeth but receiueth not as Canonicall The same reckoning is made by Origen in Eusebius word for word The same by Epiphanius by Cyrill by Athanasius Gregorie Nazianzen Damascen yea by Lyranus both Hugoes Caietan Carthusian and Montanus himselfe c. All of them with full consent reiecting these same Apocryphall bookes with vs. Now heare the present Church of Rome in her owne words thus The holy Synode of Trent hath though good to set downe with this Decree a iust Catalogue of bookes of holy Scripture lest any man should make doubt which they bee which are receiued by the Synode And they are these vnder-written Of the Old Testament fiue bookes of MOSES then IOSHVAH the Iudges RVTH foure bookes of the Kings two of the Chronicles two of ESDRAS the first and the second which is called NEHEMIAS TOBIAS IVDETH ESTER IOB the Psalter of DAVID containing one hundred and fiftie Psalmes The Prouerbs of SALOMON Ecclesiastes the Song of Songs the booke of Wisdome Ecclesiasticus ESAY HIEREMIE c. two bookes of the Maccabees the first and the second And if any man shall not receiue these whole bookes with all the parts of them as they are wont to
obscure he might auoid our nice slothfulnesse for there is scarce any thing that can be fetcht out of those obscurities which is not found most plainly spoken else-where And because Bellarmine takes exception at this Ferè Scarce compare this place with the former and with that which he hath in his third Epistle thus The manner of speech in which the Scripture is contriued is easie to be come to of all although it be throughly attained by few Those things which it containeth plaine and easie it speakes like a famliar friend without guile to the heart of the learned and vnlearned c. But it inuites all men with an humble manner of speech whom it doth not onely feede with manifest truth but exercise with secret hauing the same in readinesse which it hath in secrecie Thus AVSTEN To omit IRENEVS and ORIGEN CHRYSOSTOME whom BELLARMINE saith we alledge alone for vs besides many other plaine places writeth thus Who is there to whom all is not manifst which is written in the Gospell Chrysost Hom. 3. de Lazaro Cui non sunt manifesta quacunque in Euangel c. qâ— possis intelligâ—t quâ— ne leuiter quidem inspicâ—e vobis c. s◠〈◊〉 in â—us lege c. Citat ab ipso Bellarm Apostoli verò propheta omnis contra fâ—cerunt manifestae clarâ—que quae prâ—dideruÌ„t exposueruÌ„t exposueruÌ„t nobis veluti câ—nes orbis doctores vt per se quisque discâ—re possit ea quae dicuntur ex sola lectione Chrys hom 3. in Laz. Quaâ—obreÌ„ opus est concionatore omnia sunt plana ex scripturis diuinis sed quia delicatuli estis c. Hom. 3. in 2. Thess Bellarm. lib. 3. de verbo cap. 1. Necessario fatendum est Scripturas esse obscurissimas Lutherus duo effugia excogitauit vanâ— quod Scriptura etiamsi alicubi obscura tamen illud idem alibi clarè proponat c. ibid. § 2. Eckius in Euchirid c. 4 Lutherani coÌ„tendunt Scripturas sacras esse claras Dâ—aeus contr Whitak lib. 6. Rhemists in 2 Pet. 3.16 and in their Preface at large c. Homil. in 4. Dominic ab EpiphaÌ„ Amb. ser 35. Hieron in Psal Dominus narrabit que modo narrabit Non verbo sed scriptura in cuius scriptura in populorum c. Dominus narrabit in scripturis populorum in scripturis sanctis quae scriptura populis omnibus legitur hac est vt omnes intelligant non vt pauci intelligerent sed vt omnes in Psalm 86. Omnis quae post ascens c. quis fidelis vel etiam catechâ—menus antequam Spiritum Sanctum baptizatus accipiat non aequo animo c. Aug. tract in Ioh. 96. and to the same purpose l. 2. de Doct. Christ c. 8. Chrys hom 3. de Lazar Semper hortâ—r horâ—i non desâ—am vt non hic tantum attendatis c. Ego forensibus causis affixus sum c. who that shall heare Blessed are the meeke Blessed are the mercifull Blessed are the pure in heart and the rest would desire a teacher to learne any of these things which are here spoken As also the signes miracles histories are not they knowne and manifest to euery man This pretence and excuse is but the cloake of our slothfulnesse thou vnderstandest not those things which are written how shouldest thou vnderstand them which wilt not so much as slightly looke into them take the booke into thy hand reade all the history and what thou knowest remember and what is obscure run often ouer it So CHRYSOSTOME yea he makes this difference betwixt the Philosophers and Apostles the Philosophers speake obscurely but the Apostles and Prophets sayth hee contrarily make all things deliuered by them cleare manifest as the common teachers of the world haue so expounded all things that euery man may of himselfe by bare reading learne those things which are spoken yea lastly so farre hee goes in this point as that he asketh Wherefore needs a Preacher all things are cleare and plaine in the Diuine Scriptures but because ye are delicate hearers and seeke delight in hearing therefore ye seeke for Preachers You haue heard the old Religion now heare the new BELLARMINE hath these words It must needs be confessed that the Scriptures are most obscure Here therefore saith he LVTHER hath deuised two euasions One that the Scripture though it be obscure in one place yet that it doth clearely propound the same thing in another The second is that though the Scripture be cleare of it selfe yet to the proud and vnbeleeuers it is hard by reason of their blindnesse euill affections so the Lutherans saith Ecchius contend that the Scriptures are cleare and plaine so Duraeus against Whitakers so the Rhemists in their annotations and generally all Papists Iudge now if all these forenamed Fathers and so the ancient Church were not Lutherans in this point or rather we theirs and yeeld that this their old opinion by the new Church of Rome is condemned for hereticall and in all these say vpon your soule whether is the elder Let mee draw you on yet a little further Our question is whether it be necessary or fit that all men euen of the Laitie should haue libertie to heare and reade the Scriptures in a language which they vnderstand Heare first the voice of the old Religion To omit the direct charges of GREGORY NISSEN and AMBROSE thus hath IEROME vpon the Psalms The Lord will declare and how will he declare Not by word but by writing In whose writing In the writing of his people c. Our Lord and Sauiour therefore tells vs and speaketh in the Scriptures of his Princes Our Lord will declare it to vs in the Scriptures of his people in the holy Scriptures which Scripture is read to all the people that is so read as that all may vnderstand not that a few may vnderstand but all What faithfull man saith AVGVSTINE though he be but a Nouice before he be baptized and haue receiued the Holy Ghst doth not with an equall minde reade and heare all things which after the Ascension of our Lord are written in Canonicall truth and authority although as yet he vnderstands them not as he ought But of all other Saint CHRYSOSTOME is euery where most vehement and direct in this point Amongst infinite places heare what hee saith in one of his Homilies of LAzARVS I doe alwayes exhort and will neuer cease to exhort you saith hee that you will not heere only attend to those things which are spoken but when you are at home you continually busie your selues in reading of the holy Scriptures which practice also I haue not ceased to driue into them which come priuately to mee for let no man say Tush they are but idle words and many of them such as should be contemned Alas I am taken vp with law causes I am employed in publike affaires I follow my trade I maintaine a wife and children Vxorem alo
liberos familiae curam gero c. Qui moâ—tâ—m Vertices accuparunt c. Quid â—is homo non est tui negâ—tij scripturas evoluere c. 〈◊〉 tuum magis est quam illorum c. Non nunc fieri potest vt quisquaÌ„ c. Nae negligamus nobis parare libros c. Quid igitur inâ— c. Publicani Piscatores Tabernacularum â—pifices Pastores Apostoli idiota illiterati c. and haue a great charge to looke to It is not for me to read the Scriptures but for them which haue cast off the world which haue taken vp the solitarie tops of Mountaines for their dwellings which liue this contemplatiue kind of life continually What sayest thou O man is it not for thee to turne ouer the Scriptures because thou art distracted with infinite cares Nay then it is for thee more than for them for they doe not so much neede the helpe of the Scriptures as you that are tost in the midst of the waues of worldly businesse And soone after Neither can it be possible that any man should without great fruit be perpetually conuersant in this spirituall exercise of reading and straight Let vs not neglect to buy our selues Bookes lest we receiue a wound in our vitall parts and after he hath compared the Bookes of Scripture to Gold hee addeth But what say they if we vnderstand not those things which are contained in those Bookes What gaine we then Yes surely though thou dost not vnderstand those things which are there laid vp yet by the very reading much holinesse is got Although it cannot be that thou shouldest be alike ignorant of al thou readest for therefore hath the Spirit of God so dispensed this Word that Publicanes Fishers Tent-makers Shepheards and Goat-heards plaine vnlettered men may be saued by these Bookes least any of the simpler sort should pretend this excuse Note that which is read in Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some better copies is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Goat-heards more agreable to the place Vt famulus vidua mulier omnium hominum indoctissimus exaudita lectione aliquid lucri vtilitatisque reportet Hom. in Gen. 29. Obsecro vt subinde huc veniatis c. In Coloss Hom. 9. Audite obsecro Seculares omnes c. Rhemists in their Preface to their Testament Bellarm. de verb. lib. 2. cap. 15. Haeretici huius temporis omnes in eo conueniunt vt oporteat Scripturas omnibus permittere imo tradere in sua lingua c. At Catholica Ecclesia c. Prohibet ne passim omnibus sine discriâ—ine concedatur eiusmodi lectio c. Duraeus contra Whit. lib. 6. Si Christianis omnibus vt Scripturas forâ—tentur à Christo dictum esse intelligis in magus certè errore c. Promiscuâ— fidelium turbae c. Basil Ep. 82. That all things which are said should be easie to discerne and that the workman the seruant the poore widdow and the most vnlearned of all other by hearing of the Word read might get some gaine and profit And the same Father elsewhere I beseech you saith hee that you come speedily hither and hearken diligently to the reading of the Holy Scriptures and not only when you come hither but also at home take the Bible into your hands and by your diligent care reape the profit contained in it Lastly in his Homilies vpon the Epistle to the Colossians he cries out Heare I beseech you O all you secular men prouide you Bibles which are the medicines for the soule At least get the new Testament Now on the contrary let the new religion of Rome speake first by her Rhemish Iesuites thus We may not think that the translated Bibles into vulgar tongues were in the hands of euery husbandman artificer prentice boyes girles Mistresse Maid Man that they were sung played alledged of euery Tinker Tauerner Rimer Minstrell The like words of scorne and disgrace are vsed by HOSIVS and by ECKIVS and by BELALR de verb. l. 2. c. 15. The wise will not heere regard say our Rhemists what some wilfull people doe mutter that the Scriptures are made for all men c. And soone after they compare the Scriptures to Fire Water Candles Kniues Swords which are indeede needfull c. but would marre all if they were at the guiding of other than wise men All the Heretikes of this time saith BELLARMINE agree that the Scriptures should be permitted to all and deliuered in their owne Mother tongue But the Catholike Church forbids the reading of the Scriptures by all without choice or the publike reading or singing of them in vulgar tongues as it is decreed in the Councell of Trent Sess 22. c. 8. Can. 9. If you thinke saith DVRAEVS that Christ bade all Christians to seach the Scriptures you are in a grosse error For how shall rude and ignorant men search the Scriptures c. And so he concludes that the Scriptures were not giuen to the common multitude of Beleeuers Iudge now what either we say or these Papists condemne besides the ancient iudgement of the Fathers and if euer either CALVIN or LVTHER haue bin more peremptory in this matter than S. CHRYSOST I vow to be a Papist If ours bee not in this the old religion be not you ours Yet this one passage further and then no more lest I weary you Our question is whether the Scriptures depend vpon the authoritie of the Church or rather vpon the authoritie of Scriptures Heare first the ancient Church with and for vs The question is saith S. Aug. de vâ—late Ecclesiae siue Epist contra Potilianum Donatistam cap. 2. Inter nos autem Donatistas questio est vbi sit Ecclesia quid ergo facturisumus in verbis nostris eam qua situri c. Aug. ibid. cap. 16. Vtrum ipsi Ecclesiam teneant non nisi Diuinarum Scripturarum Canonicis libris ostendunt c. Quia nec nos propterea dicimus c. Aug. in Psal 69. in illa verba Omnes qui quaerunt te c. Ne in ecclesiam errares ne quis c. Multi enim dixerunt carnem non habuisse osteÌ„dit c. So Epi. 166. in Ps 57. c. Chrysost Hom. in Matth. 49. Qui vult cognoscere quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi vnde cognoscet nisi c. Eckius in Enchirid c. de Ecclesia Scriptura non est authentica siue authoritate Ecclesiae Scriptores enim canonici â—unt membra Ecclesiae vnde haeretico contendere volenti c. Eckius ibidem Scriptura definit in Concilio visum est Spiritui Sancto c. rem tam clarè expressam definitam Ecclesia sua authoritate mutauit c. Ecce potestas Ecclesiae super Scriptura Si tollamus authoritatem praesentis Ecclesiae praesentis CoÌ„cilij in dubium reuocari poterunt omnium aliorum Conciliorum decreta tota fides Christiana
of the Romish Church will not admit Reconciliation SECTION VII The Romish Heresie concerning Iustification SECTION VIII Concerning Free-will SECTION IX Concerning Merits SECTION X. Concerning Satisfaction SECTION XI Concerning Purgatorie SECTION XII Concerning Pardons SECTION XIII Concerning the distinction of Mortall and Veniall sinne SECTION XIV Concerning the Canon of the Scripture SECTION XV. Concerning the insufficiencie of Scripture SECTION XVI Concerning the authoritie of Scripture SECTION XVII Concerning Transsubstantiation SECTION XVIII Concerning the Multi-presence of Christs bodie SECTION XIX Concerning the sacrifice of the Masse SECTION XX. Concerning the number of Mediators and the Inuocation of Saints SECTION XXI Concerning the Superstitious Heathenish and ridiculous worship of the Papists SECTION XXII Concerning the impossibilitie of the meanes of Reconciliation THE OPINION OF George Cassander A LEARNED PAPIST AND GRAVE DIVINE That by two seuerall Emperors FERDINAND and MAXIMILIAN was set on worke to compose these quarrels of the CHVRCH In his consultation pag. 56. 57. YEt J cannot denie but that in the beginning many out of a godly zeale and care were driuen to a sharpe and seuere reproofe of certaine manifest abuses and that the principall cause of this calamitie and distraction of the Church is to bee laid vpon those which being puffed vp with a vaine insolent conceit of their Ecclesiasticall power proudly and scornefully contemned and reiected them which did rightly and modestly admonish their reformation Wherefore my opinion is that the Church can neuer hope for any firme Peace vnlesse they make the beginning which haue giuen the cause of the distraction that is vnlesse those which are in place of Ecclesiasticall Gouernment will bee content to remit something of their too much rigor and yeeld somewhat to the Peace of the Church and hearkening vnto the earnest Prayers and Admonitions of many godly men will set themselues to correct manifest abuses according to the rule of Diuine Scriptures and of the ancient Church from which they haue swarued NO PEACE WITH ROME SECT I. The state of the now-Roman Church THERE is no one question doth so racke the mindes of men G. Cassand l. de Consult Art 7. Ex articulo hoc de Ecclesia omnis haec distractio quae hodie est in republica Christiana originem ducit at this day as this of the Church The infancy of the Church was sore and long vexed with heresies of an higher nature concerning God concerning Christ which stil strook at the head but her vigorous hoary age is exercised with a slighter quarrell concerning our selues which yet raiseth vp the greater broyles euery where by how much euery man naturally loues himselfe more than God Not to meddle with any forraine questions of this nature Too many seeme vnto me to mis-conceiue the state of our Church the Romish as if they had beene alwaies two as if from their first foundations they had been sensibly seuered in time and place like to Babylon and Hierusalem Aug. de Ciuit. or those two famous Cities opposed in S. Austens learned discourse Hence are those idle demands of some smattering questionists Where our Church hath thus long hid it selfe What yeere and day it came to light in which age that other Church lost it selfe Why we haue withdrawne our selues no further from them What is become of our sorefathers Which was the religion of the former world From hence haue those sharpe and rigorous censures passed on both sides whether of nouelty or of the desperate condition of those soules which haue departed out of our owne way Alas what monsters both of opinions and questions haue risen hence and haue vexed not their owne Authors onely for the Delphick Oracle said well It is fit a man should haue as he doth Iulian Caes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudicum si quis quae secit perferat aequum est but together with them the whole Church of God How many silly soules haue splitted vpon this rocke which had neuer needed any votiue monument of their wracke if they had but learned to hold no other difference betwixt vs and Rome than must needs be granted betwixt a Church miserably corrupted and happily purged betwixt a sickly languished and dying Church and one that is healthfull strong and flourishing Neither therefore did that Valdus of France nor Wickliffe of England nor Hierom of Prague Anno. Do. 1160. nor Luther of Germany euer goe about to frame a new Church to themselues which was not but onely endeuoured not without happy successe to cleanse scoure restore reforme that Church which was from that filthy soyle both of disorder errors wherewith it was shamefully blemished Al these rather desired to be accounted Physitians to heale than parents to beget a Church And the same haue we carefully done euer since do seriously and ingenuously professe of our selues this day Rome is alike to vs as it was of old to Hierome with Eugubium Rhegium Alexandria saue that this citie is both more famous Hierom. Epist ad Euagr. more neere vs Places do not varie either faith or title What Church soeuer God shall call daughter wee will call sister and so we safely may How many honest and chaste matrons haue we knowne that haue beene ashamed of a lewd sister and haue abhorred filthinesse in one of their owne bloud So it fareth now with vs Rome is ouergone with heresie with Idolatrie Let her practise her whoredome at home by her selfe It was not for vs with the safegard of our honestie to dwell with such a partner Not onely her wickednesse hath thrust vs out but her violence We yeeld therefore and sorrowfully complaine with the Prophet Esa 21.22 How is the faithfull citie become an harlot It was full of iudgement and iustice lodged therein but now it is full of murderers Thy siluer is become drosse and thy wine is brewed with water Away with the imperious name of a mother Wee are all the same Church by the virtue of our outward vocation whosoeuer all the world ouer worship Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of God and Sauiour of the world and professe the same common Creed some of vs doe this more purely Iren. l. 1. c. 2.3 others more corruptly In the meane time we are all Christians but sound Christians wee are not But how harslhly doth this sound to a weake Reader and more than seemes to need reconciliation with it selfe that the Church should be one and yet cannot be reconciled certainly yet so it is The dignitie of the outward forme which comprehends this vnitie in it selfe auailes nothing to grace nothing to saluation nothing to the soundnesse of doctrine The net doth not straight make all to bee fish that it hath dragged together ye shall finde in it vile weeds and whatsoeuer else that deuouring Element hath disgorged The Church is at once One in respect of the common principles of faith and yet in respect of consequences Cyp.l. 3.
Clingius the Franciscan aduise in this case that is Let all false conceit and preposterous confidence bee remooued from it that the trust which should onely be put in the merit of Christ bee not placed vpon these courses and let no man thinke that hereby he deserues righteousnesse remission grace and lastly which I adde remoue but idlenesse superstition necessitie from this kinde of life and we doe not we will not disallow it Neither doe we take our Colledges for any other than certaine sacred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 monasticall Academies wherein according to the precept of Pelagius the Pope we may be maturely fitted for these holy seruices of God and his Church such were the Monasteries of the Ancient insomuch as Possidonius can witnesse that Saint Austen out of one little house Possid in vita Aug. sent forth ten labourers into the haruest of the Church SECTION XIIII Concerning the Canon of the Scripture NOw lest I be too tedious it is time for mee from these points which doe directly concerne our selues to hasten vnto those which do more closely touch the Maiestie of God and doe as it were send plaine challenges into heauen And those do either respect the Scripture which is his expressed word or Christ which is his naturall and substantiall Word or lastly the worship due vnto his Name And first the Scripture complaines iustly of three maine wrongs offered to it The first of addition to the Canon The second of detraction from the sufficiencie of it The third of hanging all the authoritie thereof vpon the sleeue of the Church For of that corrupt Translation of Scripture which the Trent Diuines haue made onely and fully authenticall I forbeare purposely to speake although it were easie to shew that which Reuchline following the steps of Hierom hath auerred That the Hebrewes drinke of the Well head the Greekes of the streame Hier. aduers â—eluidium and the Latines of the puddle neither will I so much as touch the iniurious inhibition of those holy bookes to the Laity Who can endure a piece of new cloth to bee patched vnto an old garment Or what can follow whence but that the rent should bee worse I referre the reader for the citation of these to my disswasiue from Popery Who can abide that against the faithfull information of the Hebrewes against the cleere Testimonies of Melito Cyril Athanasius Origen Hilary Hierom Ruffinus Nazianzen against their owne Doctors both of the middle and latest age six whole bookes should by their fatherhoods of Trent be vnder pain of a curse imperiously obtruded vpon God his Church Whereof yet some propose to their Readers no better than magicall iugglings others bloudy selfe murders other lying fables and others heathenish 〈◊〉 not without a publike applause in the relation These indeed Caâ—â—â—â— ingennously as his fashion is according to that he had learned of Hierome would perswade vs to haue beene admitted onely by the Ancients into the Canon of Manners not of Faith And surely there be many precepts in Syracider the counterfeit Salomon and Esdraâ— which sauour of excellent wisedome but I wonder what kinde of good manners can be learned from such like histories Catechâ—â—â—eni euen by those Nouices to whom Athanasius bequeaths these bookes Well may I say of these as that Chian seruant of his Master which sold his wine Epith. l. 1. sect 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si quis l. Hester Dan Baeruc Eccl. Iudith Tob. Macca pro Canonicis non recipâ—rit Anathema fit sect 4. Apoc. vlt. and dranke his lees while they haue good they seeke for naught But let these bookes how questionable soeuer to Ephiphanius be all sacred let them be according to the meaning of the councell of Carthage and of Austen so oft cited to this purpose after Canonicall yet what man or Angel dare presume to vndertake to make them diuine Wee know full well how great impietie it is to father vpon the God of heauen the weake conceptions of an humane wit neither can we be any whit moued with the idle cracke of the Tridentine curse whiles we heare God thundring in our eares If any man adde vnto these words God shall adde vnto him the plagues written in this book SECTION XV. Of the Insufficiencie of Scripture NEither know I whether it be more wickedly audacious to fasten on God those things which be neuer wrote or to weaken the authority and denie the sufficiencie of what he hath written The Papists doe both We affirme saith Bellarmine that there is not expressely contained in Scriptures all necessary doctrine either concerning faith Lib. 4. de verbo non scripto c. 30. sect 1. Pari veneratiâ—â—e pari pietatis affectu or manners And the Tridentine Fathers giue charge that Traditions be receiued with no lesse Pietie and Veneration than the Bookes of Scripture Vnwritten Truths saith our wittie Chancellour More are equiualent to the Word of God What place is there for peace There are we confesse certaine things of a middle nature indifferent rites wherein much must be yeelded to the Church much to Traditions but that those things which are simply necessary to saluation whetherto be knowne or to be done should not be found in the holy Scriptures either in their words Per verba per sensum or in their sense as Aquinas distinguishes we iustly hold absurd and with Erasmus contrary to all true diuinitie Some Constitutions for publike order are from the Church but all necessary determinations of faith are to be fetcht from the voyce of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Can. Nic. Graec. con Pisan â—innius Conc. Tom. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is as Nissen truely commends it the right and euen rule of life The law of God is perfect saith Dauid yea and makes perfect saith Paul And what can be added to that which is already perfect or what perfection can there be where some necessary points are wanting yea if we may beleeue Hosius the greatest part How much is the Spirit of God mis-taken Hee wrote these things that wee might beleeue and in beleeuing be saued But now if Trent may be iudge although we beleeue what he hath written yet wee cannot be saued vnlesse we doe also receiue and beleeue what he hath not written How ill was Constantine taught of old how ill aduised in that publike speech for which yet we doe not finde that any of those Worthies of â—ice Theod. l. 1. c. â— Tert. de praeser l. â—â—â—er Her Origin c. 16. 〈◊〉 Rom. Achae in synops Ambr. lib. 3. Hex c. 3. did so much as iogge him on the elbow in a milde reproofe whiles hee sayd The bookes of the Euangelists Apostles as also the Oracles of the Ancient Prophets doe plainely instruct vs in the message and meaning of God How miserably were euery one of the learned Fathers of the Church blinded that they could neuer either see or acknowledge
any other rule of faith And what shall we say Did God enuie vnto mankinde the full reuelation of his will in the perpetuall monuments of his written word Or did he not thinke it expedient to lay vp al necessary doctrines in this common store-house of Truths as Rochester calls it Or is that perhaps more vncertaine Aug. Ego solis Scripturis c. De nat gr c. 61. Opt. Mileu l 5. The. in Mag. l. 3. d. 3. 4. 1. art 1 Citatex Hier. Non mihicredaâ— si quid tibi dixerâ— quod ex nouâ— Testamento vel veteri haberi â—â—â—â—possit Iren. 1. 2. c. 1. which is faithfully committed to writing than that which is carried about by the flying rumors of men and by this ayrie conueiance deriued vnto posteritie What a thing is it as Irenaeus wisely sayd that we should leaue the voice of the Lord and his Apostles and attend to these tatlers that talke neuer a true word Or if this be fitting how vainely haue you spent your labors O all ye Registers of God Prophets Apostles Euangelists and as hee said of the ointment To what purpose was all this waste These Paradoxes are pernicious to the Church and shamefully derogatory from the glory both of the wisdome and goodnesse of God Hold these who dare Surely we can neuer abide that those two markes of Heretikes which Irenaeus long since set downe namely not to rest in the bare authoritie of Scripture and to vaunt of other Traditions should both of them be iustly branded on our sides SECTION XVI Of the Authority of Scripture BVt this is yet most shamefully iniurious to denie vnto the Word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credit of it selfe and so to hang the Scriptures vpon the Church that they must needs begge all their authority from the voyces of men Honest Eckius in his reuised and corrected Euchiridiâ—â— The Scripture saith he is not authenticall without the authoritie of the Church To which as some golden and oracular sentence Euchir Eccij 7. recogâ—aâ—â— 1586. fol. 8. there is added in the margin a glorious and insulting applause An Achilles for the Catholiks I let passe the blasphemies of Hermannus and Hosius perhaps as Iunius construes it in the name of Swinkfeldius I passe ouer the horrible impiety of that shamelesse glosse Achilles pro Catholicis Animaduers in Bellar. Glosse in decretal l. 2. Tit. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bell. de 〈◊〉 sacr effect l. 2 c. 25 p. 300. which teaches that Salomons Text borrowes his credit from the Popes canonization Bellarmine alone shall speake for all who going about to support the number of seuen Sacraments by the authority of the Tridentine Councell for this is euer their last hold The strength saith he of all the Ancient Councels and of all opinions depends vpon the authority of the present Church And a little before If we take away the authoritie of the present Church and of the present Councell of Trent the decrees of all other Councels and the whole Christian faith may bee called into doubt and question O miserable and miserably staggering soules of the Papists How many not persons only but whole kingdomes and those as the Romanists themselues confesse and bewaile mighty and flourishing amongst themselues do yet still resolutely reiect all the authority of that Tridentine Councell The whole Christian faith All doctrines and opinions What euen those which are written by the finger of God those that are indited by the holy Ghost What is this else but to make God a slaue to men and to arraigne the Maker of heauen and earth at the barre of humane iudgement God wil be God the Scripture of God will be it selfe in spight of Rome Trent Hell And vnlesse we hold this wee can haue no peace with God vnlesse we denie it no peace with the Romanists SECTION XVII Concerning Transubstantiation Genebr l. 1. de Trin. Li. dâ—n 2. dial Canisius in praef lib. de Io. Bapt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bell. l. 2. de Chro. c. 19. Caluinus fine dubio in mode loquendi errauit sed dum rem ipsam discutio non facilè audeo pronunciare illum in errore fuisse THese errors concerne the Scriptures those which follow concerne either Christs person or his offices I let passe that idle brabble as Bellarmine himselfe iudges it which the Popish Censors haue vniustly raysed about the Sons Godhead of himselfe and insist vpon waightier quarrels I would that exploded opinion of Transubstantiation and which is the root of it the Multi-presence of Christs body did not vtterly ouerthrow the truth of his Humanity Good God! Is it possible as Auerrves iested of old that Christians should make themselues a God of bread That any reasonable man can beleeue that Christ carried his owne body in one of his hands that hee raught it forth to bee eaten by those holy ghests of his which saw him present with them and heard him speaking to them both whiles they were eating him and when they had eaten the sacred morsell That the selfe same Sonne of man should at once both deuoure his whole selfe and yet should sit whole and entire at the Table with them That the glorious body of Christ should be carried through the vncleane passages of our mawes and either be there turned into the substance of our body or contrary to that the Spirit said of old Psal 16.10 Thou shalt not suffer thine holy One to see corrupâ—â—â—â— should bee subiect to putrifaction or vanish to nothing or returne into that heauen wherein it was ere it returned while it returned or lastly should be eaten with Mice deuout and holy Vermine or perhaps mixed with poyson to the Receiuer What Monsters of follies are these How mad yea how impious is this obstinacie of follish men that they wil ouer-turne the very principles of nature the order of things the Humanity of their Sauiour the truth of the Sacrament the constant iudgement of Scripture and lastly the very foundations of all Diuinity and confusedly iumbell Heauen Earth together rather than they will where necessity requires it admit but of a tropical kinde of speech in our Sauiours consecration whiles in the meane time the whole Reuerend Senate of the Fathers cryes out Tert. contra Marc. l. 4. Bâ—â—tus Rhenanus confesses this errour of Tertullian was confuted in Berengarius Aug. Psal 3. Epist 162. De doct Christ 3. 16. Chrys Hom. 46. in Ioh. c. Bel. l. 1. de Euch. cap. 1. De doct Chri. l. 3. redoubles the names of Symboles Types Signes Representation Similitude Figures and what-euer word may import a borrowed sense notwithstanding all the indignation of Heauen all the scorne of Pagans al the Reluctation of the Church This Letter killeth as Origen truely speakes Now what likelyhood is there here of agreement That the true body of Christ is truely offered and truely receiued in the Sacrament which of vs hath not euer
à quo not ad quem mildely according to my knowne disposition but vpon better deliberation I found the insolency of my Refuter such that I could not fauour him and not bee cruell to my cause If therefore for many it is his own art and word railatiue Pages he receiue from my vnwilling and enforced Pen now and then though not a Relatiue to such an Antecedent yet perhaps some drop of sharper Vineger then my Inke vseth to be tempered withall he may forgiue mee and must thanke himselfe What needed this cause so furious an Inuectiue As if the Kingdom of Heauen and all Religion consisted in nothing but Maiden-head or Mariage Cardinal Bellarmine when he speakes of the Greeke Church wherein a maried Clergie is both allowed and required Si errerem alium non haberent â—â—cise pax conceleretur Bell de Cleric lib. 1. c. 21. shuts vp moderately That if this were all the difference betwixt them and the Romane Church they should soone be at peace If my Refuter had so thought this had not been his first Controuersie Both estates meet in Heauen John the Virgin rests in the bosome of maried Abraham This inordinate heate therefore of prosecution rises from faction not from holy Zeale Hence it was that my Aduersarie cunningly singled out this point from many others ranged in my poore Discourses as that wherein Bishop Jewels confession hee might promise to himselfe the likeliest aduantage of Antiquity and how gloriously doth he vaunt himselfe in the ostentation of Fathers Councels Which vaine flourish how little it auailes him the processe shal shew where it shall appeare vpon what grounds no small piece of Antiquitie was partiall to Virginitie and ouer-harsh to Mariage as Beatus Rhenanus B. Rhenan Arg. lib. de exhort Castit Tertull. a learned and ingenuous Papist confesseth But this we may boldly say that if those holy men had out-liued the bloody Times and seene the fearfull inconueniences which would after a setled peace insue vpon the ambition or constraint of a denyed Continencie they had doubtlesse changed their note and with the moderate and wisest spirits of the later times Eneas Syluius Panormitan Durandus Peresius Montuanuâ— Erasmus c. Che Coll introductione del matrimonio ac Preti si farelle che tutti volt assetto lâ— affetto amor lorâ— alle moglie a figli per consequenza aâ—â—â—casa alla patria onde cesâ—erebbe la dependenza fâ—retta châ—l Ordine Clericale ha conâ—â— sede Apostolica tanto sarelbe Conceder ill matrimonio a Prâ—ti quanto distrugâ—â— la Hietarchia Ecclesiastico ridur it Pont. che non foâ—se pâ—u the Vescâ—uo ci Roma Histor Concil Trid. pag. 662. Troppo fâ—ste troppo teste troppo tempeste Vid. Dallâ—ngt obseru vpon Guicciard Doctor Mart. against Pr. Marr. pleaded for that libertie which the Reformed Church now enioyeth The vniuersall concession whereof after the priuate Suffrages of worthy Authors came to a publike treaty in the Romane Church amidst the throng of their late Tridentine Councell and it is worth the while to obserue on what grounds it receiued a repulse If Priests should be allowed Mariage say those wily Jtalians it would follow that they would cast their affections on their Wiues and Children and consequently on their Families and Countries whereupon would cease that strait dependance which the Clergie hath vpon the See Apostolike In so much as to grant their Mariages were as much as to destroy the Hierarchie of the Church and to reduce the Pope within the meere bounds of the Romane Bishopricke This was the plea of the Clergie their thriftie Laitie together with them enemies to the blessing or as they construe it the curse of fruitfulnesse are wont to plead Troppo teste our Gregory Martin of old computes the preiudiciall increase that might arise from these Mariages to the Common-wealth It is not Religion but wit that now lyes in our way Fond men that dare offer thus to controll the wisdome of their Maker and will be tying the God of Heauen to their rules of state As it is no Church in the vvhole World except the Romane stands vpon this restraint vvhereof the consequences haue been so notoriously shamefull that wee might well hope experience vvould haue wrought if not redresse of their courses yet silence of ours And surely if this man had not presumed that by reason of the long discontinuance of Popery time had worne out of mens mindes the memory of their odious filthinesse he durst not thus boldly haue pleaded for their abominable Celibate The question vvhereof after all busie discussions and pretences of age must be resolued into no other then this How farre the Tradition of a particular Church is worthy to preuaile against Scripture yea and against other Churches A point which a very vveake iudgement will bee able to determine In this returne of my Defence I doe neither answer euery idle clause nor omit any essentiall this length of mine is no lesse forced then mine Aduersaries Continencie wherein yet my Reader shall not sigh vnder an irkesome loquacitie I presume to dedicate this vnworthy labour to your Grace whom this famous Church dayly blesseth as her wise faithfull and vigilant Ouerseer as a renowned Patterne of holy Virginitie and Patron of holy Mariage The God of Heauen whose watch you carefully keep preserue you long to his Church and make vs long happy in your Grace and you euer happy in his plentifull blessings Such shall euer be the Prayers of Your Graces most humbly deuoted IOS HALL THE ANSWER TO THE ADVERTISEMENT THE man begins with a threat I may not but tremble Hee frights me with an vniuersall Detection of my errors It is almost as easie to finde faults as to make them Perhaps the Time had been as well spent in tossing of his Beads How happie a man am I that shall see all my ouer-sights My comfort is that if my Tree were fruitlesse there would bee no stone throwne at it In the meane while how well doth the title of a Detector become him that hides himselfe If hee be not afraid or ashamed of his cause let his name bee knowne that his victories may be recorded It is an iniurious and base aduantage to strike and hide and after a pitcht Duell to gall a fixed Aduersarie out of loope-holes If his person be vpon some treasonable act obnoxious it is hard if some of his names be not free But if I must needs be matcht with the shadow of a Libeller I wil so take him as he deciphers himselfe C. E. Cauillator Egregius and vnder this true stile of his am ready to encounter him and doe here bid Defiance to an insolent and vniust aduersarie And first let me tell my Cauiller this order is preposterous If all my errors be at the mouth of the Presse how is it that two or three of them are thus suffered to out-runne their fellowes Was his malice so bigge
euer they finde with this Italianate generation In Tomis Conciliorum prorsus expunxerunt omiserunt hunc Canonem y y Chemnit hist de Coelib Sacerd. p. 65. In the Tomes of the Councels they haue altogether wip't out and omitted this Canon So as if wee had those blurred Copies which he saw bleeding from the hand of the Inquisitors there could be no fence for this charge but that which serues for all impudent denyals Neither needed my Refuter to take it so highly Refut p. 196. that I obiected to them the tearing blemishing and defacing of this and other Records against them Ere long the World shall see to the foule shame of these selfe-condemned Impostors Erasm Lang. in Niceph. Io Neuizan D. Venatorius P. Crinitus I de solas Polyd. Virg. â—olewinch Thuavus Ignat. Sigebert c. that in the Writings both of ancient and later Authors they haue blotted out more then an hundred places some of them containing aboue two sheetes apiece concerning this very point which we haue in hand This is no newes therefore neither needed my Detector to make it so dainty SECT XIV Refut p. 198. vsque ad 203. I Cited from Gratian the free confession of Pope Steuen the Second acknowledging the open liberty of Mariage to the Clergie of the Easterne Church Matrimonio copulantur They are ioyned in Mariage A place truely irrefragable My Refuter first excepts against the number telling vs that Steuen the Second liued but three or foure dayes at the most and therefore he could not be the man what spirit of Cauillation possesses this Masse-Priest Hee cannot but know that his own Sigebertus ascribes fiue yeares to this Steuen Hermannus Se also Funccius in his Chronol six But fiue is the least And his Binius tels him that the Steuen he speakes of fitting but two dayes exclusiuely z z Bin. Steph. 2. A pluribus è Serie Rom. Pontificum dimittitur is by the most omitted in the Catalogue of the Romane Bishops whence it is that the Chronicle names not two Steuens betwixt the first the fourth But this man he saith called no Councell what is that to me Gratian affirmes it I do not Let him fal out for this with his friends And now according to the old wont after he hath tryed to shift off Matrimonio copulantur with the sleeuelesse euasion of a false glosse i. vtuntur which Cajetan hath sufficiently confuted for vs hee fals to a flat reiection of Gratian Caiet Opus Castit and tels vs out of Bellarmine That Canon to bee perhaps of no authoritie but an errour of the Collectors Good God! what face haue these men That none of their receiued Authors can be produced against them Refut p. 203. but they are straight counterfeit and yet the very same where they speake for them canonicall Their Clyents if they might but know these tricks would be ashamed of their Patrons Refut p. 204. That the Clergie not onely of the East might Matrimonio copulari but of the West also might Matrimonium contrahere which are the words they are vnwilling to know in their owne Canon Law shew sufficiently that they not onely were maried of old but might marry But for the Easterne Clergie it is freely granted by all ingenuous spirits insomuch as Espencaeus tels vs that neuer Author either old or new imputed this for a fault vnto the Greeke Church that their Clergie was maried Refut p. 206 207. What shall we say then to this bold Bayard that compares this toleration of Mariage in the Greeke Church with Mosesses permission of the Bill of Diuorce vnto the Iewes As if Mariage had been onely tolerated not allowed as if vniust Diuorce were a fit match for lawfull Wedlocke whiles he here talkes of Duritia cordis well may we talke of his Duritia frontis It is true euery Church euery Country hath their Customes and Fashions which Ioannes Maior pleads against Beda's Censure of the English and Scottish and Brittish obseruation of Easter and may bee as iustly in this case pleaded for vs This was of old no lesse ours then the Greekes And if any Church will be prescribing against God we haue no such Custom nor the Church of God But what a ridiculous insinuation is iâ— that the Greeke Priests are dispensed with by supreme authoritie Ecclesiasticall Refut p. 207 208. Forsooth by the Pope of Rome Faine would I learne when vpon what termes at what rate the Graecians purchased in the Court of Rome Dispensation for their Mariages I would my Refuter had the Office appointed him to shuffle ouer all the Records of the Apostolike Chamber till he find such a grant made propter duritiem cordis then should a great deale of good Paper escape the misery of being besmeared by his Pen. What strange fantastike Dreames are put vpon the World Where the Papacy cannot preuaile there forsooth his Holinesse dispenseth The Greeke Church admitteth maried Priests the Pope dispenseth with them They deny and defie the Popes Supremacie I trow he dispenseth with them for that too and why not with the Church of England We pay no Peter-pence wee runne not to Rome-market to buy trash I hope his Holinesse dispenseth with vs for these Peccadillo's wee take libertie here to marry rather then to burne why should wee not hope to receiue that Dispensation whereof we heard the newes of late from a poore Bankrupt Carier Ad populum phaleras SECT XV. AS for the contradiction which his sagacitie findes not without much scorne in the two Parliamentall Lawes of the Father and the Sonne Refut p. 209. usque ad 214. King Henry the Eight and King Edward the Sixt whereof the one forbids the other allowes the Mariage of Ecclesiastiques it needed not haue beene any wonder to a learned Priest which might haue knowne Councels enow diametrally opposite to each other what fault was it in the recouer'd blind man that he first saw men vvalk like Trees and after like men Euen the best man may correct himselfe Neither was there here any contradiction King Henry spake with the Romane Church whose one halfe of him then was King Edward spake vvith the Scriptures and purer antiquitie King Henry neuer said God disallowed these Mariages King Edward neuer said they were allowed by the Romish Church And vvhy may not vvee draw out the like absurditie out of Queene Maries Parliaments vvherein shee reuersed many things established by King Edward as in this very case concerning Mariage of Priests May nor vvee herevpon aske What vvill you say to such Parliaments vvherein the Brother is thwarted by the Sister and that vvith the consent of the most of the same Parliament-men enacting in a few yeares contrarily Or as if it were any newes with Popes rescindere acta praedecessorum euen of those vvhich immediately preceded them Who knowes not the Story of Pope Formosus and Stephanus and the
vel nasciturus Nec ipsi etiam virgines essent quia nati non essent Ex foecunditate enim illorum orta est istorum virginitas Magnum igitur bonum est foecunditas de qua sancta praecessit virginitas Quia autem virgines esse debeant qui nuptiarum fructus facientes docet cos verbum quod Deus seminat in cordibus illorum In aliorum enim cordibus seminat verbum bonae foecunditatis nuptiarum fructum facientis in aliorum vero cordibus seminat verbum virginitatis * * Deest opinor pars clausula Illi ergo in quibus seminat verbum virginitatis c. ipsi virginitatem seruare desiderant In quibus vero verbum nuptiarum seminat ipsi facere nuptiarum fructum appetunt WHICH FOR MY COVNTRYMENS SAKE I haue thus Englished I Would faine know who it was that first ordained that Christian Priests might not marry God or Man For if it were God surely his determination is to bee held and obserued with all veneration and reuerence But if it were Man and not God and this Tradition came out of the heart of Man not out of the Mouth of God then neither is saluation got by it if it be obserued nor lost if it be not obserued For it doth not belong to Man either to saue or destroy any man for his merits but it is proper only vnto God That God hath ordained this it it neither found written in the Old Testament nor in the Gospell nor in the Epistles of the Apostles in all which is set down whatsoeuer God hath inioyned vnto men It is therefore a Tradition of Man and not an institution of God nor of his Apostles As the Apostle instituted rather that a Bishop should be the Husband of one Wife which he would neuer haue appointed if it had beene adulterie for a Bishop to haue at once a Wife and a Church as it were two Wiues like as some affirme Now that which hath not authority from the holy Scriptures is with the same facility contemned that it is spoken For the holy Church is not the Wife not the Spouse of the Priest but of Christ as S. Iohn saith He that hath the Bride he is the Bridegroome Of this Bridegroome I say is the Church the Spouse and yet it is lawfull euen for this Spouse in part to marry by Apostolique Tradition For the Apostle speakes thus to the Corinthians because of fornications let euery man haue his owne Wife And I would that all men were as I am but euery man hath his proper gift of God one thus another otherwise For all men haue not one gift namely of Virginity and Continency but some are virgins and containe others containe not to whom he granteth mariage lest Sathan tempt them through their incontinency and they should miscary in the ruine of their vncleannesse So also of Priests some are continent others are incontinent and those which are continent haue receiued the gift of their continence from God without whose Gift and Grace they cannot be continent But those which are incontinent haue not receiued this gift of grace but whether by the intemperance of their humour or the weaknesse of their mind run out into fleshly desires which they would in no wise doe if they had receiued from God the Grace and Vertue of Continence For they also which are deliuered by the Grace of God from the body of this death feele another Law in their members rebelling against the Law of their minde and captiuating them to the Law of sin and compelling them to doe that which they would not This Law therefore holding them captiue and this Concupiscence of the flesh prouoking them they are compelled either to fornicate or mary whereof whether is the better we are taught by the authority of the Apostle who tels vs it is better to marry then to burne Surely that which is the better is to be chosen and held now it is better to marry because it is worse to burne and because it is better to marry then to burne it is conuenient for those which containe not to marry not to burne For mariage is good as August speaks in his booke super Genesin ad Literam in it is commended the good of nature whereby the prauity of incontinence is ruled and the fruitfulnesse of Nature graced For the weaknesse of either Sexe declining towards the ruine of filthinesse is well relieued by honesty of mariage so as the same thing which may be the office of the found is also the remedie vnto the sicke Neither yet because incontinence is euill is therefore Mariage euen that wherewith the Incontinent are ioyned to be reputed not good yea rather not for that euill is the good faulty but for this good is that euill pardonable since that good which mariage hath yea which mariage is can neuer be sin Now this good is three fold the Fidelity the Fruit the Sacrament of that estate In the Fidelity is regarded That besides this bond of Mariage there be not carnall society with any other In the Fruit of it That it be louingly raised and religiously bred In the Sacrament of it That the mariage be not separated and that the dismissed party of either Sexe be not ioyned to any other no not for issues sake This is as it were the Rule of Mariage whereby the fruitfulnesse of Nature is graced or the prauity of Incontinence ruled And this Rule of Mariage and this three-fold good the eternall Truth hath appointed in the order of his Decree and that eternall Law of his against which whatsoeuer is done spoken or willed is sinne which Augustine in his booke against Faustus the Manichee witnesseth saying Sin is either Deed Word or desire against the Law Eternall This Eternall Law is the diuine Will or Decree forbidding the disturbance and commanding the preseruation of due naturall order whatsoeuer therefore commands naturall Order to be disturbed forbids it to be conserued prohibits men to vse Mariage and to attaine to the threefold good thereof Fidelitie Issue Sacrament and commands them to breake that Rule of Eternall Truth whereby the fruitfulnesse of Nature is graced or the prauity of Incontinency is ruled commands men to abhorre those things whereby naturall Order is held and maintained This Commandement I say forbids naturall Order to bee obserued commands it to bee disturbed and therefore is against the Law of God and by consequence is sinne For they sinne that ordaine such a command by which naturall Order is destroyed These men doe not it seemes beleeue that of the children of Priests God takes for the building of his City aboue and for the restoring of the number of Angels For if they did beleeue it they would neuer ordaine such a Mandare because they should wittingly and ouer rashly goe about to effect that the supernall City should neuer be perfited and the number of Angels neuer repayred For if the supernall City be to be
subordinate rules of tranquillitie 92 R RAhab Of her 945 The Authors censure of her whether an harlot in respect of filthinesse ibid. Her house a token of the true Church 947 Her deliuery with the vse of it 953 Rarenesse It causeth wonder with the application of it 49 50 Rebels Vengeance against theÌ„ may sleepe but cannot dye 1263 Regeneration it must make way for our glorification 466 Rehoboam 1311 His taking counsell with the yong ones 1313 Reioyce How easily we can reioyce in that which we shall find the iust cause of our humiliation 1057 Relapse vide reuolting It is desperate 888 Religion Of the feeling of the power of it in our selues 37 Who is the greatest enemie to Religion 141 A discourse of the tryall and choyce of true religion 319 Dissentions in religion an insufficient motiue of vnsetlednesse in it What both a priuate publike person is compared vnto that is vnsetled in his religion 481 Nothing reputed so superfluous as religious duties 865 A reproofe of our not being willing to be at cost with religion 901 The pompous shewes of the false religion 936 The care of religioÌ„ must haue the first place 968 Religion gone humanity wil hardly stay long after 986 Where no respect is giuen to Gods Ministers there is no religion 1017 No measuring of religion by outward glory 1044 It is no small priuiledge to dwell where religion is 1054 Nothing worse then to make policy a stalking horse for religion 1121 The Princes first care to aduance religion 1127 If Ministers be meal-mouth'd in the scornes of religion they may not bee counted patient but zealelesse 1130 Religion makes not men vnciuill 1134 Want of religion is the way to disobedience 1314 Religion and policy how they must meet 1335 God hates nothing more then a neutrality in religion 1337 Remembrance the remembrance of former fauors how it heartens our faith 894 Reprehension that there must not be one vniforme in reprehension 24 Reprehension better then flattery ibid. Corruption checked growes mad with rage 865 A galled heart impatient of reprehension 868 What a wicked man lookes to in hearing reprehension ibid. Where sinne is not ashamed of light God loues not that reprehension should bee smothered 915 Reprehension makes way for consolation 975 It is signe of a horse galled that stirres too much when he is touched 1030 In vaine doe wee reprehend those sinnes abroad which we tolerate at home 1033 An easie reproofe doth but encourage wickednesse 1034 Of the choice of seasons for reproofe 1060 Reproouers should striue to be innocent ibid. Resolute wickednesse is impatient of reprehension 1318 Repentance an excellent inducement to it 68 The character of a true penitent 180 A vniuersall Antidote for all the iudgements of God 916 In vaine to professe repentance whilst wee continue in Idolatry 1051 Oâ— the maruellous power of repentance 1143 Repentance cannot alwaies turne a temporall iudgement 1248 Rephidim Its rocke 891 Reproaches Such as are cast vpon vs in the causes of God may safely be repayed 1130 Reubenites Of their Altar 967 Reprobation a fearfull signe of it 1110 Reuenge vide vengeance God alwaies takes his part that seekes not to reuenge himselfe 914 God can reuenge with ease 922 Euery creature reioyceth to execute Gods vengeance 929 There is no euasion where God intends reuenge 966 Reuolter vide Relapse much difference betweene him and a man trained vp in error 143 An Epistle to new reuolter a Minister 275 Reynolds commended 287 Riches vide Wealth Rich men are not Gods treasurers but his Stewards 26 How a vertuous man esteemes of riches 28 Hard to bee rich and righteous 33 A notable argument to draw yea dâ—iue men froÌ„ the desire of riches 35 The way to bee rich indeed 36 Rich mens misery in this that they cannot know their friends 59 A rich maÌ„ may go to heauen but hardly a couetous 137 The rich that speake with command must also be commanded 694 How rich man was in his innocency 695 Who is rich indeed 696 What wee should doe to bee rich 697 The strangenesse of a rich mans being proud and that in two respects 699 A rich man prettily descrybed ibid. The confidence that some put in riches 701 What riches cannot doe 702 A pretty rule how to vse riches ibid. Riches vncertaine ibid. c. What should bee the rich mans stay 704 A strait charge to rich men 707 Righteous righteousnesse of our iealosie of a mans being suddenly righteous 3 Rome vide Popery the state of the now Romane Church 633 The obstinate and auerse opposition of the Romanists 636 The impossibility of being reconciled with Rome 639 663 The Romish errour concerning Iustification 643 Freewill 645 Merits 647 Satisfaction 648 Purgatorie 650 Pardons 651 Mortall veniall sins 652 The Canon of the Scripture 653 The insufficiency of the Scripture 655 Transubstantion 656 The MultipreseÌ„ce of Christs body 657 The sacrifice of the Masse 658 The number of Mediators 659 Their ridiculous worship of Rome 661 Ruth and Naomi 1022 S SAcraments when they haue their true effect 954 Sacrifice A three-fold sacrifice acceptable to God First Poenitentiae Secondly Iustitiae Thirdly Laudis 456 Hearty sacrifices are the Angels feast 997 We must not dare to sacrifice vnsanctified 1078 Sacriledge The largenesse of its punishment 957 Saints of innouation of Saints 659 Salomon Of his beginning 1258 His dutifull cariage to his mother 1260 His choice and iudgement on the two harlots 1264 The experiment of Salomons wisedome in saying Diuide the child 1266 His building the Temple 1266 His defection 1273 Samaria Its famine 1394 Sampson Conceiued 994 His mariage 998 His victory 1002 His end 1005 A pretty passage about Sampsons leauing his wife 1002 Sampsons victory with the Iawbone of an Asse applied to a weake Christian 1005 Samuel vid. Saul His contestation 1059 Of Samuels harbouring Dauid 1090 Satisfaction The Papists errour concerning it 648 Saul and Samuel their meeting 1052 Samuels kinde entertainment of Saul 1055 Sauls faire beginnings 1056 Sauls Vnction ibid. Sauls inauguration 1057 Sauls sacrifice 1061 Hee reiected of God is no more a King but a Tyrant ibid. Sauls sacrifice prettily set out 1063 Sauls oath 1064 Saul and Agag 1073 An excellent expostulation on Sauls doings with the Amalekites 1075 Sauls reiection and Dauids choice 1076 Saul the very character of hypocrisie 1076 Sauls madnesse had not bereaued him of his craft 1087 Saul in Dauids caue 1099 Of him and the Witch of Endor 1109 Sauls hardinesse at the raising of Samuel prettily described 1111 Sauls death 1116 A pretty description of the messenger that brought tydings to Dauid of Sauls death 1117 1118 Scandall A good heart is no lesse afraid of scandall then of sinne 1027 Scribes Their name and sorts vid. Pharisees 408 Schismes how bred fostered and confirmed 29 30 Scriptures whether the Apocryphall bookes are to be receiued as scripture 614 Which of the translations are most to be adhered to 615 Whether
it bee easie or obscure 616 Whether all men may or must reade the scriptures 617 Whether the scriptures depend on the authority of the Church 618 Concerning the Cannon of scripture 653 Of its insufficiencie 654 And authoritie 655 They that wrest the scriptures see of what race they come 1197 Scornes They with taunts are the best answeres for serious Idolatry 1338 Sea Euery affection is the good mans Red Sea 883 Seasonablenesse It is best in all things 137 138 Secrets How to doe in holding and disclosing them 28 To whom to reueale a great secret ibid. et in finem Hee that doth not secret seruice with delight doth but counterfeit his publike 144 A note of sinnes secresie 954 The hope of secresie what it doth with sinners 955 Secresie the cause of corruption 970 Great mens sins are seldome secret 1140 Security secure mindes neuer startle till God comes home to their senses 931 The most secure heart hath its flashes of feares 951 Wee can neuer bee secure in the strongest places that are without God ibid. The worldlings security laid out in Iaels entertainment of Sisera 974 The close bordering of securitie and ruine 1005 Security and presumption euer attend at the threshold of ruine 1043 Sedition Pride is its ground 914 Selfe Men that cannot endure to examine themselues are like vnto the Elephant 23 None hurt vs so much as we doe our selues 37 Of condemning others in that of which wee are faultie our selues 58 Wee should know our selues ibid. Not to loue our selues before the publike-good 976 Selfe-loue doth sometimes borrow the face of true zeale 1121 Selfe-conceipt He that hath it is a foole 16 It makes a man vnreasonable 914 Selling A rule in buying and selling 697 Separation and Saparatists vide Brownists Their iniury to the Church and censure with aduice 315 A disswasion from separation 389 The kinds of separation and which is iust 552 The antiquity of separation 553 What separation is to be made in Churches in their planting or restauration 555 What separation the Church of England hath made 556 573 576 577 578 The maine grouÌ„ds of separation 574 Separation from the world how required 600 The issue of separation 607 Serpent he was seene in Paradise much more in our corruption 816 Of the brazen serpent 928 The application of that serpent 930 Seruant The freedome of Gods seruants 9 Many weare Gods cloth that are none of his seruants 50 Seruants what they must be 243 To bee Gods seruant is an high style 477 The happinesse of seruants that haue vertuous Masters 1110 A good thing to haue faithfull seruants 1386 Seruice The homeliest seruice in an honest calling with conscience to the commandement of God shal be crowned 137 He that doth not secret seruice with delight doth but counterfeit his publike 144 Feare and seruice must goe together 474 Our seruice must be grouÌ„ded on feare 476 What the life of seruice is ibid. Seruice briefly described ib. Sinne makes God to serue vs. 476 477 How men cozen themselues in doing seruice to Satan 477 Gods seruice must bee true and totall ibid. The voluntary seruice of the wicked is often more painfull then the duties enioined by God 1066 A religious seruice must partake of feare and ioy 1295 Seruice-booke Whether ours be made an Idol 584 Shamelesse they that once breake the bonds of modesty grow euen shamelesse in their sinnes 938 Sheba Of her Salomon 1270 Shebae His rebellion 1240 Shemei of him and his cursing 1231 His execution 1261 Shunamite of the Shunamitish woman 1378 Sight the sight or beholding of sinners how it infects 901 Silence Its prayse 63 Simon he is called 1199 His humility rewarded with an Apostleship 1201 Sinne its power 7 No sinne small 24 A most thanklesse office to be a man Pandor vnto sinne 49 Sinne hath commonly beene accounted to haue two roots Loue and feare 51 Since sinne came in wee are sent to the silliest to learne our duty 54 Sinne is sometimes an euill and a punishment 65 Sollicitations to sinne remedied 79 It is seldome seene that all affect all sinnes 136 Its vse 137 Remedies against sinne and meanes to auoyd it 386 Sinne makes God to serue vs. 476 477 It makes a forfeiture of all fauours 484 No sin but hath punishment ibid. 485 Of hiding and shifting off sinne 505 Of giuing foule sinnes fine names ibid. The distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes 652 Sinne paid home in its owne coyne 846 What difference God puts between sinnes of wilfulnesse and infirmitie 851 One sinne commonly made a vayle for another 853 He that would bee free from the acts of sinne must fly the occasions ibid. Sinnes shamelesnesse ibid. c. Grosse sinnes cannot preiudice the calling of God 900 Foule sinnes seeke faire pretences as is instanced in the Golden Calfe 901 No sinne so vnnaturall but that the best is subiect vnto without God 914 Behold a circle of sinnes and iudgements 925 Sinne is no lesse crafty then Satan 937 Wee must stop the beginnings of sinne ibid. As the sinnes of great men are exemplary so are their punishments 937 Those that haue once past the bounds of modesty they grow shamelesse in their sins 938 Whether wee may sinne for for the promotion of a good cause 946 A note for sinnes secresie 954 It is to no purpose to pray against punishment whilest the sinne remaines 955 Sinnes round circle 970 Gods iustice makes one sinne the punishment of another 971 Sinnes not afflictions argue Gods absence 977 Sinne is steepe and slipperie 1006 All sinnes haue power to befoole a man 1006 Sinnes wages 1018 Where it is suppressed it will rise but where it is encouraged it will tyrannize 1019 Our sinne doth not only strip vs of our hope in earth but heauen also 1064 Sinne beâ—ots the wisest 1075 Sinne a good heart how easily stayed from sinne and how glad to be crossed in ill purposes 1104 Sinne is not acted alone 1138 Sinnes deceit 1140 Great mens sins are seldome secret ibid. How easily wee get into it how hardly out of it 1143 In that that a man sinneth in that is he punished 1144 How God censures sinnes 1246 Where euer sinne is Satan is 1186 Sinner hee is like the Larke in stooping at a feather whilest he is caught of the Fouler 26 A sinner so foule as that hee is halfe a Beast halfe a Deuill 39 So is his Pandor 49 The sottishnesse of wilfull sinners 530 Sinners oft paid home in their owne coyne 846 One sinner how pernicious to thousands 954 Nothing so worthy of pitie as the sinners peace 1006 It must be a strong euidence that must make a sinner conuict himselfe 1061 Nothing but violence can perswade a resolued sinner 1146 Two chaines fit for outragious sinners 1294 Singularitie A disswasion from the affectation of it â—95 Sisera and Iael 973 Of Sisera's entertainment with Iael 974 Slandâ—rer His exercise and entertainment 217 Sloth Its character 192 The properties