voyce is to be expected from heauen to teache vs blessed is the man sayth Dauid whom thow teachest He dooth as well teache vs now as in the owld tyme he did the Patriarkes and Prophettes Christ forbadde that wee should haue any moe maister for that wee haue our only maister in heauen Thou seest heerby most vertuous kyng wher vnto at last the matter is come and how truely it was sayd by S. Augustine that all auctoritee is taken from the scripture when a man will not only not be subiect to the authoritee of the scriptures in matters of faith but make them thrall and subiect vnto him neither will contend for the mynd of the scriptures but for his owne For what so euer him self thinketh that will he haue reputed for the trewe and expresse word of God though all other men thinke the contrary By to mych altercation sayth one the truthe is lost And I pray yow is not ▪ the truth now in manner lost Is not with some men the authoritee of the scriptures taken awaye in the which only lyeth all vndoubted truthe Namely since euery man hath sowght to arrogat to him self the iudgement of the scriptures and remouing the sentence of all others hath sought to haue his owne being wyde and straieng from the Churche to be worshipped as the very expresse word of God But could this matter euer haue come to this passe yf these fellowes remēbring them selues to be men would rather haue chosen to followe the iudgement of the Churche and therunto reuerently haue submitted themselues then thus insolently to cōmaunde men to imbrace the visions of their hartes for the word of God VVhen in deed no man lyuing can be of so excellent learning or of so singular holynes of lyfe that it can be lawfull for vs to receyue his opinion for the expresse worde of God But on the other syde where as is a consenting voyce of the whole Churche yf a man dowbt that to be the expresse word of God and a most certayn truth what doth he ells but dowbt whether God be true or no VVhō it is most certayne and vndoubted to speake by the mowth of his Churche Thow perceauest now most fortunat king Sigismond that it is not by and by the expresse and pure word of God what so euer is browght owt of the scriptures From the peruers vnderstanding wherof wee see all heresies haue sproong Namely that the diuell him self did also say for it is written etc. VVhen yet the sence wherwith he browght those wordes was the diuells owne and not the pure word of God The scriptures no doubt are sacred and holy and in them is contayned the very word of God yf the sownd meaning and vnderstanding therof be applyed therunto But heresie is in the vnderstanding not in the scripture the sense not the text is in the fault VVee cōtend not for the scripture with those that haue departyd from vs which boasting them selues so myche of Gods woord doo vsurpe the same vnto them selues alone For they them selues confesse they haue receyued the scriptures from none other but from vs from whom they be departyd who doo allso with reuerence receyue all the Canonicall scriptures They on the other syde because they will not in matters of fayth be subiect to the aucthoritee of the scripture doo receyue only that in thē which by wrestyng may be framyd to serue to their doctryne The controuersy therfore between vs is not of the scriptures but of the sence and vnderstanding of the scriptures Brefely the selfe same varyance wee reade to haue been in all ages betweē Catholikes and heretikes Arius brought foorth this scripture my father is greatter then I by which text as by the expresse word of God he sought to persuade to the ignorant people that Christ the sonne of God was inferiour to his father and was not of the same substaūce with him And in deed yf an vnlerned man come to the wayghing of those naked wordes Arrius may seeme to haue sayde somwhat vnto him But what did hereunto the Catholikes and rightbeleuers They reuerently acknowleged the text But that which Arrius gathered therof they constantly affirmed not to be the pure word of God since Christ neuer spake them in that sence as to teache him self not to be equally God or in any thīg vnequall to his father For in that he was the sonne of God he was of the same substaunce with his father but in that he was the sonne of mā he was inferiour vnto him And allthowgh the sectaryes and followers of Arrius tooke that for the expresse word of God yet the Catholikes ▪ doubted not to affirme it to be the expresse word of the diuell Euen lyke to this is the contention at this daye of the contrary doctrines between the Catholikes and the heretikes For we striue not with them that haue departed from vs abowt the scripture but about the vnderstanding therof And to make the matter the playner let vs consyder but this one place of scripture which is now a dayes commonly alleaged It is sayd to be the expresse word of God Drinke you all of this And doo wee denye this to be the expresse woord of God No but doo willingly grawnt it Yet that it is the expresse word of God in that sence which they that bee departed frō vs doe gather of that text that is it which wee doo vtterly denye For what doo they trowe yow gather of this place of scripture forsooth that all which communicate ye euē the laye people should be bownd by the commaundement of God to receyue the sacrament of the aultar vnder bothe kindes But that Christ spake those wordes in that sense we graunt not But euē as Luther him self once sayd the same in this case saye wee allso That Christ commaunded nothing in this matter as necessary to the laye people because these wordes were spoken to none other but to the Apostles Yow see that here wee differ not abowt the text but about the vnderstanding therof For with no lesse yea and with more reuerence then they which haue deuided them selues from vs doo we Catholikes receiue this text as the very worde of God But they would intrude their owne newe sense forged therunto And wee seeke to defend the sense receyued in the Churche They looue and leeke the sense which them selues bryng not becaase it is trewe but because it is their owne and will needes defend that with toothe and nayle VVee looue and leeke the sense browght by the Churche not because it is our owne but for that wee stedfastly beleue it to be the very trewe sense of the scripture VVhich to be so not one priuatt man but the Churche being as S. Pawl calleth it the piller and sure grownd of truth and wherunto the spirit of truth was promised and sent hath tawght vs. But let vs yet a little
that eateth this bread shall liue for euer You see how the promisse of eternall lyfe was made to the bread and not to the cuppe And in all that sixth chapiter of S. Iohn is made no mencion in any one word either of the cuppe or of the wyne VVhy doest thow therfore complayne O Sathan why doest thow so often dull our eares with thy vayne boasting of the expresse worde of God VVhē what so euer is browght foorth of the scriptures if it be rightly vnderstanded seemeth muche more to make to the allowing of the receyued order of the Churche then to the maintenaunce of this thine errour But there is no cause why a Christē man should thinke that Sathan passeth so muche for the cuppe For he knoweth wel inowgh it is no whyt materiall to saluation whether a mā vse the cuppe or no synce by his lymmes Luther Bucer and Philipp Melancthon he doth manifestly confesse nothing touching the vse of the cuppe to be commaunded by Christ as necessary to saluation Full well knoweth he that it was very trewe which by the fathers in the Coūcell of Basill which councell wee knowe in this matter to be receyued and allowed was fully decreed that whether a man cōmunicate in one or bothe kyndes so it be done by the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche it profiteth the worthy receyuer to saluation Therfore this offendeth him not that a man should communicate vnder one forme neither dooth he force to haue him communicate vnder bothe But that it should be doone according to the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche because in that sorte and none otherwyse it profitteth the receyuers to saluation that is it Lo that chiefflly offendeth Sathan And that they should not cōmunicat in that sort that is to saye according to the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche that is it which he is so earnest abowt VVell Sathan will be Sathan for in the Hebrew Sathan is as myche to saye as an aduersary He therfore will still be an aduersary both to Christ the head and to his body It is an ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche which is the mysticall body of Christ that wee should communicat vnder one forme he will haue it doone vnder bothe But suppose the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche which is the mysticall body of Christ were so that we shoulde communicatt vnder bothe formes Then wil you haue it done either vnder one alone or vnder neither of bothe But wil you heare the beast vtter his owne wordes VVe recited them before but it shall not be a mysse to heare him agayne Thus he speaketh by his chosen vessell Luther If perhapps the councell should so decree then would wee not receyue in both kindes but then chieffly in despight of the councell would we vse either the one or neither of both and not both and playnlie hould thē accursed which by auctoritee of syche councell should vse both See you now to what end Sathan tēdeth He seeketh not so myche to haue the vse of the cuppe permitted to the layetie but that all things in despight of the Church should be doone contrary to the decrees therof He is a right Sathan He is the enemye of Christ the head and of his body He is Antichrist VVherfor what so euer it hath pleased Christ to decree by the mowth of his churche allbeit he knoweth the same to be right and agreable with the worde of God yet dooth he all wayes with toothe and nayle earnestly withstand it And looke what song he being the head of his body and lymmes did once synge to our head and maister Christ the same by his members doth he now recorde to vs being the members of Christ Throwe thy self downe That is to saye as wee haue before heard Vincentius Lirinensis interprett it Lett thy self fawll downe from the doctrine and traditiō of this high churche which is reputed the church of God Followe not that which seemed good to the churche but that which leeketh me Imbrace the vnderstanding of some priuatt man who being inspired with my spirit shall not doubt to arrogat any thing to him self and to derogatt all thinges from others and followe not the sence and cōsent of the whole christian worlde wherunto it is certayne the Spirit of Christ wanteth not Therfore so often as you shall heare Sathan saye owt of the Gospell For it is written Drinke ye all of this so often thinke you heare him saye nothing els but that which he sayd to Christ Throwe thy self downe For this is it which he seeketh to persuade wnto men that they should despyse the churche which is the grownde and piller of truthe that in the interpreting of the scriptures they should geue more auctoritee to their owne priuatt iudgement then to the decree of the churche That they should howld for nawght her ordinaunces and cutt them selues of from the body of the churche VVherfore as touching the vse of the sacramēt wee may well saye to these men as S. Augustine sometyme sayde to the Donatistes The faulte is not in the sacramentes but in the separation The fault is not in communicating vnder one or both formes but yf thow communicat contrary to the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the churche in that only is the faulte And doubtles so great a faulte as that all wickednes compared with this is as a strawe in respect of a beame Then what a kynde of religion is this of some men that saye they are moued with the feare of God and loue of his lyuely word for that is their maner of speache to thinke it necessary for them to receyue the cuppe As who should saye that in the space of this 600. yeres wherin Polonia with the countries adioyning hath receyued and helde the faith of Christ there hath been no man that hath feared God no man that loued his lyuely worde no nor is at this daye in the whole Christian worlde but only syche as hath been inspired with the spiryt of Luther VVhat an arrogācy what a deuilif he and odious pryde is this so to arrogat vnto thy self alone the feare of God and the loue of his lyuely word that thow wilt vtterly pull the same from all others were they of neuer so singular pietye and godly lyfe VVhat be these men ells then degenerated childrē and as the prophett caullyth them the seed of the harlott and adulteresse that dare thus charge their holy elders and blessed forefathers of so extreme impietye as that none of them should feare God or loue his word and that syche fathers from whom they haue receyued both the rules of well liuing and the doctrine of true belefe VVhich many of them allso haue left vnto vs sealed with their bloud by whose trauayll it came to passe that wee first heard the name of Christ that being drawen out of most thick clowdes and darknes of idolatry wee are sett
what wee beleued but beleeuing what good or euill wee haue done here in this liffe But seeme they not on bothe sydes armed with the woordes of the lawe of godd Truly both partes glory of his expresse woorde Bothe crye ▪ the woorde of the lord The mouthe of the lord hath spoken it Thus sayeth the lord The Catholikes bring foorth these scriptures Shewe foorth good fruictes of penaunce Except yee repent yee shall all perishe VVee must suffer with Christ yf wee wyl be glorified with him wee must dye with him yf wee will lyue with him wee must indure with him yf wee will raigne with him If thow wilt enter ynto life keepe the commawndementes If you knowe these thinges yee are happy so that yee doo them Thow lord wilt geeue to euery man according to his woorkes VVee must all be browght before the iudgement seate of Crist that eche man may carry away according as hee hath done yn the flleshe either good or euill Mercy shall make a place to eche man according to the merytt of his workes I comme quickly and my reward is with me to yeeld to euery man according to his workes They which haue doon good shall coome foorth to the Resurrection of lyffe and they which haue doon euyll to the Resurrection of Iudgement Man knowyth not whither hee bee woorthy of loue or hatred VVho vnderstandeth his offences From my secret and hidden sinnes lorde clense me who can saye my hart is cleane I am pure from synnes I fearid all my woorkes knowing that thow wooldest not spare an offender My conscience dooth not accuse me of any thing yet am I not Iustified therby Of synne pardoned yett stand not cleerly without feare Say not the mercy of the lorde is great he will haue mercy on the multitude of our sinnes For his mercye and wrathe are soone at hand and wrath is bent vppon synne VVith feare and trembling worke your saluation Blessed is the man ▪ that is all wayes fearfull He that is without feare can not be iustified These and many others which were to long to recyte are the scriptures wherby the Catholykes and right beleeuers as by the expresse word of God Indeuour to proue that it is not Inough for a man to beleeue his sinnes be thorowgh Christ forgeuen him that hee standeth yn good grace and is an heyre of the lyfe euerlasting howe so euer the matter goe with his workes but euen as It behoued Christ first to suffer and so to enter ynto his glory so must wee allso suffer before wee come to that glorye and as hee walked so must wee allso walke That wee must by our good workes make stronge or sure our vocation and yett when wee haue all doon wee must not stand assured or Carelesse but mistrust all our workes and say wee be vnprofitable seruauntes so farre foorth as wee be not without feare euen of that synne which is forgeeuen vs. They on the other syde which haue deuyded them selues from the Churche bring foorth allso their scriptures and defend the contrary opinion Hee that beleeueth and is baptised shall be saued So God looued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that euery mā that beleeueth yn him should not peris he but haue lyfe euerlastīg Doo manfully and feare not at the sight of them Doo manfully and thy hart shal be comfortyd Saye yee vnto the cowardes be yee of good chere feare not Putt on you all the armour of God that yee may resist yn the euyl daye VVhom resist you being strong yn faythe Hee hath sent his sonne yn to the world that wee should liue throwgh him Godd shewyd foorth his loue towardes vs in that that when wee were yet sinners Christ was doon to deathe for vs. The lord gouerneth me and I shall want nothing If I walke yn the middes of the shadow of death I will feare no euill because thow art with me The lord is the protector of my lyffe of whom should I bee affrayed In thee lord haue I trusted I shall neuer be Confownded Sure I am that neither deathe nor lyfe nor Angels nor anny other creature can seperatt me from the looue of God All that my father geeueth me shall come vnto me and him that cometh to me I will not cast foorthe VVhoo so euer callyth on the name of the lord shal be sauyd All that is borne of God ouercometh the world and this is our victory which ouercometh the world Our fayth These be the scriptures which Brentius bryngeth to confirme his assurednes and vayne suerty by Yett they be suche as you shall sooner drawe foorth mylke of a poomisse stone then owt of thē the thing which Brētius seeketh You see now how owld a practys this hath been of heretikes to glory yn the woord of God sins it was vsed euen yn the dayes of Hieremy and Ezechiel But what Euen soone after the coomyng of Chryst was not that deuyse allso putt yn vre VVell knowen is that Storye of the Gospell wher in it is wrytten howe Christ so soone as he was baptised was ledd by the spiryt ynto the wildernes and was there tempted of the deuill But with what other weapons did he assault Christ but with the very scriptures The Euangelyst Mathew sayth The diuell sett him on the pinacle of the Temple and sayd vnto him If thow be the sonne of God throwe thy self downe For it is written he hath geeuen his Angelles charge of thee that they shall take thee yn their handes lest thow hurt thy foote ageinst soome stone which place S. Ambrose treating of prouidently warnyth vs saieng Learne here allso for the diuell transsormyth him self yn to an Angell of light and of the diuyne scriptures thē selues makyth ofte tymes snares to intāgle the faith full So dooth the heretike so dooth hee ripp vp the faith so dooth hee assault the lawes of pietye Therfore lett not the heretike deceyue thee because he can bring foorth some exāples of scripture Lett hī not stande much in his owne conceyte because he hath some shew of Learning for the diuell allso vseth the testimonye of the scriptures not to teache but to cumpas and deceiue Very excellenty allso doth Vincentius Lirynensis a writer allso in the dayes of S. Ambrose handle that place yn that his goulden booke which hee intitules For the antiquitee and vniuersalyte of the Catholyke faythe I will the more at large repete his wordes because they are worthy not only to be read but to be lernyd without booke Here sayth hee some man will perhaps aske whither heretikes doo allso vse the testimony of the scriptures They doo sure and that vehemently for youe shall see thē fllee throwgh euery volume of the holly lawe Throwgh Moyses the bookes of the kinges the psalmes Apostles Euangelystes
great and especiall grace of God is personally present yea so as without any labor studye or industrie although they neuer aske seeke or knocke yf they be of their number and sect it is so from God him self dispēsed vnto them that they being holden vp with the handes of Aungells that is kept with angelicall protection can neuer hurt their foote against any stone can neuer offend or fall into any errour Thus farre Vincentius And coulde he possibly with more notable markes haue painted foorth the heretikes of our age thē in this place wee see he hath done For what doth Sathā more earnestly attempt by thē then to persuade mē to throwe thēselues downe to let thēselues fawll from the doctrine and tradition of this high Churche which Christ callyth the Citee builded on a hyll VVhich thing so soone as he hath once perswaded thē hath he atteynid the vndoubted victorye For vntill a man throwe him self from that high Cite yn vayn are all the attemptes of Sathan But so soone as he letteth him self fawll downe from thence so soone as he is departyd from the fowld and seuerith him self from the rest of the flocke then is he immediatly becoome a praye to the wolf To this one end therfore doth the diuell bend all his force that he may leade men to throwe them selues downe from the high and infallible doctrine of the church To sett nowght by the traditions therof to followe and esteme rather the priuatt spiritt of them selues or of any one man then the interpretatiō and consent of the Catholike and vniuersall Churche wher vnto is promysed the spiritt of truth Neither is he without scripture wherby he indeuoureth to persuade the same For it is written sayth he walke not in the precepts of your fathers In vayne doo they worship me teaching the doctrines and cōmaundements of men That yf in any one thing he may persuade a mā to throwe him self downe to departe from the precepts and ordonaūces of his forefathers and from the doctrine and traditiōs of the Churche then hath he wonne him within his reache then doth he easely fynd the meanes that he shal daily throwe him self downe deeper Neither is there any doctrine thē so farre wyde from all pietye or godlynes wherin he doth not easely stayne and infect his mynd In this one thing therfore doth he spend his whole studye and trauaill to accustome men to throwe them selues downe and not to make any accompt of the sence and generall cōsent of the whole churche but especyally to resist and withstand the ordonaunces therof VVhich thing as of all other heretikes so Martiu Luther their capitaine and standard bearer in this our age wee see dilligētly and very handsomly practysed For what other thing soundeth he in all his wrytings but that men should throwe them selues downe That they should cutt them selues from the churche resist the decrees therof and what so euer shee commaundeth in despight to doo the contrary As for example The Churche cōmaundeth thee to fast in the lent and toward the feast of Easter to confesse thy sinnes and to come to the receauing of the sacramēt But what sayth Luther to this Thus he sayeth Because it is so appoynted by the churche for the self same cause will I not doo it and yf it had not commaunded me I would haue doon it but I will now doo it at some other tyme which the Churche hath not appoynted at what tyme and in what sorte so euer myne owne free will shall moue me Likewyse The eleuation of the Saeramēt he thinketh a thing indifferent But bicause the Churche hath thowght good it should be lift vp therfore in despite of the Churche he teacheth it must be forborne Ageyn to receyue the sacramēt in one or bothe kyndes in many places he writeth to be indifferent for that nothing is commaunded therof by any precept of God as of necessitee yet in his booke which he intituled of the foorme of the masse he sayeth Yf by chawnce the councell should so decree then would wee not receyue yt in bothe kyndes but in despight of the coūcell vse only the one kynd or neither of bothe and not bothe and holde them for accursed that by the auctoritee of the councell should vse bothe But what doth a Councell represent but the Churche Sathan therfore by this his not obscure member commaundeth to do all thinges contrary to the decrees therof yea and that yn despight of the same and by that his worthy lymme yet cryeth Throwe thy self downe And doth not he throwe him self downe who followeth not that which is vniuersall catholyke receiued and allowed by generall consent of the whole world which professeth the name of Christ but more willingly reposeth him self in that which some one fantastycall man hath better leekyd VVho albeit he be perhapps reputed circumspect and discrete yett when he speakyth of hī self vttereth nowght ells as the Truthe it self bearyth witnes but a very lye For maye a man more throwe him self downe then to slippe from that sence and vnderstānding which is vniuersall and common to all vnto that which is but priuatt that is from trowth to fashed which man vtterith whē so euer he speaketh of himself The very same song therfore which the diuell himself songe vnto Christ in the desert the same doth he euen now sing by his members to Christians Neither doth he vrge any thing more then that they should throwe themselues downe and lett goe the vniuersall and auncient faith of the catholyke Churche He promyseth by his membres and yet still teacheth that in the congregations of his communion there is a certain great peculiar and personall grace of God He persuadeth the vnlerned yf a man imbrace the priuatt and especyall faith of his members that he though he be not only vtterly voyde of good workes but allso drowned in all kynd of wickednes must yett be well assured he is in state of grace and that the Aungells shall one daye take him vp in their handes and leade him straight to heauen That beyng preserued by their protection he shall not once hurt his foote against any stone but standeth highly in Gods fauour yf he continewe to the end This he will haue his mēbers to make so full and assured accompt of that they must thinke there can be no greater synne or wickednes committed then once to doubt neuer so litle therof which persuasion is cōmon to all heretikes For the Lutherans doo no lesse carnestly exact this of their followers then do the Zwinglians and Anabaptistes of theirs when in the meane tyme fyer and water do not more disagree then the doctrines of these men do one from an other so as it cānot be by any reason but some of them are leekly rather by the handes of diuells to be throwen into the bottomles pyt of hell ▪ then that the
sake thow entrest into disputation by the scriptures to the end thow mayest confirme him in the trowthe hāging yet doubtfull is leeke inowgh to faull deeper in to heresies when he shall see thow hast profitted nothing the matter remayning in euē termes of defence and denyall Surely of this arguing to and fro he shall departe more vncertayn then he was before not knowing whether of the two is the heresie But this argument may they also agayn retourne vnto vs. For it is necessary for them allso to saye that by vs the scripture is falsefyed that wee do wrongely expounde them and they therefore will nedes take vpō them to defend the trowth VVe must not therfore appeale to the scriptures wherin the victory is none at all or ells vncertayn or not very manifest For albeit we supposed the conference of scriptures should not so faull owt betwene Catholikes and heretikes that it should set vp both sydes a leeke yet the order of thinges required that this pointe should first be propownded which now lyeth only in question As to whom the very fayth belongeth whose be the scriptures frō whom by whom when and to what teachers that doctrine was deliuered wherby wee are made Christians After the same sorte writeth Clemens Alexandrinus one that liued aboute that time also If sayth he they which followe heresies dare at any time vse the scriptures first they will neuer vse them all nor wholle nor as the very body and text of the scripture speaketh but choosing foorth those things which are ambiguous and doubtfull they turne them into their owne priuat opinion gathering here and ther a fewe wordes as it were flowers and not considering what is signified by them but only abusing the bare and naked termes In euery word almost which they bring foorth you shal fynd them stickyng in the only names and termes and quyte swaruyng frō the significatiō therof VVhat could be written better or what more aptly to the matter now in hand then that which we fynd writtē by that most lernyd mā Tertulliā He sheweth vs that the vsage of heretikes was to talke mych of the scripture to persuade by scripture and to holde foorth the scripture But in the meane tyme he admonissheth vs to stop them at that step and that they bee not admitted to any disputation of the scriptures for that they haue no interest or possession theryn sins the Catholikes do prescribe in the possession therof He allso bringeth for proofe herof the testimony of S. Pawll who forbiddeth vs to wast tyme in cōtending with heretikes For that allwayes debate breedyth debate and of argumēt groweth argumēt so as ther is lyke to be no end of brauling and cōtētiō wher a mā hopeth to ouercome obstinat persons by disputatiō For neither wāt they wordes at any tyme and their frowardnesse geueth thē courage neuer to be tyered with cōtention So as it is farre better to auoyde all occasiōs of cōtending with them which is the thing they seeke and to refrayne brawlyng with them by disputation for so myche as therby is that owld prouerb often verefyed By to myche altercation the trowth is lost But see whether those wordes written by Tertullian that this heresie admitteth not some scriptures and so foorth as before be not very truly spoken of the heretikes of our tyme The first fownder wher of did he not I praye you opēly vse the same hatchet to cut of the scriptures which were contrary to his purpose which Tertullian sayth Marciō the heretike did at that time vse He taught only fayth to suffise both to our saluation and iustification And seing that this his doctrine could not stand if the canonicall Epistle of Saint Iames remayned in forse straight waye taking his hatchet in his hand he cut the same of from his booke saying This shall haue no place in my Bibles Loe the imperious auctoritee of the man He caullyth them his Bibles wherby he shewyth they haue no fellowship with the Bibles of the Catholyke Churche Hee tawght also prayers and sacrifice for the dead to be superfluous and herunto seing that parte of the scriptures to be directly contrary which for the more parte all the owld catholyke writers bring foorth of the Machabees he katcheth ageyne his hatchet and cutetth of also that booke He tawght farther that all things came to passe by a certayne absolute necessitee and that wee owght to be certayn and sure of grace and saluation Against this his opinion maketh that which is written in the booke of wisedom and in Ecclesiasticus He therfore with his hatchet cutt of also these bookes So wee see that those scriptures which serued not his purpose he receiued not but taking his hatchet in hand cut them out of his Bibles Nowe those scriptures which he did receyue and allowe did he not by his additiōs and detractions peruert them to his owne priuat purposes making of good Latyne lewd high Dutche VVhich is layd to his charge not only by the Catholikes but allso by the sectaryes them selues And yf he did receyue any scriptures whole and sound did he not deuise therunto strange or rather mere contrary expositions which thing we allso see doon by the rest of the heretikes who be no lesse diuers among them selues then contrary to the catholikes in expounding the scriptures which thing to haue lykewyse been doon by the heretikes of his tyme Tertullian remembreth From their owne rules sayth he them selues do varye whilest euery of them do pype after his owne volūtary those things which he hath receiued euen as he that first deliuered thē framed the same by his owne fancye VVith such therfore as receiue no scriptures but suche as they leeke and those which they doo receyue wreast by addition and detraction to their owne purpose or ells deuyse therunto newe and straunge expositions Tertullian willeth vs in no wyse to enter into disputation of the scriptures but commaundeth them to be sett ouer to the Ecclesiasticall tradition VVhich his mynde euē Luther him self semeth to allowe when he hath to do with sacramētaries and Anabaptistes But you shal heare his owne wordes he sayeth VVee haue read what the holy fathers did in the councell of Nice so sone as they heard the heresie of Arius read they hissed it owt with one voyce and would not vouchesase to heare them that presented it nor suffer them to defend it but presently condemned them withowt any disputation as manifest blasphemers Moyses allso in his lawe commaunded that suche false teachers should be stoned to death Euen so in this case ther is no disputatiō to be vsed but suche manifest blasphemers are to be condemned withowt pleading their cause As Pawle allso commaundeth in the third chapiter of his Epistle to Titus that an heretike should be auoyded after one or two warnings He allso forbiddeth to Timothee all contentions and disputations as things which do nothing ells but
weyght Doo wee not heare MelancthoÌ„ complayne that where hee wrote the confession of Augspurg they now goo about to take from him the name and honour therof For the Illyricans doo gredely challenge that to them selues and labour to exclude from the same the MelaÌ„cthonists with their maister whom as in diuers other things they shewe to haue gone froÌ„ the mynd of his maister Luther so doo they lowdly charge him in the doctryn of the sacrament to haue ioyned him self to Caluin his lore Of which thing Caluin him self also dooth not a lytle glory Now yn that matter which they will haue to bee the summe of the Gospell which is os Iustification Lord how sore Melancthon and BreÌ„tius dissent the one from the other while Brentius defendeth Osianders opinion which the Melancthonistes thinke most execrable So amoÌ„g the disciples of Luther there is litle agreement of the principal doctrines of our religion wherof very contenciously they quarrell emong them selues and be as it were heretikes one to an other so as they neede not to be better blasoned then them selues blasone one an other VVherfore of right Luther must suffer by the lawe which him self gaue to others that there be no disputation allowed to the followers of his doctrine but that so sone as it apperith they be of that sort they bee presently coÌ„demned vnheard For it is no more trewe of the Zuinglians then of the Lutherans which is sayd by the disciples of Luther that they are to be restrayned not by writing but by the Mace and power of the magistrate especially synce neither these bringe almost any thing that was not more then a thousand yeres past condemned for heresie But wee may seeme to haue wandered somwhat from our purpose VVherfore let vs returne to the matter froÌ„ whence wee haue by occasion a litle declyned VVee haue shewyd you before that eueÌ„ at that tyme when that most auncient doctor Tertullian floorisshed heretikes vsed to vauÌ„t to talke and to holde foorth before them the scriptures and that Tertullian doth vtterly forbid all disputation with them or triall of the controuersies to be referred to the scriptures but would haue theÌ„ putt ouer to the tradition of the Churche But dooth not S. Cyprian allso complayne of the deceyts of the diuell who transfigureth him self as it were in to an aungell of light and suborneth his ministers leeke vnto the ministers of iustice teaching night for daye damnation for saluation desperation vnder the veyll of hoape infidellite vnder pretence of fayth and finally Antechrist vnder the name of Christ that while they falsly report thinges not all together vnleekly they may by their subteltie chase and driue awaye the very truth it self Nothing could be sayd more trewly then that which wee fynd to be written by Cyrill All heretikes gather the occasions of their errour owt of the scripture inspired by God corrupting those thinges by their owne malice which by the holy Ghost were well geuen and vttered and so kendling vpon their owne heddes an vnquenchable fier S. Augustin allso sayeth that heresies and peruers doctrine intangling and throwing downe headlong the sowles of men in to hâ—â—â— cometh of none other grownd but wheÌ„ thinges well written in the scriptures are not well vnderstanded and when that which is not well vnderstaÌ„ded is rashely and bouldly vtteryd for a truth And therfore S. Ambrose did thinke good in this sort to describe heretikes Heretikes sayth he are they which by the very wordes of the lawe do impugne the lawe for they adde vnto the wordes of the lawe their owne sence and vnderstanding that by the authorite of the lawe they may sett foorth the shrowdnes and malice of their owne mynd For wickedness knowing authorite to weygh muche worketh her snares vnder the name therof to the end that sythens an yll thing by it self can not be acceptable it may be commended to the world vnder the name of a good thing VVhen they which in the Councell of Carthage were by Agrippinus assembled sayd it was no trewe baptisme which was geuen by Schismatikes and heretikes did they not saye they so found it in the holy scriptures and seemed to coÌ„firme that their sentence by the expresse word of God This councell yet afterward by the auctoritte of the Churche was disanulled But let vs heare Vincentius Lirinensis talke of that matter So great excellency of witte sayth he was in those fathers suche flowing vaynes of eloquence suche a number of them that affirmed it so great leeklyhood of truthe in so many texts of the scripture but after a newe and yll sort vnderstanded that me thinke all their great agreement conspiring in one could neuer haue been ouerthrowen yf only the profession of nouelty which was the only cause of all that great styrre so much then mayntayned defended and extolled had not discredyted the whole matter They therfore were destitute not of textes and authoritees of scripture but of the trewe vnderstanding of them VVherfore S. Hilary doth very well warne vs. Remember sayth he that ther is no heretike but faulsly affirmeth that all the blasphemyes he vttereth are warrantyd by the auctoritee of scripture For hereof Marcion when he readeth the word of God vnderstandeth it not Hereof Photinus could not fynd by his doctrine Iesus Christ to be a man Herof Sabellius when he could not vnderstand this text My father and I be all one could not fynd God the father nor God the sonne Herof Montanus by his madde weemen went about to maynteyn a newe holy Ghost Herof Maniche and Marcion hated the lawe because they found it written the letter kylleth and the Prince of the world is the diuell They vtter all the scriptures without sence and pretend fayth withowt faith For the scriptures consist not in reading but in vnderstanding not in thwarting but in charitable consent and vnitee VVhom S. Hierom following in his booke against the Luciferians sayeth Let not heretikes flatter them selues if they seeme to fynd somwhat in some chapiters of the scripture which they thinke coÌ„firmeth their heresies since the diuell him self hath allso alleaged places owt of the scripture and the scriptures coÌ„sist not in reading but in vnderstaÌ„ding In leeke sort wryteth allso Athanasius of the ArriaÌ„s If sayth he meÌ„ reading some goodwordes of the holy scripture written in these fellowes bookes will therfore by and by take blasphemies for blessinges it will allso come to passe that wheÌ„ they see Iues of this our tyme diligeÌ„tly to read the lawe and the prophetes they will also with the Iues denye Christ Perhapps also hearing the Maniches vouche certayne places of the Gospells they will with them denye the lawe and the prophetes But if throwgh ignorauÌ„ce they do so boyll and babble let them learne out of the scriptures how the diuell him self the inuentour and deuiser of heresies for feare of
as we haue read talked vnto the heauēly father in this sort Certainly I can not herin be deceiued Thy word o heauenly father haue I beleued that receyued I of the holy Ghost as the sure word of truth And a litle after I knowe assuredly sayd he that this my doctrine which is the word of God in the daye of vpright iudgemēt shall not only iudge lordes kinges and the whole world but allso the Angells them selues Doth not this honest man thinke him selfe as sure that his doctrine is the expresse woord of God as Luther or Caluin and yett for all that both his Luthers and Caluines are in deed the expresse worde of the diuell But whereto in the end cometh this geare Strawnge and wonderfull it is For lo whyle in this sort euery sect seeketh to vsurpe vnto it self alone the word of God and the true vnderstanding therof there is sprong vp a certayne newe kind of prophets which feare not euē by the auctoritee of the scriptures to withdraw all auctoritee from the scriptures Lo wher to at last Sathan hath brought this reckening Forsooth to this that he hath drawē wretched men to that passe that looke what doctrine euery of thē hath by chaunce imbracyd the same should he firmly persuade him selfe to be the expresse worde of God and not suffer him self by any reasons to be drawen from it Now therfore this is apparant that neuer almost was ther any heretike which did not cōfirme his errour by the scripture and which affirmed not his opinion to be the very word of God The thing it self so she wyth this that farther demonstration needith not but yet the chief of all heretikes of this our age doth also testifie the same who writeth That the holy scripture hath now at the last obteynid this name to be caullyd the heretikes booke because all heresies deryue their course and origi nal spring frō thence But to what end is this will some man saye Doo you go about to extenuat the word of God and to withdrawe auctoritee from it Haue you browght vs foorth so many thinges to the end to shewe that who so euer vseth the testimony of the scripture is an heretike No God forbid that wee should so myche as thinke a thing so straunge and vnsitting for any Christian man No wee rather saye as S. Hillary whilom did Heresye is in the vnderstanding not in the scripture The sence not the text is blamed Nothing is more holy then the scripture nothing of more auctorite nothing next God more worthy of all honour But what thing cā be so holy which the enemie of man kind abuseth not to the destruction of man VVee must not thinke that God alwayes openeth their mowthes whō wee heare talke of the word of God and alleage the words of the scripture The most learned Origen did well note to vs that not seldō the diuel also openeth the mowth of syche as vtter the word of god who speaketh alye sayth he it is cer tayne the diuel openeth his mowth to vtter a lye But thow wilt saye how may he lye that bringeth foorth the testimony of the scriptures which no good man doubteth to haue proceded frō the holy Ghost the spirit of truth and from whom floweth all truthe Short and redy is the aunswer hereunto In the scriptures themselues which we knowe to haue ben inspired from God aboue ther can in deed be no lye But in the sence which man bringeth of whom it is written euery man is a lyar hee that will saye there can not be a lye what doth he ells but denye the saying of God and as it were charge the holy Ghost of Vntruth VVhat then will soome man saye yf euery man bee a lyar dooth it therfore followe that what so euer a man speaketh what so euer hee bryngeth owt of the holy scripture should therfore be a lye God forbidd I saye not so How shall I then knowe when hee vtteryth a lye This will the very Truth teache vs which can not lye For that sayeth whoo so euer vtteryth a lye vtteryth of his owne No man hath of his owne but synne and vntrouth But yf a mā haue any point of trouth or righteousnes that hath hee of God Hee therfore speakyth the truth which vtteryth not that is of him self but of God But thow wilt saye agayne Speakyth he not frō God which recyteth the very words of God and the testimonies of the scriptures Yow haue heard now not only once but often opened vnto yow by me that the diuel also alleageth testimonies of the scriptures and yet doth he not therfore speake the truth because he speaketh of his owne VVhat is this speaking of his owne It is when he bryngeth his owne sence of the scripture and not the sence and meaning of God For this is to bean heretike as before we taught out of S. Ambrose to buyld his owne sence vpon the wordes of the lawe and so by the wordes of the lawe to impugne the lawe But how shall I discerne when a man bryngeth his owne sence and when the true sence and meaning of God This will that notable doctour of the Church S. Augustine teache vs who in this sort speaketh vnto God Thy truthe lorde is neither myne nor his or his but common to vs all whom thow doost openly call to the communion therof terribly warning vs that we presume not to make the same priuat lest wee be depriued therof For who so euer doth challenge as proper to him self that which thow hast geeuen foorth to bee enioyed of all and will make that his owne peculiar which is common to all hee is throwen downe from that which is common to his owne that is to saye from truth to vntruth for hee that maketh a lye speaketh of his owne Doest thow now vnderstand whoo speaketh of his owne that is to saye whoo speaketh vntrought Truth thow seest is not his or his but is common to all All hath God caullyd publikely to the communion therof VVho so euer therfore maketh priuatt that is publyke whoo so euer challengith to him self and cōtenciously will make his owne proper that which by charitee is commō to all hee speakith of him self hee speakith an vntrouth For truth is not any wher ells but among all that is to saye in the Catholike or vniuersall Churche Therfore whoo so euer seekith owt any singular vnderstanding or inuenteth any strange and vnknowen expositions or bringeth to the world any newe and singuler opinions though hee shewe six hundreth testimonyes of the scriptures because hee vnderstādeth them not with that sence wich is receiued of the Catholike Churche but ioyneth therunto his owne proper and priuat exposition he speaketh of him self and therfore speaketh an vntrouth for the truth is not with any one but with all that is to saye in the Catholike Churche wherunto the light of sownd and true
vnderstanding of the scriptures is promysed of almighty God So as there can be no surer argument that a man speaketh his owne that is a lye then when he departeth from the sence exposition and consent of the Churche For thē althowgh he bring neuer so many texts of the scripture hee may vtter in dede the expresse word of the diuell but neuer can he in that sorte bring foorth the expresse and pure worde of God For it is as certayn that the diuel openeth the mowth of them which teache Gods word being owt of the Churche as that God him self openeth the mowthes of them which beyng of and with in the churche doo vtter the same And this is the cause that when so euer ther is in the Church memory made of an Euāgelist or any other notable doctour that both in the entry of the Masse and in the Canonicall howres this text of Ecclesiasticus is read In the midle of the Churche he opened his mowth VVherby is signifyed that God openeth the mowth to no mā vnlesse he be with in the Churche From the true sence and vnderstanding wherof who so euer differeth his mowth not God but the diuell doth open How famous so euer any doctour of the Churche bee yet yf he be not with in the Churche if he consent not with the sence of the Churche it is certayn that God opened not his mowth But yf any man speake cōtrary to the sence and consent therof wee need not doubt to saye that the diuell opened his mowth VVho so euer therfore vttereth his owne vttereth a lye and he that speaketh of God speaketh the truth but he speaketh of God which vttereth the scriptures not at aduenture or by his owne priuat sence but with the sence that is common to all that is with the sence of the catholyke Churche And that is it which is truly and properly caullyd the word of God when to the wordes of the scripture not our owr owne sence but the commō sence that is the sence of the Catholike Churche is applyed which to be the very trewe sence and meaning of God is not to bee doubted For thus wee reade noted by Socrates that the Emperour Constantine calleth the sentence of all them which were assembled in the councell of Nice the sentence of God For the voyce of the Church is the voyce of God speaking by her He therfore is a Catholike and a right beleuer and syche as can by no meanes vtter vntruth which being mindfull of that is written woo be vnto foolishe prophetts which followe their owne spirite and see nothing followeth not his owne but the spirit of the Churche not his owne imagination or conceyte but the sence and consent of the Churche Yea thowgh the wordes of the scripture should seeme not very open and playne which syche a one bryngeth foorth yet because he produceth them with the sentence of the Churche he vttereth the very worde of God But if a man will applye therunto his owne proper conceyte if he will temper the scriptures with his owne imagination for he ioineth his owne sence to the scriptures which contendeth so earnestly not for the true vnderstanding of the diuine scriptures but for his owne that he will haue that to bee the scriptures which is his when he owght rather to make that his which is the scriptures yf I saye he obstinatly defend syche his sentence against the common sence and cōsent of the whole Churche he is an heretike and a schismatike And bring he neuer so many testimonies of the scriptures yet he vttereth not the pure word of God but the expresse worde of the diuell Ther is therfore no authoritee taken from the scriptures when it is sayd that heresies spring not so myche of them as of the lewde and faulse vnderstanding of them This is an owld complaynte made by S. Basill that the deprauers of the truth doo not applye their vnderstanding to the scripture but violentlye drawe the mynd of the scriptures to their owne will But notable is the counsell of S. Clement that when the lawe of God is read it bee not read or tawght according to the vnderstanding of a mans owne brayne for there are many thinges in the diuine scriptures which may with force bee drawen to syche sence as eche man shall fancye to him self And therfore sayth he must we learne the vnderstanding of the scriptures of him which keepeth them being orderly deliured vnto him by his forefathers according to the truth VVhich counsell Rufinus writeth those ij lights of Grece Basill the Great and Gregory Naziāzene to haue followed VVho whē they gaue them selues to the only study of the scriptures remouing from them al other secular bookes of Greke writers they followed not in seeking the true vnderstanding therof their owne fanceys but the writings and authoritee of the fathers whom they allso knewe to haue learnyd that rule of trewe vnderstanding from the Apostolike succession But how farre do they differ frō the dealing of these fathers who rashly faull them selues to the wayghing of euery scripture and beleeue it according to their owne iudgement not passing at al vpon the sence exposition of the fathers to wbom they thinke it iniurious to be put ouer But what may bee sayd more rightly to these men by vs then that which wee reade to haue been sayde to the Manichees by S. Augustin Yow see sayth he your dealing tendith to this end that all auctoritee bee takē from the scriptures and that euery mans priuat mynde should tell him what were in eche scripture to be allowed and what to be disallowed That is in effect that the mynde should not by faith bee subiect to the auctoritee of the scriptures but should make the scriptures subiect to the fancye of the mynd So as nothing pleaseth him because it is found written and receiued with high and great auctoritee but therfore it seemeth well written because in some respect it pleaseth his fancye VVherunto doest thow committe thy self thow wretched and frayle sowle all wrapped in cloudes of the fleshe VVherunto doest thow committe thy self Maye wee not well saye also to these men where bestowest thow thy self thow miserable and wretchyd sowlle wrapped in cloudes of fleshe VVhere bestowest thow thy self VVilt thow haue that what so euer pleaseth thee wee should take for scripture and howld that for the pure and expresse word of God And why not that which hath semed good to al that is to the vniuersal Churche VVhat an intollerable pryde is this VVhat an arrogancy and swelling of the mynde VVilt thow so challenge to thy self alone the spirit of God and so pull it from all others that what so euer sense thow wilt bring owt of the scriptures wee showld bee bound to beleue that neglecting the sence and vnderstanding of the whole churche can there be a greater arrogancy or a greater tiranny then this It
the Hebionytes begaÌ„ne to sprynge who would needes haue all the ceremonies of the lawe also as precysely obserued and kept as the very Gospell and therfore vtterly denied that this sacrament might be made in leauened bread because all oblation offred to our lord ought by the lawe to be with out leaueÌ„ the contrary was decreed that is to saye That the sacrament should be made of leauened bread VVheÌ„ yet the thing in his owne nature is indiffereÌ„t neither seemeth it muche materyall whether you make it in vnleauened or in leauened bread But after the heresie of the Hebionites ceased the Latyn churche thought good to returne agayne to their intermitted manner of consecrating in vnleauened bread Thus wee see our holy fathers thought not good by permission to noorishe heresies but by meere contrary decrees to suppresse them But somwhat they saye is to be graunted to the multitude which require this VVhat yf the multitude should propound this pointe of doctrine that only God the father were to be adored and called vppon but Christ to be holden only for an aduocate Shall we say that this is straight wayes to be graunted because the multitude required it The matter goeth yll when we shall rather chose to followe the vnlearned multitude then the iudgement of those who are properly called to this office Namely synce it is truly sayd that the multitude is the mother of sedition and contumacye and the small nomber the mistrese of discipline The multitude ought to be gouerned and not to gouerne ought to obey but not to prescribe lawes That kingdom is in an hard and pittefull case where the Rule and gouernemeÌ„t standeth in the multitude As in all other thinges so chieffly in matters of religion it is diligently to be considered not who or how many doo requyre but what the thing is that is required The multitude requyred of the Apostles and their followers that they should denye Christ and offer incense to idolls The power and auctoritee did also earnestly aduyse theÌ„ therunto But what did they to this VVee must sayd they obey God rather then men And so they were ready to indure al kynd of punishemeÌ„t yea to laye downe their neckes vnto theÌ„ rather theÌ„ they would do that they required yea and by their martyr dome they ê‘formed in deed that they had spokeÌ„ VVhat your part is to doo most vertuous kyng in the suppressing of heresies you are not ignorant You are taught this also by the lawes of your contrey to the keeping wherof you bound your self by an othe when you were inuested in this your kingdom Verely all men which will be accompted ChristiaÌ„s especially wee that be bisshops and guides of religion must rather desire a thowsand deathes then once to denye Christ. But he denyeth Christ not only which confesseth him not to be God and acknowlegeth him only for an aduocat or he which dooth not beleue euery poynt and article which the infallible auctoritee of the canonicall scriptures prescribeth vnto vs either of his diuinite or of his humanite but allso he which dooth not in all pointes communicatt with the vnitee of his churche For Christ is both the head and the body The head is the only begotten sonne of God and his body is the Churche they be as husband and wyfe two in one fleshe VVherfore he dooth as myche denye Christ which dooth so dissent from his body the Churche that he thinketh the communion therof not to be spred ouer all but to be found separat in some one part as he which dissenteth from the holly scriptures in any point touching Christ him self the head therof as S. Augugustine teacheth vs in many places There is extant in Eusebius an epistle of Dionysius AlexaÌ„drinus to Nouatus wherin he writeth that martyrdome indured for not deuyding the Churche is as glorious as that which is indured for refusing to committe idolatry Yea and surely in my iudgement saieth Dionysius it is so myche more glory For there he suffreth martirdome but for his owne soule but here for the whole churche VVherby wee may see it is no lesse greuous offence to deuide the Churche or by assent to allowe a schisme then to offer incense to idolls Let it therfore be farre from a christian man and namely from a Bisshopp by and by to geue his assent wheÌ„ a multitude or power requireth a separation from the Churche of God It is to be wished that it may please God to geue vs this mynd rather to suffer our bodyes to be deuyded from our soules then by our assent to allowe any sacrilegious deuise of separation from Christ or his body the churche Of this mynd as it becometh all Christians to be so chieffly vs that be bisshopps yf wee will duely execute the office of good pastors It is well remeÌ„bred most vertuous kyng how when your highnes came first to the gouuernement of this Realme and that some thing was then requyred of you which partly tended to separation your highnes curteously as your manner is and yet well and flatly denyed their request saying you could not without offence of your conscience graunt the same vsing farther in the presence of your councell and a very notable assembly of the people this saying of Christ VVhat auayleth it a man yf he gayne the whole word and suffer his soule to perishe or what exchaunge may a man make for his soule Your princely crowne the empyre of your large and populous kingdome and of so many dominions adioyning therunto were not so deere vnto you that the losse or hazard of any of them could once moue you to do any thing that should seeme to be against your faith and religion And why should not the lyke wordes now allso serue for answer Vnlesse perhapps this separatioÌ„ seeme of lesse importaunce then the other being now required to permitt a deuisioÌ„ to be made from the holly Catholike Church being the body of Christ But some what is to be grauÌ„ted say they in respect of a publyke tranquillitie And I pray you was not then allso the publyke tranquillite of the kingdome preteÌ„ded VVas it not said that great troubles would ryse yf the request were not graunted Yet God did forsee and prouyde for the tranquillitie of your kyngdome And yf tranquillite and quyet be to be bought with so great losse of suche a number of sowlls it were better as the Prouerb sayeth that heauen and earth should meete and a thousand tymes to indure the losse of this mortall lyfe then being deuided from the body of Christ to lead a whyle a happy lyfe heare in yearth in the iudgement of common men and soone after to change the same with euerlasting death and hell tourments that neuer shall haue end Lighter is the losse of goodes and lyfe then of the soule the losse wherof is not to be recouered I reason not as though it were true which they seke
first epistle Some man will saye thus yf we might dryue the Pope to this that he would but assent that the ministres of the churches might haue wyues vse the vulgar toung in the administration of the sacramentes and geue the sacrament vnder both formes to the lay people and in all other articles and doctrines to consent with the Churche of Rome as hitherto wee haue doone would ye not thinke good we should there rest for a tyme And laying vp that gayne in store by lytle and lytle in proces of tyme deuise for the winning of the other poyntes I answer saith Vergerius I lyke it not For the matter consisteth not only in that the minister should haue a wyfe vse his vulgar toung in the Churche and deliuer the sacrament in both kyndes but in that he haue a liuely faith that he be a member of Christes Churche and be of a right iudgemēt shewing vnto the people that pure doctrine which our lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God brought out of his fathers bosome VVhat a defyling of our doctryne what a straunge thing should it be yf we should geue our consent that the pastor of our soules should be a massing priest annoynted and allowed by some Bisshop and mēber of Antechrist etc. Here Sathan by this his champion goeth to his matter more opēly then by thē which contend so earnestly for the cuppe and syche other things as seeme of lesse waight VVhose wily deceytes also herein he discloseth and thinkyng it superfluous to vse any more circumstances he fleeth euen straight to the throte to the end that withowt any more delaye God may be brought in order and equallite of degree with mortall men hauing left vnto him neither any priesthood nor externe sacrifice wherby he should be acknowledged to be God This is the thing which Sathan by his lymme and trusty seruaunt Vergerius thought good euē at the first brunt to attempt And suerly it hath been truly sayd In vayne is that doone by many which may be doone by fewe For what should a man go about the bus he yf he may easely get thorowgh But heare what after a fewe wordes he addeth farther For after that this man being ouer curious of the state of forreyn common welthes wherunto he is a straūger and euen borne as it seemeth to stirre vp seditions had exhorted the Polonians that yf these iij. thinges were graunted them they should constantly refuse them he hath these wordes VVote thow well Polonia this matter which now lyeth in controuersy touching religion may indure no moderation or concord Marke well what I saye and laye it in thy remembraunce For there be some that say were it not trowe we possible that some meane migt be found to appease this controuersy I answer sayth he that none can possibly be fownd For yf the papacy remayne in force the doctrine of Iesu Christ can not be free And againe yf the doctrine of Iesu Christ which wee professe doo preuayle then of necessitee must the whole papacy be rooted vp so as ther is none other meane of concord or establisshing of the true churche of Christ but that the whole papacy with all the tiranny and wicked doctryne therof be cleerly taken away And sure as for that Vergerius writeth that the state of religion may indure no moderation or concord I can not well denye but he writeth truly For either a man must be a whole Christian or a whole Lutheran There is no haltyng on either syde As well shalt thou be dāned yf thou be a half Christian or a half Lutheran as yf thou were a whole Lutheran I call him an half Christian which beleeuing all thinges as he ought to doo of Christ the head dooth yet by his owne priuat fancye in certayne rytes deuyde him self from the body He thinketh he houldeth fast the head and yet deuideth him self from the body Therfore he will be halfe a Christiā and half a Lutheran that is to say a Sathanist For Christ him self sayth No man can serue ij masters what participation can ther be between righteousnes and iniquitee or what society sayth Pawll betweē light and darcknes or what agreement between Christ and Belial And in the Apocalips wee read I knowe thy workes that thou art neither hot nor cold I would thou were either hot or cold but synce thou art luke warme and neither hott nor cold I will by vomyt cast the out of my mowth The luke warme is euen in lyke sort cast foorth in lyke sort vomyted out of the mowth of God as he which sinneth in the contrary part Therfore they are in dede very muche deceyued which thinke to contriue a concord by mediocrite in matters of religion The bed is straight sayth the prophet so as the one must nedes fall out and a scant cloke cā not couer both They can not be together in one bed that is to say Christ and Luther may not ioyne in one mans hart the one of them must nedes faull out they can not be both couered with one cloke VVherfore in some part of rytes and ordinaūces to professe Christ and in an other part Luther is nothing ells but to denye whole Christ That is therfore so true as may be that matters of religion admyt no concord by that meane VVe professe in our crede that wee beleue the holly catholyke Churche From her who so euer departeth and harkeneth not to her teaching and preceptes but geueth more credit to his owne iudgement then to hers though he beleue all the rest which is cōtayned in the crede though he beleue and receyue all the scriptures though he honour them as the very word of God as in deed they are being rightly vnderstanded yet hath he nothing to do with Christ the head which hath separated him self from the body of Christ He is an Ethnik and a Publican not deseruing in any part the name of a Christian How often did the Arians attempt to come to soome agreemēt with the Catholikes VVherūto to shewe them selues willing they sayd they woold not stick to permytt that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be beleued to be the sonne of the father so he were not callyd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was but one poore letter Iota .i. in question or difference between the Christiās and the Arrians Yet could not the Christiās thinke meete to graunt it vnto them For vnder this one letter they sawe them hyde their heresie wherby they were content to allowe the sonne to be leeke vnto the father in fulnes of grace but not in propriete of nature VVith what sleightes did the goouernour of Cesaria seke to persuade vnto S. Basil that he should yeeld to the tyme and not bryng so many Churches in daunger by standing vppō the sifting of so nyce a point of doctryne But what sayd S. Basil therunto Suche taulke sayth he may serue yoong men for they and
syche lyke gape after sych toyes But they which haue been trayned vpp in the holly scriptures can not suffer to haue one syllable therof brought in question or hasard But vse rather to offer them selues to any kynd of death yf the case so requyre And therin Basill seemed to the heretikes to be froward as before him Athanasius and Hilary were allso reputed But that which the heretikes iudged frowardnes that the Catholikes and right beleuers esteemed for great constācy VVherby I find my self allso the lesse greued if to soome I seeme stubborne in sayeng ther can be no concord between Catholikes and heretikes onles they which haue departyd frō vs retourne agayne to the place they went from that is to the lap of our mother the holly Churche onles they beleeue her commytt them selues to her and submytt their iudgementes to hers I had rather be counted styffe and stubborne with Athanasius Hilary and Basill thē lyke a vayne reed to waue with euery wynd But these procedinges which I haue remembryd were of long tyme past Lett vs see how oftē in this our age there hath been practyse for concord between the Lutherans and the Suinglians But how hansoomly fell that out to the Lutherans VVhat a concord was it that was made between Martin Luther and Martin Bucer Martyn Bucer in fauor of Luther was cōtent to graunt the body and blood of Chryst to be substancially in the sacrament so that Luther would agayne to pleasure him graunt that the body and blood of Christ was not there but at the very instant when it was receyuid VVhich of these Martyns I pray you drewe the other to his opinyon VVhether became Martyn Luther a sacramentary or Martyn Bucer of a sacramentary a Lutheran Verely Iohn Caluin dooth not any other way make a more effectuall argument that the body of Christ is not substancially in the sacrament then of that graunte of Luther confessing a reall presence only when it is receiued VVherof also he gathereth that the body and bloud of our lord are geuē vnto vs only by vertu and efficacy but not by their substācial presence and none otherwyse then they be present and geuen vnto vs in baptisme and penaunce or when so euer the death of Christ worketh any effect in vs. Of which opinion he gloriously sayeth Phillip Melancthon allso was Is not this a proper concord wherby they which are allredy heretikes become greater heretikes And by their sacrilegious bouldnes growing stronger in blasphemies and errours wexe daily worse and worse not only erring them selues but drawing allso others into errours But let vs passe ouer the Sacramentaryes whose impietye the Lutherans them selues though they differ not myche frō them doo yet so abhorre and detest as they may not afoord any of them so myche as a good morowe or indure their fellowship or company or once to receiue or harbour them but so sone as it is knowen that there is a sacramentary emong them they straight way bannish him out of their Cittyes How often hath there been concorde intreated between the Lutherans and the Christians VVhereupon was the Interim Religion agreed vnto but that there were some gaue great hope that concorde by this meanes might growe betwen the Christians and Lutherans But hath that succeded according to their expectation No God wot But looke what was with full iudgement of all except only a fewe allowed at the dyetts of the Empyre and with their good willes ther determined that soone after was not obserued by them selues which had receiued it They of Lipsia lest they should seeme not to be wyser then the rest of the whole Empyre though at those assemblyes they had agreed to many thinges touching the Interim religion which was there prescribed yet thought they many things of their owne and of their master Martin Luthers deuise meete to be kept and therfore set foorth a dooble Interim which in some things agreed and in some disagreed from the former Interim agreed on at the assemblyes But they of VVittemberg though they were neer neyghbours to them of Lipsia and subiects to the same Prince who had subscribed to the Interim religion set out allso in writing an other deuise of theirs wherin they would not be caulled Interimistes but Adiaphoristes and therin departed from the doctrine of their maister Luther in fewer thinges then the Lipsians hadd done But the Cittyes of Saxony when Mathias Flaccus the Illyrican had kindled fyrebrands amongest them would not goo one heare bredth from the deuyses of their M. Martin Luther but thought what so euer was spoken or written by him meete to be receyued and adored as the expresse word of God VVe see therfore that after concord attempted and thought to haue been in manner brought to passe there is growen greater discord then before For as the Lutherans most wickedly deuided them selues from the Catholike vnitee and the mysticall body of our Sauiour Christ so did they soone disperse their owne vnitee with hellish discordes among them selues VVhat a reuell was ther how many and how bitter contentions between the Zelous Lutherans for so they would be accompted that follow Flaccus Illyricus and between the degenerat disciples of Luther whom Flaccus calleth Adiaphoristes and Interimistes of which sort they be that follow Melancthon what a doo I say hath there been between these only about the surplesse which of auncient tyme the Priestes haue vsed to weare in the churches But what was the cause that they thus pursued one an other in syche small matters Sure none other but for that the Germayne Lutherans feared lest yf any of the auncient customes and ceremonyes were restoryd againe to the churche it might seeme in parte an inclinyng from Luther to Christ and doubted lest they might seeme therby to open a wyndow agayne to the papacy If they then which reioyce to be caulled true Lutherans tooke syche ware and carefull heed leest by restoring the auncient ceremonyes of the church they should open a wyndow to the papacy with how myche more diligēce ought wee that glory in no name but in the name of Christ to forsee that ther be none opened for Sathan to enter at To whom without doubt they are opened when men are accustomed not to geue eare to the churche and to set at naught her ordinaūces preferring their owne priuat iudgementes before the iudgement therof It is most certayne and vndoubted that this whole Sathanisme which now with teares I speake it florissheth in Germany and buddeth euen in your kyngdom most vertuous Prince hath chieffly growen heerby that euery mā dispising the iudgemēt of the churche hath thought it lawfull for him self to interprett the scriptures and of his owne head to alter the rytes and ceremonyes therof VVherfore wee are not vnwilling in this poynt to agree in opinion with Vergerius that the matter of religion now in controuersy may not admyt
owne doctrine that they frame to the wordes of the scripture their owne priuat sence And that they contend not with vs about the sence and mynd of the scripture but about their owne sence vnderstādīg therof which rather thē we would adore as the pure word of God against the cōuiō sence and cōsent of the whole church we are redy to do and suffer all thinges For wee are persuaded that so to do were right idolatry Synce therfore wee haue at large shewed why wee can not agree with the enemyes of the Gospell which by the wordes of the Gospell assault the same and contend with vs about their owne mynd and not the mynd of the scripture wee will brieffly discourse the cause why we can not so do First the most seuere commaundements of God forbid vs to geue eare or consent vnto them according to these wordes If any man preache vnto you any other Gospel then that which ye haue receyued let him be accursed If any man speake blasphemie against the holy Ghost it shall not be remitted vnto him Flee from idoles Seeing therfore these men be syche as preache vnto vs a Gospell which wee haue not receyued and syche as speake blasphemy against the holy Ghost and seeke to be adored of vs as certayne idolls wee obeying the commaundements of God are iustly feared frō consenting with them And lest any man thinke wee applye these scriptures to our owne proper sence we will in fewe shewe how the auncient catholyke fathers haue expoūded them to the end euery man may plainly perceiue that wee doo very truly vse them against these enemyes of the Gospell And first who is ther to whō the name of Athanasius is not knowē and wel thowght of VVho as S. Cyrill writeth adorned heauen it self with the workes he wrote as it were with a most fragrant oyntment This father therfore in his booke which he intituled of the incarnation of Christ as it is by Cyrill cited vseth these wordes VVho so euer besyde these thinges teacheth out of the holy scripture that there is one sonne of God and an other sonne borne of the virgin Mary and adopted for a sonne only in suche sorte as wee men be so that there be two sonnes etc. Or yf any mā saye that the fleshe of our lord came from aboue and not of the virgin Mary or the whole diuinitee to haue been cōfounded or chaunged into the fleshe or the deitie of our lord to be passible or that the fleshe of our lord as of man is not to be adored this man dooth the holy and Catholyke churche accurse following therin the holy Apostles saying If any man preache vnto you any other Gospel thē that which ye haue receiued let him be accursed Behould this good Father whose memory in the churche is holy and immortal sayth he is accursed of the catholyke churche who so euer should go about to teache yea though it were owt of the holy scriptures any of these poyntes But o holy father by what auctoritee thinkest thou that may be done yf he teache the same owt of the scriptures For sooth sayth he by the auctoritee of S. Pawll who sayd If any man preache vnto you any other Gospell then that which ye haue receiued let him be accursed A marueilous matter The same sentence which the heretikes of our age haue allwayes in their mowthe wherby they thinke as with a ramme of Iron to assault and ouerthrow the whole auctoritee of the fathers and coūcells thou bringest foorth on the cōtrary syde To wyt yf any man shal goe about to saye yea though it be out of the scriptures the cōtrary of that which hath bene defyned in lawfull councells of the fathers especially generall and by them deliuered to vs from hand to hād thou thinkest him not only not to be harkened vnto but allso to be accursed and that wee must firmly remayne in that which wee haue receiued though a man bring neuer so many textes of scripture in apparence to the contrary Athanasius will not that the children should iudge of the decrees of the fathers He will not that syche thinges as hath once been tryed by the rule of the scriptures should agayne be caulled back to the same vnlesse they will shewe them selues not to be laufull children but the seed of the harlot and adulteresse which if they dare do let them crye tyll they be hoarse For it is writtē as the father of heretikes attempting Christ once did yet maketh he no doubt by the doctrine of S. Pawll to hould them accursed because they preache a contrary Gospell to that which they receiued But did holy Athanasius when he wrote thus teache vs to contemne and holde for nawght the expresse word of God No God forbid It was neuer any part of his thought but he would haue taken for the pure and expresse word of God that which the Catholikes and not which the heretikes browght foorth that sense I saye which the Catholikes not which the heretikes drewe foorth of the scriptures VVe fynd notably written by S. Hierome that the Gospell standeth not in the wordes of the scripture but in the sense not in the superficiall face or shewe but in the marye not in the leaues full of wordes but in the roote of reason You see now how the most earnest defender of the Catholyke and ryght faith produced these wordes of S. Pawl with whose only auctoritee namely synce he standeth in place of many we will for this tyme be content lest we seeme to long But yet agayne though perhapps wee maye herein doe otherwyse then becometh vs to the end the truth may the more plainly appere wee thinke it not amysse to bringe foorth euen an heretikes exposition of these wordes of S. Pawl and of that heretike whose mynd touching the sacramēt Melancthon is sayd to haue followed He therfore speaketh in this sort intreating vpon those very wordes of S. Pawll Note this worde of the Apostle Accepistis Ye haue receyued For styl the Apostle laboureth to this end that they should not hange as it were in the ayre vpon an vnknowen Gospell only by way of imagination but should hould for a certayne and sure definition therof that that was the true Gospell of Christ which was deliuered vnto them and which they had receyued He commaundeth therfore that they should be reputed for diuells which would presUme to bryng any other Gospell differing from his calling that another Gospell wherunto other mēs inuentions are ioyned And surely this his sentence though he were an heretike we can not but in this poynt very well allowe For he will not haue any vnknowen Gospell receyued but that which hath been deliuered vnto vs and which we haue allready before receyued But nowe that which is of these men termed the Gospell and the expresse word of God came to light in manner but yesterday and was to our fathers
that euer they doo to the contrary VVhich may well appere by these their wordes then the which none are more common emong them Trotz Trotz in despight of the Pope and in despight of the Councell Is this to buyld vp Charitee But wherof growe ther emong vs so many debates contentions seditions warres heresies and sectes wherby wee see the churche myserably torne and deuided but of this only that whiles euery priuatt man cacheth vnto him self the expresse word of God and seeketh to vsurpe and appropriatt vnto him self the right vnderstanding therof nothing is lesse sought in reading the scriptures then the edifying of Loue and Charitee VVe see the rude and vnlerned multitude with an intollerable pryde and without wasshing their handes or feete as they saye come vnto the reading of the holy scriptures Yea wee see foolishe and fond woomen arrogat so myche vnto them selues that condemning their fathers dispising their bisshops and teachers setting at naught the sence and consent of the whole Churche they are not affrayed to preferre their owne expositions before all others VVhom yet they know to haue been conuersant in the scriptures many yeares both day and night and to haue omitted no study labour or diligence to atteyne vnto the trewe vnderstanding therof whom they allso knowe to be set ouer them and that they owght in those matters to be subiect vnto them in so myche as they haue the Carke and care to make a iust and good accompt of their soules Is this to buyld vp Charitee Yet thus hath it seemed good to the Archeheretyke of our age who first presumed to geue that was holly vnto dogges and to throwe pearles before swyne vnder whose feete how filthily they be troden who can without teares behould Notable is that saying of Gregory Nazianzen that it is not for all men to talke of diuine matters no nor lauful at all tymes and in all companyes to dispute of all thinges But good regard is to be had when to whom and to what end that is to be doone which matter he pursueth at large Nothing is better then the reading of the scriptures nothing more proffitable But there is a certayn tree caullyd Rhododaphne in Englishe Osiander whose leaues are to beastes poyson and to men medicynable against serpentes Euen leeke vnto this is the scripture which as to sober and wyse men it geueth holsome nouriture so to foolishe and wycked persons it ministreth occasion of heresy and of more wickednes But were it not better to keepe these brute beastes to whom Christ forbadde to geue that which was holy froÌ„ the reading of the holy scriptures then to suffer them lyke spyders to drawe nothing therof but deadly poyson But as for wemen how myche better should they be occuped in spinning on their distaff at syche tyme as they take on them to dispute of the word of God Be all Apostles be all Prophetes be al pastors and teachers sayth the Apostle But now all will be Apostles all Prophetes al Pastours and teachers yea wemen and all Christ would not that his body should be only one member but that ther should be theruÌ„to many meÌ„bers Now these folke on the other syde will haue that all should be one member and one grosse substaunce all of a facyoÌ„ not distincted with any varietee but a certayne vnfrutful heape and confused Chaos without apte proportioÌ„ or measure By which meanes not only the body is weakened and the order of nature peruerted but the auctoritee of God is allso manifestly shaken whyle euery man vsurpeth to him self more then is geueÌ„ him Hereof groweth the dissencion sectes and quarrelles wherwith the Christian world is now tormoyled while neither the hand nor the foote will vouchesaff to doo his duety but euery member will take on him the office of the eye and the toong and so neglecting his owne impudently intrude him self into the office of an other But these perhapps may seeme sooÌ„what froÌ„ the matter which I haue now taken in hand Yet is it not alltogether froÌ„ my purpose and matter But now to returne to my especyall poynt will yow know most vertuous Kyng what is the expresse word of God and what is the expresse word of the diuell For both as I haue before sufficieÌ„tly shewed at large may be draweÌ„ out of one and the self same scripture But yet learne in a fewe the differeÌ„ce If a man so vnderstand the scripture as he doo therby edifye and buyld vp Charite then is it the word of God But yf by his vnderstanding therof he buyld that which is contrary to Charitee then is it become the word of the diuell Yea and that is more marke this If a maÌ„ out of the holy scriptures drawe that sence which may be proffitable to the increase and edifying of Charitee all be it he saye not the very same which â—e whom he readeth as Mathewe Marke Luke or Pawll may be proued in that place to haue ment yet is he not hurtfully deceyued neither dooth he erre from the word of God but he is so deceiued as a man which strayeth somewhat out of his direct waye and yet by coasting in a fayre playne champion cometh to the same place wher vnto that other way would haue brought him As therfore they which by sailyng cut the foming seas haue especiall regard to the Pole and the lode starre called Cynosura and Vrsa minor so they that trauayll in reading of the scriptures must direct the eyes of their myndes to none other thing but only to Charitee wher vnto yf they bend their vnderstanding they can neuer swarue from the word of God seing as I sayd a lytle before all the wordes of God are but one word of God which is Loue. Then the which word nothing is or can be in the scriptures more playne and cleer VVhat a fury therfore is this what a madnes VVhat a blyndnes of mynd The expresse word of God is sought Myche stryuing ther is about the same and yet when the same so expresse and cleer word of God dooth offer it self before our eyes it is not seen VVhen it dooth inculcate it self into our eares it is not heard VVhen it offereth it self willingly as it were to be handled with our handes yet is it not acknowledged or receyued But wretched men they suffer the same lightly to passe away from their eyes eares handes and hartes while they falsely persuade them selues that their saluation consisteth in knowing and reasoning and not rather in louing and beleuing Doth not that place of the Psalme rightly tooche those men Eyes haue they and shall not see eares and shall not heare handes and shall not fele Charitee Charitee Charite doth in euery place of the scriptures come toward vs and offreth it self vnto our eyes it is of al other the cleerest word of God and without that who so euer thinketh knowledge will bring him
to saluation he is farre wyde Very truly sayth a vertuous and lerned man The Clemency of God regardeth not with how great knowledge wee beleue but with how great deuotiō we loue that which we beleue And an other vertuous mā also sayeth In the last day wee shall not be asked how myche how sharpe and how lerned our vnderstanding was but how great our affection and zeale to our lord God that is how simple how right how vertuous humble and deuout and how willing and faythfull our seruyce toward him hath been VVhich thinges being so why doo we not rather spend our whole study and labour in this poynt which only and alone we knowe to be necessary to our saluation to reteyne among our selues mutuall loue and brotherly charitee which is the very proper marke of the childrē of God In so myche as the vnderstāding of the scriptures is not to all men a leeke necessary The simplicitee of beleuing not the quicknes of vnderstanding keepeth safe the vnlerned multitude And as the same S. Augustine sayth The man which trusteth to faith hope and charitee and fast reteyneth them hath no need of the scriptures vnlesse it be to teache others And therfore by these three many lyue well in desertes and solitary places without bookes Now contrarely all men will search the scriptures and dispute of the sence and vnderstanding therof But that wher vnto as to a certayne marke al the scriptures are referred and that which those scriptures labour to inculcate in euery place into the eyes eares and myndes of men that Charitee I saie which only bringeth saluation no mācareth to reteyne And verely looke how myche the oftener and more feruent disputation is made of the scriptures and of the expresse word of God so myche the more dooth Charitee which all the scriptures doo with one voyce sounde out vnto vs wexe could in the mindes of men And is it leekly that the sound vnderstanding of the scriptures and the expresse word of God is there wher Charite is wexen so could and hatred so hot VVhere besides rayling reuyling skofing and contumelyes a man can allmost read or heare nothing And where they them selues which are departed frō vs who had rather be called Gospellers then Christians doo not only fight against vs but allso one against an other with syche infest rāckorous and vnchristian myndes that no cruell Barbarians or enemyes of Christ his Crosse could deale more leeke enemyes Truly before this Gospell sprang vp which is proceded from none lesse then frō Christ wee neuer sawe any syche bitternes of myndes or cruell contentions Namely emong those whose office was to teache and open the Gospel of Christ And shall wee cal this the Gospell shall we call this the expresse word of God from the which all Charitee the thing most expressly commaunded in the Gospell is so vanished that euen they which glory to haue been the first which as them selues say haue of late brought to light the buryed Gospell doo so hatefully contend emong them selues burne with syche mutuall enuy and so byte one an other that it can not be long but wee must nedes see them consumed one of an other This is sure the expresse word of the diuell not the expresse word of God seing as I haue allredy so often sayd the expresse word of God is only Loue and Charitee That is it that imbraceth Vnitee that ioyneth vs all in one body that geueth peace and with pure hart keepeth the same And Christiā charitee can not be kept but in the Vnitee of the churche so that in vayne doth he vaunt him selfe to haue charite which doth not imbrace Vnitee But yf this expresse word of God Charitee be not kept any where but in the vnitee of the church who is there that can thinke that the expresse word of God can be found any where out of this vnitee And this is it that in this treatyce I shewed before that somtyme when two men bringe foorth one self text of scripture yet God openeth the mouth of one and the diuel of the other For he which hauing deuided him self from the churche alleageth it not with the common sence and vnderstanding of the Churche but with his owne priuat and wrested interpretatiō for so myche as S. Iohn sayeth VVho so euer speaketh of him self yea though he speake scripture yet vttereth he a lye the mouth of that man doth the diuell open and that which he speaketh is the word of the diuell But allthough following S. Ambrose wee sayd that Charite is the thing which imbra cyth and conteyneth vnitee and which makyth vs all one body wee would not be vnderstanded in that sence as though we mēt therby that euyll and vniust men were excludyd from the body of Christ which is the churche For allthough Charitee which the scripture chieffly commendyth vnto vs be the proper marke of them which doo truly honour God wherby the children of God are discernyd from the childrē of the diuel and that those be only they which appertayne to the coompany of the Elect yet is there a certayne other congregacyon or churche of thē that are called from the which they be not excluded which are destitute of true charite so they reteyne that which S. Augustine calleth the loue of vnite by the which he sayeth the members of Crist are couppled vnto him The working wherof is to suffer al thing That ther may be as the same S. Augustine writeth a certain force of suffring houlding the sure handfast of vnitee which was signified by the pytche wherwith the Arke being a figure of the churche was fastned and sodred both within and without for euill men are to be suffred both with in and without lest the knot of peace be dissolued Of which charite allso S. Augustine writeth in an other place saying I do not thinke any mā to be so vnwyse as to beleue that he which hath no charite doth appertayne to the vnite of the churche whē it is certayne that they doo belonge to the vnitee of the churche so long as they be not cut of from the same yea though they be destitute of the other effectes of charitee so that reteyning that force or vertu of suffring they be emōg them of whom S. Pawll writeth supporting one an other in charite carefull to preserue the vnitee of the spirite in the bond of peace But here these fellowes will denye that to be the churche of God which we professe and wherof we glory and reioyce to be the hūble children and wil go about to challenge that name to their congregation But I would fayne haue them shewe vs their churche I speake not now of the Sacramētaries Anabaptistes heauēly prophetes nor of the Campanians or Seruetians all which sectes they haue allredy throwen out of their congregation but let the Confessionistes or Lutherans shewe vs their Churche Melancthon and his
which transferre diuine honour vnto them selues and will haue what so euer they saye or inuent to be houlden and reputed for the very word of God This so horrible an idolatry your highnes must driue and beate backe farre from al the borders of your kingdome and dominions Neither must you permit any man to set him self vp as a God or to commaund any person to bowe downe and inclyne before his word as before the word of God VVhat is in deed the expresse and cleer word of God you haue now lerned of me and yet though nothing be more cleer and expresse yet is it vtterly extinguisshed when euery man shall take on him power and skil to dispute and reason of Gods word I trust I haue done that was my part to doo For though not learnedly inough yet haue I plainlie and opēly shewed how great daunger it bringeth to the churche when euery man be he neuer so vnlearned is suffred to take vpon him the iudgemēt of the expresse word of God I haue also oppened what is that woord of God which is so cleere perspicuous and expresse that euen without scriptures it may be lernyd by the symplest and that it is not needfull for them that beleeue in Chryst to dispute therof but that it behooueth thē firmly to retayne the same in theyr hartes and not to suffer it to depart from thence Now your part Right mighty kyng seemyth to be this that you forbidd to all your subiectes this reasoning and contencious arguing of the word of God And yf any be curious to knowe what is the expresse word of God that you cōmaund thē according to the words of the scripture to learne the lawe at the mouth of the priest And that you take especiall heed and regard that you suffer not your eares to be beatē vpō with these sayings of heretiks If thou be the sonne of god throwe thy self downe for it is written It is the expresse word of God c. These be the wordes of Sathā speaking by his lymmes and mēbers whom you ought to hate more then any venemous beast That which the churche teacheth is the expresse word of God and that which is taught against the sence and consent of the churche is the expresse word of the diuel Therfore you must stoppe your eares against the doctrines of syche men as Vlisses did against the singyng of the meremaydes and whē so euer your hap shal be to heare any syche to geue some manifest shewe and tokē how myche your highnes misleeketh it So did your noble progenitors our kynges your blessed father grandfather and great grandfather all not only notable by the worthy prayse of their other vertues but allso for their singular pyete and constancy in houlding and mainteynīg the catholyck and ryght faith Yea they so abhorred the socyetee and cōpany of heretikes that some of them as we reade in our Chronicles did willingly refuse kyngdomes being offred them of heretikes because they had a consciēce to make or meddle with them These their vertuous steppes yf you wil followe which we trust and hope your highnes wil the state of thinges in your kyngdom are not yet so desperat or past recouery but that God fauorīg the trāquillite of the Churche may be agayne restored VVhich happy daye that it may once shyne vpon vs we most humbly and earnestly beseeche almighty God FINIS A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS BY THE ORDER of the Alphabet The number noteth the leafe a. and b. the first and seconde syde A THE presumptuous wordes of an Anabaptiste Fol. 38 a The Apologie of England slaundereth Hosius Fol. 47. a The diuel assaulteth the Apostles as he did Christ Fol. 20. a Onely one letter in question betwene the Catholikes and the Arrians Fol. 77. b The Augustane Confession 70. b. 72. a B The folie of the Bohemians 56. a Bucer against Luther 96. b The gentle agreement betwene Bucer and Luther 78. b C Caluin and Alasco against VVestphalus 96. a Caluins complaynt of Luther 96. b The breache of the Canons is one kinde of blasphemy against the holy Ghoste 91. b The preaching of Catholikes and of the olde true Prophetes agreeth 6. and 7. The duty of Catholikes when heresy springeth vp 30. a VVhat is the whole controuersy betwene Catholikes and Protestants 48. b. 49. a The difference betwene Catholikes and Protestants 50. a The force of Charite 100. b Charite is the scope and ende of all Scripture 102. a Charite is the liuely and sauing worde of God 62. a VVho is a demy Christian 76. b He is no Christian that is diuided from the Churche 77. b A truthe receyued in the Churche is not to be abolisshed for satisfying the multitude 66. a Truthe is only in the catholike churche 40. b The voyce of the churche is the voyce of God 42. a The true churche of God 109. b The voyce of the churche 48. a Contempt of the churche the originall of these present heresies 81. a Communion vnder bothe kindes grounded vpon no scripture at all 49 50. 51. Suche communion not necessary for the Layete 54. a The Sentence of generall councell the Sentēce of God 29. b VVhat religion moueth Protestāts to not forbeare the cuppe 59. b D Dissension amonge the protestants raysed vp the Swenckfeldian secte 38. b Thre causes why heretikes ought not to be disputed with by scriptures 24. b VVhat is the worde of the diuel 42. a Howe the diuell speaketh by his ministers at this daye 15. See more in the worde Sathan Strange Gods are newe doctrines 93. 94. a The true sence of Christe his wordes Drynke ye all of this 53. b E The waie to auoyde errours is not by permissiō of any 64. b F Constācy of the Catholike Fathers against the Arriās 78. a Flaccus Illyricus condemneth his master Melancthon 98. b G Howe heresy hath creped on and multiplied in Germany 70. a The disordered alteration in Germany 71. b The state of protestāts in the free Cytes of Germany 79. b VVhat the Gospell is by Caluins definition 90. a Sathā shrowdeth hīself vnder the name of the gospel 21. a The schismatical Grekes better then protestants 51. a H Heresy is in the vnderstanding not in the scripture 48. b VVhere in heresy consisteth 33. a. and 39. a The deceitefull pretence of heretikes in al ages 21. a The ende of disputing with heretikes 24. a The extreme arrogancy of heretikes 44. a VVherunto their deuises doe tende 85. a Heretikes thr all the scriptures to their owne mindes 87. a Heretikes are idolls to be fled from 92. a. and 95. a VVhy Catholikes maye not consent to heretikes 87. b Heretikes voyde of Charyte 62. a Heresies haue bene quēched by cōtrary decrees not by tolerations 64. b. 65. a ▪ b Coūcels and parliamēts in likeregarde with heretiks 73. b Heretikes wil bring God in to Order 75. b. Heretikes differ from Catholikes no we as the
faulse prophetes did from the true 3. b. 4. a. Heretikes transfigured into the Apostles of Christ 14. a. Heretikes now like to heretikes in the primitiue Churche 21. b. VVhy heretikes see not the Truthe 101. b. The maruelous blindnesse of heretikes 105. a Heretiks caÌ„ not possibly haue the expresse word of god 106. b The coÌ„flict amoÌ„g heretiks about their priuat churches 109. The cause why heresies springe and increase 111. b. The state of countres where heresy taketh place Ibidem The first and principal attempt of Sathan to bring a man to heresy 16. b Hosius slauÌ„dered extremely by the apologie of EnglaÌ„d 47. a Hosius the paterne of a good Bisshop 67. b The Godly zele of Hosius 111. a. His vertuous prayer Ibid. His great trauail in defending the Catholike faith 111. b 69. a I VVhat harme cometh of innouation and change of lawes The heresy of lustificatioÌ„ by only faith an old heresy 22. a L Howe Luther ouerthwarteth the Churche 17. 18. Luther a sworen enemy to good workes 23. a The lewde practyse of Marcion renewed by Luther 27. a Luther belyeth the Nicene councell 28. b. 29. a Luther wil not haue the SacrameÌ„taryes disputed with 28. Luther cast in his owne turne 32. a The extreme pride of Luther 44. a. b Luther a right minister of Sathan 57. b. The foundation procedinges and successe of Luthers Gospell 82. and 83. Bitter dissensions betwene the LutheraÌ„s them selues 32. The zelous and rigorous Lutheranes 80. a The impiete of a Luther an in ouerthwarting the order of the churche 83. b. An other of the same batche Ibidem Lutherans against the Zuinglians 96. a. Alasco his complaynte of the Lutheranes 97. a. Certaine Lutheranes wil rather doubte of S. Paule then of the Augustane confession 97. b M Melancthon against Luther 98. a. Melancthon coÌ„playned that he had folowed Luther to seruilly Ibidem Foure Lutheran Doctours against MelaÌ„cthoÌ„ Luthers owne derling 98. b The cruelty of Merlinus against the Osiandrines of one Protestant against an other 86. a O The doctrine of Osiander 86. a P Luther graunteth all right Christianite to Papistes 82. a Pride letteth from true knowleadge 1. b. 75. a The intolerable pride of the vnlerned multitude 77. a Pride and selfeloue the cause of all this garboyle in religion 47. b The answer of the kinge of Polonia to the protestantes embassadours 63. a The greate pyete and religioÌ„ of the kinges of Polonia 113. b The variable alteration of Polonian heretikes 69. b False prophets preteÌ„ded Gods worde amoÌ„ge the Iewes 3. a The difference betwene the false prophetes and true as nowe betwene protestants and catholikes 3. b Securite and loosenesse of life preached by the false prophetes as nowe by protestantes 6. b. 7. a b The race and issew of protestants 45. b All and not All in Scripture as it pleaseth protestants 52. a The odious arrogancy of Protestants 58 b A most pestilent doctrine of Protestants 23. a Much of the Protestants doctrine condemned a M. yeres past for heresy 32. b Protestants like to Manichees 44. a The ciuill warre amoÌ„g the Protestants them selues 95. b S The wonderfull sleightes of Sathan 61. a Sathan passeth not on the cuppe so he maye induce the schisme 64. a. 57. a The subtelty of Sathan 65. a Sathan transformed in to an angell of light 14. b VVho throwe them selues downe nowe a dayes at SathaÌ„s worde 13. VVhat Sathans intent is by heretikes his ministers 42. a Sathans full intent and finall purpose 95. a An olde complaint of 10 auncieÌ„t fathers against heretikes for alleaging of scriptures in their priuat sense 32 b. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. A not able example howe to reade holy scriptures 43. a The diuell alleageth Scripture against Christ 12. Heretikes alleage scriptures against the churche 12. b The workes of olde heretikes full of scriptures 13. a The diuell by his ministers alleageth Scriptures against Christ 19. b One selfe Scripture maye be the worde of God and the worde of the diuell 104. b VVhat all present sectes promise to their folowers 19. a Very proper and apte similitudes 50. b. 53. and 105. Howe the sixt of S. Iohn belongeth to the Supper 55. The reuel amonge Lutheranes aboute the Surplesse 80. a. The Swenckfeldians being protestants will no more the Scriptures 46. b Scriptures depraued by vnlerned and light persons 21. b T Tertullian against heretikes 24. 25. and 26. VVhat is meant by these wordes Throwe thy self downe 58. a The Tigurin and Laskane Confession 70. b Truthe is not priuat or personall but common to all 40. a V Paulus Vergerius a firebrande of sedition 85. b The inconstancy of his doctrine 86. a The sacrilegious wordes of Paulus Vergerius 75. a A most euident displaying of present Protestants by Vincentius Lirinensis 12. b. 13. 14. 15. and 16. VV Rauening wolues 13. b The pretence of Gods worde a most easy pretence of Sathan to deceiue withall 14. b VVhat is the true worde of God 41. b VVhat the expresse worde of God is 50. b VVhat is the expresse and true quickening word of God coÌ„moÌ„ly now called The lyuely word of the lord 100. a The worde of God aptly compared to the Lode starre 105. Howe to knowe wheÌ„ the true word of God is vttered 107. b Scriptures alleaged for good workes 9. b. 10. a b Z Zwinglius against the Lutherans 96. a Ego Cornelius Tansenius testor me certo intellexisse a doctis viris fide dignis Anglice peritis hunc D. Cardinalis Hosij librum De Expresso Verbo Dei hic fideliter versum esse in linguam Anglicam ac proinde ad Anglorum vtilitatem iudico eum typis excudendum Ita esse testor Cornelius Iansenius Sacrae Theolog. Prosessor Lib. 2. de sinibus bo norum malorum 1. Tim. 3. 1. Tim. 1. Rom. 13. Galat. 5. Leuit. 19. Matth. 22. Esa 66. Prouer. 11 Rom. 1. Psal 103. Matth. 11. They are sayd to pryck out the choughs eyes vvhich condeÌ„ne and out of those thiÌ„gs vvhich vvith great coÌ„sent hath byn allovved of old tyme by their forfathers Hiere 28. Hie. 14. 29 Hier. 23. Ibidem Hieron in coÌ„menta ibidem The prophetes of God False prophetes Hiere 14. Hiere 6. Ezech. 13. The difference betvvene true and false prophetts Esa 58. Ioell 1. Ioell 2. Ezech â–ª 33. Hiere 26. Ioel. 2. Hiero â–ª in coÌ„menta ibidem Remigius Altisiodo reÌ„sis Episcopus Ioel. 2. Rupertus Abbas Tuâ—tieÌ„sis Albertus magnus Eccl. 7. 2. Mach. 9. Gene. 4. Nume 16 Daniell 4 HieroÌ„ in Danie Ion. 3. The penaunce of the kyng of Niniuee Hieronymus ibideÌ„ Act. 8. No man ought to stand assured of his saluacion Psal 36. The doctryn of he retikes So Luther in lib. de fide Christiana Ion. 3. Psal 24. Psal 118. Hilarius super psal 118. Ambrosi ' 1. Tim. 4. The fauls prophetes of this our age denye that God hath any regard to our vvorkes * This is the clere doctryne of Luther
tomtrolled by Hosius Psal 93. Matt. 23. Iacob 3. Augustine lib. 32 coÌ„tra faustuÌ„ ca. 19. * Marke here you Authors of the Apologie vvhether Hosius de rogateth from the Scriptures or you are fouÌ„de manifeste Slaunderers Pride and selfeloue the cause of al this garboyle in religioÌ„ The voyce of the Churche Math. 4. * Marke agayne ye Authors of the Apologie Heresie is in the vnderstaÌ„diÌ„g not in the scripture Hilarius lib. 2. de Trinitate VVhat is the coÌ„trouersy betvven Cathoikes and protestaÌ„ts A manifest example of the present coÌ„trouersies Matth. 26. VVhat vvorde of God protestaÌ„ts haue for coÌ„munioÌ„ in bothe kindes Against the BoheÌ„s in his resolutions The difference betvvene catholikes and protestants Note 1. Tim. 3. Ioan. 14. Matth. 26. The protestants argument VVhat the expresse vvorde of God is The schismaticall grekes better then protestants See to vvhat point the protestat is dryuen by his priuat sense of holy scripture Obiection Matth. 26. Ansvver All aud not all is as it pleaseth protestants Replie 1. Cor. 11. Reyondre * In the time of S. Cyprian and S. Augustin expressely Cypr. in ser de lapsis August de peccat mer â–ª re li. 1. ca. 20. Matth. 26. Cap. 14. Cap. 22. The true sense of Christes vvordes 1. Cor. 11 Luk. 22. Mar. 14 Matt. 26 Mar. 14. The heretikes caÌ„nnot shevve one vvord to proue that it vvas at any tyme commaunded that the laytee shold of necessitee receyue the Sacra meÌ„t in bothe formes Manna and the paschall lab vver the figures of the SacrameÌ„t Note Luke 24 * August lib. 3 de coÌ„ sen Euangel cap. 25 Beda lib. 6 in Lucam Chrysost hom 17 in Matth. Theophilact in Lucam 24. Iohn 6. Hussitani The heretikes of this age Tho Catholikes In sermone de Coena domini Leu. â— 17. The folye of the Bohemians Ioan. 6. The decre of the councell of Basill VVhy SathaÌ„ requireth so earnestly the coÌ„munion vnder bothe kindes The vvordes of SathaÌ„ by the movvthe of his chosen vessell Martyn Luther in lib. de formul missae Sathanas in the hebrevv touÌ„g signifieth an aduersary VVhat is ment by thise vvordes Throvve thy self doune VVhat Sathans intent is by heretikes his ministres Augustin The odious arrogance of ê“testaÌ„ts Esai 57. Exod. 20 Matth. 15. VVhat kind of feare it is that protestants be streekeÌ„ vvith loan 18 Ioan. 19 Psal 13. Matth. 23 â–ª Matth. 18. 1. Cor. 11. 2. Thes 2. Ioan. 19. Note Note VVoÌ„derfull are the sloughetes of SathaÌ„n 1. Cor. 11 Ioan. 11 1. Cot. 10 Augustin 1. Cor. 11 Nore Charitee is the very liuely and sawing vvor de 1. Ioan. 3. Rom. 13. Heretikes voyde of charitee Aug. tractatu 7. in epistolam Iob. 1. The aunsvver of the king of polonia to the ambassadors of the protestantes Satan passeth not on the cupp so he may Induce the schisme Ose 13 â–ª Matt. 12. 1. Cor. 14 â–ª The subtelt ie of Sathan The vvay to auoy de errours is not by per missioÌ„ of any Note hovve heresies haue bene queÌ„ched by the olde Fathers Concil Ephes â–ª Can. 2. * In the yere of our lorde 435. CanoÌ„ Apost 50. Concil Tolet. 4 Cap. 5. Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 26. Epiphan lib. 1. haer 30. A truthe receyued by the churche is not to be abolished for satisfieÌ„g the fond request of a multitud Chrysost ho. 1. oper imperfect â–ª in Matt. Act. 5. Note â–ª VVhat is to denye Christ De vnita te ecclesiae ca. 4. in 1. Ca. nonic IohaÌ„nis tract 6. setmone 31. de verbis a. post Li. 6. Eccles hist Cap. 45. Note The devtye of a good Bisshop Matth. 16. Note Matth. 10 Plato li. 7. de legibus Arist li. 2. poli 6. VVhat harme cometh of innouation and change of lavves The variable alteration of Polonian he retikes Our coÌ„tre is falleÌ„ by such schisme froÌ„ lutheranisme to Caluinisme Hovve he resy hath creped on in Germany A very ê“per and apte similitude The AugustaÌ„ Confession The Tigurin and Lascan coÌ„fession Suenkfeldius Note In the hachet of he resyes Principijs obsta The disordered AlteratioÌ„ of Germanie * Hovve many mere laye meÌ„ committe this sacrilege in England August in Psal 103. Psal 77. Decrees of couÌ„cels the Bakes of the Churche An apte similitude Note Note Councels and parliamentes in like regarde vvith heretikes Gen. 11. The building of Babilon that is to saie of coÌ„fusioÌ„ The Apologie of picardes Malice the mother of he resy maketh her children forget coÌ„mon humanyte Cicero 2. Philip. Note the Sacrilegius vvordes of this Gospeller The aunsvver of Vergerius to his ovvne obiectioÌ„ The heretikes goe about to bring God iÌ„ to order Arist in Phys li. 1. Beholde here an open and plaine pro testing protestaÌ„t VVho is a demye ChristiaÌ„ Matt. 6. Luke 16. 2. Cor. 6. Apoc. 3. Esai 28. He caÌ„ not be accompted a christian that diuideth him self from the mistical body of Christ Ther vvas only one letter in questioÌ„ betvveen the Christians and the Arrianes Theodotet lib 4 ca. 19. hist ConstaÌ„cy of the Catholike fathers The geÌ„tle agreemeÌ„t betvveen Bucer and Luther In Synod Constant habita â–ª An. 1534 iterum Isenaci An. 36. Caluin his cheefe argument of denieÌ„g the real presence in the sacrameÌ„t 2. Tim. 3. 2. Iohn â— Note the state of protestaÌ„ts in the free Cytes of Germany The Lypsians Interim vpon interim i. daying vpon daying The VVit teÌ„bergers Adiaphoristes as ye vvoulde saie indifferents The Zelous or Rigorous Lutheranes The reuel that vvas emoÌ„g the LutheraÌ„s about the surplesse * These are the Zelous or Rigorous Lutheranes The Originall of this great schisme and heresie grevve only of contempt of the churche Cypr. Lib. 1 â–ª epist 3. The vvordes of Luther touching the papacye x â–ª yeres after he vvas strayed from the churche See vvhat Luther graunteth to Papistes Note An obiection putt of An. 1528. Nume 22. The foundacioÌ„ layd by Luther Luthers procedinges The successe thereof The heaueÌ„ly prophetes CaÌ„panus and Seruetus he retikes * Albertus The Impietee of a Lutheran only for that he vvoold contrary and ouerth vvart the order of the churche One other of the same bacche Li. 1. epi. 3. Cyp. lib. 1. Epist 3 â–ª Hiero. coÌ„tr Luciferianos VVheruÌ„to thedeuises of heretikes tend * That is to holde of the kinge then to holde of the pope Paulus Vergerius a fierbraÌ„d of seditioÌ„ The incoÌ„staÌ„cy and Incertainty of vergerius his doctryne The doctryne of Osiander The impietie and crueltie of Merlinus the heretike against the follouers of Osiader his doctriÌ„ SathaÌ„ did more opeÌ„ly bevvraye hiÌ„self by Vergerius then by any of the other heretikes Epilogus 1. 2. August epist 62. 3. Heretikes vvill not be subiect to the scriptures but thravvll them vnto their ovvne myndes The cause vvhy the catholikes may not consent to the heretikes Galat. 1. Matt. 12. Ezeeh. 14. 1. Cor. 10. Cyrill ad Reginas de recta fide Galat. 1. Galat. 1. Athanasius Esai 57. Osee 3. Hier. in c. 1.
pleased fryer Luther it leekyd him that this or that scripture shoold haue this or that sence VVhat so euer therfore hath been deliuered frō the fathers what so euer hath been establisshed by aucthorite of councells what so euer hath been receyued and allowed by the continuall practise of the whole Churche all that must wee despyse reiect and howld for vayne Neither must suche a multitude greatnes depthe largenesse miracles or hollinesse of so many Sainctes of the Churche mooue a mā one iote But that sense which hee interpreteth wee must not dowbt to haue been the very sense and meaning of the holly Ghost And that which the Catholikes haue tawght which the auctoritee of the Churche hath deliuered which all Christian people haue so many hundreth yeeres imbracyd which schooles defend and mainteyne all that wee must thinke to be the deadly poyson of Sathan How trewly is it sayd of S. Pawll Knowledge puffith vp and Charitee edifieth Thowgh in deed opinyō of knowledge rather puffith vp then knowledge it self For if these fellowes had but one cromme of charitee in them could they so swell with pryde to thinke all men in respect of them selues to be blynd foolish blockish and ignoraunt But euē as wyne if it be not delayed with water dooth trouble the mynd euē so knowledge yf it bee not temperyd with charitee doth with a certayne pryde and ouerturning make a man as it were dronke or rather starke madde-VVherfere S. Pawll doth very well adde thus but yf a mā thīke him self to knowe myche he hath not yett learned in what sort he should knowe For yf he had he would neuer with the opinion of his owne knowleage haue growen so insolent to preferre him self before all others and as it were from an high to looke downe vpon them For the beginning of trewe knowleage is the knowleage of God which breedeth in vs humillitie and submission and dooth rather deiect then by pryde erect the mynd of man And wher so great pryde is as we see is in these men what can there be ells in them then in deed a very ignoraunce and not knowing of God But S. Pawll teacheth vs in an other place by what meane wee should learne rightly to knowe Lett no man sayth he seduce you yf any man among yow seeme wyse in this world lett him becoome a foole that he may be made wyse So then by the iudgement of Saint Pawll a man may become wyse yf hee leane not to his owne fancye yf he condescend to seeme in his owne sight a foole yf he examin him self And yf he seeme to haue any wysedom that he reduce and submitt the same to the seruyce and obedience of Christ the Head and his mystical body to beleue what he teacheth and rather with feare and reuerence to imbrace the same then to follow that which seemeth probable to himself VVhich thing where it is not done what ells followeth then that as S. Augustin writeth all auctoritee be taken from the scriptures And doo wee not see it euen now thus come to passe There is sproong vp in this our vnhappy age Martin Luther who hath with violence broken into the scriptures and shouldering out all others cōtentiously bearyth mē in hād that the sense of the scriptures is euen suche as he will haue it and as may best accorde with his doctrine In fine he so handleth the matter that he sowght to bee reputed not a dispensor but a lord ouer the holy scripture He required obedience of all in imbracing that sence of the scripture which he him self hath browght foorth ▪ After that sprāge Carolstadius and after him Zwinglius Oecolampadius and Caluin and as Luther had reiectyd all the catholykes and right beleuers so did this man together with the rest remoue allso Luther himself And with greate exclamations contenciously affirmeth that the scriptures doo not meane as Luther sayth but as he him self teacheth Then brake owt in an other corner not long after one Balthasar Pacimontanus He in interpreting certayne places of the scriptures dissenteth both frō Luther and Zuinglius and will nedes haue the scriptures to meane as he doth interpret thē and not as they will haue it The heauenly prophets so called wherof Swenckfeldius is now the ryngeleader espied this that these fellowes thus tempered the scriptures to their owne sence and contēded so earnestly not for the scriptures but for the maintenaunce of their owne priuatt and peruers opiniōs and that for ensample they set foorth to the people for the pure and expresse word of God not that which Marke or Mathew thought but that which them selues had imagined So as whyle euery mās mynde was to him self an authour and teacher what was in euery scripture to be allowed or disallowed they did not submitte them selues to the authoritee of the scriptures but thrall the scriptures to them selues and as it were vsurpe a rule and maistry ouer them then I saye begāne these diuine prophetts thus to thinke with them selues How long in the end shall we indure the tyranny of these vnhooded and rennagat fryers Howe longe shall we be driuen to adore as the expresse word of God what so euer hath lyked them to sprinckle with a fewe wordes of the scripture VVhen yett in the meane tyme we see them so fight and disagree emong them selues while euery of them laboureth that his followers should esteeme and receiue not the mynde of the Apostle or the Euangelist but his owne proper exposition for the expresse worde of God VVhat will these fellowes now be worshipped as Gods what remaineth thē but that wee should kneele downe to this or that Archheretike and presently worship as the very voyce of God what so euer shall be spoken by any of them Nay we will for our partes rather harken for the mynd of God out of heauen and will bidde away both with these fellowes thus striuing for the vnderstanding of the scriptures yea and with the scriptures them selues wherof wee now see so many not only diuers but allso mere contrary expositions daily browght foorth And looke what it shall please that heauenly teacher to reueale vnto vs that will we receiue with due reuerence as the very expresse word of God and will rather heare him self speake according to the saying of the prophett I will heare what the lord speaketh with in me then turne our selues to those bare elementes and naked letters and in them which wee see to be turned this waye and that waye to sette our saluation It is not needfull to be cunning in the lawe or the scripture but to be tawght of God Vayne is the labour which is bestowed on the study of the scripture For the scripture is but a creature and a certayn bare letter It is not meete for a Christian to be to mych addicted to the creature Yow must heare God his